You’re not carried away at all. I love your enthusiasm! 

“Mom? Here’s my other Mom.” Hikari giggles as a woman and a little boy enter Anteiku.

“Hikari, it’s late and I was so – oh.” A brunette of about 35 years old presses her hands to her mouth. There’s no doubt who Itori is. 

“Hi,” Itori says, choosing to wield her winsome smile as a weapon. 

“I’m Ichiro Akane.” The woman nods to Uta and Yomo. “Are you…”

“A friend of Itori’s,” Uta says, grinning.

“Both of us.” Yomo elbows Uta. Behave. 

“I see.” Akane nods, her eyes full of questions she will definitely ask. “Not Hikari’s father?”

“No,” Itori says quickly as Uta snickers.

“This is Benjiro.” The woman tugs the boy, who is only a year or so younger than Hikari, forward.

“Hi.” He waves nervously.

“Hello.” Uta smirks, and the kid looks terrified. 

“More coffee?” A girl about Hikari’s age stops by the table. 

“Yes, please,” says Akane. “Say, what’s your name, girl?”

“Hinami.”

“You have a pretty headband. Can I try it?” Hikari waves her hands in excitement, just like Itori used to. 

Hinami nods.

“Ooh, I think it looks better on you.” Hikari frowns at her reflection in her phone. “We should hang out more.”

“Hikari needs people her age,” Akane says quietly. Itori nods. As awkward as this is, at least she and Akane agree on Hikari needing the best in the world. 

“Hi there,” says a girl about Hinami’s age. She has peach hair cut in a bob and a winsome smile that almost obscures how nervous she is. “Is there a Yomo Renji here?”

Touka pauses her sweeping. “Um, hold on a sec.”

The manager eyes her with a a small smile as they wait for Yomo to show up. He offers her a free cup of coffee, which she gladly accepts.

“Ooooh, this is so good!” The girl kicks her legs back and forth.

Yomo is taller than she expected, and probably kinda intimidating if Hikari were the type of person to be intimidated. He slips into the seat across from her. “You were asking for me?”

“Are you my father?” 

Yomo drops his mug. He feels like everyone in Anteiku is watching him now.

“I’m Hikari. Morita Hikari. You gave me to my parents when I was a baby.” The girl watches him carefully.

Yomo curses himself. He should have guessed. With that hair and attitude, of course this is Itori’s daughter.

“No, I’m not,” he says carefully. Her face falls. “But I know your mother quite well.”

“He can call her,” hollers another cafe employee with a bulbous nose.

“Can you?” Hikari grabs his hands. “Please.”

Yomo nods reluctantly. 

As they wait for  Itori and Uta – who were not told the circumstances yet – Yomo wonders what to say. Fortunately, Hikari is quite a chatterbox.

“Why did Mom give me up? Did she hate me? Who was my dad?”

“She was too young. No. I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her.” 

“You’re not very fun.” Hikari pouts. 

Yomo can’t resist a smile. “You’re Itori’s daughter, all right.”

She flushes as the door to Anteiku swings open.

“Well, well, well, who is this?” Uta takes off his sunglasses to inspect the girl. 

“I love your tattoos.” Hikari looks excited.

“You’re Hikari,” Itori says softly.

Hikari’s eyes grow rounder. “Are you Itori?”

Itori holds out her peach hair. 

Hikari’s lips tremble. “Do you like me?”

Itori nods, wordless for once in her existence.

Hikari glances at Uta.

“I’m not your dad,” he says quickly. “Itori and I are just friends.”

“I think you’re beautiful,” Itori says, a catch in her voice. “Hikari.” 

Hikari throws herself at Itori, who hugs her so tight she can’t breathe, and she loves it. Both women are crying, and Yomo can spy tears running down behind Uta’s sunglasses. 

“Let’s get more coffee.” Itori slides into a seat next to Hikari. “I think we’ll have a long night, if your parents allow it.”

“I snuck out. They think I’m asleep, but they’ll call if they notice.”

“I’m so proud of you,” says Itori, and Hikari beams back.