Romance Fan Fiction / Original Stories Fan Fiction / Other Fan Fiction ❯ Sukuru Deizu ❯ Chapter Seventeen ( Chapter 17 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

"As you wish." Grabbing clothes he went to his bathroom and changed. He wasn't quite certain what kind of attire would be proper for this. Frankly, he didn't care. Once he was done he went downstairs and looked outside. Reporters. Still. He could only imagine what they wanted. He swore that reporters were like vultures. They could sense pain and just circled around their target until it...died.

Anna grabbed Jun's hand and pushed her way to the car. There were so many people yelling and pushing at them that she felt she was squeezing the blood out of Jun's hand just to stay with him. Cameras were hitting their faces, microphones thrusting towards Jun for answers. Finally they got to the car and Anna had to crawl over Jun to get to the passenger seat so she wouldn't have to go through the mob to get to her door.

Once they were in the car, Jun had to battle against the reporters just to get out of the driveway. From there, they drove to the mortuary. There wasn't much that was needed to be done. The people there wanted to push this through as quickly as possible, which meant that they would have the wake this evening and the funeral tomorrow.

Jun didn't say a word as his father's corpse was wheeled out for him to see. He started to reach out to him, simply because it looked like he was still breathing. His hand fell to his side as he just nodded to whatever his father's businessmen said. He didn't care. He didn't need to be here for this. They just needed his permission to do what they saw fit.

"We will inform everyone of the wake," one of the employees said. Jun just nodded and looked at his father. They were going to dress him in an all white kimono. That was a practice which hadn't been done in quite some time, but he didn't mind. His father deserved the best.

It took an hour for them to get everything done. In that time Jun didn't say a single word. It wasn't until they got outside. Leaning against the mortuary doors he bit his lip until he could taste blood. "Since the wake is this evening.... I mean, your family doesn't have to come if you don't want to; but I would like having you there."

Anna had chosen to stay outside while they did what they had to. She didn't want to see the body and now Jun was asking her to. Anna looked down at the grass at her feet. She was under dressed and she didn't know if she had anything black in her closet. "My parents will come because of you, Jun," she said slowly. "And I will come because you asked me to. I need to go home and get something to wear. I'm sure by now my parents now everything. Your lawyer keeps them informed and I saw him go in." She couldn't look at him. Standing so close to the body, even though it was inside and she was outside, made her feel guilty again.

"Right...I didn't even think to ask him what's going to happen to me." When he dropped Anna off he would ask the Green's if they had heard anything. Taking Anna's hand, he couldn't help but to think back to what she had said. Her parents would come for him. She would come only because he asked her. Squeezing her hand, he stopped by his car. "You don't have to come if you don't want to."

Anna looked up at him. "I'm coming," she simply stated then kissed his cheek and got in the car.

Jun drove to the Green's house just as soon as they left the mortuary. Jun let Anna go first, and even from outside he could hear that her parents were glad to see her. After all they were a family. A loving one... He shook the thought from his head as he entered.

"Jun!" Anna's mom said and pulled him close. Anna smiled slightly as her mother began rubbing his back. "I'm so glad you are here. I was beginning to think you were avoiding us."

Anna started upstairs. "I'm going to take a quick shower and find something appropriate to wear."

Her father turned to her. "Your mother went out this morning and bought you something to wear to the funeral and the wake," he said slowly.

Anna looked at her mom who was still doting on Jun. She nodded and went upstairs.

Jun couldn't help but to smile as her mother doted over him. Despite everything, it still felt nice just to be comforted by a parental figure. When she finally pulled away, he let his smile fall as he looked at Anna's parents. "Has my lawyer told you anything about what's going to happen to me?"

Anna's mother pulled him down to sit. She sat on one side of him and Anna's father on the other. "You'll have inherited everything your father owned including his company but because you are still considered a child by law, you won't have access to any of it until you are eighteen," her mother said as she rubbed his hands with hers. "And because they can't seem to contact any of your other family...well..." she glanced at Anna's dad then back at Jun, "you'll be put into foster care."

Anna's dad placed a hand on his shoulder. "We have temporary care of you, Jun. And since your father is dad, you can't get emancipated. We have been talking to your lawyer and we didn't want to ask until later, but it seems that we are running out of time." He gave Jun an encouraging smile. "We would like to be your foster parents if you will let us."

"You see, Jun," Anna's mom said with a sweet smile, "we have grown attached to you and our little Anna," she sat back a bit and glanced at Anna's dad again, "she seems pretty taken by you and I don't think she would forgive us if we just let you go to some stranger's house."

"If you let us be you foster parents, we will have control over your father's things until you come of age. We don't intend to do anything with any of it and if you ever need money and such, you will have full access to it. We won't keep you from what is rightfully yours," Anna's father said. "However, if you stay with us, there will be rules you will have to follow just as Anna does. You will be considered..."

"Our son, Jun," her mother finished. "But you are not obligated to call us anything other than Helena and Mike."

So he was going to be put in foster care unless he allowed Anna's parents to adopt him. He didn't like not having control over his own fate; but at least if he let Anna's parents were his foster parents he wouldn't have to worry about someone trying to take control of his father's assets. Still, looking at them, he wasn't sure what to say. This was such a big decision; and he had no idea what would be best for his future.

Looking into the eyes of Anna's parents, he knew that he couldn't refuse them. Not after all that they had done for him. "Yes," he said softly. "I would...like you to be my foster parents. As long as it won't put a burden on you."

Anna's mother let out a long held in breath. "I'm so happy you decided this, Jun," she said. "Mike, you need to start working on that extra room as soon as possible. A growing boy needs his own room."

Anna's dad smiled. "I will get started on it the day after tomorrow." He looked at Jun. "We don't want to seem controlling, but we want you and Anna here tonight after the wake."

Anna's mom stroked Jun's hair. "We just need to go over some things now that you will be staying here." They could hear Anna getting out of the shower. "Go on upstairs and take a nice warm shower. I didn't know if you had anything to wear to the wake and funeral so I bought you some things. They are on Anna's bed."

Jun hesitated at this. "I don't, I mean.... You don't have to build an extra room for me. I can stay at my fa- I can stay at my house. It's no problem. I practically lived there all alone for most of the time. It wouldn't be a big change."

Anna's mom looked uncomfortable suddenly. It was hard for her to try and be a parent to a child that just lost his. "You see, Jun, that's one of the rules."

Anna's father took over. "We don't like the idea of you staying in that house all alone. Our home is your home now and when you become eighteen you will have that house to yourself. You are more than welcome to go over there for anything you need for any reason, but we don't want you staying the night over there." He sighed. "It's not because it was your father’s house, it's because of Anna."

Her mother stroked his hair again. "Anna followed you over there last night and...if you stayed there she would be other there just as often and....well...that scares the shit out of me!" she said honestly. "We trust you both. We know you two are smart kids, but with what happened to Anna yesterday when she was walking around, we just don't want that to happen again. If you are here she won't have a reason to walk there. That's not the only reason, though, Jun. We want you here. More than anything. And we want you to want to be here."

So, just like that he would be living with the Green's. Even now that his father was gone, his own house still wasn't his home. He needed time alone to sort this out, but here he wouldn't find that. Not now at least. He had to be mature about this. He couldn't let his emotions sway his decisions or make him do anything that he would regret. "That's...understandable," he told them. While he was there, while he was under their care he would abide by their rules. He owed them that much. "I will stay here then so it doesn't cause any complications; but please...isn't there anything that I can do to help? At least allow me to pay you rent or something while I'm here."

He knew that Anna told him her parents wouldn't accept it, but his pride...his honor wouldn't allow him to simply stay there without repaying them for what they've done for him.

Anna's parents laughed. "We don't want your money and we don't want you to feel like you owe us something, Jun. We are doing this because we love you, Jun," her mother said. "If you want to repay us, then look after Anna for us."

"Since I can't get work here, I'll be leaving town," her dad started. "I don't mind doing that. I did it all the time in America so this will be no different."

"And I got a call from a friend back in the states. Her husband is ill and requested that I bring some of my herbs to help heal him." She rubbed his hands again. "While we are gone, you are free to do what you want until we come home and if that means staying in your father's house for a bit then we understand, however, don't leave Anna here all alone. After what happened...I don't feel safe leaving my baby alone."

Jun froze. They did it because they loved him. He didn't know why, but that phrase sounded so odd to him. He tried not to focus on it. Instead putting his thoughts on what they had just asked of him. He could do that for them. He could take care of her if that's what they wanted. "I will watch over her," he told them.

They smiled. "Good," her mom said. "Now go shower and change," she added and kissed him on the forehead.

Jun nodded and did what she asked. Going up to Anna's room he heard her changing, so he knocked to make sure that it was okay for him to come in.

Anna opened her door and stepped to the side for Jun to enter. She turned around. "Will you zip up my dress?" she asked. She should have felt uncomfortable asking him for that. The zipper went low, very very low. And she couldn't wear a bra with the dress since it wasn't made for it. Her bare back faced him with the low zipper.

Jun looked at her and nodded. His hand slowly slid down her bare back before reaching her zipper. Pulling it up over her back, he let his hand linger there for a moment. "You look beautiful," he told her. He wished that she was wearing this dress under different circumstances.

Anna shivered slightly at his touch. Her hands let go of her long hair, letting it fall like a waterfall. She turned to him and placed her hands on his chest. She didn't feel beautiful. But she felt happy he said it. Leaning in, she pushed her lips against his, tasting him for a moment before pulling back. "Thank you," she said. She reached over and grabbed his suit. "Here, it doesn't look like it's mine," she said with a smile. "I left you a towel in the bathroom."

He took the suit and nodded, offering her a ghost of a smile before going into the bathroom to take his shower. While he was in there, the hot water cascaded over his flesh and he was lost in the moment of it all. Tonight he would have to play the part of the grieving son. The part of the son who now had to be the man of the family. Getting out and getting dressed, he looked at the tie and then at his cast. Going out to his and Anna's room he looked at her. "Could you um...tie this for me?"

Anna nodded and moved her hands to his collar. She put the tie around it then started tying it. "You look very handsome, Jun," she said. Her mother had his suit tailored to fit over his cast. Anna smiled at that. After tying his tie, her hands went to his jaw, lightly tracing it. There was a knock on her door and she parted from him as her mother opened it.

"Are you both ready?" she asked.

Anna nodded. Her parents were dressed up as well and Anna said she would ride with Jun. They got to their cars and Jun followed her parents to the wake.

Already people were gathering at the wake for his father. Limos lined the area as all the top executives of the company came to pay their respects. Jun stiffened as he saw all the people his father worked for standing in the main hall. He solemnly walked past them. Their eyes looked accusing as they watched him go to where his father's casket laid in his honor. They blamed him for this. They blamed him for losing the shining star of their industry.

Jun went up to the front, he said his prayer and lighted the incense for his father.

Anna felt eyes burning on her. She didn't really know what to do with herself. She wanted to be there beside Jun but this was part of the Japanese culture she knew nothing about. She didn't want to grab his hand and offend anyone and she didn't want to stand next to him if she wasn't allowed. Instead....she stood behind him. In his shadow while people glared at her and reporters took their pictures.

After Jun finished with the incense he turned to face the crowd of mourners. Reaching out, he took Anna's hand and pulled her beside him. He didn't want to have to do this alone. One by one the people began to line up and go past him. They handed him the white and black envelopes which consisted of their condolences, which came in monetary donations. He placed their envelopes on the table beside him while he listened to how sorry they were over his father's passing.

Not a single person who came to him actually seemed genuine about their condolences. Certainly they were upset that his father was dead, but they didn't feel sorry for him. No, because he was the reason his father was dead. When Reisha's family came up, her father handed him their donation, but he pushed it back. "You're family," he whispered. "I don't need this." Her father just nodded, and Reisha gave him a tear filled hug before they moved for the next set of people to come. This went on and on for hours until finally the monk gave his blessing and the wake was done.

Anna had to tell herself to breathe each time some shook Jun's hand. Even though she stood beside him now, she knew she wasn't suppose to be there. Each person glared at her and she felt like they were slapping her face. At times, she even flinched. Where they thinking the same thing she was? She was to blame for ripping this family apart. She was responsible for every bit of this. Often she told herself to hold her head up, don't look at the ground. She didn't want to bring anymore shame to Jun than she already had. By the time it was over, Anna wanted to throw up. She felt faint and still she felt eyes burning on her. All she could do was scream at herself: THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!