Chapter 4 : Everyone Else - Part 2

yO~ guys, I tried to write everything in one go and even after five hours of writing I was stuck with the story of Shin and Akane. I do not know if this is an original story or did I just reverberate the stories I had within me into something. I might have gotten influenced in this story by the books, songs, anime, movies or even news I read and I'm sorry if it feels like I stole from something.

I started writing a short introduction to Shin and Akane, but it carried on for hours and this is what that is resulted in. I still haven't finished this chapter and there will be one more part to it.

I have stopped the story of Shin and Akane abrubtly and I plan to give hints into their life slowly, let me know if you are interested in knowing more about their life.

Thanks for reading and have fun!!.

Chapter 4 : Everyone Else - Part 2

Part - 2

"Mother and father, This is Akane. She is my wife ", These words were spoken by a chick to its parents while cupping a now blushing chick under his tiny left wing.

"Ha ha!!, So cute , he already found himself a cutie eh Nigel." , said the mother of the chick towards her husband.

"Honey, I don't think he's joking...", said the husband.

"Kal!! Son, you were hatched into this world, don't fixate on a wife yet, that too you had to choose Charnel and Reese's hatchling.

Nigel, speak some sense into your son.", said the flustered mother Crane looking at the young chick.

The mother crane was taken down by the fact that she hoped the new children will hatch into the world saying 'Mother', but this was not so. All the creatures around the worlds had came to know that the new young ones born are chosen and different. Their son who had just hatched didn't say anything and only looked around to see everyone then said 'Interesting'.

The male crane looked at the stern looking hatchling holding the younger hatchling under his wing. Nigel looked more closely at the eyes of his son and he felt the steadfast decisiveness in them, like they could never be wrong.

"Ginn , let him be. They were a pair made beyond the skies, who are we to hinder.", said Nigel to his wife, Ginn who was taken aback by his words.

"Who are we?? WHO ARE WE!!!!!???

I'm his mother and you his father. We warmed him up so that he doesn't fail to grow strong.", said the frustrated mother eyeing the other young chick, Akane who was comfortably under the wing of her son.

Akane sensed the awkwardness and had only one thought in her mind.

At least they are better than his real parents.

Akane and Kal were married in real life for over 50 years. Kal was a restaurant owner, but now it is taken over by his children and he had retired with his wife travelling the world. When they returned back home after their trips, they had no where left to go, but when the new VRMMORPG was released their youngest son bought them two consoles to play.

Kal was speechless at the outburst of these computer generated characters before him. Everything felt real here and the emotions he felt from them were scary. He knew his parents were more dramatic than these computer generated ones, but his parents had left him over 20 years ago and he felt different, he never had to talk up to anyone in his family for the past 30 years.

Akane felt the pride of her husband when he pronounced her as his wife. He had done the same before his real parents 50 years back after they married at the local church and that was when they had kicked him out. Alone in the world with no one to look towards, they had a lot of hardships to face before them, but Kal had never bent down to anyone. He worked him way up and finally bought a rundown restaurant and then later became two and carried on. Now they owned over 10 restaurant chains and had nothing to worry, they have seen the world and also the future through their grand children, their elder daughter's children.

"Mother, Father. Please accept me as a part of your family as well. " , Said Akane looking at the adult Cranes in front of her.

Hearing her speak the two cranes looked at each other and sighed. They turned back and forth between Kal and Akane and sighed again looking at their eager and stern stance.

"They do look determined.", sounded someone from behind them.

"Fa..Father.", said Akane.

"Reese, I think you lost your daughter the first moment she showed her beak to the world. What do you think?"

"Nigel, I don't think anything I say will clear this. Her first words were 'Shin', so I believe it would be better to leave 'em be.

All the new children are acting different, I believe they are the special ones the winds spoke of."

Nigel and Ginn sighed and nodded in response.

Akane was taken into the family and Reese along with his wife, Charnel and their other children also joined Nigel and Ginn's family for their first lessons. Initially, they wanted to do it separately, but Akane refused to leave the side of Kal.

Reese tried his last chance,

"Dear child, you will have to learn how to find food and the way of life here and it is our duty as parents to teach you. You can join Kal soon after lessons."

Akane stood still not knowing what to do.

"This is a game my dear. Do what you want to do, you don't need to ask me. ", Kal closed in and whispered.

"I know. It just feels different suddenly being under someone else's care. " Akane said nodding.

Suddenly Kal pushed her forward with his beak and turned around towards his towering parents. Kal was still not used to balancing, so he walked back pacing as Akane taking momentary steps tread back with her parents.

**

Kal and Akane went about with their new families and had their first meal, but they were not far off from each other since it was the condition Akane had when going to separate from Kal. She had never been without him and now didn't feel herself without his presence.

Ginn picked off worms and bugs from under the soil teaching Kal how to know their presence by the small movement in the soil. Later which plants to eat and how to eat few bugs which had acid in their stomachs. The lessons ranged from learning how to pick food and also which food to take based on feeling.

When Kal asked about flying, Nigel explained that the basic lessons taught to the children since flying was a lesson for much later when they are grown their wings longer than their legs.

Kal was taken in by this fresh experience, he and his wife had travelled around the world and seen a lot of the wonders on this world, but the scene before him was different and beautiful. The view he had was more attuned with nature , as he saw which he would have missed as a human for he still remembers the African Safari and Volcano diving he had done with Akane.

Kal had started to feel the full wonder of the game since he hatched into this world. His first impression on perspective were on seeing two large cranes standing over him and the detail in the smell, the ground, the wind and even the sound he heard were strange but peaceful. He was smaller than the grass around him and each grain of grass and the insects living off them were visible. Even the rays of sunlight falling on him was different as he could see the different spectrum in all their beauty.

The lessons on survival for the day had completed and Kal accompanying Akane was treading nearby their nest. As they roamed around they found other families of Cranes with their young one; roughly over 200 pairs were in sight and each pair had a hatching to look after. All cranes looked a bit different from each other , but also the same. The only distinct difference was their length and size, the female were smaller when compared to males, but some males were smaller than others. Ginn and Nigel were comparatively humungous to Charnel and Reese.

After looking around and exchanging words of admiration for the experience, they awaited for a sunset, but it had started raining and when asked, Nigel mentioned to them the periods and cycles in the weather. Enjoying the rain, they logged out bidding their crane parents about logging out to which they were confused, but they corrected that they were going to sleep to which the led them to an opening inside a tree and they logged off.

Shin Kyshiro woke up smiling, he turned his gaze towards the right side of the bed viewing his wife as she awoke from the game. He held his right arm forwards as she took it and they stayed motionless.

"What do you think dear. Age might have stopped us from travelling, but now we can travel different worlds and that too from home.", said Shin.

"With you, I'm happy to go anywhere. I always have.", said Akane displaying a gentle smile at her husband, but Shin knew she was sad deep inside.

Shin Kyshiro is a successful business man, the chairman of the a number of restaurants around the world, but it was not so in the beginning. He was born to a farmer family and was the eldest son of three children, it was a time when more children were a boon to the family than the one-child policy.

As Shin reached maturity he was more involved in the family business rather than farm work, since his ability to his interest in expansion of the business than farming. His father the late, Kyo Kyshiro was an able man in both farming and business, but he wanted his elder son to take over the family legacy of farming while his younger brother and sister took to business.

Kyo Kyshiro had planned everything for his children, but there was something that interfered his plans, Akane Neko, the daughter of the village's priest. Shin first saw her on his way back from selling the season produce from the next town and wooed by her presence. He followed her towards the temple and found that she was the village priest's daughter. He didn't understand why he didn't notice her a long time ago.

He one day opened up to her and was let down softly. He pursued and after few month, she accepted. During this time Shin's father got wind of this and arranged Shin's marriage with the only daughter a large farming family equalling their status from the next village. After marriage, they would merge all the farms under the same banner and increase in size, but on the day the engagement was to take place, Shin walked in hand in hand with Akane.

"Mother and Father, This is Akane, She is my wife. I hope you will give us your blessings.", these were the words Shin still remembers even today. He had announced to his parents on the day of his father had called for an engagement dinner with the other party.

Shins announcement in between the dinner left everyone speechless and slowly the people from the other family seated there shouted words of insults and left.

Shin's mother was speechless and shaken with fear by her eldest sons announcement, not for their future, but knowing the temper of her husband. Kyo Kyshiro was speechless at the turn of events, he never knew his son had this much of a spine to do such a thing. Rage grew within him and he was blinded by his rage, by the time he had gained some sense - Shin was on the ground. He was shaken by his outburst, but his rage never quelled and before he lost his senses he shouted.

"Get out!!!! "

Everything changed that night for Shin, he had become an outcast. No one in the village would shelter them fearing Kyo Kyshiro's wrath.

Shin took nothing with him the night he left his father's home and had no source of living as he knew nothing other than the business. He turned to his friends and was able to acquire a few coins for travel, but it took him over a week to do so, as the parents of his friend's parents had also warned them in talking with Shin.

Kyo Kyshiro had later seen his son on the road lurking around to get some help from his friends. Kyo wanted to bring his son home and forgive him, but his pride stopped him whenever he wanted to talk to his son, the memory of the insult he got at the night he announced flashed in his head.

After having enough money, he took Akane who was sheltering at a friend's place nearby and left the village. He travelled far and arrived at an unknown city, he wouldn't go to the same towns he had previously visited knowing his father's influence and not wanting to shame his name. Shin was not outspoken, an extrovert as people call them nowadays, but he knew what to say and do every time. Being in the control of his father since childhood had affected his decisiveness, but since he started to take over the business he had started to develop self confidence.

On the street, a new city and far away from home his confidence was only supported by the warm grip provided by Akane by his side. Shin tried hard to find a job, but what he knew was less and no one needed anyone who knew less. After a week of searching for a job, Shin got the job as a coal bearer in the city outskirts, he left early morning and only returned completely exhausted by evening. This went on until Akane fell sick and he had to find employment nearby to take care of her.

He found a job in a restaurant nearby as a waiter. It was a famous restaurant nearby where he stayed in a rented apartment, the pay was meagre, but at the end of the day he was allowed to take the leftover food home. After working in the restaurant for months he had become quite close with the workers there and the owner of the restaurant was a kind man, he was called Kim Hiroki. Kim Hiroki had a son, Dai who was taking care of the restaurant, but he was aloof with everyone and wasn't as kind as the owner to everyone.

Days passed and the restaurant was not doing well as competition had grown with more fast food joints and the rising demand for modern foods where traditional food restaurants lost their values. The number of customers reduces to half and the restaurant was barely able to make even. The aloof Dai was given care of the restaurant but he had less interest when the business was stable and none after it went downhill.

One afternoon the owner, Kim Hiroki came to the restaurant to close down the restaurant as it was spending more than it was gaining and he wanted to give everyone their leaving pay. The workers and cooks knew of this and feared the passing days when the owner would step in since the younger master, Dai stopped coming to the restaurant weeks back and as the owner had come in today everyone was in tears.

"I believe everyone knows why I have come today. I am sorry, but I'm not as young enough to carry on with this forward to try new idea and risk. We have been like a family for so many years and it pains me to send everyone away. I have with me this month pay and also an additional month pay to help you until you find another job. I hope you forgive this old man for not sticking with you in this age of difficulty.", said the owner with sadness in his words and his eyes showed sincerity .

Everyone collected their final wages from the owner and thanked him for the extra and the restaurant was locked up after everyone had left.

Shin walked home but he did not want to return home early as he didn't want Akane to worry. Her earlier illnesses were due to stress caused and she was easily succumbed to bad thoughts. Shin had only one thought as he walked around the streets and that was to get another job before the end of the day. Even though he had received more than is monthly wages it was not sufficient for last a month since food costs more and the restaurant had been the sole source of food for Shin and Akane for a long time.

Shin went up and down every store and business asking for a job, but it was for naught. It was a time where businesses were always within the family and no outsiders were brought in as it would create an unwanted hierarchy.

After roaming around for a while Shin final stop was near an inn at the western side of the city, it was quite far away and it was where most of the wealthy spent their money. Shin had stayed clear of that side of the city since he did not want to run into anyone he knew, but now was a time of urgency and he headed there to search for a job. Moreover Shin had changed quite a bit since he came to the city, he had become leaner and his face looked rougher and his eyes which were full of strength when he came to the city were now tired and carried the fear for the unknown future.

Shin entered every inn and even the bars looking for employment, but he was quickly driven away at his appearance. Dejected he walked back home without a job to make up for the one he lost today, but on his way he saw Dai coming out of an inn, he was laughing and surrounded by a number of people, probably his friends, thought Shin. Dai was quite drunk as he was wobbling sideways as he walked and kept talking loudly.

".. I'm glad that father closed that good for nothing restaurant.... Now he will get me into the trading business...*hic*.."

Shin heard a few words, but he was not furious, he knew Dai never liked the restaurant as when he asked the owner to involve him in the business, the owner sent him to the restaurant saying that he had to learn how to serve a customer better and he had to learn that from the restaurant. Dai learned enough to show his father that he had learned from the restaurant, but the owner did not have him take care of other businesses, which left his dejected.

Shin was neither furious nor judgemental seeing Dai's appearance, but he remembered the days when he was such the same. He returned home and let Akane know on the occurance of the day, he comforted her and they shared the food he brought back from nearby since they stopped cooking long time back. Shin comforted Akane as she lay by his side and he went into nostalgia as he held Akane close. He remembered how he was when he stayed with his parents, fearless, without worry, compared to now he had done a lot of mistakes which would have cost a lot of people their livelihood but that never affected him at that time. Seeing Dai he come to understand about all the businesses that were closed because of him at home. He had won over many business deals, but he lost more and had to close down many due to the losses.

Shin lay awake throughout the night thinking of his past and his actions, but he was not disgusted, he learned more in these few hours over the night than he ever had in his life. He understood most of his father's actions when he asked Shin never to treat employees without respect, also he was never asked to announce the closing of any business and he knew why, it hurt him on understanding that his father had carried the fear for him a long time, sheltering him from the harshness of the world, but not anymore.

Over the night, Shin had changed, he felt it, as morning emerged the bright sky reflected the burning emotions in his eyes. He had brought a few groceries yesterday night and Akane prepared meal after a long time.

"I can't believe I missed this much of a delicious meal for a long . Will you make me this every day?"

"Of course Dear."

Shin embraced Akane and left home. Akane felt something was different in Shin, he was more assertive and bold, but his words now had a tone of gratefulness regardless of what he spoke.

Shin head straight to the home of Kim Hiroki with the extra pay he had in his arms. Kim Hiroki was a business man with quite a number of different businesses and the restaurant was one of them. It was one of his first businesses and had a lot of sentimental attachment to it. He was hesitant to let it go, but he had other businesses to take note of and the loss from the restaurant was eating at the gains of other businesses.

Kim Hiroshi sat before Shin, who was standing before him with an air of boldness no one had ever seen.

"Morning greeting Owner Kim"

"Greetings Shin, you don't have to call me Owner anymore."

"Kim-san, I would like to discuss a business proposition to you. I know it would not benefit you more now, but I will promise to make it up as time goes by."

Kim Hiroki was amazed by the straight forwardness and the boldness in the former caretaker in his restaurant. He had taken Shin to be a shy and as a man of very few words.

"Speak Shin, I will like to hear it."

"Kim-san, I would like to rent the restaurant for a month. I will take care of all the other costs of the restaurant and if I am able to make a turn around, I would like to rent it again. "

Kim Hiroki was more amazed by the words of the youngster before him. He had never seen anyone with such tenacity in his words in this time. Everyone lived in fear nowadays as the economy was unstable with the new western products and traders. As Kim was gauging Shin by his appearance, he knew Shin had nothing with him to back this courage, but the spirit of boldness he resonated was affecting Kim greatly and he agreed in his mind to help this young man as much as possible.

Shin took out his extra month pay he had received and presented it towards the owner.

"I do not have much to give as a rent now, but please take this as an advance and I will pay the rest in a month time. "

Kim looked at the meagre pay in his hand was taken aback. He expected at least a little more, but it even increased his curiosity to know where Shin got his courage from.

"Is this all?", said Kim

Shin looked nodded and said.

"This was the extra month wage, Kim-san gave me yesterday."

Kim was even more shocked, the sum was so meagre, it would not be even called as pocket change for his son, Dai.

Shin was getting tense at the silence of the owner, Kim and was opening his mouth to convince the elder more, but..

"I accept, I will take the rest of the money at the end of the month and I will come to the restaurant to collect it.", said Kim.

Shin's mouth was left hanging for a second, but that slowly turned into a smile of victory and he thanked the owner.

"Thank you very much owner Kim. I shall take my leave now, if you can provide me with the keys to the restaurant." said Shin bowing with respect and gratuity to Kim-san.

Kim instructed his servants to bring the keys to the restaurant and he handed them to Shin, wishing him good luck.

Shin thanked Kim for his kindness and left Kim-san with his first victory, now he had to do a much difficult task and that was convince the other workers to join him.

He went about and around the entire morning and talked with half the people who worked in the restaurant. Luckily and unluckily no one had been employed except for the cooks, but the cooks were working for a much lesser pay and as reserve in other restaurants. Shin conferred with each and every one of them on his plans for the restaurant. He had asked everyone to put in their one month wages they received from the owner to help start the restaurant again and he promised them it would reap benefits this time. The proposition looked too good to be true, it was a time where work was less and spending the only money they had into something which was brought down because it had no profit had left them not wanting to take risks. But they felt something in Shin's words and asked for a day's time to decide.

Shin found the houses from each of the workers houses and even the cooks houses and shared his ideas with them. He told them that they only had to maintain a month and if it didn't succeed they can go about again to their other jobs. Everyone was already working for change now and most of them had no work to begin with. Shin asked them to think about it over night and let him know their decision, since he had already rented out the restaurant from the owner, Kim-san that morning.

Shin left everyone to their thoughts and went to the market place, he went to their usual suppliers of groceries for the restaurant and told them that the restaurant is now going to be run by the workers there for a month and he asked them to help them with the supplies. He negotiated on most of the prices and good a better deal than they had before, but he said he will come tomorrow to confirm the deal with an advance and he left home.

As he reached home, Akane had prepared dinner and he ate the food with a smile. Akane was greatly moved by seeing Shin enjoying his meal. It was simple food, but Shin kept saying, delicious ever so often that Akane was blushing throughout supper. Akane saw a new Shin before her, a more confident Shin and she lay in his arms as she slept. Shin was happy with the course of the day and slept with a smile and Akane by his side.

The next day, he went to the restaurant and opened it up. He had asked everyone to make up their decisions and come to the restaurant to give their answer. Shin started cleaning up the place, he had made a plan for everything and if no one turned up as well, labour was easy to find since many were without work, but he wanted to do it with the people he worked with for more than an year as a family. After a while mostly everyone returned and even one of the cooks had returned. He had happy with the number and saw that they also had brought in their share of the salary as well as requested.

Shin was grateful and thanked everyone. He explained what his plan was - they didn't serve any food during the morning, they served lunch and dinner, but they would make lunch boxes as well and sell them on the street, everyone doubted his idea but Shin spoke with such certainty that no one refused. The lunch boxes were cheap to make, but who would buy them were their thoughts.

He asked Akane to come to the restaurant as well and help around, since she was all alone and this would keep her engaged and less worried about Shin.

Shin went to the market place with a few of the workers and paid a small sum to the traders as advance and picked up their groceries. He then asked them to return and tell everyone to put the sign out and prepare lunch.

Shin during his first day after his unemployment saw that most of the manufacturing companies around had no food facilities nearby and it had only a mess where the food was subpar from edible. This was one of the places he wanted to exploit. Another was the mining side which was near the outskirts of the city where Shin used to work during his initial months on arriving here.

After all was said and done, there was a slow start, slow but steady start and the demand for more lunch boxes increased and they stopped their in dining for both lunch and dinner and focused on providing lunch and dinner boxes to the manufacturing and mining district and within the month they were able to get about twice their initial investment.

Shin returned the money he took from the other, but they refused and took only their wages for the month saying they will consider it next month. Shin took care as the caretaker of the restaurant and it became a hit with the working class. The owner Kim came to collect his rent and saw that the restaurant was not open to public and he was doubtful if Shin had succeed in his task, but as he entered he saw that the insides were filled with boxes of food and the workers who were previously serving quests were wearing carrying backs which carry a large quantity of items around their necks and were packing the lunch boxes into the bags.

Kim looked at the spectacle before him and was in awe. He searched for Shin and saw that he rushed towards him as soon as Shin noticed him. Shin stepped forward with an air of stillness and bowed thanking Kim Hiroshi for his faith in him and the restaurant.

"Owner Kim, I'm thankful for your belief in me and the restaurant for we have spread the joy of healthy food with the people who need them the most.

I have with me the monthly rent as discussed.", said Shin bowing and handed a small money pouch before him.

Kim took the rent from him respectfully and that was the day Kim understood the capabilities of Shin completely. Shin later took over contracts within the Manufacturing company messes and a small quarters in the mining district to provide fresh and warm food to the people there and he changed the current Restaurant from the Lunch box factory into a traditional cuisine restaurant with the help of the Owner Kim.

Shin after three years saving enough money and courage to buy the Restaurant off Owner Kim, to which Kim was more than glad to offer it to him as no one in the family was interested in taking over the Restaurant business.

Shin then acquired more restaurants around the city and started others in the cities nearby, but he never left his goal of providing healthy and fresh food to manufacturing and working districts at affordable prices and Shin's empire grew. Akane was with him through all these occurrences through thick and thin, she was responsible in taking care of the restaurants when he went to take care of other businesses.

Shin and Akane had three children - Ichiro, the eldest son, Kichirou, the second son and Cheiko, their youngest daughter. Shin returned home to see him father after ten years when Ichiro was seven years old, Kichirou was five and Cheiko was two. He came to know that after he left his younger brother, Eiji had taken over the business and his sister was married off to a nearby village elder's son. Shin wanted to see his sibling a lot after the birth of Cheiko since it reminded him of his sister and brother. He also wanted to see his father and thank him and to seek forgiveness for the hurt he had caused them.

To make it short, he made peace with his father after few months of trial and frequent fights, but he later slept in the same house as his parents after a long time. Shin even begged the forgiveness of the village priest for taking his daughter's hand in marriage without his permission and that too ended in a peaceful result.

Shin later after the death of his parents wished to travel around the world since the company he had started had grown to a point it didn't require his constant attention. He sent his children to the best school, but he didn't pamper them. During his travels, Akane was always with him and never left his side, but during the last travel they went to Akane slipped and fell causing a tear in her hamstring muscle and separating it from the bone. The femur was also having a few hair fractures and the healing was slow due to her age and menopause. She was bedridden without the ability to stand or walk for long hours.

When Kichiro mentioned that even during recovery they can travel, it greatly confused and excited them, but when he explained it was actually computer generated they didn't feel too much excited. Akane was the main reason Shin wanted to travel as she had always talked about seeing all the wonders of the world and travelling to distant places she only read in books. To support Akane and since hey main source of slow recovery as explained by the doctor was the mental stress she puts herself in. Akane never shared her thoughts to others and not even to Shin, but he could see the difficult in her face and whenever she said she felt fine her eyes said otherwise.

Shin also ordered the VR for himself to support his wife and joined in on the fun as always. They didn't expect much from the game during the initial configuration of the VR, but when they both were brought into the game, they both said the same thing.

"Is this heaven!!!"

*********************

To be continued....

I hope everyone enjoyed this. There is one more part to this chapter and I hope to share it within this week.

Enjoy!!!