The Tea Prince

Part Ten: Nilgiri

Turning her head slightly, Yuuki said, "Nishikado-san, what a surprise. I guess Tsukushi wasn't expecting you."

"No!" exclaimed Tsukushi. Hiroyuki nuzzled her a bit, but continued sleeping. "What are you doing here."

"So this is why you had to move the meeting here?" demanded Tsukasa who came in. He took a deep breath as he said, "Hello Kinomoto-san."

"Good afternoon, Doumyouji-san. Sorry for the unexpected visit," said Yuuki in a polite voice. She suggested to Tsukushi, "Why don't you put your baby down, Tsukush-chan? Your arms must be tired."

"I'll take him," offered Tsukasa.

Yuuki said, "You both should put him down together."

"Yuuki," said Tsukushi worriedly.

"I'll be all right," Yuuki assured her.

Soujiro further added, "She'll be fine. Just go."

Tsukasa gathered the baby from Tsukushi. "Come on," he urged her.

"We'll be close by," said Tsukushi as she squeezed Yuuki's shoulder. "Just holler if you need us." They left the room.

"What can I do for you, Nishikado-san?" asked Yuuki. She turned to face him. She had no expression as she folded her arms over her chest.

Soujiro asked, "Why didn't you say you had a son?"

"No one asked. I don't give every detail of my life over a lunch," replied Yuuki.

"Who's his father?" demanded Soujiro.

"My husband was."

"Now why don't I believe you?"

"It doesn't matter to me whether you believe me or not. Your opinion of me doesn't matter to me."

"He's seven years old. He was born in Kyoto. His birth certificate has no father listed."

Yuuki already knew that Soujiro had all the paperwork. "What do you think happened?" she asked.

"I think the timing is suspicious. I think he's my child," answered Soujiro.

"How do you know that for sure?" asked Yuuki. "If you can go with whomever you want, then I can, too. I'm just a lot more selective than you are."

Soujiro laughed, but it had no humor in it. "You're denying it."

"Yes."

He was never quite able to determine what he found so attractive about her. He could see it now. It was the energy that smoldering, low light in her. Yuki had a quiet, dignified strength about her. Unlike most women Soujiro was used to dealing with, there was always more going on inside her than what she let people see. It wasn't that she was secretive or mysterious on purpose. There were many layers about her. So many different faces. Soujiro hadn't seen them all as he thought he had before.

"Allow me to make it perfectly clear to you," said Yuuki as she walked up to him. She looked him straight in eye. "He is my son. You are not his father."

Soujiro looked down at her. If he wasn't so infuriated by her, he would have kissed her. "Very well," he said.

"Good. I want you to leave us alone."

"Sorry, but I can't."

"What happened between us was over after that day. I accepted it. You were the one who insisted on it. It would be best for me if we didn't do this."

"I just want to meet him."

"No."

Soujiro said something he couldn't help, but say, "You know you look better with your hair down and curly. The way you have it up right now doesn't suit you."

"How I wear my hair isn't any of your business," stated Yuuki plainly.

"No, it's not," agreed Soujiro. He could tell that Yuuki developed a hard exterior. "I know how hard it must have been for you."

"Until you've lived it, you can't imagine it," whispered Yuuki. "You stay away from my son, or so help me you will regret it."

"I already have enough regrets. One more isn't going to hurt." He didn't voice his thought about the biggest regret he'd have if he didn't get a chance to meet with Shun. "Have you ever read the Iliad?"

"Yes. The Trojan War."

"Do you remember why there were a thousand ships?"

"I'm no Helen of Troy. What's your point?"

"She was the reason for the war or rather an excuse for it. No, my point is that only one country was insulted, but they all had an alliance amongst all the nations and that was why so many went to war."

Yuuki understood. Her career was built on the connections that she had made. It just so happened that many of those some connections were linked one way or another to the F4 families. She remembered how Soujiro, Akira, and Rui had protected her family when the Doumyouji Kaede went after hers.

"Has it occurred to you that you people have done enough harm to me? Can't you just leave me and my life be?"

"I'm only asking about Shun. I will not hurt you or him."

"That's just it. He's my life. You don't get it. You don't get any other part of me. That's it."

"I am sorry about your husband," said Soujiro. "He sounded like a great man."

"He was the greatest," whispered Yuuki as her hands rounded into fists. She wanted to tell him to shut up and that he had no right to talk about Aki like he knew him. "A lot better than you," she admitted.

Soujiro's face was impassive. Not that he deserve that jab. "I'm glad to hear that he was a good father to your son," he said.

"He was his father," said Yuuki. "I don't know how many ways I have to tell you or how I should say it to get you to understand. He was his father. He was my son's father. You won't take him away from my son. You have everything in this world. Leave my son alone. Are we done now?"

"Yes," answered Soujiro, but Yuuki didn't wait for his permission to take her leave. She walked by him after making one huge side step.

Yuuki walked faster than she had wanted to. She didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to Tsukushi, but she would be a fool to stay any longer. She knew it wasn't over. It was far from over. She had to go before she lost her strength.

A few minutes, Tsukasa and Tsukushi returned. Soujiro was looking out the window into the courtyard when they came in. "Where did Yuuki go?" asked Tsukushi.

"She just left," answered Soujiro. "Probably back to her work."

"Are you all right?" asked Tsukasa.

"No," replied Soujiro. "You were right. I should have taken my time."

Tsukushi glanced at her husband. "You told him to wait?"

"Yeah," nodded Tsukasa. He sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "This is one very messy situation. It's not like they're unable to take care of themselves. As far as I can tell Yuuki's husband had a good insurance policy. It paid off the mortgage on the studio, which is the only property they really own. The apartment they live in is just a rental, but in a nice part of the city. They made a lot of money. Kinomoto-san was in the process of releasing a picture book before he had died."

"How did you know all this?" demanded Tsukushi.

"Looked it up. Rather I had my assistant do it," replied Tsukasa. "I just wanted to make sure that she was fine financially. At least for both your sakes. I wouldn't care either way if it was just me."

"What did you do for her today?" asked Soujiro to Tsukushi. "Or you can't tell me."

"Sorry, but it really was something to do with work," answered Tsukushi. "I feel for you. I really do, Nishikado-san. But you have no idea what she has been through. There are still parts of it I am sure she hasn't said to me. Her husband dying is the worst of it. She doesn't want to be rescued by anyone. Not by you or me. She's been taking care of herself and Shun for years."

"What's he like?"

Tsukushi sighed. She didn't really want to say much to Soujiro, but if this was all he had, then she could give it to him. "He's a sweet boy. The first time I saw him he was almost crying because he fell in the yard they have in the studio. He had scraped his knee. He was trying his hardest not to cry when she was tending to his wound. I'd say he's pretty smart. Yuuki said that he likes puzzles."

"Puzzles?"

"Yes, you know the kind you put together. He's a naturally curious child. Seems like the kind who could cause trouble if not properly occupied. He adores his mother. I think she's probably the only person he really listens to."

Soujiro kept his eyes trained on the plants outside. He hadn't made any promises exactly that he would stay away from him, but that didn't mean he couldn't see him around. "He must miss his father," he whispered.

"Yuuki said that he tries hard not to cry. But sometimes he does," said Tsukushi. "He's like his mother that way. They're both quite strong most of the time. They find it hard to lean on anyone. So for both of them to trust Kinomoto-san was a huge leap of faith. Do you really think it's fair for you to judge her because she wants to protect her son? Wouldn't you do the same if you were in her place?"

Soujiro nodded. "What would you do, Tsukasa?"

"When you become a parent, you realize that the world isn't about you," replied Tsukasa. "I just think of what my father did and try to do some of it the opposite. That's why I'm here a lot. I'm actually thinking of not giving him an allowance when he's older or getting him every single thing he wants."

"You can't tell me how relieved I am to hear you say that," said Tsukushi gratefully.

It was then that Soujiro thought of his own father. His own father was around more than Tsukasa's, but just because he was there didn't mean he was really there. His father was always so distance and always somewhere else. It was only during the tea ceremony was he in the moment. He was at a stand still.

* * *

Yuuki didn't go back to the studio as she had planned. She had walked blindly to the cemetery. She felt tears running hot down her cheeks. As soon as she found Aki's grave, her legs gave out from her under her. Trembling, she started to sob.

"Oh Aki, please help me," she cried. "Please help me. Give me a way to go on like this. I need you."

AN: More complications arise in the next chapter. Now the story that Yuuki tells Tsukushi wasn't typed out on purpose. Because it's slice of past that another one knows about.

My lower back is killing me. I am just updating because I already have the chapter in stock. As for the people who are saying there aren't enough reviews for the story, however I never really asked for reviews. That said the people who do review give quality reviews rather than just the one line of they want to see more. It's quality, not quantity that matters and it shows that they really are enjoying the story. So, thank you to all of the reviewers.

Disclaimer: Kamio Youko owns Hana Yori Dango. I own this story. Please use this story with my permission.