CHAPTER 18 / RESTAURANTS AND REUNIONS

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ZANE

After a tour of the entire town, we stopped at the Blossom Falls Restaurant, Nana's favourite growing up, so she said. I sat next to Nana at the table. A lunch with the four parents, can't end well. 

As I said, I sat next to Nana, to the left. On my right was my mum, in front of her was Alanna, and on her left, she had Garte and Mamoru sitting next to her. Nana's father was right in front of me. It made me a little bit uncomfortable. The table was more circular but had those seats which are cushioned.

"So, what does everyone want to order?" Mamoru asked.
(Remember Mamoru = Mr Ashida = Nana's father)

"I haven't been here in forever!" Nana exclaimed, examining the menu. 

"It has been a while, were you fourteen the last time we came here?" Alanna asked.

 "Hmm, probably maybe as a family, but I remember coming here a few times with Remmi, and sometimes with Haruto and Minato," Nana replied. "I think the last time was when I was at least twenty-two, but I'm not exactly sure." 

"When was the last time we were here as a family?" Mamoru asked.

"Hmm, I think it was when Haruto was at least five. We usually had lunches here not dinners since Haruto couldn't sleep during the night," Alanna said.

"You've got twelve now? Correct?" mum asked.

"Yes, this is in order, Mamoru tells me if I get it wrong..." Alanna warned.

"Okay." Mamoru agreed.

"So there's Ami, Mikai, the twins, Makoto and Ichika, Kenji, Rei, then Nana," she explained.

"Yeah, we've met all of them. Who's next?" mum asked.

"Then there's Hiroshi, Asashi, Minato, Remmi, and finally the youngest, Haruto." she finished, "And I think that's all twelve of them. Only five of them have arrived for Christmas so far." 

"That's great. Right?" mum asked.

"Hmm, I guess it's an improvement since Nana hasn't come for Christmas since she moved to Phoenix Drop, six years ago," Alanna said. 

"Isn't that when you moved in with Aphmau and Katelyn, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, it was," Nana replied, almost choosing to slide down her seat.

"And never since," Mamoru stated. 

"Dad! But, I enjoyed myself with my friends, well except last Christmas, because we were in that lockdown at Starlight," Nana exclaimed.

Mamoru hissed, then groaned, "Were you guys stuck in that?" Mamoru asked.

"Yeah. Stuck in Starlight for a whole year, not the nicest thing if you want to go home," I told him.

"We were also stuck there, horrible stuff," dad added.

"Well, we're glad you guys are back," Alanna said.

Nana's dad shook her head, "Why was it horrible? Isn't Starlight, like a kind of paradise?" Mamoru asked.

"Yeah. But during the winter and other cold seasons, it's not the nicest. Instead of snow, it hails, and rains, hard," dad replied, emphasizing the 'hard and rain'.

"Mm-kay, I see how that wouldn't have been delightful," Mamoru said, turning back to the menu. 

"Hey, Zane, I just realized, you're not wearing your mask!" dad exclaimed, dropping his menu.

I turned to Nana, then pulled a face at my dad, "Is that a bad thing?" I asked.

"Oh, is he really?" mum asked. "He is!" she began beaming in excitedly.

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