(A.N: I was rushing chapter five, so I went back and fixed that. Sorry about the inconvenience. I also installed an actual language checker… just because my computer doesn't like editing when it's set in English (Aus), which is all time and it's annoying… but enough about that.
Note: there are a lot of OC's but it's to bring the regulars and important characters further into the story. Not to mention I made up a name for Fuji's mother and then realised, 'WAIT, she has a name! AH!' and had to change it all.
Without them, it would be hard for the plot to continue. Don't worry. They're only the coal for this stories train… Wow. I just created a metaphor for no reason. I'll just stop here.
Most of my exams are over now, well, the ones I study day and night for anyway, so uploads should become regular again.
Please: Read, review and most importantly, enjoy.)
Chapter Seven - The Return
Eiji grinned, dragging Syuusuke to an ice cream stall. Of course, Eiji ordered a strawberry ice cream. It was his favourite flavour. It was the flavour of his toothpaste and anything else he could. If he could cover it in strawberry flavoured syrup, he would cover all of his food. Blood was the main exception.
Eiji smiled as he looked at Syuusuke. He tapped his shoulder to wake Syuusuke from his daydream, "Want an ice cream?"
Syuusuke looked at Eiji. The Thursday pre-dawn morning was actually quite quiet, but that was mainly because it was only four-thirty in the morning, obviously much too early for anyone who slept. The ice cream stall was the only one open in town at this unruly hour, run by a vampire himself. They had no idea who he actually was, but he didn't need sleep and his daughter helped him reguarly.
Syuusuke smiled gratefully. "Thanks but I'm alright. Just get yours," he said, trying to sound enthusiastic. He knew that ice cream was one of Eiji's favourite human foods. Ice cream at four-thirty was a very rare feat.
Eiji pouted. "Are you thirsty?" he asked curiously.
Syuusuke shook his head. "Not at all. I had something to drink before we left," he lied, except the drink part. He had consumed three three-hundred millilitre canisters of blood and that had barely satisfied him for long. It had only been an hour and he was thirsty again. One canister usually had a vampire settled for a few days.
Eiji smiled and handed the kind ice cream man 180 yen, roughly a dollar eighty American dollars. He walked peacefully beside Syuusuke. "Want some?"
The regulars didn't care for the germ business anymore. They shared blood and that was worse than a bit of saliva. They were immune to human illness anyway.
Syuusuke shook his head. "I'm fine, really."
Eiji pouted again, but there was still a smile creeping up on his face. "But it's strawberry!" he insisted, "are you sure you're not thirsty? If you nee-"
"I'm fine, Eiji," Syuusuke interrupted, "where do you want to go?"
Eiji thought out allowed for a moment, "How about the park?"
Syuusuke smiled. "The park it is," he smiled somewhat. Going out with Eiji had been alright. Eiji wasn't the kind of person to hold hands and fawn over the other. Eiji was too bouncy to do that. He'd spot something and bounce over to it, urging Syuusuke to come see, just like a small child.
Eiji's smile was quite content as they walked through the quiet park. There were only the sounds of birds and the occasional person going for a walk with their pet before preparing for work. "Thanks for today, Fujiko!" Eiji smiled, "But you didn't have to do it."
Syuusuke raised an eyebrow. "Hmm? What are you talking about?"
Eiji skipped a little, a smile bright on his face. He had a certain spring in his step. "I know you don't like me like I like you. I don't really mind because you're still my best friend, with Oishi of course. No matter what happens, Fujiko, I'm right here."
"In the park?" Syuusuke teased. Eiji almost hit him. "Thanks Eiji, you're my best friend too. Anything and I'll do it. Even if it's killing someone or myself even."
Eiji actually hit Syuusuke this time. "Don't talk like that! I'd never want you dead."
Syuusuke chuckled a little, "I know."
Eiji smiled, putting his hands behind his back and walking with a slight hop. "He's incredibly lucky to have you. I don't think either of you see it yet, but I see it. I'm sure the others do too."
Syuusuke looked at Eiji. "What? I don't understand. What are you talking about?" he questioned.
Eiji laughed. "I know something the genius doesn't know! I'm not telling you! That ruins it!" he teased, poking out his tongue playfully.
Syuusuke sighed. "Fine…" he fumed a little.
Syuusuke furred his eyebrows as he threw the tennis ball up and down once again. He'd been at it for hours. Quite literally. He got home at the early hour of five-thirty and it was current seven-fourty five. That meant he was going to have to run to school.
Whenever he was in thought, he was laid on his bed, tossing the tennis ball in the air at the precise height that just missed the roof by a centimetre. It took much practise, but he got the perfect spin and power to do so.
He sighed, catching the ball and flicking it into the air again. Eiji was starting to talk like a preacher, or maybe an old man. Just hearing those words from the lips of Eiji was considerably weird.
His eyes were following the tennis ball, letting his mind wander as far as it could. What had Eiji meant?
He's incredibly lucky to have you. I don't think either of you see it yet, but I see it. I'm sure the others do too.
Syuusuke sighed, caught the ball, and rolled over in frustration. Everyone beside the regulars had always seemed to talk to him cryptically and now Eiji was starting. One day everyone would and Syuusuke would be as clueless as he was when he talked to his father. There was no way he could discover what was going on in his head. He closed himself off, like Syuusuke tried to, probably for a similar reason; to protect everyone else from himself.
Syuusuke heard the doorbell, the scent of a familiar human figure at the door. He quickly resumed throwing the tennis ball, changing the spin and calculating the changes he needed to make.
Downstairs, Yumiko opened the door and stood in shock. The man outside the door was clearly not pure-Japanese. He had an apologetic expression on his face.
"Yumiko, I-"
He staggered backward at the impact of something round to his face. The tennis ball rolled back inside the door and somehow in the direction it came from.
Yumiko frowned. "Syuusuke!"
"I'm upstairs, Neesan," Syuusuke shouted, faking innocence.
"Yuuta isn't home and we all know your control when it comes to tennis! Don't hit people in the face!" Yumiko shouted to the room upstairs and almost beside the front entrance. The spin on that ball must have been amazing to make it curve not only out of Syuusuke's room but to then curve in the opposite direction to get to the door and outside to the man still standing there.
Said man staggered to his feet. "It's okay. If I was in his position and could do that, I would have done it too," he chuckled, "Yumiko, I'm sorry and didn't tell you what was going on."
Yumiko smiled and hugged him. "I'm just glad you're back, Kiyoshi. I get it. Your family was going through it's own crisis stage. Ours lives in it."
Kiyoshi smiled, returning the embrace. "I thought yours was the crisis," he chuckled.
Yumiko hit him lightly in the side. "Don't be mean," she scolded playfully, "how is your family?"
Kiyoshi followed Yumiko inside, gathering he was allowed in since she just asked him a question. "Well, Chiko is studying really hard to speak English. She has to go to England to write several articles on an event that's occurring there. Hiro is still trying to control his five-year-old girl. Hiro's wife works a lot. Hiro thinks he'll get back to work when Kiko starts school next year. Mika is alright after her crash, she has a few scars, but no major damage done there," he replied.
Yumiko smiled. "That's great, but I thought it was Ren in the crash. I gathered when you said Ren and Mika then followed with plane crash and pregnant you meant in that order."
Kiyoshi smiled. "Well, she's marrying her fiancé in a month despite the fact he's seventeen, which is illegal in most countries, but Ren had her baby boy. She's eighteen, by the way. I don't think her and her fiancé have been apart for longer than an hour since Taiki was born."
Yumiko folded her arms. "Eighteen? She's not even come of age in Japan."
Kiyoshi nodded. "It's okay. His mother is a lawyer, so she sorted out all the legal stuff. Since the whole family, and I mean everyone, are moving here, and his brother and father are already living here for a while, they've decided to marry here in Japan."
"Oh! Kiyoshi! When did you get here? You didn't get a taxi did you? You know you could have called and one of us would have picked you up!" Yoshiko insisted, walking into the hall. The Fuji mother had the kind yet evil smile, the one she passed on to her oldest son.
Yumiko smiled. "Okaasan, your teeth," she pointed out and Yoshiko wiped the slight blood stain, "You wonder why Yuuta doesn't live with us."
Kiyoshi chuckled a little. "It's okay. I took the train. I haven't been in Japan for a while so I liked looking at everything going past."
Yoshiko tutted and clicked her tongue. "We could have picked you up. It would have been faster, even if we took the scenic route."
Yumiko laughed. "Okaasan, you can't drive."
Yoshiko's eyes were still closed as she smiled. They opened even less that Syuusuke's did. "Oh, then Yumiko would have," she grinned, noting the absence of the son that lived in the house. Her smile faded a little with curiousity, "is Syuusuke home? He really should say hello."
Kiyoshi chuckled again. "It's okay. His tennis ball greeted me instead. I would have done the same thing if Ren's, well fiance, did the same as me."
Yoshiko clapped her hands together. "Oh! Wonderful! Now there is more reason to throw a party! We don't get nearly enough opportunities to do so."
Yumiko sighed. Reason never got very far with their mother. She acted as if she had been living for centuries in secret. They all knew that that wasn't true. "Okaasan... it's a Thursday. Some people need to work or go to school tomorrow."
Yoshiko smiled with a face that sent shivers down Kiyoshi's spine. Yumiko was used to it. "It's okay. Either everyone just flew here today or they don't need sleep. It will be fine. I can ask Kenji to write doctors' certificates if anyone needs one."
"Okaasan!" Yumiko protested, "just wait until the weekend. We have to buy food and drinks suitable for human guests. As you would know, half of the guests you're planning on inviting don't know the existance of vampires."
Yoshiko smiled. "I'll go to the shops while you and Syuusuke clean up around here. Then you can tell everyone to come tonight. It's still early. I'm surprised practice wasn't on this morning for the regulars. Has Syuusuke gone to school yet?."
There was no chance of winning this battle. Yumiko sighed in defeat. It was the time she needed her father's reason. "Tell me what you need and I'll get it. I can drive the car. It will be faster."
The party wasn't too loud, just the chatter of friends and family. There was music, but otherwise, it was pretty controlled.
Kenji stood with his wife, Saki, and chatted to one of Kiyoshi's sisters while Kenji kept a close eye on Oishi when he could. Oishi was getting better, for which he was glad, but the last thing they wanted was a hungry vampire amongst humans. That would be disasterous.
Eiji and Momo bounced over to Kenji, a bright smile on their faces. "Hi, Oji-kun!" Eiji smiled, Momo's a bit quieter than his, but still quite loud.
Kenji smiled. "Eiji, Momoshiro-kun," he said with the kindest expression.
Momo grinned. "Momo-chan! Call me Momo-chan!"
Kenji raised an eyebrow. "Chan? Doesn't that sound feminine? Especially with 'Momo'. But if that's what you wish, okay. How are you both?"
Eiji smiled. "I'm great, how are you?" he asked, looking around Kenji, "Hello, Saki-san!"
Kenji nodded. "Yes, I'm well."
Saki smiled, her voice like tiny bells. "Hello Eiji-kun," she said with the kindest smile and gentlest face.
Momo smiled at the youngest sibling of Kiyoshi. "Momoshiro Takeshi. I go to school with Fuji Syuusuke. You can call me Momo-chan too, if you want," he introduced.
Eiji put a hand on Momo's shoulder. "Kikumaru Eiji."
Ren smiled. "Morikawa Ren. Please just call me Ren, though," she said, her voice not delicate but at the same time strong. She was confident, but her voice was quiet. Like a living proof that opposites can exists in the same being.
Kenji smiled. "Ren is Kiyoshi's younger sister. She and most of their family lived between America and Argentina. Kiyoshi lives in Japan with us, as you would know," he explained and Ren nodded.
Ren tilted her head in a kind of signal to the small group of people surrounding something in someone's arms. "That's some of them over there. As of today, all... well, I can't keep count but there are more than ten, of us live here. It will be easier as a family to stay together if we're in the same country."
Eiji smiled. "That's right, that's right! I have two older brothers and two older sisters. We all live together with my parents and grandparents. We're all together and when anyone goes away we really miss them."
Ren smiled back. "Exactly. Kiyoshi was living in Japan without us for a few years and as soon as he said he had to come back to Japan, we were coming with him too. Every one of us."
Two arms wrapped around the tiny woman. She was probably only about ten or so centimetres taller than Ryoma, a twelve year old. "Are you talking about how you dragged me here?" the masculine voice asked, his chin on her shoulder. Golden eyes were set on her face in a loving stare.
Ren smiled. "We were. See, Eiji-kun gets it. It's not that hard to understand."
The green haired man smiled. "Why does that name sound familiar?" he looked at Eiji, "you!"
Eiji smiled and pointed at Ryoga. "O'chibi's older brother!"
Ryoga grinned. "Have you seen Chibisuke?"
Momo thought for a moment. "He's probably upstairs with Fuji-senpai. I think everyone else is there too."
Ren folded her arms as she looked at Ryoga. "Is Taiki?"
Ryoga smiled. "Ah, between Mika and Kaasan, he's not going anywhere."
Ren smiled. "Well, go find your brother. I think your mother will go looking for him soon."
Ryoga kissed the top of her head. "Ah, I think that means I have to go. If I don't find his soon, hell will be in this house."
Eiji chuckled and looked at Momo and Kenji. "You're a bit late for that, trust me."
Ryoma sat across from his captain. Everything he thought about vampires was a lie so far. "Buchou-" he reasoned.
"Vampires are now humans with a blood deficiency so we drink blood. We still have... features of our formerselves: enhanced senses – I'm sure you've heard a lot of things you wish you couldn't now you can hear this well – which involves sight and sound a lot, speed and strength. It may sound strange, but you most likely have tried to do something normally and broken whatever it is, like taking a shower for example. We have to hold back because it's clearly not human to run at speeds over 732km/h or hit tennis balls that tunnel fifty metres into the ground," he interrupted with reason. Tezuka folded his arms as he watched Ryoma try and generate some sort of argument.
Loud footsteps ran up the stairs. "Oi, Chibisuke! Are you up here?"
Ryoma frowned at his nickname before a realisation hit him. "Ryoga?" he asked, turning for a doubletake.
Ryoga smiled, his eyes set on his younger brother. "Come downstairs! Kaasan is gonna come looking soon if you don't. Meet your nephew and soon to be sister-in-law."
Ryoma felt his wrists almost yanked away but his body followed. He felt the ground near the bottom of the stairs as his head span. Damn this vampire thirst... Ryoma mentally cursed.
Ryoga stood betwwen his mother and fiance. "Chibisuke, this is Ren and in the arms of the devil herself, Taiki."
Ren punched Ryoga's shoulder. "Don't call Rinko the devil. She's your mother."
Ryoga smirked. "Adoptive mother," he retorted matter-of-factly.
Ren hit him harder this time. "It doesn't make a difference."
Ryoma eyed the small baby in his mother's arms. Rinko smiled. "Do you want to hold him?" she asked quietly, prolonging the baby boy's sleep.
Ryoga gasped and feigned a faint. "The devil woman actually offered to release the baby? That's impossible! Not even I the baby's father gets to take Taiki."
Rinko ignored her adopted son. She knew that technically, she didn't need to adopt Ryoga since he was her step-son – the resemblence between her three favourite males was undeniable – but he deserved a real mother. Nanjiroh's previous woman wasn't much of a mother to the small child at the time.
Ryoma accepted the tiny nephew of his. If he didn't, Rinko would force baby Taiki on him. A scene was the last thing he wanted.
The instant Taiki's golden eyes opened after a yawn, it looked into Ryoma's same coloured eyes. A tiny hand wrapped around Ryoma's finger. It made Ryoma tense but loose at the same time. Completely relaxed but anxious for the baby in his hands. Ryoma reminded himself that babies didn't usually even phase him.
Ryoga smiled, wrapping an arm around Ren. "I told you Chibisuke had a natural defensive thingy for family too. Oyaji did the same thing."
Syuusuke sat on the cold rooftop where he could think alone. He crushed an alluminium can, throwing it with precision at a bin and getting it in.
He wrapped his arms around his legs to reach a device attached to his shoe, disconnecting it and pressing the middle, large, droplet shapped button.
He sighed as he leaned back, the device loosely in his hand. Inaudible footsteps to humans and unexpecting vampires creeped up on him. The wind rattling a set of bells. The quiet yet calming ring echoed in the night.
"Syuusuke, when did you start to need this much blood?" a voice asked, sounding masculine but as beautiful as the bells, untainted by human slang, slurs and pronunciations.
Syuusuke sighed, brushing a hand through his hair. "Otousan, you know that you are a very taciturn person? You act like no one is worth talking to."
Youshirou sat next to his eldest son. "When I was a bit older than you, I told my old man the same thing. Do you know what he told me?" he asked, the bells on his hip gently ringing.
Syuusuke blinked. "Saa, I wasn't born then. So let's see. No."
Tadashi smiled a little. "'I am talknig to you. If I do not talk to people because they are not worthy, does that make you one of the most important people to me?'"
Syuusuke was silent in thought. His father outsmarted him every time. It was just so obvious he didn't think about it.
Tadashi looked at the device again, taken from Syuusuke's hand earlier. "So, answer my question about the blood."
Syuusuke thought for a moment. "It's only been a week or so that it's been this bad. But since I burned my arms, it's gotten worse."
Tadashi furred his eyebrows. "It's not the burn. Kenji told me about it," he smiled, "just spending an hour around humans is already affecting how I talk."
Syuusuke opened his eyes to look at his father. "Stop acting. You can go back to work if you want to. I know you really couldn't care less how much blood I drink or not," Syuusuke frowned.
Tadashi leaned back. "That may be true, Syuusuke," he seemed to admit, Syuusuke actually taken by surprise, "but that is because I know you can handle it. You are my son and I care for you. To put up with this annoying human life, I could not be more proud of you."
Syuusuke closed his eyes, but somehow, his sight was clearer. "Saa, you can smell blood, can't you?" he accused, acting suspicious of his father's mood.
Youshirou nodded. "I live in the darkest place if I am not here. Confinement is really worse than any hell you can imagine. I am in there everyday, killing vampires who cannot even beome human like or be under some sort of control after drinking blood. Those vampires are completely undead. At first, you can still see some humanity left in them, but it is only a body: a shell. A shell to a monster that for the good of the world has to die. You can imagine why no vampire would fight me since I kill untamed and powerful undead vampires everyday," he chuckled, "Just little old me."
He was slightly taller and obviously older than Syuusuke. His shoulders were a bit broader, but not by much, and his body was shaped in perfect angles. Just like his son would be.
"Bloods smell is desireable, yes, but since I am in such close contact with it, I am not affected anymore," Tadashi grinned.
Syuusuke sat in silence for a few moments. "What if you had to kill someone you knew?"
Tadashi's smile faded. It was sincere, unlike the mischevious and evil smile Syuusuke and Yoshiko shared. There was a certain appearance of great wisdom, inner strength and yet, some foolishness in his expression, in his entire stature.
Tadashi sighed. "I guess I would have to remind myself that they are not the same person anymore. It is a tough job. You would have no idea. You create bonds with those there. You really cannot help but be your true self. No one cares about formalities or opinions anymore."
Syuusuke nodded. "I guess I can see why. It's rare anyone gets out. They have to be on good behaviour for a few months. It's almost impossible, right?"
Tadashi nudged his son. "That is right, but brighten up. Setsuko-chan asked about you, you know. She works with Kenji. She helps people with minor injuries or illness now. She is in training. I remember when you, Yuuta, Koujirou, Setsuko and Seiichi all used to play together. I guess Yasuhara began to press down the rivalry between the Fujis and Yukimuras before I did."
Syuusuke smirked. "Setsuko would be in her third year of university now, wouldn't she?"
Tadashi smiled. "Almost. Second year. She does not like University much. She is still stubborn and lives alone in the apartment her godparents left her," Tadashi noted, "why don't you visit her? She misses you."
Syuusuke looked up at the sky. "I might, but we've got school."
Tadashi smiled. "School? Do not worry about it Syuusuke. Your control and emotional wellfare are more important. I will call her to tell her you are coming.
Syuusuke sighed. It was a trick and he had fallen for it. "What ever pleases you."
Ryoma, after escaping the clutches of his family, walked down the path. He was getting used to listening for the moment his parents fell asleep, the moment he heard all movement stop and other signs of sleep. That was when he generally left the house at night.
He took normal sized strides, trying to entertain himself with the child's game where you try and not step on any cracks or lines in the pavement. The hours of extra alertness was beginning to become annoying. He really didn't know what to do with himself. He considered learning another language, since he had at least six extra hours in his day.
Ryoma saw a young adult, perhaps just under twenty, stumble. Her hands hit the ground and papers scattered. She had black hair and was fairly pretty. She had dark eyes and pale skin. Ryoma noticed that she smelt a little odd.
He knelt down to help her collect her papers. He felt bored, so even charity and kindness was better than nothing at this point.
The girl looked up. "Thank you, vampire," she said, a gentle smile on her face.
"How did you know I'm a vampire?" he asked, raising his eyes.
"Saeki Setsuko," she smiled, "I'm friends with the Fuji family. I know all about vampires."
Ryoma suddenly saw it. Her hair wasn't black, it was the same shade as Saeki Koujirou's from Rokkaku. She only looked different because of the night. In entirety, she was so similar to him, he was practically kicking himself for not noticing it.
"Echizen Ryoma," he muttered, "I'm one of the Seigaku regulars."
Setsuko smiled. "You might have noticed, I'm Koujirou's older sister. I grew up with Koujirou, Yumiko, Syuusuke, Yuuta and Seiichi. But I haven't seen Syuusuke in years."
Ryoma nodded. "I see Fuji-senpai everyday. You're not missing much."
Setsuko sighed, her smile fading. "That bad, huh? Koujirou has a worse brother complex that Syuusuke."
Ryoma looked at Setsuko with wide eyes, not understand the sentence. Every word made sense, just not together. "What?"
Setsuko smiled again, but it was brief. "Well, let me explain..."
