"She'll find out." An elderly man said, looking at the man across from him. "No matter how hard you try to keep it a secret, she will know eventually. She isn't going to stop until she does."

The younger man stared at the elder impassively. "Is that your way of telling me that I should just tell her?"

"Better from you than by someone who will use it as a way to hurt her."

"Whether it comes from me or somebody else, she will end up hurt either way. It's better to keep it a secret. It's for the best."

"Is it what's best for her? Or for you?" Mr. Fujioka asked. "You are aware that for this secret to remain hidden you'll have to tell lie after lie after lie?"

"The truth will only cause damage that can't be repaired. If she finds out, if she knew, nothing will be the same. This could break her."

"Perhaps another reason you're so unwilling to be honest with her is that you're afraid. You're afraid that she'll never forgive you if she knew what you did and what happened. You're afraid to tell her the truth because there's a possibility that she will stop seeing you as the father she knew. That she won't see you as her family anymore and you will no longer have a place in her heart."

Sanjiro remained silent for a moment, hating the fact that the older man was right. "As I said before, the truth will only cause pain. Nobody will gain anything from it. So, if I have to look into her eyes and lie time and time again to ensure that she doesn't find out something that breaks her heart, I'll do it. For as long as I need to."

The older man let out sigh, "You've always been so stubborn. No surprise that your children are the same."

"If you're so insistent on her knowing the truth, why haven't you told her?"

"This isn't my secret to tell." After a moment he added, "The longer you keep this secret, the more lies are told. Once she sees past those lies, do you think she'll ever trust you again?"

"She won't find out. I've been able to keep this buried for fifteen years and she doesn't suspect a thing. She won't find out." Even as he said it, there was a part of him that wasn't so sure.

The elder man simply stared at him. "The truth always comes out, one way or another." He said nothing more. It was clear that the conversation was over.

Neither of them noticed that the youngest of the Kiharas was nearby and had heard everything.