Tsubaki | Fushiguro Toji Fanfiction

Chapter Nine

Megumi has requested dinner to be with the Okkotsus, and there were two problems to that request: first off, who was he to demand they have dinner with their neighbors? Doesn't the kid have some decency to not make himself at home at the place? And second, as much as Toji would like to knock at his neighbor's door and check if they're open to another shared meal, Kyouko and Satoru have left that morning to head to Tokyo to have their mother and son bonding, and he doesn't expect them to be home any time soon.

Besides, he doesn't have the heart to show his face to Kyouko after what he said the last time he was at the Okkotsu apartment. Though it was over a week ago it happened, his missteps that would land him in jail have been frequent since then, and to make it worse, it would happen during their time at work, such as accidentally leaving his special magazines on his desk when Kyouko also use his office as her own to do the books. Then there was the time she noted that he's been staring too long at her direction and was freaking her out. Then the time he accidentally poked her breast when he was about to get some of the chips that were on her lap.

He apologized over and over after that incident and made sure to be a meter away from her, except when they were driving home. To his surprise, Kyouko didn't seem to mind at all. "As long as those apologies are sincere, it's okay. Besides I know that you're not that kind of man, Toji," she told him when he was apologizing to her on his knees.

Sometimes he wondered how this woman was so understanding and patient, and how long her patience even is. Considering she left her old life behind after the abuse she lived living under her husband's roof, it still has an extent.

Still he would prefer not to see her just yet. Not when that memory was still fresh in his mind. But Megumi doesn't seem to understand that and remains standing at the door, wearing his best clothes, his backpack filled with homework and toys, waiting for him to help him tie his shoes.

From the living room couch, Toji turned down the volume of his television and said to his son, "They're not there! And we have dinner in the fridge."

The boy made a face at the mentioned dinner that he has yet to take out to defrost. Well, he wasn't planning to heat that anyway, he had an idea of eating out with his son... as soon as the races were finished. Toji has placed a small sum on a horse, and he wanted to see him win a race – at least once in his life he wins some money.

"Kyouko-san!" Megumi held his ground.

"She ain't there! Stop your little tantrum, we'll get dinner after this," Toji told him and resumed his attention at the race.

His horse lost, and Toji ripped his ticket to shreds.

"Let's go," Toji sighed and got up, grabbing his jacket from the chair and then to the door where he slipped on some sandals, and encouraging Megumi to wear the same pair he had but smaller.

Just as he was locking his apartment door, he heard his son call for their neighbor's name once again. Toji sighed and said, "Stubborn brat – they're not there, get that through your thick skull."

But Megumi wasn't at his side anymore – to his surprise – and was running towards the direction of the Okkotsus who were carrying a couple of shopping bags and cake. Megumi specifically went to Satoru and stared at him.

"Oi, gorilla, what's up with your kid? He keeps staring at me," Satoru said as he looked at Megumi. "It's getting really creepy."

"Sato — why do I even bother, you don't listen anyway," Kyouko sighed, she then turned to Toji and greeted him a good evening. "Are you and Megumi heading out for dinner?"

"Yeah, we are. Have you both eaten?" Toji asked. "I didn't see you the entire day today."

"We haven't. But we bought a cake, maybe we'll just have that and some tea," Kyouko said. "Would you both like to join?"