aqua's silly stuff!

bonus chapter #8 - "makin' ends meet"

"Kyle! Where have you been? I've been worried sick about you!" Kyle's father, Matsuda, exclaimed once he saw his son. He came rushing over to greet the boy, wrapping him up in a tight embrace. "Papa, I took the night shift at that play place, remember? It's just to make some extra money..." Kyle explained tiredly.

"Extra money? For staying up all night? Kyle, you shouldn't put yourself through so much strain!" Matsuda scolded him. "I know we're struggling, and I know you just want to help, but that doesn't give you the right to neglect your health in favor of it. I don't know why you're still working like this, even when I've asked you to stop so many times..."

Kyle sighed and pulled away from his dad. "It's fine, papa. I'm growing up, so it's becoming my responsibility to contribute to our family, you know?" He assured the man. "Mama's already taking her week off, so I figured it's time I started making sure everything's running smoothly here for the time being..." He trailed off, rubbing his arm awkwardly.

Matsuda frowned at that statement, but quickly shook his head to dismiss the feeling of burden. "Kyle, your mother wouldn't want you to overwork yourself. Besides, how much does that lousy boss of yours pay you anyway? Probably not even enough to make up for all the hours you spend cleaning!" He grumbled, clearly upset.

"Sure, it may be a minimum wage job, but c'mon! With enough time and effort, I can make enough to last us a lifetime!" Kyle tried to reason with his father. "Believe me, papa, all this hard work will pay off!"

"No, Kyle. I'm telling you now, you need to march right up to that lazy boss of yours and demand a raise!" Matsuda told his son sternly. "You said you're a grown-up now, right? Then let's see you act like one!"

Kyle couldn't help but chuckle softly at his father's antics. "Okay, okay... I'll ask him when my shift starts, alright?" He conceded. But Matsuda shook his head stubbornly, refusing to give up the topic that easily. "No, you're gonna talk to him right now! I refuse to see my son work himself to death while he barely gets paid enough to buy a loaf of bread!" He insisted.

Kyle groaned softly, giving in to his father's demands. "Alright, alright... I'll go back to ask. But if I end up getting fired for this, papa, you owe me a hundred bowls of ramen." He joked as he headed for the front door. Matsuda only laughed as he agreed with the offer and waved Kyle off. "Be careful, kiddo! And hurry back!"

Kyle left the house with a smile on his face, rubbing his stomach hungrily. "Hm... Yeah, I could go for some ramen right about now... Ooh, or some sweets, like mochi! I'll have to ask Nadia if we can go get some later..."

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Kyle finally arrived to the play place, just before opening hours were scheduled to start. He passed through the empty hallways of the building, nervously twiddling his fingers together as he passed by different posters promoting the performance tonight. He couldn't help but smile at seeing Yuri on those posters.

But that sense of joy faded almost instantly once he reached the door to his boss's office. Swallowing his pride, he knocked lightly three times against the wooden door. He heard shuffling noises from inside, followed by the door slowly swinging open to reveal the boss himself, Oswald. The older man smiled warmly at the sight of his employee.

"Ah, Kyle, what a surprise seeing you so early. Didn't expect to see you back until later tonight." Oswald commented as he stepped aside to let Kyle enter his office. Kyle looked up at Oswald, smiling sheepishly back before entering the small room and sitting himself down in one of the chairs in front of Oswald's desk.

"Sorry to bother you, Mr. Oswald, it's just..." Kyle felt his face warm up a little bit as he spoke, and he couldn't help scratching uncomfortably at his neck. "I'm kinda here to, uh... discuss some... important things with you, if you don't mind?" He chuckled nervously as he shifted his seat slightly. Well, here goes nothing...