Chapter Text
“You know, when the kid told me he’d be out of town I thought I’d only be stuck with one of you,” Sojiro chuckled to himself, turning his attention away from the slow cooking pot on the stove. His gaze moving to the child sitting on the sofa in the small living he could view from the kitchen. The teasing tone of his voice didn’t fade as he spoke to his granddaughter, “Did those terrors you live with finally drive you mad?”
The young girl slowly lowered her head into the opened picture book she was reading, trying to obscure herself so only her black hair was visible. Mumbling her excuse quietly so no one could make out what she was saying. It reminded him so much of her mother.
All notions of teasing left his voice as he spoke again, “Speak up dear, I can’t hear you.”
Without lifting her head, she mumbled a little more clearly,“…Shigeru and Satoshi are loud and keep pulling my hair.”
“Geez, you would think with you father those boys would have learned manners already…” He sighed, shaking his head and giving her a sympathetic smile, “Especially since you spend so much time braiding it, I’ll have to have a talk with them.”
Before he could focus his attention back to finishing the curry, he felt a small tug on one of his pant legs. Without even looking he knew who this culprit would be, still he moved his focus down, only to be met with his other guest for the week. With her short messy black curls and bangs that obscured most of her eyes, Sojiro knew she was filled with anticipation by the way she bounced on her heels.
“Granpa is the curry done yet??” her voice was filled with excitement. Out of the corner of his eye Sojiro noticed the question caught the attention of the girl’s cousin, who’s head was now lifted out of the book and facing their direction.
“Sweetheart, you know your father can make this exact curry, right?” another small chuckle escaped his lips.
She puffed out her cheeks, defiantly pouting at his claim, “But it’s not the same! Papa’s curry is different!!”
“I’ve told you before it’s the same recipe.”
“Different! It’s different!”
He shook his head, knowing this would be the same song and dance as every other time he made this curry for her. Instead he focused on changing the subject, “Listen, why don’t you wake the cat up from his nap. Dinner is almost done and I’m sure he’d like his special meal too.”
“Okay!!” Her face lit up with a big smile, already running towards the hallway as she cried for her precious companion, “Mona wake up!! Mooooonaaaaaa!”
Sojiro couldn’t help but always smile. His time looking over these kids always filled him with a pleasant nostalgia.