Vol.4 Ch.80 - We’re Back

“We’ve been to your hometown, now it’s time for my hometown!”That’s right! We’re going back to where it all began, the beautiful, naturefilled (and frankly, cramped) little village in the Northwestern side ofSecundis, Whitehood! I understand that we should probably hurry it up withgetting the herb to Arthur as quickly as possible, but since Sol made oursearch a lot easier and faster, we thought it’d be nice to fulfill my originalgoal of visiting my parents while we have the time. Then again, we’ll bepassing through Whitehood while going to Springwood anyways, so it’d be adamned shame if I just gave them the cold shoulder.Anna was still a bit shy about what happened the other night, but that’s to beexpected. Honestly, even I can’t bring myself to look her in the eyes rightnow. This reserved, almost embarrassed side of her is cute as well, but that’snot the issue. What we did that night… was it really okay? I mean, we wereboth drunk off our asses, and from what I remember we just sort of went withthe flow of things. Are we just supposed to pretend that didn’t happen andmove on? Or should I take responsibility for my actions? Personally, I’dmuch rather the latter of these two options, but then that begs the question ofif Anna’s okay with it…“Gahh!!”“W-What’s wrong, Ed?!” Anna was visibly startled from my sudden outburst.Now that we’ve d-done it, I’m really getting overly conscious of her. Justbeing in the same room as her is enough to make my heart skip a beat, butthen when we talk it’s like we both tense up and can’t think of anything to say.What if we never regain the ability to engage in natural conversations like wedid before?! What if… she hates me for doing what I did?!“Ed, if you’re feeling unwell, just say so. Neither of us are good withvehicles, so there’s no reason to keep it to yourself.”What is she thinking? This transport wagon is the least of my concerns! Doesshe not realize just how much I’m suffering over these thoughts? Ugh, and tomake matters worse, I made a point to not read her mind, cause turns out themoment she looks at me, all she ever thinks about is that night! (the issue isn’tthat I get to relive that moment, but rather the fact that I relive it from herperspective… eugh)“N-No, I’m just kinda nervous… about going back home, y’know?!” I tried tomake up an excuse, “L-Like, a lot of things probably changed since Grim andI left, right? Also, how will my parents react after I suddenly just comeback?”“Your parents? Right, you never talked about them, but what are they like?”Oh, I REALLY don’t wanna talk about them. She’ll learn all she wants aboutthem when we come over, so what’s even the point of asking me? Well, I saythat, but she’s giving me an expectant stare, suggesting she really wants toknow how I view them (cute). Eh, we finally managed to get a conversationgoing, so I guess I’ll budge.“They’re… really kind. And sweet too. They really care about their family.”“Oh? That’s nice!”“Yeah, but there’s just one issue with that. They’re an extreme case ofworkaholics. They were never home back then, working around the clock justto provide us with a nice cushy lifestyle.”“Ah…” Anna moped for a bit after realizing my situation, but immediatelyswitched gears after a moment, “Wait, us?”“Yeah, me and my little sister.”“YOU HAVE A SISTER?!?”This was certainly interesting. I mean, I never bothered to mention it, since itwas never relevant to the things we talked about, but I never would’veexpected her to be this surprised and intrigued at that fact.“She’s a real sweetheart, I’m sure you two will get along. But moreimportantly, our parents are the really serious type, so I didn’t really grow alltoo attached to them at all. That’s why leaving was barely an issue for me.”I say that, but now that I remember, aren’t I talking about Grim here? I mean, Iwas practically bawling my eyes out and postponing our departure for a fewmonths before he finally snapped and decided to persuade me into leaving.Right, no matter how much my parents would choose work over me, eventhen I knew that they did it for my good. They’re not bad parents at all, but Ijust wish they’d spent more time with me back then is all.“Well, I hope I get on their good side, then!”“Don’t worry about that. In any case, why would you be so worried aboutappealing to them?”Anna got quiet again and simply zoned off for a moment, before blushinguncontrollably and hitting me on the shoulder.“N-No reason, dummy!”Geez, even without reading your mind I could tell exactly what you werethinking about… Perv.***“I’M HOOOOME!” I slammed the front door open in excitement.The nostalgic hallway in which I grew up in was presented in front of myvery eyes. The carpet on which I’d always fall asleep after playing, thecabinet in which I had accidentally gotten stuck in after playing hide and seekwith Grim, the busty woman standing frozen in front of me with her mouthagape… Wait, what was that last part?“I-INTRUDER!!!”“H-Hold on! Those are my words! Who the hell are you!?”Did I get the wrong house?! No way! This is 100% my house! But then, whois this woman?!“Wait a second, that voice…! ED?!?!”“…” I froze in shock after figuring it out as well, “E-ELEANOR?!?”Yep, as it turns out, that ‘busty woman’ I mentioned just seconds earlier wasin fact my little sister. Hey, lower your pitchforks! I didn’t know it was her!But all jokes aside, she really did grow into a splendid young lady, but she’sonly a year younger than me, so that’d make her… fifteen to sixteen? Holdon, even Anna isn’t that big, this has to be some sort of mistake…“Ed, what the hell is going on? Where have you been? Mom and dad wereworried sick!”“A-Ah, I can explain everything.” I said as I pointed to Anna, who wasvisibly excited. “But first…”“E-Ed! That’s your little sister!? She’s so cute!”“Eh?” Eleanor tried dodging Anna’s hug attack, but to no avail, “Hey, g-getoff of me!”“Now now, ehe~! Pet pet, ahaa, pat pat, hihiii…”“Mrmmmm…! ED! WHO THE HELL IS THIS GIRL!?”“Right, this is Anna. She’ll be staying with us for a bit while we wind downa bit. We’ve been out traveling for quite a while.”“Hold it right there. Who said anything about you staying here?”“Huh?”“You haven’t been here for what, 5 years? And then you suddenly kick openthe front door and demand you and your girlfriend stay a couple nights herelike it’s nothing?”“E-Erm, w-we’re not…” Anna tried to say something, but hesitated beforeultimately not saying anything, “N-Never mind.”What’s this? So does that mean we’re a couple? I mean, we never openly andclearly stated it, but now that I think about it, isn’t what we did somethingonly couples would do? But then there’s the thing with Sol and Mariabelle…Wait… This was all Mariabelle’s doing from the start! She’s the one whogave Anna the alcohol, and she also put the idea of doing it casually into herhead. Goddamn that maid, making a fool of me even from afar…“Right… haaa,” Eleanor sighed, “I missed you, Ed. Mom and dad areworking right now, so I’ll prepare some tea for us while we wait for them tocome back.”“Ugh, still working I see… Isn’t it about time they retire?”“Can’t help it. Unlike you, they actually have a family to provide for and astable job to uphold. They’ve settled down and decided to devote their allinto providing for their kids, so they don’t have the luxury of ‘Going wherethe wind takes them’ and living off scraps like you did.”Is this girl getting cocky with me? Hey now, I’m the older one here!“What the hell are you talking about?!” I said as I tossed my money pouchonto the table, “I’m living the high life over here! I traveled the world, gotrich from my connections, have a job working at Anna’s family’s restaurant,AND I get to spend every day with her!”Both girls wore flushed faces as I said that. Looks like I got a bit overexcitedthere and said something awkward. Well, at least I got my point across.“I-Is that so?” Eleanor paused, “Then that’s fine. I-It’s just… wow, I didn’texpect you to be doing so well after just leaving on your own.”“Well, it wasn’t on his own.” Anna added, “Lune was there with him, too.”“Ah, right. That guy was always with you, putting all sorts of ideas in yourhead.” Eleanor sighed, “Honestly, a small part of me thought you two gothitched, and that’s why you left home.”…“What nonsense are you spouting?! That’s obviously not the fucking casehere?? Grim’s my bestest bud, and you dare soil our friendship with yourvile ideas?!”“Eeh? To think you’d get so flustered over my little jab, was I perhaps spoton?”I swear to every God that exists out there, so help me if I don’t punch thecrap out of my little girl right this instant-!“Ahahahaha!” Anna’s laughter suddenly stopped our heated argument.“The hell are you laughing at, woman?”“Oi, don’t talk to Anna that way, brat!”“Ahaha, oh, don’t worry about me. It’s just… I’m an only child, so seeingyou two being so lively is really a pleasant sight to see. You two must reallycare for each other if you’re able to so freely talk to one another even afterspending years apart.”“…”“…”The Goddess Anna strikes once again! This time managing to somehowdiffuse the situation in just a couple of words! That’s our Anna for you! Wayto go! I could give you a kiss as thanks! Err, well, we’ll hold off on that fornow…“Hey, Ed?”“Yes, Eleanor?”“Just marry that girl already! I’ll never forgive you if she doesn’t become mysister-in-law!”“MU-?! E-ELEANOR!”“EH?! S-SISTER?!”This little twerp…! Well, looks like she’s fully accepted Anna, in her ownway at least. That’ll make clearing the animosity from my parents a littleeasier, as well. Oh, speaking of, isn’t it about time they come home fromwork right around now?“We’re home!” The doors open (a lot calmer than they did when I camebursting through), “Eleanor, what on earth happened to the doorway? It’s alldented, like someone kicked it-”“Hi.”At the sight of me, Anna and Eleanor all sitting together around the livingroom table, dad immediately collapsed, and mom was left utterly confusedwhilst tending to her knocked out husband.“I-Is everything alright, Mother?!” Anna got up to check on them.I thought it was prime time to use Analyze now, so I quickly glanced at mymom with a mischievous grin. Her head was empty, no thoughts at all. Onlyone word floated around in that endless void, and that word belonged toAnna. In other words, hearing Anna call her ‘Mother’ made her brain blow afuse. She quickly collapsed from the shock as well.“EH?! M-MOTHER?!”