This is a reply to a comment made by Lena-san in the Blissful Arrangement story.

An AU of my story Blissful Arrangement.

Please don't read if you think the last ending was perfect. I wouldn't want to ruin your fantasy, LOL. (And I just realize—that I have changed name of the butler Alfred into Albert in my story. I don't realize it myself and since nobody else did too, so let's settle it with Alfred, LOL).

Enjoy!

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"Good morning, Hajime-sama. Did you have a good night sleep?"

The butler, Alfred, bowed deeply to his new master. 6 years ago he had lost his mistress (and lover) Miya due to the cervical cancer she suffered for a long, 8 years of agony. And now, in front of him stood a young man, young in age but possessed an allure of a leader. His built was lean and strong, natural massive black hair framing his masculine jaw and sharp black eyes highlighted the boy's face. Smile never found on his lips, but once he opened his mouth, everybody will follow—he possessed a strange charm. Everyone who had met him describe him as scary—yet so powerful that they were forced to bow before his awesomeness.

The boy looked sharply at the butler. The butler held his breath, waiting for order.

"Get me all information about Kanou Somuku."

"…Kanou Somuku?"

"Yes. Don't make me repeat myself twice."

The coldness of his voice cooled the butler's spine. It was usual for the butler to receive a new order the first time in the morning. His master never explained, but every order he asked had always made their company at least profited another 5 million dollars. Maybe it was because of his education. He was strictly guided by his mother, Miya, to be the leader. Or maybe it's due to his birth line. He was the current leader of the second biggest illegal organization (in underworld) and the current president of a famous big trading company (legally). Despite of his age, he has already controlling most of both organizations' affairs perfectly. But no matter what kind of reasoning one took, they will never stop praising him.

But Kanou Somuku…? The butler thought twice. He was the only soul who knew the exact secret behind this new master's birth. And Kanou Somuku was one of the keys.

Did he know? The butler wondered to himself, but nevertheless, kept his thinking to himself. And the he bowed as low as he could, before exiting the room.

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His name was Richard, 14 years old.

As a normal 14 years old boy, he was required by law to go to school. But it wasn't the case, although Richard still went to the said place. School was only a preface. The teachers never have the courage asking him to pay attention to the board. His classmates maintained a distance from him. They didn't know what to talk to him, since the boy himself never talked to them. He was always busy typing into his laptop, receiving calls from all around the world. It was still amusing for people around him to hear how he spoke fluent Italian for a second, and then answering in Germany in other. The teachers know that they have nothing to teach him, and in the end everybody left him with his own pace.

He was bounded to school because of the underage law that restricted all children should go to school. Honestly, he himself didn't care about how opening a frog can improve humanity. He had excelled further from his average classmates, having mastering 5 languages (it was forced by his mother whom required him to spoke and write at least Germany, Italian, French and Japanese fluently besides English), understanding the laws (especially Uncle Sam country's law) , rules of business (University level) and manipulation technique (his mother was a great teacher in this).

His mother controlled everything in his life. He thought he was free from her when she died 6 years ago, but it seemed he was wrong. Even after she died, he was still there; working his ass off, controlling the position his mother left him. He did all the work until morning just to find another problem and stacks of documents waiting for his attendance the next morning. He never complained. His mother always warned him that useless people don't get fed, or useless people will go to the drain. The motto had imprinted into his brain, and he couldn't let himself be a useless person.

He was tired. Yes, God knows he was. Not enough sleep, never ending work, constant vigilance (since he was a famous target of kidnapping and assassination—a lot of people will pay handsomely to have his head in the morning news) and never ending loneliness. The first three things were ok, since he was already used to it. But loneliness was something else. One just couldn't get used to it. He used to think about it when he was alone. He felt something was wrong. Some parts of him felt empty. He knew he had something out there who shared the same… same mind with him. But he just couldn't explain it and he didn't dare to tell his mother since she will tell him to shut up.

Despite the perfection, he was fed up. He wanted to go from the chained dog collar around his neck. He wanted to be a man named Richard, not a dog named Richard. Thus, he needs a plan to run. But he couldn't trust people since they were all bounded by his late mother to make sure he is in control. So, he needs a help.

He was told that a man name Kanou Somuku was the only guy on earth that ever made Miya-sama surrendered. This man should know how to free him from his mother's jail. That's why he needs the guy's information so that he, Richard, can be himself for the first time in his life.

But he never expected that the truth will be that unexpected.

"I am going! See you, mom." Tsukiya kissed her mother's cheek and went off. Ayase sighed, thinking how on earth a girl could jump so high like that. The girl has grown into a blossoming young lady of 14. Petite and delicate, she was the embodiment of female Ayase. Ayase's hair and eyes suited her perfectly, and maybe because of that, Tsukiya received constant flow of love letters and confessions. She was a tomboy, having to beat most of the guys in her P.E. class. She was the fifth in her school's rank, while always being the centre of attraction. People just couldn't resist her charm, her outgoing personality and the constant amusement.

Kanou still taught her how to do business at night. She still had her old interest in those market shares; however, she has found a new hobby, which was archery. It suited her, since it trained her to stay in a place, focusing her heart and shoot through the silent air straight to the target. Ayase and Kanou were surprised to find out that their daughter has actually played with the school team for the inter-high competition.

Tsukiya walked happily through the rain. It was a wet morning, and it seemed the rain wouldn't stop for a while. Tsukiya jumped around, avoiding water puddles, singing to herself while enjoying the stare of a neighbourhood cat.

She turned around the corner. It was a dead end, but if she climbed the wall, it will be the shortest shortcut to school. She has been using the dead end for weeks now, and pretty proud of herself to having found the place.

But today she was greeted by different view. Usually the dead end was the place people throw their trashes, and she was used to see a lot of trash bags scattered around. This morning, however, she found a dead body.

Chill come through her body. The person in front of her was lying motionlessly on top of the garbage bags. Tsukiya deducted straight away that the person is a male, and in her own age. He was wearing a long sleeve V-neck grey sweater, with jeans. She came nearer to look, and was shocked to find that the face oddly feel very familiar.

Maybe due to the umbrella that suddenly shading him from the rain, Richard snapped back to his consciousness. He opened his eyes in immediate respond. He was just succeeded in leaving the butler's tight surveillance last night. He had run all his way from the hotel to the small neighbourhood. He was rather tired and wet, and the stupid rain suddenly started pouring. He gave up and slept on top of the garbage bags, which was a better option than sleep on the harsh road or went back to the hotel.

Then he found a girl was shading him from the rain. The girl was wearing a school uniform, and strangely, blond with blue eyes. Richard never knows that Japanese have such traits. And she smiled to him.

"Excuse me, are you all right?" Tsukiya asked the stranger, while holding out her umbrella even further. "You looked tired, did you wound up somewhere? If you don't mind, please have my umbrella."

"…Thanks." The guy talked back to Tsukiya. Unexpectedly, the guy sounded so familiar. She felt like she knows him all along. She felt urges to take him home.

"If you don't mind, how about taking rest in my house?" Tsukiya smiled. "It's near and I can provide you with better shelter."

Richard suddenly felt so tired and the invitation sounded so nice. He gave up and nodded. He followed the girl blindly, staring at her body. She seemed very familiar… something about her made him feel he had found the other half.

He suddenly wanted to cry, but he stopped himself from it. Instead, he walked behind the lady, wondering why he believed a stranger. But his feet automatically followed.

Strange, indeed.

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Richard immersed himself into the so called famous Japanese bathtub. It was really nice, hot and warm against his cold skin. He was freezing out there; having the rain soaked him to the bone. The girl took him into a regular mansion and shoved him into the bathroom.

"I'll tell my mother to leave your towel and changed clothes here!" the girl's voice called out to him. "It's my dad's clothes and it may be too big, but please use it first while I dry your clothes!"

Richard looked down into the steaming water. The girl was so unguarded and she gave him a shelter without even asking where he came from. She didn't ask his name or address, she just took him in. It's so careless yet so full of a feeling he never knows.

All his childhood he was raised with cold hand, under the supervision of a cold mother who wanted perfection in everything. He didn't know what was affection and so-called love, the famous feeling that had been used as successful advertisement theme, entertainment plot, and moreover, the appropriate reason why a baby was born. All he knew he was trained to be the best in everything he did. If he succeeds doing something, he will get a reward in form of money. The bigger the project, the larger the money sums. But never his mother ever held him in her hands or smiling to him.

He thought it was normal. But then, he started to realize it wasn't the case by the time he entered kindergarten. He saw a lot of other kids got kisses and hugged by their fetching parents. He began to question why actually he never get touched nor kissed nor hugged like that. And he came to a conclusion that actually… maybe he wasn't loved. Or maybe he didn't need one. He compared himself and other kids, and found out that love is a hindrance in reaching goals. Those loved kids couldn't even achieved half of what he could do now. He was always alone since he didn't need anybody else to support him. He was fine alone; it made his life peaceful. So in a way, he was fine.

He told himself all the time that he was fine, he was better, he was OK.

His head started to spin. The hot steam filled his head. His chest beats louder and his skin felt hot. Richard pulled himself out from the bathtub and reached the door.

When he opened the door, he saw a bigger version of the girl, a blonde woman using an apron, was stacking out some fresh towel on the sink.

"Ah, I am sorry." The woman smiled. "I just get you a new towel."

Richard suddenly felt like crying. A smile that made him missed something. A smile he missed so much. Something that he should but he never get. Something that somehow felt so familiar. His chest filled with sudden sadness that he couldn't helped but wanted to cry. He moved forward and grabbed the woman's arms.

"Ah!" the woman flinched. "Sorry are you ok?"

Richad shook his head. "Tell me." He whispered, "Why do I feel this way?"

"Ah? Are you OK?" Ayase grabbed the hand which grabbed his arm strongly. "Do you feel bad?"

"Why… why…. Do I think I know you?" Richard spoke louder. "Why… do I want to cry?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"My head… hurts." Richard muttered and kneeled down. Ayase was surprised, and immediately helped him up. But then, he saw tears rushing down from the boy's eyes.

"What happened?" Ayase softly asked. "Just tell me if you like."

Richard closed his lips, but he just couldn't stop his tears. There was something about this woman that reminds him about gentleness. About a feeling he had forgotten long time ago. She felt so familiar that it hurts. He knew that somewhere in his heart, he has been searching for this.

"Why… are you concerned about me?" he finally asked. His voice was trembling, but it was audible.

Ayase was surprised to face the question, but he gently answered. "Because I think you need it. You had went through something bad, didn't you?"

Richard unconsciously nodded. He felt like he could tell everything to this woman.

"There, there." Ayase hugged the boy, who oddly looks so similar to young Kanou, and patted the boy's head. He was taller than Ayase, but because he was kneeling, he was shorter. And somehow it felt right. "You have done your best. Good child."

Richard felt something in his chest burst. He couldn't breathe while still crying out inaudible tears. He received the hug passively, while slowly immersed himself in the gentleness. It was a warm feeling. It was nice. It was so nice that he just wants to cry and stay there.

He enjoyed the embrace until finally he lost his consciousness.

I have rewritten the whole chapter. I am working towards the finishing line. I am sorry for neglecting this for so long.