"Otousan! Otousan!"
Shiro ran towards his little girl with his arms out, the little girl with the long ebony hair ran straight into her father's embrace.
"Ikumi, my love," he said while embracing his daughter tightly, feeling that her being there in his arms could be the thing to heal him for now, and he never wanted to let her go.
Shiro and Deion had gone to Shiro's parent's home right after they arrived in Tokyo. A house that Shiro had bought them more than ten years ago.
Because when he first became a superstar, one of the first things Shiro did was to buy his parents a house in Denenchofu in Southern Tokyo. And he sent them money every month, making sure they lived well.
Ikumi had been staying at her grandparent's home for far too long, and Shiro was now determined to keep her from them. Well, he didn't know how long he had to live, but as long as Ikumi would be safe, then everything would be fine. Right?
While Shiro held his daughter, he noticed his mother approaching from the living room with his father close behind. Just how the two older alphas acted showed who was in charge. Both his parents were alphas, but Shiro's mother was the dominant one. Yuuko and Osamu had taken turns being pregnant, and Shiro's father was the one that had carried him. That was perhaps the reason why Shiro always had felt closer to his father. Or maybe it was because Osamu Nakamura was the only one that had never shown any resent toward Shiro for being an omega. At the same time, Shiro's mother, brother, and sister never cared for him, except when they wanted his money.
Shiro knew that his mother had always been unhappy with Shiro being an omega. Yuuko's two other children were alphas, and her parents were that as well. Yuuko had even married an alpha expecting that all her children would be alphas as well. But to her horror, her last child ended up being an omega. The first one on both family sides in eighty years! Scandalous! Because Yuuko Nakamura was a privileged alpha, who hated omegas with passion.
Poor Shiro hadn't experienced much love in his life, not until Kei confessed to him, and they became a couple. That made Shiro's mother delighted, with Kei being the son of Diet member and all. Shiro managed to marry into the 'right' type of family, and that gave him some worth in his mother's eyes.
Yuuko had never cared about Shiro's success as an actor or a singer. It had been Hayate that had to encourage his younger brother to pursue a carrier in the entertainment business. That after Hayate noticed that people were captivated by Shiro's beauty and natural-born talent as a child actor. Yuuko, on the other hand, firmly believed that Shiro needed to behave like a good omega and stay at home with his child and take care of his husband. But that wasn't what Kei wanted for Shiro.
"Why are you here?" Yuuko asked in a disapproving tone and glared at her son, arms crossed over her chest.
As always, she was appropriately dressed, with a black blouse and a black skirt.
"I missed Ikumi," Shiro said and embraced his daughter tighter, finding strength in her in his arms.
"Didn't I tell you I would take care of her? You just focus on bonding with that Prime-Alpha. That is all that's matters now."
But Shiro shooked his head.
"No, mother, I won't do that. Now please call Hayate, I have something to tell all of you."
Yuuko hesitated, looking suspicious at her youngest son. But reluctant, she did what Shiro asked. Shiro, at the moment, didn't care at all about his mother's lack of love. After being rejected by the one who was supposed to be his other half, the one that was perfect for him, his fated pair. Shiro only had one thing on his mind, and that was Ikumi. That little girl who never left his side and held on to him as if she knew that her father needed her.
The atmosphere was painfully awkward while they waited for the oldest son. They sat on gray sofas in the living room, Ikumi was between Shiro and Deion, and across the table was Yuuko and Osamu.
Ikumi rested her little head on her father's chest as Shiro hugged her close to him, and the little girl grasped Deion's hands in hers. Ikumi looked like a porcelain doll, there in her father's protective arms.
Poor Deion wanted to flee away. He didn't like Shiro's mother at all, which was no wonder. Yuuko only saw a black gaijin when she looked at him, and it didn't matter that Deion was also an alpha like her. She still didn't like him. Luckily, the woman ignored Deion, and it suited him fine. He didn't want her to pay him any attention.
Yuuko Nakamura was a tall and slim woman, and her dark brown hair was in a knot at the back of her head. She was stunning, and it was from her Shiro had gotten his beautiful features. Shiro's father, Osamu, was a handsome man as well, but he was shorter than his wife, and he hadn't aged as well as her, with loss of hair, wrinkles, and a growing waistline.
"How are you feeling, Shiro?" Osamu suddenly asked.
Shiro looked at his father, surprised over that he talked for once. The older man looked with worry at his son.
"I'm better now, thanks."
"You look tired," Yuuko said and glanced at her son, she looked disapproving.
"I am tired, Mother. I just got back from London, you know."
"Did you at least let the alpha take you once?"
Shiro and Deion stared with wide-eyes at the woman; they couldn't believe what she said.
Shiro held a hand over Ikumi's ears and whispered.
"Are you seriously asking me if we had sex?"
"Yes, Shiro. I am asking you if you had sex with your fated pair. Why are you fighting this? It's the will of the gods!"
Shiro was about to answer when he heard the front door open, and Hayate came walking in. Hayate stared at his brother, not surprised to see him. He then sat on the same sofa as his parens, legs, and arms crossed.
Hayate looked like his father, but with his mother's stern eyes and pouty lips. He was dressed in a black suit, and his black hair was short. Shiro thought Hayate looked ridiculous. His brother was only a lowly underling to a yakuza loan shark, but he dressed like he was the one with the money and power.
Hayate glanced at Deion and frowned when he noticed that Deion held Ikumi's hands and then looked back at Shiro.
"Didn't the alpha want you?"
Shiro flinched. Hayate wasn't wrong, but he couldn't tell him that.
"No, I didn't want him," Shiro lied.
Yuuko gasped, and Hayate stared at his younger brother with his mouth open in surprise.
"Are you serious? Did you reject him?"
Shiro nodded, his gaze didn't waver from his brother's piercing look.
"Yes. So I am telling you to let the man be! You will not threaten him anymore."
Both Yuuko and Osamu looked at Hayate with surprise.
"What did you do, Hayate?" Osamu asked with a dark voice, to everyone's shock.
Osamu never meddled in the arguments between his sons and wife, but now the man had an unusual stern look on his face.
"I just talked to the alpha and told him to be with Shiro."
"Common! You threatened him that you would hurt his family if he didn't leave them and choose me!" Shiro burst out with anger.
"Hayate, I don't believe this. How could you?" Osamu exclaimed, and even Yuuko looked surprised.
"Don't you know who that fucker is? His father is a billionaire and related to the royal family. And this idiot just went and rejected him! What the hell were you thinking, Shiro?"
"I don't have to explain myself to you. You have nothing to do with this!"
If looks could kill, Shiro would have been dead right then and there. Hayate glared with such rage that the younger man shivered with distress. He wasn't afraid that Hayate would hurt him; he knew Deion would protect him. But still, he felt so incredibly small.
"Got nothing to do with me? Are you fucking kidding me? Without me, you wouldn't have become famous. You would be nothing! You are only a disgusting omega! And without a rich alpha, you are worth zero!" Hayate screamed, and the words echoed in the completely silent room.
Everybody stared in shock at the raging man. Shiro already knew that Hayate hated him, he had always known that. But the words still hurt, and when Ikumi burst into tears and clung to her father's side, Shiro had to fight his tears from flowing.
Yuuko stared at her oldest son, but she didn't say a word. And that said it all to Shiro. But Osamu got up on his feet and walked to his son. And then the sound of a hand hitting a face sounded throughout the room. The action was even more surprising than Hayate's words, and everybody looked at Osamu with disbelief.
"What.." Hayate started to say with a confused look, but Osamu interrupted him with a stern shook with his head.
"No! Don't you dare say another word."
"But!" Hayate said, but just another glance from Osamu made the man shut his mouth.
The older man's gaze was dark, and a shiver passed through Hayate. He was perhaps a stronger alpha, but his father was still an alpha from a long line of dominant alphas. Often the other family members forgot that.
"No, Hayate, just be quiet. You have done enough!"
"Osamu, what are you saying?" Yuuko protested, but the surprisingly dominating gaze she received from her husband made her silence in an instant.
"I am saying that it is enough. I have kept quiet about all of this for far too long, but I won't allow you to continue to treat Shiro like this anymore!"
"What do you mean? I haven't done anything wrong?" Yuuko objected, and Deion snorted, which made all the Nakamura's to look at him.
"Excuse me?" Yuuko said.
Shiro stared at his friend, surprised. Deion never intervened, because he always felt like he didn't have any right to do that. But now the older alpha practically glared at the woman with contempt in his dark eyes.
"You have been neglecting Shiro since he was born, just because he's an omega. And I have watched how much this has hurt him. This wonderful man has no self-esteem; he doesn't have an inch of confidence even if he is a fantastic artist and a great man. And it's all your fault!"
The silence that followed Deion's outburst was heavy. So heavy that Shiro felt he could barely breathe.
The others stared at the American with big, startled eyes. Firstly, Deion spoke perfect Japanese, without the slightest trouble. Secondly, this was the first time any of them had heard the man spoken so many words at once.
Yuuko was about to object, red in her face from anger, but Osamu held up his hand, and his wife stopped before she even got a word got out.
"You are right, Mr. Johnson. We have been terrible parents to Shiro, and I am ashamed. I should have spoken up sooner and done something, but I was uncertain of my place. But never again, and this I promise you!" Osamu walked up to Shiro and got down on his knees in front of his son.
Shiro looked at his father, the man that had carried him for nine months and given birth to him. And for the first time, Shiro could feel genuine love from one of his parents.
"Son, I am sorry for everything, and I want you to know that I am so proud of you. You are a great man and a wonderful father to Ikumi."
While tears flowed down Shiro's cheeks, he sobbed as his father embraced him in his arms and held him tightly.
"I love you, my son!" Osamu said and wept.
Osamu had been living with regret for years, continually wishing he'd been a better father to Shiro, but he was a coward. He feared that Yuuko would leave him, and his children resent him for destroying their family.
"Thank you father," Shiro said, his face against Osamu's shoulder.
Beside him, little Ikumi cried silently against Deion's chest, the black-clad man holding an arm tight around the girl, comforting her.
Osamu heard his granddaughters sobs and looked at her with warmth in his dark brown eyes.
"Ikumi, your father is a great man, and you should be proud of him as well."
Ikumi nodded and looked at her grandfather, whom she had been living with every time Shiro left for work.
"I know that Sofu, I love Otousan, and I think he's the best."
"My sweet baby," Shiro cried out and pulled Ikumi into his embrace.
"I love you so so much!"
There on the one sofa sat Shiro with Ikumi in his arms and cried. Osamu sat on the floor, silently drying his tears, and Deion smiled at that rare display of affection.
On the other sofa sat Yuuko and Hayate and didn't know what to say. They were shocked by the whole thing. Hayate still held his hand to his cheek, where his father had hit him, frowning. Yuuko looked uncomfortable, with flushing cheeks. She did feel somewhat ashamed, but mostly because Osamu had raised his voice towards her. And not because of some revelation concerning her behavior towards her son. Shiro still was only a omega in her eyes. She didn't think he was worth all this trouble.
The omega himself didn't even glance at his mother or brother when he got up from the sofa. He just looked at his father and smiled, feeling grateful and then left with Ikumi's hand in his and Deion close behind them.
None of them said a word all the way home to the apartment in Tokyo. The chauffeur drove them passed a bunch of screaming fans outside the tall building, into the underground garage and parked right by the elevators. Quickly the three got into the lift and went to the thirty-three floors where Shiro and Ikumi's apartment was.
Finally, inside, Shiro let out a long sigh and leaned his back towards the front door. Ikumi went straight to her room, carrying her purple backpack.
"That was intense," Shiro said in English when he was sure Ikumi wouldn't be able to hear anything.
"Yeah, that was like something from a daytime drama. Your mother is one scary woman," Deion whispered.
Shiro nodded in agreement and smirked.
"She really is, but damn. Dad surprised us all. I never heard him talk like that before!"
Shiro took off his black jeans jacket and black shoes and walked towards the living room. He threw himself on the nearest black leather sofa. He put his arms behind his head, staring out through the big windows that showed a spectacular view over Shibuya.
It wasn't a cozy home, not like the one he had shared with Kei. But Shiro was rarely there, and he had chosen to prioritize Ikumi's room, making sure her room was as she wanted it. To Shiro, this wasn't his home; it was just a place to stay sometimes. And now, after everything that had happened in London, it felt even more like he didn't belong there.
Shiro missed Dorian. He missed him so much it hurt. The funny thing was that they hadn't shared any particular pleasant times except the sex, which was indeed very pleasant. However, still, Shiro longed for the blond alpha. And he missed Joy and his daily contact with Finian, which was the weirdest thing of all! He had started to consider the redhaired alpha as a friend, which shouldn't make sense, but he still did.
"Shiro, what are we going to do now?" Deion had followed Shiro into the living room and sat down on the sofa beside Shiro's feet.
Shiro didn't answer, because he didn't know. He still felt okay after the last time he 'd been with Dorian, but Shiro knew that within a few days, he would get sick again. And there was nothing that could help him but to be with Dorian.
"I don't want to die, Deion," Shiro suddenly said, and Deion stared at his friend with huge eyes.
"So what are we doing here then? Just to get Ikumi and to stop Hayate?"
Shiro had his eyes closed, and he shrugged.
"I don't know. What can I do? Be with a man that doesn't want me? Make him and his family suffer? I don't want that."
Deion sighed and brushed his fingers through his short, curly hair.
"I know Man, but this is Dorian's problem as well. Not just yours, and if he won't be taking that drug, then there is nothing else he can do than to be with you, right?"
Deion was right, Shiro knew his. But his words made Shiro felt like crying again. It sounded so horrible that Dorian was forced to be with him when the omega, on the other hand, wanted to build a real relationship with the alpha. But Dorian didn't feel the same, and that hurt Shiro so much.
Shiro was about to tell Deion that when the sound of his phone interrupted him. Shiro picked it out from the back pocket and flinched when he saw the caller-id.
Finian.
With trembling hands, Shiro sat up and answered.
"This is Shiro."
"Shiro, this is Finian McCallister. I am sorry to call you like this, but is it true that you have gone back to Japan?"
Finian sounded stressed and tired, and Shiro couldn't help but feel responsible.
"Yes, but how did you know that?"
"My daughter read it online. But why, Shiro? When are you coming back?"
Shiro didn't know what to say. He felt awful, he could hear the worry in the other man's voice, but Shiro couldn't bring himself to answer.
"You are coming back, right?" Finian asked, the fear apparent in his voice.
"I don't know," Shiro whispered, and before he knew it, he ended the call, tears running down his face.
"Who was it?" Deion asked, even though he suspected who it was, and put an arm around Shiro's shoulder, pulling him close to him.
"Finian. He wanted to know when I'm coming back. But Deion, I don't know. I don't know if I should go back. I don't know what to do anymore!" Shiro sobbed and hid his face against Deion's chest.
Deion didn't say anything; he just held his crying friend close to him and felt worthless. He was Shiro's friend and manager, and he couldn't do anything to help him.