Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Miya is a bright boy, I’m just concerned about him,” Mrs. Chinen told her husband. Their son, Miya, was a skateboarding prodigy. He had gone to nationals and ever since then he had stopped hanging out with his friends.

A nod accompanied the next comment, “I am too. He’s been inside so much recently.”

Mrs Chinen’s eyebrows drew together, “Hon, do you remember that school trip Miya went on?” Another nod, “During those few days I saw some boys from his school.”

“But shouldn’t they have been on the trip with him?” Concern painted the couple’s face when their son came out of his room, almost too conveniently timed. His skateboard was in hand, having his green and purple cat-like hoodie drawn over his head, his face down.

Before Miya could walk out of the house, his mother stopped him, “Miya, sweetie could we talk to you?” There was a slight twitch, a smallest jump in muscles beneath the skin, but Miya tilted his head forward in a nod.

He put his skateboard down in front of the door and pulled his hood off of his head before coming to the living room. Looking at her son Mrs. Chinen noticed him mentally preparing himself for something. She noticed his stance was tense, waiting for bad news. His hands sat at his sides but he seemed to be fiddling with his nails.

“Are you okay?” Miya’s body immediately untensed, leaving in its wake a confused boy instead, “You haven’t brought any friends over and you hardly go out.”

Her son hesitated, not quite wanting to be open about this, “Yeah I’m fine just more focused on skating is all,” it wasn’t the truth, at least not the full truth, but Mrs. Chinen allowed her son some leeway. He had been pressured about skating recently. Besides, he was a growing boy, he was allowed some secrets.

“Oh and mom?” Mrs. Chinen perked up, “I actually would like to bring some friends over tomorrow, is that okay?”

“Of course sweetheart!” She tried to not sound super excited but it was hard. She loved meeting her son’s friends, especially now that he hardly hung out with anyone.

She however would have liked to not meet them in such an odd way.

It was hardly five in the morning when the front door lock was being opened. Mrs Chinen was always quite a light sleeper, however she’s not sure how anyone could even ignore the sound of her deadbolt clanking open as it did. She threw on a robe and grabbed the nearest almost-weapon. The lamp she held was uncomfortable in her hand and pulled straight from the wall but it would do in a pinch. Carefully, silently, she walked to the front door, ready to strike down anyone who threatened her family.

She didn’t expect the sight before her.

Six people tried to fit in her front hallway, each in different states of disarray. First was an exhausted looking red-haired boy, teenager really, gripping a skateboard and the second teen next to him for dear life. Said second teen was in a similar state, seemingly dead tired but determined to hold the red-haired man standing at his side. He also had a skateboard in his open hand.

Next, and considerably more concerning, was a man with orange hair that stuck up as if only some parts had gel in it. He also sported some make up, poorly wiped off so that the green around his eyes had just smudged rather than coming off of his face. He was less tired and also sported a skateboard. This man grumbled about the ‘damn kids’ making him ‘take them everywhere’.

There was another pair that shocked her more than the last. The pair consisted of Kojiro Nanjo, the head chef of that Italian bistro nearby, and Kaoru Sakurayashiki, the famous calligrapher. They were both in odd outfits, Nanjo missing his shirt entirely, only being dressed in pants and a jacket, and Sakura being in a modified kimono with a mask and his hair tied back. They quietly argued with each other, slowly inching together. Mrs. Chinen had begun to recognize a pattern when she noticed they both had skateboards in their hands.

Finally, locking the door behind the small group, was her own son. Dressed in that cat-like hoodie, purple and black gloves and black shorts. His skateboard, much like the other five men, was in his hand. He had worked up a sweat wherever he had been, indicating that he was out of his bed for a while now.

“What did I tell you slimes about racing like you had places to go!” Miya whispered at the teens. He finally turned, catching sight of his own mother, “Oh uhm hi mom.”

“Honey, who are these people?”

“Mom, these are those friends I was talking about. I asked if they could come over. I didn’t expect that they would be here this early but we were all too tired after skating.”

Mrs. Chinen looked at the group again, placing the lamp still in her hands down, doing a once over before pulling her son off to the side.

“Miya if there’s something wrong you know you can tell me right? You don’t have to pretend they are your friends if they hurt you. You don’t have to cover for them.”

Shock instantly pulled over her son's face, “No mom! It’s nothing like that! I met these guys while skating. They made it fun for me again,” he smiled lightly, something reassuring.

“Speaking of, why are you out skating this early! You need sleep young man!” Her mom-voice was back, scolding the young boy.

Her son looked down in shame, not answering the question but feeling remorse for his actions.

Next thing Mrs. Chinen knew Nanjo had tapped her son on the shoulder, “Kid, I’ll talk to her. Could you go get the boys situated? If someone doesn’t lay Reki down within the next minute I think he might keel over,” Miya nodded and walked off, just as he would if asked to get the dishes. This man clearly had some kind of parental authority with her son and it almost unsettled her.

“I’m sorry for startling you Ma’am. I’m Kojiro Nanjo, but please call me Joe. I met your son a few months ago and became friends with him ‘cause we basically went on the same vacation,” Nanjo, or apparently Joe, assured her.

“That school trip he went on? Why were you there?” Concern continued to plague her.

Joe shook his head fondly, “I was going on an actual vacation. Pink-,” he cut himself off, “Sakura was on a work trip. Hiromi, Reki, and Langa were there for the hot springs,” he took a moment to amend that statement. “Actually, Reki was the only one there for the hot springs, Langa tagged along because Reki was going and Hiromi was guilt tripped by his manager to go.”

“So it was all just a big coincidence?” Her head was tilted slightly in question.

A small laugh escaped Joe, “Yes Ma’am. It was kinda weird to see those kids but I’m glad it happened. I don’t think we would be good friends if it didn’t.”

“Well how do I know I can trust you? I don’t want to assume the worst but I can’t help it given your difference in ages.”

A face was pulled, something in the middle of shock and disgust. Probably a good sign if anything, “That boy is a son to me, no offense obviously. I wouldn’t even think about being around him like that. Given that Sakura is practically head over heels for his AI assistant, I think he feels the same way,” the jab didn’t go unnoticed by Mrs. Chinen but it struck her as too odd to ask. “Hiromi is blinded by the love of his manager and the boys are so into skating that they don’t even go to school half of the time.”

The breath that she held was silently released. Her son was okay and in good hands. She then decided to ask another question, “Why do you see him as a son?”

Laughter, quiet but boisterous, rang out, “Oh it started as a joke really. Then I actually started driving him and buying him things semi-regularly. He also ends up at my restaurant most days of the week.”

“Is that where he gets his games from? I was wondering,” Her voice was relaxed now, joking freely.

“Yeah, I’m a sucker for that kid unfortunately. I can hardly deny him anything and it’s been affecting my bank account,” he sighed, exaggerated and over the top. “Hey, if you ever come to the restaurant just ask for me. Usually if my waiters tell me ‘Miya is here’ I end up making something for him.”

Mrs. Chinen smiled warmly, “That’s very kind of you! I might take you up on that offer.”

Sakurayashiki, or as he had been referred to as Sakura, came up behind Joe while passing and whispered something that almost sounded like ‘thirsty’ in his ear. Joe whipped around, quietly threatening the calligrapher.

Soon after, Miya had come out of his room and told Joe that Reki and Langa were sleeping in his room. The remaining four of the group sat in her living room, talking softly, as if to not wake anyone.

This little group was interesting but they were her son's friends, so Mrs. Chinen wasn’t going to complain.