The Gun and the Guitar Part 3
Chapter 4: It's Bad Luck Mom…
Four successful and busy weeks went by. But tonight, Hiro found himself lounging on the sofa with K and Michael, watching a scary movie. K had gotten The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, because tonight in America it was Halloween. For Michael, it was a pretty serious event that required candy, a jack-o'-lantern and frightening things. Hiro was accustomed to O-bon in Japan, which was a celebration of dead relatives. They would offer food and water at their graves. He didn't really think about Halloween much until now. But so far this holiday wasn't too bad, although, if he ate anymore candy he'd end up with a tummy ache.
"So people really go around dressed up and collect candy at people's homes?" asked Hiro, amazed at such an odd tradition.
"Yup, I'm glad Michael is okay about it," K whispered to Hiro so as not to remind Michael that he was not going to participate tonight in the customary way.
"Do parents dress up too?" the brunette wondered.
"Sometimes, I dressed up as a pirate once for a Halloween party," K offered grinning.
Hiro laughed at him going "Arrr" in K's ear.
"Ssssh!" Michael demanded.
"Oh, we've been told," Hiro quipped and K winked at him.
They watched the rest of the movie without another word.
When the movie finished, K got a hyper Michael to take his bath and get ready for bed.
There was a knock at the front door. Hiro went to answer it, wondering who the heck it could be at this hour of the evening. He pulled open the door to his older brother Yuji.
"Hey bro!" proclaimed his brother, flashing his happy smile.
"Yuji, what are you doing here at this hour?" Hiro inquired, noticing that his brother looked healthy, clean and chipper.
"Can't I drop in on my little brother—whom, I haven't seen since you went on tour? And find out what sort of trouble he's getting into, huh?" the man with short, tousled dark hair said, shoving Hiro aside and entering the house.
Hiro stood back baffled but he didn't complain.
"Whoa, this is a nice house. So where's that roommate of yours you mentioned on the phone…Claude or whatever his name is? Oh, and mom wants to know why you're avoiding your family, she says you don't come around as often as you used to," Yuji rambled on asking a bunch of questions.
Hmm, as Hiro might have guessed. He rolled his eyes. It would seem Yuji was sent here by his parents to do a little spying. It wasn't like he hadn't gone to visit his parents yet; he had, especially since the kidnapping in L.A, he called to tell them what happened and said that he was alright. Just in case they might have watched the news.
"I-I was thinking of dropping by tomorrow actually," Hiro countered quickly. Honestly, he didn't plan on tomorrow but now it seemed he had no choice. Damn...what did he care what his brother thought?
"Right…" Yuji drawled and went to grab a beer from the fridge.
Hiro followed him to the kitchen where Yuji handed him a beer too. "You haven't exactly been around much yourself, Yuj, not since I got back to Japan."
Yuji laughed, "It's hard when you're out having as much fun as I am."
Shaking his head, Hiro lifted his beer to his lips.
"OH SHIT!" Yuji suddenly cried and grabbed Hiro's left hand, startling his little brother.
"Yuji, what the hell—"
Opps, he'd forgotten about that...
"Don't…tell me t-this is what I think it is?!" Yuji stammered and eyed the gold band on Hiro's finger.
Hiro could feel the heat burning his cheeks before he could give Yuji a proper answer.
Yuji's eyes widened at his brother, he knew him well and saw Hiro's tell-tale blush. "WOW, you got married! Who's the lucky girl?" Yuji started looking around for her when it dawned on him. "Wait a minute. You're living in a new house with a 'roommate' who happens to be a man."
The guitarist could see his brother's face changing expressions as he figured out his secret. Yuji could be a goofball but he wasn't stupid. Hiro couldn't help but smirk at his dumbstruck look, it was priceless. But in Yuji's excitement, he grabbed him by the shoulders, causing Hiro to drop his beer bottle.
It smashed into a foaming mess on the floor.
"It's him…Claude, isn't it?" Yuji demanded.
Just as Hiro was about to nod 'yes', K appeared in the kitchen entrance with his gun pointed at Yuji.
Yuji instinctively threw up his hands and cried, "It wasn't me!"
K relaxed when he realized it was Hiro's brother and not some intruder when he'd heard the bottle smash. He lowered his gun and offered his hand in welcome to a surprised Yuji. He didn't know Yuji very well, and had only seen him the odd time when he came by the studio. But that was rare.
Hiro's brother hesitantly shook K's hand.
"I'm sorry. I thought there was foul play going on. I'm K, Hiro's—"
"Husband," Yuji finished for the large American, spotting a ring on K's finger as well. "HIRO!" he then shouted at his brother, "How could you not tell me?!"
K looked alarmed at Hiro, "I was going to say roommate…"
Hiro sighed and said to K, "It's alright. He saw my ring and figured it out." Then he looked at his brother, "I'm sorry Yuj, I just didn't know how to tell everyone. I was going to call you soon anyways; figured I'd tell you first."
Yuji stood looking from Hiro to K, "I didn't know Claude was K, isn't he your band manager?"
"Yeah…" Hiro said turning red and glancing at K.
Yuji gave K a squeamish grin and uttered, "Damn, Hiroshi I'm shocked. You have been bad while you were away." But then he smiled because this was his little brother who was in love and married! "Waa! Congratulations little bro! HAHA! Mom and dad are gonna have coronaries. They think you're roommates." Yuji continued to laugh heartily.
"So, they really don't know," Hiro inquired.
"Not that I know of, Hiroshi," Yuji replied. Laughing still, he pulled Hiro into a hug.
Hiro hugged his brother back. Now he only had to tell his parents, he sighed nervously at the thought.
"Hey, I want to be there when you tell them! Ha, ha this is going to be great!" Yuji declared and pulled back. "Oh, let me clean that beer up. It was my fault."
Hiro frowned at his brother's comment. "Maybe I won't go tomorrow then," he said hostilely.
"Hiro…" K finally spoke up, his face riddled with disappointment. He stood there, arms crossed and his gun still in his left hand.
The guitarist looked at his husband and sighed with torment. Pressing his eyes shut in shame, he realized he had just insulted his man right in front of him. Fuck! He needed to stop worrying about his parents and face them already. "Claude, I'm so sorry that was stupid. I'll go…or rather; we'll go and tell them together, ok?" Hiro said firmly and with conviction.
"Are you sure? I really don't want to force you," the blonde said carefully.
"Oooo Mom and Dad are gonna faint!" Yuji howled, kneeling to wipe up the beer up off the floor.
"Shut up!" Hiro barked at him.
"I'm only stating a fact brother. But if it makes you feel any better, I'm behind you one hundred percent," Yuji stated assuredly.
"Gee, now I feel loads better," Hiro groaned sarcastically.
"Hey, umm. Do you think I can crash on your couch? I err, kinda got kicked out of my apartment," Yuji asked, looking up pleadingly at Hiro on his knees.
Hiro studied his brother thoughtfully; maybe he was wrong about Yuji spying for his parents. It just seemed like a coincidence. "Are you sure this isn't so you can be in the front row when I go to Mom and Dad's tomorrow?"
"Aww come on, don't you have a little more faith in me than that? Really, I got kicked out," Yuji offered dejectedly.
Hiro looked at K.
"Of course he can stay," K said earnestly, "I'll get some extra blankets."
Michael woke up and covered his eyes with an arm. The sun was pouring through his window and over his face. He threw the covers off and looked over his room that was amassed with toys and gadgets.
It was definitely a boy's room.
There were game and movie posters riddled all over his walls. And he had his very own Playstation, the latest model! It was sleek and black and inside was his favourite game, Dynasty Warriors. He thought about playing, but his stomach was on empty.
Food first, then play!
After a fast trip to the washroom, Michael ran downstairs. Today, he would help himself to cereal. But as he flounced downstairs he noticed a strange man sleeping on the couch. Curious, he crept over quietly and looked down at a tall dark-haired man that was snoring softly.
Michael had to quell the urge to not to reach out and hold the man's nose closed, so he'd force him to breathe through his mouth. He giggled with the thought, because his Dad often gave him heck for that. Hehe, pestering his dad could be such fun! But as Michael looked at the stranger he realized he looked a bit like Hiroshi and decided he could be someone related. He didn't want to upset his new father, so, he left the man alone.
In Michael's eyes, Hiro was the epitome of cool! He rode a motorcycle, showed him how to play the guitar, he made his father really happy and he laughed a lot. Plus he was awesome gamer and he loved to play video games with him!
Shrugging, he went to get some breakfast and turned on weekend morning cartoons. But the T.V came on loudly and the noise woke up the stranger. Michael was stuffing his face with a mouthful of fruity cereal when the dark-haired man looked at him perplexed and sleepily.
"Hmm, you must be Claude's little squirt," the man said to him in Japanese.
Michael watched the man sit up and groan. "I'm Michael. No one but Mommy and Hiro call Daddy that. You have to call him 'K'," he said defiantly watching the stranger's every move.
"Ah, ok, got it. I'm Yuji…Hiro's older brother. Hey, I guess that makes me your uncle and K my…" he stared blankly ahead and murmured, "Brother-in-law..."
"Daddy Hiro has mentioned you," the boy said matter-of-factly.
"Daddy Hiro…?" Yuji stated staring at the kid and giggled exuberantly.
Michael frowned at the man who claimed to be his 'uncle'. "Are you visiting?" he asked Yuji.
Yuji laughed at Michael's question. "Err…well sorta. My landlord kicked me out last night. I haven't been paying the rent, no funds. So, I thought it would be a good time to come see my little brother's new place. "
"My Daddy bought this house for Hiro you know," Michael pointed out and continued to eat his breakfast.
"He did? You don't say. Wow, being a band manager has its perks," Yuji said and looked around the cozy livingroom. "Are those lazy bums still asleep?"
Michael giggled at Yuji's last statement. "I could go wake them up but sometimes I get in trouble."
"You know, Hiro will sleep most of the day away if you don't wake him up," Yuji told Michael knowingly.
The boy laughed again. "My Dad always says the best method to wake up Hiro is to tickle him."
The dark-haired man laughed vociferously. "I used to use a feather to tickle under his nose but—"
"Then he'd yell at you and knock you on the head!" came Hiro's voice, surprising both Michael and Yuji.
"No, you'd cry for mom and she'd come after me with a wooden spoon. Hiro was such a baby," Yuji claimed, snickering at his brother's glare.
Michael giggled.
"I am not!" Hiro cried, getting worked up.
Michael spotted his father coming down the stairs and tattled, "Dad, Hiro and Yuji are fighting."
K just closed his eyes and shook his head. He was still waking up and looked lazily at Hiro and Yuji. They seemed like they were about to start a brotherly war. "Are you guys always like this?"
The guitarist waved his hand. "Nah, he's just my goofy brother."
"That's right," Yuji said with a smile.
Michael and K glanced at each other.
Hiro offered, "You want some coffee or something, Yuj?"
Yuji nodded sure. "Why are you up so early, anyways?"
"I thought we were going to Mom and Dads bro, have you forgotten?" Hiro said, gulping visibly.
"Do you guys want breakfast before we go?" K interjected, going to the kitchen.
"I ate," Michael claimed.
"Sure. Bring it on!" Yuji said eagerly.
"I'm not hungry," Hiro whined.
"Where are we going?" Michael asked Hiro curiously.
Hiro sat in an armchair and began to tap his foot, "To my parent's house."
Michael blinked. Hiro had never taken him to his parent's house before. The boy wondered how come all of the sudden. This meant he'd have to behave himself and he'd be stuck with old boring people. Michael sighed, "Can I bring my Nintendo DS?"
"Sure, but my folks are old fashioned, remember to be polite," Hiro explained, his voice tight with nerves. "I'm sure we'll end up staying for dinner…that's if, they haven't killed me by then," he added morosely, sinking into his chair.
Michael watched Hiro questionably. "Why would they kill you? Were you a bad kid when you were my age?"
Hiro gave a dry chuckle. "Because, I have to be honest and tell them the truth…no, I was the good kid mostly. Yuji was, and is the bad boy."
Yuji guffawed at Hiro's statement. "Yeah, Hiro likes to pretend he's tough, but really he's a big puss—" Yuji remembered there was a kid in the room. He grinned and added, "I think after today I'll be in the clear, don't you think?"
"Shut up," Hiro growled at his brother.
Yuji laughed.
Michael looked over at "uncle" Yuji in the backseat of his father's car. "Where's your own car?" he asked him.
"I sold it," Yuji said.
"You sold it?!" went Hiro's voice from upfront. He sounded really concerned.
"Oh yea? Did you get a good price for it?" asked K casually.
"Meh, I guess so," Yuji said sounding unsure.
Michael shrugged and stared out the window, zoning out the boring adult talk and pulled out his new manga. Yugi and Kaiba just finished duelling where Yugi used is Exodia card and stopped Kaiba's three Blue Eyes White Dragons!
Michael just realized something.
"Hey, your name is almost like Yugi in Yu-Gi-Oh! How cool!" Michael declared flashing Yuji a huge grin.
Everybody laughed.
Hiro announced their arrival with a grave face. Everyone got out and K reminded Michael to behave.
Michael groaned. What was the big deal? Were they meeting the Emperor or something? The front door opened to a quaint one-story house and two older people came out to greet them. Michael stood securely close to his father's side as Hiroshi hugged his mother and father. The three of them began to talk in rapid Japanese. Michael couldn't understand it all. He studied Hiro's parents. The older women stood tall even for her short frame, her long black hair tied behind her back. Her eyes were grey like Hiro's and she wore neat, simple clothing much like her husband. Hiro's dad was not much taller than his mother with salt and pepper hair which was kept short and neat. They were both slender and healthy looking.
Michael gazed up at his father, who gave him a tight smile. Feeling a little shy, Michael took his fathers hand and noticed it was damp. Still, watching his father, Michael saw him swallow hard. Why was his father looking so nervous? It was strange to see him that way.
Michael suddenly felt as if someone were watching them.
"Hiroshi, is this the boy I saw with you on television?" said Hiro's mom.
"Yeah, he was with me during that whole fiasco in L.A I told you about. Michael was very brave," Hiro said smiling warmly but apprehensively.
"So you brought your manager and his son," Mr. Nakano exclaimed and offered his hand in the foreigner's type of greeting. "Welcome," he said shaking K's hand and then Michael's.
Hiro's father eyed K a little longer than K felt comfortable.
"Such a cute young man," Mrs. Nakano said lightly and squeezed Michael's cheeks.
Ack! Michael made a face of displeasure at the intrusion on his face. He watched everyone giggling at him and huffed.
"Come in, come in. Tell us what's been happening Hiroshi and Yuji," Mr. Nakano said.
Everyone entered a very Japanese-styled home. Mr. Nakano closed the door behind them.
"Would you like tea, Mr. K and Michael?" asked Hiro's mother.
Michael made a face about tea, but heard his father accept her offer politely.
"Take off your shoes Michael and use the guest slippers, ok," K told him.
Michael did as he was told and looked at his father like he knew that. He'd gotten the low-down from Yasuo at school, his newest friend whom he shared all sorts of information—video games, manga, T.V shows and culture. Michael even told him about his dad being Bad Luck's manager and that Hiroshi Nakano lived with them. Yasuo had been surprised, but Michael told him to come over one day if he didn't believe him.
His thoughts were interrupted as his dad urged him to the sitting room. Boring! They were going to make him sit here all day. Michael dug in his pockets for his Nintendo DS but his father grabbed it.
"Not yet" K said, putting the game in his pocket with a light scowl.
Michael sighed and slumped on the cushions dramatically. This just sucked.
When everyone was given a cup and situated in the traditional Japanese livingroom, resting on cushions on a chocolate wooden floor covered with tatami, a mat made of woven rice straw. Mrs. Nakano closed a screen and joined them, pouring tea for everyone, she spoke up first.
"So, how are my boys? How is that band of yours, Hiroshi? Good Luck was it?" she questioned.
"It's Bad Luck Mom…" Hiro said rolling his eyes. How many times did he have to correct the woman? "It's great we're number one in Japan. We recently got nominated for a Grammy too. We'll be going to New York in January."
"Good for you son," Mr. Nakano praised. "I still think you would have made a better doctor though."
"Aww cut him some slack," Yuji said, "He makes tons of money!"
"And what about yourself, Yuji…why did you come along with Hiro and his manager today?" asked Mrs. Nakano.
Yuji blanched. "Well, I…err, I was visiting them. I thought it'd be fun to come visit you like a big happy family," he said nodding merrily. He needed to change the subject, "Did you know mom that Hiro is living with his manager."
Hiro shot Yuji a stricken look.
Mrs. Nakano sipped her tea coolly, her fingers gripping the cup noticeably tight. "Hmm, yes, so it seems," she said calmly.
Hiro flashed his eyes at his mother…he was getting a sinking feeling here.
"So how do you like living in Japan, Michael?"
Michael tried to listen as the adults talked on. But it was already boring until he heard his name. He looked up, "Huh?"
Mr. Nakano repeated his question.
"I like it. My school is fun! I made a new friend he taught me how to say…"
K quickly clamped a hand over Michael's mouth and gave Hiro's parents a capricious smile. "Kids these days," he ventured flippantly before Michael could say 'Bijin' which meant 'hot babe' in slang Japanese. Michael had been saying that word for the past week and K couldn't get him to stop.
Hiro shrugged ruefully at his parents and they just looked on amused at the two blonde people.
Yuji sniggered.
"Why don't you go check out the garden, Michael? You must be bored sitting there?" Mrs. Nakano offered.
Michael jumped up immediately, anything would be better than sitting here! He grabbed his shoes and followed Mrs. Nakano down the hall to a set of Japanese doors, which she slid open to reveal a very awesome backyard. There were Japanese maples, rock gardens and a small statue with water trickling from a pitcher it was holding. Michael stood on a wooden patio were a small stone trail beckoned him straight ahead.
Mrs. Nakano left and closed the doors. He wandered down the small path but he turned a moment later when the doors opened again.
Yuji came outside and stood there scratching his head.
"They kicked me out," he said.
"Why?" Michael wondered as Hiro's brother walked down the path towards him.
Yuji only grinned. "I know why. My brother is about to get an earful! Ooooo, Hiro is in SO much trouble. He thinks mom and dad live in a box. Didn't you see the way my dad looked at K? HAHA!" Suddenly he frowned, "Damn, this isn't fair, I wanted to see this." But he had a plan. "Come on!" Yuji grabbed Michael's arm and dragged him to the other side of the house.
"So, when were you going to tell us, Nakano Hiroshi?" said Mrs. Nakano sternly.
Uh-oh, his mother just used his full proper name, Hiro realized and blinked stupidly at his parents who were leering at him. His eyes widened.
They knew!
Tugging at his t-shirt collar that suddenly felt as if it were suffocating him, Hiro felt cornered. He bit back a moan of fear and apprehension, looking at K who didn't appear to be much better off. Hiro felt as if he'd walked into a trap. All this time his parents were acting normal, and if they knew, how come they haven't killed him yet? This made Hiro even more nervous.
"I…err. How did you know?" Hiro asked, his voice cracking with stress.
"The whole neighbourhood knows, Hiroshi! Mrs. Yusuke told me at the market, she read about it in some gossip magazine! There I was minding my own business when our neighbour shows me a picture of you and him holding hands in Los Angeles…"
"And you read that stuff?" Hiro asked aghast.
"Don't look so surprised!" cried Mrs. Nakano, "When there is stuff written about my son how could I not see it. Did you think you could hide it from us forever! And now you have a 'roommate'." She turned her hostile glare at K.
K balked.
"There are plenty of smart young women and you settle for a man. Did Shuichi do this to you? I should call his mother. I am very disappointed Hiroshi, very disappointed!" Mrs. Nakano cried.
Mr. Nakano looked on with an unyielding scowl.
"I see you are both wearing a ring on your finger. Did he give that to you?" Mr. Nakano asked, giving K a righteous frown.
Hiro and K swallowed audibly.
"Yes," Hiro muttered. For some reason his parents weren't yelling and screaming. Nor was his mother near fainting like he'd thought for sure she'd do. He was sort of worried by their fairly calm reaction to this. Sure his mother was yelling at him, but they could be way worse. But then he wasn't quit finished.
Hiro took a breath. "We got married in Toronto. The media doesn't know about that yet. I love K…and I won't leave him because you tell me to. I love Michael like my own kid…he loves me back!" Hiro exclaimed with sincerity. "K bought us a house; it's actually in my name. Please don't hate me!" he wailed then.
"Hiroshi…" murmured Mrs. Nakano, tears welling in her eyes. She dug out a handkerchief and daubed at her eyes. "Your father and I have discussed this for many weeks now. I admit, at first we were appalled. Two men romantically involved," muttered the woman. "I don't want you to waste your time because of some love on the whim."
"But it's not!" Hiro cried.
"I'm not finished!" retorted Mrs. Nakano.
Hiro stayed silent.
"Please give us time to get used to this?" Mrs. Nakano pleaded. "Maybe it was good that we had time to think and discuss this. Your father is the only reason I haven't come and dragged you back home by your ear. I'm very upset that you couldn't be honest with us," scorned Hiroshi's mother.
"And you," Mr. Nakano directed at K. "I'm sure you're old enough to understand how we feel about this. I sure hope your intentions are honourable. It might be all dandy now until you get bored of our Hiroshi…"
"I would never do something like that," K said adamantly.
"You better not….I know a few old samurai's that still practice the way of the sword," Mr. Nakano threatened.
K eyes widened impetuously. "Um…yes, sir."
"Dad…" Hiro said embarrassed.
"I know I can't talk you out of this. We don't want to forbid it, because then we'd chase you away. I don't want to lose my son," Mrs. Nakano said and started to cry.
"Oh mom, you're not going to lose me," whispered Hiro. He got up and went to his mother, hugging her warmly. "I'm sorry I wasn't the one to tell you. Please don't be upset anymore."
"I know you're happy my little Hiroshi, I can't take that away from you," his mother said, petting over her son's head.
"And stop listening to people and their gossip," Hiro claimed, "They're just jealous."
Mrs. Nakano swatted her son good-humouredly.
Smiling now, Hiro went back to his seat. His father was the only one that hadn't really said anything. "Dad?"
Mr. Nakano looked up. He glanced at K. "What is your real name?" he demanded of K.
"Claude, Claude Winchester," K offered quickly.
There was a long unsettling pause.
"Welcome to the family, Mr. Claude Winchester," Mr. Nakano said to an astonished K and offered his hand again.
K breathed a sigh of relief and shook the man's hand.
Crash!
Everyone looked towards the window, but there was no one there.
Glancing back at each other, Mr. Nakano offered to show K his collection of real samurai swords. "Would you like to see them?"
K hesitated and looked worriedly at Hiro.
"Go on, he won't murder you," Hiro promised, feeling the weight of a hundred men lift from his shoulders. Phew, his parents haven't killed him.
"Heh," sounded K. But to make Hiro happy he got up and followed Mr. Nakano to his study.
"What?!" cried Yuji, rubbing his sore butt. He'd fallen and tipped over a big potted plant he was using to look through the livingroom window. Everything had been going so well. His mom was yelling at Hiro, waving her finger at him like a little boy. Exactly the same way she did when she yelled at him. Finally, Hiro was getting some. HAHA! It was so funny, but as the conversation went on, he watched in dismay as his younger brother and mother hugged.
Then his dad was shaking K's hand—shaking his hand! And they were all smiling!
"What's going on?!" Michael demanded. He couldn't reach the window that Yuji had been peering through and giggling evilly.
"I've been robbed!" Yuji told Michael. "He got off easy! Hiroshi is mom's 'little baby' you see." But Yuji shrugged. "Actually, Hiro is the best little brother, without him, I'd starve." He laughed.
Michael just stared, perplexed.
Yuji sagged down in the flower garden and leaned against the house in a defeated slump. Then he smiled and looked up at Michael's young face, "Well, it looks like you're officially part of the family now."
A/N: So, I know what you're thinking. Why didn't Hiro's parents go crazy? For one, that is what I thought everyone would expect, so I didn't do it XD And another, because Yuji wouldn't be able to be 'robbed' if his parents went crazy. It's a shame really how crazy parents often get over 'gay' sons or daughters. I just can't see it as something ugly. And I didn't want it to be that melodramatic. For once, I wanted to see Hiro's parents just a bit more accepting. Also, I put a lot of this chapter in Michael's perspective. That was fun. I hope you enjoy!
Next chapter K makes a life change!
Reviewers: Thank you Kayakun, Girl Goten -squish-, Crowkaiba, Dib's Girl, secret25!!