Catching Leaves

Akasaka and Ibuki Mio arrived at Mio's home hand in hand.

Mio's family ran a martial arts dojo.

More specifically, a taekwondo dojo.

Her father had trained in karate and usually taught apprentices at home, while her mother practiced taekwondo as well. The two of them were pretty much birds of a feather.

That was why they had ended up together.

The moment Mio got home and opened the entryway door, she caught a whiff of the sweat stench drifting from inside and immediately covered her nose.

How should she put it? It smelled sour, anyway—not pleasant at all.

When the door opened, Mio's father, who was training his apprentices, turned around and saw that his daughter had returned—and that she had brought a man home with her. The joy on his face instantly vanished.

Mio's father waved a hand, telling the apprentices to continue training on their own, then strode over with an unhappy expression.

"Dad." Mio instinctively called out, only for her father to yank her behind him and glare at Akasaka. "Don't think I'll be scared of you just because you're the Prime Minister of Japan. If you want to marry my daughter, you'll have to pass my test first."

Mio's father proudly puffed out his chest.

Akasaka said that was no problem. He had nothing to fear, after all. Whatever requirements the man set, Akasaka was confident he could meet them.

Mio had nothing to say about it. She knew exactly what her dad was like; he would just make some rather harsh demands. She believed Akasaka could handle them. Then, glancing around, she asked her father, "Where's Mom?"

"Your mom heard you were bringing your boyfriend home, so she went out to buy groceries," Mio's father said with a disgruntled look.

Speak of the devil,