Chapter 1: My bias is going to marry my mom

It was a sudden announcement.

I was helping my mom at preparing dinner in our small kitchen when she surprised me with her words.

“Kumiko…” she hesitated at first. “I’m thinking of remarrying.” 

I stopped stirring the pot of curry and slowly looked at her. Knowing how confused I was, she turned off the stove and repeated her words.

“I’m thinking of remarrying”, she confidently said.

“But, mom…” I was still confused. My mom who had me at the young age of 16 has since then been working multiple jobs and raised me by herself. It wasn’t possible for her to have time to be in a romantic relationship.

“You had a boyfriend?!” I exclaimed.

My mom slightly blushed and shyly said “Yes…”

I gasped and immediately congratulated her. I nagged her a bit about not telling me sooner that she was seeing someone and we finished preparing dinner with a joyous mood. My mom seemed relieved that I was taking the news pretty positively and we started dining as I excitedly asked questions about my future father. 

“What’s his name? How old is he? What kind of job does he have?” I hastily asked without even letting my mom answer. 

“Wait! Hold on, Kumiko!” overwhelmed by the amount of questions, she quickly stopped me from asking further more. My mom took a deep breath and continued, “I’ll answer a question at a time.” I nodded and asked my first question.

“So, what’s his name?” I asked with excitement.

My mom hesitated and slowly answered “You know him well…”

“I know him well?” I tried to deduce who her boyfriend could be but I arrived with no answer.

“I don’t know mom…” I said. “It’s not one of my teachers, right?”

“Of course not!” she exclaimed. “It’s someone else… You have known him for a very long time.” 

“I do?!” I was surprised and was wondering who she could be talking about.

“I seriously have no idea who your boyfriend could be. Is it a coworker?” I asked.

My mom shook her head and it left me perplexed.

“I really have no idea, mom. Can you just tell me already?” I asked as my patience went lower. 

My mom quietly said something and I couldn’t hear her well.

“Sorry mom, what did you say?” I asked.

“It’s Hi- … To-” She said it a bit more loudly this time but I still couldn’t hear her properly so I asked her again, “What?”

“It’s Hifumi Tooru-san!” she shouted. 

Hifumi Tooru was a name that I was extremely familiar with. Not once in my life would I expect this name to pop out of my mom’s mouth as the answer of my future father’s identity.

Since Hifumi Tooru is actually my bias from my favorite male idol group HELIOS!

“WHAT?!” I screamed. “Mom! You- Wha- You- Huh??!!” I fumbled with my words, unable to properly say anything. 

“I’m sorry, Kumiko!” My mom apologized. “I knew that I should have told you this sooner but I myself couldn’t believe that I was actually dating him!”

“No! But like- How come?!” I asked in disbelief. “How did you even meet him, mom?”

“That’s…” My mother hesitated. “Four months ago, I met him for the first time at a customer's house.”

“Why was he in the house that you have to clean in the first place?” I asked skeptically.

“Apparently the owner of the house is a friend of his and he went there to hang out after finally having a day off.” My mom explained. 

“I see…” I said, believing my mom’s words.

After my small interrogation, my mom and I enjoyed our curry and we both washed the dishes in silence. I was still shocked by her announcement, believing at first that I might be dreaming. My mom was worried about my lack of reaction after I was done questioning her. She didn’t say anything and gave me some time to process all the information that I have received. After doing the dishes, I went to my room to do my homework. I couldn’t concentrate on the task itself and was lost in my thoughts for a long time. I looked at the only poster of Hifumi Tooru that I owned on the wall and quietly said

“My bias is going to marry my mom…”