A voice clearing behind him, startled Akihito away from the story that held him captive. Turning, he saw the giant, buzzed cut blond guard; Suoh Kazumi. The guard had terrified Akihito when he'd first arrived at Sion. Akihito's father had been a big man with giant fists and more fat than ten people could ever want or need. Suoh Kazumi easily tripled his father's size at a height of six foot seven. Where Akihito's father had been obese, Suoh was pure muscle.

The giant guard was mostly silent, only saying short and clipped words in his gruff voice. He was firm but never rough, at least not with Akihito. Over the past days, Akihito had become fond of the gruff giant guard. Whom ad been the one to show Akihito the way to the library and introduce him to the librarian, a teen boy with a friendly nature and full of smiles. Liu Tao volunteered at the prison library so he could spend more time with his elder brother, Feilong who was imprisoned at Sion.

"What's up Suoh-san?"

"Prison manager wants you in his office by end of the day. It's on this floor across the walkway and through the guard post." With that, Suoh gave a curt nod of his head and turned on his heel. Leaving a nervous Akihito behind.

Fear crept up Akihito's spine. He had no it met the prison manager nor the prison warden since he had come to Sion. Nothing in Akihito thought that having a sudden meeting with one of them, was a good thing. Unable to continue his story, Akihito handed the book to Tao and asked the teen to keep it aside for him to finish later on.

Akihito's steps were light and quick despite they heavy weight laying upon his shoulders. He nodded to the guard seated at the guard post and was waved on ahead into the next area. There was not much to this next area. Just some couches and chairs. A few tables here and there. A fridge and some kitchen ware. The guard and star break room perhaps?

Across the room was a solid wooden door. It was dark in color, almost black. Delicate flowers, birds and butterflies danced across the door's surface. Each painfully hand carved into the wood. With a trebling hand, Akihito reached out and knocked upon the solid surface. /Would even Suoh be able to break this thing down?\ Akihito wondered internally.

"Enter." Came a brisk, sharp voice from beyond the door.

Taking a deep breath, Akihito did as he was bid. The prison manager's office was quite large and very neat - OCD neat. Large windows overlooked the mountain range that Akihito hadn't known lay beyond the prison. It was a beautiful sight to behold. The floor was the same dark wood as the door. Rugs of slightly varying shades of brown and red lay about the room. Soft looking leather furniture took up one side of the room as if awaiting a moment of solitude. Gigantic bookshelves lined two of the office walls. Not a single shelf left wanting for a book to hold. In front of the windows sat a huge wooden desk. Behind it sat a simple man dressed in a regular suit and a pair of glasses.

Akihito bowed deeply and respectively to the man. "You wanted to see me, prison manager?"

"Takaba-kun! I had not expected to see you so soon. But I should not have expected anything less of you. I have read the reports the guards have written up about you. They say you are already a shining star here at Sion. Some of our other prisoners could learn from you.

"Come sit down and relax. All the reports I've received about you have been good. I assure you. The reason I have called you here is due to one of Sion's rules.

"All inmates are expected to participate in some form of an educational program while they are here. From your school records, yes I have pulled them, you did not enter middle school. It seems as if you received no form of formal education after elementary schooling. Is this correct?"

"Yes sir."

"Hmmm." Akihito sank down in his seat at the displeased look on the prison manager's face.

"I have also read your arrest record and the statement you gave to the police." He was silent for a moment. "My deepest condolences for the death of your mother."

"Thank you." Akihito murmured, a tear trailing down his pale cheek.

"I am aware that your mother was murdered and that one of the men you killed was her murderer."

"Yes sir."

"Good for you. I would have done the same as you. As would many others here at Sion. Both inmate and staff alike. As for that father of yours. Good riddance I say. Such filth as he, should not be allowed to walk this earth unchecked and so freely."

Akihito was confused. "Ummm..., prison manager sir -"

"Oh! I did not introduce myself did I? I am Kruoda Shinji. Please call me Shinji-san."

Akihito swallowed, dazed. "Uh, are you allowed to say such things while working her Shinji-san? To even think such things?"

"But of course Takaba-kun! Sion Prison is unlike any other prison in the world and we here at Sion take great pride in that.

"Now about that education of yours. You will meet with a tutor everyday an hour after breakfast at the school room. Tutoring will be two hours long. There will be no vacations or breaks as there are in regular schooling. Understand?"

Akihito nodded.

"The tutoring will go on until you have reached the level of a high school graduate. After that, we'll talk about what to do next. Your tutoring starts next Monday.

Sion Prison

Monday found Akihito with excitement in his stomach. His mother had always wanted him to have an education and now HW could fulfill that wish of hers. Even if it wasn't quite the way she had imagined it to be.

Just as Shinji-san had stated, his tutor arrived at the school room an hour after breakfast. She was a sweet girl just out of high school. She was friendly and full of bubbles. Her hair was waist length and done up beautifully as blond. Her eyes were a warm honey brown. Her name, Momohara Ai. A model who enjoyed tutoring those in need simply because she enjoyed it.

"You must be teasing me Aki-kun! There is no way such a lovely shade of blond is a natural coloring." The model/tutor pouted.

"I assure you Ai-chan, it is perfectly natural. As are my eyes." Akihito gave a self depreciating chuckle. "I was borne with an albinism gene or something."

"Why your lucky boy! I would give just about anything to have your coloring."

"Well what do we have here?" A dark, silky voice slid its way over Akihito's skin. Causing shivers to spill down the young blond's spine.

Akihito turned to see the tall, handsome guard with the golden eyes standing behind he and Ai-chan. Asami Ryuichi. Akihito's heart skipped a couple of beats.

"H-hello Asa-mmi-ssan." Akihito stuttered. Much to Ai-chan's amusement.

"Good morning Takaba Akihito. It is lovely to have the pleasure if seeing you once again."

Akihito felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment and pleasure.

"Oh Ryuichi! Don't be bringing your delinquent ways over here! Aki-kun has a bright mind and has no need of you bad influence."

Asami placed a hand over his heart. "How you wound me dear cousin."

"Shoo. Shoo. Go on. Education is taking place here."

Akihito's heart sank as the handsome guard left to carry on his duty.

"I see that my cousin has already sank his claws into you." Ai-chan chuckled.

"Cousin?" Akihito asked, choosing to ignore the implications of Ai-chan's other words.

"Yup. His aunt is my adoptive mother. You may have heard of her. She's a famous actress. Azumi Ryouko. Her real name is Yohanna Mai though. Just as my real name is actually Yohanna Rai. As we are in the public eye, many celebrities change their names so they can have some form of privacy.

"I was two when my parents died in a car accident. My mother had worked as my mom's manager. Not wanting me to end up in an orphanage, my mom and her husband adopted me.

"Ryuichi and I have always been so close. For such a large family filled with famous and important people, our family is very loving and kind."