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Despite the sting of his cheek and the numbing cold of the ice pack, Rokkaku continued to kick his feet while humming. Beside him, Adachi sighed as he closed his grade book.
“Rokkaku-kun,” Adachi gently chastised. “Let’s not kick our feet, okay? The teacher’s office is rather small and you might hurt someone.”
“Mmm…” Rokkaku nodded vigorously. “Okay, Adachi-sensei!” Rokkaku’s smile only seemed to grow with the attention. “Ne, ne, do we really have to tell my papa what happened?”
“I’m afraid so, Rokkaku-kun. The principal already called him. Here, let me see your cheek…” Adachi moved the ice pack away to look at the boy’s reddening cheek. “Oof… Why on earth did Urabe-kun do this to you?”
“Yuta!”
Rokkaku spun around so fast Adachi feared his five year old neck would snap. “Papa!” He eagerly waved. “Look, Adachi-sensei gave me an ice pack for my cheek!”
“But why do you need an ice pack, Yuta?” Adachi blinked as he finally took in the handsome man before him. The resemblance wasn’t much between Rokkaku and his apparent father, but they both had a particular brightness in their smiles and sparkles to their eyes.
“Ah… Rokkaku-san?” Adachi guessed. “Rokkaku-kun and Urabe-kun seem to have-”
“Oh, no, no, it’s Kurosawa,” the man corrected. “Kurosawa Yuuichi.” Kurosawa bowed and offered his hand and Adachi accepted in a confused daze. “You see-”
“Papa is daddy’s cousin!” Rokkaku piped up.
Kurosawa winced slightly and Adachi felt a pang of sympathy for him over Rokkaku’s bluntness. “Rokkaku is my cousin’s name. He and his wife… Are no longer with us.” Kurosawa looked down and patted Rokkaku’s hair. “No one else on his side of the family could take Yuta in, so I did. I apologize, Adachi-sensei. It appears I haven’t done a good job...”
“Ah… Well Rokkaku-kun is a very good student. You’ve done a great job…” Adachi said with a nervous smile. “It just seems…”
“Urabe-kun said something dumb to Fujisaki-chan!” Rokkaku pouted. “She said she didn’t want to play house and Urabe-kun said girls should like to play house and I said girls don’t have to play house and-”
“What I’m sure Rokkaku-kun means to say is that he stood up for Fujisaki-chan.” Adachi’s smile grew softer. “He didn’t really do anything wrong that way. It seems the disagreement between him and Urabe-kun got a bit too heated.” Adachi pressed the ice pack on Rokkaku’s cheek again and he yelped before taking it away from the teacher. “So don’t worry. Rokkaku-kun isn’t in any trouble. The principal said Urabe-kun was in the wrong. However…” Adachi gave Rokkaku a gentle noogie and Rokkaku immediately ran out of his range to hide behind Kurosawa. “He has to be on good behavior and use his words next time.”
Kurosawa sighed and squeezed Rokkaku’s shoulder before bowing again. “Let me thank you again for taking care of him.”
“Oh, it’s not any trouble,” Adachi said while bowing in return. “I hope you won’t have to come again for something like this.”
“So… coming for some other reason is fine?” Kurosawa asked with a smile.
“Eh?!”
------
Rokkaku bit his lip and looked around. What was supposed to be a quick trip for ice cream with the rest of his dance class and Kurosawa had ended up with him lost. “Minato-sensei?!” he shouted. “Papa?!”
“Hey, hey…” Through frustrated tears, Rokkaku finally saw a familiar face kneeling next to him. “Rokkaku-kun, what’s wrong?”
“Wah! Adachi-sensei!” Rokkaku latched onto the teacher. “I lost Papa and Minato-sensei!”
“Okay, okay, just breathe…” Rokkaku tried through his hiccups and failed to notice how Adachi was also attempting to calm his own breathing. “Do you know Kurosawa-san’s cell phone number?”
“Umm…” Rokkaku dug around in his pockets before pulling out a business card for Kurosawa. “This! Papa said to keep it on me just in case.”
Adachi accepted the business card before ruffling Rokkaku’s hair. “Good job! Let’s call your papa and see where he is.”
A short conversation later and Adachi spotted Kurosawa running with a blond man and several other kids not far behind. Kurosawa immediately picked up Rokkaku and hugged him.
“Don’t ever do that again,” Kurosawa said sternly as he checked Rokkaku all over before putting him down. “You’re very lucky Adachi-sensei was here today to help you.”
“Adachi-san?” At last the blond man and the children in tow had caught up. “I didn’t know you’d be at the mall today.”
“Oh! Minato-san!” Rokkaku watched Kurosawa’s brow furrow as he turned towards the two other adults. “Is Rokkaku-kun one of your students too?”
“Indeed he is.” Minato crouched down and pinched Rokkaku’s cheek while Rokkaku wailed in protest. “He’s my most enthusiastic dancer.”
“Minato-senseeeeiiiiiiii!” Rokkaku whined. “Don’t make fun of me in front of Adachi-sensei!” Rokkaku then blinked. “Do Minato-sensei and Adachi-sensei know each other?” Kurosawa’s eyes also seemed to sharpen just a bit in anticipation of the answer and Rokkaku completely missed how Kurosawa’s grip on his jacket tightened.
“You’ve met Tsuge-san, haven’t you, Rokkaku-kun?” Minato asked as he stood up and dusted off his pants. “Tsuge-san and Adachi-san are friends, so Minato-sensei met Adachi-san that way.”
Kurosawa’s grip on Rokkaku’s jacket relaxed, but only a bit. “Tsuge-san?” he asked.
“Tsuge is Minato-san’s…”
“Boyfriend,” Minato finished. He gave Kurosawa a look and when no comment was forthcoming, he smiled. “Tsuge and I have been dating for a few years now and he’s come by the dance studio once or twice to drop something off. The kids have met him then. I assure you, nothing improper has ever-”
“Oh!” Kurosawa stood up and gestured for Minato to stop. “There’s no need to explain.” Kurosawa smiled and Rokkaku mirrored him only because he enjoyed smiling when his papa did. “I have full confidence and trust in Minato-sensei. Your personal life is your personal life. It does not affect my opinion of you.”
“Thank you, Kurosawa-san. And you…” Minato pointed at Rokkaku, “Should be more careful. Come on, ice cream still awaits good dancers.”
“Ice cream?” Rokkaku watched as Kurosawa’s eyes lingered on Adachi’s smile as he spoke. “Oh, are you going to try out the new shop that opened a few weeks ago?”
“Oh, please come, Adachi-sensei!” Rokkaku latched on to Adachi’s leg before Kurosawa could pull him back. “It’ll be more fun if you come!”
“Rokkaku-kun, you can’t just invite people like that-”
“Join us, Adachi-sensei,” said Kurosawa and Adachi froze. “Please join us. There’s plenty of ice cream there, I’m sure.”
“I’d hate to impose…”
“Eh, it’s fine Adachi-san,” Minato said with a casual wave. “Tsuge is coming to join us too. You can help me wrangle all these sugar high kids until their parents come pick them up from the dance studio.”
“Please, Adachi-sensei!” Adachi looked down to Rokkaku’s hopeful expression and then Kurosawa’s gentle smile.
“I… Well… If you really insist… I did want to try their strawberry cheesecake flavor…”
“Then it’s agreed.” Kurosawa offered his free hand to Adachi. “Everyone has to hold hands to go to the ice cream parlor, Adachi-sensei.”
“Uhh….” Adachi looked to Minato who only winked at him before gathering several students together and walking off. “R-Right!”
------
“Papa!” Rokkaku ran into Kurosawa’s arms. “You came to pick me up! Again!”
“I did!” Kurosawa gave Rokkaku a quick squeeze before turning to Adachi. “Good afternoon Adachi-sensei.”
“Kurosawa-san.” Adachi gave a polite bow and Kurosawa reciprocated. “Did you get off work early again today?”
“Um, yes…” Kurosawa’s eyes darted to the side instead of directly looking at Adachi. “It’s important to take time out of your day to be part of your child’s life and-”
“Oh! I didn’t mean to imply-”
“Of course not, I would never think that Adachi-sensei would-”
“But still it must have-”
“Not at all! If Adachi-sensei has any tips for how I might be better involved with Yuta’s studies…”
Rokkaku watched the back and forth before his stomach gave a tiny rumble. He tugged on Kurosawa’s jacket. “Papa, can we have a snack on the way home?”
“What would Yuta like for a snack today?” Kurosawa asked as he brushed back Rokkaku’s hair.
“Yuta wants crepes!”
“Oh, that’s right, Rokkaku-kun, did you see the new crepe store on the way here?” Adachi asked.
“Mhm! It was very pretty!” Rokkaku smiled and nodded at Adachi. “Can we go papa?”
“Of course we can. But you can only have one or you’ll spoil your dinner,” Kurosawa said gently.
“Okay!”
“And Adachi-sensei… sounds interested in the crepe store too?” Kurosawa asked. His smile was small, but kind.
“Oh! Well… I was kind of interested in trying it too…”
“Please do come join us.” Kurosawa leaned in just a bit closer to Adachi and Adachi could smell his cologne, something warm but not overpowering or musty. “Yuta is bound to ask…” he whispered with a smile that made Adachi’s stomach twist. “And… I’d also like the chance to spend a little more time with Adachi-sensei today.”
“Kurosawa-san!” Adachi hissed before pulling back just a little. “I’d love to but I do have some work left to do…”
“Adachi-sensei doesn’t like us anymore?”
“Rokkaku-kun, just because adults say no doesn’t always mean they don’t like you.” Adachi mused up Rokkaku’s hair in punishment. “Sometimes work has to come first.”
“But sensei!” Rokkaku said with a pout. “You’re already done teaching today, what other work could there be?”
“Yuta, you’re being rude.” Kurosawa pulled Rokkaku back. “When do you think Adachi-sensei grades your tests and homework?”
“Please Adachi-sensei?” Rokkaku presented his most endearing doe eyes. “Just one crepe with us? Then sensei can come back and finish his work recharged!”
Kurosawa coughed. “I suppose that does sound better, doesn’t it?” Adachi caught a glimpse of a twinkle in Kurosawa’s eyes. “Adachi-sensei does look like he could also use a pick-me-up hm?” Rokkaku nodded furiously. “Well Adachi-sensei? What do you say to that?”
With father and son looking at him with such sparkling gazes, Adachi found his resistance crumbling. “Well… I could use a snack…”
“Yay!” Rokkaku cheered. “I want the strawberry crepe!”
“Does Adachi-sensei also like sweet crepes?” Kurosawa asked as they slowly walked out of the school courtyard and onto the street. “I remember you enjoyed the ice cream well last time.”
“Mm!” Adachi smiled and Kurosawa unconsciously raised a hand to his breast and could feel his heart pounding. “What kind of food does Kurosawa-san like?”
“I’ll be having a savory one today,” Kurosawa said while turning his attention back on Rokkaku, who had reached the crepe shop and was pressing his face against the glass. “Would you like to try some of mine?” Kurosawa smiled at Adachi.
“Well… It depends on what kind you might get.”
“Tuna mayo?”
“Eh? That’s my favorite onigiri filling!”
“What a coincidence, it’s mine too…”
After one crepe each, Rokkaku was sent straight into the bathroom to wash all the sticky strawberry filling off his face, leaving the adults at the table alone.
“If Adachi-sensei isn’t too busy… Perhaps I could take him out for a proper meal?” Kurosawa offered. “Maybe tomorrow night?”
“If this is as another thank you about Rokkaku-kun-”
“This is for me,” Kurosawa said firmly. “I hope you’ll consider it.”
“Kurosawa-san… I-”
“Papa, I’m all clean!” Rokkaku announced as he came back to the table.
“Oh? Then we should get going so you can finish your homework before dance class.” Kurosawa pulled out a business card and wrote something on the back. “For you, Adachi-sensei. Please consider what I asked you about.”
Adachi hesitated but accepted the card. “I… I will.”
As Kurosawa and Rokkaku left, Rokkaku tugged on his father’s hand. “Papa, what did you ask Adachi-sensei?”
“I asked him if I need to transfer you to another school because you didn’t do well on your last English test.”
“Papa, no!”
—---
Rokkaku looked up from his homework to see his father had changed from his regular work suits to a different suit. The lining was fancier, the navy suit and pants had fine silver pinstripes, and the tie, instead of being plain or basic stripes, had a swirling design that made Rokkaku mesmerized instead of dizzy.
“Papa is all dressed up!” Rokkaku announced. “Are we going out?”
Kurosawa smiled and pat Rokkaku on the head. “No, just papa is going out tonight. I’m… I have a special meeting tonight with someone.”
“Is it more work?” Rokkaku looked concerned and returned the pats on his head with pats to Kurosawa’s cheek. “Is papa working too hard?”
“If it’s for Yuta, it’s never too hard,” Kurosawa said with a smile which made Rokkaku giggle. “No, this isn’t a meeting for work, it’s just for papa.”
“Can I come too?”
“I’m afraid not this time.” Kurosawa knelt down and looked Rokkaku in the eyes. “But do you remember the rules of staying home alone?”
“I’m not allowed to use the stove. If I’m scared, call Fujisaki-chan’s mom and she’ll come over. No ordering food on any apps.”
“Very good,” Kurosawa said with a thumbs up. “And add one more, no trying to buy things on those gatcha games I saw you playing with Urabe-kun.”
“Papa! That was one time!”
—---
“Adachi-sensei!” Adachi turned to see Rokkaku had come to the teacher’s office during lunch. “I have a question!”
“Is it something about class? Maybe you should wait until we start lessons after lunch,” Adachi chided as he pushed his lunch away.
“Nuh uh, it’s an adult question!”
Adachi blinked. “An… Adult… question?”
“What does it mean if my papa has lots of meetings at night with someone?” Adachi suddenly coughed and Rokkaku moved closer in concern. “Adachi-sensei? Are you okay?”
“Yes! Yes, I’m fine,” Adachi said after another minute. “Um… what kind of meetings is your father having?”
Rokkaku frowned. “He just says they’re special meetings just for him and I’m not allowed to come. I’m worried, sensei! What if papa is working too hard! Urabe-kun said his dad used to work too hard and then he got really sick and had to go to the hospital! I don’t want papa to go to the hospital and then… and then… What if he ends up like daddy did?” Tears welled up in Rokkaku’s eyes. “What do I do, sensei?!”
Adachi kneeled down and gently wiped away Rokkaku’s tears with a napkin. “Rokkaku-kun, you have nothing to worry about,” Adachi said softly. “Your father is not working himself to that point, I promise.”
“But how does Adachi-sensei know?!”
Adachi paused. “I’ve been… talking to your father about things lately. I assure you, nothing he’s said has indicated these uh… meetings are for work. He seems happier after them, don’t you think?”
Rokkaku sniffled and then thought about it for a moment. “He does… I do like it when papa is happy. Then he smiles a lot and I get my favorite breakfast the next morning!”
Adachi smiled. “Then see? You have nothing to worry about.”
Rokkaku’s expression immediately brightened. “Thanks Adachi-sensei! I’ll go finish my lunch now!” Rokkaku sped off and failed to notice Adachi reaching for his cell phone.
—---
“Papa, we’re supposed to go to the park today!” Rokkaku complained as he watched Kurosawa adjust his hair in the mirror again. “All the other kids will be gone!”
“Yuta, it’s still early,” Kurosawa scolded. “None of your friends are up this early. Let papa finish and then we’ll go.”
“But-” Rokkaku paused as he heard the doorbell. “I’ll go get it!”
“Yuta, wait-”
Rokkaku rushed to the door and opened it to find someone he hadn’t been expecting. “Adachi-sensei!”
“Hi Rokkaku-kun,” Adachi said while smiling and ruffling Rokkaku’s hair. “I heard you were going to go play at the park today with your papa. Do you mind if I come with you?”
“Adachi-sensei,” Kurosawa said as he ran up to the door. “You’re early.”
“I’m sorry, Kurosawa-san,” Adachi said as he straightened up. “But I know these kids, the excitement of going to play is probably killing Rokkaku-kun, isn’t that right?”
“Papa is taking forever ,” Rokkaku moaned. “And I promised Fujisaki-chan and Urabe-kun that we could play on the swings today! If we don’t go soon, someone else will take all of them!”
“Well, that would be awful, wouldn’t it?” Adachi offered Rokkaku his hand. “Let’s go save the swings!”
“Yay!” Rokkaku shoved his feet into his shoes and barely remembered to grab his jacket before running off while Adachi gave Kurosawa a wink over his shoulder.
Kurosawa took a moment to sigh with a dreamy expression on his face before putting his shoes on and running after them.
—---
“You don’t think it’s weird,” Urabe asked as he passed several crayons over to Rokkaku during art class. “Why does Adachi-sensei come to your place for dinner all the time now? It’s been months!”
“Papa’s cooking is so good, Adachi-sensei said he loves coming by for dinner every night,” Rokkaku said as he drew a sloth hanging from a tree. “What’s weird about it?”
“I would think it’s weird if Adachi-sensei came to my house for dinner every night,” Urabe replied. “I just think it’s weird in general.”
“I think it’s sweet,” Fujisaki said while coloring in a figure in the corner of her page. “Adachi-sensei is very kind. It’s nice that Kurosawa-san makes him dinner once in a while as a thank you. My mama says being kind and polite like that is very important in adult things.”
“But Adachi-sensei also plays with Rokkaku-kun in the park on days off,” Urabe added while accidentally messing up his dog with a big purple line through the body. “He doesn’t play with the rest of us on days off unless we’re playing with Rokkaku-kun! It’s weird!”
“You’re just jealous Adachi-sensei likes me and papa better than everyone else!”
That afternoon, after having crepes with Adachi again, Rokkaku finally told Kurosawa what he and his classmates had discussed during art class. “Is it weird, papa? That Adachi-sensei spends so much more time with us than everyone else?”
Kurosawa paused in his steps and Rokkaku took a few extra before he noticed. “Do you think it’s weird that Adachi-sensei spends more time with us?”
“Not at all!” Rokkaku said with a toothy grin. “I like Adachi-sensei!”
“That’s good,” Kurosawa said as he knelt down to look Rokkaku in the eye. “I like Adachi-sensei a lot too. Since we both like him and he likes us, it’s natural that he’d spend more time with us, right?”
“Right!” Rokkaku cheered. “Adachi-sensei is so cool, I wanna spend every day with him and papa.”
Kurosawa finally smiled. “Since you feel that way and Christmas is coming up, would you like to help papa pick a present for Adachi-sensei?”
“Can we?!”
—---
Christmas morning was filled with surprises for Rokkaku. The presents under the tree contained the new gaming console that he wanted (“I told Santa you improved your English grades,” Kurosawa said as he drank his coffee. “So he figured you deserved it this year. Just don’t let your grades drop or I’ll return it to him.” “Papa, no!”) and Kurosawa promised his home-made fried chicken for Christmas dinner. As Rokkaku finished setting up the console in the afternoon, the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it!” Rokkaku announced only to stop short as the door opened before he got there. “Adachi-sensei! Are you spending Christmas with us?”
“I am,” Adachi said with a small smile. “Merry Christmas, Rokkaku-kun. Here’s a small present for you.” Adachi handed over a small gift bag and Rokkaku bowed in thanks before opening it.
“Kerokero-kun!” Rokkaku pulled out a small figurine of a frog in martial arts gear posing as if it were about to land a flying kick to someone. “This is so cool! Urabe-kun is gonna be so jealous! Thank you, Adachi-sensei!”
“Kiyoshi, you’re here,” Kurosawa said as he came around the corner, wiping his hands down with a towel.
“Kuro-” Adachi coughed. “Yuichi, hi.”
Rokkaku looked at the two adults he was sandwiched between. “Papa and Adachi-sensei… have gotten really close!” Adachi’s face turned red and Kurosawa coughed this time. “Can I call Adachi-sensei by his given name?”
“M-maybe not yet,” Adachi said while ruffling Rokkaku’s hair. “Next year, when you’re not in my class, you can call me Kiyoshi-san when I’m with you outside of school, okay? At school, you have to call me Adachi-sensei or it will be improper.”
“Okay! Then Kiyoshi-san should call me Yuta-kun!”
“V-very good, Yuta-kun.” Adachi’s face turned less red but his face was a little pinched when he noticed the way Kurosawa was smiling. “Why don’t you show me the other things you got for Christmas?” Adachi shot Kurosawa a look as Rokkaku lead him away and Kurosawa could only sigh and smile.
That night, after fried chicken, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, a glass of soda for Rokkaku and some wine for Kurosawa and Adachi, the two adults sat Rokkaku down on the sofa and sat on either side of him.
“Yuta-kun,” Adachi started. “Your papa and I have something to ask you.”
“What is it?” Rokkaku looked at both adults with big eyes. “Did Yuta do something wrong?”
“Not at all,” Kurosawa said gently. He took a look at Adachi before continuing. “How would you feel… if Kiyoshi-san joined our family?”
Rokkaku’s eyes widened. “REALLY? I GET TO SPEND EVERY DAY WITH KIYOSHI-SAN?!”
“No yelling, Yuta-kun.”
“Sorry.” Rokkaku calmed down and squeezed Adachi and Kurosawa’s hands. “It’d be awesome! I love papa and Kiyoshi-san!”
Adachi finally smiled. “And I… I really love your papa and you. I hope we continue to get along,” Adachi said as he squeezed Rokkaku’s hand back. “And maybe one day… We’ll talk more about it.”
“Huh?” Rokkaku tilted his head. “What else would we have to talk about?”
Kurosawa cleared his throat. “You’ll… We’ll think about it when you’re older. For now, you should get cleaned up for bed and then you can show Kiyoshi-san your new video game.”
“Wait for me, Kiyoshi-san!” Rokkaku shouted as he ran to his room. “It’s the new Kerokero-kun game! It’ll be so much fun!”
As Rokkaku’s voice trailed off, Adachi and Kurosawa held hands, matching rings on their fingers.
“That went much better than expected,” Kurosawa said as he pressed a kiss to Adachi’s knuckles.
“I… I still don’t think Yuta-kun understands what’s happening,” Adachi said with concern. “Should we really-”
“He’ll understand when he’s older and he’s not thrilled with spending every day with his favorite teacher,” Kurosawa said simply. “But I understand fully that Adachi-sensei loved me first...”
“Yuichi! Not in front of Yuta-kun!”