Chapter 8:
Chapter 08 — New Beginnings
My New Home
Sunday, April 3rd, 2050
◽The Next Morning at Jerry’s Place◽
Emiko stretched in the bed, letting out a soft, contented sigh. 「Mmm… I’ll make sure this good time lasts.」 She glanced at Jerry before gently waking Hana.Hana stirred, blinking her eyes in confusion. 「Yesterday…」Emiko giggled softly, brushing a strand of hair back from her face. 「It feels surreal, doesn’t it?」Hana’s eyes darted to the hard drive on the nightstand. 【Well… he wasn’t lying, at least.】「C’mon,」 Emiko said, nudging her. 「Let’s get breakfast ready.」Hana frowned slightly. 「Mrs. Mori… it’s the 21st century. There’s no need for that.」Emiko laughed lightly. 「Girls today, you’re taught how to get a man, not keep one. With that attitude… you’ll lose him to a girl who’ll cook for him.」Hana hesitated, inwardly considering the older woman’s words. 【Maybe there’s truth in that…】 「Alright… I’ll go with you.」
◽30 Minutes Later — Dining Room◽
JJ descended the stairs, his hair a deep brown his eyes calm, reflecting the morning light.
「Papa!」 Shizuko ran ahead of the others.JJ sighed softly. 「Oh, Shizu… sorry for waking up late. I’ll get to—」Shizuko interrupted, her eyes sparkling. 「Ms. Hana and Sora’s mom got it!」
JJ looked up, surprised to see Hana carrying two trays laden with popcorn chicken and other appetizers.
Sora and Shizuko shouted in unison, 「Popcorn sammich! Popcorn chicken sammich!」JJ laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender. 「Alright, I’ll make—」Shizuko shook her head firmly. 「It’s okay, Papa… Ms. Hana promised to make it good?」JJ chuckled. 「Oh, did she now.」Sora piped up excitedly. 「Can you help Ms. Hana, pretty please?」「Yah, sure I can,」 JJ replied, and together he and Hana began assembling the sandwiches.Hana hesitated. 「Um… JJ?」「Yah?」「Do you usually make these for them?」JJ shook his head. 「No, just for Shizuko. Sora’s only here on weekends because her mom’s around.」「Oh… okay.」He smirked at her. 「And Hana… you’re not walking to uni tomorrow.」
Hana’s cheeks immediately flamed crimson as she returned to the kitchen silently.
Shizuko tilted her head, watching. 「What’s wrong with Ms. Hana, Papa?」「Nothing much,」 JJ replied, his brown eyes warm. 「Since we’re in the same class, I asked for her help.」Shizuko sighed. 「You’re not pushing your work onto her, are you?」JJ chuckled. 「Nope. Promise.」「Okay.」After finishing the sandwiches, JJ went over to Hana, his playful brown eyes glinting. 「So… you can cook?」Hana’s blush deepened further. 「Yah, of course. My mother taught me.」「Hmm… interesting. Very interesting.」 JJ smirked.「C-Could you not say it like that?」 Hana protested.JJ chuckled, hugging her from behind. 「Alright, I won’t. As long as you promise it’s good, I’ll show you more of what we did last night.」Hana sighed internally. 【Don’t fall for it, Hana.】 「Leave me alone… you’re holding me up.」JJ grinned. 「Ooh… didn’t think you were that freaky.」「JJ!」 she snapped, her voice firm.He released her with a laugh. 「Okay, understood.」 He turned to Emiko. 「Sorry for the late greeting. Good morning.」Emiko giggled, settling beside him. 「Good morning, JJ. You sleep well?」「Like a baby,」 he replied, placing a hand lightly on her back. 「Thanks for keeping me warm.」「Oh, it wasn’t much… & it was fun once I got used to it.」 She leaned in, playful. 「But you didn’t know.」JJ’s grin widened. 「If I did, it would mean we weren’t done.」 He lightly teased, his hand wandering slightly. 「But I can show right now if you're curious.」Emiko flushed but leaned closer still. 「I’d love that… but tomorrow’s a workday. Maybe next weekend?」「You promise.」 JJ said, chuckling softly.「Of course, but can you watch over the girls so long.」 she replied with a sly smile.JJ stood. 「Alright, I’ll see to the kids before they get bored.」Then he went back too the dining room.Emiko watched Hana, whispering softly, 「Show a man you’re a wife without needing a ring… then he’ll do what you ask.」Hana flushed, embarrassed by the intimacy of the advice. 【Maybe she’s right…】
◽After Breakfast◽
Sora clapped her hands. 「That was good!」JJ glanced at Hana. 「Yes… though I’ll need to do better before you and Shizu stop eating my cooking.」Shizuko smiled sweetly. 「No one can replace you, Papa.」JJ grinned. 「Thanks, Shizu. Will you two help me wash the dishes?」「Yes!」 they chorused.JJ’s phone buzzed. 「Yeah… what? Really… Ight, I’ll find it.」 He switched to Jerry—his hair turning black, his eyes matching the color.
「Hey, Shizu papa’s sorry, something came up.」Shizuko pouted. 「It’s okay… but next time.」Jerry nodded, his face devoid of the previous warmth. 「I promise, on my mama’s name.」 Then he left the house.Hana turned to Emiko. 「Was I the only one who felt like JJ was… cold?」Shizuko tilted her head. 「That was Papa Jerry. Papa JJ turns serious when he needs to.」Hana blinked, confused. 「What do you mean?」Shizuko explained plainly. 「Papa has D.I.D.」Emiko nodded slowly. 「Dissociative Identity Disorder… that explains why JJ feels off sometimes.」Shizuko continued. 「In Papa’s case, his hair and pupils change color to show which Papa it is.」Emiko observed closely. 「His hair is completely black now, so that means… that’s Jerry’s color.」「Yes,」 Shizuko confirmed. 「And he shows no emotions.」Hana’s eyes widened in realization. 「JJ’s hair was brown?」Shizuko nodded. 「That’s Papa’s real hair and eye color.」Hana’s curiosity deepened, bordering on apprehension. 「Are there others?」Shizuko nodded. 「Yes. Some change based on emotions or interests.」Sora piped up, excited by the concept. 「That’s cool! Hey Shizu… does your Papa’s hair turn red too?」Shizuko’s smile faded slightly. 「Yes… but Papa said if that happens, I should run and not look back.」Hana exchanged a worried glance with Emiko.Shizuko added softly, 「Though, for it to happen, someone has to force his hand.」Hana nodded. 「That must be hard for him…」Shizuko sighed. 「It is. But the red one doesn’t come out often… so Papa’s okay.」Emiko’s mind raced. 【To have alters more self-aware than most people… it must be exhausting if they all act at once.】 「Does your Papa take medicine?」Shizuko nodded. 「Yes… he makes it himself because what hospitals give him doesn’t work.」Hana’s thoughts darkened. 【Red hair is obviously dangerous… maybe it’s connected to the information he’s hiding.】
◽The Next Morning at Jerry’s Place◽
Emiko stretched in the bed, letting out a soft, contented sigh. 「Mmm… I’ll make sure this good time lasts.」 She glanced at Jerry before gently waking Hana.Hana stirred, blinking her eyes in confusion. 「Yesterday…」Emiko giggled softly, brushing a strand of hair back from her face. 「It feels surreal, doesn’t it?」Hana’s eyes darted to the hard drive on the nightstand. 【Well… he wasn’t lying, at least.】「C’mon,」 Emiko said, nudging her. 「Let’s get breakfast ready.」Hana frowned slightly. 「Mrs. Mori… it’s the 21st century. There’s no need for that.」Emiko laughed lightly. 「Girls today, you’re taught how to get a man, not keep one. With that attitude… you’ll lose him to a girl who’ll cook for him.」Hana hesitated, inwardly considering the older woman’s words. 【Maybe there’s truth in that…】 「Alright… I’ll go with you.」
◽30 Minutes Later — Dining Room◽
JJ descended the stairs, his hair a deep brown his eyes calm, reflecting the morning light.
「Papa!」 Shizuko ran ahead of the others.JJ sighed softly. 「Oh, Shizu… sorry for waking up late. I’ll get to—」Shizuko interrupted, her eyes sparkling. 「Ms. Hana and Sora’s mom got it!」
JJ looked up, surprised to see Hana carrying two trays laden with popcorn chicken and other appetizers.
Sora and Shizuko shouted in unison, 「Popcorn sammich! Popcorn chicken sammich!」JJ laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender. 「Alright, I’ll make—」Shizuko shook her head firmly. 「It’s okay, Papa… Ms. Hana promised to make it good?」JJ chuckled. 「Oh, did she now.」Sora piped up excitedly. 「Can you help Ms. Hana, pretty please?」「Yah, sure I can,」 JJ replied, and together he and Hana began assembling the sandwiches.Hana hesitated. 「Um… JJ?」「Yah?」「Do you usually make these for them?」JJ shook his head. 「No, just for Shizuko. Sora’s only here on weekends because her mom’s around.」「Oh… okay.」He smirked at her. 「And Hana… you’re not walking to uni tomorrow.」
Hana’s cheeks immediately flamed crimson as she returned to the kitchen silently.
Shizuko tilted her head, watching. 「What’s wrong with Ms. Hana, Papa?」「Nothing much,」 JJ replied, his brown eyes warm. 「Since we’re in the same class, I asked for her help.」Shizuko sighed. 「You’re not pushing your work onto her, are you?」JJ chuckled. 「Nope. Promise.」「Okay.」After finishing the sandwiches, JJ went over to Hana, his playful brown eyes glinting. 「So… you can cook?」Hana’s blush deepened further. 「Yah, of course. My mother taught me.」「Hmm… interesting. Very interesting.」 JJ smirked.「C-Could you not say it like that?」 Hana protested.JJ chuckled, hugging her from behind. 「Alright, I won’t. As long as you promise it’s good, I’ll show you more of what we did last night.」Hana sighed internally. 【Don’t fall for it, Hana.】 「Leave me alone… you’re holding me up.」JJ grinned. 「Ooh… didn’t think you were that freaky.」「JJ!」 she snapped, her voice firm.He released her with a laugh. 「Okay, understood.」 He turned to Emiko. 「Sorry for the late greeting. Good morning.」Emiko giggled, settling beside him. 「Good morning, JJ. You sleep well?」「Like a baby,」 he replied, placing a hand lightly on her back. 「Thanks for keeping me warm.」「Oh, it wasn’t much… & it was fun once I got used to it.」 She leaned in, playful. 「But you didn’t know.」JJ’s grin widened. 「If I did, it would mean we weren’t done.」 He lightly teased, his hand wandering slightly. 「But I can show right now if you're curious.」Emiko flushed but leaned closer still. 「I’d love that… but tomorrow’s a workday. Maybe next weekend?」「You promise.」 JJ said, chuckling softly.「Of course, but can you watch over the girls so long.」 she replied with a sly smile.JJ stood. 「Alright, I’ll see to the kids before they get bored.」Then he went back too the dining room.Emiko watched Hana, whispering softly, 「Show a man you’re a wife without needing a ring… then he’ll do what you ask.」Hana flushed, embarrassed by the intimacy of the advice. 【Maybe she’s right…】
◽After Breakfast◽
Sora clapped her hands. 「That was good!」JJ glanced at Hana. 「Yes… though I’ll need to do better before you and Shizu stop eating my cooking.」Shizuko smiled sweetly. 「No one can replace you, Papa.」JJ grinned. 「Thanks, Shizu. Will you two help me wash the dishes?」「Yes!」 they chorused.JJ’s phone buzzed. 「Yeah… what? Really… Ight, I’ll find it.」 He switched to Jerry—his hair turning black, his eyes matching the color.
「Hey, Shizu papa’s sorry, something came up.」Shizuko pouted. 「It’s okay… but next time.」Jerry nodded, his face devoid of the previous warmth. 「I promise, on my mama’s name.」 Then he left the house.Hana turned to Emiko. 「Was I the only one who felt like JJ was… cold?」Shizuko tilted her head. 「That was Papa Jerry. Papa JJ turns serious when he needs to.」Hana blinked, confused. 「What do you mean?」Shizuko explained plainly. 「Papa has D.I.D.」Emiko nodded slowly. 「Dissociative Identity Disorder… that explains why JJ feels off sometimes.」Shizuko continued. 「In Papa’s case, his hair and pupils change color to show which Papa it is.」Emiko observed closely. 「His hair is completely black now, so that means… that’s Jerry’s color.」「Yes,」 Shizuko confirmed. 「And he shows no emotions.」Hana’s eyes widened in realization. 「JJ’s hair was brown?」Shizuko nodded. 「That’s Papa’s real hair and eye color.」Hana’s curiosity deepened, bordering on apprehension. 「Are there others?」Shizuko nodded. 「Yes. Some change based on emotions or interests.」Sora piped up, excited by the concept. 「That’s cool! Hey Shizu… does your Papa’s hair turn red too?」Shizuko’s smile faded slightly. 「Yes… but Papa said if that happens, I should run and not look back.」Hana exchanged a worried glance with Emiko.Shizuko added softly, 「Though, for it to happen, someone has to force his hand.」Hana nodded. 「That must be hard for him…」Shizuko sighed. 「It is. But the red one doesn’t come out often… so Papa’s okay.」Emiko’s mind raced. 【To have alters more self-aware than most people… it must be exhausting if they all act at once.】 「Does your Papa take medicine?」Shizuko nodded. 「Yes… he makes it himself because what hospitals give him doesn’t work.」Hana’s thoughts darkened. 【Red hair is obviously dangerous… maybe it’s connected to the information he’s hiding.】
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