Unlike Rika, Ryo was not nervous for the date. He was confident in his social skills that he knew for sure that he would impress her family. Not to mention, he was quite charming, in his opinion. His day was relaxing: he slept in late and watched TV. Getting ready for the date was easy too. He bathed, shaved, and grabbed an outfit out of his selection of clothes. He chose an outfit that was much more toned down from what he would have went with merely a month ago. Rika had a lot of influence in his wardrobe lately. He still made sure he was dressed to show his full swag, but his outfits were more dressy and less gangster. At first he did protest; he liked his baggy jeans. But after seeing himself in a few of the outfits, he realized how fresh he looked. He was wearing a white crew tee with a green, gray, and white wide plaid button up shirt. His jeans were gray as was his fitted cap. His kicks were dark gray, black, with matching green. To top it off he had a pricey watch, 2 karat equivalent studs, and aviator shades though the sun was already beginning to set. Classy.
He left his house early in order to catch a train. He got off at a stop still quite a way from her house to stop by a floral place in order to buy flowers. He would have just taken someone's flowers from a pot if it had been spring or summer. He didn't get anything fancy because he didn't have that kind of money. Flowers in hand, he was on his way again.
Rika said to be there at 5, but Ryo was at the mercy of the train schedule, especially with his pit stop. He could have left earlier, but he didn't want to look like one of those pussy asses that showed up half an hour early. It was only a little after a quarter after when he arrived. He went up to the door, walking with his signature lean and knocked.
Hearing the knock Rika knew the Ryo had finally arrived and her heart began to pound in her chest. She hoped Ryo was considerate tonight about his attitude and attire, her family wouldn't be won over if he acted like his usual self. Rika made for the door but Mika cut her off. "I got it!" her little sister yelled in excitement. Reaching the door Mika pulled it open to great the man outside. She looked in awe at the stranger in the door before giggling. "Are you Rika's boyfriend?" she drawled out a huge grin appearing on her face.
Before Mika could embarrass her more Rika pulled her sister aside. "Mika knock it off you are probably making him uncomfortable."
Looking back at Ryo, Rika simply smiled. "Glad you could make it this little nuisance is my younger sister Mika. My parents are at the dinning table come inside so I can introduce you." Rika held the door open for Ryo and Mika stood beside her still checking out Ryo.
Standing at the doorstep, Ryo was beginning to fidget. He could hear shuffling inside and voices, and door opened before him, but not to Rika, whom he had expected. Or at least, it was a younger version of Rika. He was unsure what to say to her and when he opened his mouth to respond, Rika had appeared. He immediately regained his composure at her appearance. He grabbed the brim of his hat, adjusting it out of habit. "Naw she ain't doing no harm." He began as he started walking into the door, and when he was closer to Rika, "Merry Christmas, baby." He turned from her to see her house. It was a hundred times better than the piece of shit he lived in. He removed his aviators as he looked on in wonder. "Nice crib," he said as he walked forward a bit, but waited for Rika to lead the way.
Rika frowned a bit at the way Ryo talked. She was used to it but she had hoped he would try and talk a bit more normal. "Ryo don't use so much slang please." she said before entering the dinning area where both her mother and father were waiting. Rika noticed that they weren't exactly smiling at Ryo but had looks of equal confusion.
"Mom, dad this is Ryo Jo my boyfriend." Rika said to break the silence. "Ryo this is my father Yoji and my mother Ayaka. You already met my little sister Mika and that pretty much makes up my family." Rika smiled at him.
Her father was first to break the silence. "So Jo-san you attend school with my daughter? Must be a challenge to compete with her grades."
"My bad," Ryo apologized as he followed Rika into the dinning area. He had thought that he was doing without the slang, as it definitely wasn't close to his usual dialect. Rika was too proper in her grammar, he decided, as he thought he was speaking alright. He stopped when he was besides Rika and checked out her parents. They seemed pretty normal. Nothing like his crack whore of a mom. He was distracted with his thoughts as Rika introduced them, and remembered almost too late to bow, which he now did, removing his hat before doing so. Placing his hat back on his head, he wondered if that had impressed Rika.
"Naw she's too smart for anybody to try and compete with," he replied. Literally, he was almost opposite the class rank than Rika was. His grades were not in his favor.
Yoji grinned seeming to appreciate the answer Ryo gave him. "Yes she is extremely smart. You are lucky she could squeeze having a boyfriend in with her study schedule." Rika flushed in embarrassment hoping her father would cut bringing that up.
"If I couldn't dad I wouldn't." She laughed.
"I would hope so Rika dear but we will give it a chance, we trust you. No Ryo you can sit in the chair by Rika. I hope you are hungry I made a lot of food." Her mother added giving a charming smile and gesturing to the extra chair that had been set out.
Ryo's nerves dropped a notch at her father's reaction. He felt like he was playing a game show and had just passed into the next round. Part one was complete, and things were going nicely. Her father had even used the boyfriend word, which experience had taught him was a good thing.
"Thank you, Kitamura-san." he said moving towards the table, "I'm honored to be invited to such a fancy meal." 'Fancy' was in place of 'rich-ass,' in regards to any meal that wasn't from the gas station convenience store, which he knew wasn't appropriate. He stopped by the seats, holding out his hand in gesture for Rika to come sit first, and giving her a wink. Oh he was good.
Rika was more then impressed with Ryo's display and she was happy to see her father was as well.
"Well I am glad you can join us I just hope we are not interfering with your studies. I know for you students holidays themselves are not even truly a break." Yoji smiled as he began to pass around the food.
Ryo could've laughed, but didn't in order to save face. He wouldn't be caught studying during a holiday. It wasn't his lifestyle. He'd miss too much of life if he was stuck in a book.
Mika giggled in her chair. "Jo-san doesn't look much like the studying type." Rika gave her little sister a glare in response. Rika's father just looked at his youngest daughter. "Now Mika that is now how we behave in front of guests." He spoke up.
Ryo shot a dirty look towards Rika's sister. 'Girl tryna blow my cover,' he thought. "That's cuz I already caught back up on sleep. You shoulda saw me finals week. Livin' zombie."
Mika frowned at getting in trouble and said nothing else. "Yeah Ryo came to a few of study sessions you probably don't remember and he used to go to the cram school at Juku center. We used to talk during breaks and that is how we got close." Rika lied and gave Ryo a smile when her dad seemed very pleased but what she said. Her mother too was beaming.
"Well Ryo you deserve a break after that hard work so feel free to stay for awhile you can have desert in Rika's room. Just keep the door open please. I trust you two but it is better to be safe then sorry." Ayaka Kitamura chimed.
Ryo's nose could have started spurting blood at her mom's comment. Somehow the idea of dessert and Rika's room became something way too perverted to mention. He had to clear his throat to regain composure or else he'd be stuck sitting at the table for awhile. "Thanks, Kitamura-san. I will take you up on that offer., if Rika don't say no." Again, the dirty thoughts were invasive.
Rika blushed she never had a guy in her room. "I don't mind." It wasn't much of a room in fact it would probably be nerdy to Ryo with all the text books laying around.
Once it was time for dessert, Ryo offered to carry Rika's, too, showing off to her parents. "You just lead the way, babe." Inside he was freaking out about going to the girl's room. He was definitely going to be bragging about this to Yosuke later.
"Okay my room is upstairs, the door on the right." Rika lead the way and opened the door to her room. Turning on the light she was embarrassed her room wasn't like normal girls she had a desk full of text books and note books. There was a book shelf full of more books and her walls only had a couple of posters on them. The only pictures on her desk were of Ritsuko and Yumi and her bed just had a plain blue comforter on top of it.
"This is it." Rika said glad that her room was clean asides from her desk. "Sit where ever you like." She moved some books cleaning off the desk enough for him to put the plates down.
He left his house early in order to catch a train. He got off at a stop still quite a way from her house to stop by a floral place in order to buy flowers. He would have just taken someone's flowers from a pot if it had been spring or summer. He didn't get anything fancy because he didn't have that kind of money. Flowers in hand, he was on his way again.
Rika said to be there at 5, but Ryo was at the mercy of the train schedule, especially with his pit stop. He could have left earlier, but he didn't want to look like one of those pussy asses that showed up half an hour early. It was only a little after a quarter after when he arrived. He went up to the door, walking with his signature lean and knocked.
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Before Mika could embarrass her more Rika pulled her sister aside. "Mika knock it off you are probably making him uncomfortable."
Looking back at Ryo, Rika simply smiled. "Glad you could make it this little nuisance is my younger sister Mika. My parents are at the dinning table come inside so I can introduce you." Rika held the door open for Ryo and Mika stood beside her still checking out Ryo.
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"Mom, dad this is Ryo Jo my boyfriend." Rika said to break the silence. "Ryo this is my father Yoji and my mother Ayaka. You already met my little sister Mika and that pretty much makes up my family." Rika smiled at him.
Her father was first to break the silence. "So Jo-san you attend school with my daughter? Must be a challenge to compete with her grades."
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"Naw she's too smart for anybody to try and compete with," he replied. Literally, he was almost opposite the class rank than Rika was. His grades were not in his favor.
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"If I couldn't dad I wouldn't." She laughed.
"I would hope so Rika dear but we will give it a chance, we trust you. No Ryo you can sit in the chair by Rika. I hope you are hungry I made a lot of food." Her mother added giving a charming smile and gesturing to the extra chair that had been set out.
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"Thank you, Kitamura-san." he said moving towards the table, "I'm honored to be invited to such a fancy meal." 'Fancy' was in place of 'rich-ass,' in regards to any meal that wasn't from the gas station convenience store, which he knew wasn't appropriate. He stopped by the seats, holding out his hand in gesture for Rika to come sit first, and giving her a wink. Oh he was good.
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"Well I am glad you can join us I just hope we are not interfering with your studies. I know for you students holidays themselves are not even truly a break." Yoji smiled as he began to pass around the food.
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"Well Ryo you deserve a break after that hard work so feel free to stay for awhile you can have desert in Rika's room. Just keep the door open please. I trust you two but it is better to be safe then sorry." Ayaka Kitamura chimed.
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"This is it." Rika said glad that her room was clean asides from her desk. "Sit where ever you like." She moved some books cleaning off the desk enough for him to put the plates down.
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