"You are Sayaka's kid?" his dark eyes were wide in surprise. "So you were the one fighting against my son, weren't you?"

"I need to go home. Tou-sama will be worried if I am late." Why was he asking so many questions?! She needed to go away from him. Sakuno went past him with hurry steps, but Ayato stood in front of her.

"Please, can you just give me a minute? I knew your mother! I just wanted to ask you a few questions, is that okay?"

"You knew her?" she asked, quietly. It was the first time she met someone from her mother's past outside the Tezuka family.

"Yes." Ayato smiled gently at her. "It is going to be dark soon. Can we go talk somewhere else? Please."

"If you try anything weird, I will kill you." Sakuno said, seriously, the scarlet eyes narrowed at him but Ayato just looked at her and laughed. It took him a while to be able to respond.

"You are really Sayaka's child!"

#########

They went to a coffee shop near. Ayato ordered some coffee and treated her with hot chocolate. He observed her and noticed how the girl's movements and expressions were similar to her mother's. The Takagi head noticed the bandages on her hands, but he refrained himself from asking.

"It is like I went back on time." He smiled at himself and Sakuno noticed a hint of sadness on his voice. "Aside from your hair, you're Sayaka's spitting image."

"How did you know her?" she asked, after taking a sip from the cup. "Did… did you know about her job?"

"Yes. We met while I was fighting on the Aomori's underground arenas. I fell for her like a brick from the first sight, but it took her a long time for taking me seriously." He grinned.

"You were… Kaa-san's boyfriend? What happened?"

"I acted stupidly towards one of the Aomori's man and my father sent me to Europe. I have been living there until recently when he passed away and I return to take care of things." His expression was filled with pain. "I lost contact with your mother back then and we never saw each other again. Then, Tezuka-san told me she had passed away."

"She died when I was born." Sakuno said, quietly. "I don't know much, but some complications happened."

"I am very sorry." He said, sincerely. "I also never had the chance to apologize for what my son did to you, either." He lowered his head. "I'm deeply ashamed."

"Don't worry about it. But, your son, there is something wrong with him." Her words made him laugh a little.

"It is my fault. I was always very busy and he stayed with his mother's dad. That guy didn't teach him any discipline. He was rotten spoiled. I brought him from Russia, hoping he would improve his behavior, but just the other day he got into a fight and his face is totally destroyed." Ayato took a deep breath. Sakuno wasn't surprised to know Alexei had lied to his father. But it was not her place to meddle. She took another sip of the chocolate, before he looked at her again. "Why are you on the elimination squad? Did your father obligate you?"

"Not at all. Tou-sama is totally against this, since the beginning. Did you meet Tezuka Kunikazu? He was the one who demand I would be trained."

"Ah, that bastard. I've never liked him. Sayaka hated him too."

"I think he just wanted me to fill my mother's spot." She took a longer sip of the chocolate. "But, I was retired when he passed away."

"Now it all makes sense. On that day, I was imagining how someone so young could be so freaking strong and talented. But, you're Sayaka's kid. Of course you would be as good as her. How old are you, anyway?"

"I am 17." Suddenly, her cell phone started to vibrate on her pocket and she picked it up, looking at the screen. Ryoma was calling her. Ayato noticed the small smile on the girl's face. "I really need to go now."

"Ah, sure. Thank you so much for your time. Sorry I scared you."

"What were you doing there anyway, Takagi-san?"

"I sometimes go there to talk to your mother." He scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassing. "You must think I am creepy, right?"

"Not at all. I also go there to talk to her sometimes." She responded, sincerely. "I can't even imagine losing someone I like, especially when you couldn't do anything about it. It must be hard on you."

He was very surprised with her response. That kid was so mature and kind.

"Thank you for the chocolate." Sakuno said, before turning around, but Ayato stood up.

"Who is your father? Do I know him?"

"Tezuka Kuniharu." She responded, calmly, before leaving the coffee shop. Ayato felt like a bullet had perforated his heart one side to another.

######

"Are you okay?" Ryoma asked when she finally picked up the phone. The girl was walking towards home.

"Yes! What about you? Anything interesting happened on school?"

"Boring as always." She giggled at his response.

"I'm going back tomorrow."

"Already?! Did you finish that situation?"

"Yes." She looked at her bandaged hand. "Everything is fine."

"Are you really all right?" she noticed the concern on his voice.

"I am. I already miss you, Ryoma." His heart was tight.

"Hm. Same here. What time are you coming back? Do you want me to pick you up at the train station? We can go to school together from there."

"I have to go home and change into my uniform, so I will see you at Seigaku."

"Okay, then. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Ryoma."

##########

The Tezuka family and Fuji were around the table, having dinner. Since Sakuno would leave next morning, Ayana made a special meal for her, with all her favorite dishes. Even though Kuniharu and his wife were still not in the best terms, Ayana would never behave in a way to make their children uncomfortable.

"Nii-sama, when is your new book going to be launched?"

"Two weeks from now." He responded, after eating some salad. "After everything that happened I had to postpone it." Kunimitsu looked at his parents. "My editor is still arranging the time, so I will send you the invitation as soon as I receive them."

"Are you still not going to tell me the title?"

"I told you already, it is going to be a surprise, Hahaue." His voice was gentle.

"You know about it, right?" she smiled at Syuusuke and he smiled back.

"I don't know either, I swear."

"Sakuno, tell me about this kendo thing. We did not have a chance to talk about it yet." Kuniharu looked at his daughter across from the table.

"I am just trying to enroll at the kendo club. I don't even know I will be accepted it. But, I've been thinking about a while, Tou-sama. I really want to teach little kids. I want to do something meaningful with the abilities I have."

"That is a noble thought." He showed her a small smile. "But, if you want to be a teacher, you need proper education. The University of Tsukuba has a very strong program for kendo, the best in the country. They have a campus in Tokyo. You can enroll for Health and Sport Sciences and go from there."

"Really?!" she was really excited. "Can I really do it?"

"Yes. Just continue to study properly and have good grades at school."

"Thank you, Tou-sama!"

They continued to eat and talk about trivial things, until it was time for dessert.

"Sakuno, I prepared hot chocolate for you." Her mother smiled.

"Ah, thank you, Kaa-sama, but I already had it today with Takagi-san." The girl said, naturally.

"Takagi-san? Takagi Ayato-san?" her father looked at her surprised.

"Yes. I met him today while I was visiting Kaa-san. He was going to visit her too. First he was really shocked to see me there, I was scared too, but, we ended up talking. He is a really nice person."

"Who gave you permission to go outside by yourself?" they all looked at Kuniharu, surprised. His head was down and his fists closed tightly, his voice was deeply serious.

"Tou-sama?" she tried to touch his hand and investigate his expression, but he stood up, looking at her angrily from above.

"Who gave you permission to talk to him?! What did you talked about?!"

"Chichiue, there is no need for such…" Kunimitsu tried to stop him.

"Be silent, Kunimitsu." They had never seen the Tezuka head with such terrible expression. Before he could say anything else, Sakuno stood up and ran away, crying silently.

"Sakuno!" Kunimitsu stood up and ran after his sister.

"Tezuka-sama, I am sorry. I was the one Sakuno-chan told she was going to visit her mother. I didn't know it was still forbidden, since she is coming and going form Kyoto freely. I am deeply sorry."

"Do not apologize, Fuji-san. Please, go stay with my son." Ayana said, gently.

Kuniharu averted his eyes from his wife, feeling extremely ashamed and stupid for having such reaction.

#########

Ayana entered her husband's office and stop for a while, as seeing him sitting on the outside porch. It was already late at night. His head was down and his hand was on his face. His whole self was emitindo a deeply troubled aura. She took a deep breath, before sitting by his side, putting a small cup of tea next to him.

"Here." She said, gently and it surprised him. It was the first time she spoke directly at him for days.

"I am so sorry." He looked extremely miserable.

"You never raised your voice against our children before. Not even when they were little and throwing tantrums. Actually, I never saw you raising your voice in all the time I've known you."

"I am deeply sorry. I am going to talk to Sakuno soon."

"She left to Tokyo already. Kunimitsu and Fuji-san took her. I told them to do it. I imagined it would be for the best, so both of you could calm down."

"She is probably hating me right now." He lowered his eyes again.

"That is impossible." Touching his hand, she kissed his face.

"You were mad with me for days." He showed a small, sad smile. "And it was not the first time."

"It only shows how much I love you." Her forehead rested on his chest. "No matter how mad I get, I will always love you."

"Thank you, Ayana." Kuniharu held her tight.

"So, Anata, tell me." She raised her face and touched his cheeks with both hands. "Why Sakuno meeting Takagi-san troubled you so much?"

Kuniharu took a long, exaushated breath. He was so tired of keeping that secret for so long. Now, it even tainted his relationship with his beloved daughter.

"Takagi-san is Sakuno's father." he felt like a thousand rocks were lifted from his shoulders. "Sayaka made me promise they would never know about each other, so his father wouldn't interfere."

His wife's hands fell from his face and the grey eyes looked at him unbelieving.

"I never thought he would return here and I would take her secret to the grave. I was incapable of keeping her daughter safe, of defying my father's orders and I even put her in danger towards her own brother that now hates her." He lowered his head and was making a tremendous effort to not cry. "If I wasn't such a coward, I could have helped her to escape. Sakuno would be a normal child and Sayaka would probably be alive."

Kuniharu was surprised as his wife's arms were around him, tightly. The night wind blew around them, moving her long light hair.

"I am so sorry you had to carry such a heavy burden all by yourself for all these years." Her voice was so sweet it almost broke his heart. "I am deeply sorry, Anata. I wished you were able to share it with me sooner."

The Tezuka head hugged his wife's back, the taller body pressed on hers, looking for safety and comfort.

"Do not feel guilty. Nothing that happened was your fault. Your father's grim shadow stills hovers over us. I am sure Sayaka knows how much you love Sakuno and always did the best for her."

"Ayana…"

"Do not worry." He looked at her and she smiled kindly at him. "Let's visit Sakuno after a while so you two can talk properly to each other. I am sure everything will be all right.

"Yes." Kuniharu whispered, before kissing his wife.