[personal profile] lucathia

Title: Hoshi - ga - Hoshii - desu
Chapter: 11/45

Author: [livejournal.com profile] lucathia_rykatu
Email: rykatu@yahoo.com
Series: Shaman King
Rating: PG
Genre: General
Feedback: will be highly appreciated
Spoilers: end of anime
Disclaimer: Shaman King belongs to its rightful owners (which does not include me!)
Archive: livejournal / fanfiction.net

Summary: "I want the stars" -- An amnesic Hao only remembers that the word "Hoshi" is special to him. Found unconscious in America, Hao takes on the name of Hoshi and eventually returns to Japan. This is his story after the anime.

-----chapter 11: breakfast confrontation-----

This morning, same as the past few days, Hoshi was staring off into space. As Sora served breakfast, she noticed that Hoshi had that faraway look again. The usually attentive boy paid no attention to anything. Every time he tried to pour himself some tea, he would forget about pouring the tea and the tea would, of course, overflow.

That wasn't the worse part of Hoshi's behavior.

The worst part was Hoshi's refusal to meet her eyes. Every time she glanced at him, he'd avert his eyes. She noticed that Hoshi refused to look Tsuki in the eye as well. Hoshi would talk to them with a smile, but he would always be looking elsewhere, like at the cup in his hands or at the fly on the wall.

That kind of behavior was extremely out of character for Hoshi. Sora could only conclude that something had happened to the boy on the day of cram school, since that was when this type of behavior started.

Sora then remembered what the lady at the cram school had said. The lady had called Sora to tell her about Hoshi's words to her. Hoshi had told the lady that he didn't have a family name because he didn't have a family.

Sora glanced at Hoshi, who had his eyes cast down.

Hoshi never talked about his family. Actually, Hoshi never even talked about himself. For Sora and Tsuki, Hoshi had been such a welcome presence that they never questioned him about his past. Hoshi had needed their companionship, so they had given it willingly, no questions asked.

For Tsuki, Hoshi was like an older brother. Tsuki adored Hoshi and constantly pestered him with demands to play outside.

For herself, Hoshi was like a third son. She couldn't help but notice how small Hoshi looked, despite the strong appearance he usually presented to them. She knew, deep down, that Hoshi was still a boy. Seeing Hoshi immediately triggered her motherly affections.

Today, after seeing Hoshi so out of it for the past few days, Sora decided to tell Hoshi about her past. She hoped that Hoshi would accept her suggestion. She timidly ventured forward with her suggestion.

"Hoshi...would you like to take on my name?"

Hoshi finally glanced up at her, his eyes locking on with hers.

"...what?"

Sora smiled slightly, somewhat shyly. "Would you like to take on my name, my maiden name?"

Hoshi wrapped his hands around his tea cup.

"That's a sudden offer."

Sora's lips became a thin line. "It isn't a sudden offer. I have already thought of you as family. This only makes it official."

Hoshi kept glancing up at her and then at Tsuki. To take on Sora's family name...he would truly become one with the family...but he couldn't do that...not with what he found out a few nights before.

Sora shook her head. "This isn't something you need to think about. We ARE your family."

Hoshi remained silent while Tsuki fidgeted in his seat. Why didn't Hoshi-niichan just say "yes?" Tsuki wanted Hoshi-niichan to be his 'niichan for real. If his 'kaachan had asked him about it, he would have said "yes" immediately.

Hoshi glanced up again and whispered, "Thank you."

Immediately, two identical smiles appeared over Sora and Tsuki's faces as Tsuki rushed over to hug Hoshi.

"Yoroshiku, Hoshi-niichan!" exclaimed Tsuki.

"Yoroshiku, Hoshi." murmured Sora.

He was officially a part of the family now. He couldn't help but feel a warm, tingling sensation inside of him. He had a little brother who was willing to call him "older brother." He had a mother who cared about him. He was part of a perfect family, minus the father...and the deceased brother.

Hoshi closed his eyes. What was he thinking when he accepted Sora's offer? He couldn't stay with Sora and Tsuki much longer. Right now, he was living at the tip of the iceberg, just waiting to get submerged into the ice cold water.

"Ano..." ventured Hoshi.

Sora replied, "Hai?"

"I've never asked for your maiden name...what is it anyway?"

Sora smiled grimly.

"It's Asakura."

-----0-----

Hoshi hugged his knees as he sat on top of his bed. It was such a bizarre coincidence. He had just found out that he was the killer of Tsuki's father and brother and that his name was Asakura Hao.

And now that Sora and Tsuki accepted him into the family officially, Hoshi discovered that they were all Asakuras.

His old identity was Asakura Hao. His new identity was Asakura Hoshi. Despite his memory loss, he had somehow returned to the same family, to the Asakuras.

How small was the world anyway?

That meant that he didn't just kill Tsuki's father and brother, but he also killed his own uncle and cousin.

Why did he kill them? What was the reason for such an act?

Hoshi wandered back to his previous thought. They were all Asakuras. The world really was a small place. He remembered Sora's explanations after her proclamation of her maiden name.

"As you know, Hoshi, I married an American. We had known each other for quite awhile before we married. He had wanted to move back to America, so I moved with him. The reason for his desire to go back, however, wasn't because he missed America, but because my family couldn't accept me."

Sora paused and then continued. "I know this may be hard to believe, but the Asakura family is a family with a special ability."

She looked at Hoshi, who still had a blank expression.

"They are shamans."

Sora's story wasn't done yet. "I was born into such a prestigious family, yet I was such a failure. I couldn't even see spirits. I still can't."

Hoshi glanced at Hoshisuke.

"My family thought I was a failure as well. In essence, they kicked me out of the family. But I didn't want to admit defeat, so I've kept my maiden name till this day. My husband has always humored me. Tsuki, it seems, has inherited my lack of shamanic skill, but my older son had been able to see spirits."

Sora smiled sadly. "I've decided it's time to move back to Japan so that I can confront my family again. They didn't accept me in the past, but I want them to accept Tsuki. Tsuki deserves to be part of the family. It's his right."

Hoshi remained silent during Sora's monologue. If Sora and Tsuki were both Asakuras, how come they didn't know that his real name was Asakura Hao? Could it be that he was born to the family after Sora had left for America?

The world was a small place. It seemed that he was fated to return to the Asakuras.

Hoshi remained in his curled position as he pondered about all the possibilities.

Sora wanted to confront the main Asakura family again. That meant...he would probably be able to see the person that Manta and Ren had mistaken him for.

Asakura...

Yoh.

-----to be continued-----

next chapter: convenience store