red string || sano manjiro/ mikey

epilogue: in highs and in lows

"that's all for today! see you guys tomorrow!"

"bye, mikey-sensei!"

the 28-year old sano manjiro grinned happily as he waved at his leaving students. his last session for the day is over, and the dojo will soon be quiet again after they all leave.

"right, i should hurry." he immediately ran back inside the household, nearly bumping on to emma who was holding her first child with none other than draken himself.

"hey! watch where you're going!" emma scolded, wrapping a gentle arm around her son's head. "why are you even rushing?"

"today's the day, emma!" he grinned her way, sliding the bathroom door open. "i gotta look good!"

as he disappears behind the bathroom, his little sister couldn't help but giggle at his excitement. she can't blame him. after all, today is the day sano manjiro would pop the question and fulfill his promise to his proclaimed soulmate.

"ah, uncle mikey's moving out soon, little kenma." she sighed, letting her child play with her fingers as she walked them out to the engawa.

"emma, where's mikey?"

"hmph, i'm your wife. why are you looking for my brother?" the blonde playfully glared at the tall beanpole. he just got back after closing his motor shop early, and the first person he looked for was his best friend, not his wife.

sometimes, the world wonders if draken loves manjiro more than emma.

of course, everyone knows the answer to that.

"heh, stop pouting already." he leaned down and pecked her lips, then their son's head. "i'm worried that he might mess it up."

"even if he does, i'm pretty sure she'll just laugh and accept it." emma giggled. "kazu-neesan's too used to his bs."

"you're not wrong there." draken sits beside her, taking kenma from her arms when the little man made grabby hands for him. "hey, bud. missed me?"

"uwa!" kenma wrapped his tiny arms around his father's neck, burying his face on his shoulder.

"it translates to yes." emma hums.

"i still wonder how you understand baby language."

"you act as if you don't like me baby-talking you." emma rolled her eyes, then smirked when she saw the pink tint on her husband's cheeks. "aww, is somwun embawassed?"

"cut it out!"

"ugh, you two are disgusting."

"and you act as if you're not a literal kid when with kazu-neesan."

manjiro laughs, scratching the back of his damp head. he then took a step back from the two and showed his clothes. "well, what do you think?"

he was wearing a simple pair of black jeans, topped with a white button-up, and an unbuttoned checkered flannel to finish his attire.

"you look the same—"

"you look great, mikey!" emma slapped her husband's shoulder to stop him from damping the latter's mood. it was quite a casual attire to choose, but they didn't plan for anything fancy, anyway.