Disclaimer applies…

A/N: Okay, this is a poor excuse for a chapter, it's shorter than I intended…but I just couldn't seem to come up with anything really good for the early years of Shunsui's childhood…it will get better…big thanks again to Ms. Dragon for saving my brain *wink*

PART ONE – EARLY YEARS

EARLY CHILDHOOD

SHUNSUI

From the day he was born, Kyouraku Shunsui was spoiled.

The second son and youngest of the six children of the current Head of the Kyouraku-ke, he wanted for nothing.

If he wasn't being given attention, he found a way to attract attention, mastering the charming grin when he was still crawling on all fours.

Even the servants doted on him, so it was no surprise really, that he grew up lazy.

Much to his great disappointment though, the only people he never seemed able to charm were his big brother and his father.

"Tou-sama, Nii-sama," six-year-old Shunsui ran over to his brother and father when he spotted them entering the garden.

He stopped and grinned his best grin up at them. "Will you play with me today?"

"Not today Shunsui," Kyouraku Shunshou patted his younger son's head in an apathetic manner. "I'm training your brother today."

Shunsui pouted, it was the same old story. Shunshou was always training Ryuuronin when Shunsui wanted his attention.

"Perhaps tomorrow then?" Shunsui perked up.

"Perhaps," Shunshou nodded distractedly.

"Shun-kun," Chouko, only three years his senior, ran up to him. "Play with me," she smiled. "We'll chase the falling blossoms."

Shunsui nodded naively, grinning as he took her hand and followed her.

The next day, Shunsui received the same answer, like all the days before that and soon enough, he found he didn't want to expend the effort anymore.

A YEAR LATER

"What are you doing back there?" Shunsui questioned as Mei played with his hair.

"Nothing much," he could hear the smile in her voice.

"Nee-chan," Shunsui pouted and whined.

"It's okay Shun-kun, the girls will love it,"

Shunsui rolled his eyes.

"Why would I want the girls to love it?" he complained. "Girls are disgusting."

His sister hit him over the back of the head.

"Itai!" he cradled the back of it, fighting the sting of tears in his eyes as he cowered away from his sister. "What was that for?" he mewled.

"For being an ass. That's no way to speak about a female. Did you forget that Chouko, Hana-nee, Kaori-nee and I are the ones that keep you company all the time? Not to mention Kaa-sama used to be a girl!" Mei ranted. "You'll never get a wife if that's how you speak to people."

"I'm only seven. Besides I don't ever want a wife," Shunsui made a face.

"You don't have a choice in the matter," Mei retorted. "You're the youngest son, your job is the same as the daughters of the family. You find a ranked wife who can bring more money and prestige to the family. The nobler the better."

"If we get any more noble we'll be as stuffed as a peacock," Shunsui groused. "Tou-sama would be even more unpleasant, I swear he already has a cane or something shoved up his noble backside."

"Shunsui, that's rude!" Mei slapped him again but he dodged away and poked his tongue out at her.

"Get back here you little brat. You should never speak so disrespectfully about your elders."

"I'll never be respectful to someone who hasn't earned it," Shunsui shot back and ran from the room, Mei hot on his trail.

Darting around a corner, Shunsui spotted a servant's daughter who was about his age and moved over to her.

Remembering what his sister had said, Shunsui pasted on his most charming grin and called out to her to get her attention.

"Biki-chan*," he waved at her and chuckled when she looked up and blushed. "How would you feel about hiding me, biki-chan? I've angered nee-chan a wee bit and am in need of a good hiding place."

The girl cringed at the sound of Mei calling him angrily.

"I wont hurt you," Shunsui soothed her. "A beautiful maiden such as yourself is too precious to be harmed."

The girl blushed again and glanced down in embarrassment as she held out her hand for him.

His grin broadened.

"Arigato, biki-chan," he said sweetly as she pulled him along with her at a run. "Do you have a name?"

"Chou," the girl chirped.

"Butterfly?" Shunsui grinned. "What a cute name, kawaii butterfly-chan. One of my sisters is Chou~ko."

Chou nodded. "I know. And if you want to be hidden, you need to be quiet."

Despite this, she was blushing vividly as she dragged him through the house and somehow managed to squeeze them both into a space she made by lifting a section of the floor out.

"Fascinating," Shunsui muttered, wide-eyed.

They hid there until they had heard Mei storm by, searching all the rooms.

Of all his sisters, hers was the most frightening temper.

After climbing back out, Shunsui snuck to the shoji and pulled it back slightly, quietly pulling it back and peering out.

The coast was clear.

He turned back to her and grinned.

"Will I see you around, kawaii butterfly-chan?"

She blushed once again and nodded, glancing away in embarrassment.

"Arigato," he said charmingly. "For hiding me," he gave her a quick peck on the cheek and slipped from the room.

"So girls like to be teased and complimented," he muttered to himself as he strolled along.

He grinned to himself. "I think I found a new project. Seeing how to please a girl."

He paused when he heard a female moan coming from the room he was passing, followed closely by a very male groan.

It sounded as if they were in pain…and something else…

Shunsui paused for a moment and when he heard the noise again, he decided it couldn't hurt to take a peek.

He regretted it instantly.

He couldn't say exactly what they were doing, but they were naked, and seemed to be suffering from the sweetest kind of pain.

The man had been his father…but the woman certainly hadn't been his mother.

Shunsui gulped.

He didn't know how, but he knew somehow that they shouldn't have been doing what they were doing.

He knew instinctively that his father was being unfaithful…

…he also knew he would never forgive him.

"Found you!"

Shunsui jumped when his sister appeared behind him an hour later.

"Nee-chan," he stuttered.

She frowned at him curiously. "It's okay, my temper has calmed. I'm sure there will be plenty of time in the future to beat etiquette and mannerisms into you."

"Ahh..." Shunsui scratched at the back of his head nervously.

"Has anyone seen your father?" Megumi strode into the room. "I can't seem to find him anywhere and the Elders wish to speak to him."

Shunsui shook his head quickly and gulped, hoping no one noticed how jumpy he was.

"I'm sure he's around," Mei smiled. "Shun-kun, lets go look for him."

Shunsui shook his head again.

Mei and Megumi frowned at him.

"Can't we go play instead?" Shunsui quickly covered himself. "I'm sure tou-sama is just off training Ryuu-nii again, it's all he ever seems to be doing when I show up."

He said it with just enough bitterness that his sister and mother quickly turned sympathetic and coddling.

"I never did let you see what I'd done to your hair," Mei smiled and took his hand dragging him in the direction he presumed there must be a mirror.

Shunsui reached up to touch his hair, having entirely forgotten about it, but instantly growing curious once again.

"Don't touch," Mei snapped. "I want it to be a surprise," she grinned excitedly and pulled him into the manor and directly to her looking glass.

Shunsui frowned when he spotted the ornaments pinned into his low ponytail.

"Nee-chan, what are they?"

"Pin-wheel hair pins gu*," Mei rolled her eyes.

"They're pink," Shunsui made a face of disgust.

"But pink suits your colouring," his sister pouted.

Shunsui frowned.

"Shunsui, just wear them for now to make your aneki happy," Megumi rolled her eyes, smiling. "I think they suit you as well."

Shunsui sighed heavily, giving in. "Just this once," he conceded.

Mei squealed excitedly. "We need to show everyone then," she grabbed hold of her little brother's elbow, tightly, and dragged him along.

"Hana-nee and Kaori-nee will both want to see, they're visiting with Obaa-sama which is terrific because Obaa-sama will love to see this as well. Chouko-chan has lessons now, right kaa-sama?"

"Hai," Megumi nodded, following behind them with a slight smile on her lips as she watched her son trying to break free of his sister's grasp.

"She wont mind if we interrupt for a moment," Mei grinned. "Who do you want to show first ototo*?"

Shunsui gulped at the threat in her voice, wondering why his sister was so strong and how he had gotten himself into such a situation...

The following day, returning to the same place he had come across his father, though at a different time, Shunsui discovered his father again, this time with a different woman.

Somehow he had soon became sickly fascinated by what his father was doing with those women.

That didn't prevent him from glaring murderously at Shunshou whenever he came across the man who only ever showed any interest in his eldest son.

Shunshou never noticed.

A/N: please drop a review…

*Biki = beautiful maiden

*Gu = silly

*Ototo = I believe this means little brother