"A school trip to South Korea? Sounds rather excessive, doesn't it?"
"Come on, dad, please. All my friends are going and it will be so boring if I'm at school all alone" Sasuke begged.
"I'm happy that this is for your geography class but to take kids all the way to South Korea is rather expensive" Genji said.
"Please dad!"
Genji rolled his eyes and then signed the permission slip with a flourish. Sasuke whooped and then ran out of the room with the signed permission slip. He quickly looked up for his friends who were also going to the almost fateful school trip. He then began searching for Steel Genjirou's home address. Obviously that was not found but some obsessive fans had pinpointed different locations for the superstar's home.
He would try every single home if he had to. He had to find Steel as soon as possible.
Yukimura whistled to himself as he checked the almost boiled rice on the stove. The phone rang so he lowered the heat on the stove and hurried out to answer it. The phone stopped ringing and he heard a beep which meant that someone had left a message.
"Genichirou, I know I should have called through your cellphone but I'm afraid mine has gone for repairs. Kadokawa-san is happy that you wish to meet her. She wants to meet on Saturday at the Rose Apple cafe at noon. I've already accepted on your behalf and she will meet you there. I hope you can make a good impression on her and find love for her. Call me this evening after you get this message"
The answering machine beeped and Yukimura sat down on the couch. Sanada had accepted to meet a girl? He had always been against meeting someone since his father had begun sending him photos of women. What did Kadokawa-san have that the others didn't? Yukimura checked on the rice and then went into Sanada's study. He began looking and found a beautiful Japanese woman's photo in the desk drawer.
"So this is Kadokawa-san" Yukimura murmured.
Why was he feeling hurt? Sanada had informed him about the omiai but he had never really thought that Sanada would actually go to one. He jumped when he heard the doorbell ring. He quickly tucked the photo away and composed himself before hurrying to answer the door. Yanagi stood there looking rather bemused and Yukimura knew immediately that Yanagi had noticed his disheveled state.
"Any reason why you look like the child caught with his hand in the cookie jar?" The data master arched a brow.
"I didn't do anything wrong, Renji" Yukimura stepped back to let his friend in.
"You cannot hide anything from me, Seiichi. We've been friends for years" Yanagi said.
"I was snooping through Sanada's desk. His father had left a message about an omiai and I was curious about the girl he was supposed to meet. He didn't really tell me anything about meeting this girl at all"
"And you feel...what?"
"I feel hurt that he didn't tell me. We are roommates and best friends for a reason. We should have no secrets" Yukimura replied.
"Don't you think this is something he should do on his own? Searching for a good woman to be his wife is something only he can do" Yanagi pointed out.
"What if the girl tricks him for his money? What if she hurts him? I don't want him to fall for the wrong girl" Yukimura said.
"Seiichi, can I tell you what I think about this situation?"
"Go ahead" Yukimura waved his hand.
"I think you are jealous" Yanagi stated.
"Jealous? What are you talking about?"
"You've grown dependant on Genichirou for the past few years. He has housed you, comforted you and helped you throughout your college years. Now that you see him looking for a wife and starting a new chapter in his life, you feel jealous that he's leaving you for someone else" Yanagi explained.
Yukimura sat down on the couch, falling silent to Yanagi's assessment. Yanagi had a Master's degree in Psychology and Human Behaviour and that was enough to make Yukimura realise that his assessment was entirely correct.
"Why am I feeling jealous? It's not like I..." Yukimura trailed off and Yanagi sighed.
"You finally realised it" Yanagi sat down on the couch next to Yukimura.
"I'm in love with him" Yukimura whispered to the quiet apartment.
"We're finally here!"
Sasuke grinned as he stared out at the city of Seoul from the hotel windows. He was sharing a room with his best friend Takumi who was jumping on his bed in excitement. Sasuke opened up his bag and then pulled out the list of addresses that he had to go to so he could find Steel. He would have to sneak out of the hotel but it would be easy enough.
"Are you sure you'll be able to find him?" Takumi asked.
"How hard is it to find an English man in Seoul?" Sasuke pointed out and then grabbed his bag.
"Good luck, man. Maybe you'll find him" Takumi said.
Sasuke walked out of his room and then down the hallway to the lifts. He was careful not to be seen by the teachers and then hurried out through the lobby and into the warm morning sun. He hailed a taxi and handed the list of addresses to the driver who began taking him to them one by one.
Ding dong!
Genjirou opened his heavy eyes as the ringing of the doorbell registered in his mind. He stretched tiredly as the doorbell continued ringing. He wore his slippers and then shuffled downstairs. He pulled the door opened and his eyes widened when he saw a teen standing at his doorstep. The teen grinned when he spotted Genjirou.
"Who the fuck are you?" Genjirou asked.
"I finally found you. Can I come in?" the teen smiled.
"Do you know me?" Genjirou asked, running a hand through his hair.
"You should know Sanada Genichirou, right?"
Genjirou froze and then rubbed at his eyes. The teen smiled innocently at him and Genjirou stepped aside to let him in. Genjirou shut the door and watched as the teen gaped at the high style home he lived in. The teen turned and smiled, making him look like the epitome of innocence but Genjirou knew better than to believe the facade.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Genjirou asked, after they had seated themselves on the couches in the living room.
"My name is Sanada Sasuke" The teen said.
"Sasuke? Genji's son Sasuke?"
"The very same"
"Wow. I never met you when you were a kid. I was gone before you know it" Genjirou commented.
"I didn't really know about you either. My dad refuses to talk about you and everyone else in the family is keeping you a secret. Who exactly are you to the family?" Sasuke asked.
"Well, I'm sure Genji won't like what I'm going to tell you at all"
"Which is all the more reason that you should tell me" Sasuke folded his arms.
"Well..."
Sasuke glanced up at the English man currently cooking in the kitchen. He had never realised that Genjirou could actually be his uncle. He had thought that Steel was a relation to the family but he had no idea that he was so closely related to them. His family had hid this from him for his entire ten years since Genjirou had joined the family. However, Genjirou looked like he wasn't even bearing this sort of emotional weight at all.
Sasuke looked around and stood to look around the apartment. There was a piano near the sitting room which looked like it was used often. Sasuke turned away from it and then noticed a bunch of framed photographs on the mantle above the fireplace. He examined them closely. Many of them were with unfamiliar people he did not recognise but he noticed one that was with a beautiful blond woman.
"That's my mother"
Sasuke jumped and then heard Genjirou chuckle. He flushed in embarrassment and apologised for snooping.
"It's alright. These are all not that personal. My personal photos are upstairs in my bedroom hidden away from public eye. Want to see?"
Sasuke nodded and followed Genjirou upstairs. Genjirou entered his room and Sasuke noticed three photos on the table near the window. He recognised a family photo that showed Genjirou with Kazuki-san, Mai-san and Genichirou. A second photo was with grandfather Gen'emon. The last photo was with, Sasuke realised with a jolt, Atobe Keigo the business tycoon and Oshitari Yuushi, owner of the biggest hospitals in Japan.
"How did you know them?" Sasuke asked pointing to the specific photo.
"School friends. I still talk to them frequently" Genjirou replied.
Sasuke then spotted the photo frame on the bedside table.
"I know that guy!"
He ran over and picked up the photo of Fuji Syusuke. Fuji was known all over Tokyo as the famous photographer who was employed at several prestigious magazines and fashion brands. He had been one of the few photographers who were personally invited to the President's home for the President's family photos.
"He's quite famous now isn't he?" Genjirou had a proud smile on his face.
"How do you know him?" Sasuke asked.
"He was and still is my first love. We let go of each other so we could grow our careers" Genjirou replied.
"Do you miss him?"
"I do. I miss everyone back home. President Yang is always pushing for my Japan debut but I always refuse" Genjirou replied.
"I can always talk to Dad. He won't say no to me" Sasuke said.
"Sometimes Sasuke, your father can be the most heartless and then the most kind. Come, let's eat. I'm starving" Genjirou turned and left the room.
Sasuke placed the photo on the bed and hurried after the singer.
"I'm home" Sanada said taking off his shoes.
"Welcome back" Yukimura flushed as he realised how much like a doting wife he sounded.
"Were there any messages for me?" Sanada asked.
"Yes, I believe it was your father talking about you omiai" Yukimura folded his arms.
Sanada nodded and walked up the stairs into his room. Yukimura watched him go with a sad smile. Sanada pulled off his tie and then unbuttoned his shirt. It hurt him that Yukimura had no reaction at all because of the omiai news. He changed into comfortable clothes and headed downstairs for dinner. He stopped in surprised when he noticed the note stuck on the fridge.
Emergency came up at work. I'll be back later. Eat dinner and go to bed- Yukimura
Sanada furrowed his brows. Since when did a flower shop get emergencies at night? Where had Yukimura gone? He hurried out and spotted their shared car turn the corner and leave. He sighed before spotting the heated food on the table. He sat down and took a bite of the rice. It felt rubbery and cold as if not cooked well. This immediately concerned Sanada. Was Yukimura hiding something from him?
"Sasuke, you need to go back to your hotel. Your teacher will worry about you" Genjirou said.
"I guess I have to go. I'll be back tomorrow" Sasuke replied.
"I'm busy all day tomorrow. You're lucky that you found me on my day off. I have an early photo shoot, then two recording sessions and a live interview at eight. You need to start participating on your class trip otherwise your father will be suspicious".
"I thought..."
"You though what?"
"That you would come home with me" Sasuke pouted.
Genjirou sighed. "Your father will not be happy with that. I've made my life here and I intend to stay in it. You need to go home".
"Come with me. Dad won't say no to me" Sasuke said.
"You think with some childish notion of yours that I'll come home and my older brother will welcome me with open arms? I'll suffer but you will suffer even more because you were the one who found me. You need your father and your family Sasuke"
"You're my family too!" Sasuke stamped his foot.
"You're still young Sasuke. You don't understand the ways of adults" Genjirou ruffled his nephew's hair and then showed him the door to the waiting taxi.
"I've already paid the taxi guy so just go back to the hotel and sleep. Don't come looking for me again" Genjirou said.
"Can I still come over?" Sasuke asked.
"It's better if you didn't, Sasuke. Goodnight" Genjirou shut the door of the taxi and watched it roll out of his driveway. Sasuke watched the blond man until he was out of sight.
I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Sorry for not updating sooner!