fic for bellemelody (1/3)
Title: Hoshi no Miyako
Author: norilys
Pairing: Akame. Kame x OC. Yamapi x OC
Word count: 19,577 words
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: English is not my first language. First time attempting such an epic fantasy!AU fic. Difference in age between Jin and Kazuya, and I took some liberties to fix it. Also the length kind of got out of control, sorry
Notes: I wanna say thank you to my recipient, bellemelody, for giving me the best excuse to try out such a genre. I’ve stalked your journal to get a better idea of what to offer to you, so hopefully this can not only meet your expectations, but also be something you’d deeply enjoy. Thanks to my lovely beta for everything, and I mean everything! ♥
“Hoshi no Miyako” is the title of one song by a visual key band and can be translated as the Capital of Stars.
Summary: The Capital of Stars… A magic place where soul mates can meet their fate together. A place where forever actually exists…
Hoshi no Miyako
“You’re ready, my son”
Those words, and a soft brush of lips on his forehead, filled the young man’s heart with a warm feeling of security even as he was leaving the comforting safety of his home, the arms of his loving mother setting him free to the world.
He braced himself with every step he took with no direction, only his heart and instincts as his only compass from now on as his mother had taught him since he was born. He was ready now to face his destiny, just as he had been told right before starting off his journey.
As the son of an old powerful Wise Man, Jin had been raised in the art of magic by his Mother since a very young age. Being the first born, Jin had inherited a great amount of powers from both his parents and had spent the last decades learning how to accept, use, control and harmonize them all, while taking care of his Mother and younger brother in behalf of his always errant Father.
But now it was the time for Jin to take on the biggest of challenges and the only one that could bring him real satisfaction: to live a free, inspired life.
His steps take him into a crowded city as his eyes try to adjust to the plodding change from his lovely small family house on the countryside surrounded by bright colors of green, brown and blue to the sudden heavy grey-filled sight of buildings and cars and asphalt.
There’s an almost hidden place at one side of the main street that catches Jin’s attention despite of his curious interest being scattered on every single detail around him. It seems to be a simple shop, people going in and out of it with slight smiles on their faces.
Still, Jin can’t stop his curious nature to dictate the steps that bring him inside the almost trivial shop. He understands life is not just about purpose and work, and so he freely allows himself to indulge a bit in his whim.
The shop -a little café- is as nice and comfy as it appears to be on the exterior, just a small place full of chatty and happy people in a relaxed atmosphere that brings everyone together under the intoxicating smell of tasty grains of coffee turned into such a rich, flavorful infusion.
He stands motionless at one side of the front door, taking in the vibes around him as much as he can, his eyes turning dreamy.
“Can I offer you something?” a petite young girl startles him out of his reverie, even when her tone was nothing but sweet.
He tilts his head as his eyes wander from the bow on the tip of her reddish hair to the cute black shoes covering her feet, but his gaze soon goes back to the electric blue star shining almost blindingly on her chest. Even when he knows he might be the only person in that place trained to perceive it, he wonders how it is nobody else notes such a beautiful sight.
It’s a shame, Jin thinks before his eyes return to the girl’s face and he shakes his head no, that such a bright spectacle goes unnoticed to the world.
“Thanks” he remembers to mutter before the girl walks to attend the costumers sitting at a nearby table.
Jin has spent the last half hour walking around the coffee shop, still not ready to say goodbye to the cozy place. He can feel the magic bubbling, his fingertips tickling with the palpable feeling of magical enchantment in that place of service and peace of mind.
It takes most of his self-control not to use his powers there and he mentally thanks the Gods protecting him for the board of messages that takes his mind out of the temptation.
There are colorful flyers about music festivals flooding the board and he smiles just thinking about the kind of magic music could evoke in him when so many hearts reunite to share the same burning passion. His smile stretches to a goofy grin when he can see himself flying above the multitude of people ¬-because of them- before he notices again the warm electric blue light standing behind his back even before he feels there’s a person standing so close to him, and Jin stays still without turning to face his companion.
“It sounds pretty awesome, right?”
That’s a deep, nasal voice -a very distinctive masculine voice, to be precise- coming from where the sweet feminine tone of the petite girl should have come from.
The unexpected sound drives Jin to turn on his heels and look with eyes wide open directly at the chest of this person who is definitely not the petite waitress. Not that he needs a confirmation from the electric blue star that is evidently shining there.
He’s about to voice out the obvious, “You’re not the waitress”, but instead he opts for something less embarrassing.
“Eh?” is what leaves his lips instead.
The brown-haired guy next to him replies with a weirded out grin, before tapping a few times one of the ads pinned to the board with one slender finger. Jin focuses on it and reads about a guy looking for a roommate to share his comfortable apartment a few blocks away from the café, right downtown. He recalls the words that the boy had spoken at first.
“Is it really that awesome?” he asks the guy, noting he hasn’t really thought about a place to stay since he’s left his home. He receives a coolly nod in response.
“I’ve heard the guy renting is even more awesome than his flat… And that is saying a lot, y’know?”
Jin doesn’t know how to reply to that, so he settles with a nod. The price on the notice seems quite cheap and he’s sure he can talk to the owner of the apartment to let him stay even if he doesn’t have a job yet. There is any job offer on the board, so Jin decides he’ll search for one after getting a shelter at least for the night.
“Can you tell me how to get there?” he asks the brown-haired, tugging his backpack more securely on his shoulder “I really need a place to crash…”
“I can do something even better…”
It turns out the guy is a waiter at the coffee shop -Jin still can’t believe he has actually managed to overlook the uniform while they have been speaking- and he offers to take Jin personally to the flat from the announcement. All Jin has to do is wait aside until his shift finishes and then, they walk side by side through the city, under the quickly darkening sky.
Yamashita Tomohisa, which turns to be the name of the guy who is also one year younger than Jin, doesn’t stop talking all the way to the building, pointing restaurants, bars, shops and even the subway station that are located near the apartment for rent, and many other benefits of the place.
“See the lift doesn’t work? That’s actually good, because the flat’s on the fifth floor, Jin. Can I call you Jin? So, the fifth floor, right? And that gives you plenty of exercise everyday… Y’know, girls don’t like lazy-ass guys with no fitted bodies, bro” he says while wriggling his eyebrows as they reach the door of apartment 508.
Jin is not really surprised when Yamashita-kun takes the key out of his pocket and opens the door to his flat and invites him in.
“I told you it was awesome, right?” he says as Jin places his shoes at the entrance and fully takes sight of the medium size apartment, completely furnished in a simple but modern style “But that’s enough about me, let’s talk about the apartment” Yamashita adds with a cheeky grin.
Jin laughs at the joke with the same easiness he has been talking to the guy in front of him. He likes how he feels inside the apartment, which is very important for him and his powers -there’s a big window in the living room from which he could gaze at the stars on sleepless nights, a lot of cushions on the couches for him to practice some magic, and he’s even sure he could totally convince Yamashita-kun to get some plants for the fairies to visit him when he gets too lonely- and he’s sure this is the best option for him to stay in.
Hell, he has been sure about it since he’s first talked to Yamashita!
“It is awesome, indeed” he concedes with honesty and places his backpack in one of the black-leather couches, turning his expression a bit more serious “Now, Yamashita-kun, the question is whether you’d take in a jobless 21 years old guy or not…”
The guy seems to ponder for a while over the sudden question, a bit taken aback by the fact that such a good-looking, charming guy in a completely non-homosexual way could be jobless when he could easily be modeling for a living or even being one of those sparkling idols from TV.
Yamashita doesn’t really need to ponder for much time, though, and quickly extends a friendly hand to Jin.
“I think I got myself a roommate and you just got a place to crash…” Jin shakes hands enthusiastically with him, a radiant smile on his lips that convinces Yamashita more about his potential as model, to the very least “And call me YamaPi”
It takes over two days for Jin to step out of the flat again, the comfort and security it brings to his life turning off the light of curiosity and confidence his mother had lit when they said goodbye.
“So, is this a computer!? Isn’t it a bit… small?” Jin changes easily from deadpan surprised to genuinely worried when he finally meets face to face with the machine “Maybe your computer is sick?”
YamaPi watches with a slight smile that fades away when he realizes Jin is not joking around.
“It’s not sick- That’s a laptop, y’know?” he stares in awe at the confused gaze Jin offers him in exchange “A compact computer…?”
There’s a moment of hesitation lingering in the air before Jin goes back to his initial excitement over the small device. Yamashita doesn’t know how to even begin to react anymore.
“I see, I see! A laptop, eh? Mom only talked about computers, though, that’s why I didn’t have the slightest idea about laptops” Jin sits on the couch, facing with curious eyes the coffee table where the device is placed “The face she’ll make when I tell her about it!”
YamaPi decides against questioning Jin’s mental health anymore. He has heard enough about those people who grow up isolated from the modern society to be so freaked out right now. He just has never imagined he’d meet one. Ever.
Realizing he has been quiet for far too long, he sits close to Jin and puts the device on his lap.
“You’ve never seen a computer before, right?” He smiles at the face Jin makes while shaking his head “Really, who could have guessed you’ve been living under a rock all these years?”
Jin just pouts to the teasing of his friend.
“Only gnomes live under a rock. Mu house was perfectly normal, thank you very much!” he feels the need to protest.
For the rest of the afternoon Yamashita gets to teach him the basics on how to handle a laptop and, given that Jin is such a surprisingly fast learner despite of the bunch of questions he throws at YamaPi, he even gets to surf the net for the first time. The younger man figures it’ll get handy for him n the future if Jin learns how to google his questions before he starts asking him how the TV works.
When he takes off to his late shift at the café later that day, he leaves Jin reading about kinky stuff with wide eyes.
One Sunday afternoon finds the two young men lying comfortably in the living room of their shared apartment.
“You should give that little girl from the café a chance, you know?” Jin says, trying his best to sound casual, but failing miserably.
Yamashita throws him a glance, frowning.
“Shiori-chan?”
Jin hasn’t yet learned the name of the girl sharing the same star as his friend, but still a victorious grin creeps its way up to his mouth, his eyes sparkling as well.
Deep inside, he doesn’t need to know her name to know it’s her Pi is talking about.
“You like her” Jin points out, his grin only widening at the obvious tint of pink shadowing YamaPi’s face.
“Shut up!”
It’s been over a week already and Jin finally feels like he can go outside his flat without depending completely on his powers. He appreciates the extra training in the real world, but he definitely prefers the feeling of comfort and safety now that he understands the world a bit better.
Yamashita-kun happens to be an excellent roommate, Jin notices with a smile as he gets out of the apartment.
Never one to stay still once curiosity strikes him, Jin is quite aware of how annoying he can come off as at times. But not even once has YamaPi refused to answer any of his questions nor has he ever blown up at him because of his insistence.
Jin wanders through the city. His steps are somehow confident, but his heart is filled with uncertainty.
He keeps wondering if he’s truly ready.
He doesn’t feel like it, though.
He isn’t quite sure when he has left downtown behind as he is now surrounded by houses instead of shopping malls and stores, but he doesn’t take much notice of it as his eyes lay on a crying mother holding her baby closely to her chest as her tears spill on him, the intensity of her sobs rocking both her body and her baby’s with a sad cadence. There’s a stronger force, one beyond Jin’s own understanding, urging him to her side in such an insistent way that he complies with it even before realizing his actions.
He doesn’t ponder much over it as his mother has always taught him not to question his heart or intuition.
“Are you okay? Can I help you?” Jin asks with a soft voice that lets out his honest concern for the lady, a firm hand holding her back with soothing caresses.
The woman, slumped and defeated on the ground, needs a moment to recognize there’s a presence standing by her side. It’s like waking up from a dream -a nightmare-, the mantle of despair uncovers her eyes all of a sudden and she grips Jin’s simple t-shirt with a desperate hand as the other remains holding her child, always close to her.
“My son…” she cries in an agonizing whisper and new tears make their way down her clean face, burying down the traces of the ones already dried, “is gone… My son…”
It takes three deep breaths and the never-ending contact of his strokes on her back for Jin to calm down the lady. He doesn’t like to influence other people’s feelings like this, but he is certain this time, it’s needed for him to help her out.
It’s only a few moments after that that the lady manages to tell him in between chocked words about her plan to take her two sons out to the park for the day, how she only looked away for a second, and how she found the front door opened, before despair triggers out again and Jin can’t make out any other word.
He breathes deeply once again, not for the sake of the crying lady, but this time, out of relief. The images she casted in his mind, clearer than any of the words she said, tell him about the whereabouts of the kid.
Jin isn’t quite sure if the feeling washing over his whole body the moment he realizes the boy is safe is only alleviation -the knot untying in his chest and his rapid heartbeats right afterwards urging him to cry out of happiness tell him of a much different, greater feeling.
He lets the lady -she introduces herself as Kamenashi Misako-san- lead their way to her house, just a couple of blocks away. At first, she feels reluctant, telling him to help her search around for the little boy instead but soon, Jin manages to convince her it’s for the best to just go back home.
“Sometimes, we just need to let God surprise us with miracles,” he simply says as they walk side by side.
There’s something so calming in Jin’s vivid brown eyes that Mrs. Kamenashi can’t help but share her story with the young man and soon, she is letting out all the hardships of being a single mother of two children too young to understand the situation their father has left behind him.
It’s a sad story and really close to Jin’s heart because of his own upbringing. He has never felt left behind by his father despite of his absence in his life, nor has he really pondered whether it had been that hard for his mother to raise both him and his brother alone.
There are a lot of mixed emotions overflowing him and so, he lets his guard down again, his instinct taking over his actions.
“You need help…” he says before anyone could stop him, especially when there isn’t anybody around to do so. He tries his best to fix his words, but when he sees the woman looking at the ground in agreement, he lets his out his true feelings and hopes for the best result. “I mean… I’d really like to help you, Kamenashi-san.”
There’s a moment of confusion flashing brightly in her eyes that quickly vanishes into hope and gratefulness, as if she has been waiting to hear those exact words for too long to remember.
“I’d like that,” she mutters with the first glimpse of a smile Jin has seen on her since they met. Somehow, for him, it feels as the sign that he has chosen the right path to follow, even when, as usual, that path isn’t clear enough for him just yet. But he can’t wait to discover what lies in front of him, and the reassurance from his mother resurfaces in the form of Kamenashi-san’s sparkling eyes when they reach her home.
The lady isn’t really surprised to see her eldest son waiting for her inside their house, gripping tightly his teddy bear as if trusting it with his life.
The kid smiles to his mother, asking silently for her forgiveness to his cruel prank. It’s obvious he doesn’t really understand the seriousness of the situation, but his mother is too happy to have him sound and safe to even scold him. Jin watches the touching scene of Kamenashi-san crouching down in front of him and holding him tight, still with her baby in arms, whispering her eldest son’s name in between kisses of pure affection.
It’s not the portrait of a perfect family. They’re broken and barely surviving, Jin can sense it. But Jin also knows there’s not such a thing as “perfect” and he’s sure they’ll find their ways with time.
When the mother seems to remember his presence, she detaches herself from the 6 years old boy and clears her throat loudly, standing next to the young man to bring all the attention to him.
It’s only then, when the little boy locks his gaze on Jin’s, brows furrowed and eyes shining with passion and fire as he stands proudly trying to look taller, that Jin fully takes on the realization of everything… His path, his destiny, his raison d’être…
“Kazuya, look, this young man here is going to help us for a while,” his mother tells him in her softest voice, directing all her attention to her son. “He is going to take care of you and Yuya when I’m at work…”
“Who are you?” Kazuya ignores the sweet words from his mother, but Jin understands where the rebellious attitude comes from. Without his father, Kazuya is the man of the house and that’s the line he’s so bravely trying to draw here.
Jin likes it, because he knows he would have done the exact same thing being in Kazuya’s place -plus some simple magic tricks to freak the intruder.
“I’m Akanishi Jin,” he introduces himself with seriousness, with the same kind respect he shows to every living creature. He’s not sucking up to Kazuya for his approval -he knows he doesn’t need to, especially because kids are his specialty. “Let’s work hard not to worry your mom again, ne~”
Despite being obviously suspicious of him, Jin notices the slight nod from the boy and then, under the loving stare of Kazuya’s mom, Jin takes a few tentative steps towards him until he is face to face with Kazuya. He crouches in front of the boy with big, round eyes, and leans in to drop in a whispered, secretive voice:
“I’m a wizard, Kazuya.”
Alarmed by the sudden confession, the little boy promptly covers his ears with his chubby-fingered hands in a gesture that seems both amusing and completely innocent.
“Are you going to take coins out of my ears or steal my nose?”
A small chuckle, not well-received judging by the kid’s even deeper furrowed brows, shortly leaves Jin’s lips, but he hurries to stop it.
“Only if you want me to.”
“I don’t!” the kid answers, shaking his head vigorously as to not leave any doubts about his posture on the matter.
Jin can find himself feeling fond of the little boy already… And it has nothing to do with the yellow gold star -so alike to his own- shining brightly on Kazuya’s chest.
Days pass one after another as they slowly have fallen into a comfortable routine for the family. That includes all Kazuya’s adorable attempts to make Jin quit his job of babysitting him and his little brother -his refusal to eat whatever Jin makes for him in the mornings which ultimately ends with the food spilled almost equally on the floor and on Jin’s clothes, the way he runs out of Jin’s reach when it’s time to take a shower or to get dressed, how remarkably well Kazuya fakes to miss Jin to the point of bawling his way out of pre-school, and just a bunch more of other creative ways to send his message to Jin.
“We don’t need you” he says at times with a grown-up attitude, trying to put on a lower voice “Dad is going to come back soon, so we don’t need Akanishi-kun’s help”
Jin doesn’t pity him in those times. He likes his attitude and the fact that he can hope, he can fight for his hopes too. Kazuya is still a kid, though, but Jin can’t help to pray for those traits to remain in him until his adulthood.
“I can stay around until your Dad finds his way back home, then”
Jin childishly thinks Kazuya can see through his untrue promise when the kid sticks out his tongue in his general direction before stomping his way out of Jin’s sight.
It’s just another day under the same routine in the Kamenashi’s household. Jin just can’t wait for something to finally change the lingering routine.
On days when Kazuya can’t get away with it and has to stay at kindergarten like a good boy, Jin gets to spend a half day in total peace, only taking care of baby Yuya.
He likes watching the baby learning day after day, he marvels at it. It’s probably one of the most fascinating things nature has to offer. But in those odd days filled with silence, he finds himself missing Kazuya and his stubbornness too much to enjoy the calmness.
Jin takes the opportunity to challenge the little boy, then. Changing a few things here, moving others there and even invoking new ones into his possessions, Jin secretly enjoys a bit too much using his powers and watching Kazuya from afar staring in confusion at his toys, trying to figure out what’s different to no avail.
“I see…” Jin’s breath catches in his throat as he holds the phone receiver tightly pressed against his ear “I… Yes, I guess there’s no problem.”
“Are you sure, Jin-kun?” comes the concerned reply from the other end of the line “I feel like I’m taking advantage of you, but it’s such a sudden-”
“Oh, please don’t, Kamenashi-san” he quickly interrupts what he supposes would be an endless litany of unnecessary apologies “I just need to make a quick call to my roommate and that’s all.”
That really is all and there’s not an actual need to add anything else, but Jin feels the words forming in his throat before he can even process them.
“I truly like to spend time with the kids, so…” he breathes heavily, feeling suddenly shy at his own boldness. He promises to himself to think before talking for next time, even when he knows he is bound to break this promise “So, it really is an honor for me to have your trust.”
Jin, somehow even beyond magic, can hear the smile spreading on Kamenashi-san’s face and he finally lets out the breath he hasn’t even realized he has been holding till now.
Dusk fades to dawn in a blink of an eye and Jin hasn’t been able to sleep at all since he has put the kids to sleep, a couple of hours ago already. He has been having a weird feeling the moment he has picked the phone earlier that day, knowing his prayers have been answered.
He feels as he has been given the task to guard Kazuya’s dreams and he complies with it as a heavy responsibility dear to his heart.
And so, midnight has found Jin in a restless state, his mind working at full speed while his hands have been casting random spells absentmindedly. He sneaks up to the fridge in search for anything to calm down his sudden appetite.
There’s a small figure rubbing his sleepy eyes while padding into the kitchen that steals Jin’s attention as he’s walking midway into the fridge.
“Papa?” the little kid asks in a drowsy voice looking at Jin in the shadow, as he is against the light.
The question breaks Jin’s heart, and even more when the kid realizes his own mistake and the tears prickle his big, round eyes. Jin doesn’t understand how anybody can abandon such a precious kid, as he’s not even talking as the guardian of his inner star.
Kazuya is frozen in his spot, not knowing what to do or say as his throat is filled with a hurtful knot.
“What about a bedtime story, Kazu-chan?” Jin offers with a smile, his hunger already forgotten as the kid nods slowly.
They walk back to Kazuya’s room hand in hand and, once there, the kid climbs to his bed and waits for Jin to do the rest. Jin, on the other hand, picks one random book from the big collection Kazuya has in one of his shelves. He feels quit proud the kid enjoys books from such a young age, even if they’re only fairytales.
The older boy drags a chair closer to the kid’s bed and sits on it, clearing his throat loudly. When Jin starts reading, his voice drops to a gentler tone from the very first line of the story, though he doesn’t manage to get any further than that.
“Once upon a time…”
From the corner of his eyes, Jin can see Kazuya has sunk in his bed and covered himself from head to toe with his sheet, as if refusing to hear any more from the story.
Jin wonders what he has done wrong this time.
As if he has spoken his doubts out loud, Kazuya voices the answer to Jin’s uncertainties on his own accord.
“I don’t like those books!” Jin can clearly see the pout adorning his lips from his tone of voice.
“And why is that, Kazu-chan?”
“They all start the same way, they all end the same way…” there’s a pause where Jin can almost clearly listen to Kazuya’s walls breaking down for the very first time. “Dad used to read all those stories to me all the time, and they are full of lies!”
Jin is surprised with the reasons for Kazuya’s dislike towards those books, the shallow ones and the heartbreaking ones.
“You don’t believe in fairytales, Kazu-chan?”
“They all have happy endings…” there’s another pause, a longer one this time, and Jin can hear a couple of shocked sobs from the inside of the shell of covers. “Happy endings are all lies!”
The harsh words Jin is so used to hear from grown-ups break his heart when he hears them from such an innocent little kid like Kazuya. Those words talk about the pain and hardships Kazuya has experienced in such a short life.
More than ever, Jin wishes to have the powers to heal Kazuya’s broken soul.
“Then, let me tell you another story. One that won’t come in any of your books.”
As Jin closes the book and places it carefully on his lap, Kazuya shyly uncovers his face. There are remains of tears shining in the corners of his big, round eyes that arouse in Jin the desire to wipe them off for a smile.
“A great while ago, when the world was still full of wonders and people still believed in them, there was this old wise man, who felt tired of leading a lonely life in the woods perfecting his skills in the art of magic. You see, Kazu-chan, this old wise man was a wizard like myself, only a lot more powerful and shrewd… So, one day, he goes to see this young pythoness who is known all around the world for her accurate predictions. The wizard means to ask the fortune teller for his destined love as he firmly believes you can only meet real happiness in the arms of the one you love, but he never asked that question.”
“Why not?” little Kazuya asks, feeling concerned with the fate of the old Wizard who feels unhappy. “He didn’t want to be happy anymore? Did something bad happen to the Wizard?”
Jin can’t stop a light chuckle at the kid’s cute side and the worry he can’t hide for what he probably believes is just an imaginary character of an old fairy tale. He composes his calm demeanor before Kazuya gets upset at him.
“Nothing bad happened, Kazu-chan. Quite the contrary,” Jin tells with a sweet smile. “The Wizard found what he has been looking for when he met the young witch.”
“How? He didn’t even ask!”
“Well, that’s because the Young pythoness turned out to be his fated lover and they fell in love at first sight.” Kazuya pulls a disgusting face at the talk of love, so Jin hurries with the story. “And so, the old wise man and the pythoness got married and, hand in hand, they walked together through deserted lands and lush forests in search for a place to stay forever.”
“Did they find it?” the little kid interrupts Jin yet again, his mind fully unsettled about the life of these two magical beings.
“Oh, yes, they did. They crossed the Valley of Unicorns and, a sunset beyond, there was the place they had been looking for so long. The Capital of Stars,” he takes a pause and indulges in the smile that is plastered in Kazuya’s face, so different from his painful expression from just moments ago when he has mistaken Jin with his father. “It’s a very magical place, Kazuya, where stars shine throughout the day in a bright sky of purples, oranges and blues.”
“I like stars,” Kazuya states.
“You’d love the stars there even more, nothing can compare to their beauty. But the magic there goes even beyond that. You see, Kazu-chan, in the Capital of stars, you can never get old, you don’t age one bit while you stay there and so you can live forever. Both the old wise man and the young pythoness decided to stay there to live surrounded by magical creatures of all kind. Until one day…”
“What happened?”
“Well, in one of their daily walks, the two of them found a man mourning his long lost love. To comfort him, the wizard asked his wife to see beyond and into the man’s soul and describe him the star shining inside of him to recreate one identical with his magic and placed it inside a cage of glass… He gave it to the man and explained him that, the woman he had loved and lost, had one star just like that shining in her soul and this comforted the man from that day…”
Kazuya looks completely amazed by all the magic and fantastic happenings of the story, his little imagination displaying the images in his mind that Jin casts with his words.
“The wizard’s reputation spread through the whole land and soon, creatures and humans from every corner of the Capital of Stars searched for the wise man to get their own magical stars. He became soon famous under the title of Star-maker.”
“That’s awesome.”
“But after some years living peacefully in that place, his wife got pregnant and became the mother of his first child and that meant they had to leave that world or their kid would never grow up… Unfortunately, the wizard felt he had a responsibility with the place he had come to love as his home, and he decided to stay.”
“Why?” Kazuya’s sight becomes blurry with the weight of tears pooling in his eyes.
“It was a decision they took together, each of them protecting what they felt precious to them. But they made a promise, Kazu-chan, to love each other forever and respect that love no matter what. The wizard also made another promise, and that was to visit his wife and son from time to time…”
“But weren’t the kid and his mom sad because he left them?”
“The pythoness was sad to leave her love behind but soon, she realized she hadn’t. By taking care of their child, she realized the wizard had left a piece of him with them and his love also filled their new home… With the passing of time, she became a mom for the second time and they have lived like that for years. Because they can’t see their father every day, the two boys have learned to appreciate the little moments they get to spend with him and the pythoness and the old wise man have lived up to the promise they once vowed…”
Kazuya is deep in thought the moment he senses the story has reached its ends. In his childish mind he can see there isn’t a happy ending, but he doesn’t feel sad for that family. It’s the first time a magical story leaves such a strong impression in him.
“Tell me more about the Capital of Stars…”
“Well, let’s see… The Capital of Stars is also called the Lovers’ Refuge, Kazuya. People have gone there with their love ones or alone. People who have lost their love ones have gone there to grief over the loss of their soulmate forever, even. Some got there by mistake. And even the non-believers can reach that place…”
“Non-believers?” Kazuya can’t help to ask, not understanding the word.
“People who don’t believe that magic exists, Kazuya.”
“Are there such people?” the kid asks with wide eyes, as if unable to even consider people who don’t believe in magic can even be real.
Jin smiles sweetly, loving more and more such a hopeful and cute side of this boy.
“You know? It is said you can grasp the stars with the tips of your fingers there.”
“So… You’ve never been there, Jin-kun?”
Jin’s heart feels warmer at the call of his given name for the very first time, as if suddenly the reveal of the sacred place where stars shine their brightest has brought the two of them closer.
“I was born there, Kazuya,” he confesses in a secretive voice. “Mom said I’m extra magical because of that.”
Kazuya’s eyes shine in admiration at the confidence and Jin can’t help feeling his pride swelling inside his chest at the look he receives from the kid, as if nothing could mean more to him than that.
That night, he puts little Kazuya to sleep with a serene smile on his lips as Jin promises a couple of times he will keep on telling him more and more about the Capital of Stars. It’s a promise that Jin is more than happy to oblige with knowing Kazuya will need to know as much as he can about that special place.
There is a silent pact one can make with a kid, with the same seriousness as adults vow to each other.
Jin feels their bond growing stronger when Kazuya finally acknowledges him. The kid doesn’t say a word, though, until Jin comes back a week later with his backpack over his shoulder and a carton box with the few possessions he has gathered in the few weeks he has spent in the real world, as he calls it.
“Okaeri” Kazuya says next to him in the doorframe, his voice barely above a whisper, and flees away from his spot before Jin manages to answer back.
“Tadaima” the young man says nevertheless, his voice softly breathed in the same quietness Kazuya has done it before.
He really does feel like coming back home.
Kazuya’s rude manners don’t change much, though, and Jin finds himself more than often breathing deeply to calm himself.
Jin takes the kids to a nearby park regularly on the afternoons, certain that the contact with Nature could bring some peace to their young souls. It has been a particularly difficult week with Kazuya, one filled with far too many tantrums and problems than what he would like to address in his life.
He still likes the kid, though, and the spark of potential and talents shining so brightly inside of him.
Jin clings more to such a possibility than the bond that binds their future together when it comes to summoning the patience to deal and help such a stubborn, bratty character like Kazuya.
That day, though, something seems to get through the kid’s defenses and he is leading the way in their walk to the way through the park. Jin has allowed him to, not wanting to spoil the sudden mood to share that seems to have gotten into him.
“Are we there yet?” Jin asks in a tone full of curiosity, letting Kazuya know he is the one in charge for the day.
“Just a bit more…” Kazuya replies with a hint of impatience even when he tries to sound reassuring. He takes a peek over his small shoulder, takes on the image of Jin holding his baby brother so carefully in his arms and a cheeky smile blooms naturally on his lips.
Jin returns the gesture, a warm feeling of secretive complicity tickling him from the inside and almost making fireworks come out of his fingertips. It’s so hard to control his powers when Kazuya is behaving so sweetly to him, the light inside of the little boy shining even more brightly and warmly than before.
“We’re here!”
They arrive at a very distant spot of the park, strategically well-hidden from prying eyes behind a bunch of shrubbery -Jin needs to sit in the ground and duck his head a bit down in order to get unnoticed by the people around, Kazuya manages just fine as the bushes have the perfect size to hide him.
“So, we’re here,” the man says, looking expectantly at Kazuya. The kid is playing with his chubby fingers over his lap, his gaze pointedly avoiding Jin.
“You said you were a wizard” the little boy finally says, letting out his caught breath all at once a mere second before speaking. Jin has a vague idea of why Kazuya has brought them to this place that day, but he decides against rushing the kid and instead he lets Kazuya lead the flow.
“I am.”
Kazuya frowns, his eyes still lowered to the hands on his lap. Jin almost feels like chuckling at his pursed lips, but after all these months living with Kazuya he knows better than to do that.
“It’s ok if you don’t believe me, but-”
“This is my secret place,” Kazuya confesses suddenly. He waits a bit for Jin’s reaction, but he receives only a small humming sound of approval. He immediately goes back to his furrowed brows and pursed lips, as if having problems to go on.
Meanwhile Jin focuses on baby Yuya, baby-talking him, rocking him softly and making faces to keep him from crying. The baby is nothing but quiet whenever Jin holds him, so everything is just an act to give Kazuya enough time and space to figure out his next words.
It seems to work when, after five minutes in silence, the kid opens his mouth again.
“I believe you. What you told me that day is true, isn’t it?” he doesn’t waits for Jin’s reply as he goes on, seemingly before losing his spurt “I showed you my secret place… You have to teach me some magic in exchange.”
He then lifts up his gaze, his eyes challenging Jin.
The young man is smiling, no traces of surprise in his face. He has been right, he notices with a pang of delight. Yuya is slowly drifting to sleep, almost as if under command, thought Jin has nothing to do with it. The atmosphere surrounding them is so calm and peaceful, he almost feels tempted to follow the baby’s example and take a nap right there and then.
He exchanges one last look with Kazuya before raising his index finger to the eye level, catching the kid’s attention. Kazuya looks at him in complete expectation.
“I can predict the future…” Jin says and sees the disappointment in Kazuya’s eyes. He can tell the kid has been expecting some extravagant magic trick like the ones he watches on TV performed by flashy magicians, but this is too much of a gold opportunity to let it pass.
Jin chants a silent spell, his lips curling up to a slight smile when he sees a pink flutter of wings behind Kazuya.
“On your 18th birthday, Kazuya…” he whispers softly, the pink creature flying and making flourishes in the air each time closer to them “On that special day, a butterfly of light will find its way from me to you…”
The boy is about to make a complain about the lame, cryptic prediction when, out of nowhere, a beautiful butterfly, of a bright shade of pink he has never seen before, lands meekly on Jin’s index finger as if casted by magic.
Kazuya’s wide eyes go immediately to Jin’s in time to catch the playful wink the older guy directs at him and, in the next moment, the butterfly disappears into a puff of smoke.
“One day… I’ll take you to catch the stars, Kazu-chan” Jin promises before kissing Kazuya’s forehead goodnight.
Jin has a way of always knowing when it’s the best day to go outside and play under the soft rays of sun, or when it’s best to take an umbrella with them -“but the man in the TV said it’ll be a sunny day!”, Kazuya would complain at first- because rain would catch them just before leaving the park. He even knows, without checking the weather forecast, when it’s the best time to stay home because rain, and later on because snow, would make impossible for them to go outside.
“Why are you making hot choco, Jin-kun?”
Jin lifts up his face from where he is stirring the thick hot beverage to where the little boy is staring at him with furrowed questioning eyes.
“Didn’t you know?” he answers with a sweet smile on his lips “Hot chocolate tastes better when it rains”
“But today is not going to-”
The sudden noise of tiny raindrops splashing against the ceiling escalates in volume and intensity, cutting off the complain Kazuya was mouthing so vigorously.
“Go find something warm to wear, Kazu-chan… We’re watching the raindrops today.”
Jin knows he can decide whether or not he wants to try out other relationships.
He decides he doesn’t.
And he’s pretty much sure he won’t change his mind and he won’t regret it.
Kazuya observes Jin from across his strawberry cake, the flames of seven candles lightening his face with warm colors that contrast perfectly with the cold air of February. Jin urges him to blow the candles all at once when the popular birthday tune has reached its end and Kazuya complies, not without smiling widely at the young man.
His father hasn’t returned home, but Kazuya hasn’t lost his hopes. He doesn’t waste his seventh year’s wish hoping upon it, though. Instead, he closes his eyes tightly and screams in his heart for a beautiful fortune to Jin.
Jin watches him, feeling himself growing even warmer towards the little boy. A little kid that has been teaching him the basics all over again, not only about magic… But about living as well.
Jin sees in him a precious gift, but he decides in that moment that he would -he must- let him make his own voyage of discovery, no matter the cost.
It’s when Jin is unmistakably certain he occupies an irreplaceable spot in Kazuya’s heart and soul when he decides to take his leave, taking a dangerous leap of faith that could condemn him to an eternal solitude.
He doesn’t think much about it, lets the sudden impulse take control over his life without whispering a word to Kazuya, the main victim of such a rushed and cruel decision.
Jin prefers to believe in his heart that Kazuya will understand it -will understand him- in the end, and forgive him for his selfish sacrifice.
“It’s such a shame you have to leave now, Jin-kun… Kazuya was looking forward to take you to his Elementary School.”
Jin scratches the back of his head with something akin to guilt and embarrassment. He’s not used to telling lies, not even white ones. He’s quite sure it has something to do with his Mom constantly telling him how much it broke her heart when he lied as he was growing up, so Jin hates the feeling of hurt that lies always cause. He also feels like being five again.
Jin casts a sheepishly smile.
“I know Kazu-chan is already sleeping, but…” he takes a deep breath and fights against the tears that threaten to pool in his eyes. “Can I say goodbye to him?”
There’s a light nod and he’s on the way to the little boy’s room, something tightening more and more in his chest with every step he takes towards the bedroom.
As expected, the kid is sleeping peacefully in his bed, his chubby fingers gripping the edge of his turtle-patterned sheets and his inseparable teddy bear. Jin takes a moment that lasts forever to stare at the sleeping figure with eyes full of love and sadness -every single detail burning itself with fire in his mind and soul- and yet, it seems like it isn’t even enough for what comes ahead.
Jin fists both of his hands to restrain himself from stopping time just to gaze at Kazuya for a longer time, just to jump to the future moment when they reunite again under a starlit purple sky. When the temptation to unleash his powers and do just that becomes too much, he fists his hands a lot harder, almost to the point of bleeding.
With his breathing even and his heartbeats racing to a somewhat normal pace, Jin finally inches closer to Kazuya and brushes his lips lovingly onto his forehead.
“Kazu-chan…” Jin mutters in a constricted voice, but he can’t brace himself to whisper the words that mark the imminent farewell.
Part 2
Author: norilys
Pairing: Akame. Kame x OC. Yamapi x OC
Word count: 19,577 words
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: English is not my first language. First time attempting such an epic fantasy!AU fic. Difference in age between Jin and Kazuya, and I took some liberties to fix it. Also the length kind of got out of control, sorry
Notes: I wanna say thank you to my recipient, bellemelody, for giving me the best excuse to try out such a genre. I’ve stalked your journal to get a better idea of what to offer to you, so hopefully this can not only meet your expectations, but also be something you’d deeply enjoy. Thanks to my lovely beta for everything, and I mean everything! ♥
“Hoshi no Miyako” is the title of one song by a visual key band and can be translated as the Capital of Stars.
Summary: The Capital of Stars… A magic place where soul mates can meet their fate together. A place where forever actually exists…
Hoshi no Miyako
“You’re ready, my son”
Those words, and a soft brush of lips on his forehead, filled the young man’s heart with a warm feeling of security even as he was leaving the comforting safety of his home, the arms of his loving mother setting him free to the world.
He braced himself with every step he took with no direction, only his heart and instincts as his only compass from now on as his mother had taught him since he was born. He was ready now to face his destiny, just as he had been told right before starting off his journey.
As the son of an old powerful Wise Man, Jin had been raised in the art of magic by his Mother since a very young age. Being the first born, Jin had inherited a great amount of powers from both his parents and had spent the last decades learning how to accept, use, control and harmonize them all, while taking care of his Mother and younger brother in behalf of his always errant Father.
But now it was the time for Jin to take on the biggest of challenges and the only one that could bring him real satisfaction: to live a free, inspired life.
His steps take him into a crowded city as his eyes try to adjust to the plodding change from his lovely small family house on the countryside surrounded by bright colors of green, brown and blue to the sudden heavy grey-filled sight of buildings and cars and asphalt.
There’s an almost hidden place at one side of the main street that catches Jin’s attention despite of his curious interest being scattered on every single detail around him. It seems to be a simple shop, people going in and out of it with slight smiles on their faces.
Still, Jin can’t stop his curious nature to dictate the steps that bring him inside the almost trivial shop. He understands life is not just about purpose and work, and so he freely allows himself to indulge a bit in his whim.
The shop -a little café- is as nice and comfy as it appears to be on the exterior, just a small place full of chatty and happy people in a relaxed atmosphere that brings everyone together under the intoxicating smell of tasty grains of coffee turned into such a rich, flavorful infusion.
He stands motionless at one side of the front door, taking in the vibes around him as much as he can, his eyes turning dreamy.
“Can I offer you something?” a petite young girl startles him out of his reverie, even when her tone was nothing but sweet.
He tilts his head as his eyes wander from the bow on the tip of her reddish hair to the cute black shoes covering her feet, but his gaze soon goes back to the electric blue star shining almost blindingly on her chest. Even when he knows he might be the only person in that place trained to perceive it, he wonders how it is nobody else notes such a beautiful sight.
It’s a shame, Jin thinks before his eyes return to the girl’s face and he shakes his head no, that such a bright spectacle goes unnoticed to the world.
“Thanks” he remembers to mutter before the girl walks to attend the costumers sitting at a nearby table.
Jin has spent the last half hour walking around the coffee shop, still not ready to say goodbye to the cozy place. He can feel the magic bubbling, his fingertips tickling with the palpable feeling of magical enchantment in that place of service and peace of mind.
It takes most of his self-control not to use his powers there and he mentally thanks the Gods protecting him for the board of messages that takes his mind out of the temptation.
There are colorful flyers about music festivals flooding the board and he smiles just thinking about the kind of magic music could evoke in him when so many hearts reunite to share the same burning passion. His smile stretches to a goofy grin when he can see himself flying above the multitude of people ¬-because of them- before he notices again the warm electric blue light standing behind his back even before he feels there’s a person standing so close to him, and Jin stays still without turning to face his companion.
“It sounds pretty awesome, right?”
That’s a deep, nasal voice -a very distinctive masculine voice, to be precise- coming from where the sweet feminine tone of the petite girl should have come from.
The unexpected sound drives Jin to turn on his heels and look with eyes wide open directly at the chest of this person who is definitely not the petite waitress. Not that he needs a confirmation from the electric blue star that is evidently shining there.
He’s about to voice out the obvious, “You’re not the waitress”, but instead he opts for something less embarrassing.
“Eh?” is what leaves his lips instead.
The brown-haired guy next to him replies with a weirded out grin, before tapping a few times one of the ads pinned to the board with one slender finger. Jin focuses on it and reads about a guy looking for a roommate to share his comfortable apartment a few blocks away from the café, right downtown. He recalls the words that the boy had spoken at first.
“Is it really that awesome?” he asks the guy, noting he hasn’t really thought about a place to stay since he’s left his home. He receives a coolly nod in response.
“I’ve heard the guy renting is even more awesome than his flat… And that is saying a lot, y’know?”
Jin doesn’t know how to reply to that, so he settles with a nod. The price on the notice seems quite cheap and he’s sure he can talk to the owner of the apartment to let him stay even if he doesn’t have a job yet. There is any job offer on the board, so Jin decides he’ll search for one after getting a shelter at least for the night.
“Can you tell me how to get there?” he asks the brown-haired, tugging his backpack more securely on his shoulder “I really need a place to crash…”
“I can do something even better…”
It turns out the guy is a waiter at the coffee shop -Jin still can’t believe he has actually managed to overlook the uniform while they have been speaking- and he offers to take Jin personally to the flat from the announcement. All Jin has to do is wait aside until his shift finishes and then, they walk side by side through the city, under the quickly darkening sky.
Yamashita Tomohisa, which turns to be the name of the guy who is also one year younger than Jin, doesn’t stop talking all the way to the building, pointing restaurants, bars, shops and even the subway station that are located near the apartment for rent, and many other benefits of the place.
“See the lift doesn’t work? That’s actually good, because the flat’s on the fifth floor, Jin. Can I call you Jin? So, the fifth floor, right? And that gives you plenty of exercise everyday… Y’know, girls don’t like lazy-ass guys with no fitted bodies, bro” he says while wriggling his eyebrows as they reach the door of apartment 508.
Jin is not really surprised when Yamashita-kun takes the key out of his pocket and opens the door to his flat and invites him in.
“I told you it was awesome, right?” he says as Jin places his shoes at the entrance and fully takes sight of the medium size apartment, completely furnished in a simple but modern style “But that’s enough about me, let’s talk about the apartment” Yamashita adds with a cheeky grin.
Jin laughs at the joke with the same easiness he has been talking to the guy in front of him. He likes how he feels inside the apartment, which is very important for him and his powers -there’s a big window in the living room from which he could gaze at the stars on sleepless nights, a lot of cushions on the couches for him to practice some magic, and he’s even sure he could totally convince Yamashita-kun to get some plants for the fairies to visit him when he gets too lonely- and he’s sure this is the best option for him to stay in.
Hell, he has been sure about it since he’s first talked to Yamashita!
“It is awesome, indeed” he concedes with honesty and places his backpack in one of the black-leather couches, turning his expression a bit more serious “Now, Yamashita-kun, the question is whether you’d take in a jobless 21 years old guy or not…”
The guy seems to ponder for a while over the sudden question, a bit taken aback by the fact that such a good-looking, charming guy in a completely non-homosexual way could be jobless when he could easily be modeling for a living or even being one of those sparkling idols from TV.
Yamashita doesn’t really need to ponder for much time, though, and quickly extends a friendly hand to Jin.
“I think I got myself a roommate and you just got a place to crash…” Jin shakes hands enthusiastically with him, a radiant smile on his lips that convinces Yamashita more about his potential as model, to the very least “And call me YamaPi”
It takes over two days for Jin to step out of the flat again, the comfort and security it brings to his life turning off the light of curiosity and confidence his mother had lit when they said goodbye.
“So, is this a computer!? Isn’t it a bit… small?” Jin changes easily from deadpan surprised to genuinely worried when he finally meets face to face with the machine “Maybe your computer is sick?”
YamaPi watches with a slight smile that fades away when he realizes Jin is not joking around.
“It’s not sick- That’s a laptop, y’know?” he stares in awe at the confused gaze Jin offers him in exchange “A compact computer…?”
There’s a moment of hesitation lingering in the air before Jin goes back to his initial excitement over the small device. Yamashita doesn’t know how to even begin to react anymore.
“I see, I see! A laptop, eh? Mom only talked about computers, though, that’s why I didn’t have the slightest idea about laptops” Jin sits on the couch, facing with curious eyes the coffee table where the device is placed “The face she’ll make when I tell her about it!”
YamaPi decides against questioning Jin’s mental health anymore. He has heard enough about those people who grow up isolated from the modern society to be so freaked out right now. He just has never imagined he’d meet one. Ever.
Realizing he has been quiet for far too long, he sits close to Jin and puts the device on his lap.
“You’ve never seen a computer before, right?” He smiles at the face Jin makes while shaking his head “Really, who could have guessed you’ve been living under a rock all these years?”
Jin just pouts to the teasing of his friend.
“Only gnomes live under a rock. Mu house was perfectly normal, thank you very much!” he feels the need to protest.
For the rest of the afternoon Yamashita gets to teach him the basics on how to handle a laptop and, given that Jin is such a surprisingly fast learner despite of the bunch of questions he throws at YamaPi, he even gets to surf the net for the first time. The younger man figures it’ll get handy for him n the future if Jin learns how to google his questions before he starts asking him how the TV works.
When he takes off to his late shift at the café later that day, he leaves Jin reading about kinky stuff with wide eyes.
One Sunday afternoon finds the two young men lying comfortably in the living room of their shared apartment.
“You should give that little girl from the café a chance, you know?” Jin says, trying his best to sound casual, but failing miserably.
Yamashita throws him a glance, frowning.
“Shiori-chan?”
Jin hasn’t yet learned the name of the girl sharing the same star as his friend, but still a victorious grin creeps its way up to his mouth, his eyes sparkling as well.
Deep inside, he doesn’t need to know her name to know it’s her Pi is talking about.
“You like her” Jin points out, his grin only widening at the obvious tint of pink shadowing YamaPi’s face.
“Shut up!”
It’s been over a week already and Jin finally feels like he can go outside his flat without depending completely on his powers. He appreciates the extra training in the real world, but he definitely prefers the feeling of comfort and safety now that he understands the world a bit better.
Yamashita-kun happens to be an excellent roommate, Jin notices with a smile as he gets out of the apartment.
Never one to stay still once curiosity strikes him, Jin is quite aware of how annoying he can come off as at times. But not even once has YamaPi refused to answer any of his questions nor has he ever blown up at him because of his insistence.
Jin wanders through the city. His steps are somehow confident, but his heart is filled with uncertainty.
He keeps wondering if he’s truly ready.
He doesn’t feel like it, though.
He isn’t quite sure when he has left downtown behind as he is now surrounded by houses instead of shopping malls and stores, but he doesn’t take much notice of it as his eyes lay on a crying mother holding her baby closely to her chest as her tears spill on him, the intensity of her sobs rocking both her body and her baby’s with a sad cadence. There’s a stronger force, one beyond Jin’s own understanding, urging him to her side in such an insistent way that he complies with it even before realizing his actions.
He doesn’t ponder much over it as his mother has always taught him not to question his heart or intuition.
“Are you okay? Can I help you?” Jin asks with a soft voice that lets out his honest concern for the lady, a firm hand holding her back with soothing caresses.
The woman, slumped and defeated on the ground, needs a moment to recognize there’s a presence standing by her side. It’s like waking up from a dream -a nightmare-, the mantle of despair uncovers her eyes all of a sudden and she grips Jin’s simple t-shirt with a desperate hand as the other remains holding her child, always close to her.
“My son…” she cries in an agonizing whisper and new tears make their way down her clean face, burying down the traces of the ones already dried, “is gone… My son…”
It takes three deep breaths and the never-ending contact of his strokes on her back for Jin to calm down the lady. He doesn’t like to influence other people’s feelings like this, but he is certain this time, it’s needed for him to help her out.
It’s only a few moments after that that the lady manages to tell him in between chocked words about her plan to take her two sons out to the park for the day, how she only looked away for a second, and how she found the front door opened, before despair triggers out again and Jin can’t make out any other word.
He breathes deeply once again, not for the sake of the crying lady, but this time, out of relief. The images she casted in his mind, clearer than any of the words she said, tell him about the whereabouts of the kid.
Jin isn’t quite sure if the feeling washing over his whole body the moment he realizes the boy is safe is only alleviation -the knot untying in his chest and his rapid heartbeats right afterwards urging him to cry out of happiness tell him of a much different, greater feeling.
He lets the lady -she introduces herself as Kamenashi Misako-san- lead their way to her house, just a couple of blocks away. At first, she feels reluctant, telling him to help her search around for the little boy instead but soon, Jin manages to convince her it’s for the best to just go back home.
“Sometimes, we just need to let God surprise us with miracles,” he simply says as they walk side by side.
There’s something so calming in Jin’s vivid brown eyes that Mrs. Kamenashi can’t help but share her story with the young man and soon, she is letting out all the hardships of being a single mother of two children too young to understand the situation their father has left behind him.
It’s a sad story and really close to Jin’s heart because of his own upbringing. He has never felt left behind by his father despite of his absence in his life, nor has he really pondered whether it had been that hard for his mother to raise both him and his brother alone.
There are a lot of mixed emotions overflowing him and so, he lets his guard down again, his instinct taking over his actions.
“You need help…” he says before anyone could stop him, especially when there isn’t anybody around to do so. He tries his best to fix his words, but when he sees the woman looking at the ground in agreement, he lets his out his true feelings and hopes for the best result. “I mean… I’d really like to help you, Kamenashi-san.”
There’s a moment of confusion flashing brightly in her eyes that quickly vanishes into hope and gratefulness, as if she has been waiting to hear those exact words for too long to remember.
“I’d like that,” she mutters with the first glimpse of a smile Jin has seen on her since they met. Somehow, for him, it feels as the sign that he has chosen the right path to follow, even when, as usual, that path isn’t clear enough for him just yet. But he can’t wait to discover what lies in front of him, and the reassurance from his mother resurfaces in the form of Kamenashi-san’s sparkling eyes when they reach her home.
The lady isn’t really surprised to see her eldest son waiting for her inside their house, gripping tightly his teddy bear as if trusting it with his life.
The kid smiles to his mother, asking silently for her forgiveness to his cruel prank. It’s obvious he doesn’t really understand the seriousness of the situation, but his mother is too happy to have him sound and safe to even scold him. Jin watches the touching scene of Kamenashi-san crouching down in front of him and holding him tight, still with her baby in arms, whispering her eldest son’s name in between kisses of pure affection.
It’s not the portrait of a perfect family. They’re broken and barely surviving, Jin can sense it. But Jin also knows there’s not such a thing as “perfect” and he’s sure they’ll find their ways with time.
When the mother seems to remember his presence, she detaches herself from the 6 years old boy and clears her throat loudly, standing next to the young man to bring all the attention to him.
It’s only then, when the little boy locks his gaze on Jin’s, brows furrowed and eyes shining with passion and fire as he stands proudly trying to look taller, that Jin fully takes on the realization of everything… His path, his destiny, his raison d’être…
“Kazuya, look, this young man here is going to help us for a while,” his mother tells him in her softest voice, directing all her attention to her son. “He is going to take care of you and Yuya when I’m at work…”
“Who are you?” Kazuya ignores the sweet words from his mother, but Jin understands where the rebellious attitude comes from. Without his father, Kazuya is the man of the house and that’s the line he’s so bravely trying to draw here.
Jin likes it, because he knows he would have done the exact same thing being in Kazuya’s place -plus some simple magic tricks to freak the intruder.
“I’m Akanishi Jin,” he introduces himself with seriousness, with the same kind respect he shows to every living creature. He’s not sucking up to Kazuya for his approval -he knows he doesn’t need to, especially because kids are his specialty. “Let’s work hard not to worry your mom again, ne~”
Despite being obviously suspicious of him, Jin notices the slight nod from the boy and then, under the loving stare of Kazuya’s mom, Jin takes a few tentative steps towards him until he is face to face with Kazuya. He crouches in front of the boy with big, round eyes, and leans in to drop in a whispered, secretive voice:
“I’m a wizard, Kazuya.”
Alarmed by the sudden confession, the little boy promptly covers his ears with his chubby-fingered hands in a gesture that seems both amusing and completely innocent.
“Are you going to take coins out of my ears or steal my nose?”
A small chuckle, not well-received judging by the kid’s even deeper furrowed brows, shortly leaves Jin’s lips, but he hurries to stop it.
“Only if you want me to.”
“I don’t!” the kid answers, shaking his head vigorously as to not leave any doubts about his posture on the matter.
Jin can find himself feeling fond of the little boy already… And it has nothing to do with the yellow gold star -so alike to his own- shining brightly on Kazuya’s chest.
Days pass one after another as they slowly have fallen into a comfortable routine for the family. That includes all Kazuya’s adorable attempts to make Jin quit his job of babysitting him and his little brother -his refusal to eat whatever Jin makes for him in the mornings which ultimately ends with the food spilled almost equally on the floor and on Jin’s clothes, the way he runs out of Jin’s reach when it’s time to take a shower or to get dressed, how remarkably well Kazuya fakes to miss Jin to the point of bawling his way out of pre-school, and just a bunch more of other creative ways to send his message to Jin.
“We don’t need you” he says at times with a grown-up attitude, trying to put on a lower voice “Dad is going to come back soon, so we don’t need Akanishi-kun’s help”
Jin doesn’t pity him in those times. He likes his attitude and the fact that he can hope, he can fight for his hopes too. Kazuya is still a kid, though, but Jin can’t help to pray for those traits to remain in him until his adulthood.
“I can stay around until your Dad finds his way back home, then”
Jin childishly thinks Kazuya can see through his untrue promise when the kid sticks out his tongue in his general direction before stomping his way out of Jin’s sight.
It’s just another day under the same routine in the Kamenashi’s household. Jin just can’t wait for something to finally change the lingering routine.
On days when Kazuya can’t get away with it and has to stay at kindergarten like a good boy, Jin gets to spend a half day in total peace, only taking care of baby Yuya.
He likes watching the baby learning day after day, he marvels at it. It’s probably one of the most fascinating things nature has to offer. But in those odd days filled with silence, he finds himself missing Kazuya and his stubbornness too much to enjoy the calmness.
Jin takes the opportunity to challenge the little boy, then. Changing a few things here, moving others there and even invoking new ones into his possessions, Jin secretly enjoys a bit too much using his powers and watching Kazuya from afar staring in confusion at his toys, trying to figure out what’s different to no avail.
“I see…” Jin’s breath catches in his throat as he holds the phone receiver tightly pressed against his ear “I… Yes, I guess there’s no problem.”
“Are you sure, Jin-kun?” comes the concerned reply from the other end of the line “I feel like I’m taking advantage of you, but it’s such a sudden-”
“Oh, please don’t, Kamenashi-san” he quickly interrupts what he supposes would be an endless litany of unnecessary apologies “I just need to make a quick call to my roommate and that’s all.”
That really is all and there’s not an actual need to add anything else, but Jin feels the words forming in his throat before he can even process them.
“I truly like to spend time with the kids, so…” he breathes heavily, feeling suddenly shy at his own boldness. He promises to himself to think before talking for next time, even when he knows he is bound to break this promise “So, it really is an honor for me to have your trust.”
Jin, somehow even beyond magic, can hear the smile spreading on Kamenashi-san’s face and he finally lets out the breath he hasn’t even realized he has been holding till now.
Dusk fades to dawn in a blink of an eye and Jin hasn’t been able to sleep at all since he has put the kids to sleep, a couple of hours ago already. He has been having a weird feeling the moment he has picked the phone earlier that day, knowing his prayers have been answered.
He feels as he has been given the task to guard Kazuya’s dreams and he complies with it as a heavy responsibility dear to his heart.
And so, midnight has found Jin in a restless state, his mind working at full speed while his hands have been casting random spells absentmindedly. He sneaks up to the fridge in search for anything to calm down his sudden appetite.
There’s a small figure rubbing his sleepy eyes while padding into the kitchen that steals Jin’s attention as he’s walking midway into the fridge.
“Papa?” the little kid asks in a drowsy voice looking at Jin in the shadow, as he is against the light.
The question breaks Jin’s heart, and even more when the kid realizes his own mistake and the tears prickle his big, round eyes. Jin doesn’t understand how anybody can abandon such a precious kid, as he’s not even talking as the guardian of his inner star.
Kazuya is frozen in his spot, not knowing what to do or say as his throat is filled with a hurtful knot.
“What about a bedtime story, Kazu-chan?” Jin offers with a smile, his hunger already forgotten as the kid nods slowly.
They walk back to Kazuya’s room hand in hand and, once there, the kid climbs to his bed and waits for Jin to do the rest. Jin, on the other hand, picks one random book from the big collection Kazuya has in one of his shelves. He feels quit proud the kid enjoys books from such a young age, even if they’re only fairytales.
The older boy drags a chair closer to the kid’s bed and sits on it, clearing his throat loudly. When Jin starts reading, his voice drops to a gentler tone from the very first line of the story, though he doesn’t manage to get any further than that.
“Once upon a time…”
From the corner of his eyes, Jin can see Kazuya has sunk in his bed and covered himself from head to toe with his sheet, as if refusing to hear any more from the story.
Jin wonders what he has done wrong this time.
As if he has spoken his doubts out loud, Kazuya voices the answer to Jin’s uncertainties on his own accord.
“I don’t like those books!” Jin can clearly see the pout adorning his lips from his tone of voice.
“And why is that, Kazu-chan?”
“They all start the same way, they all end the same way…” there’s a pause where Jin can almost clearly listen to Kazuya’s walls breaking down for the very first time. “Dad used to read all those stories to me all the time, and they are full of lies!”
Jin is surprised with the reasons for Kazuya’s dislike towards those books, the shallow ones and the heartbreaking ones.
“You don’t believe in fairytales, Kazu-chan?”
“They all have happy endings…” there’s another pause, a longer one this time, and Jin can hear a couple of shocked sobs from the inside of the shell of covers. “Happy endings are all lies!”
The harsh words Jin is so used to hear from grown-ups break his heart when he hears them from such an innocent little kid like Kazuya. Those words talk about the pain and hardships Kazuya has experienced in such a short life.
More than ever, Jin wishes to have the powers to heal Kazuya’s broken soul.
“Then, let me tell you another story. One that won’t come in any of your books.”
As Jin closes the book and places it carefully on his lap, Kazuya shyly uncovers his face. There are remains of tears shining in the corners of his big, round eyes that arouse in Jin the desire to wipe them off for a smile.
“A great while ago, when the world was still full of wonders and people still believed in them, there was this old wise man, who felt tired of leading a lonely life in the woods perfecting his skills in the art of magic. You see, Kazu-chan, this old wise man was a wizard like myself, only a lot more powerful and shrewd… So, one day, he goes to see this young pythoness who is known all around the world for her accurate predictions. The wizard means to ask the fortune teller for his destined love as he firmly believes you can only meet real happiness in the arms of the one you love, but he never asked that question.”
“Why not?” little Kazuya asks, feeling concerned with the fate of the old Wizard who feels unhappy. “He didn’t want to be happy anymore? Did something bad happen to the Wizard?”
Jin can’t stop a light chuckle at the kid’s cute side and the worry he can’t hide for what he probably believes is just an imaginary character of an old fairy tale. He composes his calm demeanor before Kazuya gets upset at him.
“Nothing bad happened, Kazu-chan. Quite the contrary,” Jin tells with a sweet smile. “The Wizard found what he has been looking for when he met the young witch.”
“How? He didn’t even ask!”
“Well, that’s because the Young pythoness turned out to be his fated lover and they fell in love at first sight.” Kazuya pulls a disgusting face at the talk of love, so Jin hurries with the story. “And so, the old wise man and the pythoness got married and, hand in hand, they walked together through deserted lands and lush forests in search for a place to stay forever.”
“Did they find it?” the little kid interrupts Jin yet again, his mind fully unsettled about the life of these two magical beings.
“Oh, yes, they did. They crossed the Valley of Unicorns and, a sunset beyond, there was the place they had been looking for so long. The Capital of Stars,” he takes a pause and indulges in the smile that is plastered in Kazuya’s face, so different from his painful expression from just moments ago when he has mistaken Jin with his father. “It’s a very magical place, Kazuya, where stars shine throughout the day in a bright sky of purples, oranges and blues.”
“I like stars,” Kazuya states.
“You’d love the stars there even more, nothing can compare to their beauty. But the magic there goes even beyond that. You see, Kazu-chan, in the Capital of stars, you can never get old, you don’t age one bit while you stay there and so you can live forever. Both the old wise man and the young pythoness decided to stay there to live surrounded by magical creatures of all kind. Until one day…”
“What happened?”
“Well, in one of their daily walks, the two of them found a man mourning his long lost love. To comfort him, the wizard asked his wife to see beyond and into the man’s soul and describe him the star shining inside of him to recreate one identical with his magic and placed it inside a cage of glass… He gave it to the man and explained him that, the woman he had loved and lost, had one star just like that shining in her soul and this comforted the man from that day…”
Kazuya looks completely amazed by all the magic and fantastic happenings of the story, his little imagination displaying the images in his mind that Jin casts with his words.
“The wizard’s reputation spread through the whole land and soon, creatures and humans from every corner of the Capital of Stars searched for the wise man to get their own magical stars. He became soon famous under the title of Star-maker.”
“That’s awesome.”
“But after some years living peacefully in that place, his wife got pregnant and became the mother of his first child and that meant they had to leave that world or their kid would never grow up… Unfortunately, the wizard felt he had a responsibility with the place he had come to love as his home, and he decided to stay.”
“Why?” Kazuya’s sight becomes blurry with the weight of tears pooling in his eyes.
“It was a decision they took together, each of them protecting what they felt precious to them. But they made a promise, Kazu-chan, to love each other forever and respect that love no matter what. The wizard also made another promise, and that was to visit his wife and son from time to time…”
“But weren’t the kid and his mom sad because he left them?”
“The pythoness was sad to leave her love behind but soon, she realized she hadn’t. By taking care of their child, she realized the wizard had left a piece of him with them and his love also filled their new home… With the passing of time, she became a mom for the second time and they have lived like that for years. Because they can’t see their father every day, the two boys have learned to appreciate the little moments they get to spend with him and the pythoness and the old wise man have lived up to the promise they once vowed…”
Kazuya is deep in thought the moment he senses the story has reached its ends. In his childish mind he can see there isn’t a happy ending, but he doesn’t feel sad for that family. It’s the first time a magical story leaves such a strong impression in him.
“Tell me more about the Capital of Stars…”
“Well, let’s see… The Capital of Stars is also called the Lovers’ Refuge, Kazuya. People have gone there with their love ones or alone. People who have lost their love ones have gone there to grief over the loss of their soulmate forever, even. Some got there by mistake. And even the non-believers can reach that place…”
“Non-believers?” Kazuya can’t help to ask, not understanding the word.
“People who don’t believe that magic exists, Kazuya.”
“Are there such people?” the kid asks with wide eyes, as if unable to even consider people who don’t believe in magic can even be real.
Jin smiles sweetly, loving more and more such a hopeful and cute side of this boy.
“You know? It is said you can grasp the stars with the tips of your fingers there.”
“So… You’ve never been there, Jin-kun?”
Jin’s heart feels warmer at the call of his given name for the very first time, as if suddenly the reveal of the sacred place where stars shine their brightest has brought the two of them closer.
“I was born there, Kazuya,” he confesses in a secretive voice. “Mom said I’m extra magical because of that.”
Kazuya’s eyes shine in admiration at the confidence and Jin can’t help feeling his pride swelling inside his chest at the look he receives from the kid, as if nothing could mean more to him than that.
That night, he puts little Kazuya to sleep with a serene smile on his lips as Jin promises a couple of times he will keep on telling him more and more about the Capital of Stars. It’s a promise that Jin is more than happy to oblige with knowing Kazuya will need to know as much as he can about that special place.
There is a silent pact one can make with a kid, with the same seriousness as adults vow to each other.
Jin feels their bond growing stronger when Kazuya finally acknowledges him. The kid doesn’t say a word, though, until Jin comes back a week later with his backpack over his shoulder and a carton box with the few possessions he has gathered in the few weeks he has spent in the real world, as he calls it.
“Okaeri” Kazuya says next to him in the doorframe, his voice barely above a whisper, and flees away from his spot before Jin manages to answer back.
“Tadaima” the young man says nevertheless, his voice softly breathed in the same quietness Kazuya has done it before.
He really does feel like coming back home.
Kazuya’s rude manners don’t change much, though, and Jin finds himself more than often breathing deeply to calm himself.
Jin takes the kids to a nearby park regularly on the afternoons, certain that the contact with Nature could bring some peace to their young souls. It has been a particularly difficult week with Kazuya, one filled with far too many tantrums and problems than what he would like to address in his life.
He still likes the kid, though, and the spark of potential and talents shining so brightly inside of him.
Jin clings more to such a possibility than the bond that binds their future together when it comes to summoning the patience to deal and help such a stubborn, bratty character like Kazuya.
That day, though, something seems to get through the kid’s defenses and he is leading the way in their walk to the way through the park. Jin has allowed him to, not wanting to spoil the sudden mood to share that seems to have gotten into him.
“Are we there yet?” Jin asks in a tone full of curiosity, letting Kazuya know he is the one in charge for the day.
“Just a bit more…” Kazuya replies with a hint of impatience even when he tries to sound reassuring. He takes a peek over his small shoulder, takes on the image of Jin holding his baby brother so carefully in his arms and a cheeky smile blooms naturally on his lips.
Jin returns the gesture, a warm feeling of secretive complicity tickling him from the inside and almost making fireworks come out of his fingertips. It’s so hard to control his powers when Kazuya is behaving so sweetly to him, the light inside of the little boy shining even more brightly and warmly than before.
“We’re here!”
They arrive at a very distant spot of the park, strategically well-hidden from prying eyes behind a bunch of shrubbery -Jin needs to sit in the ground and duck his head a bit down in order to get unnoticed by the people around, Kazuya manages just fine as the bushes have the perfect size to hide him.
“So, we’re here,” the man says, looking expectantly at Kazuya. The kid is playing with his chubby fingers over his lap, his gaze pointedly avoiding Jin.
“You said you were a wizard” the little boy finally says, letting out his caught breath all at once a mere second before speaking. Jin has a vague idea of why Kazuya has brought them to this place that day, but he decides against rushing the kid and instead he lets Kazuya lead the flow.
“I am.”
Kazuya frowns, his eyes still lowered to the hands on his lap. Jin almost feels like chuckling at his pursed lips, but after all these months living with Kazuya he knows better than to do that.
“It’s ok if you don’t believe me, but-”
“This is my secret place,” Kazuya confesses suddenly. He waits a bit for Jin’s reaction, but he receives only a small humming sound of approval. He immediately goes back to his furrowed brows and pursed lips, as if having problems to go on.
Meanwhile Jin focuses on baby Yuya, baby-talking him, rocking him softly and making faces to keep him from crying. The baby is nothing but quiet whenever Jin holds him, so everything is just an act to give Kazuya enough time and space to figure out his next words.
It seems to work when, after five minutes in silence, the kid opens his mouth again.
“I believe you. What you told me that day is true, isn’t it?” he doesn’t waits for Jin’s reply as he goes on, seemingly before losing his spurt “I showed you my secret place… You have to teach me some magic in exchange.”
He then lifts up his gaze, his eyes challenging Jin.
The young man is smiling, no traces of surprise in his face. He has been right, he notices with a pang of delight. Yuya is slowly drifting to sleep, almost as if under command, thought Jin has nothing to do with it. The atmosphere surrounding them is so calm and peaceful, he almost feels tempted to follow the baby’s example and take a nap right there and then.
He exchanges one last look with Kazuya before raising his index finger to the eye level, catching the kid’s attention. Kazuya looks at him in complete expectation.
“I can predict the future…” Jin says and sees the disappointment in Kazuya’s eyes. He can tell the kid has been expecting some extravagant magic trick like the ones he watches on TV performed by flashy magicians, but this is too much of a gold opportunity to let it pass.
Jin chants a silent spell, his lips curling up to a slight smile when he sees a pink flutter of wings behind Kazuya.
“On your 18th birthday, Kazuya…” he whispers softly, the pink creature flying and making flourishes in the air each time closer to them “On that special day, a butterfly of light will find its way from me to you…”
The boy is about to make a complain about the lame, cryptic prediction when, out of nowhere, a beautiful butterfly, of a bright shade of pink he has never seen before, lands meekly on Jin’s index finger as if casted by magic.
Kazuya’s wide eyes go immediately to Jin’s in time to catch the playful wink the older guy directs at him and, in the next moment, the butterfly disappears into a puff of smoke.
“One day… I’ll take you to catch the stars, Kazu-chan” Jin promises before kissing Kazuya’s forehead goodnight.
Jin has a way of always knowing when it’s the best day to go outside and play under the soft rays of sun, or when it’s best to take an umbrella with them -“but the man in the TV said it’ll be a sunny day!”, Kazuya would complain at first- because rain would catch them just before leaving the park. He even knows, without checking the weather forecast, when it’s the best time to stay home because rain, and later on because snow, would make impossible for them to go outside.
“Why are you making hot choco, Jin-kun?”
Jin lifts up his face from where he is stirring the thick hot beverage to where the little boy is staring at him with furrowed questioning eyes.
“Didn’t you know?” he answers with a sweet smile on his lips “Hot chocolate tastes better when it rains”
“But today is not going to-”
The sudden noise of tiny raindrops splashing against the ceiling escalates in volume and intensity, cutting off the complain Kazuya was mouthing so vigorously.
“Go find something warm to wear, Kazu-chan… We’re watching the raindrops today.”
Jin knows he can decide whether or not he wants to try out other relationships.
He decides he doesn’t.
And he’s pretty much sure he won’t change his mind and he won’t regret it.
Kazuya observes Jin from across his strawberry cake, the flames of seven candles lightening his face with warm colors that contrast perfectly with the cold air of February. Jin urges him to blow the candles all at once when the popular birthday tune has reached its end and Kazuya complies, not without smiling widely at the young man.
His father hasn’t returned home, but Kazuya hasn’t lost his hopes. He doesn’t waste his seventh year’s wish hoping upon it, though. Instead, he closes his eyes tightly and screams in his heart for a beautiful fortune to Jin.
Jin watches him, feeling himself growing even warmer towards the little boy. A little kid that has been teaching him the basics all over again, not only about magic… But about living as well.
Jin sees in him a precious gift, but he decides in that moment that he would -he must- let him make his own voyage of discovery, no matter the cost.
It’s when Jin is unmistakably certain he occupies an irreplaceable spot in Kazuya’s heart and soul when he decides to take his leave, taking a dangerous leap of faith that could condemn him to an eternal solitude.
He doesn’t think much about it, lets the sudden impulse take control over his life without whispering a word to Kazuya, the main victim of such a rushed and cruel decision.
Jin prefers to believe in his heart that Kazuya will understand it -will understand him- in the end, and forgive him for his selfish sacrifice.
“It’s such a shame you have to leave now, Jin-kun… Kazuya was looking forward to take you to his Elementary School.”
Jin scratches the back of his head with something akin to guilt and embarrassment. He’s not used to telling lies, not even white ones. He’s quite sure it has something to do with his Mom constantly telling him how much it broke her heart when he lied as he was growing up, so Jin hates the feeling of hurt that lies always cause. He also feels like being five again.
Jin casts a sheepishly smile.
“I know Kazu-chan is already sleeping, but…” he takes a deep breath and fights against the tears that threaten to pool in his eyes. “Can I say goodbye to him?”
There’s a light nod and he’s on the way to the little boy’s room, something tightening more and more in his chest with every step he takes towards the bedroom.
As expected, the kid is sleeping peacefully in his bed, his chubby fingers gripping the edge of his turtle-patterned sheets and his inseparable teddy bear. Jin takes a moment that lasts forever to stare at the sleeping figure with eyes full of love and sadness -every single detail burning itself with fire in his mind and soul- and yet, it seems like it isn’t even enough for what comes ahead.
Jin fists both of his hands to restrain himself from stopping time just to gaze at Kazuya for a longer time, just to jump to the future moment when they reunite again under a starlit purple sky. When the temptation to unleash his powers and do just that becomes too much, he fists his hands a lot harder, almost to the point of bleeding.
With his breathing even and his heartbeats racing to a somewhat normal pace, Jin finally inches closer to Kazuya and brushes his lips lovingly onto his forehead.
“Kazu-chan…” Jin mutters in a constricted voice, but he can’t brace himself to whisper the words that mark the imminent farewell.
Part 2