On Eiden and Kira's side, they were lying side by side, the phone held by Eiden in front of them. The screen lit up and the face of their son, Ikan, appeared, his hair a little messy, and looking already tired in advance.
"Hi Mom, hi Dad."
"My heart!" Kira exclaimed with a smile. "Are you doing well? Are you eating properly? Sleeping enough?"
"Yes, Mom. I'm fine."
Eiden, more composed, crossed his arms.
"And your homework? Have you done it all?"
"Yes, Dad. Grandpa checked it."
Kira shot him a sideways glance, already amused by Eiden's serious tone. She turned back to the screen.
"And otherwise… how's it going with Alixia right now?"
Ikan blushed slightly and looked away a little.
"…It's fine. We're just having a good time as friends."
Eiden leaned slightly toward the phone, looking more focused.
"Just 'We're just having a good time as friends'? You've been spending a lot of time together lately. Too much, even."
"Dad…"
"I'm serious, Ikan. You're very close. Too close for your age."
Kira turned to her husband, frowning.
"Eiden. Stop. You're doing exactly the same thing as Bryan. You're both ridiculous with your overprotectiveness."
"I'm not like Bryan," Eiden defended himself. "I'm reasonable."
Ikan, on the screen, sighed very loudly.
"Mom… Dad thinks Bryan is a pervert. He thinks Alixia is like him, but Alixia isn't like that."
Eiden raised an eyebrow.
"Alixia isn't like him? She's twelve, Ikan. And you're ten. She's older than you, so isn't that being a pervert? Isn't it just… too early to be that glued together?"
Kira slapped her forehead with the palm of her hand, desperate.
"I can't take it anymore… You're impossible. One sees intentions everywhere, the other turns a childhood friendship into an adult problem."
"It's not a simple friendship," Eiden muttered. "They look at each other too much."
"Dad!" Ikan protested, now completely red. "We just play cards and watch movies!"
"And you sleep in the same living room at your grandparents'," Eiden added in an accusing tone.
"Because it's more practical! And the mattresses are next to each other, not stuck together!"
Kira almost burst out laughing despite herself.
"Eiden. Leave your son alone. They're ten and twelve. This isn't some cursed love story."
"For now," Eiden grumbled.
Ikan rolled his eyes, exactly like his mother.
"I'm going to hang up before this gets even weirder. Kisses Mom. Kisses Dad… even if you're annoying."
"I'm not annoying," Eiden protested.
The call had already ended.
Kira slowly turned to Eiden, one eyebrow raised.
"Well done. You managed to make your own son run away."
Eiden crossed his arms, a little offended.
"I'm just being careful."
"You're catastrophic. And tomorrow you're going to apologize."
Eiden opened his mouth, then closed it. He had already lost.