Sugar and Pepper (epilogue)
FIFTY-SIX
* EPILOGUE *
01.
They reached for the doorbell just as the apartment door opened and a stranger stumbled out. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair untidy, positive signs that he'd spent the night. Jun's lips thinned a condescending line even as Masaki blanched beside him. The man didn't even question who they were. He held open the door for them to catch and left.
They entered the apartment and Masaki paused in the messy sitting room while Jun stormed into Kazunari's bedroom and switched on the lights.
Kazunari who had been curled into a tight ball in the middle of the mattress stirred awake. He was covered by his bed sheets and underneath was completely naked. Jun was thankful that Masaki had not followed him in.
"You look lovely," Jun told him with much sarcasm.
Kazunari groaned. "I know I look like shit. I drank too much last night and threw up all over myself."
"Despite that, you had the energy to fuck someone last night," Jun muttered, finding it hard to watch his words in his anger.
Kazunari snorted and touched his throbbing head. "I did not."
"Your one night stand just left. He's a pitiful pick, to be honest. Your standards have really fallen low."
"I did not sleep with him," Kazunari seethed and pushed himself upright.
Masaki had moved further inside and he stopped at Jun's elbow just outside the doorway. He remained in the hall quietly to listen out of sight.
"I threw up all over myself and he took me home," Kazunari muttered. "He must've invited himself over and slept in, but I swear I kicked him out of my room last night."
Jun remained unconvinced. Kazunari's past history was nothing to scoff at.
"Look," Kazunari said upon seeing the disapproval on Jun's face, "I promised Masaki I'd remain celibate for half a year. I haven't broken that promise yet. I'm not that wicked to hurt him like that."
"You were evil enough to string him along for years even though you knew."
Kazunari scowled at Jun.
Finally, Masaki stepped inside the room and into Kazunari's view. The smaller man on the bed groaned and threw the bed sheets over himself. He wished he could disappear.
"I believe you, Kazu," Masaki said and walked over to the bed. He sat on the edge and reached for the bed sheets to pull it away. Kazunari firmly held it in place. Masaki paused and turned to look at Jun.
"Thank you for coming with me," he said.
Jun nodded. He knew when he was no longer wanted and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him on Masaki gently trying to coax Kazunari out of hiding. He hoped for the best for both of their sakes. After all, they were all no longer children.
02.
Jun headed to work in an hour. The play in which he was part of the stage production crew would open that night and he had to arrive early for that first day for last rehearsals.
Miyuki messaged him good luck and wrote that she was regretful to be unable to attend the play. Jun understood her husband's worries about her. In a few hours her baby was due and still she seemed as composed as ever, while her husband was on the verge of breaking into a frenzy from his anxiety. Her health and the baby's well-being came first and Jun replied that she must take care of herself first.
He took the train and arrived at the theater at the predicted time. As he entered, he heard the actors of the play already running through their lines. Due to nervousness, they had arrived even earlier than most of the production crew, Jun included. He was surprised and stood inside the doorway to watch them.
"What is fate?" the heroine cried. "It's that even if you and I love each other, we cannot be together."
"No," the hero answered solemnly. He quieted her down with just his very calm demeanor and gently grasped her chin. He tilted her head back and graced her lips with a soft kiss. "It's that even though you and I did not look for each other, we met and fell in love."
Jun found himself clapping along with the rest of the onlookers as the actress and actor on stage completed the scene. They beamed with excitement and nervousness and bowed.
As the cheers subsided, Jun left for the back stage to begin his work, the lines from the play still echoing in his mind.
03.
Night blanketed the city. Despite the late hour, the theater had been filled on opening night. Even if his friends had not been able to come see the play on the first night, Jun had sighted his parents in the audience.
He had stolen a moment to watch them. They were still as in love as ever, his mother leaning across the handrest to lean on his father's arms as they both watched the play attentively. He was glad that they were enjoying it. His parents had never failed to come watch the plays he'd taken a part in and supported him. He wanted them to see the best that he'd worked on.
As he helped the crew clean up after the performance, his parents messaged him that they had been delighted with the play and that they were leaving and for him to return to his apartment safely.
With a smile on his lips, Jun returned her message with gratitude.
04.
The entire cast and staff went out for a late dinner and drink after a successful opening night.
Jun drank and chatted merrily with his coworkers until they called for another round at a different shop. Normally, he would've joined them. He wasn't a party-pooper and anyway he only had a dark home to return to. But on that night he wasn't up for it and regrettably told them so, promising to stay until the end next time. A few of the women expressed unhappiness, but they didn't try to stop him.
He left them as the group walked to their next destination.
05.
The lights of the city twinkled beautifully in the darkness behind him. Jun stood by the riverside and faced the waters. He took a deep breath of the chilly autumn night air to clear his head.
He waited silently on the riverbank until his phone rang.
"It's a boy!" Miyuki cried from the other end as soon as he picked up.
Jun released a relieved sigh and grinned. "Congratulations."
The trains had stopped running for the night and he did not want to call a taxi. The play did not open until later in the afternoon and he had the morning off anyway, so he sat on the bank and settled himself in for a long night as he listened without a word while she broke into excessive description about her newborn.
When he finally headed home that night, a beam of light had already appeared in the sky in the far horizon.
06.
In the afternoon, Jun woke and dressed. It was yet another day. A play to see through. People to meet. Things to do.
The cold autumn air as he walked to the station woke him up and he was able to contemplate all the things he had to take care of once he reached the theater. He waited for his train quietly, methodically making a mental list.
A small man to his right pulled a young boy standing too close to the line back. "Taisho, you have to wait behind the line okay?"
Another man in the group with them chuckled. "He wants to see everything."
"He's just like you, Sho-chan."
Jun heard them from a long distance though they stood next to him. He tried to focus and push out their voices from his head even when an intrusive awareness assaulted his senses. He continued to try in vain until the small man spoke again.
"Sho-chan, how long will we be staying in Japan?"
The train rolled in, the clatter of it's wheels drowning out his answer.
"Satoshi," Jun said impulsively to the man's back as they and the few people around them bustled forward into the train. The name had remained unspoken for years and he wasn't even sure why, but it had come to his lips automatically.
Satoshi had taken only one step forward when he'd heard the call. He turned and dropped the bag he carried.
Inside the carriage, Taisho grabbed Sho's hand. "Papa, uncle has not come in."
Sho turned and saw his friend standing outside facing another person. Despite the years that had passed, he recognized the stranger with sharp features.
Jun felt a lump at his throat as he faced his brother. After all these years, the coincidence seemed surreal. He couldn't think of what to say. To cover for his witlessness, he crouched down to pick his brother's bag up. As soon as he laid on hand on it, Satoshi crouched down opposite him and reached out a tentative hand to touch the bag a mere few centimeters away from Jun's hand.
Jun watched him as Satoshi gazed back at him quietly. They saw each other clearly.
Jun knew things had changed. They could never go back to how things were. They were adults, no longer children, and the weight of much more were on their shoulders. They knew much more, understood much more, and had experienced much more. As adults they faced each other.
Even then, Satoshi remembered his promise. He asked softly and lightly, "Do you still love me?"
Jun replied in a murmur just as softly.
* *
END
[A/n]
A/n: It took me years to finish this. 3-4 years. That's awful. I found out I started this story in 2011. That's more than awful. This story was supposed to be a simple story with short chapters, some angst and lots of fluff for me get over my writing stumps with another large story, but unsurprisingly I experienced writing stumps with this story as well. It spanned so many chapters that although I know I wanted to finish it, I never had the will to. The ridiculous thing is that when I started this story I knew it would be a long story since more than it having one consistent plot it was more about the time Jun and Ohno spent together. But I'm glad it's done finally.
I'd written a step-brothers love story before and some of my readers had said their romance was okay since they were not blood related and so this idea came out of, "What if they shared some blood though?" It developed from a few scenes I had in my head until I had the main points vaguely down and most importantly the ending settled. Throughout the years I wondered about changing the ending. I scrapped those though. This ending is the original ending. There's my own personal reason why I ended it this way.
A few things I think I should really address. First is the fact that I have never been to Japan and have never studied there. This is about the school system. I kept it vague for a reason. Let's pretend that Jun and Ohno's integrated junior and senior private high school was special. Second is that even though Ohno was going away to a different country, why was his leaving so over the top dramatic and over done? And for many other things as well? I apologize that I'm a writer who willingly ignore a few important details and holes just so I can get my point across.
Please, if you suffered through this ginormous story tell me what you think, enjoyed and hated about this story. Thank you very much for reading it this far!
* EPILOGUE *
01.
They reached for the doorbell just as the apartment door opened and a stranger stumbled out. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair untidy, positive signs that he'd spent the night. Jun's lips thinned a condescending line even as Masaki blanched beside him. The man didn't even question who they were. He held open the door for them to catch and left.
They entered the apartment and Masaki paused in the messy sitting room while Jun stormed into Kazunari's bedroom and switched on the lights.
Kazunari who had been curled into a tight ball in the middle of the mattress stirred awake. He was covered by his bed sheets and underneath was completely naked. Jun was thankful that Masaki had not followed him in.
"You look lovely," Jun told him with much sarcasm.
Kazunari groaned. "I know I look like shit. I drank too much last night and threw up all over myself."
"Despite that, you had the energy to fuck someone last night," Jun muttered, finding it hard to watch his words in his anger.
Kazunari snorted and touched his throbbing head. "I did not."
"Your one night stand just left. He's a pitiful pick, to be honest. Your standards have really fallen low."
"I did not sleep with him," Kazunari seethed and pushed himself upright.
Masaki had moved further inside and he stopped at Jun's elbow just outside the doorway. He remained in the hall quietly to listen out of sight.
"I threw up all over myself and he took me home," Kazunari muttered. "He must've invited himself over and slept in, but I swear I kicked him out of my room last night."
Jun remained unconvinced. Kazunari's past history was nothing to scoff at.
"Look," Kazunari said upon seeing the disapproval on Jun's face, "I promised Masaki I'd remain celibate for half a year. I haven't broken that promise yet. I'm not that wicked to hurt him like that."
"You were evil enough to string him along for years even though you knew."
Kazunari scowled at Jun.
Finally, Masaki stepped inside the room and into Kazunari's view. The smaller man on the bed groaned and threw the bed sheets over himself. He wished he could disappear.
"I believe you, Kazu," Masaki said and walked over to the bed. He sat on the edge and reached for the bed sheets to pull it away. Kazunari firmly held it in place. Masaki paused and turned to look at Jun.
"Thank you for coming with me," he said.
Jun nodded. He knew when he was no longer wanted and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him on Masaki gently trying to coax Kazunari out of hiding. He hoped for the best for both of their sakes. After all, they were all no longer children.
02.
Jun headed to work in an hour. The play in which he was part of the stage production crew would open that night and he had to arrive early for that first day for last rehearsals.
Miyuki messaged him good luck and wrote that she was regretful to be unable to attend the play. Jun understood her husband's worries about her. In a few hours her baby was due and still she seemed as composed as ever, while her husband was on the verge of breaking into a frenzy from his anxiety. Her health and the baby's well-being came first and Jun replied that she must take care of herself first.
He took the train and arrived at the theater at the predicted time. As he entered, he heard the actors of the play already running through their lines. Due to nervousness, they had arrived even earlier than most of the production crew, Jun included. He was surprised and stood inside the doorway to watch them.
"What is fate?" the heroine cried. "It's that even if you and I love each other, we cannot be together."
"No," the hero answered solemnly. He quieted her down with just his very calm demeanor and gently grasped her chin. He tilted her head back and graced her lips with a soft kiss. "It's that even though you and I did not look for each other, we met and fell in love."
Jun found himself clapping along with the rest of the onlookers as the actress and actor on stage completed the scene. They beamed with excitement and nervousness and bowed.
As the cheers subsided, Jun left for the back stage to begin his work, the lines from the play still echoing in his mind.
03.
Night blanketed the city. Despite the late hour, the theater had been filled on opening night. Even if his friends had not been able to come see the play on the first night, Jun had sighted his parents in the audience.
He had stolen a moment to watch them. They were still as in love as ever, his mother leaning across the handrest to lean on his father's arms as they both watched the play attentively. He was glad that they were enjoying it. His parents had never failed to come watch the plays he'd taken a part in and supported him. He wanted them to see the best that he'd worked on.
As he helped the crew clean up after the performance, his parents messaged him that they had been delighted with the play and that they were leaving and for him to return to his apartment safely.
With a smile on his lips, Jun returned her message with gratitude.
04.
The entire cast and staff went out for a late dinner and drink after a successful opening night.
Jun drank and chatted merrily with his coworkers until they called for another round at a different shop. Normally, he would've joined them. He wasn't a party-pooper and anyway he only had a dark home to return to. But on that night he wasn't up for it and regrettably told them so, promising to stay until the end next time. A few of the women expressed unhappiness, but they didn't try to stop him.
He left them as the group walked to their next destination.
05.
The lights of the city twinkled beautifully in the darkness behind him. Jun stood by the riverside and faced the waters. He took a deep breath of the chilly autumn night air to clear his head.
He waited silently on the riverbank until his phone rang.
"It's a boy!" Miyuki cried from the other end as soon as he picked up.
Jun released a relieved sigh and grinned. "Congratulations."
The trains had stopped running for the night and he did not want to call a taxi. The play did not open until later in the afternoon and he had the morning off anyway, so he sat on the bank and settled himself in for a long night as he listened without a word while she broke into excessive description about her newborn.
When he finally headed home that night, a beam of light had already appeared in the sky in the far horizon.
06.
In the afternoon, Jun woke and dressed. It was yet another day. A play to see through. People to meet. Things to do.
The cold autumn air as he walked to the station woke him up and he was able to contemplate all the things he had to take care of once he reached the theater. He waited for his train quietly, methodically making a mental list.
A small man to his right pulled a young boy standing too close to the line back. "Taisho, you have to wait behind the line okay?"
Another man in the group with them chuckled. "He wants to see everything."
"He's just like you, Sho-chan."
Jun heard them from a long distance though they stood next to him. He tried to focus and push out their voices from his head even when an intrusive awareness assaulted his senses. He continued to try in vain until the small man spoke again.
"Sho-chan, how long will we be staying in Japan?"
The train rolled in, the clatter of it's wheels drowning out his answer.
"Satoshi," Jun said impulsively to the man's back as they and the few people around them bustled forward into the train. The name had remained unspoken for years and he wasn't even sure why, but it had come to his lips automatically.
Satoshi had taken only one step forward when he'd heard the call. He turned and dropped the bag he carried.
Inside the carriage, Taisho grabbed Sho's hand. "Papa, uncle has not come in."
Sho turned and saw his friend standing outside facing another person. Despite the years that had passed, he recognized the stranger with sharp features.
Jun felt a lump at his throat as he faced his brother. After all these years, the coincidence seemed surreal. He couldn't think of what to say. To cover for his witlessness, he crouched down to pick his brother's bag up. As soon as he laid on hand on it, Satoshi crouched down opposite him and reached out a tentative hand to touch the bag a mere few centimeters away from Jun's hand.
Jun watched him as Satoshi gazed back at him quietly. They saw each other clearly.
Jun knew things had changed. They could never go back to how things were. They were adults, no longer children, and the weight of much more were on their shoulders. They knew much more, understood much more, and had experienced much more. As adults they faced each other.
Even then, Satoshi remembered his promise. He asked softly and lightly, "Do you still love me?"
Jun replied in a murmur just as softly.
* *
END
[A/n]
A/n: It took me years to finish this. 3-4 years. That's awful. I found out I started this story in 2011. That's more than awful. This story was supposed to be a simple story with short chapters, some angst and lots of fluff for me get over my writing stumps with another large story, but unsurprisingly I experienced writing stumps with this story as well. It spanned so many chapters that although I know I wanted to finish it, I never had the will to. The ridiculous thing is that when I started this story I knew it would be a long story since more than it having one consistent plot it was more about the time Jun and Ohno spent together. But I'm glad it's done finally.
I'd written a step-brothers love story before and some of my readers had said their romance was okay since they were not blood related and so this idea came out of, "What if they shared some blood though?" It developed from a few scenes I had in my head until I had the main points vaguely down and most importantly the ending settled. Throughout the years I wondered about changing the ending. I scrapped those though. This ending is the original ending. There's my own personal reason why I ended it this way.
A few things I think I should really address. First is the fact that I have never been to Japan and have never studied there. This is about the school system. I kept it vague for a reason. Let's pretend that Jun and Ohno's integrated junior and senior private high school was special. Second is that even though Ohno was going away to a different country, why was his leaving so over the top dramatic and over done? And for many other things as well? I apologize that I'm a writer who willingly ignore a few important details and holes just so I can get my point across.
Please, if you suffered through this ginormous story tell me what you think, enjoyed and hated about this story. Thank you very much for reading it this far!