Tanabata 愛 << Thank You for not giving up on me >>
Final Chapter
Both his grandparents were shocked to see the whole family were there except for his father. His grandmother brought her mum to her room while everyone else resting to their own room, leaving Satoshi and his grandfather talking in the living room. Sho had asked Satoshi to stay for the night since they may not going back to Tokyo and he knew Satoshi was tired since he had been running around the whole day. His grandfather’s house was too big for only two of them. Since they always spent most of their time during their childhood there, each of them had their own room in the house. Masaki cried as soon as he was in Sho which was now their own room. Sho knew the other had been holding back his tears and let him cry as much as he wanted on his shoulders. “I’m sorry… Sho-chan, I caused unhappiness in your family.” Masaki said in between his sobs. “No! you didn’t baby, my father just needs some time to accept it. But Shu and Mai like you can’t you see how much they welcome you.” “But your mum left your father because of me, they fight because of me. I can’t be happy if my happiness caused sadness to others, I can’t Sho-chan, I can’t do it I can’t be selfish” Masaki said still crying in his arms. He tried to calm him down, but Masaki kept crying, “Sho-chan, maybe it was wrong for us to be to…” He can’t finish his words when two soft lips claimed his. Sho broke the kiss when he felt Masaki started to calm down. “Did the kiss felt wrong to you? Never said that again because I know it is right for me to be with you. You are the sunshine that brighten up my planned life Masaki and you should never doubt it.” Sho hugged him tightly, even when he was insulted, Masaki still put others happiness before his. How he wished his father can see Masaki’s sincerity. His heart clenched when once again his love was crying because of him when he was supposed to bring happiness to him. He had promised Masaki grandparents to take a good care of him and make him happy always but what he did till now only gave him the sadness and made Masaki cried because of him. “If there is someone at fault, it should be me Masaki, because I kept made you cried. I’m sorry Masaki if I’m selfish but I can’t live without you in my life.” Masaki moved his body a bit, so he can look at his husband and wipe the other tears with his thumb. “I’m sorry So-chan. I won’t said it again because I can’t live without you too.” Both tried to smile to bring comfort to each other. “I love you, baby” “I love you too Sho-chan” they stay like that together in each other arms, trying to find a comfort of their sadness in their love till they heard the knocks on their door. Sho wiped his tears and opened the door, it was his mother asking for a permission to talk to Masaki alone. Sho was hesitant but left the room when Masaki insisted it will be fine.
“Sakurai-san, I’m sorry for causing the unhappiness in your family.” Masaki said as soon as Sho closed their room door. “Are you sorry for loving my son?” Masaki was taken aback by his mother in law questions, “No! I really love Sho, but I can’t be happy if our love caused the sadness in your family” Masaki replied. “So, if I said, we will be happy again if you divorced him, will you do that?” Masaki can’t answer it, as much as he didn’t want his happiness to cause sadness to others, he can’t live without Sho in his life. Sho’s mother laughed seeing his guilty and confused look. “Now! I know why my son loves you Masaki. You are too nice for your own sake. Don’t worry Masaki, it was not your fault but our fault for not seeing him as what he is but seeing him as what we want him to be. I’ve always known that my son is different from other boy even his father knows this, but instead of talking and find out the truth we just regarded it as a part of his growing process and left him to his grandparent’s care while we are busy building our status and reputation. We just see him as our heir of the family business, but we never see him as our son. For that I’m glad he met you” Masaki was speechless. He wondered if it was right for him to assume that she accepts him as part of their family? “Sakurai-san, do you mean you…?” Masaki stopped when Mrs Sakurai shook her head. “First of all, I think you should change the way you called me since I am your mother in law. You should call me mother instead of Sakurai-san.” Masaki can’t say anything as he started to cry again and knelt in front of the woman who now he can call a mother. “Thank you! Mother, for accepting me, I’ve always wanted to call you mother since I’ve never got so much chance to do it after my mum passed away when I was still a kid.” He put his head on his new mother’s lap and continue to cry. “You really are a cry baby, I wondered how you could be so patience living in hiding yourself as my son in law?” “I can do it because Sho-chan is always there for me.” Masaki replied in between his sobs. “Thank you, Masaki for bringing the happiness in my son’s life and I’m sorry that my family hurt you so much, but can you promise me one thing?” his mother in law asked. Masaki moved his head and looked into her eyes. “Yes Mother, I will do anything that you want.” Masaki said. “I’ve watched the conference and I can see how much you both loves each other, It’s been so long since the last time I saw him smiling like that with full of happiness in his eyes. Promised me that you will love him till the end and will always be by his side.” “I promised you mother, I will always love him and be by his side because I can’t live without him by my side too.” Mrs Sakurai wiped the tears on her son in law cheek. Sho who had been listening to them at the door was glad, he didn’t mean to eavesdropped, but he was worried that his mother will hurt his love. “I know you love him so much, but don’t you think it was bad to eavesdropped on us?” His mother asked when he saw Sho in front of the door. “I’m sorry mother and thank you for accepting us.” Sho hugged and kissed his mother on her cheek. “Have a good rest tonight, it had been tiring for all of us and we can talk more tomorrow.” "But father..?" Sho asked, "Gie him some times and I believe he will change his mind too" His mother said and left both alone. “I’m glad she changed her mind” Sho said. Masaki nodded his head, but he knows Sho was also worried about the public reactions. Satoshi had told them to off their phone and avoid reading any news about them. Nino reminded him countless of times to forget everything at least for tonight so he could calm his emotion and have a good rest but when he felt hands moving under his shirt and the soft kisses on his shoulders, he knew it will be another long night for him.
A night during the summer
Finally, they finished their last meeting with a new client for the day. Although their office had officially started their operations four months ago, thanks to his and Satoshi’s wide connection, they manage to build a comprehensive clients base in the short span of time. Sho was happy, he finally managed to run on his own path. Although at first, he was worried about the public reactions after his press conference that may affect the trust for his new business, most of the public don’t care and root for them even though they are some who were looking at them in negatively. Masaki moved in with him one week after the press conference since they no longer need to hide their marriage. Although his father yet to accept Masaki, he no longer forbids him to come to their house after his mother threaten him with separation. He still remembers how they had a hard time to persuade his mother to go home when his father came to fetch her from his grandparent’s house. His sister and brother love Masaki and his mother never hesitant to show her favouritism towards his son in law openly. Sometimes he felt his mother loves Masaki more than him. He was sad that his father had to end his long close friendship with Ogawa family but he found out from his mother how much his father had help him in the past and the reason why Ogawa want the marriage to happen was not only about the baby but also to help with their business which was on the verge of bankruptcy. He is still one of the main shareholders in Sakurai Corporations and his brother still asked for his opinions from times to time. Masaki still operating his Chinese restaurant but left full responsibility to Nino and his assistant chef to run it while he was busy with Jun in setting up second branch of Jule’s Le Bistro in Ginza. As promised, Masaki became his newly setup firm, first customer. He still remembers how Jun and Masaki were making noise about the service fee. “Sho-chan, how could you charge your own husband this much and we are your first customer you know?” Sho looks at Satoshi, the person in charge of the billing hoping for him to understand his signal to lower down the charges, "Masaki, the charges that we charged you was discounted by 50%, and I think it was reasonable. We need money to pay the bills and our staff salary” Masaki pouting knowing he can’t win over Satoshi when it comes to money. Jun always said that Nino had a bad influence on Satoshi and change him to a stingy man.
Sho dropped by to a florist to buy 99 stalks of red roses for his love. “Tadaima!” but no answer, Sho was sure Masaki told him that he will be back earlier than him but the darkness in their living told him the opposite. Sho tried to call him but it went to voicemail and Sho started to be worried till he passed by their dining table where the table was set for candle light dinner with a fine French dining course and his favourite red wine. He called Masaki but still no reply, the dim light in from the dining area continued to their bedroom. There were polaroid photos of them since they were young till now scattered on the floor as if showing him the way to their bedroom. Sho picked the photo one by one and realized there were messages behind each of the photos. The last photo in front of their bedroom door was the photo of them taken on the first day they met at the farm after Masaki saved him from the horse. “Together, Always Be With You” was written at the back. “Okaeri!” finally he heard Masaki’s reply once he opens their bedroom door but the view waiting for him made his throat dry. The sexy Masaki in Maroon bathrobe seating at the corner of their bed waiting for him with his most seductive smile. He went closer, passed him the roses and sat next to him “Seems like someone in his naughty mode tonight?” Sho whispered closely to his lover’s ear. “Don’t you like what you see? Masaki replied him with a question and pushed Sho to lie down on their bed while Masaki is seating on top of him. His hand moving fast to take off whatever material on the other body before loosening his bathrobe. “Happy Anniversary Honey and thank you for loving me.” Masaki said and claimed the other lips. It is not only their wedding anniversary, but it was also the day when they first met at the farm. The chose to get married on the same date to cherish the day they met. It was their first time to celebrate it intimately in 10 years after they change their Tanabata period from summer to winter. Before even when they meet on the day, it will only be a friendship lunch with Jun, Nino and Satoshi as their cover but now they are free to love and celebrate every single important day in their life together. Masaki moans in their kiss when he felt Sho fingers started to prepare him. He broke the kiss and moan his husband name when Sho fingers hit his spot. Sho turned them around so Masaki now beneath him. “I love you baby and thank you for not giving up on me.” He claimed his lovers’ lips to a lustful kiss and thrust his member deep inside his loves, leading them to a hot steamy night to celebrate their love.
Notes:
Finally, I planned to finished this earlier but it took longer that I've expected since I need sometimes to pulled myself back from the shock.
Thank You for reading. I hope it didn't bore you and you enjoyed
the modern age Tanabata story.
(p/s: Your comments much appreciated to help me improve my writing)