Chapter 43: Father and Daughter

When she woke up, Ruby felt the warmth and fluffiness of the blankets, staring at the familiar ceiling of her room.

"Since when?"

The last thing she remembered was the calm embrace and the sight of Anya's father talking with him. She hadn't paid much attention as she wondered about her current state. Uselessness and the fear of being abandoned by her past family still haunted her, even after what she had witnessed and experienced.

Sitting on her bed, she glanced to her left. The sky was a little red, not too late. For a month now, she had the view of Tokyo Tower outside her window, a sight she never imagined. Looking ahead, she noticed a bookshelf attached to the wall, belonging to Aqua. Ruby rubbed her eyes, half expecting to wake up from this dream. Living as the daughter of an idol mother and a father with a mysterious job, too kind and rich for her common sense, was surreal.

She didn't understand it. Unlike Aqua, who seemed smarter and better in every way, she felt like a useless child.

However, on this particular day, both of her parents rushed to save her. Ai hurried to her side, not caring about cows chasing her, while Yanagin went out of his way to rescue them in a dangerous situation. He risked himself for her, Anya, and Mama, and she found herself worrying about him, fearing he might be hurt.

So, why did both her parents still go to such lengths to save her from the problems she caused? Determined to find answers, she hopped out of bed and went to look for Ai.

In the living room, she overheard Mama talking with Miyaemon and Ichigo. Peeking her head in, she saw Ichigo touching his forehead, clearly worried.

"Ai, why did you do something reckless?"

"It's kinda reflex, ya know? When we arrived, I couldn't help but get out of the car and look for my daughter," Ai shrugged casually.

"But, Ai..." Ichigo sighed. "I'm concerned about Ruby, but now I'm concerned about you too. You and your boyfriend—"

"Husband," Ai cut him off.

"Yeah, yeah. You and your husband are way too flashy," Ichigo said, glancing at the TV.

"Ichigo, there's still a lot of media in front of the studio. The rumors are going wild now... what should we do?" Miyako expressed concern.

Hearing this, Ruby began to pale. As expected, this mess was because of her.

"You're awake?"

"KYAA!"

Ruby shivered as she heard that.

"Aqua, you scared me!"

"Ruby!?"

Someone called her again, rushing toward her. Ai hugged her, asking, "How are you feeling now? Did you get hurt?"

"I'm okay, and... sorry."

Ai released the hug and saw her tearful eyes. She quickly smiled, patting her head. "Ah, you overheard what we were talking about, right? It wasn't your fault."

"But..." Ruby clenched her T-shirt. "Because of me, Mama's career will be in great danger. Sob! Sob!"

"It's alright~ As time passes, the rumor will probably die down. Haaah! What can we do about it? Mama and Papa's charm is just too good, right~?" Ai reassured.

Ichigo sighed, adding, "Well, what your mom said is true. All we can do for now is stay lowkey and kick them from our new studio's front door. You don't have to burden yourself with adult problems, Ruby."

"Uhuh... what's important is that you came out in one piece," Aqua added.

"Sob!" Ruby wiped her tears, relieved that her worried family prioritized her safety. "But... will Dad be angry at me for disrupting his work?"

Ai giggled at her question, "Haha… I think he won't get mad at something like this. I bet he'll do the opposite, you know?"

Ruby looked at her, confused, "The opposite?"

As she asked, the penthouse elevator rang, announcing that someone had just used it. Ruby turned around and saw Yanagin running and panting like he had just run a marathon. The others thought the same as her, but he seemed genuinely worried.

"Ruby!" He said as he came to a halt, then knelt, holding her shoulder tightly. "I'm sorry for being late, but Dad is here now. Are you hurt somewhere!? Tell me honestly!"

Ai giggled at the sight, as she expected it. "I told you, right?"

Ruby's eyes reddened again, but she held it well, "I-I'm fine…"

"No, you're not! Your mom must have bribed you. You can tell me if you felt something bad in you."

Ai stopped giggling as she pouted, offended by it. "Minoru-kun, if you don't believe me, we just bring her for a check-up, you know? And the doctor said she's very healthy. But if you hold her like that, she might get hurt, you know."

Minoru let go of Ruby and looked at Ai, "Which doctor? Did you pick the best one?"

Ai nodded with a smile, "Of course~! His name is… hmm?" She thought hard, eyes shut, before giving up, "What's his name again?"

Miyako sighed, "His name is Nakano Maruo."

"Ahahahaha~! I guess I still can't remember others' names that well."

Seeing her like that, Minoru just let her be as he picked Ruby up in his arms, "If that's what happened, then I'm glad a bit. But we should hear a second opinion. Look, Ruby… I'll call my doctor acquaintances in Europe to check you up, alright? If that's not enough, I'll prepare a private j—"

"Yo-You don't have to! And I feel no different than before. So, don't do that," Ruby said, feeling that it was too much.

"Eh? You sure about that? But, I'll call them anyway."

At his words, Aqua sighed, feeling that Minoru was doubting the local doctor.

"I'm fine!" Ruby's face turned red at his persistence. "…and I'm sorry for what happened today. The truth is, I was m-mad for being a failure since I couldn't even dance as well as Mama. So that's why I ran away from dance class."

"Look, Ruby…" Minoru sighed as he continued, "It was my fault if you're hurt and I won't forgive myself if you're hurt because I'm irresponsible in caring for you. And don't stress yourself for not being perfect. I won't neglect you even if you're not a genius or a perfect human. I like my daughter the way she is, and that's enough for me."

At his words, Ruby's eyes teared up again since she had never heard this before, even in her previous life. She felt something pressing, and it was Ai hugging them both, apologizing for not being a good mother. Meanwhile, Aqua just smiled at this sight, knowing that Ruby was in good hands now.

"Why are my eyes sweating, Miyako?" said Ichigo.

"I don't know, but I feel we should have one too, don't we?" Miyako said as she wiped her tears.

Ichigo widened his eyes at her words, "Wait, what?"

Minoru cleared his throat, "Since everyone is here, how about we have dinner together? The truth is, I brought a lot of good wagyu, and we could have a barbecue."

Ai lit up, "Barbecue!? Let's do that! I'll help prepare then!"

"No, it's alright, boss. My wife and I could leave—"

"It's alright. Don't stress over this since we already talked about this, right? There's good sake too."

"Well, if the boss insists," Ichigo conceded, convinced with just sake alone.

---

Minoru headed to the kitchen, box in hand, working swiftly like a seasoned chef. He slowed down a bit, allowing Ai to observe and learn his techniques. The harmony of their joint preparations left everyone in awe.

"Boss, I'm thinking we could turn this into a cooking show with you as the star. You'd be famous in no time," Ichigo shared his candid thoughts.

"Yes... Yanagi-san's dishes always taste amazing, and people would love watching him cook," Miyako chimed in.

"I think that could work. I could record him with a camera, and our kitchen is good enough; no need for a studio," Aqua agreed.

Ai hummed in agreement, turning to Minoru, "What do you think, Minoru-kun?"

"Well, I don't have time for that. I'm busy. And if I become more famous, it'll be more troublesome," Minoru replied.

Ichigo sighed in disappointment, "That's really unfortunate. Speaking of fame, Boss, we have a problem. The media is trying to figure out who the mysterious woman you saved is, and Ai's name is getting dragged into it. Reporters are even camped out at our front door, waiting for clarification."

Minoru paused cutting the meat, noticing Ruby's sadness. He glanced at the muted TV, displaying news about him saving a mysterious woman with two kids.

"I'll handle that. Ruby, don't worry; watch how cool your dad is," he assured her, apron still on. He headed to the balcony, leaving them dumbfounded by his confidence. Watching him through the window, they saw him stop at the balcony's edge and make a call.

Aqua unmuted the TV.

[So, who's the person Yanagi-sensei saved?—Breaking News! Bigfoot footage found in Hokkaido!]

The news changed abruptly, leaving them bewildered. After that, Minoru returned, "Anyway... let's eat."

After a while, with plates of Wagyu in front of them, they were still speechless. Minoru had casually silenced the media and diverted attention from the mysterious woman.

"Ichigo, I just heard that journalists are leaving one by one," Miyako said in shock, holding her phone. Ichigo nodded, "Just leave it; I trust him. Let's focus on the barbecue."

"Minoru-kun, was that your doing?" Ai asked in awe.

As Minoru sat, placing Ruby on his lap, he replied, "Nah, I just called someone I know. Don't worry about social media either. But let's avoid more rumors."

They watched him grill the meat with a smile, the aroma so enticing that they forgot their problems in no time.

"Whoa! It smells amazing!" Ruby exclaimed, drooling.

"Since I helped him cut the meat, I should get some credit too, right?" Ai added with a playful smile.

"Alright, let's start our first round," Minoru said, and they all dug in.

"Thanks for the food!"

"It's delicious! Did you say it's Wagyu A5?" Aqua inquired, eyeing the boxes that still seemed to have meat inside. "Getting this much beef, even with money, is challenging."

"You know a lot, huh?" Minoru smirked, taking another piece. "Well, it's from the same cow that chased Ai and my daughters. But who cares?"

They stopped chewing, looking at Minoru, who sipped his wine. With this dinner, the family learned something important about Minoru.

He was a yandere.

---

Dinner wrapped up, and everyone hit the hay. But not Minoru – he was burning the midnight oil in his study room. Just when he thought he had the night to himself, a knock echoed through the room.

"Come in..."

To his surprise, a little girl with silver hair, just like his own, cautiously peeked in as if to confirm he was really there.

"Dad... I couldn't sleep."

Her words caught him off guard. It was the first time she'd ever called him 'dad' so sweetly, just the way he had always wanted.

---

On the flip side of the globe, inside the Queen's office at Luxemburg Palace, Eileen is engrossed in her work. Her formal attire exudes an air of authority as she meticulously reads and signs documents on her desk.

"Your Majesty, please reconsider your decision," urges a man with grey hair, anxiety apparent in his tone. Eileen, with her fiery red hair and unwavering golden eyes, gazes at him, pen in hand.

"Mr. Pierre," she says, setting her pen down, "I've had my fill of playing America's lapdog."

"Your Majesty—"

She interrupts with a smile that sends a chill down his spine. "All you need to do is follow my lead. I'll take responsibility. We don't have to share our technology. Thanks to me, Luxemburg has thrived. Even when my father ruled, we haven't seen victories like this since our ancestors faced Napoleon. Don't you doubt me?"

"No, Your Majesty," he stammers.

Resting her cheek on her palm, Eileen states, "Good, Prime Minister. Next time, I only want to hear 'yes' or 'woof,' understood? I don't need a dog that says 'no.' Show me that next time."

Shivering at her warning, he replies, "Understood..."

With a warm smile, Eileen dismisses him, "Thank you for your report. You may leave now, Mr. Pierre."

Excusing himself, Mr. Pierre exits, leaving Eileen to decide on a short break. She retreats to her room—a lavish space with an old-world charm. Eileen, now in a white shirt reaching her upper thigh, watches a projector depicting a silver-haired man tormenting cows on a black horse, assisted by seven menacing dogs. It intrigues her, providing insights into her sister's newfound knowledge of her savior's identity—001.

Yet, Eileen de Luxemburg views no one as a competitor, not even her adorable sister.

"Hmm," she hums, sinking into a sofa with a glass of wine in hand. "Well, James, no one is more suited to be by your side than me. Neither... no one deserves me except you. How about we make it known to the world that you're mine alone?"