The taxi ride home was filled with quiet excitement. Keiko, exhausted but happy, leaned against the window, occasionally glancing at me and Rin with a smile. Rin, on the other hand, kept her arms crossed, pretending to be indifferent, but I could tell she was eager. It had been three months since we last sat together like this.
As we pulled up to our house, I quickly stepped out to grab Keiko’s luggage. “Welcome home,” I said with a grin.
Keiko chuckled as she stretched, loosening her stiff shoulders. “It was only three months, but somehow, you two have changed so much.” She then smirked playfully. “Maybe I should do this more often.”
Me and Rin immediately reacted in unison. “No!”
Keiko burst into laughter. “Wow, you two actually agree on something now?”
I shook my head with a smile, motioning her toward the door. “Go take a shower and rest first. I’ll handle dinner.”
Keiko raised an eyebrow. “Oh? You’re cooking?”
“Of course,” I said, puffing my chest proudly. “I’m making steak tonight.”
Keiko’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, but before she could comment, Rin casually added, “Yeah, Dad actually knows how to cook now. Too bad you missed all his meals.”
Keiko narrowed her eyes at Rin. “Oh? So, I was the problem all along?”
Rin scoffed and looked away. “I never said that.”
Keiko smirked and ruffled Rin’s hair before heading inside. Rin grumbled under her breath but didn’t swat her hand away.
---
By the time I finished cooking, Keiko had freshened up, and we all sat together at the dinner table. The sizzling aroma of beef steak filled the air as I placed the plates down. Keiko took her first bite, her eyes widening immediately.
“Oh my god, this is amazing!” she exclaimed, covering her mouth in shock.
I grinned, feeling a sense of pride. “Told you I’ve improved.”
Rin, still playing it cool, nodded. “Yeah, Mom, you really missed out. It’s been like this every night.”
Keiko placed her fork down dramatically and sighed. “Wow… So, you’re telling me I was suffering with takeout and rushed meals in Hawaii while you two were having gourmet dinners here?”
I chuckled. “Pretty much.”
Rin added smugly, “And he even started experimenting with different recipes.”
Keiko shot me a mock glare. “How dare you keep this hidden from me for all these years?”
“I didn’t know I had it in me either,” I admitted with a chuckle.
The conversation soon shifted to Keiko’s experiences in Hawaii. She shared stories about her exhausting work, the stressful restaurant opening, and how much she had learned from the trip.
“But thankfully,” she said, leaning back with a satisfied sigh, “Manna is happy with the results. Everything went well.”
Rin tilted her head. “And if it didn’t?”
Keiko smirked. “I might still be stuck in Hawaii for another six months.”
“Huh?!” Rin nearly choked on her drink. “That’s a nightmare!”
I laughed. “Glad it went well, then.”
Keiko then casually dropped the bomb. “I also got promoted.”
I blinked. “Wait, what?”
“I’m now the head branch manager for both the Japan and Hawaii locations,” she explained. “Which means… I might have to fly there occasionally.”
“That’s amazing,” I said, genuinely proud of her.
“Yeah, Mom, that’s cool,” Rin admitted, though she still seemed wary about the ‘flying to Hawaii’ part.
Keiko smiled, but then her gaze shifted toward me. “But enough about me. What about you? Rin said you’ve been cooking every night, and from this meal alone, I can tell you’ve gotten serious about it.”
I hesitated for a moment before finally admitting, “I… I think I’ve found my passion in cooking.”
Keiko tilted her head slightly, waiting for me to continue.
“At first, it was just a way to make sure Rin ate properly while you were gone. But the more I cooked, the more I realized how much I enjoyed it. And with Ruka and Miko’s encouragement, I’ve been thinking… maybe I want to pursue it seriously.”
Keiko smiled softly. “That’s wonderful, Ryusei.”
I scratched my cheek, feeling shy. “But isn’t it too late for me to start something new?”
She shook her head immediately. “Not at all. If anything, I think it’s inspiring. Most people never find something they truly love doing, but you did. Why would age matter?”
I looked down at my plate, her words hitting me deeply. “I guess… I was just scared.”
Keiko reached over and lightly flicked my forehead. “Then stop being scared.”
I laughed at her bluntness. “Easy for you to say.”
Keiko smirked. “I believe in you. And if you’re serious about it, I’ll support you however I can.”
Rin, who had been listening quietly, mumbled, “I guess I’ll support you too, or whatever.”
I chuckled. “Thanks, you two.”
---
As the conversation flowed naturally, I decided to bring up Rin’s interest in makeup. “By the way, Keiko, Rin’s been looking into makeup lately.”
Rin tensed immediately. “D-Dad—”
Keiko’s eyes lit up. “Oh? Really?”
Rin crossed her arms and looked away. “It’s nothing serious.”
I grinned. “Nothing serious? You spent a long time looking at makeup at the mall, and today you put on a full face of it when we went to pick up your mom.”
Rin’s ears turned slightly pink. “That was just… I was just trying it out.”
Keiko chuckled. “Hey, if you’re interested in it, that’s great. You know, makeup is an art in itself. It takes a lot of skill. And it’s totally okay to be passionate about something, Rin. Even if it’s just starting out.”
Rin hesitated for a moment before sighing. “…I guess I like it.”
Keiko smiled warmly. “Then why don’t we go shopping for some new products together sometime? I’ll even let you experiment on me.”
Rin’s eyes widened slightly. “Really?”
“Of course,” Keiko said. “I want to support you, just like you’re supporting your dad’s cooking.”
For the first time, Rin looked genuinely happy. “…Thanks, Mom.”
I watched them, feeling a deep warmth in my chest. This was what I had wanted to fix. To become a real family, one where we could talk, share, and support each other without hesitation.
As the night went on, we continued chatting, sharing dreams and memories, and laughing over stupid jokes. For the first time in a long time, everything felt right. I wanted this moment to last forever.
Looking at Keiko and Rin, I thought to myself—if I could go back to my real body, I wished I could live happily with them just like this.