In The End
Akira asked me to stay with him everyday until he saw me drove to train for my trip home. He had the darkest pain on his face when I kissed him goodbye.
"You can cancel your train. It's not too late. Please stay with me, Kaede. I need you...more than you know."
"You'll be fine. We'll be fine." I tried to console him. Why did he look so tortured? I was just a train away, 1 hours max. We could see each other every weekend and holidays and all summer.
He grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me close. "Whatever happens to us--to me--promise you'll...find me. Promise you won't give up on me?" His hands squeezed my arms a little too hard, bordering on painful, and the intensity in his voice scared me.
He's being crazy, I told myself.
I gave him my most lighthearted and reassuring smile. "Give up on you? Are you planning on getting lost in the Amazon or something?"
He didn't laugh. "Promise me, let's fight this for our relationship, I won't give up, Kaede."
"I promise."
When Kaede get home, he saw the lights on in his house. "Weird." He told to himself. When he reached the door, he can hear a voice of baby crying. He opened the door and saw his sister while trying to calm her baby. "Nee-chan?" His sister noticed him then hurriedly hug him. "Kaede! I missed you so much!" She's crying. "I miss you too nee-chan."
"When you arrived?" He asked. "Yesterday. I know you're not at home." Kaede looked at his sister shyly. "I'm with--" He can't finished his sentence when his sister interject. "Akira." Kanara smirking. Kaede a bit flushed. It looks like his sister already knows about him and Akira.
That night, they all dined together. His brother in-law, Rico, made a dish for them. After dinner, they spent their's time at living room. Kanara orders Kaede to defame her baby. Kaede looked at his little angel in his arms. He remember their father's, he must be happier when he know he's already have a sweet grand-daughter. "Rhea. Her name is Rhea." His sister introduced her baby. "She's so beautiful." Kaede said while caressing Rhea cheeks. His mind wandered again. He remembered Akira...and about the marriage. Can we be a complete family?
"Akira proposed to you, didn't he?" Kaede looked at his sister. How can his sister know that? Everything about him and Akira, Kanara seems already know. "Yes, he did." Smooth and suave, Kaede answered. How he want to tell how much he dreamed this marriage. But when he thinking about Akira families, he don't think he have any chance. But he promised to Akira that they'll fight this. Anything happens, they won't broke their relationship.
Akira is going back to his home. When he entered in, he sees his father and his mother sits in living room. He didn't approach nor greet them, instead, he direct going to his room. When he about to reach the stairs, his mother called him. "Akira, can you sit here for a while? There's something we need to talked with you." Akira stared at them for a while. Then he obliged. He sits in front of his parents.
"Akira, you're my oldest son. I want the best for you." Akira give her mother look. "If you want me to married Yuki, then you can forget about that, mom. I'm not interest at all!" Akira voice seems to rise up. "Akira, why don't you listen to your mom first before you interjected." Mr. Sendoh interupt the conversation between his wife and his son.
"Do you love him, Akira?" His mom questioned him. "I am." His face showing no emotion of regards. His dad only staring at him. While his mom stood up and approach Akira to sits beside him. "I'm sorry, son. I'd be so unfair for you. I am a selfish mother." She whispered and her eyes began to water. "I'm so sorry." She repeated. Akira felt her warm hand, cupping his cheeks. Akira look at her mom. Her eyes are red due to her crying.
"Mom, dad, please listen to me. I loved Kaede very much. I never feel this for someone before." Akira didn't know what to say anymore for convinced his parents about his feelings to Kaede. "You can't just come home only to tell us about your feeling, Akira." His dad suddenly reprimanded him. "What do you mean, dad?" His dad did not answer his question, and instead smiled to him.
Akira moved his eyes to his father who just smiling at him and to his mom. Before his dad can open his mouth to speak, Akira suddenly felt his mother hugged him. "Go, Akira, bring Rukawa-Kun back to our house." Akira eyed wide after hearing his mother statement. Akira suddenly pull away his mother and face her. "I know it's hard for both of you, mom, dad. But please know that I don't mean to embarrass you both. Thank you for understand me."
"We love you, son. We also love Rukawa-Kun. We felt lonely when Rukawa-Kun leave this house." Akira want to cries after hearing his mother.
In one afternoon, Kaede with his sister doing some dishes for their father, Hamashi. That man will come to their house for visit them. After his father Kazuki died, Kaede become closer with Hamashi. Suddenly, the bells door ringing. Kaede opened the door and his face shock immediately. He saw Akira and his family. "Who's that, Kaede? Father comes already?" Kanara appear to approach the guest. When she reached the door, her eyes wide. "Akira!" She immediately hugged his bestfriend. Kaede not even moved nor flinching. He just stood there and eyed the Sendoh's family. "Kanara, I missed you silly. You're mother now?" Akira smiling when Kanara release the hugged. "You should meet my baby Rhea, she's so beautiful like her uncle." She looked at her brother with smirking. "Ohh, Mr and Mrs Sendoh is here too. Please coming." Kanara invited Akira and his family.
They all sit at the living room. Kaede was eyeing Mrs. Sendoh. He suddenly felt nervous. He still remember what happen the previous. "How are you, Rukawa-Kun?" Mrs. Sendoh asking him with her smile. "I'm good." Kaede can sense Akira was eyeing him with amused. What is going on? Why the Sendoh's comes to his house.
Mr. Sendoh cleared his throat. "Well, we have something to tell. Someone is desperate now for marriage." Then, Kaede can hear Mrs. Sendoh chuckled after her husband statements. "Rukawa-Kun, would you married my son?" Now is Mrs. Sendoh turn to clear her statement. "What? I mean, I'm sorry, I don't really understand." Kaede looked confused when he heard the statement. "What my mom trying to say, would you married me, Kaede Rukawa?" Akira quickly explained, raising his eyebrows meaningfully.
Kaede lost his words immediately. Is this for real? Am I not dreaming?
"Do you still keep the white suit that I brought for you that day, Kaede?" He was surprised at first to hear Mrs. Sendoh address him by his name. He didn't say anything, just nodded and smiled. "From now on, you can call me Mom."
Kaede smiled as he heard this. Being accepted into Sendoh's family something important to his life. "Thank you, mom."
"Hey, Kaede. You still didn't give Akira answered. Will you married him?" Kanara ask him with her broadened smiling. Everyone's now looking at him with amused, especially Akira. Kaede feels his cheeks blushing. He's not used being stared like that. "I will." He answered while looking at Akira face. Akira face brightened after hear Kaede accepted the marriage proposal. Everyone's cheers up after hearing that.
"But not now. Kaede must finished his studying first. Be patience you, Akira." His mom declared the statement. Akira frowning after hear his mom's order. Everyone's chuckled sees his face. Well, this is the best moment for Kaede. If only his father still alive, he must be more happier. He knows his dad was watching him from a far. There's nothing he could wish anymore. This is enough for him. This is what he want.
Day after day. Year past year. Akira and Kaede was adult now. The two already finished the studying and got a great job. And most important, the lovers officially married! Love, trust, loyal, and supportive that makes their relationship ended with married. It's not easy for them, but they can through it together.
Akira and Kaede was still sleeping at their bed. Kaede feels someone shaking his body very hard. He try to open his sleepy eyes. He still wants to sleep. He buried his head deeper into the pillow, but the shaking becomes more hard. "Okay, breathe. You don't want to get angry at him." Kaede told to himself.
Kaede finally open his both eyes. "Good-morning, daddy." His son cheered. His raven-haired was in mess but his blue eyes were filled with happiness. His face much more like Akira. Kaede was smiled when he sees his son, he kissed his son and hugged him. "Why you only waking me up?" Kaede question his son. Then, he turned to his left, his husband was peacefully sleeping. "It's not fair. Why don't you waking up your papa too?" His son only sighed. "I did. But papa didn't bother to wake up." Kaede chuckled when he heard his son sigh. Typical Akira. It's not easy for waking him up. "Okay. Let's waking up papa."
Akira was sleeping peacefully when he felt someone pinching his face. He slowly opened his eyes and was greeted by his son. His son didn't noticed that his papa was awake and continued pinching Akira face. He heard his son blabbering while pinch his face. "Um, what are you doing, my baby?" Akira asked.
"Waking you up, papa!" His son glaring at him. Akira chuckled when he sees the cutes glaring from his son. "Ouch, you hurt papa face you know." Akira sounds dramatically. Then, his son pinched both Akira cheeks very hard. "Whoa! Okay-okay. Can't you see papa awake already?" Just then, he hugged his son while laughing.
"Next time, just shake me lightly and say papa wake up," Akira told him. His son just frowning at him. That's the way he wake up his papa. But it didn't work right away. But his son only nooded and smiled. Then, he hugged his papa tightly around his neck. Akira chuckled and give his son morning kiss on the cheeks.
"You're not fair Akira. I'm always the first he waking up" Kaede emerged from washroom and sit beside his husband and their son. "Good-morning, my love." Akira give his husband a kiss on the lips. While watching his papa and his daddy had loving-dovey kisses, their son glaring at them. "Papa, daddy, stop kissing. Today is my birthday! Are you two forget?" Their son sounds anger. Akira and Kaede looked at each other then smiled. "Of course we're not forget." Kaede telling his son. "We never forget ours Senru birthday." Akira interupt then smiling.
January's 14. Today is ours son birthday. Senru is 5 years old already. He's ours angel. He is everything to me and Akira. The one and only. He was born by a method IVF. He is the first grand-son of Mr and Mrs Sendoh. His face much more resemble Akira. But his haired was copied Kaede and his cerulean blue eyes.
"Senru, come over down. Dada and Baba have something special present for you." Mrs. Sendoh calling his grand-son. Senru has a strange temper. He liked to called people with weird named he gives. He called Mr. Sendoh 'baba' , while Mrs. Sendoh is 'dada'. "I'm coming, dada." He jump out to his dada when he reach down. "Watch out, Senru! Don't jump! What if you slip?" Akito warned his son-fruit. "Shut up, bobo." Senru glared at him. He called Akito 'bobo''. Well, typical Akito and Senru. Akito sometimes act liked kid when he's with Senru. Senru really closed with his uncle. No matter how they fight, at ended they will be love each other again. "Say one more, I will bite you there! Who the hell was teach you by call me with ridiculous name bobo?! " Akito glared at his son-fruit. He try very hard not to laugh when he sees Senru eyes already watery. "Don't worry, Senru. Mommy is here to protect you." Ayumi defense his son-fruit. Ayumi already married and now she's pregnant for her first born. Senru called her mommy, due by her order.
"Happy birthday, Senru. Don't you want give mama hug?" Kanara extended her hands with smiling. Senru dashes to her and hugged his mama. "Happy birthday, Senru" Rhea said with cheerfully. For now, only Rhea his cousin. So the two angel very closed to each other. "Senru, where's your papa and your daddy?" Mr. Sendoh ask his grandson. Everybody was ready for the birthday party. But the two lovers nowhere to be seen. "Papa ask me to go down first. He said he have something to do first." Senru told his baba. "Your daddy?" Hamashi, is next to asking his grandson. "Daddy still in bathroom when I go down." Senru answered his grandpa. "Akito, please called your niisan. Everybody's waiting." Mrs. Sendoh gave her order to Akito.
Akito is going to upstairs. He went to Akira and Kaede room. When he already stand in front of the door, he's ready about knock the door. But he heard something from inside. He close his ear to the door and eavesdropping. Typical naive Akito. He clearly hear Kaede shout from the room. "Fast Akira...ahh..ahh...shit." Akito cancel his intention to knock the door and consider to give his brother and brother in-law a bit time. They must do something serious. Then, he straight go down.
"Where's your niisan, Akito?" Mrs. Sendoh ask his youngest son when she sees Akito appear down. Everyone's is looking at him. "I don't know what they do, but must be something serious. I heard Kaede-niisan shout from inside." Akito tell his mother. "Shout? Are they fighting? Not now, today is Senru birthday." Mrs. Sendoh sounds panic. "What Kaede-Kun shout, Akito?" Mr. Sendoh the next asking. Akito cleared his throat, then mimicking Kaede voice from what he heard. "Fast Akira...ahh...ahh...shit." That's what I heard. Mrs. Sendoh face was reddened instantly, Ayumi turned paled, Mr. Sendoh and Hamashi can't stop their nose from bleeding. Kanara laughed so hard. "I always heard daddy shout when the midnight comes." Senru declared. Everyone's paled.
After a few minutes , finally Akira and Kaede appeared. Everyone's looking amused at them. "What are you doing, Akira? You took so long." Mrs. Sendoh sound demands. "Oh, something important that I can't wait for it." He grinned stupidly to her mom. "Kaede-niisan, what Fast Akira? Is niisan do something to you?" Akito immediately asking. Actually, he just worried about his brother in-law. Kaede face was reddened. He can see his father in-law smilling stupidly to him. Everyone's laughed. Damn Akira!
Ayumi brings out the cake. Senru smiling broadened when he sees a colorful cake. He stand in the middle of table. Everyone's sings birthday song for him. "Okay. It's time for blew the candle." Senru blew the candle while everybody claps their hands. "Can I make the wished papa, daddy?" Senru asking his parents. "Of course you can." Akira answered his son with smiling. Senru closed his eyes, hands prying and started make a wish. "I wish my papa and my daddy will always happy and live together until forever." Then Senru opened his eyes and looked at his parents. "I love you, papa and daddy." Akira can't hold his emotion and hugged his son tightly. He never crying before. He can't expect his son wishes. Kaede smiled and Akira pulled him to joined their hugs. Everyone's clapped their hands. So touchable when watching the sweets scene.
The party goes on. Everyone's was happy. Chatting, laughing, singing. It's so perfect.
I don't need anything anymore. I have my big family. I have a son. And I have husband. Kaede glanced at his husband, then he smiled and whispered to himself. I love you...My Sister Best Friend's.
END.