After Story: Resolve

Chapter Twenty-Eight: One Last Hurdle?

I jumped as the phone rang and I grabbed it almost before it could finish the first ring. "Hello?"

"Tomoya?"

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Did you get home okay?"

"Yeah. It was lonely without you, but I got home safely." Before I could respond she spoke again: "Listen...my dad's not really happy about this."

Red flags rose. "About us?"

"Yeah. I told him about us right after I got home, and he got really upset." A pause. "I think he's mad because I did this without talking to him first."

"He didn't seem too mad when you came up here in April."

"Well, that was different. When he found out that I was trying to help Nii-san he calmed down immediately. But this..."

"You came to help your brother again, though, didn't you?"

"Well yeah, that was my plan, but...I didn't plan on falling in love."

I felt my face heat up at her words. "I...could see how that could change his thoughts on things, yeah."

"Yeah."

I scratched my head as I thought about how I could help her. "Would...would it help if I came up there and met him? We still have a few days left of vacation, so I could-"

"Dad, stop it!"

I could hear her arguing with who I assumed to be her dad on the other end of the call. "Mei, if he wants to talk to me, give him the phone!" I hoped that she could hear me.

"Who's this?" a new voice demanded. "You the one trying to steal my daughter from me?"

"My name is Okazaki Tomoya, sir." Jeez, were all dads protective like this? I suddenly sympathized with what Yohei must have been going through with Nagisa's dad. "I'm not trying to steal her from anyone; honest."

"Okazaki, huh? Wait...you're Yohei's friend, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir."

"You! Don't go anywhere! I'll be there tomorrow!!" And before I could reply he had hung up on me.

I hung up the phone, thought for a minute, then called the boys' dorm.

After the usual routine, Yohei got on the phone. "What's up?"

"Listen, I just had a...an interesting talk with your dad."

"Whaddya mean?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious.

I told him about our brief, but intense conversation. When I finished, there was silence on the other end for nearly a full minute. "Yohei?"

"AaaaaahahahahahahaHAAAAA!!" I had never heard him laugh so hard in the two years of our friendship.

"What's so funny?" I demanded.

"He's just giving you crap, Tomoya," he answered, still chuckling. "He probably just wants to see how well you handle pressure or something."

"Should I be worried?"

"Naw man, just be yourself! Treat him right and he'll treat you right, got it? Stand up for yourself if you have to, but respect him."

I sighed as I nodded, finally feeling a smile spread across my face. "Got it. Thanks."

"Anything else? I gotta go, I've got a date with Nagisa and her parents."

"Lucky bastard."

"You know it. So...that it?"

"Yeah, that's it. Thanks, Yohei."

"Laters!"

***

I still felt nervous, though, as I stood at the station platform and waited for Sunohara-san's train to arrive. After our 'conversation' Mei called me again and, in whispered tones, told me what train her dad would be taking and what time he would arrive.

I found myself almost shaking as the train rounded the curve just before the station and tugged at my collar. I had chosen to wear my school uniform for the meeting since it was the nicest clothing I had.

The train pulled up, the doors opened and, to my surprise, Mei charged out first with her arms wide. "Tomoya!"

My heart leaped as I saw my girl run toward me. "Mei! What-" I didn't get to finish as she launched herself into me, and I reflexively lifted her up and twirled her around.

"Put my daughter down!" I heard an authoritative voice demand, nearly causing me to drop her. I carefully slowed our spin and set her on the ground gently. Then I turned to face...the hell...?

Mei's dad stood just outside the train car in what looked like some kind of anime pose. He stood sideways to me, with his leading arm fully extended all the way to the index finger pointed straight at me. His trailing arm was up at head level, his hand in a fist. I had to stifle a laugh.

"Dad, this is Tomoya, the one I was-"

"I know who this is!" he interrupted as he dropped his arms and stomped toward me, both hands now fists.

I instinctively moved Mei behind me. He may have been her dad, but if anything bad happened I still didn't want her to see it.

"This boy who is trying to steal my daughter from me," he yelled, "is a delinquent, a sluggard, a good-for-nothing..."

I kept quiet as he ranted, figuring he was trying to get a rise out of me. Well, I wouldn't give him that pleasure.

It turned out a response wasn't necessary as his rant changed tone. "...a dedicated friend, a persevering young man, and a gentleman!" He finished as he stopped before me and crossed his arms. "What do you have to say to that?"

Even though I had tried to be ready for anything I still found myself stunned with how quickly and easily he had changed tone. "Th-Thanks?"

He burst into laughter as he reached out and clapped me on my shoulder – my left one, thankfully. "Are you hungry, Okazaki-san?"

If I had to be honest... "A little, sir. I, uh...was kinda nervous this morning for some reason. Did wonders for my appetite."

He laughed his contagious laugh again. "I'll bet, I'll bet." He dropped his hand and regarded me for a moment. "Know any good restaurants around here? I'm starving. You, Mei-chan?"

I had almost forgotten that Mei was there until she came around from behind me. "Yeah, Dad; we left so early that I didn't have much time to eat."

"Well, what can I say?" He leveled his gaze at me. "I might have been a little anxious, myself." He laughed yet again, and I found myself smiling at his cheerful attitude as he clapped his hands together. "Well, Tomoya-san? Lead the way!"