"So, A-chan, it seems you'll need my help?" Michiko asked with a smile, her gaze shifting to the girls peacefully asleep in my arms.
"I won't get far without it," I replied, nodding, fully aware of the answer she was likely to give. I paused briefly to carry the girls to the couch in the lounge, tucking them in before returning to continue the conversation.
"Alright, I'll help," Michiko said. "But only after you show me your combat suit in action." The gleam in her eyes made it clear she wasn't bluffing.
"Well, I can show you a little something right now," I said, snapping my fingers. The camouflage glass instantly faded, revealing the half-finished armor standing behind it. "Allow me to present a work-in-progress — future combat armor with no name yet."
"Who would've thought my sister's son would grow up to be such a genius," Michiko murmured, captivated, as she stepped closer to the prototype. "This is a functional model, right?" she asked, her tone shifting to one of professional curiosity.
"So far, only the helmet, a rudimentary AI I coded myself, and a cold fusion reactor are operational," I explained, stepping beside her as she ran her fingers over the cool metal of the exoskeleton.
"You really built all of this on your own?"
"Well, Vega helps a lot," I admitted, feeling a bit awkward under her praise.
"Alex is the mastermind behind every idea," Vega interjected, shaking her head. "I just process the initial requests, refine them, and optimize certain parts of his designs."
"Still so modest, A-chan," Michiko said, flashing a smile before unexpectedly wrapping her arm around mine. "You've grown so much — and you certainly don't look your age," she added, narrowing her eyes with a teasing smirk.
"The serum had quite the effect on my body," I admitted, scratching my cheek in embarrassment. "Accelerated growth came as part of the package, along with a bottomless appetite."
"Clearly, some things could've been dialed down," Inga quipped casually, cutting through the tension and making the atmosphere awkward again. Judging by Michiko's amused expression, though, she didn't share my discomfort.
"Alex," Michiko began, her tone suddenly shifting, "about the two girls you adopted — no one at Arasaka is looking for them anymore. You don't have to keep them under constant supervision forever." She hesitated, avoiding direct eye contact. "I know it's not my place to say, but maybe it would be better if they started going to school with their peers?"
"It's not about me being overprotective or trying to shield them from Arasaka's attention," I said with a smile, shaking my head as I caught onto what Michiko was implying. "It's actually much simpler than it might seem. The truth is, they don't like spending much time in those kinds of places themselves. And besides, they have a dream."
"A dream?" Michiko asked, her curiosity piqued.
"They want to be rock stars," I said with a chuckle. "The girls are obsessed with that genre of music, and they've even managed to drag me into it far more than I ever planned."
"You're acting like a proper doting father," Michiko teased, laughing softly as she covered her mouth with her hand.
"In a way, I am their father," I replied, my tone pointed, which earned another round of laughter from her.
"All I can say is I'm happy for those two girls."
"Al, it's getting late. We need to close up," Inga reminded me, pulling my attention to the clock.
"Right, good point." I turned to Michiko, noticing her expression had grown a little somber after Inga's comment. "In that case, why don't you stay with us for a little while?"
"I wouldn't mind that," Michiko said with a smile, leaning lightly against my shoulder.
Despite her sudden reappearance in my life, my aunt didn't make me feel uneasy or on edge. If anything, it felt like she was someone I'd been unknowingly missing all this time. At first glance, Michiko came across as a sociable, lively woman, though it was clear she had her own quirks — harmless enough for me to mostly ignore. After all, everyone has their share of metaphorical bugs running loose in their head. Even I do. Somewhere in my mind, there's a swarm of those little pests, hiding the occasional smart thought that manages to fight its way to the surface.
"They're still asleep," I said with a smile, watching Lucy and Roxy cuddled up together on the couch. "I don't want to wake them," I added, carefully picking up Lucy. Even in her sleep, she grumbled and shifted uncomfortably, burying her face against me to shield it from the light.
Inga, meanwhile, gently scooped up Roxy and headed toward the door.
Michiko trailed behind us, her gaze wandering curiously around the workshop. I wasn't sure what had caught her attention — this wasn't her first time seeing a place like this — but she seemed intrigued nonetheless.
When we reached the elevator, we quickly ascended to the apartment.
Once inside, I slipped off my shoes and carried Lucy to her room, tucking her into bed. She stirred slightly, muttering incoherently, before settling back into a peaceful sleep. After making sure she was comfortable, I left her room and nearly bumped into Michiko, who was quietly exploring the apartment.
"It's cozy here," she said with a satisfied smile. "And spacious, too."
"I specifically chose a place where we wouldn't feel cramped," I replied with a shrug, accepting the compliment without protest.
Eventually, our conversation shifted to the living room. Over cups of tea, I began filling Michiko in on details I'd kept hidden until now. She listened silently, doing her best not to interrupt my monologue.
Eventually, though, she couldn't resist asking a few clarifying questions — particularly about my ideas for Militech and, more specifically, the Biotechnica Corporation.
"You're quite ambitious," Michiko said with a shake of her head. "In that way, you're very much like your father." She paused, giving me a small, knowing smile. "Taking on two megacorporations by yourself sounds like pure fantasy. But you know…" Michiko trailed off, her smile turning mischievous. "For some reason, I want to believe you can pull it off."
"Thank you for placing such high confidence in me," I said, bowing dramatically. My theatrics earned an eye roll from Inga, who sat beside me, while Vega remained her usual quiet self. She watched the conversation unfold without joining in, unsure how to handle moments like these. Instead, she stuck to observing, occasionally chiming in during the rare lulls in the dialogue.
"Obachan," I began, "why are you so sure I'll succeed?"
"Because you're a spitting image of my sister's husband," she replied. "As I said, he was a deeply ambitious man, and no one in our family believed in his dreams except your mother. Misha always spoke openly about his ideas, but back then, I dismissed them as nothing more than typical male bravado. You know, the kind of boasting boys do to impress girls." Michiko chuckled softly, accepting a steaming cup of tea from Inga with a grateful nod. "But I was wrong. He never spoke of anything he couldn't achieve, and I only realized that far too late."
"So it's not just about me, is it?" I asked, meeting her eyes. She nodded in quiet confirmation. Closing my eyes briefly, I gathered my thoughts. "To be honest, I was terrified to share too much about myself with you. All I know of you comes from my childhood memories, and those memories tell me you're a good person — someone I can trust. But," I continued, locking eyes with her, "if I can't trust even a close family member, then what's the point of anything I'm trying to do?
"If you truly value the bond we've started rebuilding, please don't share anything you've learned from me tonight. That information won't bring anyone happiness — or any kind of advantage."
"So, he's decided to go all in tonight," Inga teased with a smirk, wrapping her arms around mine and resting her head on my shoulder.
"I almost forgot where you grew up," Michiko said, offering a sheepish smile as she glanced at the bottom of her cup. "Family means a lot to me. Hearing my nephew, after so many years, say he's ready to trust me… it means more than I can put into words. I promise, truly, that you don't need to worry. What I've heard tonight — your personal secrets, everything tied to this — it won't leave this room. You have my word."
She looked up from her now-cold tea, her expression sincere and resolute.
"You might not realize it, A-chan, but aside from you, I don't have anyone left. Grandfather and the rest of the Arasaka family are too busy chasing their own ambitions, blind to the ruin it might lead to. But even so, they're still my family, and I love them deeply. That's why I'll ask you directly — do you trust me, A-chan?"
"As I said earlier, if I can't trust you, then who can I trust?" I replied with a warm smile, hoping to cheer up the downcast woman sitting across from me.
"In situations like this, I think you're supposed to hug the people close to you," Vega whispered softly, lightly touching my shoulder.
Taking her advice to heart, I shifted closer to Michiko and gently pulled her into an embrace.
"It's getting late," Michiko murmured after a few moments of silence. "I should head home."
"You can stay with us for the night," Inga offered casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"I appreciate the offer, truly, but I really must go," Michiko replied, shaking her head reluctantly. "Thank you for your hospitality." She slipped out of my embrace and began walking toward the door.
"Shy, are we?" I teased, tilting my head with a playful grin. "You don't have to worry — I'd be happy if you stayed."
"It just feels… inconvenient," Michiko admitted honestly, her gaze dropping to the floor as a faint blush crept into her cheeks.
"And I'd feel uneasy letting you leave alone at this hour," I countered, my tone firm but kind. "Even if this neighborhood is relatively safe, unpleasant things can happen anywhere."
"A-chan…"
"No objections," I said, crossing my arms to make my stance clear.
"Alright," she finally conceded, her ears turning red as she gave a small nod.
"Sister, will you help me prepare dinner?" Kiwi's voice called from another room.
"Of course," Vega replied without hesitation, her usual calm confidence evident in her voice.
Michiko turned back to me with a soft smile. "I'm happy to see you've found such a wonderful family. Take good care of them, Alex." For the first time, she used my full name instead of my childhood nickname.
"They're my treasure. That's not even up for debate," I said with a grin. "Now, stop standing there and come on." I extended my hand to her. "Cooking together is always more fun."
"The last time I did something like this was months ago," Michiko admitted awkwardly, taking my hand. "Work's kept me busy, and cooking for just myself felt… lonely."
"Then it's time to brush up on your skills," I said, leading her toward the kitchen. "Inga, Vega — don't get started without us!"
______________________________________________________
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to Patreøn.
[https://www.patreøn.com/amattsu]
The link is also in the synopsis.