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The first thing Ann did when she entered the cafe was put on her headphones, put on her music loud enough to the point that those close to her may hear her, take off her bag, scream into the bookbag, and slammed it next to her as she sat in the empty booth closest to the window. She crossed her arms and pursed her lips with a giant huff, staying in the position as her pop-rock albums continued to play.
The few customers that were there as the event transpired watched the young teenage girl with concern. "Is...she alright?", one of the elderly customers asked Sojiro, whispered despite there no need to be. "Yep, she's just pouting.", Sojiro answered as casually as if the man was asked about the weather. "O-oh."
After another fifteen minutes or so, the elderly couple finally paid and left. Sojiro slid her a latte with a simple heart made from the steamed milk, which Ann took with a now softened expression. "Thank you.", she muttered while putting away her music.
You know, it was funny. He had operated LeBlanc for almost a decade, and not once had even considered learning how to do latte art until after he suddenly became the pseudo father of three teenaged girls, on top of being an actual father to one. It was one of those little things that cheered them up from time to time. And he wanted to make his girls feel better so sue him.
"I imagine staying mad for even that long is pretty tiring.", Sakura commented as he slid into the seat across from her. Takamaki just sighed, finally uncrossing her arms. "I'm sorry for making a ruckus when you had customers.", the girl spoke up, looking up to him with an apologetic expression. Sojiro waved her off like it was nothing. "Aw, you're fine. They were just keeping the seats warm at that point anyhow.", he commented. "So, what's gotcha so worked up?"
"...I'm never having kids.", Ann announced, crossing her arms again. She wasn't going to change her mind, apparently. "Not that I don't support you, but that's a pretty big decision to make in an instant.", Sojiro responded, moving to keep eye contact with her. "No no, if I end up becoming an action movie star, it's for the best. That way I won't have such a busy schedule that I would have to give my potential child or even children that I can't come home and spend Christmas with them for the fifth year in a row, with one more before graduation because there's a holiday show happening in Milan that just...CAN'T...operate without me.", she ranted through deep sighs and gritted teeth. Sojiro reached out to her, and the girl was happy to take his hand.
"I'm done talking to a phone screen on the holidays. I'm done giving presents to my caretakers and pretending they're my actual parents. I'm done...", Takamaki continued to mumble, eyes glued to the surface of the table. Sojiro just sat quietly on the other end, holding her hand as she spoke. "I miss them.", she finally admitted after a moment of silence. "I miss them. So much. Why did they even have a kid if they're not going to spend..."
All of a sudden, her eyes widened in a grave realization. She blinked a couple of times as tears started to line her eyes.
"Was I a mistake?", she quietly asked, turning to Sojiro, looking for an answer. "Wh-what? What are you talking abou--" "I'm an accident. Aren't I?", Ann interrupted, tears now streaming down her cheeks. "Of course no--" "Oh god, that must be it." "Ann...", Sojiro tried to defend her, though getting the feeling that she wasn't listening. "It...it all makes sense. Two career-oriented people have no time in their life for a child. Then I come in, out of the blue, they have no time for me. The show must go on, as the people say. So they leave me with caretakers and continue to travel the world like I don't exist. Like I never existed. They get me a modeling gig at my first mention of a job so that way I depend on myself. Like I always have. So that way they don't have to support me at all."
As the girl spoke, her breath started to hitch and her tears began to spill. Sojiro was quick to comfort her, despite feeling his own pain from her words. He had heard those words from Futaba before and was afraid of what such a thought process might lead down towards.
"I'm a mistake. That explains everything.", she muttered, leaning her head against the railing of the booth. Sojiro just brushed her hand with his thumb, hoping to get her attention. After letting her tears stream out, Ann moved the hand that wasn't taken to wipe her tears. "I'm...I'm sorry, I know this is an inconvenience to you.", she apologized. Sojiro just sighed, moving his other hand to cup her cheek, wiping away the streak left by her teardrops. "Takamaki-san, if I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times.", Sojiro started, sounding as if he were going to start a lecture, but his expression soft and gentle. "Nothing you say or do to me could possibly be a burden. Not even close. And you're sure as hell not a mistake. Or an accident."
"You're one of my kids. One of my girls. Nothing can change that.", he continued, smiling at the way her eyes lit up at the sentiment. "If you want, you can celebrate Christmas with Futaba and me, and probably Akira, and possibly some of the others. I think Ryuji going to be there because I'm pretty sure he's trying to set me up with his mom.", he responded with more of a grin, lighting up the mood. "You two would make a cute couple.", Ann remarked with a smirk.
"THE POINT IS...", the man changed the topic, making Ann giggle a little. "I don't want you to leave the store thinking that you're something that you're not. You're not a mistake. You're so much more. To me at least. I just hope that matters enough.", he finished, looking back towards Takamaki, whose eyes had widened, but displayed every emotion she was feeling. She was still upset, but nowhere near as much as she was before. She seemed to have taken his words to heart. "It...it does...thanks, Dad."
He gave her a soft smile, which she returned.
"Feel better?", he asked, without as much concern as before. "Yeah...kind of tired, though. May go home and take a nap.", Ann stifled through a yawn, getting up and collecting her things. "Sounds like a plan. Let me know if you need anything."
Ann turned around, nodding with a soft smile. "I will."