Chapter 29-Part 4

After school, I headed straight home to wash myself and dress.

I put on a plaid shirt with a jacket over it, and a pair of black jeans.

I say to my mother as I exit, "I'm going to a friend's house to eat! Don't wait up!".

She says back, "Be careful, honey. And remember to come home early. Tonight is a school night.".

"Hai.", I respond, closing the front door.

As I make my way past the school on the other side of town, I follow the directions that Tsundere-kun had given me.

I come across a gate to what looks to be a house behind numerous buildings.

I open the old gate and knock on the door.

I hear two voices.

"Who is it, onii-chan?"

"I don't know! That's what I am about to find out."

One of the two voices I know all to well.

Tsundere-kun opens the door, looking up at me.

He's wearing a white tank top that fits his slender upper frame well, and the poofiest pair of blue parachute pants, stretched to oblivion at the seams due to his disproportionately large lower frame, but what is most notable is that his hair is short again, just like when we first met.

A small pink haired girl that looks like Tsundere-kun with the wig on, but his hair down (Messy long hair), and blue eyes instead of gold pops out from behind him, looking up.

She's wearing a yellow dress with a duck on it.

"Let me see too, onii-chan.", she says.

She looks up at me.

I wave back.

"Eek! Stranger danger!", she screams, hiding behind Tsundere-kun.

"Don't be rude!", Tsundere-kun snaps at her.

"This is our guest for the evening. Can you go tell dad the person he was waiting for is here, please?", Tsundere-kun dismisses his sister with a brushing away motion of his hand.

"Kay!", his sister says happily, and rushes off.

As the two of us are alone, he says "You look nice....I guess.", blushing slightly with a pout while fidgeting his fingers."

"Thanks. Is that a sack you're wearing?", I respond, joking about his pants that wouldn't look out of place in the Edo period.

"Baka! It's not like I had much of a choice!", he clenches his fists and leans forward with his arms straight back to emphasize his brief anger as he shouted.

I put up my hands defensively and smile, letting him know it was a joke.

His father clears his throat with the imouto standing behind him, interrupting us.

"How ya been?", he says.

I bow my head.

"Doing good, sir. Thank you for having me over.", I say to him.

"C-come in already, baka!", Tsundere-kun says, noticing how long I had been standing in the doorway.

"Aaaah! G-Gomen!", I shout, as I close the door behind me.

The dad and the little sister laugh.

As we sit on the floor at the low elevated table, a pair of fresh bean sprouts with a bit of cheese on one plate and a bowl of rice was waiting for Tsundere-kun.

A bowl of ramen was waiting for me.

He is blushing as he sits next to me.

"I don't know what you liked, so I went with your order that day.", the dad said.

"I-It's fine, sir! You didn't have to go this far.", I say to him.

"Nonsense. It's the least I could do, especially after what my boy did.", he said, glaring at Tsundere-kun.

Tsundere-kun looks to the side. He really felt bad for doing that.

"Looks like he cocked you a new one, huh? Anyways, he told me a lot of interesting stuff about you, like how you were the kind of person that finds the good in any negative situation. I commend that.", he says to me.

"Arigatou. I try to help people if I can when I can, sir. My parents taught me that.", I respond.

"And they taught you well.", the ex delinquent says, matter of factly.

Tsundere-kun is holding the chopsticks in his left hand.

His sister notices this.

"Daddy! Oniichan is using his left hand again."

"What did I say?", his dad shouts at him.

Tsundere-kun yelps, and switches hands.

I noticed this at the restaurant, too.

I ask him "Why does Miri-chan do that?"

His dad sighs and says, "Gomenasai. You see, this family has always been born right handed for generations. My boy there is the first ambidextrous member of the family, but he prefers his left. We are highly superstitious folk, and we believe that the left hand is the sign of a bad omen, so I try to discourage him from using it."

It all makes sense now.

Tsundere-kun mutters "But I AM better with my left...", pouting as he looks away.

"WHAT WAS THAT!?", his father says, giving his old gang days look.

"N-nothing, dad! Gomen!", Tsundere-kun waves his arms in front of him, defensively.

"That's what I thought.", his dad says.

As we continue to eat, he says to me, "You know, outside of that little red rat he hangs out with, he never had any friends, much less ones like you. I want to ask you a favor. Just one request.".

I ask him what it is.

"Take care of my son, of course.", he says.

Tsundere-kun's eyes go wide, his face turning light purple and he starts coughing loudly.

"Ah, hell. Hana, go get some water for your brother!", his dad says.

She gets him a glass of water.

After he drinks it, he shouts, "WUUUUT?", after his throat clears up.

"I remember a time where you were head over heels for that Saya girl. Whatever. Anyways, I have seen how you act around him, and it reminds me of exactly just like then. I'm not really for same sex relationships, but my son's happiness is my wish, so I will never judge. Being a parent is putting your kids before yourself, and someone like him I know I can trust.", he says.

(I mean, Dad isn't wrong, but...), Tsundere-kun thinks to himself.

I tell him that Tsundere-kun is just confused, being hormonal.

"Yeah, maybe you're right.", he says.

"However, if I'm right about this, you better not break my son's heart. If you do, I'll bring my old gang over, you hear me?", he finishes, not an ounce of humor in his voice.

I nod in rapid motion, knowing his dad was serious.

"Good.", his dad says, as we finish eating.