The Choices We Made

Chapter 4

Noriaki relaxed into the backseat of the SPWF company car he was taking into Morioh. The reports said that Jotaro left 2 days before, so it was finally safe to come get a feel for situation here.

It also meant he could visit Jiji and Rohan, though neither knew of their mutual connection.

Joseph had decided at the last minute to stick around and spend time with the family. Jotaro thought he'd meant Josuke. He'd actually meant Noriaki's family.

The redhead hadn't had a decent night's sleep since he found out Jotaro was coming back to Japan. Luckily, he had enough connections within the SPWF to know every move his ex-husband made while in Japan.

To be more specific, Noriaki was the connection. Four years ago, Joseph showed up, unannounced, with more than one insanely expensive bottle of wine. The sneaky bastard waited until Noriaki was just shy of shitfaced drunk before "promoting" him to Director of SPWF Affairs for all of Asia.

All. Of. Fucking. Asia.

Despite a few hiccups the first year, mostly due to him being the youngest Director in SPWF history, he'd managed to set up a proficient command structure that very rarely needed his direct involvement.

He and Joseph also set it up so that only a privileged few knew it was actually Noriaki Kakyoin sitting in the big chair. It was dangerous for too many people to know too much about him. Not just him, but his family as well.

Besides, how many stands existed that could lay an egg containing a human child?

To date? Only one. Hierophant Green.

The actual process had been confirmed over a year ago when his fiery redheaded, emerald-eyed daughter had hatched.

Sakura Kakyoin, his own little cherry angel, was the force that moved the sun across his sky. He would bet his entire existence on her being the most spoiled child on earth and she wasn't even 18 months old yet.

Jouta Kakyoin, now 7, was his strong, handsome prince. The one reason he'd kept going when everything seemed to be too much. Jouta was his blessing. He was the driving force that prevented Noriaki from falling back into his previous lifestyle of lonely, nerdy, honor student.

Noriaki sighed longingly as he thought about his family. He ran a finger over the silver band with beautiful inset Emeralds that adorned his left hand, and smiled, maybe even blushed a bit.

1992 had been difficult year. Jotaro left. Jouta mysteriously hatched. Noriaki was an emotional mess and Hierophant was going crazy. No one could figure out anything.

Eventually, though, things calmed down and Noriaki did find other reasons to be happy.

Jouta's first birthday had been the most ridiculous affair Noriaki had ever witnessed. Though, that was his own fault for allowing Joseph Joestar and Emory Cooper, of all people, plan the party. Americans were weird people. Who else would rent out an entire amusement park for a one-year olds birthday party? Jouta couldn't even get on the child rides! Everyone associated with Jouta's care was invited, as they had become a kind of family. Mrs. Suzi and Ms. Holly were there. Even Polnareff flew in from France as a surprise. A few friends from college and teachers from the high school he taught at were invited. He'd even invited his favorite student (not that he'd ever admit it), Rohan Kishibe, who, over the years since, became like a younger brother to Noriaki. Jouta even called him Uncle Rohan.

Noriaki had had many laughs over the past few months while on the phone, listening to Jiji or Rohan talk about the other with great amounts of respect, neither realizing they'd met years before and absolutely hated each other then.