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Ren felt the warm touch of a soft hand against his cheek as he slowly opened his eyes, hearing the voice of an angel.
“We’re here, Ren.”
He looked over as his eyes adjusted to the light shining in from the train window and saw an even brighter light that threatened to blind him again. Sumire looked at him with loving eyes, a look that always calmed him down, no matter where or what he was doing.
“Thank you, Sumire.” Ren leaned in and kissed her on the cheek as the train came to a full stop. The two of them stood up, with Ren throwing his bag over his shoulder as he did.
“Ah! I’m awake!” Morgana popped his head out of the bag and shook it quickly.
“Welcome to the waking world.” Ren smiled. “Let’s get going.”
A warm summer breeze hit the three as they stepped off onto the train platform, taking in the sights of the small, countryside town Ren called home once. Gone were the massive skyscrapers, crowded streets, and shady back alleys of Shibuya. Instead, they saw a few kids playing on an otherwise empty street, mothers tending to small gardens, and husbands speaking as neighbors. Small houses lined the streets, with delis and other department stores across from them.
“Follow me.” Ren took Sumire’s hand and guided her through the town. As they walked, Ren didn’t stop for anything, noting how there was only one street that was remotely worth talking about.
“This street.” Ren pointed down one what, to Sumire, appeared to be any other road. “This is where I ran into Shido.”
“Ren…” Sumire tightened her grasp around his hand.
“Don’t worry.” He shook his head. “I’m not angry, not anymore. I just thought you’d want to know. I showed Morgana when he came back with me.”
“You really have changed a lot, Ren.” Morgana nodded. “Other than the first time he showed me this street, he always avoided it.”
“I’m way past worrying about a crook like Shido.”
“Good.”
“Thank goodness…” Sumire sighed in relief.
“Besides.” Ren pulled Sumire in close and smirked. “I wouldn’t have met you if it weren’t for him, so in a way, it was a blessing in disguise.”
“That makes me happy too… Wait!” She gasped. “I didn’t mean it like that!”
“Don’t worry about it!” Ren laughed as her face flared up red. “Like I said, I’ve put it all past me. Let’s get going.”
“Phew… Okay!” Sumire took a deep breath and smiled.
She knew Ren was teasing her to fend off his anxiety, and that was something she didn’t mind at all. After walking a few more blocks, they reached a plain, white home, nearly identical to the others surrounding it.
“Ready?” Sumire stepped in front of him, still holding his hand.
“Yes.”
With a deep breath, Ren stepped forward and rang the doorbell.
The idle noises of the town ceased to be as Ren only heard the sound of his own heartbeat, waiting for the door to open.
Creak
Slowly, so slowly, it opened.
“Hello? Oh!” Ren watched his mother’s face shift from unassuming to shocked in a flash. “Ren!”
Ren grit his teeth and gulped. “Hi, mom.”
Standing before them was a woman in her early-forties with jet black, long hair, wearing a shirt, jeans, and a white apron.
“I… Please step inside.” His mother fully opened the door after a few seconds. She spoke in an incredibly reserved voice, reluctant, almost.
“Sorry about the sudden visit…” Ren stepped inside his old house and felt a wave of nostalgia mixed with confusion wash over him.
“It’s fine!” She waved a hand in response. “This young woman must be…”
“Hello.” Sumire stepped forward and bowed. “My name is Sumire Yoshizawa. I’m Ren’s girlfriend.”
“How beautiful… Ren told us about you before, but his description of you didn’t give you justice. My name is Masami Amamiya.”
“Her beauty really isn’t something you can capture with words.” Ren scratched his head. He realized his entire body itched, and it made him very uncomfortable. “Where’s dad?”
“He’s in the dining room." Masami stood still for a few moments before taking another step. “Please, follow me.”
As Ren and Sumire walked through the home, they spotted several pictures of Ren. Baby pictures, pre-school, elementary, middle-school graduation… No high school.
As they walked past, Ren felt himself having to pull Sumire forward, who appeared entranced by the pictures.
“You can look later, Sumire!” Morgana whispered to her.
“I’m glad you still have your cat.”
“Morgana. He won’t leave my side, mom.”
“That’s good.”
As they stepped into the dining room, the three spotted Ren’s father, also in his early-forties, sporting short, combed jet black hair, a suit, and reading glasses.
“Dear, Ren is here.”
“Ren…?” He stood up, a shocked look on his face. “I…”
“Hi, dad.” There was a strong hint of reluctance in Ren’s voice. Just speaking to his father felt incredibly strange. His anxiety wouldn’t stop telling him to turn back, but he pushed through it.
“Er… Hello.” His eyes immediately turned to Sumire. “You must be…”
“My name is Sumire Yoshizawa.” She bowed again. “I’m Ren’s girlfriend.”
“I see... My name is Daisuke Amamiya.” His voice was distant.
“Please, sit down.” Masami pulled out two chairs. “Would you like some coffee?”
“Yes, please.” They responded in unison.
Daisuke tugged at his tie before sitting down at the table, waiting for Masami to bring drinks. Once she sat down, he cleared his throat.
“Ren.”
“Dad.”
“What brings you here?” There was a hint of hesitation in his voice.
“I wanted to talk.”
“Talk… I see…” He took a deep breath. “Please go ahead.”
Sumire and Morgana glanced at one another nervously. They knew it wasn’t their place to say anything yet, but Sumire felt the tension in the air. She looked between the three and saw a wall of glass, ready to shatter at any moment.
“Just say it how you rehearsed it, Ren.” Dozens of thoughts hit Ren at once.
“That’s all you did on the train right. Follow the plan... Stick to the plan… Dammit… Just talk to them! They’re your parents, man! Some bad things happened, sure, but that’s why you’re here! If you don’t tell them anything, what’s the point? Why are you standing in front of them if you’re not going to say something?”
“I… I know that what happened to me was tough for you two.” Ren’s face tensed up and he tightly gripped Sumire’s hand, making sure she was there. “But… You both know that those charges were false. I don’t think it’s even about that anymore… I think there’s still... There’s still a barrier between us, and a part of why it’s still here is my fault….”
Ren paused for a second and felt Sumire pat his back and rub it gently. He wanted to vomit. “When I came home, I just… I didn’t want to be associated with either of you. I was still angry that you sent me off to Tokyo, but I feel like I finally understand how hard it was for you two.” He gripped Sumire’s hand even harder, and felt Morgana’s paw against his leg.
“How were you supposed to back me up in court against a high-ranking politician who had the police in his pockets? I never thought about that. So…”
He stood up, letting go of Sumire’s hand. Morgana and Sumire went to speak, but then he bowed.
“I’m sorry for not trying harder to talk to you. I’m sorry for not thinking things through, and…”
Both Morgana and Sumire sighed in relief.
“Ren.” Masami's voice broke through the barrier instantly. A calm, soothing voice, one that he hadn’t heard in a very long time.
“We’re sorry, too.”
They both stood up and bowed back, with Masami speaking first. “We didn’t try hard enough to defend you, and we were too scared to speak to you when you came home. You always looked so bitter and sad… We were afraid that if we said anything, you’d run.”
“Mom…”
“To tell the truth, Ren,” Daisuke began, “We’re just… cowards. I am, even more than your mother. What kind of man am I not to defend my own son? I’m ashamed that you still call me a father.”
“Dad…” Ren’s eyes widened.
“Please, listen to me.” Sumire spoke up. “Ren is an incredible man and an even better boyfriend. He helps everyone he meets on top of supporting me, and is working to become a therapist. I know you don’t know me that well, but I assure you, Ren loves and cares about you both, and he wants to mend what was broken all those years ago.”
“Yoshizawa-san…” A faint smile crept across Masaimi's face. “You are a wonderful young woman.”
“Thank you, Amamiya-san, but you can just call me Sumire.”
“Ren.” Daisuke averted his gaze for a moment, clearly reluctant to speak. “I… I’m proud of you, and I’m sorry that we’ve been such… awful parents.” He stood up and bowed.
“How can we make it up to you?”
“You don’t have to.” Ren shook his head. “I’m just… I’m happy that we could figure this out. For so long, I thought we’d never be able to speak like this again. I missed you both… so much.”
“We missed you too, son.”
Ren felt Sumire push him around the table and toward his parents. He didn’t resist, and the three of them hugged.
“Mom… Dad…” Ren felt his throat tighten as tears slowly welled up in his eyes.
“It’s okay, Ren.” Masami wrapped her hand around his head, ruffling his hair. “We’re sorry.”
“You don’t… need to say sorry.” He stated in a choked voice. “I…”
“We love you, son.” Daisuke patted his back. “You don’t need to say anything anymore.”
Sumire and Morgana smiled as Ren shared the first genuine, heartfelt moment with his parents in over four years. The three held one another for several minutes, taking in each other’s presence.
…
…
The warmth that emanated from their bodies and the tightness of their grips around Ren made him feel… whole. To be able to hug his parents, or even love them, was something that he thought wouldn’t happen again. Even so, he still had one lingering question; something that confused him regarding their current attitudes.
After taking a deep breath, Ren released his grip on them and took a step back.
“Mom, dad. There is one last thing I’d like to ask, and I don’t want you to take it the wrong way. We just made up, but… It feels so sudden. I didn’t know what to expect when I came back to talk, really. So, um…” Ren gulped, his anxiety spiking.
“Why are you so willing to let things return to normal?”
…
…
…
Both of them took a deep breath, looked at each other, and then back at Ren.
“Ren…” Masami took Daisuke’s hand. “Not defending you in court is still the biggest regret of our lives. At the time, I was shocked to think that my son could do something so heinous as to attack a man at night… I wanted to fight in court, but at the end of it all, we didn’t try to defend you. We just sat there… Ever since you left after you graduated, we realized that nothing had changed from that day. You were angry, and we didn’t know what to say. I was so caught up in thinking that you hadn’t changed and really were a delinquent that I never noticed that we were a part of the problem. Your father helped me realize that we needed to change ourselves, so that the next time you visited, we could greet you as your parents, not just strangers.”
“It’s as your mother said.” Daisuke gripped his fists. “I still don’t think I’m deserving to call myself your father, considering I didn’t even think to defend you back then. You may have forgiven me, but it’s going to take some time before I can forgive myself. After you left again, I spoke with your mother, and ultimately, we decided that we were done running away from our mistakes, especially considering the fact that you were innocent.” He let his fists fall slack. “No, you’re more than that. You’ve grown into a real man while we trekked through mud. You have a job, an apartment, and a woman you love.”
Ren felt Sumire’s hand grip his shoulder. He looked over at her and saw the same, reassuring smile that always managed to calm him down. With a deep breath, he turned back to his parents.
“To be honest, I came here with the same mindset. I realized that I was sick of running away from you both. You’re my parents, after all. I shouldn’t have let my anger blind me like it did, and it was Sumire that helped me realize just how blinded I was. I owe her so much…” he placed his hand on hers. “We both promised one another that she would change, and since the Olympics, no, before that, she’s changed her outlook drastically. I’m happy to call myself her boyfriend.”
“We can’t get the time we lost back…” Masami took a deep breath. “But we can start over today.”
“Yes, we can.”
At that moment, Ren expected something within him to stir, though he heard no tarot in his mind. It was only later that he realized nothing happened because he wasn’t forming a bond with someone new to his life, but instead mending one that had been there since the beginning.
“Ah… so, that being said, what have you been doing, son?” Daisuke spoke awkwardly and stiffly, but Ren knew his heart was in the right place. Since Ren was a child, his father had been the one always reaching out to help others, and the one who answered to his mother. From what Ren could remember, his father was also socially awkward, except when he was around his close friends.
“Yoshizawa-san mentioned you were working to become a therapist.”
“That’s right, dad. I’ve had an internship at Tokyo Mental Health since 2018, and I’ve been studying at university so that I can help people, just like my old therapist at Shujin helped me. His name is Dr. Takuto Maruki, and he is actually acting as my overseer for the program.”
“A therapist… That suits you pretty well.”
“Thanks.”
“I feel like you’d make a great barista!” Masami smiled.
“That was my part-time job before.”
“Oh yes, I remember you mentioning that you lived in a cafe!”
“Yup. In an attic, precisely.”
“Sakura-san had you live in the attic?”
“It was the only available space, but it wasn’t bad, really. I was free to decorate it and move stuff around, so long as I didn’t disturb customers.”
“I see…” She raised an eyebrow and grinned, and Ren instantly knew what he was in for. “You never got too loud with Yoshizawa-san over, no?”
“M-Mom!” Ren found himself flustered. “What are you saying?”
“Oh, nothing.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Now that we’ve started over, I just wanted to see how much of a man my son was.”
“A man?”
“Yes!”
“Wait… loud…” Sumire thought to herself.
“You two live together, right?”
“We do now, yeah!” Ren’s heart thumped loudly. He had walked right into his mother’s trap.
“That must mean you sleep together, surely!”
“Well of course we do!” Ren proclaimed proudly before realizing he had made a terrible mistake.
“Oh?” Masami smirked. “When can I expect a grandchild, then?”
“Why can’t you judge it based on like… adult accomplishments, like dad? And a grandkid isn’t important right now!”
“That’s just no fun!” She turned to Sumire, who was hiding a blush. “Yoshizawa-san, tell me, how often are you in control? You can’t let the man of the house do everything.”
“In control?” Sumire’s eyes widened.
“Mhm! You don’t let Ren have all the fun, do you?”
“Oh!” She giggled. “Actually, back in February, he took up an offer to babysit and dragged me into it. The thing is, he had no idea what he was doing!”
“Ohhhh?” Masami's eyes sparkled. “Do tell me more.”
“Ughh….” Ren covered his face and looked at his father, whose eyes told him “This is how it is, son.” At the same time, a wave of nostalgia rushed through his body and mind as he watched his mother tease his father, though he was now the target of her teasing.
“Please… Sumire…” He looked over at her, his cheeks beet red. The smirk on her face and sheer joy radiating from her as she found herself able to tease him told him that this was only the beginning.
“You see, Amamiya-san…” Sumire grinned. “Ren likes to jump into things headfirst, without really considering what he’s doing. It’s something I love about him, but this time I had to draw a line. He wanted to babysit a 6 month-old baby without any prior experience!”
“That’s awfully generous of him!” She giggled. “You sound just like your father when he was your age!”
A loud sigh escaped Daisuke’s mouth.
“Oh please, dear! You know it’s true. So, Yoshizawa-san, how did it go?”
“I had to show Ren how to burp the baby, feed her, change her, and even put her to sleep!”
“It sounds like you have a lot of experience, yourself!”
“I do! I visit the daycare at our university often!”
“How responsible!” Masami turned to him. “To think, my boy wants to be a father so badly, but won’t even prepare himself for the occasion!”
“I-It’s not…” Ren planted his face on the table. “I just…”
“How did things end up like this…?”
Ren let the thought drown out Sumire and his mother’s teasing. After a few more minutes, Sumire got up to go to the bathroom.
“Son, could you tell us a bit more about Yoshizawa-san?” Daisuke asked, trying to give him some breathing room.
“Sure!” Ren smiled at the thought of being able to gush about Sumire for a few minutes…. Hours. A few hours.
“Let’s see… I’ve already told you a little bit about her in one of our past calls. As you can see, she’s beautiful, divine, radiant, adorable…”
“Ren, I think he meant about her gymnastics!” Morgana meowed.
“Hm? Is Morgana hungry?” Masami peeked over the table.
“Oh, him? He’s fine.” Ren waved his hand.
“Dear, if the cat does get hungry, would you mind running to the supermarket to buy some food?”
“Why me?” Daisuke responded. “Just because it’s a cute cat?”
“You love cats just as much as Ren does.”
“I…”
“Anyway!” Ren clapped. “More about Sumire. I told you she was a rhythmic gymnast, right?”
“Hmmm… Ah! I remember, yes!” Masami responded. “No wonder she’s so petite!”
“Heh…” Ren couldn’t help but smirk.
“My my, Ren. What are you laughing about?”
“Oh, nothing…”
“Nothing indeed…” Masami squinted.
“Ahem… Anyway.” Ren looked over his shoulder. “I honestly should let her speak for herself. I feel like there’s a definite bias when it comes from me, even though it’s all the truth.”
“I know how that feels…” She nodded. “Your father doesn’t like it when I gush about him.”
“I don’t really do half the things you say I do!”
“Yes you do!”
Ren felt like he was staring into a mirror, except it was all reversed.
…
…
“Actually, speaking of… She’s still not back.” Ren spun in his chair and stood up.
“Sumire?” He poked his head in the hallway and saw her staring at his various baby pictures.
“Yes?” She jumped up and immediately faced him.
“How long have you been looking at pictures of me from when I was a kid?”
“Pictures? I just got out of the bathroom!”
Her beet red face said otherwise.
“Uh-huh. Are you hoping our kid will look a bit like me?” He walked up to her and poked her nose.
“UM….”
“Bingo.”
“W-Well… it’s your fault for being so cute!”
“That’s my line.”
“N-Now you have to show me that photo album when we get back!”
“Oh yeahhh… I remember that now. Sure.”
“Good!” Sumire nodded and took his hand, leading him back to the dining room.
“Welcome back, Yoshizawa san. Ren was going to tell us a bit about your career as a rhythmic gymnast, but he insisted that you speak for yourself.” Daisuke adjusted his reading glasses. “We watched some of the performances at the Olympics while browsing through what was being broadcast that day. It looks incredibly difficult.”
“It is! I started rhythmic gymnastics with my sister when I was very young. We made a promise to win a gold medal at the Olympics one day, and I’ve been training ever since so I can one day fulfill that promise.”
“I see.” He nodded. “Considering you weren’t participating at this year's Olympics, I assume you’re aiming for the top in the next four years?”
“Yes!” Sumire nodded. “That’s been my goal the entire time. It wasn’t until 2018 that I even attempted to go to a Grand Prix, though I did participate in Junior-Level competitions. I was only proficient with the ribbon back then, and as you likely say, there are four apparati. Since 2019, I’ve been practicing and attempting to master the clubs, which are the most difficult for me to use.”
“You’re an incredibly hard worker.”
“I’ve only come this far because I’ve had Ren supporting me the entire time. It means everything to me.”
“I only really stand on the sidelines and watch her.” Ren shrugged.
“You know it’s so much more than that.” Sumire shook her head. “When I know Ren’s watching me, I feel more motivated than ever. To be seen by him fills me with determination. When I go to the Olympics in 2024 and win, it will be because he had my back every step of the way.”
“Not only are you a hard worker, but an incredible woman, too!” Masami’s eyes flashed with light. “I’m so proud of you, Ren! How did you woo such a talented beauty?”
“I ask myself that every day…. Ow!”
Sumire pinched his cheek. “Give yourself more credit, Ren!”
“Sorry!”
“Definitely facing a mirror…” He confirmed to himself.
“Ren was there for me in some of my darkest moments, always talking to me with a smile on his face. He was always willing to listen to me talk about my problems, no matter how mundane or silly they were. Slowly… I fell for him, and I realized that I wanted him to watch me perform. Just thinking about it makes my heart dance. Whenever I need to cry or vent after a failed meet, he’s always there for me, no matter what. I love everything about him.”
“How romantic!” Masami giggled. “I love it! Please, feel free to tell us more!”
Ren’s parents spent several more hours talking to the couple, learning everything they could to make up for the lost time. Ren’s mother learned about Sumire’s appetite, but was delighted to cook for them. Ren joined her to make dinner, and surprised her with his skill, even though he ended up making curry. Daisuke ended up buying Morgana some food, and by the end of the night, they were all mentally exhausted from catching up. After another round of tight hugs, Ren’s parents waved them goodbye as the two stepped onto the last train home from the platform.
“I did it… I did it…” Ren laid his head on Sumire’s shoulder, practically passing out as soon as he sat down.
“It’s my turn to be proud of you, Ren.” She stroked his hair gently. “You took a gamble that love existed and did a loving act.”
“It paid off… I just wish my life wasn’t always filled with gambling.”
“You’ve always turned them in your favor.” Sumire giggled. Now, it’s my turn.”
“The Olympics are right around the corner.”
“We still have a lot of World Cups and Championships to go, silly.”
“Right… even so, I’ll always be excited to watch you. No matter what we do, I’ll cheer you on.”
“Thank you, Ren. You can rest now.”
With that thought in mind, Ren closed his eyes and slowly dozed off, looking forward to a future he could walk with his parents.