But rather than listening to her son, Miyako waved him off.

"Whatever you want to talk about, Haru, we can do it later." She rolled up her sleeves to reveal her toned forearms.

"Renji, make yourself at home. The living room's through there. If you want to watch TV, the remote's on the coffee table. Haru, make the table. Now."

"Thanks, Mrs. Endo," Renji said as he turned and headed to the left of the hallway, wandering into the living room with the casual ease of someone who'd been invited a hundred times.

Haru glared at him as he walked inside, his mind was boggling out of control. So he helped the cops stop a robbery, so what? Why does he have to come to HIS house?

He quickly made the table and hurried to see what Renji was up to in the living room.

Renji dropped his backpack by the couch, and when he was about to sit, he noticed the framed photos on the mantel.

"Hmm," he muttered and walked close to take a look at them.

The most interesting of the bunch was the photo of Miyako in dress blues at her promotion ceremony. She looked younger and even leaner, perhaps it was the weight of being a mother that added more fat to her tits and ass.

The other photo was Haru as a gap-toothed kid holding a soccer trophy, then Kenoji grinning beside a much younger Haru at a science fair.

The last was an image of Miyako and Kenoshi at their wedding.

Renji made her face. Commissioner Endo really was right about this Kenoji guy. He was nowhere near Miyako's level.

But boy did he hit the jackpot.

Too bad Renji was here.

He walked back and rested on the couch. It was plush, the kind that swallowed you whole. Renji sank into it, stretching his arms along the back, and let his gaze drift to the kitchen where Miyako was still giving orders.

She wasn't yelling at her husband, but she was directing him on how things worked in the kitchen.

From the sound of it, it seemed like this wasn't the first time the problem of kitchen duty had come up.

Because of Miyako's job, she likely had to come back home pretty late everyday. That left the task of making dinner up to Kenoji.

And he wasn't very good at it.

He too came back home late at times so the family resorted to pizza nights or expensive canned foods.

Miyako wanted them to eat healthy, so Kenoji was the one who had to start coming back home early.

Why? Because Miyako's job was the one feeding the family. Mostly.

Kenoji was doing his best, trying to learn new recipes from YouTubes and cook books, but the only thing he was good at making was simple ramen and a disaster.

Renji smirked to himself. He knew she wouldn't admit it, but Miyako must be frustrated.

Hearing angry footsteps, Renji turned to see Haru stomping inside.

"Hey Haru," Renji smiled. "This is a pretty cool house, I—"

"Cut the crap," Haru snapped, voice low but venomous. "What the fuck do you want, Kenshiro? You think you can just waltz in here after that prank you pulled on Friday?"

Renji raised a pretentious brow. "What prank?"

Haru's face looked like he was going to explode. "Don't play smart with me, you broke, homeless fuck."

"Haru!" Miyako's voice cracked like a whip. "Language! You know what? Go and help your father with the plates. Now! How can you treat Renji that way? He's our guest."

Haru opened his mouth, closed it, then stormed to the cabinets, yanking out plates with unnecessary force.

Kenoji shot Renji an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, it's just that he's… going through a phase."

Renji just nodded, all wide-eyed innocence. "Totally get it. It's the same with me."

"Yes, but you're not acting like him," Miyako collapsed on a couch, covering her face.

Kenoji hurried to his wife, putting an arm over her as Renji watched. "What's wrong, my love."

She lifted her face and looked at her husband. "I think…" she whispered, "I think… our son is bullying Renji at school."

Kenoji looked at Renji with an expression of shock. Then Miyako turned as well to him, guilt all over her eyes.

Renji smiled nervously. "It's okay, really."

She shook her head. "It's not okay. I didn't know and I'm so sorry. I brought you to the house of your bully."

Renji shrugged. "He's not my only bully, but… I have nothing against Haru really. I just think he's doing whatever his friends tell him."

Miyako thinned her lips. "So…? You'll help him? You still want to?"

Renji nodded. "Why not? You helped me today so it's my turn to repay the favor."

Miyako broke into a happy-sad smile.

A few minutes later, they all decided to prepare dinner.

Miyako said activities like it built relationship and trust.

She especially wanted Renji and Haru to work together, but so far that was unsuccessful.

Miyako flipped okonomiyaki with practiced flicks of her spatula, the savory scent of cabbage, pork, and sauce filling the house.

Kenoji grated yamaimo amateurly, causing Miyako to help him numerous times. Haru sulked, slamming drawers and glaring daggers at Renji every time their eyes met.

Renji's fingers were sticky with batter from mashing shredded cabbages.

"So," Miyako said as she slid the first okonomiyaki onto a platter, "Renji, tell us about this art competition. Haru's been… less than enthusiastic about school events."

Renji recounted details about the Inter-School Arts Competition, telling them the schools he would be facing and the odds stacked against him as one of the judges is an ex-boyfriend of one of the competitors.

Miyako laughed. "Haru, you could learn from Renji. He's got focus. Ambition."

Haru stabbed a piece of pork with unnecessary violence. "Ambition, mom? Give me a break. He's the one who got arrested."

"Haru!" Miyako and Kenoji said in unison.

Renji just shrugged, cutting into his okonomiyaki. "I made a mistake. Learned from it. That's what matters, right?"

"Right," Miyako said. "That's exactly what mattered."

She looked pitifully at Renji as Haru glared at him. For a moment, she was worried her son would dash at him with that fork.

Time trickled by and soon dinner was served.

Passive aggression and forced civility.

That was the entire theme of the dinner.

Miyako sat at the head, Kenoji to her right, Haru to her left, Renji opposite Haru like a chess piece placed in enemy territory.

Haru kept glaring at him, and Renji, of course, did his best to maintain innocence and silence.

The okonomiyaki was perfection. It had the crispy edges, gooey center, and was drizzled with mayo and aonori.

Renji ate with exaggerated enthusiasm, complimenting Kenoji's sauce recipe.

They talked about a variety of things as they ate.

Renji, being the guest, was the main subject of most of their conversations but he managed to turn the tables on them a few times.

He asked Miyako about her patrol routes and Kenoji about how office life compared to home life. At one point, he even managed to coax a reluctant grin from Haru when he admitted to once accidentally setting off the school's fire alarm with a failed science project involving dry ice.

But Haru's discomfort was always there.

Every time Miyako said, "You two should hang out. Study together, maybe?" Haru's fork scraped the plate like a threat.

Kenoji, sensing the tension, would launch into a story about his own youthful misadventures or how he met Miyako, which was Renji's favorite story so far.

It held some similarities to their own story because he also got arrested by her.

Everyone held smiles. For a moment, the table felt almost normal.

But that was until it was time to clear the plates.

Renji insisted on helping with dishes, and as he did, Miyako glanced at the time and frowned.

9:58 pm.

"Oh my. It's late," she said, drying her hands on a towel. "Renji, since it's already so late. Why don't you stay in the guest room for the night?"

Renji opened his mouth to refuse—politely, of course. "Mrs Endo? No, really. I don't want to impose—"

"Nonsense!" She waved him off. "We have the space. Haru, show him where the towels are."

Haru looked like he'd swallowed a lemon. "You can't be serious, mom. He has a home. Let him go sleep there."

"Young man! Aren't you ashamed of yourself?!" Miyako snapped with anger. "Moments ago you called him homeless and now you say he has a home. I'll deal with you later! But the guest room. Now."

Kenoji, ever the peacemaker, clapped his hands. "I'll make the bed myself. It's no problem"

Renji bowed slightly, the picture of gratitude. "Thank you so much Mr. and Mrs. Endo. I'll be out first thing in the morning."

Miyako smiled. "It's no problem, Renji. Haru will show you where the guest room is. Won't you, Haru?"

The boy lowered his head in defeat. "Yes I will."

Renji watched him. His face was neutral, but hidden in the shadows of his expression was a mad laughter wanting to burst out.

'He-he-he. No. No. I can't laugh now. I've gotta hold it in.'

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