465Heyo~! So, after some good feedback and positive comments on the subject of an epilogue, I finally got it done and I am happy to present to you the true ending to Make Up the Past and Think of the Future! I hope everyone is having a good New Year and that you will enjoy this little nugget. Happy New Year!
-Shelby
Ryu - 16
Ryu was listening to the latest Panic! At the Disco song as he rode the elevator up. It had been nearly ten years since he and his dad had moved to Japan with his Papa. In that time, he had gone to school and entered a gifted children's program. I had been a nice change to learn with others at his level and age. His Dad had continued with his work in photography but had kept to safe jobs. From what Uncle Takato and Uncle Kou told him, his dad used to be quite the adrenaline junkie.
That's another thing, he finally got to meet his dad's best friends. He'd never seen two grown men quite like they had. It was bit awkward, but at the end of the visit, Ryu was happy to know that his family had expanded. He'd also gained some knew friends in their children. Uncle Takato had twin boys with his wife and Uncle Kou had a girl. All three of them were within a few years of his age so they became fast friends.
Uncle Kou and his dad joked all the time that Ryu and his daughter should date, but Ryu knew she didn't have any interest in him, or men for that matter. Besides, he was currently dating Kirishima's daughter, Shizune... not that anyone knew that. They both agreed to wait before they were going to say anything so they could enjoy their time together. After all, it was only inevitable for Kirishima to start glaring at him and he would like to put off the shovel talk he would no doubt be given for a little while longer.
Then there were his parents. Both of them would no doubt lecture him about treating his girlfriend right. His dad will probably go on a rant about the best things to say and not say, while his papa would try to give him advice on the best ways to make her feel special. The very idea of it made him sigh as the elevator stopped at his floor. As the doors opened, he walked down the hall and nodded to the guard outside the door. He was given a nod in return before he entered the penthouse.
A lot had changed since Ryu and his dad had moved to Japan. For starters, there were a lot more pictures around of their family. His dad had been determined to fill their home with memories and he achieved his goal with every trip and every milestone of their lives that he documented with his camera.
For a time, the penthouse had seemed cold and barely lived in. Before they all lived together, his papa would bury himself in his work and would rarely be home. Now, his home office was well used. There was junk food in the cabinets and extra pillows and throws on the couch. Their home was never completely clean, either. There was always something on the floor or the counters in the kitchen. Obvious signs that a family lived in this space and Ryu loved it.
He loved the home that he shared with his family... a home that at the moment was strangely quiet... odd.
Ryu left the front entry after putting his shoes away and made his way into the penthouse. Checking the rooms as he went, he found not a soul around. No one was in the bathrooms and the kitchen was bare as well. Ryu was truly confused, now. After all, his dad was supposed to be home with his-
Ryu stopped short as he made it to the living room and found his dad peacefully sleeping across the couch under one of the many blankets they kept around the living room. Ryu smiled as he walked around the couch and pulled back the blanket just enough to reveal a halo of black hair. There sleeping just as peacefully was his little sister, Kirimi.
Kirimi was almost eight now and had come into their lives when she was barely two years old, His parents had been talking about having a second child when he was about ten, but when they looked into it, they found that his dad having another baby would be very unlikely. But of course, that didn't stop them. After receiving the news, his parents immediately started looking for adoptions. After nearly four months of waiting, they were finally matched with Kirimi.
Kirimi unfortunately had a sad story. His little sister and been the only child of a loving couple that had been killed in a traffic accident. Thankfully Kirimi had been with a babysitter at the time of the accident, but she didn't have anyone in her family willing to take her in, so she became a ward of the government.
Kirimi was a very bright little girl and Ryu had quickly fallen in love with her. One look into those sweet chocolate brown eyes and Ryu knew he would move mountains for her. He would do anything to make her laugh and smile for the rest of her days. His dad would always complain that him and papa spoiled her... neither of them cared.
However, there was little Ryu could do when it came to a fever. Sometime in the night, Kirimi had developed a fever and had been absolutely miserable that morning. Ryu had wanted to stay home with Kirimi, but his parents reminded him about his presentation that was due that day and his teacher wasn't one to accept late submissions without adequate notice... he was cursing universal forces all the way to school that day.
Ryu leaned down and placed a gentle hand on Kirimi's forehead. She still seemed warm, but that could also be from snuggling with their dad. Either way, it was relieving to see her resting peacefully after looking so pale that morning. Ryu was just tucking them back in when he heard the front door open. Not long after, his papa came around the corner. Ryu motioned for him to stay quiet before following his papa into the kitchen.
"I take it they're sleeping?"
Ryu nodded as he went into the fridge, "Yup, and Kirimi's fever looks to have come down. I hated leaving this morning." Ryu pouted as he grabbed something at random to snack on.
Asami smiled as he started making tea, "I know. If your dad hadn't told me there wasn't anything I could do, I probably wouldn't have gone to work."
Ryu looked at him skeptically, "And yet, you're already home before three."
Asami just shrugged, "I knew you were going to be home around now since you left school early."
His papa gave him a look as Ryu mimicked his earlier shrug, "I already had my presentation, and I didn't have any important tests today." It was quiet in the kitchen for a moment until Ryu spoke again, "We're wrapped around the finger of an eight-year-old." Asami started chuckling and it wasn't long before Ryu joined him.
Their laughter was interrupted by a sleepy little voice, "What's so funny?"
Ryu and Asami turned to the kitchen entry way to see a barely awake Kirimi standing there holding her favorite bunny to her chest. Her hair was a crazy mess, and she was wearing her unicorn jammies. She was the very epitome of adorable.
Asami stepped away from the kettle and Ryu took his place. Their papa walked over and gently picked up his daughter. Kirimi immediately snuggled into his shoulder and leaned against him.
Asami gave her a kiss to her forehead, pleased to feel her fever all but gone, "Hi, princess. How are you feeling?"
"I feel better," she mumbled. "Still feel tired though."
Asami rubbed her back as he spoke, "That's because your body was working hard to help you get better. I'm sure you'll be back to your happy self by tomorrow." Kirimi mumbled something before wrapping her arms around their papa's neck and nuzzled closer.
"Hey, Mimi-chan, do you want some tea, too or a snack? Onii-san can get you something if you want."
Kirimi peaked over at her big brother who now held the kettle of hot water, "I want tea... and gummy snacks, please."
"Coming right up." Asami leaned against the counter as Ryu mage the tea and grabbed a gummy snack pack from the cabinet. Once the tea was ready, he placed everything on a tray, and they all went back to the living room.
Akihito was still asleep on the sofa, so Asami nestled Kirimi on the other sofa with her bunny and another blanket. Ryu set the tray on the table and grabbed a pack of cards from the drawer. Settling on the couch within easy reach of their snacks, Ryu dealt out the cards for him and his sister to play a game.
Asami smiled at them fondly before heading over to where Akihito laid. Carefully he settled Akihito's head in his lap and switched on the tv to put on a cartoon for background noise. It wasn't long before Kirimi's giggles woke up Akihito.
Akihito looked over to see Kirimi playing a game with her brother that he was dramatically "losing". His heart swelled at how doting he was of her. Ryu really was the best big brother. He had been so excited when he learned he was going to be a big brother. Not once did he feel left out or slighted at having a little sister. He truly loved her with every fiber of his being. Woe to the first person to make her cry. Between a father with a firearm and a brother with an infinite IQ, anyone who even thinks of hurting her won't stand a chance.
It was as he was musing that he caught Kirimi reaching for a gummy snack pack that was sitting in her lap. With a frown, he grumbled, "Why does Kirimi have a gummy snack?"
Asami carded his fingers through his hair, "She wanted a gummy snack, so we gave her one."
Akihito rolled his eyes before moving his gaze to meet Asami's, "Those are supposed to be for her school lunches."
Asami just shrugged, "She missed school today, so I don't think one will hurt."
Akihito gave him a half-hearted glare before relenting and scooting up so he was leaning into Asami's side. "When did you get back? It's not even four o'clock yet."
Asami wrapped an arm around Akihito's shoulders, "Roughly a half hour ago."
"And Ryu?" Akihito looked up with a raised brow.
"Shortly before I did."
Akihito shook his head with a sigh, "You two are so bad, I don't know who is worse between the two of you." Asami only smiled and laid a kiss in Akihito's hair as he grumbled again.
It was then that Kirimi noticed her dad was awake, "Daddy, you're awake!" Abandoning the card game with her brother, she clambered out of the nest that had been built for her before scampering over to the other couch to join her papa and dad.
Akihito helped her to get comfortable between Asami and himself, "Hey pumpkin. Did you have a good sleep?"
"Yup," Kirimi beamed, "And when I woke up, Papa and Onii-san made me tea and a snack."
"I saw," Akihito chuckled as he tried to tame her hair a bit. He quickly gave up when he realized it would be no use without a comb. So he bopped her on the nose to get her to laugh. "You are so loved, Kirimi."
Kirimi looked up with bright eyes, "I love you, too!"
Akihito laughed, "Really?"
"Yup," Kirimi chirped, "And I love Papa and Onii-san, too!" Everyone started laughing which made Kirimi start to laugh too.
Ryu went and got changed out of his school uniform before coming back to the couch to sit on the other side of Akihito. After pestering their papa, they all settled down to watch a movie, more than happy to let Kirimi pick.
So together they huddled happily on the couch surrounded by pillows and blankets and family. Akihito looked around himself at the ones he loved above all else and felt his heart swell.
The gentle lull was interrupted by Kirimi, "Oh, Onii-san, I wanted to ask you something!"
Ryu looked around Akihito to give his little sister his attention, "Yes, Mimi-chan?"
"Have you kissed Shizune, yet?" For a moment the only sound in the room came from the tv.
Asami leaned forward to see Ryu, "Ryu."
Ryu felt his eyes widen as they moved to his papa, "... Yes, Papa?"
"Why would Kirimi ask you that?" Asami asked with a raised brow and a glint in his eye.
Ryu paled, "Uh, well-"
"Because they're in love!" Kirimi chirped. The eyes of both their parents swiveled back to look at him.
It was in that moment that Ryu felt the downside of having an adorable, nosy, loudmouth little sister. All he could do now, was laugh nervously.