BITTER SWEETS
a JUNJOU ROMANTICA fan-fiction
starring the DYNASTY couple! a.k.a MizukiXKaoruko
characters introduced in ch3.
Tanaka- (?) Usami family butler.
Akihiko Usami- (18) Recent HS graduate. Future novelist.
Haruhiko Usami- (20) College student. Intern for the Usami Group. Future Usami Group President.
ch 3.
STORY OCCURS after Kaoruko and Mizuki leave the airport in Junjou Romantica 3 ep 3…
[FLASHBACK: ONE OF THE USAMI SUMMER HOMES]
Mizuki was 12 when he made his first solo trip to Japan. Most 12 year olds would consider an over seas vacation, free from his parents, an opportunity to cut loose. But Mizuki just saw his first trip to Japan (since he was maybe 6) as a pain, an opportunity to be bored by strangers instead of his immediate family.
He'd heard from his parents that he was to stay with his Uncle Fuyuhiko for the summer. Apparently his Uncle was some big shot who'd married into a family full of even bigger, big shots. Fuyuhiko Usami had 2 sons Akihiko (18) and Haruhiko (20) Mizuki was smart enough to realize that no 18 or 20 yr. old man would want to spend time with a 12 yr. old kid. So when he got off the plane at Narita he was prepared to spend his summer quietly sitting in some corner of a room that smelled like old people, reading any book he could find to keep himself from going absolutely mad.
For the most part he'd been right. After his arrival at the Usami estate and their first meal together, Mizuki didn't catch even a glimpse of his uncle for another two weeks. A butler called Tanaka was tasked with bringing him his meals and ensuring his safety in the absence of the estate's other inhabitants.
Truthfully Mizuki was happy to be left alone. When Haruhiko nii-san was around all he did was glare. His glaring was usually reserved for Akihiko nii-san, but it still gave Mizuki the impression that his eldest cousin held some sort of grudge that he wanted no part of. Akihiko nii-san was different, different in a lot of ways. He never really spoke with anyone; he never really made eye contact with anyone. He was an oddity to Mizuki and though his parents had warned Mizuki that Akihiko was brilliant; his cousin's curious nature made Mizuki wonder if the older boy was maybe a little soft between the ears.
It was probably the third week in June when Mizuki had gone through every page of literature the Usami estate had to offer. He'd always been a fast reader but even he was astounded at the rate he'd managed to devour such a large collection of books. Mizuki had been told early on that if he needed anything that he could simply ask Tanaka-san for anything he might need, but Mizuki was not used to being spoiled. He knew himself to be quite capable and thought surely in a house this big he could find something else to read.
Mizuki searched room after room for two whole days before he found what he was looking for. In a small storage closet on the top floor, in a desk covered in a slight layer of dust, Mizuki found notebook after notebook. As he opened the first, expecting someone's discarded homework, he read the first pages of the most magnificent story he'd ever been privileged to. He read and kept reading. He'd never felt so alive as he read a story of a boy, a boy who in the end found happiness. It was so simple, so perfect; it was as if the author had tailored the story to anyone who had ever felt alone in their own world. As Mizuki finished the first notebook, he realized he was crying. It surprised him. Mizuki hadn't cried in a long time. He was too distracted by the moisture seeping down his cheeks to notice that for some time now he hadn't been alone in the room.
Uncle Fuyuhiko:
(nostalgic) "When I first found this room and read what you're reading, I felt the same thing you're feeling right now young man."
Mizuki's reddened eyes looked to see none other than his Uncle standing in the doorway. Quickly Mizuki turned away too ashamed to let a near stranger see him cry.
Uncle Fuyuhiko:
(melancholy) "But I suppose each man's interpretation is different based on his own experience."
Uncle Fuyuhiko:
(intrigued) "Truthfully I'm surprised you got much out of it, as young as you are."
Mizuki was offended that the old man thought him less than capable of understanding something so significant as what he'd read in the pages of that book. He felt immediately defensive.
Mizuki:
(bold) "I may be young, but I'm not stupid."
Uncle Fuyuhiko:
(amused) "No. I suppose not. Next time you should try reading some of his published works…"
With a quick flick of his wrist Uncle Fuyuhiko turned the manuscript towards Mizuki and tapped the author's name with his pointer finger. Mizuki's eyes grew as big as saucers. Scribbled in the same childish handwriting as the notebook were the words: This is Property of Akihiko Usami.
Mizuki:
(amazed) "Akihiko nii-san?"
Uncle Fuyuhiko:
(playful) "I doubt he'd like it very much if he knew we'd read these. But I wont tell if you wont?"
Mizuki's mind was a buzz with all the questions he had at that moment. Had his solitarily odd cousin really written this? What other books had he written? Was he really a published novelist at only 18? Why hadn't Mizuki found Akihiko nii-san's published books in the family library?
Mizuki:
(embarrassed) "Um uh… Uncle Fuyuhiko?-"
Before he managed to choke on his own word vomit. Uncle Fuyuhiko calmly interjected.
Uncle Fuyuhiko:
(curious) "Mizuki. Would you care to join me for a cup of tea? I think it's about time we got to know each other better."
Ever since Uncle Fuyuhiko had found Mizuki in Akihiko Nii-san's secret library, the two had become fairly close. Uncle Fuyuhiko seemed to come home from his office at a more reasonable time, they had meals together, and most of all Uncle Fuyuhiko spoke to Mizuki like he would an equal. Mizuki wondered if his uncle was even capable of interacting with actual children, but was glad to be treated like an adult. Nearly everyday, either after dinner of during tea the two men would discuss books and music and plays. Sometimes Mizuki would find himself having no idea what the old man was saying but as soon as they parted company he made sure to be well informed on whatever the subject the next time he met his uncle.
Mizuki found himself in the garden of yet another lavish summer home belonging to his extended family. As it had been explained to him, this was a bi-annual meeting of the members of the Usami family to discuss business matters. He was here because the rest of the household was here. So feeling slightly excluded Mizuki roamed the garden. As he made his way through the seemingly never-ending maze of shrubbery, he came upon a young girl. The slight, dark-haired girl was digging, covered in dirt, despite having been dressed in what had to be the finest traditional kimono he'd ever seen. He assumed she was an Usami, because what other family would dress a girl, who looked to be even younger than him, in such finery. He made his way closer to the girl but was surprised when she quickly turned to him with a look of absolute disgust and yelled in a voice too commanding and domineering to belong to a child.
Kaoruko:
(angry) "You there! Are you the gardener?"
Mizuki shook his head in response to her question. She sighed an irritated sigh and continued about her work.
Kaoruko:
(angry) "These plants have been miss planted!"
Mizuki was curious to see what she was doing. He squatted down beside her and inspected the mess she'd made. She'd dug up half the flowerbed and had grass stains and mud up to her elbows.
Mizuki:
(curious) "How can you tell?"
Kaoruko:
(condescending) "Because I'm not an idiot! This really is poisonous!"
Mizuki:
(irritated) "I'm sure someone just planted it because it's pretty…."
Kaoruko:
(irritated/worried) "Its beautiful but it shouldn't be planted here! Uncle's dog walks in the garden sometimes! If Alexander ate one of these…"
Kaoruko:
(irritated) "Ugh why am I even telling you. You aren't the gardener! Where is he!? I need to get back to the meeting!"
Her dismissive tone alerted Mizuki that he was not worth her time. This annoyed him but at the same time he was impressed that a clearly privileged girl would take the time to dig up the whole garden for the sake of a dog. He also wondered what part a girl of her age could have in The Usami Group's annual meeting?
Uncle Fuyuhiko:
(pleased/suprised) "Ah! Mizuki there you are and I see you've met my favorite niece!" "O my! What's happened to your kimono?"
Responding to their uncle's presence in the garden, the girl jumped up and bowed politely.
Kaoruko:
(regretful) "I'm sorry Uncle Fuyuhiko! These plants are dangerous and if Alexander ate them I'm pretty sure he could die!"
Uncle Fuyuhiko:
(impressed) "Oh well we can't have that, Haruhiko would be broken hearted if anything happened to that dog. I'll be sure to let the gardener know. I see you've been reading the botany text I sent you!"
Kaoruko:
(happy) "Yes!"
Uncle Fuyuhiko:
(caring) "That reminds me I've left the newest copies of your cousins' latest works with your father!"
Kaoruko:
(happy) "Akihiko nii-sama's!? Oh thank you Uncle! His books are so hard to find in England. I'm soo excited! Thank you!"
As the girl left to retrieve her gifts, she turned to Mizuki and stuck her tongue out at him. Mizuki felted heated. The little girl had managed to both offend and inspire him. She seemed to share his love of Akihiko Nii-san's work, which he found impressive, but she'd also had the audacity to talk down to him and even go as far as to stick her tongue out at him? He wasn't sure if he was more irritated or intrigued. Mizuki was obviously deep in thought as he and his Uncle left the garden.
Uncle Fuyuhiko:
(doting) "Lovely girl, my niece. So young and yet she has such a clear vision of the future. She'll be a great asset to the family one day."
After a long silence Mizuki realized what he needed to do to be on par with the girl from the garden.
Mizuki:
(contemplative) "How do I get into that meeting?"
Uncle Fuyuhiko:
(impressed) "That's fairly ambitious of you Mizuki. The Usami Group isn't to be taken lightly. And as a Shiiba, you'll have to travel a hard path to attain a goal like that."
Mizuki:
(wise/manly) "I read a quote once… 'Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty…' "*
Uncle Fuyuhiko:
(impressed) "A truer statement has never been made. 'I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.' "*
Mizuki wasn't at all surprised his Uncle could finish the quote, Fuyuhiko Usami had in the coarse of a single summer proved himself to be a man of sophistication and class. He was someone to be admired, someone she admired. After another deeply contemplative silence Mizuki asked his Uncle,
Mizuki:
(contemplative) "Uncle? What's that girl's name?"
Looking back on the incident, Mizuki should have realized his Uncle had him figured out from the beginning. The old man smirked as he knowingly answered his adolescent nephew.
Uncle Fuyuhiko:
(realizing) "Kaoruko. Kaoruko Usami."
She was 10 yrs old. Her name was Kaoruko. And Mizuki thought she was perfect.
His opinion of Kaoruko only grew over the years as his Uncle kept Mizuki well informed of her activities. With every advancement she made Mizuki felt the need to push himself to do more and be better. He attended some of the finest Universities in the world. Every time she traveled to a new country, Mizuki would learn the language. She developed a new interest he would research it.
Mizuki had finally earned his place in the Usami group by the time he was 22. He'd graduated and had been hired into the company using his own strength. For the first time he felt like he was really getting closer to Kaoruko's ideal. Being a working adult was hard at first. Travel and meetings took up a lot of his time. Mizuki understood that his Uncle too must have been very busy and for a few months Mizuki didn't realize how infrequent their correspondence had become.
Until it stopped all together.
It had probably been 6 months since Mizuki had heard anything from his Uncle. So when he finally did receive an email Mizuki opened it as quickly as he could only to discover on of the biggest shocks of his life;
Haruhiko Usami,
Son of The Usami Group Chairman, Fuyuhiko Usami,
will celebrate his betrothal to Miss Kaoruko Usami
and will wed in the Aishimasukuma Chapel.
He wasn't ready. He'd worked so hard to get where he was, and nothing. Not his Uncle, not his cousin, nothing would get in the way of working his way into her heart.
end ch 3.
'Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty…' 'I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.' = A quote by Theodore Roosevelt
Aishimasukuma Chapel= name I made up for the chapel Uncle Fuyuhiko dedicates in the anime. In Japanese it's 'loving bear' chapel…