Beatrice: [You... love everyone?]
Emilia: [But... we're the reason you...]
Subaru: [That doesn't matter. If there was one thing I would change it would be getting to say goodbye to my parents before coming to you all.]
Emilia: [Subaru...]
Beatrice: [How can... look at us the same way after everything?]
Subaru: [No matter how much a suffer the fact that I love you guys is never going to change. I know I'd go insane if I actually lost one of you too.]
Subaru held their hands.
Subaru: [Just be here... with me.]
Their faces were stained with tears as they held his hand.
Emilia: [Subaru... you've always protected us. I...]
Beatrice: [Betty doesn't like how you treat yourself as some sort of sacrificial lamb, I suppose.]
Subaru: [I know. I'm sorry about how I was before. Learning to like myself was pretty hard to be honest.]
Emilia: [I really don't understand why you felt that way. You... you're an amazing person after all.]
Beatrice: [Even more than we knew, I suppose but even more infuriating as well given your self-disposition, in fact.]
Subaru sweat dropped.
Subaru: [Sorry about that.]
Emilia: (The rabbits must have terrified him. But back then at the sanctuary... he wasn't that scared. Why?)
Her eyes widened.
Emilia: (He was holding Beatrice's hand and we were... depending on him.)
Emilia looked at Subaru.
Emilia: (You're so amazing... How did I ever end up having someone as amazing as you falling in love with me? Even if I saved you... I...)
She felt her heart beat faster.
Beatrice: [Betty isn't too happy that using the ability causes you pain but she's glad it has saved your life I suppose.]
Subaru avoided wincing with all his strength to avoid cluing Beatrice into the truth.
Emilia: (He really is amazing but...)
Emilia remembered how Subaru had told her about the ten seconds of despair and the suffering he'd gone through, desperately trying to avoid death and being disfigured time and time again with each loop.
Emilia: [Subaru.]
Subaru: [Yes Emilia-tan?]
Emilia: [I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not reaching you in Vollachia sooner.]
Subaru: [Hey that's not your fault. It was obvious that it was going to be difficult for you to get into Vollachia. We both did what we could to get back to each other and it worked out.]
Emilia: [About Rem. Are you really going to forgive her? After everything.]
Subaru: [I know that from what I said it makes her seem like a bad person but when you two worked together to try to save me from Al couldn't you feel how she really felt?]
Emilia: [I... could.]
Subaru: [And how did she feel?]
Emilia: [She was just as desperate as me.]
Beatrice: (The maid's feelings truly are different in this timeline. Betty won't forget what she did and Betty doesn't trust her but... what matters is that Subaru is happy so Betty will tolerate her, I suppose.)
Subaru: [Then...]
Emilia: [If she makes you happy I understand and... I'll trust your judgement but... I'll never trust or forgive her.]
Subaru sighed.
Subaru: [I see.]
Subaru: (I'll have to work on that a bit.)
Emilia: [I won't hold back my feelings. I'm glad that she's not here.]
Subaru's heart hurt to hear that.
Emilia: [And if she makes it here somehow I won't accept her easily.]
Subaru: [I get it Emilia-tan. I understand how you feel. I felt the same when it came to Spica. I'm sure I can get you to come around.]
Emilia: (I still don't feel good about it.)
Subaru got up and stretched.
Subaru: [That was a lot and today was a big day so let's just get some rest now.]
They nodded and got into bed together.
Emilia wrapped her arms around Subaru holding him in a tight embrace.
Subaru: (Eh? I'm the little spoon?)
AN: You always have been.
Beatrice lay down in front of Subaru. He hugged her.
Subaru: (Looks like my sweet Beako is the even littler spoon.)
Subaru smiled softly.
Subaru: (Like a family. This is... so.. nice... Zzz.)
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Subaru lay in bed as Emilia lay next to him, hugging him. On the other side, Beatrice was hugging him.
Subaru: (They've been pretty scared since yesterday. I don't blame them either.)
Subaru slowly got up, being careful not to wake them as he went to the bathroom and began brushing his teeth. He stepped out of the bathroom only to see what looked like a little panda crawling on the floor.
Subaru: [Huh?]
Naoko walked over.
Naoko: [Natsumi!]
Naoko scooped her up.
Naoko: [She's getting so adventurous.]
Subaru: [You got her a panda onesie?]
Naoko: [Isn't it just the cutest?]
Naoko asked this, holding up Natsumi towards Subaru.
Subaru: [Only cause my little sister is the one wearing it. Otherwise, it would lose a lot of its cuteness factor.]
He held his sister as he smiled warmly.
Naoko: [Subaru. I wanted to ask. What happened back at the zoo? Your father and I are worried.]
Subaru: [I was really happy in that other world, but... I saw things... things that haunt me.]
Naoko went pale.
Subaru: [Still, I'm glad I used my ability to save the people I care about. Maybe sending me back here with Emilia and Beatrice was the way the universe was rewarding me for all my hard work.]
Naoko: [Subaru...]
Subaru: [I guess you could say I'm like a little soldier boy marching home to you guys.]
Subaru made this joke trying to lighten the mood.
Subaru: [As long as I know you're all safe, I'll be fine. I promise.]
Naoko sighed.
Naoko: [I can tell you're not ready to talk about it yet, but we're your parents. When you're ready, please talk to us.]
Subaru: [Of course.]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Subaru was having breakfast with Emilia and Beatrice when he heard the front door open, followed by slow footsteps.
Subaru: (He's here!)
An old man walked into the dining room.
Old Man: [Subaru.]
Subaru flinched at his name being called. The old man walked over without much difficulty.
Subaru: [Gramps...]
Subaru: (I know that he'll see me as a disappointment. He'll think I ran away from my problems and...)
The old man hugged Subaru.
Old Man: [I'm glad that you're back.]
Subaru: [Wha... what?]
Emilia: [You're Subaru's grandfather?]
Old Man: [Yes, my name is Kyotaro Natsuki. It's a pleasure to meet you, young lady.]
Kenichi walked over.
Kenichi: [Dad! Hey, no hitting on Emilia-chan. She's Subaru's girlfriend.]
Kyotaro laughed.
Kyotaro: [What do you take me for, Kenichi? You think I would do that to my favourite grandson?]
Kenichi: [You can't even remember most of your grandchildren.]
Kyotaro laughed.
Kyotaro: [Only because I have had so many kids. It's hard to keep track of.]
Kenichi: [I can't with you. You're always like this.]
Kyotaro: [Oh, come now. I'm not that bad.]
Kenichi: [I brought you here to see Subaru, and yet you hit on 5 different women younger than me, before we got here.]
Kyotaro pulled out a paper slip.
Kyotaro: [Got their numbers while you weren't looking too. Hahahaha!]
Kyotaro laughed.
Kenichi: [You...]
Kyotaro: [Now, now, Kenichi. Don't be so mad. Even if you didn't inherit my charm with the ladies, you still managed to get a beautiful wife. On top of that, your son certainly did inherit my charm, given the girl sitting next to him.]
Emilia blushed deeply as Kenichi slapped his own forehead. Kyotaro elbowed Subaru slightly with a smirk.
Kyotaro: [I bet you've met a couple of other girls too, haven't you? I bet you caught the eye of a few.]
Subaru blushed in embarrassment.
Subaru: [Uh... one other...]
Kyotaro: [Oh, I'd say more than just one other.]
Kyotaro check Subarus arms.
Kyotaro: [Given all of this.]
Subaru: [I trained this body to protect the people I love. Not to attract women.]
Kyotaro: [Haha! I know! That's exactly the type of mindset good women like! You're using my moves without even knowing you are! A prodigy. A true prodigy!]
Then Kyotaro noticed Emilia's ears.
Kyotaro: [Those ears...]
Kyotaro had some tears in his eyes.
Kyotaro: [An elf... you...]
Subaru: [Gramps?]
Kyotaro: [You've truly surpassed me... I'm so proud of you, Subaru.]
Subaru: [I thought we were having a moment there!]
Kyotaro: [We were.]
Kyotaro smiled.
Kyotaro: [Kenichi already told me about the Ise ma whatchamacallit. A girl from another world. An elf at that. My grandson sure has game.]
Subaru blushed.
Subaru: [Gramps!]
Kyotaro: [When I saw your dad strugglin' to find a date for his reunion, I was startin' to worry that he wasn't really my son. I had to teach him some of that Natsuki magic, you know. Hell, without me, your parents would never have become a couple that night.]
Kenichi: [Dad!]
Kyotaro laughed.
Kyotaro: [But given how you turned out, I'm sure he's my kid now.]
Subaru sweat dropped at this as Kyotaro laughed again. Once again at Kenichi's expense.
Kenichi: (This is why I don't like inviting him over.)
Emilia: [Um... I can see where Subaru's charm comes from, but wouldn't your wife be unhappy about you spending time with other women?]
Kyotaro: [Wife? I've never been married.]
Emilia: [Eh!?]
Kyotaro: [The kids I got are all accidental.]
Emilia: [Accidental... then how did you take care of all of them?]
Kyotaro grimaced.
Kyotaro: [I didn't. Accidents happened, and then I got drafted into that shitty war with all my buddies.]
Kyotaro pulled out a pocket watch with an image of him and a group of friends. They'd been executed in the war as traitors. Kyotaro was lucky that his was cancelled due to the war ending.
Kyotaro: [I ain't proud of it, but I didn't know about Kenichi til he was old enough to get a job of his own. About the same for the rest of my kids.]
Kyotaro patted Kenichi's back.
Kyotaro: [Your dad here's the only one that wanted to take my last name. He's not like me, though. He's responsible and thinks things through. I gotta say he's the only kid of mine that turned out well.]
Kenichi smiled.
Kenichi: [Thanks, Dad.]
Emilia: [What about Subaru's grandparents from his mother's side?]
Kyotaro: [You'll never catch me in the same room as those stiffs! Callin' me a hoe. What the hell? I'm a guy, so it means I'm a stud.]
Kenichi: [Father, you've been with more than 50 women. Even guys would call you a hoe at that point.]
Kyotaro: [My own son has... betrayed me.]
Kenichi sighed.
Beatrice: [Betty can definitely see where Subaru gets his foolishness from, I suppose.]
Kyotaro: [A little foolishness runs in Natsuki blood. Still, I gotta say we end up pretty well off in terms of women.]
Kenichi sighed.
Kenichi: (My father is more of a child than my own son.)
Subaru: [Um, gramps...]
Kyotaro: [Heard you've seen your fair share of conflict, and I can see it in your eyes.]
Subaru sweated.
Kyotaro: [Those are the eyes of a guy who's gone to war. No... they're worse. Still, you came back from it, and you're able to smile, too. Can count the number of people who go to war and come back able to smile on my hand, let alone whatever you went through.]
Kyotaro patted Subaru on the back.
Kyotaro: [You've always had the potential.]
Subaru: [Huh? Me? But I... I...]
Kyotaro: [That whole shut-in phase was because you didn't understand yourself. You ain't a genius. Ya never were. You fail and get back up, and eventually you learn. When you do, you never make that same mistake again. That's who ya are. It was easier when you were a kid because the things ya failed at were easy to learn, but when you started to grow up, things got harder. You completely misunderstood yourself.]
Subaru's eyes widened as he laughed to himself.
Subaru: [I really am an idiot, aren't I?]
Subaru: (I'm sure Nee-sama would say, "Yes, you are.")
Kyotaro: [That's the Natsuki foolishness running through your veins.]
Kyotaro laughed, patting Subaru's back affectionately.
Kyotaro: [Now let's spend some time together as a family. You can invite your girlfriend and... spirit, was it? Yeah, both of them. Let's go.]
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:
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