Chapter 535: The appointment time
"We have arrived, uncle."
"Yes." Akihito nodded and stepped down while observing the restaurant in front of him. "Thank you, Shishio-kun." He took off the helmet resolutely while showing the valiant air like a warrior about to welcome another war. He tightened his tie and had a solemn expression on his face. "So this is the restaurant of Tsukiko-san's ex-husband?"
"It's his second restaurant, but it isn't ready yet," Shishio explained.
"I see..." While there were many things that Akihito wanted to ask, he decided to swallow his questions. Instead, he took a deep breath, then opened the door without hesitation.
Inside, Rui stood at the entrance with a nervous expression on her face. She wasn't sure how to face Akihito. Her fingers moved from time to time, trying to find words to say to him. "...Fuji-san, it's been a while."
"Rui-chan." Akihito nodded, then said, "I am sorry for cutting the chase, but is your father around?"
"Yes." Rui nodded, then pointed at her father, whom she tied to the chair. "I have tied him to a chair."
"Tied...?" Akihito was slightly taken aback when he saw Jou's situation.
"...." Shishio could only watch this situation speechlessly since he knew Jou was about to run away before.
Rui approached Jou and took off the cloth that covered his mouth. "Buhaa!" He took a gulp of air, then complained. "Hold on, this is a bit too much, isn't it?!"
"If we don't do this, then when?"
"But it's so sudden?! You just tie me so suddenly?!" Even Jou was flabbergasted when he heard Akihito was going to come. He didn't really want to meet Akihito by saying that he had a stomachache, but Rui had tied him first, which made him unable to make an excuse or run away.
"It's too late." Rui patted Jou's back, then said, "Introduce yourself!"
Jou let out a long sigh before he stood up. He was slightly nervous, but he stood before Akihito and introduced himself. "Nic-Nice to meet you." He touched the back of his head, feeling slightly overwhelmed by Akihito's aura.
However, Jou couldn't be blamed since Shishio could feel Akihito's life force was so intense!
'The amount of his Life Force is outrageous. Is he a Pillar Man?'
Jokes aside, Akihito introduced himself with great intensity. "Good night. I'm Tsukiko-san's current husband. My name is Akihito Fujii."
"....."
Then suddenly, a silence brewed between them.
Rui subconsciously held Shishio's hand since she was so nervous.
Jou gulped and opened his eyes wide, wondering whether Akihito was going to do something, but...
"Thank you for looking after Rui-chan!" Akihito bowed his head and presented a souvenir to Jou.
"......." Jou could only stare blankly at Akihito.
"Eh?"
"It might not be convenient for you, but I ask you to continue to guide her in the ways of the chef. Please!"
"Ah, um, yes." Jou nodded dumbly.
When Akihito ended his conversation with Jou, he turned toward Rui.
"Fujii-san." Rui was nervous and lowered her head.
However, Akihito approached her and raised his arm.
"......." Shishio.
Still, unlike what everyone imagined, Akihito didn't slap Rui's cheek. Instead, he caressed her cheek gently, showing worry and gentleness. "Have you been eating well? Sleeping well?"
Rui wanted to say her life was so good when she lived with Shishio, but the shock brought by Akihito's words was too much since she didn't expect him to worry her so much. She raised her head and looked at Akihito in shock.
"Don't ever make me worry like that again...!" Akihito cried since he was really worried about Rui. "Since the day you left, even at work or during meals, I have constantly been wondering if you were okay..."
Rui couldn't control her tears and cry. "I am so sorry. I have been thinking about myself. I am sorry, Fuji... No, father."
Shishio and Jou let out a sigh of relief and smiled warmly at this scene.
After talking for a while, Rui showed Akihito the fruit of her training.
"De-Delicious!" Akihito was shocked when he tried the taste of the pasta cooked by Rui. While he had eaten the food cooked by Rui many times, he felt the improvement in this dish was so much that it was almost scary!
However, Akihito must admit it was so delicious that he didn't want to talk and ate all the dishes first.
Watching Akihito, who ate without talking until the end, whether it was Rui, Jou, or Shishio, only smiled since this was the result of their teamwork. They were able to create such a miracle dish, and it was so amazingly delicious!
When Akihito finished the dish, he looked at Rui and asked, "Did you really make this Rui-chan?"
"Yes." Rui nodded with a smile. "Dad and Shishio have been helping me. The three of us have been training together."
"I see..." Akihito looked at Shishio with a complicated expression. After all, when Rui had just acknowledged him as a father, his daughter was already taken by a random boy. Fortunately, this boy was so responsible for Rui, and even if she was pregnant, he believed they would be okay.
Right?
"I wonder what Tsukiko-san would say if she tasted this." Akihito looked at Rui and said with a sad expression. "You might have the wrong idea about her, but she and I want to support you, Rui-chan. It's natural for parents to be happy that their daughter has her eyes set on the future. We shouldn't hinder you because of how we feel. Tsukiko-san knows this as well. She's a smart woman, after all."
Akihito let out a sigh and said, "But her mind isn't following what she feels in her heart, and she's heartbroken. "Why did Rui go to the man who betrayed us?" She'd say."
Shishio glanced at Jou, who eavesdropped on their conversation silently.
"She's been drinking and crying every night."
Well, Tsukiko also called him every night to ask about Rui's situation and condition, but Shishio felt it was better to shut his mouth.
"During those times, she always talked about what her daughters were like when they were small. Like how she worried about Hina, who was such an innocent child. Or how Rui would always run away in fear before uttering a single word.."
Akihito told what Tsukiko's situation was and many other things together before he decided to excuse himself. After all, he came to visit and to see how Rui was. Watching her alright, and even spirited, he was happy and didn't feel worried anymore. He could also taste how delicious her dish was.
Akihito was sure that if Tsukiko knew how delicious the dish cooked by Rui was, he believed she would let her become a chef.
Still, they decided to keep it a secret until the day of the appointment since they wanted to give Tsukiko a surprise.
After they talked for a while, Akihito excused himself and walked home by himself by walking.
Shishio offered to send Akihito, but Akihito rejected since he wanted to cool his body up. He didn't force himself and then watched over Akihito's figure that slowly walked away with Rui.
"It's quite an anticlimax somehow." Still, this was based on his calculation since Shishio knew Akihito's personality well. It was also the reason why he agreed to let Akihito come. If it was Natsuo, he wouldn't agree to let him come, no matter what, since he knew what kind of person Natsuo was. "In a good way."
Rui didn't say anything and just stared at Akihito's back.
"You're ready?" Shishio asked.
Hearing this question, Rui clenched her fist and nodded. "Even if I run away, it'll solve nothing, so I'll do it. I will win my mom's heart through my cooking."
"That's my girl." Shishio smiled and rubbed Rui's hair happily.
Rui pouted before she smiled. She rubbed her face against him and felt glad she could meet him. "Shishio."
"Hmm?"
"I love you."
"......."
Rui waited for his answer, but Shishio didn't say anything, which made her dumbfounded. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Well, you teased me before, so I thought to tease you," Shishio said with a teasing smile.
Rui pouted and hit Shishio's chest, annoyed.
"Sorry, sorry." Shishio apologized and hugged Rui into his arms, so she would stop hitting him. He caressed her back gently and said, "I love you too."
Rui smiled happily, but then she said, "Don't seduce Hibiki, alright?"
"......" Shishio wasn't sure whether he could uphold this promise. He then glanced inside the restaurant, but he didn't say anything since he knew that Jou also needed time to be alone.
After the meeting with Akihito, Rui became even more spirited and determined to make her mother acknowledge her dream.
While Rui trained, Shishio also took care of his relationship with other women, especially with Mai, since they could only talk through the phone.
Mai was busy on the movie shoot, especially as the main character.
However, the literature club would take a trip to Izu later, and by that time, they could meet each other again.
Mai was spirited and told him to go as soon as possible if possible.
If possible, Shishio wanted to have magic, so he could teleport easily from one place to another.
'Still, is it possible to create a teleportation device? Or an anywhere door?'
If Doraemon, which came from the future, could bring a door that could lead them anywhere on earth and even multiverse, then it should be possible for Shishio to make such a door, too, right?
If he had "Physics Mastery," it would be great. Unfortunately, he didn't have it.
Anyway, it was enough for him to think about this kind of random matter since the appointment time when Rui was going to present her food to her mother was coming.
Whether it was the Tachibana family or the Fujii family, they gathered together.
Tsukiko and Akihito dressed in formal clothes.
Hina and Natsuo were also the same.
Still, Natsuo wore his uniform since it was easier and he didn't have to wear uncomfortable clothes. While there were many things that he wanted to say, he shut his mouth at this moment since even he could read the mood.
Tsukiko is the main protagonist now.
Tsukiko took a deep breath and entered the restaurant.
By then, Shishio, who was dressed in the waiter uniform, welcomed them with a gentle and warm smile. "Welcome."
"......"
Tsukiko must admit her first impression was good.