Arriving at Mori's home, Chihiro was in awe at the sight. Despite it being ridiculously large, it was rather simple, and held that traditional Japanese charm. Entering the home, the group was greeted by a young man, dressed in a gi and hakama.

"Taka-nii, welcome back. Are you going to head to the dojo?"

"Thanks, Satoshi. Not right now."

Chihiro recognized the name and remembered him to be Mori's younger brother. Said boy looked at her, his eyes wide and his cheeks brightening in color. He's seen beautiful girls before, but none like her. She was exquisite, and he felt a bit embarrassed that he was showing interest in front of his brother and cousin. "Um...who is this?"

"This is Chihiro. She's a close friend of Haruhi's. She wanted me to teach her how to meditate, so I brought her over. Chihiro, this is my younger brother, Satoshi. He's the one that will spend all of his time with children."

"It's nice to meet you," she smiled, instantly stunning the three males before her.

"Likewise. Who are the adorable little angels behind you?"

"My kids."

The younger male blinked. "Eh?"

"You didn't misunderstand. These are my babies, Hideo and Hiroko."

"B-But how-"

"Satoshi," Mori warned. "You know we do not judge others for their background or past."

He paled. "Y-Yes...Sorry..."

"It's okay," Chihiro said. "It really doesn't bother me." Before she could continue, she noticed her kids tug on the odd uniform, admiring it and attempting to hide in it. "O-Oi, what are you two doing?"

The siblings stared at her and grinned. "Sato-tan looks cool!" Hideo said.

"Cool! Cool!" Hiroko chanted.

"Oh, dear lord." However, she was surprised by the change in attitude in Satoshi. Instantly, he scooped them up and spun them around, bringing squeals and giggles from all three of them.

"Can I please play with them? They're so precious!"

Chihiro chuckled. "Of course. You two must behave for Sato-tan."

"Okay~!" With that, the trio was gone.

"Told you Sato-chan would kidnap them," Honey said. "I'm gonna join them." Before Mori could protest, Honey was already skipping after them, leaving the remaining two on their own.

"Well...that was interesting."

"Hn."

"I guess it's because you guys are all martial artists is why they're so taken with you. Hideo is into kendo while Hiroko really likes karate and jiu jitsu. I have no idea where their fascination came from."

"Maybe when they're older, they can train with us."

"If you tell them that, they will never leave you alone."

At that, the giant chuckled. "Probably not." He led her to an empty room, and had her sit on the floor. He noticed her tension still didn't dissipate and the lighting made her look even more tired. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Chihiro...don't lie."

"I'm not."

He sighed. "This room was not only designed for meditation, it was also designed for us to be able to talk about our problems without any interruption, and from the looks of things, you're very troubled. I know it's not just the nightmares. I want to help you. You told me your story even though I gave you the option to keep it to yourself. I see that as a sign of trust, but your keeping everything else from me makes me think otherwise."

"No, I trust you."

"Then, what's wrong?"

Now, it was her turn to sigh. "I lost my job at the store."

His eyes widened. "Why?"

"My boss couldn't afford to pay me, so he let me go. It was the better paying job. Now, I'm struggling to feed my kids and everyone else, especially with the large influx of kids we've recently developed. I've been struggling to find a job that will hire me."

"Have you been eating properly?"

"No?"

"Chihiro..."

"The children come first."

"Even so, you can always ask someone to help you. Haruhi would have fed you ten times over. I would've fed you. And you're not sleeping either."

"Mori-san-"

"How can you efficiently take care of your twins when you're not taking care of yourself?"

"I have to."

"They wouldn't like that. They would tell you to look after yourself first. Make sure you're healthy so they can be healthy."

"Why do you care?"

"Huh?"

"Why do you care about my health and everything? You're kind of people don't really bother themselves with commoners."

Mori stared at her, a little shocked by her words. Was that how she thought of the rich? "Chihiro-"

"I'm sorry, I just find it hard to believe that anyone outside of the orphanage would actually put an effort to help."

He couldn't decided whether to feel sad or offended. "Chihiro, I'm a little insulted that you would believe that I wouldn't help you."

"Would you have helped if I wasn't Haruhi's friend?"

"Yes. I am not self-centered like most guys, and my family does not judge one for their status. I decided to help you because I wanted to. You need to see that you are far more than what you think. I want us to be friends, and I want to be the one that you can turn to when you need someone."

"Mori-san, I don't know what to say. I can't take advantage of you."

He leaned closer to her, forgetting about his shyness. "You won't be taking advantage of me. I know we just met, but I want you to rely on me. You're so independent like Haruhi, but you can't be like that when you have two kids. Depend on me. I'll be your rock anytime you need it."

And there were the tears. Neither were expecting it, but there was Chihiro, crying freely in front of a stranger. One that was willing to be there for her, to be her support system when there is nobody else. No one outside of her few friends has ever shown her true kindness. Pity, yes. Sympathy, always. But never kindness.

Nothing could prepare them for his next move: he hugged her. The ever stoic giant pulled the sobbing mother into his arms and held her before he could register his movements. All he knew was that he needed to hold her. He needed to show her that there was nothing wrong with asking for a bit of help. After a little bit, she calmed down. She was a little embarrassed over the fact that she broke into tears in front of the object of her affections, but she was rather happy at the fact that he was willing to hold her.

"Thank you, Mori-san."

"Always."

"I think I'm ready to start with the meditation."

"Good." With that, he took her hands into his, surprising the underclassman, and pressed his palms against hers. "Close your eyes and focus on my breathing. Match it. Take slow, deep breaths."

"O-Okay..." She followed his instructions, her breathing matching his. She focused on his breathing, the feel of his hands against hers. They practically dwarfed hers, the rough texture causing hers to tingle. After a few minutes, she found herself being lulled to a sense of calm. Everything around her seemed to fade away and all that surrounded her was Mori's presence. She felt the underlying strength that he possessed, and the gentleness he seemed to only show. She felt...safe with him around. Like the nightmares could not touch her if she thought of him.

Minutes passed and she became extremely aware of their close proximity. She could smell his skin, the mixture of his cologne and musk overwhelming her senses. It was dizzying, yet intoxicating. While she was preoccupied with his presence, she failed to notice eyes watching her, examining her. He noticed how small her hands were to his, and how soft they were, despite the hard labor he knows she does. He memorized every freckle on her skin, the length of each of her long eyelashes. She was beautiful, and he wanted to admire her. She was petite like Haruhi, but all curves, the effect of having kids. He found it attractive. There was far more to hold compared to the tiny bodies of the guests that press against him. He mentally slapped himself. He shouldn't be having those kinds of thoughts towards her.

Chihiro opened her eyes when she felt someone's gaze upon her. When she did, she gasped at the sight of stormy eyes looking at her. They were such an interesting color, beautiful even. Without even realizing it, her hand was on his cheek, her eyes falling deeper into his gaze. She was trapped, and she didn't want to escape. "Gorgeous..." she whispered. She was brought out of her trance when she felt a familiar large hand cover hers. "O-Oh...I'm sorry." She tried to pull away, but he kept her hand in place.

"Never apologize for this." His eyes seemed to hold something else. It was intense, something she hasn't seen nor felt before.

.

.

.

Passion.

.

.

.

She wanted to kiss him. She had to kiss him. The need was overwhelming her so much that she was left breathless. And she wasn't the only one. Mori wanted to kiss her. She looked too good to ignore. Her face was flushed, the blush burning her cheeks. Her blue eyes seem to glow against her skin, her lips seemed rosier. She was far too beautiful to leave alone. He wanted her all to himself.

That thought alone was like a bucket of ice water.

He had never had thoughts like that before. He was losing that self-control that he prided himself over. He had to stop or he would do something he would regret. Reluctantly, he let go of her hand-which, surprisingly, had fit perfectly in his-and backed away a little.

"How do you feel now?"

Breathlessly, she whispered, "Calm."

"Good." He stood up, and offered his hand. She took it, noticing the shock of electricity that went through her. "You can come by whenever you'd like, and I'll meditate with you. Sundays can be a day for us, too."

"Th-Thank you."

"Always."


It had been nearly three years since he last saw her. At the time, everyone was so against their love that he was forced to be locked away. It was an excruciating 3 years for Takoba Seiichi, but he made it through with the thought of his beloved and their children. He knew patience was a virtue, he had to cling to that motto. Due to that, he was let out early for good behavior, and doctors found that he was mentally stable. Now, more than anything, he wanted to go see her, but he couldn't come back looking like he was. He needed to look presentable so that she would fall in love with him all over again, like before. So, he headed to the nearest clothing boutique, deciding to spend much of his saved money on a new wardrobe. He had to look perfect for their reunion tonight.

After a day of shopping and getting a new haircut, Seiichi smiled as he looked at himself. He looked better than he did back then, and he knew she would love it. "Now, time to reunite with my beautiful Chihiro and twins."