Chapter 1: Mother?

Yuzuyu was fifteen when her mother finally felt she had the courage to come back and claim her as her own. Kippei was heartbroken and to the very least angered. He didn't agree that Yuzuyu's mother couldn't suck it up and take care of Yuzu alone. He was only fifteen when Yuzuyu was dropped on his lap after all, and he did fine without a worry, except for the occasional emotional spasms.

Miyako Sakashita had changed in a sense though no one really knew if it was the way she wanted to change or not. Years of spending your days trying to become stronger for your child can do anything to someone and Kippei wasn't going to willingly give Yuzuyu up; she was practically his after all, spending all those years raising her. Kippei had argued with Miyako the night she had arrived on his doorstep and fortunately Yuzuyu was spending the night at a friend's house.

"What is your problem Kippei?" Miyako screamed when Kippei had slammed the door in her face.

"How could you possibly believe you have the right to take her away after what you have done?" Kippei pried from behind the door, his face all red from the adrenaline his anger had caused.

"I informed you long ago how I felt about this and you never seemed to act like this then. Why won't you let me see her? I miss her Kippei!"

"You never made any sense to me back then Miyako, I was young and naïve. I understand that you never meant any harm but after so long it's hard to forgive you. It couldn't have taken thirteen years to become that much stronger had it? You could have stayed with us and found a job to start fresh. I just don't understand how you could leave her like you did. You didn't even want to see her that day." Kippei's voice became softer as he talked about Yuzuyu and his heart rate had slowed down. He had spent so many years with that child and he felt like he had fathered her himself.

There was a short silence as Miyako gathered her thoughts, "Please open the door Kippei, I can't talk like this."

Kippei was hesitant but complied yet he wasn't going to let her step foot in his house so he held the door as he stared at her and waited. Miyako looked flustered and started breathing faster as she watched the way he was looking at her.

"You've never had to go through a death of a loved one. When my husband died I panicked and I was foolish to do so I admit, but at the time I felt so worthless I didn't believe I could have raised her the way I could have when he was still alive."

As Kippei listened he couldn't deny the regret he saw in her eyes. He saw it that day he had last seen her too, especially when she said she didn't want to see her own child.

"I'm much older now, with a college degree in financial business and a nice job. I can take care of her now."

At those words Kippei cringed and he had felt as if someone stabbed him in the heart and twisted the knife. He didn't want to let go of Yuzuyu, she meant too much to him. But when he thought about it, Miyako had all the rights to take her away and he couldn't stop her.

Then Kippei thought of another possibility. Yuzuyu had turned fifteen and she was now an older child who could choose who she had to live with. Kippei knew he would never give her up now that he was older and if he had to fight to win her guardianship he would without a heartbeat, but he wasn't so sure about Yuzuyu's feelings; they haven't spoken of Miyako in a long time.

"No."

"She's mine Kippei and I want to see her."

"No."

"Can't I just see her? It can't hurt to just say hi."

"No."

"God damn it Kippei! Why are you doing this? I have every right to see her."

"You can't."

"Oh yes I can." And Miyako shoved Kippei out of the way and walked through the house.

"Miyako I told you, you can't see her."

"She belongs to me and I understand you must be heart broken by this harsh reality but I want to see my child! Now where is she?"

"She's not here."

"What?"

"She's spending the night over at a friends."

"Kippei," Miyako paused as she took a deep breath and pinched her nose in irritation, "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

Miyako knew why he didn't tell her a straight answer before she asked anyway in order to stop her stress level from going up any further than it was.

"You never asked where she was."

Miyako felt like slapping him as she stared at his ridiculous face but she took slow deep breaths and felt a tear trickle down her cheek. Kippei usually would try to comfort anyone who cried but at a moment like this he couldn't help but feel spiteful.

"Miyako," he started softly, "I will fight for Yuzuyu's custody."

Miyako yelped out a sob and covered her mouth as she watched him unbelievingly, tears falling smoothly down her cheeks.

"All those years ago, if you were to come back for Yuzuyu I would have given her back to you freely. But because you were taking so long to come back, and to finally come back after she turned fifteen it's hard to just easily hand her over. Yuzuyu is also capable to choose who she'd rather have as a guardian."

"Does she hate me that much?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Did she say that herself, that she hates me for leaving?"

"I never said that and she doesn't hate you, I'm sure."

Miyako stayed quiet as she gulped down more sobs.

"I want to have Yuzuyu for my own child even though she'll be capable enough to leave in a few years. I've been taking care of her for all these years and you have to understand the bond we have. But I have no intension of taking her away from you."

Miyako gulped and darted her eyes to the floor between them.

"I—I understand." She said in a whisper before she started for the door.

Kippei was going to stop her but something made him stand there and stare after her. Kippei hadn't ever imagined this to happen after all these years. He had nightmares on many nights about Miyako coming back for Yuzuyu but never expected it to happen. After all, after so many years, the odds of Miyako ever coming back were very low.

Kippei was sitting on the couch when he heard the door to the house open.

"Kippei-Oniichan!" Said the voice of the wonderful girl he's known since she was very little as she ran in and pounced on him, causing him to fall over.

"Holy, I forgot how much you've grown; you're heavier than I am!"

"Oniichan! Stop pestering me I'm no longer a child now." She laughed as she sat up, allowing him to regain his own composure.

"So how was your sleepover?"

"It was wonderful! Marika helped me out with my math homework so I no longer have any more work to do and we spent all night going crazy!" Yuzuyu said excitedly as she flung her hands in the air for extra comical relief. Kippei had to laugh at her wonderful energy.

"Excellent, so you can make my diner tonight."

"Okay!" She said excitedly as she jumped off the couch gracefully. Kippei watched her go and smiled.

Yuzuyu had grown into a beauty. She kept her hair just below her shoulders and her facial features were detailed very delicately. No matter what she wore she looked amazing whether it be very stylish or just comfortable. Her energetic personality was what made her beautiful and Kippei wondered why she didn't have a boyfriend yet.

"Kippei-Oniichan what's wrong?" Yuzuyu said as she wrapped her arms around him, hugging her close to her. Kippei sat at the kitchen table looking distressed and Yuzuyu always know when he looks down.

Kippei felt tears trickling down his cheek, "Yuzuyu's getting so big." He cried.

Yuzuyu sighed and giggled as she let go of him, "Oh Oniichan you're such a crybaby."

Kippei pouted up at her, "I am not."

Yuzuyu kept giggling as she cooked their supper.

"Where's Kokoro-Oneechan?" She asked him while she stirred the rice.

"Workin'."

"Should I make extra for her?"

"Yup."

"Okay." Yuzuyu said before humming while she was cooking.

"Why don't you have a boyfriend Yuzu?"

"Huh?" Yuzuyu looked up at him surprised, and then realized she had burned herself slightly on the burned. She made sure she was still stirring before she looked back at him questioningly.

"Or do you have a boyfriend and you're not telling me." Kippei accused and sat up fully wide mouthed.

"What are you talking about Oniichan?"

"You have a boyfriend don't you?"

"No I don't." Yuzuyu giggled again.

"You don't? Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"But you're such a good girl. Why aren't those boys at school paying enough attention to you?"

"I never said they didn't pay attention to me." She said coyly and glanced his way to see his reaction. She had been rewarded with his astonished face.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah," Yuzuyu laughed as she continued, "a lot of boys ask me out all the time."

"Why have you never agreed?"

"None of them catch my eye."

Kippei blinked in bewilderment as he watched her smirk. He turned stubborn again and turned around with a pout, she always liked playing games with him and he never liked that he could never figure her out.

"Hello Marika." Yuzuyu greeted her friend at the corner where they always met before heading to school together.

"Hey Yuzu, guess what, Ken-kun called me last night."

"So you guys are secretly going out and you never told me."

Marika's cheeks reddened at the mention of this but she kept her face strong, "of course not Yuzu, you're such a dreamer. And even if we were I wouldn't have told you he called me…" Marika's voice faded away from Yuzuyu's ears when she noticed a figure down the road watching them and she froze in her spot as she tried to get a better look. But before she could get a better look the figure disappeared.

"Yuzuyu are you listening?" Marika said, snapping her out of her trance.

"Oh yeah, I just thought I saw something… familiar somehow."

Marika didn't understand Yuzuyu so she changed the subject, "Anyways, I said that Ken-kun said there's going to be a new student in our class from now on. He didn't know any more of the details so I couldn't ask him if it were a boy or a girl. I hope it's a cute boy."

Yuzuyu chuckled at Marika as she mumbled on about hot guys as they walked to their first period class.