Early morning sunlight streamed into the farmhouse kitchen, painting the wooden counters in a warm golden hue.
Venzel stood at the stove, flipping pancakes with a sleepy look on his face, while Kana carefully chopped fruit at the counter, humming softly.
The clink of utensils and the smell of breakfast filled the cozy space.
Just then, the kitchen door creaked open.
Tsuki shuffled in, hair slightly messy, a hand on her lower back.
"You two young'uns…" she began, squinting at them as if sizing up mischief. "Too rough last night. But next time, keep it down."
Venzel froze mid-flip.
The pancake landed half-off the pan.
Kana looked up from the fruit with a tilted head, confused. "Eh? Morning, Mom! We've prepared breakfast—come sit! Is Dad awake yet?"
Tsuki slowly lowered herself into the nearest chair with a dramatic sigh. "Aiyaaa… my backbone hurts."
She leaned forward, rubbing her lower back like a war veteran recalling a brutal campaign. "You both might be fine now, but listen carefully, no grandchild before marriage, you hear me?"
PFFFFFT.
Kana choked on her words, eyes wide.
Venzel turned scarlet, the spatula still trembling in his hand.
The two of them glanced at each other, realization slowly dawning.
"…O-oh," Kana whispered, face burning.
"…The spider," Venzel muttered, mortified.
Kana buried her face in her hands.
Tsuki sipped some tea, completely unfazed, watching them like a queen surveying peasants in panic.
"Next time, kill the spider quietly," she added with a wink.
Kana let out a tiny squeak and hid behind Venzel.
He sighed, flipping the mangled pancake back into the pan like a man accepting his fate.
The kitchen air filled with the scent of breakfast and a very awkward silence.
Just as the kitchen settled into a semi-normal rhythm, the door creaked open again.
Aoki walked in, stretching his arms and yawning like a bear fresh out of hibernation.
His eyes scanned the room, his wife sipping tea with a sly smile, Venzel looking like he had aged ten years, and Kana trying to disappear behind a bowl of fruit.
"Morning, lovebirds," he said, his voice laced with teasing. "You two slept well, huh?"
Venzel dropped the spatula again. Kana stiffened, then quickly turned and darted toward the rice cooker.
"I—I'll get Dad's breakfast ready!" she declared, grabbing a plate with suspicious urgency.
Aoki chuckled as he took a seat beside Tsuki, nudging her with his elbow. "Darling, you should've seen me. I almost called the fire department, the way that bed was shaking."
Kana nearly tripped over her own feet.
"It was a spider!" she said, spinning around so fast she almost flung rice into the air.
"Venzel said he saw one! I—I was scared, and he got up to deal with it, that's all!"
Aoki raised an eyebrow, nodding with the most unconvincing smirk.
"Sure, sure. A spider, huh?"
Venzel looked up to say something but ended up sighing instead, pouring tea like a monk accepting karma.
Kana placed the plate in front of Aoki, puffing her cheeks. "Really! It was a spider! I even jumped on the bed!"
"That's exactly what it sounded like," Aoki said with a grin, picking up his chopsticks. "Boom boom. Creak creak. 'Ummm make it quick!'"
Kana went crimson and nearly faceplanted on the table.
Tsuki covered her mouth, trying not to burst out laughing, but the giggle escaped anyway.
By the time the last pancake had been devoured, the laughter had faded, replaced by the soft clinks of dishes and the gentle hum of morning chores.
The sun now poured in fully, casting golden light across a kitchen quieter than before…
Kana stood near the doorway, her bag slung over her shoulder, fingers fidgeting lightly with the strap.
Her face was calm, but a certain regret lingered in her eyes.
"I should get going," she said gently. "I left the clinic abruptly so, my patients from yesterday must have been angry."
Tsuki looked up from wiping the table, her smile beginning to fade.
"Oh… can't you stay just a little longer?" she asked, voice almost pleading. "You've only just settled in."
Aoki came in from the hallway, keys jingling in his hand. "Yes, Kana, what's a few more hours? We haven't even shown you around the farm properly!"
Kana hesitated, smiling with gratitude but still firm. "I wish I could stay… honestly. But what if they had emergencies?"
Just as Tsuki opened her mouth again, Venzel stepped forward.
He placed a gentle hand on Kana's back and looked at his parents with a calm, decisive expression.
"She's a doctor, Mom, Dad. People need her. I'll make sure she gets there safe," he said quietly.
The conviction in his voice settled the room like a soft breeze.
Aoki paused, looked at his son, and smiled proud and a little nostalgic. "Keys are on the hook, glove box still sticks a bit."
Tsuki walked over and took Kana's hands in hers, giving them a warm squeeze. "Drive safe. And come back soon, alright?"
Kana nodded, her eyes glistening. "I will, Mom."
Outside, the old family car waited beneath the canopy of trees, glinting with soft morning dew.
Venzel opened the passenger door for her first, then circled around.
The car creaked a little as he settled behind the wheel.
The countryside rolled by slowly, the wind gently tousling Kana's hair through the window. She leaned her head slightly,
watching golden fields blur into the horizon.
A peaceful silence settled between them.
Venzel glanced over at her. "Are my parents annoying?"
Kana shook her head, a soft smile on her lips. "Not annoying enough that I can't visit."
He grinned. "That's good to hear."