I let out a sigh, running a hand through my hair as I replayed the awkward interaction in my head. What was I even thinking? Asking her to hang out when I didn’t even have a plan? No wonder she just walked off.
Well, whatever. No point dwelling on it now.
Shaking off the weird encounter, I turned around and made my way back to the fast-food restaurant. Yuuji was probably still waiting for me there—along with Father and Irana.
Thinking about that, I suddenly felt a small pang of concern. What exactly was Father doing here? And why did Irana come with him?
In front of the restaurant, the crowd had already dispersed. The commotion from earlier had settled, and everything was back to normal. I glanced around, but I didn’t see Yuuji, Irana, or Father anywhere. They were probably already inside.
I took a deep breath and stepped through the door, the familiar scent of fried food and warm bread greeting me as I entered.
“Onee-chan! Over here!!”
I heard Yuuji’s cheerful voice calling out to me. Turning toward the source, I spotted them sitting at a booth near the window. Yuuji was waving enthusiastically, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw me.
Father and Irana were sitting across from him, eating their meals in a surprisingly calm manner—well, calm for Irana at least. She was sipping her drink nonchalantly while Father, looking way too relaxed, took a bite of his burger.
As soon as I sat down, Father smirked at me, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
“How was your date, sweetie?” he asked, his voice dripping with amusement.
I nearly choked on air. “What date…?” I asked, furrowing my brows.
Irana, sipping on her drink, leaned forward with a sly grin. “Grabbing a girl’s hand and dramatically saving her from a crowd? That totally felt like something straight out of a romance drama.
”I raised an eyebrow. "That’s what you call a date?"
Irana shrugged. "If it looks like a date and sounds like a date…"
I groaned, shaking my head. "Whatever. Anyway, what are you two doing out here?"
"Just having fun," Father said nonchalantly, taking a sip of his drink. "You and Yuuji were having fun together, right? Same for us."
I narrowed my eyes. "Having fun…? That’s suspicious. You’re not dragging Irana into something weird, are you?"
"Hey!" Irana pouted. "I’m my own person. I can make my own choices."
"That’s right," Father chimed in with a grin. "I didn’t drag her anywhere. We’re simply out and about, enjoying a lovely father-daughter bonding moment. Totally normal."
I didn’t buy it for a second.
"And what about Mom?" I asked, crossing my arms.
Father let out a dramatic sigh. "She’s busy streaming, of course. Becoming a successful Vcuber takes dedication."
Irana rolled her eyes. "More like she's locked in her room, screaming at chat while playing horror games."
Yuuji, who had been quietly listening, suddenly perked up. "Oh! I watched her last stream! She knocked over her camera when she got scared, and everyone in chat started spamming 'RIP setup.'"
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "At this rate, she’s going to be more famous than any of us."
Father grinned. "Wouldn’t be surprised if she gets a sponsorship deal before the year ends."
I stared at him. "You sound way too proud of that."
He smirked. "Of course! My wife is talented."
I shook my head, deciding not to question it further. "Anyway, if we’re all done teasing me, can we just eat?"
Irana and Father exchanged amused glances but didn’t push further—for now.