Chapter 11 – A Brand New Beginning… possible?
A/N: Hi guys! I know it's been like forever since I had an update on this fanfic of mine. But anyway, since hana yori dango has officially ended, I have decided to speed things up a little for it will be pointless if I still stay within the episode of Doumyouji leaving and Tsukushi feeling all sad and blue. Most important of all, I feel that the ending of the original storyline was perfect (though I didn't want it to end) and I decide to leave it as it is. So in this chapter of mine, Doumyouji has already left, leaving Tsukushi, F3 and of course the four girls in Japan. The prom has already taken place and everything stays the same as in the original storyline except for the four girls as they didn't attend the prom because they feel it's just another social affair. And to avoid any confusion with the real F4 and the F4 girls, I have italic the words meant for the F4 girls i.e. F4.
P.S: Did I miss anything? Or mistaken anything? I hope this chapter clicks well with my previous chapters since I took such a big jump! Enjoy and remember to click that button on the left hand side to leave me a review!
(*_*lll) = sweatdrop
*** *** ***
Time files.
It's been a month since Doumyouji left for New York.
~"I will come for her in four years. Definitely."~
Yet those words still rings vividly in my mind.
Tsukushi is now standing among Yuuki, F4, Hideto and Takeshi at the departure hall of Tokyo Narita Airport. While she was preoccupied, the rest just conversed lightly in the background. Well, all except Sakiyo. Tsukushi noticed Sakiyo is exceptionally quiet now with her deadpan veneer and hands coolly folded across each other.
"Tsukushi?" Shiori interrupts her thoughts with a wave of the boarding pass in her hand which somehow caught Sakiyo's attention.
"Yeah?" Tsukushi answered readily.
"Uh huh! Improved but not quickly enough. You were daydreaming again, didn't you?!" Shiori teased.
"She must be thinking about her Doouuumyouji again." Sanako interjects wryly before hanging her arm casually over Shiori's shoulders with a boarding pass hanging in the air together with her hand.
"Calling for passengers of JL9876 leaving for Rome." A polite female speaker was heard over the microphone.
Silence then replaced the lively light chatter among the group a while ago. Sensing the silence becoming gradually awkward, Takeshi decides to be the one who breaks it.
"Time to go." He then looks at Sakuyo who is consciously looking down at her own boarding pass. Intentionally, he gives a light squeeze on Sakuyo's shoulders.
"Sakiyo…" Sakuyo started to speak but was intercepted by Sakiyo's hugs and kisses.
"Have a great time, sis." Sakiyo said casually, without a hint of dejection that F3 is leaving for Japan and won't be back in the meantime.
"I'm gonna miss you…" Shiori throws an unexpected hug at Sakiyo, catching her in surprise. "very much…"
"You're sure you're not coming with us?" Sanako interjects with a slight frown on her face though her eyes start to turn red.
"Nah…" Sakiyo grimaced. "You know I hate taking planes."
Can't understand this unpredictable her… doesn't she feel any tinge of sadness that three of her best friends is leaving her? Let's see how long she can last…
After spending one month with the girls, Tsukushi sure understands how they work with their behaviors, especially Sakiyo. It was a fine afternoon when Kiyoshi announced that F4 and Tsukushi should leave the country for a holiday before school term starts. While F2 were happily chatting away as to which country they are visiting, Sakiyo just sat there, not speaking a word. And it caught Tsukushi in surprise when soon after she stated she is not going anywhere (for the obvious reason), Sakiyo too announced she is staying put in Japan and walked out of the lounge after that, leaving F3 and Tsukushi looking at each other at a complete loss.
But at this point of time, Tsukushi knows Sakiyo can't bear with the departure but somehow, she hid it well.
"Bon voyage, guys!" Hide cheerfully interrupts to salvage the situation turning into a crying competition.
The group then exchanged hugs and kisses before Takeshi and co walk towards the departure gates. Sakuyo turned back once. Shiori and Sanako turned back umpteen times to check Sakiyo is still standing there to wave them goodbye.
"She's leaving!" Shiori cried when she turned back for the last time and saw Sakiyo was already making her way out of the departure hall. Sanako looked at the diminishing shadow and gave a light pat on Shiori's shoulders before giving her own boarding pass to the officer in front of her.
~*~*~
"Hey…" Tsukushi's voice trailed off when she saw Sakiyo walking away, leaving Hide and Yuuki still waving the guys goodbye.
When she finally caught up with Sakiyo, she grabbed her by the arm but was greeted with a pair of irritating glares.
"Nan da yo?" Sakiyo said impatiently.
"Shouldn't we wait till they board the plane before we leave? Besides, Hide-san and Yuuki is still standing there!"
Sakiyo shot a backward glance at the two still waving their hands goodbye to Takeshi and co.
"You guys can wait for all I care. I'm leaving." Sakiyo then yawns to imply that her body has given in to the exhaustion caused by the last night's partying with F3 at a newly opened pub in town. Tsukushi yawns soon after that for she too, has a wild night with the guys. Sakiyo rolls her eyes knowingly at her before walking away.
"Hey, wait up!" Tsukushi cried out after throwing undecided glances between Hide and Sakiyo.
~*~*~
"Why didn't you go with them?" Hideto asks, looking at their diminishing backs but realized that he is talking to the air when he saw the empty space beside him.
"Sakiyo-san and Tsukushi just walked off a while ago." Yuuki awkwardly answers.
Hide signs, just in time to see the two turn round the corner. "Let's go."
~*~*~
In Hide's Evo…
Sakiyo sat at the passenger's seat beside Hide silently, looking out the window at the bypassing vehicles and skyscrapers as Hide zoomed past them in a swift but steady manner. Yuuki and Tsukushi sat sleepily behind.
"What did you girls do last night?" Hide asked when he saw Tsukushi and Yuuki already asleep through the rear mirror.
"We had a crazy night yesterday. That's all I can say." Sakiyo lethargically explained before giving in to her body commands.
Hide just smiled and zoomed past the traffic lights that just managed to turn red.
~*~*~
"Wakey, wakey!" Hide enthusiastically tries to wake up the girls. His car stopped in front of a typical middle family house.
Yuuki was the first one to open her eyes.
"Hmm…" When her eyes recognized the familiar surroundings, she jumped up slightly. "I'm sorry. Did I fall asleep?"
"Yeah." Hide answered readily, his eyes still poring over her which somehow made her blush with embarrassment. "I must have looked very unsightly."
"Not as unsightly as those two." Hide gestured with his attractive pair of brown eyes at Sakiyo and Tsukushi who are still dead to the world. Tsukushi was sleeping with her legs wide apart while Sakiyo had her face plastered to the window.
"Heh heh… Thanks for the ride home." Yuuki thanked, not daring to look Hide into the eye before opening the door.
Hide lowered his car window when Yuuki was outside his car bowing. "Hey. Which school you're in?"
"Eh?"
"Hmm.. never mind. See you soon." And he flashed his picturesque boyish smile before his car zoomed off, leaving Yuuki bewildered at his last words.
~*~*~
"Ah! My bag!" Yuuki silently cursed herself when she was at her doorway. Her parents should be out at this time of the day which means…
"Stupid me! How could I forget everything the moment he looks at me?!"
"I never knew I had such great effects on a sweet girl like you." A familiar deep voice interrupted suddenly which makes Yuuki turns her back surprisingly and found Hide standing right behind her, holding her bag and having a raffish smile displayed across his handsome face.
"Eh… haha… Thanks for bringing it back to me." Yuuki foolishly scratches her head before taking her bag from Hide's hands. Their eyes met and Yuuki felt a surge of chemistry flushing through her body.
But the moment soon ended when a crying holler of a child caught their attention. Hide turns back and saw Tsukushi and Sakiyo already standing outside his car, with Sakiyo scowling at the two kids in front of her with her hands on her hips.
"Ne-chan, could you spare us some money for breakfast?" The older girl begged.
"Where's your mama?" Sakiyo inquired, her eyes settling disturbingly on the boy who is still crying.
"She had gone out for work and we were locked out because I forgot to take the keys along with me when I was hanging the laundry outside."
"You?!!" Sakiyo leans down. "Doing the laundry?!" Sakiyo uttered unbelievably, looking at the two kids who are barely 10.
But her attention soon focused on younger one who seems persistent in his crying." And for God's sake, stop CRYING!"
"Sakiyo!" Tsukushi hissed, thinking it would scare off the kids.
But that managed to ease the boy from crying and left him staring at Sakiyo with his big cute brown eyes.
"Now, stop embarrassing yourself in front of others, Tsukasa." The sister coaxed.
"TSUKASA?!!" Sakiyo and Tsukushi simultaneously exclaim in surprise.
Sakiyo then folds her arms. "No wonder he's acting like such a brat."
"Sakiyo!" Tsukushi nudges Sakiyo by the elbow to show her displeasure of Sakiyo's attitude towards the two kids.
"Ignore her. She has always been like that." Tsukushi stated, looking down at the two kids.
"Who.. me?!! You…"
"Mama!!"
"Eh?!" Sakiyo stared startlingly at the boy who is now tugging on her legs.
"Mama!" The boy stated happily, hoping Sakiyo would carry him by tugging her on her legs.
"I'm not your mama!.. Now, stop tugging me! You're getting on my nerves!" Sakiyo grumbled and tries to shove off Tsukasa who hangs tight around her legs.
Hide burst out in laughter upon seeing the scene in front of him, making Sakiyo all the more goaded. Tsukushi too, can't help but smile at the funny scene. Only Yuuki had a concerned look on her.
"Kumi-chan?" Yuuki stepped forward.
"Yuuki-chan!" The little girl light up upon seeing Yuuki.
"What happened?" Yuuki asked, bending down to check out the kids. "Why are you two standing out here?"
"They are locked out." Sakiyo stated in point of fact at the same time giving in to Tsukasa's persistent request by shoving him up into her arms.
"Mama!" Tsukasa cried out cheerfully and gave an unexpected peck on Sakiyo's lips which makes her at a loss of what to say in response.
"You know them?" Tsukushi asked.
"Yeah… they live just two doors away from me." Yuuki replied with a smile on her.
"I'm hungry." Sakiyo whined. "What do you want to eat, kid?" Sakiyo asks, looking straight at Tsukusa.
"I eat whatever mama eats!"
They guys burst out in laughter while Sakiyo exasperatedly rolls her eyes.
~*~*~
"Thanks for the meal, Yuuki-chan."
Yuuki just smiled lovingly at Kumi before taking a sip of her coke in her hands.
Tsukushi, Yuuki and Kumi are now at a McDonalds al fresco restaurant. Hide went off after receiving a call while Sakiyo was being dragged away by Tsukasa when the latter keeps whining he wants to play at the playground.
"So you two are often home alone?" Tsukushi asked, before popping a few French fries into her mouth.
Kumi nodded.
"Their mother is the breadwinner." Yuuki added. "So when I'm at home or free, I will pop by to check on them."
"Your papa…?" Tsukushi's voice trailed off, thinking their papa might be…
"Their papa passed away few years ago." Yuuki answered when Kumi lowered her head.
"I'm sorry." Tsukushi then patted Kumi on her head to imply her apology. Kumi just shakes her head to show she didn't mind.
What a sensible kid…
"Let's stop talking about the past." Yuuki interrupts. "Let's go for a walk nearby since we had finished our meal!"
Tsukushi then scan around for Sakiyo and Tsukasa who are now MIA. "Speaking of which, where is Sakiyo and Tsukasa?"
~*~*~
"What do you want now?!" Sakiyo muttered annoyingly at Tsukasa who is pulling her from one corner to another in the toys section.
"I had it!" Sakiyo then shakes off Tsukasa's hold and sat down on a cushioned settee display nearby to sip her coke furiously.
Tsukasa just stood there and stared at her. When Sakiyo notices he was unusually quiet, she can't help but ask, "Nani yo?!"
"Where's Papa?"
Sakiyo almost choke on her coke.
"How the hell would I know?" Sakiyo retorted, before returning those curious stares on them with intimidating glares.
Just then, her cell rang. She then dug for her cell impatiently in her back pockets.
"I'm at the to…"
And the line was cut off.
~*~*~
Tsukushi stared surprisingly at her own cell, thinking it was weird of Sakiyo to hang up before finishing what she had to say.
"Where are they?" Yuuki asked while holding on to Kumi's hands.
"I don't know. She hung up before she even says where she is."
~*~*~
"Give me back my cell, you brat!!" Sakiyo shouted after Tsukasa who ran off after grabbing Sakiyo's cell. The two ran round and round the toys section of the shopping centre, causing much uprise among the kids who ran after them. The whole toys section soon becomes a police and thieves scene where the kids topple the toys one after another, causing their mothers to gasp in shock. But soon the scene cooled down when the security stepped in.
"Miss." The security shot a determined look at Sakiyo who now looks disheveled from all the chasing. "I suggest you take your child outside before any disciplinary actions are taken against you." The security then gave Tsukasa a disapproving look, which the latter continued fidgeting Sakiyo's cell as though nothing happened.
"That brat is not my child and you better stop pointing fingers at me before any disciplinary actions are taken against you!" Sakiyo retorted with fire in her eyes.
Nearby obasans shot her a disapproving look.
"Young mothers…" One of them uttered but was unfortunately heard by Sakiyo.
"What about young mothers, old bag?"
The mother gasp in shock, unexpected of Sakiyo's retort but consciously stepped away with her daughter when Sakiyo's stare became dangerous.
"Papa, I'm now at the toys section of Takashimaya shopping centre. Come pick us up!"
"Ohhhhh…!!" Sakiyo hissed feverishly at Tsukasa who seems oblivious of Sakiyo's warning glares at him.
"Give me back my mobile!" Sakiyo snatches the mobile from Tsukasa and carelessly shoves it into her pockets.
Exasperatedly, she pulls Tsukasa away from the security and those bunch of mothers whose endless whispers could be heard.
~*~*~
"Mama! Mama!" Tsukasa cries after Sakiyo among the crowd, who left him running after her as she walks in short quick steps away from the toys section.
"Mama! Wait for me…! Mama!"
Suddenly a scene of the little her running after a polished white Jaguar which sat her mother inside flashed across her mind.
~"Mama!! Come back!! Mama!!"~ She could still remember her desperate pleas for her mother when the Jaguar sped out of their mansion grounds, leaving her crying for her mama and the servants at a loss of what to do with her then.
"Mama!" Tsukasa's cries for her interrupted into her thoughts and cause her to stop in her tracks, making Tsukasa bump into her and fall flat on the ground.
"Mama!" Tsukasa cried out happily before standing up on his own to tug on Sakiyo's legs.
With a sign, she cuddles him into her arms and makes her way out of the shopping centre.
~*~*~
"Now, where could they be?" Tsukushi uttered, although more to herself.
"Don't worry, they must be somewhere here." Yuuki assured, though she too, is scanning the shopping centre desperately for them.
"That idiot! Didn't she know how to return the calls?" Tsukushi then check out her new cell phone given to her by Yoshiko as a welcome gift for any missed calls by Sakiyo.
None.
"Oh! That willful, insensible lass!"
"Don't worry, Tsukushi. We'll find them."
"Are they lost? Will I see my brother again?" Kumi asked worriedly, though she was only eight.
"We'll find them." Yuuki repeated with assuring confidence.
~*~*~
"Ah! At last, I can have a quiet moment." Sakiyo uttered out loud with Tsukasa sitting beside her at Starbucks.
"What is this?" Tsukasa asked, digging curiously at the iced Frappuccino in front of him. Sakiyo just sips hers without wanting to answer his stupid questions.
"There you are!" A familiar deep voice interrupted them.
Sakiyo turned around to check out who it was and came face to face with Mimasaka Akira.
"What are you doing here?" Sakiyo asked surprisingly.
Ignoring Sakiyo's question, Akira pull a seat between Tsukasa and Sakiyo. "You must be the little one who called me."
"Huh?" Then Sakiyo remembers Tsukasa talking on her cell at the toys section. "Oh… so you did made a call." Sakiyo shot Tsukasa a frown before digging her cell to check it out.
"So what are you doing out here with a kid?" Akira returns the attention on this unbelievable girl beside him.
First, he received a call early in the morning by her when he knew last night; they had partied till they had already dropped. Secondly, a kid was heard over the line instead of her… and called him 'Papa.' And if he didn't know, he would have thought his ex-mistresses had played a prank on him for he knew, he never makes such blunders. Thirdly, when he arrived at the toys section, he heard audible discussions about a young mother and her kid, which makes him all the more suspicious and curious about the whole thing. Lastly, not only he had found them in the end, he also realized the little boy, who looked barely seven, is drinking a large size iced Frappuccino on his own, with Sakiyo sipping hers without a care in the world.
Typing a message on her cell to reply Tsukushi's umpteen missed calls, which she totally forgot with all the commotion going on around her, all Sakiyo could say is, "Don't ask."
Suddenly…
"Papa!!"
Sakiyo almost toppled over her chair upon hearing that while Akira just "…"
Bypassing people just shot them curious stares.
"This kid has been going on like that since we met!" Sakiyo said, with her hands clutched tightly at the hands of the stool.
"Papa! Why is Mama so angry?"
"Heh heh… " Akira just shrugs his shoulders. "And by the way, I'm not your Papa."
"What young parents they are!" Two female voices were heard.
Akira and Sakiyo kept quiet.
"They looked barely 23."
"Hmm…" Sakiyo's loud hissing could be heard, with her frowning straight at Tsukasa and hands still clutched tightly at by the sides. Akira just tried to ignore the gossips around them.
"The guy looks so charming… can't believe he is already a father!"
And the lines broke.
"WE'RE NOT HIS PARENTS!!" Sakiyo and Akira retorted simultaneously, kicking off their stools off the ground which causes much disturbance to the nearby passersby.
"Go… go… gomen nasai." The two women quickly scurry off after that, leaving their unfinished beverages on the table.
Sakiyo walked off soon after that, leaving Akira and Tsukasa running after her.
"Hey, wait up." Akira grabbed her by the arm but she shakes it off. "I've waited long enough!"
"I know so let me take you and this little kid home."
Sakiyo folded her arms irritably then.
"Sakiyo!!" Akira looks over Sakiyo and saw Tsukushi and Yuuki with another kid.
"There you are! What took you so long to return my calls?! And.." Tsukushi wanted to start her censure about Sakiyo's insensibility but Akira proved too big a question. "And what are you doing here, Mimasaka-san?"
With a sign, Akira explained, "This kid called me using Sakiyo's cell."
"Tsukasa! Have you been naughty?" Kumi chided while pulling Tsukasa beside her. "I'm sorry for my brother's behaviour."
"You are called Tsukasa too?" Akira butted in incredulously.
"Papa…" Tsukasa whined while looking at Akira. "Would you celebrate my birthday this year?"
"Birthday?" Akira bent down to give a light squeeze on Tsukasa's small hands. "Today is your birthday?"
Tsukasa nodded.
"Don't be such a wimp, Tsukasa. Papa won't come back anymore."
Tsukasa lowered his gaze while Kumi holds him by the hand. "Let's go home."
"We are going off then." Yuuki announced before holding Kumi's hands and walked away in the opposite direction, leaving Tsukushi and Akira staring after their backs.
Sakiyo just left her stare at the little boy whose head was hung low.
~*~*~
Half an hour later, little Tsukasa is shouting at the top of his lungs between Sakiyo and Kumi on a roller coaster in a funfair.
"Look how happy Tsukasa and Kumi are!!" Yuuki exclaims while watching the roller coaster swerve past them like a bullet.
"Sakiyo sure is getting more and more unpredictable nowadays…" Tsukushi said, before resting her arms casually on the barricades of the roller coaster.
When Akira suggested giving them a ride home after Yuuki and co were quite a distance away from them, Sakiyo, out of the blue, just ran towards the direction where Yuuki and co were heading… and before anyone knew it, they were standing at the entrance of the funfair, with Tsukasa keep shouting 'hooray' along the way.
"She's not unpredictable. She just needs to be understood." Yuuki replied while still having her gaze fixed on the roller coaster that went round and round…
~*~*~
"I'm going to… puke…" Sakiyo muttered breathlessly to herself as the roller coaster went up and down, round and round…
"Mama! Look!! That's Papa's car!!" Tsukasa enthusiastically shouts in the air. "Papa!! Can you see your car?!! It's over there!! Look! Look!!"
"… …" Akira just nods his head with a forced smile. He too, has difficulty keeping up with the pace of the roller coaster he had ridden for don't know how many damn times.
It's not that he hates taking roller coaster rides but too much is just… too much. He remembers the last time he had such many roller coaster rides was with that monkey… no… Shigeru sounds better ever since F4 knows her deeper but anyway…
"Tsukasa!! Stay still! You'll fall if you keep moving!" Kumi shouts at the top of her lungs when the coaster just swerves another corner.
"I'm so happy!! This is the happiest day of my life!!" Tsukasa shouts, ignoring his sister's advice and waves his hands up high against the strong wind.
When the ride finally came to a stop, Akira carried Kumi in his arms feebly while Sakiyo just hold on to Tsukasa's hand with a pallid face.
"Oh my God! Are you guys alright?" Yuuki asked when both she and Tsukushi rushed over to them among the dispersing crowd at the barricades.
Akira just averts his eyes away from them with his hand covering his mouth while Sakiyo just clinch on Tsukushi for support.
"Sakiyo, are you alright?" Tsukushi asked when Sakiyo made no attempts of letting go of her embrace.
"After taking… 89 roller coaster rides… what… what do you think?"
Just then, Yuuki's cell phone rang.
"Moshi moshi?"
"Oh! Gomen nasai! We'll be there right away!" Yuuki immediately turns to the company.
"I'm afraid Tsukushi and I can't stay here for long." Yuuki tries to explain. "The lady boss just called us."
"Oh my God! We totally forgot about the dango shop!!" Tsukushi interjects.
"You're not thinking of leaving these kids with me, are you?!!" Sakiyo retorted with immediate response.
"I don't know… their mother is still at work and I can't possibly leave them at home…" Yuuki's eyes darted nervously around to try to find a solution to it.
"It's my birthday today!! I don't want to stay at home!!" Tsukasa cries.
"Tsukasa!!" Kumi chided. "We'll go home."
"No!! I don't want to go home!!" Tsukasa's cries become louder.
"Can't you two just apply leave?" Akira suggested, not liking the idea of having to baby sit two kids when all he wanted to do now is sleep.
"It's too late…" Tsukushi explained. "Besides, the lady boss has something on tonight. She can't stay."
"Tell her I'll buy all the cake." Sakiyo stated plainly.
"No. It won't do." Tsukushi replied with firmly. "You can't just buy all the cake all the time."
There was once F4 came to the dango shop for Tsukushi's company. When Tsukushi stated firmly she can't leave, Sakiyo, without a second thought bought all the cakes.
There was also another time when Tsukasa was two days away from leaving Japan and the cast were having a farewell party for him; Sakiyo too bought all the cakes when Tsukushi insisted leaving on her designated time.
There was another when Sakiyo came to the dango shop to fetch Tsukushi home. They had a chat for a while and Sakiyo had a few dangos though she keeps complaining some were too sweet. They came to the-rich-and-the-poor topic where at the end of the discussions, Sakiyo bought all the cakes.
"It will be just four hours. After that, come to the shop and we will have a little surprise for Tsukasa." Yuuki stated finally with a sweet smile.
Sakiyo just waves her hands offhandedly to imply they should get their butts moving then while Akira is trying to figure his brains out on how to deal with the kids.
"What are we going to do now?" Akira asked, after Yuuki and Tsukushi were gone.
The little family stood abreast as they watched the bypassing crowd.
"What do you two want to play now?" Sakiyo asks while fidgeting with Kumi's plaids.
"I want presents!!" Tsukasa announced happily while looking earnestly at Sakiyo.
Heaving a sign, Sakiyo says, "Let's go to the gift shop then."
~*~*~
"Wow!! This is so cute!! Can I have this, Mama?! That too!! And that one!!" Tsukasa lively voice echoed throughout the enormous, lavishly decorated toys section of the gift shop as he runs about here and there.
"Sure! Take whatever you want! Your Papa will pay for it." Sakiyo teased while shooting knowing glances at Akira who narrowed his eyes.
"Be careful of where you're going!!" Sakiyo shouts again when Tsukasa topple over his legs at the corner. But fortunately he managed to steady himself and keep running.
Then she realized she had neglected the sister who has been obediently stayed close to their side. She then bent down, her face soften.
"Go pick a present."
Kumi shakes her head.
"Go on…" Akira coaxed, pushing her gently forward.
Kumi shakes her head once more.
Akira and Sakiyo looked at each other, both thinking she was too quiet a kid.
"I'm sure girls your age likes to play with dolls. Go pick one." Sakiyo cajoled once more but still she stood there, head hung low.
"Not all girls like to play with dolls." Akira stated, bending down on his knees. "Some girls like to play with their Daddy."
Kumi looked up and Akira knew he had hit the bulls' eye. "Like you."
Sakiyo arched her brow but soon realized Akira's right. She too, wanted to play with her father when she was little. But she never got the chance. Not soon after she turned five. That's when she sees lesser and lesser of her father. So less that she had probably forgotten how her father looks.
"And since I'm your Daddy for the day, you can play with me!" Akira stated happily.
"Like how?"
"Like this!" Akira then pinched hard on Kumi's cheeks and started running, with Kumi chasing tight behind him.
The section soon filled with their laughter and lively voices as they played alongside with each other. It wasn't before long piles of toys were stacked on the cashier, with Tsukasa and Kumi having satisfactory smiles on them.
When Sakiyo was about to take out her wallet from her pockets, Akira stopped her by giving her a light peck on the cheeks.
"Papa will pay for it." Akira said amidst his laughter. Sakiyo just smiled, shaking her head.
"That would be a total of 33,973.55 Yen, Sir." The female cashier said tenderly, amazed at the amount of toys they had bought. Most amazing of all, she can't believe the father looked so young… and not to mention the charming factor.
The quartet then walked hand in hand out of the shop with bags of toys and satisfied smiles plastered all over their faces.
~*~*~
"Tsukushi, what are you dazing at?" Yuuki asked, after a customer just walked out of the dango shop.
"I'm worried for them. Sakiyo… and the kids."
"It will turn out fine, trust me." Yuuki assured.
"Hopefully, it will."
"By the way, don't you find it weird and funny that Tsukasa keeps calling Sakiyo Mama? Haha… not to say Mimasaka-san their Papa." Yuuki remarked.
Tsukushi smiled. "Only God knows."
"Speaking of which, they do looked compatible in many ways. Their family background, their friends, their charisma…"
"Yuuki…" Tsukushi knew she must be thinking about Soujirou again.
Yuuki lay back on the cupboard behind them. "Perhaps some things are just not meant to be… no matter how much you want them to…"
"Are you talking about Nishikado-san?" Tsukushi then saw the sparkles in Yuuki's eyes but she soon shrugs it off with a smile.
"Hey." Tsukushi lights up. "I think that Hisashi-san has something for you. Why don't you give him a try?" Tsukushi nudges Yuuki by the elbow to sweeten her teasing.
"Hisashi…? Hisashi Hideto?"
Tsukushi nods her head assertively. "Hai. Hai."
"I don't know…"
"HI GUYS!!"
The two were interrupted by a group of boisterous unified voices. Yuuki and Tsukushi turned to the doorway and found Akira, Sakiyo, Kumi and Tsukasa hand in hand at the doorstep with lots of shopping bags.
"What you guys been up to?" Asked Tsukushi as she walked to stand in front of the four resting their feet comfortably at one of the tables.
"I'm thirsty." Sakiyo said, ignoring Tsukushi's question. "Bring me a glass of orange juice."
"Me too!" Tsukasa exclaimed.
"Make it three!" Akira quipped in.
"Make it four then!" Sakiyo chipped in before taking out a tissue to wipe off beads of perspiration on her temple.
Tsukushi narrowed her eyes before walking away to prepare their orders.
Since when do they click so well…?
"They looked so happy." Yuuki stated while watching them at the counter as Tsukushi takes out the glasses from the cabinet.
Tsukushi keeps throwing them suspicious glances while pouring the orange juice from the jug.
"Look at yoouuu!" Sakiyo's voice was heard. "Wipe off your perspiration before you catch a cold!" Sakiyo then pull out another tissue to wipe the perspiration off Tsukasa's temple while he rests on her chest. She then realized Akira was wiping his with his hands and without a second thought, she proceed to help him wipe off his too.
"Like father like son huh!" Sakiyo teased.
Suddenly, unexpectedly… their eyes met and for the moment, they thought there are the only ones in the room. It was only after Tsukushi came in that they break their stare from each other.
"So how's the day?"
"Great!" The four answered in unison.
"Glad to hear that." Tsukushi narrowed her eyes.
"Happy birthday to you… happy birthday to you…" Yuuki propped up behind Tsukushi with a teddy-bear-shaped birthday cake with five lighted candles.
"Happy birthday to TSUKASA!!" Sakiyo chipped in happily while Tsukasa stared longingly at the cake.
All looked readily at each other before… "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUU!!"
"Horray!!! I have a birthday cake!!!" Tsukasa happily exclaims.
"Now, make a wish." Sakiyo nudges Tsukasa. He then closes his eyes silently with his fingers tightly crossed against each other.
It took a minute or two for him to blow out his candles and while Tsukushi was cutting the cake for others, Sakiyo asked, "Pretty long wish you make… What did you wish for?"
"I wish Daddy would celebrate my birthday with me every year!"
"Tsukasa…" Kumi said, with some tinge of sadness in her eyes.
"Sure he will! He will not only celebrate every year, he will also celebrate every day, every minute, every second coz he's proud to have you!!" Sakiyo chipped in, clasping her hands together, which somehow managed to make the situation better.
Moments were spent chatting and laughing and of course eating the cake when…
"Tsukasa!" A motherly voice interrupted them. They looked up and realized it's the kids' mother. Judging from her outlook, Sakiyo reckoned she must have rushed here after work. She and Akira then stood up to acknowledge the mother's presence.
"I'm the mother of these two children. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu." She gave a polite bow before looking at the bags of presents on the floor as well as on the table.
"Oh my God! Where do these presents come from?"
"Mama!! They're all mine!!" Tsukasa exclaimed happily before falling into his mother's embrace.
"Huh? Have you been naughty, Tsukasa? How many times have I told you..."
"It's alright, obasan." Sakiyo interjects. "As long as Tsukasa is happy."
She then bows when the mother emits an awkward smile. "Nice to meet you. I'm Fujiwara Sakiyo."
"And I'm Mimasaka Akira." Akira interjects, standing next to Sakiyo.
"Fu… Fu… Fujiwara…?" The mother muttered.
Mimasaka… Fujiwara… two of Japan's most prominent families… And I'm working in this girl's father company!! - The mother thought to herself.
"Mama!! This ne-chan and ni-chan celebrated my birthday today! And all the toys were bought by ni-chan!"
Sakiyo narrowed her eyes. "So now, I'm your onesan…"
"Thank you. And I'm truly sorry if my son has misbehaved in any ways…hmm… I will pay for the toys..."
Akira waved his hands dismissively. "It's just a token of our appreciation. Forget about it. It's what a father can do."
"Father? Oh my God… has Tsukasa been saying foolish things to you? I'm truly sorry for that. Since my husband died, he has been calling every man he saw daddy."
The mother then gave a light hit on Tsukasa's head.
"Mama… I'm tired…"
"Okay, I know. Let's go home."
After saying their farewell, the trio then carried the bags and walked out of the dango shop. Suddenly, Tsukasa burst in.
Akira bent down on his knees when Tsukasa came by his side. "What are you doing here, little guy?"
"Yeah. Aren't you supposed to go home with your Mama?" Sakiyo chipped in, bending down on her knees too.
"I've got a secret to tell both of you. But first, I have to say that today is the happiest day of my life!"
"And..?" Akira and Sakiyo asked together.
"And I did it on purpose when I called you my Mama." Tsukasa said bluntly, looking straight at Sakiyo who narrowed her eyes.
"I thought it was funny to see you fuming when I called you Mama." Sakiyo gave a light hit on his head which left him giggling.
"And I called you Papa because you looked like my Papa in my dreams." Akira just ruffled his hair.
"Thank you." And he gave a peck on Akira and Sakiyo before running off to meet his kins at the doorway.
"That rascal…" Sakiyo uttered with a smile on her face when she finally stands up.
Without realizing what he is doing, Akira just hangs his arm over Sakiyo's shoulders with a satisfied smile plastered across his face.
"Tsukushi, you girls should be knocking off any minute. We'll wait for you at the alley." Sakiyo announced, fidgeting Akira's fingers unknowingly.
"Yeah. We'll wait for you at the alley." Akira repeated.
And together, both of them walked out of the dango shop, hand in hand.
(*_*lll)
"Do you think they've realized what they're doing?" Yuuki asked when the two was gone.
Tsukushi just shrugs it off with a smile and proceed to closing off the shop.
~*~*~
Swinging their hands to and fro without realization, Sakiyo and Akira walked quietly if not happily towards the Porsche parked at the corner. It was only after passersby comment on how kawaii they looked as a couple before they break free of their hold awkwardly, each looking on to their sides, not uttering a word.
"Hmmm…" Akira started to say. "Sakuyo and co should be reaching Rome anytime now."
"Huh?" Sakiyo answered, without really listening to Akira.
That idiot… We're talking about Rome here… not Korea! How can they reach Rome in only a few hours…?
"Heh heh…" Akira answered.
Both spend a few moments of silence before Sakiyo light up suddenly to catch a figure in the shadows.
"Nani?" Akira asked.
Sakiyo just looked on without answering Akira.
That build… looks… familiar…
"Nani yo?" Akira asked again, now in a more firm tone as he grabbed her by the arm.
"Nothing. I just thought Tsukushi and Yuuki are taking a long time to knock off."
"Really?" Akira asked again, not believing as Sakiyo's sentence mismatches with the color of her face.
"Sorry for making you guys wait!" Tsukushi interrupted as she and Yuuki walked towards them.
"We can go now." But when Tsukushi realized Sakiyo didn't chide her off for taking such long time to come, she thought it was weird. "Sakiyo, what's wrong with you?"
Sakiyo looked up, lost in thoughts. "Nothing. Let's go."
And together in Akira's Porsche, they sped off out of the alley and into the main road…
***
A/N: This chapter was done in a pretty rushed way coz my ideas just pop up suddenly in my mind and I'm trying to fit it all in. Quite a long chapter, I must say… which you might be wondering when this chapter will end when you were halfway through reading this chapter of mine.
So now, it's time for you to let me know how you think of it! Don't hesitate to press the little button on the bottom left hand side! Remember! All authors need reviews to keep them going!