Enjoy, minna-san!!!!
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Settlement = BunjyGuM_Boy =
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It's been a week since Mark told me the so and so news about Oracle being alive. Damn it! And now he wants to start the fight with my children.
"Dad! If you have a grudge against Crawford-sensei, I suggest you fix it cause he might fail me in his class!"
As if!!! Tsk… Mark takes my attitude in rushing things; I hate it when he knows better, simply because… in my youth, I knew a lot… and now, it seems I know nothing.
"Darling… if Schwartz is forming again, then WeiB has to do so, too!"
I know this day would come… Aya shouldn't have had pity on those fools. I don't believe this! He really did let Schwartz live… in return for his life… just for that boy, Nagi.
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"Daddy…"
"Huh? Angel…" [picks her up]
"Why are you thinking so hard, daddy! Look at your forehead… lot'sa lines…" [while touching his forehead]
"Well… daddy has lots and lots of work in the hospital and he also has to take care of you guys!" [cradles the child]
"But… I'm a big girl now… and niichan is a big boy now… mama also is a big girl… who do you need to take care of, papa?"
"Oh, but daddy still needs to love and care for the family, angel… if I don't take care of you, I will never be able to hug you like this… [pouts sweetly] do you want that?"
[almost crying] "No!!!" [hugs him tighter]
"Haha! So I thought, baby… run along now and play… daddy has many paperwork."
"Okay!! Bye-bye, papa!!!" [at this, he smiles]
Yohji thought of many things in his past. To live with a cigarette in his mouth and women swarming all over him, was the only goal he had hoped to die with, but as life changes around the world, so does the people living in it too! He saw light in a form of a woman who gave him strength to form the man that he is now. He also continued his last years in college… therefore, finishing medicine and finally, leading a good life… no hentai and no craziness!!
"Mark Ran Kudoh!!!! Get your lazy butt down here!!"
"I'm coming, mother! I'm coming!!"
"Aw, for heaven's doors! You already said that twice! Don't you dare make me come up there and pull you here, yah hear meh?!!"
"Mom! Alright, already!!!!"
"Hun, you're too strict-…"
[glares] "And don't you start with me, Yohji Kudoh!"
"So- sorry…"
[still glares] "And bring home some dinner while you fetch the kids, okay?!"
"O-okay…" [sweatdrop]
[whispers as he comes down] "Gee, dad… you're a great hubby, yah know that?"
"Son… head for the car… start the engine and we will zoom away…" [fixes his tie]
[giggles] "Yes, sir!" [runs through the door]
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"Dad, why did you insist on coming with me to school?"
"Ne, Mark… I wanna see this professor of yours."
"Because?"
"Mark… look at me." [holds his son by the shoulders]
"Ne, Otoosan?"
"There are things in the past which I can never tell you… nor your sister. I have to meet this man because he holds a fine line in my past and three other people. I want you to trust me on this one, okay?"
"Su-sure thing, dad. His room is in the right… down the history hall! See yah, later!"
I wave a pleasant hand at my son as the same hand waved through my hair. 'This is not a good day', I thought. I mean, how could it be? I don't have a gun… nor my handy wire! I threw that a couple of years before.
"Come in…"
Aha… so the bastard does live… same voice, same fineness. Damn him!
"Crawford… as I've known, you have predicted this situation already."
"No, Kudoh… I haven't."
It was gloomy in that room; his chair was faced against the door and the wind blew right past his face, I can tell.
As he slowly faced me, I happen to notice a difference in him that… I can't quite pinpoint.
"Kudoh, Yohji… it's nice to see your son growing old… looking like you."
"May I sit?"
"Certainly, Balinese."
That name gave me a sense of pride again… but it can't be helped this time.
"I have so many questions that I know you could answer… but the most important is, how did you live, bastard?!!"
"My… my… ferocious, aren't we?"
"I'm not joking, Crawford! Your mere touch presence in my child's daily activities haunts me!"
"Yohji, the fact that Fujimiya died for Schwartz is truly amazing."
"Damn right, you are!" [pulling his chair closer to Crawford's desk]
"Which made me decide… along-side the rest-…"
"You are all alive?!!"
"For your peace of mind, no is the answer. Shuldich is dead… Farfarello is dying and Nagi is finishing college. As far as I'm concerned, Mr. Kudoh, I do not care about your son's death, life or love… I care about another man – our enemy – showing courage through dying for us… US, MR. KUDOH!"
"Then for your sake, I will repeat myself… DAMN RIGHT, YOU ARE! Ran could still be here if it wasn't for you! You and your stupid bunch of -…"
"Balinese…I may be a stuck-up ass for WeiB, but the closeness you had for Ran, Ken, and Omi was paired in my world through the bond WE had. Shuldich was my brother… did you know that?"
[a bit shocked] "It seems that I don't."
"We came from the same mother… different fathers: a German and an American."
"It still doesn't prove a point in my behalf, Oracle."
[stands up] "All I say is this, the life that Abyssinian gave will never be wasted. In fact, Nagi leads a new life… paying for his sins as a used assassin by living a normal life… and…" [hands him something]
Yohji looked at what Crawford handed him. to his surprise, it was the picture he left in the basement of the flower shop, in Ran's memory.
"What is the meaning of this?!"
"Yohji… before Shuldich died, we went to Roisenkreuz to finish-off what they started."
"Do you mean you-…"
"Yes, indeed. We surrendered our abilities to them… it was then that Shuldich died… he saved me from a tank that was rapidly pushed, and was aiming for my head. And since Nagi didn't have 'IT'… [Yohji nods] Shu gave his life for me."
I see… that explains why he didn't see this situation coming… but still, should I trust him?
"It still doesn't explain the hunt you made my own son do…"
[turned to him and smiled] "Kudoh, don't you think it's time to tell your son?"
"And why should you care?"
"Yohji, I'm giving you this because Ran said so…"
"Are you insane, Brad?! Don't even talk about Ran this way!"
"No, Yohji… inside that building, as he held Nagi's burning body, the only words coming out of his mouth were your name, Ken's and Omi's. Don't you get it?"
"…"
"Kudoh, Yohji… try and forget Ran by leaving the picture in that place… did you even think he'd like it? You visit his grave every Sunday but… do you keep the memory?"
"What the hell is your point, Crawford?"
"Without his death, Yohji?! Will you have a successful life? A wife and two kids?! A job as decent as this?!!"
So his words did pinch my heart inch by inch… should I still believe this? I look at Crawford's eyes, only to see the emotion I thought he'd never give in to: Sincerity.
"Doshite? Doshite wa Brad?!
"Because I believe in him. That is all…"
As if I forgot how to breathe, I couldn't even respond to what he said. He just proved that he believes in Ran more than we do… more than we ever did…
"Now don't blame yourself, Kudoh… it took me 6 years, the life of my brother and my own, just to realize what Abyssinian wanted from the very beginning."
"I won't say my praises and apologies, Crawford… [grin] but as long as you're not a dark beast… I will respect you."
"Ha! And as long as you don't carry your WeiB motto… I will remain in my promise with Ran."
[confused] "Which is?"
"Protect your generation." [smile]
"Is this why you're here? Teaching in a class… just for Mark?"
"No… for my daughter too."
"You have a daughter?"
"Haha! Let this be a father to father talk, now… but your son did not only get your looks… but your libido too, Kudoh."
"Remind me to talk with him, Mr. Crawford."
As I closed the door behind me, I heard Crawford let-out a relieved sigh. I know the feeling… as of now, I still can't believe that our enemy has taught me a valuable lesson.
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"Daddy!!! I wanna eat now!!!! Now!!!! Now!!!!"
"Angel, we still have to wait for your brother to come out, okay?"
"But… but-…"
"Look! Here he comes…"
As soon as Mark came inside the car, I happen to notice a tint of glow from his face… the kind of glow I always carry when I get a girl to sleep with me! Oh no… no… history can't repeat itself!!
"Mark… why do you have a glowing… face?!!"
[eyes me suspiciously] "Cool it, dad! I… well… nothing…" [blush… blush…]
"Daddy! I know!!! I know!!! Niichan's got a giiiiirrrlllllfffrrriiieeennndddd!!!!" [teasing tone]
"Shut-up, Yhina!" [pounces on his sister]
"Tsk! Alright… alright! Stop it, both of you!"
"Dad! Make her shut-up!"
"Papa!!! Niichan's hurting meh!!"
"Hey… stop it, okay! Wait… what's the name of this, girl, Mark?"
"Aw… you might not like her."
"Oh, shut-up! Anyone you like… I can appreciate!"
[looks at Yohji directly] "Are you sure, dad?"
"I'm sure, oniichan!" [Mark laughs at Yhina]
"Fine… I asked her out and she said yes, okay.."
"Good one, son! I'm soo proud!"
"Namae wa desu ka, niichan?"
"Aya…"
My heart was again, ragging it's way…
"A-Aya?"
"Yah…"
"That's a good name, Mark… what would make me not like her?"
"Crawford… Aya, Crawford."
So I see… history can repeat itself but not to the point as to start or continue the war handed down from generation to generation. It can stop if wanted… and needed. But as I see this perfect example, I can't help but think and thank Ran… he was a true leader and a fighter with a soul. I hope he sees this now… I know he'll wish us well.
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~ OWARI ~
Was it heart- warming? Ehehe… I love this fic… and I hope you like it too. Arigatou Gozaimashta. Minna-san! *grin*