Keitaro had finished with the detective, and moved over to the room with Kanako.

Whatever the woman was saying, was quickly disregarded by her, as she leapt from her chair to embrace him.

The detective had asked, if Kanako should leave the room, and immediately Kanako had latched onto him with a death grip.

It was clear to all, that she was not leaving Keitaro to be with a stranger, Policeman or not.

The middle aged woman gave in to the silent demands of the little girl, only asking that she not speak during the talk between herself and Keitaro.

It had been as plain as Keitaro had imagined it to be.

She asked him questions on how he managed day to day things. Food prep, clothing, medical needs, school.

He'd given her the details of both before coming to Kyoto, and after. She actually looked mildly impressed.

Keitaro had explained that he specifically searched for a job that allowed him to spend time with Kanako when she got home from school. This allowed him the time to make her lunches for school, wash her clothes, meet with teachers or doctors appointments that couldn't be scheduled for the weekend.

With them living on the grounds he worked on, and that her school was in, gave him even more time to do those things.

Plus Kanako had the added benefit of having other kids to frequently play with, giving her the proper socialization she needed, and had been lacking previously.

Mio Kayde knew that only definite proof would keep Keitaro from being named the girls father, not that she had any. Everything seemed to be in the green.

She had been surprised to learn, that Kanako had a full understanding of her situation. That was not something the average 8 year old had.

Her interview had shown, that Kanako Urashima was a fun-loving and energetic child, if only slightly impatient. The little girl had been squirming in her seat for most of the talk.

Seeing her now, calmly sitting on the chair next to her brother, leaning into his side, showed a side of the girl Mio hadn't seen yet.

The cases she handled, usually took weeks of paperwork and weighing decisions. She had, at first, been very skeptical of a sped up process. With Kanako snuggled into him, and Keitaro waiting patiently for the next step to begin, Mio wasn't even sure this interview was necessary.

Every expression she saw Kanako make about him, every detail about their lives that she heard, told that Keitaro had done absolutely anything to make sure she was cared for. Even at his own expense if need be.

She flipped over to a new page in her notebook, regarding the young man.

"Urashima-san, What is the first thing you do when you wake up?"

It was a question she liked to use, to get a feel for the person she was speaking with. He didn't give it much thought.

"Pry Kanako-chan off me, and go pee usually."

While the detective laughed lightly, she was actually a little concerned by that comment.

"Pry her off you?" She kept her voice gentle and with no sense of an accusation.

Keitaro itched at the back of his head for a moment.

"Yeah, lately she's been rolling over in her sleep. I've got a handful of shirts with drool stains on them to prove it, if you don't believe me."

She had forgotten that he had been described as a more blunt character then as was usual.

"I see." She jotted down a note of the proximity the two whilst sleeping. The CGC had taken the letter sent to them far more seriously, then she thought was initially intended. Anything less than fool-proof evidence of wrong doing would be seen as mere speculation, and probably thrown out. Whatever they wanted from this man, they wanted it badly.

Her background gave her the bonus of spotting when someone was lying, or hiding a large truth behind a smaller one.

Keitaro showed none of that. He was just giving her his full honest answer.

What followed, was more than an hour of questions that Keitaro would later forget almost immediately. There were parts about future plans for work, housing, generic life questions.

She had brought up the altercation from yesterday, but seemed to accept his answer, of it being about his promotion to an instructor.

When Mio was done, she placed her notepad down with a smile, and reached for her briefcase. The clasps opened loudly, as they sprung up.

Keitaro watched as she reached in, shuffling through a few papers, as Kanako dozed off on his shoulder, tired from the boring conversation around her.

"Congratulations Urashima-san." Mio slid her briefcase to the end of the table, placing an official looking document down in between them.

It was a thicker material then just regular paper. The bold print and font giving it away as a sort of legal document.

Keitaro realized what this form was, even as he slid it closer to himself, turning it around so he could read it.

"You're a parent." Mio Kayde added, watching as his eyes seemed to get glossy.

This was it, what he'd dreamed would come to him since they left that damned apartment.

All the information was there, his name, Kanakos name, their birthdays, their current address…everything.

All that was needed, was for Keitaro to sign it himself.

Keitaro wanted to share this moment, as Mio pushed her pen to him. He looked at his shoulder, where Kanako had decided to rest her head.

He nudged her lightly.

"Kana-chan."

When she refused to move, he poked her cheek with a finger.

"Kana-chan, wake up." She groaned, swatting at his hand, he probably shouldn't have kept her awake as long as he had last night.

"Daddy, i'm tired, G'way." She mumbled.

Keitaro smiled, turning his head back to the paper in front of him. The form had been pre-signed by the appropriate authority, and only needed him to do the same right next to it.

He took up the pen, feeling its weight. It was heavy, almost seeming like a direct translation of the responsibility he was taking on. He gave a knowing look to the woman across from him.

It was a ploy she probably used, to get people to realize that this situation was no joke. Keitaro held the pen firmly in his hand, decisively carving his name into the page.

Once he'd done that, he held the page up.

"Kanako…You're my daughter now…for real." He whispered.

Like water evaporating off of hot coal, Kanakos eyes opened abruptly, her desire to sleep utterly gone, and turned to him for confirmation.

Keitaro smiled at her, flicking his eyes to the paper in his hands.

She looked over to the paper, giving one eye a quick rub to clear her vision of sleep. Kanako didn't understand how this paper had changed anything, but if he said it did…then it did.

"I never did get an explanation, on why she's called you her father." The detective said from the side.

Kanako quickly glared at the man, then her eyes shifted to the paper, her mind drawing an odd sort of conclusion.

She snatched the paper out of his hands, tearing off a small piece from the top left corner.

"He's my daddy, and you can't take that away!" She held the form to her chest protectively, as if that was the only thing keeping that bond in place.

Ketiaro was looking at the small piece of torn paper in his hand in horror. That didn't void the adoption, did it?

Mio and Keitaro looked at the crumpled paper in her grasp, both unhappy for different reasons.

Mio knew, that her superiors were going to ask about the state the form was in. She also knew that they'd find it absolutely hilarious, once they found out how it happened. She never liked it, when they found humor in someone finding a guardian, a parent.

Kanako seemed to want this, with every fiber of her being. It was, again, something not usually seen in one so young.

"Don't worry about the paper Urashima-san. As long as the document is fully legible, it still stands." She assured.

He breathed a sigh of relief, before giving Kanako the Give it to me gesture. With downcast eyes, she held out the form to him. Keitaro took it gently, laying it on the table, then giving her a one armed hug, showing her he wasn't mad.

He was far too happy right now for that.

"She's called me that, since she was 4. I couldn't get her to stop." Keitaro said to the detective.

The man grinned. "Guess she has no reason to now eh?"

"No…No she doesn't." Keitaro returned it with one of his own.

If his father ever did wake up, he wondered if the man would even care. One of his children cursed his very existence, the other was now named as someone else's.

-LineBreak-

Motoko paced in the room she had been given, along with Suu. She'd heard a few things this morning, that left her agitated and confused.

She had only been further frustrated, when Haruka had taken the day off, to sleep away the rest of the hangover.

It was well into the night, the sun having set several hours ago. She should be preparing to go to bed, but her mind was a whirling mess right now.

Naru and Kistune were in the room with her, watching as she attempted to make grooves into the floor. Suu had gone off to do…something, involving a nocturnal creature.

Some of the things she'd overheard, while trying to deliver the envelopes to her sister, had worried her.

It was true, that Motoko was frightened of Tsuruko, how could she not be? Tsuruko was the pinnacle of a womans strength. She was the strongest member to have ever existed. So why was she to be pushed away, like a useless trinket?

Motoko knew, she'd never be as powerful, as graceful, as her sister. Tsuruko had been among the top, in her early teenage years. But when she was in high school, something changed, just as Motoko was named the heir apparent. Tsuruko changed into a training machine, never giving anyone outside of family the time of day.

Motoko had admired her sister for that, thinking Tsuruko had wanted to become better with her sword, even though Motoko didn't know if that were possible.

Now though… She wondered if it had been a way to stay sane, to keep herself from diving off the cliff leading to an endless emptiness.

If she had heard correctly, Tsuruko was to be married, and give up their way of life.

Solitude was not a problem for Motoko the way it seemed to be for her sister. The loss of her sword however, she knew that would drive her to wits end.

What would she do with herself after that?

A decision made, Motoko started for the door, wanting to get answers. Naru and Kitsune just passed a sake saucer between themselves, seemingly enjoying the unusual state she was in.

They had given up trying to catch her attention, after nearly ten minutes of trying to stop Motoko from pacing.

The stairs were quietly descended, as she made for the phone by the kitchen.

She didn't have a cellphone, Motoko hated them with a passion, because of how distracting they were.

Picking up the old yellowish-white handset, Motoko dialed a number she knew, but had never called, the cellphone of her sister.

"Hmmm…I'm beginning to think I should change my number, so many calls as of late." She heard the lilted voice of her older sister.

"Aneue." Motoko sighed, her sister never made much sense to her.

"Ah! Motoko-han!" She heard Tsuruko become much brighter, and give an amused chuckle at some unshared joke.

"What can I do for you? It is quite late you know."

Motoko resisted the urge to shy away from the conversation. It seemed as though every sentence Tsuruko spoke to her over the last few years, was some sort of criticism, or joke about her personality.

"What I heard today…Aneue, is this true?" She asked seriously.

"Ah ah ah~, I need specifics Motoko-han. A mind reader, I am not."

This seemed to be their perpetual stance, Motoko the serious, Tsuruko the playful.

"You have to marry… and give up the sword?" The words were poison to her tongue.

It had been Tsuruko herself, to show Motoko the way, when her arranged marriage meetings started. How she came back, muttering under her breath about how…disgusting the men had been.

"I do." Tsuruko saying anything, without a jab at her constant serious expression, or how she had often acted as a child, with her bouts of rage, was unusual.

"Why Aneue?" Motoko pleaded.

Tsuruko sighed into her end of the phone.

"The way of the sword is dead Motoko-han. It remains, only as a time honored tradition. A piece of history towards our culture. Kendo tournaments may draw some attention, but beyond the falsehood of combat that they are, the sword has no other use in society."

She could hear Tsuruko shuffling something around on her end, before continuing.

"The family is in the midst of a losing battle. It is no secret that there's been fewer and fewer students for more than a decade. Without bringing our teachings down to the level of a chain of beginners dojos, to appeal to more people, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the estate at the level demanded in the by-laws set up by our great grandparents."

Motoko reeled at what she was hearing, trying to connect the dots, but still not getting the entire picture.

"So you have to be wed, due to our school having financial difficulty?"

Why would they forbid their strongest member from practicing? Wouldn't it be more beneficial to show her off as a beacon of what one could accomplish? Surely that would attract new members.

Motoko felt her pulse start to quicken. She did not like the thought of her future domain being brought to ruin, when she wanted it to flourish.

"In part, yes. I will admit, that the decision for it to be me, came from my own actions. I do not doubt you heard the whispers about me before you left."

She had, and it made her blood boil anytime Motoko thought of it.

The scarlet sword, some had called her in hushed tones. At first, Motoko hadn't understood what they were talking about. Tsuruko was not overly prone to emotional outbursts, so the meaning was lost on her.

At least, until she came into her teenage years. Motoko refused to think of her sister as a wanton woman, promiscuous and sexually flippant, these were never things she attributed to Tsuruko.

"Yes…" Motoko grumbled.

She had thought that whatever misconception they had about her, had passed a number of years ago. Although, perhaps they had just been more cautious about where they said such things, not allowing unintended ears to catch it.

"Aneue, you're not agreeing with how they talked about you, correct?" She felt that she had to ask that.

Tsuruko gave a light giggle, her humor slightly returning.

"Oh no Motoko-han, I am not some whore."

Motoko felt greatly reassured at those words. Of course they had been lying, or had come to the wrong conclusion somehow.

"I was merely a…Curious teenage girl."

"Curious how?" Motoko asked, feeling her hands clench, as she waited for the answer.

"I think we have strayed from the topic you asked about Motoko-han." Tsuruko said, wanting to avoid giving away details of what had happened.

She would never lie to Motoko, but that didn't mean she was looking forward to divulging her history with a certain brunette. She wanted that to stay hidden just a bit longer if possible.

"Those marriage meetings over the passed few years, have been with some other influential families in Japan. The school has needed a way to expand and get some fresh bodies for a long while. A dowry from the mans family would be given as a wedding gift to be used for the school."

Because the money the Aoyama family held, was not allowed to be brought into the equation, they each knew. It was a way to ensure that the family wouldn't be left without means to provide for themselves, should the school go under.

The elders did not want to dishonor the memory of her great grandparents, by going against the ruling on the subject.

"Aneue, earlier today, you said you could be happy in marrying this man Okaa-sama mentioned, even if it meant putting down your sword. Is this true?"

That was one of two other big questions Motoko had wanted to ask her sister.

"Yes Motoko-han, I believe that with him, I would be happy no matter occupation I hold."

The thought alone, was blasphemous to Motoko. Her sword, her way of life, was the thing that had guided her through the day. It was her release from all the inequality she saw at school, a way to vent her frustration about anything.

"I need to go now. I would like to check up with him, on how the day went while I was away."

Her head snapped up, at the abrupt dismissal.

"Aneue wait!"

"Goodnight Motoko-Han, it was nice speaking with you."

The click echoed in her ears. She hadn't been able to ask what that whole shared path thing meant, when she was talking to Haruka. She'd missed too much of the conversation.

The dial tone sounded, and Motoko placed the phone back onto its resting place, only feeling more curious about the questions that remained.

Perhaps she could talk to Haruka about it in the near future?

-LineBreak-

Keitaro was in a state that he hadn't felt in a long time.

Pure happiness

It was like nothing could bring him down, now that he had secured himself in Kanakos life. He was her father now, and she his daughter. He knew that he should feel the pressure of that statement weighing down on him, but it never came.

He'd already been acting out the position for a long time.

It was just passed 10PM, and Kanako had fallen asleep with half her body already on his own blanket. He just couldn't bring himself to lay down and go to sleep.

He was sitting just outside of their guest room, leaning back and enjoying the view of the stars, that seemed so much vibrant tonight. That was probably just his imagination though.

He had played with Kanako all afternoon, throughout the grounds he maintained. Physically, he was exhausted, but his mind just wouldn't slow down enough for sleep.

I'm her father, the thought had kept replaying in his mind, over and over again. Every time it brought a warm surge throughout his entire body.

They had seen a few of the older Aoyama members, during their time together today. They'd looked at the scene kindly, even as they rose a brow in curiosity. Keitaro was often seen with her, but he smiled so widely today that it caught their attention.

There had been one member to come up and congratulate him, Kuichi Aoyama, the uncle of Tsuruko. The news of his potential adoption had to have reached the elders, since he'd requested the day off today, in order to deal with it.

Kuichi must have connected the dots, seeing the young man so happy. Keitaro didn't bat an eye when he regarded Kanako as his niece. He just figured that it was his way of trying to press harder for him and Tsuruko to get married, as this man seemed to be of the biggest advocates.

"Someones all smiles tonight, I suppose today had positive results?"

Keitaro looked down from the sky, seeing the woman who'd made this all possible so quickly.

She had come from in between the guest houses, likely from the main house. Tonight she wore something similar to when they had gone shopping, a black skirt and a red V-neck t shirt.

The big difference this time around, was the length of the skirt, reaching only half way to her knees. In his happy daze, Keitaro thought that she looked like she personified beauty itself.

The light breeze fluttered her unrestrained hair, and the fabric of her skirt, as she swayed over towards him.

The smile widened, and Keitaro made his way over towards her with large strides.

Tsuruko faltered in her step at the pace he was bearing down towards her, not knowing where this was going to lead, but was hopeful.

The grass felt good underneath his bare feet, cool and refreshing after the hot day. The moonlight came down on her just right, setting her eyes aglow, and highlighting how her face turned into a smile.

His last few steps turned into a jog, as his arms wrapped around the swordswoman. Keitaro lifted her up and spun as he laughed, while Tsuruko held onto his shoulders to keep steady.

"Thank you Tsu-chan. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

He stopped, and buried his face into the lower half of her stomach, wanting to hold onto her closer.

From her slightly elevated position, Tsuruko looked down at him in surprise, as Keitaro was never one for emphatic displays.

She could not deny that she greatly enjoyed the way he was holding her with no restraint. One arm at the top of her thighs, the other at the small of her back. Like this, she felt so close to him, and it felt right…natural.

She let a breath out from the close contact, before he set her down. She came down slowly, as his arms gradually loosened around her.

If Keitaro had been looking at anywhere other than her face as he did, she would have teased him about wanting to see under her skirt. It had lifted as she brushed against his arms, he would have seen the lacy garment underneath, had he been paying attention.

His bottom arm had just finished grazing over her ass, when Tsuruko decided to capitalize on this position. She needed some confirmation, that he held some romantic feelings for her. In her mind, it was well passed the time for it.

When her first foot had barely made contact with the ground, Tsuruko put her all into forcing them to the ground with a twist.

One of her hands came to rest at the back of his head, not wanting him injured by her brash move, as the other was clinging onto his flank.

Keitaro gave a heavily hushed yelp, feeling himself loose balance, and quickly descend to the ground. The hand at the back of his head, was cupped and took most of the force out of the impact, but was still left a little dazed.

He had his eyes closed, to try and wait for the world to stop spinning.

They opened, when the hand that had been clutching at his side, came to rest on the left side of his face gently.

If Keitaro thought that Tsuruko looked like a goddess, as the moonlight caressed her face from above, it was nothing compared to having the lunar object directly behind her.

She smiled down at him, as her thumb brushed along his cheek, the moon halfway appearing from the right of her head.

This was when he realized that she was now straddling him, pelvis to pelvis, chest to chest. There was very little room between them.

Keitaro would have apologized for the inappropriate positioning, but her expression, and knowing that she'd been trying to push for a relationship stopped him.

He had come to care for this woman a great deal, more than he would readily admit, but he would not be the one to initiate anything.

Keeping his eyes on hers was starting to become difficult, as the neck line of her shirt was giving quite a tempting view. Keitaro could see that the woman on top of him knew, that she had his attention, and knew where it was drifting towards.

Tsuruko didn't seem to mind, if anything, her smile only seemed to widen.

Her hand that was behind his head pulled itself out, resting on the other side of his face, as her eyes kept drifting towards his lips.

'What's going on with her? She's never been so aggressive before.' Keitaro thought.

His immediate thought, was he'd somehow given her a signal, that had been misinterpreted. The other night perhaps, when she was massaging the tension from his shoulders.

He'd been nervous, felt so overwhelmed by how quickly things were moving, that he'd just completely relaxed into her. Keitaro hadn't thought about how that might appear to her.

Keitaro saw her face lower to his, and didn't know how he wanted to respond.

He wasn't given much time, as she closed that small distance quickly, latching her lips onto his.

Soft, warm, gentle. Her touch on his cheeks, her lips on his were all of these things. With just a simple touch of one body part to another, Tsuruko had communicated a deep seated fire that burned within her.

She didn't hold the chaste kiss for long, but it somehow carried how very deeply she wanted this.

Just as quickly as his concerns of such a display of intimacy came, Keitaro felt it fade away.

This was just as he remembered, with Haruka. He still needed to know if he was bound to have this happen with any Ki adept woman, or if he had stumbled on that 1 in 15 billion chance for finding 2 women that made him feel like his soul was complete.

That saying that every person has a soulmate? It was a direct relation to this very scenario.

Tsuruko separated from him for only long enough to draw one elongated breath, looking into his eyes lovingly, before diving back down to him.

Perhaps it was a reaction from his time with Mira, maybe on some deeper level, he wanted things to move forward with Tsuruko. Whatever the cause, Keitaro had been responding to the kiss just as eagerly as she initiated it.

Her lips crashed harder onto his, her fingers curling against his cheeks. Tsuruko felt like a hole in her heart was filled, when she kissed him. Nothing else mattered right then, but the two of them.

Logically, she knew that Kanako was first before all else. But this wave of complete contentment came over her, as her entire body relaxed on top of him.

She felt a smile want to break over her face, when she felt his hands ghost up her sides, feather light touches that left a trail of fire behind them.

Tsuruko hadn't intended for this to be how things ended up. But spirits above and beyond did she love it. She loved him.

There, she admitted it.

She knew within a day of meeting him, that Keitaro Urashima was special. She just hadn't realized that he would be special to her specifically.

His hands swiped back down to the lowest parts of her hips, just above her ass. She was honestly wondering what she could do, to prod him into groping her fully.

Feeling the things she was right now, Tsuruko understood how Haruka could say the things she had over the phone.

With this understanding, came even more resolve to have her and Haruka come together for a common love, and common goal. Which was to keep this feeling from leaving them forever.

As of this moment, Tsuruko never wanted to have her body separated from him. If she could forgo eating or sleeping, in favor of keeping this position, she would.

The torture that Haruka must have endured…Her friend was truly stronger in spirit then she'd ever thought. She had gone 6 years without seeing him.

She wiped the thought from her mind, vowing to deal with that later.

Tsuruko raised her hips with a smirk as she kissed him. Her tongue glided out in search of his.

The change of pace in the kiss had his attention, or at least she thought it did, because his hands were now resting exactly where she wanted them, and he hadn't moved them yet.

She gave a low and short moan, as his tongue came out to meet hers, and his hands clenched at the same time.

This time with Keitaro seemed to be revealing more and more that she had overlooked, or just not thought about at all.

His tongue danced with hers, with such precise and fluid movements, that she was starting to lose all higher brain function. Keitaro was coaxing her deeper into his efforts, begging her to surrender everything to him.

She almost did just that, before realizing that this was what he'd learned to do in his time with that group. He'd learned to get women to give in…

The worst part was, Keitaro was most likely so conditioned in this aspect, that he probably had no idea of the effect it was having on her.

Tsuruko pulled away abruptly, her breaths short. Her eyes locked onto his, as her chest heaved in steady motions. Those short breaths left her for a moment, as his normally light brown eyes, appeared to look like molten gold under the lunar light.

It was captivating, enchanting even. The feel of his muscled figure taking deep steady breaths only added to this strange allure that she'd never experienced.

She knew what she had to do, what her initial purpose was. But for the life of her, Tsuruko didn't want to ruin this moment, as she didn't know how he would respond.

Her initial query of his adoption had been pretty obvious with how he responded.

Now she had to get the more difficult parts.

His grandmother had wanted two envelopes delivered to him, which was apparent because his name was scripted on the front of them.

That would lead into how she had come to possess them. That was where the hard part lay.

"She's mine Tsu-chan. I'm a dad." He said softly, eyes glistening in what she assumed were restrained happy tears.

"Kei-" She tried to start getting to the heart of the matter, only for him to make it harder, as he took one of her hands and kissed the back of it sweetly.

"And it only happened so fast, because of you. I can never thank you enough, for what you've done for me."

Tsuruko knew that to be untrue. It was mostly because of the way Keitaro conducted himself. He was honest, hardworking and honorable. Well…working in a sex trade wasn't honorable, but hadn't been given much of a choice, if he wanted Kanako to stay safe. At least, that was from the information she had gained from Haruka.

She wanted to kiss him again, from the sweet and adoring display. He was truly one of a kind.

"If there's anything I can do to repay you…Just name it."

The honorable thing to respond with, was that he deserved everything that transpired today.

But her acknowledgment of being in love with him, and what she had to share, made Tsuruko feel a little selfish. She wanted to ensure they could move passed what he'd be told.

"Forgive me." She whispered.

The hand that Keitaro had kissed, was still in his grasp, with his fingers lightly tracing over her own. They stopped at she'd said.

"Forgive you for what?" He asked, slightly louder than the whisper they'd been talking in for a while now.

Her now freed hand, came back to rest on his cheek.

She could feel his pulse rising rapidly, see his eyes dilating as if he were in danger, his muscle tensed to be ready at any moment…even from her if need be.

While that thought hurt a little, she understood. She just asked for forgiveness, while having him in a position to be struck down. The only uplifting part, was that he hadn't considered this before now.

It told her that Keitaro was comfortable around her, but didn't trust her absolutely.

"I have held personal information from you, for the past 24 hours. Information that I now believe you would have wanted immediately."

She gave a hard swallow.

"And I have learned things about you, that I don't think you ever wanted me to know."

His breathing had just gotten under control, only to start getting rapid and shallow again. She could feel his entire body tensed, ready to try and get out from under her.

Tsuruko laid herself back onto him entirely, grabbing his head to stare directly into her eyes.

"I promise you Kei, I mean you no harm."

She tried to go and kiss him lightly to show him how sincere she was, only for Keitaro to turn his head to the side. An action that Tsuruko was unaware could ever deliver physical pain to someone.

But it did. It hurt, and in a way that no remedy could fix.

"What did you learn?"

His eyes were shut tight, his jaw clenched.

Tsuruko pulled back, her chest felt like it had been stabbed by her very own sisters blade. She spoke with a shaky voice.

"In order to keep Kanako safe, you-" Tsuruko had to clear her throat before continuing.

"You worked in the sex trade…" She saw him look over to her with glassy eyes, as if he was driving any and all emotion to be bottled up.

"You were a prostitute."

Silence

It drifted around and through them for what seemed like hours, but was more likely only a handful of seconds. Tsuruko watched as he just stared at her, like he was awaiting orders. She'd seen this look before, on the few missions she had been the lead on. Some of the members that had been to the previous wars, had that same look.

It was haunting to see on someone as young as Keitaro. It spoke gravely of the mental trauma his past had on him.

"When would you have me leave Aoyama-sama?" His voice was flat, with no emotion.

But it was the words themselves, that had her reeling back the hardest. He had reverted back even further then when they first met, and it was heart wrenching.

He thought she would evict him? For something he couldn't control?

"Never!" She bellowed without thinking. Her voice was loud, and echoed off the trees and buildings alike, as she gave him a heated stare.

Didn't he understand? Was it that impossible for him to believe that she cared for him?

Tsuruko should be insulted that he would think she would try to control him with blackmail. She needed to reverse this, and she needed to do it now!

She was surprised that the raise of her voice didn't cause any sort of movement from him, which only proved the conditioning even more.

Keitaro was used to being yelled at, to being struck. When he reigned himself in like he was now, she probably could have abused him to the point of needing to be hospitalized, before he even whimpered.

What had she done? Why did she think this would be a good idea to bring up now?

Tsuruko could feel hot tears building in her eyes, at the sight of the withdrawn man that she'd come to love.

"I can't believe i've ruined everything so quickly." She said, feeling the lump in her throat grow larger, and harder to hold back.

"All I wanted, was to spend some time with you, if you were still awake. I thought you would be stressed from today, and maybe I could help you again."

She put her head down to his shoulder, sliding her hands around the back of his neck.

"I love you Keitaro! All I want, is for all of us to be happy together! To have kids, and grow old together!"

She started to sob into his shirt uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry Kei…I never should have pried. I shouldn't have gone to see Haruka. I shouldn't have asked Kanako all those questions."

She could feel, more than hear, Keitaro take a sharp breath in.

But she knew it wasn't a good response. It sounded pained, instead of relieved.

But honestly, what could she expect? He had no idea that she was even in the country. For all he knew, his entire family had abandoned him and Kanako.

She could feel him starting to move, but Tsuruko acted first, finally starting to get ahead of his thoughts.

Tsuruko pulled back, placing a finger over his lips, to stop any words from coming out.

Looking at him, she could see that he looked even more pained than before, just at the mention of Haruka.

Her tears were still running, but she spoke firmly.

"Not a single word mister."

His jaw snapped shut.

Tsuruko should have known, solely based on the response of her friend, that these two were much more in love than she was with Keitaro. Yes, she loved him.

But the two of them…their bond had time to develop unrestrained. She would catch up eventually, but at the moment, she was the odd one out. Left in the dust as it were.

Haruka was right, she was the late bloomer. But that was no ones fault. They'd lived in separate cities all their lives. And events beyond their control had drifted them apart. She could live with that for a while…But she would catch up soon.

"She called me last night, her and I have been friends for a long time."

She pressed her finger a little harder when it looked like he was about to speak.

"We talked. She was very upset, because my mother said that you and I were getting married soon. Haruka told me that you and her have a history together."

That was putting it mildly, considering their age, and the amount of devotion Haruka had spoken with.

"I went to see her today" She saw his eyes widen, understanding that to mean that Haruka was relatively close by.

"Mostly, we shared stories, since we haven't seen each other in almost 10 years."

She paused, wanting to get these words across in the right way.

"But the main reason Kei? I went to talk to her, because I can't see myself without you. I had to tell her, in person, that i'm not willing to let this chance pass me by."

Tsuruko wanted to see what his reaction to this information would be, without adding what her and Haruka had come to agree upon as she was leaving.

Turmoil was clear in those near golden eyes of his. How they seemed to lighten under the moon, she had no idea. But she was enjoying the sight.

"She said something rude and vulgar, I bet. What was it?" He asked, once she had removed her finger from his lips.

"Verbatim?" She asked, with an amused smile, as she wiped her tears away.

Keitaro nodded weakly, knowing that whatever she said, would have been designed to piss off the other party.

That amused smile widened.

"She said that, if we did get married-" She leaned close to his ear to deliver the more racy part.

"She would barge in, drop to her knees, and suck your cock in front of everyone there. She'd moan loud enough for my whole family to hear as you came in her mouth."

The imagery alone was enough to get him to shiver, which was quite a feat.

Keitaro hadn't felt a single ounce of sexual desire in almost two years. Not since he had deemed himself damaged goods. That was also the last time he'd fantasized about Haruka, what she looked like, what they could do together.

He could admit when a woman was beautiful, but that inner urge hadn't been there in so long.

"Yea, that's my Haru-chan alright…"

One of the only brief surges of a desire to have sex?

That was when Tsuruko had almost kissed him after dinner. And then tonight, which was more powerful than the last. But Keitaro had a level of control over his body that was uncanny, in that aspect.

If he didn't want to get hard, he wouldn't.

Tsuruko seemed to pout for the briefest of moments. She had just confessed to the guy, and he was declaring another woman as his.

Deep down she understood, but still…

"Am I that far behind Kei?" She asked quietly, their noses almost touching.

Her smile was rueful, like that of someone who knew that they were second best.

If only she had met him sooner. If only that marriage agreement had followed through.

Where would they be now?

Would they have kids? Would they still be in Kyoto? Would she be a housewife, or have a job?

Her family was rather strict on the terms set in her agreements.

They wanted a child to be brought into the Gods Cry school. They had no doubt that a child of hers would be another prodigy. Her mother had been one, she was another, and then there was Motoko.

"What do you mean?"

Before Tsuruko could come up with anything, she felt something that was absolutely blissful, but had her squirming and writhing atop him.

A buzzing sound met both of their ears. That buzzing came from the medial side of Keitaros pocket, vibrating right at her core.

-LineBreak-

"Haruka-san, are you going to join us outside?"

After she'd finally woken up, Haruka had been in one of the weirdest moods any of the girls had seen.

They had all agreed, that a hungover Haruka, was not something they wanted to bring upon themselves regularly.

Naru had seen her reaction to the guy around her own age this morning.

She felt the anger at the blatant false feelings was well deserved. What Naru, along with any of the others hadn't expected, was Haruka declaring that she'd been in love for most of her life.

Kitsune seemed the least shocked of them all, so she had probably known already…somehow, if that picture she flung was any indication.

Naru would have to grill her best friend about it later. The chances were decidedly low though, because Kitsune and Haruka had this weird way of not sharing whatever they talked about alone.

"Eh…Why the fuck not…" Haruka answered.

They were planning on having a fire on the beach, a staple of the few times they'd all been together on this trip.

It was a shame that it was almost over. Being looked at like a piece of meat was always something that Naru detested, but she enjoyed the sun and the beach.

Sharing it with Granny Hina, Haruka, and her friends made up for it though.

Naru felt that Granny and Haruka in particular, could use this little respite. They had been so tense for quite a while, but unwilling to share what was bugging them.

Naru was a girl of the masses, she firmly believed, that if something effected one, it effected all in their abode. There weren't very many of them after all, and she liked to think they were all close.

Shinobu was the most reserved, but the girl was settling into the group nicely. She was so nice and sweet, that Naru was almost loathing the day that the little bluenette entered high school.

The boys were going to be chasing after her nonstop. She'd have to team up with Motoko to teach Shinobu a little self defense before then. That was a must.

Suu was the most carefree of them all, and while she worried the girl could get tempted into something nefarious, chances were that her inventions would take care of it.

She'd still watch over her though.

Kitsune, she knew, was a lost cause. She loved to chat up whatever decent looking guy she could. If she could come away with a few bucks or a bottle of booze, all the better. She had no idea if Kitsune had…done it yet…But she'd like to think not. Her friend was a flirt, not a floozy.

Motoko wasn't even a concern, she was more prepared than any of the tenants, herself included. Naru had noted that Motoko seemed to be paying closer attention to the elders lately though.

In the usual day to day, Granny would be smiling and up beat, ready to give a kind and helpful word to any of the girls. This had almost stopped entirely for about two weeks, before slowly returning.

Haruka though…The tea shop owner had been in a sour mood ever since she had woken them all up one morning with her yelling.

No one had gotten any of the words, except Motoko, which something about pedophiles.

Naru had even watched Haruka burn down a cigarette in under a minute when she was particularly stressed.

She wanted to help, but she didn't know what was going on, therefore had no idea how to help.

There was little doubt in her mind, that whatever had gone on with Haruka and Motokos sister, was part of the reason. She had a suspicion, that this guy Haruka was in love with, was the problem.

She could just imagine how this guy was acting all sweet and innocent, and Tsuruko probably came over to give the dirt on him, probably cheating on her or something.

Guys were total scumbags, as far as she'd learned.

They picked you up when you were down, made you feel special and appreciated.

Then they would just disappear, no word, no warning.

They were just gone.

Haruka had been acting rather stiff and unsure of herself since Tsuruko left. Naru had seen it, when the woman thought no one else was watching.

Granny had been the only one to decline sitting outside by the fire, claiming to be too tired for such a thing, and no one had protested.

The elderly woman had been making a few trips to who knows where while they were out here. She came back with a few envelopes, and that was the end of it, it seemed.

So here they all sat, in a circle around a fire.

Naru had her back to the ocean, Kitsune to her left, then Suu, Motoko, Haruka and Shinobu.

It was flickering nicely, the logs built in a pyramid set up.

Suu of course, only had food and her inventions on the mind, and had wanted smores.

Thankfully, Shinobu had the forethought to bring the ingredients out, and roasted a few for the never ending stomach that was Kaolla Suu, MolMol Princess.

"I can't believe we'll be heading back after tomorrow. It seemed so short." Naru said wistfully.

Perverts aside, she'd enjoyed the tan she had gained by wearing a bikini nearly the whole time.

"We're cutting it short, since Granny has a few things to take care off back in Hinata, that can't be handled other than in person." Haruka answered, lighting her new cigarette.

Ah that's right, last year they stayed out here a week longer. As much as she liked the break from studying, Naru really had to hit it hard these next few months.

Otherwise…What would Seta think of her, if she failed?

The thought alone sent a shiver up her spine. Now that was a man. Easy going, he didn't leer at her, had interesting stories, was well travelled, and god was he handsome!

Tall, thin but not emaciated, those glasses and that light scruff. She could feel the heat wanting to climb up her cheeks just thinking about him. But she couldn't! She had to set a proper example for the younger two girls.

They needed to know that almost every other guy would only want to get in your pants and then take off.

Suddenly she remembered that Seta was a guy that left her, and her mood soured slightly. It had been a while since then, but it was still a sore spot.

"So next year, we'll be here longer?" Shinobu asked meekly.

She was so sweet. Her voice hardly carried over the crackles of the fire, but that just made you want to listen to her words that much more.

Naru, a child of divorce herself, felt for the girl. That was why she was here after all.

"Can't say for yes or no kid." Haruka said with a shrug.

Naru thought that was odd.

Granny had seemed to always keep a similar schedule, she liked repetition. Naru felt the start of her anger and suspicion start to rise.

Something was being held from them.

She hated not knowing things.

"Ay Haruka-san, ya call that number yet?" Kitsune asked.

As Haruka glared at the fox of the group, everyone else seemed to perk up, especially Motoko, which was odd. Maybe she'd overheard something when she went upstairs this morning.

She'd have to question a 2nd suspect now. Kitsune and Motoko.

"That's none of your business Mitsune…"

Haruka brought out the real name, which meant the topic needed to be dropped, and fast.

Kitsune apparently, didn't get the hint.

"Whaddaya waitin' for? Ya said it yurself… She's just gonna get one over on ya, if you wait."

Naru wasn't sure she had ever seen Haruka look so conflicted before. It was like she was back in high school, waiting to hear back from the boy she confessed to.

Wait…So the guy Haruka has been in love with for 12 years, has another girl?

'HE'S SCUM! WORST OF THE WORST! I'LL PUMMEL HIM!' She raged in her mind.

Her time in high school had shown her how guys liked to play the field, or whatever they called it.

The only thing Naru could relate it to, was adultery.

Naru was completely flabbergasted, when Haruka stood up, taking the cigarette from her mouth, and downing her entire glass of whisky in one go. She'd watched Haruka pour that glass, thinking it would last her the entire time out by the fire, and it was an entire 12 oz glass of whisky!

"Atta gurl! Now go gettem!" Kitsune cheered, raising her bottle of sake.

Haruka looked at Kitune, like she wanted to flip her the bird. She thought better of it, since the younger girls were around, thankfully.

"Fine… As much as i'd like to wait another day or two, I know that's probably a bad idea, knowing her."

Haruka reached into a pocket that Naru didn't know was there, pulling out a cell phone that only Kitsune apparently knew she owned.

"If I leave her to do something like this on her own, she'll hang the both of us."

What in the world was happening right now?! Kitsune making sense to Haruka! Haruka having a cell phone!

Haruka walked off into the darkness, undoubtedly to make her call.

And…wait, where's Suu?

-LineBreak-

He'd watched Tsuruko, confused at first, then with an amused grin as he understood what was happening.

Seeing the strongest of the Gods Cry school writhing, trying not to show how she felt, was entirely worth the slap on the arm for the chuckle he let out once he pulled his phone from his pocket.

Getting a call on the device was strange enough.

Seeing Tsuruko look at him expectantly, when he didn't recognize the number, was even stranger.

He felt a little nervous, as his hand made to press the green button.

It was too late for some sort of telemarketer, he hoped. It was already passed 11pm. But there was always the chance that Mira had somehow gotten his number.

And he had no desire, in this life or the next, to associate with her anymore. He was done with that life.

Keitaro would not be able to convince Tsuruko, that he hadn't popped a slight chubby at the sounds of her light moan, brief as it was. Apparently his body still had the ability to betray him.

With a slight shake to his hand, Keitaro brought the phone up to his ear.

It was strange to be doing this at all, let alone with a woman straddling him still, but she seemed to refuse to even consider moving.

"Hello?" His voice was unsure, like he was absolutely sure that it Mira on the other end of that line.

He could just imagine her, sitting on a fancy chair, smug grin on her face in her hotel suite, naked as she was known to do.

"Kei?"

He could swear that he stopped breathing for a moment.

That voice…It was deeper than he remembered it being.

The way her voice popped the 'K' in his nickname, and the inflection told him who this was.

Only…He didn't want to believe he was finally talking to her. To his Haru-chan.

With wide eyes, he looked over to Tsuruko, who looked all too proud of herself at the moment. She must have given his number to her, although how Tsuruko got it, was still a mystery to him.

He didn't even know it.

"Haru-chan?" He asked hopefully. And by every god in existence, he hoped that stinging in his eyes was from whatever perfume Tsuruko might be wearing.

He couldn't smell any, but it was there, he was sure of it.

He wasn't about to cry from just hearing Harukas voice.

"Yeah…It's me." He let her voice filter through his ears, his mind, through his heart and soul. He didn't even think of the time he'd stayed quiet, before she started speaking again.

"I've missed you Kei."

He could've answered, but Keitaro was still just taking in her voice. It was like everything could be fine again, the way it had been when they were kids.

"I'm sorry." Now it sounded like she was actually being wrought with emotion, something even he had a hard time achieving.

"I should've looked into things myself, I should've been there for you, when you needed me."

Whether conscious or not, Keitaro had gripped the nearby hand of Tusurko tightly. He never liked the few times Haruka had gotten emotional. It had only been when he tweaked his shoulder when they were young and alone, and then at his mothers funeral.

Other than that, she had been a pillar to lean on.

But in this situation? There were no pillars, no columns, no raised boulders to hold onto.

"Haru-"

He was cut off abruptly.

"No Keitaro!"

He closed his mouth.

"I love you! I've said it, i've expressed it!"

She took a calming breath.

"But when you really needed me… I wasn't there. I was hundreds of miles away, thinking that you were doing okay, going to school and not being sucked into Yakuza hands."

Keitaro didn't know if he should stop breathing, or if his heart should explode. The fact that she addressing the matter so bluntly, showed how much she had been affected.

Whether it was months later or right away, didn't matter.

"I didn't ask any questions…until that cop called me. When he told me you and Kanako were missing."

Wait….

That was when she started asking questions?!

Not the 18 months prior?!

He'd thought about her every day!

Every FUCKING day!

Any time he set up another frame for a set, he wondered where she was, how she was doing, what she was doing.

And….She didn't even…

"I thought about you all the time…But Granny told me that you were doing fine in college…"

He took a breath, when he felt Tsuruko squeeze his hand assuringly.

Should he be underneath another woman right now?

That seemed pretty counter intuitive, now that he was talking to the woman he'd promised to start a life with.

"So she lied to you…."

It wasn't a question, just a mere statement of fact.

Granny Hina had lied, something that she absolutely detested.

"Yea, she says the Shuzens made her."

That made sense, because Mira had been very adamant about keeping him in her grasp, until it had cost her manpower. But intimidation had cost nothing.

"Haru-chan…I'm sorry for-"

As usual, she knew what he was going to say. She always did when he had that somber tone.

"Don't you fucking dare Keitaro… Don't you dare apologize for what happened."

This woman…She knew him too well, even now.

Keitaro had thought he'd changed entirely.

Apparently not, because Haruka didn't even need to be in front of him to know what he'd say.

"That's all we're going to talk about this, over the phone."

Keitaro finally opened his eyes, seeing the slightly pained eyes of Tsuruko.

He realized that he'd been squeezing her hand rather hard for a while now.

"Have you talked to Tsu-chan about today?"

She seemed to regain her normal indifference when regarding the swordswoman.

"Umm…Yes?" He answered, unsure.

"Get the fuck outta here, you damn wanna be monkey!" Haruka yelled into the phone, Keitaro took it away from his ear.

"Sorry." He heard her shuffling away from wherever she was for a moment.

"What'd you tell her?" She asked after a brief silence.

The only thing Keitaro could think of, that could relate to this, was Tsuruko saying she loved him…Which he hadn't answered yet.

"Nothing… I didn't have much of a chance to. You called right after, but i'm glad you did."

Tsuruko took a concerned look, her other hand to come to his and clasp it.

"Kei, honey, I think…it's okay. It might even be for the best."

Tsuruko, from her spot on top of him, watched as his eyes closed tightly again, this time much more painfully.

Whatever Haruka had said, it was not agreeing with him.

"These things aren't really in our control…so…"

She left the statement hanging, thinking that Keitaro had known about the conversation with Tsuruko at the cafe.

"This is how it's going to be I guess."

Keitaro took that to mean, they'd only ever speak over the phone. That was something he'd never be able to stand.

Aside from making sure Kanako had what she needed, Haruka was the thing he'd been reaching for.

"Haruka please…. Don't do this. I know I fucked up our plan. But don't leave me behind like Granny and Aunt Yoko."

Tsurukos hands reached out before she could register the action. The phone was snatched into her grip, brought hastily to her ear.

"HARUKA, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!" She yelled.

There was silence for a while, before Haruka answered.

"Tsu-chan, what the hell did you tell him?" She asked.

"That I love him!" She answered immediately.

After Tsuruko said that, she realized where things had gone wrong, before Haruka had called.

She hadn't talked to him about the whole two women thing.

Her eyes widened, just as Haruka caught on to the same thing.

"And that was it, right?"

She gave that damning laugh, that Haruka seemed capable of.

"Dammit Tsuruko…He thinks i'm breaking up with him."

Her friend hadn't needed an answer….She just knew.

Haruka knew that she hadn't gotten to the important part yet.

And then she hung up...

END!

Whew...that was a lot of work.

A lots happened, sort of.

I'm trying to move things a little quicker, while not deviating too much from the characters usual persona.

Obivously you're seeing more sides of Haruka and Tsuruko, so that might Seem OOC.

The adoption lady is not important, don't pay attention to her. Detective will come back later, which is why I focused more on him. Again...this was all originally a 27,000 word chapter that I broke up between chps 5-7.

i'm going to start lightly branching into the Hinata girls. Motoko more so, because she's the sister.