I can see from this angle her eyes are getting wet.

I brought her here in order to somehow mend our breaking relationship. Although I know whatever I do will be pointless if Eli-chan doesn't really wanted to be with me for reasons I'm still trying to find out, that doesn't mean I will stop trying.

I wanna know what's the reason but I can't ask her properly if she's mad or in bad mood. I mean, she will be more easy to talk to if her heart is warm.

I remembered that this problem began with mom calling Eli-chan. That's most likely the reason or at least the trigger why she wants to stay away with me.

So I assumed mom and dad will make Eli-chan feel at home and that will help me with her. Especially because they know her already. And mom likes her.

Whatever it is, this home visit should give me some positive effects. This will somehow make Eli-chan be warm and not cold. That's a chance for me to ask.

But this lil bitch is messing around.

She is even enjoying this.

“I... I am goi—”

I grab her waist before she can even turn around.

“!!”

“Please stop blaming her mom.”

“Eh?”

Mom seems astonished.

“Mark. Are you going against your mother?”

“I am dad. You're making Eli-chan cry. You think I'll stay silent?”

We are having a staring contest.

“Mom, didn't you called her here to clear a misunderstanding?”

I turn my eyes to mom. I don't want to anger dad any further.

“But I~ already clea~red that up with her.”

“Yes. But you're making her cry now. She'll feel like you hate her.”

“I'm just protecting you.”

“I know mom. That's one aspect of you that I love. But please don't blame Eli-chan. She's just protecting me too. I'm actually the one at fault here. I went out of my own free will mom. Blame me not her.”

“Tch. Playing cool.”

I glare at Crystal. She just smile sweetly in response.

“Uhm... Ehhhhhhhhh... I.. That's..”

Mom is flustered.

“Mark, apologize to your mother!”

That's right.

“I'm sorry po mom.”

“Err... No. I should be apologizing instead. I didn't mean to make her cry. I'm sorry Elizabeth. I like you.. I was just worried— eh? Why are you crying? I'm really sorry.”

Mom stands up and walks closer to Eli-chan.

“........”

And now that mom mentioned it, I just notice that Eli-chan is crying.

“Eh...? This... No... I am not crying.. I-I just....”

She tries to wipe her tears but she instead cried for real.

“I'm not sad.. I'm not crying.. I'm not.. sniff...”

“Ohhh~”

Mom pulls me away from Eli-chan in order to hug her.

“I'm sorry Elizabeth. I lost my calm and hurt you. I'm really sorry. Please stop crying, you're making me cry too sniff...”

She's hugging her tightly.

“Sniff... Sniff... I-I'm not...”

Well, this is very heartwarming.

“Disgusting...”

Crystal mumbles something before leaving her seat. She looks dissatisfied and annoyed.

Hmmm...

Oh. Looks like the two calmed down.

“I'm really so~rry Elizabeth~!”

“No.. um.. I'm sorry for breaking down like that m-mom... I—”

“I understand.. errrr... don't worry about it. Remember that I~ like you okay~? I don't want to ruin your rela~tionship with my son. Herald won't have a say in it too.”

Dad looks reluctant about it. Perhaps not because he's against my relationship with Eli-chan but because of the fact that he seemed like he have no authority here due to how mom worded that out.

“Um...”

Eli-chan steals a glance at me. I smile at her sincerely.

She blushes and turns her gaze back to mom.

Fufufufufu.

“Well, let's continue eating. Please have your seat.”

Mom helps Eli-chan take a sit while rubbing the back of her head.

“Ohh~? Where's sweetie?”

“She said she's full mom.”

“Ehh? She seems like she ha~ven't even touched her food.”

“But she said so.”

“I see. Well, let's continue eating. Hehehe. Sorry again Elizabeth. Please make yourself comfortable in our home.”

Mom rubs her cheek awkwardly.

“..... Um... Err. Thank you mom and d-dad.”

“Hehehehehe. That's right!”

“Hm-mm.”

Eli-chan looks happy and she looks really adorable due to this.

I hold her right hand under the table. She flinches. She looks at me stiffly with a slight blush on her cheeks.

“Fufufufufu... Told you.”

She awkwardly turns her head away but is still stealing glances at me.

We continue eating.

“Hm. You're ambidextrous Elizabeth?”

Dad asks as he notice that Eli-chan is now eating with her left hand.

“Um... Err... Uhn.. I-It's...”

“You're red... Are you okay?”

“Elizabeth, do you still feel uncomfortable?”

“Err.. uh... Uhm..”

Well, her right hand is intertwined with mine. Her hand is getting sweaty and warmer.

“She's okay mom, dad.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Okay? Well, ehem! That asi~de, do you like the taste of the adobo baby~? How about you~ dad?”

Eli-chan flinches looking rather worried.

Hmm... The taste huh.

“Well, I like it.”

Dad briefly said so.

“How about you baby?”

“Ohh. It has a strong taste but not too strong I feel like puking. It's spicy too and I like that. It honestly seems like this has been personally made for me. Fumu. You still know my taste mom.”

“Uwaaaaah~! Hehehehehe. I lo~ve to take the credit but......”

But..?

Oh.

“The one who seasoned this was Eli~zabeth you know. She was mo~stly the one do~ing the cooking. I was just there assisting he~r hehehe~

“Ohhh.. This is well done Elizabeth. I like the taste!”

“I know right hehehehe.”

Eli-chan is now red and hot.

“Fufu. So you did this, E~li-chan. We're you thinking of me when you were cooking this?”

I whisper into her ear and she gets a goosebumps.

“That's... Um...”

“Hm?”

“Y-Yesh— err.”

She bit her tongue. Oh hell so adorable!

“Fufufufufu. I like it.”

“So in that note, Elizabeth, I have a request.”

“Yes mom?”

That made her calm down.

“Oh. Ca~n you take care of Mark's lunches from tomorrow o~nwards? I can pa~y for the needed ingredients to do it. Ju~st tell me.”

“Eh?”

She is speechless. And seems like she isn't processing that information very well.

I too am surprised.

“Hmm? No?”

Mom makes a sad expression.

“I feel bad for not being able to cook for my baby, so... Hehehehe. Can I ask for that favor?”

“Umm... Eh?”

She still don't get it.

“Can you take care of Mark's lunches?”

“.....................................”

She is reddening once again— and it's in a very fast rate with great intensity.

She is opening and closing her mouth like a fish on land trying to breathe.

“Err... I am more than willi—”

“NOOOO!”

That was from upstairs. To be specific, from Crystal.

She is eavesdropping huh. Or what in the actual hell... did she also wiretapped the house?

Why..?

She rapidly runs down the stairs looking rather angry brimming in hostility and bloodlust.

The cute, sweet, and innocent facade she have is now replaced by a fierceness which is very new to mom and dad— and of course to me too.

I never seen her made that expression before. Not even once in the time we're together.

Why is she acting like this now?

What's with this hatred?