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Shinobu Kawajiri decides she’s tired of waiting for her husband to come back on the same day as Tomoko Higashitaka signs up for speed dating.
She finds out about it on chance; Hayato asks if he can go over to Josuke’s house since his mom is busy, Shinobu gets curious, and before Hayato knows it she's dropping him off at the Higashikata house before being on her way herself.
It's been two years since that summer. Koichi’s halfway across the world in Italy, Jotaro Kujo’s long left town, but the Higashikata house is no less lively. Actually, Hayato would even say–
“That’s not how you hold a toddler, Okuyasu!!”
–That it’s even moreso, now. Keeping the child’s best interests in mind, Mr. Joestar and the Speedwagon Foundation decided to give Shizuka to Tomoko, who didn’t mind taking her in, considering Josuke had already wisely spent his funds on her prior. (...Among other reasons, but Hayato doesn’t know all of them.)
“Hey guys.” Hayato greets, stepping inside, watching Josuke snatch Shizuka from Okuyasu with distant amusement. Shizuka giggles, waving her arms as she’s held, grasping for Josuke’s face.
The two look over and grin. “Hayato!” Shizuka parrots it too.
He waves, setting his bag down. “Where’s Yukako?”
“Upstairs, on the phone with Koichi.” Josuke tries to pry Shizuka’s hands off his face, to no avail.
“Nuh uh!” Shizuka proclaims, pinching him. Josuke flinches and relents.
Okuyasu laughs. “You tell him!”
“Wha- Okuyasu!” Josuke protests.
Hayato smiles faintly. In the last year, he’s had more of a growth spurt than anyone was expecting. He kind of hates it, though. Shinobu told him he looks like his father, and some of the kids at school seem put off by how tall he is out of nowhere.
In a way, it’s kind of nice to have a reminder that time passes? He knows hardly any other kid would be saying that, but it’s a comfort for Hayato. The summer of 1999 is in the past, and he’s never going back.
“How am I meant to show him Capcom vs SNK 2 like this??” Josuke pokes at Shizuka.
Yukako’s laugh echoes down the stairs. “Are you not up for an extra challenge?” She asks as she steps downstairs, waving at Hayato.
“Didn’t Mom tell us not to use her as a prop?” Josuke points out.
Yukako shrugs. “Mom’s not home.”
Hayato shakes his head.
Okuyasu reaches out to hold Shizuka again. “Cmeree.”
Shizuka perks up, letting go of Josuke’s face. “Oku! Yas! U!!” She announces excitedly.
“YEAH!!” Okuyasu holds her up. “That’s me!!” He sets her on his shoulders.
Josuke huffs. “How come she listens to you?”
“Okuyasu’s fun,” Shizuka states like it’s the most important thing in the world.
“But I’m your brother!” Josuke gasps.
Yukako giggles. “She knows her priorities.”
Josuke casts her an aghast look as Okuyasu spins around, Shizuka giggling the entire time. “If you’re not gonna turn the TV on, I’m gonna have the first round against Hayato,” Yukako declares, heading to the living room.
“Hey!” Josuke protests, Yukako’s already shifting right into a sprint, laughing. (And then she trips him with Love Deluxe.)
Hayato steps over Josuke carefully, and when he gives him a betrayed look, he shrugs. “She did call dibs.”
Josuke sits on the floor, leaning against the couch, with a huff, but doesn’t argue. Hayato picks up the controller that’s handed to him, and leans back.
Okuyasu might join them later, but Hayato can hear him in the kitchen, talking to Shizuka–who Okuyasu has been very careful with not letting her hurt herself in there, somehow–about what he’s gonna make for dinner to surprise everyone, so he doesn’t wanna distract him.
Hayato plays a few rounds against Yukako, who–Josuke complains–has gotten way better at gaming since two years ago. She passes the controller off to her brother afterwards, and they battle while the smell of food gets ever more appetizing from the kitchen.
No one wants to eat before Tomoko and Shinobu get home, besides Shizuka, so Okuyasu eventually settles next to Josuke and lets her sit on his lap, nibbling on some food.
Hayato lets himself relax as much as he’s ever able to.
–
Tomoko returns with Shinobu in tow, chatting away as mothers tend to do. However, do moms usually hold hands? His brow furrows, and he notes, with dread, that his mother is in a very good mood.
It's not that he doesn't like Tomoko. Josuke, Yukako, and their friends speak highly of her, and Hayato doesn't doubt that she's a good mom—a better one than his own, by the sounds of it—but he doesn't like the picture that's being painted here.
“Guess who I ran into at the speed dating?” Tomoko says cheerfully, cutting through Hayato’s thoughts. Shinobu giggles.
He swears some of the blood drains from his face.
Josuke looks over. “Woah, really?”
Yukako blinks. “Seriously?”
“Oi, Hayato, isn't that your mom?” Okuyasu not-whispers.
“Mama two..” Shizuka gasps.
“She is not.” Hayato says defensively, to the three year old.
Shinobu’s eyes shine at the food. “Wow,” She says, impressed, “What a spread.”
Okuyasu grins. “I’ve been taking lessons from Tonio!”
“To! Nio!!” Shizuka cheers, throwing her hands up. Sometimes the chef babysits her, and Hayato’s seen him around, but he doesn’t really talk to him. Besides, that’s not his primary concern right now.
He eyes Tomoko, eyes his mom, his heart sinking because god he sees that light in her eyes. He’s so stupid, he should have just snuck out and explained later.
This is not okay, not in the slightest. He helps Josuke put away the controllers, put the console up, and then follows after Yukako to sit down at the table. He sits in between her and Josuke, and Okuyasu besides Josuke, with Shizuka between him and Tomoko. Shinobu sits next to Tomoko.
“So, what was it like?” Josuke asks, then adds, “The speed dating, I mean.”
“Yeah, how fast was it?” Okuyasu speaks up.
Tomoko laughs, and says, fondly, “I’ll tell you all about it after I eat some of this food, don’t be so impatient.”
–
It’s incredible how much little Morioh has to offer, especially if you look for it. The sky was beautiful, the venue full but yet not crowded, candles lit like little specks of starlight, flowers blooming with a sweet scent rivaling any perfume, even designer.
Tomoko had dressed up, you see, for this, as anyone would. Her outfit was made of a dark, crimson coat she’d left unbuttoned so that it might show her floral dress underneath, which swirled with camellias–the flower of perfect love, of loyalty, and inner strength–was soft against her skin, while the coat added a grounding weight, something welcome to ease her into the unfamiliarity she was trekking into.
Beautiful men and women alike are all around, some of them Tomoko’s met before. Perfumes and colognes mix in the air, and she nearly sneezes.
The first few rounds aren't very notable, though Tomoko does run into one coworker of hers, one who always smells a bit like dried figs and has hair that curls up like thorns, and they end up spending the entire time chatting about plans for next semester.
Eventually, though, Tomoko spots someone even more familiar than her coworker. Polka-dotted long skirt that frames her incredibly well, a jacket that accents—
–
“Um, excuse me, but where do I put my plate?” Hayato interrupts, looking down at the floor, rather than anyone else, especially not Tomoko.
“Just in the sink!” Okuyasu supplies, though he looks disappointed Tomoko’s story got interrupted. Shizuka babbles as if to communicate that also, crossing her arms.
“Right,” Hayato stands up. He's tall enough to reach the sink easily, a fact he doesn't let himself spend more than a single thought on as he listens to the conversation drift to other things. Okuyasu’s learned a new recipe, Yukako has more stories from Koichi to share, Josuke's favorite conditioner might be going out of business, it's nothing that Hayato should worry about.
So, he sits, half-listening, til Tomoko glances at him and goes, “And what have you been up to?”
Hayato blinks, caught off guard by the question, and a beat of silence goes by, so Tomoko adds, “Have you been keeping your grades up?”
“Um,” Hayato didn't… expect her to ask that. Shinobu never really cared to, just as long as she could be as hands off as possible, so he'd learned to not really care. And really, life's been… a kind of blissfully normal, for him? Which is a good thing, so he blurts out, “Yeah, I have been, everything's fine.”
He then hopes that that's enough, and Tomoko won't ask any further, because he really doesn't know what to say. She looks like she considers that for a moment, but something in his face must convince her to not to, because she nods thoughtfully, “Well, that’s good.”
Dinner talk moves on, nothing note-worthy being said, but eventually Okuyasu and Josuke set to work clearing the table and washing the dishes. Tomoko picks up Shizuka, rocking her a little, and looks to Shinobu. “I can drive you and Hayato home,” She offers, and immediately–
“I wanna come with!!” Okuyasu says enthusiastically.
Josuke grins, “Yeah, c'mon Mom!”
“Hey, if those two dumbasses are going, then I wanna too.” Yukako proclaims, crossing her arms.
“That’s too many people for one car.” Tomoko shuts them down immediately, though it’s fond.
A family squabble ensues.
–
It’s Tomoko and Shinobu in the front, and Hayato and Yukako in the back. The radio plays, loud enough to drown out the conversation of the adults in the back. The Higashikatas’ car always smells of perfume, or conditioner, or hair gel. It’s the expected result, of course, for twins like Tomoko’s.
Hayato has many a bad habit he has yet to break, and one of them is trying to lip read whenever he can’t hear. He focuses up on the front seat, at their mannerisms and faces as best he can, to try to discern what they might be saying.
“Hey,” Then Yukako pokes him in the shoulder with Love Deluxe, “What the hell are you doing?”
He flinches, looking right over. “Uh- nothing.”
“Yeah, right.” She rolls her eyes. “Do you think I’m dumb, kid?”
“No,” He huffs, defensive, “Don’t put words in my mouth. And I’m not a kid anymore.”
Yukako crosses her arms. “Why were you eavesdropping?”
Hayato opens his mouth, then closes it. Because he’s.. not sure, actually? He’s too used to the cameras. To the surveillance. To keeping an eye on everything and everyone in his space because he had to, because he’s watched people change in front of him and know that no one is worried but himself, because there was no one who would care, or help.
And he should be able to put faith in Tomoko, in Josuke, in Yukako.
But a leopard can’t change its spots, Kira’s face cannot escape from his mind, those summer nights spent in fear and those cool days spent no better leave an impact, threaten to suck him back in during his worst moments, and Hayato feels like if he switches off the cameras, if he looks away for even a minute, everything’s gonna come crashing down with a new tragedy.
“I dunno,” He settles on saying, honestly.
Yukako regards him for a long moment during which he resists the urge to squirm, settling on eventually saying, “Fair enough.”
The music and the low thrum of the car are the only sound for the rest of the trip. Hayato doesn't mind it.
–
Shinobu takes a moment to think, when she and Hayato are back home. She does it as she sheds herself of her going out clothes, adjusts her hair, and takes off her makeup.
Tomoko Higashitaka is such a breathtaking woman, and Shinobu’s not sure what she feels about the fact she thinks that at all. She has always felt like she falls slowly. It’s a waltz to her, waiting for the moment whoever she’s dancing with might dip her, and lean in, and light those sparks.
Sometimes it takes years. Shinobu talks to Tomoko sometimes, but not that often- she feels like tonight she learned more about her then she has in their occasional chats over the last two years.
Her favorite food, her favorite color- Tomoko holds herself so boldly that Shinobu wants to follow her wherever she goes.
And that's the strangest sensation.
Kosaku was her first relationship, sparked during college. He’d never really seemed to care, but her friends had envied her, and that’d been enough for her to keep it going. They went through the motions, up till there was one they couldn’t take back.
Kosaku had said something half hearted about being a good father, and that had been enough for her.
He never could be, really. Even when he changed, that gap, between Kosaku and his own son, had never shortened. If anything, it had only gotten deeper.
There’s no use dwelling on it, Shinobu decides, putting her washcloth to the side. Even if he were to come back through that door right now, she can’t expect him to change in that way.
Hayato… wouldn’t react well to it, she’s sure.
He’s a standoffish kid by nature, who only became even a little open after his father disappeared. She guesses she doesn’t mind it, but to be fair, it’s not like she’s known him any other way. He was a late talker and an early walker who’d follow his parents around, standing in doorways just watching what they did.
She never knew what to make of it. She didn’t really buy any childcare books, but she was gifted a few by friends and family, so she skimmed them, but none mentioned anything about your kid being like that.
She figures, nowadays, that all that was just a precursor to Hayato adoring photography. It makes enough sense to be true.
“Hey, Mom?” Hayato’s voice cuts through her thoughts, and she glances out of the bathroom at him.
“Yes, sweetie?” She smiles.
“Um..” Hayato fidgets with his hair. “I forgot to say goodnight,” He mumbles, “So I’m doing that. Goodnight, Mom.”
“Goodnight, Hayato.” She sets the hairbrush down, walking out of the bathroom and going over to him, giving him a head pat. He blinks, but gives her a nod and then leaves.
She watches him go, and wonders if this is how parenthood is meant to feel; something hollow, trying to ring out a sound of familiarity when not knowing how ever to make it.
–
Yukako would love to say her brother is being dramatic about what’s going down between their mom and Hayato’s, but she’s not an idiot. Josuke and Okuyasu immediately crowd her once she gets settled back inside, and it’s only because she raises up Love Deluxe that they back off.
“You two have got to stop being so nosy,” She scolds, having half a mind to grab Josuke by his pompadour and shake it, but even she knows better.
Josuke rolls his eyes. “I’m being a sensible amount of nosy, Yukako! And besides, aren’t you curious? I mean, you fought so hard to be on the drive over-”
She gives him a Look, and this would shut anyone else up, but he just giggles. “You aaare.”
Okuyasu snickers. “I mean, Mrs. Kawajiri’s got good taste-”
“Don’t go there.” Yukako interrupts.
He pouts, slumping. “Okay.”
Josuke pats him, looking at Yukako. “Look, how can we be sure this will actually go anywhere? For all we know, they could, like, have a thing and then be done with it–”
“I think that’s worse,” Yukako points out, grimacing. “Way worse.”
The three think about it for a moment.
“Oi, Josuke, I think she’s right.”
Before the discussion can go any further, Tomoko calls, “Yukako, boys, get ready for bed now!” from upstairs.
“On it, Mom!” Josuke and Yukako call back, and Josuke glances at Okuyasu.
“Do you wanna stay over again tonight?” He offers, as if Okuyasu hasn't been staying with them for the past fucking months. Yukako bites her tongue and walks away.
Shizuka’s already been put to bed, so she creeps carefully up the stairs, unlocking and relocking the baby gate with near-ease now.
She glances into Shizuka's room, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest. She's a lot to handle—still is—but, hey, Tomoko's already raised two stand users, and she and her brother have turned out great. Shizuka won't be any different, Yukako is sure.
She heads to the upstairs bathroom and gets ready for bed, and lets her mind wander as she brushes her hair out. (Technically, she could just straighten it all with Love Deluxe, but she finds it relaxing, a good way to occupy her hands while giving herself a moment to think.)
Her brother’s right, she’s as invested in this as the rest of the household is. It’s hard to not be; if this goes anywhere…
Huh.
You’d think it be harder to deal with a baby stand user running around your house, one whose stand relies so much on her emotions, especially when kids are always bubbling and full of the brim to that, but–
That’s easier, somehow. Yukako knows how to deal with outbursts like that better than anyone, and sometimes she can’t just sit down with Shizuka, but she can do her best to make her feel heard.
Growing up, it was always just her and Josuke, and Tomoko and Grandpa, and that was all they needed. A change of pace, an extra person, it never occurred to them. Because that person would be an extra person.
It’s harsh to think of your mom’s maybe-girlfriend like that, yeah, but…
Yukako sets the hairbrush down. Grandpa dying didn’t leave an empty space, it closed the spot there at all. Shinobu will either show why she gets to be part of the family, or they’ll move on with life, and that’s that.
Hayato’s kind of already like a little brother, if she had to call him anything beyond a friend, so that’s not really an issue?
But it’s weird. Is he gonna move in? Her brow furrows. The hell would be the housing situation? She refuses to share a room with Josuke again, not after surviving an entire childhood like that. So many hair brushes torn apart… So many hair clip fueled wars…
She shudders, then shuts the light off, and settles into bed.
–
Tomoko makes her way to the kitchen second thing in the morning–Feed kids before they get hungry, or deal with the consequences…–and finds her thoughts wandering to how much the teens have grown.
Okuyasu would follow anywhere Josuke went, as Josuke would to him. Not only that, Tomoko had encouraged him to go as much as she had her own son, and perhaps one could assume both their encouragement and the surprising diligence Okuyasu could tap into when he had a reason had helped him get into college, side by side with Josuke.
It also wasn’t a surprise when, after months of sleepovers, Okuyasu had said goodbye to his childhood home, packed up what little wasn’t already at Josuke’s, and basically moved in. (Josuke still asks if Okuyasu wants to sleep over every night, and Okuyasu still asks Tomoko for permission… They’ll realize at some point, probably.)
Tomoko, obviously, doesn’t mind at all. The two have been joined at the hip since 1999, why would she complain about her boy having someone so important to him?
She gets out plates for everyone, smiles as she listens to Shizuka’s delighted laughter at a good morning from Josuke and Okuyasu like normal, and then moves to get the chopsticks. One, two, three, four, and a baby one for Shizuka.
She knows what her kids are used to, what they expect out of every day, and she knows that for people like them, things like transitions are rough. For Tomoko, though, Shinobu was already a constant, already something important in her life.
It’s nice to have another mom to talk to, it’s nice to have someone who also had a thoroughly bizarre summer of ‘99, and furthermore… Tomoko likes her voice, her face, her hair…
But there’s more to it than that, and some of the hard part is explaining to the kids. They think they’re subtle, but Tomoko isn’t oblivious. Even if she did sit them down, there’s no guarantee they’ll listen to her, and she can’t make them do that.
The advantage she has here, and part of the circumstances on why this is even coming about, is that she knows Shinobu. She’s not a total stranger, and Josuke and the others regularly hang out with Hayato.
It’s a strong start; but that won’t be enough, she reasons, trying to brainstorm things to get the kids adjusted.
“Morning, Mom,” Yukako yawns, heading downstairs first, calmly but certainly scrambling out of the way as Josuke slides down the railing.
“Morning! Okuyasu, be careful with Shizuka!” He calls.
Okuyasu laughs. “You got it!” And then he walks gingerly down the stairs, Shizuka in his arms, waving her own and cheering.
Tomoko smiles fondly. “Did you all sleep well?”
A collective nod, even from Shizuka, who hasn’t quite grasped what they’re nodding about yet.
“Good.” She gestures to breakfast, sitting down herself; they can portion out their own food. “Okuyasu-”
“I’ll wash the dishes!” Okuyasu grins. Tomoko puts a note on her mental checklist to thank Tonio at some point. With his charismatic energy, trademark cheerfulness, and stern insistence on a clean kitchen, Okuyasu’s picked up a lot that will serve him well for the future. Tonio’s also a wonderful babysitter, and Shizuka is always so excited whenever he stops by, or comes and picks her up, if need be. (Though, for some reason, Josuke does not get along with the chef… Tomoko really can’t grasp why.)
Yukako’s rolling her eyes. “I’ve never seen anyone more eager to stick their hands in soapy water.” She comments, and Josuke laughs.
“Hey, be nice!” He insists, elbowing her harmlessly.
She holds up her chopsticks. “I am being nice.”
“Kids, no stabbing at the table.” Tomoko interrupts, then thinks better of it, and adds- “Or stands.”
That gets a collective pout, and Shizuka throws her hands up in the air. Tomoko boops her. “That includes you too, missy.”
She giggles, hugging her hand with a big smile, babbling, her big eyes staring up at Tomoko. It feels like deja vu, in a way; it’s been 16 years since Yukako and Josuke had small, squishy faces, and round eyes with both no thoughts and too many thoughts behind them.
Raising another kid wasn’t on her radar, and to say she had been all for it at first wouldn’t have been truly accurate, but.. Shizuka’s settled in, and Tomoko’s realized that despite everything, she’s almost missed having a three year old waddling around.
Shizuka, like the twins, is a leash kid. Constantly eager to wander away and not having the forethought about what happens next, but wanting to explore everything with no limits.
(Tomoko made Josuke and Yukako be the ones to babyproof the house, figuring it’d be good practice, plus she had paperwork to fill out thanks to the Speedwagon Foundation.)
Yukako glances at the clock, then excuses herself from the table and walks off to go call Koichi, and from there, the family begins to depart for this and that for the day.
“You all better study hard,” Tomoko calls, before leaving the house to go teach, though the chorus of “we will” or “yes mom” are less than enthusiastic.. except for Okuyasu. Oh well.
–
Hayato is very, very sure he can make his own breakfasts now. He’s tall enough to reach the stove, all the spices, even the back of the fridge, and to the very bottom of the freezer. And yet, every morning, his mom insists on making him a meal.
Maybe it's a habit she can’t shake off, or an honest attempt at this whole family thing, but Hayato feels too awkward to tell her to knock it off, and besides, he doesn’t even think she would.
(And maybe it’s... nice. He knows, reasonably, he’s just stumbled into teenhood, and it feels like his mom just properly stumbled into motherhood, so… maybe he shouldn’t try to ruin that.)
Her new work schedule is the same as his father’s–because the spot opened back up–so it’s not something Hayato has to get used to. Except that the house is... empty, more often then he would like. That’s part of why he’s ended up hanging out with Josuke and his friends so often, lingering in the silence doesn’t suit him, and even when he has footage to look back on, it doesn’t settle well with him. Sitting in an empty house.
It makes dread crawl up his spine, knead at his nerves like a stray cat, and…
“I’m off to work, Hayato!” Shinobu calls.
He shakes himself out of his thoughts. “Okay, Mom.” He calls back, then adds- “Stay safe.” -but she’s already out the door by then.
He considers, again, asking her about getting a pet. Not a cat, anything but a cat, but maybe a dog. One of those big, kinda scary ones that can learn a lot of commands, and bark at anyone unsavory who tries to approach him or Mom.
Josuke and his friends can handle themselves.
Hayato…
Crap, is he late for school? He disappeared into his own head again…
–
Shinobu’s shifts always feel like sitting in an hourglass, watching grain by grain of sand slip out into the bottom painfully. But maybe the relief when she gets off work balances it off? Is that how it’s supposed to feel?
She’s not sure, but she clings to it as she makes her way out of the building, looking up at the blue sky. There’s minimal clouds drifting by today, but wistly, she thinks one of them looks like that cat from ages ago. Her dear Kosaku said it wasn’t her fault, but…
She shakes her head. She has grocery shopping to do, has to make sure Hayato got home safely, all of that. And.. maybe pick up something for Tomoko? Though, she’s kind of at a loss as to what to get for her.
What do you typically get teachers?
She stops by the store, letting herself wander among the aisles as her mind wanders into memories. She still remembers the day she made it into college, how happy her family was. She liked the celebration too, went along with the smiles and the excitement. She’d done her best to get here, after all. Foods her mother hadn’t bothered to make in decades were on the table, her high school friends raised glasses, and she sat there and smiled.
Her hand stops on a washcloth. The texture is familiar. Her best friend whom she met in college, after her high school ones had faded away–though she ultimately was no different, for she moved away, from Morioh, from college, from anything that had ever briefly held her–loved this brand. It was the only one she’d tolerate in her dorm.
In a hazy nostalgia, she puts it in her cart. Just on the offhand that the phone rings.
–
Okuyasu doesn’t really get why this is such a Thing to his friends. He's in Tonio’s kitchen, helping him with the afternoon rush, and offhandedly mentions, “Isn't it usually excitin’ if someone gets hitched?”
Tonio already knows about the situation, through an olive branch that Okuyasu doesn't have the brain to track fully.
“Have you considered putting yourself in his shoes?” Tonio suggests, cutting up tomatoes with care.
“Oh, I tried once, but his shoes don’t fit me. His shirts though, those are close enough to my size!” Okuyasu laughs. “But what’s that got to do with now?”
Tonio sighs fondly. “Think about this from Josuke’s perspective. Ms. Higashitaka’s been single since he and Yukako were little, hasn’t she?”
“From what I know, yeah.” He puts a now-clean dish aside. Man, washing with soap and water is so boring, but The Hand is banned from kitchens, so he’s gotta deal with it. “Unless she had a secret girlfriend once? But I don’t feel like that’s right.”
Tonio slides the tomatoes into a bowl, then turns to where water’s just reached a boil, pouring pasta in. “It’s a very dramatic shift of their household,” He makes sure the olive oil is in reach, “One that’s caught them all off guard, I’m sure.”
Okuyasu nods. “Feels like it, from the way they all talk about it.”
“Thus, it might not be a source of joy. I’m sure the tension is palpable in the household right now.” Tonio stirs the pasta. “But, either it will work out, or it won’t.”
“You would know, right?” Okuyasu glances at the photo of Tonio and his fiancee, Hatsune Morishima, on the wall.
Tonio notices his gaze and smiles warmly. “I certainly would.”
–
Sometimes, Yukako takes a trip down to the graveyard. On special days, she’ll bring flowers. Other days, she’ll bring food, but it’s never as personalized as she wants it to be. Just generic comfort food from the general store, because the truth is, she didn’t really know Reimi Sugimoto, or Aya Tsuji.
She was only ever Tsuji’s customer, and her interactions with Reimi never lasted that long at all. They were never friends, and sitting at their graves, Yukako can’t really put forward why she’s here.
She’s not the only person to visit Reimi’s grave, nor Tsuji’s. She is not the person who waters the flowers to make sure they stay in shape as long as they can, nor the one to light incense.
Yukako’s just another visitor.
“I wonder what you’d think of all this,” She says thoughtfully to Reimi’s gravestone, “I know we never really came to you with our stupider drama, but you must have known about it in some capacity, right?”
She sets the flower down, feeling a pang go through her chest. She is nineteen now, and Reimi is forever sixteen. She should have been thirty-four by now, with a job, her parents grown old, and whatever else that age ushers in. But she’s not.
“I feel…”
No, Reimi wouldn’t want to talk about him, would she?
“Weird, about this thing going on with my mom and Hayato’s.” She finishes, instead. “I really don’t want it to go anywhere. Maybe that’s selfish, but we already have an addition to our family and we don’t want another one.”
She’s told her about Shizuka before, about what she understood of the circumstances surrounding her, and the Speedwagon Foundation. How she wasn’t sure if her mom should be raising another kid at this point in life, but she was going to do it anyway.
“But I should ask Aya about this,” She acknowledges, and stands up. It’s not like Reimi wouldn’t have things to say, but Aya helped her find the closest thing to true love.
She makes her way to Aya’s grave, sets the flower she picked out for her down, and takes a breath. Morioh’s own guardian angel, and Aya, she wonders if both of them knew how much they would truly be missed. Every visit refreshes her memory of them, of Reimi’s smile, of Aya’s perfume. It’s almost reassuring, knowing this will let them stay alive in some sort of way longer. Idly, she considers for a moment–
Oh. Right.
Kosaku Kawajiri doesn’t have a grave. Due to too much Stand bullshit, the corpses of him and Yoshikage Kira were unidentifiable, and they both ended up at a different, more public graveyard. Yukako doesn’t know that much about who Kosaku was, just what little her mom’s dropped; and she doesn’t speak about him favorably.
She wonders if Hayato misses his father. The few times he's spoken of him, the real him, it's always distantly, words spoken from arm's length, as if even before, he was never the type to be looked up to. It’s far more analytical, instead, like a detective at a crime scene, or a narrator for a documentary.
It was like Hayato didn’t know a person, but merely a list of habits that made up a man. Sometimes, she wonders how he would describe them, if asked. What habits make up her, or Josuke, or Koichi. What little quirks make her mother recognizable as such, what would be a warning if they dropped.
Yukako likes Hayato. Really, she does. But, this doesn’t make her feel better about the current situation.
She leaves just before the rain starts pouring down.
–
One of the things that Hayato notes when he gets home is that his mother got another washcloth. Same brand as always, and he would return it if his mother ever bothered to keep ahold of receipts.
The second thing is that she’s dressed way too nicely for a quiet evening at home. It puts him on edge, and he has to head upstairs, hardly even saying hello to her, up to his room. Somewhere, he has a list of his mother’s dresses, what they mean to her, and for what occasions she wears them. (His own clothes are also categorized like this.)
It is exactly as he fears though, he realizes as he finds the paper, tucked under a floorboard. This dress is for date nights. He groans, rehiding the list, then going and faceplanting at his desk.
He knows he shouldn’t put cameras around his friends’ house. That they’d surely ask questions about these ones if they learned. But at the same time, it’s an urge he can hardly cram down, to keep an eye on anyone who could even have the possibility of hurting his mom, or him–
His train of thought comes to a halt at that, and he lifts his head, staring at his reflection. He’s alone in the room, the lights dim and the shadows feeling too tall, and he knows better than to think anyone will be in here with him; it’s something a little kid would worry about, not some thirteen year old. Despite that, his mind is always expecting bad things to happen.
Hayato has to remind himself that it’s not the summer of 1999 anymore.
Yoshikage Kira is gone. Kosaku Kawajiri has been dead for years. If something else were to happen, to even begin to disturb Morioh’s peace, Yukako and Josuke would be there. So would Okuyasu and everyone else. His room feels isolated, the house feels like a trap. But he’s not alone anymore.
He takes a deep breath in and out, starting to think of a plan. He won’t stop his mom, he’ll take advantage of the time to talk to the Higashitaka twins, and they can all figure something out.
It’s easy enough. It should be.
–
Tomoko, routinely, is surprised by Okuyasu. He was definitely a punk when he first showed up, getting into plenty of trouble with her boy, but as the years have gone by, she’s learned to look out for that huge heart of his that he wears on his sleeve.
Since Shinobu’s coming over this evening, she wanted to be the one to cook. Okuyasu took that in stride, opting instead to help keep Shizuka busy. She can hear the tiny giggles from the other room, and Josuke’s protests that she keeps getting in front of the TV.
“Maybe you should let her play!” Okuyasu suggests.
Josuke snorts. “Absolutely not.”
“She’s gonna come for your player two spot soon enough,” Yukako interjects, her tone intense; likely focused on the game, Tomoko guesses.
“Wha- no!” Josuke huffs. “Cmon, I don’t wanna have to start looking out for four player games.”
“Maybe it’d be fun, bro!” Okuyasu sounds delighted, and Shizuka makes happy sounds at that. “Me and her against you and Yukako sounds rad.”
“But I like when you’re on the winning team!” Josuke whines. Yukako cackles.
Tomoko rolls her eyes fondly, focusing back on her cooking. She has several things going, from miso to sasa kamaboko. They’re recipes she’s essentially got memorized, which enables her plenty of know-how on how to edit them to her liking.
The smell of food rising up in the air makes her stomach growl, so she nibbles on some of the tofu she’s got out for the miso. It remedies it well enough.
She takes advantage of how well she knows these recipes. As she chops the tofu, she wonders if Shinobu likes being spoiled like this. She certainly acts like it, swoons at any affection thrown her way like she’s used to it being a rare occurrence. It concerns Tomoko, though it’s worries she already had prior.
She only vaguely remembers Kosaku. He was distant, didn’t make time for people unless they were his teachers or they could help him with something (more often than not, money) and so the fact that he and Shinobu were a thing spread like wildfire across campuses. Shinobu had been beaming for weeks, swooning and falling against Kosaku, who would merely let her lean against him, as long as it was brief, or wasn’t interrupting his work.
Chopping up the vegetables, Tomoko wonders if Shinobu ever heard all the rumors. No one expected the relationship to last beyond its novelty besides romantics… honestly, Tomoko included. Kosaku seemed too uninterested to keep it going, but somehow it had lasted.
She puts the tofu and vegetables in a bowl. Hayato had come as a very, very large surprise, but he hadn’t felt like proof of anything. If anything… more so just an attempt at proving something. She wonders, frowning, if he’s aware of that. He’s certainly standoffish enough for it to seem like such.
But the thought of that breaks her heart a little bit, so she dismisses it. She’ll just show the kid he’s wanted in some other ways.
–
You’d think it would be easier to sneak away from your moms when they’re clearly trying to have a date night, but Hayato and the Higashitakas have a hard time of it. The decision to leave their moms downstairs while they go upstairs to huddle in Josuke and Okuyasu’s room, Okuyasu leaning against the wall on his futon while Shizuka naps in his lap, and Josuke leans against Okuyasu. Yukako sits on Josuke’s futon, meanwhile, and Hayato sits simply on the floor.
“They really seemed to be getting along,” Okuyasu says, sounding unfortunately impressed, “Like, woah–”
“We all saw,” Yukako interrupts, crossing her arms, “That’s the problem. What if she wants to move in eventually??”
Josuke winches. The thought is awful, and trying to think of how they’d rearrange sleeping arrangements hurts his mind.
“Where would Mrs. Kawajiri sleep?” Okuyasu wonders aloud, and the tension in the room spikes.
“Okuyasu.” Yukako says, deceptively calmly. “Where do you think she would sleep–”
“Guys we need a plan,” Josuke interrupts quickly before Love Deluxe ends up making his sister look like an echidna, “Something to break them up for good.”
Yukako nods in agreement. “Something to ensure Shinobu knows she’s not welcome and to never come around here again-”
“We’re still talking about my mom.” Hayato interjects flatly, casting her a look.
“Do we gotta?” Okuyasu frowns. “I dunno, it’s not like I’ve known your moms for as long as you’ve known them, but they seem really happy together. I know this is, like, way out of the norm for you guys, but doesn’t it seem a lil mean to get in the way of that?”
The room gets very quiet. Yukako especially looks awkward, and she stares at the wall. Josuke doesn’t need to follow her gaze to know she’s looking at a picture of her and Koichi. So, instead, he glances at Hayato, who looks sad in a distinctly resigned way.
Reasonably, this is one of those moments where Okuyasu’s blurted out something smart, a nugget of wisdom that no one usually assumes he can even provide, and it’s worth it to listen. They all know that. But Tomoko Higashitaka has been single for as long as Josuke can remember, for as long Yukako can remember, and this isn’t a Stand battle, isn’t a fight to the death or to protect Morioh, but the urge to fight tooth and nail isn’t so easily discarded.
The entire reason they’re all huddled up in here is because they want to protect their moms, to stick to the normals they’re used to, keep the static that Morioh’s always so charmingly held going. But a laugh travels up from downstairs, and Josuke doubts he’s the only one who comes to the realization that, oh shit, this is the happiest his mom has sounded in years, isn’t it?
Guilt rumbles uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach. So as to not let it turn into nausea, in the spur of the moment he suggests-
“What if we wait?”
Yukako looks back at him. “For what, exactly?”
“Like-” He scratches the back of his head, “Instead of just instantly getting involved, we wait to see what happens. And give it time or something?”
Yukako crosses her arms. “How much time?”
“Two months.” Hayato speaks up.
“That’s exact. What for?” Yukako raises an eyebrow. Josuke tilts his head, resting it on Okuyasu in the process.
“My mom’s birthday is in two months.” Hayato explains. “If your mom forgets it, then we’ll do something about it.”
Josuke is mildly offended by that. “Mom would never.” But, the moment he says it, he realizes. “Wait, is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
Another beat of silence.
“We’re gonna call it good.” Yukako grumbles, twirling her hair with one finger.
“Welp, problem solved!” Okuyasu grins.
The others, collectively, sigh.
–
Shinobu has a great evening. Tomoko’s a great cook, she’s kind, understanding, and actually compliments Shinobu on the clothes she chooses to wear. Shinobu doesn’t fall in love quickly. It’s a slow subtle thing, a waiting game to learn what her partner is really like, to see that true self be revealed.
Or… that’s how her experiences before have gone. With Tomoko, Shinobu couldn’t even begin to imagine what else she could be hiding. It’s… exciting, in some kind of way. When Shinobu reaches out to hold Tomoko’s hand. Tomoko holds it in return.
She smiles. She laughs. It’s nothing like Kosaku ever was, even after he’d changed his ways, even after he had shown her his true heart, that he had really loved her. It’s… so nice.
They don’t drink, but Shinobu finds herself getting giggly anyway. It all feels… right. Like she looks at Tomoko and a puzzle is solved.
They talk about this and that, Tomoko lets slip some of her favorites, and Shinobu makes mental notes of them all for later. When the sky goes dark, Tomoko offers to drive her home like before. Hayato comes downstairs before Shinobu even has to call him, but that’s just normal things for him, so she doesn’t even comment on it.
Tomoko and her chat a little about work on the way home, from coworkers they find less than tolerable–Shinobu has a lot of those–to the nicer smaller moments. Those, Shinobu doesn’t think she has a lot of. So she mostly stays quiet, listens to Tomoko talk so passionately about her work, because it’s really unlike anything she’s heard before. Kosaku never talked about work beyond brief statements, and now that she’s working the same kind of job she gets why.
There’s nothing to be driven about there. Her coworkers already all know one another and aren’t inclined to speak to her, nor she to them, and even if they did talk, they all just want to get through the day and go home already.
Tomoko is a lot of things that Kosaku simply wasn’t. It’s exciting in a way that Shinobu would almost call intoxicating. She finds herself just gazing at her for most of the car ride, feeling terribly slow and unsteady compared to how confidently Tomoko presents herself.
It’s like she’s done this before. Though, she’s said as much that that’s not the case. The father of her children, she says, has a life elsewhere, a soul that’s not meant to be chained down to Morioh. Tomoko holds no ill will about it beyond a sense of longing, from what Shinobu can tell.
She’s one hell of a woman.
–
Hayato’s frustrated. Or, he thinks he is. It feels like the right word, makes sense for the situation, but when he sits down at his desk after scurrying upstairs, letting the conversation from earlier replay in his mind, he realizes begrudgingly that it’s not the right word.
He’s anxious. He shouldn’t be, he knows that, he knows that Tomoko is a nice lady who by all rights seems to be treating his mom well, but the moment he tries to let that settle in all he can think of is him. It’s been two years, he knows he’s dead, he knows that was a once in a lifetime tragedy but–he grips his mouse–it was still a tragedy and he still can’t relax.
He put more cameras in, after it all happened. During winter break, when Mom was out, whenever he could. Just to make sure he’d have eyes everywhere, that he could know if something happened. It helped to calm him down, to remind him he wasn’t powerless.
Kira Yoshikage is dead (and so is Kosaku Kawajiri). This should be a comfort to him.
But it feels like he can see him in every shadow of the house. When night falls and moonlight hits just so, it’s like he’s looming over him all over again, staring at him with that face that belonged to someone who was already like a stranger to Hayato. It makes it all so much worse, really, how little Hayato knew his father.
He wasn’t interested in it, and didn't think it was something he needed to do when Kosaku was so clearly detached from him as a person already. He has no memories in his younger years of Kosaku really even looking at him beyond times where he’d ask Shinobu to come get him.
And Hayato was comfortable in that. It wasn’t anything upsetting to him, just a fact. I live with my father, and I don’t really know him, and he doesn’t really know me. Hayato learned independence early, that Mom was well-meaning but absentminded, while Dad always had something better to do, not to mention didn’t want to help in the first place. These were simply the truths of the Kawajiri family life.
The freezing dread that settled in his chest when those changed has stuck with Hayato. Winter doesn’t feel like much to him, especially when he knows what it’s like to have something so disturbing happen that the sun no longer feels hot, because your blood has gone cold.
He thought Mom was joking, at the start, when she was convinced that he’d just had a change of heart. That doesn’t happen to people at the drop of a hat, and especially not just out of the blue. But he had to watch as she was utterly charmed by whoever was wearing her husband’s skin, and put herself in danger because she thought it was love.
His mom has a hard time recognizing what love is. The real kind of love, not something performative to fit in, or to get on someone’s good side. That’s part of why he worries so much for her, why this entire debacle is starting to let that fear crawl back in. He knows who Tomoko Higashitaka is.
That isn’t the problem. No, the problem is that he would know what Tomoko Higashitaka weren’t if something were to happen. Logically, reasonably, nothing will. He knows this. He’s had this conversation with himself before. Josuke and Yukako would never let it happen.
The thing is, even if he and they are connected in their worry, they don’t get it. Because their worry and his are not the same, and to mention this is to bring up fears that would sound silly and farfetched, and he is thirteen, and he would like to be neither of these.
So he tries to shove the fear elsewhere, tries to remind himself two months was his idea, and surely he will realize that this anxiety is meaningless in that time.
–
Tomoko gets a call from Shinobu a little before the sun goes down.
“Could you check on Hayato for me? Work’s running late, and I don’t know when I’ll get out of the office…” She laughs nervously.
Tomoko doesn’t even have to hear the second sentence, she’s already moving to grab her car keys. “Yeah, I’ve got it.”
“I appreciate it- he always gets so nervous when I’m not home at the usual time, ha…” There’s background noise, a hurried apology from Shinobu, and then she hangs up.
“Kids, I’m going out, I’ll be back later!” Tomoko calls.
Okuyasu and Josuke are playing games, from the sound of it, so they don’t really pay attention; she just gets two hardly focused responses, but Yukako pops her head out of another room with a raised eyebrow. “Where are you going?”
“Shinobu’s working late, so I’m going over to check on Hayato.” She’s already grabbed the car keys, about to step outside. The cool night air hits her face from the half-opened door.
Yukako frowns. “Can I come with?”
“If you want.” Tomoko nods. “But be quick about it.” Yukako glances down at her outfit, then shrugs and follows after.
When they arrive, the lights aren’t even on. The curtains are shut, and it looks like no one is home. Tomoko rolls down the window, staring. “Huh. Do you think–”
Yukako’s climbing out her own window before Tomoko can even finish her sentence, so she sighs and waits for her to get out of the road, then parks the car. She’s not sure if Hayato has any other friends whose houses he’d go over to, but the thought that he’d rather sit in his house with the lights off is… well, not something she’d expect of any kid.
Still, she doesn’t want to let Yukako wander around the house by herself, so she gets out and follows. The door-hinge screeches as she opens it, and she bites back a sigh as she steps in.
Yukako’s already turned some of the lights on, illuminating the kitchen and its appliances, but Tomoko can hear her going up the stairs already. She sighs, looking around for a moment before beginning to follow after. The upstairs hallway is eerie like this, the only light that which managed to slip through the curtains. Yukako is standing in the doorway of the one open room, her hand on the knob.
“You’re still doing this stuff?” She’s saying, her tone frustrated but not angry. Tomoko furrows her brow.
Whatever response she receives is too quiet for Tomoko to hear, so she just interrupts with, “Kids, what’s going on?”
Yukako looks back at her. “We’re just talking.”
Tomoko crosses her arms. “About?”
“A hobby of his.” Yukako says, curt.
Hayato glances out of his room, but doesn’t look her in the eyes. “Yeah- um, why are you here?”
“Shinobu asked me to come check on you,” Tomoko explains, letting her tone dip into something more gentle, “Something came up at her work, so she’ll be home late.”
“I figured,” Hayato stands up straighter, “Not that hard to figure out anyway.”
Yukako rolls her eyes. Tomoko considers pushing, but… She would hate to make Hayato feel like he has to hide things anymore then he clearly already does. So, instead, “Are you hungry?” She offers.
Hayato doesn’t respond immediately, and when he does, it’s just a brief nod that makes his hair bounce.
She smiles at him, “Was there any meal plan for tonight?”
“No,” He considers his words, “Mom doesn’t do those.”
Yukako crosses her arms. “Alright, my mom gets free range of the kitchen then.”
Tomoko snorts, starting to walk downstairs. “Guess I do. Anything in particular you like, Hayato?”
“Not really.” He replies, disinterested, letting Yukako go in front of him as they follow Tomoko. “Just whatever’s easy.”
“A lot’s easy for me,” Tomoko looks back at him as she steps off the stairs, “You can be picky with me, promise- and,” She nods at Yukako, “Wouldn’t be new to me.”
“I wasn’t that picky,” Yukako twirls a strand of her hair, scowling, though there’s fondness in it, “Just particular.”
“Aren’t those basically the same thing?” Hayato asks.
“Absolutely not.” Yukako shoots back, and Tomoko smiles to herself at the quiet laugh that escapes Hayato.
The ingredients in the fridge are sparse, so in lieu of an actual request from Hayato, Tomoko opts to go for something easy. She makes yakimeshi out of the rice sitting in the refrigerator and the other spare leftovers lying around, and it’s not even twenty minutes until they’re sitting down at the table. Hayato eats slowly, gazing mostly on the windows, clock or the door as time passes.
But once all the plates are empty, Yukako stands up and volunteers to do the dishes. Which is new, but Tomoko isn’t about to say no. Hayato doesn’t move, staying silently in his chair. She stays in her own, also watching the clock. How much of a disaster could have gone down, she wonders, because it’s getting late enough she’s worried.
However, she’s a parent, and she knows visibly stressing out wouldn’t help Hayato in the slightest.
“Did anything interesting happen at school?” Distractions are a better option anyway.
Hayato shrugs. “Not really.”
“Sometimes boring is better.” Tomoko hums, undeterred.
Hayato taps the table lightly enough not to make any sound. “I prefer boring.” There’s a heavy weight to his tone, like it’s a confession of sorts.
“I do too.” Tomoko smiles. There’s the ghost of one on Hayato’s face, and he opens his mouth as if to continue the conversation when the door opens.
Shinobu yawns as if she could fall asleep right there. “I’m backkk…” She closes the door behind her, then pauses, blinking at Tomoko and Yukako- then gasps, smiling. “Oh, thank you so much–”
“Any time.” Tomoko promises, standing up. “Everything at work cleared up?”
“I think so..” Shinobu sighs. “Oh, it was so exhausting!”
“I can only imagine.” Tomoko laughs. “Well, I made dinner, in case you’re hungry.” Out of the corner of her eye, she glances at Hayato, who’s just eyeing his mother like he’s searching for a sign of illness.
He seems to notice, and ducks his head, looking over at the stairs. “It was good,” He adds quietly.
“Obviously!” Yukako calls, “My mom made it!”
Hayato doesn’t offer a response, just scurrying up the stairs. Shinobu doesn’t even think twice about it, just calling up goodnight to him. Tomoko… isn’t sure how she feels about it, but it’s late and she ought to get home, so after a bit of chatting with Shinobu, she and Yukako head home.
–
That weekend is a quiet one, so Tomoko and Shinobu take advantage of it. So do Yukako and the rest of the household. The Kawajiri house is packed fuller than it likely has ever been, all for the purpose of–
“How long has it even been since you’ve actually needed the cameras?” Yukako points out, arms crossed as she stares at Hayato.
He’s sat on the stairs, expression a blend of stubbornness and anxiety. “Better question: you don’t know how soon they’ll have to be used.”
“They won’t!” Yukako throws her hands up in the air in frustration. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you.”
“Yeah, I mean, it’s not like anyone would bodysnatch your mom, y’know?” Okuyasu adds. This does not particularly seem to help, even if Shizuka is nodding wisely.
Yukako sighs. “Our point being, you can’t just- do this forever. You’re gonna lose your mind or something.”
Hayato narrows his eyes. “That’s dramatic.”
Yukako didn’t expect this to be easy, sure, but it occurs to her she let slip the memories of 13-year old Josuke way too easily.
“You don’t need to keep an eye on everything all the time.” She insists, frustration growing. “You’re wasting your time, the storage on those stupid things, not to mention–”
“You don’t know what the future holds.” Hayato interrupts. The statement is delivered with a deathly seriousness that reminds Yukako who exactly she’s dealing with. What Hayato dealt with two years ago. There must be something on her face that says that, too, because Hayato relaxes as if he’s won the argument.
But, she’s Yukako Higashikata, and she will get her way.
…
Somehow.
She knows it’d be impulsive to just remove the cameras, not to mention that would cause so many more fucking issues then it’s worth. She would hardly want to give Hayato a reason to hold a grudge against them, so that’s an option shoved off the table.
But what the hell is on the table?
“I got an idea,” Josuke interjects, done raiding the fridge, now nibbling on something right out of its container, “Cause if you’re that insistent on keeping them, then it’s not thaaat big an issue.”
Yukako turns her head, giving him a look.
He cuts to the chase. “How about we just cover them with tape? For like a week, and if you’re still sure, then we can take it off.”
That’s too temporary for Yukako, but Hayato doesn’t seem opposed to it, so she bites her tongue. “Fine,” He agrees, letting his arms drop from where they were wrapped around himself, “But if anything happens…”
“Then we’ll take care of it.” Josuke grins.
Yukako sighs even as she nods. “Damn right we will.”
If nothing else, that seems to comfort Hayato; the promise he won’t be alone again.
–
Shinobu never really went places after she got married. She had things to do around the house, and when the time was there, it never occurred to her to utilize it beyond brief considerations she didn’t act on. But today, she and Tomoko are visiting the coastal side of Morioh.
She can’t recall going to it except for one or two times during her youth, but it’s nice. There’s lots of vendors selling all sorts of things, and thus good smells that float in the air like takoyaki or soba. In the distance, the ocean makes itself heard, whether it’s the calls of the seabirds which fly above, heavy ships going to and fro, or the frothy waves splashing about.
She’s clung to Tomoko’s arm, wrapping her own around it, resting her head on Tomoko’s shoulder–her shampoo smells really nice–and smiling to herself. As the breeze pulls salty air into the area, Tomoko scrunches her face up, cat-like, and Shinobu coos. “Aw…”
Tomoko hums, and much to Shinobu’s delight, rests her head against Shinobu’s. She sighs happily.
“Having a good time?” Tomoko murmurs into her hair.
Her heart feels like it’s jumping around in her chest with joy. She hugs her tighter. “Yes!”
“Good-” Tomoko’s laugh is fond as she lifts her head back up to make sure they don’t run into anything, “Ha, it’s been a while since I last came here.”
“Did you used to often?” Shinobu also lifts her head, looking at all the stalls. They make her mouth water.
“Kind of,” Tomoko follows her gaze, “When the kids were younger, I’d take them here the day after their school ended so they could each pick out a treat, or two… They always wanted to get different things, but then ended up wanting to try each other’s, so I just bought one extra in preparation.”
Shinobu giggles. “Gosh, twins sound difficult…”
“They can be.” Tomoko chuckles. “But they’re worth it. Any kid is.”
Shinobu’s smile gets a little more shy. “That’s true.” She sighs. “You make parenting look easy.”
“Do I?” Tomoko sounds surprised. “I hope I haven’t been giving you the wrong impression.”
“No-!” Shinobu clings a little tighter. “It’s just… impressive. Hayato was always an enigma to me. As soon as he could crawl, it was like he had his own agenda, outside of me and his father.”
“Huh.” Tomoko thinks about it for a moment as they walk, during which it’s only the voices of the other people around them and the sounds of the coast.
“Well,” She starts, “Sooner or later, any kid is gonna want independence. That’s not a bad thing, but restricting it can be… tricky. So ultimately, what you should do is just let them know you’re gonna be there when they need it.”
Shinobu listens, feeling a sting of guilt. She did want Hayato; she’d thought that maybe if her and Kosaku had someone new in the household to focus on, perhaps it would bring them closer together, make them the type of family that you see on screens, but at every step she had been proven wrong.
It was only in recent years that Hayato had changed his tune, stopped to say things like goodnight.
“So, then… what do you do if the kid doesn’t want that?” She asks.
Tomoko frowns. “Doesn’t want it, or doesn’t know how to express it?”
“...I’m not sure.” Shinobu admits.
“If you’ll let me, then I would be happy to help you. I didn’t do all the parenting myself, after all- for a long time, my father was around when I needed him.” Tomoko says, softer. “It’s hard to do this shit by yourself.”
“Well, Kosaku…” Shinobu starts, then trails off, and tries again. “It is. I would be… happy for the help.” Her cheeks are warm.
“And I’d be happy to give it.” Tomoko reassures, then looks around. “Now- any place catch your eye? I’ll pay.”
Shinobu’s eyes sparkle. Every date she and Kosaku had been on, when he’d paid, it had always been the cheaper ones. She knew he had likely had other things to spend his money on, but it would have been nice now and then… And yet, Tomoko offers it so easily, like she truly wants to. Even better, Shinobu can tell she actually wants to.
It makes her begin to wonder, actually, if it was her who was bad at love, or Kosaku, for not truly figuring it out before he disappeared. Maybe it was all an act, something to butter her up before he left. She’s not sure. She doesn’t think she ever will be.
She just knows that with Tomoko, she’s not worried about any of that. That no matter what, she can trust Tomoko will be there.
(The rest of the date goes so wonderfully, Shinobu feels like she might swoon so hard she’ll fall to the ground. Maybe Tomoko would catch her…)
–
Shinobu’s birthday arrives faster than it feels like it has any right to, but at least Koichi’s back from Italy by then. Yukako’s already filled him in on it all, and while he’s baffled, he goes along with it.
The week Hayato spent without the cameras was uneventful, and so he’s relented at least somewhat- taking down the excess ones, which is improvement if nothing else. Pushing him beyond that is a task left to simmer for the time being.
Yukako and the others–Koichi slept over at her request, and they managed to convince Hayato since he’s never gone to a sleepover before–wake up to the smell of good food and a song that Hayato identifies as one his mother enjoys playing. They all expect for their energy to dip towards nervousness, but even as they wake up more, it… doesn’t.
Even when they’re all sitting at the table, the relationship in front of them undeniably passionate. Loving on both sides. Shinobu looks happier than she ever did in her marriage, Tomoko’s smile is so bright…
And, well. No one can argue with that. No one would want to at this point, in all honesty.