Forever & Foralways My Kokaishi

~Hello everyone sorry chapter three was so short here is chapter four and it should be a little longer. This chapter just explains a little about Kiren and introduces some of his family member. It doesn’t start getting to the really good parts until chapter five so please be a little bit more patient and I will get to it. Thank you for you time and here is chapter four.~


Kiren’s recover took several weeks but Shuichi was at his side through every minute of it. When he wasn’t in physical therapy he was in bed catching up on the schoolwork that he missed, again with Shuichi by his side helping him through it. Shuichi was helping him through the loss of his parents as well. Kiren was doing well on that one only because his mother visited him when he was in the coma. She told him to live well, be happy and not to grieve that she would be waiting for him on the other side when his time came.

When his physical therapy was over and the doctors and nurses cleared him to leave the hospital a man in a black suit was waiting outside for him. With Shuichi at his side he walked up to the man and took the hand he held out to him. “I am so sorry for loss Kiren. If there is anything I can do to help just let me know.” The man said with great sympathy opening the door for him and Shuichi to climb in. Shuichi slightly confused joined him. Apparently Kiren knew the man. Shuichi glanced at him quickly taking in his apparel and his looks. He looked like a businessman.

Kiren glanced at Shuichi with a mischievous smile and figured he had suffered long enough. He was about to tell him who the man was when he figured it out. “He’s your parents lawyer.” The said lawyer looked in the rear view mirror and said. “That is correct young man. You must be Shuichi, young master Kiren’s friend.”

Shuichi looked confused. “Yes, how did you know?”

The lawyer just continued driving, “Young master Kiren. He speaks quite fondly of you and holds you in high regard.” He told him glancing in the rear view mirror again.

Shuichi looked at Kiren, he looked at Shuichi a small smile on his lips. “He must be intuitive,” the lawyer continued, “Because the night before they left to go on their trip he stopped at my office and had me write up a will for him.”

“Really?!” Shuichi asked shocked. This was the second time knowing or even having a feeling of something happening before it does.

“Yes, and take a wild guess at who he named the beneficiary?”

It only took him half a second to figure out who and when he did his emerald eyes widened and he turned his head and looked at Kiren whose smile grew bigger.

“Why?” Shuichi asked still shocked.

“Why not.” Kiren asked looking at him. “Your not going to change my mind so don’t try.”

“I’d listen to him Master Shuichi, once he has made up his mind there’s no changing it he’s that stubborn. He’s been that way ever since he was little.” The lawyer said with a fond smile at the memories the sentence surfaced.

“I take it you have been their lawyer for a long time now.” Shuichi said looking at the lawyer. He looked to be in his mid-twenties which made Shuichi wonder how.

“You are only half correct on that one.” He said looking into the mirror again. “I have been a good friend of young master Kiren’s parents ever since I met them in middle school and after I graduated I went to law school. When I graduated I became their lawyer. I am well known with both Raya’s family and because of her I became well known with Master Thian’s.” the lawyer explained.

“Well here we are.” He said pulling up to a large stonewall with a tall wooden gate that had two guards standing at attention beside it. “It’s been a while hasn’t it Master Kiren, since you have been here?” he said looking back at Kiren.

“Yes, it has.” Kiren said not at all pleased.

“I understand.” He said patting Kiren’s leg. “I’m sorry to have to bring you here but all the paperwork is here.”

Kiren looked up with a wry look on his face. “Nice try Toben. You just want a reconciliation with grandpa and I.”

Toben laughed a loud. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

Kiren looked out the window with a frown on his lips. “Yes I can. Especially when it comes to that closed minded stubborn old fool.” He said almost spitting out the words.

“I see this visit isn’t going to be a pleasant one. Just try to behave yourself.” Toben said getting out of the car.

“I will if he does.” Kiren said opening the door and stepping out. He waited until Shuichi was out before he closed the door.

All three of them walked up to the gate that the guards opened for them. As they walked up the long walkway to the main house Shuichi looked around with amazement. The place was huge. They passed by several houses on their way to the main house, which was an old Japanese style home. As they walked Kiren’s mood began to lighten. Being surrounded by all these beautiful trees really lifted his spirits. This was the only thing he liked about this place. It was even more beautiful in the spring when all the trees were in bloom.

They came up to the steps to the main house when Rhyan, Kiren’s uncle and twin brother to his mother greeted them. Rhyan came up to Kiren and embraced the boy tightly. Kiren wrapped his arms around his uncle who was as close to his heart as his mother and father were. He let go and looked into his eyes. “How you doin’ buddy?”
Kiren smiled weakly with concern deep in his eyes. “I should ask you the same.”

Rhyan smiled and placed his hand on the top of Kiren’s head. “I’ll be okay.” He said as they walked along the covered wraparound porch. Shuichi was about to follow when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. “Let’s let them be alone. They have a lot to talk about and hopefully Rhyan can get Kiren to reconcile things with his grandpa…before it is too late.”

~
Kiren walked beside his uncle a little ways in silence. He was about to say something when his uncle brought him to a room full of his relatives. When they saw him enter they all stood up from where they were sitting bowed to him and left the room. A couple touched his shoulder or arm giving him their support before they left. Kiren looked up at his uncle with questioning look in his dark blue-grey eyes. Rhyan just nodded his head towards the closed door.
Kiren walked up to the door indicated by his uncle and reached out a shaky hand hesitating. “You can do it Kiren, be strong.” He heard his uncle say. That steadied his hand long enough for him to grasp the handle and open it. Taking a deep breath he stepped in.

~
Shuichi and Toben sat outside under one of the trees. Shuichi looked at Toben and asked the question that had been on his mind since they arrived here. “Why is there such animosity between Kiren and his grandfather?”

Toben got a sad look in his eyes, “Once they had been very close but all that changed the day Kiren decided to tell him about his sexual preference. He became furious.”

“What?!” Shuichi asked shocked.

“Yes. I suppose he had been hoping for Kiren to marry and have children of his own, and felt hurt and a little betrayed. So he became angry and distant.” Toben looked at Shuichi with a sad look in his eyes. “One day Kiren brought his lover to meet the family and his grandfather found out…well…things got pretty bad and his grandfather said a few things that he latter regretted. But Kiren could not seem to forgive him and he left not looking back.” Toben said looking down at his hands.

~
Kiren sat there on the stool next to the bed that contained the man that he had once loved as much as he did his mother, father, and uncle Rhyan. The old man lying on the bed opened his eyes to the sight that he had been wishing for and yet dreading at the same time. “Kiren, my grandson.” He said reaching out his hand to touch his face. Kiren flinched and he saw the mistrust in Kiren’s eyes. “I see you have not forgiven me yet. Not that I blame you, what I did…” he closed his eyes and looked away. “Should never have been done.” His eyes filled with such pain and regret. Kiren saw this and his eyes filled with tears as he looked away. “Because of you I lost someone I loved very much.” Kiren said in a voice choked with tears. “Because of you…he didn’t want to have anything more to do with me. He said that if my family was going to react this way…” Kiren couldn’t finish the pain was too great.

~
Toben’s eyes were filled with tears. “He was so angry…he lost control.” Shuichi’s eyes were wide with shock. “As I said before he felt hurt and betrayed and he didn’t know what he did until later.”
“That’s no excuse for what he did and said!” Shuichi said getting up from his spot fuming, he was so angry. “He hit the boy and Kiren as well. And the things he said to them…despicable.” Shuichi said with such anger in his voice.

~
Kiren sat there on the stool tears streaming down his face. “I don’t expect your forgiveness or your love, I don’t deserve them. But know this…I am truly, deeply sorry for what I did and said. I only realized it afterward…but then it was too late and you were gone.” He said with such sadness in his voice.

Kiren looked up and gazed into his grandfather’s eyes tears staining his face. His eyes held an emotion that could not be read or understood, even by Kiren himself. “I do love you grandpa. And I do forgive you. I just…I don’t know. I suppose I just could not bring myself to come here and see that look in your eyes again. I suppose I was afraid to find out that you did not love me anymore.” Kiren said with such sadness in his eyes that it made his grandfather sit up in his bed and take his beloved grandson in his arms and hold him tight.

It was that sight that Shuichi and Toben came in on. Rhyan walked up behind them and smiled, “Well, it looks like they finally patched things up.” Toben just smiled.

Shuichi looked up at Toben and asked, “So what about the other reason you brought him here?”