Character Key

Tasuki - Tatsuki

Nuriko - Noriko

Hotohori - Hokuto

Chiriko - Chion

"Taka!" Miaka gasped.

Hokuto casually tilted his head to face Taka, "If you really are Tamahome, Taka, you'll already be aware of my love for Miaka. I was only reminding her of my feelings."

"You bas-", Taka had only just managed to restrain himself in the presence of his daughter, Hikari on the other hand…

"Don't be mean to daddy, you bastard!"

All eyes were on the young child, "Taka…did she get that from you…?" Flames of rage seemed to be forming behind Miaka and she momentarily dropped the matter at hand to chastise her husband.

"I told you to watch your mouth around Hikari!"

"I-I don't know where she got it from! It wasn't me I swear!"

"The amount you swear watching basketball alone…"

"It gets tense! Sometimes a man-"

Suddenly the argument was interrupted by a low chuckled.

"I see that some things are indeed the same." Hokuto walked over and gently rested his hand on Hikari's head, "Don't worry child. You love you father, and you love your mother. You love her because she's kind to you right? Well, I do too. I won't hurt your daddy, for now…" He proceeded to turn and walk away from the family in a manner that failed to give any indication of how he was feeling. "I'll meet you and Chion here tomorrow Miaka."

As soon as he disappeared, the parents were free from their state of disbelief.

"Hokuto…He's different from the Hotohori I remember…The Hotohori I knew accepted us, but now, he seems more…assertive in a way…" Miaka was unsure how she felt in light of this realisation.

"Really? I'd say he's just as irritating as he was when we first met. Although flirting with a married woman. Hmph. Hikari, I want you to stay away from that guy, he's a bad guy."

"But daddy, he looked so sad when he was talking to me…"

"Huh…Let's just go home for now, I'm feeling tired." Taka said, massaging his temples.

"Did you want me to make dinner?"

Taka gulped. Miaka's cooking had certainly improved since they got married, however the success rate was still at the 50 mark. "I might just get some rest. I'll need it for when we meet that guy again tomorrow."

"Some of Hokuto's past memories seem to be held back somehow." Miaka had organised to meet up with Chion a bit earlier than their arranged meeting with Hokuto so she had the chance to explain the situation and get a straightforward response.

"I believe that because Hokuto's memories were recovered so rapidly, there may be a chance that he hasn't been able to recall everything at once. The past life as an emperor must be a lot to take in after all. We'll see if he remembers anymore today before coming to any conclusions."

"You're right Chion…I just can't help but be a bit worried, maybe I shouldn't have said anything to him in the first place. Taka will be coming soon but he really did not want me to come here. Even Hi-Hikari!" Miaka instantly stood up in a state of panic, "Where did she go?! She was playing with a ball under the tree just a second ago!"

A little while earlier Hikari was indeed under a tree and playing with her ball. It was when she missed catching it that she noticed the ball had rolled to a familiar figure.

"Oh, it's you mister."

Hokuto smiled and picked up the ball. "Here you go."

"Thanks mister. Do…Do you feel better?"

"Well aren't you a perceptive child. I'm not sure where you got that from, your parents…Miaka and Ta…I think I've lost her forever…"

"Lost? But mummy's is just over there." A girl as young as Hikari was clearly having trouble understanding a broken heart.

Hokuto gave the girl a weak smile. He had put up a confident front yesterday, although the truth was the sight of Miaka and Taka as a happy family had crushed him. In this life he was man that did not lose often and the discovery that he may have already lost before even getting the chance to really fight only further added to his despair.

"Hey, hey mister, is it true that you were the emperor of Konan?"

Hokuto returned his attention to the symbol of his unrequited love.

"I believe I was."

Hikari jumped in excitement, "Really? Mummy told me stories about him. He is amazing. Mummy said he was really gentle and beautiful. I always love hearing about how he found his true love and how they got married and-and-an-"

"Haha, that's enough. I am rather amazing aren't I?" Hokuto paused briefly, "What did your mother say about the empress?"

"Mummy said she was very beautiful and that a friend had brought her to the emperor to care for him in his absence."

"Friend? who do you mean?"

"Nuriko! He's my favourite character, he's so funny. I overheard mummy once say that he was in Tokyo too, I want to see him~"

"Nuriko!? In Tokyo? Hikari, do you know where I can find Nuriko?"

"I think Mummy said it was that store next to the shop with the yummy chicken."

"Please show me the way Hikari!"

Hikari was so excited by the idea that she would meet her idol Nuriko and since she was with an adult she didn't give her mother a second thought.

"Here it is! Hurry mister, I wanna meet Nuriko!"

Hokuto slightly exasperated from dealing with Hikari's energetic nature took a deep breath and entered the clothing store. At the counter he saw the back of a figure he recalled so well. Starting at the purple hair, he did a slow visual check down and noticed that this "Nuriko" was wearing a skirt.

"Nuriko…?"

"Someone calling me that agai-" She turned quickly and gasped, "Hotohori-sama!"

Hokuto, being slightly more…perverted than his past self was shocked to see that the person he assumed was his close former friend had a rather ample set of breasts.

A.N: If you've held on this long, I applaud you. The MiakaxHotohori thing is not completely dead, but I just feel that Hotohori's doesn't have enough reason to become a homewrecker just yet ==;