A/N: Masaomi and Ukyo finally get their spotlight!
Chapter 12: Overcoming
"Onee-chan, Kyo-nii," Wataru called as he wandered into the kitchen. "Can I help with dinner tonight? I'm supposed to help around the house for a school assignment."
"Sure, Wataru, though I think Ukyo and I are almost done," Ema said, looking at the soup. "Maybe you could set the table instead?" She paused to look up at the cabinets hanging above the counter. "Then again, maybe that's too high for you."
"I can do it!" Wataru assured Ema. "I just need to get a chair, that's all." A moment later, Wataru returned, dragging a chair behind him.
"Be careful," Ema warned, watching Wataru climb onto the chair and open the cabinet.
"It's fine," Wataru said, stretching on his toes to reach the plates. "We have nine people home for dinner tonight so I need one, two, three, four, five, six," Wataru started to wobble as he continued to pile plates onto one arm.
"Not so many at a time—" Ema started to warn when Wataru slipped, falling off the side of the chair. He fell to the floor and a loud crash sounded as the plates broke.
Ukyo sighed and shook his head as Ema gasped running forward. "Wataru, are you okay?" When she reached him, she saw the blood. One of the broken plates had cut his arm open. She couldn't tell how badly. "Masaomi!" Ema yelled. "Wataru is bleeding!"
Masaomi, who was sitting on the couch with Kaname, reacted to the panic in Ema's voice and jumped to his feet.
"I'm okay," Wataru said meekly. "It doesn't hurt that bad."
"Let me see it," Ukyo said, moving the chair and the broken plates out of the way. He grabbed Wataru's arm and pulled it straight, making Wataru wince.
Ema gasped again. "It looks really deep," she murmured.
The next moment she heard a thump, and she looked up to see that Masaomi had fallen against the counter, his face pale as he stared at Wataru's arm.
"Masaomi!" Ukyo snapped. "This is no time for your fear of blood to get in the way. Our little brother needs you."
Ema stared at Masaomi in surprise, having never heard of this fear before. How was Masaomi a doctor while being afraid of blood? Masaomi still didn't move, looking like he was in shock. Kaname appeared then, pushing past Masaomi with a first aid kit in his hands. "Help me wrap up his arm, Ukyo. Ema, you call an ambulance." Ema nodded and ran for the phone.
~.~
Ukyo, Masaomi, and Ema went to the hospital with Wataru. He had to get stiches, but was fine other than that.
"I'm so pathetic," Masaomi muttered, rubbing his hands over his face.
"What?" Ema asked, not hearing him properly.
"Nothing," Masaomi said, shaking his head and looking depressed.
"Come on, Wataru," Ukyo said, appearing in the doorway. "The doctor said that you can go home now."
"Yay!" Wataru cheered, jumping to his feet.
"Be careful," Ema admonished in a worried tone.
Wataru smiled. "I'm fine, Onee-chan. It was my arm that got hurt, not my legs or feet. Besides, I'm tough. It doesn't hurt that bad." From the look on Wataru's face, Ema was pretty sure that he was lying, but he still kept the smile on his face as he looked at his older siblings. "Come on, Mao-nii," Wataru said, grabbing Masaomi's hand. "Let's go."
"Okay, Wataru," Masaomi agreed, smiling sadly at his brother.
~.~
The next day, Ema noticed a letter on the table addressed to Masaomi. It had the insignia of the hospital he worked at and was marked 'urgent'. It had probably been on the table since yesterday, but it had lain forgotten because of everything that happened with Wataru.
Worried, Ema called Masaomi to see if it was something he needed. Or, tried to call him. Ema heard Masaomi's cell phone ringing from the couch and sighed. She'd need to bring the letter to him, just in case it was something important.
At the hospital, Ema found a nurse and asked for Dr. Asahina, explaining that she was his little sister. "Oh!" The nurse exclaimed. "Yes, he talks about you all the time. He's in exam room 103 right now with a patient."
"Okay, thank you," Ema said before wandering towards the room. When she reached it, she waited outside, not wanting to interrupt Masaomi while he was with a patient.
Inside the room, she saw a young boy sitting on the exam table looking worried. Masaomi gently pulled on the boy's ears as he peered into them.
"What's it look like?" The boy asked. "Is it still swollen?"
"Not as badly as last time," Masaomi answered, smiling at the boy. "I can tell that you've been taking your medicine regularly. Now, open your mouth and let me have a look at your throat." The boy complied and afterwards, Masaomi gave him a sucker. "I'd say that you're progressing nicely, Ittai-kun," Masaomi said, patting the boy on the head. "This new medicine we have you on seems to be working. I think that you'll be just fine to play on the soccer team by the time the season starts."
"Yes!" Itikki-kun exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air. "Did you hear that, Mom?"
"I did, Honey," the woman said, smiling as she lifted her son off the table. She turned to Masaomi and said, "Thank you so much, Dr. Asahina. He was so depressed when he thought he wouldn't be able to play on the soccer team this year."
"It's no problem," Masaomi assured her. "I'm glad I was able to help." He waved as the son and his mother left.
"I bet most of your patients love you just like that little boy," Ema said. Masaomi turned in surprise to see Ema. "Hi," she greeted. "This was on the table for you from yesterday. I didn't know if you needed it or not and you didn't have your cell phone, so I decided to bring this to you. I hope that's okay."
"Yes, of course," Masaomi said, still looking surprised to see Ema. "I appreciate it. I'm sorry you had to take the trouble to come down here."
"That's okay!" Ema assured Masaomi. "I've never seen you work before. I wish that I'd had a pediatrician as nice as you when I was a kid. I wouldn't have minded going to the doctor so much then."
Masaomi smiled sadly. "I'd be a more effective doctor if I didn't have an aversion to blood. I couldn't even help my own little brother when he needed it."
"I hadn't known that you had a problem with blood," Ema said cautiously, still surprised by it.
Masaomi sighed. "I used to be fine, but after doing practice surgeries in medical school, the sight of blood started making me sick. I chose to become a pediatrician in part because I love kids, but also because it generally requires fewer surgeries. I can usually get through what I have to with patients bleeding when I'm prepared for the sight, but I'm also woozy during and collapse afterwards. I wasn't okay at home because it happened out of the blue." He sighed again. "I'm afraid I'm going to make a mistake one of these days because of my fear and hurt one of my patients."
"Is there anything you could do to get used to the sight of blood?" Ema asked, wanting to be helpful. Having never had to overcome any fears herself, she couldn't think of any advice to offer.
"Well…I have been thinking about staying after my shift to watch surgeries and hopefully get used to the sight that way, but when the end of my shift comes, I'm always too nervous to try."
"What if I stayed and watched with you the first time?" Ema asked, excited at the prospect of being able to help. "Would it be easier that way?"
Masaomi looked surprised, but then shook his head. "I can't ask my little sister to stay with me to watch surgeries."
"I think that it would be interesting to watch a surgery in person," Ema argued, staring at Masaomi earnestly. "And I've watched some on TV on reality medical shows, so I think that I'd be okay with watching one in person."
Masaomi still looked reluctant and Ema said, "Please? I think that it would be a good experience. People should try to have lots of different kinds of experiences in their life so that they can learn more."
Finally, Masaomi nodded. "All right, but if it bothers you at all, let me know and we'll leave immediately." Ema gave a firm nod and Masaomi smiled in return. Inside, he felt relieved and grateful for Ema's support. With her by his side, the prospect of watching something as bloody as surgery seemed a little more manageable. One because he wouldn't want to look weak in front of her, and two because her support always seemed to make him a little stronger and more capable.
~.~
After watching the surgery, Ema supported Masaomi as they walked out to the car. On the one hand, Masaomi was pleased that he'd been able to make it through the whole surgery. On the other hand, he felt pathetic that Ema had to help him out to the car afterwards. "I'll keep trying until I get better," he promised.
Ema turned to smile encouragingly at him. "I think it's amazing that you're preserving through your weakness to improve yourself and to be a better doctor. A lot of people would just give up or make up excuses to cover their weakness."
Masaomi blushed at Ema's words. "You shouldn't praise me so much, or I'll get a big head," he said.
Ema laughed. "I'm sure that our brothers already had dinner, but if you're willing to wait a little bit, I'll make you something when we get home."
"Definitely," Masaomi replied. "Your food always gives me the energy to work hard the next day."
~.~
"Do you know why Kyo-nii has been in such a bad mood this week?" Tsubaki asked Ema as he watched her prepare dinner.
"He hasn't said anything to me," Ema said, shaking her head. "I'm assuming it's something to do with work, but he won't talk about it."
Tsubaki rolled his eyes. "No, instead he just stomps around muttering under his breath and yelling at anyway who gets in his way. Because that's obviously the mature way to deal with his problem."
"You guys have got to come look at this," Azusa said, staring at the TV. Kaname and Azusa watched with their attention riveted to the news. Ema and Tsubaki shared a look of surprise before going to stand behind the couch.
The news anchor on the TV stood outside of a courthouse. "The case of farmer Abe Yasuo versus former House of Councilors member Yukio Aso is heating up. Today in court, lawyers Asahina Ukyo and Amamiya Reiko—" Whatever the news anchor said next was drowned out by Ema's and Tsubaki's gasps.
"Ukyo's facing off with the wicked witch in court?" Tsubaki asked. "No wonder he's been so pissy lately. Who's Ukyo representing? The farmer or the former member of the House of Councilors?"
"The farmer," Azusa answered. "And it sounds like Ukyo has lost his cool in the courtroom more than once."
"Poor Ukyo," Ema said, wondering how he must feel. When Ukyo walked in the door a moment later, Kaname quickly changed the channel and Ema went back to the kitchen. "Welcome home, Ukyo. How was work today?"
"Fine," Ukyo ground out, glaring at the counter and his voice suggesting that his day had been anything but fine.
"Is everything okay?" She asked, not wanting to admit what she'd just seen on the news. Despite the fact that it had been on display for anyone to see, Ukyo might feel like it was an invasion of his privacy for his siblings to see and know what was going on at his work without Ukyo telling them himself.
Ukyo's glare turned to Ema before he switched it to the vegetables and Ema resisted the urge to step back. She was surprised that despite Ukyo and Reiko breaking up three years ago, he was still so upset about this. He'd always been in the worst moods while dating Reiko. It had always seemed to Ema that Reiko was a fickle woman who enjoyed toying with Ukyo. Wasn't being in a relationship supposed to make someone happy?
Ukyo and Ema worked in awkward silence as Ema tried to think of how she could encourage Ukyo. Eventually she said quietly, "You're one of the hardest working people I know, Ukyo. Even while being a lawyer, and even while you were going to law school, you still somehow find the time to run the Asahina household. You keep up with the cooking, the cleaning, and with making sure that everyone in school is doing well. They say that success in anything is ten percent talent, and ninety percent perseverance. I think that you can accomplish almost anything you set your mind to if you put all your focus towards it, Ukyo. I hope that you feel like you can walk into any courtroom with confidence. And even if you don't win, feel like you learned something that will help you do better next time." Her voice got even quieter. "Please let me know if there's anything I can do to be helpful."
Beside her, Ukyo relaxed a little and let out a sigh. "Do you remember Reiko?" He asked.
Like Ema could possibly forget her. "Yes, I do."
"She's the lawyer I'm up against in my current case."
"Is she really good?" Ema asked.
Ukyo's mouth twisted sardonically. "I don't know if I'd say she's a good lawyer so much as she's good at picking cases that she knows she can win."
"Then she won't grow!" Ema stated firmly. "Our failures teach us as much as our successes. Sometimes even more."
Ukyo smiled. "That's true, though it's a lesson that someone like Reiko isn't willing to learn."
"I think she's overconfident if she thinks that she can beat you," Ema said before remembering that the clients were a farmer and a former member of parliament. The government man would have a lot more clout.
Ukyo sighed. "She doesn't think she'll win this case because she thinks she's a better lawyer than me, she thinks she'll win this case because I'll be too unnerved to do a good job. And so far, she's been right."
Ukyo fell silent before he confessed, "When Reiko and I were dating, I heard rumors that she was also dating other guys. When I confronted her about it, she admitted to it. She told me that she only dated me because my mother was Asahina Miwa and she hoped that it would help her get ahead in life to be connected with the Asahina family." His voice turned bitter. "But she decided that the payoff was taking too long and she was tired of dating a boring guy like me."
Ema gasped. "That's terrible! Reiko is a terrible person, Ukyo. You know that all our brothers hated her. She wasn't nice to anyone." Reiko had been Ukyo's last girlfriend and he hadn't shown any interest in dating since then. Had Reiko shaken his confidence in himself so badly that he'd been afraid to? "Don't ever define yourself by the thoughts of such a lowly person," Ema instructed Ukyo, grabbing his shoulders to make him face her. "You're much better than that."
Ukyo blinked down at Ema in surprise before he smiled gratefully and pulled her into a hug. "Okay, Ema. I'll try not to."
~.~
The last day of the trial, Ema waited outside the courthouse, worried about Ukyo. According to the news (and based on Ukyo's attitude at home), things had been going better for Ukyo's side of the lawsuit after Ema talked with him. She wanted Ukyo to win, of course, but even if he didn't, she hoped that he'd be able to feel proud of the work he'd done. Whatever the outcome, she wanted to be here to support him; whether it was to celebrate with him or to console him.
When the doors finally opened, Ema saw Ukyo walking out with the farmer she'd seen on TV. They were shaking hands, but Ema was too far away to see either of their expressions. "Ukyo," Ema called after the farmer walked away. Ukyo looked surprised when he spotted Ema, but immediately came over.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.
"I wanted to see how things turned out," Ema said earnestly. "I hope it's not a bother that I'm here."
"Not at all," Ukyo said, a radiant smile on his face as he pulled Ema into a fierce hug. "I won. It's all because of your support."
"That's not it," Ema argued, returning the hug. "You won because of all your hard work and discipline. You were the better lawyer."
Ukyo pulled back to say something to Ema when a voice called out, "Ukyo-kun!" Ukyo pulled away from Ema to face the speaker and Ema was surprised to see Reiko coming their way. "I'm impressed at how well you did today. You've come a long way since the last time I saw you."
Reiko placed a hand on Ukyo's chest and finally seemed to notice Ema. Her lip curled as she looked Ema up and down. "Who is this? Some little fan of yours?"
Ema flushed and Ukyo gripped Reiko's hand, pulling it off him. "She's someone very important to me. Please refrain from insulting her."
Reiko laughed, still looking at Ema. "Do you think a little girl like you could satisfy someone like Ukyo?" She turned to Ukyo and purred. "Leave the girl behind and come with me tonight, Ukyo. I'll show you what it's like to be with a real woman. You do remember, don't you?"
"I'll have to decline, actually," Ukyo said, stepping back from Reiko. "I'd rather not associate myself with such a lowly woman. I prefer women of true character." He turned and held out a hand to Ema. "Let's go, Ema."
Reiko gaped, shocked at being denied by Ukyo before the name he'd called the girl registered. "Ema?" She hissed. "Your step-sister? You're choosing that brat over me?"
"Careful, Reiko," Ukyo warned, his arm around Ema as they walked away. "The media is still around. You wouldn't want them to catch your ugly side on camera or it might ruin your reputation."
~.~
When they reached home Ema said, "Why don't I make dinner by myself tonight? You should take the night off after your big win."
Ukyo shook his head. What he really wanted to suggest was that the two of them go out to dinner to celebrate, instead he said, "I appreciate the offer, but I've told you before that cooking is how I unwind from work. Plus, cooking became a lot more fun after you joined the family." Ema beamed at him and he couldn't help but return the smile. "I enjoy the time I get spend with you while we cook. It's time that I wouldn't give up for anything." Most of all, it was time that he got to have Ema to himself without any of their brothers around.
Ukyo's chest tightened as he watched Ema put on her apron and bustle around the kitchen. He had to admit it fully now. He didn't want to think of Ema as his little sister. He'd been trying so hard to, but he wanted her in his arms and at his side supporting him as his girlfriend. Ema was the perfect woman. She made him a better man and he always wanted her with him. He didn't want to hand her to anyone else.
A/N: I'm so sorry this is late! I'm out of town this week and I meant to put a note in chapter 11 that I might not be able to post this week, and then I totally forgot. I tried to post this chapter yesterday morning, but refuses to upload anything from Word on my lame new laptop and I haven't had time to figure out what's wrong. I just barely noticed the copy and paste function on , which is why this chapter has finally been posted.
