"Kei." Peeking her head through the door, Kei's sister Kotone checked on him as he finished changing.
"Hm? Yes?" Kei said as he combed his hair.
"Father's calling you to his study." (Kotone)
"Dad is?" Turning his head towards the door, Kei's eyes had a clear hint of confusion in them.
"Alright, I'll be there in three." He said before returning to his hair.
His sister only nodded before closing the door and leaving Kei on his own. Once he finished up, he opened the door and headed to his father's study.
Wonder what he needs...
↤⨳↦
It was the night of Kei's graduation. And after the ceremony, the Ichinose household (as well as their future in-laws) decided to go out to dinner.
However, before that it seemed that Touya needed to have a word with his son.
As Kei arrived at his father's study, he knocked the door three times, "It's Kei." Soon after, he opened the door.
Sitting on the desk across the room was his father Touya Ichinose, his purple hair was neatly styled and he seemed to be finishing up some things.
At his side, there stood his mother Kaho Ichinose, who wore a beautiful black dress... and was blushing.
If you two want to get into a romantic mood, then why call for me...? Kei thought.
"Did you call for me?" (Kei)
"Yes, I did. But first, do take a seat." (Touya)
Following his direction, Kei took a seat on a chair in front of Touya's desk. Once he was seated, he inquired what his father needed, granted that everyone should be leaving soon.
"What is it that you—" Interrupting him, Touya placed a small brown box in front of him and in a gentle voice, "Congratulations." He said.
"Congrats on graduating, Kei!" His mother happily said.
"Huh?" Taken aback by their sudden words, Kei stared at the brown box and took it with both hands.
"Go on. Open it." (Touya)
Opening the box, there rested a beautiful black wrist watch, the crown of the watch was a deep purple, deeply resembling his own eyes.
The hands were a beautiful silver as well, he tried it on... and it was a perfect fit.
"Take it off for a second." At his instruction, Kei took it off, "Check the back side." He turned around the watch.
"Huh?" (Kei)
At the back of the watch, there were some words engraved…
Kei Ichinose
"...why...?" He said, confused.
"Well, it's not a tradition or anything, you see. But when I graduated high school, my father also gave me a watch with my name engraved in it.
He took off his own watch and showed it to his son.
Touya Ichinose
Were the words engraved on it. "Back when he gave it to me, I was full of emotions... I took it as a sign of my father's proud feelings... I took it as my father saying 'I'm proud of the man you've become.'" (Touya)
"Your dad, you see... wants you to interpret it in the same way. The man you were yesterday, and the man you are today... He— no, we are proud of what you've come to be, Kei." (Kaho)
"I-I-I didn't do anything noteworthy, I just—" (Kei)
From Kei's perspective, he didn't do anything big to deserve this praise. He only reached where he is to honor his family and to proudly stand besides the woman he loves.
But the other two didn't agree.
"Geez! Arisa will get mad if she hears you like that!" (Kaho)
"—eh?" (Kei)
"Your mother's right, be proud, son." (Touya)
Before he least expected, His mother went behind him and wrapped her arms around Kei. In the meantime, his father continued.
"Even when you weren't at your best, you still stood up and faced forward, you used the consequences to your advantage." (Touya)
He was devastated when his childhood friend told him she had a boyfriend, he no longer felt any motivation…
...and yet he still persisted.
"No matter how much people praised you, it never went to your head. You are someone honest and worthy of what they have..." (Kaho)
As Kei sat with the watch in both hands, his father went around the desk and kneeled in front of him.
"It's been delightful to watch you grow this past eighteen years. And I look forward to seeing how much you'll grow from now. Son, you can do great things once you have the power to do so, remember that." (Touya)
One.
Three.
Maybe seven?
No... no one could tell the amount of tears flowing from his eyes. For Kei, who has been a hard worker for all these years... It made him extremely happy.
His parents had the utmost respect for him, said respect wasn't something initially given to him…
Said respect was something he earned... all fruit of his work.
↤⨳↦
As they watched Kei leave, Touya turned to his wife and with some sort of sad smile said.
"They grow up fast, don't they?" (Touya)
"Indeed they do... It feels weird..." (Kaho)
"How so?" He asked.
"Back then, I never really thought about having a family... I never really thought about romance either... And yet here we are... all because you appeared in my life." She said with an incredibly beautiful smile…
It was almost identical to the twin's, but maybe due to her motherly self, it was even more suggestive.
"Well, I hope you can continue supporting me. You did take these vows." Touya chuckled.
"Of course I will, Kaho Kirigaya did her part... I will take care of the rest," She said as she went closer to him.
Inside the room, the window was illuminated by the moon, as Kaho placed her hand on her husband's chest... She renewed the seal of those vows she took almost two decades ago.
(A/N)
I'll write them an arc... someday.
Anyways, we're off to a big time skip! The two (Arisa & Kei), are now working adults and in their second year of living together!
Coming Next: Chapter 95 - Vows For Eternity ①
