"I was afraid you'd worry, so I didn't tell you." Daisuke sat heavily in the visitor's chair, still catching his breath. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand and forced a sheepish smile at his mother, who lay on the hospital bed looking none the worse for wear.
Yu, her gray hair tucked neatly behind her ears, rolled her eyes and popped another bite of the bright red apple into her mouth. "Hah! Worry? Do you think I'm the type to break glass? Tsuna hasn't even married and given me great-grandchildren yet; until then, I treasure my life plenty, thank you very much."
Daisuke gave an awkward chuckle, but the faint worry lines on his forehead didn't fade completely. He glanced at Tsuna, who was sitting quietly on the edge of the hospital bed, holding his grandmother's half-eaten apple like a loyal page boy.
After catching his breath, Daisuke went out to talk to the doctor. Shizuka stood by the foot of the bed, arms crossed, listening to the low murmur of their conversation drifting in from the hallway. When Daisuke came back in, he gave his wife a firm nod. "Alright. You win, we'll bring her home. The doctor says she's fine anyway, but should stay put for observation. We'll handle that at home."
"Hah… Finally, out of that stuffy place," Yu sighed as they stepped out of the hospital lobby, Tsuna's hand tucked securely in hers. She squeezed it lightly as if reassuring herself that her strong, mischievous grandson was still there.
"Hospitals smell like disinfectant and boredom. If you let me stay too long, I'll just get older by the minute."
When they reached the house, Tsuna pushed the front door open and turned to his grandmother with a gentle voice, slipping into that unusually mature tone he sometimes used when he tried to act grown-up.
"Grandma, you go inside and rest. I'll go find Shouko."
Shizuka and Daisuke were still back by the garage, making sure the trunk was empty and the groceries they'd picked up along the way were brought in.
You raised a thin eyebrow, peering over your glasses at Tsuna. "Hmm? So quick to run off the second you get your grandma home safe, huh?" But her eyes twinkled with mischief, and she squeezed his hand once more before letting go. "Go on. Just be careful."
Tsuna nodded with a soft grin. He stepped off the front steps just in time to hear a high, familiar voice call out: "Tsuna! You're back!"
Both Tsuna and his grandmother turned to look. A small figure in a white summer dress came racing down the narrow street, her sandals clapping on the pavement as she ran toward them.
"Shouko, don't run so fast! You'll trip..." Tsuna started, but before he could finish, Shouko practically skidded to a stop right in front of him, breathless and rosy-cheeked.
She pressed her palms to her knees and panted lightly, trying to catch her breath. "Hehe… Tsuna, welcome home!"
Tsuna gave her an exasperated look but couldn't keep the smile from tugging at the corners of his mouth. "How'd you know I was back? You were spying, weren't you?"
Shouko puffed out her cheeks like an offended hamster. "It's a secret!" she huffed, turning her head away dramatically.
Behind her, Yuzuru rolled up on Hachiko, the big dog panting happily in the summer air. Yuzuru peered at Tsuna with an innocent grin. "What secret? She's been coming out to check every ten minutes."
"Yuzuru! Don't say that!" Shouko squeaked, clapping a hand over her little sister's mouth. She shot him a scandalized glare that only made Yuzuru snort behind her palm.
Yu watched the whole thing unfold by the front door, leaning on her cane with a soft chuckle. "Hehe… So this is the friend you were so eager to see, Tsuna?"
Tsuna looked slightly flustered. Shouko noticed the kind old lady watching her with a gentle smile and quickly stepped forward, dipping her head politely. "Hello, Grandma Miyamura!"
Her soft, polite tone contrasted hilariously with how she'd just been wrestling Yuzuru a second ago. She shot him another warning look as if daring him to embarrass her further.
Yuzuru only shrugged, pushed Shouko's hand away, and gave Grandma Yu a polite nod, too. "Hello, Grandma Miyamura."
Before the kids could say more, Shizuka called from the driveway, balancing two grocery bags in one arm. "Why's everyone standing in the doorway? Come inside; it's too hot out here to chat!"
Inside, Shouko sat cross-legged on the living room floor while Grandma Yu settled comfortably on the sofa, legs tucked under a blanket Shizuka draped over her knees.
Shouko, trying to look like a well-behaved little lady, peeled an orange carefully, her tiny fingers fumbling a bit with the slippery peel. She lifted the neat half to Grandma Yu with a bright smile. "Grandma Miyamura, have some orange!"
Yu laughed softly, waving her hand. "Grandma's fine, sweet girl. You eat it or give it to Tsuna." She reached out and pinched Shouko's cheek lightly, her fingers warm and soft. Shouko giggled under her breath.
Shouko glanced at Tsuna, who was sitting beside her on the tatami, pretending not to care. He opened his mouth to say "No, it's okay," but before he could, Shouko popped the piece into her mouth, chewing with exaggerated satisfaction.
Tsuna gave her a look a half-annoyed, half-amused look that said Seriously?
Shouko swallowed and crossed her arms in mock indignation. "Auntie said you've been irritable lately, so you can't have oranges!" she declared, puffing out her cheeks again.
Grandma Yu burst into a soft cackle. "Hehehe… this little one knows how to boss you around, Tsuna."
She thought of all the stories Shizuka and Daisuke had told her every holiday, all those times they'd chuckled about how Shouko practically ran Tsuna's life whenever they were together. Seeing it in person was even cuter.
She leaned back against the couch, eyes narrowing in amusement as she murmured to herself, "She is perfect… my granddaughter-in-law."
"Grandma!" Tsuna nearly jumped out of his skin. He leaned closer, whispering fiercely, "Don't say weird things! Shouko and I are just friends!"
Beside him, Shouko froze, her face turning bright pink. She opened her mouth to protest, but the words tangled on her tongue like a knotted ribbon. "G-Grandma… what are you saying…?"
Tsuna rubbed his cheeks, suddenly very aware that Shouko could hear every word. If she brought up that embarrassing kindergarten vow again, that promise she'd once made in front of their parents to be his bride, he'd dig a hole and bury himself on the spot.
Trying to defuse the situation, Tsuna gave Shouko a helpless smile. "It's hot, right? So hot in here…"
Shouko blinked, misunderstanding completely. She leaned forward, palms flat on her knees. "You're hot? Wait, I'll fan you!"
Before Tsuna could protest, she started fanning him with her small hands, the breeze more symbolic than anything else. "Better?"
Tsuna laughed under his breath. "I'm fine, really — but thank you."
Grandma Yu pretended to wave them off, but her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Alright, alright, Grandma won't say anything more…" She paused for dramatic effect. Then she leaned forward and tapped Tsuna on the forehead. "…until you give me five great-grandchildren."
If Shouko had looked pink before, now she looked ready to melt into the tatami. Her mouth fell open, and a squeaky sound caught halfway in her throat. "F-Five…? Grandma, that's too many…!"
Tsuna nearly choked on the air. "Grandma! We're kids! We're just friends!"
Yu waved a dismissive hand. "Yes, yes-now you're just friends. Later, you'll give me five. That's all Grandma's asking."
Shouko pressed her hands to her cheeks, trying to hide behind her palms, but her eyes peeked out, wide and shiny. Tsuna glanced at her and then back at his grandmother, cheeks red but a reluctant grin tugging at his lips.
Part of him wanted to protest more, but a bigger part wanted to remember this moment exactly as it was: warm, teasing, and bright like a summer afternoon.
Outside, the cicadas buzzed. In the kitchen, Shizuka's voice floated through the open door, calling out for Tsuna to help set the table. And in that ordinary moment sitting side by side on the tatami with Shouko still fanning him with her little hands, Tsuna decided that maybe, just maybe, having someone tease you about the future wasn't so bad after all.
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