Disclaimer: Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna manga and anime series belong to its respective owners. However, the OC - Yukina in this story is mine...so is Eyes -- (added as an afterthought) .
Anyway, the time line of this story is set after the end of the manga, so it might contain some spoilers. One more thing I would like to add - I altered (or should I say added to) the plot, and now all the Blade Children are safe because Ayumu figured out a way to heal them. However, Ayumu himself is still suffering from the effects of being a clone. That's all you need to know for now Read on to find out.
Chapter I - Farewell
In the near centre of a dense jungle, two cats could be seen gambolling playfully on a lush green lawn. One of the cats - the female one was white in colour, with fur so sleek that it looked like it had been brushed with extreme care every day. The other male cat, black in colour, was not so attractive in terms of appearance, but made up for it with speed and agility akin to a panther. Its jade green eyes sparkled in a way that was almost human as it chased the female cat around the garden.
Their owner sat in a wooden rocking chair on the patio, content just to watch the two cats play with each other. Together, the human and cats portrayed a peaceful scene, with no one and nothing to interrupt them. The only sounds that could be heard were the rustling of leaves caused by a gentle breeze, the meowing of the cats, and the occasional creak of the rocking chair.
The man on the rocking chair tensed as his ears picked up the sound of shoes trudging across fallen leaves. His hand reached for the dagger inside his pocket, tightened around the handle and let go of it when he saw who the visitor was. Silently, he chided himself for overreacting – of course, she was the only person who knew his location. Besides, his cats will bolt immediately if they sensed a foreign presence, making them really useful as a natural alarm.
"Oto-sama," the girl said in barely a whisper, and he saw her shook her head slightly as if to clear her own thoughts.
"I'm not old enough to be your father yet, Yukina-chan, especially when you consider our age difference," the man replied, a grin lighting up his handsome face.
The man found himself gazing into large brown eyes which mirrored his own, eyes which had the same slant, eyes which colour would change into amber when provoked. Deep down, he heaved a sigh – whether he liked it or not, his being Yukina's 'father' was a fact, true and unchangeable, although he was only five years older than her.
He saw a flicker of emotion run through her eyes, whether it was anger or sorrow, he couldn't tell, but it disappeared as abruptly as it came. He knew that it was years of training that enabled her to hide her emotions like he could, but normally she was frank and honest with him.
"Okay, okay, call me father if you want to," he held out his hands in a gesture of mock surrender, hoping to placate her by the statement.
The girl he called 'Yukina-chan' shook her head, looking more subdued than he had ever seen before. Gently, he patted her head, just like how a father would do to reassure his child.
"Can I…can I move and live with you here? Please?" the girl blurted out abruptly, her eyes welling up with tears.
"Why? Has Kiyotaka been treating you badly?" the man asked, his eyes narrowing as he thought of the numerous things he would do to Kiyotaka if it was true.
Again, she shook her head silently. The man also kept quiet, waiting patiently for her to explain. It was after a while before she spoke again.
"Kiyotaka wants to send me to England, to stay with someone else who is going to tutor me in playing the piano," she said in a calm voice. "That someone is, or was, your closest friend."
The man's eyes narrowed further as the meaning of her words sank in. So, Kiyotaka was going to send his daughter to another country, to stay with the person who had been like a brother to him, with whom he had not contacted since the day he was supposed to 'die'.
"What are his true intentions?" he wondered aloud.
"I can't be sure, but I suspect that Kiyotaka knows that you are alive…" the girl replied hesitatingly.
For a brief moment, their eyes met, and both were taken aback at the intense emotions they saw in each others' eyes.
"I can't be surprised, he's like a god after all," the man smiled wryly. "I should be thankful that he isn't charging up the path right now."
"If he knows your location, I will kill him," the girl said in a voice that was utterly flat and certain.
The man chuckled despite her serious tone. "There's no need for you to do that, Yukina-chan. I will just move to another place if he does know where I am."
"Why? Why won't you just let me stay here with you?" the girl pleaded, clutching his arms and looking straight into his eyes.
Gently, the man prised her fingers off his arms one by one.
"Unlike me, Yukina-chan, your hands are not stained with blood. You are pure and innocent, and you deserve a better life out in the world, not to be in hiding all of the time, worrying when will someone discover you," he said softly.
"But -" the man lifted a finger to her lips, silencing her.
"This is my wish, Yukina-chan. Think of it as my order to you as a father," his voice made it certain that he would not discuss the matter any further. In his heart, he knew that the girl really loved him as she would her father, if she had one. Besides, he knew how devoted the girl was to him, and she will never defy his orders.
"I will do what you want," the girl whispered. "It also means that I can't come to you for a long, long time," she continued, casting her eyes downwards. "Promise me that you will remain safe, father."
"I promise, I won't dare to die unless you allow me to, Yukina-chan," the man said solemnly, touching her hand.
Then, the man pulled the girl into a tight embrace, letting the action convey his emotions to her. Onlookers who did not know better might think that the pair was lovers embracing each other before a long separation, because only few can see and understand the true nature of love they had for each other. The man tenderly wiped away the tears on the girl's face with his thumb, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Take good care, my daughter," he whispered into her ear.
The girl stiffened, this being the first time he ever addressed her as his 'daughter'. More tears flowed down her face as she nodded and turned away, walking down the path she came here by, while the man looked at her trail, both wondering whether they would have another chance to meet in the hazy future. The man gazed on until she disappeared into the depths of the forest which managed to conceal his location effectively.
"Guess we have to keep each other company from now on, Iris, Rize," the man knelt down and ruffled the two cats' furs. Although he said so, he still remembered that even when she was in Japan, her visits had been few and far in between because of the surveillance Kiyotaka had over her. It was only during the times when Kiyotaka and Madoka were somewhere else that she had the chance to sneak here. She also needed to be extra careful; for fear that some people under Kiyotaka might notice her strange behaviour and tail her here.
The probability that she could come here after she went to England was almost zero, the man was sure of that. An unfathomable expression came over his face as he thought of Yukina living together with that man. Then, a wide grin spread on his face. Maybe, just maybe, he had made the correct decision by ordering Yukina to go to England after all. The two were so different in their personalities that it would certainly be interesting to have that man be her mentor in piano.
As the skies became darker, the man scooped up his cats in his arms and walked into his home, locking the door behind him. Before he slept, he glanced at two photographs he placed on the fireplace – one was of him and Yukina, while the other was of him and the man Yukina will soon live together with.
A/N: It might be redundant, but just in case: Oto-sama - 'Oto' means 'father' while the suffix '-sama' conveys a feeling of respect.
Anyway, if you have read the summary, and also watched the anime/read the manga before, I'm sure you know who is the man mentioned in the chapter above. Please read and review. Thank you very much!
