Chapter 34

The door of the classroom burst open. Inita stood in the doorway, the tear stains still on her face.

"Guys…"

Her friends focused on her.

"Where's Yuki?" Tomoyo asked.

"Yea. He said he was going to look for you."

"His dad…had him taken out of school."

"And for that you cry?" 'Yamato' yawned, "Parents do that sometimes."

"No!"

Many other people looked around.

"Yuki's never seen his dad. And I'm sure he doesn't want to either. It's kidnapping!"

Her friends paused.

"So…You want us to do what exactly?"

Inita fell silent for a moment. She then looked at them sternly.

"Help me get him back."

"I see a major flaw in this plan design." Tomoyo said, raising her hand.

"Yea? What is it?"

"We don't even know where he is, do we? Or where he's going for that matter."

"Oh…"

Inita stared blankly at the roof for a while.

"Hold it! Is that how you knew to track me using my phone?"

"…Kind of…"

"That's it!"

"What's it?"

"We can track his phone!"

Meanwhile, Jacarra walked silently next to Kei.

"What is going on in his mind right now? Is he mad? Does he hate me for still loving Sasori?"

"Jacarra…" his voice sent her train of thought flying.

"Y…Yes?"

"I'm sorry about earlier." He avoided her stare. "I know you still like…"

"Sasori?"

He said nothing.

"…Hey…Umm…"

"…You can get home alright from here, right?"

"Huh?"

He stopped and looked back towards the path they had come. "Tomorrow, perhaps."

"Kei?" Her eyes widened. Something didn't feel right. This wasn't like him at all.

"Later." He broke into a quick stride back to the school.

"Kei!" she cried out, "Kei, listen to me!"

No answer.

Her emotions ran wild. "Kei! Don't you dare go and leave me here! KEI!"

He was gone.

Tears trailed down her face. Why? Why was he reacting like that? He was her best friend; her protector. Would he just let their friendship go over one little incident?

Yuki stared blankly at his phone screen. "Did she get my message?" he wondered.

"Hey, kid…No messaging."

"I was just telling her not to worry."

"Oh? Is she your little girlfriend?"

They guards laughed. "He didn't want to make her cry."

"In any case, it's better than what my father did for my mom; nothing."

"Hey. The boss is a good man."

"Maybe, but he's a heck of a horrible father."

"Your mother was the horrible one…Keeping you away from your father all those years."

"WHAT?"

"In any case, we're here."

They led him up to a brightly lit office with certificates of all kinds on the walls. A woman with light blonde hair and blue eyes walked over to him.

"Hi. You must be Yuki."

He only glared at her.

"Uh…It's nice to meet you. I'm Kitomi…Your dad's wife."

"Is this a hobby of yours or would you consider it your profession to break up delicate family balances?"

"…" she laughed nervously, "I'm sorry, what?"

"Nevermind."

"Come now. That's no way to treat your new mother. Let's hug and start over, ok?"

He pulled away. "No thank you. I only have one mother and she sure as hell ain't you."

"You are so mean. That's why you need me, honey. I'll erase all the seeds of revenge that woman planted in you."

"My attitude has nothing to do with the way my mother raised me! She is the most ladylike woman I have ever met! You're the reason I have this attitude!"

"Now, son." His father's voice only added to the turmoil in his mind, "Treat her nicely. She's going to be your mom from now on."

"Dad…" his voice lowered, "It's nice to see you…"

"Well, that's nice of y…"

"Is that what you wanted to hear? Don't expect it, because at this moment I'm thinking of choking you with your own tie."

A deathly silence fell on the room.

"Is this the place?" Tomoyo asked.

"Sure seems like it." Inita replied.

Sasia looked towards her. "Ok. We found him…How do we get in?"

"I found a back door." Savila said, "But it smells like socks in there."

"It's the cellar." Jenei said over Tomoyo's phone, "Form there you can take the elevator up to floor 20, where Mr. Aikato's office is."

"Thanks, Jenei!"

"Son, have I missed something?"

"Nope. Nothing. Nothing except every birthday I ever had, every event I ever entered, every phase of life I ever passed through, every…"

"Ok! I know. I'm sorry…That's why I'm making it up to you now."

"How is separating me from the woman who raised me going to make it up to me, dad? How?"

"…"

"And on top of that, you marry this…" he paused, "thing and expect me to call her my mom."

"Hey…" she cried.

"Even worse, you interrupt my kiss with my future girlfriend and almost had her killed."

"Who decided that?" A familiar, yet annoyed voice reached his ears.

"Inita?"

"Who said I was going to be your girlfriend?"

"Heh…."

Her stern look melted as she ran into his arms, "I'm just glad you're ok."

Mr. Aikato's eyes widened. This girl…Who was she? Something about her…

"Koru Aikato!"

"Is something wrong, Kari?"

A slap.

"How dare you kiss me like that yesterday?"

"But I…"

"I told you before, if you want to be friends, that's fine. But I don't have those feelings for you."

"….Kari…"

"Ms. Matsuki…" Her chauffeur held the car door open.

"I have to go. Remember what I just told you, k?"

He nodded.

"Kari…Is that you?"

Inita felt a shock run through her. "No?"

"Then…You must be her daughter."

Kazai had asked her about that very same thing…Did they look that much alike?

"She is not." Yuki stepped in, "Her mother's name is Mei."

"Mei? But she looks like…"

Kitomi hugged her husband, "Darling, is something wrong?"

"…No…No…"

"Well, if there are no objections, I'll be going now." He took Inita's hand and raced towards the elevator to join the others.

His father watched him go.

"Should we stop him, love?"

"…No…That girl..."

"Do you know her?"

"…Yuki really should marry her."