Making Changes 2: New Developments
The day after Minato's graduation party, everyone moved on business as usual; The Hagiwaras went back to Ine Fishing Village, Wataru returned to Sapporo to record a new song, and everyone else went off to work at their respective jobs.
This story begins at the Japan National Stadium where Shiho is seen giving volleyball tryouts in search of a new player to replace the one who recently retired. The player she was currently checking out just got done performing with the rest of the women's team. She's seen walking up to Shiho to see how she did.
"How did I do, coach?" the player asked.
"Not bad," Shiho said, "I'll call you sometime later this week and I'll let you know if you got the job."
"Looking forward to it, thank you," the player smiled before leaving the stadium's sports field. On the player's way out, she passed by Shiho's husband Daisuke who swung by to bring his wife some lunch.
"Hey, babe," Daisuke greeted.
"Hey, Daisuke, sweetie," Shiho said as she and Daisuke kissed each other before he handed his wife her lunch,
"I swung by your favorite deli and I figured you'd like some lunch," Daisuke said, "How are tryouts going?"
"Oh, Daisuke, it's a disaster," Shiho lamented, "Just about everyone who tried out has some kind of flaw that would prevent the team from reaching greatness. You name it, I had one girl who didn't work well with others. I had another who was afraid of getting hit in the face with the ball. And the last girl who was here must have some problems with depth perception because she kept missing every ball that came her way. I'm starting to think I'll never find a good replacement for Akiyama."
"Yeah, I know tryouts can be tough," Daisuke said, "But it's important to keep your head up and don't give up. Tokyo is a big city in an even bigger country. Your replacement is out there somewhere, I know she is."
"Excuse me," came a voice. Another potential volleyball player has entered the fray. This one appeared to be in her mid 20s, and she had long, black, unkempt hair, beautiful light blue eyes, and a decently athletic build. Shiho and Daisuke looked at this new girl as she approached them.
"Yes, is this where the volleyball tryouts are being held?" the girl asked.
"Yes," Shiho nodded as she shook the girl's hand, "I'm the head coach Shiho Watanabe, and this is my husband Daisuke."
"Pleased to meet you," Daisuke greeted.
"Thanks," the girl smiled before handing Shiho a resume, "Here's my resume if you're interested."
Shiho took the resume and used the next few moments to read it over.
"Hmm," Shiho read, "You were the ace in both your high school and college teams and you have a degree in Physical Education. Very nice."
"Thank you, Mrs. Watanabe," the girl said.
"Unfortunately good credentials aren't enough to guarantee you a spot on this team," Shiho said, "If you want to be on this team so bad you're going to have to prove it by showcasing your skills."
"I assure you, coach, I didn't become ace in my high school and college teams for nothing," the girl said confidently.
"Confidence, I like that," Shiho said before pointing at her volleyball team on the court, "Well, the team's over there. Whenever you're ready we'll get started."
"Let's do this!" the girl said with a confident smirk.
The practice match that follows would be best described as the answer to Shiho's prayers. The girl not only hit every ball that came her way, but she also knew the value of teamwork as she wasn't afraid to pass the ball to someone else and share the glory of scoring a point for her team. On top of that, she showed no fear or hesitation whenever the ball came at her fast, and in the rare instance where it did hit her in the face, she would wimp out or react in pain. All she did was get up and wear a smirk on her face that reads, 'Is that all you've got?'
This girl truly was the perfect volleyball player and the ace in the hole that Shiho and her team needed. When the practice match was over, the girl walked up to Shiho to see how she did.
"So, coach, how did I do?" The girl asked.
"That was absolutely amazing!" Shiho exclaimed, "I have never seen a more dedicated and determined volleyball player before in my life! You are just the thing we need to have a good season this year!"
"Does this mean I'm on the team?" The girl asked.
"I'd have to be an idiot not to enlist you," Shiho said, "You're on the team!"
"Alright!" The girl said while giving a fist pump.
"Ah-ha, see Shiho, I told you the perfect player would show up eventually," Daisuke said with a hearty laugh.
"You sure did," Shiho said before turning back to the girl, "You know, I just realized something. I haven't once asked you your name. Can you tell me your name so I can get a uniform ordered for you?"
"Oh, sure," The girl smiled, "My name is Saki Kamoshida."
Hearing that last name made Shiho's mood darken as she felt chills run up and down her spine and goosebumps started to cover her skin.
"I-I'm sorry, did you say Kamoshida?" Shiho asked, "As in former Olympian Suguru Kamoshida?"
"Yeah," Saki said, "Suguru Kamoshida is my uncle. I'm his brother's youngest daughter."
Shiho's worst suspicions about Saki's last name were true. She was related to the bane of her existence; her former abuser and rapist, Suguru Kamoshida! After the whole thing at Shujin went down she thought she'd never have to deal with another Kamoshida again, but she was wrong.
"Uh, coach, are you okay?" Saki asked, "You're kind of spacing out right now."
After a few moments of silence, Shiho snapped herself back into reality.
"Nope!" Shiho exclaimed, "Uh-uh! No way!"
"Is something wrong coach?" Saki asked, worried.
"I am not coaching a Kamoshida," Shiho said sternly.
"Coach, what's wrong?" Saki asked "Why are you…Wait a minute. You said your name was Shiho. You wouldn't happen to be the same Shiho that my uncle…you know."
"I can see he told you about me," Shiho said bitterly.
"Look, coach, I'm sorry about what my uncle did to you," Saki said, trying to be sympathetic, "But I assure you that I am nothing like him."
"Oh, bull," Shiho exclaimed, "Bull! All Kamoshidas are the same deep down. So, what, did your uncle tell you to come down here so you can mess with me? Huh, is that it?"
Sensing that the situation was quickly spiraling out of control, Daisuke stepped in so he could take Shiho aside. He guided her away from Saki so he could talk to her in private.
"Babe, you need to relax," Daisuke said.
"I refuse to coach her," Shiho said.
"Look, I understand what Kamoshida did to you was horrible and unforgivable, and you have every right to be angry with him," Daisuke said, "But that's no excuse to treat every member of the Kamoshida Family like garbage."
"All Kamoshidas are the same," Shiho said bitterly.
"Not every apple in a basket is rotten," Daisuke said, "I think Saki seems like a nice girl."
"Yeah, 'seems'," Shiho muttered, "But when she's alone she's probably doing this just as reprehensible as her uncle! How do we know she's not on illegal steroids or something?"
"Look, Shiho, I'm not saying you have to be best friends with Saki," Daisuke said, "What I am saying is you need a replacement player, and right now, Saki seems like your best bet. So, for the sake of your job and your team, can you find it in your heart to at least try and push your prejudice against the Kamoshida Family aside so you can have the team you were always meant to have?"
Shiho gave what her husband said a lot of thought before letting out a defeated sigh. As much as she hated to admit it, Saki was the best player that Shiho had seen so far, and will very likely remain the best player she'd see. Gathering all of her pride and using all of her willpower to push her prejudices aside, she and Daisuke walked back over to Saki to give her the news.
"Alright, Saki, you're on the team," Shiho said in an almost somber tone of voice.
"Sweet!" Saki cheered.
"But just know that I've got my eye on you," Shiho said, venom in her voice, "But the moment I see or hear anything sordid about you, you're out of your ass. Got it?"
"You don't have to worry about a thing, coach," Saki said enthusiastically, "I'll not only be the best volleyball player on the team, but also your best behaved one!"
"For your sake I hope you're right," Shiho replied.
"Well, babe, I'm going to head off now," Daisuke said, "See you later tonight?"
"You know it," Shiho said as she gave her husband a goodbye kiss so he could leave. Once it was just Shiho, Saki, and the rest of the woman's team left in the stadium they got straight to work, "Alright, girls, let's get cracking!"
Meanwhile, at a movie theater in Shibuya, the Shibuya Film Festival is taking place. Inside the theater's screening room, we see a crowd of people watching Hotaru Yajima's short film, with Hotaru and his family and Himari and her family along with Sae, Ryuta, Yutaka, Reina, Nanami, and Koji sitting in the front row. Since the list of participants went in alphabetical order, that means Hotaru's film was the last one to be presented.
Speaking of which, the film appears to be at its end as we see the brother and sister characters that Hotaru talked about walking off into the sunset of a 'ruined world set' with their guns in hand ready to face whatever awaits them. At the film's end, the viewers see the word 'Fin' written in stylized text as audiences give the film a standing ovation. When Hotaru saw this, he felt nothing but pride and happiness fill his heart. He was so happy knowing that he made a film that everyone, his friends and family included could enjoy.
When the film finally wrapped up, the house lights came back on so the MC could announce the winner.
"Plenty of great films shown this year," the MC said, "And after viewing all of our submissions multiple times over these last 24 hours, the judges and I have come to a decision on who should take home this year's first place trophy."
The MC took out a gold trophy with a video camera on top of it, placing it on the podium he was standing behind. One of the judges then handed the MC an envelope with the name of the winner inside.
"The first place winner of this year's Shibuya Film Festival is…" the MC said before taking a long pause so he could open the envelope, at which point he announced the winner, "Hotaru Yajima!"
Everyone applauded Hotaru for winning the contest as he happily ran up on stage to accept his award, shaking the MCs hand in the process. Once he had his trophy, Hotaru looked at the still cheering audience with a warm smile on his face. This is why he does what he does; he loves to give people amazing and compelling stories through his films, and the cheers that he receives from the crowds after the fact tells him that he did a good job. Nothing put a smile on Hotaru's face like a job well done.
After the festival wrapped up, everyone left the screening room and were seen hanging out in the lobby so they could chat over catered food and beverages. We see Hotaru with his parents, grandmother, the Sakamotos, Koji, Nanami, Sae, Ryuta, and Yutaka, as they all congratulate him on another job well done.
"Outstanding work, son," Hayato said, giving Hotaru a pat on the back.
"No joke, I think that might be your best film yet," Ryuji said.
"You really think so?" Hotaru asked.
"I've seen a lot of movies in my day, son," Koji said, "But that picture show of yours is almost on par with a modern day Hollywood film."
"Wow, I'm glad to hear that you guys liked it so much," Hotaru said gratefully.
"I told you, babe, you're a very talented filmmaker," Himari said before whispering in his ear, "Maybe later tonight I can give you my own little award for all of your hardwork and talent."
"Oh, ho, ho, I can't wait," Hotaru whispered back.
"You guys know who really would've loved Hotaru's short film," Yutaka asked, "Nayoko Hashimoto. I bet she would've loved it a lot."
"Aw, you really like Nayoko don't you?" Ryuta said, ruffling his adopted son's hair.
"I've never seen a girl like her before, Chi-Chi," Yutaka said.
"Young love, I remember that feeling," Hifumi said, smiling at Hayato.
"So do I," Hayato said as he looked back at his wife with a loving smile of his own.
As the group continued talking amongst themselves, a well dressed man with silver hair and a white suit with a matching cowboy hat came up to them.
"Excuse me, but is one of you Hotaru Yajima," The man asked.
Once Hotaru saw who it was, he nearly jumped out of his skin with glee.
"Oh my God!" Hotaru exclaimed, "Your…Your…Your International Studio CEO Hideki Yamagata!"
"The one and only," Yamagata said, "I'm glad I caught you. I just wanted to tell you that you did an outstanding job on your movie today, son."
"Thank you, sir," Hotaru said as he shook the CEO's hand, "Hearing that someone of your esteem enjoyed my movie means a lot."
"I can tell you put a lot of thought and hard work into making your film, son," Yamagata said, "You should be very proud of yourself."
"Oh, I am," Hotaru nodded.
"Our son worked very hard to get where he is now," Hifumi said.
"So, you're Hotaru's mother?" Yamagata asked.
"Yes, my name is Hifumi Yajima," Hifumi said, "This is my husband Hayato, and these are our friends; Ryuji, Makoto, Himari, Sae, Ryuta, Yutaka, Koji, Nanami, and the other lady here is Hotaru's grandmother and Hayato's mother Reina."
"Nice to meet all of you," Yamagata said.
"So what are you doing here, Mr. Yamagata?" Sae asked.
"Well, every time a film festival is in town I like to swing by and scope out potential new talent that we can take on board," Yamagata said, "But I've actually been following Hotaru's career for a few years now."
"You have?!" Hotaru asked, excited and intrigued.
"I remember watching your short film about that former Yakuza member looking to make a better life for himself about six years ago," Yamagata said, "From that moment on I kept a close eye on you and any other projects you've made, steadily watching you improve with each one. And now that you're old enough, the folks at International Studios and I are ready to invite you to the big leagues."
"Really?!" Hotaru asked with the biggest smile he could muster.
"This is huge!" Himari exclaimed.
"Don't get too excited now," Yamagata said, "You still have to show up for an interview at our corporate office if you accept, but I can tell you right now that your chances of getting hired are pretty darn good. I'll schedule an interview with the other CEOs tomorrow if you say yes."
Hotaru turned to his family, girlfriend, and friends to get their input.
"What do you guys think?" Hotaru asked, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.
"When opportunity knocks, Hotaru, you have to answer the door," Reina said to her grandson.
"All of those short films you've made have led up to this moment, Hotaru," Hayato said to his son, "Filmmaking is your passion, and now you're being offered a chance to do what you love for a living."
"A lot of people would kill for something like that," Makoto chimed in.
As everyone agreed with what Reina, Hayato, and Makoto were saying, Himari walked up to Hotaru and took her hand in his, looking him in his eyes.
"Go for it, babe," Himari said, "Don't let an opportunity like this pass you by."
Hotaru nodded confidently before facing Yamagata to give him his answer.
"Mr. Yamagata," Hotaru began, "I accept!"
"Okay," Yamagata said with a warm smile as he and Hotaru firmly shook hands to seal the deal before scheduling an interview for tomorrow morning.
Later in the day at the Watanabe Residence, we see Kaito and Kimiko sitting in the living room searching for potential new apartments in Kyoto on Kaito's laptop for when it comes time to move in together.
"What do you think of this one?" Kaito asked, "It's a gated community so it should be a safe neighborhood."
"It looks nice, but what about this one up here," Kimiko said as she pointed at another apartment, "The laundry facilities look nice and state of the art."
"Hey, check this one out," Kaito said as he pointed at another one, "This one has a fitness center and a pool!"
"That is nice," Kimiko concurred, "Hey, this occurred to me, we should also look for a pet friendly place in case Morgana wants to come along."
"Smart thinking, babe," Kaito said.
As the couple continued looking for apartments, Daisuke came walking by with a cup of herbal tea and a good book in hand.
"What are you two doing?" Daisuke asked.
"Looking up apartments in Kyoto for when we move in together," Kaito answered.
"Make sure you pick one that has the necessary amenities," Daisuke suggested, "You know, laundry, parking, storage."
"Oh, parking, we totally forgot about that!" Kimiko said.
"Picking out an apartment is harder than we thought," Kaito said.
"But once you find the perfect place it'll be worth it," Daisuke smiled as he sat down on a nearby lounge chair so he could start reading his book, "That's how it was when your mother and I first moved in together, Kaito. Anyway, if you need more help, why don't you ask Nariko. I don't think she's too busy right now. She should be up in her room if you want to go see here."
"Alright," Kaito said as he grabbed his laptop, "Come on, Kim."
The young couple went upstairs to go see Nariko. But once they made it to Nariko's bedroom door, they heard her talking to herself.
"Oh man, what am I going to do," Nariko was heard saying in her room, "I can only hide a problem like this for so long before it becomes noticeable. What's mom and dad going to say? What's Riku going to say?"
Unsure of what Nariko is stressing out about, Kaito knocks on his sister's bedroom door and they could hear her yelp in surprise on the other side.
"Who-Who is it?" Nariko asked.
"Nariko it's Kimiko and I," Kaito said, "Can we come in?"
"Sure," Nariko said as Kaito opened the door, allowing the young couple to step inside, "Who, uh, who were you talking to?"
"No one," Nariko said, "Stop worrying."
"We heard you talking," Kimiko said, "What's going on?"
Nariko let out a sigh of defeat, and she realized that there was no way out of the predicament she found herself in.
"Well, I guess you two are the first ones to find out, so I'll tell you," Nariko said.
"Find out about what?" Kimiko asked, "What's happening?"
"Just wait here," Nariko said as she left and went to the upstairs bathroom. She returned moments later, holding something behind her back, "If I'm going to show you what it is that I'm about to show you, you both have to promise to keep it a secret. Can I trust you two?"
"Of course, sis," Kaito said, "Tell us, what's going on?"
Taking a deep breath, Nariko showed the young couple what it was that she was holding behind her back. It was the pregnancy test that she took last night which she fished out of the upstairs bathroom wastebasket. Kaito and Kimiko saw the positive pregnancy test and gasped.
"NARIKO, YOU'RE P-MPH!" Kaito quickly shouted before Nariko and Kimiko had to quickly put their hands over his mouth to silence him.
"Everything going alright up there, kids?" Daisuke was heard asking from downstairs.
"Yes, dad," Nariko said before she and Kimiko removed their hands from Kaito's mouth so she could close the door behind them, allowing them to talk without Daisuke overhearing them.
"Nariko, you're pregnant?!" Kaito asked, making sure to lower his voice this time.
"This is unbelievable," Kimiko said, "Is Riku the father?"
"He's literally the only person I've slept with, so of course he has to be the father," Nariko said.
"Well that explains why you were feeling nauseous all day yesterday," Kaito said, "But what are you going to do? Have you considered telling mom, dad, or especially Riku about this?"
"I was thinking of telling Riku later today after he got off of work," Nariko said, "But mom and dad are the two people I'm looking the least forward to telling. I don't know what they're going to say, or Uncle Mishima and Aunt Futaba."
Nariko then laid herself down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling to try and calm her nerves.
"God, this is so nuts," Nariko said, "How could this happen?"
"Well, sis," Kaito began, "When a man and woman love each other very much, they take off their clothes, get into bed, or the backseat of a car, or behind the bleachers during a sports game, or in a hot tub, or on the beach at night, or in the woods, or-"
"I know how it happened," Nariko said, cutting her brother off, "I just can't believe it. Also, are those seriously places where you and Kimiko have done it?"
"What can we say?" Kimiko said, "We have a very active sex life."
"Not sure whether to feel proud of you two or very disturbed, but moving right along," Nariko said, "I still don't understand how this could happen. I mean, Riku always uses a condom whenever we go at it."
"News flash, Nariko, condoms break," Kimiko said, "That's why I double down by taking birth control pills too."
"We really should've been more careful," Nariko said, looking down at the floor before chuckling to herself, "Heh, there's my feet. This time about seven months from now, I'm not going to be able to see them."
"Well, sex is a dangerous dance, sis," Kaito said, "We all know the risks, yet we always take the gamble. You and Riku gambled and lost."
"I wouldn't be so sure about 'lost', Kaito," Nariko said as she put a hand on her stomach.
"What do you mean?" Kimiko asked.
"I mean, even though this is sudden and the last thing I'd expect to happen at this point in my life…I'm honestly kind of excited for this new chapter in my life," Nariko said, "I mean, I'm currently creating a new life inside of me, and when it comes time for the 'bun to come out of the oven', I get to watch it grow up and experience all of the joys that life has to offer. And just think Kaito, when this baby is born, you'll officially be an uncle."
"Uncle Kaito," Kaito said with intrigue, "Yeah, I like the sound of that. It's got a nice ring to it."
"Not for nothing, babe, but I always did see you as the 'cool uncle' when and if Nariko had kids," Kimiko said.
"I can give him all kinds of advice as he grows up," Kaito said, "Tell him all of the jokes an uncle is supposed to tell their niece or nephew. I can even show them their first R-Rated movie."
"Glad to know you're already embracing the possibilities, brother," Nariko chuckled.
"Yeah, sis," Kaito smiled, "I think I'm going to like the idea of being an uncle. But back onto more pressing matters, we have to figure out a way to break the news to our parents, Riku's parents, and, perhaps most importantly, Riku himself."
"Like I said, I was planning on telling Riku when he got out of work later today," Nariko said, "So I'd better try and think about the words I want to use when telling him."
"You think Riku will respond well to the news?" Kimiko asked.
"I don't know, Kim," Nariko said, a tinge of dread in her voice, "I just don't know."
At the local gym, we see Ichiro doing some training exercises and practicing his routines for the upcoming gymnastics competition. Just as he was taking a break to sip from his water bottle, Sumire and Kas show up to see how he's doing.
"Hey, sweetie," Sumire said.
"Hey, dad," Kas said.
"Girls, hi," Ichiro smiled and waved, "What are you girls doing here?"
"Just thought we'd drop by and see how you were doing," Sumire said.
"I'm doing just fine, thank you very much," Ichiro said, "Just trying to get some practice in before the big competition in a few days."
"So you're really that deadset on competing still?" Sumire asked.
"You betcha," Ichiro said, "Like I said, as long as there are still competitions to participate in, why stop now?"
"And like I said, this really can't last forever," Sumire said as, while her and Ichiro conversed, Kas walked off elsewhere, "I'm thrilled that you still have the drive to keep going with your gymnastics career, but as you get older, no matter how good of shape you get, it'll be able to take less and less abuse."
"Then in that case I'll be a legend among the gymnastics community," Ichiro said, stars in his eyes, "They'll call me Ichiro: The Man Who Did the Impossible and Thought the Unthinkable!"
"Babe, I'm really worried about you," Sumire said, "Why don't you just do what I did and retire from the sport while taking a coaching job like me? Just because you stop competing in the sport you love doesn't mean you have to abandon it entirely. There are other ways to appreciate and get involved in gymnastics."
"Thanks, Sumi, but no thanks," Ichiro said, "I like to experience the thrill of the sport. Being tied down by a coaching job isn't really my style."
Sumire starts to pout at her husband as he takes one last sip from his water bottle.
"Well, I gotta get back to practicing," Ichiro said, "See you at home, babe."
"Fine," Sumire pouted, "I swear, Ichiro, you can be so stubborn sometimes! I'm going home, where's Kas?"
Sumire looks to find her daughter trying to talk to some of the other gym patrons in regards to making the perfect wedding proposal.
"You mean to tell me that neither of you can come up with a word that rhymes with 'eternity'?" Kas asked.
"Kas, let's go!" Sumire called.
"Well, see ya!" Kas said as she ran over to Sumire so the two of them could leave.
As his wife and daughter left, Ichiro decided to do some training exercises on a nearby balance beam.
"Stubborn," Ichiro said to himself as he approached the balance beam, letting Sumire's words sink in, "She just doesn't get it."
Upon making it to the beam, Ichiro climbs on top of it and begins to balance himself upon it. At first, training was going well. Ichiro executed some very well done flips and spins, and his tricks were so well done that some of the other gym patrons decided to come over and watch him work. Ichiro was proving to everyone that, despite being in his 40s, he could still perform gymnastics as well as any younger gymnast. Everything was going well for Ichiro…until this happened.
"Whoa!" Ichiro said as he suddenly felt his feet slip on the balance beam after landing from doing a flip.
In a matter of seconds, Ichiro started to fall from the balance beam, his left leg slamming very hard against the beam as he fell down. How hard did his leg hit the balance beam, you ask? Hard enough for an audible…
CRUNCH!
…noise to be heard.
As soon as Ichiro hit the floor, he started groaning and yelling in pain, holding his left leg all the while.
"Whoa, dude, are you okay?" one of the gym patrons asked.
"My leg," Ichiro groaned, "I think I broke my leg!"
"We've gotta call an ambulance for this guy!" Another gym patron was heard yelling.
"Someone, grab my cell phone from my gym bag," Ichiro cried, "I have to call my wife and tell her to meet me at the hospital!"
"You got it, man," A third gym patron said as he ran to Ichiro's bag to grab his phone.
Sometime later, we see a nurse guiding Sumire and Kas to the room where Ichiro was currently situated, waiting for his x-rays.
"He's right there here," the nurse said.
"Thank you," Sumire said as she and Kas entered the room to find Ichiro sitting on the exam table, a cast around his left leg.
"Dad," Kas said, heartbroken; she never saw her father like this before.
"Babe, what happened?" Sumire asked as she gave her husband a kiss to try and lif this spirits.
"I slipped off of the balance beam," Ichiro explained, "When I did, my left leg slammed against the beam, breaking it."
"Are you going to be okay?" Sumire asked.
"I hope so, babe," Ichiro said, "The doctor should be here with my x-rays any minute to give me the prognosis."
"You think you'll still be able to compete in competitions?" Kas asked her father.
"I'll have to miss out on this one," Ichiro said as he looked at the cast covering his foot, "But hopefully my leg will heal in time for the next one."
As the family of three talked, the doctor finally showed up carrying the x-rays.
"Alright, Mr. Tanaka," the doctor said, "I have the results of your x-rays right here."
"How bad is it, doctor?" Ichiro asked as the doctor put the x-ray photos in the light box so they could see the damages better.
"It appears you've suffered a comminuted fracture in your fibula, Mr. Tanaka," the doctor said as he pointed at the three fractures in his leg.
"What's a comminuted fracture?" Kas asked.
"It's when your leg is broken in three or more places," the doctor explains.
"Oh, Ichi," Sumire cried as she gave Ichiro a hug, her heart breaking for her husband, "I'm so sorry that this happened."
"It'll be alright, babe," Ichiro said as he put an arm around his wife to comfort her.
"So, be honest with us, doc," Kas said to the doctor, "How soon do you think my dad's leg will heal?"
"Fractures like these take anywhere from three to six months to heal," the doctor said, "In some cases it might be longer than that."
"Doc, I don't know if you know this, but I'm a gymnast," Ichiro said to the doctor, "How soon before I can go back to participating in competitions?"
The doctor just stared at Ichiro, a sad look on his face, as he prepared to tell him the last thing he wanted to hear at this moment in time.
"Mr. Tanaka," the doctor said, "These fractures are serious, and you're a man in your mid-forties. I'm sure you've heard this many times, but you really should've retired from gymnastics years ago."
"What are you saying?" Ichiro asked, not liking where things were going.
"With how your leg is right now combined with your age," the doctor concluded, "I'd look into a new line of work if I were you."
The three Tanakas gasped in shock. Ichiro's leg injury was so bad that it was downright 'career ending'. Sumire and Kas could only look at Ichiro, who wore a look of pure devastation and defeat on his face. They have never seen him look this deflated before, and it was downright scary to see the otherwise chipper and charismatic man look more depressed than he had ever been up to this point.
Ichiro was a gymnast no more.
Meanwhile, at the Kitagawa Residence, we see Haru, Mana, and Mitsu sitting outside on the front porch, sipping tea and eating cookies that Haru took out of the oven moments before. The three of them were currently talking about how Minato Amamiya would be off to Africa this time next month.
"I can't believe this, Africa?!" Mitsu exclaimed, "Why would Minato want to go there? There are plenty of doctors offices and hospitals that would love to take him on! Why does he have to go thousands of miles away to do something with his degree?!"
"Life is so unfair!" Mana lamented as more tears fell from her face.
"There's gotta be some way we can keep him here," Mitsu said.
"I understand that you girls are upset," Haru said, "But preventing Minato from going to Africa and growing as not only a person, but also as an aspiring doctor, is the last thing you want to do."
"Don't tell us you actually support Minato's decision," Mitsu asked as Mana wiped the tears from her eyes.
"I do," Haru said, "And believe me, if Minato had his way, I'm sure he'd want to stay right here by your side. But, since this is the real world, he knows that he has to get life experience and experience as a doctor. If going to Africa to get such experience is what he has to do, then so be it. Right now, going on this 'Doctors Without Borders' program is the best thing for Minato. You girls do want what's best for him, right?"
Mana and Mitsu sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking about what their mother just told them.
"I guess we are acting a little bit selfish," Mana said, "We should be happy that Minato is willing to grow up and striving to be a better person, even if these are the means to do so."
"We're sorry, mom," Mitsu said.
"No need for apologies," Haru said, "Again, your sorrow is justified. But you have to remember a few things. First, it's not like Minato is gone forever or you'll never see him again. He'll be back home in five short years, maybe take a trip back home between now and then for holidays and birthdays, and I know for a fact that he'll try and get in contact with us often through things like FaceTime."
"You are right, mom," Mitsu said, "It's not like Minato will totally be gone from our lives."
"You also need to think about how Minato feels about this whole situation," Haru said, "We may be losing one friend, but everything else remains the same for us. Minato on the other hand is losing all of his friends, only having Dr. Takemi on his side, and going to a place that's brand new and unfamiliar to him. I'm sure there's a part of him that's scared out of its wits, even if it's just a small part."
Mana and Mitsu let their mother's words sink in before coming to a realization.
"Minato probably needs our love now more than ever," Mitsu said.
"Exactly," Haru said, "You girls should cherish and love Minato while he's still here so that when it comes time for him to leave it'll be that much easier to say goodbye."
"Good idea, mom!" Mana smiled, "Maybe we can even give him some presents that he can take with him to Africa so that he'll have something to remember Mitsu and me by."
"That's using your noodle," Haru said.
"But the question is how are we going to cherish Minato," Mitsu said, "And what kind of presents should we get him?"
"Let's go ask, dad," Mana said, "He might have a few ideas."
With that, Mana, Mitsu, and Haru take their tea and cookies inside, placing them on the kitchen counter before going up to Yusuke's art studio where he is currently working on another art project.
The three women enter Yusuke's art studio and find him positioned in front of his easel as he works on yet another painting.
"Excuse us, father," Mitsu said, catching Yusuke's attention.
"Girls, hi," Yusuke said with a smile, "How are you?"
"We're doing fine now, thank you," Mitsu said.
"I just gave Mana and Mitsu a bit of a talking to, telling them that they should cherish Minato while he's here so that when he leaves for Africa it won't hurt as much to see him go and they'd have no regrets," Haru said.
"The problem comes in trying to figure out how to cherish him," Mana chimed in.
"We'd also like to give Minato some gifts to take with him if you have any ideas in that regard," Mitsu said.
"Well, let's see," Yusuke said, beginning to think of potential answers to his daughters' query, only to be interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing, "Oh, hold that thought."
Yusuke ran to pick up the phone, which was in the corner of his art studio, and he answered it.
"Hello, Yusuke Kitagawa speaking," Yusuke said, allowing the person on the other end to talk, "Mr. Tsukumo, hello!"
"Who is it, dad?" Mana asked.
"It's Mr. Arata Tsukumo, the head of the Japan Art Association," Yusuke said as he held the phone to his chest before putting it back against his ear, "So, how can I help you?"
As Yusuke talked with Tsukumo, his wife and daughters were trying to listen in on his conversation with him.
"Oh, so you saw my recent painting in the Mori Art Museum?" Yusuke asked, "I'm glad you liked it…you've been following my career for quite some time now…uh-huh…I see…of course I still host those art seminars, why do you ask…Whoa, really…wow…oh, Mr. Tsukumo, this is great! Hold on, let me tell my folks."
"What's going on?" Mana asked Yusuke as he put the phone against his chest again.
"Mr. Tsukumo is offering me a chance to travel the world and give my lectures and seminars to the universities and museums there," Yusuke said.
"So you're basically going on a world tour?" Mitsu asked.
"In a way, yes," Yusuke said, "On top of that, the association would pay me handsomely if I accept this, and they'll be paying for room and board throughout my tour."
"Oh, sweetie, that's wonderful!" Haru said, "Are you going to accept?"
"Can we come with you?" Mana asked.
"It would be great if you could. I'll ask," Yusuke said as he got back on the phone with Tsukumo, "It sounds tempting, sir, but can my family come along…oh, I see…only me…alright, I understand…how long do I have to make a decision…end of the week…yeah, that should be plenty of time…okay, I'll keep that in mind…Thanks for calling, have a nice one."
Yusuke hung up the phone and put it back on the receiver so he could face his wife and daughters.
"So I take it we're not allowed to come with you?" Mitsu asked.
"I'm afraid not, Mitsu," Yusuke said remorsefully, "Mr. Tsukumo said that they only have enough funds to support me on the tour."
"Aw, man," Mana frowned.
"Even worse is that Tsukumo said I'll be gone for anywhere from four to five years," Yusuke said.
"That's almost as long as Minato said he'd be gone," Mitsu said.
"I know," Yusuke frowned, "I'm sorry, girls."
"You have nothing to be sorry about, sweetie," Haru said, "Rules are rules and we have to understand that. But the ultimate question is are you going to go?"
"I don't know, darling," Yusuke said, "On the one hand, this trip not only involves my passion and sharing that passion with others in hopes of inspiring a new generation of artists, but I'll get to see the world and make a lot of money from it. On the other hand, I'll be away from you girls for five years. I've never spent that long of a time away from you girls, ever."
"Sounds like you have a lot to think about," Mitsu said.
"I really do, Mitsu," Yusuke said.
"Well, Yusuke, whatever you decide to do in this situation, just know you have our full support," Haru said.
"Thank you, darling," Yusuke said as he held his arms open for a group hug, which his wife and daughters generously gave him.
Later in the afternoon, we see Nariko approaching Sunny Interactive Studios, the game developing company where Riku works at. Once Riku leaves the main building, he sees his girlfriend waiting for him, so he runs up to her and gives her the nicest, warmest hug he could muster.
"Nariko, babe, this is such a nice surprise," Riku smiled as he freed his girlfriend from the hug.
"Just thought you might like to hang out with me for a little bit before you head home," Nariko said.
"That sounds great," Riku said, "Let me just text my folks to let them know I'll be a little late coming home."
As Riku texted his parents, Nariko told him where they'd be going, "I figured we could go to this nice little ice cream shop I found not far from here."
"Cool," Riku said as he finished texting his family, "It's been a while since I had some ice cream."
"Alright, let's go then," Nariko said as she led Riku to the ice cream shop.
In the front of the ice cream shop, we see Nariko and Riku as they sit at a table eating away at their frozen treats as they converse about their day.
"So how was your day, sweetie?" Nariko asked.
"Very productive," Riku said, "We're making great strides in developing the next Deity of Conflict game (God of War), and I think the boss is starting to warm up to my idea of making a new Slick Hooper game (Sly Cooper)."
"That's great," Nariko smiled.
"It sure is," Riku said, "There hasn't been a new game in the series since Slick Hooper: Robbers in Time (Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time). I really want to introduce the next generation to the games we grew up with, you know?"
"Yeah, I get it," Nariko nodded, "But speaking of the next generation, there's something I want to tell you."
"I'm all ears, babe, what is it," Riku asked.
At this point, Nariko started to get very nervous. She wasn't sure how well or how bad Riku would take the news she was about to tell him, so with a deep breath she started talking.
"There's no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to stop beating around the bush and come out and say it," Nariko began, closing her eyes as she got closer to the focal point of her statement, "Riku…you're going to be a dad!"
Nariko opened her eyes to see Riku with a surprised, wide-eyed look on his face. He never would've guessed that this is what his girlfriend had to tell him. He stayed silent for a few more seconds in order to fully process the new reality he was in.
"Did…did you just say…that I'm…" Riku stammered, still in a state of shock and awe.
"Going to be a dad, yes," Nariko nodded, "I'm pregnant."
"N-Nariko…" Riku started to say as Nariko began to fear that the worst-case scenario was happening and that he was taking the news poorly. Fortunately, he continued to talk by saying, "This…this is…amazing!"
"You really mean that?" Nariko asked, some of the fear in her dying down.
"Of course," Riku smiled, "Nariko, for as long as I can remember, I've had the biggest crush on you. And then, sometime after we finally became an item, I started playing around with the idea of maybe one day starting a family with you. And now it's really happening! I'm going to be a dad!"
Riku leapt out of his seat and kneeled himself down next to Nariko so he could rub her stomach.
"Hey, little fella," Riku said, cutely, "I'm your daddy."
"Babe, I'm only a few weeks pregnant," Nariko chuckled, "I don't think they start hearing inside the womb until the fourth month."
"I'm sorry, Nari," Riku said as he stood up, "I just got a little carried away. Man, I can't believe we're actually having a baby. This is so cool!"
"I thought for sure you wouldn't respond well to this news," Riku said.
"Are you kidding?" Riku asked, "I told you before, babe, I love you more than life itself. The idea that you and I are starting a family makes me happier than I've ever been in a long time. Besides, Sunny Interactive is paying me well, so providing for our baby shouldn't be an issue. But back on topic, I can't wait to start this new chapter in life with you, my love."
"Oh, Riku!" Nariko swooned as she got up from her chair so she could hug and kiss her boyfriend. When they stopped their little lovefest, Riku had this to say…
"So, have you told your parents about this yet?"
Nariko was so happy with how well Riku took the news she totally overlooked both hers and Riku's parents, "Crap," she said.
Nariko and Riku soon realized that they're facing a huge problem; how are they going to break the news to their parents?
Later that night, we cut to the Sakamoto Residence where Ryuji and Makoto are getting into their pajamas and making the bed for a good night's sleep. As they prepared themselves for bed, they conversed about everything that happened during their day.
"Did you see Sumire's post on Tweeter about Ichiro?" Makoto asked.
"Yeah, poor guy," Ryuji said, feeling sorry for his gymnast friend, "What do you think he's going to do now? Gymnastics was his whole life."
"I'm sure he'll figure it out," Makoto said, "Especially if he has us, Sumire, and Kas guiding him."
"Onto more positive subjects, I can't believe Hotaru is actually going on an interview with the CEO of International Studios tomorrow," Ryuji said.
"Hotaru has proved time and time again that he's a very talented filmmaker," Makoto said, "It took a while for someone from a film company to recognize his talent, but it happened, and if all goes well he'll be moving onto bigger and better things and he'll get his foot in the door that is the film industry."
"Yeah," Ryuji nodded, "You know, Makie, I'm gonna be honest. When Himari first started going out with Hotaru, I wasn't really too sure what to make of it. He seemed kind of goofy, what with his love for film and how he always struck me as a 'dreamer'."
"Kind of reminds you of Yusuke in a way, right?" Makoto asked.
"A little bit," Ryuji said, "But, Hotaru has shown everyone that he can be a good person, and a loyal boyfriend who is always willing to learn more and do the right thing. And now that he's well on his way to turning his filmmaking passion into a long lasting and successful career, I have no doubts in my mind that Hotaru will be an excellent provider for Himari should they stay together. I think he'll take good care of her."
"I think so too," Makoto said.
"But enough about our friends," Ryuji said, "Let's talk about you."
"What's there to talk about?" Makoto asked.
"Well, you're retired from the police force now, and you have nothing planned," Ryuji answered, "I know you want to spend more time with me, Himari, and all of our friends, but like my mom said there's more to life than just that. You have all of the time in the world now, babe. You could learn a new skill, a new language, anything! The freaking sky's the limit!"
"That's just it," Makoto said, "I don't really know what I want to do now. I originally joined the police force to help the weak just like my father. But now that that's done…I'm having a tough time trying to figure out what comes next."
Makoto turned to her husband with sincerity in her eyes and said, "I feel truly lost, Ryuji. More lost than I have been for quite a while. What should I do?"
Ryuji scratched his chin for a few seconds before coming up with an idea.
"Well, they say you should do what you love," Ryuji said, "And we already know that you love to help the weak and look out for the little man."
"Mmm-hmm," Makoto nodded.
"So, we just need to think about other careers where doing that is possible," Ryuji said, "But to do that, we need to figure out more of your strengths. So let's put our heads together and think."
The couple thought of all of Makoto's strengths before she thought of one.
"I remember being a very persuasive speaker during my time as Shujin Academy Class President," Makoto said.
"There you go!" Ryuji smiled, "So, you like to help people and you can be a persuasive speaker. With these two things in mind…maybe you can be a lawyer?"
"A lawyer?" Makoto asked with intrigue before quickly warming up to the idea, "Yeah, I can see that. The only challenge I see is being able to pay for it. Law school can be pretty expensive, you know."
"Well if we scrimp and save I'm sure we'll be okay," Ryuji said, "On top of that Himari probably won't be hanging around here much longer. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you're serious about becoming a lawyer, babe, we should do everything in our power to make it happen. What do you say?"
Makoto thought for a few minutes before nodding with a confident smirk on her face.
"I'm all in, babe," Makoto said, "Besides, I've never been one to run away from a challenge."
"And that's one of the many reasons why I love you," Ryuji said as he gave Makoto a peck on the cheek.
"How many reasons exactly?" Makoto asked, "And just what are they?"
"Why do you ask?" Ryuji asked, having an idea where his wife was going with this.
"Because, if you start listing them off now, they might give me a little 'incentive' to play with you a little before we go to sleep," Makoto said slyly.
"Oh, okay," Ryuji said with a naughty chuckle, "Well, I love how soft your skin is to the touch."
"Hmm, go on," Makoto giggled as she and Ryuji got underneath the covers.
"And I love how badass you can be," Ryuji said, "I love a girl who can kick my ass."
"Mmm, that's good, but do you love a girl who can grope your ass?" Makoto asked as Ryuji was soon heard giving an aroused chortle.
"You know just what to do to really get me going, Makie," Ryuji said as he and Makoto got to work on each other.
Elsewhere in Tokyo, Sojiro was seen in the currently empty Cafe Leblanc cleaning the last of the dishes. He cleaned it with soap beneath the faucet of the sink before drying it and storing it in a cupboard. With everything taken care of, Sojiro let out a content sigh as he was ready to close shop for the night. He took the keys out from his pocket before making his way to the door. He took one last look at the empty cafe and smiled.
"See you tomorrow," Sojiro said as he closed the door and locked it before heading off for home.
As Sojiro walked home, he whistled a song to himself, happy and content with where his life is at this moment in time. At one point, however, he comes across a crosswalk. Like a good pedestrian, Sojiro waited until he got the okay to walk across the street and continue on his merry way.
Meanwhile, not far from where Sojiro was, a car was seen quickly driving down the road. The driver was seen eating a sandwich as he drove.
Back at the crosswalk, the light that displayed the hand turned into a person walking, meaning it was okay for Sojiro to cross the street.
Back with the driver, he ends up hitting a pothole causing him to drop his sandwich. Stupidly, the driver looks down to pick it up…as he's rapidly approaching the crosswalk that Sojiro is currently walking across.
The driver picked up his sandwich and got his eyes back on the road just in time to see Sojiro walking across the crosswalk! The driver yelps and slams his foot on the break as Sojiro turns in the driver's direction, fear in his eyes.
The screen goes black, and then…
…
…
SLAM!
The last thing we hear before we cut to the final scene of this story is the sound of ambulance sirens.
We then cut to the Mishima Residence where Futaba, Yuuki, Riku, and Mai were seen playing four player mode on New Super Marco Bros. U Deluxe; a nice little way to spend family time at the end of the day and just unwind. Futaba seemed to be in better spirits than she was yesterday. As the family played, they engaged in conversation.
"Have either of you guys seen or heard from Kas?" Mai asked her family, "I feel like she's been trying to avoid me recently."
"She hasn't said anything to us, sis," Riku said, "Maybe we can talk with Aunt Sumire or Uncle Ichiro tomorrow to see if they know what's up."
"Speaking of love lives, how was your date with Nariko today, Riku?" Yuuki asked his son.
"Oh, it was nice," Riku said.
"What's wrong, Riku?" Futaba asked, "I didn't like that tone in your voice. Is everything going okay with you and Nariko?"
Riku knew then and there that there was no getting out of things. He had to tell his family about Nariko's pregnancy and how he was the father. He just hoped that they would respond well to it.
"Well, I've learned something very interesting today," Riku said, "Something I think you all deserve to know."
Futaba, who was player one, paused the game so she, as well as Yuuki and Mai, could concentrate and listen to what Riku had to say.
"What's going on, Riku?" Mai asked her brother.
"Well," Riku began, "What happened was…"
Before Riku could continue, the phone started to ring.
"Who would be calling us at this hour?" Yuuki asked as he went to answer the phone.
"Anyway, Riku, you were saying?" Futaba asked.
"I think I'll wait until dad gets off the phone so I can tell you all together," Riku said as all attention was now on Yuuki who had a look of horror and sorrow on his face as he talked on the phone.
"Oh no, that's horrible!" Yuuki exclaimed, causing his wife and kids' faces to drop "Yeah, we'll be there tomorrow morning to identify the body. Thanks for telling us."
Yuuki hung up the phone and looked at his family, his facial expression being as sad as it's ever been up to this point in life. Not even Kamoshida gave him an expression this downtrodden.
"Babe, what's wrong?" Futaba asked nervously.
"That was the hospital," Yuuki said on the verge of tears, "It's Sojiro…he…he's dead."
"What?" Riku asked in shock.
"Grandpa Sojiro?!" Mai exclaimed as she covered her mouth and tears started streaming down her face.
"Yuuki that is not funny," Futaba scolded, "Faking Sojiro's death wasn't funny when it was an April Fools' joke, and it's especially not funny now!"
Yuuki didn't say anything to Futaba. He was still wearing a depressed look on his face as tears started to stream down his face. Slowly but surely, Futaba realized that this was no joke.
"Yuuki?" Futaba asked, the realization that her father-figure and caretaker is gone, "Yuuki, please tell me this is a joke…please…"
"I'm so sorry, Futaba," Yuuki sobbed as he saw Futaba's eyes widen in shock before she fell to her knees and looked down at the floor.
"Sojiro…no…" Futaba said as tears started to fall from her face, landing on the floor beneath her.
As Futaba started to sob over the death of her father figure, Yuuki, Riku, and Mai helped her back onto the couch so they could hold and comfort her. The family of four cried together as they mourned the death of Sojiro, a beloved friend and family member, who was easily one of the most important figures in both theirs and their friends lives.
Facing the death of Sojiro was only half the battle, however, as tomorrow, they not only had to identify the body, but also tell all of their friends about Sojiro's passing.
After the Mishimas had a good cry, they went up to their respective rooms to try and get a good night's rest, knowing that tomorrow was going to be a rough day for everyone.
TO BE CONTINUED…