Lisa handed the apron to Yatami, who put it on with ease. As he tied the apron strings, she walked over to open the window, only to be greeted with a gentle whoosh of air carrying the scent of fresh air and flowers.
Lisa went down to the basement and carefully moved one table and chair at a time, positioning them near Yatami with a five-meter gap between them. Yatami observed Lisa as she moved back and forth, collecting the necessary items for her drawing.
"Are you ready now?" he asked as she adjusted her chair to sit down. "Almost done," she replied.
Lisa response, "I am prepared now big brother," conveys her cheerful and affectionate personality, while Yatami's response, "Let us commence, may the most exceptional artist emerge victorious," showcases his competitive nature and jovial attitude.
Yatami picked up the paintbrush, then dropped it back into the apron pocket. He headed to the basement to gather the same necessary items Lisa had collected earlier. Returning upstairs, he went back to the basement once more to retrieve a table and chair for himself, carefully setting them up alongside Lisa's workspace.
Lisa watched intently as Yatami meticulously removed the aprons and placed them on the adjacent table. He then seated himself opposite her, opened his backpack, and extracted a sketchbook for painting, carefully positioning it on the table. Next, he retrieved his technical pencil and began to sketch with deliberate strokes. Meanwhile, she rested her arms on the table, cradling her head with her elbow, lost in thought. "I wonder what masterpiece my elder brother is creating now," she mused. "Although my mind is blank, I'll try to draw something anyway."
Lisa gazed at her sketchbook, her mind blank until suddenly, an idea struck her. Her eyes lit up with inspiration as she thought to herself, "Ah, I've got it! I'll draw..." With swift precision, Lisa grasped her technical pencils and began to draw on the paper, her heart and mind guiding her strokes with the certainty of a doctor prescribing a treatment or a commander directing their troops. Starting with a circle and a cross in the center, she skillfully shaped the face, adding a defined chin and cheekbones. The head took form, slightly larger than the initial circle, she added piercing eyes, spaced slightly wider than usual, with an intensity that drew the viewer in. She then drew a mouth, positioned between the nose and chin, with the side ears proportionate to the distance between the eyes and nose. Next, she skillfully rendered the hair in a wolf-cut style, with layered, messy locks framing the face. The slender body was posed gracefully, holding a rose close to the nose with one hand, while the other hand held a hat in place, preventing it from blowing away. The surroundings transformed into a lush floral garden, teeming with various flowers, and a radiant sun shining bright in the sky. Birds flew in the distance, adding to the serene and peaceful ambiance.
Lisa returned her attention to the figure's lower body, adding a high-waist skater skirt that flared out from the waist. She paired the skirt with a white short-sleeved t-shirt, creating a stylish and playful outfit. Next, she gathered her markers from her apron pockets and began outlining the details of her sketch, carefully defining the edges and shapes before moving on to the painting phase.
When Lisa finished her artwork, she eagerly carried her drawing notebook to show Yatami. As she approached him, she was taken aback by what she saw, her eyes widening in astonishment. "B...big brother, is that me there?" she stuttered, her voice filled with disbelief. "And who is that standing next to me?" she asked, her eyes fixed on the drawing in Yatami's hands, her mind struggling to comprehend what she was seeing.
"I don't know, Lily," Yatami replied, his eyes still fixed on the drawing, "but I think this is you, and I'm not sure who these boys are standing next to you. I just followed my intuition and artistic vision, and this is what emerged," he explained, his words revealing the mysterious and creative process behind his artwork.
"This is serious, Mom and Dad need to see this!" Lisa exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise and wonder. She gazed at the drawing, mesmerized by the stunning depiction of herself alongside a handsome stranger, making her look "extremely fantastic". "Please wait for me, big bro, I'll be right back," she said, already heading towards the exit, eager to fetch her parents and share the remarkable artwork with them.
****
Jeremy released his embrace as he sensed Lisa's withdrawal. "This doesn't change anything, Jeremy," Sophia declared, her voice firm but weary. "Yatami may look human, but he's an android, and he poses a danger to all of us. When will you open your eyes to this reality, Jeremy? It's only when we're all in peril that you'll see the truth." Sophia crossed her arms, turning away from Jeremy, her body language conveying exhaustion from the repeated arguments.
Jeremy gently turned Sophia around, his gaze locking onto her reddish-hazel eyes. "I know, my dear," he said, his voice filled with conviction. "Yatami may not be an ordinary robot, but he's our son, and as parents, we want the best for our children." Sophia's expression turned stern, her voice taking on a harsh tone. "Yes, they're our kids, but one is human, and the other is a freaking Android!" she exclaimed, her finger jabbing to the side, emphasizing the distinction.
Jeremy's fingers tenderly grasped Sophia's chin, gently tilting her head up. Her gaze met his, and she felt herself drowning in the depths of his dark blue eyes. His thumb traced the curves of her slim, slender lips, which were shaped like a rose in a heart. "You look so sweet and spicy when you're angry, dear," Jeremy whispered, his voice low and husky, his words dripping with affection.Her heart raced like a wild animal, pounding in her chest so fiercely she thought it might burst free at any moment. Jeremy's smile grew wider as he heard her heartbeat loud and clear, the rhythmic thudding echoing through the silence like a drumbeat. He was captivated by the intense physical response, his eyes sparkling with delight.
"You look more beautiful today, dear," Jeremy whispered, his breath caressing her ear as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Sophia's cheeks flushed, and she tried to hide her blush by pushing him away, attempting to regain her composure. But Jeremy's arms encircled her, pulling her close to his chest, his grin hinting at his playful intentions. "Where do you think you're going, dear?" he asked, his voice low and husky. Sophia's heart raced even faster, her body responding to the seductive heat emanating from their close proximity.
Sophia's words were left unspoken as Jeremy's lips claimed hers in a tender, yet passionate kiss. The sudden sensation of his warm mouth on hers left her breathless, her thoughts forgotten in the intensity of the moment. Jeremy drew her in closer, their bodies pressed together, savoring the sweetness of her lips. As they broke apart for a fleeting moment to catch their breath, Sophia's eyes met Jeremy's, her gaze lost in the depths of his ocean-blue eyes.Just as Jeremy pulled Sophia in for another kiss, the sound of Lisa's skipping footsteps echoed from the kitchen direction. Sophia quickly pulled away, releasing Jeremy's hands and busying herself by pouring a glass of wine juice. Jeremy, too, turned to get cups and poured himself a glass, his eyes never leaving Sophia's. As Lisa entered the kitchen, her eyes widened in surprise, taking in the unexpected scene of her parents enjoying a peaceful moment together, sipping wine juice instead of arguing.
"Mom and Dad, is everything alright here?" Lisa asked, her voice laced with confusion as she took in the unusual scene of her parents sipping wine juice together. Sophia walked over to meet Lisa at the exit, her expression warm and reassuring. She bent down and placed a gentle arm around Lisa's shoulders. "Yes, dear, everything is alright between your father and me. We were just having a discussion about Yatami," Sophia explained, her tone calm and soothing.
Lisa's instincts detected a hint of insincerity in her mom's sweet words, but she pushed that aside and focused on the main reason she had come to talk to them. "Mom and Dad, there's something I need to tell you about Yatami, but you need to see it for yourselves first," Lisa said, her voice filled with a sense of urgency. Sophia turned to exchange a glance with Jeremy, then looked back at her daughter, her expression curious. "Okay, princess, as you wish. Mommy and Daddy will follow you," Sophia replied, her tone playful but also hinting at a willingness to listen.
As Jeremy and Sophia gazed at the drawing in disbelief, Yatami's eyes locked onto theirs, his digital mind racing with questions. How did they react to the revelation? Did they understand the implications of his abilities? Suddenly, Sophia's eyes narrowed, her gaze piercing through Yatami's digital soul. "This is impossible," she whispered, her voice laced with a mix of awe and trepidation. "How did you...? What else can you do?"
Jeremy's eyes, however, sparkled with curiosity, his mind already racing with the possibilities. "This changes everything," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "We need to know more about your capabilities, Yatami."
As the tension in the room escalated, Lisa's eyes darted between her parents and Yatami, her heart pounding with excitement and a hint of fear. What secrets would Yatami reveal next? Would her parents finally understand the truth about the mysterious android?