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FIC: Sanctuary
Title: Sanctuary
Rating: PG
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita (Embracing Love)
Pairing: Kikuchi/Onozuka
Characters: Kikuchi, Onozuka, Yoshizumi, Asano
Word count: ~5,160
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Sequel to: Unexpected Opportunities, Comeback (Part 1 and Part 2), Forgiveness, Firsts, First Date (Part 1 and Part 2), Going Steady (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6), Audition (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Cookout (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), and Press Conference (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3). The series also includes two side-stories that are outside of the main timeline: Valentine's Day Surprise and Strictly Business.
Summary: Kikuchi tells the younger men a story about how he took sanctuary in a church ten years ago.
***
Kikuchi, Onozuka, Yoshizumi, and Asano started to leave the TV studio to meet the others at the pub, but were stopped along the way by a production assistant.
"Excuse me, Kikuchi-san," the young man called out as he ran after them. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I have someone who would like to meet you."
"Of course," Kikuchi said, fixing a polite smile on his face as he turned towards the assistant. It was an expression Onozuka privately thought of as "public mode," the one that an actor put on whenever he or she met a fan who wanted an autograph, or just to chat with the star that they admired. Most times it was a pleasure rather than a burden--Onozuka was still new enough to fame to enjoy the recognition. But even when it was inconvenient--for example, being interrupted at a restaurant while having dinner with a friend--he was always polite and gracious, an instruction that had been drilled into his head by his manager from the time he'd first signed up with the agency.
"The public is fickle, and they can make or break you," Fujimoto had cautioned. "It doesn't cost anything but a little extra time to smile and sign an autograph. But be rude just once, and these days with the internet, it can spread like wildfire that you've gotten a big head and forgot about the people who made you a success."
It looked like Kikuchi had taken that lesson to heart, too. But when a middle-aged man dressed in the black coat and white collar of a Christian priest joined the assistant, Kikuchi's polite smile widened into a startled but genuinely delighted grin.
"Father!" he exclaimed. "I never expected to see you here!"
"So you really do know Kikuchi Katsuya!" the assistant blurted out to the priest.
Kikuchi laughed and asked, "Did you think that a man of God would lie to you?"
The assistant smiled sheepishly and said, "Not really. Well, I don't know about all men of God, but I know that Father Osamu would never lie to me. But it just seemed so incredible that he really knew a movie star..."
"I'm almost as surprised that Kikuchi-san knows a priest," Yoshizumi said with a quizzical smile.
"He did me a favor and helped me hide from the paparazzi ten years ago," Kikuchi said, still grinning widely. "This is Father Wada Osamu, who is the priest of a church in the neighborhood where my parents live. Father, these are my co-stars, Onozuka-kun, Yoshizumi-kun, and Asano-kun."
The priest bowed and smiled cheerfully at them. He was broad-shouldered with a burly build, and had a crooked nose that looked as if it had been broken at least once in the past--not exactly what Onozuka had expected a priest to look like. Then again, he had never met a Christian priest in person before, and he supposed that it wasn't realistic to expect a real priest to resemble the fictional versions he was familiar with from movies and TV dramas.
Onozuka and his fellow actors bowed and murmured polite greetings, and Wada bowed in return. "Allow me to introduce my young friend as well," he said, gesturing towards the production assistant. "This is Murata Kenichi."
"I'm pleased to meet all of you," Murata said politely as he bowed. "I grew up in the children's home sponsored by Father's church," he explained. "My mother passed away when I was twelve, and my father had left years ago. Some relatives of my mother took me in, but regarded me as an unwelcome burden, and I started acting out: running with a bad crowd, stealing, and getting into fights. My relatives couldn't deal with it, and I ended up at the home. I was a bitter, hostile kid, but Father and the teachers there were very patient and compassionate, and they helped me turn my life around." He smiled warmly at the priest. "They sincerely cared about me, more than my relatives ever did. It was my dream to work in TV--behind the scenes, since I'm not much of an actor--and Father helped me get a scholarship to study broadcasting after I graduated from high school."
"He did very well for himself and ended up working here," Wada said, sounding as proud as a biological parent would be of his son, which made Onozuka feel a little wistful, since he knew that his own father would never speak of him with such pride.
"What a heartwarming story!" Yoshizumi exclaimed. "It would make a great movie or TV drama!"
"Oh, it's not really that exciting," Murata laughed sheepishly. "Anyway, Father and I still keep in touch, and when he heard that the press conference was being held here, he asked if I could get him into the studio to say hello to Kikuchi-san. He told me the story years ago about how you two met, but that sounded like something out of a TV show--almost too incredible to be true!"
"You must have faith, my son," Wada said in the serene manner of a stereotypical TV priest.
"I will, Father," Murata promised, grinning.
"I'm glad to see that you're doing well for yourself," Wada told Kikuchi. "Your parents are very happy that you were able to return to Japan."
"Oh, have you spoken with them?" Kikuchi asked.
"Yes, your mother drops by to donate clothing and other items for charity every now and then, and your father recently volunteered to teach judo a few times a week to the kids at the children's home," Wada replied.
"That's right, my mother mentioned something about him volunteering," Kikuchi recalled. "She was relieved, because he was growing restless and bored with retirement."
"Your father is a judo expert, Kikuchi-san?" Yoshizumi asked.
"He's a retired detective," Kikuchi replied. "And all the officers in the Metropolitan Police Department are required to study at least one form of martial arts."
"Oh, I didn't know that," Yoshizumi said cheerfully. "How interesting! Your father must be pleased that you've played detectives so often in your TV shows and movies."
"Actually, he complains to me about all the things that the script gets wrong," Kikuchi laughed. "But yes, I think that secretly he's a little tickled by the idea."
"He's also been talking about organizing a fishing trip for the kids," Wada said, and Kikuchi burst into laughter.
"Ah yes, that sounds like my old man!" he chuckled.
"We're very lucky to have him," Wada said with a smile.
"I'm sure that the kids do him just as much good as he does them," Kikuchi replied, still laughing. "I'll leave him in your capable hands, then," he added, bowing. "Please look after my father, Father."
"I will," Wada promised, and the two men grinned and shook hands. After chatting a little while longer, they said goodbye and the actors continued on their way.
When they reached the parking lot, Asano and Yoshizumi seemed a little surprised by the sight of Kikuchi's car: a mid-priced Toyota that looked new but was hardly the sort of vehicle that one would expect a movie star to drive, especially someone with a bad boy image like Kikuchi. It seemed more like something a reasonably prosperous salaryman would drive--a practical car for a family man.
"What, not what you were expecting?" Kikuchi asked as he grinned at Asano and Yoshizumi.
"Ah, not really," Asano confessed, smiling sheepishly. "I was expecting something a bit more..."
"Sporty and flashy?" Yoshizumi finished cheerfully. "Didn't you used to drive a bright red convertible?"
"Oh, Yoshizumi-san is a Kikuchi fan, too!" Onozuka teased, and Yoshizumi just laughed.
"That was back in the old days," Kikuchi replied, not looking upset by the reminder of his pre-scandal days. "It was mostly for show, to keep up my image in the press, although of course it's fun to drive a car like that."
"But for avoiding the paparazzi, something less flashy is better, right?" Onozuka asked.
"You're absolutely right, Onozuka-kun," Kikuchi agreed, unlocking the car doors. "And this is a lease," he added. "So if I get bored with it or the paparazzi catch on, then I can trade it in for a different model."
"Kikuchi-san is so clever," Onozuka said in an admiring voice as he quickly slipped into the front passenger seat beside Kikuchi before anyone else had a chance to claim it. He received a brief disgruntled look from Asano before the other actor managed to cover it up with a pleasant smile.
"You seem to know a lot of interesting people, Kikuchi-san," Yoshizumi said, changing the subject as he and Asano got into the back seat. "How did you happen to meet Father Osamu?"
"Well, that's a rather long story," Kikuchi said with a grin. "Do the three of you really want to hear it?"
"Yes!" Onozuka, Yoshizumi, and Asano chorused in unison, and Kikuchi laughed as he started the car.
"All right, then. It was about ten years ago, not long after the scandal broke..."
***
Kikuchi couldn't escape the reporters who hung around outside his condominium day and night, so he fled to his parents' house in a quiet Tokyo suburb. After his father's initial anger over Kikuchi not having confided the truth in him earlier, his entire family had been remarkably kind and understanding about the whole ordeal. So understanding, in fact, that it made Kikuchi feel guilty.
His mother had to bear with the tabloid headlines and the neighbors' gossip, which was bad enough, but Kikuchi was sure that his scandal was having an effect on his father's and his brother's careers. His dad was up for a promotion, but likely wouldn't get it now; the police department wouldn't want to invite more media attention and controversy upon itself. And Kikuchi's younger brother, Kojiro, had just graduated from law school and taken a position in the Prosecutor's office that would now be in jeopardy. At best, his career advancement would be hindered due to his notorious brother, and at worst, he might even be asked to resign.
Both his father and brother had told Kikuchi not to worry about it, that they'd be fine, but he couldn't help worrying anyway. Not that he didn't have problems enough of his own to worry about: all his current job offers and endorsement deals had been cancelled, and no one would hire him for even the smallest supporting role.
He'd spent the last week cooped up in the house, lying low to avoid attracting media attention. So it was no wonder that he felt restless, trapped at home with nothing to do except think about how he'd ruined his own career, and maybe his father's and Kojiro's as well.
And Kenji's. The last time that they'd spoken, curtly and awkwardly over the phone, Kenji had said that he was taking a temporary leave of absence from his university position, since the media frenzy that had inflicted itself on the campus made it impossible for him to work, and was a distraction to the students.
Not to mention an embarrassment to the university. Kikuchi was afraid that the "temporary" leave would become permanent, although Kenji had said that it wasn't Kikuchi's problem--but of course it was. If he hadn't been so careless, none of this would have happened.
In hindsight, he wasn't sure what he should have done, though. Obviously, he should have been watching out for the paparazzi, but he couldn't think of any good resolution to his and Kenji's personal problems. Kenji hadn't been content to play the "secret mistress," but going public with their relationship would have resulted in the same media scandal. Would the only solution have been to let Kenji go quietly and be content with discreet one night stands with strangers?
Finally, Kikuchi couldn't take it anymore and slipped out to go buy some cigarettes, just to have a chance to get out of the house, and maybe to escape the guilt that was gnawing at him, at least for a little while.
It was a mistake, of course. The paparazzi had caught on to the fact that he'd left his condo, and the next logical place to check was the neighborhood where his family lived. One reporter spotted him, alerting the others, and the chase was on.
Kikuchi had grown up here, so he had a small advantage in knowing the neighborhood much better than the reporters did. He ducked out of sight down a side street and managed to shake them temporarily, but they were only a few blocks behind and would catch up to him sooner or later.
Up ahead was the local Catholic church, a small stone building with stained glass windows. It had been there since before he'd been born, but he had never set foot inside it since his family wasn't Christian. His mother occasionally gave them donations for charitable causes, though.
The door to the building was slightly ajar, and Kikuchi hesitated, not sure whether services were in session or whether the Christian God would appreciate a notorious homosexual actor ducking into His church for a moment to escape the paparazzi. But said paparazzi were going to catch up with him any minute now, so Kikuchi dashed up the steps and into the church. He could always leave a generous offering in the donation box (surely the church had one?) as an apology.
The room was empty, so at least he wasn't interrupting a service and subjecting himself to a different crowd of onlookers. Kikuchi quickly moved out of sight, away from the gap in the doorway, and a minute later he could hear the commotion from the reporters as they paused in the street outside.
"Where the hell did he go?"
"Damn it, how could we lose him? We were right behind him!"
"Maybe he doubled back that way?"
The sound of voices and running footsteps gradually faded away. Apparently it hadn't occurred to them that Kikuchi might have taken shelter in the church. Which was fortunate for him, although he couldn't really blame them--it never would have occurred to him, either, if he hadn't been so desperate.
Since no one was here to object, Kikuchi thought it would be wise to hide here awhile longer, until the paparazzi gave up the chase. It wasn't a bad place to wait: it was quiet and peaceful, and the sunlight filtering through the stained glass windows left jeweled patterns on the floor that somehow added to the air of tranquility.
He made his way down the aisle between the double rows of empty wooden pews, looking around curiously. There was an altar at the head of the room beneath a large stained glass window portraying the Virgin Mary holding a baby Jesus in her arms. Off to the side was a smaller altar holding rows of small candles in glass holders. They gave off a soft, steady light, and Kikuchi was wondering if the candles held some special significance when a voice behind him pleasantly said, "Good morning."
He jumped and spun around, finding himself face to face with a man who, judging by his clothing, was the priest of this church. However, his crooked nose and brawny build--obvious even beneath the concealing black outfit--made him look more like a boxer than a priest.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," the priest said. "I'm Wada Osamu, the priest of this church." He held out his hand, and Kikuchi shook it. The priest had a firm grasp, but one that felt warm and welcoming rather than intimidating, as one might expect from his appearance.
"I didn't mean to intrude," Kikuchi replied, shying away from his giving his own name, although it was probably rude not to return the introduction. "The door was open, and I...well..."
"It's no intrusion," Wada assured him. "All God's children are welcome in His house."
"I'm not a member of this church, although I guess you already know that," Kikuchi said. The Christian population in Japan in general, and this neighborhood in particular, was small enough that the priest no doubt knew each of his parishioners by face and name.
"All men and women are children of God," the priest replied serenely, pausing for a moment before he added, "Kikuchi-san."
"Ah, so you did recognize me," Kikuchi said sheepishly. "I didn't think that my films would appeal to a priest."
"I don't get out to the movies much, but I've seen some of your shows on TV," Wada replied cheerfully. "Also, your mother has been kind enough to answer our call when the church has put out fliers requesting donations for a charity drive or church bazaar. She's very proud of you, Kikuchi-san."
"Maybe not so much now," Kikuchi said ruefully.
"I'm sure that's not so," Wada politely disagreed. "I don't know her well, but she doesn't seem like the kind of woman who would think less of you because of..." He hesitated, then finished tactfully, "...recent events."
"You're right," Kikuchi admitted; his mother had been nothing but sympathetic and supportive. "I know she's not ashamed of me, but I've caused my family a lot of trouble."
The priest listened with a sympathetic and receptive look on his face, and Kikuchi realized that he must be used to having his parishioners tell him about their problems, which was, after all, part of his job. But Kikuchi was surprised that he'd started talking about the scandal with a total stranger, however well-meaning that stranger seemed. Maybe that was part of a priest's training, to learn how to radiate an aura of trustworthiness?
"But anyway, I didn't come here for a confession," Kikuchi said hastily. "There were some reporters chasing me, and I just ducked in here to get away from them. Sorry for the intrusion..."
"As I said before, it's not an intrusion, Kikuchi-san," Wada said pleasantly. "After all, in the old days, the church has often functioned as a sanctuary."
"Even for an infamous gay actor running from the media?" Kikuchi asked bitterly. "Doesn't your religion consider it a sin for men to love other men?"
"It's true that official church doctrine considers homosexual activity to be a sin," Wada replied quietly. "However, for myself personally, I don't feel comfortable passing judgment on someone because of whom they love."
Kikuchi's bitterness faded into bemusement, and he said, "You're an odd sort of priest."
"I suppose I am," Wada laughed, looking unoffended. "But considering my past, it's difficult, and perhaps hypocritical of me to judge others."
"Your past?" Kikuchi asked in confusion, and in response, the priest unbuttoned the cuff of one sleeve and pushed it up to reveal a colorful wave-patterned tattoo winding its way down his forearm.
"You were a yakuza?!" Kikuchi exclaimed incredulously.
"Oh no," Wada chuckled as he pulled his sleeve back down. "I was just a small-time wannabe thug in my younger days. I did many things much worse than falling in love with someone of the same gender: breaking and entering, robbery, assault. But I was lucky and was only caught and charged for minor offenses--until my luck finally ran out. Ironically, the only serious jail time I did was for a crime that I didn't commit. A couple of my buddies robbed a liquor store and seriously beat the owner--almost killed him, in fact. They were wearing masks, but the owner managed to pull off one of the robbers' masks during the struggle, and he was able to identify the guy from mug shots when he regained consciousness. The cops told my buddy that they'd cut him some slack if he gave up his partner, so he gave them my name."
Kikuchi noticed that the priest had slipped out of his formal, polite Japanese into the more casual manner of speech that a street thug might use, which seemed to support his unlikely tale. "But if you were buddies, why would he implicate you when you weren't even there?" Kikuchi asked.
"It turns out that we weren't such loyal friends, after all," Wada said with a wry smile. "You see, I'd been sleeping with his girl on the sly, and he found out about it. So in revenge, he told the cops...er, the police...that I'd been his partner in the robbery. Of course I denied it, but with my reputation, the police didn't believe me. I'd been sleeping off a hangover alone in my apartment at the time of the robbery, so I had no alibi. I ended up being convicted and sent to prison on my 'buddy's' testimony."
He sighed ruefully and continued, "In hindsight, maybe it was poetic justice for all the crimes I had committed in the past and never been charged with. But at the time I was bitter and resentful--towards my former friend, the police, the prosecutor, the judges, and pretty much the entire world at large.
"I did my time and was eventually released, but had nowhere to go. My family had long ago disowned me, and I didn't want to go back to my old 'buddies' even if they'd have me. I wanted to leave my old life behind, but no one wanted to hire an ex-con. I was tired, dirty, broke, and hungry when I stumbled upon this church on a rainy night.
"I broke in to get out of the rain. I thought I could sleep someplace warm and dry, and leave the next morning before anyone found me. And to my shame, I thought there might be some money I could steal, perhaps from the collection box, although I didn't expect a little church like this to have much. But maybe enough to buy a meal, or more likely, get drunk on and forget my problems for a few hours.
"But as it turns out, the priest at the time, my predecessor Father Shigeru, happened to be working late in the office that night. And instead of chasing me off or calling the police, he fed me a good meal, and let me shower and sleep at his place. Like taking in a stray cat." Wada chuckled nostalgically. "The Father was a soft touch, and there were always a few cats, and maybe a dog or two hanging around his house.
"He continued to let me stay at his place in exchange for doing some cleaning and odd jobs around the church. He didn't try to force any obligations on me to attend his sermons in exchange for my room and board, but I did anyway, mostly out of boredom since I didn't have anything better to do. And...it sounds corny, but I found peace and healing in the church, through Father's compassion and the words of the Bible. I was able to forgive the people who had wronged me, and resolved to atone for the wrongs that I had committed in the past.
"Father Shigeru helped me turn my life around and get a job and make an honest living. I continued going to church, and eventually decided to enter the priesthood. And when Father passed away a few years ago, I was very grateful to be able to take over here and carry on his work. So you see, Kikuchi-san, I'm hardly in a position to judge you."
Kikuchi laughed, "A gangster turned priest--that would make a great movie!"
"Oh, it's hardly so romantic as that," Wada politely demurred. "In any case, you're welcome to stay as long as you like. I saw the reporters run off, but you might want to wait a little longer, until they've left the general area."
"Thank you," Kikuchi said, and his attention returned to the candles he had been looking at before the priest had startled him. "What are these?" he asked. "They're very pretty, but I suppose they must have some religious significance beyond decoration."
"Those are votive candles," Wada explained. "They are lit as a symbol of a prayer intention."
Kikuchi smiled wryly. "I can think of a number of things I would like to pray for, but it doesn't really seem appropriate to ask God to make the paparazzi leave me alone."
Wada chuckled gently and said, "Generally, you light a candle when you wish to say a prayer for someone else. Perhaps you have a loved one that you wish to say a prayer for, Kikuchi-san?"
Generally, Kikuchi didn't believe in prayers--Christian, Buddhist, or Shinto. He usually went with his family to the local Shinto shrine for the annual New Year's blessing, but more because it was a family tradition than anything else. He wasn't the type to buy good luck charms or write wishes on votive tablets; he preferred to make his own luck. But his luck wasn't so good right now, so what could it hurt to light a candle? Besides, it would give him an excuse to make the donation he had promised, if only to himself, in exchange for this brief sanctuary.
"Is it customary to make a donation?" he asked, and Wada indicated a small wooden box next to the altar.
He slipped a couple of bills into it, which was probably more than the usual donation, judging by Wada's raised eyebrows and murmured, "You are very generous, Kikuchi-san." But the church had provided a sanctuary, and Wada had been kind, and had even distracted Kikuchi from his problems for a short time with that very unusual and entertaining story of how he had become a priest.
Kikuchi lit the candle and bowed his head briefly in prayer. Please don't let my family and Kenji suffer for whatever sins I might have committed, whether it was to fall in love with a man, or just to be arrogant enough to think that I could keep such a secret in a profession where the scrutiny of the media is always upon us.
He left the church a short time after that and returned home, feeling a little more at peace with himself, even though none of his problems had gone away. The very next day, he unexpectedly received a call from his manager.
Kikuchi knew that there couldn't possibly be any new job offers, so he wondered if his agency was going to sever their contract with him, although they'd have to pay a penalty to cut him loose early. Still, they might think it would be worth it to get rid of a troublemaker like him--after all, it was extremely unlikely that he would be earning them any money in the foreseeable future.
But instead he was told, "Some big-shot director in the U.S. is apparently a fan of yours, and he wants to offer you a part in his latest movie. It's only a supporting role, but it would be a good idea for you to get away from Japan for awhile and allow some time for this...controversy...to die down a little."
His manager was trying to put a good spin on things, but they both knew that it would be years before the controversy blew over--if it ever did. Still, at least it gave Kikuchi a chance to continue his acting career, even if it was in another country. And once he left, hopefully the scandal would die down a little--not enough to save his career, but maybe enough to save his father's and Kojiro's and Kenji's. Without a star's face to attach to the tabloid articles, the public's interest would eventually fade.
Kikuchi remembered the prayer he had made, and he laughed, "Maybe this is a sign from God!"
"Excuse me?" his manager asked in a puzzled and concerned voice, no doubt wondering if the stress had affected his client's mental health.
"Never mind, it's just an inside joke," Kikuchi chuckled. "I'll accept the offer. When do I leave?"
***
"And that's how I met the Father, and how my American career got started," Kikuchi finished, just as they pulled up outside the pub.
"Wow, you're right, Kikuchi-san!" Onozuka laughed. "That would make a great movie!"
"Or maybe a TV series," Yoshizumi said whimsically. "We could call it 'Yakuza Priest,' and every week it would show the hero helping out a person in need."
"Maybe make it a mystery drama," Asano suggested, playing along. "Every week he could solve a different murder that just happens to occur near the church."
"That would be a pretty unlucky church," Onozuka laughed.
"Actually, there was already a series like that in the U.S.," Kikuchi told them. "'Father Dowling Mysteries'--it was based on a series of books. Except that the priest wasn't a former gangster, as far as I know."
"So our idea is still a little original," Yoshizumi said with a grin. "Maybe we should see what Mizutani-sensei thinks of it!"
"If you don't mind, Kikuchi-san," Onozuka added in a more serious voice. "It's a rather personal story, after all."
"It's all right," Kikuchi replied, smiling. "It's not such a painful memory these days. And while I can't exactly say that I'm grateful to the paparazzi, I'm glad that I no longer have to pretend to be something that I'm not."
"It did take years, but I think that the public has finally accepted you, Kikuchi-san," Yoshizumi said.
"We'll see," Kikuchi replied cynically. "It remains to be seen how the public would react if I openly started dating someone."
"Like Onozuka-kun?" Asano asked sweetly.
Kikuchi just laughed and said lightly, "I'm afraid that his fans might hate me if I took their Golden Prince away from them!"
"Maybe not," Yoshizumi said. "Katou-kun's female fans seem to love the idea of his relationship with Iwaki-kun. They find it very romantic."
"Because their relationship is marketed as 'pure love,'" Kikuchi replied sourly.
"I'm not sure about 'pure,' but I know that their love is sincere," Yoshizumi laughed. "Nauseatingly so, in fact!"
"Well, hopefully the public will accept my relationship with Onozuka-kun..." Kikuchi paused for a moment, causing Onozuka's heart to skip a beat before he finished slyly, "...in the movie, of course."
"Of course," Onozuka said with a sweet smile, resolving to find a way to make his lover pay for nearly giving him a heart attack. Although he supposed he should have known that Kikuchi wouldn't really expose their relationship to Asano and Yoshizumi. "I think that Ryotaro and Eisuke have a very pure love, too, in their own way, so we'll just have to convince the audience of that."
"I look forward to it," Kikuchi purred, giving Onozuka a hungry, wolfish smile as they headed into the pub.
"Pure, huh?" Asano muttered sarcastically under his breath, but Onozuka pretended not to hear him.
THE END
Next story in the series: The Prince vs. the Groupie, Part 1
***
Afterword: The idea for this story came partly from the Christian imagery in the Coldplay song "Viva la Vida," which is my unofficial theme song for Kikuchi (see my afterword for Going Steady, Part 6), and it put the idea into my head of Kikuchi meeting a priest. The other part comes from one of my favorite Japanese detective shows, "Aibou" (mentioned in the afterword to Audition, Part 2).
In one episode, the two detectives are looking for a missing girl who appears to have been kidnapped, and mysterious clues left around the neighborhood lead them to a Christian church. The detectives find out that the priest is a convicted child molester, but it turns out that he was falsely convicted: he encountered a girl being molested and scared off the attacker, but the girl was frightened and confused, and told the police that he was the attacker. He was convicted and sent to prison, and when he got out, he was bitter and angry at the world. He met a priest who helped him find healing and forgiveness in the church, and eventually became a priest himself. It turns out that the missing girl ran away from home and the priest was sheltering her in his church. Her parents were emotionally neglectful--they never gave her any affection, and insisted that she concentrate on her studies to the exclusion of having friends and being able to play like a normal kid. She had met and been befriended by the priest earlier, so she ran away to him when she couldn't take it at home anymore. The priest was the one who left the clues, hoping that the parents would worry about their daughter, realize that they cared about her, and come to bring her back home. With the help of the detectives, the parents realize the error of their ways and are reconciled with their daughter.
I really liked the idea of an ex-con priest, so I borrowed that premise from the show, although my priest really was a thug, while the Aibou priest was completely innocent. And I totally loved the "Father Dowling Mysteries" TV show--I kind of want to watch it again now! Too bad it's not out on dvd yet. I'm not sure if that's really Kikuchi's thing, but maybe his American boyfriend used to watch it. ^_^ Personally, I love that type of humorous, slightly cheesy detective show--I also love Diagnosis Murder (Dick Van Dyke as a doctor who always gets involved with solving murders, due to his police detective son).
The reference to Kikuchi's father studying judo as a requirement of the Metropolitan Police Department also comes from Aibou. (The MPD serves the entire Tokyo area.) I don't know if it's true that the officers are required to study martial arts, but the detectives in Aibou state that it is, which serves as the set-up to an episode where another detective's kendo instructor is murdered.
I also did a bit of research on Christianity in Japan. Christians make up only about 1 percent of the population, but Christian organizations run a disproportionately large number of orphanages and charities in Japan, and I have noticed that most of the orphanages I see in TV dramas are run by Christian nuns.
I'm working on a follow-up to this fic, a sort of crossover with "Groupie," where they get to the pub, and Kikuchi gets hit on by Takashi, the title character of "Groupie," much to Onozuka's displeasure. I had meant to post them together, but the second fic got delayed a bit due to preparations for the Boku no Koe RPG. I'm almost done, and hope to finish that one soon.
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BTW, it's my understanding that technically the Catholic church and even the most virulent anti-gay evangelical and fundamentalist Protestant denominations do not consider homosexuality per se sinful. It is same-sex sexual activity that is considered sinful. A subtle distinction, but a real one.
While many of these groups believe it possible to 'cure' someone of homosexuality, the biblical passages they point address sex acts between members of the same sex, not the sexual orientation. Theoretically, someone who is attracted, romantically and sexually, only to members of their own sex but who remains celibate is not committing any sin thereby.
In fact, other than a possible reference in the first chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans, there are no biblical references one way or the other to lesbian activity. All the references are to sex between men.
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I was actually bouncing in my seat when I saw your update, and you didn't dissapoint!
I just love these little tidbits of their lived that you give us, ooooh what I wouldn't give to have your imagination ^^
Thank you for updating (｡◕‿◕｡)
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christian religion is supposed to feel strongly about forgiving sinners.. so even if the bible states that homosexuality is forbidden, there should always be room for forgiveness.. but as in any religion, belief or ideology, the people involved are human beings, even a priest can be inclined to be rather severe than gracious - the punishing god versus the loving one.. luckily, the one from this story had got the message right!
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Maybe is cultural (i.e., I'm not Japanese), but I don't remember votive candles in my local church, in Sanctuaries or Cathedrals, yes, but not in small, parochial churches. And, this is me nitpicking, I'm sure no catholic priest will accept money without blessing the donor and his/her job.
Sorry if I seem like looking for faults. The tale is a good one, it introduce a OC in a charming way and gave a new perspective on Kikuchi's trial with the press.
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I'm happy that you liked the character, and I'm glad you're enjoying the series! ^_^
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And I really like how you write this pair!