Yasuhara woke up on Sunday feeling like death warmed up. From John's expression, he must have looked like it too.

"No, you're ill, you are not leaving the room apart from to go to the toilet," John insisted.

"But…"

"But what?" John demanded. "I am going to go and make you a hot drink. And you are going to stay there and get better."

"You'll be late," Yasuhara mumbled.

"What?" John said from the doorway.

"Church… You'll be late…"

"It's okay, I'll stay here and look after you," John insisted.

"John, I'm fine, I need to get up."

"Yasuhara, you barely slept a wink and I know that to be true because you kept me up. Now stay there, let me get you a drink and we'll put Netflix on or something."

Yasuhara did not argue. John left and closed the door behind him. Yasuhara grabbed his phone and dialed Mai's number.

"I'm sorry! I'll be ready soon!" Mai's urgent voice said from the other end.

"John isn't letting me leave the room," Yasuhara mumbled. "He says I'm too ill."

"What? But… Um. Are you?"

"Well, I didn't really sleep a lot and—" he sneezed, "—I'm on my second toilet roll for blowing my nose. But I'm fine. I'll wait until John falls asleep and I'll sneak out."

"You're an idiot."

"What?"

"Yasuhara you sound like crap, listen to John."

"But—"

"Gene can wait, I'll deal with him."

"But—"

"Look, this meeting was a bad idea in the first place, it's a worse idea if you're ill," Mai stated. "I'll deal with Gene, we'll do it next week."

"But he'll think I'm faking."

"I'll speak with him. It'll be fine. Now you concentrate on getting better."

Mai hung up.

Yasuhara turned over and groaned into his pillow, then hastily reached for something to blow his nose on. John returned with a cup of tea and some toast. Yasuhara took it without argument and settled in for a long day of feeling crap.

He was not better the next day and so was forced to take the day off school. He had expected angry texts from Eugene calling him a coward for not coming, but whatever Mai had said had kept him quiet.

On Tuesday, Yasuhara thanked Mai profusely and wanted to seek Eugene out to explain. But whenever he found him, Eugene was always in the presence of his twin. Yasuhara had long since lost his animosity towards Oliver. In truth, they now both wanted the same thing. For Eugene to be safe and happy.

Mai reassured Yasuhara frequently that the meeting had been rearranged for the following Sunday and that everything was going to be okay. She followed every reassurance with a question about what he wanted for his birthday, which was the following week.

Yasuhara had not even thought about his birthday. It did not matter very much any more. It was just another day.

But Mai wanted to celebrate and he would let her. It would not be so bad as it was not like they could do much anyway. His birthday was a Wednesday, so they would not be allowed out or anything. At best, Mai would get a cake and let him win at table tennis.

A more pressing issue was Sunday. Yasuhara wished that he had met Eugene the previous weekend and that he had not been ill. Then the whole thing would be over. He would move on. Eugene would move on.

Sunday could not come soon enough.

Waking early on Sunday proved to be a problem for Yasuhara. It was too early for breakfast and yet now that he had woken, sleep evaded him. He lay, staring blindly at the ceiling, thinking about the day ahead.

John was still asleep, snoring softly and drooling into his pillow. Yasuhara would not get up now as he would only disturb his friend's slumber. Instead, he reached for his glasses and a book.

John woke an hour later.

"You been awake long?"

"Not really," Yasuhara lied.

"How long til breakfast?"

"Hmm," Yasuhara glanced at his phone, "About twenty minutes."

"Might go and shower then," John said.

Yasuhara bookmarked his page.

"I might join you." He blinked. "I mean shower too, not join you in the shower."

John laughed, unconcerned.

After showering, they headed to breakfast together.

"What are you up to today?" John asked as they took their seats.

Yasuhara finished his mouthful of cereal before answering.

"Hanging out with Mai," he lied. His chest ached at lying to John so much, but it was to keep him blissfully unaware.

"Cool."

"You've got church?"

"Yeah, soon as I missed last week I really should go this week. Mrs Rice will be worried about me."

"Who?"

"She's a regular who I often sit next too."

"Ooh, getting in with the ladies," Yasuhara teased.

"She is nearing ninety," John deadpanned. "Full of great stories though, and she mutters rude things a lot too."

"Rude things?"

"She has a… A bit of a dirty mind," John said, blushing. "She listens to the sermons and adds to them."

"Sounds hilarious."

John looked as if he wanted to agree, but dared not to. He was saved from speaking, however, as Mai had arrived.

"Hey, how are you two?" she asked.

But Yasuhara and John were both amazed by the sheer quantity of food on her plate.

"How are you going to finish all of that?"

"I am a growing girl, I need to eat a lot," Mai insisted.

"Mai, you haven't grown since you were twelve," Yasuhara said. "You've shown me photos."

"Yeah, well, I'm hungry. Leave me alone."

"At this rate, people will think you're the pregnant one, not that other girl," Yasuhara muttered.

"Oh shut up, I don't need that kind of rumour going around," Mai retorted.

"And you're not pregnant?"

"No," Mai shook her head in disbelief, "I'm just hungry."

"Are you sure?" Yasuhara asked, knowing it would aggravate Mai.

"Yes I am sure!"

Mai scowled at Yasuhara and turned pointedly to John.

"How are you John?"

"Aww, Mai," Yasuhara whined.

Mai held up a hand to block Yasuhara's face.

"I'm fine," John replied, bemused.

"Mai, please don't ignore me."

"John, can you hear something?"

But Mai was smiling.

"Mai, let Yasuhara be," John said.

"Fine, just because you asked nicely."

Mai lowered her hand.

"So when's it due?" Yasuhara asked, grinning.

Mai tried to slap him, but he dodged.

"I'm going to go and put some boots on and grab my coat," Mai said as she stood up. "If you are going to stop being a dick, then I'll accompany you to town."

Yasuhara decided to behave.

Mai met him by the gates and they began the long walk with plenty of time to spare.

"I'm sorry, about breakfast, I was just…"

"Nervous?" Mai provided.

"Yeah."

"I kind of guessed to be honest," she said. "I am too, a bit. But it's a public place so it should be okay."

"Yeah…"

They walked in silence after that.

"What do you want?" Yasuhara asked as they entered the coffee shop.

"Pot of tea please," Mai replied. "We're early enough for that."

Mai glanced around and picked a table, while Yasuhara bought their drinks.

"Where should I sit then?" Yasuhara asked as he deposited Mai's teapot, teacup and milk on her table.

"Well, from here, I can see all of those tables," she replied, pointing. "So I would pick one of those."

"But then you're really obvious to Gene?"

"Then just tell him from the start," Mai said. "I am not here to listen in, I am here to make sure you don't kill each other."

"Is that what you think of me?" Yasuhara asked, a little more seriously than he originally intended.

"What? No! Of course not," Mai said quickly. "I…"

"Sorry, I know. I'm on edge."

"I'd noticed. Go nab a table and chill out. Read your book or something."

Yasuhara took his coffee and picked a table where he could see Mai. All he could do now, was wait.

Eugene was ten minutes early. He spotted Yasuhara and Mai with ease. Mai waved and smiled, then returned to her book.

Yasuhara, on the other hand, put his book away.

"You brought Mai," Eugene said as he took his seat.

"I did," Yasuhara agreed. "Just in case."

"In case of what?"

"I don't know," Yasuhara said.

"I see."

Eugene took a sip of his drink and waited for Yasuhara to speak.

"What drink did you get?" Yasuhara asked, not making eye contact.

"Mocha," Eugene replied.

"Any good?"

"It's alright."

Yasuhara fell silent, but Eugene took up the cause.

"How have you been? No longer ill?"

"No, I'm better now. I am sorry about that, I tried to come but-"

"Mai explained that John had you practically restrained. I didn't realise you were so keen to see me."

"I did not want to let you down again."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Why won't you look at me?" Eugene asked after taking another sip.

"Sorry."

"Then look at me." Yasuhara thought Eugene's voice was oddly neutral.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"B-Because I can't look at you without thinking of the awful things I did." The words burst from Yasuhara's mouth, which he then clamped shut.

"I think I understand that feeling, just a little."

Surprised, Yasuhara looked up.

"How?"

"I don't know why I stopped eating. I knew it was stupid and wasn't going to benefit me in any way. I knew it was wrong and yet I did it. It's a control thing. We both have- had control issues."

"Oh."

"So," Eugene's tone changed entirely, "Have you looked at universities yet?"

Yasuhara was taken aback, but rolled with it.

"Only a little," he replied.

"Dad has been helping us with things for uni," Eugene went on. "Oxbridge would be great of course, but I've looked at a few others."

"You're considering Oxbridge?"

"You're not?"

"I'm not good enough—"

But Yasuhara was interrupted by his phone ringing.

"Sorry," he muttered, pulling it out of his pocket and glancing at the caller ID: Mother. He cancelled the call and put his phone down.

"You are good enough," Eugene said, as if the phone had not interrupted.

"No, I'm not. Besides, if I go to a London University I could live at home," Yasuhara said.

His phone began ringing again.

"You can take it, if you want," Eugene said and Yasuhara sensed no hurt in his voice.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, go for it."

Yasuhara answered the call.

"Hi?"

"Osamu, I'm sorry to call you like this," his mother's voice said. "But… I need to talk to you about something. It's important."

Yasuhara thought she sounded upset, but he could not be sure.

"Okay?"

"Do you have a minute?"

"Yeah."

"Your father and I had a discussion last night, about your birthday, and well…" He heard her take a deep breath. "... I found out what happened to you at Christmas. I'm so sorry. If I had known."

"Mum, it's fine."

"It isn't. If… Well, I was going to wait until you were eighteen. But after your father's comments last night…"

"Tell me what?" Yasuhara asked, frowning.

"Your father fears publicity, he always has," his mother went on. "But… There is no easy way of saying this. But after what happened at Christmas, I think it's for the best that you know."

"What's going on?" Yasuhara demanded, ignoring Eugene's concerned look.

"He's not your real father."

Yasuhara's stomach dropped and his mouth fell open. Disbelief filled his brain. But why would his mother lie to him?

"I was stupid. It was short affair but it resulted in... Your father accepted you as his own to avoid scandal. That's why he's always been…"

"An arsehole to me."

"Osamu, that isn't fair—"

"Isn't fair? It wasn't even my fault! You're always sticking up for him!"

"Osamu—"

"No, I don't want to hear it!"

Yasuhara hung up, dropping his phone onto the table and balling his hands up into fists.

"Are you okay?" Eugene asked.

Yasuhara had forgotten Eugene was there.

"Shit. No. I can't do this right now."

He dropped his head into his hands and stared at the table. It explained so much.

"But—"

"He's not my real father."

The words sounded alien to his ears. Yet it made so much sense.

"What?"

"He's not my real father. That's why he was such an arse. Why he shipped me off. Why he didn't care after that bitch…"

Yasuhara looked up to see Eugene reached a hand over to comfort him. Yasuhara flinched away and Eugene withdrew his hand, looking hurt.

"I can't do this right now," Yasuhara said. "I'm sorry."

He stood up, with every intention of leaving.

"Please—"

"Gene, no. I don't want to hurt you. This was a bad idea to begin with and-"

"You aren't going to hurt me," Eugene insisted. "Mai is here, remember? Now tell me what's wrong Yasuhara."

Yasuhara. The name was not truly his. The name everyone knew him by was false. He glanced over at Mai, who had yet to notice anything was wrong. But she was still here. Yasuhara took a deep breath and screwed his eyes up, trying to think straight. Eugene wanted to know what was wrong. He knew he should just leave. But did he have any right to refuse Eugene anything?

Yasuhara sat back down and took another deep breath before summarizing the entire issue as succinctly as possible.

"My mother had an affair. My father is not my father. He's punished me for it ever since and she chose to tell me about it now because she found out about my suicide attempt."

"Oh shit."

Eugene patted the back of Yasuhara's hand. Yasuhara did not shrug him off.

He wanted the comfort.

Author's note: So this is late because I'm no longer in the UK... I'm in the US, California! So that's my excuse for all 3 of you that care :) So yeah... Enjoy!