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ninoexchange2016-06-17 10:49 pm
nino-mod.livejournal.com) wrote in ninoexchange2016-06-17 10:49 pm
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natsunonamae (5/10)
For: natsunonamae
From:sky_fish7
Part 4
~ * Chapter 5 * ~
After the miraculous makeup with Jun, Nino has to admit that he feels much better. Admittedly, since he met Sakurai, his bitter feelings about his breakup with Jun have started to fade away more already, but reconciling with the other teacher brought Nino another peace of mind. Even if things may still be a little awkward sometimes, the two of them are slowly starting to talk normally to each other again, sometimes they even take lunch together and Nino has to admit that it feels good. He has managed to overcome his feelings for Jun faster than expected – and again the little voice in Nino's mind mocks him by telling him that a certain Sakurai Sho may not be completely innocent regarding this – and it feels good too. It's good to end this story and to actually be able to get back to friend status.
Next to the "Jun-problem", Nino also quickly finds a solution to the problem with Satsuki and him being suspected of having an affair – he still cannot believe how stupid people are to believe such shit – with cancelling their joint practise in the school's music room and instead meeting up after school in Sakurai and Ohno's shop to practise on the white grand piano. In this manner, the two of them are always under the eyes of a parent, so none of the other teachers can say anything against it and they don't have to stop practising together. Plus, Nino can see Sakurai more often, now that he finally doesn't feel as embarrassed any longer, compared to their accidental meetings in the beginning.
Satsuki's birthday is approaching and the girl is making great progress. By now, she manages the difficult parts of the piece of music she wants to show her mother, almost perfectly. Just a little more practise and it will be done. And somehow, to Nino's delight, her enthusiasm has returned, fired up by the challenging music, so much that lately, she even asked Nino to help her with another difficult piece. Of course, he accepts, agreeing on continuing their joint practise even after the girl's birthday. After all, he wants to support his student. He enjoys playing the piano together with her, he enjoys sharing his experience and teaching others his knowledge and if anybody asks him today if he wants to trade his job as a music teacher to be a famous concert pianist, he would say no.
Nino starts believing that fate has brought him here. That fate has made Jun break up with him just before he had the chance to meet Satsuki and her father. Nino starts to get used to his new routine, teaching at school, chatting again with Jun, and after school going to visit Sakurai's and Ohno's shop to play the piano together with his student, and exchange a few words with the two shop owners in between while drinking a cup of delicious jasmine tea.
For once, things are going well again for the teacher, Nino can't really complain. If only they just could go a tiny little bit better regarding Satsuki's father, maybe. Sure, they are talking more to each other but Nino cannot get rid of the urge of wanting to be alone with the man, to talk to him about things other than the small talk they share in front of his daughter. He wants to know this man better, much better and he wants to do things with him that he definitely could never do in front of Satsuki's eyes.
Yes, Aiba is right. He likes that man. But they are barely alone and during the few minutes Satsuki isn't in the room, nothing more than an exchange of looks takes place between them, which is always enough to make Nino blush and turn away, too nervous to get up and start a conversation by himself, but never enough to satisfy his longing for the other man. Some things never change, Nino thinks, like him being a complete coward...
Nino cannot even find the courage to ask the girl again if her mother will really come and visit her on her birthday, since he doesn't want to evoke bad feelings if it's not the case. And the fact that the young girl continues practising with all her might, must be enough of a proof for it, probably.
Of course, Satsuki cancels their joint practise for the day of her birthday, so that she will have time to meet and celebrate together with her friends – and maybe with her parents later on, Nino thinks – and so, after classes, the teacher intends to make use of his spare time to go to town running some errands.
At that time, he doesn't know that he will become a witness of a scene that will not only make him worry about his student but additionally bears a surprise bigger than he ever expected.
Satsuki never told him more about her mother than the information she once shared with Nino in the music room. So it's no surprise that Nino does not recognize the woman wearing a long coat, glasses, and a big hat that hides her face almost perfectly, who is trying to make Satsuki get into a taxi parking just a few meters from the school gate, this afternoon. It's pure coincidence that Nino exits the school grounds at the very same time as the suspicious scene is taking place, and he's lucky to be close by when he hears Satsuki struggle at the grip of a woman's hand around her wrist.
"I said, let go off me!" the teenage girl says in an angry tone, struggling to escape, but the woman does not let her go.
Immediately, Nino starts running, calling out his student's name, getting her to notice him and to indicate the stranger that someone spotted them. The teacher reaches the two women and immediately pulls their hands apart, shooting both of them a questioning look. The strange woman with hat and glasses gapes at him, as if she wants to say something, but she doesn't and Satsuki quickly rubs her wrist while she stands there, pouting like an offended child.
"What's going on here, Sakurai-san?" Nino ask the girl before his look again drifts to the other woman who now crosses her arms, her head lowered. "And excuse me but you are..."
"She's my mother, Sensei," Satsuki says in a low voice, startling Nino.
"Eh?" he looks at her, stunned. "Why are you two fighting then?"
"I just want to pick up my daughter to go celebrate her birthday," the woman says quietly, almost in a whisper.
"And I said, I don't want to go with you, you didn't even have the nerves to tell me if you're coming or not, until the last minute, I do have other plans now, so leave me alone!" the teenage girl barks in her mother's direction.
Nino cannot see the woman's look but he can see the disappointed twitching of her red lips. He can see the complexity of the situation, remembering the conversation with Satsuki about her mother not calling her to fix a meeting for her birthday this year, just a few weeks ago. Apparently, nothing changed since the conversation, but still, Satsuki has continued to practise the piece of music she wanted to show her mother, so even if she's reacting offended and aversive now, deep inside she might be hoping that her mother would show up, which is what the woman did now, obviously.
"Uhm... Miss...," Nino wants to say something to the mother, but does not know to address her. She's not married to Sakurai, so probably, she doesn't share his and her daughter's name.
"I'm sorry," the woman finally reacts; pulling off her hat and glasses before she nervously reaches a hand towards the teacher. "I didn't introduce myself, my name is Kitagawa. I'm Satsuki's mother..."
Nino is unable to move, he just parts his lips, stunned, and he cannot help but stare at the woman in front of him. Sure, now, with her face exposed, a beautiful face that decorates a couple of CDs that are in his very own shelf at home, he recognizes her immediately. Right, Satsuki has mentioned that her mother is a professional jazz pianist, but she did not mention that she was the professional jazz pianist Kitagawa Keiko. Known as the most blessed child of the Japanese jazz field, she is extremely popular and talented, so much that she spends most of her time in Europe where she's even more popular than in her home country.
The woman looks a bit awkwardly at Nino and she is about to draw back her hand, but in that moment Nino finally reaches out his own hand to take hers. He cannot let this chance to shake hands with one of his favourite musicians pass after all.
"Kitagawa-san, I'm very pleased to meet you," Nino starts. "I'm a fan of your music and... I have no idea...," his look wanders to Satsuki again, who rolls her eyes, unnerved. Nino clears his throat and lets go of the woman's hand again, pulling himself together. This isn't important now, Satsuki is important now, she and her feelings, Nino scolds himself. "I had no idea you're Sakurai-san's mother."
The woman chuckles nervously and quickly puts back on her hat and glasses to hide from the curious eyes of the students that pass the small group of people standing next to the taxi, as they walk their ways home.
"I came here from Vienna to see my daughter. I only have a few hours though, I have to return by tomorrow for a concert," the woman starts explaining. "But it seems like Satsuki doesn't want to accompany me now..."
"I thought you wouldn't come. You didn't call me, you didn't text me, I couldn't reach you at all," the girl explodes. "And now you show up here to pull me into a taxi that will drive me to your stupid hotel for just a few hours and think I'll act as you want, how selfish is that?!"
"Sakurai-san...," Nino tries to reach his student.
He can understand that she's huffy now and indeed, the pianist's behaviour sounds selfish, but he is sure that the girl must be happy to see her mother. After all, she told him that they use to meet only once a year, and it would be a pity to let this meeting go to waste, even if the circumstances might have been a bit unlucky this time. The young teacher looks at both women again, the one pouting, the other hanging her head. He has to do something or this will not have a nice ending, he thinks, trying to figure out a solution.
"What... what do you think about it, if we all drive to your father's shop for now, Sakurai-san?" he finally suggests. "You don't have to talk to each other for now, you can let your minds calm down until we are there and then, you can still... play the piano together, maybe?"
It's worth a try appealing to Satsuki's initial wish, the teacher thinks. After all, they practised so much together and the piano is the women's common point, so it should be perfect to get them to make up again.
"So?" he asks again, both women.
"I'm OK with that idea," Kitagawa finally replies. "Satsuki? Please... I'm really sorry..."
The teenage girl sighs deeply, rolling her eyes once more, but then she moves, climbs into the taxi and crosses her arms again in front of her chest, without saying a word. Nino exchanges a look with Satsuki's mother and nods, smiling softly. He then climbs into the taxi first – better to not let the two women sit too close to each other for now, probably – and calls out for Kitagawa to make her get on as well.
A few minutes later, they are on the way to Sakurai and Ohno's shop, the atmosphere in the taxi quiet and still fraught, but they are on their way to recovery and indeed, Nino's plan seems to work out. About half an hour later the two women, with Sakurai's support in talking out the situation and Satsuki has calmed down to the point until she's finally willing to follow their every year tradition. So the two woman end up sitting next to each other on the piano bench and soon after, Satsuki, feeling slightly nervous, shows her mother her progress, impressing her with a skilful finishing of the piece of music she practised together with Nino for the last few weeks. The pianist claps her hands excitedly, praises her daughter in highest tones and laughing, they challenge the piece again, this time together, and it sounds gorgeous.
"I told you, smiling suits you."
Nino hears Sakurai's voice next to him, as he leans against the counter, watching the two women. He quickly turns around, finding the father smiling as well, and blushes slightly, avoiding his eyes. That smile is dangerous, it makes his heart race too fast, especially, when Sakurai leans a bit forward over the wooden surface of the counter and reduces the space between them.
"Seriously, how did you do that, you must be a magician," Sakurai whispers.
"I - I did nothing, really, I just suggested for them to come here," the teacher replies, waving his hand slightly embarrassed. "Maybe, this place here is magic," he adds, letting his look wander around, caught once more by the breath-taking atmosphere in this gorgeous antique shop.
"Maybe," Sho answers. "However, I'm very grateful for your help, Ninomiya-sensei. You're such a great support for my daughter. I can't thank you enough for that."
"Please don't mention it," Nino blushes and then, something he never ever intended to say aloud slips through his lips. "I can't help it, the Sakurais have become my weak point."
Once he realizes what he just said, he gasps and immediately clasps his hand in front of his lips. He stares at Sakurai, horrified, and indeed, the other stares back, his eyes big and his look wondering, probably wondering if he has just heard correctly. Then, Sakurai's lips curl up into a smirk and he leans even closer to Nino until his lips are just a few millimeters from his ear.
Nino cringes slightly, feeling Sakurai's breath tickle his skin when the other whispers, "The Sakurais... plural, you mean?"
"I – I," Nino starts, his face deep red, but he doesn't know how to continue. Yes, he doesn't only mean Satsuki but also her father, but he hasn't planned to let him know... How embarrassing...
Sakurai instead bursts into joyful laughter and Nino isn't sure if he should feel mocked or relieved that the other must have taken his statement as a joke, obviously. The man is just messing with him, like always, not flirting, not seriously, why should he? Nino should better stop thinking of it, he just recovered from his last disappointment, he doesn't want to disillusion himself from the start again.
However, he has no choice but to melt at the handsome smile that remains on Sakurai's lips a few seconds later.
"Really, thank you, Ninomiya-san."
~ * ~
Sho really is relieved to know that his daughter and her mother has reconciled quickly, thanks to their common love of music and Ninomiya's help. In the end, after the teacher long left the scene, they even get along so well with each other, that Satsuki asks her father if he will allow her to sleep over in Keiko's hotel so that the two can have a little "girls' talk".
Even if Sho has been a bit sceptical first, in the end, he cannot fight his daughter's puppy eyes, especially not since it's her birthday, how can he refuse his daughter's wish? At least, Keiko promises to take good care of the girl and to bring Satsuki to school by herself the next morning before driving to the airport to catch her flight back to Vienna, the young father is convinced and his daughter is all smiles.
In the late afternoon of the next day, Sho is dusting the shelves in the front part of the shop when he hears the chimes from the entrance door and whirls around to greet their customer.
"Welcome to our shop! Oh," his face uncontrollably breaks into a wide smile when he sees the person entering the shop, who flashes him a shy smile, bowing slightly. Sho puts away the cleaning tool and takes a few steps closer to the young man. "Ninomiya-sensei, nice to see you! Did you and Satsuki arrange a meeting for piano practice today again? You may be a bit too early, Satsuki has choir practice today."
To Sho's surprise, Ninomiya shakes his head while taking a folder filled with papers from his bag. "Ah, no, I thought I should drop by and give you the notes for your daughter from today's classes. How is she doing? Is she alright?"
Sho frowns, as he takes the notes that the young teacher hands him. "What do you mean?"
"I was a bit confused since you didn't inform school this morning but probably you were busy," the young man continues. Still, Sho doesn't get what he is talking about. "Maybe, she just ate a little too much birthday cake yesterday and has a stomach ache or something, however, I hope it's nothing serious that will keep her away from school any longer."
"Wait, Sensei, I don’t think I am following you...," Sho interrupts the teacher. "Didn't Satsuki show up at school today?"
Suddenly, the teacher's face freezes. "Wait... you... you didn't know that she didn't come to school?" he asks carefully, to confirm his suspicion.
Immediately, Sho shakes his head. "No... I thought she... But that's impossible, Keiko said she would... I don't get it... what..."
Concerned, Ninomiya reaches out his hand to touch Sho's arm slightly. "Sakurai-san? Did something happen?" he asks in a worried voice.
"Satsuki's mother took her with her last night to spend the evening in her hotel suite and do some girls stuff, whatever... and I told them it's fine, after all they don't meet often and if they get along, I don't want to butt in," Sho starts to explain. "Keiko promised to bring her to school this morning! I can't believe she allowed her to skip..."
"Maybe they just wanted to take breakfast together and ended up talking a bit longer. They don't see each other often, right?" Ninomiya offers a solution.
"No, but that's not an excuse, Keiko promised to me and – again – she broke her promise. And what does this show about my daughter when her father wants her to attend school properly and as soon as her mother shows up she forgets all of her good manners?! I'll call them and confirm what they are thinking!" Sho said, furiously running behind the counter to snatch his phone and dial the first number. He can't believe it. First, Keiko almost ruins their daughter's birthday and now...
"Don't be too strict with her, please, Sakurai-san...," Ninomiya begs, following the man to the counter, still looking worried.
"I'm sorry for the troubles, Sensei, please excuse my daughter's absence today," Sho tells the other while still waiting for his daughter to pick up her phone.
"No problem, really," the teacher shakes his head slightly. "I know something like that will never -"
"Oh, CRAP!" Sho bursts, when his call gets directed to the mailbox. "Sorry, Sensei, it's just, she doesn't pick up...," the father apologizes for his interruption before dialling a different number. But with Keiko's number, he's also not lucky. "SHIT! Ah... sorry, Sensei, I didn't mean to swear, I -"
"It's OK, Sakurai-san, it's OK, don't worry," the teacher flashes him a small smile and Sho sighs in relief.
He tries Satsuki's number once more, but still, nothing.
"Can I do something to help?" Ninomiya then offers, worried and Sho can't help but smile at the other man gratefully.
"That's really nice, Sensei, but I don't want to steal your precious time," he then says before he calls Ohno's name into the back of the shop.
"Sho, what's wrong?" Ohno asks confused, as he comes forward, wearing gloves and a pair of protection goggles.
"I'm sorry, I have to leave the shop for a while, Satsuki didn't go to school today and I can't reach her nor Keiko," Sho quickly explains while putting off his waist apron and putting it in its place behind the counter. "I'll be back soon."
"OK," his business partner nods understandingly. "Call me when you found her."
"I will," Sho replies and fetches his stuff, ready to storm out of the shop. "And you call me in case she comes here or you hear anything, OK?"
Ohno gives his thumbs up.
"Sakurai-san!" Ninomiya's voice suddenly holds him back. "May I come along?" the teacher asks a bit nervously. "I'm worried about my student."
"Uhm... sure, if you want?" the other responds, feeling surprised but grateful for the teacher's concern. "I have a note with the hotel's address in which Keiko planned to stay at home – I am cursing myself for not having it saved on my phone – so I want to go there and call the hotel. Let's take the bus."
~ * ~
"What?! How is this even possible?!" Sho almost screams into his cell phone when the receptionist of the hotel gives him not the information that he wants. "Yes, I know it's not your fault, thank you for checking. Bye."
"What did they say?" Ninomiya asks him curiously, when Sho lets his phone drop to the low table in front of him.
He and Ninomiya are sitting on the couch in front of the table in his and Satsuki's apartment since they arrived just a few minutes before. If the situation wouldn't be so delicate at the moment, Sho would definitely be happy to have him as a guest and offer him tea or coffee and some snacks and they would probably hold some small talk. However, unfortunately, this isn't the case at the moment. This is far more serious. His daughter is missing!
"They said, Keiko already checked out last night... and a young girl was with her," Sho repeats what the receptionist just told him.
He nervously brushes his hand over his face, staring at his useless phone. Of course, he tried to reach the women again and again, but still without success. Whatever happened, and wherever the two of them might be at this very moment, either they don’t have the chance to pick up their phones or they don't want to get reached. Either way, Sho is convinced that this cannot mean anything good. Satsuki never, never does something like running away from home or not calling back her father when he tries to reach her. When she is going somewhere after classes, she will text her father without fail so that he will always know where she is and that she's safe. Something like this is a first.
"I – I don't know what they are thinking, I don't know what this means, how can they just be... gone?" he asks desperately, looking at the teacher sitting by his side. "Satsuki never does something like that and where can they be? What is Keiko even thinking?!"
"Do you think we should call the police?" Ninomiya suggests in a slightly trembling voice. "I'm sorry... it may not be helpful at this moment... thinking so negatively," he murmurs, averting Sho's eyes. "I just thought, what if they planned to go to another hotel and on their way they got kidnapped? Or what if Kitagawa-san kidnapped your daughter... no, I'm sorry, this is bullshit, what am I talking..."
Sho sighs. He cannot blame Ninomiya. To be honest, he already had the same thought. What, if Keiko kidnapped Satsuki?
"I know where your thoughts are coming from," the father murmurs, folding his hands. "But then, why should Keiko do that?" he wonders, loudly. "That woman is never interested in her daughter's life. She never wants to spend more than a few days in a row maximum with the girl. She left her in my care voluntarily when Satsuki was still a baby. She just wanted to get away, live her own life without any burden and I took over her responsibilities to take care of our daughter and bring her up... if they really went somewhere together, I'm sure it must be of Satsuki's free will and the fact that she didn't tell me..."
Suddenly, Sho feels a small warm hand on top of his and it's just then, when he realizes that his hands are trembling like crazy. He looks at Ninomiya's hand, then he looks at the teacher who is looking at him with a friendly face.
"Don't worry, Sakurai-san," he says and all of a sudden the worries that painted the young man's face seconds before, seem to be gone, replaced by a warm smile and it calms Sho down immensely. "We'll find her, definitely. Look, didn't Kitagawa-san say she has to return to Vienna today? Maybe she dropped your daughter at a friend's place and for some reason, she didn't want to go to school today. She may be feeling sad about her mother's departure, and have skipped school."
"Maybe...," Sho wants to believe that.
"I have a list of phone numbers of all of my students' homes. I can give them a call and ask if they know where Satsuki is," the teacher offers. "We can also check the usual places for students who may want to skip school. The library, the gaming center, the mall, the park... or do you remember any places where your daughter may go, her favourite places?"
"She likes the aquarium," Sho answers after thinking for a few seconds . "And the zoo... especially the park in the middle where some street musicians hang out."
"That's a good idea!" Ninomiya smiles. "So let's go check these places, it's better than sitting here and waiting for their call, don't you think so? I'll help you!"
Sho takes a deep breath. Ninomiya is right. Anything is better than sitting here and doing nothing or trying to reach Satsuki or Keiko when they probably won't pick up the next calls either.
~ * ~
Unfortunately, Ninomiya's idea to phone the parents of Satsuki's fellow students doesn't seem to bring any answers. None of her friends know where the girl is, neither did they hear or receive messages from her since the day before. Some of the girls are worried and even offer to help, checking out some cafés and restaurants popular among high school students, and promise to text their teacher with a short report. But also this leads to nothing and so after checking the library, the mall and the aquarium, the locations that are split between Ninomiya and Sho, the zoo is their last hope.
First thing after the two men meet in front of the zoo and hastily buy their entrance tickets, is to approach an employee in charge and ask him to make a call through the zoo with Satsuki's name, so that in case the girl is around, she knows that they are searching for her. Gladly, the zoo's employees cooperate and promise to help them, even sending a guard through the premise with a picture of the teenage girl to help with the search directly. Sho then agrees with Ninomiya to split up and search through the zoo from the opposite ends, to increase their chances and to meet in the middle of the park.
Neither the call nor the guard's help lead to a positive result though and so the two men have to admit defeat. They meet right in the middle of the zoo, the lights are flickering as they get switched on, the employees already giving their last calls through the speakers for the visitors to leave. Sho's breath is panting when he comes to a halt, spotting Ninomiya running from another direction and stopping too, catching his breath before shaking his head apologetically. It hits him hard. Satsuki isn't here either. For what must have felt like a thousandth time, the father checks his phone again, his hands slightly trembling again. The battery is about to die, but it's still enough to allow him to make a last check on his calling list and his messages. Nobody called him. Ohno sent him a message, asking if he found Satsuki already.
No. Nothing. Not even a slight trace. Sho sees the image in front of his eyes becoming shaky and blurred, he feels the lump in his throat thickening and he feels the hard ground underneath his knees when he finally breaks down, his heart overflowing from the worry, the sorrow, the fear that something happened to his precious girl. He clasps his phone with one hand while he brings his other hand to his eyes, catching the first few tear drops falling from his cheeks. He hears himself sobbing desperately and then he senses someone bending down in front of him and feels arms wrapping around his shoulders, pulling him into a warm embrace.
~ * ~
Sho has definitely imagined a different scenario of him and Ninomiya hugging, but he is very thankful to the teacher as he offers him his shoulder for comfort when he reached the bottom of his day in the zoo about an hour ago. They have spent minutes there, Ninomiya's arms wrapped around Sho's shoulders, pressing him close, while Sho has allowed his arms to reach behind the young man's back and bury his shaking hands in the fabric of his jacket, seeking a grip while he let his tears run freely, in spite of the embarrassment. Ninomiya rubbed his back then and whispered calming words, trying to cheer him up. Only after Sho's tears dried up they finally stood up again and left the zoo together, getting scolded by a security guard whom they passed on his control patrol to kick out left visitors.
Ninomiya accompanies Sho to his apartment afterwards, the young father apologizing again and again for his breakdown but as the sensible man the teacher must be, Ninomiya just smiles at him warmly and assures him that nothing about being a worried parent is embarrassing. Nothing. Sho loves his way of thinking. And even if he knows that it's definitely not the right timing to notice this, at this very moment, his heart also tells him how much he loves Ninomiya. Yeah... he doesn't only have a crush on him, he is in love with that man and the fact that the teacher even offers to come along and accompany Sho for a few more hours, doesn't make it easier to ignore.
"I'm sorry, Ninomiya-sensei... I should be the one offering you tea," Sho murmurs when he's back, sitting on the couch in his living room and the teacher coming from the kitchen with a small tea pot and two mugs placed on a small tray that he places on the low table before taking place right next to Sho.
"Don't mention it, Sakurai-san, please let me take care of this," the teacher smiles sheepishly, placing the mugs in front of them and checking the steaming tea pot. The smell of peppermint tea – Sho's favourite – fills the air. "You're tired. It's been a long day. Do... do you want something to eat?"
"No, thanks...," Sho shakes his head. "Ah, but if you're hungry, the fridge is full or you can order something if you want to."
"Thanks, but I'm not hungry either," Ninomiya shakes his head and leans back at the couch. They don't say anything for a few minutes, just breathing in and out, smelling the delicious scent of the tea. Breaking the silence, the young teacher asks, "Do you still want to call the police?"
"Do you have a better idea?"
Ninomiya adjusts his position, turning more to Sho and opening his arms in an explaining gesture. "Well, probably it's not my place to say this but maybe you should wait until tomorrow morning. Let's assume Kitagawa-san really took Satsuki with her and it's like you say and your daughter went with her voluntarily, then I'm convinced that she will give you a call soon to let you know that she's fine, or show up here sooner or later."
"I'd go crazy if she doesn't!" Sho states, feeling determined.
But the teacher hasn't finished yet. "Think about it, maybe she wants to spend her time with her mother, just for once, without getting interrupted. Teenager can be... a bit twisted sometimes. Sometimes they don't want to share their experiences with their parents..."
"I must be a horrible father...," the other man sighs, slumping even deeper into the couch and bringing his hand up to hold his forehead.
"What? No! No, that's not what I meant," Ninomiya protests immediately before hanging his shoulders a bit at his failed attempt to cheer up the other. "It's just... puberty, probably."
Another deep sigh leaves Sho's lips. "Ninomiya-sensei?"
"Yes?" the other asks, his shoulders still hanging.
"I appreciate your thoughts and I know you want to help but the one and only thing that can really help me right now is that thing in the small closet right next to you," Sho says, pointing at Ninomiya's left. "Could you please hand it to me?"
Ninomiya gets up and takes a few steps closer, kneeling down and opening the small furniture. "Here?"
"Exactly," Sho nods. "Right there, hidden behind the fruit juice..."
Ninomiya rummages around a bit, pushing some bottles of juice away until he finds what Sho is asking for. He takes the half full bottle in his hand and arches an eyebrow, looking at Sho critically. "Really? A bottle of rum?"
"What?" the young father shrugs. "I think I deserve it."
"If you wish," Ninomiya replies and hands the bottle to the other man.
"Thanks. You want some too in your tea?" Sho asks after he poured some of the alcohol into his mug of hot tea.
"Uhm... oh well, why not," now Ninomiya shrugs, pushing his mug a bit closer to Sho, who pours a generous amount of the liquid into it before the teacher slightly pushes the bottle up to make him stop. "Whoa! Not so much!"
"Sorry, I forgot how bad you are with alcohol."
"How can you even forget that after my embarrassing performance?!" Ninomiya chuckles.
Sho tilts his head. "True, I will never forget that until the end of my life."
Ninomiya blushes, pouting cutely. "So you did that on purpose just now!"
"I'm sorry?" Sho offers, making puppy eyes.
"You aren't!"
"You're right, I'm not. Tastes good?"
"Tastes good. Better than pure whiskey at least," Ninomiya nods in agreement after taking a sip before throwing Sho a serious look. "But I warn you, if I jump you again, I swear it's just the alcohol and it will be your fault!"
"Maybe I can take the risk," Sho smirks before tasting the drink by himself.
And for the first time in hours, even if nothing was alright at the moment, Sho is able to smile again when he sees the teacher blushing but nonetheless taking a big sip of his mug of tea and rum.
They continue just sitting next to each other, exchanging a few words now and then, until Sho becomes babbly. However not from the alcohol, as slowly but surely the stress from the whole day gets replaced by tiredness and he tends to babble when he's tired. He begins to tell Ninomiya stories about Satsuki's childhood, not the embarrassing ones – at least according to his opinion – since he doesn't want to risk the possibility of his daughter not being able to look into her teacher's eyes ever again, but some of his personal favourites. Like the story about her first word (which hasn't been "Daddy" to Sho's disappointment but "apple" since one of Satsuki's favourite dishes as a child has been apple sauce), the story of her first steps, their first visit to the zoo, her first piano recital in middle school.
Sho even dares to tell the teacher the story about how he and Keiko came together during their high school days. Both popular and good students, both representatives of their respective classes, and everyone saw them as the ideal couple – so that they eventually ended up dating for real, just because both of them became curious about what everybody wanted to know. In fact, Sho probably wasn't even very interested in a relationship with a girl, he hadn't been interested in a relationship with anyone back then, since his plan was to focus onto his studies, to graduate and to get accepted at the most prestigious university of Tokyo, main subject of his dreams – law. He fooled around a bit in his late middle school, early high school years, had casually dated a few girls, and a few guys, because he didn't fully understand at that time which was more his type, but when it came to the relationship with Keiko, he didn't really plan to guide it somewhere.
However, things took their courses, and at some point their relationship reached a level where they both had to decide whether they wanted to keep it as a solely platonic relationship without deeper meaning, or to carry it to the next level. So they decided to give it a try, the physical part of their relationship, to see if it works and they both had to find out, that it wasn't what they were searching for so they stepped back to be a casual couple after just one time having sex.
Their plan had been to concentrate onto their goals and break up amicably once the last school year ended. Sho still planned to attend university to become a lawyer, and Keiko, who was already an exceptionally gifted pianist back then, planned to study music in one of the most eminently respectable institutes in the world, having offers for scholarships from famous academies like the Julliard in New York or the Mozarteum in Salzburg. But then, they found out.
They found out that Keiko was pregnant. Even if they had practised safe sex, knowing the risks of their actions, sometimes things like these happened and it happened to them. They were confronted by their parents with the proposal of getting married after graduation and forming a family. Sho could continue with university and becoming a prestigious lawyer as planned while Keiko would stay home and raise their child together with her parents' help.
But Keiko refused.
Sho could understand that she did not plan to give up her career even before it started and he never planned to make Keiko agree to such a plan. He suggested a compromise, offered his help in raising the child while taking it slower at university and after giving birth, Keiko would have the chance to attend a music academy in Tokyo, but even this wasn't enough to satisfy Keiko's hunger for musical education and her hunger for adventure. She has the soul of an artist since the beginning, Sho used to call it sadly, when he realized that Keiko simply rejected the idea of becoming a mother as a whole, and started talking about abortion to get rid of what Sho did to her but Sho couldn't accept it.
With all his might and his own parents' support, he convinced Keiko to give birth to their child and to allow him to adopt it so that he could take care of it instead of her, and luckily, she agreed. And so, as soon as the young woman recovered from the birth, she left the country for New York, leaving behind the most beautiful baby girl Sho has ever seen, in his sole care. Of course, Sho fell in love with his daughter Satsuki at first sight. He had been looking forward to meet this little miracle, after all, and he gladly accepted his new life-task.
Of course, being a law student while being a single father, even with his parents' support, would have been too much and too unprofitable, considering the fact that he wouldn't be able to earn money on his own for years and money was what he needed to bring up his daughter. Sho quickly realized that and so he dropped out from university after one year to focus on finding a good job that would help him to earn enough money for the two of them, not wanting to live of his parents' money forever. It was then, when he met Ohno, who had just started his own business, an antique shop that focuses on repairing and restoring old furniture, but was lacking in sales skills, something that Sho has a good hand for. So the two of them teamed up and their business bloomed enough to feed both of their families and in order to earn a little extra money, Sho had started to work as a part time delivery boy, so that he can afford some fancy clothes and the newest cell phone for his precious daughter.
Ninomiya just listens closely and doesn't say much while Sho tells his story and Sho appreciates it. It's not like he wants to share this story to brag about how good of a human being he is, taking care of a child abandoned by her mother, or to earn sympathy because he had to give up his own dream in order to become a parent, he just gives in the urge to share something of his past with that nice cute man sitting next to him on his couch.
In fact, Sho never saw it like that. He did not give up anything, he just took a different path according to the circumstances and it's good like this. True, he wishes for Keiko to be a bit more of a mother sometimes, to at least not fully exclude herself from their daughter's life, and he's glad that she is at least part of their life a little bit more, for a few years now. In his opinion it took her long enough – until Satsuki reached the age of 6 – to realize that even if she abandoned the girl, she's still the mother and she owes her some love, even if she is not able to give much of it. It hasn't been easy to let her into their small family again, years after the woman left the country, left behind her child, but Sho's and Satsuki's hearts have been big enough to allow her to enter. It's just too bad that still, the woman meant trouble, in one or the other way...
Sho almost doesn't believe his ears when his phone finally rings, still hanging on the battery charger and placed on the edge of the low table in front of him, and he almost doesn't dare to take the phone and check the caller's ID, but of course, he does. His hands are shaking slightly when he rips off the charging cable to take the device and he lets out a deep sigh of relief when he spots his daughter's name on the screen.
Quickly, he picks up the call, his voice almost breaking.
"Satsuki?! Satsuki!! Oh my god…"
"Dad…," his daughter's voice sounds tired and the connection seems a little off but he can hear her voice and that's the most important at the moment.
"Satsuki, where are you?!" Sho starts bombarding his daughter with questions that are burning in his mind ever since he found out about her skipping school. "Are you OK? Are you hurt? What happened?"
"Dad, don't be mad at me, please…," Satsuki replies in a low voice.
"What… why…," does she think he's mad at her because she didn't call him earlier? First, maybe, but his anger has quickly been replaced by worry and now, relief.
"I'm in Europe."
Sho can't believe his ears. "What?!"
"I'm in Europe. In Vienna, to be exact," the girl continues.
Sho frowns and rubs his forehead with his free hand. "Wait, what the hell are you doing in Vienna?! When… how…?" Wait, isn’t it where Keiko...
"Mom brought me along."
Sure..."She did what?!"
Satsuki takes a deep breath before she continues her story. "She… she said since I'm so good with the piano…"
But her father doesn't let her finish, he's still too confused, and slowly but surely, the anger is coming back – not against Satsuki, but Keiko. "Wait, how could you go with her without telling me, Satsuki?!"
"She brought me here to… take a test for a music school…," the girl explains, her voice sounding as if she's close to tears. "She said I shouldn't tell you because you wouldn't allow me to come here..."
Sho can't believe that this is really happening. Keiko hasn't spoken about something like this with him at all, he thinks, frustrated. How could this woman... how could she take the liberty to take their daughter with her without telling her father, without asking for his thoughts about this idea?!
"Dad?" Satsuki's voice breaks. "Are you still listening?"
He knows, it's not his daughter's fault, Sho reminds himself. Her mother has probably sweet-talked her, making it look like a good idea and now this is the result. "I – I can't… where's your mother? I want to talk to her. Now."
"She's in the bathroom at the moment."
"Gosh, that woman…," Sho sighs. "Satsuki, tell your mother, she has to call me back as soon as she's out of there, you hear me?" he continues in a strict voice.
"I' - I'll tell her….," the girl confirms and then, there's silence again.
"Is this really happening...," Sho's thoughts are running wild, he doesn't really know what to say first, what to ask first, if he should scold his daughter or tell her how worried he was, right at the moment, his relief over his daughter's safety and the anger over her mother's selfish doing are fighting a very close fight. But then, his daughter's voice calls him back to reality, and this time, she really sounds like she's crying.
"Dad? You're still there?" she asks, desperately.
Sho's heart melts, the relief over Satsuki's safety is winning his inner fight with one single hard punch. The father sighs, searching his head for the right words. Why is this so difficult?
"How was it?" he finally asks.
"Eh?"
"The… piano test or... what exactly it was. Tell me, how it was," he says, and feeling relieved that his voice is sounding calm again.
He can hear a small sob from his daughter, before she replies. "I… it… I think it wasn't bad. But... I won't get the results before end of July, as it seems..."
Sho brushes his hand over his face, before he smiles into the phone. "I'm sure you did a great job, Darling."
"Dad?"
"Hm?"
"You aren't mad at me?"
"Not for taking the test," Sho replies honestly. "I'm sure you must have been nervous, going to a foreign country, taking a test there... I'm very proud of you, you hear me? But... you really should have told me before. I wouldn't have refused you."
"I'm sorry…," the girl whispers into the phone, just loud enough so that her father can hear it.
"Let's talk about it when you're back, alright?" he smiles again.
"Alright."
"When will you be back in Tokyo?"
"Mom said she booked a flight for me tomorrow morning...," sending their daughter back home to Japan all alone by plane, that is so Keiko, Sho isn't even surprised anymore. "I don't know the time yet or how late it will be in Japan... I'm sorry. And… because of school…"
"I'll talk to Ninomiya-sensei and will try to do something about that, don't worry," Sho says. "They surely won't kick you out just because you didn't attend school for two days. Just promise me to take care on your way back home all alone.... And text me the time you'll be back once you know it. I'll pick you up at the airport then."
He can almost hear his daughter's heavy nod. "Thanks for not yelling at me, Dad."
"I'll see you tomorrow. Don't forget to tell your Mom to call me!" Sho stresses once more. He still has to pick a bone with that woman.
"I won't. See you tomorrow. I love you, Dad."
"I love you too."
TBC
Part 6
natsunonamaeFrom:
sky_fish7Part 4
~ * Chapter 5 * ~
After the miraculous makeup with Jun, Nino has to admit that he feels much better. Admittedly, since he met Sakurai, his bitter feelings about his breakup with Jun have started to fade away more already, but reconciling with the other teacher brought Nino another peace of mind. Even if things may still be a little awkward sometimes, the two of them are slowly starting to talk normally to each other again, sometimes they even take lunch together and Nino has to admit that it feels good. He has managed to overcome his feelings for Jun faster than expected – and again the little voice in Nino's mind mocks him by telling him that a certain Sakurai Sho may not be completely innocent regarding this – and it feels good too. It's good to end this story and to actually be able to get back to friend status.
Next to the "Jun-problem", Nino also quickly finds a solution to the problem with Satsuki and him being suspected of having an affair – he still cannot believe how stupid people are to believe such shit – with cancelling their joint practise in the school's music room and instead meeting up after school in Sakurai and Ohno's shop to practise on the white grand piano. In this manner, the two of them are always under the eyes of a parent, so none of the other teachers can say anything against it and they don't have to stop practising together. Plus, Nino can see Sakurai more often, now that he finally doesn't feel as embarrassed any longer, compared to their accidental meetings in the beginning.
Satsuki's birthday is approaching and the girl is making great progress. By now, she manages the difficult parts of the piece of music she wants to show her mother, almost perfectly. Just a little more practise and it will be done. And somehow, to Nino's delight, her enthusiasm has returned, fired up by the challenging music, so much that lately, she even asked Nino to help her with another difficult piece. Of course, he accepts, agreeing on continuing their joint practise even after the girl's birthday. After all, he wants to support his student. He enjoys playing the piano together with her, he enjoys sharing his experience and teaching others his knowledge and if anybody asks him today if he wants to trade his job as a music teacher to be a famous concert pianist, he would say no.
Nino starts believing that fate has brought him here. That fate has made Jun break up with him just before he had the chance to meet Satsuki and her father. Nino starts to get used to his new routine, teaching at school, chatting again with Jun, and after school going to visit Sakurai's and Ohno's shop to play the piano together with his student, and exchange a few words with the two shop owners in between while drinking a cup of delicious jasmine tea.
For once, things are going well again for the teacher, Nino can't really complain. If only they just could go a tiny little bit better regarding Satsuki's father, maybe. Sure, they are talking more to each other but Nino cannot get rid of the urge of wanting to be alone with the man, to talk to him about things other than the small talk they share in front of his daughter. He wants to know this man better, much better and he wants to do things with him that he definitely could never do in front of Satsuki's eyes.
Yes, Aiba is right. He likes that man. But they are barely alone and during the few minutes Satsuki isn't in the room, nothing more than an exchange of looks takes place between them, which is always enough to make Nino blush and turn away, too nervous to get up and start a conversation by himself, but never enough to satisfy his longing for the other man. Some things never change, Nino thinks, like him being a complete coward...
Nino cannot even find the courage to ask the girl again if her mother will really come and visit her on her birthday, since he doesn't want to evoke bad feelings if it's not the case. And the fact that the young girl continues practising with all her might, must be enough of a proof for it, probably.
Of course, Satsuki cancels their joint practise for the day of her birthday, so that she will have time to meet and celebrate together with her friends – and maybe with her parents later on, Nino thinks – and so, after classes, the teacher intends to make use of his spare time to go to town running some errands.
At that time, he doesn't know that he will become a witness of a scene that will not only make him worry about his student but additionally bears a surprise bigger than he ever expected.
Satsuki never told him more about her mother than the information she once shared with Nino in the music room. So it's no surprise that Nino does not recognize the woman wearing a long coat, glasses, and a big hat that hides her face almost perfectly, who is trying to make Satsuki get into a taxi parking just a few meters from the school gate, this afternoon. It's pure coincidence that Nino exits the school grounds at the very same time as the suspicious scene is taking place, and he's lucky to be close by when he hears Satsuki struggle at the grip of a woman's hand around her wrist.
"I said, let go off me!" the teenage girl says in an angry tone, struggling to escape, but the woman does not let her go.
Immediately, Nino starts running, calling out his student's name, getting her to notice him and to indicate the stranger that someone spotted them. The teacher reaches the two women and immediately pulls their hands apart, shooting both of them a questioning look. The strange woman with hat and glasses gapes at him, as if she wants to say something, but she doesn't and Satsuki quickly rubs her wrist while she stands there, pouting like an offended child.
"What's going on here, Sakurai-san?" Nino ask the girl before his look again drifts to the other woman who now crosses her arms, her head lowered. "And excuse me but you are..."
"She's my mother, Sensei," Satsuki says in a low voice, startling Nino.
"Eh?" he looks at her, stunned. "Why are you two fighting then?"
"I just want to pick up my daughter to go celebrate her birthday," the woman says quietly, almost in a whisper.
"And I said, I don't want to go with you, you didn't even have the nerves to tell me if you're coming or not, until the last minute, I do have other plans now, so leave me alone!" the teenage girl barks in her mother's direction.
Nino cannot see the woman's look but he can see the disappointed twitching of her red lips. He can see the complexity of the situation, remembering the conversation with Satsuki about her mother not calling her to fix a meeting for her birthday this year, just a few weeks ago. Apparently, nothing changed since the conversation, but still, Satsuki has continued to practise the piece of music she wanted to show her mother, so even if she's reacting offended and aversive now, deep inside she might be hoping that her mother would show up, which is what the woman did now, obviously.
"Uhm... Miss...," Nino wants to say something to the mother, but does not know to address her. She's not married to Sakurai, so probably, she doesn't share his and her daughter's name.
"I'm sorry," the woman finally reacts; pulling off her hat and glasses before she nervously reaches a hand towards the teacher. "I didn't introduce myself, my name is Kitagawa. I'm Satsuki's mother..."
Nino is unable to move, he just parts his lips, stunned, and he cannot help but stare at the woman in front of him. Sure, now, with her face exposed, a beautiful face that decorates a couple of CDs that are in his very own shelf at home, he recognizes her immediately. Right, Satsuki has mentioned that her mother is a professional jazz pianist, but she did not mention that she was the professional jazz pianist Kitagawa Keiko. Known as the most blessed child of the Japanese jazz field, she is extremely popular and talented, so much that she spends most of her time in Europe where she's even more popular than in her home country.
The woman looks a bit awkwardly at Nino and she is about to draw back her hand, but in that moment Nino finally reaches out his own hand to take hers. He cannot let this chance to shake hands with one of his favourite musicians pass after all.
"Kitagawa-san, I'm very pleased to meet you," Nino starts. "I'm a fan of your music and... I have no idea...," his look wanders to Satsuki again, who rolls her eyes, unnerved. Nino clears his throat and lets go of the woman's hand again, pulling himself together. This isn't important now, Satsuki is important now, she and her feelings, Nino scolds himself. "I had no idea you're Sakurai-san's mother."
The woman chuckles nervously and quickly puts back on her hat and glasses to hide from the curious eyes of the students that pass the small group of people standing next to the taxi, as they walk their ways home.
"I came here from Vienna to see my daughter. I only have a few hours though, I have to return by tomorrow for a concert," the woman starts explaining. "But it seems like Satsuki doesn't want to accompany me now..."
"I thought you wouldn't come. You didn't call me, you didn't text me, I couldn't reach you at all," the girl explodes. "And now you show up here to pull me into a taxi that will drive me to your stupid hotel for just a few hours and think I'll act as you want, how selfish is that?!"
"Sakurai-san...," Nino tries to reach his student.
He can understand that she's huffy now and indeed, the pianist's behaviour sounds selfish, but he is sure that the girl must be happy to see her mother. After all, she told him that they use to meet only once a year, and it would be a pity to let this meeting go to waste, even if the circumstances might have been a bit unlucky this time. The young teacher looks at both women again, the one pouting, the other hanging her head. He has to do something or this will not have a nice ending, he thinks, trying to figure out a solution.
"What... what do you think about it, if we all drive to your father's shop for now, Sakurai-san?" he finally suggests. "You don't have to talk to each other for now, you can let your minds calm down until we are there and then, you can still... play the piano together, maybe?"
It's worth a try appealing to Satsuki's initial wish, the teacher thinks. After all, they practised so much together and the piano is the women's common point, so it should be perfect to get them to make up again.
"So?" he asks again, both women.
"I'm OK with that idea," Kitagawa finally replies. "Satsuki? Please... I'm really sorry..."
The teenage girl sighs deeply, rolling her eyes once more, but then she moves, climbs into the taxi and crosses her arms again in front of her chest, without saying a word. Nino exchanges a look with Satsuki's mother and nods, smiling softly. He then climbs into the taxi first – better to not let the two women sit too close to each other for now, probably – and calls out for Kitagawa to make her get on as well.
A few minutes later, they are on the way to Sakurai and Ohno's shop, the atmosphere in the taxi quiet and still fraught, but they are on their way to recovery and indeed, Nino's plan seems to work out. About half an hour later the two women, with Sakurai's support in talking out the situation and Satsuki has calmed down to the point until she's finally willing to follow their every year tradition. So the two woman end up sitting next to each other on the piano bench and soon after, Satsuki, feeling slightly nervous, shows her mother her progress, impressing her with a skilful finishing of the piece of music she practised together with Nino for the last few weeks. The pianist claps her hands excitedly, praises her daughter in highest tones and laughing, they challenge the piece again, this time together, and it sounds gorgeous.
"I told you, smiling suits you."
Nino hears Sakurai's voice next to him, as he leans against the counter, watching the two women. He quickly turns around, finding the father smiling as well, and blushes slightly, avoiding his eyes. That smile is dangerous, it makes his heart race too fast, especially, when Sakurai leans a bit forward over the wooden surface of the counter and reduces the space between them.
"Seriously, how did you do that, you must be a magician," Sakurai whispers.
"I - I did nothing, really, I just suggested for them to come here," the teacher replies, waving his hand slightly embarrassed. "Maybe, this place here is magic," he adds, letting his look wander around, caught once more by the breath-taking atmosphere in this gorgeous antique shop.
"Maybe," Sho answers. "However, I'm very grateful for your help, Ninomiya-sensei. You're such a great support for my daughter. I can't thank you enough for that."
"Please don't mention it," Nino blushes and then, something he never ever intended to say aloud slips through his lips. "I can't help it, the Sakurais have become my weak point."
Once he realizes what he just said, he gasps and immediately clasps his hand in front of his lips. He stares at Sakurai, horrified, and indeed, the other stares back, his eyes big and his look wondering, probably wondering if he has just heard correctly. Then, Sakurai's lips curl up into a smirk and he leans even closer to Nino until his lips are just a few millimeters from his ear.
Nino cringes slightly, feeling Sakurai's breath tickle his skin when the other whispers, "The Sakurais... plural, you mean?"
"I – I," Nino starts, his face deep red, but he doesn't know how to continue. Yes, he doesn't only mean Satsuki but also her father, but he hasn't planned to let him know... How embarrassing...
Sakurai instead bursts into joyful laughter and Nino isn't sure if he should feel mocked or relieved that the other must have taken his statement as a joke, obviously. The man is just messing with him, like always, not flirting, not seriously, why should he? Nino should better stop thinking of it, he just recovered from his last disappointment, he doesn't want to disillusion himself from the start again.
However, he has no choice but to melt at the handsome smile that remains on Sakurai's lips a few seconds later.
"Really, thank you, Ninomiya-san."
~ * ~
Sho really is relieved to know that his daughter and her mother has reconciled quickly, thanks to their common love of music and Ninomiya's help. In the end, after the teacher long left the scene, they even get along so well with each other, that Satsuki asks her father if he will allow her to sleep over in Keiko's hotel so that the two can have a little "girls' talk".
Even if Sho has been a bit sceptical first, in the end, he cannot fight his daughter's puppy eyes, especially not since it's her birthday, how can he refuse his daughter's wish? At least, Keiko promises to take good care of the girl and to bring Satsuki to school by herself the next morning before driving to the airport to catch her flight back to Vienna, the young father is convinced and his daughter is all smiles.
In the late afternoon of the next day, Sho is dusting the shelves in the front part of the shop when he hears the chimes from the entrance door and whirls around to greet their customer.
"Welcome to our shop! Oh," his face uncontrollably breaks into a wide smile when he sees the person entering the shop, who flashes him a shy smile, bowing slightly. Sho puts away the cleaning tool and takes a few steps closer to the young man. "Ninomiya-sensei, nice to see you! Did you and Satsuki arrange a meeting for piano practice today again? You may be a bit too early, Satsuki has choir practice today."
To Sho's surprise, Ninomiya shakes his head while taking a folder filled with papers from his bag. "Ah, no, I thought I should drop by and give you the notes for your daughter from today's classes. How is she doing? Is she alright?"
Sho frowns, as he takes the notes that the young teacher hands him. "What do you mean?"
"I was a bit confused since you didn't inform school this morning but probably you were busy," the young man continues. Still, Sho doesn't get what he is talking about. "Maybe, she just ate a little too much birthday cake yesterday and has a stomach ache or something, however, I hope it's nothing serious that will keep her away from school any longer."
"Wait, Sensei, I don’t think I am following you...," Sho interrupts the teacher. "Didn't Satsuki show up at school today?"
Suddenly, the teacher's face freezes. "Wait... you... you didn't know that she didn't come to school?" he asks carefully, to confirm his suspicion.
Immediately, Sho shakes his head. "No... I thought she... But that's impossible, Keiko said she would... I don't get it... what..."
Concerned, Ninomiya reaches out his hand to touch Sho's arm slightly. "Sakurai-san? Did something happen?" he asks in a worried voice.
"Satsuki's mother took her with her last night to spend the evening in her hotel suite and do some girls stuff, whatever... and I told them it's fine, after all they don't meet often and if they get along, I don't want to butt in," Sho starts to explain. "Keiko promised to bring her to school this morning! I can't believe she allowed her to skip..."
"Maybe they just wanted to take breakfast together and ended up talking a bit longer. They don't see each other often, right?" Ninomiya offers a solution.
"No, but that's not an excuse, Keiko promised to me and – again – she broke her promise. And what does this show about my daughter when her father wants her to attend school properly and as soon as her mother shows up she forgets all of her good manners?! I'll call them and confirm what they are thinking!" Sho said, furiously running behind the counter to snatch his phone and dial the first number. He can't believe it. First, Keiko almost ruins their daughter's birthday and now...
"Don't be too strict with her, please, Sakurai-san...," Ninomiya begs, following the man to the counter, still looking worried.
"I'm sorry for the troubles, Sensei, please excuse my daughter's absence today," Sho tells the other while still waiting for his daughter to pick up her phone.
"No problem, really," the teacher shakes his head slightly. "I know something like that will never -"
"Oh, CRAP!" Sho bursts, when his call gets directed to the mailbox. "Sorry, Sensei, it's just, she doesn't pick up...," the father apologizes for his interruption before dialling a different number. But with Keiko's number, he's also not lucky. "SHIT! Ah... sorry, Sensei, I didn't mean to swear, I -"
"It's OK, Sakurai-san, it's OK, don't worry," the teacher flashes him a small smile and Sho sighs in relief.
He tries Satsuki's number once more, but still, nothing.
"Can I do something to help?" Ninomiya then offers, worried and Sho can't help but smile at the other man gratefully.
"That's really nice, Sensei, but I don't want to steal your precious time," he then says before he calls Ohno's name into the back of the shop.
"Sho, what's wrong?" Ohno asks confused, as he comes forward, wearing gloves and a pair of protection goggles.
"I'm sorry, I have to leave the shop for a while, Satsuki didn't go to school today and I can't reach her nor Keiko," Sho quickly explains while putting off his waist apron and putting it in its place behind the counter. "I'll be back soon."
"OK," his business partner nods understandingly. "Call me when you found her."
"I will," Sho replies and fetches his stuff, ready to storm out of the shop. "And you call me in case she comes here or you hear anything, OK?"
Ohno gives his thumbs up.
"Sakurai-san!" Ninomiya's voice suddenly holds him back. "May I come along?" the teacher asks a bit nervously. "I'm worried about my student."
"Uhm... sure, if you want?" the other responds, feeling surprised but grateful for the teacher's concern. "I have a note with the hotel's address in which Keiko planned to stay at home – I am cursing myself for not having it saved on my phone – so I want to go there and call the hotel. Let's take the bus."
~ * ~
"What?! How is this even possible?!" Sho almost screams into his cell phone when the receptionist of the hotel gives him not the information that he wants. "Yes, I know it's not your fault, thank you for checking. Bye."
"What did they say?" Ninomiya asks him curiously, when Sho lets his phone drop to the low table in front of him.
He and Ninomiya are sitting on the couch in front of the table in his and Satsuki's apartment since they arrived just a few minutes before. If the situation wouldn't be so delicate at the moment, Sho would definitely be happy to have him as a guest and offer him tea or coffee and some snacks and they would probably hold some small talk. However, unfortunately, this isn't the case at the moment. This is far more serious. His daughter is missing!
"They said, Keiko already checked out last night... and a young girl was with her," Sho repeats what the receptionist just told him.
He nervously brushes his hand over his face, staring at his useless phone. Of course, he tried to reach the women again and again, but still without success. Whatever happened, and wherever the two of them might be at this very moment, either they don’t have the chance to pick up their phones or they don't want to get reached. Either way, Sho is convinced that this cannot mean anything good. Satsuki never, never does something like running away from home or not calling back her father when he tries to reach her. When she is going somewhere after classes, she will text her father without fail so that he will always know where she is and that she's safe. Something like this is a first.
"I – I don't know what they are thinking, I don't know what this means, how can they just be... gone?" he asks desperately, looking at the teacher sitting by his side. "Satsuki never does something like that and where can they be? What is Keiko even thinking?!"
"Do you think we should call the police?" Ninomiya suggests in a slightly trembling voice. "I'm sorry... it may not be helpful at this moment... thinking so negatively," he murmurs, averting Sho's eyes. "I just thought, what if they planned to go to another hotel and on their way they got kidnapped? Or what if Kitagawa-san kidnapped your daughter... no, I'm sorry, this is bullshit, what am I talking..."
Sho sighs. He cannot blame Ninomiya. To be honest, he already had the same thought. What, if Keiko kidnapped Satsuki?
"I know where your thoughts are coming from," the father murmurs, folding his hands. "But then, why should Keiko do that?" he wonders, loudly. "That woman is never interested in her daughter's life. She never wants to spend more than a few days in a row maximum with the girl. She left her in my care voluntarily when Satsuki was still a baby. She just wanted to get away, live her own life without any burden and I took over her responsibilities to take care of our daughter and bring her up... if they really went somewhere together, I'm sure it must be of Satsuki's free will and the fact that she didn't tell me..."
Suddenly, Sho feels a small warm hand on top of his and it's just then, when he realizes that his hands are trembling like crazy. He looks at Ninomiya's hand, then he looks at the teacher who is looking at him with a friendly face.
"Don't worry, Sakurai-san," he says and all of a sudden the worries that painted the young man's face seconds before, seem to be gone, replaced by a warm smile and it calms Sho down immensely. "We'll find her, definitely. Look, didn't Kitagawa-san say she has to return to Vienna today? Maybe she dropped your daughter at a friend's place and for some reason, she didn't want to go to school today. She may be feeling sad about her mother's departure, and have skipped school."
"Maybe...," Sho wants to believe that.
"I have a list of phone numbers of all of my students' homes. I can give them a call and ask if they know where Satsuki is," the teacher offers. "We can also check the usual places for students who may want to skip school. The library, the gaming center, the mall, the park... or do you remember any places where your daughter may go, her favourite places?"
"She likes the aquarium," Sho answers after thinking for a few seconds . "And the zoo... especially the park in the middle where some street musicians hang out."
"That's a good idea!" Ninomiya smiles. "So let's go check these places, it's better than sitting here and waiting for their call, don't you think so? I'll help you!"
Sho takes a deep breath. Ninomiya is right. Anything is better than sitting here and doing nothing or trying to reach Satsuki or Keiko when they probably won't pick up the next calls either.
~ * ~
Unfortunately, Ninomiya's idea to phone the parents of Satsuki's fellow students doesn't seem to bring any answers. None of her friends know where the girl is, neither did they hear or receive messages from her since the day before. Some of the girls are worried and even offer to help, checking out some cafés and restaurants popular among high school students, and promise to text their teacher with a short report. But also this leads to nothing and so after checking the library, the mall and the aquarium, the locations that are split between Ninomiya and Sho, the zoo is their last hope.
First thing after the two men meet in front of the zoo and hastily buy their entrance tickets, is to approach an employee in charge and ask him to make a call through the zoo with Satsuki's name, so that in case the girl is around, she knows that they are searching for her. Gladly, the zoo's employees cooperate and promise to help them, even sending a guard through the premise with a picture of the teenage girl to help with the search directly. Sho then agrees with Ninomiya to split up and search through the zoo from the opposite ends, to increase their chances and to meet in the middle of the park.
Neither the call nor the guard's help lead to a positive result though and so the two men have to admit defeat. They meet right in the middle of the zoo, the lights are flickering as they get switched on, the employees already giving their last calls through the speakers for the visitors to leave. Sho's breath is panting when he comes to a halt, spotting Ninomiya running from another direction and stopping too, catching his breath before shaking his head apologetically. It hits him hard. Satsuki isn't here either. For what must have felt like a thousandth time, the father checks his phone again, his hands slightly trembling again. The battery is about to die, but it's still enough to allow him to make a last check on his calling list and his messages. Nobody called him. Ohno sent him a message, asking if he found Satsuki already.
No. Nothing. Not even a slight trace. Sho sees the image in front of his eyes becoming shaky and blurred, he feels the lump in his throat thickening and he feels the hard ground underneath his knees when he finally breaks down, his heart overflowing from the worry, the sorrow, the fear that something happened to his precious girl. He clasps his phone with one hand while he brings his other hand to his eyes, catching the first few tear drops falling from his cheeks. He hears himself sobbing desperately and then he senses someone bending down in front of him and feels arms wrapping around his shoulders, pulling him into a warm embrace.
~ * ~
Sho has definitely imagined a different scenario of him and Ninomiya hugging, but he is very thankful to the teacher as he offers him his shoulder for comfort when he reached the bottom of his day in the zoo about an hour ago. They have spent minutes there, Ninomiya's arms wrapped around Sho's shoulders, pressing him close, while Sho has allowed his arms to reach behind the young man's back and bury his shaking hands in the fabric of his jacket, seeking a grip while he let his tears run freely, in spite of the embarrassment. Ninomiya rubbed his back then and whispered calming words, trying to cheer him up. Only after Sho's tears dried up they finally stood up again and left the zoo together, getting scolded by a security guard whom they passed on his control patrol to kick out left visitors.
Ninomiya accompanies Sho to his apartment afterwards, the young father apologizing again and again for his breakdown but as the sensible man the teacher must be, Ninomiya just smiles at him warmly and assures him that nothing about being a worried parent is embarrassing. Nothing. Sho loves his way of thinking. And even if he knows that it's definitely not the right timing to notice this, at this very moment, his heart also tells him how much he loves Ninomiya. Yeah... he doesn't only have a crush on him, he is in love with that man and the fact that the teacher even offers to come along and accompany Sho for a few more hours, doesn't make it easier to ignore.
"I'm sorry, Ninomiya-sensei... I should be the one offering you tea," Sho murmurs when he's back, sitting on the couch in his living room and the teacher coming from the kitchen with a small tea pot and two mugs placed on a small tray that he places on the low table before taking place right next to Sho.
"Don't mention it, Sakurai-san, please let me take care of this," the teacher smiles sheepishly, placing the mugs in front of them and checking the steaming tea pot. The smell of peppermint tea – Sho's favourite – fills the air. "You're tired. It's been a long day. Do... do you want something to eat?"
"No, thanks...," Sho shakes his head. "Ah, but if you're hungry, the fridge is full or you can order something if you want to."
"Thanks, but I'm not hungry either," Ninomiya shakes his head and leans back at the couch. They don't say anything for a few minutes, just breathing in and out, smelling the delicious scent of the tea. Breaking the silence, the young teacher asks, "Do you still want to call the police?"
"Do you have a better idea?"
Ninomiya adjusts his position, turning more to Sho and opening his arms in an explaining gesture. "Well, probably it's not my place to say this but maybe you should wait until tomorrow morning. Let's assume Kitagawa-san really took Satsuki with her and it's like you say and your daughter went with her voluntarily, then I'm convinced that she will give you a call soon to let you know that she's fine, or show up here sooner or later."
"I'd go crazy if she doesn't!" Sho states, feeling determined.
But the teacher hasn't finished yet. "Think about it, maybe she wants to spend her time with her mother, just for once, without getting interrupted. Teenager can be... a bit twisted sometimes. Sometimes they don't want to share their experiences with their parents..."
"I must be a horrible father...," the other man sighs, slumping even deeper into the couch and bringing his hand up to hold his forehead.
"What? No! No, that's not what I meant," Ninomiya protests immediately before hanging his shoulders a bit at his failed attempt to cheer up the other. "It's just... puberty, probably."
Another deep sigh leaves Sho's lips. "Ninomiya-sensei?"
"Yes?" the other asks, his shoulders still hanging.
"I appreciate your thoughts and I know you want to help but the one and only thing that can really help me right now is that thing in the small closet right next to you," Sho says, pointing at Ninomiya's left. "Could you please hand it to me?"
Ninomiya gets up and takes a few steps closer, kneeling down and opening the small furniture. "Here?"
"Exactly," Sho nods. "Right there, hidden behind the fruit juice..."
Ninomiya rummages around a bit, pushing some bottles of juice away until he finds what Sho is asking for. He takes the half full bottle in his hand and arches an eyebrow, looking at Sho critically. "Really? A bottle of rum?"
"What?" the young father shrugs. "I think I deserve it."
"If you wish," Ninomiya replies and hands the bottle to the other man.
"Thanks. You want some too in your tea?" Sho asks after he poured some of the alcohol into his mug of hot tea.
"Uhm... oh well, why not," now Ninomiya shrugs, pushing his mug a bit closer to Sho, who pours a generous amount of the liquid into it before the teacher slightly pushes the bottle up to make him stop. "Whoa! Not so much!"
"Sorry, I forgot how bad you are with alcohol."
"How can you even forget that after my embarrassing performance?!" Ninomiya chuckles.
Sho tilts his head. "True, I will never forget that until the end of my life."
Ninomiya blushes, pouting cutely. "So you did that on purpose just now!"
"I'm sorry?" Sho offers, making puppy eyes.
"You aren't!"
"You're right, I'm not. Tastes good?"
"Tastes good. Better than pure whiskey at least," Ninomiya nods in agreement after taking a sip before throwing Sho a serious look. "But I warn you, if I jump you again, I swear it's just the alcohol and it will be your fault!"
"Maybe I can take the risk," Sho smirks before tasting the drink by himself.
And for the first time in hours, even if nothing was alright at the moment, Sho is able to smile again when he sees the teacher blushing but nonetheless taking a big sip of his mug of tea and rum.
They continue just sitting next to each other, exchanging a few words now and then, until Sho becomes babbly. However not from the alcohol, as slowly but surely the stress from the whole day gets replaced by tiredness and he tends to babble when he's tired. He begins to tell Ninomiya stories about Satsuki's childhood, not the embarrassing ones – at least according to his opinion – since he doesn't want to risk the possibility of his daughter not being able to look into her teacher's eyes ever again, but some of his personal favourites. Like the story about her first word (which hasn't been "Daddy" to Sho's disappointment but "apple" since one of Satsuki's favourite dishes as a child has been apple sauce), the story of her first steps, their first visit to the zoo, her first piano recital in middle school.
Sho even dares to tell the teacher the story about how he and Keiko came together during their high school days. Both popular and good students, both representatives of their respective classes, and everyone saw them as the ideal couple – so that they eventually ended up dating for real, just because both of them became curious about what everybody wanted to know. In fact, Sho probably wasn't even very interested in a relationship with a girl, he hadn't been interested in a relationship with anyone back then, since his plan was to focus onto his studies, to graduate and to get accepted at the most prestigious university of Tokyo, main subject of his dreams – law. He fooled around a bit in his late middle school, early high school years, had casually dated a few girls, and a few guys, because he didn't fully understand at that time which was more his type, but when it came to the relationship with Keiko, he didn't really plan to guide it somewhere.
However, things took their courses, and at some point their relationship reached a level where they both had to decide whether they wanted to keep it as a solely platonic relationship without deeper meaning, or to carry it to the next level. So they decided to give it a try, the physical part of their relationship, to see if it works and they both had to find out, that it wasn't what they were searching for so they stepped back to be a casual couple after just one time having sex.
Their plan had been to concentrate onto their goals and break up amicably once the last school year ended. Sho still planned to attend university to become a lawyer, and Keiko, who was already an exceptionally gifted pianist back then, planned to study music in one of the most eminently respectable institutes in the world, having offers for scholarships from famous academies like the Julliard in New York or the Mozarteum in Salzburg. But then, they found out.
They found out that Keiko was pregnant. Even if they had practised safe sex, knowing the risks of their actions, sometimes things like these happened and it happened to them. They were confronted by their parents with the proposal of getting married after graduation and forming a family. Sho could continue with university and becoming a prestigious lawyer as planned while Keiko would stay home and raise their child together with her parents' help.
But Keiko refused.
Sho could understand that she did not plan to give up her career even before it started and he never planned to make Keiko agree to such a plan. He suggested a compromise, offered his help in raising the child while taking it slower at university and after giving birth, Keiko would have the chance to attend a music academy in Tokyo, but even this wasn't enough to satisfy Keiko's hunger for musical education and her hunger for adventure. She has the soul of an artist since the beginning, Sho used to call it sadly, when he realized that Keiko simply rejected the idea of becoming a mother as a whole, and started talking about abortion to get rid of what Sho did to her but Sho couldn't accept it.
With all his might and his own parents' support, he convinced Keiko to give birth to their child and to allow him to adopt it so that he could take care of it instead of her, and luckily, she agreed. And so, as soon as the young woman recovered from the birth, she left the country for New York, leaving behind the most beautiful baby girl Sho has ever seen, in his sole care. Of course, Sho fell in love with his daughter Satsuki at first sight. He had been looking forward to meet this little miracle, after all, and he gladly accepted his new life-task.
Of course, being a law student while being a single father, even with his parents' support, would have been too much and too unprofitable, considering the fact that he wouldn't be able to earn money on his own for years and money was what he needed to bring up his daughter. Sho quickly realized that and so he dropped out from university after one year to focus on finding a good job that would help him to earn enough money for the two of them, not wanting to live of his parents' money forever. It was then, when he met Ohno, who had just started his own business, an antique shop that focuses on repairing and restoring old furniture, but was lacking in sales skills, something that Sho has a good hand for. So the two of them teamed up and their business bloomed enough to feed both of their families and in order to earn a little extra money, Sho had started to work as a part time delivery boy, so that he can afford some fancy clothes and the newest cell phone for his precious daughter.
Ninomiya just listens closely and doesn't say much while Sho tells his story and Sho appreciates it. It's not like he wants to share this story to brag about how good of a human being he is, taking care of a child abandoned by her mother, or to earn sympathy because he had to give up his own dream in order to become a parent, he just gives in the urge to share something of his past with that nice cute man sitting next to him on his couch.
In fact, Sho never saw it like that. He did not give up anything, he just took a different path according to the circumstances and it's good like this. True, he wishes for Keiko to be a bit more of a mother sometimes, to at least not fully exclude herself from their daughter's life, and he's glad that she is at least part of their life a little bit more, for a few years now. In his opinion it took her long enough – until Satsuki reached the age of 6 – to realize that even if she abandoned the girl, she's still the mother and she owes her some love, even if she is not able to give much of it. It hasn't been easy to let her into their small family again, years after the woman left the country, left behind her child, but Sho's and Satsuki's hearts have been big enough to allow her to enter. It's just too bad that still, the woman meant trouble, in one or the other way...
Sho almost doesn't believe his ears when his phone finally rings, still hanging on the battery charger and placed on the edge of the low table in front of him, and he almost doesn't dare to take the phone and check the caller's ID, but of course, he does. His hands are shaking slightly when he rips off the charging cable to take the device and he lets out a deep sigh of relief when he spots his daughter's name on the screen.
Quickly, he picks up the call, his voice almost breaking.
"Satsuki?! Satsuki!! Oh my god…"
"Dad…," his daughter's voice sounds tired and the connection seems a little off but he can hear her voice and that's the most important at the moment.
"Satsuki, where are you?!" Sho starts bombarding his daughter with questions that are burning in his mind ever since he found out about her skipping school. "Are you OK? Are you hurt? What happened?"
"Dad, don't be mad at me, please…," Satsuki replies in a low voice.
"What… why…," does she think he's mad at her because she didn't call him earlier? First, maybe, but his anger has quickly been replaced by worry and now, relief.
"I'm in Europe."
Sho can't believe his ears. "What?!"
"I'm in Europe. In Vienna, to be exact," the girl continues.
Sho frowns and rubs his forehead with his free hand. "Wait, what the hell are you doing in Vienna?! When… how…?" Wait, isn’t it where Keiko...
"Mom brought me along."
Sure..."She did what?!"
Satsuki takes a deep breath before she continues her story. "She… she said since I'm so good with the piano…"
But her father doesn't let her finish, he's still too confused, and slowly but surely, the anger is coming back – not against Satsuki, but Keiko. "Wait, how could you go with her without telling me, Satsuki?!"
"She brought me here to… take a test for a music school…," the girl explains, her voice sounding as if she's close to tears. "She said I shouldn't tell you because you wouldn't allow me to come here..."
Sho can't believe that this is really happening. Keiko hasn't spoken about something like this with him at all, he thinks, frustrated. How could this woman... how could she take the liberty to take their daughter with her without telling her father, without asking for his thoughts about this idea?!
"Dad?" Satsuki's voice breaks. "Are you still listening?"
He knows, it's not his daughter's fault, Sho reminds himself. Her mother has probably sweet-talked her, making it look like a good idea and now this is the result. "I – I can't… where's your mother? I want to talk to her. Now."
"She's in the bathroom at the moment."
"Gosh, that woman…," Sho sighs. "Satsuki, tell your mother, she has to call me back as soon as she's out of there, you hear me?" he continues in a strict voice.
"I' - I'll tell her….," the girl confirms and then, there's silence again.
"Is this really happening...," Sho's thoughts are running wild, he doesn't really know what to say first, what to ask first, if he should scold his daughter or tell her how worried he was, right at the moment, his relief over his daughter's safety and the anger over her mother's selfish doing are fighting a very close fight. But then, his daughter's voice calls him back to reality, and this time, she really sounds like she's crying.
"Dad? You're still there?" she asks, desperately.
Sho's heart melts, the relief over Satsuki's safety is winning his inner fight with one single hard punch. The father sighs, searching his head for the right words. Why is this so difficult?
"How was it?" he finally asks.
"Eh?"
"The… piano test or... what exactly it was. Tell me, how it was," he says, and feeling relieved that his voice is sounding calm again.
He can hear a small sob from his daughter, before she replies. "I… it… I think it wasn't bad. But... I won't get the results before end of July, as it seems..."
Sho brushes his hand over his face, before he smiles into the phone. "I'm sure you did a great job, Darling."
"Dad?"
"Hm?"
"You aren't mad at me?"
"Not for taking the test," Sho replies honestly. "I'm sure you must have been nervous, going to a foreign country, taking a test there... I'm very proud of you, you hear me? But... you really should have told me before. I wouldn't have refused you."
"I'm sorry…," the girl whispers into the phone, just loud enough so that her father can hear it.
"Let's talk about it when you're back, alright?" he smiles again.
"Alright."
"When will you be back in Tokyo?"
"Mom said she booked a flight for me tomorrow morning...," sending their daughter back home to Japan all alone by plane, that is so Keiko, Sho isn't even surprised anymore. "I don't know the time yet or how late it will be in Japan... I'm sorry. And… because of school…"
"I'll talk to Ninomiya-sensei and will try to do something about that, don't worry," Sho says. "They surely won't kick you out just because you didn't attend school for two days. Just promise me to take care on your way back home all alone.... And text me the time you'll be back once you know it. I'll pick you up at the airport then."
He can almost hear his daughter's heavy nod. "Thanks for not yelling at me, Dad."
"I'll see you tomorrow. Don't forget to tell your Mom to call me!" Sho stresses once more. He still has to pick a bone with that woman.
"I won't. See you tomorrow. I love you, Dad."
"I love you too."
TBC
Part 6