[33] Heart to Heart

I unlocked the door to our apartment, and Marin trudged in behind me. She kicked off her shoes and flopped onto the couch with a heavy sigh. I joined her, sinking into the cushions.

"Well, that was... something," I said, running a hand through my hair.

Marin nodded, her eyes distant. "Yeah. I didn't expect Dad to show up like that."

We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the conversation with her father hanging over us. I glanced at Marin, noticing the slight furrow in her brow.

"You okay?" I asked softly.

She turned to me, her pink eyes meeting mine. "I don't know. It's just... Dad's never been this involved before. Why now?"

I leaned back, considering her question. "Maybe seeing us together made him realize he's been missing out?"

Marin snorted. "Missing out? He's barely been around for years. Just throws money at me and calls it parenting."

Her words stung, reminding me of my own lack of family. But I pushed that aside, focusing on Marin.

"Want to talk about it?" I offered.

She hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, I think I do."

Marin pulled her legs up onto the couch, hugging her knees to her chest. "You know, when I was little, I used to wait by the window for Dad to come home. He'd promise to be there for dinner, or my school play, or whatever. But he never showed."

I reached out, gently taking her hand. She squeezed it, a sad smile on her face.

"After a while, I stopped waiting. The house felt so empty, you know? Just me and the housekeeper. Dad thought as long as I had food and clothes and stuff, that was enough."

"That must have been lonely," I said softly.

Marin nodded. "It was. That's why I threw myself into cosplay. It was a way to become someone else, to escape."

I thought about my own escape into acting, how it allowed me to shed my past and become someone new. "I get that. It's freeing, isn't it?"

"Exactly!" Marin's eyes lit up. "But Dad never understood. He just saw it as a waste of money and time."

I frowned. "Did he ever try to stop you?"

Marin shook her head. "Nah, he was too busy to care. Just told me not to 'waste' too much of my allowance on it."

The bitterness in her voice was clear. I pulled her closer, and she rested her head on my shoulder.

"You know," I said, "I used to think having parents would solve everything. That a family would make life perfect."

Marin looked up at me, curious. "And now?"

I sighed. "Now I know it's not that simple. Family isn't just blood or money. It's being there, caring."

Marin nodded, her fingers intertwining with mine. "That's why I love being with you, Akira. You're here. You see me."

Her words warmed my heart, but also sent a pang of guilt through me. How much of me did she really see? How much was I hiding?

"Marin," I said, my voice serious. "You know there's stuff about my past I haven't told you, right?"

She sat up, looking me in the eye. "I know. And I'm okay with that. You'll tell me when you're ready."

I swallowed hard, amazed by her trust in me. "You're not worried about what you might find out?"

Marin shook her head, a determined look on her face. "Nope. Whatever it is, we'll face it together. That's what partners do, right?"

I pulled her into a tight hug, overwhelmed by her acceptance. "Right. Together."

We stayed like that for a while, just holding each other. When we finally pulled apart, Marin had a thoughtful look on her face.

"You know," she said, "maybe we should give Dad a chance. He's trying, in his own weird way."

I nodded, surprised by her change of heart. "You sure?"

Marin shrugged. "Not really. But if he's willing to make an effort, shouldn't we?"

I thought about Masumi's conditions - the family dinners, the check-ins. It would be awkward, sure, but maybe it was a step in the right direction.

"Okay," I said. "We'll try it his way. But if it gets too much, we can always reevaluate."

Marin grinned, some of her usual spark returning. "Deal. And hey, maybe we can teach him about cosplay!"

I laughed, picturing Masumi in one of Marin's elaborate outfits. "Let's not push our luck."

I settled back into the couch, Marin curled up against me as the movie played on our laptop. Some action flick she'd picked out - lots of explosions and car chases. My mind wandered, replaying the day's events.

The meeting with Mio. Apartment hunting. That tense conversation with Marin's dad.

I glanced down at Marin. She seemed engrossed in the film, but I couldn't focus. There was too much on my mind.

"Hey," I said, nudging her gently. "Can we talk for a sec?"

Marin looked up, concern flashing across her face. "Sure. What's up?"

I paused the movie and took a deep breath. "So, I've been thinking. With everything that's been going on lately - the show, the fans, all of it - maybe it's time we consider moving."

Marin sat up straighter, her eyes wide. "Moving? Like, to a different apartment?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I actually looked at a couple places today. They're... well, they're pretty nice."

"How nice are we talking?" Marin asked.

I pulled out my phone, bringing up the photos I'd taken earlier. "Here, take a look."

Marin scrolled through the images, her eyes growing wider with each swipe. "Akira, these are... These are crazy nice. Like, celebrity nice."

I chuckled. "Well, I guess I am kind of a celebrity now, huh?"

Marin playfully swatted my arm. "Don't let it go to your head, mister." She looked back at the phone, her brow furrowing. "But seriously, can we even afford something like this?"

"With the money from 'Sweet Today' and the new gigs coming up? Yeah, we can," I said. "But I wanted to get your thoughts before making any decisions."

Marin bit her lip, thinking. "They both look amazing. But... I don't know. It feels like such a big step."

I nodded, understanding her hesitation. "It is. But think about it - better security, more space, a real kitchen..."

"Ooh, a real kitchen," Marin said, her eyes lighting up. "I could finally try out all those recipes I've been saving!"

"I don't know about that, but there's plenty of room for your cosplay stuff too."

Marin's excitement dimmed a bit. "But what about the neighbors? What if they're not cool with, you know, all the weird outfits and props?"

"That's the beauty of these places," I said. "They're super private. No nosy neighbors to worry about."

Marin nodded slowly, considering. "Okay, I'm intrigued. But I'd want to see them in person before we decide anything."

"Of course," I agreed. "I was thinking we could check them out tomorrow. The Arasaka Hinokicho Tower and Parkhouse Gran Minami-Aoyama. They're both available for viewings."

Marin's eyes widened. "Wait, Arasaka Hinokicho? Isn't that where Kana lives?"

"Is it? I didn't know that."

Marin nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, she mentioned it once. Said the security there was top-notch."

"Well, that's definitely a plus," I said, thinking of the fans who'd mobbed us on the way to school. "So, you want to see them both?"

Marin grinned. "Absolutely. It'll be like house hunting on those fancy TV shows!"

I laughed, relieved by her enthusiasm. "Just don't expect any dramatic reveals or anything. And remember, we're just looking for now."

"Right, right," Marin said, waving her hand dismissively. "But it can't hurt to dream a little, right?"

I pulled her close, planting a kiss on top of her head. "No, it can't hurt to dream."

We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the paused movie forgotten on the screen.

"You know," Marin said softly, "if we do move... it'll be our first real home together. Like, officially."

"Yeah," I said, my voice a little rough. "I guess it would be."

Marin looked up at me. "That's kind of amazing, isn't it?"

I nodded, unable to find the right words. Instead, I pulled her closer, trying to convey everything I felt in that embrace.

After a while, Marin spoke again. "So, tomorrow? We'll go see both places?"

"Yeah," I said. "I'll set it up tomorrow."

Marin yawned, snuggling deeper into my side. "Cool. Now, can we finish the movie? I want to see if that guy ever finds out his partner is actually an alien in disguise."

I laughed, reaching for the laptop. "Sure thing. But I'm telling you, there's no way he's an alien."

"Wanna bet?" Marin challenged.

"You're on," I said, hitting play.

The movie's climax hit, and I couldn't believe my eyes. The partner ripped off his human mask, revealing a grotesque alien face underneath.

"Ha! I told you!" Marin shouted, jumping up from the couch. "Pay up, loser!"

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "Okay, okay. You win. What's my punishment?"

Marin's eyes gleamed mischievously. "I want a massage. A real good one."

My heart skipped a beat. Our massages had a tendency to... escalate. "You sure about that?"

"Absolutely," Marin said, already heading towards the futon. "I've been so tense lately with school and everything."

I watched as she plopped down on the futon, then casually pulled off her shirt. She laid face-down, her bare back exposed to me.

"Well?" she called, her voice muffled by the pillow. "I'm waiting."

I swallowed hard and made my way over to her. Just as I was about to start, my phone buzzed. A text from Aqua.

"Hey, does Marin have an answer about the idol group?"

I glanced at Marin, sprawled out on the futon. "Uh, Marin? Aqua's asking about the idol thing."

She lifted her head slightly. "Oh yeah! Tell him I'm interested."

I quickly typed out a response. "She's in."

Aqua replied almost instantly. "Great. Can you both come to Strawberry Productions tomorrow evening? We're having a group meeting."

I relayed the message to Marin, who nodded enthusiastically. "Sounds good," she said. "Now, about that massage..."

I sent a quick "We'll be there" to Aqua, along with a thumbs-up emoji. He responded with the address and a smiley face.

Putting my phone aside, I turned my attention back to Marin. Her skin was smooth under my hands as I began working out the knots in her shoulders.

"Mmm," she hummed contentedly. "That feels amazing."

I focused on my task, trying to ignore the warmth spreading through my body. But as Marin's soft sighs filled the room, I knew this massage was headed in a familiar direction.

And honestly, I wasn't complaining.