So that was the current situation surrounding Uzumaki Oden.
Now
Back to the argument.
Jonathan exhaled sharply.
"Mia," he said, "whether you like Oden or not, you're just going to have to make peace with him staying here. He's growing up in this house."
Mia didn't hesitate.
"Well then, that's pretty simple, isn't it?" she said. "Either he leaves, or I do. I'm not staying in the same house as a murderer."
Jonathan froze. "…What?"
He raised his voice, disbelief bleeding into anger.
"How can you be so heartless, Mia?" he shouted. "You're a mother. Aren't you supposed to have even more compassion than me?"
Mia crossed her arms.
"Don't get me wrong," she said calmly. "I love Olivia. I'd give my life for her without hesitation. But I'm not doing the same for a stranger."
"He's not a stranger!" Jonathan snapped. "He's been with us ever since he was a baby!"
Mia scoffed.
"All I'm saying," she replied, "is that there's a reason his parents abandoned him in the first place."
Jonathan's eyes widened.
"And I'm not changing my stance," she continued. "I'm giving you until tomorrow to decide."
She met his gaze without flinching. "Me or Oden."
"Mia…" Jonathan whispered, stunned.
Unbeknownst to them—
Oden stood just outside the bedroom door.
He had been carrying a tray of tea.
He always liked making tea for Jonathan. It made him feel useful.
His fingers tightened slightly around the tray.
I'm making things hard for Father…
Jonathan frowned deeply, staring at the floor.
If I stay… it'll only get worse.
I don't have a choice.
Just then—
"Oden!"
Olivia's voice echoed down the hallway. "Why are you just standing there?"
Inside the bedroom, Jonathan stiffened.
"Oden?" he said in panic, quickly moving toward the door.
He opened it.
There stood Oden, holding a tray neatly balanced in his hands.
Jonathan's expression softened instantly. "Oh," he smiled. "It's tea time already, isn't it?"
Oden nodded. "Yes."
Jonathan took the tray with a grin. "Good," he said. "I was just craving it."
He ruffled Oden's hair gently.
Then, hesitantly—
"Oden," he asked, "you didn't hear anything outside the door, did you?"
Oden blinked. "No," he said. "Why?"
He tilted his head.
"Were you and Mrs. Johnson doing something naughty again?"
Jonathan laughed awkwardly.
"I—I don't know what you're talking about," he said quickly. "Kids your age shouldn't think about things like that."
Oden smiled faintly.
"I'm joking," he said. "I didn't hear anything. I just got here."
Jonathan relaxed. "I see," he said. "Well… thank you for the tea, Oden."
Olivia stepped forward.
"If you're done, Oden," she said, "let's go watch a movie or something."
Oden looked at her. "What kind of movie?"
"I don't know," Olivia replied. "We'll look something up."
Oden nodded.
"Okay," he said. "But I'm picking this time. That movie you picked last time was terrible."
Olivia puffed out her cheeks.
"Oden," she said, "you don't appreciate art. All you ever do is read that dumb manga of yours. That's why you'll never broaden your horizons."
Oden replied flatly. "One Piece isn't dumb. It challenges multiple stereotypes, including the meaning of freedom, friendship, and even oppression."
Jonathan chuckled.
"Alright, you two," he said. "Go on now. We want to sleep."
"I'll make the popcorn!" Olivia called out, already rushing away.
Oden followed after her.
Jonathan watched them leave and the smile on his face slowly faded.
---
Much later that night—
Oden was dressed far too warmly.
He quietly finished packing the last of his rations into his bag. Every non-perishable item he could find in the house, sealed food, bottled water, bath wipes, was stuffed inside.
He paused.
"Father," he whispered to the empty room, "you'll have to forgive me for taking all this food. I know you complain a lot about food prices going up."
He swallowed.
Then, carefully, he wrote a letter that explained everything.
After folding it neatly, he slipped it under Olivia's pillow.
Without another word, Oden stepped outside.
He stopped for a moment, turning back to look at the house one last time.
Then he walked toward the pier.
---
Elsewhere—
In the heart of Shinjuku, Tokyo.
Uzumaki Yusuke leaned down and kissed Uzumaki Tamaki on the forehead.
She looked like a shell of her former self.
He sighed.
"Tamaki," he said, "it's been more than six years now. You can't keep wailing in despair like this."
Tamaki's voice was hollow.
"This is my way of repenting," she replied. "I killed my own son. I'm a terrible mother."
Yusuke clenched his fists.
"My father will be here anytime now," he said quietly. "If he sees you like this… I'll never hear the end of it."
Just then—
A loud knock shook the door.
A booming laugh followed.
"Hey! You brats, open up already! I'm tired!"
A vein popped on Yusuke's forehead.
"This over-energetic grandpa has arrived," he muttered.
He glanced at Tamaki one last time and sighed before moving to the door.
The moment he opened it, the old man barged in.
"It's good to be back home!" the man declared loudly.
He turned to Yusuke, grabbed him by the neck, and started rubbing his head roughly.
"Well if it isn't my dumb son," he laughed. "You still look just as dumb as you did when I left seven years ago."
Yusuke scowled.
"You can't talk to your son like that after not seeing him for that long," he snapped. "Are you an idiot?"
The old man snorted.
"Once dumb, always dumb."
He looked around the house.
"Now why is this place so empty?" he continued. "Where's my daughter-in-law? And my grandson, huh?"
Yusuke stiffened.
"Father… about that—" he started, following him.
"TAMAKI!" the old man suddenly shouted. "Tamaki! Where are you!"
"Father," Yusuke tried again.
"Stop distracting me, dumb son," the old man barked. "I want to cuddle my grandson. You're too old for that."
Yusuke clenched his fists.
"Dad!" he shouted. "Oden is no more. He's gone."
The old man stopped.
Slowly, he turned around.
His expression had gone cold.
"Uzumaki Yusuke," he said quietly, "you'd better start explaining yourself before I split your throat."
Yusuke swallowed hard then he started explaining everything that had taken place.
When he finished, the old man sighed.
"What a mess," he muttered. "What kind of mother ships away her own son?"
Yusuke blinked.
"Father… aren't you being too calm about this?" he asked. "I thought you'd wreck the entire place."
The old man shook his head.
"It's partially my fault."
He turned away.
"Call Tamaki to the head of the house room," he said. "It's time I told you the history of our family."
He paused.
"And our legendary cursed technique."
Yusuke frowned.
"Cursed technique?" he asked. "What are you talking about, Father?"
The old man waved him off.
"Just listen to me and go call Tamaki."
He walked away.
Yusuke stood there, stunned.
What the hell is going on…