TITLE: House of the Rising Sun
AUTHOR: By Sakura the Cookie Monster
RATING: PG
DISCLAIMER: Standard disclaimers apply.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the day that I've waited nine agonizing months of my life for. I'm finally going to be a father. I just never expected the unborn child inside my girlfriend would crash my best friend's wedding. And now, here I am... in a hospital, with the groom, in a waiting room, chewing on dog biscuits. Now, I know what you're thinking. Why would a man chew on dog biscuits while waiting for his unborn child to be born? Well, it's all to help me quit smoking. And Kenji Tsukino, the groom, is drinking a bottle of coke while I'm pacing around the waiting room, driving some people insane, particularly Kenji.
"Tetsuya, sit your anxious butt down and quit pacing. The nurses are giving you some crazy looks," complained Kenji. His tie was undone and his tuxedo was carelessly discarded on some empty chair with a terrible choice of color.
"I can't help it. I'm gonna be a father, Kenji. Just imagine. He could grow up to be a rocket scientist one day. I'm afraid that I..."
"...That you won't be a good father? Tetsuya, every man in his existence has that fear. The fear that they would be terrible fathers. Now, from the shitty childhood that you lived, I know that you're going to be a great father," Kenji said while he was giving Tetsuya a bottle of coke.
"No thanks, Kenji. The dog biscuits are calming my nicotine addiction."
"Tetsuya, you're gonna get a dog biscuit addiction if you don't quit eating them."
"Dog biscuits are better than cigarettes, Kenji."
"...True. Are you and Chiharu ever going to get married?"
"Nope. She and I have decided it would be better if we didn't."
"And why would it be better?"
"Because I'm a money-pinching man that doesn't want to waste money on a wedding, then a quickie divorce somewhere on the line."
"Damn, are you pessimistic about weddings... No wonder you didn't want to go to mine."
"...But I still went anyway," I say as a take a seat next to him, still chewing on the dog biscuits.
"Tetsuya, maybe you should get a dog to eat the damn biscuits for you."
"Iya! What's the point on getting a dog if I'm going to be dead in the next six years?"
"There you go again, predicting things that aren't going to happen."
"...I bet that my son's gonna marry your future daughter."
"Yeah, right, that'll be the day when your son becomes king of this planet."
"Kenji, I'm going to hold you up to that," I say. The man doesn't believe that I get premonitions of the future. No one really does... except for old man Hino in the Hikawa Shrine. I feel sorry for his daughter, Aya. She's gonna marry some political scumbag that won't pay attention to her or their future daughter. And then she'll die, with only her young daughter at her side, of illness. I hate knowing the future sometimes.
And I wasn't kidding when I told Kenji that my number would be up in six years. Chiharu and I are going to die in a car crash, leaving our only child alive, but with no memory of us. And none of our family members would take him in. The day that Chiharu's family found out that she was pregnant with my child, they disowned her on the spot and my father doesn't give a shit about me. My mother would probably take him in, if she didn't die of ovarian cancer in the next three years before the car crash. And my sister would be out of the country when this happens. So, after the car crash, my child will be alone for nearly eleven years. And I feel tears coming down my eyes, knowing that he won't remember that his parents loved him dearly.
But, I love proving Kenji wrong all the time. He's probably going to be in shock when he finds out he has a daughter and that I was right. And he'll be in even more shock when she does marry my son.
"Excuse me, Mr. Chiba."
"Yes?", I ask as the nurse motioned for me to follow her. With Kenji by my side, I'm about to see my baby boy. The boy that will grow up too soon, too fast after my death.
"The delivery went well. Your wife is resting right now. And you're the proud father of a beautiful baby boy," I hear the nurse say as we're brought into the delivery room.
Chiharu is resting peacefully. Her pink hair was drenched with sweat and her beautiful blue eyes were closed. And I look down and I see him now. I always knew that he'd have my hair and his mother's eyes. He's going to grow up to be a favorite with the ladies by the time he's thirteen. And the fact that he's a future genius puts a sad smile on my face, knowing that I won't be there for him when he gets his first broken heart or when he makes the soccer team in junior high. Or that I won't see him save the world at seventeen and become a king when he's eighteen or nineteen.
"Tetsuya, what are you going to name him?", I hear Kenji ask me. God, there's so many names Chiharu and I argued for. She wanted to name him Kenshin. I laugh when I think of that manga in the future, Rurouni Kenshin. No, Kenshin is definitely not a name for him, one who protects the Earth and is the heart and soul of this planet. Then, it hits me. I know what to name him now.
"I'll name him Mamoru."
"I heard Chiharu got pissed when you told her that you'd name him Mamoru."
"She doesn't know the true reason why I would."
"But, she got pissed off when she found out it was your father's name..."
"I know. But unlike this little guy here, my father was poorly named. He didn't protect anything at all. However, my son is gonna protect and save so many lives, Kenji, you wouldn't believe me if I told you how. You'll think of him as a hero when you do find out."
"There you go again, blabbering about the future..."
"Well, I know you'll get that reporter job in the Tokyo Journal."
"Don't joke like that!", he exclaimed, a bit unnerved by my statement.
I wasn't really paying attention anymore, for Mamoru opened his beautiful eyes for the first time. I nearly break down in tears, knowing that I won't be around for the wedding day. Or for the day when he has his own child. I won't see my grandchild ever, though I get visions of her too. She has her grandma's cotton- candy pink hair and crimson eyes. I wonder what life would've been like if I was there for him throughout his whole life? He'd still be a hero.
And, Chiharu slowly wakes up, holding the little bundle in her arms.
"Tetsuya... do you want to hold him?", she asks me in that cute little voice of hers.
"...Sure," I say as she places him in my arms. He's looking at me in awe. His gaze pierces through my green eyes and I feel like crying tears of joy. Children were a blessing. Her family and my father turned us away because of this earth angel. Fuck them and anyone that sees the three of us differently, just because Chiharu and I aren't married.
"Chiharu, I'm still going to name him Mamoru."
"Tetsuya, I thought we agreed on Kenshin?"
"Kenshin can be his middle name for all I care. His name is Mamoru, because he's an angel from the Earth itself and he's going to protect this world in a radical way."
She gives me her evil eye. Normally, I cower a little because of it. But this time, I'm standing firm in the ground. I'm not changing my mind on it. When she realizes that I'm not going to change my mind, she sighs.
"Alright. As long as his middle name is Kenshin," she says with a smile on her face. She never gives up. I suppose Mamoru Kenshin Chiba doesn't sound that bad. It's not like he's even going to remember his middle name after the car crash.
"Fine by me. Mamoru Kenshin Chiba, you are wise and you are loved by us all," I say as I give him a gentle kiss on the forehead. Goodnight, my son. Tomorrow, and for the next six years to come, you'll have the best childhood that two unmarried parents can give. As for the rest, I leave it in the hands of fate.
* * *
SIX YEARS LATER
"Daddy!"
OOF! And he climbs in my bed and is sitting right on top of me.
"Daddy, wake up!"
No, give me a few more minutes, earth angel. I need a little more sleep.
"Come on, Daddy. Wake up! It's morning! Mommy made breakfast."
I open my eyes and I see him with a smile. He looks so angelic with those pleading eyes, asking me to wake up. I'm really going to miss him. Today's his sixth birthday. The day that the car crash happens on.
"Happy Birthday, Mamo-chan," I say with a smile on my face.
He narrows his eyes and wrinkles his nose. He hates it whenever we call him that. Too bad that his future wife is gonna call him that from here to eternity.
"Mommy made a BIIIIG breakfast with eggs and ham and sausages and pancakes and toast with butter and bacon..."
"Slow down, little one. You're about ready to launch off to the moon if you keep it up. Now, go get dressed. We have a big day planned for you."
"Sugoi!!!", he shouts out excitedly as he jumps off the bed and runs as fast as lightning to his room.
Then, I get out of bed and head for the kitchen, wearing my pj pants and furry slippers that Mamoru picked out. He thought it was funny to get me Cookie Monster slippers. I suppose a blue furry monster that loves cookies isn't that bad. But, it clashes with my black, red, and white plaid pants. And along the way, I see Sano drinking out of the bathroom toilet.
"Sano, out of there."
And Sano, my six month old puppy, scurries out of there and runs off into Mamoru's room. He loves being in Mamoru's company. Especially when Mamoru decides to play in the rain and get soaked and muddy.
"Good morning, honey!", Chiharu yells out as she resumes humming her favorite song at the moment... I think it was 'Video Killed the Radio Star' by the Buggles or some other American band. And Mamoru wasn't kidding when he said that she was making a big breakfast.
"Morning, chica," I say, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind and pull her into my embrace. I can hear the pitter-patter of little feet and little paws run down the stairs in a hurry. So, I give her a quick kiss on the cheek and then, I hear a jovial laughter.
"Mommy, Daddy!", he says as he runs at a fast speed and tackle-hugs us. And then, I noticed on what he's wearing: a pair of blue jean shorts and a big white t-shirt that my sister bought for him last Christmas. But, that wasn't the main problem. The problem was that he was wearing a black and white polka- dot sock on his left foot and blue and orange stripped sock on the right. Luckily, he was wearing matching sneakers. It drives Chiharu insane to no end, but it's really her fault since she does it too.
"Hey, Mamo-chan, why are you wearing different colored socks?"
"Because Mommy does it also," he says as he looks exasperated. Oh dear, I called him 'Mamo- chan' again. But, it's so cute when he gets angry like that.
"I do not!", I hear Chiharu exclaim loudly.
"You do so," Mamoru points out the socks and says, "See?"
And it was true. I see a red sock on Chiharu's left and a purple sock on her right.
"Chica, I had a feeling that our son got your fashion sense."
"Moi?"
"Hai, you," I say as I give her a kiss on the cheek, then I turn to Mamoru and say, "Little one, go eat breakfast."
"Hai!!!", as I see him dash off to the kitchen table to eat his breakfast. I never knew he had such a giant appetite for food. And I see Sano trying to get my dog biscuits.
"Sano..."
Too late. He snags the bag and runs off with my dog biscuits. Serves me right for depending on them as badly as I used to when it came to cigarettes.
About thirty minutes later, and a few scuffles about the socks, Chiharu, Mamoru, and I are now driving towards the amusement park, which is where we're celebrating the birthday at. Despite Mamoru's outgoing, friendly, and hyperactive personality, he doesn't have a lot of friends. But, that doesn't discourage him from living life the way he wants to. But, he gets so hyper sometimes that teachers often ask us not to feed him anything sweet and sugary before going to school, otherwise, he'll go on a sugar rush. And we usually don't listen. Because, who are we to deny him of his usual practice of drinking hot chocolate milk with lots and lots of sugar before going to school? He's a good kid, with good grades, and a great heart.
"Daddy, look at that!!! I wanna go on that!"
And I see his excitement. He wants to go on the bumper cars. So, while Chiharu is holding on to the giant stuffer bear that I won for him, he and I are on the bumper cars, bumping into everything on sight.
The whole day passes by us too quickly, though. After going on the merry-go-round, the three of us are sitting down on a bench peacefully, watching the sunset. Our last sunset as a family. Chiharu was sleeping peacefully on my shoulder while Mamoru was on the other side, eating a vanilla ice cream with chocolate hot fudge and sprinkles and holding on to the stuffed bear.
"Daddy?"
"Hmmm?"
"Why do you look so sad? Cheer up! We can go on the roller coaster tomorrow," he says with a smile on his face, chocolate fudge and ice cream all around his mouth. He looked so adorable that way. I grab a napkin and clean off his face, still looking sad, knowing that I wouldn't be there for him after this day.
"Daddy?"
"Mamoru, I want to give you something," I say as I take off one of my necklaces. I've worn this particular necklace throughout my childhood. Dangling from it was a white- gold cross where in the center of it was a single diamond. Once I place it on him, I can imagine him as an adult, still wearing it.
"Don't lose that necklace, Mamoru. It's been with me since I was your age."
"I won't, Daddy!", he says as he jumps into my arms. Chiharu wakes up and gives a quick kiss to Mamoru on his forehead.
"Come on, you two! It's time to get home. You have a busy day at work tomorrow, Tetsuya," she says as she carries a sleepy Mamoru in her arms.
"We won't be tomorrow, Chiharu," I whisper under my breath, low enough so that Chiharu couldn't hear it. And as Chiharu hooks Mamoru up in his booster seat, I look at them both with regret. Regret that Chiharu, at twenty-two, will never grow up into an old lady by my side and that I will never see my son grow up into a wonderful man. Thirty-two years on Earth is a lot longer than most people get in their lifetime.
Usagi Tsukino, I hope you take good care of my son. He's gonna need your love and support when you meet him, now more than ever, since his mother and I won't be here anymore to do so. I really hate knowing the future sometimes. It makes facing death harder than it should be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Now this is a story that I wanted to do for a long time. I originally wanted to call it 'Dog Days', but changed my mind when I finished this story. Honestly, I couldn't think of a good title for this story, so I stuck with this one. And, as for why I wrote it? There aren't enough people that write about Mamoru or his parents before the car crash.
AUTHOR: By Sakura the Cookie Monster
RATING: PG
DISCLAIMER: Standard disclaimers apply.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the day that I've waited nine agonizing months of my life for. I'm finally going to be a father. I just never expected the unborn child inside my girlfriend would crash my best friend's wedding. And now, here I am... in a hospital, with the groom, in a waiting room, chewing on dog biscuits. Now, I know what you're thinking. Why would a man chew on dog biscuits while waiting for his unborn child to be born? Well, it's all to help me quit smoking. And Kenji Tsukino, the groom, is drinking a bottle of coke while I'm pacing around the waiting room, driving some people insane, particularly Kenji.
"Tetsuya, sit your anxious butt down and quit pacing. The nurses are giving you some crazy looks," complained Kenji. His tie was undone and his tuxedo was carelessly discarded on some empty chair with a terrible choice of color.
"I can't help it. I'm gonna be a father, Kenji. Just imagine. He could grow up to be a rocket scientist one day. I'm afraid that I..."
"...That you won't be a good father? Tetsuya, every man in his existence has that fear. The fear that they would be terrible fathers. Now, from the shitty childhood that you lived, I know that you're going to be a great father," Kenji said while he was giving Tetsuya a bottle of coke.
"No thanks, Kenji. The dog biscuits are calming my nicotine addiction."
"Tetsuya, you're gonna get a dog biscuit addiction if you don't quit eating them."
"Dog biscuits are better than cigarettes, Kenji."
"...True. Are you and Chiharu ever going to get married?"
"Nope. She and I have decided it would be better if we didn't."
"And why would it be better?"
"Because I'm a money-pinching man that doesn't want to waste money on a wedding, then a quickie divorce somewhere on the line."
"Damn, are you pessimistic about weddings... No wonder you didn't want to go to mine."
"...But I still went anyway," I say as a take a seat next to him, still chewing on the dog biscuits.
"Tetsuya, maybe you should get a dog to eat the damn biscuits for you."
"Iya! What's the point on getting a dog if I'm going to be dead in the next six years?"
"There you go again, predicting things that aren't going to happen."
"...I bet that my son's gonna marry your future daughter."
"Yeah, right, that'll be the day when your son becomes king of this planet."
"Kenji, I'm going to hold you up to that," I say. The man doesn't believe that I get premonitions of the future. No one really does... except for old man Hino in the Hikawa Shrine. I feel sorry for his daughter, Aya. She's gonna marry some political scumbag that won't pay attention to her or their future daughter. And then she'll die, with only her young daughter at her side, of illness. I hate knowing the future sometimes.
And I wasn't kidding when I told Kenji that my number would be up in six years. Chiharu and I are going to die in a car crash, leaving our only child alive, but with no memory of us. And none of our family members would take him in. The day that Chiharu's family found out that she was pregnant with my child, they disowned her on the spot and my father doesn't give a shit about me. My mother would probably take him in, if she didn't die of ovarian cancer in the next three years before the car crash. And my sister would be out of the country when this happens. So, after the car crash, my child will be alone for nearly eleven years. And I feel tears coming down my eyes, knowing that he won't remember that his parents loved him dearly.
But, I love proving Kenji wrong all the time. He's probably going to be in shock when he finds out he has a daughter and that I was right. And he'll be in even more shock when she does marry my son.
"Excuse me, Mr. Chiba."
"Yes?", I ask as the nurse motioned for me to follow her. With Kenji by my side, I'm about to see my baby boy. The boy that will grow up too soon, too fast after my death.
"The delivery went well. Your wife is resting right now. And you're the proud father of a beautiful baby boy," I hear the nurse say as we're brought into the delivery room.
Chiharu is resting peacefully. Her pink hair was drenched with sweat and her beautiful blue eyes were closed. And I look down and I see him now. I always knew that he'd have my hair and his mother's eyes. He's going to grow up to be a favorite with the ladies by the time he's thirteen. And the fact that he's a future genius puts a sad smile on my face, knowing that I won't be there for him when he gets his first broken heart or when he makes the soccer team in junior high. Or that I won't see him save the world at seventeen and become a king when he's eighteen or nineteen.
"Tetsuya, what are you going to name him?", I hear Kenji ask me. God, there's so many names Chiharu and I argued for. She wanted to name him Kenshin. I laugh when I think of that manga in the future, Rurouni Kenshin. No, Kenshin is definitely not a name for him, one who protects the Earth and is the heart and soul of this planet. Then, it hits me. I know what to name him now.
"I'll name him Mamoru."
"I heard Chiharu got pissed when you told her that you'd name him Mamoru."
"She doesn't know the true reason why I would."
"But, she got pissed off when she found out it was your father's name..."
"I know. But unlike this little guy here, my father was poorly named. He didn't protect anything at all. However, my son is gonna protect and save so many lives, Kenji, you wouldn't believe me if I told you how. You'll think of him as a hero when you do find out."
"There you go again, blabbering about the future..."
"Well, I know you'll get that reporter job in the Tokyo Journal."
"Don't joke like that!", he exclaimed, a bit unnerved by my statement.
I wasn't really paying attention anymore, for Mamoru opened his beautiful eyes for the first time. I nearly break down in tears, knowing that I won't be around for the wedding day. Or for the day when he has his own child. I won't see my grandchild ever, though I get visions of her too. She has her grandma's cotton- candy pink hair and crimson eyes. I wonder what life would've been like if I was there for him throughout his whole life? He'd still be a hero.
And, Chiharu slowly wakes up, holding the little bundle in her arms.
"Tetsuya... do you want to hold him?", she asks me in that cute little voice of hers.
"...Sure," I say as she places him in my arms. He's looking at me in awe. His gaze pierces through my green eyes and I feel like crying tears of joy. Children were a blessing. Her family and my father turned us away because of this earth angel. Fuck them and anyone that sees the three of us differently, just because Chiharu and I aren't married.
"Chiharu, I'm still going to name him Mamoru."
"Tetsuya, I thought we agreed on Kenshin?"
"Kenshin can be his middle name for all I care. His name is Mamoru, because he's an angel from the Earth itself and he's going to protect this world in a radical way."
She gives me her evil eye. Normally, I cower a little because of it. But this time, I'm standing firm in the ground. I'm not changing my mind on it. When she realizes that I'm not going to change my mind, she sighs.
"Alright. As long as his middle name is Kenshin," she says with a smile on her face. She never gives up. I suppose Mamoru Kenshin Chiba doesn't sound that bad. It's not like he's even going to remember his middle name after the car crash.
"Fine by me. Mamoru Kenshin Chiba, you are wise and you are loved by us all," I say as I give him a gentle kiss on the forehead. Goodnight, my son. Tomorrow, and for the next six years to come, you'll have the best childhood that two unmarried parents can give. As for the rest, I leave it in the hands of fate.
* * *
SIX YEARS LATER
"Daddy!"
OOF! And he climbs in my bed and is sitting right on top of me.
"Daddy, wake up!"
No, give me a few more minutes, earth angel. I need a little more sleep.
"Come on, Daddy. Wake up! It's morning! Mommy made breakfast."
I open my eyes and I see him with a smile. He looks so angelic with those pleading eyes, asking me to wake up. I'm really going to miss him. Today's his sixth birthday. The day that the car crash happens on.
"Happy Birthday, Mamo-chan," I say with a smile on my face.
He narrows his eyes and wrinkles his nose. He hates it whenever we call him that. Too bad that his future wife is gonna call him that from here to eternity.
"Mommy made a BIIIIG breakfast with eggs and ham and sausages and pancakes and toast with butter and bacon..."
"Slow down, little one. You're about ready to launch off to the moon if you keep it up. Now, go get dressed. We have a big day planned for you."
"Sugoi!!!", he shouts out excitedly as he jumps off the bed and runs as fast as lightning to his room.
Then, I get out of bed and head for the kitchen, wearing my pj pants and furry slippers that Mamoru picked out. He thought it was funny to get me Cookie Monster slippers. I suppose a blue furry monster that loves cookies isn't that bad. But, it clashes with my black, red, and white plaid pants. And along the way, I see Sano drinking out of the bathroom toilet.
"Sano, out of there."
And Sano, my six month old puppy, scurries out of there and runs off into Mamoru's room. He loves being in Mamoru's company. Especially when Mamoru decides to play in the rain and get soaked and muddy.
"Good morning, honey!", Chiharu yells out as she resumes humming her favorite song at the moment... I think it was 'Video Killed the Radio Star' by the Buggles or some other American band. And Mamoru wasn't kidding when he said that she was making a big breakfast.
"Morning, chica," I say, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind and pull her into my embrace. I can hear the pitter-patter of little feet and little paws run down the stairs in a hurry. So, I give her a quick kiss on the cheek and then, I hear a jovial laughter.
"Mommy, Daddy!", he says as he runs at a fast speed and tackle-hugs us. And then, I noticed on what he's wearing: a pair of blue jean shorts and a big white t-shirt that my sister bought for him last Christmas. But, that wasn't the main problem. The problem was that he was wearing a black and white polka- dot sock on his left foot and blue and orange stripped sock on the right. Luckily, he was wearing matching sneakers. It drives Chiharu insane to no end, but it's really her fault since she does it too.
"Hey, Mamo-chan, why are you wearing different colored socks?"
"Because Mommy does it also," he says as he looks exasperated. Oh dear, I called him 'Mamo- chan' again. But, it's so cute when he gets angry like that.
"I do not!", I hear Chiharu exclaim loudly.
"You do so," Mamoru points out the socks and says, "See?"
And it was true. I see a red sock on Chiharu's left and a purple sock on her right.
"Chica, I had a feeling that our son got your fashion sense."
"Moi?"
"Hai, you," I say as I give her a kiss on the cheek, then I turn to Mamoru and say, "Little one, go eat breakfast."
"Hai!!!", as I see him dash off to the kitchen table to eat his breakfast. I never knew he had such a giant appetite for food. And I see Sano trying to get my dog biscuits.
"Sano..."
Too late. He snags the bag and runs off with my dog biscuits. Serves me right for depending on them as badly as I used to when it came to cigarettes.
About thirty minutes later, and a few scuffles about the socks, Chiharu, Mamoru, and I are now driving towards the amusement park, which is where we're celebrating the birthday at. Despite Mamoru's outgoing, friendly, and hyperactive personality, he doesn't have a lot of friends. But, that doesn't discourage him from living life the way he wants to. But, he gets so hyper sometimes that teachers often ask us not to feed him anything sweet and sugary before going to school, otherwise, he'll go on a sugar rush. And we usually don't listen. Because, who are we to deny him of his usual practice of drinking hot chocolate milk with lots and lots of sugar before going to school? He's a good kid, with good grades, and a great heart.
"Daddy, look at that!!! I wanna go on that!"
And I see his excitement. He wants to go on the bumper cars. So, while Chiharu is holding on to the giant stuffer bear that I won for him, he and I are on the bumper cars, bumping into everything on sight.
The whole day passes by us too quickly, though. After going on the merry-go-round, the three of us are sitting down on a bench peacefully, watching the sunset. Our last sunset as a family. Chiharu was sleeping peacefully on my shoulder while Mamoru was on the other side, eating a vanilla ice cream with chocolate hot fudge and sprinkles and holding on to the stuffed bear.
"Daddy?"
"Hmmm?"
"Why do you look so sad? Cheer up! We can go on the roller coaster tomorrow," he says with a smile on his face, chocolate fudge and ice cream all around his mouth. He looked so adorable that way. I grab a napkin and clean off his face, still looking sad, knowing that I wouldn't be there for him after this day.
"Daddy?"
"Mamoru, I want to give you something," I say as I take off one of my necklaces. I've worn this particular necklace throughout my childhood. Dangling from it was a white- gold cross where in the center of it was a single diamond. Once I place it on him, I can imagine him as an adult, still wearing it.
"Don't lose that necklace, Mamoru. It's been with me since I was your age."
"I won't, Daddy!", he says as he jumps into my arms. Chiharu wakes up and gives a quick kiss to Mamoru on his forehead.
"Come on, you two! It's time to get home. You have a busy day at work tomorrow, Tetsuya," she says as she carries a sleepy Mamoru in her arms.
"We won't be tomorrow, Chiharu," I whisper under my breath, low enough so that Chiharu couldn't hear it. And as Chiharu hooks Mamoru up in his booster seat, I look at them both with regret. Regret that Chiharu, at twenty-two, will never grow up into an old lady by my side and that I will never see my son grow up into a wonderful man. Thirty-two years on Earth is a lot longer than most people get in their lifetime.
Usagi Tsukino, I hope you take good care of my son. He's gonna need your love and support when you meet him, now more than ever, since his mother and I won't be here anymore to do so. I really hate knowing the future sometimes. It makes facing death harder than it should be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Now this is a story that I wanted to do for a long time. I originally wanted to call it 'Dog Days', but changed my mind when I finished this story. Honestly, I couldn't think of a good title for this story, so I stuck with this one. And, as for why I wrote it? There aren't enough people that write about Mamoru or his parents before the car crash.