At a long dining table, Kazuya and Scarlett is sitting in front of Alfred Haynes and Patricia Haynes, Scarlett's parents. The scene is full of awkwardness, Kazuya smiled brightly while Scarlett's parents smiled wryly, avoiding meeting his gazes.
Kazuya sighed and broke the silence, "Mother-in-law, father-in-law, I'm here because of a business proposal. As well as to clear a few things.".
Alfred decided to look at him, with an interested expressed, he then replied, "Very well, I'm sorry for the awkwardness.".
"It's okay father-in-law, I'm also here to apologize.", he then stood up and bowed before saying, "Father-in-law, mother-in-law, I'm sorry being narrow-minded. I'm sorry for accusing you about my lost. I'm sorry for not taking care of your daughter properly. I'm sorry for forcefully sharing my burden to your family. I'm responsible for a punishment, I will humbly accept any. Please forgive me.".
When Alfred and Patricia heard it, they could feel their chest tighten. They feel responsible for his parents death, thus instead of comforting and supporting him back then, they avoided him.
It all start about a business meeting, as simple as that. It was outside the country thus they would need to travel. Since the two family is soon merging they decided to send just one representative.
It was supposed to be Alfred and Patricia, but Alfred at that time felt too lazy and decided to take advantage of their partnership. He convinced Kazuya's parents, his parents didn't find anything wrong and nonchalantly accepted.
But unfortunately, while traveling they were attacked by monsters and got killed. Their body is nowhere to be found even after a long search, that's when the media announced them dead.
Until now, the two still feel uncomfortable about the topic. They even sent their daughter to Kazuya's house to 'appease' him. You could easily tell how coward they became.
Hearing the now 'guilty' Kazuya, their chest tightened and soon the cried and hugged Kazuya. Scarlett joined the fray, soon sobbing is the only thing heard in the room. Except Kazuya.
"Son, don't be sorry. If I was in your shoes I don't even now I could ever forgive us, much more to lower myself and ask for forgiveness. Let's forget about those things and move forward.", Alfred said, after steeling his will.
Soon the sobbing in the room stopped, all of them except Kazuya has red eyes. Then suddenly Kazuya said, "I'm planning to marry Scarlett soon.".
The two parents was shocked but they just smiled and nodded, they thought maybe their loving daughter is enough to patch Kazuya's broken heart.
"It's okay son. Our daughter is on your custody from now on. You have our blessing.", Patricia said. She then took Scarlett and decided that they would personally prepare the lunch. She said before heading to the kitchen, " You two discuss about the business proposal.".
Alfred nodded and asked Kazuya, "Son, I know that you may have a grudge to us. But can you promise me that you will love and take care of my daughter?"
Kazuya smiled and replied, "Father-in-law, for now I can promise that I will take care of her. But for love, I'm afraid I would still need more time to work for that.".
"That's more than enough. Love can be learned by time. Anyway, about the business proposal, what it is?".
Kazuya then explained about the training center. About how he planned to personally train the trainers. Everything about it including the 'how to make consumers out of nowhere' or will he entice customers.
Alfred listened to it, he thought that maybe it's just a prank since the idea doesn't really sound profitable. Considering that a training center like that needs a big amount of capital and backers.
But seeing Kazuya's eyes and his serious expression he just sighed and said, " You know, I've long notice that you have a great eye for business. Even when you're still young, you're parents said that they even got some business ideas from you. I really envy that, Scarlett there isn't a business-minded person. Now that we're old, the two of us decided that when you two marry we'll transfer the company to your name.".
Alfred then sipped on his tea before continuing, "The two of us is already old and we can't have another child. Thus we decided to get a million Credits to live the rest of our life happily and the rest if the money and properties will be given to you. You can do anything you want about it.".
Kazuya smiled as he got the approval, "Don't worry father-in-law, I don't have the habit of disappointing people who trusts me.".
The two continued talking about business-related stuff, after a while the food was served. They savored it, small talks occurred as well as frequent laugh. Especially when they teased Scarlett, who gets easily flustered.
Kazuya also told them about that time when Scarlett talked in her sleep, its the thing about her saying that she wanted to wake up on Kazuya's bed with him. While uttering it, Scarlett kept on pinching his waist, which was ignored even how much force she put.
It was a great moment. Kazuya realized how happy it is to eat with your family. The whole time he just smiled and laughed genuinely.
Then they said their goodbyes as the two proceeded to their date. Kazuya treated her like a princess she is. He voluntarily hugged her and they held hands all day.
They went to a nearby Amusement Park, their was a lot of ride there. Overall they had a blast, it was the most memorable day for Kazuya and Scarlett.
When its almost dusk, they rode a Ferris Wheel. The embraced each other and watched the sun set.
Scarlett said while sitting on his lap, listening to the tune of his heart, "Thank you, this is the best day of my life.".
Kazuya smiled, he then stood up, the Ferris Wheel just stopped, and they headed outside. He said to her as they walk to the nearest teleporter pad, "I enjoyed it too, but lets not declare things as it is. We can still have a much better day, like when you finally marry me.".
He then looked at her, he held her hand and leaned his head. The distance of their lips closed, the blush on her face couldn't be clearer. She closed her eyes and curved her lips, but instead of a kiss on her lips she felt it on her forehead. She heard Kazuya chuckled.
She pouted and said, "You're bullying me. You have the guts to fight old elites but not to kiss a girl.".
"Hey, those old men also has the guts to fight me.", he retorted.
She narrowed her eyes and understood what he meant, she said grumpily, " So you're saying that I don't have the guts to kiss you?".
Kazuya just shook his head and sighed in defeat. Suddenly, Scarlett pulled his collar, as he was taller, Scarlett needed to tiptoe, but he's still literally looking down on her.
Scarlett just glared at him, her face red as tomato. Kazuya didn't say a word thus Scarlett misunderstood it as a challenge. She closed her lips to his. She was quick to not let her target dodge.
Kazuya felt her soft luscious lips, unconsciously, he closed his eyes and held to her waist. They savored each other's lips without using their tongues.
They kissed until they can't breathe, and finally letting go, they stared at each other's eyes. At that moment, Scarlett realized what she had done and turned around embarrassingly.
He smirked and decided to tease her, "That was my first kiss, you have to take responsibility.".
Hearing it she turned back to him and softly punched his chest, she said, "You bully! That's my line.".
He just smiled and led her to the teleportation pad and went home. They trained at night together with Josh while the butlers watched along with Summer.
When they finally sleep, Kazuya woke up at 3 am. He kissed Scarlett on her forehead while remembering her lips. He tried his hard to control the urge to kiss her on his lips. He got addicted easily.
He sighed and went to the training room, earlier he almost made breakthrough on his first dance. Since understanding the Essence of Air yesterday, whenever he use the Soothing Air Dance, either battle or training, he felt that it became more natural and swift.
He activated Kozo, it was a sword that he decided to use only when killing. He don't plan on exposing it to others. He was just about to start when the system said that mastering the first dance would summon a lot of air and may destroy his surroundings.
Thus he decided to practice on the rooftop, there he performed the first dance with the understanding of the Essence of Air.
Blue electricity trailed each strike of his sword, creating a display of awesomeness and elegance. Each strike became natural instead of just a routine. Instead of doing it by muscle memory, he performed it understanding the meaning of each stroke.
At that moment he has come to a realization. Before he would use this dance defensively, utilizing the aura as a shield. Now he understood that by blocking an attack, he also can follow an attack to hit his opponent.
Before, he would improvise an attack but now the block is naturally followed by an attack. It was much innate than before, because instead thinking how he would attack he now can naturally execute it.
The chances of winning in a fight with Butler Rio increased. As he finished the routine, the system sounded.
< Congratulations host! You perfected the First Dance of your technique. Soothing Air Dance, it is an unparalleled counterattack method. Anything that would be thrown to it would be shot back with either same force or greater force.
The only draw back is that if your body can't withstand the attack, the damage would be doubled. It's because you're sacrificing your defense for offense. Overall if you know when to use it, you would be just fine.
Now, you can pick to learn the second dance or train for your next essence. >
'Wait, do you mean that I need to train other essences?', he asked the system.
< Of course, each dance requires certain essence. >
'Then why didn't you asked me to train the Essence of Air before teaching me the first dance?'.
< Because you asked for a 'flashy' technique first. You didn't even asked for the requirements in training it. >
Realizing his mistake he face-palmed and said, 'Then what Essence and dance is next?'.
< The Essence of Lightning. Second Dance, Fleeting Lightning Dance. >
'Does that mean I need to get struck by a thunder to understand it?'.
< Did you get caught by a tornado before understanding the Essence of Air? That's right. You don't need to be exposed to a phenomenon, but it could still help. I can say that getting struck by a lightning will boost your understanding on it. It was just a suggestion though. >