The moment Mr. Yukine extended his hand, the heat from his earlier fight had dissipated, leaving only a firm yet welcoming presence. His grip was strong, rough from years of wielding flames, yet it lacked any hostility.
"You can call me Mr. Yukine, sir, or dad, whatever you prefer," he said with a hearty chuckle. "I'm Yukine Raikuzou, the Fire Manipulator."
Hikari hesitated for a brief moment, still unsure how to react to the bizarre turn of events. One second they were locked in a fierce battle, and now Mr. Yukine casually offered to be called 'dad.'
It felt like a huge weight for Hikari, quite honestly. He swallowed his confusion and nodded. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Yukine. I'm Kurayami Hikari."
Mrs. Yukine, who had been watching the exchange with an amused expression, stepped forward. "Seems like you were able to get on good terms," she commented with a knowing smile. "By the way, I invited Hikari to our place to thank him since he saved me from a couple of thieves while I was at the bridge."
At that, Mr. Yukine's expression darkened, and his eyes burned—almost literally. His gaze locked onto Hikari, who immediately stiffened. "Are you trying to make a move on my wife?" His voice was sharp, cutting through the night like a blade of fire.
Hikari flailed his arms in a panic. "N-n-no-no, sir! I just happened to hear her scream for help!" The words spilled out faster than he intended, driven by sheer survival instinct. This was one misunderstanding he needed to clear up—immediately!
For a moment, there was silence. Then, as if a switch had flipped, Mr. Yukine burst into laughter, clapping Hikari on the back hard enough to make him stumble forward.
"Oh, if that's the case, you have my gratitude!" he declared, his demeanor completely changing. "Why don't we go inside? Let's have a nice chat while we're at it."
Mrs. Yukine sighed. "It's pretty late, love, and I think Hikari must be going now."
"Oh, right. I quite forgot that you're still a teenager since you were able to beat me in a one-on-one fight," Mr. Yukine admitted. Then, as if struck by an idea, he turned to Hikari.
"Is it okay if you spend the night here? It's already late, and although I think you can easily defend yourself, it's still not safe to be wandering this late at night. And, honestly, I'm too tired to take you home. How about it? We have a guest room if you're fine with that."
Hikari considered it. He wasn't particularly opposed to the idea, but there was one issue. "Um, I'll have to ask my parents first."
"No need to worry about that," Mr. Yukine said, waving a dismissive hand. "While you're at it, may I ask for your parents' numbers? I'd like to know how they raised a Shadow Manipulator like you."
Hikari stiffened. He hadn't told his parents about his irregularity yet, and this wasn't how he had planned to break the news. "Um...about that... I-I haven't told them anything yet," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was planning to once I got stronger. I only recently discovered my abilities, so I'm still undergoing training."
Mr. Yukine raised a brow but didn't push further. "Oh, okay, whatever you want. But may I still have their number? I need to ask their permission regarding you spending the night here."
Reluctantly, Hikari nodded. "Okay, sir."
In the end, he didn't even get the chance to ask his parents himself. Instead, Mr. Yukine dialed the number and took care of the conversation. The moment his parents picked up, Hikari discreetly enhanced his hearing.
The response was...unexpected.
As soon as Mr. Yukine introduced himself, his parents erupted into cheers on the other end of the line. The sheer excitement in their voices was almost comical. "Oh, sure, sure! Thank you for inviting our son. We really appreciate it!" his father said enthusiastically.
Hikari nearly choked on air. Was this really happening?
"No worries. I just wanted to return the favor since you have invited my daughter for dinner before," Mr. Yukine replied. "Thank you for taking care of her."
"You're welcome!" His father's voice carried an unusual amount of excitement.
"Well, I'll be hanging up then."
"Bye."
The call ended, and Hikari was officially allowed to stay the night. After the phone call, they returned inside. Mr. Yukine led him upstairs to the guest room on the second floor.
The house had a warm and inviting atmosphere, decorated with personal touches—family photos on the walls, small trinkets on shelves, and a lingering scent of home-cooked meals.
As to why it had a lingering scent of home-cooked meals, Hikari could only wonder. Then again, it was probably just his enhanced sense of smell playing tricks on him.
The guest room was simple but comfortable. A neatly made bed, a small desk, and a wardrobe stood against the walls. Right next to it was Mitsumi's room, its door slightly ajar, revealing a glimpse of her neatly arranged bookshelves.
"Now that I think about it, you're still wearing your uniform," Mr. Yukine noted as they walked up the stairs. "You should probably throw it in the washing machine downstairs. If you don't know how to use it, just ask Mitsu—umm...wait..."
He scratched his head, glancing between Hikari and Mitsumi's room. "You can wash both your clothes together so you won't have any trouble figuring it out."
Hikari blinked. Was he suggesting what he thought he was suggesting? "Uh...okay, sir."
Mr. Yukine grinned, completely unaware of the implications, and clapped him on the shoulder. "Good! Now, make yourself at home. And don't worry—I don't bite."
Hikari wasn't entirely convinced about that last part. But at least he survived the night—so far.
———
A couple of minutes later,
Back at it again, Hikari was just as impressed when he entered the place for the second time, admiring the interiors as usual. Although he was just here a moment ago, he still couldn't believe that such a refined house existed.
Without further ado, Mr. Yukine directed him to the guest room where he would be staying. Something in Mr. Yukine's gaze told Hikari that he knew some things about the Shadow Manipulator.
Nevertheless, Hikari didn't dare ask, at least, for now.
Just as he was about to step into the guest room, Mitsumi's door creaked open wider. She peeked out, her tired eyes barely registering his presence. "Oh, you're still here?" she murmured, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "I thought Dad scared you off.
"I think he tried," Hikari muttered under his breath.
Mitsumi chuckled. "He has that effect on people. Anyway, let me know if you need anything. Just knock."
Hikari hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Thanks, Mitsumi."
She yawned and shut the door. Hikari exhaled, stepping inside the guest room. The bed looked more inviting than anything he had ever seen. Finally, after everything that had happened, he allowed himself to collapse onto it, staring at the ceiling.
"What a day," Hikari mumbled to himself as he sat on the floor, letting time fly by as he stared at the spotless white ceiling.