Ok, so I chose to work on and upload this chapter right in the middle of midterms. Worst decision ever, but what the heck, what's a couple thousand more words added to the workload?
Oh yeah, as a notice, I took off anonymous reviewing. I'm really sorry to have to do it, but I just feel it's a lot lovelier to be able to contact a reviewer and have actual discussions on story construction instead of, you know, random trolling :(
Anyways, please enjoy!
Chapter 10: Revelations
"You know," Yunoki said conversationally. "Usually an employee gets fired for not obeying her employer." She struggled, and he wedged a leg between hers to keep her from running away. "And even if it were not so, it is simply good courtesy to wait when someone asks you to stop, is that not right?"
"Fat lot you'd know about good courtesy." Amou snapped. Dear God, she couldn't push him off. Since when had he been this strong?
"Alright then. We'll skip over the polite portion of this conversation. I'm not feeling quite patient myself." His hand clamped over her wrist- he had been doing that a lot lately- and pulled her to the back of the van. He opened the heavy back doors, pulled the both of them inside, and slammed them shut.
She couldn't see well enough in the dimmed and cramped space, and would have tripped over the wires coiling on themselves at the floor if he hadn't held her against himself. Monitors and computers hummed silently on stand-by, and a bench designated for the van's human occupants held a multitude of hard copies and disks instead.
He picked his way over to the bench, Amou in tow, and swept the papers away onto the already heavily littered floor before she found herself backed onto it. He leaned over her until they were both parallel to the floor, his hands pinning her still by her shoulders. "Now then."
His mouth was thinned in a firm line, and she shuddered, eyes wide and luminous. "Azuma…please. Why are you doing this?"
"Why?" His face closed in, his expression angry. "Why did you run away?"
"Because!"
"That's not a good enough answer!" he roared. She flinched. "It was never good enough! You never tell me anything, you never let me know what's wrong, one minute we were fine and the next-the next-"
His teeth clenched with the effort of keeping his hands away from her throat, but she saw that his eyes were suddenly over-bright. "The next, I find out that you'd killed our baby."
Oh. God. Please, make her stop, make her stop! I beg-I'm begging you-
"You…you knew."
"Yes. I knew. God, Nami, you always ask me 'Why', 'Why', but can't you see? It's not you who should be asking that."
She said nothing, could do nothing but look at him with dead eyes as his tormented face stared at hers, distorted with pain. "It's me.
Weeks after Shoko's full recovery, they all converged on the Tsukimori household one fine Saturday, bearing boxes of various shapes and sizes, all wrapped in bright paper and topped with long trailing bows. The living room was a pandemonium of voices and movements as people were seated and the presents piled in a corner.
Kahoko, dressed in another frilly dress of Len's choosing, sat at the head of the table, wide eyed as they all burst into song.
"…Happy Birthday, dear Ka-ho…!"
Even baby Tomoyo joined along as she shook tiny feet in the air, entranced by the tinny noise of the bell anklets her doting father had bought for her.
"Happy Birthday to you-!"
Everyone ended at different intervals until it was only Tsuchiura left standing. He ended on a long crescending falsetto before his voice cracked, to the consternation of Shimizu who happened to have been placed next to him. "Sempai, you know, Len happens to be rather fond of his Waterford, and unless I'm mistaken, it's in much danger of shattering."
While everyone laughed at Tsuchiura's indignant expression, Kahoko ran to Len and hid her flaming face in his shirt.
"…Is she that overwhelmed by my talent?" Tsuchiura preened, fluffing at his short hair. "It can't be helped. Women just can't seem to resist me."
"Funny, Amou does it on a daily basis."
"Well, Amou's not your average example of the female species, you know what I mean?" His breath whooshed out as a sharp elbow found its mark. "See? Come on, Kaho-chan, come back to us. Are you embarrassed?" Tsuchiura brushed a wide palm across silky red strands. "Don't be! I promise I won't tell your future boyfriends that you're in love with me, you don't have to be worried that they'll get intimidated and run."
"Har har. Give her a little space, would you?" Amou pushed her way between Tsuchiura and Hihara impatiently, and shoved them aside. "She's just happy, that's all. Aren't you, darling?"
A shaky nod was all they could get as an answer.
Blowing his bangs aside, Len crouched and lifted Kahoko, seating her small frame on his arm. "Come now, that's no way for a Tsukimori to behave." he said gently. "You're going to make Tomoyo cry."
And indeed, the bells stopped ringing as the baby's confused face eyed the silent room.
"See? What should you say now?"
Taking a deep breath, Kaho turned, smiling wobbily. "Thanks! " They all began to clap, Tsuchiura whooping loud enough to bring the roof down, and she ducked her still red face back against Len's neck, too embarrassed and confused…and happy.
It was Tsukimori Kahoko's fifth birthday. And for the first time in too long to remember, she was spending it with others, all as happy as herself. Sure, it was a full month after the actual date, but there were no more cold birthdays in a cracked and dirty room, no more singing to herself, no more wishing for a bright pastel room filled with scent of Mommy and a smiling Daddy…
No, she had Len-niichan now, as well as everyone else. Feeling perilously close to crying, she bit her lip and hoped that, if this was a dream, she would never wake up. Ever.
A maid Yunoki brought over to oversee the events dimmed the lights before a cake –made by a chef that was also on Yunoki retainer- was bought forward, five huge candles lighting the room and excited faces. "Jesus, Azuma." Hihara stared at the two tiered cake in disbelief. Wide ribbons and seed pearls flowed from the top of the carrier over the tiers like a tent, while the cake itself were decorated with swirls of cream and frosting, all covering a massive plate stuffed with green tea cake. "Did you mean to feed an entire army?"
"I bet he had you in mind, Kazuki. You and your gigantic stomach of doom." Tsuchiura sighed, and pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. "True friendship. Wish he was that considerate towards me."
"Ingrate." Yunoki sneered. "I offered my friendship – not to mention my assistance –numerous times when you had those Economics midterms, it is certainly not my fault you choose not to take advantage of that."
"Hey, a real friend would just help me cheat, but no, you always had to be a stick in the mud-"
"Better a stick than an ass-"
"You're the bigger ass." Tsuchiura said with a pout.
"Ok, here's what. You both have the bigger ass. Ok?" Hihara smacked Tsuchiura across the head just as he was about to retaliate. "Now shut up, Kahoko-chan's about to make her wish."
And indeed she had sucked in a mouthful of air, cheeks bulging, waiting for the go ahead.
"My ass is hotter any day." Tsuchiura muttered, but subsided at the glint in Len's eyes. "Ok, ok, I'll stop. Go for it, Kaho-chan."
"Kaho-chan! Kaho-chan!"
Unable to hold back a smile, she giggled and the candles sputtered.
"Awww, Kaho-chan, come on now." Hihara complained. "Don't tell me you can play the trumpet, but not blow down some candles?"
"Nuh uh!" She peered around, and smiled at Len. "Kaho wants niichan to help!" Maybe, just maybe, the wish would be stronger if it was the two of them. Maybe.
He rolled his eyes, but came forward and bent his face close to hers. "Ready, chibi?"
"Yes!"
They both blew to the clicks and flashes of handheld cameras as all five candles winked out, Kahoko's hands clasped tightly together as she focused on her wish with all her might.
"I wish…I wish…" Her voice faded away as her eyes opened. Tsuchiura took that as the cue to start clapping again.
Amid the cheers and encouragements, she was carried to the gigantic pile of presents in the corner, and everyone watched in amusement as the wrapping paper were torn off to reveal child-sized instruments, one after another.
"A pink clarinet? What is this, Sailor Moon? She's gonna start fighting pint-sized mutant rabbits by tweeting at them?"
"A toy keyboard? Really, Ryou-kun, how remiss of you, children deserve the finest when it comes to music."
"Oh, dear, I really cannot imagine Kaho-chan playing that cello, it looks rather too big for her…"
"…Sempai, that flute looks rather expensive for a child…"
Kaho giggled, and gave an experimental buss with a miniature brass trumpet that nearly blew the roof off of the house. Everyone winced and hurriedly stuffed fingers into already numbed ears.
"Who's the idiot that got that for her?" Amou complained as Kaho continued to play earnestly with her newest toy.
"HIHARA." Tsuchiura roared. "YOU! YOU ARE A DEAD MAN."
"Oh, come on Ryou-kun, you're just jealous that she likes my present most of all-"
As Amou tried to lure a reluctant Kahoko away from the trumpet with a small toy digital camera, Yunoki pulled Len aside from the revelry. "Len. America called." He slid a manila folder from thin air, unraveled the string just as he had nights before.
"Ah…" Len twisted his head around, but Amou were still keeping Kahoko company. "Thanks." He took the folder, and tugged open the flap.
"They did have some reservations on this matter. I understood that you had the mayor persuaded?"
Len shrugged. "He wasn't too happy with the idea. But we both agreed that it would be a lot better than transferring her back to Japan as a ward of the state. They don't look too kindly on non-citizens."
"True." Yunoki watched as Len pulled out a crisp new passport, a social security card, and birth certificate, all bearing Kahoko's name change, and proof of guardianship awarded to Len. "They- Child Services- expressed a little concern, but it was nothing that a fat bribe didn't fix."
"Hnn. Bill me later."
"Oh, I'll be sure to do so." Yunoki's brow pushed down, his face annoyed. "I didn't like having to bribe the Police Commissioner. Keeping Officer Leanne Bowers from raising too many questions and putting up too much flags weren't inexpensive."
"You bribed the Police Commissioner?" Len asked, sucked in a hard breath through his nose. "Christ, Yunoki, I never asked you to do that."
"Naturally. But I don't like dealing with small fries. In any case, in case you're worried, I merely assured him of a contract that would be more beneficial to them than to my company." He flicked a speck of dust from his immaculate shirt, and swung straight hair behind his shoulder. "I shall supply the NYPD with equipment from the electronics branch of Yunoki Industries to replace their subpar computer units-" he sneered "-in exchange for what you wanted. Am I not such a good friend?"
"Bull. What else was included in that little exchange?"
"Can't get anything past you, can I Len?" he said smiling. "Very well. I had one or two other benefits included, very discreetly, but it's nothing you'd care to know about."
Len blew out a breath, and sighed. "You do know what you just told me was illegal, right?"
"You can have the cell next to mine, darling."
They broke off as Hihara came towards them, baby Tomoyo wriggling in his arms. "Aw, come on Tomoyo-chan, don't be like that. Look, there's Len and Azuma ji-san!"
"…Ji-san?" Yunoki shook his head as Len smothered a laugh. "Goodbye, my youth."
Len hurriedly stuffed the documents back into the folder before any awkward questions were asked, and tucked it beneath his arm. "You never had that to begin with, Yunoki."
"Brat." He held his arms wide, and Tomoyo was deposited into them, still burbling indistinct baby language. "There, darling. Don't fuss so, hmm?"
"Bbburhg."
"Mmhmm. It is loud here, isn't it?" She waved her feet in agreement, bells tinkling, before her body slacked and her eyes closed in sleep.
"Huh." Hihara pouted. "She would never sleep when I hold her."
"She likes me better. Naturally."
"It's because you're much too fun and vibrant, Kazuki-san." Shoko floated up to them before Hihara could say anything nasty, pecked her sulky husband on the cheek, and took her child back from Yunoki, pretending not to notice his slight hesitation before handing back the child to her. "Anyone would have trouble sleeping with you around."
"Oh? You didn't have any trouble last night after we –oof!"
"Really, Kazuki-san." Shoko retracted her elbow, flushing a slight red. "Mind your tongue."
He wrapped his arms around his wife, nuzzling her cheek affectionately. "Aw, you know I'm only kidding, Shoko dear. Come on, let's put Tomoyo back into her carrier."
Yunoki watched them go, not noticing how Len was in turn looking at him. "A truly happy couple." he said softly. "One could almost wish that for himself."
Len smiled humorlessly. "Almost? Regretting something, Yunoki?"
"No." he said definitely. "Regretting nothing." His glance traveled over Amou, and flicked just as quickly away, lest blue eyes should catch his own. "Nothing at all."
"…98….99…99…98…97…"
"Hold on, chibi, that's cheating. Can't you count?"
"Nuh uh! Kaho's really good at counting! 97…96…"
"No way. That was past a hundred."
"Eeeeh." She twisted around to pout at him. "Len niichan, not fair."
She sat on his lap as the mirror from her vanity threw their reflections back at them, his big hands holding a small brush that sunk into strands of red hair, over and over again as she counted, the other supporting her back. He thwacked her lightly with the hairbrush, frowning. "Cheating's definitely not fair. In any case, that was more than a hundred strokes."
"Then, then, Kaho wants a hundred and fifty! Onegai, Len-nii." She blinked wide beseeching eyes at him. "It's Kaho's birthday, ne?"
He sighed. "Gaki." His hand came up and ruffled finely combed hair into disarray. "You would never get married at this rate, Kahoko."
"Then, then, Kaho'll marry niichan!"
He only smiled at her, and picking up the brush, ran it down her hair as her high voice floated into the air. "1…2…3…"
Hair neat again, Kaho wriggled down from her perch on Len's lap and took his hand. "Come come, niichan." She dragged him down the hall, the white nightgown shifting over her small body.
"Kahoko, where on Earth are we going?"
"To sleep!" She pushed open the door of the master bedroom, and jumped on the bed. "Whee!"
He sighed again, and sat down on the side as she bounced on the wide mattress. "There's a perfectly adequate bed in your room too, Kahoko."
"But Len-nii's room has a window!" She pointed above her head, where the moon shone down from a skylight right over the bed. "Pretty…"
He grunted, then unbuttoned his shirt. Leaving it to dangle from one forearm, he went in search of his own night shirt from the drawers, not aware that he was being observed with a pair of wide and worshipful eyes. "How're you going to sleep by yourself when you're older if you can't do so now?"
"It's okaaaay." she sang serenely. "Kaho'll get there when Kaho gets there."
"Hmm. How disgustingly philosophic." He came back and looked on in amusement as she continue to bounce, grinning up at the moon. "Move over, chibi, I'm going to sleep."
"Kay!"
She rolled over, careful not to go over the side of the mattress. The last time she had tried the same maneuver, she had ended up head over butt on the oak floor. And while there was no lasting damage done, and it was nice having niichan worry and fuss, the lecture afterwards had been brutal.
It was by no means anything she'd want to try again at any rate.
He pulled the comforter over them and laid on his side, facing her. She just looked at him, smiling and just a little drowsy. "Len-nii…"
"Hmm?"
"Today was the best day ever. Kaho's so happy that everyone is there, and happy, and smiling, and…and…"
"I got it." He stroked her hair, from root to tip, and propped his own head on his hand. "From now on, Kahoko, you're not allowed to be unhappy about anything. If anything bothers you, ever…just tell me. Alright?"
"Mmm! But nothing can bother Kaho now!" She wriggled until her small arms clasped around his neck, and gave his cheek a small kiss. "It's because Len-niichan is here!"
Flushing slightly, he moved her until she was once more tucked against his chest. "Alright, I got that too. Now go to sleep. We're leaving for New York bright and early tomorrow."
"Mmm!" He felt her small head nod against him, small fingers bunched against his shirt. His eyes shifted until it rested on a wrapped packaged in the corner of the room, hidden by shadows. The bow was still on top, and it had been there for quite some days. It looked rather sad and forlorn, sitting by itself.
He couldn't give it to her. He couldn't foster such a responsibility on her, it wouldn't be fair… Resolutely, he tore his eyes away from the long package that seemed to wait for small hands to open it, to cry out in delight over the exquisitely crafted violin commissioned and made for a particular set of tiny hands…
He sighed, and closed his eyes. "Kahoko."
"Len-niichan."
He chuckled at her adaption of his solemn tone. "What did you wish for today? You took some time blowing the candles out."
"Eeeeh. Len-niichan. You can't ask that." she turned her head and frowned up at him. "That's a secret. A secret!"
He frowned. "Maybe it's something I can get for you."
"Iyada! If Kaho tells, the wish won't come true!"
"Hnn. Stubborn brat. Fine, but don't you change your mind later." He closed his eyes once more, and within minutes, his breathing leveled.
She looked at him for some time, her eyes serious and adult, and much too sad. "You know, Len-nii…I wished…I want…" She looked out to the skylight, addressing her plea to the bright moon and twinkling stars. "Onegai…Please, let me stay by niichan's side forever."
She hid the oncoming tears against his shirt, and closed her own eyes in sleep.
Len sighed, and cradled her closer to himself after he was sure she was asleep. "Silly kid." he murmured. "Where else could you go?"
He stroked her hair much as he had done moments before, his caress gentle as the breeze blew on the wet spots on his shirt. "Tsukimori Kahoko. You're mine now." He looked at the moon, as if willing it to defy his words.
"And you forever will be."
The next morning flew by in a flurry of packing as the Tsukimoris prepared to go back to New York. Amou was already there, helping to pack the multitude of gifts everyone had given Kahoko. "Jeeze, kid, we're gonna need a minivan to move all this stuff. You seriously got spoiled in Japan."
"Like you can talk, Amou." Len said, huffing. "Half of that stuff is from you."
"Half? I beg your pardon, I'm only responsible for a quarter of that monster pile. You can blame that idiot Tsuchiura for the other seventy-five percent."
Tsuchiura scowled at her from the box he was taping shut. "That's bull, man. I was only responsible for sixty, tops."
"Like that makes it any better?"
Amou huffed as she carried the box to a corner, grouped with others labeled with the contents inside. "By the way, Len, what's she gonna do with all these instruments? Kaho-chan, you gonna learn any of them?"
"Mmm. Dunno." She looked at Len, and smiled. "Maybe Len-nii can teach Kaho how to play all of them!"
Tsuchiura snorted. "Kid's a genius, but he ain't that much of a genius. Tell you what, Kaho-chan." he continued, and winked. "I'll come to America with you guys, and you can learn the piano under the master of the keyboard, yeah?"
"Eeeeh? But I want Len-niichan."
"Jeeze, Len." Tsuchiura said mournfully. "Just turned five and she's already brainwashed. Now I really have to come back with you guys."
"Do it and you'll find Immigration on your ass."
"Immigration, schmigration, they don't scare me." Tsuchiura boasted. "We're buds. In fact, we're so friendly, we're even on a first name basis."
"Really," Amou said drily. "Why does that not surprise me?" She stood, and stretched her back. "God, Len, these are way heavy. You're gonna need to open another room for this stuff. Thank god for shipping services."
"Well, at least they can't say that we didn't send them off with the proper fanfare and stuff." Tsuchiura grinned. "Pretty Boy Azuma even lent them the limo. Now that's what I call plush."
"You're not exactly a pauper yourself." Len said. "Or is that not your flashy excuse of a Ferrari currently squatting on my driveway?"
"Well, real men-"
"Oh, shut up." Amou looked around, and sighed. "What happened to everyone else? You'd think that Hihara would be here at least…"
"Baby's got colic." was the cheerful reply. "So Kazuki and Shoko's off playing mummy and daddy. And Keiichi- God, even I don't believe it- but that kid has a date. With his cello."
Amou tapped a finger against her lips, staring hard at the ceiling. "Oh, right, he's in Germany performing that solo…"
"Yeah, I don't know how that happened either. Kid's more likely to fall asleep without one of us playing herd on him."
"Ryou-kun, that's mean!" Kaho said.
"Sorry sweetie."
Len smiled at the righteous tone Kahoko had taken, and filed it away to tell Shimizu later on. He glanced over at Amou. "Guess Shimizu got himself a champion."
"Kahoko's a beautiful girl that way." Amou said, smiling slightly. "I'm going to miss her when you go back to New York."
A brow raised. "Don't lie and say you're not moving after us."
She gave a soft exclamation. "Goddammit. I told that idiot Tsuchiura not to tell." Wisely, Tsuchiura ignored them and gave his full attention to Kaho. "Biggest mouth in Japan as well as out of it." she muttered bad temperedly.
"He worries."
"He shouldn't."
"Funny, isn't that what I said to you a couple weeks ago? About Kahoko."
She puffed out a breath, annoyed. "That's different. A nineteen year old young adult raising a child? Of course I'd worry. Those circumstances are enough to worry anyone."
"And of course a friend would worry for another friend."
"Oh, Len. Now you're just playing dirty."
He shrugged. "When were you planning to tell the rest of us your decision to run…to relocate to America?"
"I heard that, Tsukimori Len. And for your information, I'm not running." she said brusquely. "I'm just getting tired of Japan."
"Hnn."
"Don't take that tone with me."
"I'm not taking any tone. Since when is an inquiry a crime?"
"Hey Len, you know what they call that in the States? An interrogation."
He looked around pointedly. "I don't see a courtroom or juries."
"Look…dammit." She fought not to let her smile show. "I just can't win against you. But you know, Len, I should be the one worrying over you. I'll be fine in the States." she continued confidently. "I haven't been an international reporter for four years for nothing."
"What happened to that 75 in English you got from Seiso?"
"…Consider the Fifth plead."
They laughed at the joke, Amou's giggle perhaps longer than it normally would have been. "I'll be fine. Ne?"
"If you say so. Just remember you gain nothing by running away." Len's face softened as he watched Kaho. "Sometimes, you just have to take a stand, and stick with it."
"Big words from someone who's barely legal enough to shave." Amou retorted halfheartedly. She too looked at Kaho, before turning away. "Come on Len. You don't want to be late for your flight."
"No. Nor do you, huh Amou?" His question was met by stony silence as she walked out of the room, pulling her cell phone out. "I wanted that van a week ago," she barked. "Where the hell is it?"
"Ah wells." Tsuchiura came up to Len, Kaho riding on his back. "That Amou's a hard nut to crack. But maybe living in the States for a while would do some good."
"Maybe." Len said, unconvinced. "Maybe not."
"…Fifty says Pretty Boy goes after her in two weeks."
They shared a razor sharp smile over Kaho's inquiring stare. "I don't take sucker's bets, Tsuchiura."
"Heh, smartest thing I've ever heard you say, Len my boy."
"Well, we'll see. In the meantime…Kahoko. Time to go back home."
"'Kay." Home. The word fell like sweet nectar on her ears as Len took her from Tsuchiura, and carried her out of the house. "Let's go back home, Len-niichan."
