This is Hachi,here to tell the story of the Ichinose family reunion. Let's start off with the past. My daughter was practically fathered by my friends from BLAST. I knew though, Satsuki never gave up hope on living happily with mommy, daddy, and brother Ren. I have to admit, I would've loved that, but I'd given up hope and stayed with Nana. Takumi had some affairs, but never seemed to want me as much as he wanted Trapnest's Reira. To be honest, I'd given up hope on our family. Nobu had gotten closer with me lately, and little Satsuki loved him. I couldn't admit it to anyone, but I slept with him. I felt like I couldn't divorce Takumi, he has my son, and is my financial support. I already knew he'd cheated with Reira, and if I had any reason to believe he wanted me more, I may have had a reason to come to London with him. I've grown so close to Nana though, I don't want to leave. Maybe it was selfish of me, but I was afraid to leave to an unfaithful husband. Maybe it was hypocritical, since I'd been unfaithful myself.
Then, one day, I got a text that would shock any mother out of her shell. Takumi never texts me anymore, but this wasn't the kind of loving message I somewhere in my heart hoped to see. Ren had cancer, and I might never see him again if I didn't come to London soon. My children are my life, and I was leaving my friends behind for Ren, no matter what anyone says. It was 3AM and I had been up watching television. I couldn't call everyone at 3 o'clock and get the news out, so I left a note:
To all my friends, I'll miss you. I never wanted to leave. But, my son has come up with a terrible illness, so I have to go to London. Please forgive me. Nana, stay strong. Nobu, I'm sorry. I hope I can come back soon! Keep singing Nana. Love you guys, and please spread the word, Hachiko.
I got Satsuki out of the bed, but as expected, she woke up and asked where we were going so late. I just told her to sleep until she got there, and she listened well. She never even woke up on the plane. It took 11 hours, and by the time she woke up, she knew from the long plane ride that we were going to see daddy. She never screamed with excitement or became restless. She just... smiled.
At about 3PM the next day, we arrived at Takumi's house, and Ren had been lying peacefully asleep. I naturally felt his pulse, and kissed him. Takumi had been hugging Satsuki and calmly explained that her brother was very sick. She left to give Ren a kiss on the cheek, and went to the backyard to play. It was perfect timing, Takumi and I had to discuss family matters. It wasn't a very happy family reunion. I hugged him as he began telling me the details of Ren's problem.
"Ren has leukemia. The doctors have sent him home for now, he'll probably end back in the hospital soon. It makes me sick to talk about it."
"No! Did we curse him by giving him that name?"
"We couldn't have prevented this, Hachi. All we have now is to spend time with him and to take him to the best doctors we possibly can."
At that point I broke down crying. I'd been so distant from Takumi, I couldn't even expect him holding me the way he did to comfort me. We needed to resolve issues of our own as well. Once I calmed down, I thought I had better work things out with Takumi so at least, if Ren does go, he had a happy family life for the rest of his time here.
"Takumi, we need to talk."
"We do."
"Do you think we should stay together?"
"Honestly, I had been waiting for you to come here with me. It's best for business, and I would've loved to have you here with me. I sacrificed everything, and I'm paying for it. It doesn't shock me that you didn't want to come with me. But you had things to take care of in Japan with Nana. I don't want to leave you."
"It seems like you do. The first message I've gotten from you in these last 5 months is to hear that our son has cancer. And I know that you cheated with Reira. It looks like you don't really want me. It really does."
"You know that Reira and I were childhood friends. She always loved me, and I knew she wanted it. I just did it to make her happy. She's like my sister, and I didn't want her to be so upset, but I really don't love her in that way. To tell you the truth, I wasn't thinking of you as I did it, but I thought things over, and I started to realize I messed up."
"What about my happiness? That's no excuse to have sex with another woman! How do you think I feel? You hypocrite! How could you tell me how you hated to think of me with other men, then you sleep with her and don't bother to make contact with me, your wife?" Then, for the first time, I saw a tear fall from his eye. "You know, I slept with Nobu, so I can't say I have any room to talk."
"And you have the nerve to call me a hypocrite? I can't believe this, maybe we should get a divorce."
"We both did something wrong. I apologize on my part, Takumi. Please forgive me." At that point I cried as bad as when I found out about Ren. How could I do this to both Nobu and Takumi? What scared me the most, was that he never reached forward to comfort me this time. Maybe it was the end for us.
"I apologize, too. I've been busy with Ren, and haven't contacted Reira for months. The last time was for Ren to play the guitar for her to sing. But it's true, I cheated on you. I'm a selfish man, and you knew it when you married me. I fucked up my life already. I'm sorry, Hachi." He finally reached for me, but I think it was so he could face the other way so I wouldn't see him cry. Maybe he did feel bad, maybe.
"Trapnest is gone, why is it that you need to contact Reira. Shin still wants her."
"She's agreed to stay with Shin. I don't want her. She's more of a sister to me. Everything that happened was a mistake. I think now that my life's going downhill, I should admit that I'm an ass and a horrible husband."
"Well then, I'm the worst wife anyone could want! I had sex with my ex boyfriend!"
"I told you why I made that mistake with Reira. Why did you make the same mistake with Nobu?"
"I was lonely, it just happened. I don't even know!" I hadn't cried so much in my entire life.
"We both made the same mistake. Now we're reunited for the first time in months. Why don't we start over."
"Do you really want that? Why didn't you text me if you were so lonely, too?"
"I'd been avoiding the problem. I was lonely, so I avoided it and you got the wrong message."
"Wait, what do you mean by start over?"
"We both made the same mistake, and we've learned. I know I still have feelings for you. You're the only one I ever really loved. I want to live as a family and get rid of all our past problems."
"You really want to settle down? You're calmer, too. This isn't like the you I used to know Takumi, but I like it."
"I used to put my goals in front of love, but that hasn't been possible with Ren. Now that I know how short life can be, and how important a family is, I've changed. The only thing keeping me from being the loneliest man on Earth was Ren. I don't want to be lonely anymore. Trapnest is gone, I don't even have a goal anymore! So my goal is family. And I have to be calmer. I can't lose control with a son."
"I'm so sad, but so happy! I always wanted to have a happy family life with you! Now you'll let that happen. This is what I wanted."
"So you're okay with letting your friends go?"
"... I... don't want to leave Nana."
"See, sacrifice for family isn't easy to make, but that's why I couldn't give you everything before. I had work. I had my band. But I want you to consider, I've given up my childhood friend for you. "
"Reira? What do you mean gave her up?"
"I'm not concerned with her anymore."
"I think... I'm ready to give up my old life for this." I smiled, taking into consideration what he said. This way we could make up everything to each other. All our mistrustful past is gone.
"I changed, but I want you to know, even though I'm a selfish man, the only one I've ever loved as a wife is you. I know you love your friends, but please, stay in London with me."
"You know I will. I'm sorry I didn't come earlier. I guess I was selfish too. Like you choosing business over me, I chose friends over you." I hugged his neck uncontrollably until he pulled me off. "What is it?"
"I love you. I can't be selfish anymore, we've got kids."
"I love you, too. And I promise, I won't be so selfish either." He leaned in to kiss me when the door peeped open.
"Mommy, Daddy, I'm tired."
"Satsuki, come here, let's get you tucked in."
I was glad to see that Takumi was acting so well with her. Maybe her wish would come true after all. After we put her to bed, I laid down in Takumi's bed to think over everything we'd said. He's been a grown man for a while, but he thinks of other people now. He's matured so much. He didn't even lose his cool in our argument. And he wanted to live with me again. I have little Ren to thank for this.
The reason he isn't selfish is because he doesn't have time to be. He's been stuck with Ren. But I need to mature. I was stupid and selfish enough to cheat on him even with Satsuki because my friends would watch her. Maybe it is best to leave them behind. I never really thought about it that way, but many of them are too immature for a family themselves. I guess it rubbed off on me and Takumi until Takumi was alone with Ren all this time. I can't believe I was as selfish as I said Takumi was. I think we'll finally have a good life together, as long as Ren can fight his problems. I started crying hysterically. Then Takumi finally showed up when I needed him. He hugged me and kissed me, and he took care of me again. Once I calmed down I wanted to just make passionate love to him, but I was almost scared after thinking about what we'd both done with other people. So I got the guts to ask him if he used a condom with Reira, and thankfully, he said yes. He even told me about the note that he burned with her name on it. He really was thinking of me. I assured him that I used one with Nobu. Of course, he didn't plan to use one on me. I'm glad, though. We were going to make everything with real contact and real emotions.
He wasted no time stripping me down, and he took his clothes off too. I felt something so sincere in his dark gaze, something I've never felt before. He stared me directly in the eyes the whole time he was on top of me, and I melted. He was just as good in bed as he'd always been, but this time, he really wanted to keep things this way. I leaned in to kiss him and he pushed himself in as far as I could hold him. I moaned as quietly as possible so the kids would be able to sleep without any... interruptions. His smile was so seductive on it's own, but I almost died from pleasure when he started pulsing faster and rubbing his finger through my hair. What he said next was what gave me the most pleasure, though.
"I love you, babe."
"I love you, too, Takumi!"
I grabbed his newly cut hair and rubbed my fingers along his scalp. He slowed down and started to kiss me beautifully. I couldn't take it anymore, and I came. He seemed to take pleasure in my happiness for once in his life. He kissed the tears from my cheeks, and I realized he laid himself down on me. I felt a tear of his own hit my shoulder. It's best that I couldn't see him, I didn't want to break down. When he pulled himself together, he flipped me onto my back. Almost immediately he found my g-spot and I ended up coming a second time. Not long after I did, he hit his own orgasm.
We needed baths desperately, so we huddled up in the bath tub in a loving embrace. We pulled each other out of rock bottom. My friends were some of the best people in my life, but this is a worthy sacrifice. I love my family, and I truly need them. My friends can always visit me here if they need me. I'll be waiting, but now I've found my purpose in life. We got out of the bath tub ready to help our son fight for his life. Once we've done all we can do, then we can worry about friends. I went to bed for the night curled up in Takumi's arms. We both were new people starting tonight.
The next morning, Ren woke up before everyone, and was shocked at the sight of Satsuki and me. He ran up to me and gave me a hug. Time to be strong. We had his doctor's appointment that day.
The doctor informed us of a medicine that could possibly cure him because he was in the beginning stages. Of course, we used the medicine.
It took a couple years, but our son was cancer free. Those were the hardest years of my life. Takumi and I are new people now. Having children has changed our lives, and we've been able to appreciate each other. Best of all we've been loyal to each other. Neither of us ever expected our son to have leukemia, but it brought us all together. And Takumi and I swear, it was Trapnest's Ren that gave our son the help he needed. It ended up being a blessing that we named him after Ren. As for friends, Satsuki talks with everyone back in Japan regularly on her new web cam. I talk to Nana, and she's found the strength to keep singing without me there. I'm happy for all of them, and I'm happy that Ren has helped our son, and our son has helped us to become a family again. Thank you, Ren. Both Rens.
No one is lonely now. I've got the family life I've always wanted, and Takumi is happy. Satsuki's wish has come true. And everyone in Japan is happy, too. Nana is a successful singer, Reira and Shin are having a successful relationship, and Nobu is still in love with his crazy girlfriend. Everyone is happy now, thanks to the unexpected Ichinose family reunion. Thanks again, Ren, from everyone.
