𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐌𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 | 𝗠.𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘂𝘆𝘂

────── three

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

═══ AFTERMATH ═══

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

AGAINST HER EXPECTATIONS, dinner with the Matsunos was nowhere near as awkward as Akiko was used to from her own family. Most of the time, she would empty her plate first, then disappear in her room with the excuse of wanting to get some more studying done before bedtime. Or else Mr. Hoshino would shoot question after question at her about school and grades and future plans, and he would repeat the same lecture over and over again. Akiko was sick and tired of it.

Dinner with Chifuyu and his mother was the loveliest she had ever been to. Not only was their bond something Akiko deeply admired and was jealous of, but they also made an effort to bring her into the conversation. They made her feel welcome. Aside from Hinata, nobody made that kind of effort for her. These people were total strangers, yet they treated her more like family than her own.

"What's your dream?" asked Mrs. Matsuno out of the blue.

Chopsticks halting mid-air, Akiko moved her eyes to catch the woman watching her curiously. She lowered her chopsticks again, pondering over the question for a moment.

"My father wants me to work in the same business as him."

Mrs. Matsuno smiled sympathetically. "That is his plan. What is yours, dear?"

Taken aback, Akiko needed a moment to gather her thoughts. "Well, I have always dreamed of traveling the world, learning about different languages and cultures. The world is full of beautiful places and people and it would be a shame if I was stuck in the same place for the rest of my life."

Or maybe she just felt the desire to run far, far away.

"That sounds wonderful," said Mrs. Matsuno. "I remember my childhood dream like it was yesterday. Back then, I wanted to become a famous doctor. I would take a first aid kit with me everywhere I went and whenever someone was hurt, even if it was something small like a cut or a bruise, I would be utterly serious about it and act like I was saving a life."

Akiko smiled brightly. Her eyes drifted toward Chifuyu who had his head propped up on his hand, his bowl already empty, as he mindlessly stared at Akiko. The very second their eyes met, he seemed to wake from a trance and quickly averted his gaze downward.

"What about you?" Akiko wondered.

"Me?" Chifuyu grinned. "Definitely see animals in my future."

"He was obsessed with Peke J since the very day we brought him home," told his mother, smiling at her son. "He would take him everywhere. To his bed, when he watched TV, even when he took a bath, he always kept Peke J close. He even feeds the strays when he has the time."

While Chifuyu blushed as though his mother had embarrassed him yet again, Akiko tried to imagine Chifuyu clinging onto Peke J like there was tomorrow or imagined him buying some treats just to feed them to a couple of strays. Her heart warmed.

"That's really sweet." When their eyes met again, Chifuyu returned the smile and sat up a little straighter.

"Oh, would you look at the time!" Mrs. Matsuno suddenly exclaimed after checking the clock. "It's getting late and you two have school tomorrow. You better start heading to bed."