Chapter Nine - Maybe This Time
Title: Maybe This Time
Pairing: Akame
Summary: Jin left Johnny’s again, without saying goodbye to his best friend/lover Kame, because he needed to sort things out in his life. Torn between dragging his lover back to Johnny’s and keeping the band intact, Kame was convinced by his band mates to let Jin go and do whatever he wanted. Two years later, Jin is back but things were different with Jimusho… and even bigger changes in Kame’s life…
Chapter Nine
“GOOD MORNIN’!” the twins were all smiles the next morning as they sat eagerly by the dining table.
“Morning boys~” Kame greeted back, placing tablewares in front of the twins. “How many pancakes?”
“2~” Ryuu answered sweetly.
Hayato grinned. “I want 5!”
“You’re a pig, Hayato.” Ryuu said suddenly.
“Dad, Ryuu’s being mean to me again!” Hayato fake pouted.
“But you really are one!” Kame couldn’t resist but to tease poor Hayato.
“Good morning.” Jin greeted from the kitchen entry.
“Good morning.” The twins greeted back.
“Take your seat Jin.” Kame smiled as he got another plate from the dish rack and handed it to Jin who looked quite uneasy for reasons unknown. “How many?” Kame asked.
“5?” Jin answered, slightly upset that Kame had to ask when two years ago, he very well knew the answer to that question,
“See! Uncle Jin’s a pig too!” Hayato sulked.
Ryuu laughed. “His portion is quite reasonable, baka. He’s a grown man while you-”
“Are still growing.” Jin defended Hayato. “That’s why he needs to eat a lot. You should eat more too, Ryuu.” He advised. This kid is almost as skinny as Kame looked in 2005.
Hayato looked relieved that someone, namely Jin, backed him up for once. “You know, I like you! You’re like the only person who said that.”
Kame finally sat with them, not before placing a pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice on the table. “That’s because he’s a pig too, Haya-chan. So I’m not really sure if you should be relieved or not.” Kame continued teasing both Jin and Hayato.
“Hey!” the kid and adult protested but laughed after a short while.
“Ryuu-chan?” Kame worriedly called his youngest son’s name upon noticing the bruises on the younger boy’s right arm. “Were you and Hayato playing rough house last night?”
“Hmm?” Ryuu frowned. “What are you talking about dad? We went to bed early like you ordered us to.”
“Then,” Kame didn’t continue speaking his mind, his eyes lingering on the bruises with big worry came flooding instantly.
He remembered the same thing happening to Rikka, the twins’ mother.
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~flash back~
There was a knock on Kame’s door early the next morning. He peeped into the hole and saw nobody. Kame grinned, having an idea who his early morning visitors were. He opened the door with a wide smile on his face.
“Good mor-” his sentence died on his throat.
To his right, he can see Tohru and Kenji pulling a woman to the direction of his door unit.
“I’m really sorry sir. My kids are so naughty. Sorry for disturbing your uh… sleep.” The young woman glared at his sons. “I told you before, don’t cause any inconvenience to our neighbors.”
“No please, you were not disturbing me at all.” Kame smiled, waving a little at the kids in greeting. “I’m guessing you’re their mother?”
“Mom, come one, don’t be shy.” Tohru urged Rikka to move.
“Let me introduce, she’s our mom and he name’s Rikka.” Kenji said with a wide grin. “And mom, he’s our new neighbor. He helped us out yesterday. His name is…”
“Kamenashi Kazuya.” Kame offered his hand for a handshake.
Rikka’s eyes went wide. “You mean… you’re that… Kamenashi Kazuya?”
Kame smiled. “You’ve heard of us?”
“Uh… well…” Rikka didn’t know how to proceed with the conversation. “Uh… nice to meet you. Thanks for helping them out yesterday. I’m really indebted to you.”
“That was no problem at all.” Kame gave a thorough look at his apartment. “Uh, do you wanna come in? It’s kind of cold here in the hallway.”
Rikka shook her head while the kids nodded their head fervently.
“No. I… uh…” Rikka tried to look for an escape.
“Oh, come on Mom. He won't bite.” Tohru lightly pushed her in Kame’s direction.
Kame could see how uncomfortable he was making Rikka. “Uh, look, the kids are right. I don’t bite.” He grinned boyishly. “And if I do, I don’t have rabies, promise.”
The woman smiled slightly at Kame’s joke but… “No, I’m sorry. I really am.” Rikka bowed her head apologetically. “I’m gonna be late for work if I don’t move now.” She pulled the kids towards their own apartment. “Nice meeting you Kamenashi-kun.”
Kame didn’t want to assume anything… but based on how the woman acted, she was aloof to men.
Now, he doesn’t know if that had something to do with the assortment of bruises he saw on Rikka’s arms and legs. ‘Is… she a battered wife or girlfriend?’ Kame thought sadly. ‘For a girl that pretty… she doesn’t deserve a man who hits her.’ He resolves to help his neighbor out in any way he can. After all, he didn’t have much to do now that KAT-TUN would probably be on hiatus.
Little did he know, he’d be helping Rikka out more than he, or anyone, would have expected.
~end of flash back~
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“Dad?” Ryuu waved his right arm to get Kame’s attention. “Are you okay?”
“I am.” Kame shook his head to clear his thoughts. Maybe he’s reading too much into this. “Are you okay? Those bruises… it looks like they hurt.”
“What?” Ryuu frowned and Kame pointed at the collection of bruises on the younger boy’s arm. “Oh, this? No dad, they don’t hurt. I don’t know why it got here though. Probably because I was sleeping restlessly last night?”
“Probably…” Kame mumbled. “Excuse me.” He stood up, intending to make a phone call to Taichi. He left Jin, Hayato and Ryuu in the kitchen with worry shown on their faces.
Once out of their earshot, Kame dialed Taichi’s number.
“Yo~” Taichi greeted. “Morning.” The younger man yawned. “What’s up? Are there any change of plans?” he asked sleepily.
“Taichi, I’m worried about Ryuu…” Kame started. “I just noticed it this morning. Ryuu… had some bruises on his arm and the boy doesn’t even know where he got them.”
Taichi’s sleepiness went away. “What? Wait… are you… are you suggesting that…”
“I’m not even sure if I want to think that.” Kame’s eyes welled up. “He’s too young Taichi. He can’t be…”
“Kame calm down.” Taichi was calm but his voice didn’t cover his worry over Ryuu’s health condition. “Do you want to cancel the movies today and go to the hospital instead and have Ryuu checked?”
“The kids would be disappointed if we don’t proceed with the plan. And… I don’t want to worry them for nothing. Maybe we can visit the hospital without them suspecting that there’s a possibility that Ryuu’s sick?” Kame wondered. “You know how they hate hospitals now.”
“Hmm… let’s see…” Taichi thought of a wonderful plan. “I’ll have me take a check up today and then we’ll somehow trick them to have a routine check up as well?”
“That’s a great idea!” Kame agreed. “If it’s you, the kinds wouldn’t think twice about going to a hospital. But how will we convince them to actually step inside a hospital?”
“Leave it to me and my acting skills.” Taichi answered.
“Oh and there’s a slight problem… well, I don’t know if I should call it a problem or not.” Kame scoffed. “And Ryuu’s condition is more of a problem, come to think of it.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“Well, the twins actually invited Jin.”
“Well… it’s really not a problem with me.” Taichi shrugged. “I don’t mind him tagging along if you don’t.”
“But…”
“It would be awkward?” Taichi guessed. “That’s just your view of things.”
“Okay. Are you sure you don’t mind?” Kame assured.
Taichi chuckled. “You worry too much.” His tone became teasing. “Are you sure it’s me you’re asking how I would feel with Jin coming along?”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“Kazu, you won't trick me into thinking that you’re not… affected by his presence.”
“I’m not.” Kame denied.
Taichi sighed. “Fine. Okay.” He decided to change the subject. “To clear things out, while on our way to the mall, or maybe after?”
“After will be much better.” Kame considered. “At least they won't be in a hurry and drag us out of the hospital before we get any tests done.”
“Okay. After then. I’ll pretend to be sick and you’ll be forced to take me to the hospital and sometime thereafter, I’m gonna trick Ryuu to take a medical check up.”
“Include Hayato too. He’ll be suspicious if it’s just Ryuu undergoing the exams.”
“Okay.” Taichi made a mental note on what he had to do. “Are you still picking me up after lunch?”
“Yes, we’ll see you later, Tai-chan.” Kame hung up and went back to the kitchen.
“We don’t have no more pancakes dad?” Hayato wiped the maple syrup dripping from his right cheek.
“Hayato! You’re a mess! Come here!” Kame shrieked as he wiped the sticky liquid off Hayato’s face.
“Dad, he’s a pig. It’s only natural that he eats messy.” Ryuu grinned, still not done teasing his twin.
Hayato stuck his tongue out.
“Really mature niichan.” Ryuu mocked.
Jin watched the three with their exchanges; an affectionate smile pasted on his face.
Back to Chapter Eight ∫ On to Chapter Ten
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A/N: I did say please don’t hate me for what I’m about to do in this series, right? *hides*
Ahh. Finally. I was able to write something after so many hours of self-pity and self-loathing. You wouldn’t believe how much I was making myself miserable for not being able to write anything. And it’s been brought by so many factors. One of my main concerns it still is I think? Is how the number of comments are going down… but the number of people adding me is certainly increasing. Don’t get me wrong. I’m more than happy to add you back even if you don’t leave a comment that you’re adding me, most especially if your username is familiar because you’ve commented before… But when I see that you added me and then I was not able to actually remember seeing you commenting before, not even once - now, that is what makes me depressed… knowing that someone liked my fic enough to add me but not even once making me know that you like it? *sigh* do you understand how that feels? To know that someone is there but never bothered to say anything? Sorry if this is too petty. It might be for you but I’ve always been the sensitive one about these things. And I care a great deal if someone is still interested or not. That’s the drive of fic writers. Comments will always pull someone out of their slump. I don’t think there’s not a fic writer in the world who doesn’t like a comment or two on their fic updates. Okay, now that this is out, I had better stop before I say more things that can even escalate my depression.
Comments are definitely appreciated. Heck, even flames, I don’t care if you send me one - just let me know that you’ve read this update or not. *dismayed*