11.) Dinner with the Moniwa's

Toru smiled softly at the two story home as they pulled in, the setting sun casts a warm glow upon the purple exterior. His first impression was that it looked like the kind of house you saw the happy family form a sitcom living in, looking over at Kaya and the way her eyes lit up to gaze upon her childhood home he hoped that was the case.

Toru parked in the drive behind a black catering van with "Dawg on good pie" painted across the side in large red letters. He looked more at the home realizing it was older, the siding being real wood rather than plastic and intricate detailing along the extended covered porch. There was a porch swing at the far end, and two rocking chairs with a table between them between the swing and the door.

"I've always wondered what rain sounds like on a tin roof." Toru told Kaya as he continued to look over the home, causing Kaya to turn her attention to him. "It's actually one of my favorite things. I'd go up to Kaname's room on stormy nights and listen to the rain with him in bed." She told him fondly, making Toru feel simultaneously happy and guilty that she was opening up to him about her past.

Toru looked up at the house one last time before opening his car door, taking note of the typical front door at the top of the stairs, then the French doors near the swing. As he opened the passenger door for Kaya he heard the front door closing behind him, the sound of someone walking across a wooden porch following directly after.

Kaya stopped short of thanking him for helping her out of the car when she saw the person who'd come from inside approaching them more. "Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit! If it ain't Mio the cousin that don't never come round no more." She exclaimed as she made her way to a taller woman near her own age and hugged her tightly.

"I know, I know. Been busy as a bee in spring. How are you?" Mio asked, pushing Kaya back gently to get a look at her face. "I'm good. Starving though." Kaya answered truthfully. Toru made his way over to her, catching Mio's eyes who spotted him at the thighs first and slowly allowed her eyes to travel up to his face.

"Oh right, Mio, this is Toru Oikawa." She introduced, "This is my favorite cousin Mio, mom's brother's youngest." She said, turning her attention to Toru. He held his hand out for her to shake, noting the way she was watching him like meat to be devoured, her thick hair the same color as Kaya's only straight, her eyes brown like Kaname's and her face admittingly pleasant.

"It's nice to meet you Mio." Toru told her with a small smile, pulling his hand away from hers as she started to step a little closer. "Where are the dogs?" Kaya asked suddenly. "In the kennel." Mio answered, eyes still glued to Toru. "Dad rarely puts the dogs in the kennel." Kaya said thinking aloud. "Yeah well, I guess the new CEO of Date Tech is coming over. Can't let him get his tailored suit dirty." Mio responded, rolling her eyes.

Toru chuckled lightly, noting that Kaya only gave his name and wondered if she still didn't like that he was CEO and why she didn't at least refer to him as a friend. "Yea well, I don't really go to the tailor unless my dad drags me. Kinda hate suits, even though I look good in them." He joked. "Oh honey, I bet you look good in everything. And out of it." Mio responded.

"Ok, let's go in." Kaya suddenly announced, hooking her elbow into Toru's and ushering him towards the door. Mio froze a moment and watched the two make their way to the door. Had she not known how dedicated her cousin was to Kenji she could have sworn she didn't like her flirting with Toru. However, now seeing them together she wondered if maybe her little "favor" was as unwarranted as she'd thought it was when she told Kenji he was being paranoid.

As they entered Toru took in the foyer, appreciating the hardwood flooring and photo's lining the entrance, much like at Kaya's place. Kaya showed him where to hang his coat and leave his shoes, then guided him towards the living room where her dad, Kosuke, and Kaname sat watching Football. "We made it." She announced nervously.

"Hey sweet pea!" her father called as he stood from his place on the couch crossing the living room and pulling his youngest child and only daughter into his arms with an affectionate squeeze. "You look beautiful, as always." He told her with a wide smile. Kaya's face reddened slightly as she shook her head to indicate her disagreement with his assessment.

"Very beautiful." Toru let out a little louder than he intended, as it was meant to be to himself, causing everyone in the living room to face him. Hey there Toru." Kaname greeted hesitantly, not wanting Kaya to get upset that he'd complimented her. "Hello Kaname, happy thanksgiving." Toru greeted him.

"So this is our dad Atsushi Moniwa and my husband Kosuke Sakunami. In the kitchen there is our mom, Sora. Mom, Dad, love dove, this is Toru, the new CEO and friend of Kaya." Kaname introduced as Mio walked into the room, wondering if Toru was just a friend of Kaya, but also that she may have reacted that way because she unknowingly made fun of the man to his face.

"It's very nice to meet you Mr. Oikawa." Atsushi greeted, holding his hand out for him to shake. "The pleasure is all mine Mr. Moniwa, and please, call me Toru." He told him happily. "Yes, it's very good to meet you, I've heard a lot about you from my husband." Kosuke tells him, shaking his hand as well. "I'll say hello properly in a moment, dirty hands and all." Sora called from the kitchen.

Toru turned to face Kaname and gave a smirk. "So, I have something in the trunk I could use a hand with. I would have asked Kaya, but I've already put her to work enough for one day." He chuckled. Kaname snorted and went to follow Toru out to the car, both giving Kaya a small wave on the way out.

"You could have told me he was the CEO, you know. I looked like a jerk." Mio complained once she felt they were out of earshot. Kaya shrugged, "I didn't think about it, I was still in shock at seeing you." She told her while holding back a laugh at Mio's annoyed face. "Yeah, yeah. Make it up to me by helping me get him to take me back to his place later." Mio suggested hopefully, just as Sora walked past the fireplace into the living room from the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, who are you trying to go home with?" Sora asked curiously. "That tall ass drink of water Kaya brought with her. I knew I was parched, but good LAWD." Mio exclaimed. Sora laughed lightly, until her gaze fell upon Kaya, standing in front of the couch with her fist clenched at her sides, her tiny form slightly shaking and tears forming in her eyes.

"Kaya dear, did you have a nice time in Atlanta?" Her mother asked. Kaya looked at her mom, snapping out of the daze she'd been in just a moment ago. "Oh, yes. It was nice." She answered, somewhat distracted, by the sound of the front door and Toru's voice telling Kaname to be careful catching her attention.

She watched the two men enter the kitchen from the hall door, covering whatever was in their hands, her curiosity rising higher. "What are you two doing?" Kaya asked, a laugh in her voice that her mother noticed came swiftly despite having just been more upset than she was used to seeing either of her children.

Kaya walked past her mother into the kitchen to study the two men, the rest of her family right on her heels. "Jeez Kaya, a little patience." Toru teased. "What is all that, you acted like it might break. Has it been in the trunk all day?" She asked. "No, my mom had my friends sneak it in for me when we were cleaning up." He answered, Kaya understanding why he drove back more carefully than he'd done on the way.

"You're mom. So she was at the shelter too?" Kaname asked. "Oh yeah, Mina is great." Kaya exclaimed happily, her family looking at her in surprise as Toru gazed at her softly. "I'm glad you think so." He said just above a whisper before turning his attention back to what he was doing. "You certainly made an impression on her. Thought she might try to kidnap you for a minute there." He laughed, turning his attention to the table.

Toru moved away the blanket covering up whatever it was he'd had Kaname help him to put on the table, the tops of some bottles being the only thing Kaya can make out from the inside of the rather large box. "Please tell me you didn't bring that much wine." Kaya asked nervously. "No, mom just wanted everything in one box for easy transport." Toru assured.

He pulled out 6 bottles of wine, setting them on the table next to the box, 2 red, 2 white, and 2 rose. He then pulled a box of votive candle holders that looked like pinecones and a box of white votive candles. He then moved the box carefully to the floor and made sure the middle of the table was clear before pulling out a large woven Cornucopia filled with sunflowers, roses, daisies, and other flowers, placing it down as the centerpiece.

"We can of course move it elsewhere if you have something else you'd like to use as a centerpiece, but the way Kaya talked about your traditions, it seemed like you don't use one." Toru offered, looking at Sora. "It's beautiful Mr. Oikawa, thank you." She smiled at him, looking at how festive the table looked with it there.

"I'm glad you like them Mrs. Moniwa." He told her truthfully, walking closer and handing her the candle set and candles. "I thought about the table for these, but then I thought about the little one being here and realized that was a terrible idea." He said smiling, Sora gazing up at him and thinking if she were 30 years younger and not married….

"That's good thinking Mr. Oikawa. She should be here soon with her case worker." She told him, pushing back the thoughts she shouldn't be having about him. "Toru will be just fine ma'am." He gently insisted, leaving Sora to let out a small girlish giggle. "Told you he was a looker." Kaname said laughing at his mother, causing her to turn and hit him with the dishtowel she'd been holding.

Kaname laughed lightly while Kosuke walked over and looked at his arm where the towel hit him, lifted it to his mouth and landed a kiss on it. "My poor husband, getting hit for being honest." He jokes, eyes sparkling at Kaname. "You two are going to be the death of this old woman." Sora teased, Kaya stifling a laugh that quickly died all together when she noticed everyone looking at her.

"What?" She asked, feeling judged. "Don't you agree with your brother?" Kosuke asked, raising a brow. Toru stood a little straighter, his attention on Kaya and the way she started to shift back and forth on the spot she stood upon. "I um, why does that matter?" She asked, her face red with embarrassment. "Oh come on, you can look at other men that aren't Kenji. It's just looking." Her mother nudged gently.

Kaya looked over at Toru, who immediately averted his eyes, still very much watching her in his peripheral vision, wondering if he was right about the way she looked at him sometimes and if she'd admit it to her family. "He's obviously hot. Just let her be devoted to her precious Kenji. I'll take good care of Toru." Mio piped in, bringing everyone's attention to her and the wine glass she held in her hand.

Kaya's mouth dropped open at her cousin's remark, she couldn't believe she was being this bold in front of the whole family. Atsushi said something to her that was drowned out by the sound of the front door bell, an excited squeal coming from his wife to know the child she hoped would soon be her grandchild had arrived. Kaname and Kosuke happily walked towards the door with the happy grandma to be on their heels.

Kaya looked over at Toru then Mio, wondering if he would leave with her tonight and if so if she'd have to ask for a ride home from someone else or he'd take her first. If all else failed she could always sleep in her old room, now used as the guest room. Toru watched Kaya as she thought about what may happen as the evening progressed, then made his way over closer to her, pushing a curl behind her ear. "Come on, let's go see the little cutie." He told her gently.

Kaya snapped quickly away from considering helping Mio meet a small accident that would at least leave her too put out to leave with Toru, and turned to walk out of the kitchen and down the hall with Toru at her side, Mio frowning and following while Atsushi considered his daughters reaction a moment. He'd thought it was odd she'd invited him to dinner to begin with, especially since Kenji couldn't make it this year.

He'd expected her to be inconsolable about her fiancé not being present, but instead she was happy, happier than he'd seen her in a long time. The last time he'd seen her smile that warmly was her first year of college and it made him happy to see it again, but it also concerned him. "Oh sweet pea, where will this path take you?" He asked himself aloud before moving to meet the little girl saying hello in the foyer.

Mrs. Moniwa was already squatting in front of a sweet red headed girl with a turkey headband on that matched her little turkey coverall dress which she wore over a white long sleeve shirt, orange tights, and black dress shoes. She was offering the small girl a slice of apple, which she looked at somewhat hesitantly.

"Oh there you are Atsushi, isn't she just precious?" His wife asked when she heard her husband walk into the room. He smiled warmly at his wife, hoping things worked out with the adoption seeing as now his son, son in law, and wife we're all completely wrapped around her tiny finger. "She's adorable." He answered honestly, moving to his wife's side and noticing how Mio kept inching closer to Toru, who in turn kept moving closer to Kaya.

"Dad, this is Hoshi, the little girl we've been spending time with." Kaname informed his father looking at Hoshi lovingly as she ate the apple slice his mother had given her. "Hello Hoshi, it's very nice to meet you." Atsushi told her, thinking of how fitting her name was, seeing as she shined so brightly, just like a star on a dark night. "Hi" Hoshi giggled, looking up at him with bright brown eyes, causing his heart to squeeze.

"So what do you think Hoshi, do you like it here?" The caseworker asked her gently. "Hoshi nodded happily, licking her fingers clean of apple juice then walking over to a fat white fluffy cat with only one eye and looking closer at it as it lay on the stair second from the bottom. "Kitty!" she exclaimed. "Do you like kitties Hoshi? We have three more. We also have 3 doggies out back."

Hoshi smiled and reached her hand out to pet the white cat that caught her attention before, nodding her head and giggling delightfully as the cat started to purr. Atsushi smiled to himself and thought if she did become a part of the family one of his days he got to have her he'd have to take her with him to his clinic and let her see all the pets that come through for check ups and grooming.

"We should probably get dinner started, Hoshi has to be back at 8." Kosuke stated, with a hint of sadness in his voice, the rest of the family and Toru giving an understanding nod as they all made their way into the kitchen again. Toru looked around a bit more, taking note of how welcoming the family's kitchen was. Not only was it directly connected to the living room allowing the family to converse freely between the two spaces, it was also decorated warmly.

The tile backsplash was the same color as the brick from the fireplace, the grey wall above the sink adorned with four wooden shelves covered in glasses, several mitch matched mugs hanging from hooks on the bottom shelf. The darker wood of the cabinets gave a nice contrast to the wood floors and stainless steel appliances. He watched the family start to line up and gave Kaya an odd look when she was holding two plates rather than one, knowing she could eat a good bit, but never that much.

Kaya caught the inquisitive look on his face and giggled at him lightly, then showing that her brother, Kosuke, and Atsushi were also holding two plates. He noticed that Sora had moved to open some of the wine he'd brought and started putting glasses out for everyone then went to sit. He quickly made his way over and pulled the chair out for her, Sora's face becoming red as she looked at him.

"Allow me." He told her happily, Kaya stifling a laugh at the look on her mother's face and wondering if she looked the same way. "Thank you, Toru." Sora told him softly, Atsushi huffing at him. "Don't be making me look bad in front of my wife there Toru." He teased, Toru smiling at him and shaking his head softly. "Won't happen again sir." He assured, with his hands out to his sides.

"Anyway, you're a guest, have a seat, Kaya will fix your plate. Guests and the cook on the day don't have to get their plates." Atsushi filled him in. Toru looked at the line of those getting food, and surmised that Mio not being here for a while still didn't make her a guest since she was family. First in the line was Atsushi, then Kaname, Kosuke, Kaya and Mio. "Hey, you're supposed to be in front because you're getting for Hoshi, kids first in this house." Sora said to her son.

"Right, sorry mom." He told her sheepishly, trading places with his dad. "Wait, so there's an order too?" Toru asked curiously. "Yes, tradition from my late mother." Sora told him. "Kids first or the person making a kids plate, then the person making the hostess plate, followed by those feeding guests, then family as they come." She informed him. He felt a little bad for Mio that it meant she was dead last no matter what as everyone else was making a plate for the others.

Rather than sitting, Toru picked up two of the miss matched wine glasses Sora had set out and poured a deep merlot into two glasses then sat them on the table at two spots and stood behind one spot waiting. Just as he'd finished Kaname set a plate down in front of Hoshi then sat next to her with his own food.

Atsushi came to the table, placing his wife's plate in front of her, Kaname not yet touching his food, though Hoshi was already covered in mashed potatoes from her plate. Atsushi took his seat then watched Toru standing guard over the two seats, noticing that with those two spots claimed, where his wife and he sat, and everyone else, Mio would be sitting as far away from him as possible.

When Kaya approached the table she eyed Toru closely, a large grin appearing on his face that she already knew why he'd not taken his seat yet and pulled out the chair that would place her between her mother and him. Kaya smiled warmly and took her seat, both plates still in hand as Toru scooted her in, the entire family watching and realizing she was used to this interaction and she hadn't asked him what he wanted at all.

It was only when Toru was seated and scooted in next to Kaya that she sat his plate in front of him, a smile across his face. "Thank you." He told her gratefully, Kaya nodded with a warm smile. "Of course." She told him, picking up the merlot he'd poured to take a sip, Toru stopping her. "Let it breath a few more minutes." He told her, Kaya removing her hand from the glass and folding them in her lap instead.

Mio sat with a plate of food that seemed rather scarce, pouring a glass of wine much deeper than anyone else's at the table. "So what will you do when you don't like something she picked for you Toru?" Mio asked. "Mr. Oikawa would do nicely, and that's impossible." Toru told her with a sickly grin, daring her to say anything else.

Sora saw the angry look on her niece's face and spoke up quickly. "Time to say grace." She announced happily, everyone bowing their heads and closing their eyes as Atsushi prayed over their meal, making sure to give thanks to God for allowing them to be in a position to afford such. Once finished Sora was the first adult to lift her fork and take a bite, everyone digging in together directly after.

Toru looked at his plate for the first time, then to Kaya's, noting that she'd given him everything she'd picked for herself only in a somewhat larger portion and his cranberry sauce more off to the side of his turkey and dressing rather than right on top like hers. He stopped smiling when he realized she'd given herself a piece of cornbread and not him one, then took it off her plate and broke it in half, taking the smaller piece for himself.

He moved the cranberry sauce and took a bite with a happy hum. "This turkey is delicious." He complimented, Kaya still staring at him for stealing half her cornbread. "Don't look at me like that, you should know better." He told her. "I gave you milk bread instead." Kaya huffed. "You're right, you have none for yourself." He responded, breaking his in half and giving her the other half. "There."

Atsushi stifled a laugh, knowing full well his tiny daughter could pack a lot of food away and that Toru was playing with his very life in the balance. "The turkey is fried, the only thing the Missus will let me make every year." He informs Toru proudly, lifting some of the bird to his mouth and eating it. "You did an amazing job." He complimented, taking a bite of the cornbread.

"I swear on all things holy I'm going to marry whoever made this cornbread and cherish you always." Toru let out, with a look of ecstasy on his face. Kaya's face turned bright red, her family watching her reaction and then looking at Toru seeing he hadn't noticed yet. "Well, you'd have to convince her not to marry Kenji first." Sora told him with a hint of hope in her voice.

Toru's eye's widened and he looked over at Kaya, her face red and grey eyes locked onto his brown ones. "Kaya, I- I'm sorry." He apologized. Kaya shook her head quickly, "I'm glad you like it." She told him in a high pitched voice entirely too quickly before getting up. "Be right back." She said, bolting out of the room and heading to the bathroom. "Not that I don't already cherish you." He said softly, watching as she left.

Toru looked back at the Moniwa family and realized they'd all been watching him and heard what he said. "She's really a great friend." He said, smiling easily and taking another bite of his cornbread and humming happily. Meanwhile Kaya stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, gazing at her reflection, her face still beet red. She could swear she could feel her heart pounding and kept hearing the words 'cherish you always' in Toru's voice in her mind.

She turned on the cold tap and cupped some water into her mouth, feeling her body was entirely too hot and in need of cooling down. Kaya took a deep breath and looked at herself again, not wanting anyone to think she wasn't feeling well or went in there for no reason. She flushed the toilet and washed her hands before returning to the kitchen and taking her seat next to Toru again.

The rest of dinner went by without any embarrassing incidents. Everyone loved Hoshi and cooed over the way she held her spoon and how much she loved her corn but hated the sweet potatoes. The social worker thanked the family for having them and told them she hoped to have an answer for them about the adoption no later than Wednesday. They thanked her and she left with Hoshi in hand, a slice of pecan pie packed up to go back with her.

The family and Toru all found their way into the living room, sitting around the coffee table, playing Uno and talking. Unable to shake off Mio this time, who was much deeper into her drinking, Toru found himself often pushing her away from him. After four rounds of Uno he excused himself to the restroom, wanting a break from her.

However, when he came back out of the bathroom she was waiting for him at the door. She grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled herself closer to him, pressing her body against his firmly. "Come on Toru, stop ignoring me. Kaya is never going to fuck you. I'll suck you and fuck you. You can put it anywhere, my ass even. You can be rough with me. She would never let you do that, and my tits are way bigger than hers, not that it's hard to have bigger tits than the flat chested queen." She laughed drunkenly, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"I don't want Kaya to fuck me." Toru told her firmly. "Oh please, you think we haven't all noticed the way you look at her? You obviously want her, and bad too. She's too hung up on Kenji. Not that I can understand why. His dick's not that big and he can't last worth a shit." Mio burped. "You shouldn't be telling people things Kaya told you in confidence." Toru scolded, moving her hand off his still soft cock.

"Oh please, like that prude would talk about her sex life." Mio retorted in a defensive manner. "Are you saying you fucked your cousin's fiancé?" Toru asked harshly, being sure to keep his voice down. "Yeah, I live in Decatur too. Who the hell do you think he calls most the time when he's lonely? I try to take care of him for her and all, but he doesn't satisfy. Lucky for him the whores never complain." Mio told him seriously, trying to grab onto his dick again.

Toru pushed Mio off him, heading straight for Kaya and spotting her laughing happily with her dad. He felt his heart sinking, how could he just tell her that her fiancé was cheating after all, with her cousin of all people. Kaya looked up and saw the distraught look on Toru's face, her smile becoming unsettled. "Everything ok?" She asked. "A discussion for another time." He told her, sliding in next to her.

Kaya gave Toru a slow nod and rubbed his arm soothingly, making him happy he had years of practice holding back his tears in a group of people and acting like everything is ok. Elsewise he'd surely break down in front of everyone with how much it was hurting him to have the information he'd just learned. The thing he needed was time to figure out how to tell her in a way she'd believe him over her lying asshole cousin and fiancé.

Toru fake smiled his way through another hour of sitting around talking and drinking hot chocolate with Kaya and her family, Mio getting more and more handsy with him and irritating him further. As time went on it became increasingly obvious to everyone in the room that Toru had no interest in Mio and that Kaya hated her making passes at Toru, possibly more so than he did, if that were even possible.

Toru saw Kaya let out a yawn, her eyes getting heavy and pulled her attention to him by placing his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, ready for me to take you home so you can get some sleep?" He asked gently, Kaya giving him a soft and thankful smile, followed by a satisfied smirk to Mio that he wasn't asking her to go home with him. "Coming back for me later, aren't you sexy?" Mio asked, leaning in and grabbing his dick.

"That's enough! He's been rejecting you all night Mio. Don't be a pick me girl, it's a bad look for you." Kaya spit out angrily, leaning over Toru so Mio could no longer touch him. "I'm a pick me girl? I'm not the one that has a fiancé she lets treat her any kind of way and another man so tight on her hook he'd pass up a perfectly good time." Mio shot back, causing Kaya to jump to her feet with a face full of rage.

"I don't know what you're talking about, no one is on my hook." Kaya defended. "Thou doth protest too much." Mio slurred. "Didn't even say anything about how Kenji treats you." She huffed. "Kenji and I are none of your damn business Mio." Kaya told her. "Oh please. You should be on your knees thanking me that man is even still with you at this point. After all the shit I put up with when he got that damn picture." Mio told her.

Toru became concerned that in her drunken state that she may tell Kaya the truth about Kenji. While he felt she deserved the truth, he didn't want her to have to learn it in front of her entire family on Thanksgiving. "Come on Kaya, let's just go." He urged gently, pulling at her arm with light force. "Yeah ok, have fun with the little prude. Emphasis on the little part." Mio smirked, gesturing to her breast.

"Yeah, let's go." Kaya said with sadness in her voice that her cousin was pointing out her shortcomings, one of the things that Kenji put up with from loving her. "Don't listen to her Kaya, you're perfect the way you are." Toru told her in a low voice from behind, causing Kaya to turn and gape at him. "What?" She asked uncertainly. "What did you just say?" Kaya asked, tears pricking at her eyes.

Toru felt a pain in his gut to realize he'd told her something she'd either never heard, or hadn't heard nearly enough to believe. "I said you're perfect the way you are." He told her louder, for the whole room to hear. "You know what, take her home. I don't know what I was thinking. You're not man enough anyway. A freak. Some weirdo." Mio shot out. Kaya pushed past Toru and stood right in front of Mio and slapped her hard across the face. The sound echoing in the room.

Mio looked at Kaya with shock and anger. "You know what, fuck you Kaya. I hope Kenji keeps avoiding you and your Chlamydia gets worse. Lord knows if he didn't sneak the meds into your food every time he gave you a damn disease you'd have to admit that you're not enough for that tiny dick loser." She told her with a satisfied smirk. Kaya looked at her cousin, jaw slack with what she'd just heard.

"That's a lie. You shouldn't lie on Kenji. He loves me." Kaya cried, Toru coming to her side and readying himself to be there for her however she needed. "You've said enough, don't you think?" Toru told her angrily. "There he is, angry for her all over again. You should have seen the look on his face when I told him I'd been fucking Kenji to keep him happy so he don't leave you." Mio shot at them both.

Kaya looked over at Toru, her face pure shock then rage. "You knew?" She accused. "I'm sorry Kaya. I didn't think here and now was a good time to tell you." He pleaded, trying to move closer and wipe a tear away, only Kaya pulled away from him. "Get out! Get out, the both of you." Kaya screamed, pushing Toru away and hitting at his chest when he tried to pull her with him and speak.

"Please Kaya, I know it hurts. Please don't push me away." He told her. "Leave me alone." She told him, tears streaming down her face. Toru looked at her and admitted to himself he'd failed to never be the reason she cried again and hated himself for not telling her the truth immediately. "Alright. I'll go." He told her. "Thank you all for having me, I'm sorry for how the night ended. Kaya, please text me when you're ready." He pleaded.

Kaya flipped him off, crying into her brother's chest as Sora moved to walk he and Mio out. She handed them both their coats and shoes and joined them on the porch, placing a hand on Toru's shoulder to indicate for him to hold on for a moment. "Mio, don't bother darkening this doorstep ever again. You're no longer welcome in my home." Sora told her coldly, Mio shaking her head and walking off down the road, phone in hand to get an uber.

"Toru, it was lovely to meet you. I can understand why you didn't say anything, I think I would have done the same in your case. Give her time, she'll realize it too. My daughter can be stubborn though, so it may be longer than you think. Before you go though, tell me the truth, what is it you really want from Kaya? I heard you two in the hall before. I was going to wait and see if you told her within a week, had you not I'd have told her myself. But you told Mio you don't want her to fuck you, but your tone indicated there is something more you want from her."

Toru took in a deep breath, looking Sora in the eye's and realizing she had the same caring gaze as her daughter. "I care for her deeply. If not for her engagement I would have tried to get her to agree to dates, hopefully turning into so much more. Not that I deserve her at all, but I can't help how I feel." Sora looked at Toru with kindness, reminding him more of Kaya.

"Whatever it is you did that makes you feel you don't deserve her, there's not much that can't be corrected. From what I've seen you'd be a much better match for her than that fucker Kenji." She told him. Toru shook his head, "I'm no better than him. Not that I ever cheated or anything. But I've slept around. A lot. I've had hundreds of women and can't even remember any of their names. Most of them being cheap one night stands, a few other's descriptions in my phone that I treated like commodities. I'm a terrible person." He answered with a sniffle.

"Then keep improving and being better." Sora told him with a hug. "Goodnight Toru, hope to see you soon."