"Well come sit now, no need to be so hesitant, Kurosawa-kun!"
"I really shouldn't—"
"Don't be so modest."
The jovial man I knew as Torabe's father quickly shoved me into a chair at their dinner table as his wife, Torabe's mother, prepared a meal hastily with an excitement I truly did not expect.
"It is odd, finally seeing you again after all these years, Kurosawa-kun."
The endearing and reserved voice came from the woman working with the small ladle, preparing what I could only recognize as curry from its rich and piquant smell.
There was no escaping the apartment, I knew very well how stubborn this family could be, it reminded quite well of Nao.
"So, Kurosawa-kun," the father leaned towards me slightly, his expression was questionable, "you've come back to see Tora-chan, haven't you?"
Hearing a man use "-chan" for his own son was odd enough, but I gave a hesitant nod in response. The father laughed in response, mother gave a fraction of one as well as she set our plates down on the cider table. The golden color of the curry was soothing, and the contrasting white of the rice was pleasant to see as well.
"Torabe-chan has been quite stubborn lately," his mother began, "he hasn't visited us in a few months now."
"That does sound like Torabe. He's as emotionless and stubborn as ever."
"Hmm," mother looked at me with a curious gaze, "I'm not too sure about 'emotionless', he was pretty upset when you left for Kanazawa."
"Really now? That's quite a surprise."
"Make sure you see Torabe soon, I'm sure it'll make him quite happy."
I chuckled, "we'll see."