Unrequited Love

By: Shin Sankai

Authors Notes: Well, truth be told I woke up this morning with this idea in my head...and four hours later its come to life. It is not even one of the three ideas I'm currently working on for Trifecta. Oh well, nothing major, just a bit of cuteness so hopefully someone will enjoy it. Once again, please do not take this seriously, its just me playing around with them.

Hiyo, come on, you've been quiet ever since I picked you up from school." Kirishima complained to his daughter as he pried the door open. She was kicking off her shoes just as he closed the door. "I'm more then happy to pick you up, but it was quite late notice and I was pulled out of a meeting without any explanation." His eyes darted up as she was already heading down the hallway, bag dumped on the floor as she didn't care about it. "Are you listening to me?" The man was becoming inpatient as he strode after his daughter.

"What's the matter?" Almond eyes sought out his lover of many years getting off the couch. He'd been home sick with a slight fever, but appeared to have been recuperating well as he was working on his laptop, half a cup of cold coffee beside it and several documents.

Yokozawa was about to ask what was going on again when all of a sudden the teenager barrelled into him, bursting into tears all over his plain black shirt.

"Eh, Hiyo...what..." Her arms were around his waist before he could make sense of what was going on as his slightly wider eyes darted to his partner who was standing several feet away looking just as shocked.

The businessman took a step back, hands against her shoulders, but the girl would creep forward, not wanting to show her face as she practically held on for dear life. Her hugs were definitely like her father's: bone crushing. With great difficulty Yokozawa made his way back to the couch and sat the two of them down, the 15 year old nearly sitting in his lap with the way she was leaning towards him, still crying into his chest and abdomen.

"Will Hiyo tell us what is wrong?" As soon as he spoke those words his steely gaze, laced with sheer confusion and worry for the teenager weeping against him darted to the prone father. He mouthed the words 'do something' but the older man lifted up his hands as if to say he'd no idea what to do. Over the years they'd been together, they'd rarely seen Hiyo cry at all considering life was full of love, laughter, and adventure with her little family of three. "Your father and I are very worried about you." Yokozawa tried again and this time it appeared to have worked as her voice came out in a flurry as she explained whatever happened against his chest.

"Hiyo, we can't hear what you are saying." The doting father mumbled as he finally made his way over, sitting atop Yokozawa's documents on the coffee table as he placed his large comforting hand on his daughter's head. "My translation skills in muffled responses is not very good, how about yours Takafumi?" The man tried to lighten the mood slightly.

Between sniffles and hiccups Hiyori finally pulled herself together. "He...doesn't...like...me!" And then the sheer gut wrenching cries began again as she thrust herself back into Yokozawa's arms, falling against his chest once more, her petite and still developing body shaking due to the onslaught of her crying.

"Oh..." Yokozawa remarked a little too quickly until everything that Hiyori voiced finally sunk in. "Ooooooooh..." He even felt his own heart constrict for the teenager whom he'd become so attached to. Of course he wanted to find out just who the hell this kid was that would reject their sweet Hiyori, but now was the time to remain calm and to comfort her until she felt better.

"Wait, that's it?" Kirishima found narrowed blue eyes glaring over at him.

"Not helping Zen..." Yokozawa grit through clenched teeth as he rubbed a consoling hand up and down Hiyori's back while the other was gliding through her hair comfortingly.

"This boy is stupid to reject our daughter!" Though Yokozawa felt quite surprised and pleased at the 'our' comment, he wasn't about to go off on a tangent considering Hiyori had just seized up against him. This only meant one thing...

"He's not stupid!" The two men found a fuming, puffy faced Hiyori glaring up at her father. Kirishima raised an eyebrow as he was not expecting the tables to be turned on him and for him to come out looking like the bad guy. "What would father know about rejection, just go away!" And the youngster thrust her face into her Oniichan's chest once more, completely missing the sheer look of shock and surprise on her father's face at being told to 'go away'. After all, it had never happened before. Steely blue eyes darted between father and daughter as his lover dropped his hand from his daughters head, rose to his feet and slipped out of the lounge room, heading down the dark hallway towards the master bedroom.

Yokozawa felt a headache coming on. Here he was trying to console a child after finally learning what had happened and yet once Hiyori was okay to be left by herself he would have to go and console an even bigger child!

"Tsubaki-kun isn't stupid..." Hiyori reiterated through her sniffles as she shifted within his embrace. Her crying had finally ceased as she leaned exhaustedly against her Oniichan, his arm around her shoulders, pressing her against his lean body.

"Will you show me a picture of him?" Yokozawa had known something was 'off' lately with regards to the teenager, but he wasn't a prying man. He knew that when she was ready, she would blurt out whatever was on her mind. And on a cool Friday afternoon in autumn, that very day had finally come.

Within seconds, her pink smart-phone was thrust into his face, a picture of an athletic looking teen in his baseball uniform, his arm swung over the shoulder of a boy you couldn't see, he obviously being cut from the photo. Hiyori had obviously cropped the image and noticed she'd placed his name on it, with a cute little pink heart too. It was then he took notice of the characters within his name and finally realising that 'Tsubaki' was the boys first name and not his last.

"Does Tsubaki-kun call Hiyori by her first name too?" She nodded affirmatively. They must be quite close if that was the case. Yokozawa took the phone from her hand to have a good look at the teenager. This Tsubaki-kun was giving the camera the peace sign as well. It made Yokozawa grin slightly, after all, that was a Hiyori trait as well. He finally took notice of the big cheesy grin on the boys face, perhaps they'd just won a game? He had jet black hair, it tied back in a small ponytail and bright green eyes. Perhaps he was only half Japanese? Yokozawa wasn't about to ask her twenty questions, not yet anyway. "He looks nice." What else could he say? He felt a nod against his side. "Why don't you tell me about him?"

"He was promoted to captain when his Senpai was injured. He took it in his stride and they've been winning a lot of games lately. If they keep going the way they are, they may even make it to the championships." Hiyori was in love with a baseball nut. "And he's really smart too." Yokozawa was thankful for that piece of information knowing that Kirishima would not accept Hiyori liking, let alone, possibly going out with a dumb guy. "Tsubaki-kun is the youngest in his family. He says he was quite a surprise to the family when his mum found out she was pregnant. Apparently they thought she was just suffering from an illness. He's got three older siblings, all whom are adults. His oldest brother is getting married later this year and his sister, who is already married, had a baby boy a couple months ago. She's got two girls, aged four and two. He babysits them when asked to and plays with them every chance he gets. Apparently they really like playing with his hair, which is why he's kept it as long as it is. He showed me a picture of him with pigtails, he looked really cute. And his other brother..." She died off suddenly and it piqued his curiosity.

"What about his other brother?" The businessman trying coaxing her to continue on.

"Tsubaki-kun and I were in the library completing an assignment together and I...I let it slip that I had two fathers." Yokozawa felt his heart beat rapidly within his chest even if he started feeling a little sick to his stomach. Those that mattered to them knew of the relationship he and Kirishima had, but if word got around the school, it may cause trouble for the teenager and he never wanted that for her. She was innocent in all of this. "I'm sorry Oniichan, I just got so comfortable talking to him that it just slipped out!" The teenager apologetically voiced. "I...I got really worried when I blurted it out and asked him not to tell anyone, but Tsubaki-kun...he...he said it was alright."

Yokozawa felt his eyebrow twitch. He hoped this wasn't going to move into some blackmailing scheme. "Tsubaki-kun's second oldest brother...lives with his boyfriend. He said they've been together for 10 years now and so hearing me talk about Father and Oniichan, didn't bother him at all. Since he's known his brother's partner from about the age of six, it just felt like he had another brother, though this one actually spoils him more then his real ones."

"I see..."

"Tsubaki-kun won't tell anyone, I promise!"

"Its alright Hiyo, I'm not mad." Yokozawa offered in order to comfort the teenager.

"We've become really close and we've even shared bento and we'll sneak off so we can have lunch together, just the two of us and we can talk about anything. I was late for a study group once as we talked quietly in the library for ages! He's also got two cats at home that he looks after. He says that he tries ever so hard not to spoil them, but sometimes he can't help it." No wonder his lover's daughter became smitten with the boy.

"You'll be alright Hiyo." Yokozawa softly confessed. He pulled the youngster away, hands rising to wipe away the tear streaks from her face. The teen wasn't that much into make-up, but she did wear mascara and eyeliner these days, which was now smudged. "Unrequited love can be tough, I am quite an expert when it comes to that, but you know, it helps you grow stronger."

"But...I wanted Tsubaki-kun!"

"It doesn't quite work that way Princess." He'd not called her by the nickname he'd given her so long ago in such a long time. He noticed a cute little blush rise to her cheeks and gave her a slight grin. "Whether you wanted him or not, he's got to want you as well." He watched her chew on her lip as his words rolled around in her head. "Have you thought that perhaps he was so shocked by your confession that his first instinct was to reject you?"

"Eh?"

"After all, you said the two of you have become quite close. While your thoughts and feelings were becoming more romantic, maybe he was just feeling so fortunate that he finally had a real close friend, and a girl at that, that he could be completely open and honest with. After all, Tsubaki-kun is already letting you call him by his first name, does anyone else?"

"N-No..."

"See, how special are you that a name that he may not like so much is allowed to be voiced by you."

"I guess so..." Yokozawa absently pursed his lips. He hadn't thoroughly won her over yet.

"Hiyo-chan really is a tough girl."

"Eh?"

"Only now she has to be even tougher." He watched a sheer look of confusion rush across her face. "She mustered up all her courage to confess and even though her confession was rejected, she now has to be even stronger in order to speak to Tsubaki-kun again, to tell him that she respects his decision and that she wants to stay as his closest friend."

"Well..."

"You don't want to lose him as your friend do you?" He watched her shake her head profusely. "That will be your toughest battle yet. Hiyo-chan will have to come to terms with only being his friend."

"Did Oniichan find it hard?"

"Yeah," He brushed his hand through her loose hair. It was slightly wavy and fell to her waist nowadays. "But you know, I had someone else to help me through that period of my life."

"You did?"

"Mm, your father. Lots of things have happened over the years and I'm thankful I am still good friends with the person I used to love. Its important that Hiyo finds someone to talk to...and I'm not just referring to me or your father."

"Yeah..."

"Maybe confide in Yuki-chan or one of your other friends? They can help be your support, while your father and I can do so from the background. And you never know, in time, maybe Hiyo will find a new love."

"I...I'd never like a boy that wouldn't be able to accept Father and Oniichan." Yokozawa couldn't help it, he pulled the teenager into an embrace, holding her against him. He was so god damn lucky to have the Kirishima's in his life.

"And we'd never accept anyone who wouldn't promise to make our Hiyori happy." The businessman felt he was becoming a little choked up at her sweet and honest confession. Taking a few deep breaths he pulled away as he grabbed Hiyori's phone to look at the teenager once more. "You know, Sorata isn't going to be pleased that his wallpaper has been replaced by Tsubaki-kun." He listened to her giggle cutely as he lightened the mood. He was a lot more successful at it then her father was.

Speaking of which... "I know you must be hurting about what has happened, but you know, there is also another who is hurting at the moment too." He watched Hiyori nod her head. "You think you could go apologise? I don't want to have to put up with your whining father for too long." As the two of them stood, the chime of the doorbell could be heard, advising them they had a visitor. "I'll get the door, you talk to your father."

Yokozawa padded down the hallway, stepping down into the genkan as he opened the door to their unexpected visitor. "Yes?" Steely blue eyes watched as a hunched over body jerked to attention and quickly turned to face him. Yokozawa found unmistakable green eyes widening at his looming presence. "You must be Tsubaki-kun." Yokozawa got a jerked nod of the head as confirmation as the teen was trying to get his breathing under control. He was dressed in his baseball uniform, two bags slung over his shoulders as he had appeared to run all the way here from the train station which was three blocks away.

"M-My name is Ishikawa Tsubaki. I'm looking for Hiyo...err...Kirishima-san?" The teen was trying to be as formal as possible, but nervousness was quickly rearing its ugly head.

"And I'm Yokozawa Takafumi, its nice to meet you." The businessman gestured for the boy to come inside, observing as he placed down his bags and kicked off his shoes. He quietly followed Yokozawa down the hallway, hands shoved in the pockets of his uniform trousers so the salesman couldn't see them shaking.

Blue orbs were pleased to see Hiyori walking back into the lounge room with her father at her side, the both of them talking quietly to each other, Kirishima's arm slung over her shoulders. It also appeared she'd washed her face, so her eyes weren't so smudged from her make-up and the fact they were only slightly red now from all her crying.

"Hiyo, you've a visitor."

"A visitor?" Yokozawa stepped aside to reveal the boy that Hiyori had been upset about.

"Tsu-Tsubaki-kun!" Hiyori squeaked out. "Wh-What are you doing here?" The girl was a nervous wreck. Even though after speaking to her Oniichan and talking a little bit about it with her father, she still wasn't prepared to face her unrequited love just yet! She had hoped she would have had the entire weekend to start working on her courage for when she would have to face him at school on Monday morning and yet here he was!

"C-Can we talk?" Yokozawa's sharp eyes watched as recognition fluttered across large brown orbs. Hiyori had registered the nervous seeping out of the boy in waves and a small tiny smile graced her lips.

"Sure..."

"Err, we'll just be down here if you need anything." Yokozawa quickly dragged Kirishima back down the hallway and into the master bedroom, the door slightly open just in case voices became raised and Hiyori needed rescuing.

"Come away from the door Takafumi, you're like a peeping tom." The younger man furrowed his eyebrows as he turned to look over at his older lover who was sitting on the edge of their bed, flipping through a book that belonged to him.

"You are taking this rather well."

"I was kind of eavesdropping into the conversation the two of you were having earlier." Eyes were now glaring at him. "I know, it was bad of me to do, but she's my daughter. She's never acted like that and then I started to realise that since it was unrequited love, she knew exactly whom had felt such pain like that and who she could turn to."

"Err...yeah..."

"Don't feel uncomfortable, we've been together for 5 years now and from my point of view we are in this together. I'm more then happy to let you console our girl." There was that god damn hypnotic smile of his. So he'd even heard that part of the conversation too! "Promise me she'll be alright?" The pitiful look in his eyes, and the pout on his lips, it made the older man look almost boyish and cute in front of the salesman. He was about to head on over to his seated position, to offer some form of comfort when there was a slight knock at the door. As Yokozawa pried it open, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Kirishima leapt to attention.

"Is it alright if Tsubaki-kun and I go eat at the ramen stand near the train station? I'll come home after I see him off."

"Its alright with me, what about you Zen?" Yokozawa included the father in the conversation as all three of them headed back into the lounge room where Tsubaki-kun was standing in the archway which lead to the hallway.

"Don't make it too late alright?" Yokozawa could tell that was a massive step for Kirishima and watched as Hiyori excitedly hugged her father before letting him go to give him one as well. Both men watched Tsubaki-kun bow to them before watching Hiyori make her way to the genkan with her...well Yokozawa could only guess...soon to be boyfriend.

It was then his eyes took note of the pink phone still on the coffee table and quickly he swiped it up. "Hiyo, wait, you forgot your phone."

"Is that a picture of me?" Tsubaki's hand was out and over Hiyori's shoulder as he took hold of the phone that was on and stared openly at his own smiling face. "How long has that been there?"

"Oniichan!" Hiyori yelled as her face turned bright red as she quickly snatched up her phone, she knowing the man had intentionally held it out in the open so Tsubaki could see just how much she liked him.

"Wait, Hiyori, how long has my picture been on your phone?" She'd already cleared out of the apartment and Yokozawa chuckled lightly as the teenage boy stumbled after her, trying to catch up with her embarrassed retreating form.

The businessman made his way back into the lounge room. "Are you teasing our girl?" His eyes darted to a leather chair where Kirishima was sitting.

"You know you are awfully calm, its freaking me out. Are you sure you didn't take a handful of Valium or anything?"

"Don't make fun, I'm trying to take all of this in my stride. I'm the cool father after all."

"Uh huh..." Yokozawa sat on the arm of the chair his lover was slouched in. "She'll be alright, you know that don't you?" He took hold of his lovers chin, making almond eyes look up at him. "I promise you, she'll be alright."

"Yeah..." He dropped his hand as he watched the handsome man ruffle one of his own through his shaggy light coloured hair. "Love is tough."

"Indeed it is." Yokozawa openly watched his older lover, whom was currently lost in thought. Perhaps he was thinking about his deceased wife or perhaps he was thinking about Hiyo and the sudden appearance of this boy, not giving him any warning to come to terms with the fact his girl was growing up fast. In the end, as he sat on the edge of the chair, the only piece of advice he could opt for was, "We turned out alright."

Almond eyes glanced up at his young partner and quickly his arms darted out, pulling the now wide eyed salesman onto his lap. "Oi!" There was that adorable flush on his partners cheeks he'd not seen in awhile.

"How long do you think we've got?"

"What kind of question is that!" Yokozawa barked off as he struggled within Kirishima's embrace. "And what do you think you are doing?" The man felt skilled fingers brushing up against his sides as they'd slipped under his black shirt.

"Cuddling of course." Kirishima winked at the man who was fuming on his lap as he buried his head against his neck, lightly smiling against his warm skin, arms encircling around him possessively...lovingly. "I'll leave other matters alone until Hiyo has a sleepover."

"At Tsubaki-kun's place?" Yokozawa felt Kirishima tense at his teasing as he pushed away from his previously comfortable spot and glared almond eyes up at him. Not that he had much of a chance to get mad since a wicked grin fell upon Yokozawa's lips as he bent down, sealing them over the Editor-in-Chief's.

End.