Chapter 140: 139 – Little Fragments

John took a sip from his cup of coffee and took a look around his surroundings.

It was Tuesday now, the morning after Alphy's first karaoke stream.

It was also his first proper breakfast together with his family.

Yue, Alphy, Betty, Meggie... every member of John's family was there with him, seated around a table filled with breakfast items in his office.

John was seated next to Yue, with his beloved wife on his right side, while his daughters were seated across from him. Meggie sat in the middle of her older sisters, with Betty to her left and Alphy to her right.

In order to have a cozy and relaxing morning mealtime, he had rearranged everything, removing the desks and office supplies and placing the table in the center of the room to allow for a clear view of the Tokyo cityscape as the sun rose over the horizon.

Like that, there was nothing to distract them from enjoying breakfast together. Just him, his family, and the warm atmosphere as they shared a comfortable meal.

John smiled and took another sip of his coffee. After that, he shifted his attention across the table, watching his youngest daughter.

Unlike Alphy and Betty, he wasn't sure what Meggie liked to eat. With Alphy, John knew that savory foods were her favorite, so he had prepared some biscuits and gravy for her, along with some omelets. Betty was extremely fond of teeth-melting sweets, so for her he had made some caramel crepes and a pile of powdered donuts.

But Meggie... John wasn't sure, so he made her some strawberry pancakes with fresh cream. Something a little sweet, but not overbearing.

It was something that should appeal to any young girl. Sparkling strawberries, set atop a small stack of golden pancakes. A perfect swirl of fluffy white cream with a dusting of powdered sugar. And then some warm syrup, lightly drizzled across all of it.

But Meggie seemed reluctant to eat it. She glanced at John, frowning, and then shifted her gaze back to the plate of pancakes before her.

Betty took a bite from a powdered donut, chasing it down with some black coffee. After that, she looked at Meggie and said, "You should eat before it gets cold, my dear baby sister."

Meggie bristled and then glared at Betty. "I am not a baby!"

Betty raised an eyebrow. "Oh? My apologies. You seemed like you were waiting to be fed, so I assumed otherwise. After all, only a child would waste such delightful food."

Alphy sighed and cut a piece of her omelet. "Could you not tease her so much, Betty?" She picked up the piece with her fork and then turned to Meggie. Smiling, she said, "It's alright, Meggie. If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it." She turned her gaze to John and said, "Right, Papa?"

Before John could reply, Betty cut in.

"Yes." She looked to Meggie and said, "If you are so heartless as to turn away the carefully crafted meal prepared by our dear father just for you, then I will be glad to take it off your hands." And to prove her point, Betty reached across the table to grab Meggie's plate.

But Meggie quickly pulled it away from her, moving closer to Alphy. "I never said that I didn't want to eat it! I'm just... Argh, whatever." Meggie shook her head and then picked up a fork and knife. Glancing at John again, she cut off a tiny piece of the pancake and dipped it in the cream before placing it in her mouth. And when she did... "Mm?!"

John chuckled.

Meggie's cheeks turned red and she pointed at John with her knife. "W-What's so funny?!"

"Nothing." He smiled and said, "I'm just glad you like it."

"H-Hmph." Meggie huffed and cut off a bigger piece before stuffing it in her mouth. "...Stupid mortal food. Why do you have to be so tasty...?" She stabbed a strawberry and tossed it in her mouth before angrily chewing on it. "Flawed, imperfect, no practical benefits... But why are you so yummy?!"

Betty shook her head. "It is because it is imperfect and flawed that it can be so tasty. After all, if it was perfect, it would not be able to hold Father's heartfelt sentiments."

Meggie froze in the middle of taking a bite of her pancake and then looked up at John. Her eyes widened in realization and then she looked away.

John chuckled again and then glanced to the side.

His daughters were enjoying their meals, so how about his lovely-

"Eh?"

John blinked.

Yue had been quiet, so John had assumed that she was just watching the interaction between the girls. But it seemed like his lovely wife had been busy stuffing her face.

To make sure that Yue could find something she liked, John had made an array of various types of breakfast foods for his wife. Chicken rice porridge, miso soup, steam buns, toast... a bit of everything from both Western and Eastern cuisines.

And all that was left was a neatly stacked pile of bowls and dishes, along with some crumbs dotting Yue's pink lips.

John blinked again and looked down, suddenly realizing that the toast he made for himself was missing... and currently sitting in front of Yue.

Yue froze in the middle of picking up a slice of toast and then let out a small cough. Blushing, she averted her gaze and said, "I-I couldn't help myself, alright? Husband's cooking is just too delightful... and it seems the little one is hungry too."

John laughed and said, "That's fine. But in that case..." He smiled and then sneaked a kiss on her lips.

Yue huffed and lightly swatted John's shoulder. "Not in front of the kids!"

John shrugged and said, "I couldn't help it. I need *something* to go with this bitter coffee. And what better thing than my sweet wifey?"

Yue turned a deep red and then sighed. She picked up the slice of toast again and said, "You and your sweet nothings..."

John pulled her close and said, "That's because I'm nothing without you."

Yue rolled her eyes and lightly shoved John away before going back to her food.

John laughed and then went back to sipping his coffee. And then he saw that Meggie was staring at him. "What?"

Meggie shook her head and said, "Nothing. Just..." She shifted her gaze to Yue and said, "You and Mom are really different now."

Yue blinked and then looked over at Meggie. "Are we?"

Meggie nodded. "It's weird. Being able to talk so casually, you and Mom being so affectionate..." She poured herself a cup of orange juice from nearby and then took a sip. After that, she looked between John and Yue before frowning. "I'm still not used to it."

John reached over to grab a donut from Betty's pile and then leaned back in his seat, pointedly ignoring the glare his second daughter was sending him. "There's all the time in the world, Meggie. Just take it easy for a while until you get used to things. There's no need to rush."

Alphy smiled and said, "Mmhm! What Papa said." She pulled Meggie in for a hug. "Just relax and have fun with your big sister, okay?"

"Onee-chan! Let go!" Meggie squirmed in Alphy's arms.

She laughed and then let Meggie go.

Betty looked between them and then raised an eyebrow. "'Big sister'? Singular? Have I been excluded from the family, Eldest Sister?"

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Alphy turned towards Betty and said, "Are you going to let us into your room?"

Betty sighed. "I explained it yesterday already. I have... things that I have to organize first. It is extraordinarily messy down there."

"So no, then?"

"...Yes. You cannot enter my room."

Alphy shrugged and turned back to Meggie. "Looks like it'll be just us again tonight, Meggie." She smiled and said, "It's okay. Unlike Betty, your Onee-chan doesn't have anything to hide."

Betty flinched. "I-I am not hiding anything."

"Oh?" Alphy turned back to Betty and said, "Then you don't mind if I go sort through the clothes I bought the other day? I never got the chance to pick them up after we came back."

"T-That is..."

John laughed and said, "Stop teasing Betty, Alphy. Your sister just doesn't want you to realize just how 'pure' she really-"

A blinding white flash. A powdered donut, whipped across the table towards John's head at blinding speed.

He grabbed it and smiled. "Thanks Betty! I was about to grab another one."

Betty huffed and said, "Father is the worst. And to think that I had hopes you would finally act mature with Mother here."

John took a bite from the donut and said, "Hey, I know how to adult. But when it's just us, it's fine to relax and have some fun, right?" He paused and then said, "...We've already spent so long being formal with each other. I thought it'd be nice to have a change in pace, you know?"

Betty's eyes widened in realization and then she looked away. "...Sorry, Father. I didn't mean to misunderstand."

An awkward silence fell in the room.

John coughed and said, "So what's on the plan today? Anything you girls want to do?" He turned to Yue and said, "Wifey?"

Alphy frowned. "Papa. It's nice to spend time with everyone like this... but shouldn't you be working on the applications for the new members of Project MirAIs?"

"It's fine." John sipped his coffee and said, "Qing is sorting that out for me." He paused and said, "Come to think of it, I still haven't done a proper introduction of Bai and Qing to everyone. Gotta remember to do that sometime soon too..."

Betty sighed. "Delegation is a good thing, Father. But do you not think that screening the future members is something you should do personally?"

John nodded. "It is. But that's always something that can be pushed off for later. Being with all of you though... I've already spent countless eons focusing on my ambitions. It's about time I placed my family first, isn't it?"

Project MirAIs was important since he made the promise to help Rin, but it was also something that he started to just fill the time. In contrast, his daughters, his beloved wife, and his unborn child... he had set them to the side long enough while in the Three Realms.

There was a lot of lost time to be made up for, and he wasn't willing to put it off any longer than he had to now that he had the chance to start fixing his mistakes.

Alphy's eyes watered and she lowered her gaze. "Papa..."

Meggie huffed and turned her head to the side. "It's a little too late, Dad. B-But if you really mean it... Maybe we can go get some ice cream later?"

John laughed. "That'd be great. I'd love to show my cute daughter around the city."

Meggie blushed and then narrowed her eyes. "D-Don't think your words will win me over that easy! I'm still mad at you!"

Betty sighed. "You should just give up, Meggie. If Father's honeyed-tongue was enough to win over Mother's heart and have her change her Dao on the verge of its completion, your resistance is futile."

Yue nodded. "Your Father's tongue is something alright..."

A sudden silence. And then...

"Y-Yue?!" John's eyes widened and he said, "T-That's a bit... I mean, I know you like that, but...?"

Yue froze and then turned completely red. "T-T-That is not what I meant! I-I was only... The honey! I mean... Uu..." She hid her face in her hands.

Betty sighed. "That. Is entirely too much information."

"Hm?" Meggie tilted her head. "What do you mean? What's too much information?"

Betty coughed. "Ah. That is..."

John cleared his throat. "A-Anyway. Plans for today! Lunch? Shopping? Movies? Dinner?"

Alphy fiddled with her fork. "Those all sound nice... but I think I'm going to practice with the others today, Papa. The concert is next week, and Rin wanted to make sure we were all prepared. And I don't want to disappoint everyone either. Sorry."

"Oh." John frowned. "That's right. Almost forgot about that."

Meggie rolled her eyes and said, "Are you sure you aren't becoming senile in your old age, Dad?"

"Hey now, your Dad is still in the prime of his life. And it's not my fault. I'm used to measuring things with centuries as the shortest time division."

Betty nodded. "And it is a miracle that Father has not fallen into a deep, millenia long slumber like the last time you visited a mortal realm. But in any case..." She shifted her gaze to Yue and said, "Mother."

Yue raised her face, looking more composed. "Yes, Betty?"

Betty looked to John and said, "I know that you have missed Father and are eager to spend time with him, but would you mind spending the day with me? I have an important matter I wish to discuss with you."

Yue let out a soft smile and said, "I would be delighted, Betty. And it's fine. I'm sure Husband would just use me as an excuse to delay important matters again."

"I take offense to that allegation." John frowned and said, "I would never use you as an excuse to avoid my work." He pulled her in for a hug and said, "You're just that much more important."

"And I am always grateful for that, Husband." Yue hugged John back, but then quickly pulled away. "But I would be more grateful if you properly concluded your work and handled any important matters that are in progress instead of delaying."

"But I don't have any-" John paused, suddenly remembering the three women that Qing was hosting on his behalf. And how the guy was probably pulling his hair out at the moment considering how those three were. "Oh. Right... I should probably talk to them."

Yue's eyes sharpened. "...Them?"

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