The Tokyo subway system. It's composed of two railway systems: the Tokyo Metro and the Toei Subway. They service the 23 special wards of Tokyo and outlying suburbs, villages, and municipalities.
As far as subway systems in the developed world go, it is probably the most kid-friendly. Some subway cars had kid-friendly spaces with colorful characters and designs. However, this was a double edged sword.
Ren Amamiya would learn this in regards to his daughter. To entertain her, he started playing "I Spy" on the train.
"I spy with my little eye…a fox!"
"I spy with my little eye…a tanuki!"
It went well for a while. But then…
"I spy with my little eye…a Hello Kitty!"
Hana ran up to each character drawing on the walll and either smacked it with her hand or pointed and made grunting noises. She was smart though and could identify connections easily.
Such as when she owned a character. Like Hello Kitty.
Hana pointed at the Hello Kitty on the roof and then started to point at her parents, specifically Makoto. She knew that Makoto had her Hello Kitty doll.
Ren didn't.
"Sorry kiddo, I don't think we have it."
That was an unacceptable response. Hana screamed like she got her arm sawed off. Makoto shot Ren a dirty look and started rifling through her purse. "It's ok, Hana. Mommy is looking for Hello Kitty right now. Daddy will fix this mess he made."
Ren cringed. "Daddy absolutely will!"
He went to his number one go-to song. The song that typically sent their daughter into euphoria.
"Here is the beehive…" Ren held out his right hand in a closed fist and pointed at it with his left hand.
"Where are the bees?" He brought his left hand palm up and did a half shrug, keeping his right hand in a fist.
Hana's crying slowed down and she walked over to Ren, very curious as to where those bees had gone.
Thank God she has the attention span of a fruit fly. It allows my frequent parenting failures to be glossed over.
"Hidden inside where nobody can see." Ren started wagging his finger and Hana copied him. She said, "No, no, no."
"Here they come creeping out of their hive." His fist finally opened a little and his fingers wriggled. Hana's eyes lit up and she giggled. She swiped at her father's fingers while he dodged his little girl's attempts at bee containment.
"One…two…three…" Ren's fingers matched the numbers he called as his voice crescendoed. He got incredibly close to his daughter, saying the last numbers in a low tone. "Four…five…"
"THEY'RE ALIVE!"
Ren pounced on Hana and started tickling her belly, her armpits, and her neck as he made buzzing noises like a bee.
"Buzz buzz buzz!"
Her squeals of laughter filled the train car. She loved the routine. She loved how Daddy always tried to scare her and it turned into tickle episodes.
When they finished, Makoto presented the Hello Kitty doll to Hana and the little girl grabbed and held onto it tightly.
The two parents breathed sighs of relief. Makoto touched Ren on the arm and was about to say something when the alert for the next stop sounded.
"Yongen-Jaya! Next stop is Yongen-Jaya!"
Ren hoisted Hana on his shoulders and the Amamiya family strolled casually to Cafe Leblanc.
Hana took in the sights. She pointed at every single sign she saw. She pointed at every single cat she saw while saying, "Momo!"
Ren turned to his wife. "You think she'll ever understand Morgana?"
Makoto considered the question for a while before speaking. "Hmm….To be honest, I hope she never has to."
He nodded. They came up to the red and white awning, more weathered as the years had gone by. The words coffee were harder to pick out and now looked unintelligible if one didn't know what to look for. Leblanc itself looked faded but still stood out nicely on the white portion of the awning.
They both smiled.
Aging can be a slow-motion tragedy. A series of limitations placed upon oneself not by mercurial parents, but by the cruel and relentless nature of life. Puppy dog eyes cannot make random body pains hurt less. A sleepless night cannot be cured by chugging energy drinks anymore. Gray hairs and wrinkles cannot go away by doing homework or chores faster. But there is one thing that aging has going for it. A honey that helps the bitterness go down.
Nostalgia.
Ren adjusted his glasses so he could see the sign better.
Makoto gazed at her husband. "I really love those glasses on you. You look so handsome and professorial."
"I guess astigmatism has its benefits." Ren said. A blush crept up his face and ears.
He placed Hana down and pushed the door open.
"Ah, you're back." Said a deep and sonorous voice.
Ren rolled his eyes. "Hi Futaba. Your Sojiro impression is getting better."
Futaba Sakura hadn't changed too much. She fashioned her hair into a bob cut that made her the spitting image of her mother. As time had passed she started dressing stylishly, following the advice of her friends Ann Sakamoto and Haru Okumura. But she was still the weird little gremlin she had always been. She was behind the counter, cleaning a mug and wearing a green apron that was a little too big for her. Several full French presses were in front of her.
"You're damn fu-" Futaba stopped mid-curse as she noticed Makoto revving up her Niijima Death Glare. She remembered how mad the brunette was when she taught Hana a few curse words at her own birthday party. Seeing the little tyke call her cake "shit" was something she would never forget.
-nny you should say that! He's here today! Sojiro! Your better but uglier child has arrived!"
Sojiro exited the bathroom. His hair and beard were far more white than black and the wrinkles had gained new company, especially around the eyes. However, the years had been kind to him. As his daughter and her friends grew, Leblanc had grown into a meeting place that they frequented more during the years right after their adventures in the Metaverse. As time went on and the former Phantom Thieves gained new responsibilities, Leblanc became more of an event hub versus a hangout spot. Holiday parties, engagement parties, baby showers, and children's birthday parties became more popular. Sojiro happily took on a grandfatherly role as time rolled on.
"Hey kids. Always good to see the both of you," He said with a hearty smile. Sojiro dropped down to one knee. "Hello Hana-tan, I've got a little surprise for you. But only if you guess where it is."
He brought out his hands, both enclosed, and presented it to her. Hana walked over, smiling at her ersatz grandfather. She picked his left hand, as she always did.
Sojiro opened his left hand, revealing a tiny chocolate bear wrapped in golden foil.
"Here you go. A little treat for my little treat."
He carefully unwrapped the bear. Just before giving it to her, he looked at it thoughtfully and adjusted his glasses.
"Hmm, I'm a little hungry. Maybe I could take a tiny bite?"
Hana whined and she reached for the chocolate bear. Sojiro laughed and ruffled the toddler's hair.
"Just joking. Here you go, kiddo."
He pointedly looked at Makoto. "Just the one, I promise."
Hana paid no mind and happily munched on her bear.
Sojiro stood up slowly. His knees cracked loudly and his face contorted in pain. Even Futaba winced.
Ren slowly exhaled through his nose. Sojiro looked at him evenly. "Don't you start."
"I didn't say anything. Your knees did though."
The older man scowled. He was about to retort when Makoto interrupted.
"Boss," she said with as sweet a tone as she could muster. "It seems like it's getting harder and harder to move without pain, wouldn't you say?"
"Hmph. Perhaps."
"Then maybe seeing a doctor would be helpful."
Sojiro crossed his arms. "So they can throw pills at me? Or cut me open?"
"I'm sure Dr. Takemi wouldn't do that."
"Didn't the kid tell you? She closed her clinic down."
Makoto's eyes widened and she turned to Ren. He rubbed the back of his head.
"Yeah, so when Tae became chief-"
"BORRRRINNNG! Are you seriously trying to segue from Sojiro's status ailment to an infodump? This is fanfic-level writing! Bad fanfic!"
Everybody looked at Futaba, thankfully not understanding a word she said.
Ring ring
The silence broke with the sound of the door opening and closing.
"Mom? You're here today?"
Everyone turned to see the young Shigeru Sakura walk in. A boy of ten years old, his brown hair and big eyes belied…nothing. He was a very normal little boy. Considering who his parents were, that made him incredibly strange.
"Shiggy! C'mere you little slime!"
Futaba outstretched her arms and her son ran over to her, hugging tightly. Futaba took the time to give a few kisses to her son's cheeks.
"Mooooom!"
"Hey now, don't hog my grandson all to yourself."
"Sorry Sojiro, you can't transfer key items from your inventory unless it's a cutscene."
"Grandpa!" The boy pried himself from his mothers arms and hugged Sojiro.
"Hey kid," He tousled his grandson's hair. "Always happy to see my favorite worker. How's it going over at your dad's?"
Futaba stuck her tongue out at Sojiro's favorite worker comment.
"Great!" Shigeru beamed. "They're getting ready for the baby. Dad took me to his work and people actually listened to what he said! Nobody looked at him weird!"
Another ring sounded and two more people entered. The first was Haru Okumera, the CEO of Okumera Foods and very pregnant. She was followed by her husband: Yusuke Okumera, the Creative and Artistic Director for Okumera Foods.
As one of the few young female CEOs in Japan, she became an icon to career-focused young women and a curiosity for the public at large. Public interest focused on every aspect of her life, even trivialities like her wardrobe or her hobbies. For years, Haru had tolerated pantsuits and other professional wear. Pregnancy was somewhat of a freeing experience in terms of fashion and she decided to turn use this attention for something positive. She began to wear dresses again. She made a point to wear maternity wear created by modern designers and to give a new image for a pregnant professional woman in Japan.
Haru assumed the role of CEO after a gradual rise through the ranks guided by President Takakura. After finishing college, she set up the cafe she always dreamed of. Cafe Noir started as a small cafe at the university and expanded to rival Starvicks' market share in Japan in only 3 years. From there she spent most of her time climbing the ladder in the Operations Department, with a few detours in the Human Resources and Quality Assurance Departments at her request. However, she realized that she did not have the aptitude for branding or advertising.
She brought Yusuke and Futaba in as consultants. Futaba relished being able to direct online campaigns and her efforts generated immense press. Big Bang Burger sponsoring an e-sports team? A Featherman themed kids meal? All Futaba. But the thing she was the most proud of was a meme she inadvertently created from the Burger-kun Twatter account after responding to an unhinged fan's emotional rant.
"Sir, this is a Big Bang Burger." took the internet by storm. Futaba made sure everyone knew she created it.
Yusuke needed much more convincing to join, considering his purist view of art. However, once he joined, he stayed.
"Salutations, everyone. I hope you have all been doing well. Apologies for the tardiness, but Haru's physical limitations prevented us from arriving any earlier."
Ren quickly calculated the weeks in his head.
"Haru, you're about 38 weeks now?"
"39 tomorrow actually," She smiled sheepishly.
Makoto walked over and took her friend by the hand. She walked them over to the nearest booth and gently helped her sit down.
She stuck out her hand. "Your coat please, Haru."
"Mako-chan, I'm perfectly fine. My doctor said that as long as there is a clinic nearby I can do all my normal activities."
"About that," Ren said. "So the funny thing is…"
"Dad! I told Mom and Grandpa all about your work. How much people respect you there! You were so cool." said Shigeru.
"You think I am…cool?" A faint blush crept up Yusuke's cheeks.
Shigeru looked at his dad like he asked the silliest question in the world.
"When your dad puts his heart into something, he can be pretty cool." Futaba took off her glasses and cleaned it with the rag she had on the counter.
"Thank you, Futaba."
She didn't seem to hear him as she kept cleaning her glasses. After Futaba finished, she walked over to the counter, took a French Press and a mug, and walked over to where Haru was sitting. She poured her friend a cup as she talked.
"I brewed those elephant sh-"
She felt Makoto's eyes boring a hole into her soul.
"I mean, elephant poopoo beans you got me. I used a French Press instead of a Chemex or that weird siphon thing you told me to use. I personally think it adds more body but…"
Futaba poured herself a cup, took a sip, and frowned.
"…there's a teensy weensy chance that some poopoo got in the coffee."
Haru looked at Futaba for a moment. Her eyes slowly drifted to the coffee, the steam rising delicately and filling her nose with its scent. She noticed a strong earthiness initially, which gave way to the subtle chocolate and cherry notes that Black Ivory was known for.
"Haru, please don't tell me you're actually going to drink this," Makoto said. "It might literally have elephant dung."
"I wonder if it would add any complexity…" Haru's hands reached for the mug.
"What about the caffeine content?" Makoto said. Her eyes darted between the mug and her friend. She turned around, just to see her husband enjoying his own cup of Black Ivory while chatting with Yusuke. Hana was perched on his shoulders, still eating the chocolate bear.
They locked eyes and she screamed wordlessly at him the way only a wife does at a husband.
"Um, I heard something about caffeine content?" Ren then took a long sip.
Wow, this is amazing. Maybe the shit did add some complexity.
"Yes! What's the appropriate amount of caffeine for a pregnant woman?" Makoto said.
Haru decided to humor her friend and had the mug perched on her lips.
"Less than 200 milligrams. About the size of a 12 oz cup of coffee." Ren then finished his coffee. He poured himself another cup.
"What about the elephant dung?"
"If there were any studies that measure the effect eating elephant dung has on pregnant women, I'd have a lot of questions about it."
Haru put her hand on Makoto's. "Mako-chan, you're such a caring friend. I'm ok, the baby is ok, I promise. We know where the nearest hospital is and the fastest route. Worst case scenario…"
"No," Ren said.
"Absolutely not," Sojiro concurred.
"Born in the presence of theSayuri. What an auspicious omen." Yusuke mused.
Makoto nodded. "Ok Haru. I'm sorry for nagging."
The CEO of Okumera Foods squeezed her friend's hand and finally got to savor the exotic experience that was Black Ivory.
Crash!….ring ring
In came Ryuji Sakamoto, along with his twins Kyoji and Rin. But they did not stroll in casually.
"Rhinooooooooo!" Ryuji roared as he charged into Leblanc, carrying his twins on his shoulders. "We smashed through the wall! Rragh!"
He threw his head from side to side for good measure. His twins cackled and bounced on his shoulders.
"More! Daddy, more!" They cried.
"Daddy's exhausted, munchkins. Daddy needs food and rest, for real." Ryuji put his children down. They scampered off to go play.
Sojiro loved the Sakamoto twins, but they tested his patience like no other. They were charming and sincere like their mother, but impulsive and prone to excess like their father. They also had a tendency to rile each other up and conspire in little schemes. When they weren't stealing his curry, they made excellent kitchen helpers.
As if on cue, Rin said "Grandpa Boss, do you have any curry?"
"I'm going to make it very soon. Do you both want to help me?"
"Yeah!" They both cheered.
Sojiro walked over to his grandson while holding the twins' hands. The cafe was getting loud and Sojiro's hearing wasn't what it used to be. "Shigeru, grab the twins and start cutting the veggies."
Shigeru looked at his grandfather dispassionately. "1000 yen."
"500."
"500 and you have to go to Inokashira Park with me next week."
"You drive a hard bargain, Shigeru-san. Deal."
"Stepmother taught me that the best way to negotiate is to find out what the other person loves and threaten it."
"You're absolutely right. I don't think I can resist your tactic of spending time with me." Sojiro gave him the twins and Shigeru was left to ponder over his grandfather's words as he walked over to the kitchen.
"Here buddy," Ren brought over a can of Monta that Futaba had kindly stored in the fridge. Hana was still on his shoulders.
"Ugh, thanks bro." Ryuji quickly snapped open the can and chugged half of it. "After this one, I'm done for the day."
"It's two a day, right?"
"Technically, it's none. Ann got tired of my bitchin' after I tried to go cold turkey. Dr. Legs said I was gonna get full blown diabetes or whatever." Ryuji said. He then leaned in closer to Ren and whispered. "I didn't even wanna fuck, bro. Ann was naked lookin' like a goddess and I couldn't even get-"
Hana started to cry. Whether that was because she finished her chocolate bear or whether Ryuji's frank discussion of his sex life disturbed her, no one will ever know. Ren couldn't have loved his daughter any more than he did now.
"Oh honey, did you finish your bear? It's ok, daddy will take care of it," Ren brought his daughter down and quickly extricated himself from the conversation.
Before Ryuji could respond, his goddess wife walked in. Ann Sakamoto was trailed by Morgana who was busily yapping away.
"-so that's why you've got to let people know that the most fashionable thing you can do is be kind to animals. Which means feeding all the cats you see fatty tuna."
"Yup, Morgana. I'll include it in my next column."
After the EMMA incident, Ann and Alice Hiiragi became friends and business partners. Alice specifically requested Ann as the face of her new fashion line. Ann's life changed overnight. She was soon jetsetting all across the world. She walked down the runways of New York, Paris, London, and Milan. She took the modeling world by storm and was known as Alice's Queen of Hearts. Ann loved the attention and the lifestyle for a while, but years of living on airplanes and subsisting off black coffee got old. Constant weigh-ins and calorie counting made it hard for her to relax during the offseason. Her relationship with Ryuji suffered and the untimely death of her father was a reminder that the future was never guaranteed. After 7 years of modeling, she did her last photo shoot and walked her last runway in Shibuya, surrounded by family and friends.
But she still needed a job. She saved a lot of money, but Ann didn't want to just hang out at the apartment all day while Ryuji worked at Shujin Academy as the new track coach. Alice recommended that Ann use her keen eye for fashion and give writing a try. She wrote a few pieces and sent them out to various magazines. Did they accept them because she was the famous supermodel Ann Takamaki? Perhaps, but she decided to publish her columns under a pseudonym so the public would judge them on their merits.
And thus Lady Carmen was born. Lady Carmen had a knack for practical fashion advice but also understanding how people use fashion to communicate and express themselves. Ann was able to give advice to people all over Japan while preserving her anonymity and doing it on her own schedule. It was a dream. She found herself enjoying this more than her modeling days.
Ann walked up to her husband. She was about to say something before Ren's voice boomed throughout the cafe.
"Hey everyone! Thank you for coming! I just got a text from Sumire saying she actually won't be able to make it. Zenkichi also said he got naptrapped by the grandkid. So it's just us!"
"Now is a good time for an infodump!" Futaba said. "Unless you do something lame like make it a cliffhanger."
Ren smirked. "I guess you're lucky life doesn't work like that."
A/N:I'm such an ass I know.
Just in case anyone has questions, I looked up how kids refer to stepparents in Japan and it is literally calling them Stepmom or Stepdad. Shigeru likes Haru, honest!
Finally, I have to thank my excellent beta reader Saesmakoto. The Lady Carmen idea was hers and I'm so mad I didn't think of it myself.
Once again, I love feedback. Please please PLEASE give me comments, kudos, bookmarks, criticism. I love hearing everyone's thoughts and you all are one of the reasons I write. Thank you.
