Who Knows?

Mika glanced at his parents for a moment, his mind puzzled by the newfound feeling he was experiencing: surprise.

"What are you two doing here?"

"Um... Well, this is our house, dear Mika," his mother teased.

"I know, but you two didn't give any notice."

"We wanted it to be a surprise," she chuckled.

"A surprise, huh? My dad did mention something about a surprise. I guess this is it," Mika mused.

"Exactly, Mika. This was our surprise, though I'm not sure how pleased you are with it..."

"No problem."

"By the way, you've kept the house clean. Good job. It was a pleasant sight to see when we arrived," his mother said, letting go of the spatula and embracing him.

"Yeah, you know I'm particular about that."

"I know."

"When did you guys arrive?"

"Not long ago. We drove straight from Kanazawa Port."

"Aren't you guys tired? And still even cooking," Mika observed, looking at his family. They appeared quite energetic.

"No, not at all. Despite waking up early, we managed to rest in the evening. So, no worries!" his mother said enthusiastically.

"Well, did you like our surprise?" his father inquired.

"Um I dunno, I wasn't expecting it, after all. Can I help with anything?"

"No, no, you just relax and enjoy. We'll handle the cooking."

"Alright," Mika agreed. As he turned to head upstairs, he noticed something.

 Saya was still here. Had she left? Without my family noticing, I quickly checked the shoe rack. Saya's shoes were still there, indicating she was still in the house. 

He ascended the stairs slowly to his room. Seated on his bed, he began to ponder: 

Should I tell them? Maybe it's better not to; I have no idea how they'll react. Well, I did tell my dad I was going to Suwa with a friend. It shouldn't be a problem. Yes, it won't be an issue; I'll just explain it to them.

With his mind set, Mika opened his door and descended the stairs. However, he noticed an absence of sound coming from downstairs. Upon reaching the kitchen doorway, he encountered something wholly unexpected.

 Saya, dressed in the same attire as the day before, had entered the kitchen. She stood there, looking at Mika's parents with a sleep laden surprise. And Mika's parents, mouths agape, were frozen in shock, gazing at Saya.

"Saya?" Mika called from behind. The situation seemed dire.

"Who are you two?" Saya asked, her voice groggy.

After a brief pause, both of Mika's parents exclaimed simultaneously,

 "WHAAAAAT!"

***

After a brief moment of confusion, they finally managed to clear things up and found themselves seated around the breakfast table.

"By the way, we didn't introduce ourselves properly to Saya. I'm Hana, and this is my husband, Ren. We're Mika's parents," his mother said, offering a warm smile to Saya.

"No worries, it's just that I didn't think before blurting out my question. I apologize for that sudden intrusion," Saya replied.

"It's fine, Saya. It's just that having a girl in the house felt really strange to us," his father added, his voice cheerful.

"You seem happy," Mika said, glancing at his father, who was also cutting his omelet.

"Why shouldn't we be happy, Mika? You have a friend over, and you're staying in the same house." his mother said, her voice filled with playful enthusiasm. She whispered the last part into Mika's ear, though Saya still managed to catch it.

Mika sighed, his frustration mounting,

 "Was this really the right time for her to be so playful?"

"Anyway, she's really cute. Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend?" Hana asked, approaching Saya while subtly assessing her.

Saya blushed, embarrassed.

"Mom..." Mika's patience waned as he took a deep breath.

"Well, n-no..." Saya stammered, her gaze fixed on her plate, her face turning a deeper shade of red.

"See, isn't that great! I'm glad I asked," his mother chimed in with a grin.

A brief silence ensued. Mika stared at his mother, hoping she would stop. She made apologetic gestures with her hands. On the other hand, his father wore a persistent smile and continued eating.

"So, how was Suwa?" Ren, Mika's father, asked.

"It was nice," Mika replied, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Is that all?" his mother inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"What were you expecting?" Mika asked, his gaze fixed on his mother.

"I don't know, maybe something interesting happened, like a date or something."

Saya, caught off guard, choked on her coffee in astonishment, inadvertently initiating a bout of coughing.

"Oh my goodness, Saya, are you alright?" Hana asked, concerned. She handed Saya a napkin and gently patted her back.

"S-sorry. I swallowed my coffee wrong and started coughing," Saya explained between coughs.

"Don't worry about it, dear. Just make sure you're okay," Hana reassured her.

Throughout the meal, everyone ate in silence, the question momentarily forgotten. During this time, Saya and Mika recounted the story of their agreement in Suwa instead of the date. Mika's parents seemed satisfied with the explanation.

"Well, I should be heading back now," Saya said, her embarrassment evident.

"Where to? You could've stayed a little longer," Hana expressed a hint of sadness.

"It's alright. My mom might be worried, and besides, we just arrived back from the road. It's better if I head home," Saya said timidly.

"Alright then, dear. Do what feels right for you," Hana said with understanding.

"I will acompany her." Mika offered.

Saya picked up her suitcase and descended the stairs. They exchanged a few words at the front door.

"I apologize for my family's behavior. I had no idea either," Mika said.

"It's okay, they seem nice. And I should apologize too."

"For what?"

"For falling asleep last night and causing all this commotion. I'm really sorry," Saya looked embarrassed and apologetic.

"Don't worry about it. The only thing I don't understand is how you sleep so comfortably and soundly."

"I... I don't know. I must've caused you a lot of trouble."

"As I mentioned, it's not a problem. That's also why I didn't want to wake you up. But will your mom question you about leaving home?"

"No, she won't. She probably guessed I was with you."

"What? Does she know me?"

"Yes."

"What did you tell her about me?" Mika sighed.

Saya smiled, picked up her suitcase, and began walking away. She turned around and waved, her response lingering in the air. Her blue eyes were shining with a smile.

"Who knows?"