Afterwards: The Fourth Tekken Novel

Japanese Breakfast

Kazuya didn't know why, but it seemed like something wasn't right. He turned to look at Jun, who was peacefully asleep, even letting out soft snores as she hugged his arm. She didn't seem worried about anything, so that meant that she didn't sense anything menacing.
But why did he feel this way now?
Kazuya tried to close his eyes and go to sleep, but it just didn't work. His mind kept spiralling elsewhere, playing strange and indescribable scenarios that vanished as soon as his eyes shot open. Jun groaned sleepily and let go of his arm as she turned to the other side, still snoring away. Kazuya wondered why he couldn't sleep, the last he had tea was hours ago and should've been fine. But what was it that kept him up?
In the end, he decides to take a bathroom break before going back to bed. It didn't seem like something he should be bothered about since even Jun was getting undisturbed sleep. Maybe it was just the excitement of coming to Chigasaki.
Maybe that was all...

Steve woke up and winced at the light flooding in from the window. He groaned and pulled the blanket up to his head to shield himself from the light. He wondered what time it was since looked pretty late, with bright sunshine smiling at Chigasaki.
When his eyes adjusted to the brightness, Steve sat up and yawned, still groggy from sleep. He reached for his phone on the nightstand, and couldn't help but notice how his night cream was missing.
And then he spotted it on Heihachi's bedside table instead.
Why was it there? Was he secretly using Steve's night cream? But why?
Steve grimaced and shook his head as he rebooted his phone to see what time it was. To his surprise, it was nearly ten o'clock!
"Golly!" Steve exclaimed, springing to his feet.
The attached bathroom door suddenly burst open and Heihachi stepped in, still clad in his nightclothes, with the sound of the toilet flushing coming from behind him.
"Had a good night's sleep?" Heihachi asked, much to his surprise.
Steve rubbed the side of his neck. "Why is my night cream on your bedside table?"
Heihachi glanced at it with a slight frown before turning back to him. "Because I found it on the floor and didn't want it to break." He took it, lifted Steve's hand, and placed it on it. "You must've knocked it down in your sleep. Place it on the vanity or something."
Steve looked at the glass tub in his hand, then shrugged and went to the vanity to put it away. He couldn't help but fix his appearance a little when he noticed how bad his bed hair looked. "Thanks," he told Heihachi, then left the room after closing the door behind him. Steve made his way to the living room and found his parents up and ready.
"Where's Grandma and Grandpa?" He asked as he sat down.
Adam shrugged. "Don't know. They're probably still asleep. They love sleeping in."
"I don't blame them," Steve sighed. "I felt like sleeping in too. But then Heihachi drew the curtains apart to let the bright sunlight in. I would've gone back to sleep if it wasn't for that."
"Did you sleep well?" Nina asked, a little concerned.
Steve nodded. "Yeah, didn't wake up once. It's funny, since Heihachi asked me the same question too."
"The guy must be trying to make casual conversation, I guess," Adam casually added. "Also, go get changed. We're going for breakfast."
Steve frowned. "Heihachi's still changing..."
"You're speaking as if you didn't change with him last night," Nina smirked.
"And that's what makes me shudder now," Steve grumbled as he got up and made his way back to his room.
Nina waited for Steve to close the door behind him before turning back to Adam. "You're right, he doesn't remember a thing!"
Adam nodded. "Yeah. It's a deep sleep dream. People don't usually remember them."
"Poor Steve," Nina sighed. "Well, at least he doesn't remember what happened during that time. It sounded painful, don't you think?"
"It does," Adam agreed. "Anyway, you wanna get ready too? We sent Steve off, but now there's us."
Nina chuckled and got up. "Sure."

Nina's gang, Anna included, and Shasha decided to go to a Japanese restaurant for breakfast upon Heihachi's suggestion. It seemed like a good idea to try something new since they didn't usually have a traditional Japanese breakfast.
"Oh! This looks good!" Shasha's eyes lit up at the set of rice, miso soup, salmon, chawanmushi, sautéed vegetables, and fresh fruit. She immediately took her phone out and started snapping photos of her meal. "And this one's going to Instagram."
"I know, right?" Anna chuckled, taking pictures of her meal as well. "Also, I'm glad I came with you guys. Crazy things happen when Lee joins the Mishimas."
"It's always crazy with the Mishimas," Heihachi proudly said.
Anna frowned. "That's not the crazy I was talking about."
"It's a good thing we're at a different restaurant now," Steve sighed in relief as he picked up his chopsticks and pulled his bowl of rice towards him. "Anyway, isn't this a little too... lunchy for breakfast?"
"A big breakfast to start a big day," Harper cheerfully said. She frowned as she tried to pick up the rice with her chopsticks. "How do you eat rice with these things again?"
"Who knows?" Jacob said, using the spoon given for his chawanmushi to eat his rice instead long after giving up on using his chopsticks. "That's why I'm using a spoon."
Adam pointed to Heihachi. "Ask this guy. Took me some time to learn it too."
"No, you're actually still bad at it," Heihachi said, much to his dismay. "Look at your wife, she's amazing at it."
Nina swallowed her mouthful before speaking. "Been at this for years, it's about time I'm an expert." She looked at her sister. "Anna too."
Heihachi nodded towards Steve too. "Your son isn't half bad either."
Steve smirked. "Why, thank you. Actually, this is all Law's training. The guy eats fried rice with chopsticks!"
"Is that even possible?" Harper asked, surprised.
"Eh, you'll get used to it," Heihachi shrugged. He turned to Jacob. "Seriously, man. At least try to use those chopsticks."
Jacob begrudgingly placed his spoon down and gingerly picked up his chopsticks again. He frowned as he dug around with it, picking up very few grains of rice. Jacob shook his head and was about to pick up his spoon again when Heihachi stopped him.
"Don't poke at your rice before picking them up," Heihachi advised. "And pick it up from the bottom to get a bigger clump."
Jacob frowned and tried that. To his surprise, a larger ball of rice rested on his chopsticks as he picked it up. "Hey, it worked!"
"Good, now go with that," Heihachi nodded. "And take pieces of your fish and veggies too."
Harper noted that and started eating just like that too.
Shasha chuckled. "It's a good thing chopsticks are very common in my country. But some do have difficulties eating rice with chopsticks."
"Then how come you're good at it?" Steve asked.
"I love going for Japanese food," Shasha shrugged. "Anyway, what's the plan for today?"
"Enoshima," Nina said. "We're starting by going to the shrine, it honours one of the Seven Lucky Gods, I think."
Heihachi nodded. "Benzaiten, the Goddess of Eloquence."
Shasha sighed. "I should've brought my books to bless them. Then again, I'm not really studying anything now..."
"I think it will be fun," Adam said. "I heard these guys are planning to go to Enoshima Aquarium too. And probably some boating or beaching."