Chapter notes – After the fireworks on the 4th it's time for a little familial fireworks for the boys. I'll be the first to admit that I don't know so much about temples but this is how it was in my mind… adjoining a park where there would be plenty of tourists about. A highly trafficked and well-known place that would probably also explain the notoriety of the Uesugi clan. Hang on, this is a long chapter!
Read and review, let me know what it is that you like or don't like about the story's elements.
If you're still enjoying this story, be sure to check out the beginning of the story -- Remix, The Beginning of the New Ending -- that is being published separately.
Shuichi was a nervous passenger in the car, driving to pick up Hiro. Eiri just looked annoyed. He had found a bad time to run out of cigarettes so Shuichi had volunteered to go pick up a packet to save him the agony of an encounter with the girls at the corner store. As it turned out, their mother was opening up shop that day alone.
"This is going to stink." Shuichi sighed and tugged at his pant leg.
"It might. Just keep in mind that whatever happens there, it doesn't really matter. No one can tell us how to live our lives. I will just be making things clear for both families."
"What if they disown you?"
"That would be too wonderful a thing to ask for." He smirked.
"That would be sad, don't you think?"
"No. I would be pleased. Then they would leave us alone." Eiri lay his hand on Shuichi's leg, pushing his hand away from grabbing at the fabric then smoothing over the wrinkles, "Relax… Nothing life threateningly bad will happen."
"I guess… You're probably going to yell a lot though and I don't like that much. You're usually so even in tone... It totally makes me cringe when you get pissed."
"Just keep thinking that I am actually going to be enjoying myself by torturing my father. How's that?"
"Awful. I wish he could just like me and accept us being together."
"Not going to happen."
"I can dream, can't I?"
"Go right ahead."
Out in front of the apartment building, Hiro was waiting for them, carrying a bag and looking quite good in his suit. They rolled up to the curb and stopped, Shuichi rolling down the window.
"Hey… What are you so dressed up for?" He joked.
Hiro's eyebrow went up, "What are you so… not dressed up for? What the hell? Why are you two dressed down??"
"We're going to change at the hotel." Eiri said.
"Hotel? Nobody told me anything about a hotel… Shuichi…" He growled.
"Umm… Sorry? I was kind of distracted last night so… I forgot to mention a few things I guess…" Grin, "Please still be my friend?"
"Like I have a choice… Damn it, Shuichi…" He climbed into the back of the BMW, pulling off his tie, "I have to suffer so you can get some action. Thanks a bunch."
"Sorry…" He scooted sideways in his seat so he could have a better view of his best friend's annoyed face.
"You coulda called me this morning." He lost his balance a bit, falling back against the seat as they pulled away into the street.
"I kinda forgot about it…" He shrugged.
"So now I have to put up with like six hours of being in a car, in a suit, by myself, for no reason… Great."
"We're not going to be in a car for six hours." Eiri said.
"We're not? You can't be thinking we're going to get on the bullet train together… That'd be a sideshow." Hiro leaned forward between the seats.
"Of course it would be. We're flying."
"Huh?"
"Yeah, Eiri said there was no way he was going to sit through hours of us bugging him by talking before meeting with his parents… so we're taking a small private plane over."
"It'll be about 45 minutes. That's enough time to have to put up with you two kids in an enclosed space." Eiri exhaled a stream of smoke which was quickly sucked out the lowered car window.
"Sweet. How'd you swing that one?" He smiled again.
"Fame has its little perks. Synergy keeps some private planes for just such an occasion. I've used them a couple times when I couldn't be bothered to drive or if it would have caused an uproar to get on the bullet train… Do not embarrass me…"
"Gotcha. That's pretty cool. Who woulda thought you were that big just for writing some books."
"Certainly not me."
"Hey, Shu… You sure made a good pick with your sugar daddy, didn't ya?" He reached around the seat and pinched Shuichi's cheek with a chuckle.
"Ow! Cut it out!" He tried to strike back, then a little struggle ensued between the front and back seat.
"And so it begins..." Eiri grumbled, breaking it up by stamping on the gas as soon as they hit the onramp.
The car was left behind, to be kept company by some even better cars, and they boarded the small plane.
"Oh yeah… That's the stuff." Hiro grinned, selecting a big comfortable seat for himself to sprawl in, "I think it's supposed to be a few more years before we get this kind of rock star treatment."
"Yeah, this is seriously nice." Shuichi was just stunned.
Eiri joined them after talking to the crew and sat down, unfolding his newspaper and preparing to ignore his two co-passengers for the duration.
"Hey, Eiri…"
"Mmh…"
"How much does all this cost anyway?"
"Don't know, don't care." He shrugged, "It's available so we're just enjoying it."
"There ya go again, being too cool for your own good, Uesugi-sama." Hiro mocked him with what the crew had been calling him.
"Shut it, Nakano, or you're going to go skydiving without a parachute."
"Both of you be nice! We have to be united today!" Shuichi yelled.
"Settle down, Shu-chan. Just blowing off some steam… Nervous about flying, little man? You wanna sit in Uncle Hiro's lap?" He patted his knees and winked.
"No way! Eww…"
"Ayaka has such good taste in men…" Eiri muttered.
"Half and half… It's a coin toss." Hiro laughed.
It was a short and low altitude flight with Shuichi plastered to the window, marveling out loud at everything he saw below. Hiro played along in his game of 'spot the landmark' and Eiri opted to take a nap while they screwed around.
Things took a more serious tone when they were at the hotel preparing to leave. Hiro helped Shuichi put on his tie properly while Eiri was shut in the bathroom, putting on his own formal attire.
"This is gonna be so bad… I have no idea what's gonna happen, but I just know it's going to totally stink." Shuichi whined.
"Hold still. I can't get this on you right when you keep fidgeting."
"Aren't you worried?"
"I guess I am just a little. I really don't know their families that well, other than wha Ayaka has told me already… and that's not always good… I mean, they were always good to her growing up and stuff. It just got all serious on her when it came time to start talking about the marriage they had planned between their families… Mostly I'm worried about her. I'll be okay, one way or the other. It's going to be really hard on her if she has to leave her family."
"Yeah… Do you think it'll come to that?"
"I hope not, but I can see it happening… I kinda get the feeling that even if they did tell her that she's cut off, eventually they'd come to accept me and get over it after we've been married a while. It's just weird, this whole arranged marriage thing."
Shuichi sighed heavily, "I wish I knew even a little bit what's gonna happen. I just can't stand not knowing what we're going to be up against."
"It's probably better that you don't know. You'd start screaming and run away." He smiled a little.
"I probably would." He nodded.
"My suggestion is to just keep your mouth shut and let Eiri do all the talking. Your being there is going to piss them off even if you don't say anything… So try and keep quiet."
"I don't know what I'd say that'd be any use anyhow… Are you almost done choking me?"
"Yep. You're all done. Lookin' good, little man. Lookin' good."
"Thanks." He sighed heavily.
Then Eiri immerged from the bathroom and they both stared at him in his priest's robes, wearing an un-matching scowl on his face.
"Wow. Get a load of you." Hiro whistled.
"Doesn't he look awesome in that? I wish he'd wear it all the time."
"Both of you… shut up." He grabbed the rental car keys, "You…" He stopped in front of Hiro. "You're about to hear some very personal and private things… I'll thank you to remember that I'm doing this for both of us and take whatever you may hear today to your grave. Is that understood completely?"
"Yeah. Not a problem." He nodded, "And thanks."
Shuichi just gulped and followed them out the door.
After a very quiet, tense, car ride they were walking along toward the temple through the adjoining park, Hiro on his right and Eiri on his left. Hiro was looking around to see if he could find Ayaka amongst the trees and tourists that were out that day. Shuichi was just trying to stay standing. Eiri put his hand on Shuichi's shoulder, trying to stop the weaving and whimpering.
"You'll be fine." He said.
"I don't care about me… I care about us."
"Us will be fine too."
People were stopping and staring at them as they passed. Tall, blond Eiri in a priest's robes and Shuichi with his brightly colored hair wearing a very well tailored suit… now holding hands because Shuichi was freaking out.
They were met before they could enter the section of the temple where the families were waiting… Tatsua was leaning against an outer wall, wearing an outfit similar to his older brother's, his dark eyes checking out Shuichi.
"Yo…Nice suit." He winked, licking his lips.
"Quit that, you…" Eiri snapped.
"Hey hey… Cool it out, bro. Just appreciating the view."
"Inappropriate…" Shuichi gasped, eyes wide.
"I see he's about as worked up as he can be." Tatsua smirked.
"Yeah, so leave him alone for a change."
"I still can't believe you actually showed up. Everyone's waiting on you inside. You sure you wanna do this?"
"I'm sure. Enjoy the show."
"You bet I will. This way everyone."
He led them inside, down halls that to Shuichi seemed to be closing in on him with tradition and conservative family values. He pressed closer to Eiri's side, not just because the hall was emotionally narrowing, but because he could now see Eiri's father awaiting them at the entrance to a room. He didn't look happy at all and he made it clear the moment they were stopping in front of him.
"You dishonor your family by bringing him here. He will not come in." He said to Eiri as sternly as possible, but it didn't seem to phase him at all.
"Then I will not come in either. The choice is yours. I don't really care."
"Let go of his hand…"
"No."
"Eiri…" His scowl grew deeper.
"No. Make up your mind, old man. I have better things to be doing today than standing in this hall arguing with you."
"Have it your way…" He growled and turned abruptly, entering the room.
Inside, Ayaka was kneeling on the floor beside her parents. She smiled when she saw Hiro. Eiri's sister was there and his mother too, turning her gaze away from them.
"You're trying to kill your father, Eiri…" She said in a trembling voice.
"It is not intentional." Eiri replied in a more gentle tone than he used with his father.
The three of them knelt down together, Eiri releasing Shuichi's sweaty hand at last. Even if he had wanted to speak, he was struck silent, feeling the heavy weight to the air and his heart pounding away as Eiri started to speak again.
"You asked me to come… I'm here… So what do you want now? Be direct about it."
"You have an obligation to marry Ayaka. We are here to ensure that you see it through." Eiri's father settled on the floor beside his mother.
"You made this arrangement, I did not. I do not want to marry Ayaka. I thought I had been perfectly clear in saying so."
"You have to."
"How do you suppose this to be true? She does not want me, she wants Hiro. I do not want her, I want Shuichi."
"This is not a matter of what either of you want. It is what must be done. You are 28 now. It is high time for you to grow up and take to your family responsibilities. In a few months, when you have grown tired of this… affair… you will see the wisdom of the arrangement."
"I will not get tired of this 'affair' as you put it. I have accepted my responsibility to Shuichi and we will remain together."
"That is ridiculous. You have no responsibility to him!"
"I do, actually… How clear do I need to make this? Very clear, I think, because no matter what I have said you refuse to hear it…" Eiri paused for a moment, seeming to gain energy from the deafening silence before really beginning to burn his bridges, "He is my lover, that will not change… Usumi-san…" He turned his attention to Ayaka's father now, "Do you want your daughter to be miserable for the rest of her life? If so, I will marry her… But you should know that she will be my second wife. I will never go to her bed, she will never bear children to inherit the temples. Every night I will be with Shuichi."
"You disgust me, young man… How could you disgrace my daughter this way??"
"It is not my intent to disgrace her. Ayaka is a wonderful young woman, yet you hurt her by trying to force a match where there can be none. You are bent upon making life unbearable for all of us just so you can satisfy some stupid tradition."
"You need to have a family, Eiri." His mother said.
"I do have a family. Shuichi is part of that. He is part of my house, the most important part of my life."
"You need children to have a family." Eiri's father scowled even more.
"I do not believe that is true." He grew a wicked smile, signaling to Shuichi that he really was going off the deep end, "If it makes you feel any better, father, I have been trying my best to get Shuichi pregnant but it doesn't seem to be taking…"
"Eiri..." Shuichi gulped, turning bright red.
Ayaka actually giggled and was scolded by her mother, "This is not funny, daughter."
"Excuse me…" She bowed her head, composing herself.
"I will definitely keep trying and let you know how we do." Eiri continued on.
"That's quite enough." His father warned.
"Is it? Do you understand yet? I love him. Every single night he is in my bed. While it is not possible for us to have children from that, we do have a life together. I will not put him aside for you or for anyone. I have run away all of my life. I will not run from this any longer… You should thank him, you know. If it were not for him, I would be dead now. Then who would you threaten to marry this poor young woman?"
"What on earth are you talking about?" His father blustered.
"I tried to kill myself…"
Eiri's mother gasped, eyes wide with shock, and even Hiro shifted uncomfortably from the open admission.
"The only thing that kept me from completing the task was the thought that I wanted to be with Shuichi. That I loved him… So let this be the end. If you won't accept him as part of my life, then just do us the favor of ignoring our existence. You will not separate us… Usumi-san… Let your daughter be happy. She wants to be with this young man. He may not be a priest's son but he is far more reserved and respectful than I ever will be. Hiroshi Nakano is a decent and honorable individual. A rare thing in this day. You may only look upon him as a young and rough person in a pop band… but… he will never hurt her, he will never upset her, he will remember their every anniversary without fail and be a fine, loving father for many children. He will be a good and loving husband to your daughter. He will let her follow your family traditions in the temple. There is nothing more you could ask for… Nakano…Speak up for yourself."
"Usumi-san… I love your daughter. I will treat her with great respect and honor your family. I may not be a priest's son but I will do my best for her in all ways." He bowed.
"Please…" Ayaka spoke softly, "I love him. Let us be together. Let Eiri and Shuichi be together. I think that Shuichi is the only one that could ever make Eiri truly complete. There's nothing anyone could do to come between them now. I know."
"What have you got to say for yourself, young man? Ruiner of our family??" Eiri's father growled at Shuichi.
He gulped, upset even at feeling Eiri's hand come to rest on his back in a gesture of support. Nothing could have prepared him for this moment. He didn't know for the life of him what to say. Then suddenly something came to him and he bowed forward, hands on the mat, "I'm very sorry about breaking the coffee cup, Uesugi-san!"
Eiri blinked in surprise then burst into laughter, partly from what Shuichi had just blurted and partly from seeing the look of confusion on his father's face.
"You are both insane…"
"We should go…" Eiri composed himself and got up, helping a very shaky Shuichi to his feet, "Consider it Usumi-san. If you love your daughter you will let her have true love instead of obligation."
"Get out." Eiri's father growled, "You have ruined two families. GET OUT!"
"Done… Excuse us." He started to lead Shuichi away when Ayaka got up.
"Daughter… Sit down."
"No… I am going with Hiroshi… if he'll have me."
"You know I will, Ayaka." He smiled.
"You will not go with him!"
"I have to!" She tried to shake loose from her father's grip.
"Please stop!" Shuichi shrieked at them, "Just let her go! Hiroshi has been my best friend forever and he loves Ayaka. He's not just playing around! He's the nicest person I've ever known. He has always put up with me, and that's saying a lot! Please just let this end and let us all be with who we want to be with!!"
"GET OUT!!"
Eiri's father shocked them all by rushing at Shuichi. Eiri stepped between them, bracing against him and stopping him in his tracks.
"That… wasn't very priestly, now was it? Don't you ever touch him."
"Demon! You are not my son!" He spat.
"Sounds good to me… Ayaka… Come on."
She finally shook loose and went to Hiro.
"Let's go."
They hurried out, Eiri's younger brother Tatsua stepping in to distract the families from following. They found their ways along and rested in the adjoining park, Eiri having a smoke while getting his picture taken by tourists as an example of a Japanese priest… A very tall, blond, smoking priest with a scowl and his arm around a bright-haired young man in a suit who was on the verge of tears.
"Uwaaaahhh.. Mmhhh… huaaa…"
"Calm down, Shu…"
"I can't. I'm so upset!"
"Don't be. It's all done now." Eiri kissed Shuichi's cheek and he blushed, distracted from his trauma temporarily.
"Is it really?" Sniffle.
"Yes, I believe it actually is… Hiro…"
"Huh?" He looked over from where he was hugging Ayaka.
"My old apartment is still open. You should take it for you and your future wife. Fujisaki can take over your current apartment. It will all work out."
He nodded, "I'm not sure how you can be so calm about this."
"It's the only thing to do. Shuichi is upset enough for all of us… The fact is you need a fitting home and there is one available. It is something you need to pay attention to immediately."
"Are you alright, Ayaka?"
"I'm fine." She smiled up at Hiro.
"Are you upset about coming back to Tokyo with me?"
"No. I'm looking forward to it… I might just go back to school there like we talked about."
"Okay." He smiled back, "Hey, you look great in that kimono."
"Thank you!"
Eiri's sister came over to them shortly, standing and looking over the two couples before raising an eyebrow in Eiri's direction, "Nicely done. I've never been so revolted by your behavior in my life… and that is saying something." She nodded.
"Good. Maybe then the old man will take the hint at last."
"You certainly laid it on thick enough… Did you really have to leave us the imagery of you trying to knock up your magenta-haired boyfriend? That was beyond anything necessary…"
"I thought it was a nice touch." He nodded.
"I'm going to faint." Shuichi was glad that Eiri brought him into his arms completely and held him.
"Stop being dramatic, Shu."
"I learned it from watching you…"
"Hey now…"
"Looks like you took another ten years off our father's life." Mika took out a cigarette and lit up.
"So what are you doing here now?"
"Mom wants me to talk to you… and here I am…" She shrugged, "So… I'm staying over at the Four Seasons. Are you staying?" She tilted her head to the side with cheerful smile at changing the subject.
"Yes. I figured we'd make a short vacation out of destroying our families. I have two rooms at the Hilton. We will go back tomorrow... Or would that be inappropriate, Ayaka?"
"It would be most welcome. Thank you, Eiri… For everything."
"Welcome." Eiri turned his attention back to Shuichi who was still firmly attached to him, "Are you hungry?"
"Yes…" He whimpered.
"You'll feel better after lunch." He said and then turned his face upward to look at him, "Hello, honorable first wife."
"Ha ha."
"Aa, souuu…"
He then proceeded to kiss Shuichi into relaxation, Mika rolling up her eyes and walking away from the scene as they disturbed the tourists visiting the temple, getting their picture in the news once again.
"I love you." Eiri said softly, finishing their embrace with a kiss on the bridge of Shuichi's nose.
"I love you too… I really can't imagine you as a priest."
"Neither can I."
"You do look very nice though." He straightened the lines of Eiri's robes at the neckline.
"So do you."
"You're really okay with all this? I don't think your parents will ever speak to you again."
"Good. I still have Tatsua and Mika seems to be coming over to our side."
"Even if she's married to Seguchi… Are you ever going to be friends with him again?"
"Who knows? It's not at the top of my list of things to do right now." He smoothed Shuichi's bright hair out of his face, "Let's go back to the hotel and change."
"Okay. I'm ready to be out of this suit." He sighed as Eiri affectionately loosened the knot in his tie, pressing a slow kiss to his temple, "Stop being all soft, Eiri…I'm going to cry for so many reasons."
"I can hardly help myself right now… Ahh… There you go anyway."
"Sorry." He wiped at his eyes, "Ayaka looks happy though. So does Hiro."
"And the tourists are having fun with their cameras. It's a good day for taking strange pictures at the temple… Come on."
They went back to the hotel, Eiri directing Ayaka to the hotel shops so she could buy some clothes and charge it to their room.
"She's your responsibility from here on." Eiri told Hiroshi.
"Yeah." He smiled as she came out of the dressing room in something much simpler.
"Well?"
"Perfect." He hugged her.
"You look like yourself again, Ayaka." Shuichi smiled at her.
"And you look like yourself again too, in fluorescent tiger stripes and mismatching shirt." She laughed at him, "Back to being a pop star."
"I feel better too." He did a little dance, "And now that everything is fixed, we're going to be top of the charts too! Your future husband will be very famous, Ayaka-chan."
"I just hope he's happy." Ayaka looked back toward Hiro.
"I'm doing just fine." He assured, a big smile permanently etched on his face.
They ate at one of the hotel restaurants and then Eiri and Ayaka took them on a little tour of their home town. Eiri was glad that after all the animosity in the beginning that they could all be friendly now. They had a good time in the town that he had always hated. He allowed himself to be dragged out for karaoke and let himself relax with a few drinks, enjoying their enthusiasm. He wouldn't have imagined Ayaka being quite so fun as she turned out to be. He had only known her from the temple.
"Na, Eiri… Aren't you going to sing for us?" Shuichi sat down again, smiling.
"No."
"Apparently you haven't had enough to drink then." He offered another beer, "Beeeru…"
"Beer."
"You sound so cute when you speak Eigoooo…" He pretended to swoon.
"I have never seen anyone become so stricken by the mention of beer." He took the bottle before Shuichi spilled it everywhere.
"This has been such a bad day… But good too!"
"Your wife is confused about how he should feel." Mika smirked.
"It's true." Shuichi grinned.
"Now that you've killed our father, will you make peace with Touma?"
"When I'm ready."
"He is upset, you know."
"I know. So am I. I have one responsibility now."
"Your new wife?"
"Exactly." He smiled and his hand rested on Shuichi's thigh.
"Gghhh." He grinned even more in response to the touch..
"I'll say this much. I never thought I would see you so pleased with a relationship… Or in one for such a long time. You're going to have to carry him home tonight, I think."
"It's a good thing he's light."
"Carry me over the threshold, darling!" He hiccuped.
"You are very drunk."
"I know! It's despicable… Yay!" He toppled over on the long seat.
"Looks like you won't have much trouble taking his virginity tonight." Mika exhaled smoke.
"Wrong! Already done!" Shuichi waved a hand in the air.
"Eiri… I cannot see why you like sex with this skinny boy."
"Hey! Just because I don't have boobs doesn't mean I'm not good in bed!" He thrust a finger toward her from his sprawled position.
"It doesn't mean that you are."
"If I were not so drunk I would soooo get up and go over there and… You would be in such trouble!"
Mika laughed at his drunken threat, "He is beginning to grow on me."
"He has a talent in that." Eiri smiled at him and the hand that had been on Shuichi's thigh now slid across his stomach as his shirt had come up.
"Ahhh… Feels nice." He sighed and then fell off the bench, "Ow?"
"I think it is time to go."
"Oh, but I think in another beer we could get him to do a strip tease for us." Mika waved her beer at Shuichi who tried to grab at it.
"That… is for me alone. Go make your husband strip for you."
He gathered Shuichi up and Hiro followed along with Ayaka.
"We will see you in the morning." Eiri said, trying to control Shuichi's straying hands.
"Good luck with him." Hiro saluted him as the happy couple exited the hotel's elevator.
"I will need it." He sighed as the door closed again, taking them upward.
"Bad luck… That is the name of the band."
"So it is… If you throw up on me I will be very angry."
"I'm not going to throw up. I can hold my alcohol better than that." His hands grabbed at Eiri's belt buckle.
"Calm down."
"But I so much want you, my husband." He laughed at himself and Eiri smiled.
"You are pretty entertaining when you're trashed."
"I'm not that drunk. Am I?"
"You are."
"That was fun. Ayaka sings so cute. Don't you think?"
"Only second to you."
"Oh, you are so nice… I have a secret."
"Tell me."
He stood on his toes and whispered into Eiri's ear, "I have such a crush on you."
"Do you?" He steadied Shuichi as he almost lost his balance when the elevator stopped.
"Yes. Totally. I think you should take me home with you."
"I will then." He started to escort his drunk charge down the hall to their room.
"Oh… You really are very nice."
"True. Do you want to get married to me?"
"I would like that… But I heard you already had a wife… Shuichi something."
"Shindou. He is a pop star. You might have heard of him."
"You would cheat on him for me?"
"No… I don't think it is cheating exactly."
"No?"
"No… You are him." He opened the door and brought Shuichi inside, depositing him on the bed.
"I am a pop star?" He stared up at the ceiling.
"So it seems." Eiri took of his jacket, tossing it over a chair, "A drunk one."
"Oh good. I like music… Okay! Now get me pregnant!"
"Shuichi… Not possible." He chuckled and then laughed hard when he realized Shuichi had completely passed out. He pulled Shuichi up onto the bed properly and pulled up the covers, kissing his forehead and watching him smile, "Our breeding program will be delayed until you are sober. Good night. Sweet drunken dreams."
Then he heard something. Buzzing from Shuichi's lower extremities. Upon pulling back the covers he discovered that Shu's cell phone was going off so he dug for it and smirked, seeing K's picture showing up on the outside of the phone… flipped it open.
"Hello?"
"What the-? Dammit, where's Shuichi? I've been calling for hours!"
"Shuichi can't come to the phone right now." He wandered out to the balcony to have a last smoke of the night while entertaining himself at K's expense.
"Why not? Where the hell is he?"
"He's passed out on our hotel bed at the moment."
On the other end of the line K growled in frustration, "Wake him up!"
"No."
"Uesugi… I'm going to kick your ass… Where the fuck are you two?"
"In Kyoto. Why?"
"What's going on? I've got rumors coming in that there were some pictures taken of you two today that are going to be front page news in the morning!"
"Yeah, I imagine there were a few good ones." He mused.
"What are you up to? You need to tell me what the hell you're doing so I can be prepared for it!"
"Are you saying we can't make the news unless we schedule it with you?" He chuckled.
"Exactly!! Now tell me what the hell I have to look forward to tomorrow!"
"No. Wait and see like everyone else."
A long string of profanities followed so Eiri just shut the phone, taking a long drag on his cigarette and enjoying the view. Not a minute passed before the phone was buzzing again so he opened it far from his ear.
"Are you finished?" Eiri asked.
"Don't you hang up on me you asshole!"
"It seems you are not… Good night, K. Don't call back."
"Wait just a minute, you!"
He ended the call then and turned the phone alerts off. Silence followed except for the sounds of the city below. Apparently K had been calling and texting for some time, but Shuichi was too drunk to notice the vibrations.
"Well, that was fun." The phone lit up again but didn't make a sound this time, "Oh, I think you're going deep into a backpack for the rest of the night…"
In the morning Shuichi was regretting his night of intoxication, taking Chinese herbals to try and recover. They had breakfast in their room so he could whine and moan in private. Finally the pain killers kicked in and he sighed contentedly from the relief.
"You are fixed at last." Eiri smirked, folding down the paper to look at him.
"I feel much better now…" He slurped his coffee, "I am so sorry I got so drunk and embarrassed you. I hope you will forgive me."
"I do. You made me laugh. You are definitely an amusing drunk… and you didn't throw up so it wasn't all bad."
"Oh good."
"I cannot believe you apologized to my father for the broken cup. It still makes me laugh to think of… The look on his face was priceless."
"I didn't know what else to say really. I couldn't apologize for being with you because I am not sorry about that. The only thing I feel really bad about is the cup... You should apologize too because if it were not for you stealing it from the temple I wouldn't have been able to break it."
"Yes yes. I will write a letter immediately." He folded the paper and tossed it to Shuichi to see the article on the front, "Now that you are awake…"
"Nn?" It was a picture of them at the temple embracing, "Oh… Wow…"
"How could you cheat on me with a priest? I am offended."
"Funny guy… They are wondering if this means we had a marriage ceremony!"
"We are official now… At least by the media's blessing." He chuckled, "It's a pretty good photo. I will have to get a copy."
"Eiri…" He shook his head, "We have joked a lot about it… but we can't really get married."
"I think we just did. Legally no… but I am satisfied… Though my wedding night was not what I thought it might be." He mused and Shuichi pelted him with a wadded up napkin ball, "Na, wife. Stop that. Spousal abuse."
"Umm… Do you… really want to be married to me?"
"I do." He smiled then in a way that Shuichi had not seen before. Pure, open, unforced and happy.
"I do too!" He launched himself at Eiri and knocked them both to the floor, kissing him, "I love you!!"
"I'm deaf!"
An hour later he lay with Eiri where they had ended up on the floor, the blanket from the bed pulled over them, smiling like a fool.
"My mother said that there can only be emptiness between two men. That there can be no future… and that was what she was worried I would find. That no matter how much love I felt for you, there could be nothing for us… But that's not true."
"You are right. There is only emptiness if you let it be that way, I think. I was told much the same. I believed the same. I was wrong." Eiri shifted, leaning over Shuichi and kissing him slowly, "You have made me human again."
"Thank you." He sighed, "One day perhaps you will feel that way without medication too."
"I do feel that way without medication. I haven't had any for a few days. They told me to back down on it and only to take it when I feel off."
"Eiri… That's wonderful."
"Aahh… You're crying again. How can you do that? Every single day!"
"It just feels good some times."
"Let's go home, hmm?"
"Yeah. Home."
Eiri brought Ayaka and Hiro to the old apartment directly upon their return to Tokyo, giving him the keys, "It is paid through the next three months. That should give you a start."
"I cannot accept this." Hiro said, "I will repay you."
"You will not. It was my obligation to this place that I broke. I paid for that financially. No one is staying here and it is going to waste otherwise. You have also taken my obligation to marry. Let this be my wedding gift to you."
"Don't argue, Hiro." Shuichi advised, "It's a nice place. I liked it… and you'll need the extra money to furnish it."
"True… And to clothe Ayaka." He smiled at watching her investigating the rooms.
"And pay for a wedding!"
"That too." Hiro agreed.
"And many, many children!"
"Hold on there!"
Ayaka came back then, "Shuichi… You're making Hiro very nervous with talk of many children!"
"Sorry. I'm just excited! It's not like he has to do much work though, is it?"
"Just to support us." She gave his cheek a pinch.
"That seems more than fair since you'll have an alien growing in you for nine months. Bleh."
"You're very cute… Thank you very much, Eiri. You have been very kind even with all the trouble we've had."
"We've both put up with a lot. I thank you for supporting me recently instead of making things more difficult."
"Welcome. Without your support I might not have been able to get away from my family."
"If you need anything, let me know."
"I will. We should go get a futon first…"
"And many other things. Let's go talk to Fujisaki. Give him the good news."
"Yeah, I'll call and see if he's around." Shuichi took out his cell phone, eyes widening at the flashing, "Huh?" He flipped it open, seeing the long listing of messages and missed calls, "Oh crap! I musta forgot to turn the ringer on again! Gaahh! Manager K's been calling about the picture in the paper! He must be sooo mad."
"A little bit." Eiri smirked at him, "So I shut off the vibrate too so we could get some rest last night."
"Eiri! You did??"
"He was a foul-mouthed dick when I talked to him last night so… It's a little tough love for him. Eventually he'll learn."
"Oh my God… I'm in total trouble now."
"No you're not. Just let me deal with him."
"Fine. You should anyway when you do stuff like that."
"Umm hmm."
There was no reason to argue now that the damage had been done and Shuichi found that he rather liked the smile of satisfaction on Eiri's face. At least there was one person in the world that wasn't afraid of K.
After what could have only been 15 minutes--15 minutes that stretched on like an angry eternity--all of their lives were changed. Even Hiro had a new perspective on things after hearing Eiri's bare statement of their relationship and decided to back off on his criticisms.
"I can even face an angry K with how good things are going!" He said to himself but Eiri overheard and turned back toward him from where he was across the room now, signing papers with Hiro and Ayaka to sublet his old apartment.
"Good luck with that." He chuckled.
"Well… I don't mind a little help either!" He grinned.