"Legs wider apart!"
"Yes sir!"
The sweat poured off Genjirou's body as he lunged towards the dummy. He punched with all his might and then lifted his legs in a hard kick.
"Use your core strength when you kick!" Gen'emon shouted.
Genjirou obeyed and then collapsed onto the wooden floors in exhaustion. Gen'emon had woken him at three am on Saturday morning for meditation and breakfast. Then he had brought out intense exercises which were double the amount that Genjirou was used to doing. It was now five pm in the afternoon and Genjirou just wanted to sleep in his bed.
"We shall continue next week. Make sure you do the newest exercises I gave you" Gen'emon said.
Genjirou sat up and his eyes followed Gen'emon as the elder sat down on the wooden floors and began to meditate. Genjirou stood on his shaking legs and then sat down beside the elder. Gen'emon didn't give a sign that he had even noticed the blond sit down beside him. Genjirou clasped his hands and then closed his eyes. He gradually felt his body relax and then felt at peace.
"Go and shower, boy. You smell like rotten farts in a locked car on a hot summer's day" Gen'emon said suddenly.
Genjirou burst out laughing, effectively ruining the peace of the dojo. He slumped over in laughter and then lied down on the wooden floors, still laughing. He laughed until his belly hurt and tears fell out of his eyes. He glanced over at Gen'emon who was staring at the blond with a faint smile on his face. Genjirou sat up and then wrapped his arms around the elder's shoulders. He rushed out before Gen'emon could yell at him.
However, Gen'emon wiped a tear away from his eyes.
"He reminds me so much of my son" Gen'emon muttered and then turned to the small cupboard which contained the stone slab and the cremated ashes of his late wife.
"Should I accept him? Or should I cast him out like I always have?" He asked the smiling woman in the picture.
"I don't really know much about Western cuisine but this is delicious!" Sanada-san exclaimed.
Genjirou had volunteered, despite his tiredness, to cook dinner for all of then. He had decided to go with his mother's recipe of steak and mash potatoes. So far, Genjirou's step mother had enjoyed watching him cook and he had taught her the recipe the best he could. Sanada-san had enjoyed it but Gen'emon, due to his heart problem, could not eat it but he had emerged from the dojo for the first time since Genjirou's arrival.
"Boy, fetch me water" Gen'emon said.
"Yes sir!" Genjirou saluted the elder making Sanada-san crack a smile.
"I'm home!" Genichirou's deep voice was heard from the entryway.
"Sorry for intruding!" Yukimura's gentle voice was also heard.
"Welcome home!" Genjirou sang making his stepmother chuckle.
"Boy, you're being a nuisance!" Gen'emon said.
"Sorry sir!" Genjirou sat down and then placed the glass of water next to Gen'emon's elbow.
"Genichirou, Yukimura-kun, you're just in time for dinner. Genjirou cooked today" Sanada-san said.
"I ate at Yanagi's home but I suppose a few bites can't hurt" Genichirou said. Yukimura nodded to this.
They seated themselves and said their prayers. Genjirou yawned and then felt the exhaustion seep into his bones. He took a bite of the mashed potatoes and then asked to be excused.
"You should go to bed, Genjirou. You are exhausted" Sanada-san said.
"I will. Goodnight, everyone" Genjirou stood and then walked out of the dining room.
"This is amazing" Yukimura exclaimed but when he said this Genjirou had already left. He slumped and then took another bite of the steak.
"You'll have to compliment the chef tomorrow" Sanada-san's wife said with a smile.
"That's the best sleep I've had in my life" Genjirou exclaimed as he was served breakfast by his stepmother.
"Grandfather didn't tire you too much, did he? I can tell him to tone down the exercises" His step mother said.
"No, it's fine. I like being pushed to my limits" Genjirou replied.
"I wonder when Genichirou and Yukimura will get up. Those two went to bed right after you and they're still asleep"
"I can go wake them, if you want" Genjirou offered.
"Will you?"
"Yeah, it's no problem" Genjirou said.
He walked through the hallway and then knocked on his stepbrother's door. There was no answer so Genjirou slid open the door. He was met with quite an adorable sight. Yukimura had abandoned his own futon and crawled right under Genichirou's covers. Genichirou had instinctively wrapped his arms around Yukimura and the lilac haired captain had cuddled right into the warrior's chest. Genjirou quickly pulled out his phone and took a silent picture.
"Rise and shine, sleepy heads!" Genjirou yelled.
He ran away back to the dining room before Genichirou could 'tarundarou' him to oblivion. He began laughing when two irritated tennis players walked into the dining room for breakfast. Even Yukimura's huge crush on Genjirou couldn't stop him from glaring at the blond for being woken up so abruptly.
"Sorry but lazy heads need to get out of bed" Genjirou teased.
The radio began blaring out music and Genjirou froze. Genichirou didn't recognise the song at all since it was a foreign language but Genjirou began singing along as if it was his mother tongue. Yukimura's eyes widened in surprise as Genjirou began singing out loud. Sanada-san's wife was smiling, proudly watching her step son belt his voice like it was natural.
"Who is the singer? What language is that?" Yukimura asked.
"That is Se7en. He's a South Korean singer and my inspiration. This song's name is 'Somebody Else'. I love all his songs and this is one of my favourites" Genjirou replied.
"I didn't know you regarded him so highly, Genjirou" His step mother commented.
"One day, I'm going to be a famous singer just like him. I'll perform onstage for everyone and make everyone smile. I'll be the best!" Genjirou declared.
"That is a wonderful dream to have, Genjirou" Yukimura commented.
"You'll shine like a bright star in the night" Genichirou said, surprising all of them.
Genjirou was definitely surprised. After weeks of exchanging glares and not talking to each other for very long, Genichirou had actually said something nice to him. He could feel his eyes fill with tears as he threw his arms around Genichirou's broad shoulders, making his stepbrother choke on his breakfast.
"Thank you, nii-san" Genjirou whispered.
Genichirou's mother could have burst into tears at the sight. Genichirou had frozen but then he turned around and wrapped his arms around his step brother. They held each other for about a minute before releasing each other. Genjirou wiped away the tears from his eyes and Genichirou coughed uncomfortably.
"On that happy note, how about another song?" their mother suggested.
Genjirou lighted up and began singing along to another song from the radio, entertaining them throughout breakfast.
"You can stop that right now!"
Izumi turned around and grinned. Genjirou had decided to visit his mother's grave before leaving Kaganawa and had caught his suspected culprit right in the act. Izumi's had a can of spray paint in his hands which Genjirou immediately grabbed and tossed away. Izumi's grin grew even wider when he saw Genjirou wasn't shaking from fear like before.
"Gotten a little bit tougher, have we, freak?"
"And you've just gotten nastier" Genjirou spat back.
"I thought you would have sicced your bodyguards, Sanada and Yukimura to fight me like last time. How was I supposed to know that you were actually living there with them. How did they let a freak like you into their home, huh?"
"That is none of your business. What's the big idea, vandalising my mother's grave?"
"Well, I found out rather interesting news from my father about your mother" Izumi revealed.
Genjirou could feel his heart beat fast due to nervousness. No one could have found out about his connection to the Sanada family, could they? He had tried his best to keep it a secret, even not telling Atobe or Fuji about who his father really was. Izumi was bluffing.
"My father is Dr. Takabayashi. He did your mother's autopsy and the report was lying on his desk when I had come to clean his study. I recognised the last name and read the entire report. You will not believe what I found out" Izumi explained.
"Just spit it out! Don't beat about the bush!" Genjirou said loudly.
"I found out your mother actually had cancer when she died. She didn't die because of natural means. The cancer was in the last stage and she was going to be dead soon. I wonder why no one told you this, freak"
"You're lying" Genjirou paled.
"I'm not. I read the report myself and I spray painted to catch your attention. Apparently it did and now we're here. I'd rather you know now than never" Izumi replied.
"You bastard!" Genjirou growled and punched Izumi right on the face.
"How dare you?!" Izumi was about to retaliate but then they both heard a shout. Genjirou began running and he had left the graveyard long behind him by the time he stopped, panting for breath. He had been told that his mother had died naturally by Sanada-san. Did that mean that Izumi was lying? Or was Sanada-san lying? No, his father wouldn't lie to him. Would he?
When he got home, his stepmother was cooking dinner and his father was seated in their Western style living room, reading the newspaper on his iPad.
"Ah, Genjirou, there you are!"
Genjirou turned to his father and then entered the sitting room.
"Next weekend, your stepmother and I will be attending a weekend trip to an onsen. Grandfather will be leaving on a trip soon to Hokkaido so you and Genichirou will have the house to yourselves. Make sure you behave yourselves" Sanada-san said.
"Of course. We won't cause any trouble" Genjirou said quietly.
"Is something wrong, Genjirou? Why do you look so sad?"
"I went to visit my mother's grave. I want to see her autopsy report" Genjirou replied.
"Why would you want to see that?" Sanada-san was instantly defensive.
"Because I want to know if she had cancer or not. Please tell me Izumi is lying. Please" Genjirou could not hold back his tears.
"I'm sorry" was all Sanada-san could say.
"This isn't happening" Genjirou sank to the floor and took in deep breaths to calm himself.
"I didn't want to hurt you even further. Doctor Takabayashi said that her cancer had spread wildly but she had no treatments or even any medication. She came to Japan specifically to find me because she probably knew she was going to die. She wanted to leave you in safe hands" Sanada-san placed a hand on his son's shoulder in comfort.
"Why didn't she tell me? Why did she suffer in silence? She shouldn't have done that. You should have at least told me! You lied to me!" Genjirou pushed his father away.
"I didn't want to hurt you further. You've been through so much" Sanada-san said.
"What is going on?"
Genjirou looked up at his brother and then ran to wrap his arms around him. Genichirou's eyes widened as he held his brother against his chest.
"What did you say to him?" Genichirou asked in confusion.
"His mother died of cancer, not natural causes. I wanted to protect him by not telling him but he found out anyway" Sanada-san replied.
"You lied to me!" Genjirou cried, his voice muffled against his brother's chest.
"Father, you should have not done that. Genjirou is not some delicate flower who cannot withstand the weight of the events going on around him. You should have told him from the beginning" Genichirou didn't feel disrespectful at all as he lectured his father.
"Genjirou, I am sorry. I made a mistake. Can you forgive your father?"
Genjirou looked up and saw his father holding out his arms, asking for a hug. Genjirou gradually left Genichirou's arms and hugged his father. Sanada-san patted his son's back and then let him go.
"Don't cry anymore, okay? Otherwise, father won't be able to sleep at night" Sanada-san wiped the tears away from Genjirou's eyes.
Genjirou cracked a smile and then felt a hand on top of his head. He looked up at his brother and grinned. This was nice, this was warm. This was what family felt like.
I didn't really want to drag on the whole secret drama but in the next chapter, the eldest son of the Sanada family makes his debut. Will he tolerate an illegitimate child living in his family's home? Review and tell me what you all think of this chapter. Thank you!
Onyxinlife.