"We've already tried calling Satoshi countless times!" her mother barked.
"No one answers! What's going on over there?!"
Before Kyouko could reply, her father's voice thundered into the call:
"My birthday's next week! You better come home for it!
Bring Satoshi! And if you can, call my granddaughter too—make her come along!"
Kyouko blinked.
"Umm… err…" she stammered, eyes darting toward the ceiling to find right excuse.
"No excuses, city girl!" her father snapped.
"Y-yes… I'll try talking to them."
"Try hard, Kyouko! I'm serious. If you don't show up this year, I'll—"
The rest of the threat faded into more parental noise as Kyouko pulled the phone slightly away from her ear again.
She sighed.
This was going to be complicated.
"Yes… yes…" Kyouko said softly into the phone.
"But I can't promise they'll come with me, okay?"
Her voice dipped slightly, careful not to sound too dismissive.
"I'll try to talk to them tonight."
Another pause.
