--

Return of the Invisible

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A highly status, middle-aged man entered the spacious, high-technological laboratory with his four formally-dressed bodyguards. All scientists and researches immediately stopped their work, greeting the Shinigami, the founder and leader of Satan, with a respectful bow. "Saiga-kamisama…"

--

"Kamisama means the Great God." – Japanese translation

"Shinigami means the Grim Reaper; literally the God of Death or Death God." – Japanese translation and personification of death.

--

"Kuro, how's my precious daughter doing?" Saiga headed for a human-sized, vertical, transparent tube.

Inside the clear fluid contained a nude brunette. Her motionless body remained suspended in the liquid with a number of IV's hooked into her arms and head, along with an additional inhaler forced in her mouth. She had her eyes closed and body slightly curved into a ball. Her arms were wrapped around her knees, covering her breasts and her bare exterior. Despite being inactive, the pretty teenage was seemingly alive as carbon dioxide bubbles were seen escaping through her inhaler every so often.

"No worries, Saiga-kamisama. Yuumei's body condition is very stable." Kuro reported, checking the medical report.

"How about the other one?" Saiga looking up at the body of Yuumei's asked.

"She was last seen returning to the Psychical State." Kuro accounted. "The country security is pretty high therefore our acquaintances couldn't obtain any further information. But, I had already come up with a perfect plan to get hold of her."

"You know very well that I don't allow failure, Kuro." Saiga warned severely.

"Yes, of course, Saiga-kamisama…" Kuro shivered lightly at his superior's warning. He knew perfectly well about the frightening outcome if one failed to meet his expectation and will do anything to avoid suffering such a despicable fate. "Unlike them, I'll definitely succeed on bringing her back to you."

"Very well…" The superior man focused his attention back on the girl entrapped in the tube. He grinned confidently, "You will return back to Daddy real soon…"

--


--

"Yuki!! Yuki!!" Yaten was shouting at the top of his voice as he rapidly banged on his stepbrother's bedroom door.

"He's still not awake?" Taiki exiting his room while putting on his school coat asked.

"I have been knocking on his front door for the past 15 minutes…" Yaten was getting impatient. "And there is still no response. Is he even in there?"

"I'm sorry. Yuki really isn't a morning person…" Tohru appearing from the stairs explained. "It usually takes quite a while for him to wake up and he tends to sleepwalk a lot, especially in the morning…"

"That explains why he often misses school." Taiki commented. "And to think waking Usagi from her afternoon nap was hard enough..."

"I ca… her… you!!" Usagi climbing up the stairs while biting onto a hot toast mumbled unclearly. "Breas…fes… is… redea…"

"Huh?" Yaten cocked his head in an attempt to catch her imprecise muttering.

"She was trying to say, breakfast is ready." Taiki corrected.

Usagi gave him a thumb up before disappearing down the stairs while chewing onto her bread.

"What about Yuki?" Yaten sighed, intending to give up on waking his stepbrother.

"Please go ahead with breakfast first..." Tohru offered with a smile. "I will wake him."

"Thank you. We will leave Yuki to you then." Both Yaten and Taiki grinned with gratitude before proceeding down for their early breakfast.

After fifteen long minutes, the half-awake Yuki finally made his first appearance in the dinning room. He stood perfunctorily before them, with his untidily attired uniform and messy hair. Despite how scrumptious the scene was, sleepiness still overwhelmed him. He wasn't even completely sure that he was awake as he glanced at the Aces seated before him. Some of them were seen staring displeasingly back at him while the others were busy finishing their cereals.

This unfamiliar scene could have been another dream for all Yuki knew, or maybe, this was one of those sleepwalking adventures he often found himself in. Either way, if he wasn't sleeping at the moment, he was positive he would be falling into a slumber again soon enough.

"Wow, he can sleep while standing… pretty amazing isn't he?" Seiya folded his arm said in sarcasm.

"I give up…" Yaten sighed as he finished his cereal. "Taiki, will you please think of a way to wake him up fast? Our chauffeur will be arriving in another fifteen minutes time…"

"Thank you for the meal." The genius finished off by politely wiping his lips with a napkin. He stood up, approached the half-asleep Yuki and whispered sharply into his ear, "Good morning, Ohkawa-sama, Soushiko-sama."

Yuki's eyes instantly shot open at the mention of his parents' names. "Good morning, Father, Mother…" He automatically did a bent over before the seated Aces making the entire group burst out laughing at his unexpected action. Their hilarious laughter had Yuki looking back up, finally realizing that it was not a dream.

He was free, away from the Sohma's domain and was really living with the infamous Aces.

It took Yuki several more seconds to finally understand the embarrassing action he had previously done. He humiliatingly glanced away and his cheeks were burning red from embarrassment. They must think he was a complete idiot for committing such a ridiculous act since none had stop their laughter yet. Even the well-reserved Minako and Tohru were heard giggling under their breath.

"Good morning, Son…" Taiki chuckled lightly as he patted Yuki on his head much to his displease.

"Very well, son…" Seiya played along. "You only have ten minutes to finish your breakfast before our chauffeur arrives. So make it snappy!"

"I don't want you to be late for school, son!" Usagi acted strict. "And what's with the messy hair? I want it comb immediately! And your shirt! Button it properly…" The rest of the group excluding the annoyed Yuki was giggling hilariously at her motherly act.

"Don't be so harsh on our son, dear…" Seiya continued the father role. "Yuki is a big boy. He knows how to take care of himself."

"Ahem! I am the father here …" Taiki corrected Seiya.

"Odango and I make better parents…" Seiya argued back and the two boys were seen glaring at each other again.

It was now Yuki's turn to chuckle at their love-rivaling as he hurriedly devoured his breakfast. Life was supposed to be like this, filled with laughs and love. Not how his was previously. Loneliness should never be the most vivid emotion a person remembered experiencing at home. He liked this living arrangement, the Aces were like a big happy family; filled with promising joy and warmth. Their every word, every gaze and interaction were sealed with pure likeness and care; loyal comrades who Yuki once believed that he could never encounter. But, there he was, surrounded by these hopeful companions, along with his love. They had Yuki believing that his life can never be more blissful than how it was now.

"Hurry up, Son!!" Yaten and Haruka called out to Yuki from the front entrance. "We are leaving you behind!!"

Yuki rolled his eyes but immediately got up and gave Tohru a quick peck on her forehead.

"Have a safe trip." She blushed and waved at him.

Yuki nodded with a gentle smile and exited the house.

--


--

By the time the Aces arrived at the academy, they noted the many cars and suited men by the school main entrances.

"As expected…" Taiki murmured as he pulled the handle, getting off the limousine first. Yuki was feeling the all so familiar tension. It was the unconscious fear of coming face to face with his parents. He was reluctant to leave his seat at first till he felt a light pat on his shoulder.

He turned and found Yaten smiling soothingly at him, "Everything is going to be alright…" His stepbrother words immediately lightened Yuki by a little as he exited the car with the rest of the Aces.

All head turned as the notorious group proceeded through the crowd. Once again, students were heard muttering and screaming at the Aces' arrival, but none of the Aces seems to be bothered by the outrageous attention. In the eyes of many, the current Aces formation was a configuration of handsome princes and beautiful princesses; an attractive group arrangement that was impossible to miss.

As expected, the troop of suited outsiders immediately approached them upon noticing Yuki. They uniformly stopped a few feet away from the Aces, breaking into two lines to make way for a tall middle-aged man and his wife. The moment Yuki saw his parents coming his way, he instantly froze. He wanted to turn and run, but stopped himself realizing he couldn't avoid them forever. The only way he could get the future he wanted is to start fighting now. Yuki took a deep breath walking down the remaining path together with his newly-found comrades.

"Yuki! Why are you with them?! And where were you yesterday?! A furious voice shouted. "Come here at once!"

Yuki felt himself shivering slightly at his father's command, the fear and hate of his own parents still lingered inside him, and he detested that feeling. Even so, he wasn't going to follow his father's unreasonable order like before. He wanted to publicly show them that he wasn't their string puppet anymore.

"How dare you ignore us?!" His stepmother yelled at the top of her voice as she proceeded over to Yuki. She raised her right hand, a clear action of intending to slap her stepson across his face publicly. But before Yuki could dodge, a hand swiftly grabbed his stepmother by her wrist, firmly stopping her from hurting anyone.

"No one touches my teammate…" All eyes flew to Seiya as he released his hold on Soushiko's wrist.

"Why you-!!" Soushiko glared furiously at Seiya and so did Yuki's father, Ohkawa. The two parents didn't like the Aces from the beginning, but they like them less now after Seiya's interference.

"It's not very nice to hit someone, Madam…" Usagi innocently spoke up with her usual smile.

"How we punish our son got nothing to do you!" Ohkawa snapped.

"Taiki, am I not wrong to say that we have the right to protect our teammate from any physical assault?" Yaten asked clearly, with intention. His question shocked everyone speechless. It was obviously his indirect way of declaring Yuki as part of the Aces.

"We do have the right…" Taiki replied with a nod. "Besides, do you know that physical assault is a crime against the law? I can easily sue you for attempting to inflict injury on our member without his consent."

The Aces' genius tortuous threat caught the adults wordless for a second and Yuki feeling extremely touched by his comrades' defensiveness towards him.

"Si-Since when did we approve Yuki to be part of the Aces?!" Ohkawa raged. "Yuki! You know very well what will happen to her if you defy us…"

"Your threat won't work, Ohkawa-san." Taiki asserted with a confident grin. "You should understand what I meant…"

"Im-impossible! You are lying!" Ohkawa yelled in disbelief. "No one can break those force fields without a group of professional alchemist…"

"We won't be called the Aces if we can't even undo a simple force field…" Seiya getting impatient urged. "Are all of you quite done yet? We can't afford to be late for class…"

"I'm tired of standing…" Usagi complained while stamping her feet acting like a spoilt little child.

"Me too." Both Yaten and Haruka agreed restlessly.

"Father, Mother… I am not going back with you." Yuki finally finding the courage declared aloud. "From today forth, I will be staying with the Aces. I want to be part of them!"

"Oh?" The rest of his team was startled by his remark.

"Nicely said, Yuki!!" Usagi cheeringly did a thumb up. The remaining five, including Minako applauded and nodded at his statement making Yuki feeling awfully awkward but at the same time pleased at their cheers.

"I am not allowing such defiance, Yuki!" Ohkawa broke the merriment. "Do you know how important you are to the Sohma family?! No matter what, you are to stay as a Sohma, whether you like it or not!"

"What silly persistence…" Taiki commented in a mumble.

"Father! You and mother can't be making decision for me all the time!" Yuki snapped at his parents' ridiculous demand. "This is MY life! And I should be given the freedom to do what I desire!"

"Enough said! Your life belongs to the Sohma family! And no one is allowed to interfere with this fact!" Ohkawa shouted and directed his focus on Seiya. "And that includes the Aces!"

"ACES?! WHAT ABOUT THE ACES?!" A very powerful voice suddenly roared from above and unexplainably the atmosphere began to increase its heaviness as a powerful being raises his presence.

No!

It's wasn't from any of the Aces or the Sohma's side. The strong emerging energy brought panics to everyone's souls and had Usagi gasping loudly upon feeling the all too familiar presence.

All was stunned as an 8-ft tall giant suddenly flew down from the blue-sky. He landed steadily on his two powerful feet, causing an enormous blast to the concrete ground. Almost everyone took several steps back from the gigantic elder.

"WHAT'S ALL THE COMMOTION ABOUT?!"

His thunderous voice sent shocking shivers down spines as his stern blue eyes scanned through his surrounding. No one dare to move or even breathe at the sight of the superior man standing before them.

"Oji-san…(grandfather)" Usagi muttered lowly.

She tried to conceal herself behind Seiya, who had intuitively gone stiff, because standing before him was the only man who could truly conquer him.

"Hayato-shifu…" Seiya muttered in disbelief.

Immediately, all heads were seen bowing before the gigantic elder. "Welcome back! Hayato-kouchou!"

"Shifu means fatherly-master while Kouchou means Headmaster." – Japanese translation and naming custom.

"Who is he?" Haruka hissed. He too felt an overbearing energy coming from the enormous elder and instinctively bowed together with the crowd. None had their head up yet since no one dared to.

"He's the invisible Hayato Furinji. The principal of this school! The National Psychical Academy's headmaster!!" Yaten replied back in a serious whisper.

"Wh-what?!" Haruka almost shouted out of absolute surprise.

"Akatsuki! Seiya!!" Hayato spotted the anxious couple. He took a fierce and loud step forward, cracking the earth with his feet as the couple took three steps back.

"It's Usagi… Oji-san..." Usagi hiding behind Seiya corrected her grandfather in a small voice.

"Hayato-shifu… Oh... Ohayo(good morning)…" Seiya cracked his head up at the elder while smiling nervously.

Because of his giant height, they couldn't see his eyes. His big orbs were cast behind a thick black shadow. Then, Hayato unexpectedly raised his two strong arms up making the couple shut their eyes tight as the big approaching palms fall towards them.

"Ohayo, Akatsuki, Seiya…"

The couple opened their eyes together upon feeling a gentle pat on their heads. They gazed up at once, and saw the elder smiling cheerfully down at them.

"Oji-san… It's Usagi neh… U-sa-gi…" Usagi corrected again, this time with a pout.

"Hohoho!! I forgot!! Yes, Yes… Usagi… Usagi…" He laughed.

He turned towards the crowd who still had their heads low before him, "Everyone, there's no need for such courtesy. Please rise…"

The crowd obediently returned back to their straight posture, but remained awkwardly quiet. Only Hayato's loud voice was heard as he openly chatted with the couple standing before him.

"It had been at least three years since I last saw the both of you… Look at how much you have grown!" The school principal started and began scanning through the area once more. "Oh... And… where is Taiki?"

"I'm here, Hayato-shifu." Taiki appearing from behind bowed politely.

"OH my! You have grown quite a lot too." Hayato laughed happily as he lightly patted Taiki on his head, treating him like a little boy.

Both Taiki and Seiya gazed up at the laughing elder and smile. Inside, they could feel the pleasing comfort of fatherly-warmth coming from Hayato upon remembering the many memories they shared together. Yes! They can't deny that they were afraid of him since he was the main cause for most of their frightening memories. But, they secretly saw and thought of him not only as their master but also as a father, respecting him wholeheartedly. He was the one who taught them about the many aspects of life, trained them physically and mentally even though his training method was a living hell. Like an ideal father, he helped them through their weakness, punished them for their naughtiness and saw them through their growth. Though most of the days with him were terrifying, they were greatly memorable and cherished.

"Are you still having problem controlling your telekinetic power?" Hayato gestured at Seiya with a grin. "Or do you need more training?"

"No… No! Thank you!" Seiya waved his hands in front of him frantically. "I can handle my PK power just fine now, Hayato-shinfu…"

"What about you, Taiki?" Hayato smiling at Taiki asked.

"Thank you for your concern." Taiki bowed lightly again. "I am doing very well, Hayato-shifu."

"Akatsuki…" The elder switching to his granddaughter started. "Have you been using your power lately?

Usagi sighed quietly, dropping the idea of correcting her grandfather. It was just an old habit of his to call her using her old name.

"Nope, not in years…" she answered with a smile and directed a question. "Oji-san, what brings you back to the State? Are you sick of traveling already?"

"No…" Hayato lips curved into a more subtle smile. "Akatsuki, there's something I would like to tell you personally. Will you please follow me to my office?"

Usagi was startled by her grandfather's request but nodded anyway. She waved cheerily over to her group before following the elder into the academy's domain.

Both Seiya and Taiki glanced uneasily at one another, each holding the same expression of worries. What was the matter regarding? But whatever it was, it must be terribly serious or important, judging from the headmaster making his sudden return.

The crowd was heard whispering among themselves. Everyone except Yaten was shocked to know about Usagi's relationship with the academy's principal and had Yuki's parents now thinking twice about wanting to make enemies with the Aces. Hayato was the most respected and feared man in the state, some even called him the dominator of all psychics since his capabilities are said to be unmatchable. During Usagi's attempt to save Seiya five years back, Hayato last appearance before the governmental officers was also the main reason why they placed a stop to the execution of the Nemesis. Hayato not only bear the status to save Seiya, but the capability to tame him and by far, he was the only one who could easily win against Seiya's deadly PK force physically. Now that the public knew about Usagi's connection with the state most honored man, the Aces fearsome reputation automatically raised another level.

--


--

The classroom was stiffly quiet, only the lecturer's teaching could be heard but few were paying attention. Seiya and Taiki had their books wide opened, but were unbothered to check whether they were on the correct pages as their minds were set somewhere else. Both were holding back their urges of wanting to intrude into the principal office. They certainly didn't like being left out and knew whatever the issue was about, it was definitely nothing light.

"Is our principal really such an amazing person?" Haruka asked softly, caring not to disturb the on-going lesson despite his curiosity.

"Amazing is not the appropriate word to describe him, Haruka-san." Yuki replied with his right hand supporting his chin. "He's beyond just amazing. Hayato-kouchou is classified under the paranormal among the paranormals. He's a unique-leveled with no specific classification term, one that was so out of the ordinary that the term 'psychic' or 'supernatural' was state unsuitable for him. Thus, the state titled him with the exceptional classification, 'Mutekichoujin'."

--

"Mutekichojin means Invisible Super Man (lit. 'Man with no enemies)." – Japanese Translation.

--

"Man with no enemies huh?" Yaten added after a thought. "Until now, no one is capable enough to be titled his enemy. After all, he's undefeated…"

"Have you heard about it, Yaten?" Yuki glimpsed at his stepbrother. "Hayato-kouchou is said to have beaten 500 Shaolin masters to near death…"

--

"Shaolin refers to a collection of Chinese martial arts that claim affiliation with the Shaolin Monastery. Of the ten of thousands of Kung Fu Wu Su(Chinese martial arts) styles, several hundred do, in fact, have some relationship to Shaolin. Some lineages of Karate have oral traditions that claim Shaolin origins. Martial arts traditions in Japan and Korea, and Southeast Asia cite Chinese influences as transmitted to Shaolin monks." – Facts.

--

"No way!" Haruka suppressed his exclamation. "He defeated all 500 Shaolin Masters?"

"No surprise…" Yaten explained. "There was once whereby he voluntarily allowed the National Psychical Research Department to study him and it was recorded that his kicks have speeds that are still a blur even when viewing a replay of it at 1/1000 times normal speed. No wonder they titled him invisible…"

"He's indeed invisible…" Yuki nodded. "But he called himself a martial artist instead of a supernatural. Obviously, he's no normal martial artist…" Yuki commented.

"I agree…" Yaten nodded. "You should have seen the way he dominated Seiya's overwhelming PK force." He lifted his index finger. "By using just one finger..."

"One finger?! No way!" Haruka exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yes. Why do you think everyone, including Seiya and Taiki fear him so much if he wasn't that unbelievable?" Yaten reacted. "Besides, he was the one who trained Seiya to manage his uncontrollable telekinetic energy years back and even taught Taiki several martial arts tactics to improve his weak stamina." Yaten chuckled lightly upon recalling something hilarious. "The two of them never failed to suffer from constant nightmares after the trainings. They were so scared of Hayato-kouchou that at times they would run and hide from his harsh training… But, the funny thing was…" He giggled. "They always get caught in the end. And for their punishment, the training became a whole lot worse…"

"Ahem!" Both Taiki and Seiya coughed, blushing lightly together upon remembering their embarrassing moments. "Can you please stop publicizing our personal affairs?"

"Sorry, I can't help it…" Yaten was still giggling.

At first, Yaten actually was feeling envied over Seiya and Taiki for having the all-great Hayato as their training master, but after witnessing the elder's unspeakably terrifying training methods, he secretly thanked god for not being selected.

"Such incredible man is actually Usagi's grandfather?" Haruka thought deeply. "But they don't share the same last name, do they? That's odd."

There was a short moment of silence. Yaten glanced at the quiet Seiya and Taiki, expecting them to give a brief explanation behind Usagi's history or ability but none spoke, they had their vision away from them, showing no intention of speaking anytime soon.

Yaten sighed, "I have no idea…"

Then, the bell rang, signaling the end of the first period. Both Seiya and Taiki stood up together and proceeded for the exit.

"Where are the two of you going?" Haruka asked in surprise.

"To the principal office."

--


--

"Ehh…" Usagi smirked at what her grandfather had told her. "He sent Satan's spies into the academy? Otou-san(Father) seriously went this far for me?"

"HOHO!! Yes! Yes! He's still as persistence as ever." The elder looking down at his granddaughter asked. "You aren't planning to tell them, aren't you?"

"Satan main target is only me…" Usagi asserted while looking away with a light smile. "This got nothing to do with them. The more they knew, the more danger they might encounter. Isn't that the reason why the country changed my name and sent me away after mum's death? That no one is allowed to research into my background or power? All because to know anything more than my surface name is nothing but harm…"

Usagi then felt a light pat on her head. She instinctively gazed up, into her grandfather soothing eyes, "Akatsuki… You are no longer alone…"

But before Usagi could react to her grandfather words, they were interrupted by a loud bang and shouting from the outside.

"Wait! Wait! You are not allowed to enter the Principal office without previous notice…" They heard the secretary and securities yelled before the double-sided door was opened harshly.

"Minna(Everyone)…" Usagi stared surprisingly at her group of friends. The whole team was present as they apologetically bowed before the Principal.

"We are really sorry for our rude intrusion, Hayato-shinfu." Both Seiya and Taiki apologized together. "But we really wanted to know what the urgent matter was regarding…"

"Hayato-kouchou! We are so sorry…" the securities hurriedly rushed in, attempting to seize the intruders out of the headmaster's office. "We will take them all out at once!"

"No, it's alright." Hayato affirmed, ordering the securities to leave before gazing over to the group. "Hoho!! There's no need for any apologies." He patted Seiya on his shoulder and told everyone to raise their heads.

"Hayato-shinfu, it's regarding Satan, isn't it?" Taiki concluded quickly. The rest of his group enlarged their eyes in complete surprise at his assumption. However, none suspected his deduction, since no matters can be considered more serious than one that involved the world crime organization, Satan.

The elder grinned at Taiki's quick wits but did not answer his question.

"HOHO!! I've got an appointment with the President of the State. It's about time I get going. Take care, children!"

Within a blink of an eye, the headmaster was gone. No one saw how heleft, all they felt was a strong gush of wind rammed passed them and by the very next second, the principal was no where to be found.

"Hump! This Oji-san… He comes and goes as he pleases again…" Usagi pouted at her grandfather uncaring action.

"Usagi…" Seiya watched as Taiki persistently approached Usagi. "I don't need to know more. You just have to answer me this…" He locked his purplish-blue eyes into hers seriously. "Is it regarding Satan?"

The atmosphere turned quiet. All eyes and ears were perked up as they wait for a clear response but Usagi spoke nothing. Instead, she smiled brightly at Taiki seemingly to be telling him something through telepathy. After several seconds, the genius was seen smiling satisfyingly much to everyone's surprise, "Thank you. That's all I need to know…"

--

"Telepathy describes the purported transfer of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals by means other than the five classical senses." – Facts

--

Their strange yet intimate communication method had caught the rest of the Aces in amazement and Seiya feeling the familiar spite of jealousy. Clenching both his fists, he wordlessly turned away from the warming sight before him and quietly exited the room.

--


--

"-ya! Seiya?"

"Huh?" Seiya asked, getting shoved off his train of thoughts. He turned instinctively towards the call, coming face to face with Usagi's worried expression.

"Are you alright? You kept staring off into space with no signs of life! Are you feeling ill?" She concernedly placed her hand over his forehead, checking his temperature. Like usual, the couple was seated on the roof garden's daybed as they awaited the rising sun.

"I'm sorry… It's nothing… I'm fine…" Seiya lied as he uneasily backed away from Usagi's touch.

"No! You are lying!" Usagi exclaimed determinedly. "You had been acting like this ever since yesterday. Tell me, what's wrong?" Usagi stared at him, wishing he'd talk to her about whatever was bothering him instead of apologizing and keeping to himself.

Seiya uncomfortably looked away from her concerned eyes and shook his head with a fake smile. Since yesterday, Seiya had been trying his best to hide his painful emotion to keep her from worrying, but Usagi was much more observant than he thought. She never failed to catch him spacing off during classes or on their way home and even noted that he was slightly quieter during mealtimes. So much for trying his all to hide the uneasiness and pretending to be contented, he was caught red-headed by Usagi who effortlessly noticed even the tiniest changes in him.

"Look at me!" Usagi demanded as she settled her both hands against his cheeks, turning him towards her till their eyes met. "Seiya, what's wrong?" she asked in a soft, worried tone.

He gazed silently at her, unable to give her an appropriate respond. Here she was, badly wanting to know about his problems, while she was hiding hers from him. How unfair. Maybe, to her, she felt like she was protecting him, but he felt she didn't trust him enough to confide in him. It hurt terribly, especially since she told Taiki and not him. Secretly, Seiya had always been bothered about the fact that Usagi tended to choose Taiki over him to discuss matters with. He doesn't even know her well enough as much as Taiki does. Who can blame him for his insecurity and uneasiness? He was barely told about her past or power abilities. All he knew was from experience, her irises would unexplainably turned black each time she activated her power and her enemies would mysteriously lose their conscious or scream insanity afterward.

In the past when his internal telekinetic energy became too overbearing for his body to handle, killing him internally, a mysterious brunette who looked exactly like Usagi would appeared before him and for an unknown reason, his uncontrollable flow of energy would inexplicably tame down, temporary soothing his pain. But his mysterious savior had stopped appearing before him ever since he learnt to take control of his power. Was the brunette Usagi? Or was it part of her power? There were so many questions about her that he wanted to know, like her background and origin. He wanted so badly for her to answer his uncertainties; why did she change her name from Akatsuki Furinji to Usagi Tsukino? Why did they call her a psychic weapon? And what's a psychic weapon? The academy definitely didn't teach them anything regarding it. Did Taiki know the answers to any of these questions? How much did the genius know that he doesn't? Why was he left out clueless? Was he not good enough for her to even trust talking to?

For a long moment, they just stayed like that, each gazing into one another's eyes of doubts, hopelessly lost in their own world. Usagi hated the silence hanging in the air. It only meant that he was too upset to even find words to express himself.

She instinctively free her hands from his cheeks, stood up and positioned herself till she was standing directly in front of the seated boy. To Seiya's surprise, she placed her hands over his shoulders and simply pulled him into her chest, making him blush crazily upon feeling her soft breasts against his burning cheeks. He froze there for several seconds, not knowing how to react as Usagi tenderly stroke his back. What was it that made her heart throb so much whenever he was feeling upset? Every time he felt down, she was brought down with him. Yet, when he grinned, she found herself smiling along as well. Why and since when had he become the center of her life?

"Seiya, I know something is bothering you. It's alright if you'd prefer not to tell me…" she told him in a small voice. "I'm contented, as long as you are fine with it…"

Her words brought a strange guilt into him. He breathed deeply, trying to sort out the complex emotions that were currently fighting in his within. "I just want you to talk to me…" he murmured softly.

"Eh?" Usagi stopped her stroking and pulled him slightly away from her so she was looking down into his dim-blue eyes. "I don't understand…" She shook her head innocently, not getting his request. Isn't she speaking to him right now?

"You always keep everything from me. You never tell me what's wrong or anything about your problems…" Seiya explained emotionally. "Am I not good enough to be trusted?"

His questions knocked Usag's speechless. She had never seen Seiya this emotional before, not even during his execution and could immediately tell that he was really disturbed about her keeping secrets from him. It's not like she wants to hide anything from him, but nothing good comes to those who know too much about her past or abilities. Wasn't that the reason why the country's high-authority forbids anyone from learning about her

For the first time, they weren't looking at the rising sun but at one another. Usagi shook her head lightly with a faint smile, "No… of course I trust you…"

"Then, why aren't you telling me anything?" Seiya insisted. "You talk to Taiki over every matters… Why, Odango? Why him…? Why isn't it me? Can't I be of any help to you?"

"No, it's not the way you think it is…" Usagi replied in a soft grin. "Sometimes, it wasn't me who told him…"

Seiya blinked gazing at her trying to figure out what she meant. She looked back at him not giving him any clues or hints that would help him to understand what she was referring to.

"Though I know he's protected, if given a choice, I would rather he knows nothing too…" She continued with a subtle smile.

"Can't I know? Odango, can't I know too?" Seiya questioned directly.

Usagi was caught off guard as Seiya gripped her on the wrist, pulling her towards him till she was settling on his lap and her face resting against his chest. She froze there for a second or two as he simply wrapped his arms around her thin shoulders.

"I'm sorry if I sounded selfish…" he whispered. "At times, I felt useless. Ever since young, you were there for me… unconditionally protecting and standing up for me… I will never be who I am now if it wasn't for you and I never know how to thank you enough." He pressed his cheeks against hers in a loving gesture. "So… please… please… I want to protect you too. I very much want to be there for you at all time… Am I not allowed to? Am I not allowed to get close to you?"

Get close to her? Excluding Taiki, Usagi can't remember the last few who got close to her enough, because all of them died in the end; which includes her foster parents who died hating her. Feelings became a cast away ever since and because of this, she was seen smiling in whatever and whenever not till she met Seiya was she finally able to feel emotions all over again. She had an odd feeling ever since the first moment she locked her eyes at him. What was that strange feeling? She doesn't know. But it was strong, whatever that made her drawn to him.

For a minute, Usagi was silent. They just sat there, bodies pressed together in an embrace.

"Gomen neh, Seiya…" Her small voice finally broke the silent. "I didn't mean to hide anything from you… Gomen neh…"

Usagi's sincere apology had Seiya pulling away from her slightly. He gazed wordlessly at the blonde, who as usual held a light smile across her lovely face.

"Because I've no intention of lying to you… That's why I kept quiet." She told him as she lifts herself up, gently pressing her lips against his forehead. "And it doesn't mean that I don't trust you. I do, really, with all my heart… I do…" She ran her fingers down his face, stopping at his cheeks as she peered into his dark-blue eyes. "Seiya, please understand, that I have my reasons for keeping quiet…"

"Is it all because they see you as a psychic weapon?" Seiya holding onto her wrists asked knowingly. For a second there, Usagi was stunned by his question, but she managed to hold onto her smile like always.

"Partially…" she replied while looking away.

"You are not a weapon!" Seiya exploded in rage, catching Usagi by surprise. He clutched his fists hard, wanting to hurt whoever that declared her as a killing tool. How dare they? How dare they see his pure white angel as a murderer weapon? An innocent girl like her who is beautiful both in the inside and out shouldn't be treated as a tool at all, not to mention one for killing purposes. "How-how unforgivable…! I will never forgive anyone who called you that!"

Usagi smiled, thinking how adorable he was for getting angry at something that had been identified as a fact ever since her birth. It had her wondering what his reaction will be if he were to understand how easily she can kill without even dirtying her own hands, which is why she always gets away with murder. Which is also why she's on Satan's top most wanted list, and that's the reason why they declared her as a murderer weapon. It was all because she was anything but innocent.

He was the innocent one, Seiya. And that's the main reason why she didn't wish to tell him anything, not wanting to crush his belief or bring any unnecessary harm to him. There's no benefit gained from knowing too much about her or Satan's next re-installment. Right now, all she wants to think about is the present, on the things that pleased everybody, her dearest friends and him, because she wasn't sure if she'd be able to anymore in the future…

Acting on her impulse, Usagi leaned forward to Seiya who was totally caught off guard as she warmly planted a soft kiss on his lips. His eyes shot wide opened in absolute surprise as they stayed at that loving posture for a few more second. Finally, Usagi withdrew herself and beamed at him, whispering…

"Thank you."

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Credit: Character Hayato Furinji is from the Anime, History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi.