Kapitel 53: Practice Parenting
Amid the noises of the games and children laughing, they were surprised by a weird sound that came from the child's mouth. Almost immediately after calling her mother, Miyu ran to shove her face against Momoka. It was not like Arata and Yukari would make fun of it, but it seemed like Miyu was used to that kind of reaction.
Instead of dwelling on the sound, Arata just looked at the supposed mother of the child. "Momoka? She's your daughter?" He remembered how the mother talked about the girl back in her route. His face brightened up in glee and anticipation. "The little lady pirate last Halloween?!" He did not see a photo, but she did say a lot about how she prepared the costume from scratch.
The child scooted to the side like a crab just so she could take a look at Arata. He mentioned about her favorite Halloween costume from last year. Momoka noticed the small movements as well. She patted her daughter's head and giggled as she recalled her animated talks with the player back then. Needless to say, Yukari and Yoshitaka were clueless, but they stayed listening.
"It's so embarrassing that you remembered that! It's just a small chat!" Momoka kept on giggling, touched by his sharp memory.
"You know nothing escapes my memory." Arata placed his hand over his chin like emphasizing how handsome and awesome he was. He even wiggled his brows along with it.
Yukari could not help but to knock his head from behind, outside the view of the child.
"Anyway, since we're already here, why don't we get some snacks together? Are you going home now?" Arata consoled his head. In his excitement, he accidentally triggered a Date sequence. It was the first time he was able to trigger it while having the company of another person, let alone another date-able. Then again since he had, he ended up playing the sequence.
It was lucky he was with Yukari, or else it could have gone sour. Then again, Momoka was with her child and her... little brother.
The Arcade Basket was next to the mall, and so going there required not much effort. It also seemed fun since Yoshitaka started chattering with Yukari behind them. Arata was carrying Miyu as per her request. Right now, she saw him as someone trusted by her mother. Not to mention that Arata's Charms were over the top that he had no trouble making acquaintances. Miyu did not seem to be an unlockable, which was great, or else Sayaka would not hear the end of it.
Most things proceeded smoothly just until the last part. Yoshitaka knew high schoolers were not allowed to be in his sister's bar. How did she meet Arata, and how come was he kissing another woman in front of his supposed girlfriend. He managed to see through Yukari's stoic face; he saw the loud huffs that she could have done inside her. She made no sound, but her eyes spoke too loud.
She noticed Yoshitaka looking her way. "What?"
"You're okay with that?" He frowned at her. "Isn't he your boyfriend?"
"Hm? No."
"Oh."
"The girl you're so enthusiastic about? That's the girlfriend, but..." she trailed her voice before looking at Arata's direction again. "They're pretty much in a very complicated relationship. It's starting to be less and less romantic alone. It's probably an unaddressed ob—what?" She felt a hand hold her arm. She saw Yoshitaka paling up next to her.
"Can you repeat that part? Attori-chan is... what?"
Before Yukari could answer, they heard a ringtone blare along the walkway they were treading. It was Momoka's phone, and she excused herself to answer. Arata turned to the other two behind him, smiling at them as if asking them if they were having fun. Miyu did the same, flashing her wide smile and waving her hands. Instead of breaking Yoshitaka's heart further, the best friend just left him where he stood and approached Arata to dot on Miyu and her cute smile.
Momoka walked back to the group. Her eyes were sad, drooped with displeasure and disappointment. "I'm being called to the club for an emergency. Miyu, we have to go home now." She watched the child clung onto the man carrying her harder. "Ah, that's a shame, isn't it?"
"What time were you planning to go home today, Momoka?" Arata consoled the child to keep her from strangling him with her hold.
"I told her I'll show her the city lights. She's been in the hospital for so long. She hasn't seen them in a while." She hummed, soon twitching in panic and apology. "W-Wait, nothing bad happened to her! It's just that she was being observed for a surgery. She got very nervous so the doctors told me to let her walk around the city today."
"A surgery? What kind?" Yukari joined the conversation. Looking at Miyu, who was small and fragile, she could not help but to feel pity if she would have a major surgery at that age.
Momoka smile became crooked, hoping she did not have to discuss it in front of her child. Then again, she had no choice but to answer. Arata had given her a good deal of help and kindness, asking for more should not hurt, should it?
She started walking ahead, leading the group as she walked backwards. "You heard her earlier, didn't you? You also notice she wouldn't say anything. She didn't eat anything solid as well, right?" She hummed, eyes on the floor, hoping for their reflections against the floor was enough for her to catch their reactions. "Miyu has vocal cord paralysis. Since I could have the money for a surgery, I asked her to go through it. She felt too excluded ever since her classmates made fun of her in school. She got stuck to homeschooling, and she didn't have friends as well.
"I was hoping I could end her fears as soon as possible. But right now, she's too scared of it." She chuckled. "It might take a while for her to feel good, but at least I did something about it, right?"
Arata turned to Miyu who was hiding her face from them. He took a look at Yukari before gazing at the child again. "Momoka, do you trust me enough to leave her with me for now? We'll take her home after showing her the city lights."
Yoshitaka twitched and babbled, "I-I'm staying with Miyu!"
Yukari turned to him before smiling at the woman. "I bet you have Arata's number. You can call or text him for updates."
Momoka stared at them, and then at Yukari when she spoke. She gave the best friend a smile. "I don't... have his number."
The best friend twitched and approached the mother. They seemed to exchange numbers as a result. She would give her his number, too, but Momoka seemed to refuse. It was weird, but the mother's eyes seemed to tell her something without words flowing out of her lips.
The two men were left watching them. Miyu started patting Arata's hair—something she found soft and fluffy. She was aware what was happening around her. She could not help but to get scared whenever words about the surgery enters her earshot.
Yoshitaka was a nursing student, and so he had books about medical science loitering around his room. Those were quite visual for a child to see as they had to be accurate. The images of her being cut open made her nervous; even though her surgery would require so little of those. Besides, the child could not read and understand so well, bypassing the disclaimers of the camera view. Then again, none of them knew this was why she was so afraid.
"Arata," Momoka spoke as she walked towards him, "I really don't want to impose on you." She took his free hand and held it with both of hers. "You know that I really need my job if I'm going to pay for Miyu's surgery. I have to go." She turned to Yoshitaka and glared a little at him. "Make sure you'll bring Miyu back home at eight. Tuck her in her bed, comfortable and not hungry, you hear me?"
"Geez, how many times have I done this?" He sighed.
The mother looked at the player again and gave him an apologetic smile. "I wish I could go and see the lights with her tonight."
"Don't worry, you won't have to worry missing out soon." Arata winked at her before they walked her to the exit of the mall.
The three spent another couple of hours in the mall, buying clothes and toys for the child. Since Tohru and Ruby were collecting the income for the Imperial Kitchen on his stead, his money kept on growing unlike before—when he could not find the time to collect. He had more JPY to spend, and this time, he played benefactor for the little girl. He bought her a lot of pretty dresses so she would be dreaming of walking around more. It also meant that she should not be stuck in the hospital.
After all the happy grins she gave them, her face cowered at the sight of the dental clinic in the mall. There were photos of the surgeries available, and her legs trembled in fright. She turned away and hid her face against Arata's shoulder.
"What's wrong?" Yukari whimpered as she noticed her actions. She turned to the dental clinic and frowned at the displays. "She must be scared of that. To think about it, that's how they show off surgeries..."
"Hmm, well, looking at those photos day in, day out isn't for everyone." Yoshitaka shrugged with a little air of superiority. "We normally see those in our textbooks. It wouldn't be as bad as it is when you always—wait a minute..."
"Don't just suddenly stop walking in the middle of the walkway, man." Yukari grabbed his arm and pulled him to the side.
Arata was only listening to them. He used to be this kind of person anyway. Living as if another person was tiring, and so the king would take a rest for now. However, it did not mean that he was taking in all the visual clues of the story.
Yoshitaka scratched his head and laughed with nervousness stuttering his words. "M-Miyu, you d-didn't get... spooked by my t-textbooks, right? Say it wasn't my fault."
Miyu only lifted her head and stared at him past Arata's shoulder.
"Guess we know why she shakes every time she hears about it." Arata chuckled and led them outside of the mall. "Miyu, it's night time..."
And by night time, he meant it was getting dark. However, instead of being eaten by the dark, the city was filled with different lights. Miyu's eyes glittered as she watched the streets glow from one side to another. The benefactor led them to the Imperial Kitchen where they could get a window spot in Skydome. Sunday was a free day for the working date-ables so Keiko was not around.
Miyu could only plant her face next to the window. She stared at the night time skyline of the city. She paid little attention to the food, but she was so fascinated by the lights glowing against the dark. Soon, she pulled herself from the window. She reached out to pull on Yoshitaka's sleeve.
("Mama works in the place like this, right?") She turned to the windows and pointed at the glowing bulbs at a distant. ("Bright lights!")
Yoshitaka only kept himself from choking the fine wine that came with their order. He only reached out to pat her head. "Not just bright lights. Colorful bright lights."
("I wanna see it!")
"Not until you're nineteen, young lady."
Arata stared at the lights the entire time he listened to the Ritsus' conversation. Colorful bright lights. What a very nice innocent thing to say to a child. It was probably because it was what Momoka was looking at every time she dances on the stage of the Crown Velvet Club.
"I should go see Momoka sometime..." he whispered before attending to his food again.
AUTORENGEDANKEN 
droopyghost
droopyghost Sorry about the week-long absence. I love to write, but I love to earn money more.
I'm changing the cover to the one I drew. Haha, now it is my sketch for Attori.
Also, I'm helping anjeeriku edit Little Miss Devil! It's a fun rom-com if you're into that genre, too! Give it a vote as well~!