Title: Crossroads
Part: Chapter 4 – Akira's Agony

Author: Kazelei
Disclaimer: Do Not Own Any of the Characters
Pairing: SenRu
Genre: Angst

Chapter 4 – Akira's Agony

Meanwhile…

Akira was smiling as he entered the hospital. He can't wait to see Kaede. Seven hours have passed since he left Kaede sleeping in the hospital but he've already missed him so much. He brought with him some of Kaede's favorites - cadburry chocolates, freshly cooked tempura which he ordered from their favorite restaurant, etc. plus a bouquet of flowers.

After almost three hours of arguing between him and his dad, he made up his own decision.

/Flashback/

"Akira! Your dad is so angry. Please settle these things" his mom told him as he entered their mansion.

"Where is he mom?"

"At the library. Son, try to understand your dad."

"No. I Will make myself clear to him."

Opening the door of the library room…

"Well, well, well, it's good that you have come to your senses son. Welcome home." His father said.

"We can still push through with the wedding tomorrow Akira. You just have to convince Yume, that you will soon find yourselves in love with one another. Akira, your marriage with the only daughter of the Yume's will make us richer and more powerful. This is the key to what I've been dreaming off. We will be able to expand our company to other countries. It will bring great prosperity to us. Now son, go, Yume needs just to be courted."

"I can't believe you dad! All you think about is how to get rich! We already have enough!"

"No! I'm not going to marry Yume and I'm not going to follow her whereabouts and beg her to marry me! I have the right to choose the person whom I am to love and to marry. You don't own my heart dad. You cannot dictate me all the time." Akira said, trying to control his feelings. He badly wanted to shout at the man in front of him. He couldn't believe his dad but he still has that respect for his father.

"What the hell are you talking about Akira Sendoh! How dare you to talk to me like that! I did not raise you just to answer me. And since when did you start breaking my orders? You will marry Yume whether you like it or not. I've already talked to her parents and they said Yume is already willing to marry you! You will marry her! That's an order!"

"No I won't!"

"You will!"

"I will not marry Yume!"

"Why not? Give me one good reason son," his father said in a sarcastic manner.

Akira remained silent. He knew, his father is up for something. In heated arguments like this, when his father starts talking sarcastically, he knew, his father's planning something evil.

"Is it because of that pale and black raven-haired boy? My God Akira! I understand that maybe you've found what you need in him. He maybe a good fucker but he cannot bear you children. Mark my word, what you feel for him is only lust. But I have to congratulate you, he is indeed beautiful. You only like him because he can reciprocate your animalistic behavior when it comes to sex."

Akira couldn't take it anymore. He was desperately trying to calm himself but hearing his father to insult Kaede that way really made his anger rise.

Stepping nearer to his father, with fists clenched to his side and eyes directed only to his father, he grabbed his father's collar and pushed him hard.

His father hit the wall.

Not contented with what he did, he punched both sides of his father. As he was doing this, he was crying. Akira was so sorry, he did this. In his mind,

'Perhaps it's not always the case that Blood is Thicker than Water.'

He was lost in his train of thoughts that he did not notice his father stood up and give him a punch on the abdomen.

"You ungrateful dimwit! Me and my wife have raised you, gave you good education, and gave you food and shelter. If not of my wife's plea, we shouldn't have picked you up in one of the garbage areas at the city. You have a very rude behavior. Perhaps you still have that criminal blood running in your veins. I despise you! You are not my child." As his father gave him another punch in the abdomen.

Akira was shocked with what he discovered. He can't get himself to think straight, he was already kneeling on the carpeted floor as his father kicked his limp body.

"That's it. Kneel infront of me. Hahaha!" his father was saying.

"You will marry Yume. That'll serve as your payment for all the years that we've given you all that you need to live! Without me, you're nothing AKIRA and I regret giving you my name, you are a shame to the Sendoh's" his father said sternly.

Akira remained silent and slumped on the floor. This is too much. Slowly, he stood up and looked directly at his father, tears blurring his vision.

He can feel blood on his face as a result of the punches that his father has given him.

"You maybe the reason why I am alive, I may owe my life to you, You may have given me food, a home to live, good and quality education as you've mentioned but I will not let you dictate my life.

All these years, I've followed all that you want. Starting from the course I have to take at the university up to the career that I took up after graduation. I remained following all your orders hoping that you could give just a little of your time to me. I've studied and worked hard to impress you but I gained nothing.

With you, I never really felt the love of a father. You were just a provider of the material things that I need. You never showed love to me.

I believe I already paid all the things that you've given me through my work at your company. I've closed many deals which I believe the company wouldn't be able to do so without me.

And oh, about Kaede, how dare you to insult him like that. You don't know anything about him. You know nothing about falling in love.

And thank you for confirming my hunches. I've already had the feeling that I am not your real child, what I need is a confirmation from you. That's why you never treated me as your son."

As Akira was saying these things, he could feel a lump in his throat.

"And perhaps you're right. Perhaps my family is a family of thieves, criminals? And yeah, despite the good education that you've given me, my criminal blood is still in my veins.

Don't worry, I won't kill you. You should be grateful for that."

Akira said, eyes never leaving his father.

"From this day on, I renounce you as my father and part of that is renouncing all the properties and the people connected to you."

Then he turned his back and started his way out but he saw his mother crying by the door.

"Akira! What happened to your face?" his mother asked in horror.

"We have to tend to that," she said as she reached to caress Akira's face. Akira let his mother led him to where their medicine box is while his father was left at the library.

"I'm sorry son, I should have told you the truth before, but I just don't want you to get hurt." Akira's mother was saying she was tending his wounds.

Akira remained silent, after a while…

"I can take care of myself. I am nothing to you anymore, am I? Thank You." As he started his way out of the door.

But his mother stopped him. "Wait! Akira, I understand you and I will not insist on what we want. Just remember, I love you son" as his mother gave him a tight hug.

"Thank you mom! Thank you," was all he could say.

He was about to start his way out when his mother pulled his hand. His mom took up several credit cards from his wallet and gave it to Akira.

"Here, take these, you'll be needing them. And take your car with you; after all you bought that from your earnings. You know where to contact me if you need help" as she kissed Akira.

Akira just nodded, then left without turning back.

Akira just drove and drove his car with the sound from the stereo banging in his head. What a day! He dropped by a boxing gym and poured out all his hatred in punching and kicking the punching bags.

After an hour, sweats were all over his body. Just then he remembered.

"Kaede! Oh no!" as he quickly took a shower and changed into his clothes and headed to the hospital.

/End of Flashback/

He knocked on the door but no one answered. He assumed that Kaede's still asleep, only to find out that he's already gone.

He dropped his groceries and the bouquet of flowers that he's holding. He opened the bathroom but he wasn't there then he checked the dresser, his clothes were gone!

He ran at the reception area and asked where Kaede had gone and he was informed that the patient was missing.

He ran to Dr. Kogure's office.

"Doc! What happened? Where is Kaede! Please tell me," Akira pleaded.

Kogure was amazed on Akira's reaction. He's acting hysterically. Probably, he really loves him (pertaining to Kaede). "Well, I am so sorry, we were not able to keep him here in the hospital. He was already missing thirty minutes after you left him. We are trying our best to look for him. Why don't you check out his home?"

Akira hurriedly ran out of the hospital. He went to Kaede's house. He knocked, and knocked but no one opened the door.

"Kaede! Open up!" he shouted madly, but no answer.

He searched for him everywhere. At Shohoku High School, at the basketball court where they usually have there one-on-ones, on his favorite fishing spot, on the house of Kaede's team mates, but Kaede wasn't there and they don't know where he is. They haven't seen Kaede since Akira's supposed to be wedding day.

He was going crazy already. He does not have any clue on the whereabouts of Kaede.

Akira walked limply, shoulders down. 'You ran away from me again Kaede. Is this the way you want it? I offered you explanation you didn't hear me out and now you're nowhere to be found. You came to my wedding and distracted me there. I saw you cry and get hurt. I'm so worried about you. Where are you now? I need you Kaede' his mind's racing with so many questions.

He went back to Kaede's house hoping to see Kaede there but he was greeted with nothing. He's already tired. For the whole day, he searched for Kaede and what he got was nothing. He slumped on the stairs going to Kaede's balcony, he was so tired. He needs to get some rest.

It was already night time and ha was so tired. He lay on the bench at Kaede's balcony planning to take a nap while waiting for Kaede but slept overcome his tired body and he slept the whole night.

t.b.c.

A/N: And this is chapter four! Hay! I'm also feeling sad about this story...i don't know why did i ever think of writing this story...