JUNJOU ROMANTICA / SEKAI-ICHI HATSUKOI

Chapter Six – Fathers and Children

Warning: This chapter touches upon topics concerning sexual exploitation. molestation, and crimes committed against children and adults.

August 5

Location: Seimei Academy

"Really, Dad…Onii-chan…?"

Kirishima Zen and Yokozawa Takafumi smiled at Hiyori, the three sitting together at a tree-shaded waiting area nearby the academy's main gate while the rest of her schoolmates walked towards the exit at their own pace…the school day ending early just like every other school in the prefecture.

Hiyori nearly squealed in delight as she read the email addressed to Kirishima again. "I get to go to your and Onii-chan's work! And if I'm lucky, I'll get to meet Alexa and her duet buddy! So cool!"

"Well, Grandma and Grandpa are going to a neighborhood association trip. We don't want you to be alone at home."

Although happy about going to Marukawa Shoten, Hiyori blinked a bit and wondered. "But what makes this different from times that you need to stay longer in the office, so Onii-chan keeps me company at home?"

"Your Onii-chan will be working late, too. He, people from various groups at my work, and I are going to work together on a huge project. The meeting would most probably run late, but hopefully not too late," explained Kirishima with a genial smile.

"Ready to go to work now, or do you want to go home first – change clothes and gather some stuff in case the meeting runs too long?" Yokozawa asked Hiyori, his hand resting on Hiyori's back.

"Home first," said Hiyori, the young girl still giddy about the good news.

"Okay. I'll braid your hair before we leave the apartment."

Hiyori happily nodded, loving the idea of Yokozawa taking care of her hair.

As the three walked towards where Kirishima's parked car, Kirishima kept his calm even though he felt watchful eyes being focused on them along with at least two to three pairs of footsteps that echoed against the pavement.

Yokozawa glanced sideways towards Kirishima's direction, with his eyes communicating to the other that he sensed something disconcerting behind them.

Soon, the footsteps sounded as if the distance was closer than before…and that the gap was shrinking for each passing second.

Kirishima and Yokozawa exchanged glances once more, the two picking up their pace as naturally as they possibly could to keep up with appearances. The two had one goal in mind – to reach the nearest police box which was one block away from them.

With the two lovers doing their best not to scare Hiyori and keeping their composure so that the ones behind them were not alerted, Kirishima quietly told his daughter, "Keep your voice down, and keep up with our pace, Hiyori. Stay calm and follow our lead. When I tell you to run, you and Onii-chan run away and get help. He'll know where to go. I'll follow shortly, okay?"

Hiyori looked at her father, and then at Yokozawa. Remembering advices given to her by Kirishima, her grandparents, the neighborhood watch association speakers, and guest speakers at school, she listened and remained vigilant…ready to change her pace or react accordingly in case the occasion necessitated it.

Without looking back, Hiyori now noticed the very thing that concerned her Dad and Yokozawa – the footsteps behind them which seemed hurried, yet being held back by their owners to avoid arousing any suspicion.

However, one owner of those footsteps showed his impatience…his footsteps now hastened and quickly closing in, fully intent on acquiring his target.

By this time, the police box was only half a block away from where Kirishima, Yokozawa, and Hiyori were.

The owner of those footsteps grew even more impatient, this time running, fully closing in the gap between him and the three, and focusing all his energies in completing the mission which involved grabbing Hiyori and then leaving the scene with his companions.

Everything seemed to have happened in seconds immediately after Kirishima's sharp, predatory gaze met Yokozawa's eyes.

Before the impatient thug laid a finger on Hiyori, Kirishima yanked his arm.

Yokozawa and Hiyori ran as fast as their feet could take them, with Yokozawa telling Hiyori while he tightly held her hand, "We'll get help!"

Shortly thereafter, the back of Kirishima's hand aligned under his chin…Kirishima's knuckles connecting fast, relentless, and hard against his chin.

Seconds later, the thug who tried to lay a hand on Hiyori landed on his back after he was thrown over Kirishima's shoulder. The thug yelled in pain and his two companions made a mad dash to help him. In his last attempt to fight back against Kirishima, he fell unconscious immediately after Kirishima punched him straight in the face.

The other two thugs circled around Kirishima, one of them pulling out a butterfly knife which made Kirishima's blood boil even more.

Kirishima was so focused on his opponents and the tasks at hand that he did not sense Yokozawa and Hiyori's return - the two, now accompanied by two police officers armed with batons, running towards him while yelling out his name.

"Papa – watch out!"cried out Hiyori, seeing the glint of the butterfly knife from the third thug's hands while the second thug went behind her Dad.

As the second thug behind him closed in, Kirishima hit his elbow contact squarely against the second thug's chest and made the latter reel in pain. The next moment was devoted in having the third thug drop the knife through a roundhouse kick, followed by knocking out the third thug through a punch.

Soon, there stood Kirishima who now assessed the first and third thug who were now unconscious and the second thug who could barely move.

While the two police officers secured the unconscious men and called for more back-up, Kirishima knelt beside the second thug and pressed a painful pressure point on the thug's hand. His eyes showed such quiet yet destructive anger that continued to bubble inside him, his teeth clenching as his last-ditch effort to remain calm while he asked the second thug, "Who the hell sent you three?"

The second thug remained silent.

Kirishima pressed the pressure point even harder, making the second thug yelp in pain. His desire to mangle the second thug…rend the latter limb by limb…growing stronger each passing second. "Who sent you three? Tell me!"

"I don't know! We're just errand boys! Our boss sent us! It's a paid job!" cried out the second thug.

"Sir, please…" said one of the officers, requesting Kirishima to let the police handle matters from here on out.

Taking in a deep breath to calm down and regain his composure, Kirishima finally let go of the second thug's hand and rose from his squatted position. The pounding of his chest and his anger dissipated a little once he saw Hiyori and Yokozawa.

Hiyori ran to Kirishima and gave her Dad a tight hug. She closed her eyes, her embrace affectionately tightening.

Yokozawa approached father and daughter, with one hand resting on Kirishima's shoulder while the other hand rested on Hiyori's back…the only way that he knew how to publicly console the two at the same time and express as to how much he loved and cared for both of them.

It made Kirishima's heart ache even more when he felt Hiyori shudder along with his shirt becoming wet from her tears, his tears welling up in his eyes as well when he heard his daughter's muffled voice. "Papa…thanks for keeping all of us safe…. I love you… I'm glad you're okay…"

Kirishima felt that his heart was about to burst when Hiyori clung on to him. He was still on edge over what happened. Once that it finally registered in his adrenaline-fueled brain and system that his loved ones were now safe, he allowed that fact along with the sense of peace that it brought to soothe his anger.

Kirishima did his best to muster a small smile, the adrenaline and anger still coursing strongly in his blood yet somewhat more manageable now than seconds ago. He looked at his lover, asking both Yokozawa and Hiyori, "Are you two all right?"

"We're all right," replied Yokozawa, giving his lover a grateful and relieved smile. "Are you all right?"

"I'm not hurt. Just edgy," said Kirishima as he affectionately touched the crown of Hiyori's head. "I'm so glad you're both safe."

Soon, police backup came and arrested the three thugs while two detectives took statements from Yokozawa, Hiyori, and Kirishima. When all the police matters have been wrapped up and Kirishima's minor cuts have been tended, a uniformed police officer escorted the three to Kirishima's parked car and waved goodbye to them as Kirishima drove away.

"I'll call the office…let them know what happened, and that we're running late…" Yokozawa explained to Kirishima after he dialed a number on his cell phone. He then began conversing with Henmi Kazuma, informing the latter of the incident.

Yokozawa then offered to Kirishima, "Do you want me to dial your department, so that you can inform them, too? I'll place you on speaker and hold the cell phone so that you can drive while talking."

"Let's do it later. I still need time to clear my head."

"All right…."

Kirishima nodded a little, his eyes and concentration focused on the drive home as well as efforts in calming down. He looked at the rearview mirror, feeling semi-comforted that Hiyori was now taking a nap at the backseat. He thought, "That'll help her calm down…"

After a few moments of silence, Kirishima told Yokozawa, "Thanks for keeping your word. Because of you, Hiyori's safe. You don't know how relieved I am that you two are safe. I –"

When Kirishima could not speak, Yokozawa glanced sideways. Knowing that Kirishima was still on edge to say the least, and figuring that Hiyori was asleep, he reached out and placed his hand beside Kirishima's free left hand…allowing their pinky fingers to affectionately clasp each other.

Taking in a deep breath in his effort to calm down, Kirishima thought, "I wouldn't know what to do if anything happened to either one of them. By the gods, please give me strength to keep them safe always…."

August 5 (Day One – Onodera Ritsu's Love Declaration)

Takano Masamune's Apartment

"Takano-kun… Ritsu…. Please lift your heads…."

The two lovers did as Onodera Akifumi had asked them to do, their eyes reflecting the sincerity in their hearts and the authenticity of their plea.

The elder Onodera gave the lovers a kind gaze as he told them, "Since we're talking about both of you, let's discuss what lies before both of you at great length. Now, I ask both of you to keep an open mind as we talk about this. Give me the benefit of the doubt as you listen to what I have to say, and be truthful."

When Ritsu reacted, his father added, "Ritsu… Son… When I say 'be truthful," it means that you're given full license to express how you feel. If you want to yell, then yell. If you want to cry, then cry. Put all your feelings, thoughts, and doubts on the table so that once we're done, there'll be no regrets. What comes out of my mouth now is not just for you – it's also for Takano-kun."

Then, Ritsu's father turned to Takano and gave the latter the same quiet gaze that was warm, fatherly, and accepting – a gesture that penetrated deep in Takano's heart as the elder man said, "The same goes with you, Takano-kun. I know that you're a man of propriety. From here on out, and especially during this conversation, I request from you the same things that I now seek from Ritsu. As we talk about this, put aside Onodera Shuppan and that I'm Ritsu's father. Put aside the fact that I'm older than you are. For short, you, Ritsu, and I are on equal footing. No status, age, relationships, or any other factor barring us from speaking the truth and getting the point across – agreed?"

"Yes, Onodera-san…" was Takano's reply.

"Even though homosexuality is more accepted in our culture this day and age, there are those out there who'll use your relationship against you. I don't want either of you to get hurt. I don't want either of you to get dragged in the mud."

"I'll only get hurt if I let them," Ritsu replied with quiet conviction. "Don't worry about me, Dad."

The elder Onodera's eyes reflected a depth of sadness and worry. "When you were still a child, there were those who looked at you just as debauched lechers would. I received many letters from different people. Some threatened me that they'll make our family and Onodera Shuppan suffer unless I give in to their demands. Some of those threats dealt with me having to turn my back on my principles and beliefs on what was right and wrong. Some of them were so sickeningly blatant because it involved you – that they would do anything to destroy our family and the company unless you sleep with them."

Takano shook his head, sickened by what he heard.

Onodera Akifumi and Takano's eyes met, with the elder man showing his agreement with Takano's sentiment with a nod. "There were four families who withstood those pressures, and you could guess who those families are, Ritsu. The Isaka Family…. The Usami Family… The Ishino Family…. And then there's ours, of course…. The gods have blessed our families with the fortitude to withstand those oppressors."

"These threats have never been new to us, Dad. I'll deal with them again in behalf of Onodera Publishing, even though I'm working at Marukawa Publishing. I'll make sure that everything stays the same – with them not touching me."

Ritsu's father said, "I appreciate your assurance, but you and Takano-kun have to understand an important fact. You may be adults now, but you'll always be beloved children in your father's eyes. How do you think it'll make me feel when you have to go through this, or think that you have to fight these battles on your own and sacrifice yourselves?"

"I'm not going to let anyone ruin our good name. I'm not going to be alone in this fight, especially with all of you being here with me."

"The family name…? Onodera Shuppan…? While I cherish both of them with my life, you and your mother's lives and happiness are of greater importance to me. A good reputation is never a replacement for good character. Onodera Shuppan…our family legacy…has been handed over through the generations. As much as I value generations of blood, sweat, and tears that made Onodera Shuppan strong and great…Onodera Shuppan can and will never replace you."

"Dad…."

The gentlest gaze that Onodera Akifumi could possibly give at such a crucial moment came from the deepest part of his heart…a gaze which communicated the love, pride, wishes, and prayers that an unconditionally loving father could ever bestow to his child. That tear-filled gaze of his along with that benevolent smile was not only for Ritsu alone, but also for Takano.

Ritsu could not hold back the tears that now flowed from him, his heart overflowing with joy. His normally quiet father rarely laid bare his feelings except during important moments or milestones…and when those moments ever came, his father would always manage to catch him off-guard.

Takano felt as if he was stripped bare, myriad feelings coursing so strongly inside him. Since he and Ritsu grew up in different family situations, he found Onodera Akifumi's approach and words not just liberating but also scary…with him feeling humbled, honored, and blindsided due to the man's kindness, openness, and inclusion. Takano could tell that the elder Onodera had chosen his words wisely and came to his home being his most authentic self – the telltale sign for him was Ritsu's comfortable reaction as Onodera Akifumi told them his feelings.

And Takano was blindsided indeed because here was a man – his lover's father – who talked about family, love, and priorities that no amount of money could ever buy. It made him wonder as to how such an amicable, fatherly conversation from a kind man posed such an in-your-face challenge to his skeptical and curious nature whenever things seemed too good to be true. The more that Takano wondered and wracked his mind and heart for an answer, the more that he felt ashamed for his skeptical way of thinking.

Takano's eyes scanned the room, observing Isaka and Asahina at the corner of his eye. He could see and sense how Isaka and Asahina were respectively taking in and pondering upon the elder Onodera's words. As his way to confirm whether his observation was right, he diverted his gaze on the two lovers for a split second and then returned his focus on Ritsu's Dad. He could not deny that Isaka and Asahina were touched with the elder Onodera's words, and that their reactions had no tinge of surprise.

Meeting, seeing, and listening to Ritsu's father made Takano understand Ritsu's character much more…most especially his lover's character when they first met and fell in love during their younger days. He could see bits of Ritsu through Onodera Akifumi and vice versa. The main difference between father and son was that Onodera Akifumi was comfortable being in his own figurative skin and seemed unafraid in having others see and understand him for who he truly was. It was such a refreshing and liberating boldness thinly veiled by a mask of calm silence.

"The path you two choose is not going to be easy," said Onodera Akifumi as he continued to cuddle his son with one arm. "Society will question you. Being an only son and the heir to Onodera Shuppan, people will talk about many things. There's marriage, as you know. Then there's the topic of children, where the only options of having one while remaining loyal to your partner is either through adoption or medical means. And for those who want to talk about disparity in social status, there is none since Takano-kun's family also comes from well-known social circles and are well-respected professionals."

"Do you care about those criteria, Onodera-san?" Takano dared ask.

"No, I don't," was Onodera Akifumi's unequivocal answer. "Frankly, I'm tired and fed up with such talks. For example, as much as I love my wife…Ritsu's mother…she has driven me crazy all these years about An-chan."

Seeing Takano and Ritsu's respective knee-jerk reaction upon mention of Kohinata An's name, the elder Onodera chuckled as he shook his head. He raised his right hand, as if he was apologizing and asking the two lovers to calm down. "An-chan's a nice girl. Anyone would be lucky to marry her. However, the decision of who Ritsu should marry should only belong to Ritsu alone. I know that An-chan adores him, and it's good that she has now fully accepted Ritsu's decision to love you, Takano-kun. As long as I could remember, and even to this very day, I know that Ritsu only sees her as a sister and a good friend – nothing more."

The living room became silent as Onodera Akifumi allowed Ritsu and Takano to absorb everything that he had said thus far, and with Isaka and Asahina letting the three men have no interruptions to their conversation by remaining quiet observers.

"I have a confession to make to both of you," said the elder Onodera after he let out a sigh and broke the silence. "I knew about your relationship from 10 years ago. I could only imagine as to how much you mean to each other. I didn't know exactly how you two had a falling out, but I knew that Ritsu was devastated. Ishino Michael and his ward who mainly resided in England immediately made arrangements for Ritsu's education and living arrangements at the boarding school."

This time, Onodera Akifumi looked Takano in the eye as he explained, "The Ishinos and I did a probe on you, Takano-san. That started when Ritsu left for England and it officially ended when you were hired at Marukawa Shoten. Those probes allowed me to learn more about the man who my son loved all these years. You came from a good family based on society's standards, yet I'm sorry that your parents didn't give you the love that you deserved as you were growing up. You've fended for yourself all these years. You have a strong work ethic, and it shows through your passion at work as well as the results of your hard work."

As Onodera Akifumi saw that Takano was having greater trouble in meeting his gaze, the elder man added, "And yes, I know about the hardships you've gone through since my son left for England. There's nothing to be ashamed of about that. If any, that showed me that my son has been a huge part of your life and that his disappearance left a gaping hole inside you. What you didn't know was that at the other side of the world, Ritsu was agonizing at the same time as you. You also showed your inner strength when you decided to finally embrace life after Ritsu left, and have come a long way since then…and your resiliency when you still continued loving my son even though 10 years had passed."

"Wait…" Ritsu blinked, his mind spinning as he tried to grasp the full extent of his father's confession. "So Takano-san getting hired at Marukawa.… My current job at Marukawa –"

"May I?" asked Isaka with a knowing smile, that grin becoming wider as Onodera Akifumi gave permission. He then looked at his two employees, responding to Ritsu, "Takano getting hired at Marukawa was all on his own. Call it kismet. You getting hired at Marukawa and being assigned at Emerald under Takano – that was my handiwork. You getting the apartment which made you next-door neighbors with Takano – thank Michael-san's ward, Em-chan, for that."

"I can't believe this…" murmured Ritsu, feeling as if his head had grown three times its size. "How…?"

With a smirk, Ritsu's father said, "In your mad rush to leave Japan, you left your diary – don't you remember that you asked us to send it to you? Just count your blessings that I was the first one who saw it, and not your mother."

"But it had a lock in it…."

"A lock that could easily be pried with the right scissors," countered Ritsu's father. "I'm sorry for invading your privacy, but I had to find out as to what possessed you to just want to leave everything behind. You were so despondent then. I didn't know what Takano-kun and you had gone through. I didn't know if you were afraid for your life or safety, which was why you wanted to move away. I didn't know if you were going to do anything drastic at any given moment."

Ritsu's father then momentarily paused, as if his fears were being relived through his explanation. "There was so much that I didn't know at the time, and it made me so afraid. I felt that I had no choice but to find out the answer. So once again, Ritsu…Takano-kun…. Please forgive me. The diary… The probes on both of you… Intervening so that you two would cross paths again, in hopes that you would either reunite or find a healthy form of closure from 10 years ago…. What I've done makes me no better than my wife, who made marriage arrangements for Ritsu since he was little."

All that Ritsu could do was let out a sigh, feeling overwhelmed from the truth. Finally, he gathered some composure to put together his thoughts and then told his father, "At least you didn't nag me, and you respected my feelings. Guiding Takano-san and I back together again, and everything that you, Isaka-san, and everyone else had done in between to make things possible between us… Those mean a lot to me, Dad. Thanks…."

Takano, sharing the same sentiments as Ritsu, shook his head in disbelief as well yet was thankful that destiny and those around them had a hand in reuniting him with his once long-lost love. And so he said, "Onodera-san… Isaka-san… Thank you both for everything. I couldn't thank you enough."

After a pause of silence as the elder Onodera tried to gauge as to what was going on in Ritsu's and Takano's minds, he asked, "I hope that I made myself very clear in everything that I said. If not, then let me shorten it. You both have my blessing. You should be with the one you love the most, because that person will bring out the best in you."

"And Takano-kun…."

When Takano met Onodera Akifumi's kind gaze, the elder man told him, "Please take care of Ritsu – not only as his special someone, but also as my son. Please take care of each other…."

"Yes, I will. I give you my word," said Takano with a smile as tears pooled at the corners of his eyes, his promise laced with such humility and gratitude over the elder man's benevolence and acceptance.

Ritsu, who was facing his Dad with tear-filled eyes, quietly asked, "Does Mom know?"

Everyone was taken aback from the question that Ritsu arbitrarily threw out in the open.

"Really, Ritsu…?" Takano blurted out.

Isaka's eyes went wide, not knowing if his gut reaction leaned more towards smacking the back of Ritsu's head or scoffing at the seemingly absurd question. He then told Ritsu, "Geez, Nanahikari… Are you a glutton for punishment, or just so naïve about how the universe and real life work? Your Mom doesn't know about all of this. Deal with one problem at a time, starting with the blackmail photographs and note. The biggest hurdle is over - that's getting your Dad's blessing! Your Dad's in your corner about your relationship - that's a very big deal! Before worrying about other things, bask in that joy first!"

Onodera Akifumi chuckled, drawing his son closer and kissing the crown of Ritsu's head. "You still haven't changed, have you?"

"You guys could be so mean, I swear..." mumbled a pouty Ritsu.

A still-feverish Ritsu could not help but turn beet red from being flustered, closing his eyes so that he could hide from the embarrassment and listening to his Dad reassure him, "When the time comes, we'll tell your Mom together. You and Takano-kun won't be alone in this – all right? Focus on your lives and the happiness that you two will build together…and we'll deal with everything together."

August 5

Location: Tosho Elementary School

Mino Kanade waited for his nephew and adopted son Yamato at their agreed-upon waiting spot nearby the school's main gate. The elementary school, along with all the other schools in the prefecture, was dismissing the children early for the entire week due to mandated aptitude examinations.

Mino was all smiles, happy that he and Yamato would have more time today since Isaka – through Takano and Assistant Chief Editor Hatori Yoshiyuki – encouraged him to have Yamato at work not only for the kick-off meeting but also for the long nights that might occur due to the overseas expansion project. Mino welcomed the opportunity, most especially since it made Yamato ecstatic that he would be able to see his uncle at work and in action.

At last, Mino stirred and waved once he saw Yamato. He watched as his adopted son, obviously included in the conversation, listened with quiet amusement as his fellow classmates happily chatted away.

Shortly thereafter, father and son were reunited. For those who knew the two of them, one could tell that matters between them have been substantially much better since the Marukawa Shoten – Emerald Division's group vacation.

After bidding a final goodbye for the day to his classmates, Yamato took Mino's offered hand as the two began to cross the street and walk back to the direction of the parked family car. The car was parked a few blocks away due to lack of parking when Mino arrived to pick up Yamato, and so Mino took that window of time as opportunity to engage Yamato in conversation…with the conversation naturally flowing as Yamato talked about how his day had gone by, and with Mino interacting and gathering from Yamato's multiple anecdotes that today was indeed a great day.

But as the two were getting closer to the car, a black van stopped by the curb upon reaching a near-secluded area where there was little to no pedestrians or cars passing by.

Seconds later, five men wearing black clothes and goggled black ski masks rushed out of the van – three of the men grabbed Mino, and the remaining two pried Yamato away from Mino. The struggle became louder as Mino and Yamato respectively yelled and fought back.

Mino managed to throw punches that landed hard on the three who tried to contain him, the three respectively cursing under their breaths for being unable to contain one man…a man that to their standards, they would call too scrawny to put up a fight against one of them, let alone three of them.

One of the men pistol-whipped Mino, the three of them becoming more startled when Mino continued to put up an even stronger fight.

In what seemed to be a long struggle, Mino kept up – fighting and keeping on his feet no matter what obstacle or effort was thrown against him. His vision unexplainably began to wane along with his strength, and so he mustered everything in his will to fight and save his son.

Just when Mino thought that the fight seemed never-ending, although still valiantly refusing to give up when he saw that the men were pulling Yamato closer inside the van, two unidentified men shifted the tides in their favor.

One of the young men fought the two masked men who were forcing Yamato inside the black van.

The second young man surprised the three masked men who held Mino back, and soon Mino and he fought the three crooks.

When the van driver along with the other masked passengers figured that they have failed their mission, the black van's door slammed shut and sped away from the scene – leaving behind the five masked men who now lay unconscious on the concrete.

"Are you all right?" asked the first unidentified man, kneeling so that he was at eye level with the boy.

"I'm all right. Thank you…" replied Yamato to his rescuer, still looking visibly shaken.

The conversation between Yamato and the man who rescued him was cut short when they turned to face the second rescuer…with the first rescuer looking grim as he heard his partner finish his short yet crucial telephone conversation.

Once the second rescuer hung up the cell, he placed all his attention on Mino who now lay on the concrete…the latter looking pale and bracing himself from the pain as the second rescuer applied pressure on his side.

"Stay with us, Mino-san. Stay awake as long as you can," said the second rescuer, doing his best to remain calm as he continued whatever he could do until the ambulance and paramedics arrive.

Mino shuddered, his teeth gritting occasionally as he felt the abdominal pain travel at times to surrounding areas of his left torso. For each passing minute, it became more of a struggle for him to breathe without pain or to stay awake.

The first rescuer guided Yamato to Mino's side, took off his long trench coat, rolled his coat into a makeshift pillow, and then propped it under Mino's knees. He saw and followed the direction to where Yamato's gaze was transfixed, empathizing so strongly with the boy and the many emotions that the latter could possibly be feeling at this time.

As the first rescuer saw Yamato reach out for Mino's left side, he gently placed his hand over Yamato's much-smaller hand and then quietly shook his head, explaining to the boy, "We shouldn't touch it. They'll do that at the hospital. Your father will lose more blood and things could get worse for him if we remove it now."

Yamato felt as if his blood had frozen, his feet absentmindedly leading him to Mino's side. The boy fell down on his knees, putting his head on Mino's chest and then sobbing his heart out as great fear buried down to the core of his young being. He held a firm grip of Mino's hand, not wanting to let go and begging his adopted father to hang in there.

A deeply-buried knife protruded at the left side of Mino's stomach.

The pool of blood that Mino now lay in became darker and more abundant as more blood flowed from Mino's deep wound.

Mino now showing signs of shock – all while the faint sound of an ambulance siren grew louder…

End Chapter Six

Disclaimer

All the wonderful characters for Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi and Junjou Romantica are owned by their wonderful author Shungiku Nakamura. In the series (whether it be manga, anime, light novel, or drama CD), Ritsu's Dad is unnamed, and little is known about him, and so I gave him a name for the purposes of this fic – Akifumi Onodera.

Based on the manga countdown from Takano Masamune's December 24th birthday, there would be 224 days left until Ritsu's Love Declaration Countdown (the end of the manga said that there were 222 days left, but Takano's birthday fell two days before that countdown number, so it's 224). Taking that number, Ritsu's Love Declaration Countdown date would be August 5 (not taking into consideration Leap Year)…lol… So for the purposes of this fic, August 5 is Ritsu Onodera's Love Declaration Day as well as the anniversary date for Takano and Onodera becoming a couple.

The original characters Andrew James (AJ) Ishino, Tsuuri Troy, Michael Ishino, and Alexandra Emrys and any other original characters are properties of PJ Zatken.