Past, Meet Present [Jacob x Lenn]

Life was looking good for Jacob and Lenn. After the Snow Ball, their relationship had been on a steady incline. That night at the Snow Ball, they had taken the first big step towards reconciling their love and repairing what they had. Gone were the days of silence and giving each other space, now they were actively involved in each other's lives like before and acting like a couple again. The dinners together tasted better as they smiled and talked. They actually spent time together, enjoying the company of each other. The bed was warmer and comfortable. Jacob felt like he had finally found the woman who would be by his side for a long, loving time.

Their biggest hurdle seemed behind them. Lenn's past had been dealt with, as far as he knew, and they had come out the other side still together. It had been rough, but there they still were, still proclaiming their love for each other like sweethearts. But now, a few months later, Jacob felt like it was time for them to deal with his past.

Now, meeting his daughter seemed several magnitudes less dangerous and worrying than breaking ties with the criminal underground, and that was because it was. However, in his mind and heart, it was risky at worst and very awkward at best. He was a progressive man, but he still felt the occasional judgmental eye, scrutinizing him as a man with failed marriage and a child that was distant from him. Not only that, but he was also dating a woman much younger than him. A woman who was, frankly, closer to his daughter's age than she was to his age. So suffice it to say, Jacob was aware of the weight society put on him.

But he persisted. He felt it was very important for Lenn to not only know of his daughter, but to meet her too. No matter how much his first marriage seemed like a past life, his daughter was still his daughter. His flesh and blood. She was his child and she was probably the one thing he loved more than Lenn.

"Do I look okay, Lenn? I don't look too nervous do I?"

After arranging things over the phone, it was planned for Chiru, Jacob's daughter, to visit him on Manta Carlos. It had been at least a year since they had seen each other in person, and not simply talked over the phone or used video chat, and Jacob was feeling an extra helping of the nerves. His daughter was seventeen now, practically a grown woman, and this would be the first time she would be meeting her father's new girlfriend. Jacob's foot would not stop jittering as they weight at the airport.

"You think there's time to get flowers, or would that be too much?"

Every time Lenn said that he looked fine, dressed in his usual vest-wearing semi-formal clothes, Jacob woud nod his head vigorously and attempt to reassure himself that Lenn was right. For few minutes his mind would be settled. Then he would start thinking about what impression he would make on Chiru or what she would think of Lenn, and he would have to turn back to Lenn and ask about his outfit again. It was vicious cycle and it was a miracle that Jacob had not already soaked-through his clothes with nervous sweat.

"Yeah... Yeah! Lunch! That'll be good! Gotta be better than airplane food... Heh."

He looked at the clock again. She was supposed to have arrived already, but it was the nature of air travel that the times listed were never the actual times that would happen in the real world. For a moment, he chastised himself. Chiru was his daughter. She was the little girl he had held in his arms at birth and had taken to school when she was young. Why should he be nervous with someone he should be extremely familiar with? Then he remembered all the reasons he should be nervous. The fallout with her mother. The divorce. Moving away and not seeing her for extended periods of time. The fact that she was a teenager and, well, teenagers.

His jittering leg would have literally started kicking out of the seat had Lenn not taken a firm hold of it. The surprise touch jolted him from his thoughts and he had to remember to breathe again as he looked at Lenn. He managed a smile for her. Just looking at her calmed him down. A little.

"Sorry. Sorry. Sorry."

Jacob had to take a huge deep breath, and that seemed to be cue for the expected plane to begin disembarking. He let out the breath shakily and only rose from his seat when Lenn pulled him upwards on slightly shaky legs. Once up, he gave her one last hug then started looking out for Chiru among the passengers.

The truth remained: nervousness and anxiety were greatest before something happened because of anticipation. As Jacob started looking for his little girl, he felt his body and mind calm. The time had come and there was nothing left to fret over. There was no more time for thinking or what-ifs. All that was left was to do it, and he did.

His eyes locked onto her immediately. She was almost lost among the crowds because she was a little lacking in height, only a few inches shorter than Lenn, but Jacob could never miss the shock of blue hair pulled into twin tails: Chiru. She had Jacob's brilliant green eyes and his sweet smile. She was pulling a small rolling suitcase and was also looking around. Jacob locked eyes with her and waved ecstatically.

"Chiru! Over here, angel!"

The nerves were replaced with enthusiasm and love. Jacob's eyes opened up as he watched Chiru's lips curve into a smile as she trotted over to her father and his wide open arms. The two were locked together in a loving hug in seconds, with Chiru on her tip toes.

"Dad! Oh my god! It's been, like, forever!"

"I know, angel. I know. I love you though. I love you so much."

"... Love you too, dad."

For all of his anxiety, it seemed that Chiru wasn't going to entirely be the bored teenager he thought she might have turned into. It warmed his heart to know that the love they had shared when she was younger still existed.

"It's good to see you two hugging again, Jacob."

Jacob knew that voice and, though he did not actually say anything, his ears rung with a screamed FUCK in his head. He leaned up from his hug with Chiru to find his ex-wife Yumi standing nearby with her own rolling suitcase. She was a beautiful woman too, with brilliant blue hair and gentle eyes. She too had been blessed, like Jacob, with graceful aging.

He had not been expecting her to come along, and gaped for moment.

"H-Hello, Yumi. You came along?"

Jacob wished he could just shrink into a tiny ball at that moment.

"Yeah, dad. Mom kinda figured that since you live all the way out here, on an island, that we could make a vacation out of it. Y'know. Last minute get together and stuff."

Chiru was a smart girl. Jacob had tried raising her to be savvy and strong. So she was not oblivious to the tension that filled the air between the four of them. She knew that Yumi's surprise visit would cause more friction. But she also knew that she still had some desire to see her parents together, even for a little bit and even if they were not going to be all lovey-dovey. In the years since the divorce, Chiru had accepted the change and everything else that came with her parents' separation. Still. Seeing them together made her feel more relief and nostalgia than tension.

What she was not expecting was the awkwardness of meeting Lenn for the first time in person. Jacob had mentioned being in a new relationship before and, while it weirded Chiru out initially, she tried to accept the fact that her father had found a new woman to love. But seeing her in person, and seeing how young she was...

Both Chiru and Yumi were quirking a momentary eyebrow at Lenn. Whatever judgement Yumi was putting on Lenn lasted only for a split second before she gave Lenn a warm smile, and a bow, before shaking her hand.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Lenn. Chiru said that Jacob mentioned he had a new girlfriend."

It was impossible to get a read on what Yumi was thinking or feeling. She was an expert at concealing her inner thoughts until a more appropriate time. Not to say that her friendliness was false though. Yumi seemed liked a genuinely good woman, if a little uptight.

"*ahem* Yeah! I thought it would be cool for Chiru, for you all to meet. B-But we can talk about that later. I'm sure you two are looking to relax after a long flight, and I second Lenn's crepe suggestion."

"Yes! That sounds awesome."

"Agreed. I would also love to see more of your special island here, Jacob."

As they turned to leave, Jacob was struck with a problem he had never anticipated: how should they walk/drive together? Should he walk with Lenn and Chiru at his sides? But then what about Yumi? Obviously he shouldn't hold hands with her or something, but leaving her alone would be rude or exclusionary! Maybe he could just walk with Lenn and let Chiru walk with Yumi. Perhaps. But then that could reinforce the idea that they were no longer "one" family! God, he wondered if his own dad had troubles like this.

"Sooooo.... Miss Lenn. Are you from around here? 'Cause it looks super cool to grow up on this island. I saw it as we flew in, and it looks gorgeous."

Bless her heart. Chiru seemed to be going out of her way to try and ease tensions.

"Man. Sounds like it would be awesome to have a place here. I'd love to live closer to nice beaches. I'd practically live ON the beach."

"--Which would be quite expensive, Chiru. This whole island looks quite expensive with how lovely it is."

Again, Yumi's tone was almost incomprehensible. With one statement, she sounded just tiniest bit judgmental or strict. With the next, she sounded genuinely curious and awe-struck by the island and its beauty. There was difficult in figuring out if she was criticizing Manta Carlos for seemingly upscale tropical lifestyle, or if she was envious of it.

Jacob preferred to believe that her overall tone was the latter, since he knew that, at least since he had last known her, Yumi was a woman who took great interest in the world at large. It was a product of her relatively sheltered and strict upbringing. It was also the same reason that drew her to him when they were younger. In her eyes, Jacob had been the untamed "bad boy" that entranced traditional girls like her. In some ways, she regretted falling for that image of him.

"The Academy pays really well, and I chose to get a nice apartment instead of a house. It's really nice too. I'll have to show you two while you're here."

Jacob's tone was easier to pick out. There was some bragging in his voice as he placed their suitcases in the trunk of the car. Perhaps he wanted to impress Chiru, and impress upon Yumi that he was doing just fine.

The seating arrangements in the car were about to turn into another massive issue in his head until Lenn took the initiative and took the front seat. He found it to be a huge relief, but he still played the gentleman and held the doors for Yumi and Chiru. Seeing Yumi sit emphasized the manners and etiquette she had been taught. She sat with her back straight and her shoulders back, hands held gently in her lap.

"Floy...?"

"Fly, mom. Fly."

It seemed Yumi was still adjusting to Lenn's thick accent.

"Oh! My apologies. We came over from Hokkaido. Japan."

"Really? So I guess you took up your dad's business, huh?"

"Not entirely, Jacob. Father is still running the company, but I am learning and will eventually take over in his stead in due time. Even now it is more than enough for a house and Chiru's schooling."

Chiru rolled her eyes at the mention of her school.

"What do you do with your time, Miss Lenn?"

"A-A model?"

"A model? Really?"

Lenn got wide-eyed looks from both Chiru and Yumi, though they were not the same kind of looks. Yumi looked a little surprised and astonished, or perhaps even impressed. Chiru definitely looked impressed at Lenn's job. However, they also both shot a look at the back of Jacob's head immediately afterward. It was amazing how in-sync the two of them were, and how the two of them were shooting suspicious looks at him. Jacob did not need to look at his mirror to just know what they were thinking, and he could feel his face burning up.

Then Lenn managed to take the heat off of him by mentioning the guns. Jacob nearly winced at the mention. He could almost hear the two of them snapping to look back at Lenn with quizzical looks.

"G-Gunshow?!"

"What kinda...? I thought you were...?"

"I-It's one of those manly, erm, gentleman magazines! Y'know. Cars. Pretty ladies. Guns. Weight-lifting. All the things guys like."

He was louder than he intended to be as he tried to explain exactly what it was that Lenn did. The last thing he needed was for Yumi to think he was dating some kind of gun-toting stripper. At least Chiru seemed to get that "model" actually meant "model" and was not simply a cover for something else.

Arriving at the hotel was a god send. It was a natural break in their conversations and everyone seemed like they could use it. Yumi and Chiru retrieved their own suitcases and went to check in as Jacob stood back with Lenn.

"Y-You did fine, honey."

The nerves were back and it was apparent in his voice. Though he was keeping his voice low, the mention of the word "honey" still registered in Yumi's ears and she glanced at the two of them for a second, like a reflex.

"But... Try and be careful about what you say around Yumi. She's a good woman, but... She doesn't pick up on things like you or I get. And don't get offended by her. She's just... very business-minded and scrutinizes things a lot..."

Jacob was struggling to find a nice way to describe the situation with Yumi. No matter had gone down between them in the past, he held almost zero ill will towards her. So he did not want to burn any bridges by insulting her or painting her in a negative light. At the same time, he also did not want Lenn thinking that he held Yumi above her in any way either. And in the end, it was all also for Chiru's sake too.

Yumi and Chiru approached them again once their bags had been taken. Yumi herself was wearing a new smile, as if the car ride confusion had not happened at all. Meanwhile, Chiru was now looking over Lenn with a new set of eyes. Suddenly, Lenn's outfit made a little more sense.

"So where is this crepe cafe you were speaking of?"