Cherreads

Chapter 14 - Fathers

Subaru sat next to his father, sweat dripping from his forehead while his father remained calm.

Subaru: (I know I asked him to help me out but... am I ready for what he's going to teach me?)

Kenichi: [Alright. Just remember everything I taught you okay? As long as you do that you'll be able to stay in control of her.]

Subaru: [Are you sure about this dad?]

Kenichi: [Subaru. You've stopped civil wars and superpowered fanatic cultists. I think you can handle learning to drive.]

Subaru sweatdropped at this as he took the car out of Park, into reverse and backed out of the driveway.

Kenichi: [There you go. Slowly back her out of the driveway.]

Subaru lines the car up with the road taking a second to adjust.

Kenichi: [Your looping power is making you too obsessed with making everything perfect. You're too awkward on the wheel. Don't fight your instincts so much, just ease into the road.]

Subaru relaxed a little as he lined up with the road.

Kenichi: [Good job. Now slowly...]

Subaru pressed the gas pedal as he did it too roughly causing the car to go forward quickly as he took his foot off the pedal.

Kenichi: [Ugh... and that's why you always wear seatbelts.]

Kenichi joked as Subaru sweated, scratching his head.

Subaru: [Sorry about that.]

Kenichi: [Ease into it. Slowly press it until you find the right speed.]

Subaru slowly pressed the pedal as the car started moving.

Kenichi: [Keep your hands on 10 and 2. Then signal and turn right.]

Subaru used the signal and took a right turn.

Kenichi: [Great job. Now try to park over there.]

Subaru tried to park but he found himself confused and the car went back and forth.

Subaru: [Um...]

Kenichi: [Hey it's fine. Parking between two cars as a beginner is hard. I get it. Let's just take our time with this.]

Subaru nods with a smile.

Subaru: [Thanks for teaching me.]

Kenichi: [Hey no problem.]

Subaru took a while but eventually parked as they got out of the car and stood next to each other.

Kenichi: [Not perfect but a win in my book since this is your first time driving.]

They went into the shop as Kenichi greeted the shop owner.

Kenichi: [Hey good to see you. Are you doing alright?]

Shop Owner: [Ah Kenichi. I'm doing fine. So are you teaching your son to drive?]

Kenichi: [Yep.]

Kenichi smiled as he bought the groceries for the week and the Father and Son stood outside. Subaru looked to his father.

Subaru: [I love you, dad.]

Kenichi: [Gay.]

If Subaru had a drink he would have spit it out but then Kenichi hugged him.

Kenichi: [Just kidding, I love you too.]

Subaru: [Dad...]

The two hugged before getting back in the car as Subaru drove them home.

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Subaru tapped his head with his pen as he answered the driving practice quiz in front of him.

Emilia: [How are you doing Subaru?]

Subaru: [Actually I'm doing really well.]

Years of using RBD had taught Subaru how to compartmentalize information and not miss details and key information. So when it came to tests of memory few would beat him out.

Subaru: [And done.]

Kenichi walked in.

Kenichi: [I heard done. Let me see the test.]

Kenichi looked over it.

Kenichi: [Damn son. You got every answer right.]

Emilia: [Whoa! That's reaaally amazing!]

Subaru: [Yeah thanks.]

Kenichi: [The exams next week so study up.]

Subaru: [Yeah. Got it dad.]

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Subaru walked out of the exam hall after only 10 minutes.

Naoko: [You're... back already? It's a 1 hour test.]

Subaru held up his test result. 100%

His parents were gobsmacked.

Emilia: [Whoa! You're reaaally smart Subaru!]

Beatrice: [Its only natural that Betty's contractor is so intelligent, I suppose.]

Subaru: [I gotta take the practical test tomorrow.]

Kenichi: [You'll be fine.]

Naoko nodded.

Naoko: [Just trust yourself Subaru.]

Emilia: [Subaru. There's nothing that needs you to loop. You don't need that power. Just trust yourself. I know you can do this Subaru.]

Subaru looked surprised for a second but then smiled warmly.

Subaru: (You always know exactly what to say Emilia. Truly my EMT.)

He walked over giving Emilia a kiss who blushed at the PDA.

Subaru: [Thanks for the pep talk Mili. I know I'll pass now.]

Emilia smiled. Subaru went on to pass the practical test with flying colours as the Instructor was shocked at how much attention to detail he showed.

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Beatrice had decided to face off against a grandmaster. Beatrice told Subaru to sit in the seat as she sat in his lap.

Grandmaster: [So... you're going to sit in his lap... for the entire match?]

Beatrice: [That is correct. I suppose.]

Grandmaster: [I'm not sure about that. What if he's telling you what moves to make.]

Subaru: [Hey! Don't even dare assume that my Beako would ever cheat like that!]

Grandmaster: [Even still, this isn't acceptable.]

Subaru: [Haven't you seen her streams. She plays without me all the time.]

Grandmaster: [Streams are one thing. In person is another.]

Subaru: (Well I guess he's not wrong but I resent the idea of my Beako being accused of cheating.)

Beatrice: [It is alright Subaru. Betty will teach this brat a lesson, I suppose.]

Grandmaster: [Brat? A kid calling me that? I must be at least 40 years older than you.]

The grandmaster was very calm throughout the entire conversation but he was definitely annoyed by the last thing.

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The Grandmaster sat there with a big smile on his face.

Grandmaster: [That was... one of the best matches I've ever had.]

They stood up and the Grandmaster extended his hand. It was a close match. He had lost but thoroughly enjoyed the match. Beatrice reached out but couldn't reach his hand.

Subaru: [...]

Grandmaster: [...]

The Grandmaster walked closer and they shook hands.

Grandmaster: [You've made it far. I think you'll definitely get the GM title if you participate in more tournaments.]

Beatrice: [That is only natural, I suppose.]

The Grandmaster laughed at this with a smile.

Subaru: [Time to go Beako.]

Beatrice took Subaru's hand as they got to the car, a P plate freshly attached. Beatrice took the back seat and Subaru got in the driver's seat. Kenichi sat in the passenger's seat and the trio drove home.

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Emilia scrolled through her phone. She wasn't that interested in social media so she only followed Subaru's account. Still she got other users in her feed and she saw pictures of couples together with the girls kissing the cheeks of the guy with the caption "Me and My Boyfriend" as she blushed.

Emilia: (Subaru and I should take some photos like that.)

That's when she saw Subaru being mentioned in a post. The title? Pleiades Fashion Designer Natsuki Subaru is into little girls? It showed a picture of Beatrice sitting in his lap. Emilia made a disgusted face while holding her phone.

Emilia: (How can people see something so cute and think like that? What is wrong with these people? I reaaally don't like them.)

Thankfully she hadn't been exposed to Reddit yet. When Subaru got back Emilia walked up to him.

Emilia: [With me. Let's go Subaru.]

Subaru: [Eh?!!]

Emilia pulled Subaru out the door.

Subaru: [Wait where are we going Emilia-tan?]

She closed the door politely before they left.

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Emilia and Subaru stood underneath a Sakura tree as Emilia pulled Subaru close, readying for a selfie.

Subaru: (A selfie?)

Subaru smiled as she kissed his cheek, causing Subaru to blush and took the photo.

Subaru: [I'm really happy to see our first photo Mili.]

Emilia nodded as she posted it on her account with the caption: "Me and my Boyfriend."

Subaru: [Eh? Emilia-tan did you just....]

The comments flooded in. Dozens of nay sayers.

Emilia: [Huh?]

She looked annoyed.

Emilia: [How dare they say... Subaru is a pass? You're a pass!]

She typed aggressively in the chat.

Subaru: (My Emilia-tan has turned into a keyboard warrior...)

Subaru held in a laugh.

Subaru: (I did figure that no one would believe that we're a couple.)

Emilia: [Subaru is... mid? You!!! You're mid!]

Subaru sweat dropped.

Subaru: (Isn't she getting a bit too into this?)

Subaru: [Mili. Don't worry about what other people say. What matters is us right?]

Emilia's eyes widened and then she smiled and she turned off her phone. Oh my god! What a genius strategy! 200IQ move! EMT is the smartest person in the world now! Who but her could come up with such a genius tactic?

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Otto lay in bed unable to move.

Otto: [I feel like... I'm going to shrivel up and die.]

Otto was about to get up when Garf entered the room.

Garf: [Brotto!!!]

Otto sighed slowly getting up.

Garf: [Great news! Sis is preggers!]

Otto: [...]

Otto processed it for a second before he blushed and smiled.

Otto: (My life was worth living. Also I'm lucky Garf isn't the older sibling.)

Otto slowly got up out of bed as he left the room with Garf into the dining hall. Frederica had set out many dishes for him as he smiled.

Otto: (All of the energy I get from this food is going to be spent by the end of the day.)

Otto sighed as Ram, Rem and Roswaal entered the room. Spica followed behind Rem.

Ram: [Truly you are Barasu's friend, defiling a young maiden before marriage.]

Otto looked flustered as he attempted to defend himself.

Otto: [Frederica-san is the one that always...]

Ram: [And now you attempt to besmirch that same maiden's honor with lies?]

Otto cried tears as he thought of Subaru.

Otto: (I miss you Natsuki-san.)

Frederica entered the room, still a bit flustered from the reveal of her pregnancy as Felix stood next to her.

Felix: [No problems with the kid in there. It's good that you called me when you felt unwell though. It was a good call just in case it was actually an illness.]

Frederica: [Thank you, Felix-sama. Crusch-sama.]

Felix was in a great mood as Crusch stood next to him.

Crusch: [I'm glad my camp was able to repay some of the favors that have piled up. Now that my memories have returned I can see that I must thank Natsuki Subaru even more than I first thought.]

Rem smiled.

Rem: [Rem will bring back Subaru-Kun. Don't worry, Crusch-sama. You'll have the chance for it.]

Crusch smiled before taking her leave.

Otto turned to Frederica as he smiled.

Frederica: [Dear um...]

Otto: [It's great news. I'm so happy right now.]

Frederica smiled feeling a bit teary eyed as Otto got up and hugged her, planting a kiss on her cheek.

Roswaal: [Truuuuly you and Subaaaru-kun have similar taaastes.]

Otto turned to face Roswaal.

Otto: [Aner... Roswaal. You came here because you have news. Right?]

Roswaal: [Indeed. Good news. It seems I underestimated part of the magic for bringing back Subaru-Kun.]

Rem: [What?]

Roswaal: [It seems we can send two over to Subaru's world.]

Spica seemed excited at this.

Rem: [I... I'll take Spica with me.]

Ram: [Rem no. While I trust this child. Who knows what might happen if she was taken to another world. What if her memories return?]

Rem: [Spica's memories... already have.]

Ram paused dead in her tracks. As did everyone else.

Spica: [Spica... doesn't remember being that person. Spica has her memories but...]

Ram: [Hm... have you confirmed this Rem?]

Rem: [I trust Spica but yes I confirmed it with Reinhard-sama.]

Spica: [Spica understands that you're mad...]

She looked down in guilt. Spica had risked her life for Subaru many times. It was something she could be proud of. At first, she was just happy just to be with him and her "mother" Rem but now... now with her memories back. All the horrible crimes the being known as Rui Arneb had committed especially against Subaru. From that she felt immense guilt.

Ram: [Very well.]

Spica was surprised as Otto sighed.

Otto: [That's the only reason I'm okay with this.]

Frederica: [I feel the same.]

Spica couldn't comprehend any other reason but her "father" Natsuki Subaru being the reason for her being treated so well.

Ram: [If you think it's right then... take her with you Rem. I'm sure Barasu would be happy to see that you and this child are doing well.]

Rem nods.

Rem: [Rem will make sure Spica behaves herself like a good girl.]

Spica blushed in embarrassment as Otto turned to Frederica.

Otto: (I'm really going to be a father... Natsuki-san... I wish you were here... I... I want you to be there for my wedding.)

Otto sighed.

Otto: (I definitely will have you at my wedding, Natsuki-san. I don't care how many jokes you make at my expense. You are going to be there.)

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To Be Continued

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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:

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