Meteor Bond (Chapter 8)
8/8/12 00:05![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
24iza_runPairing: All 5
Genre: Crossover, comedy, brotherhood, angst
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Plot 65% from me, 35% based on the real drama. The characters are not mine!
Summary: Based on Ryusei no Kizuna drama with slight change. 5 brothers sneaked out from their house to watch meteor shower but only found their parents were brutally murdered after returned home. 14 years later, the police unfortunately still could not find the culprit behind their parents death. The brothers meanwhile already become grown-up men and move to Tokyo, but still close with each other. They fill their days with laugh and funny quarrel despite of the deep grudge they hold toward their parents' murderer for the whole past years.
A/N: Their surname is Ariake.
Chapter 8: A thing that shouldn't be known
Jun sighs heavily when another chef who is working at the fancy restaurant praises him for finishing his yesterday job perfectly. He must admit that the overload work really requires his almost entire patience since he needs to wash piling up of plates from evening till midnight. Yet, the manager still asks him to come to the restaurant again today to cut some fresh cooking ingredients. Of course in attempt to see the restaurant’s owner Jun does not mind to do it, but for now he is extremely tired as he could not have enough sleep for two days on row already. His mind even start to think that he maybe needs Masaki’s help to massage his sore body tonight or he would not be able to even crawl into his college tomorrow.
“2 hours more before we’re going to open, guys! Keep up your good work!”
The manager suddenly shouts while entering the kitchen. Every chefs inside immediately reply him except for Jun. Soon, Jun grab for another raw carrot when he caught one of the male chefs there is cutting tomatoes in not pleasing way.
“You shouldn’t cut it too big. Smaller is better.”
The more experience man who he is talking to looks up immediately.
“What did you say?”
“I said you shouldn’t cut it too big. It will be hard for anyone to shove it into their mouth. Plus, you guys also have elders as customer, so by cut it smaller will help them to eat it.”
“I know what I’m doing, kid. Don’t you dare to tell me what I should do about it, got it?”
Jun stops with what he is doing immediately.
“Really? Then, I bet you never think about your customers. You should feel embarrass if you feel proud with what you’re doing now.”
“An amateur like you doesn’t know anything about cooking! You’ve only cooked inside your 4 walls kitchen space and way too low from me!”
“Excuse me, but even if I only cooked inside the ‘4 walls kitchen space’ of my house, I still can make anyone who eat my food to enjoy and feel happy with what they’re eating THOUGH I never wear any chef hat like you. A true chef will feel happy when they see anyone who eats their handmade food enjoy what they’re eating. Not like you who enjoy cooking something without consider the feeling of your customers outside there.”
Hardly, the chef slams his knife to the wooden cutting board under him. Seeing Jun dare to return his gaze, the chef almost stomps toward the other one but freeze when sound of clapping hands suddenly comes from his back. Later, all of the workers there gasp and bow down exclude the confused Jun.
“I’m impressed with you, young man.”
Jun frowns. The sudden show up man on the other hand turns to the manager beside him.
“I never saw him before. Why you just let him to do simple works?
“Actually, he’s the guy who I told you on the phone call last night, sir.”
The owner nods. He then spins to head into his office and ask Jun to follow him. Hearing the invitation, the Ariake youngest son immediately takes off his apron and gives it to the manager who already offers his hands beside. Soon, Jun closes the office door behind him and hear the owner tell him to have a seat.
“No. I prefer this way.”
“Fine then.”
Jun watch him to have a seat before return his stare seriously.
“I’ll straight to the point. I would like to offer you a job here. It’s rare to find someone who knows what cooking exactly is like you nowadays. I don’t mind about your girlfriend’s debt if you agree to work under me.”
Jun however just gives him a head shake as answer.
“I believe what I’ve done yesterday at least already cover half of the total amount and my brothers won’t mind to help me pay for the rest. I was actually purposely let her to leave and doesn’t bring any money with me yesterday so I can see you.”
The restaurant’s owner gives out a sigh.
“So, you’re actually one of those people who want my Hayashi Rice recipe, huh?”
“That’s not yours. My brothers and I know it belongs to our dad, Ariake Yukihiro.”
His words make the office abruptly falls into silent for a while.
“…Who are you?”
“Ariake Jun. His youngest son.”
Jun notices how the man’s expression changes to surprise. At the same time, his own hands now feel slightly numb for restraining himself either from raining the other one with tons of questions or give him a punch for shamelessly admitting their dad’s creation is his.
“Our parents were murdered 14 years ago and there’s not even a single clue for us to find their murderer until now. The only thing we know was the murderer left our house with our dad’s recipe book. And now, it’s magically yours.”
The older man lost of words. As Jun starts to walk closer, the feeling of guilty increase inside the restaurant’s owner mind. He decides to just accept with whatever he will get even if Jun is going to bash him till death, but beyond his prediction, Jun suddenly stops and bows down right in front of him.
“I beg you. Please tell me how you got our dad’s book.”
Jun closes his eyelids which makes the sitting man feels more terrible than before. He quickly makes the younger one to straight up back before sighs regretfully.
“…I-I’m sorry.”
Jun frowns.
“What for?”
“I don’t think I can talk about it. I promise him that I won’t tell anyone about it.”
“‘Him’? There’s no one, but the man name Ebi, wasn’t it?”
And as expected, the restaurant owner looks at him with disbelief eyes.
“One of my brothers saw him came out from our house with the blue recipe book before we found our parents death bodies. Seems he killed mom and dad so he can steal the book and sells it to you.”
“W-Wait. He didn’t steal it. I mean, the one who wanted to sell the recipe book to me was actually the late Ariake-san himself. Ebi-san only acted as the middleman for us.”
Jun widens his eyes.
“What are you talking about? There’s no way our dad will easily sell his book to you.”
“I’m telling the truth. Long time ago I'd came to Ariake-san’s restaurant and beg him to teach me how to cook his Hayashi Rice but he refused it no matter how hard I tried. Not long after that I finally opened this restaurant but my business didn’t go well. So when I find out that Ebi-san was your father's neighbor, I asked Ebi-san’s help to persuade your dad to become my business partner. Then, Ebi-san told me that your dad was tied with a lot of debt since he loved to gamble a lot before he opened his restaurant. That’s not long after that when I received an offer to buy the Hayashi Rice book from Ariake-san with Ebi-san as our middleman. So, like you can see, it’s a legal business.”
The man’s explanation make Jun freezes, totally shocked and loss to say anything. After all, he never heard his dad was a gambler before.
“For the deposit, I paid half of the total price first and only paid for the rest after I received the book. Ebi-san was also the one who was in charge to give my money to Ariake-san. Your dad received it right?”
“I don’t think so. Besides, we even never heard about that.”
This time, it’s the owner turn to frown.
“That’s weird. Maybe the loan shark took it already.”
“Loan shark? What do you mean?”
“Ariake-san borrowed money from loan shark for gambling years ago. And it seems a lot. You don’t know about it?”
Jun has no idea what he should reply. If it was true that their father borrowed money from loan shark, why he does not know about it at all?
“I heard from Ebi-san too that your family restaurant actually having a trouble to maintain the good business because of your dad past. He must be struggled a lot for his family.”
Jun swallows bitterly.
“I-I don’t know. Seems, there’s a lot of thing I still don’t get yet.”
He pursues his lips confusedly. Why he never listen about what this man said at all? Did his brothers already know about this? Or is he the only one who never knows about their dad’s hobby?
“Ariake-san? Are you okay?”
The older one almost moves to approach him. Jun reacts faster by shakes his head weakly.
“Since you’ve told me about the book, I need to ask you one more question. When Ebi-san gave you the book, how he was looked like?”
“He seems happy.”
That is the limit for Jun. After tell the owner his gratitude for the explanation and confirms that he will come again to settle his debt, he slowly walks to the door. The moment he almost reaches for the doorknob, the owner suddenly stops him. He then silently watches the owner walks toward a nearby book shelf and shoves a key out from his trouser’s pocket. The man then unlocked one of the square shape drawers on it before takes out a familiar old and slight dirty blue book and brings it to Jun.
“I believe that I shall give this to his children back. About your debt here, just forget about it. Most of the dishes here are your dad’s creation after all.”
“You can keep it. It’s yours since dad already sell it to you. Besides, we don’t need it.”
A pair of surprise eyes staring him in disbelief. Ignoring it, Jun almost take his leave but stop by the other one words.
“If you guys need my help, just come.”
Jun just nod without saying anything. After silently closes the door, he immediately walks toward the way out but still manages to bow down to the restaurant’s manager before taking his leave from the place. Still frustrated and confused about everything, Jun only can continue his walk to everywhere his feet bring to. Thousands of question floods into him, yet none of it found its answer. Later, he stops in front of a wood bench at a nearby park. As he sits on it and grits his teeth in dissatisfied, he entwines his hand and just locks his gaze to the ground under his feet.
“What are you thinking about, Jun-kun?”
Jun jerks up by the familiar voice. The inspector meanwhile smiles before sit beside him.
“I never thought you still dare to show yourself in front me.”
“Well, I told you guys that in my eyes you and your brothers are like my son. And somehow it helped me to forget about my daughter’s dead last week.”
The younger man remains silent. Kashiwabara inspector on the other hand leans comfortably on the bench and shoves out a cigarette case from inside his pocket.
“You know, I used to come into your parents’ restaurant before. Every day they received a lot of customers since their Hayashi Rice was so delicious. Somehow, I hope any of you will follow his path so you guys can make his dream to build a happy place for anyone become true.”
Immediately, Jun turns to him.
“Dad’s dream was that?”
“Yeah. He told me about it before. It’s not weird if you don’t know about it though. You’re too young at that time.”
Those words however only make Jun to feel worst than ever. Even an outsider like Kashiwabara-san knows something that he did not about their father. Somehow, it makes him to feel so irritate with himself for know nothing.
=*=*=*=*=*=
The clock shows 11 sharp when Satoshi, Sho and Kazu enter the apartment where the two eldest and Jun are living in. Decide to wait for their youngest brother to come home, the three of them sit on the dining chair and stay in silence for a while with only sounds from Kazu’s game enlivens the house.
“Two days to go before mom and dad’s case will be closed, right?”
He suddenly says without looking up.
“Yeah. But it doesn’t matter. We won’t give up no matter how long it takes.”
Kazu however does not look happy with it. He wants to say something, but finally brings his gaze back to the screen in front of him. Unexpectedly, his expression was caught by their eldest brother who is sitting on the opposite seat.
“I’m also pissed off to know that we lost one of our proofs to send that old man into jail after what he had done to our family. But if he really has nothing to do with mom and dad’s murdered, it makes no sense for us to force him to carry the responsibility.”
“Wait a sec, Aniki.”
Satoshi returns the second brother’s surprise look with a frown.
“What do you mean by send him into jail? I thought you don’t trust police anymore?”
“I don’t believe them, but this is the best for us. Masa and Kazu have someone who is important for them now. Jun is still too young to get arrested if we choose to settle this case in our own way. And even you have through a lot to make your long time dream to become true now, right? As much as I want to kill that criminal with my hands, you guys have a life too. I don’t want to see all of you to lose everything you have now.”
“That’s not the matter Aniki. We have lost everything from the moment mom and dad died. Plus, I only can move on after we settle that bastard murderer first. You hit the point for send him to the jail if we find him out within two days, but if we need more time than that, I won’t be hesitant to kill that murderer with my hands like you too.”
“Sho-nii was right. As much as Aniki can’t see us to lose everything, we can’t see Aniki to get arrested for kill that murderer after all Aniki’s hard effort to raise us alone. Even if there are any consequences that might happen from our action after this case exceeds its time, at least we’re going to face it together.”
The younger brother smiles reassuringly. Later, he realizes Sho is looking at him with wide eyes which make him to push the pause button with a questioning look to the older one.
“I never thought you can say something nice too.”
“Well, all of us think the same thing. And don’t tell me you think that I’m a bad guy?”
He snorts when Sho gives him a nod. Satoshi on the other hand chuckles amusedly by it.
“You guys grow up splendidly into good men.”
Kazu however dumbfounded to hear it.
“What are you saying? Don’t tell me Sho-nii’s old man virus infecting your brain already, Aniki?”
A hard smack reaches Kazu’s head immediately. Just when the freak gamer almost drags his sloping shoulder brother into a fight, the person that they are waiting for suddenly opens the front door from outside.
“Welcome home.”
Jun looks up while taking off his shoes.
“I’m home.”
He forces himself to smile. Later, he approaches them and takes a seat beside Satoshi.
“We just find out this morning that the old man wasn’t the one who send the last night threat letter.”
“What? But how you guys know about it?”
The other three explain the whole story of this morning's incident. Despite of Jun’s dissatisfy feeling toward his brother for went to Yokosuka without telling him or Masaki, he knows it is not what important now. Besides, the more he listens to them, the more he realizes that the chance for them to clean their family’s name now is very low.
“How about you Jun? Did you see the restaurant’s owner already?”
“I see him this afternoon and it’s true that he really had dad’s book. He said that Ebi ji-san was the one who gave him.”
Sho sighs in relief.
“It’s like we thought then. He’s the murderer.”
“But from what the owner told me before, dad actually was the one who asked him to buy it for settle off his debt with the loan shark. Ebi ji-san was only the middleman for him and dad.”
“You mean that old folk didn’t steal it? He’s the middleman so maybe he tricked dad or something. Plus, I thought dad already stop gambling long time ago.”
“Dad stopped, but the debt was too much and he wasn’t afforded to pay all of it so it’s not impossible for dad to sell that book actually. Besides, before mom and dad died the restaurant was already having financial crisis.”
“Wait. Is that mean that the old man was totally innocent in this matter even after what he had done to us? I don’t want him to freely enjoy his life.”
“The problem now, we have no proof to prove that he was the criminal. Maybe it’s impossible for him to not see mom and dad’s bodies before he left 14 years ago, but even if we tell the police about it, he can just simply say that he was shocked at that moment and can’t call for the police because of it. “
“And we also can’t rely on what Masa’s witnessed to make the police to arrest him. They will say it’s impossible for Masa to still remember the face of the person who left the house that night since it happened 14 years ago.”
Kazu snorts and rest his head stressfully on the dining table. Meanwhile, Satoshi and Sho sigh heavily. None of them says anything until Jun finally decides to tell them something.
“I met Kashiwabara-san after came out from the restaurant.”
The three older brothers turn to him immediately.
“What did he want?”
“Nothing. He just found me by chance. He told me that his daughter just passed away a week ago because of cancer. And he also told me about mom and dad.”
Kazu frowns.
“About mom and dad? But why?”
“Cause I asked him to. When I find out that dad loved to gamble from the restaurant owner I was so shocked. I never know about it before and…you guys also never tell me anything about mom and dad.”
“Jun, what do you mean?”
The youngest brother sighs heavily and rubs his face with his palm.
“There’s a lot of thing that I never know about mom and dad this entire time actually. I was worried that if I asked you guys before, it’ll make you guys sad so I never have a heart to. But when I find out about dad’s gambling hobby and the fact that he borrowed some money from the loan shark, somehow I feel left behind. You guys seem already know about it since long time ago and yet, I just know about it today.”
“That’s not true.”
“But I feel that way.”
The house suddenly becomes as silent as funeral. Even though Sho and Kazu really want to say something to reassure Jun, they somehow could not bring themselves to say anything at all. A moment later, Jun finally gets up from his chair and beam them a smile.
“Just forget it. At least we found something today. I’m tired now, so I’ll go to sleep first. Good night guys.”
“Jun…”
However, they not able to say anything and only can watch the younger one to disappear into his closed room.
=*=*=*=*=*=
“I never see he looks that depress before.”
Kazu sighs before continues to dig into his ramen again. Masaki who is sitting beside him just palming his chin thoughtfully with his stare lock on his younger brother. Since Kazu wants to tell him about the new founding as well as looking for someone to treat him during their lunch break, that is why he agreed to see him at their favorite ramen stall.
“But that’s actually not so surprising though. He just 7 when mom and dad gone. It’s not weird if he can’t remember or doesn’t know about mom and dad so much.”
“Yeah. Besides, he’s always concerned about us. That’s why he can’t bring himself to ask anything though he was so curious. But even if he asks too back then, I don’t know if I can tell him honestly. Dad really had a bad behavior long time ago.”
“One more thing that bothers me is Kashiwabara-san. Jun maybe always want to know how it feel to have a dad, so Kashiwabara-san got a point there since he lately always try to look for us. After all, when Aniki decided to raise us by himself, Jun must feel lonelier when all of us busy with our matters. He just never speaks it out since he didn’t want to add more burdens on us.”
“At Jun age, he needs dad most to accompany him. No matter how much we’re staying with him, it’s different from a real dad company right?”
Kazu nods.
“What about you?”
The younger guy looks at him immediately.
“What about me?”
“When mom and dad passed away, you’re just 8. You must be understood Jun’s feeling more than us. That’s why you always skip extra lesson during elementary school and refused to join baseball club during high school even though you have chance to enter Koshien right?”
“Nah. I’m just not interested with it. I can join if I want, but I don’t want to so that’s it.”
And Kazu continues to slurp his noodles hungrily. Meanwhile, Masaki tries his best to not giggle by the other one's action. That guy actually always think and feel worry about them, but he never admit and only show it on his own way which might gives a bad impression for those who does not know him better. After finishing their ramen, Masaki pays for their food immediately and ready to go back for his work.
“By the way Masa.”
The older brother turns to him after grabs for his bag.
“You’re feeling guilty now for left home after I told you that Jun might feel lonely right?”
“Eh?”
“Just keep in your mind that if you didn’t so persistent to leave before our family’s situation might be worst. Since Aniki was always busy doing his job for us and Sho-nii often stay late at school so he can help Aniki and give us a better life, that’s why you always spend time at home with me and Jun to cheer us up before right? But both of us now are adult already so there’s no need for you to feel worry about us anymore.”
Masaki pursues his lips. Soon, Kazu turns around to walk on his own way before suddenly stops and looks at him again.
“And I think it is better if you feel worry about yourself more. Can’t you feel sorry with those light poles you have bumped into for this entire time? Such poor things, you know.”
“Oi! You should feel sorry about me, not them! Besides, they’re the one who block my way!”
“Those light poles just silently stay on the side way and you blame them for being on your way? I’m impressed to know that.”
He laughs hardly when the third brother just humph in irritated. Later, the two guys exchange their wave and walk to different way. 20 steps later however, Masaki finally remembers that he actually wants to give Kazu some money pocket and also want to ask the other one to pass it to Jun too. Immediately, he turns around and speeds up to look for younger one. Not long after, he found the other one is standing on the side road together with a crowd of office workers from afar. He wants to approach Kazu, but stops when he found the stalker who he and Jun meet at Yokosuka before is standing few meters behind Kazu with a camera. Pissed off by it, Masaki stomps toward the stalker’s direction immediately but it only cause him to bump into a group of passing people from behind and accidentally release the phone in his grip to the roadway. He clumsily tries to pick it back but surprise when a loud car honk sounds suddenly comes from his right.
“WATCH OUT!”
Someone suddenly grips on his shirt and pulls him back to the side road. His phone shatter into pieces right in front of him, but he totally ignore it when he remembers about Kazu again. Worriedly, Masaki get up from the ground and brings his gaze to the crowd who are now crossing the road. However, Kazu as well as the stalker cannot be found anywhere anymore.
“Are you okay?”
He turns around immediately.
“Thank you for-”
The long time no see face that shows up however surprises him.
“Long time no see, Masaki-kun.”
“You’re the one who assist Kashiwabara-san before.”
“I’m Hagimura. I was transferred to Tokyo department since two years ago.”
“I see.”
Uninterested, Masaki immediately pick his phone from the road.
“Masaki-kun, I have an important thing to talk to you now. Have some minutes?”
“If it’s about mom and dad’s case, you’re only wasting your time.”
“No. it’s about Kashiwabara-san.”
Masaki freezes. He then turns to look at the already approaching police officer behind.
“Kashiwabara-san always comes here lately. Since few days ago I found him talking with a guy in front of headquarters or somewhere else when we’re going to have a lunch together.”
“A same guy? Who?”
“I don’t know. I saw Kashiwabara-san gave him money this morning so I followed him. Maybe he’s a photographer since I saw him tried to capture someone's picture with his camera before I found you on the road by chance while ago.”
The statement makes his eyes grow wider.
“It must be the stalker.”
-to be continued-
-Another pack of dialogue chapter...This chapter is hoenestly hard. The idea just easily popped into my head but to explain it into words is really hard ==" I think one of the fearful things for writer is when their reader can't understand what they're trying to tell in the story their write. 2+epilogue to go!
-Brief explanation about Koshien which Masaki mentioned, it's a National High School Baseball Championship. It's a largest scale ametur sport event in Japan ;)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
7/8/12 17:18 (UTC)(no subject)
8/8/12 07:56 (UTC)They're getting closer with the truth.Jun must be shocked for just knowing something about their father ne :(
Yep, maybe that guy can help them...
(no subject)
7/8/12 19:13 (UTC)(no subject)
8/8/12 08:00 (UTC)Yeah, Jun must be shocked for just knowing everything...Poor Aiba too for always clumsy and hit light pole ne? XD
Hahaha.You really love cliffhangers.2 chapter left.I decide to finish this on chapter 10 and write for the epilogue too :)
(no subject)
8/8/12 14:14 (UTC)(no subject)
8/8/12 14:40 (UTC)(no subject)
8/8/12 05:14 (UTC)what will happen with them..
and i pity for jun, but i think feel pitier for nino that always stay silent..
argghh,,i cant wait for the next ^^V
thanks as always for your update and harwdork -m-
(no subject)
8/8/12 08:04 (UTC)Both Nino and Jun always keep their feeling to themselves ne.Even though they're curious they tried to hold it back (_ _)
Please wait for the next one!I'll try my best ^^V
(no subject)
8/8/12 07:57 (UTC)They all have their own guilt inside and have their own way to make express their concern. Poor them. Hope that stalker just took Kazu's photo and did nothing to him. Meanwhile Masa get some clue.. Next~
(no subject)
8/8/12 08:13 (UTC)I'm trying to finish this story as fast as I can since I'll go back to my hometown for a while after Ramadhan.
You're right.They're really care about each other.And even though it's actually not their fault, they still can't help but feel guilty about it...Yep, hope Kazu will be alright.Maybe Masa just found something important :)
(no subject)
8/8/12 09:14 (UTC)Good luck then. :)
(no subject)
8/8/12 13:17 (UTC)Arigatou! ;)
(no subject)
8/8/12 13:47 (UTC)Bambino.That's what I think too when typing that part too! XD It must be hard for Jun to accept about their father ne...
Who knows Masaki will find out something? ;)