Special Chapter 2 Family Dinner Gone Wrong
If anyone asked Oom Eisaya what her ideal peaceful weekend looked like, she would’ve said something simple.
Stay at home. Home means Aunt Cherry's house.
Watch something quiet.
Maybe hold hands with Bam without combusting.
What she did not expect—
Was a full-scale social disaster orchestrated by her own family.
“…why are there so many shoes outside?” Oom whispered, frozen at the doorway.
Behind her, Bam calmly slipped off her own shoes. “It appears your house is occupied.”
“That’s not helpful.”
“It’s accurate.”
Oom peeked inside.
Voices.
Loud ones.
Laughing.
Talking.
Arguing.
“…I don’t like this,” she said.
“You’ll survive.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s true.”
Oom turned to her slowly. “…if I die in there, I’m haunting you.”
“I’ll allow it.”
“That’s not comforting.”
Bam’s lips curved faintly.
---
They stepped inside.
And immediately—
“OOM!”
Yada appeared out of nowhere like a missile.
“You’re late!”
“I live here!”
“That’s not an excuse!”
Oom blinked. “…why are there people?”
“Family dinner!”
“…no one told me.”
“I’m telling you now!”
“That’s not how that works!”
Yada grabbed her arm and pulled her further inside like she was dragging a hostage.
“Oh, and your girlfriend’s here too—hi, Bam.”
Bam nodded politely. “Hello.”
Yada paused mid-step.
Then turned slowly.
“…why are you so calm?”
Bam tilted her head slightly. “Should I not be?”
“This is chaos.”
“I’ve noticed.”
Yada narrowed her eyes.
“…I like you more every day.”
“That’s concerning.”
“That’s fair.”
---
“HI BAM!”
Oom froze.
Aunt Cherry.
Standing in the kitchen.
Hands on hips.
Eyes sharp.
Smiling.
Too much.
“…I’m leaving,” Oom whispered.
“You are not,” Bam replied, gently catching her wrist.
Oom looked at her in betrayal.
“…you said you’d protect me.”
“I said I’d stay.”
“That’s not the same thing!”
Aunt Cherry marched over.
“Bam is really pretty. She complements your cuteness, Oom.”
Oom blinked. “…what?”
Bam bowed her head slightly. “Thank you.”
Oom stared at her.
“…why are you being polite?”
“I’m meeting your guardian.”
“She’s dangerous.”
“I can tell.”
Aunt Cherry beamed. “Sit! Eat! Tell me again everything!”
Oom was dragged to the table before she could process her own existence.
---
The table was full.
Too full.
Yada sat across from them, grinning like she had front-row tickets to chaos.
Next to her—
Tantan Kaito.
Calm.
Composed.
Observing everything like a scientist studying a rare phenomenon.
“…you’re here too,” Oom said weakly.
Tantan nodded. “I was invited.”
“By who?”
Yada raised her hand proudly. “Me.”
“Of course.”
Tantan took a sip of her drink. “…I was promised entertainment.”
Oom stared at her.
“…I hate all of you.”
“You love us,” Yada corrected.
“That’s the problem.”
---
Dinner started normally.
Which should have been the first warning sign.
Because nothing stayed normal for long.
“So,” Aunt Cherry began casually, “how did you two meet again?”
Oom choked on her food.
“We—uh—”
“In the club,” Bam answered smoothly.
“And who confessed first?”
Oom froze.
“…this is an interrogation.”
“This is bonding,” Aunt Cherry corrected.
Yada leaned forward.
“Yeah, who fell first?”
Oom glared at her.
“…I will fight you.”
Tantan tilted her head. “I’d like to know as well.”
“Why are you involved.”
“I’m curious.”
“That’s not a good enough reason.”
“It is to me.”
Oom groaned.
---
Bam glanced at her.
Then—
“I did.”
Silence.
Oom turned slowly.
“…you what?”
“I fell first.”
Oom blinked.
“…you didn’t have to say that.”
“I wanted to.”
Yada slammed the table lightly. “OH, WE LOVE HONESTY.”
Tantan hummed. “That explains a lot.”
Aunt Cherry wiped a tear dramatically. “So romantic.”
Oom covered her face.
“I’m not surviving this.”
Bam’s hand slid under the table.
Finding hers.
Squeezing gently.
Grounding.
Warm.
Real.
Oom exhaled.
“…okay.”
---
Across the table, Yada leaned toward Tantan.
“…so when are we doing that?”
Tantan raised an eyebrow. “Doing what.”
“Dating.”
“That’s not how that works.”
“It could be.”
“It shouldn’t be.”
Yada grinned. “You like me.”
Tantan sighed.
“…you’re persistent.”
“I’m charming.”
“You’re exhausting.”
“And yet you’re still here.”
Tantan didn’t respond.
Which—
At this point—
Everyone knew what that meant.
---
Halfway through dinner, things escalated.
As they always did.
Because Oom made one critical mistake.
She relaxed.
Just slightly.
Enough to forget where she was.
Enough to lean closer to Bam.
Enough for Bam to respond.
Her arm slid casually around Oom’s waist.
Pulling her just slightly closer.
Natural.
Unthinking.
Comfortable.
Oom froze mid-bite.
“…you’re doing it again,” she whispered.
“Doing what?”
“This.”
Bam glanced down at her arm.
Then back at Oom.
“…yes.”
“…in front of my family.”
“Yes.”
“…why.”
“Because I want to.”
Oom’s brain short-circuited.
Yada slammed the table again.
“OH MY GOD, THEY’RE DOMESTIC NOW.”
Tantan nodded. “It’s progressed.”
Aunt Cherry clasped her hands. “I love this.”
Oom wanted to evaporate.
---
After dinner, the chaos didn’t stop.
It evolved.
Living room.
Couch.
Too many people.
Too much energy.
Yada flopped down dramatically beside Tantan.
“Movie night.”
“No one agreed to that,” Tantan said.
“I did.”
“That doesn’t count.”
“It does in this house.”
Oom sat down slowly beside Bam.
Carefully.
Like she was trying not to attract attention.
It didn’t work.
Because Bam—
Shifted closer.
Resting her head lightly against Oom’s shoulder.
Oom froze.
“…you’re doing it again.”
“Yes.”
“…I’m in danger.”
“You’re safe.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
Bam’s fingers intertwined with hers.
“I know.”
Oom glanced at her.
Soft.
Warm.
Real.
“…okay.”
---
At some point, the movie started.
No one paid attention.
Because Yada and Tantan were arguing quietly.
“You like me,” Yada whispered.
“I tolerate you,” Tantan replied.
“That’s the first stage.”
“That’s not a stage.”
“It is in my world.”
Tantan sighed.
“…you’re unbelievable.”
“And yet—”
“Yes, I know.”
Yada grinned.
---
On the couch, Oom leaned slightly into Bam.
Comfortable now.
Used to it.
Not panicking.
Just—
Existing.
“…this is nice,” she said quietly.
“It is.”
“…I thought I’d be more embarrassed.”
“You were.”
“I still am.”
“But you’re staying.”
Oom smiled faintly.
“…yeah.”
Bam shifted slightly.
Her hand lifting.
Brushing gently against Oom’s hair.
Tucking a strand behind her ear.
Soft.
Casual.
Affectionate.
Oom’s heart melted.
“…you’re unfair.”
“I’ve been told.”
“You’re too good at this.”
“I’m learning.”
Oom looked at her.
“…with me?”
Bam met her gaze.
“Only with you.”
"I love you," Oom said.
"I love you, too," Bam answered.
Oom smiled.
Soft.
Real.
Happy.
---
Later that night, when everyone finally started leaving, the house quieted down again.
Back to something softer.
Something calmer.
Oom stood by the door, watching as Yada waved dramatically.
“Text me if you miss me!”
“I won’t,” Oom said. "You're just walking Tantan to the bus stop."
“You will.”
“I won’t.”
“You will.”
Tantan glanced at Oom. “She will.”
Oom sighed. “…fine, maybe a little.”
Yada grinned. “I knew it.”
---
When the door finally closed—
Silence.
Peace.
Oom leaned back against it.
“…that was a lot.”
“It was.”
“…I survived.”
“You did.”
Oom looked at her.
Then smiled.
“…you stayed.”
Bam stepped closer.
“Yes.”
Oom exhaled softly.
“…good.”
Because in the end—
That’s all she really needed.
Not perfection.
Not quiet.
Not normal.
Just—
Her.
---
Bam reached for her hand.
Fingers intertwining.
Familiar.
Steady.
Home.
Oom squeezed back.
“…so.”
“So.”
“…you’re like this all the time now?”
Bam’s lips curved slightly.
“Only with you.”
Oom laughed softly.
“…yeah.”
That was enough.
More than enough.
And finally—
They weren’t just surviving.
They were living.
Together.
The End.