Hayashi Shuichi rolled up his sleeves, ready to give his aunt a hand in the kitchen.
However, Kotonai Kujo immediately shooed him out. "You finally have some time to visit, just sit back and relax. Let your aunt show off her cooking skills for once."
Over in the dining area, Reiko was tugging on her father's hand, chattering away like a songbird about everything that had happened recently. When she got to the part where Shuichi had taken down the armed robbers at the art gallery the day before, her little face flushed with excitement and her eyes sparkled like stars.
Yoshiyuki Kujo sat at the table with a warm, indulgent smile on his face, nodding along as he listened to his daughter's animated storytelling.
When he saw Shuichi walking over from the kitchen, Yoshiyuki asked with a pointed look, "Shuichi, you don't have anything on your plate for today, do you?"
"Nothing," Shuichi replied, shaking his head. "I promised Reiko I'd spend the whole day with her."
"Then let's go out and have some fun!" Yoshiyuki said, suddenly sitting up straight. His voice unintentionally rose an octave. "It's been a long time since the whole family went out together."
"Where are we going?" Reiko asked expectantly.
"Well, we only have one day, so we can't go far. We'll have to stay within the Tokyo metropolitan area."
Yoshiyuki put on a show of deep contemplation, resting his chin in his hand and narrowing his eyes. Suddenly, as if struck by a bolt of inspiration, he pointed to the newspaper spread out on the table and declared loudly, "How about we go watch the boxing matches? This afternoon is the Lightweight Finals of the Champion Carnival—Matsuda Jotaro versus Kuroki Takeshi! The match is bound to be spectacular!"
After his passionate outburst, Yoshiyuki realized that both his nephew and his daughter were staring at him with looks of utter disbelief.
"Dad, you've been wanting to see this match for ages, haven't you?" Reiko giggled. "If you wanted to go, you could have just said so. Why pretend it was a coincidence?"
"...Haha," Yoshiyuki gave a dry, awkward laugh. "I was just afraid your mother wouldn't want to go."
"What's so interesting about boxing?" Kotonai Kujo emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate of freshly fried eggs, shooting her husband a look of pure exasperation. "Shuichi and Reiko are both home today. We should go to a park or an amusement park. That's much more fun than watching people punch each other."
Seeing Yoshiyuki let out a disappointed sigh—his shoulders actually sagging an inch—Shuichi decided to jump in. "Auntie, boxing can actually be quite exciting. How about this: let's take a vote among the four of us?"
"Right!" Yoshiyuki's spirits instantly rebounded. He gave Shuichi a look of profound gratitude. "Let's settle it with a vote."
"Hmph, what's the point of voting?" Kotonai huffed at her husband. "Since Shuichi has already spoken up, Reiko will definitely side with him. Since all three of you want to go, then to the boxing matches it is."
While the Kujo family was preparing for their outing, the Fujimine couple had arrived at the izakaya looking for blood.
The car was parked right out front. Husband and wife sat inside, their expressions grim and heavy.
They had emotionally prepared themselves for the fact that their "cabbage" was being pursued by a "pig," which was why they had gone out of their way to warn Yukiko about taking safety precautions. But last night, Hayashi Shuichi had crossed the line. He had played a game of hide-and-seek right under their noses, in their own home.
Mr. Fujimine, his face dark with fury, reached for the door handle. Mrs. Fujimine quickly grabbed his arm. "What exactly do you plan on doing when you see him?"
"What else? I'm going to punch him first!" Mr. Fujimine shook his fist, gritting his teeth. "And then I'm going to make him get engaged to Yukiko. The moment they graduate high school, they're getting married!"
"Is that how my father handled you back then?" Mrs. Fujimine glanced sideways at her husband, the corners of her mouth twitching upward. "You think things are the same now as they were back then? Nowadays, it's about communication. Don't just resort to violence."
"I don't care! He needs to be taught a lesson!" Mr. Fujimine's eyebrows knitted into a tight knot. "Otherwise, he'll think the Fujimines are soft and he'll spend the rest of his life bullying our Yukiko!"
"Even if something happened between Shuichi and Yukiko, it was clearly consensual," Mrs. Fujimine sighed helplessly. "If we interfere too much, Yukiko will just end up getting angry with us."
"Then what do you suggest?" Mr. Fujimine slapped the steering wheel in frustration.
"Make him give us a guarantee, and warn him not to be reckless," Mrs. Fujimine said thoughtfully. "Yukiko has just entered the entertainment industry. If a scandal breaks out now, her career is over. If Shuichi truly likes her, he has to be considerate of her future."
"...Are you sure I can't punch him even once?" Mr. Fujimine muttered, sounding genuinely disappointed. "My father-in-law certainly punched me plenty."
"Enough!" Mrs. Fujimine laughed and scolded him. "Get out of the car."
The couple walked to the door of the izakaya and knocked loudly. There was no response. Mr. Fujimine frowned and hammered on the door again. "Is the kid not in?"
"I remember Yukiko saying that Hayashi-kun rents the second floor above the shop," Mrs. Fujimine said, leading the way upstairs.
They stood at the second-floor entrance and rang the doorbell for several minutes, but still, no one answered.
"That little brat! Is he hiding inside because he's too scared to face us?" Mr. Fujimine fumed.
"Hayashi-kun is a smart man; he wouldn't do something so cowardly. He likely isn't home," Mrs. Fujimine said, shaking her head.
Just then, a sharply dressed Mouri Kogoro came walking down from the third floor.
"Excuse me, has Hayashi Shuichi who lives here gone out?" Mrs. Fujimine stepped forward to ask.
"Are you... Yukiko's parents?" Kogoro recognized them immediately. "Shuichi probably took his sister back to the Kujo house."
"Kujo?" Mrs. Fujimine clarified. "Is that the family that took him in?"
"That's the one. They're Shuichi's aunt and uncle; they've always been very good to him," Kogoro laughed heartily. "I heard they're even planning on marrying their daughter, Reiko, off to him."
Marrying their daughter?
Someone is actually trying to steal our son-in-law?
The Fujimines exchanged a look, both seeing a sudden flash of crisis in the other's eyes.
"Pardon me, I have a date to get to," Kogoro said, sensing the sudden shift in atmosphere and realizing he might have said something wrong. He hurried down the stairs, terrified of being entangled in whatever drama was about to unfold.
"Now what?" Mr. Fujimine sighed. "I didn't realize this kid was such a hot commodity."
"Let's head back for now and find a chance to get the truth out of Yukiko," Mrs. Fujimine said, rubbing her temples. "If Hayashi Shuichi really has a marriage arrangement with his cousin, then what is Yukiko? The 'other woman' in the middle?"
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