lipstick || ushijima wakatoshi

30

Asami played with her wooden chopsticks out of nervousness. She couldn't even finish the plate she was working on the night after she had lunch with Wakatoshi's mother and now his mother and grandmother were in their apartment(Wakatoshi's). As of this moment, they were having an early dinner.

Asami shifted in her seat beside Wakatoshi while she let his relatives pick their food first before she does. His grandmother kept eyeing her discreetly but she could absolutely tell. It seemed as if she didn't even try to hide it! She was really old but she was still strong for someone her age.

Wakatoshi looked at his girlfriend who looked like passing out anytime now. He knew that she was getting very anxious. His family was there in front of them and he knows that he could never ever hold her under the table to comfort her with his relatives there. They were too keen, especially since he was the only child in the Ushijima household.

So he gets her a fish and put it on her plate. He removed the bones with a swift move, extracting everything in one go. Asami thanked him and felt much more at ease now. She suddenly felt lighter and didn't feel so bothered.

The two who were watching were surprised. Wakatoshi never brought home a girl, let alone done something for one. When Wakatoshi puts his food in his mouth, his eyes land on his grandmother who was in front of him.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked after eating.

"You like him don't you?" His grandmother asked the girl beside him who was minding her own business by eating.

"I love him," Asami answered confidently then looked away from his grandmother's piercing glare. Wakatoshi on the other hand flushed and gave a really quick small smile as he ate his food.

"So say Asami-san, what do you think of Wakatoshi?" His mother asked.

Asami couldn't stop thinking though. Why did it feel as if she was going through some serious question-and-answer on a variety show? Wasn't it suppose for her family to ask all these interview questions to him? Too bad her family was way too accepting.

Asami does not hesitate.

"He's way beyond what I could ask for. I am thankful he's my boyfriend."
"-lover."

Asami gives him a look of a very contained shock. Why would he answer that? She doesn't want to embarrass herself in front of his only family. She takes her glass of water and drinks.

"Lover?" His mother asked. This was something.

"Yes, before we got together she said that it was her preferred term."

"Looks like she's a hopeless romantic. Well not so hopeless anymore." His grandmother then laughed. "I like her."

These were the very few words that she just needed to hear. Her tense shoulders finally drops and her instant lift in mood was apparent.

"Asami, you know that we're his only family left right?"

Before she could answer, Wakatoshi cut her off.

"She'll be a part of it soon." And Asami turned red and she fanned herself.

"Hang on, don't talk about marriage Wakatoshi. I know it's getting there, just keep quiet and let me talk with her okay?" She told her son and he nodded.

"Asami, I haven't raised my son very well-" She says but she couldn't continue what she was going to say when Asami cuts her off.

"Your son is a gentleman. He never violated me or my boundaries in any way. He always reassures me and he respects me. So I beg to differ Ushijima-san, you raised Wakatoshi very well." She didn't answer her so that she would be flattered. Asami just didn't like the way his mother said that he wasn't raised well when in fact he is. His mother was speechless.

"Ah, haha. I meant raising him to not be emotionally constipated. You see, my son has issues with his social skills and it's something I never really worked on. Someone else was supposed to help him with that but things between that person and I didn't end well. I even thought I had to set him up with someone just so he could get married and not die alone." She told her and Asami nervously chuckled. Well, she understood that it was hard to be a single parent, especially if you're not fond of people.

"Issues with his social skills. I wonder where he got that from." The oldest scoffed and her daughter restrained herself from talking back.

"How did the two of you meet? There better be some story." Rin asked and took another bite of her food.

Asami was going, to tell the truth, since Ushijima Rin looked like one who could smell lies. Besides, honesty is the best policy so maybe by being honest, they would like her.

Asami answered, "Oh, I kis-"

"Kicked me on the shin the first time we met at the university."

Asami didn't think the tables would turn.

"Kicked you? Why?" His grandmother asked.

"Because I wouldn't help her the first time. She had to hide from someone."

He didn't just lie to his grandmother and mother with a straight face.

"Huh? Were you running away from someone?" His mother asked her.

Asami nervously laughed.

"Uh long story short, I was hiding from a friend. Ushijima was the nearest person I could seek for help."

His grandmother asked, "What happened after that?"

Can the questions please end already? Asami thought.

"We met again," Wakatoshi answered.

There was no hope of talking to Ushijima Wakatoshi so they all just continued to eat.

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

"Hey, I thought you didn't like to lie," Asami ask as she snuggled closer to Wakatoshi's warmth.

"Only to my grandmother."

This answer surprised her.

"What?"

"She may seem carefree but she will freak out if she finds out that we've kissed before we were even together."

"Oh my god, what if she finds out we've had sex before we even got married?" Asami asked with a tone of shock in her voice.

"That too," Wakatoshi remarked.

"What about your mother?" Asami asked.

"What about her?"

"Is she. . . you know? Conservative and traditional too?"

"No. She always urged me to interact with women, but she was still very strict."

Asami wonders how his life was when he was still younger. True that she was an only child until she was fifteen, yet she had always stuck close to her best friends so that she could call them her brothers by bond. Asami asks him again,

"So. . . I am your first?" Asami asked.

"Hopefully my last too." Asami blushed and playfully smacked his arm.

"Don't you find it unfair though? That you aren't my first boyfriend and all?"

"Doesn't matter. We belong to each other now right?" Asami kissed his cheek and it was his turn to become red.

"Yes, I am yours."