Nervously, Wataru licked his lips. Granted, that's why she had originally caught his attention. When she had entered the living room and stared at him, he had at first thought that he was imagining Sakura. As he noticed the hair color, he realized that it was not an imagination. Still, the first shock had been enough to trigger something in him that eventually got him interested in Yuna.
And when he then assisted her with all her problems and got to know her better, he slowly fell for her. Probably their relationship had indeed been rushed, but he had hardly regretted it so far.
Yuna might be a demon hunter and a fighter, but she was also a girl, and sometimes someone like her needed someone to protect her. Wataru wanted to be that person for her.
"No. That's not why I fell in love with you, Yuna-chan," he answered truthfully.
"Why then?"
Smiling, he shrugged. "I don't know. Your likeness caught my interest in the beginning." He looked at the girl in the photo again. "But you are two completely different people. Although Sakura was condescending when she was upset, she was not nearly as fierce as you are." His dark brown eyes stared into her red eye. "She was actually a lovely girl. Not a fury like you." He grinned at her.
"You're such a goof." She poked him in the stomach with her right index finger. "Is there anything to drink here?"
"Sure." He took her by the hand and led his girlfriend down the stairs.
As they approached the kitchen, a male voice sounded from the room. "They have decided to move earlier."
"It's okay, Kano. The kids are all here. We can tell them tonight."
"I only worry about Kiri-chan. The boys will be alright."
Yuna squinted at her boyfriend, sensing how his hand tightened. He knocked on the door frame, whereupon the two adults in the kitchen turned to face them. "Hey, Dad," Wataru greeted his father.
"Hey, Wata. Good to see you, Son." The man was slightly taller than his wife, a little beefier, and had a graying, half-bald head. He came up to them. "My name's Kano Shimada," he introduced himself to the girl with a bow.
"I'm Yuna Masuda. Nice to meet you." She bowed slightly lower than he had, just as she had learned from Shinji.
"Nice to meet you, Yuna-chan." He looked at his son again. "How are you doing, Boy?"
"Okay. I guess." The singer shrugged. "Would be better, if I wouldn't have to work all day long to pay my rent."
"As soon as you pick up your studies again, I'll pay for your rent. You know that." Kano studied the blue-haired girl. "Are you sure you want to discuss this in front of your girl?"
"I don't keep secrets from her," Wataru said. "Though... could we speak Japanese, please? She's not that fluent in English."
The father tilted his head. "How can she get better when you don't teach her?"
"Dad, please."
"Okay." Kano turned to Yuna. "My boy wants you to understand everything. You must be important to him." He bowed to the high-school student. "Maybe you can persuade him to resume his studies. I don't care if he's studying music as long as he's graduating."
"Dad, leave her out," Wataru growled.
"Um..." She squinted at her boyfriend, helplessly. "I think he knows what he's doing."
Resignedly, Kano sighed. "Please, Yuna-chan. I don't want him to become a NEET."
"Dear. Let's talk about this after dinner, okay?" Satoko interjected. "It's almost ready. Wata, bring Yuna-chan to the table."
"Yes, Mum." He turned and started walking. "Come on, Yuna."
The blue-haired girl nodded to the parents with an embarrassed smile and followed her boyfriend. At the stairs he called up, "Dinner is ready!" Then he went on and disappeared through the next door to his left.
On her way, the high-school student noticed more photos hanging on the walls. Wataru's father along with foreigners. Maybe the recording came from his time in the United States of America. In any case, he looked in this photo a lot younger than today. She went on and looked at more pictures.
"Oh yes... the good old days," Kano's voice sounded beside her. She looked over her shoulder. "I played in two Hollywood movies. This photo was from the set." He pointed to a picture, whereupon several people stood and toasted. "Ninja III. You can't see my face because of the mask. And I was used as an extra for 'The Terminator' in the club scene. My half-brother had procured the jobs for me."
"I don't know either." The girl looked at the photo again. "It sure was a couple of years ago."
Wataru's father nodded. "Oh yeah. That's been over thirty years ago."
"Are you showing off with your acting career again, darling?" Satoko asked with a mischievous undertone as she balanced a few bowls on a tray.
"Did you ever play in a movie, Sa-chan?" He raised an eyebrow in amusement.
Rolling eyes, she returned, "What would have happened to me if you had made a breakthrough in Hollywood?"
"Can I help you, Shimada-san?" Yuna asked quickly.
The brown-haired shook her head. "No thanks. But Hollywood can get the rice cooker from the kitchen. Come with me, Yuna-chan." Nodding, the girl followed the mother as Kano sauntered back into the kitchen. Wataru was already sitting on the floor on a table side.
"Didn't you get your girlfriend something to drink?" Satoko complained as she set the tray down and put the bowls on the table. She turned to Yuna, "I'm sorry, I didn't raise him like that."
"There's a tea pitcher in the kitchen anyway. And I'm a guest in your house, Mum," the musician replied with a grin.
"Hmph." The mother looked at Yuna. "Does he at least look after you at your house?"
"Not really. Come on! Move and get the tea from the kitchen!" hissed the blue-haired, nudging her boyfriend with her foot.
"Wooah. Are you sure you don't mind my parents seeing what kind of monster you are?" He raised his hands defensively. Immediately Yuna's face went red and she squinted at her boyfriend's mother.
"You've always let yourself be pushed around by Sakura. Get the tea, boy." Kano entered the room with the rice cooker and deposited it at the end of the table.
"Yes, Dad." Sighing, Wataru scrambled to his feet and left the room.
They heard a brief exchange of words, then Takeru came in laughing. "Yeah. How long ago was it that I didn't have to carry the tea?" Grinning, he squatted down on the floor across from Yuna.
"Tomorrow you're back on duty," Satoko prophesied.
The cook apprentice pouted. "I think Kiri should have to do that too. After all, I work."
"Kiri-chan is a girl, and she has a lot to learn to keep her excellent grades at school," the sister explained as she settled next to her oldest brother. "Why are you sitting on my seat?"
"Wata and Yuna are on my side of the table, genius."
Kiriko pushed him aside. "Stay on your half, please."
"Children..." Satoko shook her head and began to scoop rice.
Wataru came back with a big tea-jug and some cups. "Has that thing always been so heavy?!"
"That's why we have to abuse strong boys like you for that. I've carried enough teapots for my life." Laughing, Kano put some pieces of fish in his rice bowl.
"You mean that you carried beer mugs," his wife corrected him.
While Takeru began filling cups with tea, the singer sat down next to his girlfriend. He looked at her and noticed her clenched lips. "Hey, are you okay?"
Nodding, she looked over at him. "Yes." She looked around the circle. "It's nice to sit at the table with a normal family."
"I wouldn't call ourselves that," Takeru assured her.
Kiriko shoveled some rice into her mouth before she asked chewing, "What about your family, Yuna-chan?"
Wataru flinched and gave the blue-haired an uneasy look. "I'm an orphan," she explained.
"Oh. I'm sorry." Satoko looked at her sympathetically. "For a long time?"
"People. Can we please drop that topic," the bicycle messenger said.
"It's alright, Wata. That's my story." Yuna looked at her boyfriend's mother. "They died this spring. It's only been a few months." There was an uncomfortable silence as everyone stared at the high-school student. Embarrassed, she smiled, lifted her rice bowl to her mouth and ate from it.
"Why didn't you mention that, Takeru?" Kano asked irritably.
The older twin shook his head. "I really didn't know that." He looked at the blue-haired girl. "How should I know? I've only seen her for a few minutes so far."
"I'm sorry, Yuna-chan," the younger girl pleaded.
"Don't worry." Yuna looked at everyone briefly. "I know, that's a very sensitive topic. And it shocks most when I speak of it. I just wanted to be honest."
"Can we do anything for you, Yuna-chan?" Satoko asked.
"You've already created this wonderful person who's taking care of me." The high-school student looked at her boyfriend. Smiling, he stroked her forearm.
"You said your last name was Masuda, right?" The mother waited for her guest's nod. "Did your family die in a gas explosion in your house?"
Again the girl nodded. "Yes."
"I read about it in the paper. A terrible story. Was it clarified how it could happen?"
"Mum." Wataru leaned forward and shook his head.
"I don't want to be curious, but such a disaster could hit any family. I just want to know, if I should pay attention for something in particular," Satoko explained.
"It was a gas leak. It simply went unnoticed for too long. That practically never happens. I'm confident you're safe."
"Okay." The housewife exchanged a look with her husband. "Well... there's something we have to tell you kids."
"I thought you wanted to talk about it after dinner, Satoko?"
The woman shrugged. "Now the mood is already down." She squinted at the blue-haired. "No offense, Yuna-chan." The girl shrugged and drank her tea.
"What's going on?" wondered Takeru. Kiriko also put down her bowl and gazed expectantly at her father.
Kano sighed. "My company has decided that they will close our location here and move to Kyūshū to merge the sites."
The twins looked at each other before Takeru said, "Then you search for a new job. You're very qualified." His brother agreed with a nod.
"I was offered to keep my job. But I also have to move."
"Does that mean we're moving?" Kiriko asked carefully. She looked at her mother, who nodded slightly.
"I'm over sixty years old. It will be almost impossible for me to find a well-paid job again." Kano looked at his food. "I have little choice."
"I'll be trained soon, then I'll earn money, Dad. I can take care of us," suggested Takeru. He looked at his brother. "And Wataru could come home again. Together we can do it."
"I could deliver newspapers, or babysit. I'll help too," Kiriko interjected.
Satoko smiled at her husband. "See, I told you."
The head of the family snorted. "I don't want that." He looked at his oldest son. "Once you've finished your education, you should look for yourself. Go traveling, or find a girlfriend." Next he looked at his daughter. "And you should concentrate on school."
"Kano..."
"I just wanted to tell you my decision. If you want, you can come with us." The father looked at the musician. "You too, Wata. You could go back to university and graduate there."
"But I can stay here if I want that?" the singer asked.
"Yes." Kano looked at his oldest. "You're free to stay here too, Taki."
The youngest inflated her cheeks. "And me?!"
"You, of course, come along, Kiri-chan."
"But I want to stay here with my brothers!" Angrily, she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at her father.
Takeru and Wataru looked at each other. "We could take care of Kiri."
"Boys, please. Be reasonable."
"I'm serious, Dad," said the older brother. "We can take care of her."
"Maybe... but..."
Satoko cleared her throat loudly. "I don't like it either, okay? We've also thought about whether your father should go alone and we'll stay here."
"Sato... we talked about that."
She cut him off. "You know I don't want to move. I've lived in this city all my life."
"Dear... please. I couldn't bear to be separated from you."
"And I couldn't bear to be separated from our children." The parents gave each other a fierce look duel.
Kano pressed his lips together and nodded. "Good. We talk about it again, quietly. You know now what's going on. The move will take place in seven weeks. I'll give you a week to make up your mind."
The younger son shook his head. "I don't have to think about it. I'll stay here with Yuna."
His brother said, "I'm sorry, but I don't want to go away either. I'm in training with one of the country's best sushi masters. You don't just throw that away."
"I want to stay here too!" Kiriko whined. She clung to Takeru. "Nii-san, help me!"
"Stop it now, Kiri-chan," Kano growled.
"I want to stay, Dad!" She clenched her fists and slammed them on the table. "I want to stay!"
"Shut up, Kiri!" exclaimed the father. Everyone at the table winced, then the girl jumped up.
"I hate you!" She stormed out of the room.
"Well done, Dad," Wataru snapped and stood up. Aghast, Yuna watched him as he followed his sister. She squinted at Takeru, who was staring at his bowl in front of him.
"Please continue eating." The head of the family emptied his bowl noisily.
Satoko had also stopped with eating. "Love, you should apologize to her."
"Don't tell me what to do."
"Don't pick a fight with me, okay? I'm just telling you're at fault."
Clattering, Kano slammed his bowl on the table. "Woman! Know your place." Angrily his wife stared at him.
Yuna would have liked to sink in the ground to escape from this extremely unpleasant situation. For a brief moment she was able to accompany the life of a normal family, but now the matter escalated. She just hoped that Wataru would come back soon.