Welcome Home, Kyoko

Haru only knitted his brows together in confusion, so Kyoko quickly added, "I mean, if you're in a relationship with Sakura, then a lot of women will be broken hearted because you're not single anymore."

"And?" he was trying not to laugh at her assumptions. He was also not surprised when his friend mentioned Sakura. Kyoko and Mei instantly clicked when Kiyoshi introduced her to them, so it was already a given if Mei had already opened up about her new colleague and newly found friend to Kyoko.

"Your girlfriend might also feel jealous because there will still be plenty of other women who will try to get your attention and even snatch you from her," she growled while acting like a cat.

He let out a chuckle. Since Kyoko had a cat-like beauty, mimicking a cat while explaining was amusing to see. "Sorry to break your bubble, but we are not together,"

"Stop messing me with me," she narrowed her eyes at him and poked the dimple on his right cheek.

Haru didn't respond as he closed the rear door of the car after helping her with her other luggage.

"I only saw a picture, but you two look so lovely," the excitement turned to embarrassment, and this was clearly evident on Kyoko's face. "God, when will I stop assuming things?"

"You really never learn," he smirked. "You've been like this ever since college, and if you keep on assuming things, then this will only bring you bigger troubles in the future."

"Kyoko! Haru!" a familiar voice called out and both of them looked at where the voice was coming from.

It was Haru's father, Junichi, who left work early and had a bag of groceries in his arms. Kyoko then hurried to Junichi and leaped to hug his neck, "Uncle! I missed you!"

Junichi laughed heartily and patted her back with his free hand, "And so am I! That's why I left work early and even bought your fave!"

"Taiyaki??" her smile was from ear to ear.

The brown-haired man gave her a grin as he handed her an almond-colored box with four pieces of taiyaki filled with sweet azuki beans.

"What about you, Haru? What do you have for me?" she batted her eyelashes when Haru stood next to her, holding the handle of her luggage.

"My presence is enough-"

"You're so f*cking corny!" since she's tall, she needed not to tiptoe and was able to lock her arm around his neck easily.

Haru grabbed her arm, almost pulling her directly forward by slightly lowering his right shoulder, "And why the hell are you so violent?!"

Kyoko squealed and then laughed while hitting his back lightly.

"You two never changed, huh?" Haru's father uttered, smiling at the sight of his son and his first-ever friend, whom he had also treated like his own daughter. Kyoko had always been busy and had always been out of town or country ever since becoming a part-time model, so seeing them reunited again warmed his heart.

Junichi also shared a laugh with the two and tapped his son's shoulder to lower down Kyoko. "Okay, that's enough. We do not want any of you to end up at the hospital tonight."

Haru then carefully put Kyoko down, and she playfully hit his arm before following Junichi to the gate. He smirked and watched her excitedly walk with his father inside their house.

When the sun had set, Junichi and Kyoko caught up with each other in the living area while drinking wine and munching on some potato wedges paired with garlic mayo. Haru, on the other hand, was in the kitchen preparing the ingredients for dinner. She was checking him out from time to time, but he insisted that she just stay and wait in the living area with his father.

Haru started frying the onions and garlic, and then sliced the shiitake mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, celery, and pork belly for the curry. He proceeded with cooking the curry sauce by adding the ingredients he had prepared earlier, and while simmering the sauce, he also made the pork cutlet tender by pounding both sides with the back of the knife and coating these with the classic batter of egg, flour, and breadcrumbs before deep frying them.

After frying, he poured the sauce on half of the plate, placed the sliced cutlet on top of the rice, and garnished it with red pickled ginger on the side. He also cooked miso soup from dashi stock as well as made salad with shredded cabbage, carrots, and boiled egg. He then set the table and beckoned his father and friend over to the dining area for dinner.

"Aww Haru, you're making me cry," tears were already welling up in her eyes as she finally had a glimpse of the food she had already smelled a while ago. Of course, she knew what he was cooking, but she couldn't believe that her friend would go all out and prepare a curry set meal for her first dinner in Tokyo.

"Welcome home," Haru gave her a warm smile after pulling the chair for her.

She glanced at him with misty eyes, "Noooooo," and covered them with the palm of her hand. "Don't make me cry, please."

"Welcome home, Kyoko," Junichi also said with a smile on his face, tapping her shoulder before taking his seat at the end of the table.

Kyoko wiped the tears that formed a while ago and beamed at them as she finally took her seat. While eating dinner, they talked about her parents who were enjoying their vacation in Bali, Indonesia. She also told them that apart from the upcoming event at Café Ai, she's taking a break from being a part-time model to relieve stress and to deal with her other personal issues.

"By the way, you said something came up with Yosuke that's why he couldn't come today, right? Is he coming this Friday then?" Haru asked, peering at his friend who was sitting opposite of him.

Kyoko shook her head, trying to avoid his gaze, "He's not coming. We just broke up last weekend."

Author's Note:

1. Taiyaki is a famous Japanese street food. It is a fish shaped snack filled with red bean paste made from sweetened azuki beans.