#fukuzawa saku | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

alexiethymia · 1 year ago

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they say if you have a cat it'll be hard for you to get married

five times people misunderstood kaoru's relationship with fukuzawa (or did they?)

"Ah what a lovely family."

"The parents are quite young don't you think? Oh but the papa-san is very handsome and the okusan is quite beautiful. No wonder they have such an adorable child."

Kaoru's ears are sharp enough that he can hear the comments, and while he's been mistaken as Yume's "papa" enough times to not let it bother him, the addition of his subordinate into the mix leaves him a bit confused as to how he's supposed to feel about all of this.

Well certainly anyone would mistake two adults holding hands with a young child as the picture perfect image of a normal happy family, but this way was a lot easier on his back if he didn't have to carry Yume all the time. And far be it from him to stop Yume from holding hands with Fukuzawa when since that first meeting at the aquarium she had already grown quite attached.

Was it so easy for a child to get attached to a stranger? Kaoru doesn't know enough about kids to tell. Well the vice-versa held true as well with Fukuzawa being so gullible.

Yume wasn't actually his child but his niece. Fukuzawa was his subordinate. And rather than anything maternal, it was the other way around with how Fukuzawa had started calling Yume, "senpai".

Kaoru had always thought it before, even if majority of their workmates practically worshipped the ground she walked on, but Fukuzawa was actually a natural airhead wasn't she?

Even if he were to explain that they were just going to an UMYU-Sea fan meet, who on earth was he supposed to explain it to? And the fact the Fukuzawa seemed unbothered (no doubt distracted by something else or the other again) left him feeling silly for thinking about it so much, so he resolved to put it out of his mind.

Although...he will admit to feeling gratified after Fukuzawa ends up freaking out when Sea Bunny exclaims how lucky she was to have an entire family as dedicated fans.

Hello again! You brought your husband and child with you this time around? Oh is this Yuki-chan? Nice to finally meet you!

(Even if it took her an entire thirty seconds to process it.)

"Buchou!"

"Fukuzawa-san!"

"Thank you for saving us time and time again. We're always grateful."

This was already a familiar scene to him, and while one eye was on their Director, the other was on Fukuzawa. While she kept up a fine enough appearance of being unaffected, previous incidents were stark in his memory that he knew well enough that it was for show.

"Where would be without you two?"

"Probably dead because of alcohol poisoning!"

"Truly, the parents supporting the entire team!"

"Please let me call you mother and father!"

His eye twitched. Looks like they pushed it too far tonight. Everyone was wasted by this point with tears streaming down their faces.

Even Fukuzawa. He was pretty sure that underneath that sparkling face she could no longer process anything and was just nodding along to what everyone said.

He sighed. While he usually saw the Director off first, it didn't look like he was going anywhere soon snoring like that.

Getting to his feet and gently grasping Fukuzawa's arm, he helped her up. "C'mon Fukuzawa, I'll call you a cab."

She really must be out of it if she didn't even spout off her usual excuses - I'm fine, I'm fine. No need to worry about me - and just sleepily blinked up at him. At least he didn't have to carry her in his arms again.

As long as she got home, he was pretty sure she'd be well taken care off what with Yuki-san waiting for her there.

"Bye bye, Saku-baa chan!"

That was new. He could almost hear the dull gong of a heart breaking.

"Yume-chan?! Why? I mean I know I'm no longer in my youthful twenties but couldn't I still pass for an onee-chan?"

He wasn't sure about leaving a young woman on the ground crying with hands outstretched toward them like that, but Yume just kept smiling so he walked faster when the whispers started getting louder.

"I'll see you at the office next week, Fukuzawa."

Glancing down at his niece, he thought it was a bit strange. Yume wasn't one to be rude like that. Perhaps noticing his gaze, Yume turned that bright smile up at him instead.

He was getting a bad feeling about this.

It was even stranger when they returned to his parents' home.

"Ara, Saku-chan isn't with you? Kaoru you should have invited her to have dinner with us. While you're at it you might as well invite Yuki-chan too!"

Setting aside the fact that his sister seemed to be acquainted with Yuki-san (When did that happen?), the sudden change in the mode of address took him aback.

"That's right, Kaoru. It would be nice to talk with Saku-san and Yuki-san again. Do invite them over when you get the chance."

Even his mother?

Left to his thoughts, he recalled Fukuzawa's stricken expression. Despite the turn of events, he couldn't help but feel slightly amused especially when he remembered her making fun of him that one time. Not at all, Kaoru oji-chan.

Wait a minute.

"Hey, Yume."

"Hmmm, what is it Kaoru oji-chan?"

Yume was scrolling through his phone. He didn't really mind since he knew Yume wouldn't mess with anything related to his work.

"Earlier, with Fukuzawa, why did you say it like that?"

Yume looked a bit surprised for a moment, before smiling that incomprehensible smile again. "Hmmm, no reason Kaoru oji-chan. More importantly, don't Saku baa-chan and I look super cute here?"

As if showing damning evidence, Yume flashed the photo his sister sent him that he ended up saving on his phone.

Was his niece really just four years old?

Sometimes he wonders.

This was another familiar scene.

Both hands on his shoulders, the grave expression on his co-worker's face made it seem as if he had something of utmost importance he had to talk to him about.

He sighed again. (He noticed he was sighing a lot more nowadays. He had to be careful not to let the stress get to him.)

Would this make the fourth time already? And wait wasn't he rejected already?

"Orizuka..."

He decided to just ride it out.

"Why didn't you say anything?! I wouldn't have asked to be set up with Fukuzawa-chan if I knew about you!"

Knew what exactly?

"I mean I thought it was bit farfetched when someone in the fan club said you had a secret love child, but then I remembered you had a niece. Now why would Fukuzawa be spending her day-off with you and your niece? And of course there was only one logical conclusion!"

He was starting to get dizzy from the incessant rattling. He said logical but Kaoru thought there were so many things in that statement that he didn't even know where to start. He knew there was an unofficial fan club, but what? They actually formalized it?

Speaking of fan club he recognized some of Fukuzawa's admirers start to gather around them. What on earth was with those 'aha' looks on their faces?

"No wonder Fukuzawa didn't seem to be interested in dating. The buchou huh? Well certainly that's one high-spec man."

Oshiro? Why did she sound so self-assured all of a sudden?

"Well senpai is a high-spec woman herself. I have no choice to give way if it's buchou."

Kaoru wasn't sure if he agreed with high-spec himself. And give way for what exactly? He wasn't even going to think deeper on why Shibasaki sounded melancholic.

"Yeah, yeah. If it's buchou and Fukuzawa-san they're absolutely perfect for each other. The ultimate dream team."

"Don't worry about it, buchou. Everyone here supports you!"

Kaoru was starting to think there was a fundamental and dangerous misunderstanding going on here.

"Oh you, Orizuka you. No wonder you didn't want to introduce anyone to Fukuzawa! That whole bit about HR and no office relationships was just you being cautious, huh? I'm sorry for being so insensitive and not being able to read the mood, man."

He doesn't know what face he was making now, but it was sure to be a disgraceful one. The enthusiastic clapping on the back wasn't helping his composure much.

He could not make a big deal about this. Especially with Fukuzawa just there with a blank look on her face.

Strangely, she started to smile. "It's nice to see everyone on the team getting along and supporting each other, right buchou?"

You could hear a pin drop.

He sighed. While he was glad there were no misunderstandings whatsoever (at least on Fukuzawa's part) he strangely started to empathize with the fan club members all of a sudden.

While some of their co-workers were convincing themselves that Fukuzawa was just being shy and covering up her embarrassment, Kaoru knew her long enough to see that there was nothing insincere about that smile. She was completely, a hundred percent serious. It might be interesting to see whose denseness won out in the end.

She might be a bit of a slob, erratic and not as perfect as everyone seemed to think she was, but Fukuzawa was nothing if not dedicated and serious about her work. No office romances. It was clear she didn't have the time nor space to think about it. It was reassuring to know they were on the same page. It was one of the reasons why he liked her so much-

...

Well regardless of what anyone thought, the repeated and annoying request for referrals to be introduced to Fukuzawa stopped all of a sudden after that.

Finally.

At the heart of the enigma that was Fukuzawa lie 'Yuki-san'.

Yume and his sister had no shortage of praises for the mysterious person(?) that was likely Fukuzawa's room mate. The food Yuki-chan makes is always so delicious!

All he knew about them was that they were a great cook, wore a life-sized ultra realistic cat costume for some reason, was perhaps close enough to Fukuzawa's family to be considered a family friend, and was likely the one who was taking care of Fukuzawa all this time.

So who were they exactly? He still had misgivings if they were a cult-leader. A family relative then? Because of not, what exactly was the relationship between Fukuzawa and this Yuki-san that they were living together?

And why on earth was he still so bothered about this?

Maybe he should turn himself into HR for relentlessly being curious about his subordinate's private life.

He'd spent so long thinking about Yuki-san, that when he finally came face-to-face with him...

He still didn't know what to make of him.

All Kaoru knows is he feels a strange sense of deja vu, except this time he's over the threshold and the garbage dump was no longer a garbage dump.

Fukuzawa was still blackout drunk, but instead of facing a tiny black kitten, for some reason he was sitting seiza-style in front of the mythical "Yuki-san".

What on earth was with this situation?

Yuki-san was staring at him for so long that he was starting to get uncomfortable, before bowing deeply.

Thank you for bringing our Saku home.

A mother-in-law? Kaoru wasn't a mind-reader but he had a gut feeling for some reason. Shaking away the silly thought, he hastened to return the bow.

"No it's fine. I myself am indebted and have been in Fukuzawa-san's (wait, wouldn't Yuki-san also be a Fukuzawa), or rather Saku-san's care."

And after having said it, Kaoru realized that it was true. She may have started out unreliable at first, but he realized that he's come to trust Fukuzawa with quite a lot. In hindsight, he has to admit that it was really his fault that Fukuzawa had gotten more and more involved with him and his family.

Was it his imagination that the cat was smirking for some reason? Could you even smirk through a cat costume? He didn't realize there was such advanced technology in mascot costumes already.

Rather than rush to deny anything (especially when he wasn't sure what he was supposed to be denying even), he just decided to pass on his sister's and mother's invitation for dinner at their place.

He had an ominous premonition that he was just digging himself in deeper.

+ 1

The pin finally drops. Fukuzawa as dense as she is, finally gets it. And as expected, her shrieks as she apologizes to him are ear-splitting.

"I'm really sorry, Buchou! I don't know where on earth everybody suddenly started getting this idea." Twiddling her thumbs and pouting, she looks as far from the capable role model everybody in their office looks up to. "I mean don't they say those with cats can't get married so easily?"

"Hmm, well there's that. But don't you know, Fukuzawa," For some reason, Kaoru smiles, "In Europe it's actually the opposite. They say cats actually help out anxious young women hoping to become brides. With Yuki-san there, doesn't it seem like those wedding bells are likely to come sooner rather than later?"

The brilliant blush on her face, as she finally gets its, makes everything worth it.

#dekiru neko wa kyou mo yuuutsu #the masterful cat is depressed again today #fukuzawa saku #orizuka kaoru #fukuzawa yukichi #fic #fanfic #I loved and binged the entire series #it was so fluffy and utterly domestic

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