QoH: *grins broadly* Hiyas! Welcome to the sequel of "Sacrifice! Glad u guys made it. Heck, I'm glad I made it lol Life's been kinda crazy lately, what with my new job and everythin, but I'm still determined 2 make time 2 write ^_^

Disclaimer: *groans* Oi, I hate these things... Of course I don't own Peach Girl, and anyone who thinks otherwise needs a reality check. 'Sides, just cuz I have a job now doesn't mean ppl get 2 start suing me! Ok, then... I'm puttin up a general disclaimer 4 this entire fic! Anything you recognize from the manga (which is a bit difficult, since it's set way in the future) is NOT MINE, and anything you don't... well, duh, that IS mine, but frankly I don't care if anyone takes it. As long as u tell me, I give u permission 2 use whatever u want ^_^ What can I say? I'd like 2 know when ppl like my stuff well enough 2 use it themselves lol

Enduring Love

Chapter 1: The Return

His dark, observant gaze flicking about, Kiley stepped off the bus hometown. A slight smile twitched on his lips; he found it hard to believe that he hadn't been there in over eight years. He strolled downtown, checking out the new sights. There were more people than there had been before, too. They were all rushing around, as if they stopped for even a moment, the world would end.

                He grinned, shaking his head as he hitched his duffel bag over his shoulder. He debated for a bit on whether or not to go to his parent's house. His mother had written to him the whole time he was at the Academy, and some later, when he was on tour and things. He still had the letters, and liked to read through them once in a while. Sentimental, he supposed, but she was the only one who understood among his family.

                Ryou was married now, to a girl he only knew of through those letters, which he carried with him now. She'd said the young miss Tera was very nice, and loved him to bits. He hoped Ryou had changed his tune over the near decade, though he kind of doubted it, which made him feel a bit sorry for the poor girl.

                His father... well, he and his father had never been really all that close to begin with, and the bitter separation those years ago didn't serve to make that connection any better. At first, his mother put in how he was doing and all, but when he refused to acknowledge that, she stopped writing about him almost entirely.

                Have I been childish, acting like that? Kiley wondered, looking up at the blue sky. Kami knows, I do wonder how he is, but something stops me... He put that thought on hold when his stomach rumbled. He rolled his eyes and put his bag down, rummaging through it for some money. Coming up with only a little, after the bus ride, he muttered to himself, "Well, it looks like I'm going to have to get myself a job, and now."

                Looking around, he wondered which place would be the best to try out first. Where he was at the moment seemed to busy, but didn't look like they needed help. He sighed, "Well, this is going to take a while, isn't it…" I'd forgotten how hard it was to find a job, it's been so long since I've had one. One that didn't involve the military, that is.

                Kiley was still wandering around aimlessly when he came upon a loading dock by a small antique store. There was only this one tiny old man there, and he seemed to be struggling to put a large box in a delivery truck. He walked over and picked it up on the other side, smiling at him, "It looks like you could use some help here, sir."

                The man nodded, smiling back gratefully, "Yes, thank you, young man. My son would have helped me today, but he seems to have caught a nasty cold, and could not," he extended his hand, "I am Takeru Shiori, and this is my shop, 'Memory Lane.' It is a pleasure to meet you."

                He put it in the back of the truck, then turned back to him, shaking the proffered hand, "Kiley Okayasu, and likewise. I could stick around if you like, since you're short on the help; it's no problem."

"That would be nice, but don't you have somewhere more important to be?" he wondered, his alert, gray eyes flicking over his dark blue uniform.

"I just got into town, and I've just been walking all over for the past few hours looking for a job," Kiley grinned ruefully when his stomach made a loud protest, "As you can tell, I haven't eaten anything in some time, being that I don't have the money to buy anything."

                He laughed, beckoning him inside, "I made tea and egg rolls just before I came out here. It should be ready by now." When Kiley began to protest, he shook his head, "It is the least I can do for your assistance. Please, come."

                When they stepped into the slight shadows of the shop, he felt instant relief. Being out in the blazing summer sun all day had made him a little too warm for his liking, so he was quite glad for the air-conditioner that hummed over his head. Looking around, he saw, among other things, many grandfather clocks and several old-style desks and chairs. There was even a grand piano or two. All this would've made for quite a cramped space, if not for someone's extraordinary organizational skills. When he commented on this, the man grinned, raising his hand, "That would be my doing. You do not have store such as this for long without learning a few things like that."

                "No, I guess not." Kiley laughed and set down his teacup, leaning back in his seat as he ate a roll, "How long have you had it, anyway? Just out of curiosity."

                "Hm…" his companion cocked his bald head to the side as he thought, "I would think that it has been nearly fifty years since I first opened here."

                Kiley raised his brows in amazement, "That's quite a while."

                "Yes," he replied slowly, as though thinking back over the years, "My wife and I loved antiques. When our shop became successful, it was one of the happiest moments of our lives, next to our son and daughter being born, and getting married to each other, of course." A vague, wistful smile drifted across his face then, "Sadly, she passed away before our son came into the family business. How she would have loved to see that…"

                Not wishing to interrupt the elderly man's memories of the woman he so clearly still loved, he merely sat there for some time after he'd stopped talking. In that time, he thought about what their happy lives must have been like. He and Momo would have had a similar joyous journey together, he was sure. Yes, he still thought of her, still loved her. In fact, he'd never stopped, not for a moment.

                Kiley twitched slightly when the man spoke up again, a small note of amusement in his voice, "I see that I am not the only one reminiscing. What is her name, my young friend?"

                He sighed, looking away, "Momo Adachi, or Mrs. Tojigamori, as she's known by these days…"

                "Ah," Mr. Shiori smiled in recognition, "You are a local boy, eh? I know the young lady, myself."

                Taking a deep, steadying breath, he wondered, wide-eyed, "How?"

                "She is one of my more frequent customers, in fact," he chuckled, "More often than not, she buys something just to make this old man happy. Though, I would be so simply by her presence."

                "She has that effect on people…" he smiled to himself, fiddling with a fine, gold chain around his neck.

                Mr. Shiori's eyes sparked in curiosity, noticing this, "What is that, if I may ask?"

                "Huh?" Kiley blinked and looked at him in surprise. Then, seeing his gaze, he pulled the necklace over his head and handed it to him, "This is the ring I never had the courage to give her."

QoH: *grins happily* Well, there u r, the 1st chappy! Don't worry, the next 1 WILL be up soon!