Author's Notes: I'm sorry for the very much DELAYED update. However, I'm here to update and stick to updating until I finish this story! Again, I apologize for being so late! Life sort of…changed a lot this past year (years?). Thank you to those who continued to review and to those who supported this!

Chapter 21: Fess Up or Give Up

"…But now, now that you're gone,

All I can do is pray for you,

To be here beside me again—"

Yuki sang the last verses of his new song with an ache tugging painfully in his chest, growing steadily as he neared the end of the song. The past few days had been a blur, a total massive blur of nothing and everything.

Hatori had rushed a few days ago into the recording studio telling Shigure, no, Yuki himself, that Tohru Honda was leaving for America. Akito had given her a once in a lifetime opportunity to become an international model for Sohma Corporation. Hatori had looked at him, stared at him, waiting for an answer, but what could he say? If he doesn't let her go…what would Akito do to her? Ruin her. Akito had the power to ruin and Yuki had forgotten that with the little freedom Akito had given him. He had abused this little freedom and was made to remember not to do it again.

His sacrifice?

Tohru.

Tohru…

He couldn't bear to see her suffer. He wants her to have everything she could. He wants her stay optimistic as she always did. He doesn't want to see her, one day, in disbelief that everything she owns was taken away. Taken away by Akito…

Shigure looked at the youth in the recording room flipping through the lyrics, struggling to concentrate. Shigure sighed and told the crew, "Hang on for a moment, will you guys?" He asked them and they nodded in replied.

Shigure opened the door into the recording booth, "Yo, Yuki!" He greeted. Yuki turned around and looked at him questioningly, "What are you doing here?" He asked.

Shigure scratched his head and laughed uneasily; true he was the one that always pushed Yuki into working. However, he refused to work with an empty talent!

Sighing, Shigure crossed his arms in front of his chest, "What the hell is wrong with you?" He finally asked Yuki.

"Nothing's wrong. What's wrong with you?" Yuki asked looking back at the lyrics, flipping through the paper, fixing anything that needed any fixing.

"Actually, I'm quite fine! This past few days has been a gift for me. My stress levels, according to good ol' Ha'ri have gone down dramatically." Shigure replied with a goofy smile.

"Then again, that worries me a lot." Shigure continued.

Yuki was unresponsive. Like I said, empty talent. Must I fix him all the time he dysfunctions? I should definitely get a raise, Shigure thought.

"You've been too cooperative—"

"And that scares you?" Yuki asked.

"Yes, yes it does. Ever since Hatori came here with that news, you've been cooperating like a good little boy. That's a good thing for my part, for yours it's usually not."

"Oh?"

"How can you stand singing that song, Yuki, when she's leaving today? Maybe right now as of this moment?"

"Because I can. She means nothing. Nothing at all. Can we get back to work?" Yuki asked, putting back his headset.

No music came.

"She's leaving." Shigure said for the last time wondering when in the world his little cousin would just admit defeat.

Days had passes since Kyo's encounter with Akito. He was in the elevator, on his way towards Akito's office. Frankly, he didn't know what his decision was; to take up Akito's enticing (yet super evil) offer or not.

"Destroy Yuki."

It rang inside his head, tempting him.

Tohru looked around for the last time around the small apartment she shared with her friends. She was going to miss it dearly, but this decision would surely be the one that suited her the best.

She took out her suitcase from her room and placed it by the front door. She was going to leave for the airport in a few minutes. She was just waiting, no, she was just stalling taking in everything she can about this place. Tohru had moved in with Uo for high school and wanted to stay for college. Many more memories were added to their growing collection. However, it would soon stop.

"Are you ready, Tohru?" Uo asked uncertainly.

Uo wanted nothing but to persuade Tohru from leaving. She didn't understand Tohru's sudden decision, but she had a wild guess that it had something to do with a boy. Hanajima came up from behind Uo and stared at Tohru, sensing jolts of tension in Tohru's electric waves.

"Yes, I'm ready! Will you guys help me put this in the car?" Tohru asked with a grin.

"She's leaving, going forever, never to come back, gone, zoom, outta here!" Shigure told Yuki, who was ignoring him quiet well.

Shigure sighed exasperatingly. It's been like this for the past five or ten minutes and still Yuki didn't budge.

"Look," Shigure finally said, "Obviously you're in love with this girl. I don't know how, but you are—please, please, please don't deny it or I will, without hesitation, smack your pretty little face!"

Yuki turned around to face Shigure and took off the headset from his ears, "It's a lot more complicated than that, you know?"

"No, I don't know. From my point of view, and many of those that care, like Ha'ri for example, it's a lot more simple than you think."

"Really? Try being an super idol in all of Japan with a contract to Akito!" Yuki retorted back.

"Ah," Shigure said, "You're scared then."

"I don't want what happened to Kyo to happen to her." Yuki said, regaining his cool after his outburst.

"All I'm going to say is," Shigure said with a smile, "Tell her how you feel or lose her forever. Fess up or give up, Yuki."

Yuki stared at Shigure blankly. "Told you it was a lot simpler than you thought." Shigure said with a shrug.

"Have you come to your decision yet, Kyo?" Akito asked icily.

"Yes, yes I have, actually." Kyo replied.

"Well, I'm glad you made the right choice—"

"No." Kyo answered.

Akito, a thin black clad figure, froze from his leather seat and glared angrily at the outcast before him. He slowly rose from his chair and asked Kyo a menacing question, "What was that, Kyo? I didn't quite here you over there…"

"I said no, Akito." Kyo replied.

Kyo liked to sing, act, and entertain people. It was his passion and he liked doing it a lot. However, for once in his life his future was set right in front of him, solid and waiting for him. He was engaged to Kagura. The idea of losing his career was nothing compared to starting anew with someone he loved just as well.

"If I were you I'd think this over again." Akito said, fully standing behind his desk.

"If I were you, I'd just sit back down and quit with trying. I made my decision and it's a no."

Akito's hand shook, "Y-you are one foolish outcast!" He yelled.

"What have I got to lose?" Kyo asked coolly with a shrug.

Akito stared at the orange haired man and rage filled his eyes. How dare he, one of his servants, defy him? Did he not realize he can take everything he owned? Did he not realize he can make him live in the streets begging for food until he died?

"If you do that, I'll take everything you are again and destroy it!" Akito bellowed.

Kyo shrugged, turned around, and walked towards the door of the office. Akito breathed hard and pounded his fist against the desk, "Everything!" He kept on barking.

Opening the door out, Kyo looked back and smiled at Akito, angering the dark man even more and said, "You know what Akito? I've always wanted to say this to you…"

Kyo held up his hand and gave Akito the finger, "You can take that everything and shove it up your ass!"

"Aya? Yes, it's Shigure. You really do owe me that car. I want it delivered with a big red bow on top of the roof." Shigure said on the phone. Fifteen minutes earlier…

"Told you it was a lot simpler than you thought."

Yuki placed the headset down along with the lyrics. He looked at Shigure and smirked, regaining the life he had before, "To tell you the truth, I hated singing that song. Recording it was torture."

Shigure laughed, "Need a break?" He asked knowing the answer already.

"Can I take two hours off?" Yuki asked but before he can get an answer from Shigure, bolted out of the booth and out of the room.

"Just do what you have to, but come back in one piece!" Shigure called out.

Shigure listened on the phone, "No, I don't think Ha'ri would want to pay the other half of the car, Aya." He said sighing. He had a feeling that Ayame wouldn't hold onto the other end of the bargain.

Author's Notes: Thank you for reading! I'll be updating this week. Please review and tell me what you think!