Hello readers, I'm so happy with this fic, excited to be writing it. I hope you keep reading and give it a chance.
Garden Disaster
"Hold still" said the older woman, her greying black hair was held in a tight bun. Keisuke frowned his patience wearing thin, today was Ryosuke's birthday and the garden party in his honor. For the past few hours Keisuke had been trying to get his tie on, noticing his absence his mother went in search for him eventually finding him in his room undressed and asleep. It had already a half-hour and Keisuke still felt tired, he couldn't sleep the night before thinking of today's party. What horrors his parents could put him through? How did his aniki feel about the party?
"Now you look presentable besides that hair of course" said Sayuri to her youngest son, he yawned in reply taking a quick glance into a mirror behind his mother. He wore a black tuxedo with a black tie, which felt tight around his neck but he desisted from trying to pull it off when his mother gave him a warning look.
"Now come downstairs the guest are arriving" she said quickly turning away from Keisuke and carefully stepping over the clothes on the floor, he sighed following his mother out of his room. Once downstairs his mother disappeared into the crowd leaving Keisuke lost, he looked around; a few feet away stood a group of boys from his school. Older students mostly, in the middle stood Ryosuke chatting with the group. Keisuke walked over to them awkwardly her cleared his throat catching his older brother's attention. From the other side of the room he could see a tall man staring them, their father Hajime. "Happy birthday bro" said Keisuke.
"Thank you" responded Ryosuke taking a quick glance at their father who began to walked over to them.
Without another word Keisuke walked away heading for the backyard where he knew there would be less people, meaning less fuss.
Once outside across the garden he spotted a young woman wearing a simple white dress her dark hair loose around he face after a few moments she spotted him and rushed over to join him.
"Never seen you in a tux" she said with a smile, rolling his eyes Keisuke pulled at his tie.
"It's too tight" he complained, she pulled his hand away from his tie.
"If you sit down I can help you fix it, I've done it for my cousins a whole bunch of times" finding a nearby bench, Keisuke took a seat while she stood in front of him. "Wow, it is pretty tight."
"Yeah you can tell how much my mother really cares, about my appearance anyway" he muttered, but he knew Akemi heard him when she sighed after much fumbling she managed to pull his tie off.
"Lighten up will ya" she said taking a seat beside him pushing the tie into his hand. He undid the top button of shirt.
"Why don't lighten up? Where's your father?" he asked she rolled her eyes a shrugged.
"Ditched me as soon as we came through the door, say talking about fathers yours seems pretty happy today."
"Pfft of course his eldest son is finally an adult" said Keisuke bitterly "my bro's going to Med school, of course that makes my father proud, on the other hand-"
"Well forget it, let's ditch this party? What do you say?" she looked at him hopefully, Keisuke bit his bottom lip, the idea was tempting after all what was the harm? No one was paying any attention to him anyway, he might as well…
"Fine, follow me" he said standing she did too, taking her hand Keisuke led Akemi out to the side of the house where they could sneak out of the garden, and into the street. It took them a while due to the volume of people; they had to leave without attracting attention. Once the coast was clear Keisuke pulled Akemi out the front past his father's Mercedes Benz and out of the house.
"Freedom!" she yelled once they were a few blocks away, she spun around taking a hold of Keisuke hands he joined only to humor her. "Ahh don't you like the smell of fresh air!"
He nodded releasing the young woman; Keisuke took of his jacket and released a couple of more buttons from his shirt. It was hot outside of his home, and now that he wasn't home he could take of the stupid suit his mother practically shoved him into. Akemi seemed like she felt the same way when she pulled a pin from her hair and threw it in a nearby trash can. Whilst she felt completely relieved worry began to wash over him. He had left his brother to deal with his parents, something that even this time he thought it'd be too much for his brother to handle, if his parents found out he'd left the party he couldn't imagine what they'd do if he went back. Tonight it'd safer to sleep outside, or sneak into his room through the window.
"What with you?" she asked poking at his arm "such silence…"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Philosophical, eh?"
"Pfft no" he rolled his eyes impatiently walking in the direction of the nearest bus stop. Akemi followed suit but they'd soon realize neither of them had enough money for the bus, so instead they have to walk to the city.
Akemi walked ahead while Keisuke followed, she led him through the park and once out on the other side he couldn't help but to hear the purr of an engine.
He looked around, who would out this late?
"Probably headed to Akagi" said Akemi answering his question as they crossed the street.
"What for?" he asked as she took a seat at the bus stop and removed her heels, Akemi rubbed her feet.
"To race, what else for?"
"Race on a mountain, that's a death wish" he said shaking his head, he took a glance at one of the cars and heard her sigh.
"My cousin does it in Kanagawa, says it's fun and it sorta is" she said as an afterthought. "The adrenaline you get from it, there's nothing like it…"
He turned towards her shocked "you've raced?"
"No, I've just been in the car while he's practicing; it's the best feeling ever! Like running, you feel like you're flying, like there's nothing in the world but you, you know…"
"I still think it's suicide" said Keisuke putting his hands in his pocket. "What are we doing here?" he asked. Akemi shrugged giving him a clueless look.
"I'm resting my feet what about you?"
"I was following you, now you're telling me we walked all the way over here for no reason."
"Hey don't blame me! I'm wearing heels you know, not easy to walk in these!"
"So what, I'm wearing a suit-"
"Oh I'm sorry!"
As the two bickered they failed to notice a group of bikers head towards them, the men stopped in front of the bus stop and parked before Keisuke noticed their presence, he immediately stood up straight and dropped his jacket onto Akemi's lap. She looked up at him cluelessly until one of the men got off the bike.
Keisuke began to count them under his breath. There were five guys, all of them had a tuggish appearance.
"What's a beautiful young woman like you doing out here?" said their leader, he wore a black shirt and a bandana to match.
Akemi frowned "none of your business" she answered, before she could go any further Keisuke smirked.
"We could ask you guys the same."
He turned towards Keisuke, the guy look about as old as Ryosuke. "This between me and the lady pretty boy" the man said harshly.
Akemi stood up now holding up on of her heels."Beat it! All of you!" Keisuke pulled his hands out of his pocket.
He felt the blood pump through his heart the same feeling he always got before a fight, the adrenaline rushing through his veins, there was nothing in the world like it.
The man proceeded to try and grab Akemi, but before he could get a hand on her Keisuke punched him cracking his nose. Akemi gasped dropping her shoes as Keisuke grabbed her and made a beeline for the park. He would have loved to stay and fight but he wasn't going to put an innocent person in danger.
Once across the street Keisuke pushed Akemi towards the park "run! I'll keep them distracted-"
Akemi stopped before netering the park, the men were coming across the street "What and let them kick your ass!"
"Go!" he yelled as one of them threw himself at Keisuke, he held a pocket knife. Keisuke dodged and managed to grabbed the man's arms throwing him onto the asphalt , the next one threw himself a Keisuke punching him in the stomach knocking the wind out of him. For a moment he couldn't breathe but it didn't stop him from punching his rival in the face. Past him ran one making his way towards Akemi who fought back. Beofre Keisuke could make his way over to them the guy on the aspahalt got up grabbing him from behind putting him in a headlock.
"Told ya to stay out the way pretty boy!" came the man with the broken nose's voice. "Now for you…"
Keisuke was thrown onto the floor, the guy with the pocket knife stepped on the back of Keisuke head, not allowing him to what went on with Akemi. He could hear her fighting back against of her attackers. "Get off her!" he yelled rolling over knocking his attacker off his feet, once up Keisuke made his way towards Akemi until one of the two men grabbed the young woman and put a knife at her throat.
"Stop right there!" he said, it was the guy with the broken nose. He smiled maliciously as his friends surrounded Keisuke. Akemi struggled against his grip but the petite girl couldn't even tickle the man.
"Stop, leave him alone!" she yelled her brown eyes watering up as the men took steps towards Keisuke. He looked around taking a defensive stance; they were going to get out of this one way of the other.
"What are you waiting for?!" yelled their leader, the men jumped at Keisuke. He dodged one, punched two, and kicked the last one knocking him into a nearby tree. He walked towards their leader rolling back the sleeves of his bloody shirt.
The young man released Akemi and backed away holding up his hands defensively. "Hey, you're an insane kid…listen I wasn't going to do anything to your girl-"
"Save it!" he shouted, before Keisuke could slam the guy into the nearest tree Akemi took a hold of his arm.
"Let's just go…please!" she begged her voice full of worry. He white dress was now dirty and her hair was a complete disarray, he figured he looked the same too. He sighed and settled for giving the man a rude hand gesture before leaving with Akemi in tow.
Once in the sanctuary of the park Akemi spoke. "Thanks…"
Keisuke continued to walk almost forgetting that she was still clinging onto his arm. "I mean it's not the first you do something for me…I've never thanked you…you're listening right."
"Yeah…and don't thank me" he said pulling his arm away from her. He wasn't in the mood for a sappy conversation, which he figured it was the direction she was headed.
"I should especially after last year…if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be here" her voice broke slightly; tears were definitely on their way. 'Great' thought Keisuke putting an arm around her, she pulled herself towards him.
Now the pair stood in the middle of the park in an awkward embrace. He flushed if anyone that knew him saw this they would never let him live it down, especially his brother.
After a few seconds Akemi pulled herself away from Keisuke wiping her face. Keisuke kept his silence; he was never any good with words, unlike his older brother. His brother always knew what to say even in the most difficult of times. "Let's just get back" said Keisuke walking away from Akemi who followed.
"You know, you're one rude son of-"
"Watch it" he interrupted her before she coud go further, instead of looking shocked the girl smiled her cheeks pink.
"Umm Keisuke…you do realize I don't have shoes and you just lost your jacket.'
"And?"
"Well our parents are going to notice aren't they?" she asked as if the answer wasn't obvious. He shrugged, Keisuke could care less what his mother and father thought of him after all he wasn't their perfect son, Ryosuke. It made him bitter to think the kind of pressure they put on his brother to be perfect, in fact Keisuke had never seen his brother truly unless he was reading those car magazines, only then did the elder Takahashi look relaxed. Lately he had grown fond of cars something Keisuke could never understand, if it had four wheels and could take you from point A to point B it was a good car, but to Ryosuke there was all these variables to be considered he almost looked at it like a science project.
"Keisuke!" she said desperately fixing her hair as they approached his home. Outside stood his parents along with what looked like Akemi's father. A tall man wearing a grey suit that matched his grey hair, he pushed his glasses further up his nose as he spoek to Hajime Takahashi, they seemed to be in deep conversation. "I can kiss my after school club goodbye" said Akemi as Keisuke pulled ahead.
"Don't worry" said Keisuke patting her shoulder as he walked towards his father with a deep frown.
"Keisuke!" shouted his father angrily, Akemi hid behind him as he father wore a similar look to Hajime.
"Yeah" said Keisuke unconcerned, his father's face was red whilst Akemi's father pulled her away from Keisuke.
He began to shout at her but Keisuke couldn't hear him over his own father. "A disappointment, that's what are, how could embarrass your brother this way?!"
"I haven't embarrassed aniki, I've only embarrassed you" shouted Keisuke back his hands began to shake as his father went on.
"You insolent brat!" Hajime stepped forward, he was a head shorter than his youngest son. To Keisuke this fact was laughable, but it became no laughing joke when Hajime struck his son across the face. "Go to your room! I'll finish talking to you later."
Keisuke stood still shocked at his father's reaction, he'd never before hit him, much less across the face, he could hear Akemi's father's shouting now it was similar to his own father's, but he could care less. At that moment Keisuke turned around and walked away back towards the city, his father shouted at his retrieving back, but he wasn't going to turn around.
It'd be around weeks before Akemi would see Keisuke again, for two weeks he ditched school and almost every day Ryosuke would walk into the classroom looking for his younger brother, only to be disappointed day after day.
Akemi didn't go looking for him this time around; her father had her on a strict schedule. It was from school to home. If he wasn't able to pick her up he'd send in one of the employees of the house. Her only pleasure in the last two weeks was the track club. There she could run to her heart's content, be free even if it was only for an hour, on the track there was no need for social codes, false smiles, or expectations. In fact it was the freest she'd ever be, that was until she turned eighteen. Akemi already knew what she wanted for her eighteenth birthday, to live with her cousin Daisuke in Kanagawa. He lived comfortably and his parents were nowhere as strict as her father. All he did was tinker on cars and go to school.
But that was now a far away dream, right now she had to concentrate on school and track. "Still I can't help but miss the bastard" she thought as Keisuke's name appeared at the back of her mind. She firmly believed that underneath his rudeness he was kind. After all they had been friends for a year, and despite it all he'd always been there to help her when he was needed, still she could tell Keisuke wasn't happy, he was always frowning or wearing a sour look, it was rare to see a genuine smile come from the boy's lips.
In fact all she could see was the angry look in his eyes after his father slapped, since then it was like Keisuke had disappeared from the face of the earth.
"Keisuke where the hell are you?" she muttered to herself once inside the locker room. She quickly showered and changed exiting the school, but before she crossed the gates she noticed a tall young man standing at the gate, his black hair was an unusual mess.
Akemi felt taken aback as she approached him "Takahashi?" she asked. Ryosuke turned towards her his dark eyes looked tired and in need of a good night's sleep.
"Kaneda, how are you?" he asked in polite tone, Akemi nodded.
"I'm fine, you looked tired" she said as they both walked out of the school gates.
"I've been looking for Keisuke, by any chance-"
"Sorry I haven't heard a word, but if I do I'll let you know." The elder Takahashi sighed the two walked in silence both of their minds on the same thing, Keisuke.