Regina Rodrigo stood there—beautiful, elegant, irritated—all at the same time.
Hand on her hip.Eyebrow raised.Expensive perfume entering the house before she did.
The trip had been… complicated.BUT now they had a great mission:
Organize the banquet.And Harumi's life.
— Harumi, dear. Are you wearing pajamas? It's almost eight in the morning!
— Mom… calm down—
— I AM CALM! — Regina replied, clearly not calm.
Behind her, Makoto smiled so gently he looked like a dessert commercial grandpa.Finally able to properly greet the kids.
— Gooood morning, children! — he waved with two grocery bags.— Sorry about all the confusion with the girls!! They're like that…
— Dad?! — Harumi blinked.
That's when Regina noticed.
Or finally processed the fact that Mei was a redhead.
A redheaded Japanese child.
— HARUMI. SHE'S A REDHEAD?! — Regina didn't yell, but her voice carried the weight of a decree.
— AND HIM?! — she pointed at Takeru.— How old are they? Which school? Registration? Vaccines? Allergies? Family history?!
Harumi tried to explain:
— Mom… I… I couldn't leave them alone. I just wanted to help. That's all…
Regina placed her hands on her hips.
She wasn't angry.
She was analyzing.
— Harumi Ozawa. Helping is beautiful.But this house is too big.These children need structure.
You are disorganized, impulsive, irresponsible, you attract cockroaches—
— It was just ONE cockroach, mom! And how do you even know—
— ONE cockroach that made you sleepless! — Regina cut her off.
She stepped closer, her voice lowering—dangerous now.
— You've always been the girl who does everything, Harumi.But never finishes anything.
Do you think you can play family with these children?You don't know what real responsibility is.
Harumi sat down on the tatami automatically.
A childhood reflex.
— I… I don't know if I can do it, mom.
Regina lifted her daughter's chin with her hand—firm, direct, but loving.
— No one knows.You learn while you love.
But if you're going to do this—do it right.
Meanwhile…
Takeru watched.
Regina's words weren't just criticism toward Harumi.
They were bullets straight into his own insecurity.
Irresponsible.Playing family.Doesn't know responsibility.Will abandon them.
His chest tightened.
To Takeru, family was always something that ended by leaving you behind.
And what if Harumi—the only person who took him in—really was irresponsible?
What if she decided it was too hardand abandoned them,just like his biological mother?
He clenched his fists.
He would protect Mei alone.
Like always.
Regina broke the silence.
— Let's organize: school, documents, routine. Write everything down!!
Harumi scribbled nervously.
— Y-YES!
— Now then. You have my support. — Regina finally smiled.— BUT NOW LET'S FOCUS ON THE FOOD!
Ozaki popped up at the window, waving excitedly.
— Let's buy ice cream for dessert!!
Mei raised her arm.
— I wanna goooo!
Ozaki opened his arms wide.
— THEN LET'S GOOOO!!
And Takeru stayed quiet in the corner.
Almost invisible.
The escape had been planted.
He wouldn't run away out of fear of Harumi—but out of fear that Harumi,being the "irresponsible" person her mother described,would abandon him.
He needed to control the abandonmentbefore it happened.
And Harumi…
Still had no idea.