Day Of Reckoning

Kaede rather Akira had said anything else at that moment, that the house was on fire or that Communists were invading--anything else but that.

I sat up confused, terrified, and buck naked. "What? They're not coming back for three more days."

He was pulling on his boxer in a hurry. "Kaede, I just saw their car pull up. Please move quickly!"

I scrambled from under the covers, frantically searching for my clothes. Akira handed me my jeans and shirt. I would have made a run for it, but the stairs were perilously close to the entrance from the garage door. There was nowhere to go.

Akira was stood beside me when I put my shirt, then, Ayumi bounded into the room. She squinted at us like we might have been ghosts. "Niisan, what are you doing here?"

Her eyes moved from Akira to me, and then to the pillows and blankets on the floor behind us. The realization of the intimate party she stumbled upon was hitting her, and her face was going white before my eyes.

I could hear Mrs. Sendoh coming in behind her, shouting from the hallway, her husband and her youngest son along with her.

"Ayumi, you didn't get your luggage!" she yelled.

Suddenly, the whole Sendoh family stood there in front of us.

Typical Akito noticed nothing amiss and headed straight for the kitchen. I heard the refrigerator swing open. "Rukawa-niisan made spaghetti. Score!"

I glanced at Mrs. Sendoh and then quickly away when I saw that her face was pinched in a horrific expression. I took a few steps away from Akira and tried to act casual.

"I didn't know you came home. Why are you here, Akira?" She asked, averting her eyes from me as I picked up a blanket from in front of the fire and started to fold it while keeping my hands from shaking.

Akira, always cool and controlled, folded his arms across his chest and smiled like nothing was amiss--like the whole family didn't just walk in on two lovers getting dressed in front of their make-shift bed on the Persian rug. As a matter of fact, his tone was strangely icy when he spoke to her. "I needed to check some documents, mom. So I came to Kanagawa at what turned out to be a convenient time."

Mrs. Sendoh looked distressed at his words. She pulled her long, cream colored coat tighter around her. "What documents?" She practically sputtered.

There was something else going on here that I had no idea about.

Mr. Sendoh seemed as oblivious as Akito--or else he put on a good show. He patted Akira on the back and joined his youngest son in the kitchen." Rukawa-Kun, you made my morning! Is that spaghetti? So much better than plane food."

I finally spoke. My voice sounded small, like a frightened field vole. "Yes, I made it last night." I glanced at Mrs. Sendoh face, but she wasn't looking at me. "I'm glad...you're all home...safely."

Mrs. Sendoh was staring at something intently, her brows furrowed. I followed her gaze and turned pale. It was my black boxer in the middle of the floor! Ayumi caught a glimpse and choked. Mortified, I picked them up and hurried to the stairs.

Before I could escape, Akira stood in my path. "See you soon, Kaede." He grabbed my face and kissed me on the lips in a dramatic display obviously meant for his mother. I heard Ayumi gasp in horror. As soon as I started to breathe again, I broke free and go upstairs.

I could hear Mrs. Sendoh demanding voice fade behind me. "Akira, what did you do with that boy?"

That boy.

It was clear that the most passionate, beautiful night of my life with the man I loved was abruptly transformed into some poorly written scene from a raunchy teenage movie.

And I was that boy.

In my room, I meet my image in the mirror over the wardrobe. The boy I saw reflected back was fragile and self-pitying. I chastised him.

Toughen up, Kaede. There are worse things in the world. So, maybe they know. Maybe this is a good thing...to get it out in the open. Akira and I were in love and had nothing to be ashamed of.

He would tell them.

It would be fine.

A quick knock on the door a few minutes later interupt my silent dialogue. Ayumi rushed in and quickly shut the door behind her.

Her eyes were hugs and I couldn't tell if she was amused or horrified...or both. "So...when did you start sleeping with niisan?"

"It's not how it looks," I explained, my voice quite. "I love him. We love each other."

Ayumi sat on my bed in shock. She didn't say anything for several painful seconds. Then she looked at me like I was a stranger. "When did this happen? Nope, nope, never mind, I don't want to know the details." She took a deep breath and then spoke to me like I was a child. "Rukawa-Kun, you know niisan is a player, right?"

I wasn't sure what she was getting at. "I know he's seen other women."

"Okay, you have to know that you're now one of those other women even if you are a man. He was just having fun with you or trying to shock my mother--probably both. Trust me, he always has some angle. You do understand, Rukawa-Kun, it's not like he can marry you or something."

"What do you mean, Ayumi?"

"Um, you're not quite on the approved marriage material list. I don't know how else to say it." Then she flinched like just smacked with some dreadful reality. "Holy crap, Rukawa-Kun, this is such a mess. My mother is literally having a heart attack downstairs. Akira is being so horrible--I mean worse than usual. She's already left a message for her therapist."

"Where is he?" I asked, hoping he was on his way to see me, to make it alright.

"After my mother slapped him, he said something about being tired of all the lies--whatever that means--and then he stormed out. Typical Akira."

"Oh."

Ayumi stiffly walked to the door, not a crumb of compassion or kindness to toss my way. All the respect I thought we built between each other seemed to have evaporate. "I better go," she said.

I just nodded to her.

I crawled into my bed and gave my mind permission to drift to all the darkest places it wanted to go.

Was I just another conquest?

Did he set this up to shock his mother?

Did his parents hates me now?

Does Ayumi hate me now?

And what my sister reaction if she know this?

After Akira left the house. He immediately call his bestfriend's Kanara. Told her everything about what happened last night. What he and Kaede do it and tell her how he's really love her bestfriend's brother. "Hello. Akira?" Kanara greeted, suave in her actions. "Kanara, I need to tell you something" Akira prodded, smiling. "Oh, what about? Something happened to you and my brother? Perhaps?" She laughed, too amused at his own insanity. Kanara know that, from the beginning, she know about her brother and her bestfriend's feelings towards each other. Kanara is open-minded person, even about her father's gay relationship, she still supported no matter what happen. She's the only one women at their family. After their mom leaves, she takes full responsibility for his brother. Kaede grew up in the arms of his sister. Everything about Kaede inside-outside she know.

"I love your brother, Kanara." Akira has still his smile plastered on his face. "Oh! I know that!" A loud laugh from Kanara and Akira rolled off his eyes. "Really? Cool, so are you okay with that?" Akira chuckled. "Hahaha, well lucky you, Akira. It's not easy to persuade my brother." Kanara continued. "I always notice it, Akira. The way you looked at my brother, and how was shy you when you was with him." Kanara grinning like a madman on the other line. "I've never feels like this before for someone." Akira replied. "Promise me something, Akira." Kanara sounds serious. "What was that?" Akira asked. "Don't ever break my brother's feelings." Silence. "Kanara, me...and Kaede have done beyond the limit."

That moment, when Akira told her about his feelings toward Kaede, Kanara was not totally surprised. Yet she was happy when she heard it. She promised she will came to Kanagawa later, for helping her brother and her bestfriend's messing problem. Kanara know about Akira, even people always accused him being playboy or what, but she know the best of his bestfriend's. Of course she'll agree to this relationship and give her bless too. But before that, she wants Akira made promised to her, that he will never ever broke his brother's feelings. It same like Akira would broke her heart too. "Oh really? Hahahah! So this is serious!" Akira smirked. "Very."

Kaede was about to go the washroom when his phone rang. It was his sister.

"Hello, nee-chan?" Kaede said rather a bit softly. Kanara chuckled on the other line. "How are you, Kaede?" Silence. "I'm fine." Kaede shrugged. "Are you sure?" Kanara can feels something wrong with her brother. "Kaede. Do you love him?" Kaede sort of perked up and he found himself a bit shocked. "What...what do you mean? Who?" Kaede was a bit dumbfounded. "Duh, Akira of course." Kanara finished her statement. "Nee-chan, you mad?" Kaede asking his sister. "Stupid question, of course not! You're my baby brother, don't you know how much I love you?" Kaede smiled. He can breath in relief now.

"I will come home soon, Kaede. But, after I gave a birth for your baby-fruit" she chuckled.

"What? Are you pregnant nee-chan?"

"Yes! Well actually, I don't really know that I was pregnant. Until I was 6 months pregnant, I just noticed," her voice full of bliss. Kaede can sense how happier his sister right now.

"I'm happy for you nee-chan."

Kaede was smiled after he heard about his sister news being pregnant. He was indeed happy too. Their family become bigger with presence little angel later. Even Rico, his sister boyfriend, is now part of their family. He remember his father, and his boyfriend Hamashi. He never meet his father boyfriend before, he always makes an excuse to avoid that man. Not that he hated it, but something inside him can't accept that man become part of their family. But now, he seems understand how his father feelings. Even his lover is a man too, but that guy really cared about his father. Kaede think maybe his father was no doubt about his relationship with Akira. After finish talking with his sister, he sighed. Thinking what will happen next. He can sense he not much longer welcomed in this house.

Akira, where are you?