Welcome to the sequel to Heaven or Tokyo, A New Day, which will continue Onodera Ritsu and Akira's story as well as Takano's and Aikawa's story.
Disclaimer: This story is based on Junjo Romantica and Seka Ichi Hatsukoi, both by Nakamura Shingiku and includes characters, places and other aspects from that series.
A New Day
Chapter 1 Masamune
Wednesday. 7:38 pm. A regular week. Meaning, I'm not sweaty and disgusting after yet another all-nighter, my clothing isn't smelling, and I can leave before 10pm. Well not home. Aikawa's. No. Eri. You'd think I'd be used to calling her that. It's kind of ridiculous. And yet here I am calling her Aikawa half the time even though she'd crossed the Masamune bridge weeks ago. Shit that woman is curvy in all the right places. And fierce in all the right ways. Kind of Onodera-like. Not like I want her to be Onodera, which she'd better have realized by now. It's not my fault I find smart yet sassy people hot, but only a fujoshi would worry that what I really want is a man like she's been worried about.
Hello. It's called being bisexual. If whenever I was with a man I wanted to be with a woman and whenever I was with a woman, I wanted to be with a man I'd never get laid. I'd also be even shittier at relationships than I already am, and I don't need any extra help.
Which reminds me of something else she shares with Onodera, which is less amusing. Lack of confidence. This woman seems to think that I'm too good for her, when she's got it backwards. She's conveniently forgotten that I'm the one who raped my boyfriend, and as forgiving as that is, it's something I'll never be able to forget. Meanwhile, the worst thing she's ever done in her life is yelling too loudly at her author because he couldn't get his head out of his ass long enough to make his deadline.
I need to get out of his fucking place. Not that long ago I'd be making an angry phone call where I'd yell at my author about where her storyboard was. But that's the pre-therapy Takano. The post therapy Takano imagines a conversation where I yell and swear and then get on the phone and calmly speak to her in a way that brings on the guilt. It's still satisfying, and my throat doesn't kill afterward.
Okay.
Step one.
Imagine the phone call.
"Ichinose-sensei. YOU TOLD ME YOU'D HAVE THE STORYBOARD FAXED TO ME FOUR HOURS AGO. WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM? YOU THINK I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH MY LIFE?"
Eh.
And to think I used to find conversations like that therapeutic. Now for reality. And it's a bad sign that I can dial her number with my eyes closed.
"Ichinose-sensei. Good evening. I'm wondering if maybe all your clocks stopped?"
"Takano-san, I'm so sorry!"
"Ah. So, you remember telling me you'd have the storyboard faxed to me four hours ago?"
"Yes. It's just- a lot of things happened. And I haven't forgotten. I promise I'll have it for you tomorrow by 9."
"P.M.?"
"A.M.!"
"Well I hope you're not expecting me to stay here until then."
"Of course not! Go home. No, go to Er-chan. That was a great idea I had wasn't it?"
"Like you haven't told me this every time I speak to you?"
"Just be grateful."
"I am, but I don't know how this relates to me wasting the last four hours for your fax."
"Nice try, but I'm sure you were working on other stories. Good night."
"Just get to work."
"Yes sir!" She's probably mock saluting on the other end. It's her style. She's weird, but very talented. It helps that the serial I ended up pitching to her is selling extremely well. She usually doesn't do fantasy, which is strange, because her style works perfectly for the genre. It's about a fox spirit who comes to life and keeps getting the innocent main character her into trouble, while she falls in love with him. But the big question is does he love her? Which gives Ichinose the opportunity to tease her readers. My main contribution is naming the fox spirit after this guy I slept with shortly after the break with Onodera. I figured why not? He looks like the guy, and it's not like a biology grad student is going to be reading Shojo manga.
So. Time to leave.
Shit. Another phone call?
What the actual fuck? What does she want with me? Oh crap. And other related thought processes that occur on the rare occasions when my mother calls. It's amazing. I've figured out a way to handle pretty much anyone without yelling. Aside from her. I could role play for years and yet I can't end a phone call without yelling and angrily slamming the phone down
"What do you want?" In other words, how my therapist told me not to answer the phone.
"Masamune-kun. Is that how you talk to your mother?" It's like we're following a script here.
"That's how I talk to the mother who wishes I hadn't been born." Amazing. I managed to say that without raising my voice. Maybe the therapy is finally having some inroads on my nonexistent relationship with this woman. "So, what the fuck do you want?"
"I'm going to be in Tokyo next week for business and I really wanted to see you."
"Why? You know we're just going to yell at each other. What's the point?"
"Well, I was sort of hoping you'd introduce me to your boyfriend." Oh yeah. Back when Onodera and I were still 'together' I got drunk, called her and said just enough to be too much. "I'm really fine with that by the way." Like she's this cool mother who actively participated in my life and now gets points for being accepting.
"That's nice. We broke up over a year ago."
"Oh. Are you seeing anyone else? Please introduce him to me." What was wrong with this woman? Shouldn't she be busy litigating?
"Can we please get to the point? Why are you calling me?" And she really thinks I'm going to expose anyone I'd date to her? Not fucking likely.
"I know I haven't been the best mother, but I care about you. You're my son. I just want to know how you're doing. I want to change." Like that's how it works? You just ignore me for close to three decades and now you want to be there for me? Breathe. "So, I was thinking we could go to dinner. I'm going to be in Tokyo next week."
"Where's Takano-san going to be?"
"Home feeding the dog. He has to work unfortunately." She sounded sad. Well good for her. And strangely enough I'm glad she's happy with Takano-san. Sort of. Saga-san had been a bastard. Maybe it's good he's not my real father although knowing my luck, my real father is probably a low life criminal. My whole childhood was accompanied by a never-ending choir of her and Saga-san yelling at each other. Eventually they worked it out where they wouldn't be in the house at the same time, but invariably would mess up and last two minutes before arguing again. I still don't know what was worse; the silence or their yelling.
I found my refuge in reading and immersing myself in fictional lives which were always a lot better than my own or at least more interesting. It was only natural I'd end up falling for a boy who had found a similar refuge.
"Fine. Call me when you're here and we'll make plans." For me to lose my mind.
A call like that requires an alcoholic drink and skinship. Which is why I've brought over a bottle of red wine after stopping at home for a quick shower, and to change into fresh clothing.
"Hey." I'm trying for my sexiest look as she opens the door and it's working. And typical. The day I change into what I'm hoping is the sex god look, she's dressed in a hoodie and leggings. Oh, who cares. She's got the zip down so I can see just a little bit of black lace. Nice.
"You are so late."
"Yeah. But I've brought wine."
"What happened? You've got that 'something pissed me off' look on your face."
"Your best friend decided not to send in her storyboard. And then I got an unpleasant call."
"Oh?" Her eyes are getting all big.
"My mother. She's coming here next week and wants to meet. She also wants to meet you and trust me, you don't want to meet this woman."
"But she's your mother!" Because for her that would be enough explanation. But she grew up with two parents who love each other and raised three children who became normal functional adults.
"Eri, this woman spent most of my childhood trying to run away from her responsibilities. Now, out of nowhere she's saying she wants to get to know me? She's not a mother by any normal definition."
"Oh, so you didn't have food, clothing and shelter growing up?"
"Fine. Yes. She took care of me that way. Emotionally, forget it. You know this already. And don't forget Saga-san. I always wondered why he tried to avoid me. I didn't get it. That was the only good thing about finding out he wasn't my father. His behavior finally made sense. I must have been a reminder of how my mother had cheated on him.
"Sorry. Every time she calls I start thinking of this and it's stupid. I'm going to be 30 soon. I need to move on."
"She never told you who your real father was?"
"'Real' father? What does that even mean?"
"Your biological father. Does he know you exist? Does she know who he is? She probably does, no?"
"I've asked her before, but she didn't want to tell me, and I didn't push it."
"So. Let's find out now."
"Why? So I can find yet another parent who wishes I hadn't been born?"
"That's a possibility. But it's not the only one. He might not even know you exist. Shouldn't your father know he has a son? At the very least, it would be helpful to know his medical history."
"Meh. I don't know. I haven't even thought about this in years."
"Aren't you at least remotely curious to know what he's like? And here she's contacting you so it's perfect time. I say we go out to dinner, corner her and get her to cough up the answer. What's the worst thing that could happen?"
"This. We go and meet the guy and he says, 'what the fuck do you want? Do you see me caring about you or your sorry life? You have one minute to leave or I'm calling the police.'"
"Okay. Fine. Or he can say 'I'm so happy! I always wanted a son!"
"Riiight. And we'll instantly bond and do… I don't know… whatever fathers and sons do. We're a bit old for bathing together."
"You can go to an onsen together!"
"You know my version is a lot more likely to happen? Yours is great for Emerald, but one of the realities of my life is just how not Emerald it is."
"You'll never find out anything though, if you don't meet the man. Invite your mother to dinner. I'll charm her and get her to tell me his name."
"You haven't met my mother."
"If I can handle Usami Akihiko, I can handle your mother."