When Sora returned a week later, he took Mizuki out to eat again before she worked her Friday night shift.

The staff gave them several flyers for local haunted houses and parties that were scheduled nearby. Saturday seemed to have been taken over by Halloween celebrations, and they discussed the possibilities laughingly.

--

They were woken early on Saturday morning, when Mizuki's oldest sister, Akane, arrived with both children and her husband in tow. Mizuki seemed unsurprised by the thumps and sounds of greetings, so at first Sora assumed that the visitors were expected.

Akane stopped and stared at Sora in shock when they ran into each other in the hall outside the bathroom.

Sora greeted her hesitantly, "Hi? You're Mizuki's other sister right?"

From the main room a man's voice exclaimed cheerfully, "Mizuki my love, how have I lived without seeing you for two whole months?"

Akane turned and Sora stared over her shoulder as Mizuki grinned and hugged her brother-in-law enthusiastically. "I've missed you too darling," she agreed theatrically.

Her eldest nephew, one of the children who'd attended the wedding, ran into the kitchen to collect hugs from his grandparents. Minori and Junshiro greeted him enthusiastically.

Mizuki turned, saw Akane and Sora watching from the hall, and suggested, "Sora, you probably better let Aka-nee-chan into the bathroom?"

Sora moved to one side and Akane yelled back as she dashed forward, "You're going to answer my questions in a minute Mizuki!" The door shut with a familiar thump that finalized the exclamation.

Sora walked into the main room, and Kyohei looked him over, before saying, "Hi, you're Mizuki's date from the wedding, but I don't think we were formally introduced?"

Sora shook his head, and Mizuki told Kyohei seriously, "This is Konami Sora. We weren't officially dating then, but we are now!" Then she told Sora, "This is my brother-in-law , Takagi Kyohei."

Kyohei grinned and told Sora, "I met Mizuki about eight years ago, and I've been part of her family for almost four years. I don't know whether to warn you to watch out, or threaten that I won't let you marry her easily?"

Sora couldn't help smiling at that, but wasn't sure how to reply.

Akane came out of the bathroom and complained, "My husband's keeping her as a backup bride. Just marry her!"

Mizuki rolled her eyes, but Kyohei grinned and snatched her up in another backward hug, while telling his wife teasingly, "But then who will I threaten to marry when you divorce me if I let Mizuki get married?"

Mizuki laughed as she scolded Kyohei, "Kyo-nii-chan, enough! I am going to marry him though."

Minori gasped and objected, "You're too young to get married Mizuki!"

Sora looked at Mizuki with surprise, while she blushed, and told her mother, "I mean I will eventually, not now."

Kyohei kissed her cheek affectionately and agreed, "Okay, if you insist." He looked at Sora's face and commented lightly, "I guess I don't need to warn you?"

Kyohei released Mizuki, and Sora reached out and tucked her into his own embrace before pointing out, "The baby is headed for the cat food again."

Kyohei turned and snatched up his youngest son before his wife could complain, while Mizuki looked at her sister and asked, "Why are you all here so early anyway?"

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Akane glanced away from her youngest child, who was now held safely within his father's arms, and replied more cheerfully, "Okaasan said you work all evening, so I thought if we came early you could still go out with us for a little bit of trick-or-treating before you went to work. Why is your," she looked at Sora and identified him dubiously, "boyfriend," Mizuki nodded and Akane continued the question, "here this early? And isn't he a little old for you?"

"Sora is not too old for me," Mizuki objected immediately.

"How old are you Konami-san?" Akane asked sharply.

"Twenty-seven," Sora replied uncomfortably.

"He's older than I am!" Akane objected immediately.

Kyohei stared at Sora as he asked incredulously, "You're only a year younger than I am?"

Junshiro said with amusement, "At least she waited over seven years before collecting another guy almost a decade older than she is."

Sora looked down at Mizuki and she blushed and protested, "I didn't collect Kyo-nii-chan! We're friends."

Junshiro told Sora dryly, "I almost had a heart attack when I realized my ten year old was trying to coax a twenty year old man into meeting her at the New Year's festival."

Kyohei blushed as he pointed out, "But I refused."

Mizuki looked at him with disgust, and informed Sora, "He wouldn't even agree to meet Aka-nee-chan until she turned 18, even though they're perfect for each other and practically fell in love at first sight."

Sora looked at Kyohei and said, "Somehow I can totally understand that. Well done."

Kyohei laughed and replied, "I hope you really love her, otherwise I have no idea how you're going to survive her."

Sora hugged Mizuki closer and said calmly, "I really love her." He looked down at Mizuki and warned her with a grin, "I have a lot of questions for you later though."

Mizuki looked up at him and asked hopefully, "Can we get a hotel room tonight?" Sora blinked down at her in surprise, hesitated, and she explained quickly, "Usually they sleep out here on futons and the kids sleep in the bedroom with me."

"Okay," he agreed, "I'll find one while you're at work."

Akane looked at her parents incredulously, and her mother shrugged helplessly, while her father grinned at her.

Junshiro scooped up his oldest grandchild and asked, "What are you dressing up as?"

--

Half an hour later, when they were all sitting around the table for breakfast, the baby crawled over to Sora. He pulled himself up to stand beside Sora's shoulder and stared at him curiously.

Sora held very still and said nervously, "Mizuki?"

Mizuki looked over, laughed, and assured him teasingly, "He's not going to bite you Sora." She added after a moment, "Probably. If he does you can scold him. He just thinks you're interesting."

"Okay?" Sora agreed doubtfully.

Mizuki grinned at him, and pointed out, "When we do get married someday, you'll be his uncle. You don't have to be afraid of him Sora."

Sora blanched and stared back at her. After a moment he said uncomfortably, "I guess it's obvious that you're already an aunt, but it feels really weird to think that these kids call you oba-chan."

Kyohei chuckled and told his eldest, "You should call Sora-san oji-san okay?"

Shusuke agreed without resistance, and Sora stared at Kyohei for a moment. Kyohei grinned at him smugly.

--

An hour and a half before she had to go to work, they took the children down to the market plaza, to play trick-or-treat with the merchants. Mizuki gasped in surprise when Sora displayed his teeth. He was wearing his long overcoat again, and revealed the vampire fangs he'd brought to her.

"That's not fair," she complained while laughing. "I have to wear my work clothes."

He grinned toothily at her. "I only brought them because I thought you might choose some Halloween activity for our date."

Mizuki complained, "Since they came early, and we were already planning to spend tomorrow morning with them, I don't think we're going to get to go on a date this weekend."

Sora cuddled her against him as he assured her, "It's fine Mizuki."

He teased other small children in costumes, that they passed between the shops, by smiling at them once in a while.

Kyohei said jealously, "I wish I'd thought of that. I decided a costume was more than I wanted to pack so I just brought this T-shirt."

Sora grinned at him. "I'm sure we could find a plastic set around here somewhere."

Mizuki looked at the T-shirt her brother-in-law was wearing, and asked doubtfully, "A vampiric leprechaun?"

Akane rolled her eyes and said, "I told him leprechauns weren't Halloween monsters."

Kyohei and Sora protested together, "There's a whole series of old American horror movies!"