(Read this, it's actually important)

A/N: This is, if you read my profile just the first chapter and sample for which 2 stories will be released.

If you haven't already known, Here's a briefing here.

Currently 2 of my stories are finishing up!

Somewhere In-Between

If It Makes You happy

So that means it gives room to 2 NEW stories.

The special in this?

WELL, I'm happy to inform all of you that YOU, the readers will get to choose from my pending stories WHICH 2 you want to read. Although all the stories to choose from will be released one day, you all get to choose which ones get to be created 1st.

SO, This will be decided through a poll on my Profile here. The first chapter of each choice will be released to give everyone a taste of how each story will flow as well. With the summary and the first chapter you shall all choose 2 Stories ONLY!

POLL ENDS JANUARY 28TH!!! VOTE FAST!!!

I will also judge on how many reviews each story gets as well so if you can't vote, leave your vote as a review and I'll count it )

A/N: Okay… a little about this story is the fact that the events that went on with Ryoma is all in the past so it'll spend some time in the past and some time in the present. This story is not going to focus mainly on Ryoma and his love all the time, it'll be split between his kids' troubles in Japan as well. The main concept is already the title and of course the minor one is "family", so read on and tell me how you feel in a review!

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A Second Chance

Rated: M

Summary:After 15 years away, Ryoma is finally returning to Japan with his 2 kids to take care of his mother after his father's death. Although the place brought back painful memories, he never thought he would meet his old flame there again. Is there a chance they could rebuild what they once had?

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Chapter I: Have You Ever Been in Love?

LA, USA

Wednesday

"It's unfortunate that you have to leave us!" The grey-haired man said shaking Ryoma's hand regretfully.

"I know…but my mother wishes to stay in Japan and there is no one to care or stay with her now." Ryoma said regretfully.

"You'll be a big loss to the company but I do hope you settle well over there."

"I'm sure my children and I will," Ryoma said with a nod.

The man nodded back and smiled at Ryoma. "Your wife would've been proud of how well you manage."

Ryoma nodded slowly this time. "Yes...she would be…"

No matter how much he loved his deceased wife, he could never stomach her brutal death… At the time of her death Four years ago, he had thought he wouldn't be able to go on raising his two kids…but here he was! Four years later with the two kids.

Leaving the office, he double-checked everything to make sure that they'd have everything by Friday. Time was cutting close and he wanted to finalize everything to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Getting into his car, he thought about Kanna's unhappy face. It seemed as if she didn't want to go at all…she hadn't spoke more than a few words to him for the pass 3 weeks since he made it clear that they were going to Japan. At least Ryota seemed okay with it…but dealing with two adolescents could be so tiresome some days.

XxX

"KANNA!!!"

"I'm sorry!" Kanna yelled walking out the front door depressed. Sitting heavily on the bench in front of their house, she half listened to Kate complaints about the mess she created while sulking over her failed chocolates. Frustrated with her poor cooking skills, Kanna drew her knees up to her face on the bench and screamed.

"Kanna?"

Jerking her head up, she saw her father standing before her with unreadable golden eyes and raised brow.

"Father…" Kanna greeted reluctantly.

"Why is smoke coming out of the house?" Ryoma asked sitting next to his daughter.

"Because I can't cook!" Kanna said with a pout burying her head back into her knees and arms.

"What were you trying to make?" Ryoma asked placing a hand on top of his daughter's jet black hair.

"Chocolate…" Kanna mumbled miserably.

"Chocolate? Kanna, I could buy you that!" Ryoma said bluntly.

Suddenly Kanna looked at Ryoma with a glare worthy of an Echizen. "I Know that! But I wanted to make it…so it'd be special…but no matter how many Home Ec classes I take, no matter if the recipe is in front of me, it never turns out right!" Kanna vented angrily.

"Kanna…" Ryoma said with a sigh, ruffling his daughter soft hair. "Why are you attempting to make one?"

"It's not fair!" Kanna said glaring at her father now, "You gave Aniki all the talents and left me with none! He's a guy and he can cook!"

"Your mother couldn't cook either Kanna," Ryoma pointed out with a smirk.

"But…IT'S NOT FAIR! Aniki is good at everything! He models with elegance and presence, Good in every school subject, excels in athletics and has looks amazingly 'handsome' according to every girl in school!" Kanna complained.

"He may be all that, but you inherited things that he can't be as well," Ryoma said with a sigh. "He can't play the piano as well as you nor paint and draw like you can. You may not be good at certain sports-"

"ALL father, ALL SPORTS…" Kanna said bitterly, "I'm exceptional at best in certain sports!"

"Well you can't have both," Ryoma clarified. "You should appreciate the talents your mother gave you."

"But what did you give me Father?" Kanna asked with a slight frown. "You gave Ryota your looks, your charisma, your tennis skills… but what about me?"

"Your eyes," Ryoma said lifting his daughter's chin so they were eye-to-eye. "I gave you your eyes."

"And?" Kanna asked insistently.

"Your temper when you have one," Ryoma said with a smirk.

Kanna smiled brightly, "That's rare though!"

"Aa… because you're more like you mother, considerate and thoughtful." Ryoma finished with a small smile. "Now Kanna, tell me why you attempted to make chocolates…"

Ryoma watched his daughter's golden eyes darken in despair as she leaned against Ryoma.

"Otou-san…did you…well…have you ever been in love?" Kanna asked softly.

Ryoma lifted a brow slightly…it was when his kids switched over to Japanese that made him uncomfortable the most. When they switch over, that definitely meant they were troubled and wanted to know things better left untold.

"I was… your mother."

"But she wasn't your first! Okaa-san told me so!" Kanna insisted.

"That's right…she wasn't my first love…" Ryoma said carefully.

"Then who was it?"

"Would you believe me if I told you it was a guy?" Ryoma finally answered after a long moment in between.

"Guy?" Kanna asked whipping her head to face her father. "You actually liked a guy like that?"

Ryoma nodded, "Aa…I loved him like that."

"Ryoma!"

Both looked up to see Kate at the door.

"I heard already Kate, thanks for cleaning up!" Ryoma said with a smile standing up to greet her.

"No problem Ryoma," Kate said with a smile. "I know it's been hard since Lina died."

Ryoma nodded, "Now I have to readjust my kids once more when we get out of here on Friday."

Kate nodded, "What happens to this house?"

"I already sold it last week… Matt told me he'd clear up the rest for me while I concentrate on heading back to Japan." Ryoma said with a small smile. But these last four years would've been so much more hectic without you."

"No problem! Lina was such a great neighbor…it was unfortunate how she died…" Kate said with a small, sad smile.

"Yeah…" Ryoma said before turning back to Kanna. "I'll take a quick shower and we'll figure out how to make those chocolates okay?"

"Okay!" Kanna said brightly and went inside.

"She's a beautiful daughter," Kate said softly

"Aa…she resembles her mother a lot…" Ryoma answered.

"Hi Kate! Hey Dad,"

"Ryota!" Kate said with a smile wrapping an arm around the 13 year old boy that was already her height at Five foot-Six.

"How was practice?" Ryoma asked.

"Okay," Ryota said bluntly. He started on his way inside when he heard his father voice.

"Take a quick shower; we're going to make chocolates tonight."

"Chocolate?" Ryota questioned

"Aa…Kanna-"

Ryota cut his father short with a groan when he took a sniff of the house. " Kanna already tried didn't she?"

Both Ryoma and Kate nodded with similar smiles.

"Mada mada!" Ryota muttered entering the house.

"Then I better be off as well Ryoma… just call or knock if you need anything!" Kate said cheerfully as she headed across the street to her own house.

"Thank you!" Ryoma called out one last time before heading inside. He had to figure out why Kanna was suddenly like this!

He ignored the smell as he entered and walked into his bedroom. He wasn't a poor man nor was Lina when they married. She had been a successful model with a fortune she inherited from her American mother and the talent to play instruments so beautifully from her Japanese father. From the years she worked and he played tennis, they had acquired a good amount set aside for both their children.

'The children will grow up happy here Anata(Dear 0r honey)'

Ryoma smiled at his big empty king-size bed. Lina had been so sure that they would live here forever… now…now he was taking their kids and leaving.

"Gomen Aisai (Beloved wife), it seems I'm truly leaving this place now…" Ryoma whispered to a picture hanging on the wall of his wife. Tearing his eyes away, he headed into the bathroom for his shower.

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A/N: That ends this chapter of just introducing. If I write the second chapter soon, a lot more will be explained and of course they'll be in Japan! Hopefully you'll all look forward to Kanna and Ryota adjusting to Japanese schools and of course, Ryoma's 'meeting' with his old friends and flame D

Review please!!!!