One Shot: Somehow a miracle (Part 1)
Title: Somehow a miracle
Pairing: Akame
Author: biggy_chan
Beta: godchild1134
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Not mine
Warnings: Character death
Summary: It was one of those rare days, actually the first time ever, when the bell to Jin's apartment suddenly rang and after opening it, a small girl stood in front of him.
Word Count: ~12400
A/N: This was written more than one year ago that's why it's set in the later half of 2010 and early 2011.
A/N 2: This is probably the last fanfic I'll post. I've written down Akame ideas I got over the course of the last years, if someone is interested or needs a plot bunny go here.
Somehow a miracle
It was one of those rare days, actually the first time ever, when the bell to Jin's apartment suddenly rang and after opening it, a small girl stood in front of him.
~♥~
“What's your name?” he asked her.
Instead of answering she stared at him.
“Who is your mum?”
She still didn't reply so he thought maybe she couldn't speak.
He stood up from the floor he was sitting on and went to the kitchen to bring her a glass of water.
“Here drink this.”
She accepted it with a nod and gulped down the drink that was given to her.
“You know, you have to tell me who your mother is otherwise, you can't go back to her,” he tried to explain and Jin thought that she understood. Upon hearing that, the little girl took out an envelope from her pocket and handed it to him.
“'I'm sure you can take better care of her than I can. I'm sorry’?” he read the letter out loud with disbelief.
~♥~
He took her with him to work.
“You are late again Ji-” Koki stopped when his eyes came upon a little girl that was next to Jin, holding his hand. “What the -”
“Shut up baldy. No profanity in front of her,” Jin interrupted Koki quickly.
“Which woman did you … make love to for you to have such a cute baby girl?” Koki came towards them to pat the girl's little head. “You don't look like your father at all.”
“She is not my daughter. At least that’s what I know,” Jin defended himself but he wasn't really sure if he really wasn't the father of this girl.
“Oh Akanishi, you're finally -” Kame started when he entered the room but didn't finish his sentence when he saw the girl. “Why are you bringing a child to work?”
~♥~
They sat around a table in the dressing room, the little girl playing with Kame's make up kit, much to Kame's displeasure.
“You found her in front of your door?” Koki asked disbelievingly. “So you don't know who the mother is?”
“I don't even know if she is my daughter. I can't remember having one.”
Everybody except Taguchi rolled their eyes.
“She looks like she’s around 3 or 4,” Ueda guessed. “With whom were you around that time?”
“How can I remember? It's too long ago. 3 or 4 years ago …” Jin tried to think of any significant incident during that time.
“2006 until 2007,” Kame said. “We debuted that year and you went to America.”
“Maybe you impregnated a blonde American chick then,” Koki suggested, completely amused.
“She doesn't really look American. She looks Japanese,” Nakamaru told Koki.
“I wasn't with anyone during that time. Really. I would remember it. And she doesn't really look like me does she?”
“But why was she in front of your door then?” Koki asked rhetorically.
“How… should I know,” Jin spat back, even he is clueless right now.
The little girl looked up from the lip balm in her hand and to the arguing adults at the other corner of the room. Kame caught the girl's eyes that moment and smiled at her.
~♥~
The members took their turn to play with the girl whenever they were free during the shoot. Taguchi tried to play the game boy with her but she didn't seem to know how to use it. He then went over to plan B and told her his infamous pun. She laughed happily and clapped her hands.
Koki carried her through the whole JE building and everyone thought Koki became a father. But the thought vanished from their mind since all of them thought that they didn’t look alike. She seemed to like the attention she was getting from everyone though.
Ueda didn't quite know what to do with her. He decided to give her Kame's make up kit and preceded back on writing his song. The next time he turned around to check on her she was curled up next to him on the sofa, soundlessly asleep.
Nakamaru tried too hard to please her yet he failed. She didn't laugh when he beat-boxed, even when he made silly faces. He wanted to give up and call someone else but decided not to when he saw her grabbing the drawing block and the pencil on the table. She was quietly drawing and Nakamaru sighed in relief. He also started to draw a picture for the monthly magazine.
Kame brought her a sandwich and a piece of cake for lunch. She happily chewed on her sandwich and he contentedly sat beside her, watching her eat.
When she finished eating, he let her sit on his lap and combed her long, black hair.
“My name is Kame. What's your name?” he asked her.
“Don't even try. I already did but she doesn't seem to talk to anyone,” Jin responded when he came into the room that moment.
“Maybe she just doesn't like you. So what's your name?” Kame tried again.
She looked up to him with big eyes, she wasn’t replying.
“I already told you, didn't I?”
“How old are you?” Kame tried another question.
She looked at him again and showed him 3 fingers.
Kame looked triumphantly at Jin but the other just shrugged it off. “She would have answered me as well but I didn't think of asking her that.”
“So you're 3 years old. Almost the same age as my niece,” Kame turned back to the girl. “Do you know where your mother is?”
She didn't reply but he was sure that she understood him. He thought the whole thing was quite odd but he couldn't really put his finger on it.
“I think you should give her a name since she doesn't seem to know hers or she just doesn't want to tell us,” Kame said to Jin and the other just nodded. “What are you planning to do with her anyway? Do you want to keep her until her mother comes back to pick her up again?”
“I don't think she will come and pick her up,” Jin told him. “What kind of mother places her child in front of a stranger's door and then disappears like nothing really happened. Plus, the note she left was entirely absurd.”
“What do you plan to do then? You have a job. You can't take care of her the whole day. And you can't take her to work all the time.”
“I... don't know.”
~♥~
They had another discussion at the end of the day.
“You can't give her away!” Koki argued. “You can't do that to her.”
“What other choice does he have Koki?” Kame questioned him because he knew that Koki didn't have a reply to that.
“Do you really want to send her to an orphanage?” Koki asked him back because he knew Kame liked her.
“Of course not but -”
“See! Really Jin, think about it. Can you really just give her into an orphanage?” Koki tried again. He knew himself that he already became too attached to the little girl.
“Koki. Don't put pressure on Jin. Let him decide by himself,” Ueda shut Koki up. “It's your decision Jin. Nobody will blame you if you want to give her to the police or the orphanage. It's not an easy decision.”
Jin looked at the little girl sleeping peacefully in Kame's arms. He knew he couldn't take care of her but he couldn't give her away either.
“I can't give her away. I only met her today but somehow, I really can't send her to an orphanage.”
“It's decided then. Of course we will help you. It’s the least we could do,” Ueda offered everybody's help and Jin was really grateful to them.
~♥~
He took the next day off to go shop for necessary items for the girl.
“Hey. How about this one?” He came back to the girl with a plain, white T-shirt and shorts. She just looked at him and didn't say anything. “No? Okay. I’ll look for something else then.”
When she was out of earshot, Jin quickly dialled Kame's number.
“You have to come and help me. I don't have any sense of fashion and she doesn't seem to like anything I give her. Please come because you have been voted Best Jeanist for 4 consecutive years.”
30 minutes later, Kame entered the shop and Jin sighed in relief.
Kame picked out a few dresses for her and also some T-shirts and skirts. Jin just sat on a chair and watched the two of them quietly. She seemed to like her new clothes because she was smiling brightly when they left the shop.
“Do you need anything else?” Kame asked Jin.
“I wanted to do some groceries. I don't have anything in the fridge and I don't want to feed her with ramen everyday.”
They went together to a nearby convenience store, Kame was holding the child's hand and Jin the shopping bags.
Kame picked a few vegetables and fruits and some other stuff he thought Jin could prepare easily. In the meantime Jin went with her to the snack corner and they placed inconspicuously some chips and chocolate into Kame's basket. When Kame acted as if he didn't notice they giggled happily behind his back. Kame also smiled when they didn't look.
~♥~
Kame went with them to Jin's apartment to put the groceries into the fridge and to prepare some curry for them.
Meanwhile Jin bathed her and let her wear one of her new dresses.
They ate together with a comfortable silence and Jin even offered to do the dishes after they've finished. Kame peeled some tangerines for her to eat and Jin also joined them when he was done.
“Thank you for helping me today,” Jin thanked Kame.
“No problem. I offered you my help so call me whenever you need it.”
They fell into an awkward silence, both avoiding each other's eyes. The little girl looked at them and cocked her head in confusion.
“Where did she sleep yesterday? You don't have a guest room or spare bed, do you?” Kame broke the silence.
“She slept on my bed and I took the sofa. I thought of cleaning my work room. I rarely use it anyway. I’ll make it her room”
Kame nodded in understanding. “I think I'll leave the two of you then. It's getting pretty late already.”
Jin and the girl bid him goodbye at the door. They went back to the table to tidy up the leftovers from the tangerines they ate.
“Won't you at least tell me what your name is?” Jin tried one more time but she just looked at him with big eyes. “I'm not really creative with names you know. But I'll think of something.”
~♥~
Jin didn't want to leave her alone so he took her to work again. Yamada-san wasn't pleased but he couldn't resist her puppy eyes - Jin's puppy eyes as well - so he let her stay.
“Has she said anything since you've found her?” Koki asked him when he was playing cards with her.
“Nope. She seems to understand us though. Maybe she can't speak yet,” Jin shrugged.
“She's already 3. Kids learn to speak at the age of one. Well, Juri could already say mum and dad when he was 1 and a half I think.”
Kame was observing the little child from another corner of the room. He was worried if it was a good idea to let the child stay with Jin.
“Have you decided on a name yet?” he asked Jin then.
“No, I haven't thought of a name that would suit her yet. One day it will come, I think.”
~♥~
Jin brought the girl her lunch during his break and ate with her together. He knew that the whole building was talking about him having impregnated a whore who had died and left the child with him. Kame told him not to listen to them. And he didn't.
“Oh. My. God. Why haven't you told me that you have a child? I'm your best-friend,” Pi dramatically came into the dressing room during lunch break.
“Sorry, everything was a little bit chaotic the past few days,” he apologized half-heartedly and wiped the girl's mouth with a napkin. It wasn't like Pi was really hurt.
“She is so cute! She doesn't look like you though. More like Kame.”
Jin threw a death glare in Pi's direction and the other just held up his hands in defence. “Just kidding. Do you really want to take care of her? I mean you're not really the most responsible person I know.”
“It'll work out somehow,” was his reply and he turned away from his friend.
He knew it wouldn't be easy to raise a child. But somehow, he thought he could do it. There was something inside him that tells him that he couldn't abandon her.
“Hey little girl. My name is Pi. I'll be your new best friend,” Pi told her in a cute voice and patted her head.
“Get away from her pig. You’ll scare her,” Jin batted Pi's hand away and pulled her protectively on his lap.
“Don't be such a di-”
“PI! Don't use such words in front of her! You want to corrupt her innocence?” Jin scolded his friend while covering her ears.
The two of them continued arguing. The little girl just sat on Jin's lap as she watched them with a smile.
~♥~
“You know, now that you're living with me you can call me Dad,” Jin told the girl one evening when they were eating Chinese take-out.
She looked at him but continued to chew on her food.
“I don't know if you've realized it yet but you're going to stay with me now. For… a very long time. So I guess it's alright if you call me Dad. I will call you … I haven't thought of a name yet. Sorry,” he apologized but her expression didn't change.
“You know, for a 3 year old girl you should be able to speak already.”
She still looked at him with big eyes.
“Never mind. Maybe you're the slow type of child.”
She gave him her bowl, requesting for another portion of noodles.
~♥~
“I think you should call her Hana,” Ueda was the first one to suggest a name.
“You're obsession with flowers is getting creepy Uebo. She's definitely an Emi,” was Koki's suggestion.
“How about Junko! It's similar to Jin and Junno!” Taguchi suggested but everyone ignored him.
“Maki sounds nice I think,” Nakamaru said but it reminded Jin too much of his ex-girlfriend.
“Keiko,” Kame said from a corner of the room.
“Keiko ...” Jin murmured the name. He looked at the little girl next to him. “Do you like Keiko?”
She smiled brightly and Jin decided to call her Keiko.
~♥~
Sometimes, he watched her sleeping for hours. He would tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and would caress her cheek softly and carefully for her not to wake up.
He thought she was truly a miracle; he couldn't really explain it himself.
He laughed when he watched her light breathing and how it looked like she was breathing with her stomach; her tummy rising and falling in a slow but steady rhythm.
He wondered if there was anything else that could add up to this happiness he was feeling right now.
~♥~
“Jin, let me take care of Keiko-chan,” Pi begged Jin one day.
“No, I won't let her stay with you! You are bad for her,” Jin argued.
“Please Jin! I'm your best friend and she is your daughter and I didn't get the chance to spend some time with her yet! And now I have the time and you have a shoot to take care of.”
He knew that Pi was right since there was no one else who could take care of Keiko now.
“Only if Koyama is in the room.”
Pi beamed and kissed Keiko's cheek. Jin smacked his head.
~♥~
Jin rushed to NEWS' dressing room the moment they finished the shoot. He was in a rush that he didn't notice Kame's worried look after him.
He was a bit horrified before opening the door. When he did, the first thing he heard was Keiko's cheerful laugh and he felt a bit more relieved. He opened the whole door and saw Keiko drawing on Pi's sleeping face with Koyama and Shige behind her taking pictures.
“What are you doing?” he asked and the three of them turned their head around.
Keiko happily stretched her arms towards Jin when she saw him and Jin complied and knelt next to her looking at his best friend's painted face.
“Yamapi was playing with her so much though he was pretty tired from his last days activities. But he still played with her and soon fell asleep. It was her idea though to draw on his face. We only want to record this,” Koyama explained.
“You've played enough Keiko. Let's go home and let your uncle sleep for a few hours,” Jin said and picked her up. “Thank you for taking care of her. And thank Pi as well. He's really stupid, demanding to take care of her even though he was so tired,” he said but smiled.
When Jin left the room with Keiko on his arm, he didn't notice a sad looking figure standing around the corner. Keiko caught sight of Kame though but frowned when she didn't saw the usual smile on his face.
~♥~
“Want me to cook dinner for the two of you?” Kame asked one day after work. “I'm sure you're only giving her take-out food.”
Jin looked guiltily at the floor and caught sight of Keiko holding his hand. “That would be nice,” he murmured.
They went to Jin's apartment together and Kame immediately started to prepare dinner for the three of them. Jin went to take a bath together with Keiko. They made it a habit to bathe together.
“You like Kame, don't you?” he whispered to the little girl and she nodded her head slightly. Recently, she seemed to respond more to him than at the beginning.
“I knew it,” he told her and smiled brightly. “We were pretty close when we were kids but when we became older, we kind of drifted apart. We're okay now though. It's just that we aren't that close anymore like we used to be. Though, it's really a pity.”
She looked at him with big eyes and he laughed at her. “I don't even know why I'm telling you all this. This will be our little secret all right? You can't tell anybody.”
She nodded enthusiastically and he patted her head, joining their pinkies as they create a vow.
~♥~
“Have you finished with her room?” Kame asked him during dinner.
“No. I haven't found the time for that yet. Whenever I got a day off, I would go with her to the zoo or shopping or to the playground,” Jin told him guiltily.
“How about I take care of her for a day so you can clean the whole room, put your stuff away and everything,” Kame offered his help.
Jin didn't really know why Kame offered his help so many times but honestly, he was glad.
“So you’re still sleeping on the sofa then?” Kame asked him.
“Actually, we've been sleeping together on the bed recently. It just somehow turned out this way and she doesn't seem to mind.”
Kame looked at her and Jin and saw both of them smiling happily at each other.
They looked like a family, he thought.
~♥~
A few days later, both Kame and Jin got a day off. Kame went over to Jin's apartment early in the morning to take care of Keiko for Jin.
“Here, I brought this for you. I thought you might like it.” Kame showed her the hula hoop. “I borrowed it from my niece.”
She looked at it but didn't seem to know how to use it. Kame took the other hula hoop to show her. She tried to move her hips but at the beginning, it would always fall down. She didn't give up though and tried again and again. Kame watched her from the sofa and thought how nice it would be to have a child.
She was practising until lunch time. Kame went to the kitchen to prepare lunch and called both Keiko and Jin when he has finished. Jin came out of Keiko's future room and he let himself fall down on one of the chairs.
“Ahh, I'm so hungry. I really have lots of useless stuff in there,” Jin told Kame and was about to start eating when he noticed that Keiko wasn't there. “Keiko? Kame prepared some lunch for us.”
A few seconds later she also came and sat down on the table with the two men.
“What have you been doing the whole day Keiko-chan?”
She looked at him and smiled brightly, shaking her hips to show him.
“What exactly are you showing her Kame?” Jin asked suspiciously.
“Not what you think, idiot,” Kame laughed. “She's practising the hula hoop.”
“Oh. That's nice. Are you good already? Can you beat Kame?”
She shook her head but her eyes showed that she was determined to do so.
“Thank you for playing with her while I'm cleaning that room. She would be bored and I wouldn't want that,” Jin thanked Kame with a small smile.
“No problem. I like watching her play. She's such a cute child,” Kame said and patted her long hair.
“You know, you can come over whenever you want. I'm sure Keiko-chan would be really happy. She really likes to play with you, right Keiko-chan?”
She nodded and Kame's laugh caused a weird feeling inside Jin's stomach.
~♥~
“You want to watch a film with us before you head home?” Jin asked Kame after dinner.
“Sure, why not.”
The three of them settled down on the sofa, Keiko between Kame and Jin. They decided to watch Jungle Book which Jin and Keiko bought the other day.
Towards the end of the film, they noticed that Keiko had fallen asleep. Jin leaned over to her at the same time as Kame did and suddenly their faces were just inches apart from each other. Kame saw the mole next to Jin's eye which he hasn't seen for a long time. And Jin just stared into Kame's brown orbs, he was thinking whether he should lean forward to catch Kame's lips or should just pull back.
He didn't come to a decision though because Keiko was suddenly stirring under them. They immediately pulled away as far as possible and glanced at different directions.
A few seconds passed and Keiko fell back to sleep.
“I-I-I will carry her into the bedroom,” Jin stuttered and Kame just nodded without meeting Jin's eyes.
Jin leant over and took the little girl into his arms, carrying her into his bedroom to lay her on the bed and cover her with the blanket. By the time he got back to the living room, the film just came to an end. Kame stood up from the sofa and stood awkwardly in front of Jin.
“I think … I should go home,” Kame said.
“Okay. Will you come by tomorrow?” he asked him.
“Maybe. If you want me to.”
“Certainly. I'm sure Keiko would be happy.”
Kame nodded and went to the door to put on his shoes. Jin stood uncomfortably near the door, not really knowing what to do.
“I'll be going then. Good night,” Kame bid him goodbye.
“Good night Kame.”
Part 2
Pairing: Akame
Author: biggy_chan
Beta: godchild1134
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Not mine
Warnings: Character death
Summary: It was one of those rare days, actually the first time ever, when the bell to Jin's apartment suddenly rang and after opening it, a small girl stood in front of him.
Word Count: ~12400
A/N: This was written more than one year ago that's why it's set in the later half of 2010 and early 2011.
A/N 2: This is probably the last fanfic I'll post. I've written down Akame ideas I got over the course of the last years, if someone is interested or needs a plot bunny go here.
Somehow a miracle
It was one of those rare days, actually the first time ever, when the bell to Jin's apartment suddenly rang and after opening it, a small girl stood in front of him.
~♥~
“What's your name?” he asked her.
Instead of answering she stared at him.
“Who is your mum?”
She still didn't reply so he thought maybe she couldn't speak.
He stood up from the floor he was sitting on and went to the kitchen to bring her a glass of water.
“Here drink this.”
She accepted it with a nod and gulped down the drink that was given to her.
“You know, you have to tell me who your mother is otherwise, you can't go back to her,” he tried to explain and Jin thought that she understood. Upon hearing that, the little girl took out an envelope from her pocket and handed it to him.
“'I'm sure you can take better care of her than I can. I'm sorry’?” he read the letter out loud with disbelief.
~♥~
He took her with him to work.
“You are late again Ji-” Koki stopped when his eyes came upon a little girl that was next to Jin, holding his hand. “What the -”
“Shut up baldy. No profanity in front of her,” Jin interrupted Koki quickly.
“Which woman did you … make love to for you to have such a cute baby girl?” Koki came towards them to pat the girl's little head. “You don't look like your father at all.”
“She is not my daughter. At least that’s what I know,” Jin defended himself but he wasn't really sure if he really wasn't the father of this girl.
“Oh Akanishi, you're finally -” Kame started when he entered the room but didn't finish his sentence when he saw the girl. “Why are you bringing a child to work?”
~♥~
They sat around a table in the dressing room, the little girl playing with Kame's make up kit, much to Kame's displeasure.
“You found her in front of your door?” Koki asked disbelievingly. “So you don't know who the mother is?”
“I don't even know if she is my daughter. I can't remember having one.”
Everybody except Taguchi rolled their eyes.
“She looks like she’s around 3 or 4,” Ueda guessed. “With whom were you around that time?”
“How can I remember? It's too long ago. 3 or 4 years ago …” Jin tried to think of any significant incident during that time.
“2006 until 2007,” Kame said. “We debuted that year and you went to America.”
“Maybe you impregnated a blonde American chick then,” Koki suggested, completely amused.
“She doesn't really look American. She looks Japanese,” Nakamaru told Koki.
“I wasn't with anyone during that time. Really. I would remember it. And she doesn't really look like me does she?”
“But why was she in front of your door then?” Koki asked rhetorically.
“How… should I know,” Jin spat back, even he is clueless right now.
The little girl looked up from the lip balm in her hand and to the arguing adults at the other corner of the room. Kame caught the girl's eyes that moment and smiled at her.
~♥~
The members took their turn to play with the girl whenever they were free during the shoot. Taguchi tried to play the game boy with her but she didn't seem to know how to use it. He then went over to plan B and told her his infamous pun. She laughed happily and clapped her hands.
Koki carried her through the whole JE building and everyone thought Koki became a father. But the thought vanished from their mind since all of them thought that they didn’t look alike. She seemed to like the attention she was getting from everyone though.
Ueda didn't quite know what to do with her. He decided to give her Kame's make up kit and preceded back on writing his song. The next time he turned around to check on her she was curled up next to him on the sofa, soundlessly asleep.
Nakamaru tried too hard to please her yet he failed. She didn't laugh when he beat-boxed, even when he made silly faces. He wanted to give up and call someone else but decided not to when he saw her grabbing the drawing block and the pencil on the table. She was quietly drawing and Nakamaru sighed in relief. He also started to draw a picture for the monthly magazine.
Kame brought her a sandwich and a piece of cake for lunch. She happily chewed on her sandwich and he contentedly sat beside her, watching her eat.
When she finished eating, he let her sit on his lap and combed her long, black hair.
“My name is Kame. What's your name?” he asked her.
“Don't even try. I already did but she doesn't seem to talk to anyone,” Jin responded when he came into the room that moment.
“Maybe she just doesn't like you. So what's your name?” Kame tried again.
She looked up to him with big eyes, she wasn’t replying.
“I already told you, didn't I?”
“How old are you?” Kame tried another question.
She looked at him again and showed him 3 fingers.
Kame looked triumphantly at Jin but the other just shrugged it off. “She would have answered me as well but I didn't think of asking her that.”
“So you're 3 years old. Almost the same age as my niece,” Kame turned back to the girl. “Do you know where your mother is?”
She didn't reply but he was sure that she understood him. He thought the whole thing was quite odd but he couldn't really put his finger on it.
“I think you should give her a name since she doesn't seem to know hers or she just doesn't want to tell us,” Kame said to Jin and the other just nodded. “What are you planning to do with her anyway? Do you want to keep her until her mother comes back to pick her up again?”
“I don't think she will come and pick her up,” Jin told him. “What kind of mother places her child in front of a stranger's door and then disappears like nothing really happened. Plus, the note she left was entirely absurd.”
“What do you plan to do then? You have a job. You can't take care of her the whole day. And you can't take her to work all the time.”
“I... don't know.”
~♥~
They had another discussion at the end of the day.
“You can't give her away!” Koki argued. “You can't do that to her.”
“What other choice does he have Koki?” Kame questioned him because he knew that Koki didn't have a reply to that.
“Do you really want to send her to an orphanage?” Koki asked him back because he knew Kame liked her.
“Of course not but -”
“See! Really Jin, think about it. Can you really just give her into an orphanage?” Koki tried again. He knew himself that he already became too attached to the little girl.
“Koki. Don't put pressure on Jin. Let him decide by himself,” Ueda shut Koki up. “It's your decision Jin. Nobody will blame you if you want to give her to the police or the orphanage. It's not an easy decision.”
Jin looked at the little girl sleeping peacefully in Kame's arms. He knew he couldn't take care of her but he couldn't give her away either.
“I can't give her away. I only met her today but somehow, I really can't send her to an orphanage.”
“It's decided then. Of course we will help you. It’s the least we could do,” Ueda offered everybody's help and Jin was really grateful to them.
~♥~
He took the next day off to go shop for necessary items for the girl.
“Hey. How about this one?” He came back to the girl with a plain, white T-shirt and shorts. She just looked at him and didn't say anything. “No? Okay. I’ll look for something else then.”
When she was out of earshot, Jin quickly dialled Kame's number.
“You have to come and help me. I don't have any sense of fashion and she doesn't seem to like anything I give her. Please come because you have been voted Best Jeanist for 4 consecutive years.”
30 minutes later, Kame entered the shop and Jin sighed in relief.
Kame picked out a few dresses for her and also some T-shirts and skirts. Jin just sat on a chair and watched the two of them quietly. She seemed to like her new clothes because she was smiling brightly when they left the shop.
“Do you need anything else?” Kame asked Jin.
“I wanted to do some groceries. I don't have anything in the fridge and I don't want to feed her with ramen everyday.”
They went together to a nearby convenience store, Kame was holding the child's hand and Jin the shopping bags.
Kame picked a few vegetables and fruits and some other stuff he thought Jin could prepare easily. In the meantime Jin went with her to the snack corner and they placed inconspicuously some chips and chocolate into Kame's basket. When Kame acted as if he didn't notice they giggled happily behind his back. Kame also smiled when they didn't look.
~♥~
Kame went with them to Jin's apartment to put the groceries into the fridge and to prepare some curry for them.
Meanwhile Jin bathed her and let her wear one of her new dresses.
They ate together with a comfortable silence and Jin even offered to do the dishes after they've finished. Kame peeled some tangerines for her to eat and Jin also joined them when he was done.
“Thank you for helping me today,” Jin thanked Kame.
“No problem. I offered you my help so call me whenever you need it.”
They fell into an awkward silence, both avoiding each other's eyes. The little girl looked at them and cocked her head in confusion.
“Where did she sleep yesterday? You don't have a guest room or spare bed, do you?” Kame broke the silence.
“She slept on my bed and I took the sofa. I thought of cleaning my work room. I rarely use it anyway. I’ll make it her room”
Kame nodded in understanding. “I think I'll leave the two of you then. It's getting pretty late already.”
Jin and the girl bid him goodbye at the door. They went back to the table to tidy up the leftovers from the tangerines they ate.
“Won't you at least tell me what your name is?” Jin tried one more time but she just looked at him with big eyes. “I'm not really creative with names you know. But I'll think of something.”
~♥~
Jin didn't want to leave her alone so he took her to work again. Yamada-san wasn't pleased but he couldn't resist her puppy eyes - Jin's puppy eyes as well - so he let her stay.
“Has she said anything since you've found her?” Koki asked him when he was playing cards with her.
“Nope. She seems to understand us though. Maybe she can't speak yet,” Jin shrugged.
“She's already 3. Kids learn to speak at the age of one. Well, Juri could already say mum and dad when he was 1 and a half I think.”
Kame was observing the little child from another corner of the room. He was worried if it was a good idea to let the child stay with Jin.
“Have you decided on a name yet?” he asked Jin then.
“No, I haven't thought of a name that would suit her yet. One day it will come, I think.”
~♥~
Jin brought the girl her lunch during his break and ate with her together. He knew that the whole building was talking about him having impregnated a whore who had died and left the child with him. Kame told him not to listen to them. And he didn't.
“Oh. My. God. Why haven't you told me that you have a child? I'm your best-friend,” Pi dramatically came into the dressing room during lunch break.
“Sorry, everything was a little bit chaotic the past few days,” he apologized half-heartedly and wiped the girl's mouth with a napkin. It wasn't like Pi was really hurt.
“She is so cute! She doesn't look like you though. More like Kame.”
Jin threw a death glare in Pi's direction and the other just held up his hands in defence. “Just kidding. Do you really want to take care of her? I mean you're not really the most responsible person I know.”
“It'll work out somehow,” was his reply and he turned away from his friend.
He knew it wouldn't be easy to raise a child. But somehow, he thought he could do it. There was something inside him that tells him that he couldn't abandon her.
“Hey little girl. My name is Pi. I'll be your new best friend,” Pi told her in a cute voice and patted her head.
“Get away from her pig. You’ll scare her,” Jin batted Pi's hand away and pulled her protectively on his lap.
“Don't be such a di-”
“PI! Don't use such words in front of her! You want to corrupt her innocence?” Jin scolded his friend while covering her ears.
The two of them continued arguing. The little girl just sat on Jin's lap as she watched them with a smile.
~♥~
“You know, now that you're living with me you can call me Dad,” Jin told the girl one evening when they were eating Chinese take-out.
She looked at him but continued to chew on her food.
“I don't know if you've realized it yet but you're going to stay with me now. For… a very long time. So I guess it's alright if you call me Dad. I will call you … I haven't thought of a name yet. Sorry,” he apologized but her expression didn't change.
“You know, for a 3 year old girl you should be able to speak already.”
She still looked at him with big eyes.
“Never mind. Maybe you're the slow type of child.”
She gave him her bowl, requesting for another portion of noodles.
~♥~
“I think you should call her Hana,” Ueda was the first one to suggest a name.
“You're obsession with flowers is getting creepy Uebo. She's definitely an Emi,” was Koki's suggestion.
“How about Junko! It's similar to Jin and Junno!” Taguchi suggested but everyone ignored him.
“Maki sounds nice I think,” Nakamaru said but it reminded Jin too much of his ex-girlfriend.
“Keiko,” Kame said from a corner of the room.
“Keiko ...” Jin murmured the name. He looked at the little girl next to him. “Do you like Keiko?”
She smiled brightly and Jin decided to call her Keiko.
~♥~
Sometimes, he watched her sleeping for hours. He would tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and would caress her cheek softly and carefully for her not to wake up.
He thought she was truly a miracle; he couldn't really explain it himself.
He laughed when he watched her light breathing and how it looked like she was breathing with her stomach; her tummy rising and falling in a slow but steady rhythm.
He wondered if there was anything else that could add up to this happiness he was feeling right now.
~♥~
“Jin, let me take care of Keiko-chan,” Pi begged Jin one day.
“No, I won't let her stay with you! You are bad for her,” Jin argued.
“Please Jin! I'm your best friend and she is your daughter and I didn't get the chance to spend some time with her yet! And now I have the time and you have a shoot to take care of.”
He knew that Pi was right since there was no one else who could take care of Keiko now.
“Only if Koyama is in the room.”
Pi beamed and kissed Keiko's cheek. Jin smacked his head.
~♥~
Jin rushed to NEWS' dressing room the moment they finished the shoot. He was in a rush that he didn't notice Kame's worried look after him.
He was a bit horrified before opening the door. When he did, the first thing he heard was Keiko's cheerful laugh and he felt a bit more relieved. He opened the whole door and saw Keiko drawing on Pi's sleeping face with Koyama and Shige behind her taking pictures.
“What are you doing?” he asked and the three of them turned their head around.
Keiko happily stretched her arms towards Jin when she saw him and Jin complied and knelt next to her looking at his best friend's painted face.
“Yamapi was playing with her so much though he was pretty tired from his last days activities. But he still played with her and soon fell asleep. It was her idea though to draw on his face. We only want to record this,” Koyama explained.
“You've played enough Keiko. Let's go home and let your uncle sleep for a few hours,” Jin said and picked her up. “Thank you for taking care of her. And thank Pi as well. He's really stupid, demanding to take care of her even though he was so tired,” he said but smiled.
When Jin left the room with Keiko on his arm, he didn't notice a sad looking figure standing around the corner. Keiko caught sight of Kame though but frowned when she didn't saw the usual smile on his face.
~♥~
“Want me to cook dinner for the two of you?” Kame asked one day after work. “I'm sure you're only giving her take-out food.”
Jin looked guiltily at the floor and caught sight of Keiko holding his hand. “That would be nice,” he murmured.
They went to Jin's apartment together and Kame immediately started to prepare dinner for the three of them. Jin went to take a bath together with Keiko. They made it a habit to bathe together.
“You like Kame, don't you?” he whispered to the little girl and she nodded her head slightly. Recently, she seemed to respond more to him than at the beginning.
“I knew it,” he told her and smiled brightly. “We were pretty close when we were kids but when we became older, we kind of drifted apart. We're okay now though. It's just that we aren't that close anymore like we used to be. Though, it's really a pity.”
She looked at him with big eyes and he laughed at her. “I don't even know why I'm telling you all this. This will be our little secret all right? You can't tell anybody.”
She nodded enthusiastically and he patted her head, joining their pinkies as they create a vow.
~♥~
“Have you finished with her room?” Kame asked him during dinner.
“No. I haven't found the time for that yet. Whenever I got a day off, I would go with her to the zoo or shopping or to the playground,” Jin told him guiltily.
“How about I take care of her for a day so you can clean the whole room, put your stuff away and everything,” Kame offered his help.
Jin didn't really know why Kame offered his help so many times but honestly, he was glad.
“So you’re still sleeping on the sofa then?” Kame asked him.
“Actually, we've been sleeping together on the bed recently. It just somehow turned out this way and she doesn't seem to mind.”
Kame looked at her and Jin and saw both of them smiling happily at each other.
They looked like a family, he thought.
~♥~
A few days later, both Kame and Jin got a day off. Kame went over to Jin's apartment early in the morning to take care of Keiko for Jin.
“Here, I brought this for you. I thought you might like it.” Kame showed her the hula hoop. “I borrowed it from my niece.”
She looked at it but didn't seem to know how to use it. Kame took the other hula hoop to show her. She tried to move her hips but at the beginning, it would always fall down. She didn't give up though and tried again and again. Kame watched her from the sofa and thought how nice it would be to have a child.
She was practising until lunch time. Kame went to the kitchen to prepare lunch and called both Keiko and Jin when he has finished. Jin came out of Keiko's future room and he let himself fall down on one of the chairs.
“Ahh, I'm so hungry. I really have lots of useless stuff in there,” Jin told Kame and was about to start eating when he noticed that Keiko wasn't there. “Keiko? Kame prepared some lunch for us.”
A few seconds later she also came and sat down on the table with the two men.
“What have you been doing the whole day Keiko-chan?”
She looked at him and smiled brightly, shaking her hips to show him.
“What exactly are you showing her Kame?” Jin asked suspiciously.
“Not what you think, idiot,” Kame laughed. “She's practising the hula hoop.”
“Oh. That's nice. Are you good already? Can you beat Kame?”
She shook her head but her eyes showed that she was determined to do so.
“Thank you for playing with her while I'm cleaning that room. She would be bored and I wouldn't want that,” Jin thanked Kame with a small smile.
“No problem. I like watching her play. She's such a cute child,” Kame said and patted her long hair.
“You know, you can come over whenever you want. I'm sure Keiko-chan would be really happy. She really likes to play with you, right Keiko-chan?”
She nodded and Kame's laugh caused a weird feeling inside Jin's stomach.
~♥~
“You want to watch a film with us before you head home?” Jin asked Kame after dinner.
“Sure, why not.”
The three of them settled down on the sofa, Keiko between Kame and Jin. They decided to watch Jungle Book which Jin and Keiko bought the other day.
Towards the end of the film, they noticed that Keiko had fallen asleep. Jin leaned over to her at the same time as Kame did and suddenly their faces were just inches apart from each other. Kame saw the mole next to Jin's eye which he hasn't seen for a long time. And Jin just stared into Kame's brown orbs, he was thinking whether he should lean forward to catch Kame's lips or should just pull back.
He didn't come to a decision though because Keiko was suddenly stirring under them. They immediately pulled away as far as possible and glanced at different directions.
A few seconds passed and Keiko fell back to sleep.
“I-I-I will carry her into the bedroom,” Jin stuttered and Kame just nodded without meeting Jin's eyes.
Jin leant over and took the little girl into his arms, carrying her into his bedroom to lay her on the bed and cover her with the blanket. By the time he got back to the living room, the film just came to an end. Kame stood up from the sofa and stood awkwardly in front of Jin.
“I think … I should go home,” Kame said.
“Okay. Will you come by tomorrow?” he asked him.
“Maybe. If you want me to.”
“Certainly. I'm sure Keiko would be happy.”
Kame nodded and went to the door to put on his shoes. Jin stood uncomfortably near the door, not really knowing what to do.
“I'll be going then. Good night,” Kame bid him goodbye.
“Good night Kame.”
Part 2