Finally Found (What I was looking for)

By Bashfulglowfly

Junjie was rinsing out his coffee cup when he heard Naldo's bedroom door open. He placed the cup in the dish rack and turned around.

Instead of Naldo there was a young woman he recognized from a lifetime ago standing there wearing Naldo's bathrobe and blushing.

He inclined his head politely "Good morning, Callisto."

She managed to blush even harder. "G-good morning. And…it's Makoto. Kino Makoto." Her hands twisted the ends of the belt around her fingers.

Junjie smiled. "I'm Junjie King, this time around." He glanced at his watch. "I'm sorry that I'm having to greet and run. But there's a crisis at the Embassy and I have to go in."

Makoto looked startled. "On a Saturday?"

He gave her a half-smile. "Diplomatic incidents happen at any time of day or night, sad to say."

"I hope you get it resolved quickly."

"Thank you. So do I. But please tell Naldo that I have no idea when I'll be back."

"I will."

888888

Junjie entered the office and was greeted with relief by his superior. "Glad you're here. Sorry you're here."

He smiled at the other man. "Can't be helped. How bad?"

His superior snorted. "The stupid bugger managed to crash his car half-way up the steps of a shrine. Hikawa is the name. He then proceeded to get out of the car. Puke on the steps. Stagger up said steps and pissed on a tree that had one of those wrappings around it."

Junjie cringed. "It had a shimenawa with shide?"

"Yes."

Junjie ran his hand across his face. Then looked at his boss. He knew…he just knew…"Go ahead. Drop the other shoe."

"The shrine is owned by an elderly priest who is extremely well-respected despite being a bit of a…flirt…with women. But it's his granddaughter that's the bigger problem."

"Which is?"

"Her father. Senator Hino."

"Shit." Junjie knew the man. He'd met him once or twice and studied the Senator's file more than that. The Senator would have been a snake oil salesman if he'd lived a century ago. Word had it that his vote was quite often for sale. But a daughter? He couldn't remember seeing that in the file. "I don't recall reading about a daughter."

"I've been told, very quietly, that the daughter is estranged from him. She was around him during her early teens but sometime after that she wasn't seen in his presence anymore. As to why, no one knows."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Go to the shrine. See what the Embassy can do in the way of reparations. Let them know that the jackass has been fired and has been sent back to Australia."

"I'll get things taken care of."

"Thank you, Junjie, and Good Luck."

888888

Junjie climbed the surprisingly steep steps of the Hikawa Shrine, dodging the workers already hard at work fixing the steps. When he reached the top, he wasn't surprised at the feeling of peace that came over him. The buildings were well kept, and the grounds were well maintained.

While he'd never been there before something inside him led him to a building that seemed more for habitation than for worship.

And when he heard the shouting coming from within, he knew he'd found the right place.

"I'M YOUR FATHER I HAVE THE RIGHT…"

"RIGHTS?! YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS AND NO RESPONSIBLITES FOR ME WHATSOEVER! YOU GAVE THOSE UP AFTER MOTHER DIED AND YOU LEFT ME WITH GRANDPA AND YOU DIDN'T COME TO SEE ME FOR THREE YEARS! YOU GAVE THOSE UP AGAIN WHEN I WAS FIFTEEN! SO DON'T YOU DARE CLAIM YOU HAVE ANY RIGHTS OR RESPONSIBLITIES TO ME!"

A golden eyebrow arched at this new information and Junjie gave it a mental tag for later. He could hear another male voice but couldn't make out the words. He squared his shoulders and knocked on the doorframe. It probably wasn't the best thing to do, but the situation needed to be taken care of.

The door was slid open so violently, he was afraid that it was jump the tracks but then he was lost…

Her purple eyes seem to pull him in.

His hand raised and gently cupped her perfect porcelain cheek.

Her lips silently said his True Name.

"Can I help you?"

The spell was broken. And Junjie turned to the elderly man who had spoken. He could feel the blush on his cheeks and he quickly bowed to the three people in front of him. "Forgive my behavior. I was caught off-guard by this lady's beauty."

He suppressed a smile at her quiet sniff.

The Senator pushed his way forward. "And you are?"

Junjie reached into his pocket and handed his card to all three. "My name is Junjie King. I'm with the Australian Embassy and I'm here to discuss reparations."

He could see the Senator swell with importance but before he could say a word the priest spoke up. "That is very kind of the Embassy. Takashi, I'm sure that you have important duties to take care of. Rei and I can handle things from here."

Only part of Junjie's attention noticed that the Senator deflated then quietly left the building. The rest of him was chanting "Rei. Rei. Rei."

Her voice, now that it wasn't yelling at her father, was melodious. "Please, come in. We'll…talk."

Junjie nodded and stepped forward into a new future.

Author's Note: Just in case: a Shimenawa is the rope that goes around a sacred tree and a Shide is the paper that hangs from the Shimenawa.