Love Like You: Rohan Kishibe and Daughter Reader

Scenes From An Italian Restaurant (Part Two)

A/N: I remember first hearing this song in music class back in elementary school, when my class and I watched The Sound of Music. Out of all of the songs in the film, Edelweiss always stood out to me the most for its gentle beauty, but I had eventually forgotten the name and the lyrics over the years. Before the original version of this chapter came out, my best friend and I were in the car, and he randomly started playing Edelweiss---my head shot up; after so many years, I remembered the song I had been looking for! I decided to incorporate it into this chapter originally, and decided to keep it for this version! Feedback, as always, is appreciated, and I hope you enjoy! 

"Otto...nove...dieci! Pronto o no, sto arrivando!"

Marco Trussardi hid behind a tablecloth belonging to one of the few tables in the restaurant, and he listened to his father's footsteps coming in and out like the waves of the ocean. He dared not reveal an elbow or eye, knowing that he would be dethroned as the prince of hide-and-seek if he were to do so. So Marco sat patiently still, his throat being the only thing on his body moving as it flexed to stifle a laugh.

But giggles slipped past his lips when his father's face broke through the tablecloth, first revealing his mouth, then his nose, then finally his eyes. Slow as a snail peeking its head out of its shell, Tonio turned his head towards Marco, and the boy laughed until his face turned rosy.

"Mi scusi, have you seen a little boy named Marco? He's about this tall," Tonio lifted his hand to the precise height, "looks exactly like you, and he's just the sweetest little thing in the world!"

Marco bashfully giggled, "Nope! I haven't seen anyone like that around here!"

Tonio tilted his head to the side. "Very strange, I could have sworn that he was around here! Well, if you see him, tell him that his Mama and Papa are looking everywhere for him!"

Tonio crawled out and stood up, unwrinkling his apron and adjusting his red tie. He and a woman laughed along with Marco, making the restaurant stir like a baby dreaming sweetly as if the building itself was listening to learn how to laugh like them. Tonio turned his attention to said woman, and he felt his heart soar out of his chest. He felt like that every time he looked at his wife, Virginia Trussardi. As he and Marco were playing hide-and-seek she sat by the window, sewing a special item onto a smaller version of Tonio's chef hat.

"His gift is coming together wonderfully, amore mio," Tonio said. His crystalline eyes couldn't leave her plum ones.

"Grazie, caro. It's just about done, I've been working on it all day now..." Virginia stole a kiss from Tonio, and the chef closed his eyes during the entire kiss. Her soft lips tasted like fresh rain captured by the petals of tea roses. "I hope he likes it..."

"Oh, he's going to love it. I just know it." Tonio turned his attention back to the game. Over his shoulder he cried out, "But Virginia, where could our little Marco be!?"

"I don't know, Tonio!" Virginia stood up and nuzzled her head into her husband's chest, melting into his heartbeat. "But I miss him so much! What if we never see him again!?"

Tonio and Virginia started to fake cry. Marco had not looked out from the tablecloth since the game started, so when he heard his beloved mother and father crying, he believed that their tears were as real as rain. He peeked out from his hiding spot, gasped, and ran to Tonio and Virginia to give their waists the biggest hug he could.

"Don't cry, Mama, Papa! I'm right here!"

Tonio and Virginia ceased their pretend cries and placed their hands on their chests with a sigh. "Oh, there he is!" Virginia exclaimed. "We were so worried about you!"