[32] Father Knows Best
"Come on, sleepyhead," I said, gently shaking her shoulder. "Time for school."
Marin mumbled something incoherent and reluctantly sat up, her hair a messy halo around her face. I couldn't help but smile at how adorable she looked, even half-asleep.
We got ready in comfortable silence, moving around each other with practiced ease. As Marin finished packing her bag, I pulled her close and kissed her deeply.
"Have a good day at school," I murmured against her lips. "I'll pick you up at 3:30, okay?"
She nodded, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. "What about you? Aren't you coming to school today?"
I shook my head. "I've got a meeting with Mio at 10. Need to get her to sign off as my employer for proof of employment."
"Ah, adulting," Marin teased. "Don't have too much fun without me."
I laughed and gave her one last kiss before she headed out the door. Once she was gone, I started getting ready for my own day. I had two main goals: find a personal driver for us and check out those two apartment options.
The meeting with Mio went smoothly. She signed the necessary paperwork without much fuss, though she did raise an eyebrow at my request.
"Moving up in the world, aren't we?" she said with a smirk.
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Just trying to be smart about things."
After the meeting, I started crunching numbers for a personal driver. It made sense financially - it'd cost about the same as our frequent Uber rides, maybe even less. Plus, the convenience factor was huge. No more waiting around or dealing with fans recognizing me in public transport.
I made a few calls and set up interviews for later in the week. It felt weird, like I was playing at being a big shot. But I reminded myself that this was necessary, especially with my growing fame.
Next up: apartment hunting. With my disguise in full effect, I headed to Arasaka Hinokicho Tower first. The views were incredible, stretching out over Tokyo's skyline. The security system was top-notch too, with facial recognition and 24/7 guards.
"This is the safest building in the area," the realtor assured me. "Perfect for someone of high status."
I nodded, trying not to let on how impressed I was. It was a far cry from the tiny apartment Marin and I currently shared.
The Parkhouse Gran Minami-Aoyama was equally impressive, though in a different way. It was more spacious, on the 27th floor overlooking Tokyo, with a private elevator that opened directly into the apartment. The concierge service was a nice touch too.
"We can arrange anything you need," the concierge told me. "Groceries, dry cleaning, reservations at exclusive restaurants..."
It was tempting, I had to admit. But as I stood there, looking out over the city, I felt a pang of... something. Nostalgia? Doubt?
I thought about Marin, about how excited she'd been this morning talking about her school friends. About how we'd cuddled up on our lumpy couch last night.
Sure, we could afford this place now. Between my 840,000 yen a month and Marin's 310,000 yen from her cosplay and modeling gigs, plus the new show I would be in and my 1.2 million yen in savings over the past few months, we were doing pretty well for ourselves.
But was this really what we wanted? What we needed?
I thanked the realtor and headed out. As I walked down the bustling Tokyo street, I realized I needed to talk to Marin about all this. These weren't decisions I should be making alone.
I checked my watch. Still a couple hours before I needed to pick up Marin. I decided to head to a nearby park, find a quiet bench to sit and think.
As I sat there, watching people go about their day, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through some recent photos of us - Marin in her latest cosplay, both of us making silly faces at the camera, a candid shot of her laughing that made my heart skip a beat.
Maybe the fancy apartment could wait. Maybe what we had now was enough. Or maybe we could find something in between for now - nicer than our current place but not so over-the-top.
Ai. The name drifted through my mind, pulling up hazy memories. I took out my phone and did a quick search, refreshing my knowledge of the legendary idol.
She died young, stabbed by a crazed fan at her apartment. I scrolled through images of her until I came across one that made me freeze. The resemblance was unmistakable - she could have been my little sister. Our features were so similar it was eerie.
A chill ran through me as I remembered my own experience with a stalker who got ahold of my phone number. I'd laughed it off at the time, changed my number and moved on. But seeing Ai's tragic end put things in a different light. This fancy apartment wasn't just for show or convenience. It was for mine and Marin's safety.
My acting career was taking off, and Marin's potential idol work could put her in the spotlight too. We'd be bigger targets, and we needed security.
I decided then and there to go with either the Arasaka or Parkhouse apartment. Marin still deserved a say, of course, so I'd fill her in on my thinking when I picked her up. She'd understand, I was sure of it. Her safety was the priority here.
I pulled up to Youtou High in an Uber, scanning the crowd of students for Marin's hair. My eyes landed on her familiar figure, but something was off. A man with short black hair and glasses stood next to her, his posture tense. Marin's face was scrunched up in that way it gets when she's trying not to cry.
My heart raced as I jumped out of the car, forgetting to thank the driver. I slipped on my Akira mask - a necessary evil for public outings these days - and strode towards them.
"Everything okay here?" I asked, stepping between Marin and the man.
The guy looked me up and down, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "So this is him?"
Marin tugged on my sleeve. "Akira, it's okay. This is my father, Masumi Kitagawa."
I blinked, thrown off balance. Her father? Marin rarely talked about her parents, just mentioning they were often away on business.
Masumi's jaw clenched. "I've been home for three days now and haven't seen my daughter at all. I wanted to see her with my own eyes, make sure she's safe. Only to find out she's been living with some guy."
"Dad, I told you-" Marin started, but he cut her off.
"You're sixteen, Marin! What were you thinking?"
I stepped forward, trying to diffuse the situation. "Mr. Kitagawa, I understand your concern. But I assure you, Marin is safe with me."
He scoffed. "Safe? With an actor? I've seen the tabloids, kid. Your type is all the same."
"That's not fair," Marin protested. "Akira's different. He takes care of me."
"Takes care of you?" Masumi's voice rose. "Is that what you call it?"
I felt my temper flare, but I pushed it down. Getting angry wouldn't help. "Sir, I respect that you're worried about your daughter. But Marin is capable of making her own decisions. And I would never do anything to hurt her."
Masumi's eyes locked onto mine, searching for something. After a long moment, he sighed. "I suppose I haven't been around much to have a say in her life choices."
"That's right, you haven't," Marin said, her voice quiet but firm. "But you're here now. So maybe instead of yelling, we could talk? All of us?"
I nodded, grateful for her level-headedness. "There's a karaoke bar nearby. We could grab a drink and discuss this in a private setting."
Masumi hesitated, then gave a curt nod. "Fine. Lead the way."
As we walked, I felt Marin's hand slip into mine. I squeezed it gently, hoping to convey that everything would be okay.
The Karaoke bar was thankfully not busy. Masumi paid for an hour in a private lounge. and we all went into the room.
Masumi sat across from us, his fingers drumming on the seat. "Alright, let's hear it. How did this... arrangement come about?"
I looked at Marin, silently asking if she wanted to start. She nodded and took a deep breath.
"Dad, you're gone most of the time. I was lonely. Akira... he understands me. He supports my cosplay, my dreams. We take care of each other."
Masumi's expression softened slightly. "I know I haven't been around much, but that doesn't mean you can just move in with a boy."
"It wasn't planned," I said. "It just... happened. Marin needed a place to stay when you were out of the country for months. It started as temporary, but..."
"But we realized we work well together," Marin finished. "Dad, I'm happier than I've ever been."
Masumi sighed, rubbing his temples. "You're still so young. Both of you. How can you possibly know what you want?"
"We don't," I admitted. "Not everything. But we know we want to face whatever comes next together."
"And what about your career?" Masumi asked me. "The spotlight, the pressure. How will that affect my daughter?"
I met his gaze steadily. "I won't lie, it's not always easy. But Marin grounds me. She reminds me who I really am, beyond the roles I play."
Marin squeezed my hand under the table. "And Akira helps me believe in myself. He encourages me to pursue my passions."
Masumi looked between us, his expression unreadable. Finally, he spoke. "I can see you care for each other. But this situation... it's not ideal."
"What if we compromised?" I suggested. "Marin could spend more time at home when you're there. We could have family dinners, get to know each other better."
Marin nodded eagerly. "Yes! And you could visit our place sometimes too, see how we live."
Masumi considered this for a long moment. "I suppose... that could work. But I have conditions."
"Name them," I said.
"Regular check-ins. Family dinners at least twice a week when I'm in town. And I want to meet your parents, young man."
I tensed at that last part, but nodded. "That's fair. Though... I should tell you, I don't have parents. I grew up in an orphanage."
Masumi's eyebrows shot up. "I see. I'm sorry, I didn't know."
"It's okay," I said. "It's part of why I understand Marin's loneliness. Why we connected."
A look of understanding passed over Masumi's face. He sighed heavily. "Alright. We'll try this your way. But if anything happens to my daughter..."
"It won't," I assured him. "I promise."
As we left the karaoke place, the tension had eased somewhat. We had a long way to go, but it was a start. Marin hugged her father goodbye, promising to visit soon.
When it was just the two of us again, Marin leaned against me, exhaling deeply. "That was..."
"Yeah," I agreed. "But we got through it."
She looked up at me, her eyes shining. "Together."
I smiled, pulling her close. "Together."