Chapter 34: Family (2)

The morning air filled Ken's lungs as he pumped his legs and took in the sights. Ever since incorporating these morning runs into his schedule, he felt as if his quality of life had increased. With Daichi's companionship, the two spurred each other on, allowing them to push beyond their limits, going further and faster. After about an hour of non-stop running, with sprints in between, they stopped at a park near home to begin their stretching and flexibility routine. This allowed their muscles to cool down and prevented injuries. Meanwhile, back at home, Yuki had just finished explaining what had happened the previous night and the state Daichi had come over in. Chris kept his composure, listening to everything his wife had to say. However, inwardly, he was seething. He couldn't fathom how a woman could treat her child in such a way, especially a good kid like Daichi. "What do you suggest, honey?" Chris said simply, sitting back in his chair and taking a sip of coffee. "Well, of course we have to take him in! I can't imagine sending him back to his abusive mother," Yuki replied matter-of-factly. Chris nodded; he shared the same opinion. "However, it may not be that easy, depending on what his mother decides to do," he replied. "What do you mean? Can't he just move in without her permission?" "No. To put it simply, we cannot force her to do anything unless we go through the legal system and have her stripped of her rights. Even if this happens, the courts will likely send Daichi to live with other family members or even put him in a foster home." "Oh no… then what do we do?" Yuki looked stressed, almost as if it were their own son in jeopardy. Chris smiled upon seeing the huge heart of his wife. There were many reasons he married her, yet none were greater than this. He stood up and hugged her deeply, his tall frame encompassing her gently. "There is one other option…" A while later, Daichi and Ken walked in the door, coated in a healthy amount of sweat from their earlier run. They were laughing and chatting as usual until they noticed someone else in the room. "Dad! Welcome home," Ken said with a smile. Daichi also bowed and said something similar. When he raised his head, he saw Chris's smiling face flicker slightly before returning to normal. "Welcome home, you two. Go and get cleaned up and changed for school. We'll talk more over breakfast," Chris said calmly, though he felt a seething rage bubbling beneath his cool exterior. Once the two boys left, he turned to his wife without a word, yet she instantly knew what he was thinking. She nodded, her face blossoming into a beautiful smile, tears welling up in her eyes. Chris returned the smile, having made up his mind. Daichi and Ken returned to the dining table a while later, both dressed in their school uniforms. Yuki had washed and ironed both uniforms, something that Daichi was unaccustomed to. "Have a seat, boys," Chris said, gesturing to the chairs opposite himself and Yuki. Ken nudged Daichi with his elbow and gave him a wink, trying to calm his nerves. They had briefly discussed possibilities during their stretching session, which had shocked Daichi. Of course, Daichi would be thrilled to move in with Ken and his family. However, he was afraid of getting his hopes up. If Ken's parents decided it was too burdensome to take him in, he would be crushed when he had to return home. This fear was why he tried to keep his expectations low, to avoid being hurt as he always had. Chris waited until the two were seated before speaking. "I won't beat around the bush, Daichi. What your mother has done to you is unacceptable." He stated sternly. "However, we cannot forcibly take you in without your mother's consent. If she presses the issue and we refuse to send you back home, it’s possible we could face kidnapping charges." Both Daichi and Ken's faces paled at these words; they had never expected things to take such a turn. Daichi was the most affected; if it came down to him living in that place or Ken's parents facing charges, he would choose to suffer in silence. Ken looked like he was about to speak up, but his mother made a shushing gesture that kept the words locked in his throat. Daichi had already lowered his head and was about to apologize for causing them trouble when Chris continued. "But… if we were to adopt you into our family, then she would have no say over what happens to you," Chris said, his tone warm and gentle. Daichi felt his heart jump into his throat as he lifted his head and gazed into the eyes of the man who had just said these words. These words took little effort to say yet held the weight of his whole life within them. Hot tears poured down Daichi's face as he struggled to keep his composure. Ken felt himself tearing up as well, seeing his friend’s reaction. He had already been thinking of ways to get Daichi out of that place, even if it meant running away from school and home. However, his father had other plans. "W-Why would you do that for me?" Daichi's voice was high-pitched, clearly showing how difficult it was for him to speak with all his emotions in turmoil. Yuki couldn't stand seeing the boy on the verge of breaking down and started crying herself. She was about to get up to give him a proper hug, but Chris held up his hand to stop her. "We've gotten to know you well over the past month or so. If I'm honest, you already feel like part of the family. You and Kenny are also inseparable. Do we need any more reasons?" Chris smiled warmly. Daichi was speechless. He saw the same smile on Ken's face when he had saved him from those bullies nearly a month ago before declaring him his best friend. Now here was Chris, also trying to save him from his abusive mother, wearing the same smile. His gaze moved to Ken's mother, whose tears were falling in droves as she sobbed. Were these his guardian angels sent from heaven to save him? What had he done to deserve such wonderful people in his life? Before he could respond, Chris's face turned serious, and his words commanded everyone's attention. "Daichi, I need a definite answer from you before we can make any arrangements. Will you allow us to adopt you into our family?" Daichi felt everyone's gaze turn to him with expectation, but he didn't have to think long. "Y-Yes… please."