Shy

Chapter 37

          "...What was that?"

Tsukiko fidgeted in place and wrung her hands together. She couldn't meet her father's gaze.

She wasn't nervous. She didn't know the depths of her father's love or his protection for her. As such, she had no idea that she could possibly be in trouble.

Her motions were due to embarrassment rather than guilt. She was embarrassed that her father had seen her kissing Tanaka – the first kiss, no less!

Her mother was standing some ways to the side, uncertainty in her gaze. She wasn't sure how she would help her daughter in this one. She had seen the kiss as well, and there was no way she could convince her husband that he saw anything but that.

"...Tsukiko?" Her father urged her. "U-Um...th-that was...Tanaka-senpai..." She couldn't bring herself to say, 'that was a kiss with Tanaka-senpai.'

The man flinched. "You mean...the 'Tanaka-senpai' that you went to study with today?" Tsukiko nodded. "So...Tanaka...is a boy?" She nodded again. "And you ki—...made lip contact with him." She nodded once more, although she hesitated a bit to ponder over his odd choice of words.

Her father inhaled deeply, as if he were preparing for an incredible feat. "Is he...are you two...together?" Tsukiko blushed and tried to hide her face with her hair, but she nodded nonetheless. "I see."

He released a long breath, trying to calm himself. "Bring him to me." Her mother finally spoke up. "Oh, no you don't! You are not going to traumatize this young man!"

He looked at her with disgust. "Young man?!? That thing is but a boy trying to steal my daughter away from me!" She rolled her eyes. "Nobody is trying to steal anybody away from anyone. You knew this was going to happen sooner or later!"

"Which is why I wanted it to happen later! I can't believe you're taking this boy's side!" He turned to Tsukiko. "And I can't believe you would hide this from your father!!!" Her mother stood in front of her protectively.

"She didn't hide anything from you. I did!" The man gasped. "Hanae!" He uttered her name in disbelief. "I...I can't believe this! H-How could you? The betrayal!" She rolled her eyes again. "Stop being so dramatic. Tsukiko is already in high school and she's a growing young woman. You can't stop her from having these feelings and you can't stop her from seeing him."

"You're right, but I can stop him from seeing her!" "Kita Norio!"

The man flinched at the sound of his name. He began to sweat under his wife's icy glare. "Okay, okay! I won't kill him." "Norio."

He grew exasperated but relented, knowing he couldn't win against her. "Alright, fine! But I demand to see him. You can't say no to that."

Hanae sighed, knowing that she might as well settle for this. If Tanaka is really the man that Tsukiko is meant to be with, then he would have to meet him anyways. "You promise you'll be civil when you meet him?"

"..............." "Norio." She raised an eyebrow at him.

"...Fine." He reluctantly said. He began sniffling. "I can't believe my baby girl has been tainted! Tsu-chan! Please tell me you haven't done anything more with that beast!"

Throughout the whole argument, Tsukiko had been standing behind her mother. She was in complete disarray, confused about the topic of conversation. She tried her best to keep up. Although she didn't know entirely what just happened, she did gather that her father was none too pleased about her new relationship with Tanaka.

She didn't want to upset her father any more, but she also didn't want to lie. "I-I haven't done a-anything before today..." Even so, her father cried harder, wailing about how his daughter's innocence was ruined right before his eyes.

Her mother grew excited, but then a bit disappointed. "Oh my god! That was the first kiss? Dang it! I should've taken a picture."

"Absolutely not! I want no evidence that any of this ever happened!" "You can't hide everything forever, honey!" "A man can dream!"

He wobbled away, going off to find tissues to wipe his tears. As he left, Hanae turned to her daughter who had been mostly silent. "I'm sorry about him, sweetie." The girl just shook her head, indicating that it wasn't a problem. In fact, she still couldn't quite get what the problem was.

At her daughter's confused look, Hanae pat her head. "Your father is just a bit protective of you. He always has been since you were born and he's upset that there's a man in your life that's not him." Tsukiko nodded, understanding the situation a bit more but not quite.

"Just tell Tanaka-kun that he can stop by whenever he feels ready. Honestly, I would tell him to put it off for as long as he can, but your father is an impatient man when it comes to these things." She began walking further into the house to find the crying Norio when she was stopped by Tsukiko pulling at her sleeve.

She turned around to look at her daughter questioningly. "Mama...Y-you're not upset like Papa?"

The woman chuckled. "Of course not, Tsukiko! I couldn't be happier that you've finally discovered these feelings." At Tsukiko's uncertain look, she continued.

"Look, if a boy can choose my darling daughter over all the other girls out there, I know he has good taste. And if he can make my daughter – who is completely clueless in romance – fall in love with him, then I know he's a good man."

Tsukiko giggled at her mother's compliments. She felt her mother's hand cradling her cheek. "He'll never say it, but your father definitely thinks the same way. He's just in denial about the whole thing. He wants only the best for you, Tsukiko. That's why he wants to see your boyfriend in person." Tsukiko nodded, feeling reassured by her mother's words.

Hanae smiled at her. "There's not much more I can do for you two. You'll have to work this out. I wish Tanaka-kun the best of luck!" With that, she walked off to find her sobbing husband.

Tsukiko walked upstairs to her room. She pulled out her phone and slowly typed out a message.

Tanaka was the happiest he's ever been. He got a kiss! With his girlfriend! Their first kiss!

Oh, how cute she looked! How soft her lips were!

It took all of his willpower to tear himself away from her, but he knew it was the best choice. Who knows what he would've done if he hadn't stopped?

On the walk home, he was smiling like a goofball. He practically skipped the entire way back, just fantasizing about the kiss.

When he got back home, even his sister was a little grossed out by how disgustingly happy he was. The pink, sparkly aura around him was enough to deter her. Make no mistake, she was glad that her lil bro finally found the right girl, but that didn't mean he had to act like this.

She made the effort to tease him, but he was so caught up with his happiness that nothing could've bothered him.

That is, until he received a message on his phone.

From: ♡Kita Tsukiko♡

Subject: Meeting

Text: I hope you got back safely! I really enjoyed studying with you today and meeting Saeko-san! If there's anything you still don't understand, please contact me.

...I also enjoyed the kiss. (//∀//)♡

But I think my parents saw it. How embarrassing!

Now, my father wants to meet you. When would you be free?