Future/ Post-confession (Sorry again for the lateness! 3 days late)

Rated T/M - Warning: Swearing, etc.


'Hahh, so tired.' Masamune yawns as he waits for the elevator to head down. He steps away to the side as two people come in from the next floor down. 'The weather report said it'll be hot as hell tomorrow. I wonder if he still wants to go to out.' They had planned to go to the aquarium together since Ritsu received free tickets from an author.

"Oh, Takano-san! Good work today," Greeted Isaka Ryuuichirou, the current director of Marukawa Publishing. "Heading home?"

"Yes sir. Good work today as well," Masamune answers politely, mindful of the older man accompanying his superior. 'He looks familiar.'

"Allow me to introduce you," Ryuuichirou addresses the older guest towards Masamune. "This is the editor-in-chief of Emerald, Takano Masamune."

"Oh yes, I heard you managed to make quite the contribution once you accepted the position at your age," The older man praises, intrigued with the younger man. "It's nice to meet you. I'm the head of Onodera Publishing, Onodera Shizuo."

"It's nice to meet you as well, Father." Masamune bows as he was bowed to in greeting, and when the elevator door opens to the ground floor he departs with another bow, much to the confusion and amusement of the older men that were left behind.

It wasn't until he got into the subway and was seated that he sighed, embarrassed of himself. '...Crap.'

...

"Honestly, Shizuo-san!" Onodera Tsubaki huffs, irritated while on their outing together as they rested on a bench in the building. "Two days in the hospital, and our son didn't visit me once!"

"He has visited all the other times, do you remember?" 'Not to mention, you weren't in any serious danger. Worrying our son for no reason won't do any good. His stomach is just as sensitive as yours.' Shizuo couldn't say this aloud, however; if he could compare, his son was a light Spring breeze while his wife was a typhoon during cherry blossom season.

"Are you even convincing him to reconsider An-chan like I've asked you to?"

"If I recall, isn't she happily with someone right now?" Friends with her father, Shizuo remembered vaguely that An had met someone through Ritsu himself. 'One of his authors, if I'm remembering that right.'

"Nonsense! An-chan is the perfect girl for Ritsu. This not-wanting children is just a phase." The shawl around her loosens, and she begins to re-tie it.

"You know, I've known our son to be rather considerate." Shizuo says thoughtfully, "Perhaps his partner is unable to have children? I believe he would have explained it if you hadn't acted rashly."

Tsubaki tightens her shawl around her, frowning at the memory. "I... had assumed he was seduced by a man. I hoped he would snap out of it."

"...Tsubaki." Shizuo addresses with a hard voice, ashamed at her.

"Itsuki-san and Tokotaka-san's kids are already married and have children. What am I supposed to think when Ritsu rejects every girl I suggest, especially An-chan, and tells me not to expect any children from him?!" Tsubaki angrily spits out, before Shizuo shushes her.

"We are at the aquarium, Tsubaki. Lower your voice, even if it's just us in this area."

"Hmph."

"'I believe that An-chan belongs with someone who'll love her wholeheartedly,' Is what our son said to me." Shizuo quotes, raising a brow his wife's scowl. "He loves her like a sister is also what he answered when you asked me to see if he'd reconsider An-chan."

She sighs, displeased. "That boy. Why can't he understand that we want what's best for him?"

"Isn't it our own selves that decide what's best for us? In the end, we're in charge of our own happiness."

Shizuo knew some drinking buddies at their age with wives that were happy with a childless marriage. He drank with some businessmen who were content staying single or living with their roommate. In the end, it's not any of his business to judge in regards to other people's lifestyles.

As for himself, he was happy with his family and work. Grandchildren would be nice but... '...That's not for me to decide.'

"Honestly, you've gone through too much novels at work." Tsubaki mutters, staring down at her hands. "Shizuo-san, this is reality, and we've got our family tradition to upkeep- Ritsu is your heir after all. He needs to take charge when the time comes, and have his own heir."

"...There is still plenty of time before I step down." Shizuo decides to say, treading carefully. 'She won't be able to understand if I say anything now.' It was hard to explain to his wife about particular decisions regarding work.

They are indeed a family run business, but Ritsu isn't the only heir to be considered. Yes, Ritsu is his only son, but they have other relatives working in the company as well.

His niece's fiance Akita was actually a top candidate for taking his place. Akita reached a high position after around a decade with the company, and was both charismatic and reliable. Ritsu agreed as well, since he also looked up to him at work.

'Ritsu's not even in an position to think about succeeding anyone. He's still a rookie and earnestly wants to move up as an Editor on his own.' He couldn't help but feel smug that Ritsu contacts him more than his mother nowadays.

'How should I explain to her that our son won't be immediately succeeding after me?' Shizuo crosses his arms in thought. 'Let's see... by the time my position is succeeded by Akita-san, Ritsu should be where Akita-san currently is. And when Akita-san should retire, Ritsu could succeed him if he wanted to, and if Akita-san and (niece) Ichika-chan's child wants to-' *GAASP*

A sharp gasp startled him, and he looks where his wife was staring to in shock. 'This isn't good.' One of those two men he can see on the other side of this underwater exhibit that was also a resting area sure looked a lot like Ritsu.

The area the two were in seemed less populated, and led to a dead end showcasing the other side of the main underwater exhibit.

Also, they were holding hands, which was what probably set his wife off.

"What's wrong, Tsubaki?" He asks, feigning ignorance. However, on the inside, he was surprised. Shizuo recognized the man his son was with, and recalled their first meeting yesterday.

"W-wwhat's wrong? Do you not see our son?!" She gets up to peer in close with her hands cupped to the glass. "Holding hands with another-"

"...I see. You missed him that much that you're seeing him in another young man?" '...The young head editor from Marukawa, as my son-in-law?' Shizuo couldn't help but be somewhat impressed. 'I wonder how they met...'

Tsubaki flinches, glaring into the glass at the two men, trying to see who her son was out with. She was stubborn when it came to being honest. "That's not it! That really is our son!"

"Instead of staying at the hospital, hoping he would visit, you should just tell him that you miss him."

"...I can't." Her lips pursed in frustration, trying to get a better look at them. "He's still ignoring my calls." After a moment of tense silence, she bolts to get to the other side. "We're bringing him home with us!"

"Wait, Tsubaki!"

...

"Geez, what if someone is looking?" Ritsu halfheartedly whines, letting his hand be held as they crossed the underwater tunnel. "It seriously feels like someone is glaring at us."

"Is that so? Then let's get to the end," Masamune tugs him along faster, and eventually they reached the end that led to the back of the main exhibit that included some of the bigger sea creatures. "Wow."

"Woah, it's bigger than I thought," Ritsu says in awe, before smiling at a passing whale shark. "It's so huge!"

"You know, I think we're alone in here." They glance around to see no one. "I have to tell you something. I was... embarrassed to tell you yesterday."

"Pfft. What is it?" Ritsu laughs.

"Isaka-san introduced your father to me and I... I accidentally called him 'Father'."

"...Oh." Ritsu pales, despite finding it slightly funny trying to imagine his lover slip up. "And then what?"

"I left." Masamune starts to snicker in shame, "I just left after bowing again, and went straight to the subway. Isaka-san must have been laughing his-" He looks at Ritsu and gives him a weak glare. "Is that your shoulders shaking in laughter I see?"

"...N-no," Ritsu swallows his laughter, amused. "I'm not laughing at you. I-I'm laughing... with you." When their hands released each other he flinches in anticipation as he was nudged playfully.

"But you know," He begins, as they look up into the water. "It kind of reminded me of how I used to envy you and Yokozawa."

"What? You did?" The brunet turns to look at him.

"No one... had any expectations for me. My parents' work was more important to them. Mom couldn't even find any time in her schedule to come meet with the teacher to discuss my future. And you know, Dad didn't even want to have anything to do with me since I wasn't his."

Pausing for a moment, he continues. "And then you guys had parents that check up on you once in a while. Well, I didn't really care at that point anymore but..." Masamune turns to him. "Now I'm kind of glad for it I guess? Since they didn't care, I grew not to care."

Frowning, he adds, "But, I feel that you guys shouldn't feel guilty about not meeting up to their expectations. In the end, you're only living for yourself with what makes you happy."

...

"You're right." Ritsu agrees with a tiredness, thinking about his mother. "My mom- every time I hear she's in the hospital, I'm so worried you know? But then..." He saddens, "An-chan this, marriage that... All she does is complain about me while I'm there all worried that something serious happened to her! What if something actually happens to her and I can't be there for her?!"

After a huff, he continues and Masamune listens. "And all of the ulcers I've gotten because of her and work, does she honestly think I'm not taking my life seriously? That I don't care about my future? She brings up being heir all the time when I can't even be considered yet. I need more years of experience- also, I don't even want to think about taking over yet. I just want to be an editor right now! I've always wanted to be an editor-"

"And you know," The brunet begins to rant, upset, "She doesn't even really care about me and An-chan. Sure, An-chan did love me but being with me wouldn't have made her happy. Do you know how depressing it would be? To marry someone who won't ever love you back, that you become a former shell of yourself as you raise your child who asks you why Dad hardly comes home? Sure, we'll be unhappy behind closed doors, but at least Grandma gets to see her grandchild. If we divorce? How dare we divorce? We're the ones she brought together, surely we would be happy right? How would her friends think of her?!"

"... Hey, hey," Masamune pats his cheeks to calm him, concerned. Before An had met her current lover, Ritsu would get this specific nightmare often. While he has been sleeping better since then, the brunet still remembered enough of the nightmare to rant about it. "It's good you're letting it out." 'Good thing we came here.'

"An-chan deserves to be happy with someone who loves her back." Ritsu firmly says, disappointed with his mother. "I don't understand why Mom can't see that. An-chan's parents just want her to be happy too- Mom was the only one trying to force it. Even Dad told me he just wanted me to be happy."

"Mom actually... brought me here once when I was little." Ritsu brings up, distracted as they watched a ocean sunfish pass by above them. "She didn't like that I was cooped up reading books about fish, so she brought me here to see the real thing."

With a sigh, he leaves aside that bit of nostalgia, tired. "In the end, all I've done is ruin her dreams. She probably regrets giving birth to me."

"...Nggh." Upon hearing someone sniffing as if from crying, Ritsu turns and jolts at the sight of his mother with tears down her eyes. "You... YOU IDIOT SON!" Tsubaki cries, before turning tail, running out of the tunnel and leaving behind her shawl.

"HAaaHHH?!" Ritsu gapes in shock. "Wh-when did..."

Left behind with them was his father, who bows at them in greeting having been caught.

"..." 'I see where he gets his running from,' Masamune thought, before gently nudging him. "Go after her."

"B-but..."

"He's right," Shizuo says, giving him a small smile. "She ran all the way here after she spotted you."

"I-I... Wh-when...?"

"Hmm, when Takano-kun brought up his parents."

'Then she heard all of what I've said.' Ritsu flusters, bending down to pick up her shawl before going after her.

...

Tsubaki had run all the way back to the bench where she and Shizuo were resting at earlier, miserable. Sniffing, she dabs her eyes with the tissues from her purse. Reaching for her shawl, she sighs after realizing it had fallen off of her while she was running.

Ritsu... wasn't wrong. That day, when she had raised her hand to slap him for the first time, she wished he turned out differently. That he'd go along with what she wanted for him. That he would take after his father and be successful.

She didn't want to understand why he was refusing her left and right. Shouldn't a child listen to their parents regardless?

Why was he so insistent on remaining stubborn? For another man no less. 'Even if he is handsome.'

But... her husband wasn't wrong either- she did miss her son. Now matter how fussy she tended to be, her son took after his father in regards to being docile and seeing to her needs.

However, despite wanting to see him, talking to him was a different story. It was as if all of her impatience at his progress comes to the surface to verbally assault him at the sight of him. '...He gets ulcers because of me?'

When Ritsu was born, he was her little treasure she made with Shizuo. She only ever wanted the best for him. He would be her only child she wanted to focus on.

["She probably regrets giving birth to me."]

Even if Tsubaki was only thinking of it in passing, never truly meaning it, hearing her son say her most negative thought aloud tore at her heart.

It brought her back to when she was pregnant. She hated being pregnant- her hands and feet would swell up, her favorite clothes wouldn't fit anymore, and she would throw up from eating foods she actually liked, not to mention the growing weight inside her stomach...

And she would be alone at home. Shizuo's work would take him away from her- sometimes for weeks, and she'd be so lonely, that not even her other family or friends could distract her.

She tried her best not to dwell on it. Stress translated differently to the womb, and could affect the baby when it was born. There were days though, where she would just lay in bed, apologizing as she cried.

Apologizing not just for her feelings, but for her thoughts too. She hoped that the baby in her stomach wouldn't feel the same way and hate her for them.

'I never meant any of it...' "Ueeugh..." Tsubaki tears up again, thinking of her only child. Her precious little one who reminded her so much of Shizuo. 'I...' The thought of never seeing him again had her bursting into tears. "Ritsu...!"

From behind her, Ritsu was hesitant; he was hoping to get the shawl on her and risk getting pushed away. While he couldn't say he felt guilty for revealing his inner thoughts, he did feel sorry for making her cry. 'I should face her.'

...

Sensing someone's presence, Tsubaki looks up to see Ritsu in front of her with her shawl. "Ritsu..." She sniffs.

Carefully, Ritsu goes to wrap the shawl around her before smiling sadly at her. "I'm sorry, Mom. You're crying because of me..."

'Ah...' It was nostalgic, this moment. Like the time she ran off in her house slippers because Shizuo was late again. Her pregnancy had her mood swinging, and she sat on the park bench crying. After catching up to her and wrapping a blanket around her, he had said something similar as well.

To her surprise, Ritsu kneels to the ground and bows. "Thank you for giving birth to me," The brunet says, before sitting up with a gentle smile. "Despite what I said, I'm happy that you're my mother. I wouldn't have had it any other way."

"...eughh," Was all Tsubaki could let out of her voice, blinking away her tears as she tried holding in another cry. 'My baby...'

"Even though we may not see each other again," Tsubaki stiffens as he continues, "I'll continue to work hard at the company. I... love Masamune-san very much. I won't leave him for anybody, so..."

Her son... her son said something rather frightening in the first half.

Because Ritsu chose to be with a man and she was against that, he won't bother her anymore? To spare her from shame knowing that her son is in love with another man? Tsubaki wilts, reminded of when she raised her hand against him.

'I don't want to let him go...' She never wanted to be considered a mother who'll refuse to see her child for their different choices in lifestyle. Ritsu seemed to already accept that she was one due to her actions. 'I still don't approve of that man but...'

'He won't change his mind, I understand that now. But I'll always love him.' As Ritsu moves to get up, she leans forward to hug his head and pull him close while still on the bench. "H-huh? Mom?" Ritsu says, confused. This position was awkward to be in; he was still on his knees but leaned forward with his head hugged to his mother's stomach. "Mom?"

'It's fine isn't it? To be the only woman in his life he'll love the most?' At seeing Shizuo and Masamune walk towards them, she glares at Masamune as she hugs Ritsu tighter.

"Tsubaki, our ride is here. We've taken up enough of their time." Shizuo says calmly, reaching out for one of Tsubaki's hands that were holding on to Ritsu. "Let him go."

"Shizuo-san, we're taking him home!" The older woman pulls Ritsu along as she gets up.

"But, we have to meet our friends at the restaurant. We won't be heading home for a long while. Let's go," He gently pries her hands off of their son.

'How is Mom still so strong?' Ritsu sighs in relief, standing up straight and trying to relax his tense muscles. "Thanks, Dad."

"You okay?" Masamune asks, having watched their interactions with silent interest. Seeing that he seemed alright, the darker haired man grabbed his hand to hold in assurance.

"And who are you?!" Tsubaki scowls, tightening her grip on her shawl while her husband sighs at her side.

"He's the young head editor who called me 'Father' when I visited Marukawa," Shizuo explains to her, before giving her a small, but subtly playful smile. "Remember? You said last night, 'Why don't we adopt him then?'"

'Oh, Ritsu definitely gets it from his mother,' Masamune thought, as they watched the older woman's face redden in embarrassment.

"I-I did not!" Tsubaki hotly denies, before directing her attention back to her son's lover. "How long have you been seducing my son?!"

Now it was Ritsu's turn to frown at her. "Mom-"

"A little more than 8 years," Masamune answers firmly, much to Tsubaki's shock.

"Th-that long...?" She stutters, taken aback before taking notice of their matching rings. "R-r-rings?" 'Have they been wearing those this whole time?'

"Ritsu proposed to me first on my birthday." Masamune boasts with no reservations, much to the brunet's distress. "If the time ever comes, we'll marry abroad and invite only our friends."

'Ah... we didn't plan that far ahead. Does he want to see how she'll react?' Ritsu wonders, having seen through Masamune's trick. 'Will her health be okay after today? She cried so much today.' He felt bad for his mother.

The three men watched her curiously, seeing that she seemed to be silently teetering on the edge of blowing up in anger. However, something inside her slowly had her deflating, and her expression became one of sadness.

The sadness of feeling left out. "Ju... Just friends?" She wilts, almost on the verge of tears. 'I wanted to see him in the wedding robes Shizuo-san wore...'

Having expected this reaction Shizuo chuckles, before linking their arms so she could lean on him. He already knew of this little scheme, having conversed with Masamune on their way to meet up with the mother and son pair.

He wanted Ritsu to understand that his mother was still interested in staying present in his life. 'No matter who you'll marry, she doesn't ever want to miss it.'

...

"Mom, we actually don't have plans yet." Ritsu admits, feeling guilty on behalf of his amused lover. The mother in question sighs in relief. "Please, just go enjoy your dinner and forget about us for a while."

"I'll take good care of him, Mother." Masamune smiles serenely at her, much to her irritation.

"Don't think I've accepted you yet!" She glares, slowly getting fired up again. "My son deserves someone who can do..." Tsubaki trails off fearfully at seeing Masamune smile smugly. "W-what is it?"

"Um, Masamune-san does all the house work better than me," Ritsu answers first, sheepish. "His cooking is really good too. Even now, I'm still trying to improve at everything but I can do it as well..."

"Really...?" Tsubaki questions, skeptical.

"That's wonderful, Ritsu," Shizuo says amiably. "I'm still not allowed to touch the rice cooker. Now," he begins tugging his wife gently. "Our ride is still waiting for us. We shouldn't keep them waiting anymore."

"But... I haven't-" Tsubaki realized she never properly responded to Ritsu, having been swept up in her emotional train of thought. 'I haven't told him my feelings yet. I don't regret giving birth to him.' "Ritsu, won't you come visit when you have time? Please, Ritsu? I'll even wait for you at work-"

"Please don't." States the father and son pair at the same time, shutting her down effectively.

"I'll visit when I can Mom, don't worry." Ritsu assures her, happy that she still wanted to be in contact with him. "I call you, okay?"

...

"Now we're finally alone." Masamune sighs, before hugging the brunet close. "Are you really okay?"

"Yes," Ritsu smiles, his eyes closed for a moment as he leans against the older's chest. "I think she understands now." They separate then, aware that they were still at the aquarium.

"We should cook for them someday." Masamune suggests in amusement, knowing that his mother-in-law would find fault in him even if she did end up liking his cooking. "Whose cooking do you like better? Mine or hers?"

"I haven't ate her cooking in a long time. I can't say- it'd be biased if I chose yours."

"True..." They decide to walk out of the tunnel to explore the places they haven't seen yet. "You know, while I'm happy you told them that I was good at everything, you shouldn't sell yourself short. There's something you're already great at.

"There is?" Ritsu asks, "What is that?" 'Definitely not folding laundry...'

"Cherishing me," Masamune answers smoothly, smiling happily at him.

"..." 'Aahhh, he got me again!' Ritsu blushes furiously, much to the older man's satisfaction and amusement. "S-same to you too.."


#i felt like i just made ritsu's parents an aged shoujo couple and the mom is tsundere and idk how to feel about it now that i re-read it#imagine reading a nice shoujo and then the sequel with their son is a bl

I might add extras, this au is enjoyable to me.