So I have crappy updating habits don't I. Sorry about that. Good news is that there's only one chapter left and it should be out soon-ish. Not as long a wait. My friend just got a new boyfriend…so I'm kind of going on that right now. He's really sweet.

Speaking of personalities, I believe that only one character is actually in-character in this chapter. Sorry. Sunako is very emotional, so yeah.

Disclaimer: I don't own. Please enjoy this chapter.

It had been five months.

Five months since Kyo left the hospital. Since they all cried for the boy that they almost lost. Five months since Kyo and Suna started their new relationship as brother and sister, as friends.

Five months since everyone said goodbye and went home.

Takenaga, Noi and their children, along with Ranmaru returned to Japan. Kyohei followed to give a hello to Yuki and Maiko, and the family's new addition, Emiko. Their baby girl was the shinning light in the darkness that had passed. It seemed that her birth was had been the turning point in all that had gone wrong. Things had started to look up.

Afterward, Kyohei had stopped talking to everyone. He pulled what Ranmaru had deemed a "Sunako" and disappeared from everything. He would give a vague message through email, but never answer anyone.

Sunako found herself worrying over the absent Kyohei. She was also finding her once perfect home too quiet and empty, except for when Gina dropped by. She was finding that her rides with Midnight were lonely too. Sunako could not help but contribute this newfound hollowness to the lack of actual people in her life. The characters that used to be so lively were affected by this as well. They were now flat and seemly void of any personality at all. The mysteries that she was usually praised for were no longer mysteries, but just puzzles in which all the pieces fit easily.

They were boring. She was boring.

Sunako was forced to admit that she missed having people around. She missed the love that her family brought with them. In fact, she didn't even cringe when she thought of them as family anymore. Because they were.

It was a shame that it took her over half her live to realize that. It was too late now, she was sure. There was no way she could move back to Japan, and they weren't going to pick up their lives and move to be with her. At least she still had Gina.

"Maybe Dr. Falls could—"

"Gina, Gina," Sunako interrupted the younger girl with a wave of her hand. "Just give it up. I've hit a dead end. You know what," She gave a heartless laugh, "I've hit the end. I don't have anymore stories or ideas or characters. I'm done."

Gina stared. "I don't believe that, Sunako. And neither do you."

Sunako just shook her head slightly. "I know you don't, but it's the truth. I don't have anything left."

Gina studied the author. She watched as Sunako lost her drive. As she lost her the darkness in her ideas and the light in her eyes. She watched Sunako lost herself in wallowing.

"I miss them too," she said gently. "I miss them a lot, and I barely know them."

Sunako looked at the shorter, dark brown haired girl. Sunako knew that the other had been sad to see her new friends go. At least she had memories to hold her up, but Gina had nothing but the summer and a lousy ending, at that. Gina had to return to the kids in her school who didn't understand her, a sister to didn't want to, and a family who wished she was someone different. Sunako remembered what it was like to deal with that. Who and where she was ended up being a direct result of that.

"I know." Was all Sunako could whisper t the girl.

Gina nodded in understanding. A bit later, she left the house, thinking that Sunako would rather be alone. Sunako didn't want to let her know how wrong she was.

Another two months passed. The visits from Gina hadn't stopped, but they were becoming less and less productive. Eventually it came to Sunako and Gina sitting on the porch swing in silence until Gina had to leave. Sunako knew that the only reason Gina still came over was so to make sure she didn't lose her mind.

Gina and her emails from Kyo and Suna were the only things keeping her sane. The twins sent separate emails detailing the events each week. Usually these overlapped, but it was nice to see the two different sides. She knew from the emails that they were both emailing Gina as well. Sunako was happy that they were still keeping their friendship. Gina needed it too.

It was on one of those quiet afternoons when Gina spoke. The noisy swing came to a halt and the girl looked at her.

"This has got to stop." She said. "You are stronger than this."

Sunako sighed, not sure if she could explain anything at all. "No. I'm not. I've never missed them before. I never knew them before. I don't know what to do."

"Go see them," Gina yelled. "You do nothing with the money you earn from writing all those books. You can get on a plan and go see them."

Sunako had thought of that. She knew that she could, but she wouldn't. It was too late, after all. They had formed a family, a routine over there without her. She would just mess everything up now.

"You can't do this, Sunako," she went on, "They email us. They involve us in their lives; they haven't forgotten us. Yes, it's quieter here and a little more empty, but they'll come back. We need to stop acting like we're never going to see them again."

Sunako knew she was right. It wasn't the end of the world. It jus felt like it. It had taken her a while to admit to what she really felt, but now that she had, she couldn't stop thinking about it.

She missed being hugged by Noi.

She missed Takenaga's all-knowing, calculating, impossibly sweet eyes.

She missed Ranmaru's lewd jokes and jabs.

She missed the twins and their bickering.

And even worse than all that, she missed Kyohei.

That took all of her to admit. It wasn't just one thing about him that she missed. She missed him as a whole; everything about him. She missed the way they fought, the way he held her when she was upset, the way he looked at her.

She just missed Kyohei. All of him. He was the light to her darkness. They tinted each other. She didn't seem as dark with him.

Then there was those kisses. Those kisses that she had tried so hard to repress but failed miserably.

Gina sighed and left, and she didn't come back. For two weeks Sunako went out to that porch and sat. She waited and waited, but Gina never came returned. On the last day, Sunako curled up and cried. She drove everyone away and was now reaping it.

She could feel the day fading into night, but did not lift her head. The tears would not stop, though she had long forgotten what she was really crying over. Maybe she was just crying because she hadn't.

She heard someone approaching but didn't move. If they wanted to hurt her, now was a good time. They sat on the swing and she figured it was Gina, coming to check on her. Even with this knowledge, Sunako didn't care to respond to her.

Time went by and the tears finally stopped. Eventually, she was just sniffling. Sunako lift her head to look at Gina, maybe even say something, but a camera clicked and she froze. Kyohei brought the screen to face him and nodded at the result. Sunako was too shocked to do anything.

"I'd been waiting a while to take a picture of you," Kyohei shrugged. "To get one when your emotions are so…raw was too good to pass up."

Although his words were cocky, his tone suggested otherwise. He seemed totally devoid of emotion, sitting there by her with his camera in his lap.

"Where have you been?" she whispered after a while, not thinking of anything else to say.

"Thinking." He answered. "I took some time to think about things."

Sunako didn't look at him. She didn't say anything else, either. She just stayed there, in an uncomfortable silence with him.

"When Kyo was in the hospital, it got me thinking, you know?" he started. "I realized that the things we love could be gone in an instant, and we'll never get them back. So afterwards, I went away. I started making a list of things I didn't want to lose.

Takenaga and his family were on the list, of course. Yuki, Maiko. Emiko was probably the first to pop up. I'm completely wrapped around her little fingers."

"Yuki's sent me some things," Sunako managed, remembering the little baby girl. "She's cute."

"She's perfect," Kyohei corrected before moving on. "Ranmaru made the list and his princess followed behind him. Can you image what would happen to him if he lost her now?"

Sunako shook her head, barely remembering Kyo or Suna mention something about that.

"But you," he went on, "You were always there. I don't think I could lose you again."

Sunako lifted a shoulder, very uncomfortable. "You'd live," she chocked, her throat still hoarse from crying.

"No." Kyohei said harshly, his voice rough and angry. Sunako was alarmed to hear it. She turned to eye him only to find him glaring at her, his eyes dangerous. "I wouldn't. See, I figured out that you are a hypocrite. I knew that before, kind of. But when you left, you showed just how big of one you really are."

Sunako didn't understand. "I am not. How could you say that?"

"You broke me." He answered, already expected the question. He stood up, placing his camera down, and towered over her. Sunako had never feared the dark or him as much as she did at that moment. They were both working against her.

"You left me; you left because of me." Kyohei growled. Sunako stood up and backed away from him. She was usually able to fight him off, but he had one advantage that she didn't: he was angry while she was scared.

In an attempt to argue, she shook her head in disagreement.

"Don't lie! You could deal with Takenaga and his plans. You could deal with Ranmaru and his life-style and remarks. You could deal with Yuki and his fears. You could deal with Noi and her crazy, love filled ideas. You could even deal with your aunt."

He took a deep breath. "You left because you couldn't deal with me. That broke me, just like that bastard broke you."

"It's not the same," she said.

"It is!" He shouted, the sound reflecting in the woods that surrounded them. "You are the only person who's ever made me feel normal. I can be myself with you. And you can with me, you knew that, and yet you ran!"

Sunako looked around for a last resort. Anything to say so that she didn't have to deal with him. "What about Rachel?" she asked.

Kyohei let out a short, humorless laugh. His violet eyes were shining with a haughty glint. "You know, when making my list, Rachel didn't show up in my mind until she called me."

Sunako knew she couldn't give up yet. "It'd never work."

"Yes, it would." He replied confidently. "You could never be with anyone else, and neither can I."

She scoffed. "People like Noi and Takenaga are meant for each other. Yuki and Maiko would probably be doormats in any other relationship. Hell, that princess might even teach Ranmaru how to love. They all fit together. We don't."

"Because you won't let us, Sunako," he said, "You push us apart."

Sunako was finally finding her nerve. "Do you remember how we used to be? We fought all the time, and when we weren't fighting, we were getting into trouble."

He smirked. "Yeah, and most of the time I wondered what it would have been like to kiss you in those moments."

Sunako was derailed. She didn't know how to reply to that. "You lie,"

"You're wrong," Kyohei claimed.

"You're too much for me," she explained hopelessly. "I can't handle you."

"You've never tried," he countered. "Try."

Sunako stared at him, tilting her head to look him in the eye. "I'm—" Kyohei prevented her from finishing.

Just the same as the kisses before it, it was smooth, soft, and patient. He was gentle, and didn't command. He didn't pull or push her. Despite how rough he could be, his kiss was unbelievably steady, waiting for her to get over her shock. Sunako never realized how much he must know her to understand that she needed that.

There was only one way to really thank him.

She kissed him back. Finally.

So, sorry about the mistakes and the updating. I'm also sorry for this chapter in general. I need practice at scenes like these. I felt that the chapter moved too fast and was a bit hasty. I don't really want to mess with it too much, because I'm sure that I'll just make it worse.

Like I said up there, there is one chapter left, it's a happier and, what I believe, a fitful closing to this story.

The Yellow Rose is one it's way to being updated. You can kind of already tell what happens to them in this chapter.

Thank you readers and reviews. You guys mean so much. I never thought that this story would ever get over 500 hits to a chapter, and never dreamed of it getting more than a hundred reviews. You guys rock completely.