Summary: Hmm, this would be really strange to summarize. It's differnt, and basically i have shiznat here with their personalities similar to my story 'Falling Unknowingly in Love'. I hope you like this, it's about adoption and the love of a parent, i made up a few of my own characters. Then of course i have shiznat flirting, so i hope you enjoy :D
DISCLAIMER: don't own MAi HiME characters but i really think shiznat is a term that should be put into the dictionary... :D
Souma and Hideki Gami had 4 great children.
Souma couldn't help but smile at his wife who seemed genuinely happy at the three smaller families celebrating with them.
Their oldest son, Motoko, was with his wife Ayumi and their sixteen year old daughter Kaiyu.
Their second child and elder daughter, Sumi, was with her husband Youku and their 7 year old son Youku Jr.
The next was their 25 year old son who was still a bachelor, Rio.
Souma was startled by the ringing of the phone next to him, and he smiled at the caller ID.
Today was his 50th anniversary with his beautiful wife.
"Hello," he smiled.
"Otou-san," came the polite and stern voice of his youngest child.
Well, she was adopted.
"Natsuki-chan," saying the name made his wife look at him and motion for the phone.
He held up a finger to make her wait.
"Happy anniversary, how are things?"
He chuckled, "things are fabulous. Everyone's over for dinner and we got a few friends over too. Hideki wants to speak with you."
The phone was handed over and Souma smiled as his wife greeted their youngest child on the phone.
"Who's that?" Rio asked handing his dad a cup of tea.
"Your sister."
Rio snorted, "Sister? She's hardly my sister."
Souma didn't want his day to be ruined by Rio's stubbornness, and he couldn't really blame Rio.
Natsuki was adopted and never really got along with his 3 biological kids. She even kept her last name so people often never knew she was their child.
He remembered the day he adopted her.
He and Hideki had gone to give their annual donation to the children's hospital 9 years ago.
He walked through the corridor, feeling sympathy for all the kids who were there.
Hideki had stopped and overheard two nurses commenting about a patient.
"And she's only 7?"
"Yeah, her father and mother died in the accident."
"Poor girl," the taller nurse muttered, "I wonder if she'll ever wake up."
He remembered clearly the flash of emotion on his wife's face, and when they both looked into the room to see such a young child comatose, they couldn't help but feel for her.
They had prayed for her when they went to the temple.
The next time they went to pay their annual donation, they had found out that the girl had awoken a week earlier, and was still all alone.
Souma and Hideki had visited her at the orphanage she was moved to, and were surprised to see the girl not even shed a tear.
She was obviously sad and alone, but wouldn't admit it.
Hideki visited the girl as often as possible, about once a week for an hour.
She would take the girl some homemade food.
They didn't know why they felt such a special affection for her out of all the other orphans.
And then they just decided to adopt her.
"What do you want to do in life?" Souma had asked her before adopting.
"I want to study, and become successful."
Such a simple and innocent answer.
So Souma paid for her education and accepted her into his home.
She was four years younger than Rio, and none of Natsuki's siblings bothered to get to know her.
The never really acknowledged her as their sister either.
Souma himself was a simple bank consultant, and Hideki was a stay at home wife.
Motoko was an accountant, Sumi was a lawyer, and Rio was an architect.
"Souma," Hideki grabbed his arm to stop him from drinking his tea so he would pay her attention.
"What is it?" The look on Hideki's face was excited and she was grinning.
"Guess what Natsuki-chan told me?"
"What?"
"She said she has a girlfriend who she intends on marrying."
"Really?" He was very shocked.
"Really," Hideki hugged his arm close, "she's sending us a photo."
()()()
"I told Okaa-san," Natsuki said over tea with her girlfriend.
"Ara Ara," Shizuru smiled, betraying how nervous she was, "what did she say?"
Natsuki looked seriously at Shizuru before smiling, "she's happy for me, excited to see a picture of you."
"Picture?" Shizuru questioned, though relief at being accepted flooded though her system.
"Yeah," Natsuki stifled a yawn, "So... will you marry me?"
Not the most romantic at all.
"Excuse me?"
"Marriage, Shizuru." Natsuki crossed her arms, "I know you were waiting for me to ask you."
Shizuru giggled, "Ara, who knew my Natsuki was the type to ask her mother permission to marry who she loves."
"What? I did no such thing."
"Such a mama's girl."
"Am not."
"Oh really? What if your mother disapproved of me?"
Natsuki shrugged, "I guess I'd just try my hardest to make her accept you."
"Mama's girl."
"Shutup."
They sipped in silence for a while.
"Natsuki, I know I make you drool, but we're in a public place, please don't stare at me like that."
"Well, you didn't answer my question."
"Which question dear?"
"The 'will you marry me' question."
"Natsuki, you asked me over tea in a cafe at eleven in the morning."
"Eleven-thirty."
"Not very romantic. You don't even have a ring."
"Tch," Natsuki pulled a velvet box from her sweater pocket, "here."
"Not even going to get down on one knee?" Shizuru raised an eyebrow expectantly.
"Come on, who proposes like that at eleven-thirty in the morning in a dingy cafe?"
"My point exactly."
"But you will marry me, right?"
The sound of Shizuru pouring another cup of tea disturbed the silence.
"Right?"
"Perhaps Natsuki should try again when we go out for dinner tonight."
()()()
He wanted to spend time with his family. His whole life had been revolving around them.
So when he sold his house and told his kids exactly that, they were not happy at all.
They didn't want their old parents to burden them.
So they made a plan. They knew their mother and father couldn't stand being separated and decided to reverse the effect on them.
"Okaa-san will stay with us," Motoko had said, "and Otou-san will stay with Sumi."
"Then we can spend time with you both more, and you can alternate weeks at each of our places." Sumi also explained.
Souma and Hideki were not fools.
They knew their kids saw them as a burden and they were unwanted.
But they had sold their house, and so could only give in to their kids.
()()()
Souma walked into the kitchen for breakfast at his daughter's home. He was happy to see her cooking for her family.
He sat at the head of the small table; he always sat at the head of the table in his old house.
"Otou-san," His daughter said, "can you sit over there? That's Youku's spot."
It struck him like lightening.
And he felt embarrassed. He felt unwelcome.
His grandson Youku Jr. was the only one who showed him love.
It had happened when Souma broke his reading glasses.
He frowned; the only way he felt he could pass his days was writing in his diary or reading his novels.
He really missed his Hideki.
Why did he have to sit on those glasses?
He asked to get them taken to be fixed by Sumi, but she said he would have to wait when she had time.
He had given his retirement and house money to each of his three children equally, only keeping a bit for himself.
He didn't have enough to spend at whim.
Little Youku used his lunch money one day and surprised him with fixed glasses.
That night he called his wife in secret and they whispered on the phone.
He found out that Hideki was suffering similar feelings.
Motoko had apparently told her to stay out of his family's business when she told him Kaiyu shouldn't be seeing this certain young boy.
To make her feel better, Souma recited poetry he had written about her over the phone.
The next day Sumi got angry when she found out Youku skipped lunch to get his grandfather's glasses fixed.
Souma was so humiliated when his daughter told him to leave her family alone that he packed his things and left the house with no where to go, really.
He found a rundown cheap and tiny apartment and cried for the first time in 60 years.
The same night, Hideki came after a phone call and found him weeping.
She had been kicked out for following Kaiyu on her date out of concern.
The boy had tried to rape Kaiyu, and she stepped up in time.
Kaiyu thanked her, but when they went home, Motoko blamed her for his daughter's state, even though Kaiyu pleaded that Hideki had only helped her.
Now they were all alone, almost broke in an old apartment.
They had never thought they would grow old to see this day.
()()()
They walked down the street hand in hand, and Souma noticed a Mercedes car dealership.
He had always wanted a Mercedes, his beat up old car didn't even work anymore, but he couldn't afford one.
"Sir," a young salesman approached him, "I saw you staring at the car. Want to test it out? It's the newest model."
He was surprised, but humbly declined.
"No, I was only looking, thank you."
But the salesman held out a pair of keys, "just test-drive it."
And so he did.
It was spectacular.
The car of his dreams.
"What do you think?" the man asked him and Hideki after their test drive.
"It was lovely," he smiled, "thank you."
"So shall we sit and discuss your purchase?"
Souma shook his head, "no, I'm sorry I can't afford that car."
The man frowned, "why did you test it if you can't afford it?"
Souma was not a violent man at all and calmly tried to soothe the man, "well, you offered it and so-"
"Poor old fool!"
The insult made Souma feel pathetic. His children abandoned him, and now this young man insulted him without any respect.
He was a poor old fool.
Both Souma and Hideki were beyond surprised when the same young man was pushed down to the floor.
"Apologize," scolded a familiar and menacing voice.
"Boss," the man said, "this man-"
"Is my father, you bastard!"
The assistant looked absolutely shocked.
"And you never treat a customer like that, understand?"
Natsuki's glare caused the man to nod furiously.
"Please, forgive my insolent behaviour," he pleaded to Souma's feet.
"I-it's okay," Souma said flushing from Natsuki's outburst.
The man bowed and left his still furious boss's sight.
"I'll fire him" Natsuki offered with a deep bow, "I'm so sorry-"
She was cut off when Hideki shook her head with a smile, "its fine Natsuki-chan."
Natsuki blushed from her mother's endearment and smiled at her parents before turning serious.
"Where have you two been? I went to the house but it was sold, I phoned Motoko, Sumi, and Rio but they all said they didn't know."
Souma and Hideki shared a look deciding they didn't want to burden Natsuki either. So they lied.
"Nothing, we just moved out of the old house to a smaller apartment."
"Don't lie to me," Natsuki frowned.
"Natsuki-chan," Hideki cut in, "is this where you work now? Such a nice job, what do you do?"
Natsuki scratched her cheek, "I own the seven Mercedes outlets in the city now, and this is the main one. And don' change the subject Okaa-san."
They couldn't lie, so they told Natsuki the truth when she dragged them in for tea in her large office.
She was furious, close to going on a murderous rage even though they didn't tell her the specific bad parts.
"You're coming with me," She said with no argument.
And so they followed her to a Mercedes outside and were driven to pick up their things from their shitty apartment. Natsuki didn't allow them to object as she practically tossed their possessions into suitcases and then drove them back to her house.
It was a huge house.
A cute little puppy called Duran greeted them with barks and nudges.
She walked them through the front door and called out.
"Shizuru, I have a surprise for you."
Hideki and Souma were curious to meet their adopted daughter's wife.
"It better not be another dog named after another eighties pop-band," came a lovely accented tease from within.
Natsuki growled and her parents chuckled at the comment.
Obviously hearing chuckles, Shizuru curiously approached the door to find Natsuki tapping her foot annoyingly next to her parents.
Shizuru gasped and bowed respectively, "excuse me," she said timidly.
Natsuki closed the front door and took her parent's luggage upstairs.
"Shizuru-chan, is it?" Hideki asked after bowing back.
It was rare young children these days showed respect.
"Yes," Shizuru said back, "Okaa-san, Otou-san."
They both flushed slightly, "You know who we are?"
"Of course," Shizuru giggled, "Natsuki keeps a picture of you two in her wallet and in our living room."
This piece of information shocked them.
"Please," Shizuru gestured with her hand, "come inside, this is your home."
They followed inside, slightly speechless.
Natsuki set up the table as Shizuru cooked.
"You have a lovely wife Natsuki," Hideki smiled genuinely, "I'm sorry we couldn't make it to your wedding."
"Nonsense," Natsuki got out a bottle of her finest wine, knowing both of her parents were huge wine lovers, "It was only a court proceeding anyways."
Shizuru brought out the dinner, it smelt absolutely delicious.
"Ara, Natsuki, why are you using that wine?" Shizuru said with a frown.
Souma and Hideki paused in their movement.
Of course, they were a burden, so such an expensive wine was a waste on them.
"Huh?" Natsuki dumbly asked while pausing in uncorking it.
Shizuru giggled, "There's that piegnot special we saved, why don't you open that instead?"
"Oh yeah!" Natsuki enthusiastically opened the wine cabinet and searched for an even better one.
Souma and Hideki exchanged a look of surprise before seating themselves down.
"Otou-san, why don't you sit over there?" Natsuki gestured to the head spot at the table.
"Shouldn't you sit there?" He asked, remembering how Sumi kicked him out.
"That's your spot."
And he was ushered into his old favourite seat, sharing a look of awe with his wife.
After the pleasant dinner, the Gami's were very amused at how many times their daughter-in-law made their daughter blush.
"Isn't this your bedroom?" Hideki asked Shizuru who showed them where they would be sleeping.
"Natsuki and I are fine sleeping in the guest room." Shizuru replied, also bringing them some bedtime tea.
"This," Hideki was about to ask.
"Don't worry Okaa-san," Shizuru smiled, "Natsuki mentioned you enjoy tea before sleeping. I hope you like how I brewed it, just let me know."
"H-Hai."
Souma sat down on the large bed in his pyjamas, wishing he had something to read before sleeping.
Natsuki, as if reading his mind, came in with a couple books and passed them to him.
"We can always go buy you some new books, those are all I have..." she looked guilty.
It was more than enough, and he smiled warmly at her, "thank you, Natsuki."
Shizuru said goodnight and bowed before exiting the room.
Souma looked at the books Natsuki gave him, all interesting subjects he liked.
He looked up when he heard Hideki muter something timidly.
"Natsuki-chan, what are you doing?"
He was very surprised for the fiftieth time that evening, to see Natsuki massaging his wife's feet.
"I saw you limp," Natsuki said, "We should take you to a doctor tomorrow."
"No need to trouble," Hideki said, wincing when Natsuki hit the sore spot.
"Okaa-san," Natsuki frowned, "we really need to get that checked. Shizuru's co-worker can look at it for you."
"Co-worker?" Hideki asked in confusion.
"Yeah," Natsuki got up with a yawn, "Shizuru's studying medicine, and her co-worker is a chiropractor."
Another yawn, "I'm going to go to bed, wake us up if you need anything."
A bow.
A close of the door.
Respect.
The felt loved and wanted.
()()()
Everything about his retirement to his poetry for Hideki to his personal thoughts had been recorded.
Natsuki had found it and read it, even more furious than before.
Though she apologized for reading it without permission, she said she was sorrier for not being there for them during the ordeal.
She had a friend, Chie Hallard, who worked with publishers.
She convinced Souma to publish his book and so he did.
He had always had writing as a dream, a hobby, and now it was a reality.
The book was a national best-seller, to his surprise.
Money came rolling in ridiculously.
"Did we do something wrong?" Natsuki asked looking hurt.
"No, not at all," Hideki assured her.
"It's just something we need to do," Souma explained.
They had bought back their old house back with the money and told Natsuki and Shizuru they were leaving.
"But-"
"It's okay Natsuki," Shizuru patted her hand, "if they want to leave, let them."
Natsuki gave into their wishes.
"You have to accept something from me though," Natsuki told her parents.
"What is it?" Souma asked.
"First you have to promise to accept it." She said sternly.
Souma and Hideki shared a confused look before they turned back to Natsuki.
"Okay," he chuckled at her cute pout, "I promise."
Natsuki's face spread with glee and she handed him a blue box.
He opened it, only to find a pair of silver keys.
He looked back at her, and then went outside to the front of the house where the latest Mercedes model stood in its glory.
()()()
"We're here while our parents are rolling around in millions," Rio spat angrily.
"How were we supposed to know they'd get rich," Sumi shot at him. "I would have been a good little daughter if I knew that."
Motoko pounded a fist, "we just have to go and beg for forgiveness, and then we'll get our share of money."
They nodded, agreeing.
They had been invited to a banquet in the mail that celebrated their father's book's success with an award for its original writing.
It was grand, and they were all seated to a very nice table.
"Thank you for your support," Souma had said. "I especially thank my wife and my lovely children."
More applause.
"I would like to ask my kids to stand up," he had said with a bright smile.
His biological children felt strange and were about to stand up until his voice cut them off.
"Natsuki Kuga, my daughter, and her lovely wife Shizuru."
There was applause.
Everyone in the room who read the book knew who they were and saw them as heroes. Motoko, Sumi, and Rio were the recipients of many hateful glares.
Their parents just ignored them.
A taste of their own medicine.
()()()
"Ara," Shizuru sighed out loud as Natsuki massaged her back.
"You know, today I got asked to have my autograph taken." Natsuki sounded kind of smug.
Shizuru quirked a brow, "hmm, lots of patients at the hospital asked me the same."
Souma chuckled from his chair as Hideki walked in bringing tea.
"What about you?" Natsuki asked her parents while Shizuru moaned in pleasure from a certain spot being relieved.
"Well," Souma grinned and put down his crossword, "your mother and I get more people asking us to give tips on romance."
"Ara," Shizuru smiled, "really?"
"Really," Hideki laughed pouring out the tea into four different cups.
"Well," Shizuru smugly said, turning her body over so Natsuki could massage her thighs, "you should give Natsuki some tips on romance."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Natsuki stopped her hands and crossed her arms.
Shizuru giggled, "Okaa-san, Otou-san, do you know how Natsuki proposed to me?"
Natsuki blushed, "No! Don't tell them that!"
"Do tell Shizuru-chan," Hideki passed Souma his tea and mirrored Shizuru's smile.
"Eleven thirty in the morning," Shizuru drawled, "she told me while we were having tea in a small cafe."
The Gami's started laughing and Natsuki continued blushing.
"No ring, no romance just a simple, 'So... will you marry me?'"
They all burst out laughing.
"Natsuki," Souma laughed, "I can't believe Shizuru said yes to such lack of romance. No child of mine should be unromantic."
Natsuki couldn't help but smile at her parent's amusement and growled as she told her part of the story.
"Yeah well, she didn't say yes."
Shizuru giggled, "I never said yes or no, I told her to try again when we went out for dinner."
What happened at dinner...
"Ara," Shizuru looked around the very classy restaurant, "Natsuki certainly upgraded from this morning."
"..."
"Natsuki?"
"huh?"
"You're drooling."
"(cough) not my fault."
"Not your fault that you are drooling."
"Yes," Natsuki said, pausing as the waiter poured them some wine and turning her eyes back to her date as he left.
It was Shizuru's fault for looking so drool-able.
"Then whose fault is it?" Shizuru preached teasingly, "my sexiness or the dress establishing my sexiness."
"Are you flirting with me?"
"Am I?"
"Have we ever had a conversation where we don't flirt?"
"Hmmm." Shizuru actually pondered.
They both thought long and hard.
"When we first met?" Natsuki offered.
"Ara," Shizuru sighed, "no, we flirted then too."
"Did we?"
"Hai," Shizuru remembered, "you hit your head on a metal post and I helped you up."
"Oh yeah," Natsuki chuckled, "and you took me to the hospital."
"Natsuki was my first patient," Shizuru smirked, "how romantic."
"Damn it." Natsuki said.
"What?" Shizuru asked confused.
"We almost had a conversation where we didn't flirt."
They both laughed together.
"Hey," Natsuki said absently reaching across the table and holding Shizuru's hand, "I can read palms."
Shizuru giggled as Natsuki traced a finger on her soft hand, it tickled.
"What does my palm say?"
Natsuki frowned, "it says that you have a really long and beautiful life..."
Shizuru gasped when Natsuki let go of her hand and a diamond ring on her finger was suddenly there, shining brightly.
"With me."
_______
"And I still don't know how she put the ring on my finger," Shizuru explained.
"My secret," Natsuki grinned.
Souma and Hideki smiled at the two young lovers, they were so cute!
"Well," Souma said, "that was pretty smooth."
"Heh," Natsuki poked her wife's belly, "you hear that? I'm smooth."
"So smooth that you drool." Shizuru poked her cheek back with a grin.
"Touché," Natsuki muttered with a blush.
A/N For those of you who have read 'Falling Unknowingly in Love," before you ask, yes it will be updated soon. An interesting fact you should know: the way i had Natsuki propose to Shizuru here was how i initially planned the proposal in that story, but i'm glad i couls till get it out!
Thanks for reading, hope you liked it