A/N: Err… if there's any mistakes, pls forgive me, I didn't re-read this chap. Well, thanks to all the reviewers.
Chapter 11-Completed'Is that true?' Fujima asked.
'Why would it be not true?' Jin questioned, confused. He wasn't angry because Fujima's question was of pure shock. The three guys turned to look at Aya and he did the same.
'Let's settle his problem first,' was what Aya said.
'Um… do you like realize that part of his problem is you?' Fujima said.
'This is such a mess,' Rukawa said, looking at Aya, Fujima and then at Jin.
'You always pop up everywhere,' Sendo said, amazingly still smiling. Aya looked up tiredly at Jin, and Jin saw the uncertainness in her eyes, the fear and… the pain. He felt he was the cause of it, and he felt sorry for what he said.
Jin looked at them, politely questioningly, asking without words whether he was allowed to know what was going on. They seemed to understand him perfectly. The three of them looked at Aya who nodded.
'Aya is the child. Aya is your half-sister,' Fujima said. Jin stared at them as if they were all lunatics. There was silence for about three minutes until Sendo broke it and told Jin what happened from the beginning.
'And who is her real mom?'
'Fujima's mom,' Sendo replied. All this while, Rukawa was staring at Aya. He was greatly distressed though not at all surprised when he saw tears welling up in her eyes. He held out his hand and took hers. Standing up and bringing her along with him, he walked out the door. Jin looked at them, feeling guilty.
'There is no need to feel guilty. It's not your fault. Besides we were going to see you people next week anyway,' Fujima said softly.
'She's got to learn and accept the fact that not all pain and hurt comes from her,' Sendo said, softly too.
* * * * * * * *
Jin is my other half-brother? My half-mother hates me? What on Earth? Why is it in such a mess? Jin's family isn't happy, and it is because of me. It all comes back to me. Why? Why do I cause so much of trouble to the people around me? Rukawa wiped away a tear of mine as we walked, just walked away. Away from all the hurt, trouble and confusion. I leaned my head on his chest, still sad, wishing that I didn't cause so much trouble. Sometimes wishing that I hadn't been born. I wasn't wanted anyway… but the love that is given to me held me on. Making me grateful that I actually had this life in which I could actually feel and understand this perfect feeling.
'Hey,' Rukawa said softly.
'Aya, look at me.' Still I didn't move.
'Aya,' I wished he had shouted. I could resist him then, but now, I couldn't. I looked at him.
'It's not your fault,' he whispered into my ears, bending to do so.
'It is. Why would everyone I have contact with have to suffer? I'm the reason. It is obvious,' I replied. We were still walking, but now, I was standing in front of him, his hands around my waist.
'Yeah, sure, you caused us some trouble, but for goodness sakes, everyone is a trouble at one point or another. It's just that you've had a harder life and need more support from your friends compared with us. We had and have our parents to hang on to. You've to understand that. Even Jin's life was happier and much better than yours. If you blame yourself for causing that little suffering to him, why don't you blame your parents for causing you so much pain?' he asked, sternly, yet tenderly. I looked up at him, into his eyes.
'Do you love your parents?'
'Rukawa…'
'Come on, answer me. Do you?' His eyes penetrating so deep into mine, making me feel so uncovered, so vulnerable.
'Yes. Yes, but it's not the same,' I whispered, looking down, averting his eyes.
'My parents are my flesh and blood, it's different.'
'It's the same,' he said, tightening his hold on me, walking again. The wind was blowing lightly, making my skin tingle.
'You don't need a reason to love,' he continued, ending the sentence in such a quiet manner that I was hardly aware that he said it. We walked around aimlessly and then back in silence, his words still lingering in my mind, my heart at ease.
* * * * * * * *
'Hey! Back at last?' Sendo greeted the two love-birds at the door.' They both gave him a look, trying and failing to look irritated. As they entered the living room, they saw Jin and Fujima were in front of the television. They exchanged smiles, feeling totally comfortable. Jin was very happy when he realized that Aya wasn't sad anymore. The five of them sat in the living room, in front of the television, watching a movie, enjoying each other's company. At last they had found proper friends and people who actually loved and accepted them the way they are. They didn't have to act strong. They were strong in different ways, and all the strengths bound together into something the most powerful strength couldn't defeat. Something money couldn't buy. Acceptance, peace, but most of all love.
* * * * * * * *
Two hours later, Sendo's mom returned to see five teenagers in the living room, chatting away (the movie had long ended). She recognized three of them well. Her son, Rukawa, and Aya. The other two boys were strangers however. No… wait. She had seen the guy with the short brown hair before. His name was… Fujima. Yes, Kenji Fujima, Aya's half-brother. But who was the other guy? Yet, somehow, she knew, felt that the other guy was Aya's half-brother as well. She didn't know how, she just felt it. Besides that, she felt power radiating from them, power, completed at last. She always felt power and peace when Sendo and Aya were together. It magnified with the presence of Rukawa and Fujima. And now, this mysterious boy completed it. He closed the circle.
'What am I thinking?' Mrs. Sendo asked herself, shaking her head. Yet, she knew in her heart that those thoughts were true.
'Okaa-chan?'
'Hi, aunty,'
'Hello everyone. Skipped school?' she asked. They all grinned sheepishly in reply. She smiled back.
'Mother, this is Jin, Aya's other half-brother,' Sendo said.
'Hey,'
'Hello aunty.' Mrs. Sendo could see that he was comfortable with all of them. She then went out of the room to do the cooking with all the stuff she just bought from the market. She liked to cook by herself, in her own style, and Aya knew it, so she had not offered to help.
After lunch, they went to Sendo's room.
'How's Maki?' Fujima asked Jin.
'Oh… Maki's really full of spirit. This is the last year for him and he wants to win the MVP. Besides…'
'Hey, do you know that you two are second-cousins?' Sendo asked suddenly. Aya looked up from her comic book. (She loves comic and horror novels). Rukawa who was nodding off opened his eyes. Fujima and Jin stared at him as if he was out of his mind. Then they all burst out laughing at the same time.
'Are you that slow?' Aya asked. In school, all the basketball players who knew the five of them (like Sakuragi, Hanagata etc) looked up at that exact same moment, feeling something in they heart, yet neither knowing what it was nor the fact that they had looked up at the exact same point.
'Fine!!' Sendo said, not at all hurt, in fact smiling a little. They spent the rest of the day just talking. After dinner though, they happy mood was gone. They were all nervous, Aya and Jin in particular. As they walked out the door with Sendo's dad staring at them with the same thought that crossed Mrs. Sendo mind dancing in his head, they prepared themselves for any fuss what-so-ever from Jin's family.
'Even though they aren't exactly happy, the peace and lingering happiness is still there. How'd that happen?' Mr. Sendo asked himself watching the five of them disappearing into the night.
A/N: Err… actually, I have nothing to say, just doing what I did in all the chaps. Well, thanks again.
