A Favour From Family

"Too bad you're underage. I would have bought you a drink!"

"Hahaha…go easy on me…"

The four of us are sitting at a booth of the local diner. Just like before, Mira is sitting beside me with her nose deep in the expansive menu. On the other side of the table, Ange and Mark are deliberating as resident experts on the cuisine.

"Maybe I should get myself one of the salads…maybe chipotle chicken?"

"You come here just to get a salad!?"

Ange looks up from her menu with almost a level of disgust. Strange for a rabbit of all things to be so vehemently against a bowl of plants.

"Hahaha…I feel like I've put on a few pounds recently…"

"Maybe, but we can just eat a cheap salad at home tomorrow!"

Mark looks uncertain at first, continuing to stare at the small subsection of the menu. There are only four different types of salads, each being easily 90% lettuce. Considering the largely inflated price listed under the barely appetising description, it doesn't seem like a good deal.

"No…you're right. We're at Corn Field!"

"Exactly! Salads are for when you run out of delicious food in the fridge! Now is not the time to be healthy!"

"Alright! Tonight is a chicken fried steak night! Maybe I'll even get an extra serving of mashed potatoes!"

Father and daughter share a high five after drawing much unwanted attention to our booth.

"I can see who enables her bad habits…"

Not that there was anybody else around for her to learn these things from. Children take after their parents one way or another. Meanwhile, Mira has made no signs of following my behavioural patterns despite having spent her entire life as a human living with me.

"Noa! Noa! I want this one!"

"Chicken tenders? I guess that should be fine."

It isn't something that we eat often, so it should be fine. I'm still unnerved to this day at how quickly this rabbit selects meat as her source of food.

We place our orders with the waitress before Mark claps his hands together.

"Now, onto the main order of business."

I'm in the process of buttering a roll when his focus turns towards me.

"I have a favour to ask of you."

"A favour?"

Considering how things went the last time somebody mentioned that word, a brief feeling of foreboding hangs over my head. Surely the results this time can't possibly be worse than when I asked Ange for something.

"You see, my company offers a business trip every year for a small handful of employees. If you're selected, you travel for a week for special training at company headquarters."

I'm overwhelmed by his sudden energy. For once, I can see Mark excited to talk about something that isn't Ange. Even if the glow in his eyes isn't obvious, the pitch of his voice certainly is.

"I've wanted to go every year since I joined. I mean, who can turn down a week away from work! Sure, you have to sit in nothing but meetings everyday, but you hardly have any responsibilities!"

"T-That sounds like something…"

"Even better, you get to stay at a fancy hotel with all meals paid by the company! It's the perfect experience that also gives you something good to talk about in your quarterly reviews!"

Even to me, this sounds like a pretty good deal for someone working nine to five all week, every week. There really isn't a reason to turn such an opportunity down. However, the sudden drop in his enthusiasm tells me that things aren't quite that simple.

"Believe me, I was thrilled when I was selected. I was thrilled, but part of me struggled to sign my name and fly out."

He turns to the girl beside him, who is currently covering her face in bread crumbs.

"It's not just me at home anymore. She would have to be home all by herself while I'm away. Taking her with me would be better, but she only just started school for the first time."

"Yeah, we just had exams as well…"

"Exactly. This is an important time for her as a student. Tch! Why did I have to be selected this year of all times!?"

When I hear the pain in his voice, I recall our earlier conversation. It was difficult to see her so lonely in just the time he was at work, so I can't imagine how hard it would be for her to handle him away for an entire week straight. Just the thought alone is making me lose my appetite.

"So…you turned it down?"

"I was prepared to."

He lifts his drink. After a quick sip of iced tea, a smile reappears on his face.

"But I think now I can take the offer. It's all thanks to you, Noa."

"M-Me?"

I'm shocked by his words, but the salaryman leaves me no opportunity to question him.

"This is a good opportunity for my career. If I want to make Ange's and my life more comfortable, then I should take it. That's where my favour for you—no, for both of you comes in."

Both Mira and I have stopped eating as he requests our attention. Half-eaten rolls return to the plate before Mark bows his head forward.

"Mira and Noa. Can you two please take care of Ange at your place while I'm gone?"

"H-Huh…?"

This is probably the last thing I could have predicted from the overly protective father. Keeping Ange company throughout the day may be one thing, but Mark is suggesting that she spend the night at a guy's apartment.

"This may seem like an outlandish request, but I've realised something."

Still facing down into the table, Mark continues with an impassioned voice.

"Ange doesn't just have me anymore. This past month has seen her in the best mood that I've witnessed since she arrived, and that's entirely thanks to you two."

"That's…"

"No, you all may as well already be family. I feel that if Ange is with you all, she will be loved just as much as she can at home."

I tried to resist, but can't anymore, not after hearing Mark's words.

Ange is his pride and joy, his greatest treasure. If he says that he is willing to leave her in our care, then he must truly trust us. How could I possibly refuse his request after promising to do whatever I can for these young rabbits?

"Of course, I won't have you do it for free. I'll pay enough to handle her food expenses and you'll earn a salary for the week. If that isn't enough…"

"It's fine, Mr. Mark."

He looks up and stops his desperate rambling when he sees me hold up a hand.

"We'll do it."

"A-Are you sure?"

"Absolutely!"

I can feel a smile forming from my lips when I see his eyes light back up. Seriously, we are simply too similar. All it takes for us to smile is knowing that everything will work out.

"I would be fine even if we weren't being paid, but I'll admit that the money helps out a lot."

"I'm asking a lot, so of course you should be compensated! I almost feel like I'm not offering enough!"

"D-Don't worry, this is already beneficial for both of us! You're helping me out as well by giving Mira extra company!"

Despite my attempt to alleviate his concerns, Mark offers an exaggerated bow once more.

"Sorry for leaving you such a responsibility. I know that you're only a student and you already have a lot on your plate, but you're the only one I can ask!"

"L-Let's just say that you own me one! I'm sure that I'll need a favour from you eventually, so just make sure you accept it whenever it happens!"

"As long as it isn't my angel's hand in marriage, I'll accept anything!"

"O-Of course I won't ask for that!"

We're both practically yelling at this point when our eyes make contact once more. Someone might think we just had a fist fight with how ruffled we look, and that is apparent even to us.

"Pfft!"

"Hahaha!"

We both start laughing. What is effectively us scheduling a sleepover turned into something much more dramatic. I can't even complain about being watched after how ridiculous our conversation got.

""Grrrr…""

Interrupting the cheerful atmosphere is a rumbling from both aisle seats of our booth. You would think that they would be complaining to the ones making the decisions for them, but Mark and I were spared that grief. Instead, the rabbits' disgruntlement is directed at each other.

Ange fires the first shot, one not without collateral.

"You're telling me that I have to sleep in that smelly apartment with this thing!?"

"Uhm…does it really smell that bad…"

"That's my line! Why must we house this thing that looks like she crawled out of the gutter!"

"I-I've been trying to clean up a bit more since Ange arrived…"

Mira's remarks leave Mark sweating profusely as well. Unfortunately for us, these girls have no intent on considering our feelings.

"Old Man is still wearing kiddie underwear! Everyone will laugh at me too if we're seen together!"

"Urk…"

"Look at you, Droopy Ears! You can't even keep that big mouth off your homework!"

"Gaah!"

Mark and I lie facedown on a bloodstained battlefield of our own creation. Mira and Ange continue to barrage each other with insults, not realising that their bullets are only striking the bystanders. Maybe this is what it feels like to be responsible for taking care of someone younger. Everything Ange says about Mira is making me feel more embarrassed, even if I'm not the one doing the deeds.

In front of me, Mark lifts his mud covered face. Blood is trailing from his mouth and his glasses are cracked, but he still manages a weak smile.

"A-At least they don't seem completely against it…"

"I suppose so…"

With my vision fading, I manage to release a dry laugh before collapsing into a pool of red.

Even as we lay dying inside, the rabbits continue to give each other a hard time until food arrives to bring us back to life.