Lesson Learned

Just the three of us

Mitsuko neatened her tie while she stared in the bedroom mirror, taking a deep breath when she finished dressing for school.

She frowned when she looked at the dark bruise on her neck, tracing it with her hand.

"You okay?" Ritsu popped up on her laptop screen, holding a bowl of marshmallow cereal in her hand.

"Yeah." She covered the bruise with her hair and tried to shrug her nerves off. "It's just weird I guess."

Ritsu smiled reassuringly. "It's okay to feel a little weird still."

Mitsuko hummed, tugging at the ends of her hair. "Did you return those assets like my dad ordered?"

Ritsu scowled briefly but nodded. "Yes." Then her lips quirked upwards into a smile. "Well, most of them. An assassin should always have some blackmail material on hand."

Mitsuko snorted in amusement. "Right, of course." She stared at her reflection one last time. "Right." She grinned and pocketed her green knife. "Let's go face the day and try to kill an octopus."

"That's the spirit!" Ritsu grinned, munching on her cereal.

When Mitsuko went down for breakfast, things seemed...strangely calm. Gakushuu and her dad were sat down in their usual places and her mom was making breakfast.

"Morning..." She sat down in her normal spot.

"Morning." Gakushuu hesitantly glanced at their parents briefly.

"Good morning." Mom's voice was tight, dishing her breakfast on the plate; it seemed a larger portion than usual.

Mitsuko raised an eyebrow at the large helping.

"I was thinking..." Mom looked at her and then Gakushuu. "How about I give you two a ride to school today?"

Mitsuko and her brother paused, staring at their mother in confusion.

Gakushuu raised an eyebrow. "...Why?"

Mom gave a strained smile, looking tired; the dark circles under her eyes more pronounces against her pale skin. "Well, it'd save you a trip to the station, and besides, you'd get there earlier."

The two of them continued to stare at her blankly.

"Children." Their dad folded his paper. "Your mother is expecting a verbal response."

Mitsuko and Gakushuu exchanged wary looks.

"Uh...okay," Mitsuko replied, shrugging. "Thanks, mom."

"Yes, thank you," Gakushuu replied stiffly.

Mom smiled widely. "Perfect." Then she turned back to the washing up in the sink.

Mitsuko glanced at the Principal but he seemed to ignore them now and was eating his breakfast.

***

Mitsuko felt weird being in the backseat of mom's car with Gakushuu, it reminded her of Primary school.

That and the car ride was extremely awkward.

Mom cleared her throat and looked at them through the wind mirror. "So..." She smiled at them. "How is....how is school?"

Mitsuko and Gakushuu shared a long-suffering look.

"It's fine," he replied lightly.

"Yeah, it's fine," Mitsuko said, leaning against the window to look outside.

"That's great." Mom's smile was tight. "...You know. I know it can be tough having your Principal being your dad, but you two are doing such a good job."