A Matter of Family

Morning - Chapter 3: Double Date

A story by Maki Nishikino.

I reserved a table for the four of us. Just like how I promised Eli and Umi and Nico-chan that I would take care of it, and so I did. I pulled some strings and I managed to book a dinner at the world-renowned restaurant by Joël Robuchon. It would be a French cuisine and fine-dining, so Nico-chan and I had to dress appropriately for the occasion.

In my drawer I had already found the perfect dress to wear but I wanted to buy one for Nico-chan. However, I was too late, as she had already made plans with Eli and Kotori to go on shopping. Eli wouldn't let me go with them and instead I spent the day with Umi and Nozomi at the apartment – we hung out more often at Eli's place that we just called it so. She wanted me to be surprised by the dress Nico-chan would be wearing and she wouldn't let Kotori to spoil some beans about it too.

A day before the date, while they were out, I spent the day with the two girls who had been a major influence in the relationship for my part. Nozomi helped me through and kept on offering a helping hand whenever she saw me struggle, while Umi helped me with the rest of my troubles and was there as my closest role model because I no longer see Eli as often. The two had become close, and I was in the middle as if I were Eli – but I wasn't because Umi would probably had leaned on me when I entered the apartment, as much as I wanted it, or if I were to lean on her, Nozomi was there and I would had gotten nervous.

We decided to watch a movie from the collection that each of the µ's had been filling, on the rack on the side of the TV. It had all categories because of our interests and it had been organised in alphabetical order. It so happened that the movie I pitched in was Moulin Rouge! because whenever I wanted to watch it with Nico-chan, she fell asleep 10 minutes into the movie. That day, however, we watched a fantasy marathon, although whenever I was in the apartment I wanted to play the games on the console we bought together. Umi had the answers to all of the trivia we were having – of course she had, otherwise she wouldn't keep up with Eli.

That day we were the lazy girls, as we did not even leave the apartment to eat. We wore apartment pants – not the kinds for fashion but sweatpants. We did not even bother to put on some make-up, at least I did a little myself to still appear attractive in front of Umi. We ordered extra food while the main course was prepared by Umi. Nozomi knew how much I liked juice, and for Eli's sake Umi had all the ingredients too, we prepared a juice I often drink. I never thought it had a name, but Umi called it the Rabbit Juice – 2 large tomatoes, 2 large carrots, 1 cucumber, 1 tablespoon honey.

'So, Maki-chan,' Nozomi handed me a glass while Umi and I arranged the meals on the dining table. 'Did Nico spend the night with you?'

'Wh-what... H-how did you know?' I staggered while I was still holding a plate.

'Don't worry,' Umi said. 'You'll get used to it after a while. You'll get scared, sleepless nights too. But you'll get used to it. Sometimes she would text you out of the blue and you'll just drop your bag in the middle of your date.'

'Really, Umi-chi? You're no longer shy about the ring?'

Can we stop with the Umi-chi? I said to myself.

'Oh yeah that reminds me.' Umi said as she reached into her pocket under the table. She took out the ring that was missing from her finger since she started cooking – I noticed because even at school I kept looking at her elegant hand. The ring was held by both of her hands with the flowery diamond facing her, and she smiled so merrily. 'No,' she finally replied and after a while she slid her finger into her ring again and looked from afar. 'I was at first, because I never thought I would wear a jewellery, and a pretty one too... Scratch that, a beautiful one. But I realised how lucky I am, and she was right, it's like an indication that I'm taken, which I am.'