One last chance

A gain from a tragic loss

After a few minutes of driving, the two men arrived at Yokozawa's house which was in an opened field, cherry blossoms decorate beautifully the scenery. The hot springs in the backyard were secured by rocks, trees and benches, a bridge on the one edge of the water that was leading to the back door of the building. It was painted in the color of the tree's trunk, a large in width but small in length balcony on the first floor while the ground floor had stairs, leading directly to the front door.

They climbed the stairs and the dark blue haired man took out his keys, opening the door with them and entering inside only to stop in the genkan to take off their shoes. They went towards the living room, with Kirishima sitting on the couch and Yokozawa helping him get rid of his upper clothes

"You sure are bold now, aren't you?"

"Shut up. I'm just trying to help you take care of the injury. Nothing more", he said somehow harshly, taking the clothes and putting them on the armchair across the sofa. He went to the bathroom to take the first aid kit and after he came back, he saw Kirishima sitting there with his cubits touching his legs, his bangs covering his eyes due to his lowered head and his hands linked together, making a huge fist.

Luckily, the blood stopped after he put a pressure on it by the time the youngster had hit him with the dagger. Yokozawa approached the editor and sat on the couch next to him on the left side where the injury was. He took from the kit alcohol, pouring a bit on the arm and gaining a hiss from the handsome elder man. "Hang on. I'm done with it. Now I'm going to put some cream and then I'll wrap it", he said and Kirishima gave him a nod of his head, after he raised it to see steely grey eyes focused on his arm.

The young man put some cream when the alcohol began its action and then finished by wrapping a bandage around the injury carefully and gently. Once he was done, he took the kit, organizing the containers, went to the bathroom to leave it in the locker under the sink and returned to the living room, now the editor fully dressed and looking at some photos that were on the stand along with a plasma TV across the couch. He was so focused that he didn't notice the young man approaching and sitting next to him. Silence prevailed in the room, creating a rather uncomfortable and thick atmosphere between the two men.

The one who managed to break it was Kirishima himself.

"Nice pictures you have over there"

"Yeah... They are my most important people in my life", he said, making the editor stand up and approach the framed photos, kneeling on the ground while examining them carefully.

There were only three pictures: one with Takano at the day of their first meeting, one when he was young with Rotoko who wrapped his arm around his shoulders while a big smile was decorating his lips and another with an old couple, sitting on a bench happily and between them was a dark blue haired young boy, about 6 or 8, who was looking at the camera with a huge smile on his face and red cheeks. The editor took the last picture, watching it fondly only to find out that this young boy was in fact Yokozawa himself. He turned to see the said man looking at the photos, his eyes and lips full of melancholy.

"I never thought that the rampaging bear could smile like that"

"You're an asshole"

"And who are those two?"

"... They are my maternal grandparents, well.... Were my grandparents"

"Were?", he asked, only to be answered with a finger pointing at a certain spot on the kitchen, an opened cupboard which had a framed photo and two candles and a flower patterned vase that has blue asagaos in it. Kirishima turned his head to see the young man standing in front of the refrigerator and taking out two cans of beer. Yokozawa walked towards the editor, handing him the can, sitting on the couch and then motioning to the elder man to sit beside him with a pat on the couch. He did as he asked and sat down, his can now opened and between his two large hands.