Chapter 4: Tako Days

Chapter 4: Tako Days

"Auntie Ina will be here soon, sweetie," Kiara smiled, "You'll be good for her, right?"

"I will, m… mama," Haruto nodded. Although he is able to say the word, he still has a hard time.

"I'm not sure how much it's worth but I want you to know that I'm proud of you," Kiara, rubbing Haruto's head, bent her knees a little bit. Haruto's lips twitched in a small, shy smile in response.

"Are you ready to go?" Amelia asked. Kiara, turning to face Amelia, stood up/

"Yeah," Kiara cracked her knuckles, "I guess I'll have to use the Usual Room again."

"Mama? What's the Usual Room?" Haruto asked.

"I'll tell you when you're older, okay?" Kiara asked. Haruto opened his mouth to protest but Kiara interjected.

"Even though you're a young man, there are things that you shouldn't see until you're older," Kiara smiled, "I promise I'll show you one day."

"Okay," Haruto puffed his cheeks out in a pout. He didn't really care much about this Usual Room but he didn't like Kiara implying he was too young for some things.

"Calli look! He's being cute!" Kiara squealed.

"Kuso- Kiara, we need to go," Calli grabbed Kiara's shoulder, "I'll see you later, kid."

"See you… dad," Haruto, face red, turned to look away.

"See you…" Calli's face turned red as well as she turned around and stalked off

"Don't mind her. She's not used to affection," Kiara laughed before following Calli, Amelia, and Gura out the door. He heard some chatter going on outside the house before there was a knock on the door.

That was quick, Haruto thought to himself while opening the front door. A girl with long, purple hair and indigo eyes was waiting for him at the door.

"Wah!" The girl exclaimed, "My name is Ninomae Ina'nis! Call me Auntie Ina. What's your name?"

"H-Haruto. "It's nice to meet you a… au… Ina," Haruto introduced himself. Ina looked like one of those cute girls that he would see on the anime he watched back at his own foster parents' home.

"So Haruto, what do you want to do?" Ina asked.

"Dad was setting up the Nontendo Flip. If you don't want to play Nontendo, we can draw," Haruto replied.

"Ah, I love drawing!" Ina opened her hand and then a book shimmered into existence

"AO-chan, can you get my drawing tablet?" Ina opened the book and flipped to a random page.

Haruto could swear that he heard a third voice speak in a language he had never heard of. A portal then appeared atop the book, a thin tablet floating out of it.

Have I… seen this before? Haruto thought to himself. Then, an image flashed in his head. A woman with a shadow covering her face and a glowing, pink portal.

"I'm sorry, Haruto. I love you."

"Haruto?" Ina's voice snapped Haruto from his stupor, "Are you okay?"

"Sorry," Haruto said sheepishly.

"Where did the book go?" Haruto, noticing the book was gone, directed his attention to the small tablet.

"Oh, AO-chan?" Ina tilted her head with the little flaps on her head twitching twice. "She's busy. She can't stick around with me all the time."

Is Ina implying the book is sentient? Haruto thought to himself.

"O-okay," Haruto said. "Is that the drawing tablet?"

"Yep!" Ina replied, "Let's move to the kitchen so I can draw up a meal for you."

"Was that a joke?" Haruto held back a snicker.

"Of course. I'll get your meal ready Ina bit," Ina said while winking at Haruto. This time, Haruto couldn't hold back the laugh.

"Success," Ina proclaimed, "Now, let's get you some lunch."

-

"Aun… Ina? How do you use this?" Haruto asked while tapping away at the drawing tablet.

"Oh, let me help you with that," Ina said as she placed a plate of takoyaki in front of Haruto. She then sat down in the chair next to Haruto. She plucked the stylus from its holster next to the tablet before tapping on one of the applications.

"The tablet doesn't work without the stylus," Ina explained while setting up one of the drawing apps.

"I see," Haruto, intrigued by the tablet, stared inquisitively at the tablet. His old family wasn't exactly wealthy and whatever money they got, his foster parents spent on themselves. They only spent the bare minimum on Haruto, so while he dreamed of being able to play with things like a Nontendo Flip or a drawing tablet, his foster parents never gave him that opportunity.

"Do you have another stylus?" Haruto asked.

"You're in luck," Ina winked. She then grabbed one of her bangs (which looked very squishy) and another stylus shimmered into existence in front of Haruto.

"Thank you aunt… Ina," Haruto grabbed the stylus with a smile.

"Anything for you," Ina smiled softly before inching her seat closer to Haruto's, "Now, let's get started."

-

"Finally got the paperwork," Amelia walked out of her office and stopped before Kiara and Calli, "I can't believe my stupid boss was drunk on the job again."

"I'm sure he had his reasons," Kiara, obviously knowing something, shifted uncomfortably.

"Still doesn't justify passing out drunk on the job," Amelia muttered under her breath.

"Alright, let's get those signatures," Kiara smiled evilly.

-

"You're not half back at drawing," Ina, surprised at Haruto's talent, gave the boy a pat on the head.

"Thanks aunt… auntie," Haruto smiled at Ina. He was getting a lot more comfortable in the house along with the people he spent his time with.

"You said Calli was setting up the Flip, right?" Ina asked. Haruto nodded in response.

"We can go play some Dario Kart if you want," Ina offered, standing up, "I know how to set everything up."

"Okay!" Haruto, satisfied with the drawing he and Ina made, stood up to follow Ina.

-

"Thanks for bringing them here, Calli," Kiara smiled maliciously. The two of them were looking at a man and a woman who were both unconscious and tied to chairs.

"Anything for you, Kusotori," Calli replied with an equally malicious smile. She then picked up a bucket of water and splashed the couple.

The two shot awake and looked around. The man spoke first, "W-where are we? Who are you?"

"Dear, is that you?" The woman, her eyes glued to Calli and Kiara, asked her partner.

"Y-yes, it's me," the man said before directing his attention to Kiara and Calli. "What do you two want from us?"

"Remember your adopted child? His name was Haruto," Although Kiara was smiling, only malice and animosity were found in her voice, "I wanted to kindly ask you to transfer guardianship to us, considering the fact we're taking care of him now."

"Oh, that devil's spawn?" The woman said as her face contorted with disgust, "Like hell we'll transfer guardianship. As long as we have guardianship, we'll continue to get paid by the government."

The man stifled a laugh, "Gotta love the foster care system."

"I see how things are," Kiara, expecting that result, walked over to the door and pulled a lever by the light switch. The couple started to look around as the sound of gears whirring could be heard.

"Let's see if I can change your mind."

-

"Auntie, why do some people wait for you to pass them by the finish line?" Haruto asked as they finished another race, Haruto getting third place and Ina landing at eleventh.

"Er… maybe people are just nice?" Ina shrugged while a bead of sweat dripped down her face, "Want to start another race?"

"Sure!" Haruto smiled. Although he never won first place, he was having a great time.

"We're home!" Kiara's voice rang throughout the room. Kiara and Calli walked into the room, wearing distinctly different clothes. Kiara exchanged her KFP outfit for denim shorts and a white shirt while Calli ditched her cloak for a red jacket and black pants.

"Ne Haruto, we did it," Kiara walked up before kneeling so she was eye level with Haruto, "Calli and I are officially your mama and papa now."

"Really?" Haruto hesitated. Was it really that easy?

"Really," Kiara pulled Haruto into a hug, "Welcome to the family, Haruto."

Haruto smiled as he held back a sob, "Thank you, Mama."