BACK AGAIN

Standing outside the airport, both the Kanou brothers, Kanou Seisukei and Kanou Keyosouke, with snow falling all around them, realize how long it been since both of them have been together in Japan. With Seisukei having been in AC Milan for the past three years and Keyosouke in an Amsterdam team for the past one year, they rarely have been together. So this time both of them decided to surprise everybody at home by coming back, without letting anybody know, but with both of them being successful soccer players, the journey back home was not what Keyosouke expected………

FLASHBACK

Keyosouke had just got on the plane to fly back home to Japan and was eager to meet everybody when a reporter broke free of the security and rushed towards him and Seisukei, he quickly rushed inside and towards his seat but being six foot three he is hard to miss. Luckily the security had caught up with them and took the reporter away. Seisukei sat down next to his brother, who was out of breath, with an amused look on his face. Seeing this Keyosouke asked" why are you smiling bro? Wait don't tell me your used to it right?"seisukei replied with a bemused smile " yes keyosouke, in case you've forgotten it has been like this for me for the past three years, but don't worry little bro you'll get used to it sooner or later" he trembled at the thought of being treated lie this every time he left to go out…….

END OF FLASHBACK

Now that he was back in Japan there was one thing that was bothering him- he remembered that day vividly……..he was at the airport regretting that he had left the dorm without so much as a goodbye, and that was when he saw them, all the people who had helped him become what he was now, right from Miki to Karen to miss Kiori, Rodrigo and Sikai his two best friends along with everybody else had wished him luck for his future in soccer, then from the centre of the group Miki had come running into his arms, crying. Then only did he realize how much miki meant to him and how much he meant to miki, he had promised that he would he would not forget her(which he certainly did not)and also that he would come back after he had won-he always regretted that he could not keep his promise but was happy that he would be able to see Miki again, thinking this a small smile appeared on his face, seeing this Seisukei remarked "don't worry Keyosouke you'll be able to see Miki again as soon as we get home and leave our stuff" hearing this Keyosouke turned a light shade of red, Seisukei laughed and Keyosouke retorted " Shut up Seisukei, speaking of which when are you planning on telling miss kiori?" now it was Seisukei's turn to turn a shade of red, Keyosouke smiled at the the fact that even though Seisukei had known miss Kiori for some time now they had never got around to telling each other about their feelings. Thinking this he asked seisukei "dude you've known her for five years now why don't you just propose to her?"

Seisukei sadly replied "but Keyosouke how do I know that she doesn't like somebody else? How do you think it would be if she told me that she was in love with somebody else? I wouldn't be the same again" hearing this keyosouke laughed again" dude…..bro I have known miss kiori for three years and from what miki told me…" "what did she say?" Seisukei cut him short, smiling Keyosouke told him "she told me that every time she hears your name or sees you on TV a sweet but sad smile appears on her face, what else could that mean? and she also told me before I left for Amsterdam that when she saw you off at the airport she had so many things to tell you but in the end she didn't say anything at all, there you go dude she misses you and wants to tell you that she loves you but just like you she just cant come out and say it, it just proves that you two are meant for each other." Hearing this a look of happiness came upon Seisukei's face. Smiling to himself at this he let his older brother be.

He looked out of the window to look at the view of Japan, only then did he realize that they were almost home, he tapped his brother on the shoulder to wake him from his "dreamland" wha……..?he stammered, to this Keyosouke replied "we're almost home bro" Seisukei nodded and got his bags as the taxi pulled up in front of their house, Keyosouke got out and paid the driver while he and Seisukei looked up at the Kanou household, "home…….."the younger one of them sighed while the other said "finally……its been so long" looking at each other and nodding Seisukei rang the doorbell, they heard the voice of their mother while she was coming to open the door and both of them smiled "it will be nice to see mum and dad again…" thought Keyosouke as he heard the doorknob clicking, when she opened he door she was so shocked to see both of her sons standing at the door that she almost screamed, Seisukei and Keyosouke smiled at her reaction and greeted her, "hello mother" they said in unison, she was so happy to see both of her sons together that she pulled both of them into a bone crushing hug, their heads banged together and seisukei screamed "mum your strangling us!!!!" "Ah yes, sorry dears I'm just so happy to see you both again, after all these years our family will be together again!" saying this she broke down, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. Keyosouke smiled and said "you know mum that was exactly what both of us were thinking, right Seisukei?" laughing he replied "yeah we were just thinking how nice it was to be home again. Now, now mums don't cry, calm down, and is dad still at work?" "no…."she said wiping her tears on her apron "since that time at the hospital he's been taking it lightly and not working too much, he's inside in the living room right now, give me your bags and go say hello to him, come on now hurry….." thanking her, both of them gave her their bags and went inside the house to the living room to say hello to their father "hi dad!" both of them said, their father looked up in surprise as he heard them "Keyosouke? Seisukei…….?" not believing his ears they both bowed low and went to the couch to sit down "How are you doing dad?" Seisukei asked concerned.
"Mum told us that you are not overdoing work anymore, that's good to hear!" smiling and still not believing that his two sons were sitting right in front of him he replied "yes, well…. I'm trying to keep the promise I made to you and Seisukei at the hospital" hearing this both of them laughed.

Taking his glasses off he replied "tell me boys how come you're here in Japan? Aren't you supposed to be in Europe?" to this Seisukei replied "well dad, both of us got time off so we decided to meet up and come to Japan and surprise everybody, and by the looks of it we definitely did, didn't we Keyosouke?" "yeah it definitely looks that way!!" and all three of them burst out laughing, then they heard their mothers voice "lunch everybody!!" then only did he and Seisukei realize how hungry they were. After getting a whiff of their mum's cooking, both of them flew to the dining room and sat down on their chairs, and filled their plates with food, and heard their parents chuckling to themselves "what?" they asked, to this their mother replied,"Nothing dears, just eat all you want"
As she and her husband watched their sons eat and a small smile appeared on their faces to see them finally getting along well and so that the family could spend time together after so many years.

After they finished eating they went upstairs to their rooms and saw that everything was the same as always, Keyosouke smiled and lay down looking at the pictures and the posters around, one certain picture which was taken after the Orange Hill team had won the regional championships second year in a row, caught his eye, he picked it up and a smile crept up his face as he remembered all the matches that they had played. " I should get ready if I am to make it time for the graduation party" he thought, he got up from his bed and went and opened his cupboard to see everything intact, he also noticed that the cupboard had been dusted recently, he smiled and made a mental note to thank his mother for doing this. He got into the bathroom to shower and came out after 15 minutes and dressed, after doing this he went into his brother's room next door. He knocked "come in, it's open" he heard him say, pushing the door open he asked "you ready bro?" "Yeah, come on lets go" they said goodbye to their parents and went out of the house. They walked until they reached the stairs of the orange hill dorm, keyosouke looked at his brother and seeing him nod they both walked up the stairs and pushed the front door open, they saw the others in the dining room and so Keyosouke and Seisukei walked in.

The people in the dining room looked up to see who it was and their eyes almost popped out when they saw that it was the Kanou brothers standing at the doorway "Keyosouke……..?" miss Fakuko asked, smiling he replied "yup in flesh". Sikai was the first to snap out of the trance, he walked up to keyosouke and slapped him across his face. Keyosouke staggered back "what was that for heh?!" smiling Sikai replied "just to make sure your real, and that confirms it!" Seisukei burst out laughing and said "hey guys, come on we're not ghosts or anything! And since this is a graduation party lets get this party started!!!!" hearing this everybody crowded around him and Keyosouke.

Seisukei was happy to see them again, he walked up to miss Kiori, who was still paralyzed with shock from seeing them here, and took her hand "hey Kiori, are you okay?" waving his hand in front of her face "Seisukei……? Keyosouke…….?" and she threw her arms around him. Hearing snickers from behind her she released a surprised Seisukei, "sorry…"she muttered, "I'm just so happy to see you again!!!" then she heard laughter behind her and realized that she had said that a little too loudly, so a blushing Seisukei and Kiori turned to face everybody else. The others turned away and walked someplace else to give the two blushing people some privacy. While Keyosouke turned away he winked and nodded, taking the advice Seisukei turned towards Kiori and asked her "woul…would…..u like to...to...to...go for a walk?" Kiori nodded and gave her hand as Seisukei extended his, watching this from the window keyosouke and the others heaved a sigh of relief.

"About time" a few said. Seeing this keyosouke realized that he hadn't seen miki anywhere, turning around he saw his teammates smiling at him and Kiba said "Miki's on the grass over there, I don't think she wanted to come since you weren't there, but since it was her own batch she landed up but was so unhappy that she just went out to the lawn after she came, good thing you came today, now go!!"
He hesitated "what if she likes somebody else?" as though reading his thoughts Sikai said "dude you actually think that she can forget you that fast or for that matter ever?????
She's been upset ever since you left for Amsterdam, go see her!" "Go!!!!!!!!" his other teammates urged, Rodrigo and Sikai pushed him out of the door leading to the lawn and gave him a thumbs up.

Miki…..? He said hesitantly, after all it had been a year since he saw her, who knows what could have happened since then. Her shoulders suddenly stiffened "it couldn't be…."she thought.Turning around she saw the person who had been responsible for all her sadness, she smiled, "Keyosouke………?"she lifted her hand and he let it slide up his cheek, a smile appeared upon her tear stained face, he was finally back after a whole year, back at least for a month (she hoped), "yeah in all glory" she didn't wait for him to say anymore she flung her arms around his neck and didn't let go, he smiled As he buried his head in her hair, the fresh peppermint smell was so lovely, just like her……..

Miki slowly let go and stared up into his beautiful blue eyes, and he into her lovely green ones, they didn't take their sight off each other, they both had waited a whole year to see each other again. Keyosouke said "Miki...I…." he couldn't say anymore Miki put her arms around his neck and was leaning in so close that she could count the number of tears that clung to her eyelashes, he reached to them and gently dried them off, only then did miki realize how close she was leaning in and muttered "I'm sorry Kanou…….I was just…." "shush" he said putting a finger on her lips, he leaned in close and put his lips to hers in a mind-blowing kiss, she kissed back with all the passion in the world and after thirty seconds they broke apart, gasping for breath, their expressions breathless but extremely happy.

"I'm so happy Kanou, but how come you came back? He smiled "come on lets go inside, its getting chilly out here and I'll tell you everything." she nodded but before going on she gave him a small peck on the lips and went in, stunned he followed her inside.