Hello to everyone who is gracing this story with their presence. I am happy to see you here, well…technically not see, but see. I wanted to give a brief explanation to this story since quite a few individuals in the world do not like non-canon pairings. This story is not canon; consider it an alternate universe. The talented Risque Tendencies and I were chatting about how it might be entertaining to throw the three 'newbies' to adult relationships into something completely different than what they are in the canon. Readers know what they like when in a BL relationship, but what about relationships with girls? Ergo, this story.

The story is also swarming with original characters since there are not enough girls in the canon story to pair the boys up with, so if you don't like AUs or OCs then this may not be your cup of tea. On the other hand, if you are willing to put up with the ramblings of this poor writer's fingers, and give AUs/OCs a chance, then feel free to continue onward toward some actual storyline. Due to the AU of this story some parts might seem OOC. That is okay because this is fanfiction. I also tend to write in the 'perfect' tense a lot, which can sound rather dry, but it's the way my mind thinks, so I won't go about changing that.

Disclaimer: If I owned there'd be more pages dedicated to Terrorist and Egoist.

Timeline ~~

Nowaki was born in 1984

/GG/

Betsu No Ai oKeiken Suru Monogatari

Nowaki Monogatari 1

(2002)

It isn't every day that an orphan of no standing is able to make something for him or herself in the world. Usually, the sad truth really, is the individual does what he or she can to survive in a cruel and heartless existence, trying to pave way for the future. Without the help of family or friends anyone can fall off the straight and narrow and end up hitting rock bottom. Occasionally that person may climb out of the hole that was dug for him or her, but more often than not that person will remain in the bottom of the pit until death consumes them.

Nowaki Kusama, orphan to the world, would have none of that. He wasn't going to become a statistic that students in the future would read about in text books regarding high school drop-outs; or in his case never attending. The boy had studied his ass off, worked six jobs, and still managed to find time to sleep (at least a little). And after all his patience the letter was sitting in his hand. The letter that held his scores on his high school proficiency exam was just a thin envelope away from revealing whether the lad would be able to attend university or not.

Shaking with apprehension, he slowly turned the piece of paper over in his hand. In all his eighteen years he'd never thought a tiny piece of tree could hold the key to his future. Nowaki had informed his parents (the head of the orphanage and his wife) of his desire to attend university to become a social worker. He wanted to move Japan into a new age where children could be adopted, both in the country and out, so that every boy and girl had a parent who they could call their own.

The heads of the orphanage had been nothing but supportive of Nowaki throughout his life. Even when he had decided to leave at the age of fifteen and hold down various bottom-feeding jobs just so there was more room at the orphanage. The boy had to become a man a lot quicker than necessary.

After all was said and done, the boy who turned into a man, was licking his lips in nervousness and staring at the envelope in his hands. It was now or never. Slowly he tore off the edges to produce the results. Nowaki didn't even realize his eyes had been closed until he looked at the results.

Japanese language – 95th percentile

Mathematics – 98th percentile

Sciences – 99th percentile

Japanese history and government – 93rd percentile

English – 97th percentile

Kanji – 99th percentile

Tears formed in his eyes as he took in the site of his percentages. These scored would get him into N. University with no problem and probably even grant him a scholarship or two. He'd need to work harder on his government knowledge, but with everything else he was thrilled to be in the top 95% of all students who took the exam.

/GG/

Feeling utterly giddy and beyond excited, the future college student went to visit the Kusama Orphanage. He wanted to show his parents his scores as well as inform them of the university he'd chosen. If he'd been a child of means he'd have had no problem getting into Mitsuhashi or T. University. As it was he knew that he'd never be able to afford such extravagant places of study without quite a bit of monetary help from somewhere. He was willing to work on his undergraduate degree at a lesser institution and then see about a more prestigious place for higher education if it came to that.

Nothing could even begin to describe the elation he felt as he walked into the courtyard of what was once his home. The same playground equipment he'd played on all those years ago still stood proudly through all the wear and tear brought on by hundreds of children playing. No matter how long he was away the sight of this playground was still home.

"Nowaki onii-san!"

He looked at the door and no less than eight children ran from the entryway toward him at full force. Nowaki grinned and opened his arms to receive the onslaught of kids that were about to tackle him, probably to the ground. Within moments of the first child's launch the tall man fell backwards and landed on the soft grass only to be made the bottom of a dog pile. He laughed and wrapped his arms around his little brothers and sisters.

"Onii-san, did you come to stay for dinner?"

Nowaki couldn't tell who asked since someone was sitting on his face.

"I did." Came his muffled reply which earned a chorus of cheers from the masses.

The kids were slowly stripped off the man as an older child disentangled the abundance of arms and legs that covered Nowaki.

"There's a benefactor here with his family. Oji-san told us that we need to be on good behavior to make sure the benefactor continues paying for the institution." One of the older boys said calmly.

This wasn't a strange happenstance at the orphanage. Benefactors came every few months to ensure their money was being used wisely. The Kusama Orphanage always maintained a highly respectable, albeit humble, lifestyle. The children never went without the basic of necessities, and even though the heads were never able to adopt, they loved every single child like their own. Occasionally a benefactor would even adopt a child. It had happened thrice in Nowaki's time at the orphanage. Maybe someone would get lucky this time too.

"Then I had best be on good behavior." He said with a cheeky grin as the entourage made way for the door.

He didn't make it long into the abode before his mother came and took him by the arm and pulled him away from the kids.

"I'm sorry for this Nowaki. Your father got this crazy notion into his head. Just play along with him for now and we will see if we can't alleviate the issue later."

This caused Nowaki's head to spin slightly as she pushed him into the sitting room and shut the door behind him. The young man looked at the occupants of the room and bowed slightly before speaking.

"Hello, my name is Nowaki Kusama. It's a pleasure to meet you for the first time." He said in complete respect.

"Kusama-san, I didn't know you had a son." The other man in the room said as he stood up and gave a slight nod of the head.

"I don't have an actual son. This is Nowaki Kusama. He was left on our doorstep as an infant. We gave him our name because he didn't have one when we found him." The director stated.

Nowaki raised his head and walked further into the room. He looked at the women sitting on the sofa next to the man who had to be the benefactor. A slight nod was given by both, but neither stood up.

"I'm glad to meet you Nowaki-kun." The benefactor said as he took a seat. "I am Kichirou Tanaka. This is my wife Kohana and my daughter Shizuka-chan."

Again Nowaki bowed slightly before taking a seat next to the director of the orphanage.

Tanaka-san decided to speak again. "I am glad to make this young man's acquaintance, but I thought we were meeting another benefactor of this institution today."

Kusama nodded his head and looked at Nowaki who had saucer size eyes.

"Nowaki is the other benefactor." Kusama stated.

Everyone in the room was silent as Nowaki ducked his head in embarrassment.

"Come again?" Tanaka asked.

"Nowaki donates money to this institution. Not anywhere near what you donate, Tanaka-san, but he still sends us more than what he should based on his living conditions."

The conversation was confusing for everyone involved and it made a certain young man feel as if he were in a zoo on display for people to mock or talk about. Needless to say, he wanted to disappear for a while because it was very uncomfortable indeed.

"Nowaki-kun, tell me about your conditions." Tanaka didn't ask for this, it was a demand for information.

"Uhhhh." The man called typhoon couldn't really articulate at that point in time. "I work various jobs to pay for myself, but I send money every month here for everything my family has done for me. I guess I am going to N. University in the fall because I just passed my high school proficiency exam." He held out his scores so his father could see them.

"Nowaki, these are your scores?" Kusama asked.

"Yes, sir."

The elder Kusama stood up and wrapped the younger (though much taller) man into a bear hug. "I am so proud of you, son."

The smile at emanated from Nowaki's face could have lit a thousand Christmas trees. The praise was well worth the effort in his mind. Nothing could beat having one's father praising one's grades.

After the little family moment the two Kusamas drifted apart and sat back onto their respective seats. Both looked at Tanaka-san as if to request his continuation of questions. The family bonding time could come later, after the benefactor and his family were gone.

"What have you decided to study?" The questions continued without hesitation.

"Social work, sir. I wish to help my little brothers and sisters find permanent homes. I know the Kusamas would happily adopt them all, but currently such options are neither feasible nor allowed by the government."

Tanaka took the boy in with a slight nod. Even though he was very young, he was making his way in the world on his own. The child he'd spawned was a bit dull and rather selfish at times. She needed someone to help introduce her to the working conditions of man and while Tanaka was hoping for someone with a little more age and pedigree, this young man was stunning and hardworking. Both would ensure good grandsons to carry on his bloodline.

"What are your thoughts on family, Nowaki-kun?"

Now this was a question Nowaki could answer at the drop of a hat. Living with the Kusamas at the orphanage had been a decent living, but nothing topped getting to go home to someone you were related to, by either blood or by other legal means. Nowaki had wanted to have a family his entire life. Since he'd passed the age of being adopted the last option he available was to find a significant other and live with them. Hopefully they'd have children he could shower with love and affection.

"Family is the most important thing in the world to any orphan, sir. People cannot appreciate something like a family unless they have been without. I am envious of those who had families they could come home to and care about. I look forward to being in a family one day." He answered with complete truth from the heart and could tell by the way Tanaka-san was eyeing him that the answer was sufficient.

"Then it's settled. I will happily go along with the omiai."

Nowaki's eyes went wide as he looked at the senior Kusama. No wonder his mother had been flustered earlier on. An omiai, although he wasn't opposed, was not something he expected.

/GG/

(2003)

Nowaki stepped over the threshold into the humble flat his parents-in-law had found for him and his wife after they'd gotten married. The place was small, with only one room, but it was a home none-the-less. He smiled as he looked at his wife in the tiny kitchen cooking stir-fry.

It was hard to believe they'd already been married for nine months. The current college student never thought he'd be capable of settling down before he hit twenty. He knew at one point it was going to be necessary if he wanted a family, but looking at his wife's pregnant belly, he was glad he didn't wait. Within his wife was a life he'd helped create and he was going to help nurture.

Excitement wasn't even something that came close to describing how Nowaki felt every time he placed his hand on her growing abdomen. He and Shizuka were both very young and he had to work quite hard to support both her and their growing family, but his parents-in-law and the Kusamas were all supportive in his decision to start a family early.

Trademark smile plastered on his face, he took off his shoes. "I'm home." He stated smoothly as he walked in and put his school books down.

"Welcome home, Nowaki." Shizuka said from the kitchen. She turned to him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Your child and I both missed you."

"Really?" He asked, placing his hand on her belly from behind in a tender hug.

"Oh yes. This child is going to be an acrobat when he or she grows up. I haven't had a bit of peace since waking up this morning. I think he or she is eager to come out and meet papa."

Nowaki was completely in love. Not with just his wife, but his soon to be child as well. There was nothing in his life he would change in that moment, except maybe get some food on the table. That could wait a few more moments though so he could cuddle.

Shizuka had turned out to be an extremely intelligent girl who was slightly younger than Nowaki. She'd had a good life with her parents and the adjustment to living within certain means had caused her some difficulties when trying to adjust. The marriage had come about quicker than expected because neither party were willing to disclose that they'd made love before the wedding and were with child less than two months after becoming intimate with one another.

The tale that was told was that Shizuka and Nowaki didn't want to wait to get married so Nowaki could start that family he'd always wanted. It was and wasn't a lie, depending on how a person looked at the situation. So, in the end, less than two weeks after a positive pregnancy test was seen, the two were married and embarking on a new journey together.

Back to the matter at hand though, Nowaki needed to eat before going to his night job. He worked construction in the evenings because of the pay and benefits. The third shift workers earned 20% more an hour and were given insurance as an incentive. While that made home time scarce, it was necessary for his growing family. Add that to the amount Shizuka earned from the flower shop job she'd taken over from her husband, and the two were able to make it without assistance from the government or family.

"What time are you going to leave tonight?" Shizuka asked as she finished cooking and began bowling up the eats.

"I have an hour before I have to leave. I am taking an extra shift tonight for some overtime. I don't want you working anymore until after the baby comes."

Leave it to Prince Charming to start lobbying against Women's Liberation, but when it came to the health of both mother and child Nowaki was willing to take a beating.

"The baby isn't due for another few weeks. I think we'll be okay if I work another week or so. Besides, we can use the money."

They sat down to eat at a western style table that already had a high chair waiting for the new addition. Nowaki knew he should let Shizuka choose since she knew her body much better than he did; though he was a close second to knowing her body. He'd just done too much reading on the subject of pregnancy and didn't want to receive a call that spelled doom.

"I know you feel that way. But you've been having Braxton Hicks contractions for a while now and we both know that can be a precursor to labor." He took some rice and handed her the bowl as was customary at their table.

She nodded as she took the bowl. "I have, but they don't last long and they don't hurt. If they get too much I just lie on my left side and the discomfort goes away."

He eyed her for a moment and started to wish, yet again, that he could be spending more time with her in these final stages. Work and school were important though and she had been all but encouraging in his finishing school as soon as he could. Instead of taking the customary fifteen credits a term he'd bumped it up to twenty-one. Instead of finishing in four years he was going to finish in three years. This meant that in just over two years he would have a real job that he could leave at a normal time and come home to spend time with his family. Sometimes a person needed to be separate from the ones they loved in order to ensure a future together.

She continued. "Besides, I already told my boss that tomorrow was my last day till the baby was six months old." Nowaki smiled at this news. "And do you know what he said?"

Nowaki had a hunch it was similar to what the man had said when he quit to work a higher paying job and attend school.

"He told me I could bring the baby in and his wife could baby-sit, free of charge, after six weeks are up."

The man didn't know if he was happy or not about this news. On the one hand money was important, on the other so was bonding with the baby. He was going to let this be her decision since he already knew the answer.

"Just as long as I can come to visit during breaks between classes."

This was a normal conversation in the Kusama household. Both parties were content in their lives and where their lives were taking them. While it didn't start off that way, the two had grown to have a mutual affection and trust of one another. This was the type of love that didn't happen immediately like a flame being ignited by a match. No, this was a love that slowly dripped from a leaky faucet that eventually filled a container left in the sink.

After the meal Nowaki left for work and only stayed for a few hours. The foreman ended up calling the young man away from his job to tell him his wife's water had broken and was on her way to the hospital to deliver the child. Nowaki left his job with pats on the back and congratulations from all of his co-workers.

By the time he reached the hospital his parents-in-law were standing in the hallway awaiting his arrival. He was ushered into a smock and sent into the room where Shizuka was waiting. Nowaki stood by her side the entire twenty-three hour labor and was the first one to hold his tiny daughter in his arms. Once the babe was cleaned off he walked with her to visit her waiting grandparents, who were overjoyed to be introduced to Myu Kusama .

/GG/

The title for this story translates to, "The Story of Experiencing Another Love". The title for the chapter translates to, "The Story of Nowaki 1".