PB4G: Kat's Khaotic Birthday, Pt. 4

Kitty Kat's Khaotic Birthday Week, Pt. 4
---
July 9, 2032
The COEX mall's food court. Before noon.
As groups of patrons walked about, Kat sat at a table. She looked around, somewhat nervously, her leg shaking a little bit.
A young man walked past her, holding up his phone. "Hey, what's up, sorry I missed your call, I've been super swamped..." he spoke into it.
Kat exhaled. "(Not him, So-yin. He's probably been booted out of the city limits. You can't jump at every dude with a cell phone, you'll be a basket case forever.)" she thought.
"Hey, Kitty Kat!"
Kat jarred from her thoughts to see Shizuka standing in front of her. "Hey, princess!" She hugged the girl. "How's my little butterfly doing?"
"Much better, now that she's seen her favorite babysitter." Rin arrived.
"Heya, Prof. How've you guys been?"
"Keeping busy. We spent yesterday at a park on the north side of town. A sorely-needed family picnic day." Rin sat down.
"You been liking my hometown, princess?" Kat patted Shizuka.
"Uh-huh." the girl responded.
"She's not as uncomfortable around crowds now. That was the one thing we were nervous about with bringing her along. I think she's just happy to be around you." Rin said.
"I'm sure there's other reasons. So, now that we've got a minute...how are things back home? DJ Tan Man's big day's coming up soon, right?" Kat asked.
"The closer it gets, the more stressful it gets. Kirumi's insisted on planning the whole thing herself. She's an excellent organizer, don't get me wrong, but I feel like she's putting too much on her shoulders. She finally agreed to let Mom do the flower arrangements, at least."
"Hoo boy. Yeah, that sounds familiar. My grandma planned my parents' wedding. Even though she's not really secretive about her disdain for my dad. But that's a whole other can of worms. I'm sure there's nothing like that going on with you."
"Definitely not. Kirumi personally asked for Mom's permission to marry Tan. She has nothing but respect for my mother. She only turned down her offer until now because she thought she'd be taking advantage of her. But Mom's only too happy to volunteer."
"Hey, it's a sign of approval. I think Ms. Kirumi's exactly what your bro needs. What with her all-business approach. Honestly, they remind me a lot of my parents. Her seriousness works well off his goofiness. They oughta be okay."
"I certainly hope so." Rin caught onto Kat's sense of anxiety. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Hm? Oh, yeah, I'm good. Never been better."
"Kat, I heard about what happened here the other day. With that awful streamer wannabe. If being here makes you anxious--"
"I'm good, Prof. Really. It was just one idiot. A bad day after a bad day. Yesterday was better, so...I'm good. Totally."
"You know me and Rose are always available to talk."
"I'm not gonna make you guys work during your vacation. I can suck it up and get over it."
"The last thing I want is for you to hide your feelings. If you're uncomfortable here, we can go somewhere else."
Kat looked around, then looked down. She nodded.
"You want to head out?"
Kat nodded again.
"I'm sorry. I should've suggested somewhere else. I only learned about what happened this morning."
"It's okay, Prof. We can walk around a bit. Maybe it'll help me relax."
"That's fine by me. Want to walk around the mall, lovebug?"
"Okay." Shizuka replied.
They got up and started walking, with Shizuka holding Rin's hand. The girl had her headphones on to ease the noise of the speakers and crowd. Kat cautiously looked around.
"He's not going to be here, I promise you." Rin assured.
"I know that. He's not the only dweeb with a TikTok. What's stopping another one from recognizing me and trying to use me for some free internet points?" Kat questioned. "Can we...please talk about something else?"
"Sure. Whatever you want."
"So, where's Doc today?"
"Rose wanted to do a museum run. First a history museum, then one for art."
"Ooh, she might be running into Kenny, then. I know he's been eyeing the museums here. Him and his artsy mind."
"That seems to be a recurring theme with my students. On that note...there's actually something I've been meaning to talk with you about."
"Sure, what is it?"
"Well...I might be on the verge of a major life change. I just wanted to get your input on it, since I've already asked everyone else back home."
"Major...? What's going on, Prof?"
Rin took a moment to consider her response. "I might be leaving the Academy and Naruki."
Kat stopped in her tracks. "...what? What do you mean leaving? Are you quitting teaching? But...what?!"
"It's nothing like that. Of course I'm not quitting teaching. There's...another opportunity that I've been offered."
"This is already a lot, Prof...what exactly are you saying?"
"So...there's a private school in Kyoto, the Rising Stars Academy. It's considered by some to be a direct rival to Naruki. It also had a reputation for being incredibly strict, closer to a military institution than a high school. One of Kirumi's sisters was the headmistress, prior to...the incident. She stepped down, and the newly-appointed replacement has been reaching out to other schools in order to completely transform its image. She was previously the principal at Naruki, and her vision is to make the school much more like the latter."
"And one of the teachers she's looking at is you?"
"Yes. Chizuru, Kirumi's sister, has been helping with the recruitment drive. Kirumi told her about me, and the new headmistress reached out to some of my colleagues and former students. Kibō and Carrie were among them."
"Keeb and...Care, too? Why didn't she tell me..."
"I asked them not to. I wanted to tell you myself. It's no secret that some of the staff at Naruki don't think highly of me due to my age and my teaching methods. But what the headmistress heard from others was enough for her to come and meet with me personally. We talked about why I got into teaching, what my philosophy is, what my career goals are. By the end of it, she offered me not just a position as literature professor, but also as a top assistant. A vice-principal, essentially."
"Prof...that's incredible! What did you tell her?"
"I...said I needed to discuss it with my family and friends first. She said I needed to give her an answer by the 14th. That would give enough time to make the proper arrangements. They've already secured properties close to the school for all staff coming from outside Kyoto."
"The 14th...so, the day after my birthday. Literally as soon as you get back. What's the vibe the fam gave you?"
"I told all of them about my feelings on it. It's the perfect opportunity to build something from the ground up, and help even more students develop their talents. But...Kyoto is several hours from Tokyo. Even the fastest train would take over two hours. Naruki is all I know. Everything and everyone I love is there. And it wouldn't just be me leaving. Rose was offered a guidance counselor position there, as well. And it would mean relocating Shizuka away from her friends and the rest of the family. Kyoto's where my dad's family is, sure, but still...it'd be such a major change."
"What did everyone tell you?"
"They...all said I should do it. All of them. Tenko, Jin, JoJo, Hiyoko, Jugo...I thought they'd try to talk me out of it, but they were all supportive. As much as they'd miss having me around all the time, they said it'd be perfect for me. Even Tan and Mom said I should accept. I asked Mom why. Her exact words were, 'You've outgrown our little slice of the world, blossom. Don't let us be what stops you from fulfilling your dreams.'"
"Fulfilling your dreams, huh..."
"This isn't an easy decision to make. I asked them 'but what about the house?' That place is important to me for so many reasons. I--"
"It's because of Shizuka's room, isn't it? Since it used to belong to her sister."
"It is. I said that I'd have to displace so many of her things, and that I wouldn't have the heart to do it. So, Tan gave me a solution. He and Kirumi would sell the apartment, and take the house. It'd be much more suitable for a family of three. And he promised to keep Shizuka's room exactly how it is for whenever we would come over."
"Well, there you go! Something that works for everybody. Honestly, Prof, it's sounding more like you're trying to find any reason not to take it."
"Is that how I'm sounding? Well, give me your take. Should I go for it?"
"I think you absolutely should. I think if you're really serious about helping as many kids as you possibly can, then it's something you can't turn down. I know it's scary moving to a new place after only ever knowing one. But for me, it was exactly what I needed. Meeting you and the others helped me--no, that's not really it. Going to Tokyo and meeting everyone *saved* me."
"Oh, Kat..."
"Take the job, Prof. I think if you don't, you'll regret it forever. I'd say any place you work at would be lucky to have you. So...yeah. There's my two cents."
"It's worth much more than that. Thanks, Kat. I...guess I've run out of excuses. Let me call Rose and tell her. I think we should call the headmistress later instead of waiting until we get back. Could you keep Shizuka occupied for a bit?"
"Sure! Hey, princess, there's a really cute plushie store over here, I think they might even have some bugs..."
Kat took Shizuka away, and Rin pulled out her phone.
In the center of town, the Yongsan district, Rose sat outside the National Museum of Korea, the country's flagship museum of art and history. Her phone rang, and she picked it up. "Hello, beloved. What's going on?"
"Hey, how's your day going so far?" Rin asked.
"Wonderful. I had the most delectable seafood lunch, and now I've arrived at the National Museum. Did you need something?"
"I actually wanted to let you know that...I asked Kat if I should take the job."
"Oh, I see. And...?"
"And she gave me the same answer everyone else did. That I should take it. So...I think I'm going to call Dr. Yuki and tell her that I'll be accepting her offer."
"Yes! I knew you would come around to it. Oh, Rin, it's going to be wonderful. This is unquestionably the right decision."
"Everyone says that. Maybe I just needed the extra convincing."
"I know how much you love the Academy and Naruki. I do, as well. But it's time we spread our wings. This is the opportunity you've been waiting for. I think if Miko were here, she would tell you much the same."
"Yeah...I think you're right. Should I call Mom and tell her now?"
"I think she and everyone else will want to hear it from you in-person. Deep down I think they already knew that this was going to be your decision. But I do believe that we should contact Dr. Yuki as soon as we get together later. The sooner we do, the easier it will be to settle in before the school year starts."
"Yeah..."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. I'm just...excited, I'm nervous, I'm terrified, I'm every emotion all at once! This is a huge deal, Rose. I've never lived anywhere else except Naruki. I don't know how to react to this."
"It's natural to feel that way. Enjoy your day as normal, then once we finish talking with Dr. Yuki, we celebrate properly. Does that sound like a plan?"
"Yes, it does. We're going to Kyoto, Rose. I can't believe it's real."
"Believe, Rin, believe. We'll discuss it more later. Until then, my brilliant, beautiful wife."
"I'll be counting the moments, my diligent, equally-brilliant, beautiful wife. Enjoy your paintings and giant skeletons."
"I'll be sure to enjoy these ancient relics that are all younger than me. Good day, now."
The call ended. Kat returned with Shizuka, who was holding a spider plushie. "Hey, Prof, how'd it--Prof?"
Rin's hands were shaking.
"Hey, you okay?! Do you need to see a doctor?"
"No, no I don't think so. I'm just...nervous and excited and every emotion at once and wooo could I use some tea right now." Rin replied.
"Hang on, I got you." Kat ran to a nearby vending machine, and ordered a bottle of water. She took a packet of Chai mix out of her handbag, with a note attached that said 'In case of emergency! - Uncle Vik'. She put the powdery mix in the bottle, shook it heavily, and handed it to Rin. 
"Mmm...wow, that's good. That's really good." 
"It's the best at calming nerves. My aunt and uncle sell a bunch of products like that. All regulation, no funny business!"
"I believe you. I'll have to pay them a visit while I'm here." Rin sighed. "I can't believe I'm actually going through with it. I'm really leaving the only home I've ever known."
"Care put it best, once. She said that sometimes it takes venturing out to learn who you really are, and where you're meant to be. All of us left home and found ourselves. You're gonna do great, I know it."
Rin smirked. "Mind if I have the rest of the tea?"
"Be my guest, I've got plenty at home."
"Excuse me, Ms. Kit?" a man's voice spoke up.
Kat froze. "Um...yeah?" She turned around. Thankfully, it was not the man from two days prior.
"Sorry for assuming your name, but you are Golden Wei's daughter, yeah?"
"Y-yeah, that's me. Can I help you?"
"I didn't mean to startle you. I'm the manager at the K-pop merch store over there. I saw what happened the other day. I'm sorry you had to put up with that. Morons like that are unfortunately pretty common. Did you want to come in? I've actually got some vintage Golden Wei merch on offer. I mean, you've probably got way more at home than anyone else."
"Sure, I can take a look. There's stuff even my dad hasn't come across. You mind, Prof?"
"By all means, take your time. I'll be here enjoying my tea." Rin replied.
Kat went inside the store.
"...hey, Mama?" Shizuka asked.
"What is it, lovebug?" Rin replied.
"Why were your hands all shakey?"
"...me and Mama Rose will tell you more later."
"Is it something bad?"
Rin giggled. "No, not at all. I think it's going to be something truly wonderful."
---
The Han River. A 500-kilometer long waterway that passed straight through Seoul, separating the city into two halves.
On a muddy shoreline, Tabby stared blankly. "Is...that really what we're getting in?"
Max, along with a host of fishing equipment, sat in a wooden canoe. "Were you expecting a yacht?"
"N-no, of course not! But, um...is it really safe?"
"The rental place was pretty well-reviewed, and I haven't found any holes or leaks. Unless Jaws learns how to swim up river, I think we're good. I *wish* I had a boat like this when I was in Alaska. And mercifully, we won't be fighting off grizzlies in this thing, either."
"M-maybe don't start listing off superpredators when we're about to hop into a river neither of us have ever been in!"
"Relax. Kitty Kat said there's nothing like that out here. Just fish and wading birds. You're not gonna end up as anyone's food. I won't force you if you're having second thoughts, but it's not as scary as you're making it out to be."
"....." Tabby swallowed. "Alright, I'm in. But the minute I see anything with claws or fangs, I'm swimming for my life."
"You know tigers can swim, right?"
"I KNOW THAT! I'll just swim faster than it!"
"Uh-huh, right. Now take your seat."
Tabby sat down in the canoe, and Max paddled it out into the water. After a few minutes, he stopped paddling.
"Alright, this looks like a promising spot." He took out a tiny piece of bread from a bag, and threw it into the water. A fish came and gobbled it up within seconds. "And there's our signal. Shouldn't take too long to get a bite."
"Let's get to it!" Tabby took a rod, and immediately cast out her line.
"You might want to put bait on the hook, first."
"Uh...ahehe, right." She brought the line back in, realizing too late where it was about to land. "Oh, no...!"
The hook landed on Max's cap. "....." 
"Um...let me--"
"No no no. I'll handle it." He took off his hat, removing the hook before putting it back on.
"Sorry, I'm a bit of a klutz. I've had some people call me a 'walking disaster'. You can probably see why..."
"Frankly, I don't care much for labels from people that aren't my friends. I've been called every awful name under the sun. Try not to let the mistakes pile up. I'd prefer getting back to shore with my head on."
"Yes, captain."
"Please don't call me that."
"Er...yes, private?"
Max sighed. "Just Max is fine."
The pair got their (baited) hooks in the water, sat down and waited.
"So...are we just gonna be in silence the whole time?" Tabby asked.
"I'm not against talking. But try keeping it low so the fish aren't scared off." Max replied.
"Right. Just need to keep it hush-hush--"
Tabby felt a bit of resistance on her lure. "Wha--already?!"
"Keep calm. It's gonna fight you. Only use as much force as you need."
"Nngh...trying...feels like a big one..." Tabby got up, and tugged on the rod. "Weird that it doesn't feel like it's moving much..."
With one last bit of force, Tabby pulled up what was on her rod, the arrival flying above her head. "Oh no, not again--"
"Huh?" Max looked over his shoulder...
...as an old, worn-out boot came hurtling towards him, smacking him on the head. "YOW!"
"Ohhh, are you alright?! I'm so sorry, I should've been more careful..."
"Nngh, it's fine...couldn't have guessed it was a boot. Again, grateful for the hat..."
"Bah, I should've known it was gonna end up going badly...I barely know the first thing about fishing..." Tabby sat back down, frustrated.
"So how come you were so insistent on doing this?"
"...it's more about getting over a fear."
"A fear? Of fish?"
"No. The water. The river. The last time I was near a river...it was when my ex locked me in the trunk of his car and dumped me into one. I still have nightmares about it. Being shut in a dark space and left to die...I can't even put it into words."
"Oh..."
"I thought if I could relax and enjoy myself on a river, it might help put those fears to bed. But I've already gotten you on the head twice with just two casts. I probably shouldn't be allowed near a rod again."
"You're starting to sound like Kat after the first couple days. No one's gonna be an expert after just a couple tries. Don't be so hard on yourself. It's brave just to come out on the water after what you went through." Max handed her the rod. "Give it another go. It won't be another boot."
Tabby put up a smile. "Alright. One more go." She cast out the rod. Within a minute, there was a tug. She started to pull. "Nngh...this one's putting up a fight...and it feels big..."
She started to slip. "Whoa...uh..."
Max grabbed the rod. "Hang on, let me help...oh, jeez, that does feel huge..."
Try as they might, they were only met with more resistance.
"How does a river like this...nngh...hide something this big?" Max questioned.
"Did we hook the Loch Ness monster here?!" Tabby pondered.
"Alright, if he's not giving in, I've got no other choice if we don't want to go for a swim..."
Max materialized his armor onto his arms, and with one last bit of force, yanked up whatever was on the line. "HEEEAVE...GRAH!"
A large, dark shape erupted out from the water. The pair looked up, and...
"Look out below!" it called out.
"Uh..." They both looked confounded, as it crashed onto the boat, knocking them both into the water. "GAH!"
What was left sitting on the canoe was a man in a black scuba suit, holding a digital camera. "Owwww...what a ride!" He took off his mask, revealing young features and wavy black hair, along with tanned skin. He checked his camera. "Okay, good, at least this is fine--"
A hand reached out of the water, grabbing onto the side of the canoe. "GAH! It's that guy with the hockey mask!"
Max pulled himself up. "Who the HELL..."
Tabby came back up. "Ugh, I'm gonna be drying my hair for weeks! You're lucky I didn't lose my glasses..."
She spotted the man's camera. "What are you...? Were you spying on us?!"
"Huh? No, wait, I wasn't--" he protested.
Max hoisted himself onto the boat. "Buddy, if there's one thing I hate as much as bullies, it's a pervert." He cracked his knuckles. "Now before I do my best Kitty Kat impression and boot you off my boat, I'll give you five seconds to explain yourself."
"Hey hey, you don't need to sound so aggressive--wait, hit the pause button. Did you just say, 'Kitty Kat'? Like, with a 'K'?"
"Oh what, are you another one of those weirdo fanboys that knows all her business? In that case, I'm gonna enjoy this even more..."
"QUIT WITH THE VIOLENT TALK, BRO! You're talking about Kit So-yin, right? So you've gotta be her friends, here for her birthday, yeah?"
Tabby pulled herself out of the water. "Just who are you? And what's with the camera?"
"Give her a call and ask her yourself if she knows me! Then see if you still want to boot me out!"
"I'll probably boot you out, either way. But fine, I'll ask her permission first. You'd better hope my phone still works..." Max took out his phone, and once he'd checked that the water hadn't damaged it, he dialed Kat.
Back at the mall, she was back at the food court, waiting while Rin got Shizuka lunch. She answered the request for a video call. "Yo, Sparky. You look like you're having fun. You do know that you don't need to get in the water to get the fish, right?"
"Ha ha ha. It wasn't my idea. Ask this joker about what happened." Max turned the phone to the man in the scuba gear.
"Hello!" he cheerily waved.
Kat blinked. "Huh? Jay? What are you doing there?"
"Wait, she *does* know him?" Tabby uttered.
"Hey, cuz! Looks like I might've crashed the fishing party, hehe. Oops!" the man said.
"'Cuz'?" Max and Tabby both questioned.
"Oh...yeah. This is Vijay. He's my cousin." Kat explained.
"Hold on...so your cousin's spying on us?" Max asked.
"Spying?! Oh no no no no, no way! Jay's harmless. He's a nature photographer."
"A...nature photographer." Tabby responded.
"Yep! I've been doing some portfolio work out here before school starts back up. Probably should've led with that." Vijay replied.
"Yeah, you should've! I was about to kick your ass!" Max replied.
"That wouldn't have been fun! I mean, you pulled me out of the water like I was a guppy! What kind of weights do you lift, bro?"
"Ones made from pain and suffering." Max looked increasingly menacing.
Tabby got in front of him. "A-Anyway, we should let the man get back to his work, yeah? Sorry about the misunderstanding!"
"No problemo! Enjoy your fishing adventure! See you at the party, kitten!" Vijay dove back into the water.
"See ya, Jay." Kat waved back. "Sorry about that, Sparky."
"Ah, it's no problem. Glad that was cleared up before I sent him in there myself." Max replied. "How's it going on your end? No sign of the *actual* creep?"
"Thankfully, no. Just a good time with Prof. The owner of the K-pop place even gave me a discount on some stuff since he saw what happened."
"Nice. Least some good came out of that."
"Yep. I'll leave you guys to fishing up my cousins. Later, babes." 
The call ended. "Alright, want to keep going? We'd have to move somewhere else. All that...excitement would've scared off any fish."
"I'm getting something fishy out of this river if it's the last thing I do. I just have to channel the moon's power, and justice will prevail!" Tabby crossed her hands in a dramatic pose.
"It's daytime, though. Never mind, I'll just paddle."
Max moved the canoe some distance away. "Should be far enough. Hopefully Kat doesn't have anymore relatives in this river."
Tabby took a deep breath, and cast out her rod. "(Alright, you devious dweller of the deep. Now I'm inside your mind. I know how you think, how you act. There is no escape. Millions of years of divergent evolution have led to this one moment. Mankind evolved to use all five digits so as to better help with hunting and gathering. I am the hunter. You might not realize it yet, but I have already won. Once you've taken my bait, your fate will be--)"
"Hey, uh, Tabby?" Max broke her train of thought.
"Huh?" She noticed that the line was being tugged. She stood up. "Alright, alright, just have to stay calm. Doesn't feel as big as before, so this should be the real thing."
"If it's the real deal, then keep those feet planted. Some of these things have hours of fight in them."
"HOURS?! But what if I need to use the bathroom?!"
"That's why you go before you get on the boat!"
After about a half hour of fighting, she could feel it begin to weaken. "Stubborn...think it might be...getting tired..."
"Alright, keep it up. There, I can see it coming up." 
With the fish exhausted, Max reached down and picked it up. It was a large, dark green catfish. "Oh, that's a good size. That's at least four feet."
Tabby was panting. "I...I did it! I actually...oh, dear...think I might've overdone it..."
"You did good. It's one of the bigger fish you can get out of this part of the river. They're in Japan's rivers, too. Kat said once that you could make a spicy soup out of them. Few more of these, we could have ourselves a nice dinner. Got the stamina for another--"
Tabby was lying down. "Nyeh...fishy...evil has been...vanquished."
"I'll take that as a no. Well, she looks pleased, at least. Guess I'd better get some bait in the water..."
As he returned to his quiet hobby, Tabby sat and listened to the movement of the water. In a flash, her eyes lit up, and she thrust her hand into the water.
"What the--?!" Max reacted.
Tabby lifted her hand out of the water, holding up a three-foot long, dark brown fish, that flapped about wildly. "I am the queen of the deep! One with the water! All those with gills will fear me!"
"Slow down there with the Bass Pro Shops marketing! Hand me that fish!" He grabbed it. "This thing is a snakehead. It's not gonna lose air on its own. They can survive on land for days."
He looked back up to see Tabby reaching over the side again. "Now what are you--"
She pulled out another catfish. "None can escape my grasp, mwahahahaha!"
Max could only blink. "I'm not even gonna need the rod, am I. Where do you find these girls, Kitty Kat..."
---
A few hours later, most of the group had arrived at the Kit residence, dressed for dinner. Kat came downstairs. "Alright, here's the gameplan for tonight, peeps. Sparky and Tabs should be here in a bit with our fishy feast."
Sahir opened his mouth.
"From the river, not where hagfish come from." 
He closed it.
"Hoods, if you wouldn't mind helping me with prep? I'll give you a crash course."
"Cooking tips from my favorite kitty? Yes, please~." Natalia chimed.
"Are your parents gonna be with us?" Barbara asked.
"Mom and Pops are having dinner with my aunt and uncle. They haven't had a night out in a while, and I pushed them a bit to do it. Just gonna be our little gang. Oh, and Prof and Doc are coming over, too." Kat answered.
"This is shaping up to be a rather fanciful dinner. Considering that a certain maid friend of ours has her birthday tomorrow, I'm a bit confused as to what the occasion is." Kenneth pondered.
"I was starting to believe that we were having my festivities early. What is the occasion, Kat-chan?" Sakuya asked.
"Well, I can't get into specifics, but all I'll say is that Prof and Doc have a very big announcement to make, and they wanted everyone to hear it. So we've got an extra get-together." Kat answered.
"A big announcement? Ooh, now I'm real curious. Are they formally adopting you, Kitty Kat?" Ibuki joked.
"As a kid or as a cat?" Sahir pondered.
"Neither! They'll explain it over dinner. When our food gets here, tell 'em to drop it off in the kitchen. Gonna put some of those upgraded appliances to good use." Kat replied.
"You're welcome~." Cindy chimed in.
"Care, could you help me outside for a sec?"
"Of course." Carrie replied.
"And...Keeb, we might be doing some heavy lifting. Think you can lend a hand?"
"Yeah...okay." Kibō answered, sensing the real reasoning.
Kat walked the two of them to the backyard, closing the door behind. "Alright...so. You two are smart enough to know why I brought you out here."
"I'm guessing you don't *actually* have any heavy lifting to do." Kibō replied.
"You both know what Prof is gonna say. She told me so earlier."
"I assumed as much." Carrie said.
"I just wanna know why you didn't tell me. You guys know how tight I am with her. Especially you, Care. I thought we weren't supposed to keep secrets."
"I wouldn't have if Professor Kubo hadn't asked me not to say anything. She wasn't sure if anything was going to come of it."
"She wanted to ask you herself instead of having us tell you. I think she respects you enough to want to do that face-to-face. Plus, the school only asked us what we thought about her." Kibō said.
"With them making an announcement, I take it that means...she's taking the job in Kyoto."
"Yeah. She is. She asked me if she should take it. I said she'd regret it if she didn't." Kat replied.
"So why are you looking so disappointed right now?" Kibō asked.
"Cuz...you know how I feel about being kept in the dark for a long time. I know Prof told you, but...I would've liked to have been asked, too."
"Oh, Kitten, I know. But I assure you, we gave them the most glowing comments we could. And clearly it worked. I specifically told them that she changed the trajectory of our lives for the better. What was it you said the other day? That Professor Kubo saved you? That was more or less the feeling I conveyed to them. I gave as impassioned a description as I'm sure you would've given." Carrie assured.
"I just needed to give them one story. That she specifically wanted me in her class because of who my brother was. When I found out about that, I thought she was gonna make my life a living hell. But...she was as kind and welcoming to me as anyone else. Even went to my parents' shop to smooth things over. She is as genuine of a human being as I'll ever know. And I told those school officials that if they didn't extend an offer to her, then they should close down for good, because there's no way they could find better." Kibō related.
"What matters is that *she* wanted your input. She didn't make her mind up fully until she heard your opinion. That's how highly she thinks of you. She sees you as an extension of her family. And this is a major life change for her. If your thoughts on the matter are that important, doesn't that say everything?"
"Yeah. Yeah, it is. Sorry. I'm just--" Kat responded.
"Paranoid." Kibō interrupted.
"I really am just that predictable, huh."
"We're getting there, my love. Keep embracing the positive thoughts." Carrie reassured.
The three went back in the house. By now, Tabby and Max (having bathed and changed after their freshwater excursion) had arrived. Tabby was relating the experience to the others.
"And then the foul creature rose up from its watery cavern, baring its horrible fangs, but like the longshoremen of old, I thrust my arm outward and grasped it around its gaping maw!"
"S-So scary!" Natalia uttered.
"A foul creature now housed in a...rather modestly sized cooler." Sakuya glanced at said cooler, sitting inside the kitchen.
"Perhaps it was so frightened at the sight of such a fearsome opponent, that it shrank." Kenneth smirked.
"Was it really as exciting as she's making it sound?" Ibuki asked Max.
"It was...an experience. I can say that much." He lightly nodded.
"--but then, another dweller of the deep rose up, and sent us hurtling into those dark, beast-filled depths! Armed only with a soul-stealing device--" Tabby continued.
"This is definitely starting to sound like a fisherman's tale." Sahir uttered.
"Was there really anything like that, Maxie?" Cindy asked.
"Yes. His name was Jay. Nice enough guy with a good-quality camera." Max replied.
"Should probably mention too that he was my cousin." Kat spoke up.
"AAAAH!" Tabby jumped. "K-Kitty Kat! I didn't see you there!"
"So much for the fearless master of the deep." Kenneth quipped.
"Um...what were we talking about?" Kat questioned.
"Our modern day Jacques Cousteau was just recounting how she slew a wicked sea serpent in the river not that far from here." Sahir facetiously replied.
"A sea serpent? My goodness. It must have been quite the grandiose feat." Carrie teased.
"...you all are being mean now." Tabby slumped in her seat.
"So...you didn't actually fight a sea serpent?" Kibō asked.
"It was more like a miniature version. With whiskers." Max replied.
"Oh you'd know a thing about whiskers, huh?" Ibuki teased while scratching his beard.
"Oh, come on, not in front of everyone else..."
"Y'know what, fair is fair. Barbie, rub Keebie's abs." Kat directed.
"W-W-What?!" Barbara responded.
"C'mon, your bro's getting flustered, join in on the action."
"T-That is not happening!" Barbara started to turn red.
"Don't I get a say in this?" Kibō asked.
"Tick-tock, Barbie. You want *me* to rub his abs?" Kat asked, putting her elbow on his shoulder.
"NOBODY IS RUBBING MY ABS!"
"Alright, fine. I'm an equal opportunity kinda gal. Kenny, you rub his abs."
"I'll have to decline." Kenneth glanced at Kibō. "Respectfully."
"Okay, then. Guess we're drawing straws."
"Don't you work out, Care? Do you not let her near your abs?" Kibō asked.
"Au contraire." Carrie replied.
Kat immediately started rubbing her abdomen. "Like a diamond. And I've got 100% access."
"Pardon me for a moment. Let me get you a glass of water." Sakuya got up.
"Huh? What for?"
"You're displaying signs of an alarming thirst."
"Haaaaaa!" Ibuki laughed.
Sahir looked bummed. "Man, how come no one wants to touch *my* abs..."
Natalia, sitting next to him, looked around, before inching her finger towards his abdomen.
"Please don't, Natty. I can already see the daggers from Kenny."
Natalia pulled her finger back. "Ahehe..."
Once the abdominal discussion had settled, Kat got Natalia and Max in the kitchen. "Alright, let's see what you got for us, Sparky..."
"Only the finest 'dwellers of the deep' the mistress and this mere peasant could conjur from the depths." Max replied. Natalia snickered.
Kat opened the cooler. "Ooooh, we're gonna be eating spicy to-night. I've got just the recipes." Kat opened a cupboard, that was filled with cookbooks arranged meticulously in alphabetical order. She stood up on tiptoe to try to grab one with an image of a fish on its spine, but it remained out of reach.
"I got it." Natalia's eyes glowed, and the book levitated out, and into Kat's arms.
"The plight of us short people. Danke." Kat thanked her. "Alright--and oh don't worry, it's translated--the best recipe for our whiskered friends would be right here." She opened the book to a page for a soup made from the catfish. "As for the snakehead, there's a ton of recipes in here for 'em, so just pick whichever one looks tastiest. I'm gonna go let Prof know they can come over. BRB." She stepped out.
"Find a way to make this charming fella look tasty. Anyone who says cooking isn't an art form is a liar." Max started looking through the book.
"Lucky us, we're one big happy band of artists." Natalia took out the fish. "Hey, so. Layla told me that she talked to you."
"Oh, yeah. At that convention back in May. She looked spooked at first, but then she gave me an earful. Which, all of that was totally justified. Was she upset when you talked to her?"
"No, not at all. She was thankful that you apologized. I think it took a huge weight off of her."
"I was just glad that she was doing okay. It's a bit comforting to know that I didn't ruin anyone's lives with what I did. Gah, what am I even saying. Like I deserve to--"
"Don't get back in that mindset. You're better off without that air of doom and guilt floating around you. Trust me, I know how bad thoughts can eat you up. No one here thinks you're a bad guy."
"Everyone says that, but every now and again I just--"
Natalia sighed. "Alright. Time for Nurse Natty's best medicine."
"What is it with me and girls calling themselves nurses--"
Natalia hugged him from behind. 
"Umm...Natty."
"Yeah?"
"I know this is what you mean by 'medicine', but...is this really appropriate?"
"What's wrong with a hug between friends?"
"Nothing. Except when they're in full view of their respective partners."
Max glanced at the living room. Ibuki and Kenneth were both staring straight at them. The former smirked. The latter, drinking tea, raised an eyebrow.
Natalia let go. "Well I'm not gonna apologize for the gift of hugs." She returned to the fish.
"Anyway." Max went back to the cookbook. "Oh, and Natty?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for that."
She giggled. "Don't mention it."
---
About an hour later, with the sun setting, Rin and Rose, with Shizuka holding the former's hand, arrived at the front gate of the Kit home. "Let's hope this visit goes a bit better than the last." Rin said.
"Given the news we have to share, how could it not?" Rose replied.
Shizuka was looking down. Rin knelt down to her level. "You okay, lovebug?"
"...I don't wanna move." Shizuka replied.
"I know it's hard, but it'll be good for us. We'll come back to Naruki as much as we can. It's just a couple hours away. Kyoto is a really beautiful city. I'm sure you'll grow to love it. And a lot of my family is there, too. My aunt and my cousins are all really nice people. They'll make you feel as welcome as Grandma Hana and Uncle Tan do. I promise, it's gonna be great."
"If it's not, I'll be really mad."
"You won't have to worry. As long as it's the three of us, we'll be okay." Rin patted her daughter on the head.
"Hey, hey, hey, ladies. Welcome back." Kat had arrived, and opened the gate. "That's a happy aura I'm sensing. You've got good news to share?"
"But of course, Ms. Kit. The best." Rose assured.
"Now what's got the princess all pouty?"
"We broke the news to her after we let the headmistress know. She's, understandably, not a fan of the idea at the moment." Rin replied.
"Aww, princess, don't be so gloomy. A big change is always gonna be scary, but lots of times it could be what you need." Kat patted the girl on the back. "I had to leave here to go meet your moms and you. I couldn't have done that if I just stayed here for my whole life."
"...are you still gonna come visit?" Shizuka asked.
"Of course, baby girl. Whenever I get the chance. I wanna see your new digs."
"That'll have to wait for a little while. Once we've gotten everything settled. Packing and unpacking everything is going to be an experience..." Rin stated.
"I'm personally excited by the prospect of decorating a house from top to bottom. And oh, when I get my hands on a new garden..." Rose mused.
Amidst the warm greetings, a voice spoke up.
"Hey."
Kat froze when she heard it. There was that cold sense of deja vu.
There was her sister, Lin. No swearing, or alcohol, or clear sign of anger. "Sis..." Kat uttered.
"Ah...hello there, Lin." Rin spoke, with some reservation. Rose observed with silent focus.
"Another big group dinner, huh? Guess I did kinda spoil the last one." Lin spoke. "Look, I'm, uh...I just wanted to, uh...really needed to, y'know, uh..."
"Sure you haven't had a bit of happy juice, Lin?" Kat asked.
"Oh, if there wasn't a kid here right now..." Lin grumbled. She took a deep breath. "Professor, I'm...I'm sorry about the other night. I've been really bitter for a long time, and it just...exploded. I know I haven't been a good big sister to So for a lot of her life, and...I'm glad that she had someone like you to take cues from. I'm still figuring out how to be an adult. Maybe I should be taking some notes from you, too." She turned around to leave. "That's all."
"Lin, wait!" Kat called out.
"You want me to get on my knees and beg, too?"
"Please don't." Rin replied. "You didn't even give me a chance to respond."
"Er, right. Sorry. Go ahead."
"I imagine that it wasn't easy to swallow your pride and say those things. Especially when you haven't made your disdain for me a secret. That being said, I appreciate the apology. And the lack of profanity."
"Ugh...yeah."
"Let me make something perfectly clear. It has never been my intention to get between you and your sister. I've taken it upon myself to be a guiding figure for her. But what you have with her is unique. I can't replace the relationship you two have, nor is it something I wish to do. I can at least appreciate how passionate you were about it. If only every sibling cared that much."
"Huh? I thought you and the DJ man were tight, though."
"I'm not talking about Tan."
Kat waved her hand at Lin, signaling for her to avoid the subject.
"In any case, that's enough lecturing from me. Apology accepted. It would be best for Kat if we got along in the future, I think."
"Yeah, probably would be. Well, I'm not gonna keep you from your dinner...again. I'm gonna head out..." Lin turned to leave again.
Kat got in front of her. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Um...home? Oh no. So, don't even think it."
"We've got a big batch of maeun-tang and some other fishy delights. There's plenty for everybody. You really gonna go for take-out again?"
"I'd never say no to a good soup, but, So...don't you think it'd be majorly awkward? Not just cuz of the Professor. I know your pals don't exactly have the highest opinion of me. Especially not Saku."
"Don't give them any reason to object, then. Act cool and don't start anything up. All I'm asking is for dinner with my big sis to go without any problems. Can you do that for me?"
"...aww. I can't say no to you, kitten. Alright, I'm in. The fish oughta be worth all the dirty looks I'm gonna get."
"Yay! Just what I wanted to hear. You're okay with it, right, Prof?"
"Absolutely. The more the merrier. Right, Rose?" Rin asked.
Rose stared at Lin, who appeared nervous. She closed her eyes. "Very well. No objections."
"(Even when she's letting me off the hook, she's gotta be scary!)" Lin thought.
Kat grabbed her by the hand. "Then we'd better get a move on! My tummy's been yelling at me to fill it!" She tugged Lin towards the house.
"Well then. Shall we?" Rose moved to follow, but Rin stopped her.
"You said something to her, didn't you?"
"Whatever could you mean?"
"I was wondering why you were already dressed when I woke up yesterday. Please tell me you didn't threaten her."
"I did no such thing. I merely said that it would be in her best interest to apologize. I may have also inadvertently given her the Stare of Disappointment."
"Rose! The last thing I want you to do is scare somebody into apologizing. You're above those kinds of bully tactics. It's the exact thing we council kids *against* doing."
"Was I to just leave it alone, then? Allow someone to hurl profane insults at my spouse without consequence? I did nothing wrong. Some people simply require a firmer hand than others."
Rin sighed. "We'll table this for later. Let's not keep everyone waiting."
Everybody else had already gathered in the backyard. The sight of Kat's older sister left many an eyebrow raised. "...hi." Lin waved.
"Um...hi." Barbara responded.
Sakuya glared at her. "Lin-san." she uttered bluntly.
Kat latched onto her sister. "Lin's gonna be joining us for dinner. I hope nobody minds." She was met with silence. "*I hope nobody minds.*"
"Oh yeah yeah, totally fine--" "No problems here--" "Okay with me--" They all jumbled their answers together.
"Real encouraging, So." Lin whispered.
"Just sit with me and Care, it'll be fine." Kat whispered back.
As they moved to sit, Rin's party appeared. "Good evening, everyone."
"Hiya, Professor Apple Pie." Ibuki greeted.
"Hope you like fish. We pulled a lot from the..." Max cleared his throat and put on a West Midlands accent. "...fetid depths."
"Meanie..." Tabby uttered as everyone snickered.
"Oh, I thought I smelled something fishy." Rin replied.
"That might just be the Keebster. I think he forgot his deodorant." Ibuki said.
Kibō raised an eyebrow, then sniffed his armpit. "They smell fine to me."
"The fact you even had to test it out is enough."
"Okay, so...before we chow down, there's a bit of business to take care of first." Kat said. "Prof, I believe you've got something you wanted to tell us?"
"Oh, you want to do this right away. Well, since you all are looking at me so curiously, I guess there's no point in keeping you in suspense." Rin responded.
"Is one of you having a baby?!" Natalia questioned.
"What--no! Absolutely not it!"
"I think Shizuka would be in far worse of a mood if that were the case." Rose added. The girl clearly didn't like the thought, either, her pout growing ever so slightly.
"No, it's not a baby. But it is a significant life change."
"A divorce?!" Sahir guessed.
"Wha--why is it an even worse guess?!"
"Do we have the look of a couple on the verge of collapse?" Rose questioned.
"I think we should stop making guesses." Cindy suggested.
"Please go on, Professor." Carrie said.
"Right. In all seriousness, this is a very significant change for us. So...to start...we're leaving Naruki." Rin related.
"Leaving, as in...the city, or the Academy?" Sakuya asked.
"Both." Rose answered.
"W-Why are you leaving the Academy?! Are you done with teaching?" Natalia asked.
"No, it's the opposite. We've been offered an opportunity in Kyoto. There's a private school there that's currently going through wholesale changes, to create a better, more welcoming environment for students. The new headmistress reached out to us and asked if we would be part of the new staff." Rin clarified. "I'll still be teaching literature, and Rose will still be a counselor. The only difference is that I'll also be taking up assistant principal-type duties. In a way it's the same, but in other ways it's a promotion."
"It's a mighty impressive jump, Professor, but what convinced you to agree to it? I thought you loved Naruki." Max asked.
"I do. I always will. It wasn't an easy decision in the least. Naruki's the only home I've ever known. But everyone that I asked told me to take it. Everyone in the family, all of my friends...even our dear Ms. Kit here."
Kat made a heart symbol with her hands.
"At the end of the day, I want to help as many students reach their potential as possible, and doing something like this--building up a school from the ground up--is too good of an opportunity to pass over. The school and our new house are in a beautiful area, and Kyoto is a far less busy city than Tokyo. Plus, my dad's family still lives in Kyoto, so it's a chance to catch up with relatives I haven't seen in a long time."
"Not to take away from this, Teach, cuz it's a majorly good thing, but I'm gonna miss our therapy meet-ups at your place." Sahir said.
"Ditto. And now I'm not gonna have my best customer! Meh, whoever does your hair now won't offer you my same level of service..." Ibuki grumbled.
"I honestly don't see the drawbacks. A more quiet den of culture such as Kyoto suits the two of you much more than a bustling metropolis like Tokyo." Kenneth surmised.
"We'll have to do a get-together once you've settled in. I would love to see your new home for myself." Carrie said.
"Welp, guess we've got our Christmas plans settled." Kat teased.
"Might want to put the brakes on that. I haven't even packed anything away yet." Rin replied.
"Well wherever you go, Professor, I'm sure you're gonna do great. You're gonna be headmistress yourself in no time, I bet." Barbara said.
"'Kubo's School for Gifted Youngsters' has a nice ring to it." Max added.
"Now we're *really* thinking too far ahead..." Rin started to turn red.
"Hey, for real though." Kat picked up a glass. "Congrats, you two. You deserve it. Seriously. None of us would be here if it weren't for the two of you. Those kids in Kyoto have no idea how lucky they are." She gestured to the others to follow her lead. "Here's to more satisfied pupils."
Everyone saluted. Kat kicked Lin in the side of the leg to ensure she (half-heartedly) followed suit.
"Ohhh, you all give me way too much credit. You did all the work. I should be the one thanking you." Rin lifted her glasses to wipe away a tear.
"Always the humble one. I've never once heard you accept a compliment without deflection." Rose commented.
"You say that like it's a bad thing!"
"Nyeh, it's way too giggly around here..." Lin mumbled.
"Would you prefer a cesspool of negativity?" Sakuya bluntly questioned.
"...I'll pass." 
Lin observed her sister, talking with Rin. 
"Guess I can suck it up so long as she's happy."