A/N: This is my very first ghost Hunt fic so be nice k? I got this idea from storyteller-ryu and from reading a suggestion in the reviews so that's pretty much how this came to be… and umm enjoy, and
DISCLAMER: I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters with the exception of Kenji
"Mum! Mum! Hurry already! I'm going to be late!!" A seven-year-old boy yells out beckoning a young lady to come quickly. The lady sighs, shakes her head and runs up to her son.
"Come here you!" She takes his hand in hers and pulls him closer.
"I'm not a baby any more mum." He says solemnly with wide eyes of childish innocence. His mother could not help but break out into a wide smile and laugh. Ruffling his black hair she says,
"Hmm well how ever old you are, you'll always be my little baby."
"Mumm!!" The boy groans and pulls his hand out of his mother's instead pulling her forward by her arm.
"Calm down Kenji! School won't start until eight thirty, it's only eight. We'll get there in plenty of time." She slows down and her son fidgets beside her.
"Mummm…" He whines pulling a pained face.
"Alright! Alright! We're going, we're going." She takes her son's hand again and walks faster. She looks down at her son and he is all smiles, excited on the first day of school. She smiles to herself remembering fond memories. He looks up at her and grins pulling her forward.
But deep inside her heart she worries. Children can be so very cruel… What will they do when they find out Kenji doesn't have a dad?
"Mum, what are you thinking about?" The little seven year old asks her with such a painful perception she is instantly reminded of his father. The only one she has ever loved. He doesn't even know about Kenji. She puts on a false smile and says cheerfully to him.
"Just thinking about what wonderful adventures you are going to have today. You're all grown up now!" She squeezes his hand tight and he returns the gesture.
At the school she takes him up to the administration office to get his timetable and to find out where his classroom is.
"Hello, I'm here with Taniyama Kenji?" The receptionist looks up and takes the registration paper from her. She takes a glance at the paper and smiles before leaning over the counter to look at Kenji.
"Hello Kenji!" The receptionist smiles and to his mother she asks, "And you are his sister?"
"Oh no, I'm his mother." Disapproval shadows the receptionist's brow before it dissipated into nothing. But she knew what people would think of her if she told them she was the mother. She knew and she was prepared. Why should she be ashamed about her son?
"These are his papers, and his timetable is in there as well as his classes." She looks down and smiles at Kenji "Have a good day today Kenji Kun!" Kenji stealthy reaches around his mother's legs and holds on tight onto her skirt hiding half of him behind her. His mother smiles at him and dislodges his little fits taking his hand into hers.
"Thank you for your help." She bows briefly before walking out of the office with Kenji.
"Ahhh, what happened to all your courage Kenji?" she asks her son teasingly.
"That lady… She doesn't like me…" Oh lord, will her son be like this through out school? If he can pick up things like that how will he feel when it gets really bad? Her heart hurt for her son. And at the same time an anger or sorts is rushing through her veins.
"I'm sure she likes you Kenji! You're the most handsome boy in the whole world!" She gives him a wink and whispers to him, "but don't tell anyone I said that! OK?"
"It OK mum. I'm alright." He smiles at her and gives her a hug. But he was a truly unique individual. He had black hair and when he was born many commented on such a remarkable dark blue colour his eyes were, they were so dark blue they were almost pitch black but the blue made it look like it was the night sky with no stars or moon. His cheerful disposition is the only thing that he had in common with his mother. He looked almost exactly like his father.
She brought him to his classroom and squatted down so she was looking him in the eye. She closes her eyes for a moment, feeling proud of her precious son – yet at the same time worrying so much she could feel the hole in her stomach.
"Be a good boy Kenji. Listen to the teacher well OK?" She pulls him in for a tight hug blinking away the moisture building up in her eyes. She can cry later, for now she has to be strong for her son.
"No matter what they say, be strong Kenji! You're so special and wonderful, don't let anyone make you think other wise! Now have a good day and I'll come and pick you up at three at the front gates OK? When you're there, don't talk to strangers or follow them home OK? You MUST wait for me. if I'm not there go to the office we just went to and wait for me there. Promise me Kenji." She says fiercely. His little arms wraps around her neck and he says,
"I promise mum, I'll wait for you and I won't talk to strangers and I won't follow them home and wait for you in the office if you aren't there. Even though the lady there doesn't like me…" He added in sneakily saying it quickly and in a whisper. She laughs and lets him go, she kisses his cheek and says,
"I love you, now have a good day Kenji!" He returns the kiss and says
"Love you too mum. I will! You have a good day too mum!" She knocks on the classroom door and a teacher opens the door.
"Hello, You must be his mother, and you" she looks down on Kenji, "Must be Kenji Kun. Welcome to class!" To his mother she asks, "Would you like to sit in for today's class?" she gives his teacher an apologetic look and says,
"I would love to but I can't. I have to head to work now, I only got the morning off." The teacher smiles back and says,
"That's alright then, I am Ms. Kei it's nice meeting you Ms. Taniyama." She smiles at the teacher and says good-bye to her and her son.
"Bye mum!!" she turns back to see her son energetically waving her off. She smiles to her son and waves back. This teacher will have a lot to handle this year. She thought, smiling at the wave her son gave her.
----
Work isn't that terrible she had decided. She had gotten some impressive references from her previous bosses but there would be one she can never openly think about without feeling a tight pain in her chest and something that felt vaguely like regret settling in her stomach. To forget about him just momentarily she would absorb herself in work, when Kenji was younger she would throw herself into the care for him and now it was work. When Kenji no longer demanded her attention everyday and night she found other things to occupy her.
She worked through lunch and when two thirty came she knocked on her boss's door to tell him she was leaving early to pick her son up from school.
She arrives at his school twenty minutes early and so decides to get some coffee from a near by vending machine. She opens the can and takes a seat on a bench across the school. She drinks some of the coffee and for a while she does nothing but stare into the can breathing in the smell of instant coffee. Nothing like the stuff she used to brew there. He loved tea. A prickle of sadness permeates her bones and she blocks him out of her mind. The school bell rings and in a few moments, floods of children from the middle and primary school flood out the gates. She throws the half drunk can of coffee into a near by trash can and walks quickly to the school gates looking for Kenji. She finds him waving goodbye to several students, when he turns around he runs right up to her.
"Hi mum!" He's bubbling over with enthusiasm and joy, and she felt as though some of it overspilt onto her.
"Hi Kenji, how was school?" She takes his bag from him.
"It was GREAT mum! Ms. Kei is really nice to us and I've made some friends!"
"Wow, sounds like fun Kenji. What are you friends names?"
"Toshi sits next to me and he has a sister who is in the middle school! Rin Rin is a really nice girl too, but she didn't talk to any of the girls she only talked to the boys!"
"Well they sound like nice people." He nods vigorously.
"They are!"
"Well then Mr. Popular, what would you like for dinner tonight? Do you want to eat out or do you want me to cook you something?"
"Mum, could you cook tonight?" He asks leaning closer to his mum.
"Sure! I'll cook all your favourite things tonight! OK?" He nods happily,
"Mmm! OK!"
All through the journey home Kenji talked non-stop about his day and his mother felt a warm glow letting his happy world wash over her. She knew it would end one day, but she still reverently pray and wish that it would never end.
They returned to their humble two roomed home and while she prepared dinner he happily chatted away next to her.
"Oohhh… That smells yummy!" His eyes went wide when he saw what his mother was cooking.
"Yep, and its all for you!"
"You can have some too mum."
"My what a generous man you will be!" She ruffles his hair and asks him to set the table.
"Go set the table will you?"
"OK!" he pulls out the cutlery drawer and on tiptoes collects two pairs of chopsticks and two spoons. She sets the dishes on the table carefully and returns to the kitchen with Kenji next to her to collect the rice. She scoops out his rice and hands him his bowl before scooping her own proportion.
By the time she got to the table he was already there waiting for her to sit down. She places her bowl of rice on the table and takes a seat.
"Lets eat!" He starts chomping away at his food enthusiastically. She smiles happily at him and starts eating, not quite as fast or furious but still enjoying the food and his company.
That night, as she put him to bed she suddenly thought about his dad. It was so unexpected, he had just came into mind and surprisingly it didn't hurt quite as much as before.
"Good night Kenji. I'll see you in the morning." She kisses him on his cheek and tucked his covers in a little tighter.
"Good night mum…" He let out a loud yawn and settles into his bed. She turns off his bedside lamp and leaves his room leaving his door slightly ajar if he needed her in the night.
---
Sometime during the night, Kenji comes into his mum's room and snuggles under the blankets with her.
"Hmm… Kenji… What's wrong?" She asks him half-asleep.
"I had a nightmare." He whispers back to her. "Can I sleep with you tonight?" she put a comforting arm around her son and says,
"Hmm… yeah, sure… Go to sleep now…"
A/N: How was it? hope it wasn't too OOC . leave a review k? thanks!