Fatherhood Chapter 4

In the emerald field decorated with petite white flowers and wild grasses, an old tree stood in the midst of it. Strips of its chocolate bark had been peeled off through times of summers and winters. Its once strong branches were weakening and its rich crown of leaves had passed their time. Yet, the roots were firmly sunk into the rich soil of its birth land. This old tree had been the silent spectator of the inhabitants and still was, to witness another chapter of the two responsible for its permanent scar.

Sanzo stood right in front of the tree, staring blankly at the bare branches. Time was much faster then he thought. Who would have thought he would be here again? Pressing his arm onto the bark, he leaned his forehead against it and sighed heavily. He's a father. He had a son, his blood and flesh. What was he going to do? The look of the little boy was daunting. He had seen that look many times but his son's affected him terribly. In his son's eyes, he was a total stranger despite all the bubbly childlikeness antics.

How could it happen? It was only once. Only once. He never anticipated the outcome to turn into another direction. Azami was supposed to move on and treat his existence like a long lost memory. She was supposed to forget her. Why? Why did it have to happen this way?

Turning around, he took out a cigarette, lit it and inhaled. Looking up at the clear sky, he puffed out grayish blue smoke. Darn it all! What could he do now? What should he do now?

Most importantly, how could she be pregnant so easily? Don't most couples do it lots of times before successfully making babies? They did it only once! In a moment of thoughtless passion! As much as he's a Sanzo, he's also a mortal man. How could he resist her? How could any man resist her? He was caught off-guard, unprepared ! On the other hand, was she 100% certain that he's the father of her son? Maybe, she met a jerk who dumped her the moment she got pregnant. Oh... that asshole would taste Genjo Sanzo's version of hell thrashing if that were true. He shook his head. Nah! Azami was not that sort of woman who hitched on other men just to relieve herself emotionally.

Think properly, Genjo. Think RATIONALLY!!!

"Sanzo?" He heard a voice faltering, leading him away from his thoughts. Barely looking up, he knew it was Hakkai. One of the three, he was always the one who could almost read his mind like a book.

"Are you alright?" Hakkai stood next to him. "You are extremely quiet."

"What do you want me to say?" Sanzo inhaled his cigarette.

Hakkai examined the hole in the tree's trunk. "I see you and Azami had some good time together. From your expression earlier on, I can tell 2 things from you. You are happy to see her again but you did not expect her to have your child, didn't you?" His green eyes locked on Sanzo's violet eyes.

"It was a big shock for everyone." Hakkai laughed quietly. "If it is Gojyo, it would be a different story."

"Yeah, it would be," Sanzo lit another cigarette.

"What do you intend to do?"

"I…" The cigarette stuck between Sanzo's fingers. "I don't know. I don't know where to begin."

"Then begin when it first started." Hakkai said. "Everything has a beginning, including the river."

Including the river? Sounds like what my mentor, Komyo Sanzo said to me years ago...

Koryu Kawamono, the river drifter… an abandoned baby found by the riverside. The river always flows endlessly in a steady beat, never altering from its path because it knows it's wiser to choose the smooth and sturdy path. To stray is to head for trouble and uncertainties. Still, you'll never know the elements of Life...

Isn't that so, Koryu?

Why did I leave her?

Rain fell down like a misty shroud, leaving watery cloaks across the ground. Circular ripples patterned the surface that come and ago with each droplet. The wind was its companion, blowing thin wisps towards the nearest house. Like a spirit, it flew down to the house and looked through its window. With each exhaled breath, sprays of water sparkled onto the cold glass. Inside, the wind saw a lady, wearing a shawl around her shoulders, walking up the stairs with a lit candle in her hands. Turning right, she walked past a door but stopped. Moving backwards, she pressed her ears against the door and thought she heard something. Curling her fingers around the doorknob, the door opened and she slipped in. With the candlelight as her guide, she directed it to the source.

He was tossing beneath the blankets, in rugged breaths, moaning out words she could hardly make out. Shades of the orange light saw his eyes fluttering in effects to wake up from his hellish dreams. The lady placed the candle onto the table and went towards him. Half leaning over, she put her fingers onto his bare shoulders. She shook him, whispering his name.

"Genjo… Genjo…"

Abruptly, like an explosive volcano, his eyes snapped open. Savagely, he grabbed her by the neck and pinned her to the floor. A familiar freezing metal object was at her forehead. Beads of perspiration clustered around it. Fearfully, she transfixed her eyes on the towering man, whose face smoldered with rage. His breath was raw, desiring with the one thing that kept him alive.

To kill or be killed.

Seeing the danger, the wind burst through the windows, slapping the man with its frosty chill mercilessly. If that wasn't enough, the wind hit another blow across his face. That should bring him to his senses, the wind thought. Its menacing cold still lingered over the room till it heard the heavy thud of the gun. The man somberly released her and moved away from her. His head buried in his hands, the fingers clutching his blond hair.

Recovering, Azami sat up, her hands upon her chest that was heaving up and down continuously. She was upset by what she saw in him. He was like a ghost horrified of his deeds, shattered by untold Fear. Now, he was withdrawing himself into the prison of someplace she may not be able to reach him. He was a terrified little boy, retreating to a corner of this room, shutting himself up. What could have happened to him that made to what he was today? A lonely man taken over by his demons.

She stood up, picked up the shawl from the ground and went to him once more. Kneeling down, she took the shawl and wrapped it around him. Then, she bent over him, cradling him in her arms. He didn't resist. There was no reason to fight the refuge she was giving to him.

"You poor boy," Azami murmured, stroking his blond hair as he lay nestled in her bosom. "It's alright. You are safe. No one is going to hurt you."

Gradually, the wind decided it was time for him to depart. As it flew out of the windows, it knew it would be back to see them once more.

You are safe. No one is going to hurt you...

"At that time, I felt secure, whole and…" Sanzo fumbled for words.

"Happy," Hakkai continued. "Happy to know there's someone who knows your mind and soul. She could see and understand what you're going through without telling. She fills the empty gap in your heart, making the days lighter, brighter and fulfilling. You want to spend every living second to be with her, cherishing her, desiring the best for her." Swallowing a lump in his throat. "That's how I felt when I met Kanna. She was the light of my hopes and dreams even though it didn't lasted as long as I wished it to be." His brown hair overshadowed his face. "Kanna & I always wanted to start a family. Back to where we started. What do you intend to do?"

"How the hell should I know?" Sanzo inhaled a fresh cigarette. "I have no idea on how to be a father!" Holding up his hands in mid-air helplessly. "In fact, how could she be pregnant? It was only once!"

"Only once and you hit the jackpot!" Gojyo butt in out of nowhere. Seeing Sanzo's whitened face, he pressed on. "And no doubt, it's your first? Well, if you could control yourself a while longer, you'll take notice of her time of the month and avoided getting her…"

"SHUT UP, RED HAIRED HALF WATER DEMON!!" Sanzo angrily smashed his face with his white fan. "IF YOU CAN'T BE HELPFUL, GET LOST!!!"

"At least, I'm giving you a decent advice!" Gojyo protested, rubbing his sore nose. "Including the facts of life! Both of you were teenagers and usually teen's hormones are outrageous especially when meeting the opposite sex. For your case, it's triple the reaction due to your growing up environments that severely devoid you from women."

"Conclusively, your point is ?"

"The point is very straightforward. Boy meet girl. Boy and girl mate. Boy left girl. Boy meet girl again. This time, there's junior. Therefore, I highly suggest you stop your sissy whining about how Azami got pregnant and face the hard-core fact. You are the father of her child, damn it!" The red eyes glimmered the gravity of his words. "Be a man and take responsibilities for your own actions!"

"If you don't know where to start," Refusing to be interrupted. "You could begin by talking to Azami. You haven't spoken to her when she showed your son. Imagine how she's feeling about your response." Shoving him. "Move it, Mr. Daddy before I kick you in the ass!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" Sanzo hissed, craving to shoot him in the head despite the statement Gojyo was making.

"Well, well," Hakkai spoke, after making sure that Sanzo was beyond hearing distance. "I'm surprised a playboy like you could say that."

Gojyo grunted. "Only wanting to say a piece of my mind to that dense monk. If I were him, I would be so thrilled to bits." Grinning playfully. "Think of the things I could teach him to do."

"True," Hakkai agreed. "I will teach him reading and writing. We could discuss poetry, politics or debate our views on anything…"

"To master smoking and drinking hard liquor…"

"Cooking especially during out-door camping…"

"I'll coach him on the seduction of women…"

"Sewing and house keeping. He is mother's little helper…"

"Gambling. That way, he will be rich faster…"

"And also…"

"Most importantly…"

"Trouncing the bad guys up!" They chorused together. Looking at each other, they laughed.

"Too bad, Sanzo couldn't see it this way." Gojyo dug into his pockets for his lighter. "It would be easier for him to accept."

"That may not be the case," Hakkai softly replied. His eyeglass gleamed ominously. "Think for a moment. Once word is out that Sanzo has a son, every demon in this land will be after them. If they nicer, they would use Azami & Sanzo's son as bait to draw him out. If not, they will kill them at an instant. Furthermore, I don't think the monks back at Changan Temple would accept him. They might accuse Azami a liar, an unwed mother who wants to use Sanzo for her own benefits. Soon, things would go out of hand. What would people think of the child?"

"Sanzo's illegitimate son. A bastard if they are cruel." Gojyo cursed. "So, why not bring them along with us? Wouldn't it be better?"

"Too risky and dangerous. Demons often attack us out of the blue. They might get injured or killed during the crossfire. Plus, the concern of their safety will distract Sanzo."

"We can't leave them here or bring them along. Then, what's the best solution? I don't expect corrupt monk to have one."

"He already has. It has been protecting them."

"It?" Gojyo was puzzled; his eyes squinted as he frowned. Then, his eyes steadily widened. "When you said when word gets out… you mean…"

"The secret will be safe as long as the four of us and Azami keep silent." Hakkai barely nodded. "Yet, that also means we cannot stay here. Sanzo knows that. That's why he left her."

To Be Continued

The next chapter is when the action really starts... come to think of it, GeneWeiß haven't thought of a name for Sanzo's son... Err... any suggestions?