The drive to Naomi’s place was smooth after the flat tire incident, and for once, the road seed to understand that we’d earned an uneventful stretch. The late afternoon sun was already dropping lower, painting the asphalt gold and in a way that forced to close the visor which was already up more than once. Val was humming softly beside , her elbow resting against the car door, eyes closed as the wind teased strands of her hair.
By the ti we reached Naomi’s neighborhood, one of those quiet, leafy areas with white fences and laughter echoing faintly in the distance—I could already sll sothing warm and homade in the air. A mix of baked bread and cinnamon, maybe. Sothing that reminded of comfort.
Val glanced up as I parked. "We’re here," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips.
Naomi’s house wasn’t grand, but it radiated warmth—cream walls, climbing ivy, a porch swing that looked like it had stories of its own. Before I could even turn off the engine, the front door burst open, and two tiny figures ca sprinting out barefoot.
"Mommy!" the little boy shouted.
"No, silly, that’s Auntie Val!" the girl corrected, her voice bright and confident.
I barely had ti to blink before Val was already out of the car, kneeling and spreading her arms wide. "Ryan! Emma!" she laughed as they barreled straight into her, one on each side, giggling wildly as if they’d been waiting months for her to arrive.
I followed with our bags in hand, smiling as Val spun both children around once before setting them down. She ruffled their hair, pretending to inspect their faces. "You two got taller! And heavier!"
"Daddy says we’re growing fast," Ryan said proudly, puffing out his chest.
"Oh, he’s right," Val replied with a teasing grin. "At this rate, you’ll be taller than your mom before you’re ten."
From the doorway, Naomi leaned against the fra, arms crossed and smiling that sa mischievous smile she’d always had since college. "He better not," she said, walking down to et us. "I’m not ready to raise giants."
Val straightened, brushing her hair back before hugging her tightly. "You look the sa," she murmured.
Naomi laughed. "You’re lying, but I’ll take it. You, on the other hand, look like soone who’s been living in a skincare comrcial."
"Perks of being married to him," Val said, jerking her head toward .
Naomi turned to with that bright warmth of old friends eting again. "Kai Tanaka," she greeted, reaching out. "Still as polite and neat as ever."
"Naomi Cole," I replied, shaking her hand with a grin. "Still as sharp-tongued."
Naomi turned to with that bright warmth that only siblings could share. "Kai Tanaka," she greeted, her smile softening as she opened her arms.
I didn’t even bother pretending to hesitate, I stepped forward and hugged her tight. It had been too long, but the familiarity was still there. The sa warmth, the sa faint sll of her perfu that sohow hadn’t changed since college.
When we pulled apart, I grinned. "See? The kids still rember us, and yet you make it sound like we vanished after you gave birth."
Naomi gave that look, the one that said she was about to throw back sothing sharp but true. "Oh, please. Just visiting six tis in four years doesn’t make you regulars. That’s basically the sa as being tourists."
"Six?" I scoffed. "It was more like ten."
"Six," she repeated firmly, folding her arms.
Val laughed beside , shaking her head. "It’s his fault we don’t visit more often. He’s always buried in spreadsheets or etings."
Naomi raised a brow. "Ah, the classic husband defense."
"Hey," I said, pretending to look offended, "I’ll have you know I’m a very devoted brother and husband. I multitask."
Naomi rolled her eyes but smiled. "Then you can start proving it by visiting more often, Mr. Multitask."
Val chuckled lightly. "I’ll make sure he does."
Naomi shot a grin. "I like her more every ti."
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, but the truth was, I was smiling too.
Naomi smiled then stepped aside. "Co on in. Darwin’s ho, he’s actually off this weekend."
"That’s rare," Val said as we followed her inside.
"Tell about it." Naomi sighed dramatically. "He’s been buried under briefs and court files for months. You’d think the city only had one lawyer."
I chuckled. "That’s what happens when you’re one of the best."
Naomi threw a glance over her shoulder. "Flattery won’t get you more coffee, Kai."
---
The living room felt alive, family photos, toys scattered near the couch, the faint hum of a cartoon still playing on the TV. And there, sitting at the dining table with a mug in hand and a laptop beside him, was Darwin Cole, Naomi’s husband.
He looked up as we entered, his face breaking into a friendly grin. "Finally, the famous Tanakas," he said, standing to greet us. "Naomi’s been talking about you two all morning."
I shook his hand firmly. "Good to see you again, Mr. Cole."
"Darwin, please," he said with an easy laugh. "Mr. Cole makes sound like I’m about to bill you for a consultation."
Val chuckled. "Given your job, that’s not entirely far-fetched."
"Touché," Darwin said, pulling out chairs for us. "Sit, both of you. Naomi’s been fussing in the kitchen since sunrise."
"I have not!" Naomi protested, setting down a plate of pastries on the table. "It’s called being a good host."
"You made three kinds of sandwiches," Darwin said, mock whispering to . "Three. Who does that?"
] "I heard that!" Naomi shot back but was still smiling.
I smiled, watching the easy rhythm between them, the teasing, the warmth, the kind of comfort that only ca from years of partnership. It reminded , in a subtle way, of ho.
Ryan climbed into Val’s lap while Emma settled beside her mother. "Auntie Val, did you bring presents?"
Val blinked. "Oh no... I forgot—"
Before she could finish, I reached into my bag and pulled out two neatly wrapped boxes. "You an these?" I said, my voice calm but teasing.
Val turned, eyes wide. "You didn’t."
"I did," I replied simply, handing them over to the twins. "I figured you’d forget in all the excitent."
Naomi arched a brow, her smirk almost instantaneous. "Or maybe you just didn’t trust her to rember. Typical Kai, control issues wrapped in good intentions."
Val crossed her arms, tilting her head with a teasing smile. "You’re not wrong."
I looked between the two of them, betrayed. "Unbelievable. I bring gifts, and sohow I’m still the villain?"
Naomi grinned. "You’ve always been the villain, little brother. The charming kind, though."
Val chuckled. "That part I’ll agree with."
Darwin laughed so hard he nearly spilled his coffee.
Ryan had already torn open his box, inside was a toy car, sleek and shiny, the kind that made little boys’ eyes light up. Emma’s box held a soft bunny doll with a tiny pink bow.
"I love it!" Emma squealed, hugging it tight.
Ryan was already vrooming his car across the table, complete with sound effects.
"Thank you, Uncle Kai!" they both chorused.
I smiled, a genuine, soft kind. "You’re welco."
Val leaned closer to , whispering, "Show-off."
I smirked. "You love it."
Naomi pretended not to notice but grinned all the sa.
---
Lunch ca and went in laughter. The food Val had packed beca part of the spread since it was way too much for just two people, and Naomi insisted that we mix "Celestia-class cooking" with her "humble mom recipes." Ryan and Emma darted around, sotis crawling under the table, sotis running to show their parents sothing.
When Darwin ntioned an upcoming case that would take him out of town for a week, Naomi sighed but smiled through it. "It’s law," she said softly. "He reads the Constitution more than bedti stories."
Darwin chuckled, placing a hand over hers. "I try to balance both."
Val smiled. "You do well. They’re happy, that’s all that matters."
Naomi tilted her head. "Look who’s talking. You two are practically the gold standard."
"Don’t let her fool you," I said, smirking. "She’s the reason our bills get paid on ti."
"And you’re the reason the lights stay on," Val shot back with a grin.
Naomi laughed. "God, you two haven’t changed one bit."
I glanced around—the laughter, the warmth, the sll of food and children’s shampoo—and felt sothing settle deep inside . Peace. It had been a while since I’d felt this kind of easy calm, the kind that wasn’t tied to numbers, etings, or deadlines. Just life.
When Ryan climbed onto my lap later, clutching the bunny doll and saying, "Uncle Kai, can you help fix the wheel?" I didn’t even hesitate.
Val caught my eye from across the room, smiling in that quiet, knowing way. And I smiled back.
Because sotis, family wasn’t just blood or history—it was this. The people who opened their doors and hearts without needing a reason.
And for the first ti that day, I realized—this was exactly the kind of peace I’d been driving toward all along.
---
To be continued..
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