CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

November 5, 2006

Nagoya Sakae Blossom Hotel

Sakae, Nagoya Aichi

Japan

The ride to Nagoya from Tokyo was not bad. They hit a few spots of traffic on the toll road and had to make a couple of stops so that Bikky and Carol could collect more toll road stamps, but thanks to their extremely early start, it was still morning when they arrived.

Ryo was glad they were able to convince Dafydd and Momo to stay in Tokyo until Sunday morning and drive in with them. It seemed to make the ride shorter. Over the week since the party, Ryo watched as Dee and Dafydd become closer. Dee had shaken off his initial impulse to fight the idea and embraced having a twin brother with joy. At times it seemed as if the two were trying to catch up on the 30 years they were separated. Ryo had only heard about twin bonds until Ryoko and Darin were born and in the last few months saw the bond in action with the infants. Seeing it between adults was something different. Ever since the results of the DNA testing confirmed that Dee was the missing Daisuke Fujioka, there were times when the reunited twins acted as if they had been together all their lives.

They were currently in the luxury suite of the Nagoya Sakae Blossom Hotel, one of the newest hotels acquired for L-M International Hotels. It was an impressive hotel but on a smaller scale than the hotels Dee and Ryo had seen so far that were part of the chain. The hotel in Osaka was more of the caliber of the one in Tokyo from the information Estelle had given them when they were planning the trip. However, it was still 4 star hotel, and it was in Sakae, the entertainment district of Nagoya. There were no large rooftop penthouses like the one they had in the Tokyo hotel, but they did take over a split-level suite on the upper floors. Even with the full-size rooms, it felt a little cramped compared to the penthouse in Tokyo and Akira's house, but was to be only for a few days. The suite a living room/dining room combo, a small kitchen and two small bedrooms, and upstairs was the master suite with a large bedroom, en suite bathroom with a large onsen style bathtub and a sitting area that looked down to the first level. A crib was provided and set up in the sitting area. Currently they had the travel playpen set up in the living area on the first floor, where the infants were

Dafydd and Momo were to take a cab from the hotel to their house and pick up the DNA test results Hana had left for them. From there, they would be able to drive their mini-van to Saburo's house to deliver their discovery while in Tokyo. Everyone mutually decided it would be best for Dafydd to break the news about Dee first and then call for them to join them at the house. It was also a possibility that his father might not take the news well at first and it would be best for Dee to stay away until Saburo was ready to meet his long-lost son.

Just before Dee called down to the concierge to get a taxi for Dafydd and Momo, Dafydd's phone started to ring.

"Moshi moshi," he answered the phone in Japanese. "Ah, Ayaka. Yes, we're in Nagoya now. I was going to call you when we got to Papa's house." He started to laugh, not only at what his sister was saying, but at the look on the faces of his family with him in the room. "You didn't… Yes. If you insist. We're at the hotel." He looked at Dee and let out a sigh. Still in Japanese, he said to his brother. "It's Ayaka. She apparently cleared some time begging a family emergency and is free right now. She's approaching the hotel now."

Ryo started to chuckle as he glanced at Carol, who looked on with interest when she heard the name mentioned but did not seem to know what else was being said. "Good thing she's sitting down," he said about Carol.

"No kidding," said Dee and rolled his eyes. "I guess I have a crazy, excitable younger sister to your crazy cousins," and chuckled. Bikky looked at his fathers with curiosity. "Tell her to come up," said Dee, his eyes on Carol with a wicked grin. He reached from his place on the couch for the house phone. "I'll call the front desk and tell them to give her a key card to get on the floor. And then we prepare Carol."

Momo started to laugh as she sat down next to Carol.

"What's going on?" Carol asked.

"Dafydd's and Dee's sister is coming up here to meet Dee. I guess she couldn't wait until after Dafydd spoke to his father."

"What?! Here? Now? Oh my God! I'm a mess."

"You look fine," Bikky assured her.

"Fine isn't good enough!" Carol insisted in a panic. "I had an outfit all picked out and was going to change into it before we left to meet Dee's family."

"So you'll change into it before we go," Bikky commented with a shrug.

"But it's Ayaka Fujioka!" Carol exclaimed. She looked over to Dafydd, who started to laugh.

"Yes, that is Carol. She's very excited to meet you," Dafydd said slowly in English so Carol understood what he said but also making sure Ayaka also understood him.

"Princess, calm down. Don't give yourself a stroke before you meet her," Dee said with a grin. "Besides, she's just my sister."

Ryo opened a bottle of milk tea and handed it to Dee. "Just don't drop it when you realize what you just said."

"Hush. And make sure the Princess has something to drink too."

Ryo snorted and in Japanese said, "I think she's going to need something stronger than bottled milk tea but she can't have it."

Dafydd and Dee both chuckled. Dafydd hung up the phone as Dee called the front desk, requesting for Ayaka to be given a key card for their floor.

"Did you give her the room number?" Ryo asked Dafydd. "I couldn't hear with all the screeching going on here."

"I wasn't screeching," Carol said primly.

"No, you were screaming," Bikky said. "It's a good thing you didn't wake my brother and sister."

"Oh!" Carol exclaimed as she suddenly remembered they had sleeping babies in the suite.

"I think the last part of the ride knocked them out," Dee commented, looking at the sleeping babies in the travel playpen set up next to the coffee table.

"We were going to wake them up soon anyway," Ryo said. "Especially now that we're expecting Ayaka any minute. Don't worry, Carol."

Carol's eyes got wide as she started to look more panicked during Ryo's second statement. She let out a pitiful moan.

"Carol, if it's that important, I'll help you get ready before meeting Ayaka," Momo offered.

"Would you?" she asked.

"Of course. Let's go." Momo stood up and accepted the two bottles of milk tea that Ryo held out for her and Carol with a smile and ushered Carol into her room.

Dee, Dafydd, Ryo and Bikky relaxed in the lounge, as they drank the milk tea Ryo had picked up when they made their last rest area stop, along with some various snacks as they waited for Ayaka to arrive.

"Actually I didn't tell her the room," Dafydd admitted, looking at Dee in concern.

"We're good," Dee assured him. "They'll give her the suite number with the key card to get on this floor.'

'And in the small chance they don't, she has one of four doors to knock on when she gets on this floor," Ryo added. "Or she can call, and we'll open a door and wave."

"This is true," Dafydd said. He leaned back in the cushioned chair and let out a happy sigh. "This is all too good to be happening. I'm waiting for Ayaka to show up, so she can meet her brother. This makes me so happy, but I will be happiest of all when I see you and Papa hug."

"That might not happen today," Dee warned him cautiously. "I have no doubt that eventually he'll want to meet me, but it's going to be a huge shock to him at first. I know what I'm still going through with meeting you, so I can only imagine that it would about a hundred times more of shock to him."

"Dafydd, any initial rejection from him should not be taken the wrong way. If that happens, give him time to get used to the idea," Ryo reminded him.

"I understand. I already was told that by both Momo and Mama-san," Dafydd said, referring to Maria by the term he had started to call her during the week.

He had spoken to her every day, with Maria calling him. Sometimes he was with Dee and Dee called her so they could all talk, other times she called just to speak to him and get to know her son's twin brother. She started to consider him a son because he was Dee's twin, and eventually Dafydd decided to switch from calling her Mother Lane-san to Mama-san. He had admitted that because he was raised by two fathers, he had room in his life to accept Dee's mother as his. Dee had been happy to share. Dafydd was also looking forward to finally join in with speaking to some of the kids at the orphanage with Dee. A couple of times while Dee was on the phone with Maria, she would put the call on speaker so Dee could talk to the children. Dee also had his cell phone on speaker so everyone could hear, and allowed Ryo and Bikky to join in if they wanted. It had warmed Dafydd as he listened to those calls. Even if most of the children at the orphanage had come and gone, most times to never be heard from again once they left the orphanage, at the time they were there, they all had an older brother who helped in making sure they were happy and felt loved and nourished. During the time they lived in the orphanage, they were part of Dee's family.

Even separated from his own biological family, his twin was never alone and managed to collect a large family of his own. It made Dafydd very happy to learn this about his brother. If Dee couldn't have been raised by his father with his family in Nagoya, Dafydd couldn't think of anything better for his twin. He had Maria to thank for that and he was eternally grateful to the loving and kind nun for all she had done. Now it seemed that not only was Dee's family expanding to include his biological family, Dafydd's family was too. Being that they both managed to have large families, they were going to be blessed with having one extremely large family. That also made Dafydd happy.

"I learned with experience that Mother always has very sage advice," Dee commented.

"I believe you," Dafydd admitted. "And I will not give up on Papa if he doesn't accept you right away. And until he does, I accept you. So does Momo, and apparently so does Ayaka, if her taking today off to meet you is any indication."

"Hey everyone," Bikky said. "You do know I have no idea what's being said, right?"

"Incentive to learn Japanese," Ryo said in English with a laugh.

"Geez," Dee commented. "I didn't realize we were speaking in Japanese. Sorry, Biks."

"It's becoming natural to you being here, isn't it?" Dafydd asked.

"Again," Dee replied. "When I was in college, the only time I spoke in English was when we were with our American friends. Otherwise it was Japanese."

"You got to speak it more than I did, since I lived on base," Ryo admitted, "but weekends with Obāsan and when I was off base alone or with Japanese friends, I did speak in Japanese. I'm just used to switching back and forth. It seemed to be the way in my family." Ryo shrugged.

"I kinda got used to switching having Obāsan staying with us," Dee said.

"Hey Pops, I have a question."

"What's that, Biks?" Ryo asked.

"Did your Dad speak Japanese?"

"He learned after meeting Mom. He was never as fluent but yes, he was able to communicate while we lived in Japan," Ryo replied.

"I guess he had to if they had a business in Kamakura," Dee said.

"That's true, but I guess Mom could have done all the talking, leaving Dad as a silent partner," Ryo remarked with a small grin. "We mostly spoke English when we moved back to New York, but he was able to join us whenever Mom would start talking to me in Japanese. I think she did that to make sure we didn't forget it. Or that she wouldn't forget it. Even if when Obaasan or the rest of the family here called, they spoke to me and Mom in Japanese. They would speak to Dad in English." Ryo grinned at Dee. "That says a lot about your fluency that they easily started to speak in Japanese to you."

Dafydd could not help his grin hearing it.

"I learned as a child, so it was easier than for your Dad. What are they doing in there?" Dee asked, looking toward the door of the bedroom Carol was using during their stay in Nagoya.

"It does take a bit to dress like an idol," Dafydd said. "I am also guessing that Carol wants to look perfect when she meets Ayaka." He shrugged. "Even if she's just our sister," he added, looking at Dee.

"I'm still waiting for it to hit Dee," Ryo said with a laugh.

"Me too!" Bikky agreed also laughing.

"I think my mind is on how Saburo is going to take the news and meeting family," Dee replied. "She may be in NGY52 but right now to me, she's a sister I never met but will very soon."

"Oh shoot!" Bikky exclaimed. "She's my aunt, isn't she? I mean, if she's your sister, Dad. Right Uncle Dafydd?"

"Right Bikky. She's your aunt as I'm your uncle," Dafydd replied.

"Oh, now that's really cool," Bikky said. "Sorry Pops. It's exciting having akabuki stars in the family too. And even if you were an idol once, Dad, that was long ago, even if people still listen to your song."

"But not as much as having someone from a current famous idol group as your Dad's sister. Yes, I understand. I'll admit that it is really exciting news," Ryo said. He looked at Dee. "I just thought of something. When Emiko finds out, I think they'll hear her shriek all the way in Jersey City."

Dee started to laugh. "Oh shit! You're right. She bonded with Carol because they both love idol groups and NGY52 is right up there with TKY52. Now that's going to be fun. After today we can start letting the family back in New York know about my family. I think that J.J. will freak some too when he finds out."

"Oh no!" Ryo exclaimed, slapping his forehead. "He's going to develop a new obsession with you, if only to meet your sister. I feel sorry for poor Drake. I hope they survive this."

"They better," Dee insisted, "because he better not. And he'll only meet my sister after he realizes that my twin brother and any other siblings I meet by then are all just as important to me."

Dafydd shrugged. "I'm just a detective. That won't be a big deal to your friend since he's also a detective. Ayaka is the big star of our family and we're all very proud of her. The rest of us have boring jobs, except maybe Naoki. He's going to voiceover school. He wants to do anime."

"Now that's very cool too," Bikky said. "Hey Dad, did you ever think that you could have such an interesting family?"

Dee let out a nervous laugh. "I never thought I could have even a boring family in Nagoya."

They all looked at the door when they heard a knock. Dee jumped up, suddenly looking both nervous and excited. He pulled down the stylish but comfortable pullover he was wearing. It was one of his purchases on their shopping spree in Shinjuku. He looked over at Dafydd as Ryo started to stand up. "Dafydd, why don't you let her in. Please?"

Dafydd studied his twin for a moment, and noted the nerves and excitement really had nothing to do with Ayaka being an idol and everything to do with Dee meeting another sibling he never knew he had until recently. He patted his brother's shoulder in a comforting fashion. "Relax, Dee. She already loves you, which is why she probably couldn't wait until tonight."

Ryo came over to stand next to Dee and slipped his arm around his husband's waist. With a warm smile, he said, "Look at it this way. At least that will be one less family member to meet later."

Dee let out a deep sigh as Dafydd walked to the door. "You know, in a way I hope I end up meeting them one by one. I mean not everyone could drop everything to rush over to Saburo's house tonight. Right? Get used to them and all. There are still times that I have to remind myself that Dafydd is my twin. Geez, we never figured out that our time in Nagoya would be like this. Assuming I'm accepted by the rest of the family, that is."

"If nothing else, I know there will be some family coming over to my house or here, if Papa isn't ready to meet you yet. I'm still going to send out text messages to everyone after I tell Papa, if he doesn't, and let them know where we can be found," Dafydd stated, knowing some of the family would still be curious. It might even help ease his father in wanting to meet Dee if it didn't happen that day.

"I think it's all really cool," Bikky said from his place on the couch, looking excited. He got up and went by the door to the bedroom Carol was using for their stay. "Carol, she's here," he called out. A squeal came from the other side of the door followed by Momo's laughter.

They all laughed at Carol's reaction.

"We're almost ready, Bikky," Momo called out.

Dafydd looked back at Dee. "Ready?"

Ayaka knocked again.

"Even if I wasn't, you best let her in before she takes down the door," Dee quipped, making them laugh again.

"At least you don't have to pay for damages," Dafydd teased.

"It's our hotel, we'll end up paying for repairs somehow," Dee remarked.

"True. Wait. Before I forget," he said and took his phone out from his pocket and turned on the video app. "Ayaka and Dee are about to meet for the first time," he said, filming the door.

He opened the door and the room was filled with a gleeful shriek. He found himself being hugged by Ayaka. "This is so wonderful!" she exclaimed in Japanese as she hugged him. "I'm so happy for you! And for me too, because I get to meet your twin finally." She peered around Dafydd and squealed with joy when she saw Dee. "I know I saw pictures, but this is still amazing." She rushed from Dafydd toward Dee, who appeared to be bracing himself for the impact of Ayaka pouncing him. Dafydd was glad he managed to keep a hold on his phone and immediately turned to get the event on video.

Dee managed to keep them both on their feet as he wrapped his arms around the excited woman. Dafydd closed the door and started to laugh. He was still filming.

Ryo took a few steps back to avoid being caught up in the collision and started to laugh as he watched NGY52's Ayaka Fujioka latch herself to his husband as if she was an excited fan herself. She was in jeans and an oversized shirt with a hood. She had a NY Mets baseball cap on her head. "Boy, I think J.J.'s glomps actually came in handy," he remarked with a laugh. "That could have been painful otherwise."

Dee started to laugh more than he already was as he hugged Ayaka as tightly as she was hugging him.

"Dee!" she exclaimed looking up at him. "I am so very happy to meet you," she said in Japanese, tears in her dark eyes. "I had always believed Dafydd that his twin was alive and hoped with him that one day we would meet." She hugged him again. "Welcome home to Nagoya, Daisuke!" She started to cry. "I can't believe today is the day. I'm so happy! Papa is going to be so shocked, but he'll also be so happy. I can't wait until Dee finally gets to meet his father. This is a wonderful day!" She hugged him tighter.

Dee's dark green eyes were already glistening but as she spoke, tears started to fall. His eyes glittered more like emeralds. He leaned down to kiss her forehead with a tender smile. "Hello Ayaka," he replied, also in Japanese. "I am also very happy to finally meet you. Thank you also for believing Dafydd and supporting him." Dee hugged his sister again.

The united siblings finally pulled apart. Dee wiped his eyes with a finger as he turned her to face Ryo. "Ayaka, this is my husband, Ryo."

With a laugh, Dafydd added, "His first name really is Randy. Ryo is his middle name, but Dee insisted on calling him Ryo."

Ryo grinned. "Which means I'm not really Randy so much anymore, so please call me Ryo."

Ayaka went over to hug Ryo. "I am so pleased to meet you." She studied him with a grin. "My brother has good taste."

"I do, don't I?" Dee agreed with a smile.

"Wow," Ryo said, having her stand in front of him was different than her pictures – the family ones Dafydd showed them as well as the ones he had seen in magazines, on CD cases and the internet. "The family resemblance is remarkable." He glanced at Dee. "I don't know why we never teased you about looking a lot like Ayaka."

"Who would have thought she was my sister if you did?" Dee asked in amazement as he stared at his sister. "He always said that Gackt reminded him of me," Dee said to Dafydd and Ayaka.

"Yes!" Ayaka said, laughing. "Dafydd heard that many times. You both look a lot like him, but no family resemblance there."

"Unfortunately, there is no Fujioka blood in Gackt. Ayaka is the biggest celebrity in our family," Dafydd said with a teasing glint in his eyes as he looked at his youngest sister. He winked at Dee. At Dee's request, he did not tell her about Dee's brush with fame during his college days. Yet.

It was a matter of time before she found out. If it wasn't from Dafydd, the rest of them loved teasing Dee about it since they found out.

"I am happy to meet another of my husband's siblings," Ryo said to Ayaka, returning her enthusiastic hug. "I look forward to getting to know you more."

"Me too," Ayaka agreed with a smile as they broke the hug.

Dee put his arm around Ayaka's shoulder and turned her to Bikky. "Ayaka, this is my son, Bikky."

"Bikky! Oh yes, Dafydd and Momo has told me all about you." She rushed over to hug Bikky.

Dee leaned close to whisper to Ryo as they watched Ayaka hug Bikky tightly. "She reminds me of someone that it's also good we know so we're used to this."

"Huh?" Ryo asked.

"Elena."

"Oh shit, you're right!" Ryo said, laughing. "That should be a fun meeting."

"Let's have Ayaka, Emiko and Elena meet at the same time."

"And you call me evil," Ryo remarked. "I say toss in Diana and you have a deal."

Dee started to laugh as Dafydd watched Ayaka and Bikky, smiling brightly. "We can always add JJ."

Ryo laughed harder.

"Hey Dads, Uncle," Bikky called out nervously. "A little help here please? I know she is happy to meet me, but I don't know what else she said.

"She said that me and Momo told her all about you," Dafydd replied.

"I'm screwed now, aren't I?" Bikky asked.

Dafydd started to laugh. "Not at all. We think you're a great kid and honored to have you as our nephew," he assured Bikky.

Ryo moved closer to Bikky and Ayaka and was translating what Dafydd was saying to Bikky for Ayaka.

She nodded her head and hugged him again. "I am looking forward to know you," she said slowly in heavily accented broken English.

"Me too," Bikky replied. "I mean to know you." He smiled at her. "Gomenasai," he said carefully, trying to remember what he did know in Japanese. "Uh, watashi no Nihongo, um…. Sucks."

Dee and Dafydd broke out in laughter and Dee reached over to ruffle Bikky's hair with a smile. Ryo didn't know if he should laugh or cover his face. He gave into laughing as Ayaka hugged him again.

"Dijobo, Bikky," she said. "My English sucks too."

Bikky broke out into a wide smile and laughed.

Ryo knew that Bikky definitely liked his new aunt now.

"You may call her Aunt Ayaka, or just Ayaka," Dafydd said to Bikky. "You have too many aunts in our family to call anyone Obasan. We are very traditional Japanese in many ways, but in many others, like Ryo's family, we are not. Especially for family. You will learn that soon. It is the smaller families that tend to stick to traditional honorifics. Larger but very close families, we do not."

"I noticed that with Ryo's family and the families of some of the kids we got to know in Kamakura," Bikky said.

Ryo found it endearing that it was Dafydd who was speaking to Bikky in English while he was softly translating in Japanese to Ayaka.

"Are we missing someone?" Ayaka asked in Japanese, looking around the room. "Where is Carol? I am also looking forward to meeting her."

Everyone started to laugh. With a grin, Dee said in Japanese, "She had a special outfit picked out to meet you, but she wasn't expecting to meet you so soon. She was still in travel clothes when we found out you were coming over to join us. Momo is helping her get dressed."

"And to remind her to breathe," Ryo added.

"That too," Dee agreed with a grin.

"She did not have to go through the trouble. I will accept her no matter what she is wearing, but now that I know, I will make sure to mention how much I love her outfit," Ayaka said.

"That would make her even more happy," Dee said. "She's like our little sister and daughter rolled into one. And hopefully years from now, she'll be our daughter-in-law."

"She's their Princess," Dafydd added with a warm smile.

"Yours too," Dee said. "I've heard you call her that a few times."

"I understand why you do," Dafydd said.

"While we wait, can I see the babies?" Ayaka asked.

"Oh sure. They're over there by the coffee table," Dee replied. "I think car travel really knocks them out. They're usually up around this time of the day, and I'm surprised all our excitement didn't wake them."

Ayaka went over to the cot and looked in to find the two babies cuddled together. "Oh! Kawaii!" she exclaimed.

Ryoko opened her eyes and looked up.

"The little girl is awake," she informed them.

Dee looked over his sister's shoulder. Ryoko noticed him and stretched her arms out with a huge smile. The sound she made caused Darin to move his arm, hitting his sister's side. Dee laughed. "Yup, Ryoko is awake, and soon so will be Darin." He moved Ayaka gently so he could reach down and pick up Ryoko. "Hello there, baby girl. Someone very special wants to meet you, sweetheart." He kissed Ryoko's face as she smiled and squirmed happily in Dee's arms, starting to babble happily. Dee held the baby out to his sister. "Ayaka, this is your niece, Ryoko."

Ayaka took Ryoko from Dee and cuddled her. "So sweet. Hello Ryoko. I am your Aunt Ayaka and I'm so happy to meet you." She kissed Ryoko's face. "You are such a beautiful little girl."

"She looks more like Ryo," Dee said with a smile.

"She does, but she has your eyes, including your color."

Dee chuckled. "As I found out recently, she takes after me in another way."

"What's that?" Ryo asked.

"She looks less Japanese than her brother, even if they are twins," Dee replied.

"You know, that's very true," Ryo replied with a laugh. "But I can't say Darin takes after me that way, since I always thought you looked more Asian than I did. We just didn't know what type of Asian until now."

Dee looked down when he heard a gurgle come from the cot and noticed Darin kicking his legs and stretching his arms out, making cooing sounds. "Are you wanting to meet your Aunt Ayaka too, little man?" he asked as he bend down to pick Darin up. "Look at you all excited," he exclaimed as he kissed the baby's nose, making Darin giggle.

Ryo took Ryoko from Ayaka, promising her that she could hold the baby again later if she wanted. Dee held Darin for her to take him. "And this is our little ninja, Darin."

"Oh! He looks so much like you, Dee, except he has Ryo's eyes. He's so sweet too." She cuddled him and kissed his forehead. "Hello little Darin. I am happy to meet you." She started to smile. "You look so much like your Daddy and Uncle Dafydd. You are such a handsome little man. Yes, you are." Darin smiled up at her and reached out for her hair.

Ryo laughed. "Darin seems to respond faster to new people than Ryoko, even if she's the little attention hog."

"He's probably making up for all the time he was forced to hide during my pregnancy," Dee remarked amused as he watched his son react to Ayaka.

"I think you have a new fan," Ryo said with a laugh as he rocked Ryoko.

From behind them, they heard a small but excited squeak. They all turned to find Carol and Momo in the lounge. Carol was in one of her idol style dresses that they had paid a small fortune for, but it was her favorite. She had worn it when they went to meet Hide and his business partner's newly formed idol group. This was the second time she had put it on, already deciding on what she was going wear upon learning that Dee had a half-sister, who was also her favorite idol. She was also wearing make-up and had her hair up in two high ponytails, done up with bows. It was obvious that Momo had helped her with her make-up and hair because it was different than she usually wore it and more like the other time Momo had offered to do her make-up and hair. Carol looked like she could have been an idol.

Carol was frozen in her place, staring at Ayaka with wide eyes. She let out a little whimper when Ayaka looked at her and smiled.

Bikky started to laugh at his girlfriend. "Go on. She doesn't bite, she's just my aunt."

Dee snorted and then chuckled along with Ryo and Dafydd.

Momo started to urge Carol forward, but Ayaka had handed Darin back to Dee and was already starting across the room. "Hello Carol!" she greeted with a big smile. "It is very good to meet you," she said in her broken English. In Japanese, she continued, "Sugoi! What a lovely outfit you're wearing. You could be an idol. Maybe we can karaoke later?"

Ryo grinned. "Carol, Dee's sister said that she loves your outfit and that you could be an idol. She is hoping for a chance to do karaoke with her later."

Carol blushed as bright red and bowed deeply. "Domo arigato gozaimasu. It is an honor to meet you."

"The honor is all mine," Ayaka replied, returning the bow.

"How about everyone sitting down and relaxing," Ryo suggested, going over to Carol and started to move her to the couch. "Dafydd and Momo, perhaps you would like to finish your tea before you have to leave? Ayaka, would you like a bottle of milk tea?"

"We bought a lot of the stuff since Bikky discovered he actually loves it," Dee said with a laugh. "Back in New York he hardly touched it whenever we brought some during out Japanese shopping."

Ayaka nodded. "That would be nice. Thank you." She sat next to Dee on the couch, with Dafydd sitting on her other side. He had taken Darin from Dee, and was now cuddled happily in Dafydd's lap, clenching the soft penguin plushie that Akira had bought during their travels. Dafydd had taken it from the travel cot after he took Darin from his brother.

Ryo handed her the bottle and sat on the loveseat against the wall, next to Momo, who had Ryoko on her lap. Ryo could not help taking a photo of the three siblings. He was still amazed that when he saw photos of her, he never realized just how much she looked like Dee. Watching the three sit together and start to talk, there was no denying that they were family.

Once again, Ryo was so happy for Dee that he found his biological family, and again amazed that it was during their family vacation to Japan.

Dafydd and Momo stayed for another half hour. It didn't have to be said, but other than enjoying time with present company, they were waiting until they felt everyone was comfortable before leaving.

Once they left, Dee and Ryo continued to talk to Ayaka, getting to know her more. She was easy to like and the two men adored her right away. Since she was older than Carol by only two years, even with interpreting, they hit it off right away too. She was also good with putting people at ease. At first Carol was completely starstruck and in full fangirl mode, but it wasn't long after they sat down and started to talk, Carol saw her more as a new friend and part of the family. Ayaka reminded Ryo of Carol in a lot of ways, so even if she wasn't Dee's younger half-sister, he was certain that he would still have brotherly feelings toward her, and was certain Dee was feeling the same way. Bikky also seemed to like her, being responsive to her, even if most of her questions were being repeated in English by Dee or Ryo. His replies were enthusiastic, and he kept smiling.

She didn't concentrate on just Dee, wanting to know all of them. Dee wasn't a single unit, he came with a family and it was as if to know all of them, was to know her brother. Ryo liked that about her. He could also saw when her interest in the rest of them was genuine. She was thrilled to have more family members. Her support of Dafydd's belief was also obvious, and she was just over the moon knowing that he had been right all along.

She also did make an effort to speak English. Dafydd said that she understood English better than speaking it, and that he suspected that she really did know more if she could understand but was afraid to carry a full conversation in English for fear of messing up the sentence structure or badly mispronouncing a word. Yet, she did her best so they did not have to translate everything she said to Bikky and Carol.

"Do you have a performance today?" Ryo asked for Carol.

"Not today. As soon as Dafydd told me about Dee and that he was coming here today, I managed to get the whole day off. Meeting a long-lost brother is a family emergency. I don't have to practice tomorrow and no other events scheduled, so I'm free for most of the day, but I do have a performance in the evening. I hope you can all come to it."

"It depends on the rest of your family, if they accept me, but we would love to, if we could," Dee replied. He relayed what was said to Bikky and Carol.

Bikky nodded his head. "Yes! I hope we can 'cause that would be so cool."

Carol just let out a little squee.

"We tried to get tickets for TKY52," Dee explained, "but we weren't so lucky being picked by the lottery system. We promised Carol that we would try for NGY62 and then maybe even try again for TKY when we're back in Tokyo. That was before we met Dafydd. Carol said she would still love to see TKY if we could, but if we lucked out with NGY, she would be satisfied." With a grin, he winked at Carol. "After all, her favorite TKY member transferred to NGY."

"Dafydd could have gotten you into TKY," Ayaka said.

"He did mention that, but we decided to wait until we got back to Tokyo."

"Oh yes. I'll make sure you get in," she said. "Now you have the same privileges as Dafydd because you are my brother. Tell Carol that I am honored to be her favorite. She is now my favorite fan."

After Dee translated what Ayaka said and watched as Carol turned a deep red again as she smiled brightly, Ayaka asked, "Can I take you out for lunch while we wait?"

"We were talking about walking around the area and get lunch while we were out," Dee said to his sister in Japanese.

"I would like to take you to the café at the theater," Ayaka said.

"But won't you get surrounded by fans?" Ryo asked, concerned.

"I'll be okay," she assured them. "I would really love to take you. Then I can show you around the area if you are up to it until we hear from Dafydd."

Dee and Ryo looked at each other. "Let's go then," Ryo said.

"Okay," Dee said in English. "Kids, we're all going out for lunch, so let's get ready. We're going to the SKE Café."

"Awesome!" Carol exclaimed.

"Cool!" came from Bikky.

A/N: The original intention when I started posting was every other week. Unfortunately sometimes life gets in the way. Some good (like a 5 week vacation in Japan) and some not good (like having too much stuff to get done, or spending time in the hospital because of an elbow infection, which I did twice in the last month, including having surgery on the elbow). I work full-time and don't get home during the week until at least 6:30 to 7 pm, and also learning Japanese. And as if that's not enough, I'm also trying to redo my apartment. So sometimes it might be more than 2 weeks before I can post. I can't post more than every 2 weeks because then I'll catch up with where I am in writing this, and then it could take a couple of months before I have a new chapter ready to post. I'm up to chapter 40 in writing, so I know I have something to post for a while if I post every other week. It's just finding the time to read it over, making changes, add in what I might have missed in the draft and then sending it off to Milady Dragon for beta. Then when I get it back, I read it again, sometimes add something that I still neglected to add before sending off for beta, and then it's ready to post. It usually takes a week to get a chapter ready to post.

That being said about every other week, the next couple of chapters, I am going to try to post once a week, depending on if I can have it ready then, if not, then less than 2 weeks later, I hope. Mostly because both me and Milady Dragon agree that these chapters shouldn't have too much time in between posting, so we'll do our best in getting them posted weekly. Then back to every two week, real life permitting.

Thanks for reading!