Disclaimer:

X , the manga, the anime, and all characters portrayed in it belongs to CLAMP, its respected creator and author. All characters and resources related to X in this fiction is borrowed for fan purposes only and are in no way directed towards any copyright infringement acts.

A/N:

I just had to get this out of my system. \(^_^)/

Thanks to kerianne for telling me that his wife's name is Shimako  ^ o ^

Anyhow… this takes place after Aoki filed for his divorce papers.

====================================================================================

"Tadaima…" he muttered softly as he entered the front door, almost barely heard. Setting his briefcase aside, he sat down on the floor and took off his shoes. He exhaled deeply as he placed them neatly aside a child's pair of shoes by the wall.

As his sapphire eyes locked their gaze upon the little ones, he felt as if his heart was torn into pieces. What he was about to do tonight is going to tear him apart. Tear them all apart.

But it's for the best.

Is it?

"Okaeri nasai, Sei-chan…" a soft voice whispered gently by his ears as two loving arms enclose around his broad shoulders.

Gentle and loving, as always. Her touch could always ease his mind. It was as if she always knew everytime his mind was in turbulence. And she wouldn't ask any questions. She would just simply… be there…

…

Haru.

Aoki Seiichiro was only nineteen that springtime. His second year as a Todai student. He had always known that he was different. That he had a destiny to fulfill. But, what the dreamseer who was living under the government building told him that one day was something he didn't expect.

"Ten… no… ryuu… ka?" the words escaped his lips softly. She had told him that he was one of the seven seals, the seven who will protect the world from her destruction as wished by their adversary, the seven angels, Chi no ryuu.

He knew it was his destiny. Something that he couldn't escape. Something that he will have to live up to. But now, he's in doubt. Not of anything else, but of himself.

A Ten no ryuu incapable of creating his own kekkai.

"You haven't found your purpose."  The dreamseer said to him. "Your reason."

And he did seek his purpose and reason. He had always known without a doubt that he had wanted and was destined to protect the world. But for what? He didn't know. Because it was the right thing to do?

He looked at both his hands. The only two hands that he has. The two hands that will protect the world. But then his palms closed into fists and they trembled as he clenched them tighter.

Naze da?!

Why can't I create a kekkai?!

His fists loosened as he felt a cool breeze softly drifting through. The wind had always been his loyal friend, and the one thing he could always be sure of. Lifting up his one palm, a soft spiraling breeze formed atop it, tousling several pink sakura petals that had floated off their branch on top of where he was sitting.

Wind… my friend…

Please… help me find my reason…

And just like that, suddenly something flew right at him. Caught by surprise, the wind stopped, and the white scarf that the wind had carried along to him fell softly as it brushed its soft fabric against his face, and onto his lap. He could smell the sweet jasmine scent as he took its softness in his hands.

"Sumimasen…" a soft voice called out to him, startling him from his daydream. And what was before him when he looked up was an angel. Never had he ever seen a creature so beautiful in his entire lifetime that he lost his words, entirely… utterly…

Silence.

"Ano…" she said again softly, as her violet eyes searched into his.

"Aa! Gomen nasai!"  he exclaimed quickly when he finally found the words back into his mouth. "Is this… yours…?" he asked as he handed the soft white scarf towards her.

The girl took the scarf from his hands as she nodded and smiled. "Gomen nasai… but the wind…" she said, a blushing redness creeping up over both her fair cheeks.

"Aa…"

And then there was silence again among them, just gazing onto each other without words.

"Ano… daijoobu desu… ka?" she asked again. "Your eyes… they reflect sadness…ah… sumimasen deshita…!" the girl suddenly realized she might have said something she shouldn't have. Her face reddened again as she spoke. "I didn't mean to be so… uh…" she exclaimed before another stretch of silence. "I… should go now…"

"Chotto…" With a sudden impulse, Aoki reached out and grabbed her hand as she was turning away. A gust of wind suddenly spiraled off his palm and enclosed around both their hands. It was as if time suddenly slowed down as they connected for the first time. The fluttering sakura petals were now floating in a soft, slow motion.

"The one whom the wind follows…" she whispered softly as she watched the soft wind carry the sakura petals off the ground.

Her words startled him into silence. She knew?

Her lips curved into a smile. "A clairvoyant once told me… that love is the one whom the wind follows…" she said. "I never knew what she meant… until now…"

And with that, Aoki knew that he had finally found his reason.

…

Her name was Shimako. And she had always been there for him. Most of all, she loved him with all her heart and soul. They were married two years later, and was blessed by a beautiful baby girl whom they named Yuka.

"Is Yuka asleep…?" he asked as they sat down quietly at the empty dining table.

She nodded silently, trying to find his eyes. The moment he told her that they needed to talk, she knew something was wrong. Seriously wrong. She had never seen him this troubled. "Sei-chan… what is it?  What's wro…"

"Shimako," he sudddenly stopped her words, his hands drew away from hers as she reached out towards them, and into his briefcase, pulling out a thin stack of papers and set it neatly in front of her. "I want you to sign this…"

Shimako's violet eyes widened as she saw what was written on top of the paperstack. "Sei… Seiichiro… you… you can't be serious…"

His palms clenched as he looked away again, avoiding her eyes. "I'm serious. Please, Shimako… no questions… just sign it."

"Iya da!" she exclaimed, pulling herself away from the papers as if they were a plague of deadly disease. Her eyes were now filled with tears as she searched frantically to find his. "Why…? Why are you doing this? Seiichiro…"

"DAMN IT! JUST SIGN THEM, SHIMAKO, PLEASE!" he suddenly yelled in anger as his fists slammed onto the table, startling her into silence.

A deafening silence descended upon the room, before Shimako finally picked up the pen and scribbled her name with trembling hands on the space provided for her. The pen clattered onto the floor as her hand lost grip over it and she stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Aoki Seiichiro in the echoes of his own voice.

He had never yelled at her. All his words were always gentle words, spoken softly with his kind, loving voice. Never had he ever raised his voice at her…

But today…

Shimako…

She was his reason. She was his purpose. She was the one he wanted to protect and love. She was the one, whom his kekkai was finally created for.

My one and only Shimako…

His feet took him towards her, his hand grasping onto her arm, pulling her towards him. As he looked at her tear-stained face, his heart broke into pieces.

"Hanase…" she said softly, looking away from him.

"Shimako…" he murmured softly as his one hand lifted up and touched her face.

"Mou ii, Seiichiro… onegai…" she begged him as she closed her eyes, shuddering at his mere touch. "If you want to leave us, then please… just leave already… I can't…"

He pushed her gently against the wall, pressing himself onto her as he gazed in her eyes. After pulling off the eyeglasses from his nose, slowly, he drew his face closer as his arm coiled tighter around her waist. Tilting her face up towards his, he kissed her gently. Her body was tense in rejection at first, but slowly she melted in his arms and received her husband's kiss.

A soft sigh escaped as her soft lips parted, and her arms lifted and enclosed around him. The man she had loved all her life, the man who loved her all his life. The man who is leaving her because he loved her too much. They were now liplocked at the corner of the room in a passionate kiss.

I'm sorry…

Aishite…

Zutto…

* * *

The wind circled around his palm gently and danced about upwards as he released them to the open sky. He sighed softly as he watched the wave vanished into the air. In front of him stretched the cityscape of Tokyo. His battleground. He gripped onto the railing that he was sitting on atop the tall towering skyscraper and inhaled the fresh air of the night.

It's been almost a month since he left Shimako. He missed her, everything about her. But it's still a long road for his battle to end. And until then…

"Hisashiburi, Aoki-san…"

Turning around, he found his comrade, Kasumi Karen walking towards him.

"How did you know I was here?" he asked.

"Lucky guess." she replied simply as she leaned over the railing beside him. "Genki desu ka?" she asked again.

Aoki released a long sigh. He forced a bitter smile. "You know, Karen-san… I made her cry…" he sighed again. "I'm a horrible man…"

There was a stretch of silence for a moment. "Iie…" Karen finally spoke as she took his hand in comfort. "I've never met any man who loved someone so much that he would take the whole world into his arms and protect it for that someone." She smiled. "I'm a Ten no Ryuu… yet I don't have such a strong reason or purpose as you…"

"She's lucky to have you, Aoki-san." Karen smiled again. "It makes me jealous." She chuckled. "It's like what they always said. The good men are always taken."

Aoki laughed at her words.

"It's the first time I've seen you laugh since that day…" Karen smiled. "Don't ever let go of your love, Aoki-san. Don't ever let her go."

"Arigato, Karen-san."

A soft rumble was suddenly heard before another word is spoken. As Aoki and Karen turned around, a blast of water broke through the floor, sending shatters of concrete all over the place. As the debris settled, they could see the silhouette of none other than the Chii no Ryuu, Kigai Yuuto, behind the wall of water.

"Finally." Karen straightened her coat, as if getting ready to enter a fancy party scene. "This is it, Aoki-san." She said as she winked at him.

He stood still and closed his eyes as he put his palms together.

Shimako…

A kekkai started to emerge slowly from the palm of his hands, engulfing the area surrounding the building he was standing on.

I promise… I will return home to you…

So please…

… wait for me…

====================================================================================

~owari~

P/S. Sorry it's a cliffhanger. I just needed to get it out of my system. Naturally, you all know that he does return to his wife, ne?