"Let's go to Mount Fuji. It should be a nice ride, this time of year," Asuga announced.
"Sure why not, we've never gone," Noriko agreed.
Masaki said thoughtfully, "Hiro and I were going to make that ride, the day we met you two. We never ended up going."
Asuga asked, "Nori do you want to ride through our old neighbourhood?"
"It's the best route there and we don't have to stop. I do miss that noodle shop on the corner. I wonder if that grandmother still runs it. She makes the best Yakisoba noodles," Noriko recalled.
"Are we staying overnight so we can go to the Hot Springs the next day?" Masaki asked.
"Not unless it rains unexpectedly," Noriko declined. "I'd rather just ride."
Hiroto suggested, "it's possible to do it all in a day, even if we stop at the hot springs and eat. We just have to get up early."
The twins smirked and said in unison, "we'll have you up early, don't worry."
Masaki groaned, "can you two stop doing that tandem talking, it's creepy."
**—**—**
The plan was set in motion at 5 am the next day. As promised the twins woke the brothers, in a very tension releasing way. Everyone had coffee and then they left, riding their previously decided route by 6am. The twins lead the way, since the plan was to eat at the noodle place in their old neighbourhood, if it was still there. At that time in the morning, there was little traffic and in some sections they rode in a horizontal line of four, with the brothers on the outside of the girls. Other areas they rode in a staggered formation, so they only took up one lane of traffic. Motorcycles get a lot of kilometres or milage on one tank of gas, so no need to stop until reaching their first destination. The road became less urban and that's when they arrived in a small town, where the sisters rode slower. Noriko recognized the area and made a signal with her hand and not just the directional blinker on her motorcycle. They pulled up, backing their motorcycles in. Four rear tires from their respective bikes touched the curb.
"This is the noodle shop!" Asuga said happily.
Noriko looked up and down the street, before following her sister into the shop. The Amamiya Brothers exchanged a look and then followed the twins.
"Grandma you're still here!" Asuga moved to hug the old woman with great affection.
"Asuga and Noriko Chiba? My it's been such a long time. Are you here for Yakisoba?"
"Yes ma'am! No one makes it better than you," Noriko said honestly.
They picked a table and waited for the food to arrive. Hiroto could tell that Noriko was wearing a mask of calm. Her hypersensitivity to any movement outside the shop window, made him think she was waiting for trouble.
The old woman delivered the noodles and side dishes. She patted Noriko's cheek. "When I heard about your father, I was so sorry for you two."
Asuga swallowed and asked, "our father?"
"Maybe you two were not living here anymore. My memory isn't the greatest these days. Your father was an undercover policeman, who rose through the ranks of the mafia and became an enforcer. He died while undercover, but they didn't have the evidence to charge anyone. He's buried beside your mother at our church."
Asuga was in tears. Noriko's hands were fists, but she politely thanked the grandmother with another hug. "We didn't know. Mom always said he just left us."
"My poor dears. Maybe she didn't know either. May their souls find peace in the afterlife."
Hiroto suggested, "we should stop by their graves."
The twins nodded in agreement. Everyone began to eat again. The noodles indeed were the best they'd ever had and the guys praised the grandmother. When they left the shop, the old woman hugged the Amamiya Brothers and called them handsome. Delaying their exit from the restaurant. It was the voices of guys and Asuga threatening to punch them out, that had them making haste back to the where the motorcycles were parked.
"Get your hands off my sister you assholes!" Asuga snarled.
Masaki took in the situation. "Who are these losers?"
"Norkio's ex, the one I told you about and my ex from when I was sixteen. Why they're hanging out together, who knows, except it makes it easier to kick their asses!"
Hiroto threatened, "take your hands off my girl."
"She's a lying whore buddy. I've got picture proof in my cell phone. I'm doing you a favour taking her from you."
Asuga's anger was about to break, "you're the cheater and liar!"
"You're one to talk. Taking your clothes off for just anyone. I caught you in the act." Asuga's ex, waived his cell phone in her face.
Masaki kicked it out of his hand, picked it up and found the offensive pictures. He deleted them all. "Now you have no business with her."
Noriko wrenched free from her ex, tried to punch him herself and he put her into a choke hold, laughing at her. "Still a shit fighter, after all this time."
Hiroto didn't give warning, letting his knuckles do all the talking. The ex released Noriko immediately and swore. But after seeing how much this guy got into Norkio's head, Hiroto wasn't leaving without giving him a pounding. "Masaki protect the twins, I'll settle this."
Her ex, couldn't have escaped the onslaught of thundering punches, even if he'd had advanced warning. Hiroto broke the ex's nose, some teeth and gave him a huge lump on the head. "You don't talk to her or even think about Noriko, ever again. Understand me?"
"Just look at the pictures man. She's two faced." The guy spit blood and held up his phone as evidence.
Masaki took it, deleted the pictures and checked the social media apps too. He handed the phone back to Hiroto, who used it to slap the guy around.
"Why don't you guys doubt them?"
Hiroto replied, "why would we? They're our girls. If we didn't trust them, they wouldn't be with us."
Asuga's ex retorted, "everyone cheats bro."
Masaki kicked the guy in the stomach, making him double over trying to catch his breath. "We don't cheat and neither do our girls. If the twins lost their faith in us, we'd make them believe all over again."
"Who are you guys?"
Noriko finally spoke, her voice quivering. "Hiroto that's enough…. They're the Amamiya Brothers."
"Let's go, these guys aren't worth our time." Asuga hugged her sister, then put her helmet on, after starting her motorcycle.
The guys that had been beaten up, staggered away. The four motorcycles roared up the street, as they rode towards the Chiba Family graves. The Amamiya Brothers sat waiting at the bottom of the hill and let the sisters visit the grave by themselves. The twins held hands as they walked up to the graves of their mother and father.
"Dad, I'm sorry I doubted you. Mom, he finally came back to you." Noriko choked on her own tears.
"Mom why did you give up? Dad, you should've told us how brave you really were. I love you both, but I won't ever come back here." Asuga just let the tears run freely and sniffed back the snot.
"Good bye and rest well." Noriko said with finality in her heart. "Let's go, we've got that ride to the mountain still to do."
They walked back down the hill and went into the arms of their respective boyfriends.
Asuga sighed, "we won't be back. They'll stay in our past. It's not home anymore, nor has it been for a very long time."
Noriko looked at the Amamiya Brothers and then pointed out, "home is where we hang our motorcycle helmets. We're ready to ride, you two lead the way to the hot springs."
Hiroto pulled her back to him, as she turned to get on her Harley. He kissed away her tears. "Baby, your home is in my heart."
"I love you so much," Noriko sobbed into his arms.
Asuga couldn't hold back her crying now either and turned her face into Masaki's neck. "I've got you, you're safe with me. My heart is forever yours Asuga."
The brothers held the twins, until the tears stopped. Noriko gave her sister a tissue too and they pulled themselves together.
"Good-bye mom and dad," the sisters said together. This time Masaki didn't complain about them having one voice.
The motorcycles roared through the quiet cemetery and back out on to the street. They left the past behind and moved forward. The rest of the ride was smooth, freeing and full of smiles. At one section of the curvy road, they raced each other, keeping the corners tight. By the time they got to the hot springs, everyone welcomed getting a massage and then soaking in the hot water. They reserved a private co-ed hot spring, for just the four of them. Everyone let a satisfied sigh escape, as they sunk up to their necks in the steamy water.
"My skin is tingling. This is awesome." Asuga sighed blissfully.
"To cleans our bodies, minds and souls," Noriko agreed.
"I'm glad we ran into the jerks from your past. I've been wanting to beat that asshole since I overheard what he'd done to you," Hiroto admitted.
Masaki agreed, "it was satisfying, especially making sure their blackmail material got all erased."
Noriko laughed, "the best part was when you used his cell phone to slap the shit out of him!"
Hiroto sunk deeper into the water, until only his eyes and the top of his head were visible, so they couldn't see him smirk. It didn't last long, because the water was too hot to stay submerged like that for long. "You can see Mount Fuji from here."
"This place is surreal."