The warm afternoon sun shone down on Soubi as he navigated the streets, a gentle breeze blowing his hair back like a hero's flowing cape. It was summer now, and school had been out for several days. Things were going so well between him and Ritsuka, it was hard to believe how high tensions had ran just a couple weeks ago. Studies on hold, the two had been getting along much better. A smile crept it's way onto Soubi's face as he thought of Ritsuka's warm smile and forgiving eyes.

"Hello..." Soubi whirled around. "...Soubi-kun."

Casually leaning against a nearby building was a man, shrouded in the darkness of the shadows. Though he hung his head so his face could not be seen, Soubi knew exactly who the stranger was. Glaring at the man, Soubi replied with a steel tone in his voice. "What do you want, Ritsu-sensei?"

"Ah, you recognized me," Ritsu replied, stepping out into the sunlight.

"What are you doing here? I have no business with you."

"Ouch," Ritsu's hand rose to his chest, a hurt expression on his face. "That hurt, Soubi-kun." He smirked, getting straight to the point. "No matter who your 'master' is, you'll always belong to me. I'm here to reclaim you, Soubi-kun. To remind you --"

Ritsu's cell phone rang.

Boop.

"Yes?...Oh...All right...I'll be there shortly...Yes...Yes...Arigatou." He snapped the phone closed. "Well, Soubi-kun, I must be going. But I'll be back for you later." Ritsu stepped back into the shadows, and was gone.

I have to leave here. Soubi thought. If Ritsu finds Ritsuka, he may... No, I have to keep Ritsuka from enduring the same thing I did.

--

Ritsuka was sitting on his bed, where he'd been all day, despite his mother's pleas. The curtains fluttered and Ritsuka immediately bolted off his bed. "Soubi!"

He threw back the curtains. "Soubi!! It's been over a week! Where have you... been?" The balcony was empty. The summer night had only been playing a cruel joke on the catboy. "Soubi..."

Ritsuka snatched his cell phone off his desk before plopping back onto his bed. He stared at the phone for a moment, fixated, before dialing with a shaky hand.

Dooooop. Dooooop. Dooo—

"Hello?"

"Soubi! Where are you?! I've been waiting for almost two weeks!!" Ritsuka managed to squeak out.

"Ritsuka?"

"Soubi! Where are you?"

"I'm sorry, I can't talk now."

"Tell me where you are. Right now! That's..."

"...An order?" Soubi guessed.

"Yes!"

"Please, forgive me."

"Soubi! Answer me! That's an order! Answer!" Tears pooled as Soubi hung up. "...Me." Ritsuka let the phone slip from his hand and fall on the bed. Dammit Soubi! You jerk! How could you hang up on me?! I hate you!

Ritsuka scanned the photos on his bulletin board. No... I don't hate you. But I don't understand you either!! He fingered one photo, one memory, of them together in the park when they had just met. I don't know you any more now than I did back then...

In the middle of Ritsuka's stroll down Memory Lane, his phone rang. "Soubi?!" He dashed to his phone. But the number on the screen was one he didn't recognize.

Riinnng! Riinnng! Rii—

"Um, hello?" A confused Ritsuka answered.

"Aoyagi? Aoyagi Ritsuka, right?"

"Um, yes..."

"Good. I'm Kaido Kio, Soubi's friend."

"Kaido-san? Why have you called me?" It was all so confusing! "Do you... know where Soubi is?"

"Well... um..." Kio stuttered. Why am I even calling this little punk? He glanced at the note Soubi had left on the able. It revealed his current location. You leave a note telling where you are. But then you scribble "don't tell Ritsuka" on the bottom, like it was an afterthought. I know that you don't want me to follow you, no matter how much I wish that were the case. What are you doing Sou-chan?

"Hello? Kaido-san? Are you still there?" Kio snapped back to reality. I know you wrote not to tell him, but I have a feeling that you didn't mean that. So...

"...Yes, I'm still here." Kio sighed. "I know where Sou-chan is. He left a note, and, well, why don't I just tell you exactly where he is..."

Ritsuka leapt up, searching for a paper and something to write with. Kio started reciting the address just as he found a pencil, so Ritsuka scribbled the location on his bedroom wall. He'd worry about hiding that later.

"Okay, got it! Arigatou, Kaido-san."

"Um..." Kio hung up, still confused about why he'd even called Ritsuka in the first place.

Ritsuka, left listening to the dial tone, sighed. "Why do people keep hanging up on me?" he quietly murmured to himself. "Whatever. At least I know where his is. But what's that idiot doing in America?"