Fires And Family | Paradox Live

8

Himari was in the foyer pulling off her shoes after coming in from a walk when a familiar white-haired twig came stomping in from the direction of the office. "Kanata-kun? I didn't know you were - "

"Evening," Kanata practically barked, sliding his shoes on partway and marching away before anything more could be said. Himari watched him leave in surprise. He wasn't exactly the friendliest on a normal day, but he seemed even more prickly just then.

After putting away her shoes Himari went around the corner to the office, stepping inside just as Iori stood up from his desk.

"Iori-san, Zen-san, what did you say to Kanata-kun? I just saw him in the foyer and whatever you did managed to make him even angrier than usual."

"We were - " began Zen but was quickly cut off by Iori.

"Ah~ he didn't like that we said we'd win the next stage for sure. You know what he's like."

Himari glanced at Zen. He noticed her gaze and immediately began stuttering. That was enough for her to know that Iori wasn't being truthful with her. Before she could say anything, however, Iori had walked around her and was at the door.

"Well then, I'll be going out for a while."

"Where to?" Zen asked.

"That's a secret~"

Both Zen and Himari looked disapproving at this. Iori laughed. "What's with those faces? Don't get all worked up about it. It's just minor business."

He walked away and called back as he did so. "Himari, don't give Zen a hard time, 'kay?"

Himari scoffed indignantly. Behind her, Zen sighed.  She turned around and found Zen frowning sadly at the maneki-neko on Iori's desk, mumbling to himself. The only word she managed to catch was a whispered "family".

Himari left. She didn't know what to say. There was nothing she could say. If Zen was beginning to feel the frustration of being left out of Iori's plans, then she could sympathize but she couldn't help the annoyance that accompanied it. At least there was a half that Iori did share with Zen. Meanwhile Himari...

She knew she shouldn't be upset about this. She'd long since accepted that her involvement in the Suiseki group was relegated solely to the role of  'Boss's daughter'. That's all anyone had ever treated her as and somewhere along the way she'd become quite happy with that. Meanwhile, Zen was Iori's right-hand man, much like Iori himself had been for her father. It was silly to expect him to trust her on the same level that he did Zen.

And yet, was it really too much to ask to at least be allowed to be treated as an adult now? 'Boss's daughter' had been good enough when she was a teenager but she was twenty three now. A grown woman. Iori's woman. They'd been together for at least three years and he still chose to see her as the girl her father had asked to watch over and keep safe.

It was like nothing had changed.

Himari pulled out her phone and went to the latest call. She hesitated, but then hit the call button.
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Himari had helped Zen finish up the preparation for dinner and finished a load of laundry by the time Iori returned. She was just putting away the last of some things she'd used in the kitchen when Iori walked in. Avoiding him, she wiped her hands on her apron, pulled it off and said, "Zen-san, I'll be leaving now."

Without waiting for Iori to react she hurried to the bedroom and grabbed the bag she had packed. Stepping into the hallway again her eyes met Iori's at the end of the hall. She immediately looked away, closed the bedroom door behind her and made to pass by him.