"Kuwabara-sensei, are you absolutely sure about this?" asked a man in an average suit and forgettable face. You wouldn't imagine that such an average and presence-less person would be the vice chairman of the IGo Japanese association.
The old man sighed as he sipped at his tea and sent the man a small and almost melancholy smile. "Yes, I suppose, age has caught up to me and… I find myself a little bit exhausted at various things…" he paused to sip at his tea. "And besides…" he trailed, looking out the window to his well-tended garden. "…there is no more reason for me to stay in the professional world." he said quietly, uncharacteristically and sent the man another sad smile.
"I understand, but please do consider attending a few seminars and conventions, just to boost the morale so to say…" the man said softly as he slid the final check of defending the Honinbou title to the old man across the table and slowly slid to his feet. "Well then, I guess this is goodbye?" the man asked to the man who only nodded absently, eyes already gazing passed the present.
With heavy steps, the man left the former Honinbou to his thoughts.
When the door thudded close and the footsteps faded a big grin split the old Honinbou's lips. Quickly, he flicked his phone open and dialed the number of his wayward pupil.
"There better be some damn good reason, someone's calling me in the dead of the night…" was the answered greeting of the boy and in English no less!
"Morning brat." The old man greeted along with his signature laugh.
The blonde grunted and some rustling could be heard through the receiver before a large yawn. "You do realize that it's like…" the boy trailed and a few clattering sounds were heard. "One in the morning here?" the blonde spat at the old man who only chuckled.
"Well it's ten o'clock in the morning here… how would I know what time it is where ya are, ya move around a lot!" the man exclaimed in a playful voice and laughed louder at the string of curses the boy threw at him. "…anyways, this really isn't a social call." The man said voice still playful. "Ya got to come back soon brat! The Honinbou titles all up for grabs now, and I know ya got a weird attachment to the thing." The man cackled out.
"WHAT? You actually retired?" the boy exclaimed and cursed when a loud reprimand was heard from the background. "You are dead meat old man! You got that! You couldn't have waited till I grabbed it from you? I'm coming back to Japan in like…" again the boy trailed as the man guessed him to be looking for his clock. "…Twenty four hours! You promised you'd wait out the three years period! Who is gonna sponsor me now?" the boy hissed in a considerably lower voice when another reprimand was heard from the background.
"That time allotment expired three days ago brat." The amused man said who laughed at the enraged sputtering of his pupil from the line.
"You took it literally? I meant till I get back in three years or so!" the boy said angrily and went off into a long winding rant which the man only laughed at and hung up when the phone was ripped away from the boy who was then subjected to a harsh lecture.
"…so the brat's coming back huh?" the man muttered under his breath then broke out into a laugh that echoed through the Kuwabara mansion resulting to the pale pallor of the staff till late evening when finally, the man had dozed off.
"Akira-san, wake up, it's already ten in the morning…" called one Touya Akiko to her son whom she hadn't seen the teen all morning. Usually the teen would be up and about and is playing against his husband in the game room and yet she only found her husband replaying a game alone.
"Akira-san?" she called again and slowly opened the door to her son's room after knocking one last time and found it empty.
Feeling a little lost, Akiko went to her husband with a question on where her son has gone off too. "Dear? Have you see Akira-san gone out earlier?" asked the slightly worried woman as she entered the game room and sat herself daintily in a seiza a few feet away her husband.
The man paused at placing a white stone on the board before placing it down then turned to his wife with a reassuring smile. "He's off to greet someone important…" he said vaguely and picked up a black stone and placed it on the board. "…it has been a while since they've met and so he rushed off a tad bit earlier than usual." He assured and continued on his replaying of the game.
"I see…" the woman sighed in relief and was about to stand to leave when a question popped into her head. "About how early did he leave?" she asked a little baffled on how she didn't even saw him seeing as she woke at five am always in the morning. And now that she thought of it, her husband wasn't usually awake before her either.
"He left around four in the morning, he woke me asking where were the keys to the gates were." He said a little absently before his eyes lit at a place on the board and Akiko just smiled and stood to prepare him tea before freezing by the door way.
"FOUR?" she exclaimed while her husband chuckled under his breath relating with his son's enthusiasm at wanting to see his beau, he too had felt giddy at the thought of seeing Akiko after they had met through the Omiai interviews.
"Hey Light! You're a freakin douchebag man! Leaving me to deal with your mess, some friend you are asshole!" screeched a voice through the phone receiver as Hikaru waited for his parents to find their suitcases from the dozens of others similar looking cases.
"She's your sister man, and you do remember that I countlessly told her that I'm gay and I've no interest in anything she offers! I've used every foul language I knew to get that bitch off my back!" Hikaru snapped as he played with the strap of his bag absently.
There was an outraged sputtering from the line that said girl wasn't a bitch as the blonde had said making Hikaru roll his eyes. "You and I both know you think of her as one, dick." He said with an exasperated sigh. "Anyhow, why're you up so freaking early anyways?" Hikaru asked a little baffled before shaking his head in dismissal and looked up to see his parents ready to go. "Whatever, gotta go now, and stop calling me! Are you trying to bury your dad in loans to pay your phone bill? See ya when I see ya bitch!" Hikaru bid with a low voice to not alert his approaching mother.
"Ass Shit! Bye!" his friend bid with amusement before hanging up.
Hikaru rolled his eyes and looked to his parents who looked haggard and exhausted as he pocketed his phone. "I told you guys to put some identifying sticker on them, but no~ you didn't want to~" he taunted before wisely shutting his mouth at the glare his mother shot him.
"Let's just go, I just want to collapse on a bed and sleep." Mitsuko grumped and left her case with her husband.
Sighing, Masao turned to his son and cocked his head towards his wife in a silent gesture to walk along after the woman.
"Ara! Akira-kun! What a surprise!" the two Shindou men heard and curiously, approached the suddenly brightened woman. The two shared a look at what they found.
Touya Akira hadn't changed much. He was still polite and utterly popular with middle aged women. Proof of so was how the previously grumpy Shindou matriarch was smiling brightly as he conversed with the now fifteen year old.
Though, the nostalgia stopped there.
Hikaru shamelessly ogled the other teen and got an elbow to the side, courtesy of his father who rolled his eyes at him when he glared in offense at the attack.
The two walked closer but stayed a few good feet from the conversing two, politely waiting for whatever it was that the two were discussing to end. While waiting, the blonde took his time to now, discreetly appreciate the other teen's appearance.
The raven teen, though, would never be an icon for fashion has surprisingly wonderful structure; long legs, sturdy arms, lean body, and a natural straight back that models took years to acquire. Touya Akira was the perfect image of a Japanese golden boy so to say. Add to the mix the sharp yet elegant shape of his face and the silken hair that fell just above the teen's shoulder and you've got yourself a young lord of the olden days, minus the kimono of course.
"Ah, here they are!" Hikaru heard his mother exclaim and looked towards the woman who sometimes he wished weren't as obnoxious as him. "Come Hikaru! You do remember Akira-kun don't you?" asked the woman who took his arm and literally dragged him to face the other teen.
"Yeah ma, I don't have Alzheimer's, it's only been three years, and we've been e-mailing each other, of course I know him…" Hikaru said in exasperation. Feeling the call of sleep already hunting him, Hikaru has no want for any more socializing till he get some sleep into his system first. "Very, very sorry, Touya, but I really, really want to sleep first." He apologized to his friend yawning as if in cue and giving the raven a toothed grin, slightly dimmed but a grin nonetheless. "Can I get back to you in like twelve hours?" he said in half jest and half-truth.
Akira though, continued to stare at the blonde.
Hikaru, his friend, had changed vastly in appearance in contrast to his personality staying the same. The boy stood with the grace of a man now rather than the awkward fumbling of a boy. His body, though a little on the shorter side compared to Akira was still built sturdy and lean. His stance was relaxed yet firm as he gazed at the raven with sleep clouded eyes. His face, surprisingly didn't change. It matured, yes, but all in all it was the same beautiful face that Akira had admired three years ago.
Akira blinked and inwardly shook himself aware. "Ah- yes, I understand…" he said with the ever polite tone he has, though his eyes did soften and his smile brightened up as he looked towards the blonde. "I just came as a welcoming party… you said I should though Shindou." He said to the blonde who smiled sheepishly at him as he rubbed the back of his neck, attracting the raven's eyes towards the half shaved head of the other teen.
Heaving a sigh, Akira waved Hikaru's awkward apologies and gave him a half exasperated and half fond smile. "Its fine… let's catch up later then, Hikaru…" he said and then turned to the Shindou couple and bid them a polite welcome back which was returned with fond smiles then polite farewell and the two moved to leave. "Oh and Hikaru…" he said turning to the boy who made to follow his parents but paused as he was addressed. "We'll talk about that hair of yours later alright?" said the raven who was wearing a thunderous expression despite smiling at the blonde.
Instinctively, Hikaru stepped back and out of line of danger. "W-what's wrong with it? I like it like this…" he said in an unsure tone. He did like his hair but he too knew that the more conservative Japanese would sneer at it. He patted the shaved part of his head then swept his hand towards the long tresses on the other in a fond show of affection.
Sighing, Akira shook his head lightly. "I've no problem with it but I'm sure you know that the Ki-in won't be as accepting right?" he smiled when the boy gave him a dulled look that conveyed his understanding. "We'll find a way to at least maneuver your hair to look at the very least decent for the more sophisticated ceremonies of the association… don't worry, now go and get some sleep; you look dead on your feet." He said and gave the blonde a pat on the back.
"Heh, sophisticated?" Hikaru snickered and grinned at the glare the raven tossed him. "Yeah, see ya later!" Hikaru exclaimed and was about to jog towards his waiting parents but paused and turned back to Akira then leaned in and gave him a quick kiss.
On the cheek.
"Tadaima, Akira…" Hikaru breathed then jogged off snickering at the coloring of his friend's face.
Tch, Japanese are so modest… the blonde thought with an amused grin as he slid into the cab, his parents already settled in their seats. He paused with a sheepish smile.
Oops… I'm one too…