Work Text:
"What a nice surprise," Hiyoko didn't bother to hide her excitement when she opened the door to a beautiful girl, with neatly braided black hair, in her school uniform that Hiyoko delightfully recognized as the same one of Takashi.
Takashi was right behind her, holding a paper bag.
"This is Yasuda-san," Takashi introduced her.
The girl bowed down. "It's very nice to meet you, Auntie. My name is Tomo Yasuda."
Hiyoko let the two of them in, couldn't contain her smile.
It was the first time, Takashi had ever brought his school friends, or a girl for that matter.
She had been worried that Takashi no longer wanted anyone to come over, after the incident with Draken many months ago. Nothing had changed, even after Hiyoko eavesdropped the conversation between Draken and her son.
If anything, it seemed that Takashi avoided mentioning Draken name, even if it was by accident. Luna and Mana who were initially pretty demanding of Draken, also had shown less and less interest in asking about that boy, when their brother stopped including him into the conversation.
Days turned into weeks, turned into months, Hiyoko hoped that what she heard was wrong, or at least, it somehow had gone wrong.
Might be a cruel thing to say, but Hiyoko only wanted the best for her Takashi.
A delinquent like Draken definitely didn't meet her qualifications of the best.
"I need to get back to school," Takashi said, as he led Tomo-chan to the living room. Hiyoko tailed behind. Once, she was nicely seated, Takashi looked at Hiyoko, apologetically. "I'm sorry for not telling you, that I'm bringing a friend home."
Tomo-chan bowed down again. "I'm sorry for the inconveniences, Auntie."
Hiyoko waved them off both.
"Oh no, no, it's a nice surprise, Tomo-chan." She smiled warmly at Tomo-chan, to make sure she felt accepted. "Please make yourself at home."
She frowned at her son. "And Takashi, why do you have to get back to school?"
Takashi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I forgot my project in the locker. I was so excited to discuss the school autumn festival, I left everything behind. Sorry, Yasuda-san."
"That's alright, Prez!" Prez? Hiyoko blinked, but Tomo-chan quickly amended. "I mean, Mitsuya-kun." She cleared her throat. "Um, are you sure I don't need to go with you?"
"You're here already, of course I wouldn't want you to go, just because I messed up, Yasuda-san," Takashi put the paper bag on the table. "Just sit there and start without me. I'll be right back."
In an instant, Takashi bolted out of the door, didn't bother to change the uniform.
"Would you like some tea, Tomo-chan?" Hiyoko didn't wait for an answer, when she went to the kitchen.
Luckily, since today was her day off, Hiyoko had the brilliant idea of making snacks for her kids. They were mainly baked goods, mainly to appease Luna and Mana (Takashi wasn't into sweet treats as much as them), but Hiyoko was glad she still have some left to serve to Tomo-chan.
Once everything was set nicely on the tray, she came out to Tomo-chan having started her project.
She knew from Takashi that the handicraft club had transformed to Home-Economics club which varied in activities, but their primary project would always be something related to fabrics and sorts.
"What are you making?" Hiyoko served the hot tea and fresh-from-the-oven cookies on the table. Tomo-chan accepted them gratefully, putting aside the embroidery hoop.
"Oh, it's Prez—I mean, Mitsuya-kun's idea for the school autumn festival. It's an embroidered menu for the mini cafe we would open," Tomo-chan showed her notebook. Hiyoko recognized the neat handwriting and slick pencil strokes. It was Takashi's. "Mitsuya-kun thinks these menus will make our cafe stand out more. Adding the uniqueness in the details."
Tomo-chan proceeded to tell her about other details, but Hiyoko would need Takashi to repeat everything to her later, because Hiyoko didn't really listen.
She was too absorbed in the way Tomo-chan elaborating the plan, how she looked genuinely excited. Hiyoko also noted an apparent adoration whenever she talked about Takashi.
The more Hiyoko listened to her speak up, the more she noticed that the Prez had to be some kind of term of endearment for her son, because Tomo-chan had the slip of tongue a lot. She would correct herself sometimes, but most times, she didn't realize she had called Takashi, Prez.
"That's really wonderful, Tomo-chan," Hiyoko beamed at her.
It somehow made Tomo-chan turn red and she excused herself to drink the tea. Hiyoko couldn't help herself. The first girl Takashi had brought home and it was this cutest, very thoughtful, and definitely shared the same interest with her son.
Tomo-chan was perfect.
"How long have you known Takashi, Tomo-chan?" Hiyoko reached for the teapot to pour more tea into her cup.
"We went to the same middle school," Tomo-chan nodded politely, but the smile that graced her face was as genuine as before. "Mitsuya-kun helped me with the handicraft club, too, Auntie. I can't thank him enough that he willingly became the President as well."
That only made Hiyoko's heart soar. How could she never heard about Tomo-chan before? Had she known her earlier, Hiyoko could help them get together even faster. She would love to have a girl like Tomo-chan around, a literal match made in heaven for her son.
"Takashi had kept you out well from me," Hiyoko chuckled, offering a plate of cookie to Tomo-chan. "He's always bit a closed-off, never bringing anyone home. I'm so happy to have known you, Tomo-chan, especially because you have known him for a long time too." She leaned forward as if she faux-whispered conspiratorially. "Can you tell me about how he is, at school?"
Tomo-chan seemed taken aback by her request. Hiyoko could tell, Tomo-chan had valued Takashi's trust above anything, but Hiyoko wouldn't be the one to easily back up.
"Um, I don't know where to start—" Tomo-chan dodged the question, but Hiyoko only needed to give her a little push.
"Nothing's big, Tomo-chan," Hiyoko took her hand, smiling warmly. "I just want to know if he's doing good at school, if he's making friends, or just anything."
Tomo-chan hesitated, but Hiyoko could be very persuasive if she wanted to.
And eventually, Tomo-chan decided she could share some stories to Hiyoko.
"Mitsuya-kun is such a nice guy, Auntie. We're not in the same classes, but I can tell, he's surrounded by many good friends. Everyone adores him," Hiyoko couldn't help to smile at that. Seems like you do too, Tomo-chan, she thought happily.
"The club wouldn't be as big as today, if it wasn't for Mitsuya-kun."
Even if there wasn't anyone but them in the room, Tomo-chan looked around as if she was about to tell Hiyoko a huge secret.
"I wasn't supposed to tell you this, but he literally makes a great change around. In middle school, he and his delinquent friends helped me building the club. And now, he and his boyfriend did it again."
After being lifted up, Hiyoko felt like a lightning just strike her down on the spot, bringing her back to earth with a loud bang.
What did she just say?
But Tomo-chan didn't seem to notice anything off her.
"Together, they both had successfully revived the dead club, even more dormant than what we had back in the middle school. He invited me to be the first member and we both rebuilt the club bricks by bricks, that now we might be the most popular club at the school."
Tomo-chan paused for a while to take a sip from her cup.
"None of that wouldn't happen without Mitsuya-kun and his boyfriend."
The brief moment of silence was all Hiyoko need to get back on track.
"Boyfriend?"
Taking a cookie off her plate, she seemed unaware of Hiyoko's tone and bit into the sweet treats casually before she continued.
"Draken-kun is very helpful, even if he doesn't go to our school. Everyone in the club loves him. Mitsuya-kun always says that Draken might be the only special member of our—"
Her eyes suddenly widened when she met Hiyoko's, hand fled to her mouth now that she realized Hiyoko looked at her with shocked expression.
"I'm talking too much, Auntie," she swallowed hard. "I'm very sorry!"
It took a while for Hiyoko to regain her composure, despite the unexpected news. She schooled her face to more neutral one, to make Tomo-chan less uneasy with her.
"It's okay, Tomo-chan," she patted her hand. "I'm just surprised. I never know Takashi got himself a boyfriend."
Tomo-chan looked down at her lap, the tip of her ears turned red as if she did regret how much she had let words flooding out of her mouth.
Hiyoko squeezed her hand, comforting her.
"Would you mind telling me more about that?"
At that, Tomo-chan lifted her head. A million thoughts seemed to pass through her; contemplations and decisions to make too. Hiyoko could tell, Tomo-chan had valued Takashi's trust above anything, but Hiyoko wouldn't be the one to easily back up.
Not when she apparently could get this much just by sitting with Tomo-chan for a couple of minutes.
She needed to know more.
Tomo-chan hesitated, but Hiyoko could be very persuasive if she wanted to. Especially if she was very determined to.
"You don't need to tell me things that made you uncomfortable," Hiyoko caressed her hand. "Just anything that everyone knows. How's this Draken guy? You said, everyone loves him?"
Tomo-chan hesitated, but Hiyoko could be very persuasive if she wanted to.
And so she started to speak.
"Draken-kun is very attentive person. I was a little bit scared of him when I first met him, with his look and all. But it turns out he's just as kind as Mitsuya-kun. He likes to hang out in the clubroom after the club activity ended, just watching Mitsuya-kun do anything."
Hiyoko couldn't picture someone like Draken, getting along with Takashi's crowds. If the said crowds were girls like Tomo-chan, how could he charm his way to them?
"How long have they been together?"
Tomo-chan took a minute to think. "Since middle school, I guess? I don't really know exactly when, because Draken-kun seemed like a permanent fixture whenever Mitsuya-kun is left alone in the clubroom. But I think they've been together for quite some time."
Hiyoko dropped her jaw.
Which meant that phone-call... was true.
Considering the timeline and Tomo-chan's stories, it had been going on for a while, even longer than Hiyoko had anticipated.
"Draken-kun helped the club and Mitsuya-kun a lot, Auntie. At some point, he even asked for our help to make a birthday surprise for Mitsuya-kun." As if she was reminded of something, she scrambled to get her school bag. She showed a cat amigurumi keychain hanging on it. "This one from that time when we helped him make the keychain for Mitsuya-kun. We helped him practice to make a dragon amigurumi keychain."
She pulled the zipper to pull out a handkerchief, with an embroidered puppy head. "This one from last year when Draken-kun learned to do an embroidery for Mitsuya-kun's gift. It's a matching T-Shirts with dragon embroidery on them."
Hiyoko slumped in her seat.
How could she not know any of this?
How could Takashi had never told him?
Considering the timeline and Tomo-chan's stories, it had been going on for a while, even longer than Hiyoko had anticipated.
And if Hiyoko didn't overhear Takashi's phone-call, she would not even find out about this.
She thought she had done her job of keeping Takashi away from Draken. She thought Takashi turned into the son she always wished him to be.
Since when?
Since when had this been going on?
Since when his son dated Draken?
How could she not know? How could she not be aware of any of this?
The questions she successfully kept at bay, coming back at her with full speed.
"I won't dream of inviting you if she's around, Draken. You don't deserve to deal with her."
Hiyoko suddenly recalled hearing Takashi say those words, and she gasped.
What is it always Hiyoko herself that had become the reason Takashi hide everything from her?
"Auntie, are you okay?"
Those words brought her back to reality. She tried her best to appear normal, instead of hyperventilating at this revelation.
"I'm good, Tomo-chan," she cleared her throat. "Thank you for telling me these stories."
Tomo-chan seemed unconvinced but she merely nodded.
"It's my pleasure, Auntie," and as an afterthought, she whispered. "Please don't tell Mitsuya-kun, that I've told you these, Auntie. It's not secret, but I don't think he would appreciate it if I'd shared the stories with his mother."
Loyal as ever, Hiyoko was glad Takashi had someone like Tomo-chan as his friend.
Hiyoko chuckled, made a gesture of zipping up her mouth. "Your secrets are safe with me."
Tomo-chan had shown a visible relief at that.
And as if it was or orchestrated, the timing gotta be so on point because not long after that, she could hear the door opened and Takashi rushed inside, trying to catch his breath, with sweat all over his uniform.
He got another tote bag on his arm.
"Sorry, Yasuda-san to keep you waiting," Takashi panted, as he took a seat across her. Hiyoko could feel his gaze flicked in her direction, either curiosity or confusion of her presence around his friend. He decided to not comment at that, instead he looked over the table. "How's it going with the menu?"
That woke something in Tomo-chan, because she accidentally knocked the embroidery hoop off the table.
Hiyoko took over for her. "It's my fault, Takashi. I keep her busy that she hadn't gotten much work done. I'm sorry, Tomo-chan."
Tomo-chan shook her head immediately after picking up the item off the floor. "No, no, it was very nice talking to you, Auntie."
Takashi's eyes ping-ponged between them, as if he sensed something weird going on, but he chose not to address it, at least, not right away.
"Well, then, Mom, can you leave us to this?"
"Prez!" Tomo-chan hissed, but Hiyoko only rolled her eyes affectionately, before she stood up.
"Okay, okay, I'm going." And to Tomo-chan, she gave her another warm smile. "Please don't hesitate to let me know if there's anything you need, Tomo-chan."
"I will, Auntie, thank you."
"Or if you need more teas, or cookies, I made a bunch by the way, Takashi will forget to offer you some, but—"
"Mom!"
Hiyoko chuckled, before she disappeared to the kitchen, and started turning on the faucet to give them a sense of privacy (also she had a bunch of baking equipment she needed to clean up).
As she rubbed them, Hiyoko wondered how she would approach the topics, like the ones she had just talked with Tomo-chan to Takashi. It was hard already that Takashi always dodged the bullet whenever Hiyoko tried to breach the subject. The subject being his friendship with Draken (Hiyoko shuddered, remembering that she had to start referring to it as 'relationship' per the newly found knowledge from Tomo-chan).
Oh well, it might be hard, but Hiyoko wasn't the one to easily back up. There had to be something she could do to open up the conversation with Takashi.
She was sure of it.
After all, Takashi was her son and even if right now, Hiyoko felt like she barely knew anything about him, she would always find her way to him.