Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story


- Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:

So I've been sitting on this chapter for a while. I re-wrote it a couple of times. I stared at it, re-read it, huffed over it and finally finished it. 

Well, anyway, here it is. Sorry I've been so stingy with it. So I'm guessing things will get interesting from here on with our little couple. Depends on the muse. He's a squirrelly little sucker.

No new terms.




Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


 

Sara blinked at her son in shock, fear and bewilderment. Did he just ask if he could spend the night with his classmate? He had never asked such a thing before. What should she do? Would he be safe? Was this the beginning of his junket into defiance, independence and the social and emotional separation which plagues concerned parents until sometime into the child's thirties? She only smiled in response while quickly trying to gather her thoughts.

"You know Takebe right? We went for ice cream." Shouda continued with animation.

"Not the young man whose parents are never home?"

Shouda twisted his lips in a frown. "I knew you were going to say that."

"Then you know my answer." Sara turned to the ridiculously extravagant newsletter the Academy sent home. It was like a magazine, glossy paper, pictures, advertisements and news. "How in the world do they afford this?" She flipped through the pages noting print quality, color and paper stock.

"But, he invited me mom." Shouda pleaded. He was situated beside his mother at the table doing homework. Now his pencil was paused, his kanji assignment forgotten.

"How about we invite him over to our house to spend the night. What do you think of that?" Shouda continued to frown. "Shouda, its not a good idea for you two to run around unsupervised. What if something happens?"

"I know how to call emergency services, I know not to take drugs or smoke and I know not to go onto the internet and look at naked women."

"What about magazines?" Sara turned to her son.

"That's bad too."

"Why?"

"Because it objectifies women, turning them into a mass of body parts instead of living breathing humans with thoughts and feelings." He hunched over on his elbows.

"And?" She slid down to his level.

"It will retard my normal sexual growth." Shouda rolled his eyes.

"Good, and?" She kiss his fat cheek.

"I wouldn't like it if it were pictures of my mom or sister or close friend."

"Well, you know all the right words, but you still might be curious. What would you do if Takebe tried to get you to do something we've discussed is wrong? You know, his parents may not think so. He may feel you are being silly if you refuse." She watched her son with a composure she didn't really feel.

Shouda was quiet a minute. He didn't think Takebe would do something like that. He was much too quiet and reserved, but mom always said you never know. So, what would he do?

"I'm not curious mom." He said making a definite decision, "I know drugs are dangerous and smoking is bad for my health. Plus, they don't interest me. How can I be the smartest man in the world if I kill my brain cells and what's smart about making my lungs ugly and turning yellow and getting sick on purpose?"

"Smartest man in the world?" Sara touched her forehead to his.

He grinned, "Yeah."

"That is a super cool goal." She smiled back.

"I can do it too. Did you see my exam reports?" Shouda touched his nose to hers and crossed his eyes.

"How could I not? You taped them to my mirror. You did very well and I am extremely proud of you." Sara engulfed her son in a hug and felt him squeeze back. "That is why I want to protect what you put in here." She tapped his head. "There won't be room for all the stuff you have to know to be the smartest man in the whole world if its filled with dirty pictures and unkind thoughts."

He leaned back, "Honestly mom, I would be very angry if it were my sister, even though I don't have one, or you in those pictures. I wouldn't want anyone to see, I won't look either. I promise. If he doesn't like it," Shouda shrugged, "I don't have to be friends with him."

"I am very happy to hear your determination Shouda, so lets invited him over to stay here first."

"Okay. I know, I can introduce him to Shinohara and see what dad thinks too. You trust them don't you?"

"Yes, I trust them."

 

***

 

"Interesting. You have already spoken to him about sex?" Yuki shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"Yes, of course." Sara was quiet a moment. "That is not the point Yuki."
"I know." Yukimoto gazed out the window of his office slightly horrified. Sara called and told him Shouda was asked to spend the night with Amami Takebe, she had then launched into the entire conversation. He never had ‘the talk' with his parents, much less at such a young age. "The Amami family is into different forms of media talent, modeling, music, shows, idols, movies. They have been very successful. Their models often grace the front of magazines, their talent preforms in dramas and so on. If I am not mistaken, they have a singing group and a solo artist doing very well in the music industry."

"Good for them, but what kind of people are they?"

"I do not know really. Their son has asked Shouda to spend the night, however, and it is important to be careful of his association. I will look into it. Perhaps we can invite them to lunch or dinner depending on their schedule."

"That is a good idea Yuki."

 

Sara finished her conversation with Yuki and returned the phone to the receiver. She had no intentions at all of blindly letting Shouda go over to Takebe's house. Getting to know his parents was a start though. She did not want to deny Shouda his first friendship either.

She took a deep breath and went to concentrate on her work when Kaoru stepped into her clinic.

"Hello Sarua."

"Hello Kaoru. Have you come to check on my books?" Sara smiled. What was between Kaoru and Yuki was just that.

"Briefly yes. More importantly, I want to talk to you...about Kamir."

"Kaoru, Kamir and I are not pursuing anything more than friendship. Though it may have seemed we were trying for more, we decided this was for the best."

"There is not doubt in my mind, Saura, that if you called Kamir right now and told him you wished to have a more intimate relationship with him, that he would agree." Sara sighed. "I know that it was you that made the decision and I know why."

Sara raised her hand, "Perhaps in some way, but I think this is really between you and Yuki, is it not?

"Yes, however, you are involved too." Kaoru came and sat on the stood beside Sara. "We are all connected, are we not?"

"If Yuki does not see fit to judge you one way or the other, who am I to do so? I will admit to being shocked and a little angry when Kamir confirmed the affair. I felt used and stupid. Since then, Kamir and I have talked and though I would not have done the same thing, it has nothing to do with me." Sara shook her head and looked down at the work in front of her.

"We can still be friends?"

"Of course."

"You know, I am glad you and Kamir are not serious. I did not think he was good for you." Karou said after a few minutes.

Sara laughed. "No?"

Kaoru shook her head.

"You do not feel that I have stolen something from you?" Kaoru looked down.

"No, Kamir was fun and I enjoyed him, but we were not really heading anywhere significant." She looked at Kaoru. "Please forgive me for asking, but why would you do this?"

"You mean, to Yuki? Did he seem very upset to you?"

Sara blinked, "Well, no."

"He was very calm when I told him as well." She paused. "I do not know how to describe it to you. I had felt dead for so many years. I walked around in that dimness that saturates everything right before the night pushes the last murky glow of the sun from the sky. I felt blinded by the shadows." Kaoru looked at Sara. "Do you know what that is like?"

"Perhaps, during the time after Yuki left me."

"You did not stay there. You are not that kind of woman. I needed to break free. I needed to know I was still breathing, that I still had control of me and my life. Yuki understands this. He is a good man."

Sara reached over and grabbed Kaoru's hand. "Yes, he is. I cannot say that I completely understand, but I honestly hope that everything works out for the two of you."

"It will, thank you Sarua. I will look at your books now."

"Help yourself, I am glad to hand it over to you." Kaoru got up and walked over to her desk. "Kaoru, thank you for coming to talk to me about it."

"That is what friends do, do they not? I am glad you are my friend and despite all that has happened. I wish for you to feel that I am yours as well."

Sara couldn't help but feel the situation a bit odd. Friends with her ex-lover's wife who recently found out her husband had a child. Well, stranger things have probably happened.

Kaoru was feeling satisfied with how she handled the conversation. She had thought to tell Sara she had divorced Yuki, then changed her mind. It would be better coming from him.

 

k57;k57;k57;k57;k57; k57;k57;k57;k57;k57; k57;k57;k57;k57;k57; k57;k57;k57;k57;k57;

 

Yuki felt restless, not because it was his first birthday with Shouda, but because of the conversation with Kaoru on the ride over to his parent's house.

 

"Yuki, I am ready. I will tell my parents of the divorce tomorrow. Thank you for keeping this a secret for me." She stared out the window then turned to him with a smile.

"You are sure?" To say he was surprised would be an understatement. Yuki tried to act calm even though he began to feel agitated. Why would she choose now to tell him? He had to admit not understanding the way her mind worked, he was glad it would not be a secret anymore, yet... He instantly thought of Sara.

"Are you thinking of Sarua?"

Yuki glanced at Kaoru in the passenger seat and lifted his chin. He opted not to answer.

"It is fine if you are. I was thinking of her too. I went to see her the other day. We had a pleasant conversation. I did not tell her about the divorce."

Yuki felt Kaoru was watching him, so he kept his eyes on the road and hoped she did not see his irritation. Why didn't she tell her? How could he possible do so without it seeming he was trying to come in between she and Kamir?

 

Even though he stood still watching the servants finish decorating the room, inside his stomach was twisting within itself. He had to tell someone, he had to do something. His feet began to move on their own down the hall. He was very doubtful of the outcome of his decision, but for some reason he kept moving forward.

They did not have this type of relationship so why was he determined to expose himself to them without a careful plan? Still, his hand raised and knocked on the door.

"Come in." The startled voice called out. Yuki opened the door and saw his mother sitting poised to deal with any problem that had surfaced with her careful preparations. "Oh, Yuki, it is you. I thought it was one of the servants."

"Dear, how does this look?" His father came from another room and posed for his wife.

"For goodness sake, this is the birthday of your grandson, not a golfing trip." She walked over to him and shook her head.

"You have not had a complementary word to say about anything I have put on thus far." He straightened his polo shirt.

"That is because I want you to wear the yukata."

"A yukata." Kenji scrunched his face up.

"Everyone else is wearing one. You will look distinguished. Do you not think so Yuki?" She turned to him and his father noticed him for the first time.

"Ah, Yuki. You look very handsome indeed. Have they started to arrive? Are you nervous my son?" He patted Yuki's shoulders reassuringly.

"No, I..."

"Please tell him to wear the yukata." Izumi interrupted.

"I want to talk with you."

Kenji observed his son a moment.

"What is the matter?"

Yuki lifted his shoulders and look his father square in the eyes. "Kaoru and I have divorced. I did not tell you due to the request not to from Kaoru. She will tell her parents tomorrow and I wanted to tell you myself." He shifted his gaze to his mother. Both were quiet. His brow knitted. How unusual.

"Are you satisfied with this outcome?" His father asked cautiously.

"Yes, it was a mutual decision, however..." He couldn't seem to put his feelings into words. Agreeing to the divorce and keeping it private was one thing. Knowing that soon everyone would know was quite another, or maybe it was just one person in particular.

"You must not think about the past in terms of failure, my son. If I did that, I'm sure I would be a miserable man, but look at me," Kenji turned around for his son, palms to the ceiling with a contented look on his face. "I am a happy grandfather, proud father, rich, amazingly intelligent man. All we can do is try to not make the same mistakes again."

Yuki chuckled at his father.

"We must not worry about what others may think. People like to judge, though they have not sufficient knowledge with which to do so. As long as those closest to you understand the truth." He gazed steadily at his son.

"Speaking of people knowing. Once word spreads around every idiot woman and her mother will be throwing themselves at you." Izumi began.

"Dear," Kenji said patiently but never broke eye contact with his son. "Do the people most important to you know?"

"You must be prepared Yukimoto. You must make a wise choice." She continued unfazed. "That is why I think you ought to talk..."

Kenji sprang into action sensing that his dear wife was forging ahead with her own disastrous plan even though he had it covered, albeit more discreetly. "My dear, now is not the time to talk about other woman. Yuki has no need for more women in his life than he already has." He gave is wife a determined look. She lifted her head, but turned back to her vanity.

"Very well." She relented curtly.

"Father, would you please wear a yukata during the birthday party for my son?" Yuki was looking at his mom's retreating frame. She turned around with a radiant smile and Yuki returned it.

Kenji sighed in his peripheral vision. "So be it." He turned and walked with very little enthusiasm into his closet.

 

When Kenji emerged from his closet adjusting his yukata, Yuki was no where to be seen.

"He left." Izumi said to his reflection in the her mirror.

"Dear, I do wish you not to force him. I think we have the same goal. You should not push ahead of me, I know what I am doing." He pulled more on his yukata and Izumi joined him tugging on his obi.

"Yuki is timid."

"You will end up doing the same thing you did before." Kenji took his wife's face in his hands. "Leave him be."

"But..."

"No buts." Izumi dropped her gaze to this.

"You do look handsome. Not like you looked back in when we were younger of course. Ah, then you had such a stature, made me week in the knees." She smiled still not looking him in the eyes.

"To me, you are just as beautiful as you were then. Especially when you are not scowling." A short burst of laughter escape Izumi. "Come wife." Kenji held out his arm for her to take.

 

***

 

"Darren, if this little Japanese woman tugs on me one more time, I think I might push her to the ground." Percy stood in a funked cloud of irritation. Two servants had been wrapping her in this impossible yukata for what seemed like hours. They pushed, pulled, jerked and wiped their brows every few minutes. "This is some kind of sick idea of a fat joke isn't it?"

Darren looked at his wife with a hint of a smile dancing at the corner of his mouth. He had been dressed for a while now. "It is no such thing Percy, and you ain't fat, you are well endowed."

"Its that Izumi's fault for making everyone wear this insufferable getup." Her eyes slid to one of the servants as, yet again, she dragged her wrist across her brow. Percy huffed.

"Don't impart bad motives on people just cause things are a bit uncomfortable." The servants stood back and walked around her. "Look, I think they may be done." He sat up in his chair. He watched as they guided her over to the mirror. "Well, now, don't you look a sight?"

Percy's eyes landed on her person and widened. She turned to the left and then the right. "Would you look at that! They made my butt disappear."

"Its just hiding in all its hot damn glory."

"Darren, you are too old to be this stupid." Percy's eyes danced across the vibrant fabric. Izumi had picked out the material for her. The gold of the fabric shimmered with an antique pattern of cherry blossoms peppered throughout in various sizes and shades of red. Her obi perfectly matched the red peddles. "Not bad at all."

She was interrupted by the servants ushering her to sit at the vanity.

"What in the world do they want now?" She turned to a shrugging Darren as she followed. They sat her down and then started touching her dreads. "What in the...?" She ducked a few times but they were very persistent. They rattled on in Japanese completely ignoring her discomfort as they began to lift up the dreads and twist them into one another. Percy looked from one to the other as their eyes widened and they laughed continuing to chatter. "I think they're laughing at me."

"They are not. Just let them do their thing."

A few minutes later, Darren escorted his Japanese wife down the hall towards the colorfully decorated birthday room, chignon peppered with cherry blossom hair pins and all.

 

***

 

A very distinguished looking Shinohara alighted from the large Mercedes and stood gazing at the substantial Umezawa home with a discriminating eye. His wife followed and pointed out some features of the house. 

A very excited Shouda bounced out the car and ran toward the steps before remembering something and returning to take his mother's hand to help her ease out. The heavy doors opened and without any hesitation, Shouda then raced through them.

"Dad!" He yelled as soon as he crossed the threshold. After quickly changing shoes he took off down the hall. "Dad!"

He saw his father step out of a room and ran into his arms.

"Happy birthday Shouda." Yuki hugged his son tightly.

"It is our first birthday together. You are the best birthday present of all." Shouda whispered warmly next to his ear. Yuki felt as if he began to float. Ever cell in his body tingled and he was so filled with love for the young human he helped create in his arms, that he felt it would overflow spilling out from the top of his head, soon flooding the whole house.

"I love you Shouda." It was something his father rarely told him when he was growing up. He was determined to not follow suit and from this day forward to repeat it as often as possible.

"I love you too, dad." Shouda lifted his head from his father's shoulder and they gazed happily at one another. They became aware that they were not alone but surrounded by smiling family and discreet servants.

Yuki's eyes fell on Sara who seemed to barely hold back tears. Her eyes shined compassionately, lovingly at them both. She noticed Yuki observing her and lowered her eyes pretending to wipe something off her the skirt of her yukata. He smiled and thought of his father's words:

Yuki has no need for more women in his life than he already has.

Kamir was everything he was not, but if he had to fight him, he would. He had history with Sara, some of it not so good, but there were many positive pleasant provocative memories he could use and he would wield them relentlessly. He would stand back and let Kamir have his way no longer.

He stood up and walked toward her now. She continued to hide her eyes from him until he stood in front of her and held out his hand. Sara looked startled and a bit confused but she took it. He then greeted the Shinoharas as everyone started to enter into the room. There was a heavy knock on the door and a servant shuffled over quietly and opened it.

Takebe stood with his chauffeur behind, holding presents. His hat perched on the top.

"Takebe!" Shouda ran to him and look around him. "Your parents did not come?"

Takebe answered with a shake of the head.

"I do not mind. Come on!" He grabbed his friend's hand and pulled him down the hall and into the room decorated for his birthday.

As the hall cleared, Yuki turned to Sara. Her innocently perplexed eyes watched the people disperse. She was probably wondering why he was still holding her hand, why he and she remained stationary and what she should do. It did not escape him that she had yet to pull her hand from his.

"He reminds me of you in so many ways Sarua."

She looked up at him. 

"I feel the same about Shouda and you." She pointed smiling reminiscent.

"You were always so bright."

"And you so calm."

He smiled. "Your openness is captivating."

"Your assiduous nature endearing."

"That innocence deposing."

Sara blinked a few times. "You are always thoughtful. It puts me at ease."

He squeezed her soft hand and lifted it. His gaze shifted to it as he ran his thumb across her knuckles.

Sara fidgeted at the intensity of his hold of his eyes on her hand. She was thoroughly confused and...and hot! She had no idea what was going on, why Yuki was acting this way. The Yuki of long ago. The one who could barely contain himself when in her presence. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest.

His eyes linked with hers again and he dipped his head. The voice in Sara's head screamed for her to dodge, turn her head, anything except let him kiss her. Her feet had a different plan. They stayed stationary as did everything else as his beautiful face came closer to hers.

He hovered a moment.

"Sarua, we must talk later."

She nodded mutely as his eyes swept her face. He gave a slight nod and then turned and pulled her to the birthday room.

Sara shuffled behind him. She looked down at their still joined hands.

One word managed to escape her lips. It was barely audible, in fact, she wondered if he even heard it. She wondered if he had, would they still be entering the room. Surely he would have known, he would have felt it. The fact that at that very moment she was unquestioningly open to him. Longing for him. Sinfully.

"Yuki?"

 






Chapter End Notes:

So I know some of you were complaining cause they haven't thoroughly talked the situation out, but now that Yuki is maning up, what do you think?







Enter the security code shown below:
Note: You may submit either a rating or a review or both.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.