Raising the Canon Fodder Child as a Villainous Character

Taiki only had a year left before he was due to return home like he’d promised to Eri. It would be unfortunate if he wasn’t able to find a cure for her, but that would be secondary if he wasn’t there to make sure she survived to see one made. 

Yuzuki had returned home just weeks after Takuya had, leaving Taiki alone. It was her departure that allowed him to focus entirely on the testing and research with a single-minded focus.

Just a month or so after her return, he got a message from Hachirou that he was finally back in Japan. It had been a surprise to hear from him, as he hadn’t expected the message and contact Hachirou had been in the rough end for the last year or so. While he accepted phone calls, he refused to do video calls. Taiki knew he and Yuzuki had gotten back in contact, but Yuzuki wasn’t telling him anything about Hachirou’s abrupt change in attitude either.

Some months after Hachirou’s return, Taiki received an excited call from Akimitsu that he and Megumi were engaged. While Taiki had half anticipated that they’d start dating if they hadn’t driven each other apart since high school, he was surprised that between one call and the next they’d gone to there being nothing between them, then dating and engaged within two months.

Life was going on without him.

Mother and Father called consistently to update him on Eri, and as expected, Makoto was still consistently in their stories. He even heard a bit about Takuya on occasion. Much more than he’d seen Takuya around the neighborhood before, when he’d still been mourning the loss of hi ex-wife.

There was development there, Taiki thought, and Mother agreed with him. “He seems like he’s in love,” she said one phone call. “Ah, such early stages of love… they’re so sweet to see.”

Her words were what gave Taiki the courage, and deep-seated hope, to call Takuya’s number, still saved from his babysitting days.

“Hello?” Takuya said, sounding curious. It was entirely likely he didn’t have Taiki’s new number, so the confusion was understandable.

Taiki grinned, laying back on his bed and petting Patch. “Hey, it’s me,” he said. “I was just calling to see what you were up to, if you remembered little ol’ me.”

Takuya chuckled. “Forget you, Taiki Kuroda?” he said. “I couldn’t if I tried.”

While his life was constantly on the move, calling people back home was a welcome reprieve. He wasn’t entirely sure if he could call his relationship with Takuya as partners, but it was still hard to be so far away from the one his heart ached for, even if they did regularly call and message each other.

Harder still was the calls from Eri. “Please come home, big bro,” she asked every time before she hung up.

“I can’t yet,” Taiki always apologized painfully. “I will soon.”

Eri would sigh and say “I know…”

Taiki did want to go home sooner. But he couldn’t. Not yet.

There was still too much that needed done.

But luckily, Dr. Shirozawa’s breakthrough had resulted in them being allowed to start a clinical trial. With just how rare the disease was, it was exceedingly difficult to find anyone who could match the same symptoms as Eri, but in the end, they found 200 participants with similar enough symptoms willing to test their cure. 187 of them started showing improvements by the end of the year.

Taiki knew, logically, it should have taken much longer. Two years was not enough time for two men, even with the team they’d gathered over the course of the two years, to find a cure for Eri’s disease. 

He was just thankful that novel logic had come to his aid once again. 

Three weeks before December, Taiki went with Dr. Shirozawa to a conference to discuss their findings. Dr. Shirozawa stood at the front of the crowd of other doctors and reporters, reading off his script so he didn’t lose his place. 

He mentioned by name the other researchers on their team and how each had come to the aid of the development for the cure. He mentioned very little about his own achievements, and how it was the twelfth disease he’d found a cure for, instead moving on to talk about Taiki, and how Taiki had begun his determined research while still in school. 

It was then that he ushered Taiki to take the podium. Taiki took a deep breath before standing by Dr. Shirozawa and speaking. He tapped his black painted nails on the wooden podium.

“The karmonasgía virus, up until now having remained unknown and unnamed, is a miserable disease inflicting children from birth,” Taiki began. “Though incredibly rare, seen in only .09% of children, it has been time and time again seen to be fatal. Children who are born with the karmonasgia virus often exhibit stunted growth, a weakened immune system, iron deficiencies, weakened heart and lungs, constant fatigue and lethargy, high fevers, and a susceptibility to other viruses such as chicken pox, ammonia, rubella, and measles.”

Taiki paused then. For such a vague description in the original novel, it had turned out to be rather complicated.

“Most children who have the karmonasgia virus don’t make it to their teen years,” Taiki continued, leaning heavily on the podium as his words elicited murmurs among the crowd. “Those that have made it to teenagers deteriorate quickly, and don’t tend to make it past the age of fourteen. However, with in depth testing and research, we believe we’ve found a cure, if only a temporary one. It’s been tested extensively on participates with similar prevailing symptoms, but in three weeks’ time, it will be used on the first karmonasgia patient.”

A reporter stood, notepad tightly in hand. “It’s rare for someone so young to be on a team for research in something like this,” she stated, eyes narrowing skeptically. “What exactly are you trying to achieve by joining—?”

Taiki tried to bite his tongue, he truly did, but he felt a red-hot flare go up in his cheeks. “This feels very inappropriate—”

He was quickly silenced by a heavy hand on his shoulder. He looked over to Dr. Shirozawa’s kind face smiling reassuringly at him. He was easily moved just a bit to the side so Dr. Shirozawa could share the microphone. 

“What Dr. Kuroda has been neglecting to mention throughout his passionate speech is his personal investment in finding a cure,” Dr. Shirozawa explained, shifting the tone of the presentation. “His own sister suffers from the virus, so he was determined enough to find a cure for her that even I took notice of his substantial research, which we would know practically nothing without. In recognition of his research and dedication to the cure, in the team, we’ve come to refer to it as Eri’s Disease.”

The interview popped up everywhere. Medical journals, newspapers, magazines. All telling the story of the young doctor trying to save his little sister. 

Early December, Taiki returned home. 

He stepped out of the airport into the still familiar city, breathing deeply as light snowfall came down around him from the gray sky. 

“I was wondering what was taking you so long.” Taiki blinked, eyes going to the voice, finding Takuya in a dark coat, smirking at him. 

Taiki’s heart beat faster, and he didn’t even need Patch to tell him his symptoms. 

Diagnosis: foolheartedly in love.

Taiki absolutely did

not rush forward, he did not run into Takuya’s arms… but if he was a little too eager to kiss him when he finally stood in front of Takuya and Takuya made the first move, well, who was going to tell?

Taiki wrapped his arms around Takuya’s neck, black painted nails curling in Takuya’s hair. When they pulled apart, Taiki caught a glimpse of gold on Takuya’s wrist. Takuya put his hands on Taiki’s cheeks, meeting his eyes, before kissing him again.

“You’re a heartbreaker,” he declared once they’d broken apart again. “Sway me to your side and then leave me wanting for more than a year…”

Taiki smiled at him, tilting his head to the side. “I’m here now,” he assured Takuya. “And I won’t be leaving again.” He looked around momentarily, brows furrowing. He looked back to Takuya in confusion. “But… you’re alone?”

Takuya pulled away to lead Taiki to his car. “Your sister was having an energetic day, so Makoto is playing with her. I’m sure he’ll be entirely forgotten as soon as she sees you, though, don’t worry.”

Takuya laughed, and Taiki grinned, knowing it was true. But he couldn't help how his heart lodged in his throat. 

He needed to get to Eri.

The snowfall picked up as they headed for home, leaving large, fluffy piles in yards and along the street. The further they got into residential areas, the rarer it was to find others out and about. 

Takuya stopped in front of his house. “Come on. You can leave your things inside.”

Taiki nodded silently. Father’s car was still there, so it meant nothing had happened that would draw him away… (unless an ambulance had been used, but Taiki refused to think about that)

After setting Taiki’s suitcase in the living room, they headed for the garden and the wall that separated their properties. Taiki couldn’t open the door between them fast enough, but he froze before taking even a step through.

Despite the falling snow, Makoto and Eri were outside, climbing the large tree that took up a good chunk of their backyard. 

Taiki knew what would happen next.

Eri reached for a branch, a laugh playing on her lips as she climbed after her best friend. 

Taiki’s eyes widened in horror and he reached out.

Her laughter became frozen on her face. The branch she grabbed for was wet from a mixture of ice and snow, snapping under her grip as she slipped backwards.

He was moving before he could understand what was going on- She was slipping-

She screamed, but the sound was cut short as her body thumped against the ground, instead a loud CRACK echoing throughout the Kuroda’s backyard.

Makoto stared in horror, calling out for her. “Er-”

“-ri!”

He shouted. He scrambled down the tree, falling the last bit down before falling to his knees by her. She was sprawled out on the ground, body contorted painfully, silver hair strewn out like a halo. He shook her, and Eri let out a whimper of pain.

“ERI!”

She was barely breathing. 

Makoto couldn’t fully comprehend what happened next. Only that there were people everywhere, there were sirens, Eri was in the hospital with broken bones.

Taiki’s arms were outstretched, he wasn’t going to make it-

She hadn’t seen the new year.

Taiki let out a huff when a heavy weight landed in his arms. He stumbled back a step before falling to his knees from the inertia. When he opened his eyes a startled and scared, but unharmed, Eri sat in his arms. 

“Nii-san!” she shrieked, wrapping her arms tight around his neck until Taiki couldn’t breathe. Taiki could feel the tears already coming before he’d even returned the hug, shoulders shaking as it fully set in that he’d saved her. “You’re back,” Eri sobbed. 

“I promised,” Taiki said, voice coming out just as watery as Eri’s. “I promised I would.”

“Eri!” Makoto shouted. Taiki and Eri pulled apart just a bit as he jumped from the lowest branch, stirring up the snow and running to them. He looked at Eri, his look of complete terror so similar to Taiki’s own. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine-” Eri said, though she began to cough.

“Inside,” Taiki ordered. “It’s too cold for this and you’ve had a lot of excitement already and I barely got home.”

Eri pouted, but allowed Takuya to lead her inside the house. Taiki stopped Makoto before he could follow. He moved to stand between Makoto and his view of Eri. 

“I have to say I’m disappointed but not surprised,” he said, barely managing to keep the bite out of his words. Makoto looked down at the ground in shame. “Not only is Eri sick and weak so she shouldn’t be outside in the cold, it’s dangerous to be climbing trees in this weather.”

“I don’t need a lecture from you,” Makoto grumbled, folding his arms. 

“I think you do,” Taiki said harshly. “That tree is old and brittle in the winter. What if someone hadn’t been there to catch Eri and she’d gotten hurt? What if it had been you?”

“I’m sorry, okay?” Makoto snapped. He flinched when Taiki placed a hand on his still bowed head, but relaxed when that’s all Taiki did.

“You’ve got a good head on your shoulders,” Taiki said. “A good head, a kind heart. Use it. And remember just because Eri has good days, it doesn’t mean she’s better yet.”

Makoto grumbled and swatted at Taiki as he pulled away. Makoto finally looked up. “You barely come back and the first thing you do is start nagging,” he complained as Taiki pushed him towards the house. “You’re just like my dad.”

Taiki smacked him on the back of the head. “The first thing I did was catch Eri, you brat,” he retorted. “And respect your father. He’s your elder.”

Makoto whined as they entered the house, but followed after Taiki to the living room where the others were with warm drinks, Eri wrapped in a thick blanket. 

She opened it for Makoto to share with her and he immediately leaped at the chance. 

Taiki spoke in depth with Mother and Father about his treatment plan for Eri, which would begin as soon as possible. It would require transfusions for a while, and regular shots and blood testing to make sure everything was going well.

The good part was that Taiki had a private license, so he wasn’t required to go through a hospital to treat Eri. He was able to take care of her at home 24/7. He was able to set it up so she could be in her bedroom for the duration of her transfusions.

He remained close by as well, staying with Takuya and Makoto. After the realization from Mother and Father, which had been very quick on their part as told from the knowing glances within days of Taiki’s return home, little changed. 

Mother hugged him tightly, pressing a kiss to his cheek as she did so. “I’m very proud of you for being so strong all these years,” she told him. 

Father had simply locked eyes on Takuya, a hand, firm but gentle, on Taiki’s shoulder. “My son is a good man. I do hope you’re one as well.”

That had been the end of it, until Taiki had officially told them and Eri that he was gay. Eri hadn’t understood well, and remained confused after Taiki told her he only liked boys romantically.

“Oh,” Eri said, blinking at him owlishly. “Was that a secret?”

Mother looked horrified, but Taiki could only laugh, because of course Eri would have known. Of course.

Eri’s only concern throughout the entire conversation was if it meant Taiki didn’t like her anymore. Once that had been squashed down, Eri had been perfectly fine.

Taiki had been home for four months, four months of living with Takuya and Makoto, before he managed to work up the courage to ask something that had been on his mind. 

He and Takuya laid in Takuya’s bed, their bed, freshly showered and in pajamas. Takuya flipped through a book, absently running his fingers through Taiki’s hair occasionally. 

“What am I to you?” Taiki asked as Takuya ran his fingers through Taiki’s hair. 

Takuya stopped and closed the book, setting it in his lap. His brows furrowed in Taiki’s direction. “I had assumed by now us being lovers was a given,” he said. 

Taiki sighed and waved his hand. “Lover makes me feel like a side piece. Boyfriends is so much easier and more casual,” he said. “But I suppose if it’s too casual for you Mr. Professor, I also like partner. But, also, not what I meant. I mean, you obviously like women. I am not, in any capacity, a woman. I just…” Taiki folded his arms under his chin, tilting his head to look at Takuya’s face. “I guess what I mean is… is it just women and I’m the exception? Do you just like men too? But if you try to tell me you’re gay now I’m going to be upset because your sexuality doesn’t just change when you start dating someone. I knew I was gay by the time I was eight, and I wasn’t dating anyone at that age.”

Takuya was quiet as he put the book on the bedside table. He pulled his glasses off and put them on top of the book, rubbing his eyes and the bridge of his nose. After a heavy moment, he sighed. “You like asking difficult questions, brat,” he said, opening his eyes. “I’ve never thought about it before. I liked women and that was normal enough for myself and my family, so if I ever had feelings for men before you, they were too arbitrary to remember.”

Taiki hummed, leaning his head on Takuya’s leg and getting a vision full of purple pillow for his effort. “That’s fair, I guess…” he grumbled, not entirely happy with the answer, but also not surprised. He was dating a presumed straight by larger audiences character, what was he supposed to expect?

Takuya leaned down and kissed Taiki’s head. “I don’t know now, but I’ll think about it, and when I come to an answer, you’ll be the first to know. Does that satisfy you?”

“…Yes.” Takuya chuckled as Taiki pulled him down into a laying position. “Sleep now,” Taiki ordered. “We both have long days tomorrow.”

Takuya smirked as he removed Taiki’s glasses and flicked the lamp off. “Such a long day, playing with your sister and conversing with your parents— I don’t envy it at all.”

Taiki lightly shoved Takuya, but both resorted to giggles before slowly relaxing.