The entire party was a complete blur and Mika couldn’t remember all of it later when it had ended. He was hugged and kissed and sympathized, which he really didn’t like but accepted anyway. No way could they ever understand this level of pain, and he hoped none of them ever did. Kana and Kelly had made most of the food, the rest brought by Uncle Charlie and his family.

Gen’s uncle and Aunt Heather were incredibly kind and interesting people, telling funny stories about Gen when he was a kid that Gen went beet red over. 

“Guys, really?” he moaned.

“Oh, I want to hear this,” Mika said with a sly smile. “Ammo for when you piss me off again.”

Gen narrowed his eyes. “Do and I will make you crawl up the stairs on your butt for a week.”

Gen was pulled every which way, as was Mika, so they didn’t get to spend much time together. They didn’t mind too terribly since they were both having so much fun. Don had taken a moment to present Mika with a homecoming gift. Mika smiled broadly when he saw it was a brand new cell phone.

“As a teenager, I’m told this is the most important thing you need in your life,” Don said. “Our numbers are already programmed into it, you can do everything else when you have time.”

“Thank you, Don, this is great,” Mika said with a smile. Don squeezed his shoulder.

“Welcome home, kiddo.”

Abby was a lot like Kana, bubbly and talkative, while Ty was a bit more reserved like Gen. Mika liked them both. He nearly cried all over again when Charlie and Heather insisted on him calling them Uncle and Aunt, and Doug, Grandad.

“You’re a part of this family,” Heather said. “You and your grandpa. Who, by the way, is an incredibly wonderful man.”

“I see where you get a lot of your personality from,” Kana said, handing him a plate with omurice on it. One of things she had insisted upon was making as many Japanese dishes as they could. She had told Kelly that he was denied that right to his heritage while living under Thomas’ reign of terror and she was going to change that.

Mika smiled. “Actually, I’m told I’m more like my dad. He used to smile and laugh a lot, and he was kind and thoughtful of others, no matter who they were.” Even my mother…

“Yuki was truly a good son, and a terrific father,” Daisuke said, coming to the table to join them. “I remember when he told me he wanted to be a policeman, I told him that I was worried and wasn’t sure he should since it was such a dangerous profession. I suggested maybe a doctor, or a chef. He was a wonderful cook,” he added with a smile. “But no, like any son, he didn’t listen to his old man and became a cop instead.”

“Oh, that reminds me, Genya! Can you get me something from the loft?”

Gen nodded and he and Ty ran upstairs, knowing exactly what it was Mika wanted.

“That room had better be clean!” Kana yelled up after him.

“Cleaner than yours, slob!”

They were up there for a few minutes while Gen showed Ty around, promising to show him more later if he wanted, especially the sound system.

Gen came down and handed Daisuke Yuki’s police badge. The old man took it with reverence, running his fingers over his son’s name and number. Mika smiled softly.

“From what I understand,” the teen said, “he was a great cop. He helped put a lot of really bad people away, and saved a lot of lives, most of them kids like me.”

“There’s something else Grandad gave me of Yuki’s,” Gen said. “He told me to give it to you directly, Mr. Torino.” He reached into his wallet and pulled out a picture. When he handed it over, Daisuke burst into tears, covering his mouth. Mika looked up at Gen who smiled and put his hand on Mika’s shoulder. Daisuke handed the photo to Mika who’s face also broke at the image in his hand.

It was in the park, in the same place where Gen had found Mika. Yuki was crouched down, his arm around a young Mika, pointing at something and smiling, Mika’s face alight with joy. 

While Mika was bleeding out, battered and broken, he somehow knew where to go, where Gen would find him; where Yuki would be waiting. He handed the photo back to his grandpa. 

“I took this,” Daisuke said, his voice a whisper. “I remember this day so clearly. Your mother had requested a divorce that day and he was crushed. He called me and, to console him, I suggested we take you to the park to clear his mind and to watch the leaves fall. You were so ecstatic to see such a simple, natural thing occur, that it lifted your father’s heart. He knew he wasn’t losing you, your mother had told him so, but he hadn’t wanted to divorce her. He hadn’t agreed with such a thing. He always believed that all problems had a solution. But he loved you and wanted to do the best for you no matter the cost.” His eyes dimmed. “He died a few days later.”

There was a lot said in that story Mika hadn’t known anything about. He did remember that day, though. How his father laughed and smiled as they watched the leaves fall and the birds flit from branch to branch. He even remembered what his father had said to him.

“You’re my whole life, Mika,” he had said. “The only one I’m willing to live and die for.”

“When you say my mom told him he wasn’t losing me…what did she mean by that?” Gen knew what he was asking and he exchanged a glance with Daisuke.

The old man said honestly, “Yuki was to have full custody of you and she was going to sign away her parental rights.”

Mika’s heart stopped. Mom was going to give me up? All color drained from his face and his hands began to shake. All these years, after all he had done for her, she had never wanted him in the first place.

Daisuke put his hand over Mika’s. “My boy, I can’t change the past, no one can. You have had the worst life imaginable because of your mother’s choices and she has been disowned and disregarded because of them. But we never once stopped loving you or trying to find ways to get you out of that situation. Now, you have your soulmate, and a real family, and a real home. Hold onto your memories of your father because those were the best years of your life, and look forward to an even brighter future with who you have now.”

Mika looked up into his grandfather’s kind eyes, his father’s eyes, Gen’s eyes, the eyes he wished he had. As much as it hurt to learn the truth about his mother, Ojichan was right; he had a better life ahead of him, one with no pain or fear, only love and happiness. The two things he was denied his entire life.

He reached up with his broken arm and touched Gen’s face. Gen kissed his fingers. “What do you say to that?”

Mika smiled into Gen’s eyes. “Sounds good.”

-*-