Banana Fish - Another missed flight

Family First - The Truth Comes To Light

I'm so late uploading my chapter but it's twice as long as normally✨

Before you read my story, please take a moment to look at the fan art I used as a cover for this chapter. One of my readers drew it and I really love the bright colors. It's so beautiful and cute💖 Please follow FoodKiid and the Instagram account kalrart if you like this fan art✨Thank you so much for drawing it, FoodKiid ❤️

"Ash, can you open the door, please?", Eiji called out from the kitchen. He peeked through the half-open door. "You're awake, right? I'm busy in the kitchen."

When he didn't receive an answer, Eiji called his name again, this time more firmly and stretching his name endlessly with a scolding undertone.

"Yeah, I'm awake. The tone isn't necessary." Ash complained, his voice still hoarse from sleep and yawning as he walked up to the kitchen entrance.

Eiji burst out laughing when seeing him. "That's how you want to greet your dad? He gave him an amused look while mustering him from head to toe. He had woken Ash up one hour ago. Several times. Even so, he was standing in the kitchen barefoot with a bedhead, his clothes were rumpled, and he was practically still half-asleep while standing. His face still looked puffy and red, and there were still sleep marks imprinted on his face.

Yet, Eiji secretly admitted that he looked adorable, especially when he rubbed sleep out of his eyes as he did now. At times like this, he looked like a little kid. He looked so vulnerable and at ease, a side Eiji had rarely seen of Ash while in New York. And even though he was a hopeless sleepyhead, he loved that Ash looked so cozy. It made Eiji feel right at home so he couldn't be mad at him.

Ash was wearing one of Eiji's shirts that was a bit too small for him. It was a habit they had started in New York when Eiji began staying with Ash and didn't have any clothes initially. So, he had worn Ash's clothes, and sometimes Ash had worn Eiji's, too. Surrounded by all the violence, it had felt so ordinary and domestic. They had kept that habit in Izumo. He loved wearing or rather drowning in Ash's oversized hoodies as well, and he loved the smell of Ash on them.

Eiji stopped what he was doing and switched off the stove. He moved closer and gave him a quick peck on his cheek before putting his arms around him and pulling him closer. Ash's head dropped on his shoulder.

"Ash, don't fall asleep on me again! You're hopeless; you know that? You haven't even showered or gotten dressed.", he scolded him softly.
To be honest, he hadn't expected anything else from Ash. Eiji knew better than that. He was a night owl, after all.

Eiji shook his head, pulled out of the hug and removed some strands from Ash's face. "What am I going to do with you? I guess your dad will see a new side of his son. Ash in just-out-of-bed style. "Open the door, ok?"

While preparing breakfast, Eiji saw out of the corner of his eyes how Ash looked at himself in a mirror that hung in their hallway and tried to smooth down his hair and clothes. But his boxer shorts and his t-shirt looked as messed up as his blonde hair that had strands sticking out at all sides. It was a waste of time.

Ash gave up after a moment and sighed in resignation. "Whatever.", he grumbled, more to himself. Eiji smiled inwardly. Grumpy as ever. Some things never changed.

At the beginning, Eiji had hoped to eventually convince Ash to get up earlier, together with him. But even if Ash didn't read books until the middle of the night, he would never turn into an early riser. Eiji had given up after some time.

So instead, Eiji usually used the time to go running. He was still an athlete and liked to stay fit. His ankle had healed well enough for a short run. He wouldn't be able to run a marathon with it, though. His athletic career was over anyway.