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“Thank you for your help again Ichiro-kun, I apologize for calling you three out on such short notice,” the lavender-haired doctor thanked with a smile. “You too Jiro-kun, Saburo-kun.”
Ichiro wiped sweat off his forehead, having fixed the medical utilities that had been malfunctioning hours ago. “Don’t sweat it doc! Me and my bros are always ready to help no matter when!” Hearing this, Jiro and Saburo nodded eagerly in unison.
With a friendly chuckle, Jakurai held the door open for the three brothers. “I appreciate it- it’s rather late now so I suggest you all get some rest,” Jakurai added, noticing stifled yawns coming from the brothers.
Jiro and Saburo headed out first wishing Jakurai a nice night on the way, the doctor waving back at them. After a rather huge yawn, Ichiro strided towards the open doorway- “goodnight otou-” the heterochromic boy paused mid-sentence, mid-stride- “Jakurai-san!” An unusual grin spread across Ichiro’s cheeks as he disappeared, out of sight.
The Shinjuku doctor held the door ajar for several moments, seemingly unfazed yet staring into space. Ichiro’s weird slip of the tongue didn’t surprise the man, for unusual mistakes like that had been happening for quite a while- months actually.
Finally shutting his quarter’s door, he sat himself down on his office chair and gave the recent occurrence another thought. With a slightly pained expression plastered on his face, Jakurai murmured in the silence of his office- “Are you shackled by the past as well?...Ichiro….”
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“I caught the biggest fish so that means I won!”
“Size doesn’t matter! You only caught two fish in a span of six hours! I, on the other hand, caught twenty.”
The two youngest Buster Bros bickered in the distance, waving fish they caught in each other’s faces like little kids. Ichiro returned his gaze back to Jakurai, who’s expression shimmered with concern under the moonlight.
“Those two I swear- What’s wrong doc? I’m sorry if my brothers are bothering you, I know they can be loud-” Ichiro’s eyes filled with confusion and worry.
The doctor shook his head “that’s not it Ichiro-kun,” he interrupted while remaining soft spoken. “I wanted to inform you and your brothers that I’ll be away on a business trip next week, so we can’t go fishing together for a couple weekends.”
Any “normal” person would have shrugged and said something along the lines of “no worries!” but as for Ichiro, the light drained from his eyes. “Do you really have to go?”
[So I was right]- Jakurai reminisced for a second before breathing a deep sigh. “It’s an urgent trip where people’s lives will be in my hands-” the doctor held up a finger to silence Ichrio’s failed attempt of protesting, “and while we’re here, I would like to address something I’ve been meaning to ask for quite some time.”
Cutting right to the chase, Jakurai stared at Ichiro as he spoke- “You’ve mistakenly called me ‘Otousan’ many times in the past month, Jiro-kun asked me to carry him on his shoulders the other day but renounced his request instinatiously, and Saburo-kun shared his test scores with me the week before, yet retracted the papers as if not meaning to share them at all.”
The nearly-empty fishing dock grew silent aside from the night critters.
Before the awkward silence suffocated the two of them any longer, Ichiro buried his hands in his palms, tears seeping through the cracks, each one hitting the moonlit dock below.
“Please forgive us Jakurai-san, it’s just-” the nineteen year-old inhaled sharply, “you’re like a father to us, but we...we didn’t want to make you feel as if we didn’t still see you for who you were- we know you’re still Jakurai-san, doctor of Shinjuku, leader of Matenro, not our father or anything like that….” Ichiro felt his head being pulled in, resting on Jakaurai’s lab coat.
“You have nothing to be sorry for Ichiro-kun,” Jakurai whispered, although it was more of a croak, for tears were brimming in his own eyes. The father-figure stroked the top of Ichiro’s shaking head.
Two figures ran on each side of Jakurai before the doctor could get another word in. Jakurai knew it would be Jiro and Saburo prior to peering down at their small heads, buried at his sides and their arms around his coat.
“You boys...you boys have carried so many burdens on your shoulders...You three are strong and caring individuals, always putting others before yourselves.” Matenro’s leader clamped his eyes shut to let the bottled up tears stream down.
“Don’t you boys ever dare apologize for something as innocent as wanting a father figure, ever again. I am here- I will be here for you all. Forever and always, alright?” Jakurai hugged all three of the Buster Bros in closer, their sobs echoing louder even against the doctor’s coat.
“Th-thank you Jakurai-san,” the youngest brother choked back the endless run of tears, squeezing his eyes even tighter.
“Jakurai-Jakurai-san!” was all the middle brother could force out of his mouth that was trembling like a dog in the cold.
“We can never- never thank you enough...Jakurai-san!” The oldest brother pitched the last words in with a hoarse whisper, esophagus long dehydrated.
Jakurai’s hands began to tremble….
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Good work today. Have some tea!
“Thank you very much, Yotsutsuji”
…
“Will you take some coffee too?”
Oh sorry! I can make it myself!
“It’s fine. I’m already here.”
No! I owe you for taking me under your wing when you’re not even one of my relatives. So I want to be helpful to you in even some small way.
I make the best coffee!
“All right, Go ahead.”
…
{“Hm?What’s wrong?”}
“Oh, nothing...Yotsutsuji is a fine boy, but I fear that his personality is too serious and that he rushes into situations without looking out...I believe it will cause him to come to harm someday.”
{“Ah ha ha! Aww, you’re just worried ‘cause you’re his dad!”}
“I’m afraid I don’t know how well I perform that role.”
…
Because Jakurai saved my life.
{“He did?”}
You see, my parents died in a car crash...I was there too, but I was the only one who lived. Apparently my injuries were so bad, I would have died if it wasn’t for Jakurai. And then he adopted me as I had no other relatives.
{“Wow. That sure sounds like a Jakurai thing to do.”}
So I wanted to repay his kindness...Jakurai is more than a father to me.
…
“Yotsutsuji...what in God’s name happened to you…?”
[“Is this boy a member of your family, Dr. Jinguji?”]
“...yes”
_________________________________________________________________
Warmth replaced the cold shivers on Jakurai’s hands. Peeling his eyes open, Jakurai found the Yamada brother’s hands cradling his trembling ones.
Not realizing he had sunk to his knees while spacing out, he had to look up to see the brother’s faces, each with their precious heterochromatic irises, plastered with empathy.
“It should be me thanking you, Ichiro, Jiro, Saburo,” Jakurai said, chuckling at the confusion on their faces. Reading their faces like a book, he went ahead and answered their unspoken question: “I didn’t use honorifics when addressing you because, well, I think of you as my sons.”
Jakurai couldn’t stop the bittersweet smile that spread across his tear-stained cheeks.
The three Yamadas stared back at him, mouths gaping and eyes unblinking with the light returned to them.
Lifting himself onto his feet, the Yamada’s father-figure pulled the three boys into a hug once more.
“And yes, you may call me otousan.”