𝐴𝐹𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑆𝑇𝑂𝑅𝑀 [post game AU]

•Know eachother•

General POV:

"No."

"C'moooon, it's not that hard, I'll just be there for 2 hours! What do you have to do in 2 miserable hours?"

"Can't tell ya your girls might hear"

"Nasty. But c'mon Syobai! You said you'll do anything, that you can get me anything I want, well, I want 2 hours of your time, so I can go to my daughters reunion...is that so hard?"

"If you put it that way...gaaahh! Ok!! I'm doing it, give me the direction and I'll be there."

"YES! Thank you so so so much I owe you one!"—Shinji was in a rush but once again the most unexpected person saved him, call it lucky or just a bad decisions. But Syobai was going to take care of his kids today...what could go wrong?—.

...

"Ok...Ochako it's allergic to peanuts, Midori takes vitamins she knows when, if anything happens there's a list of emergency numbers over the fridge if the reunion takes longer I'll call you and...am I forgetting something?"

"Your keys"

"Right!!! Thanks cherry pie. Alright there's ¥5000 for you guys to order dinner, I hope this doesn't take too much...I'll be back on a bit, take care sweethearts"

"Aaaw please Shinji not in front of the kiiiids~"

"I was talking to my kids-...bah, forget it, gotta go bye!"—he kissed the girls and went outside to his car, the three of them saw Shinji go, after a while they returned home and Syobai made himself comfortable, sat on the sofa and closed his eyes hoping to sleep, babysitting didn't seemed that hard, if it was just looking at some kids momentarily. How wasn't he asked to do it more often?—.

"Are you a family member of us?"—the young red headed girl had sat next to Syobai, looking at him curious, if his beard wasn't so small she would've thought it was Santa Claus—.

"...no."

"Who are you then, is your name really Syobai? How old are you?"—asking a kid to pay was bad, but she was asking too many questions that equal money for him, he was going to say 'pay up' when suddenly Midori took her sister by the hand and pulled her away fro Syobai. As if he's some kind of thief or homeless man—.

"Ochako!...sorry. She's curious..."—she looked stressed, or perhaps just nervous about the fact that a stranger was taking care of them, Syobai realised it and...he chose not to be harsh—.

"Heh, it's ok... I'm Syobai Hashimoto, I'm 45, and I'm a friend from your dad from work"—he lied, but how could he tell two kids that he was a no good person—.

"I haven't seen you there at all...what are you? The janitor?"—did he looked that bad? Not that janitors were bad but, from all things she could've concluded, that? C'mon..—.

"Huuuhh...yes. yes I am...the janitor. I come there every weekend so it's kinda obvious why you don't see me, or when the firefighters are on action I take that time to clean, "

"Mmmh, ok...c-c'mon Ochako let's go to your room."

—They left Syobai alone, and with the hours passing it was already 8 and Shinji wasn't back yet, Syobai called but in the two tries he didn't picked up. Was it a sign to be worried?. Ochako came with her pijama already on, hugging a doll—.

"Mr Hashi...I'm hungry"

"You want me to order pizza little one?"—she nodded, Syobai took his phone and called a special delivery service he knew, in 20 minutes a pizza came to the house—.

"Thanks Dai, keep the change. Ok take a plate and pick the pieces that you'll eat, I don't care if you spill or not. I ain't your dad"

—the box was left on the kitchen table, the two girls grabbed a piece and sat on the couch with a beer on his side that was brought by his deliver boy, he knew him well—.

"Hey!! Is that beer? Dad says that's bad, beer makes people stupid!"

"Well, I can't get stupider with a sip or two can I? I am already the most stupid, dumb and crazy man ever~"

"Hehehehe, no you're noooot"

"Yeah I aaam, look at me, bleh"—as he was chewing his food he let his tongue out showing all the pieces chewed, and Ochako laughed, so did Midori—.

"Eeeew! Hahaha, don't do that! I'll tell my dad you're being dumb!"

"Pfft, hehe...gross"

"Hey you said I was dumb, I'm just being what you said I was~ maybe you should call me Dumbai Hashidummy"—after that the three of them kept joking until it was bed time, the girls ended up sleeping on the couch while waiting for their dad, and Syobai stayed on the door, smoking as he sees Shinji's car parking fast—.

"Huff...huff! Syobai, gosh I-I'm so sorry for taking long t-the reunion lasted forever the parent never shut up it's always 'my son this' 'my kids this' ugh...felt like forever. H-how are my girls?"

"They're fine big man relax, it was easy peasy. Although I told them we know eachother from work, so...have that alibi in mind"

"What? Why did you said that?"

"They asked too many questions I had to, what? You wanted me to tell the true? I wouldn't be here dumbass, forget who I am?"

"Ugh...fair enough, now, how much do I owe you? I-I think I have some coins here let me-"—while he talked he was looking on his barely full wallet, Syobai stopped his hand and looked at him—.

"I said I would do anything you needed, we're sealed. No need to pay big man...besides, those girls were fun to look after. So...if you ever need a babysitter again, y'know my number."—and as he was about to leave Shinji kept his hand hold, looking down with a nervous face, suddenly the air felt heavy and their faces were just sharing looks, in a long second of silence—.

"Do you have to leave...so early? I...I have a bottle of wine in my office I-...I can open it and chat for a bit"

"Shinji..."

"I just...don't be here sitting in silence...not today, just this once please. For a friend..."

"...tell me where the bottle is, cut yourself a slice of pizza"

—That night Syobai went home at 2 AM, he spend a good time there and was able to know Shinji a bit more, guess you could say he had fun. Or maybe even more, either way once he placed his head on the bed, next to Iroha...—.

"What were you doing out there?...I had dinner alone.."

"I went out to help a friend"—he was smiling, ear to ear smiling, feeling a warm sensation on his heart, joy—.

End of Chapter 4