077. Meet the Parents

"Name?"

"Natsukawa Kanade."

"Age?"

"Seventeen."

"Gender?"

"…Male."

The interrogation felt like it had dragged on for hours, though Kanade knew it hadn't been more than a few minutes. The old man sitting across from him stared intently, his piercing eyes scanning Kanade's every move as if reading his very soul.

Finally, the elder sighed deeply, leaning back in his ornate chair. A sly smile spread across his face.

"I see… I understand everything now."

Kanade barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief before the old man's next words hit him like a thunderclap.

"So, when are you going to marry into my family?"

"!!!"

Kanade's head snapped up, his protests caught in his throat as he looked into the elderly man's amused eyes. The towering bodyguard behind him, with arms like tree trunks, loomed ominously, as if to enforce any decisions made here.

"That's… that's a bit…" Kanade stammered, unsure of how to even begin refuting this outrageous statement.

"Hmm?" The old man's smile faded, replaced by an expression so sharp it could cut steel. "Are you saying you'd abandon my great-granddaughter after violating her?! After doing something so unspeakable to my precious Chika?!"

"No! Absolutely not!" Kanade waved his hands frantically, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. "You've got it all wrong! I didn't do anything to Fujiwara-san!"

"Oh? Which 'Fujiwara' are we talking about here?" The elder's tone was laced with mockery, as if daring Kanade to trip over his words.

"A-Ahem, I mean… Chika-san!" Kanade corrected himself hurriedly. "I didn't do anything strange to Chika-san!"

The old man's eagle-like gaze bore into him, unrelenting and unwavering. Kanade could feel the sweat dripping down his neck now, his nerves fraying by the second.

=========

At this moment, Natsukawa Kanade was kneeling in the grand yet suffocating presence of Fujiwara Chika's great-grandfather, a former Prime Minister no less. His current predicament? Begging for forgiveness.

The cause of this chaos? That disastrously timed moment when Chika's family had walked in on her pinning Kanade to the ground in the warehouse, both of them in various states of disarray. Naturally, this "misunderstanding" had led to Kanade being "invited" to their estate for a chat.

Though the Fujiwara family had shown hospitality fitting of their lofty political status, the cost had been steep. Every word from the former Prime Minister carried the weight of a thousand daggers, and Kanade found himself balancing on a metaphorical tightrope.

The heat of the summer evening was oppressive, but the slight chill of the room offered a cruel reminder of his precarious position. As the old man leaned forward, his voice dropped into a conspiratorial tone.

"Young man, let me ask you one thing…" He paused for dramatic effect. "You didn't… take advantage of Chika, did you?"

Kanade's brain screamed for a response, but his mouth failed him. I didn't do anything! he wanted to shout. Sure, he had flicked Chika on the forehead a few times and tugged her cheeks when she annoyed him, but that was it! If anything, Chika was the one always crossing boundaries with her outrageous antics.

But how could he explain that without sounding like a lunatic?

"You know," the elder continued, his voice dangerously low, "if my great-granddaughter made the first move… well, that's an entirely different story."

Kanade's heart sank. "What?"

"So," the old man said with a sly grin, "when do you plan to marry into the family?"

Kanade froze. We're back to this again?!

Cold sweat trickled down his back as he envisioned his future being decided right here, right now. A life where he married Fujiwara Chika, where her chaotic energy became a permanent part of his daily existence. A life where they might even—No! Don't think about it!

Yet the thought crept into his mind anyway, unbidden. A life where we'd have kids... one per year, maybe twins, maybe even quintuplets... a full football team of mini-Chikas. And every single day, she'd boss me around, pulling her ridiculous antics, and I'd have no choice but to serve her whims.

Kanade's stomach twisted. Why does that actually sound… tolerable?! Wait, no! Snap out of it!

He shook his head vigorously. I can't let this happen! If he gave in now, his life would be swallowed whole by the madness that was Fujiwara Chika. He'd never know peace again. He had to stand his ground, no matter the consequences. Even if it meant being tossed into Tokyo Bay with concrete shoes, he couldn't surrender!

Summoning every ounce of courage, Kanade straightened his back and met the elder's piercing gaze. "Sir, while Chika-san is indeed a wonderful and remarkable young woman, I think this matter requires her opinion. Don't you agree?"

The old man's eyes narrowed slightly, but then a sly smile curled on his lips. "Oh? So you're saying you wouldn't be against the idea, hmm? Interesting…"

"Wait, that's not what I—" Kanade began, but his protest was cut short by the sudden arrival of a bright, cheerful voice.

"Great-Grandpa!"

Following the sound, Chika Fujiwara bounded into the room, her freshly bathed glow and adorable bear-themed pajamas making her seem like a walking, talking ball of mischief. Her cheeks were rosy, likely from the warm bath she'd just taken, as she trotted over to her great-grandfather.

"Great-Grandpa!" she chirped, clasping her hands behind her back and tilting her head playfully. "Long time no see! Have you been eating well? Staying healthy?"

As she spoke, Chika's bright eyes darted to Kanade, who was still kneeling on the floor like a man sentenced to his fate. She tilted her head in confusion. "President? What are you doing kneeling there? That's weird. Hurry up and stand already!"

Kanade hesitated, glancing nervously at the old man. Before he could muster the courage to explain himself, Chika's attention shifted again. "Oh, by the way! Have you eaten dinner yet, President? You should join us!"

Without waiting for an answer, she turned to her great-grandfather. "Great-Grandpa, you haven't eaten either, right? Let's all eat together!"

Kanade blinked, unsure if he should answer, but relief washed over him when the old man gave him a small nod of approval. The metaphorical boulder weighing on his chest lifted ever so slightly.

"If you don't mind…" Kanade mumbled cautiously.

But the elder simply waved a hand dismissively. "Forget about me. I still have some matters to attend to. You youngsters go on ahead."

Chika's face lit up, and without warning, she grabbed Kanade's hand, dragging him toward the living room. "Yay! You're in for a treat, President. Toyomi-nee is cooking tonight, and her food is amazing! You're so lucky!"

"Uh… r-right," Kanade stammered, nodding mechanically. He dared not look back, fearing that one wrong glance might meet the elder's hawk-like eyes.

To his immense relief, the intimidating presence of the old man—and his equally terrifying bodyguard—faded as they left the room. Yet Kanade's nerves barely had time to settle before his stress levels skyrocketed again.

Out of the kitchen stepped a strikingly mature woman who looked like an older version of Chika. The problem? She was dressed in nothing but her underwear.

"…!"

"AHHHH! Toyomi-nee, what are you doing?!" Chika shrieked, running to cover the older woman with her arms.

The older Fujiwara, apparently named Toyomi, pouted and fanned herself lazily. "It's so hot after cooking, Chika-chan. I just needed to cool off a bit."

"No way! You can't just walk around like this!" Chika protested, her cheeks puffed up like an irate hamster as she pushed Toyomi back toward the hallway. "Go put some clothes on! Right now!"

Kanade, on the other hand, had frozen solid like a deer caught in headlights.

"And you!" Chika suddenly spun around to glare at him. "President, close your eyes! Don't you dare peek!"

"Y-Yes!" Kanade yelped, snapping his hands over his eyes as if his life depended on it—which, knowing this family, it probably did.

He dared not move a muscle, visions of giant bodyguards flashing through his mind. As he tried to focus on anything other than his escalating sense of doom, he felt something cold press against his cheek.

"...?"

A knife? A gun?! He stiffened, imagining all the possible tools of his imminent demise. Just end it quickly. I won't resist!

"Poke, poke…"

"...?"

Not only was his face under attack, but now his neck and other exposed areas were being targeted as well. He felt like a piece of meat being poked for freshness.

Kanade's mind raced. Are they searching me? Do they think I'm hiding something? But then he felt someone trying to tug at his clothes, and alarm bells went off in his head.

"This is unacceptable!" Kanade blurted, his hands snapping down to stop the assailant.

When he opened his eyes, he was met with the sight of a sweet-looking girl, her face a near replica of Chika's but slightly more doll-like. She held the hem of his shirt in her small hands, blinking up at him with wide, curious eyes.

"…?"