He's certain there is no misery I am incapable of visiting upon him.

Iemasa seems somewhat troubled by that answer, but after a couple of seconds he looks at the window separating the party area from the driver's seat and says, "Take us to the event, please."

"Yes, sir," replies the driver, and starts driving.

How would other answers about your studies have been misleading?

He isn't actually interested in the answer, and he knows I know that, so anything I say beyond the minimum has to have something it's communicating other than whatever specific words I'm saying. If I say I'm doing badly, I must be doing even worse than normal, and there must be a reason for that. If I say I'm doing unexpectedly better than usual, there must be a reason I'm studying more or spending more time at school. If I bring attention to the fact that he doesn't care, that must be because I'm getting up to shit he wouldn't approve of.

That's the one I went with the first time around, by the by.

Wow, why didn't he just teach you to speak Pig Latin from birth if he wanted to talk in code so bad?

Because this language is shared by approximately everyone in his and my erstwhile social circle. People our age tend to be more straightforward but.

"You're looking..." He pauses, seeming to struggle with words. "Happy."

"...yeah. I am." He's reading into this, too.

He certainly seems more troubled by that answer than it might naively be expected. "I'm glad," he says, in approximately the least believable tone of voice he could possibly muster.

Has he never seen you look happy before?

He means happier than usual. Also in... a different way, probably. I look cheerful pretty often but I think I look happy in a different way ever since I fell in love with you.

Iemasa furrows his eyebrows. "Did something happen?" he asks, with the airs of someone who expects he'll regret asking.

"Be safe," Haru murmurs, slipping back into talking out loud even though mostly it feels most natural to match modalities.

"Not... as such, no." That question is a trap and he realised it was after he asked it and I think he didn't mean to. Which is honestly an extremely funny thing to see. Who knew that the way to stump Iwasaki Iemasa would be to just have genuine love in my life.

"...Yutaka."

He sighs. "Yes, father, I'm aware that was not my smoothest dodge. Will you believe me if I just say there's nothing you should be concerned about?"

"No."

He actually means 'yes'.

This code is so confusing.

If he actually meant 'no' he'd have pressed it. He's just saying it to let me know that he's not letting me get away with shit if it does turn out I'm up to shit.

"Would you like me to pour you some sparkling wine?"

He studies his son's face for a long moment.

To be fair to him I am messing with him, now.

Should you be doing that?