Chapter 390 - Family Support

"With you looking like this, I just remembered that you're really a student," Suzuki Aki sighed as he looked at Alinea.

She wore a brand new set of her school's uniform for her graduation ceremony today. She had her shoulder-length raven hair tied to a neat ponytail. Her face was bȧrė of makeup but there was a natural rosy tinge on her cheeks and her lips were naturally a rose petal hue that one had to wonder if she wore any cosmetics.  

"You've come a long way, brat. You've really grown," Aki murmured as he patted her on the head.

Alinea grinned at her older brother. "I've already settled down big bro. When are you tying the knot with Chiaki?"

Hearing her question made Aki chuckle, but his smile turned glum before letting out a heavy sigh.

"What's wrong?" Ali asked as she studied his face.  

"We can't get married as planned. We have to wait for two months," Aki informed her in a visibly depressed tone.

It was obvious that he wouldn't do it if he had other options. Knowing her brother, he'd have dragged Chiaki to the municipal hall to register their marriage and have the ceremony the next month. But it seemed it was more important that he postpone his plans.

"Why?"

"Daizo,"Aki answered blandly, but his sister still didn't understand the connection.

"He's dead. What about him?" she asked with a small frown.

"It's precisely that he's dead that we can't get married immediately," Aki quipped, his nose flaring in frustration and finally she understood why.

In Japan, when someone died, they held both a wake and funeral consecutively. Afterwards the family would mourn for forty-nine days, following the Shinto religion. Although Daizo was killed by the Homura House as the host of Ozomene, to the public and to their family, he was killed from a helicopter crash that burned his body beyond recognition.

"Did you go to see grandfather?" she asked.

The feud between Aki and Daizo ran deep that they hadn't stepped into the Old Suzuki House since the fallout. The old man, their grandfather understood their enmity and had let them be, settling on occasional phone calls with his grandchildren. After Ara's accident, however, Ali and Aki hadn't gone back, and Ali hadn't talked to their grandpa yet.

Aki shook his head. "I just called. He knows we wouldn't show up at the idiot's funeral."

Alinea's lips twitched. Of course, not. If ever, Aki would have thrown a huge party to celebrate Daizo's demise.

"Won't the family be cursing us?" she asked teasingly.

It didn't matter if the rest of the Suzukis hated them. The siblings didn't care. They should even be happy that they wouldn't slap Daizo's family with criminal charges and demand that they returned all the money they stole from the company.

"As if they'd dare do that so openly," Aki scoffed as expected. "And if they did try to badmouth us to other people, what do we care? They're just dogs that know how to bark."

Amusement filled Ali's eyes at the analogy.

"Anyway, for grandfather, I moved the wedding with Chiaki. We will do it when he comes out of mourning," he said before leaning forward to squint at his sister's face. "I also think that's better. By that time, I'm sure you'll be back from your quest so make sure to finish it quick. I won't get married until you return."

"Huh?"

Alinea was surprised. She looked at her brother with wide eyes but saw that he was serious, and she smiled. "You have that much confidence in me?"

He told her to get the quest done with and hurry home to attend his wedding as if what she's going to do was a meager task, and not some life and death journey.

"Of course. You're my strong little sister. This thing with the Black God, I know you can do it. Just believe in yourself," Aki said confidently and Ali chuckled.

"Fine. I'll come back so you can get married already," she promised, and Aki laughed as he extended his arm to her and she anchored hers to his.

"Ryuu will be attending your graduation?" he asked as they walked the length of the corridor.

Alinea nodded. "Yes, but he won't be announcing his presence. He would just sit quietly."

Normally, everywhere the Koutaishidenka went, the place would announce his presence as respect. But this time, they opted not to do that. He would attend as a normal family member like Aki.

"I heard Sora-nii would attend too?" Aki inquired and Ali grinned.

"He would take my mom with her. It's going to be like real family support on my graduation," she said happily and Aki reflected her happiness with his smile.

To remove the shadow lurker, they had to keep the host satisfied and happy. It would deprive the elemental pest nourishment and would slowly release its hold. When that happened, Perun would extract and eliminate them before erasing the memories of every mortal in the Maki Household.

For now, the two had to act like an engaged couple. It's what they told Yuuka's parents anyway. With one of the Homura House's princes as his daughter's new fiancé, Eito's obsession was more than ȧssuaged. In fact, as soon as he found out that Yuuka's new boyfriend was Kazehaya Sora, someone who even the Koutaishidenka clearly respected, he was so thrilled. If he could he'd make them marry as soon as possible. But for now, he made sure that he and his daughter were dating properly.

Hence, Sora had to go out a lot with Yuuka to show her parents that they were a couple in love. Well, it was not entirely a lie as her father was very much in love with her mother. But her mother was hard to guess. She seemed affected by her father and was bashful when it came to him. But if Ali would gauge the level of her feelings, she'd think that her mother only had a crush with her dad.

"If only my mom would stop being stupid and just marry my dad again," Alinea grumbled as soon as they reached the end of the hall where her husband and the others were.

Aki leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I'm sure they will. Just be patient."