As if in answer to his thoughts, Souichi heard an engine stop in front of him and he looked up to find that a black car had parked in the same place. He could not tell if it was the same vehicle, but his agonizing heart still skipped a beat as the door opened.

Morinaga was kneeling in front of Souichi in seconds; a hand resting on his shaking shoulders. This was not the response he had been expecting. Morinaga had thought that if he gave Souichi back his freedom, he would snap out of the trance he had been in since the unforgettable incident. 'Well, he's not emotionless anymore…'

"It's okay, it's okay. Don't cry, you should be happy. You don't have to live in that basement anymore." Morinaga let out a sigh as more chocked sobs became his answer.

"…Alright, where do your parents live? I'll take you there."

"…o…f…mil…" Morinaga could not understand a word through Souichi's hysteria.

"Huh?"

"No…no family here…"

"None at all?"

"…Mom's dead…the old man was in South Africa the last time I heard…brother's in America…and s-sister's in boarding school…I had an apartment, but it's been rented to someone else by now…" Morinaga felt like an idiot. Why had he not thought of this? He had just assumed Souichi would have somewhere to go. 'What now? I can't take him back there…'

"C'mon. Stand up." Morinaga said softly as he hauled Souichi to his feet. He could not help the spark of hope from bursting in his chest as Souichi willingly took his hand. He had thoroughly prepared himself for this goodbye; had made his peace with never seeing the one and only recipient of his love again. So of course his heart was rejoicing at the idea of genuinely being wanted. 'I thought he was just saying what he thought he needed to when he thanked me…that he would leave if he was given the chance…but he seemed so heartbroken…that can't be the product of brainwash, can it? Stockholm syndrome maybe, but…'

"Wh…where are we going?" The small spark became a raging fire with the question. 'He cares enough now to ask. That's got to be a good sign.'

"A hotel for now. We can sort the rest out later."

…..

Souichi was eating again. And he had not slept at all on the way to the hotel they were now housed in. 'It seems like the shock therapy did work a little bit.' Morinaga thought as he nibbled at his own steak.

"So…What now?" Souichi looked up from his plate to stare into Morinaga's eyes, some of his old strength back in his features and voice, though the look was laced with anxiety.

"We'll do whatever you want to do." Having no control of his former-slave anymore, Morinaga did not feel right making decisions, though a plan was forming in his mind just in case Souichi asked for his input. He would do what Souichi wanted from now on, and only what Souichi wanted. If he was told to leave, he would find a way to deal with that; and if he was told to stay, he would help in whatever way he could.

"…I should probably contact the old man…Kanako too."

"That sounds like a good place to start." Silence stretched on until both boys were full and the trays of food were abandoned. Morinaga could not stifle the yawn that broke the comfortable stillness. Unlike his partner, he had not slept much at all the past few days.

"Well, I'm going to get some shuteye. You can stay up and think it over more if you want." With a sleepy smile directed as Souichi, Morinaga crawled into the bed and snuggled deep into the thick sheets only a high-class hotel could provide. Silence reigned again and Morinaga was almost gone when movement was felt on the mattress.

"…You don't have to share a bed with me anymore…if you would rather use the other one…" Morinaga had gotten a two bed suite just for that purpose, figuring a freed Souichi would want to sleep alone.

"Shut up. It's your fault I'm used to this now." Morinaga could have sung his joy at the hostile way Souichi barked those words. This was the first time he had sounded like himself in ages. He settled in a few inches from Morinaga – his back to the younger boy – and tan arms reached out tentatively to wrap around him. When no negative response was given, Morinaga pulled closer, nuzzling into Souichi's hair.

"I love you…I love you so much…" The answer was strict and final.

"I don't believe you." All drowsiness fled with those words and Morinaga nearly sat up in his shock.

"What?!" Souichi kept his back turned, but answered the indignant exclamation.

"Who would just abandon the person they love? Why would you try to disappear like that if you wanted to stay with me forever? Because that's what "love" means…" An unknown emotion took hold of Morinaga. Was it guilt? Anger? He squeezed the body in front of him tighter. He had to defend himself.

"You don't understand. I didn't know what else to do…You were unresponsive for four days. Nearly starved. And even after you began eating a little again…you weren't you. I thought that maybe, if you got out of that place, you would…snap out of it." Silence stretched on, so Morinaga added. "And I figured that if you got out of that situation…you wouldn't want to…see me anymore."

"…You always just assume things without even asking me…who said I wanted you gone?" Morinaga allowed himself to act on the hope burning inside him.

"So…what do you want me to do?"

"…I don't know…" A deep sigh sounded at the anticlimactic response and Morinaga refrained from answering; his tiredness keeping him from pushing further. Yet, just as he was drifting again – Souichi's reassuring scent lingering around him – another question was mumbled quietly.

"How did you know?"

"Nnh…know what?" Morinaga was barely conscious and a part of him wondered if he was dreaming.

"Where my hometown was."

"Mm?...oh…um…I commute to N University…" Morinaga moaned in annoyance as the body he was using as a comfort blanket jerked sporadically. Souichi had turned on his back to give his former-owner a shocked stare. At the stunned silence, Morinaga continued.

"By the time I started there, the search for you had already died down…but there were still posters of you all over campus. And they held a memorial service for you a few months back…apparently, two years missing and the worst is assumed…"

"…They think I'm…?" Morinaga could not distinguish the emotion that clouded Souichi's eyes, but he looked worried.

"It's okay. We'll take care of that tomorrow. Try to sleep." If the boy he was holding spoke again, Morinaga was beyond hearing it; his brain finally succumbing to the restful sleep that had eluded him for so long.