Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho and all the subjects connected to it are properties of Yoshihiro Togashi and all the companies whose names I forgot and probably never knew anyway.
Identity
Chapter 4
"Keep still, will you?" demanded Khryseis.
"You're the one who's wriggling about like a worm," hissed back Yutaro, shoving her. "Scoot over!"
She gave out a tiny yelp. "Quit it! I'm slipping."
"Oneechan! That's my leg. Don't pinch me."
"Well, stop pushing. It's already cramped as it is," she wailed. "I want okaachan."
"Shut up, ninny!" Yutaro clamped a clammy hand over her mouth. "Some big sister you are."
Khryseis wrenched free from his grasp. "You don't understand," she mourned. "This is an extremely unthinkable predicament for a heroine."
"Oh, cut your whining. You read too much."
"You are just a boy," she grumbled, miffed. "You should grow up to be a gentleman like otousan."
"Otousan… Think he'll come to get us?"
"Of course!" declared Khryseis, fiercely loyal. "He'll come and rescue us. He's brave and strong."
"He's just 'tousan," he muttered.
"What-"
"Shhh! Someone's coming."
Steady even footsteps gradually neared and then stopped. A thin line of light appeared in the blackness, slowly stretching to a rectangle the size of a man's berth as the door opened. Soft yellow light touched the whole room, reaching far into the dark corners. For the first time, the children were able to have a glimpse of their cell.
It was not a jailhouse as the imaginative Khryseis thought. It was merely a room, a very smart square-looking room. A magnificent room it should have been, what with the plush pillows and the sheer cloth draped about aristocratically. However, it seemed too neat, or so thought the young girl.
Yutarou didn't think much of it. It was the sort of room that could land him in trouble with the adults. But he also saw that he and his sister did not need to cram themselves in their current position, precariously atop a wooden table. Still, neither of them moved.
A man stood on the doorway, holding aloft a queer shaped lamp of ivory. He entered, lighting other lamps around the room and then left, his smart boots tapping as he marched past them.
Then came a dark figure swathed in black, ghostly and almost maleficent. Khryseis breathed in relief a little later. He was at least a person, not some specter. But some person he was! Perhaps, he was not the evil kidnapper she feared. He certainly didn't look like it. He looked like a fair person, a mage of some sort. He is handsome, thought she. But she found his paper white skin creepy.
Yutarou didn't think much of him either. To his sister's horror, he boldly called out to the man.
"Hey, excuse me," he said. "Aren't you gonna release us? The rope's hurting me."
The man merely chuckled, a soft distinct laugh that was neither cold nor warm, joyous nor mocking. With some unseen movement, he slid the door shut and proceeded to untie the two children. Yutarou immediately slipped off the table and sank on the divan beside it. Khryseis, on the other hand, remained frozen in place with indignant rage.
"Well, that was rude of you," she said icily. "When we get home, I would have father sue you."
For a while, the grass-green eyes peered at her without emotion. She wavered a little under the scrutiny, and she wondered whether she had yet again let her mouth overtake her mind. But then, the man laughed again, a hollow sort of laugh that sounded totally different from the first one. Before she could voice protest, he picked her up from the table and set her on her feet on the flamboyant oriental rug.
"It seems I do owe you two an apology, especially the young lady," spoke the man, his voice quite and calm, like the waves breaking upon a smooth shore. "Fair maid, forgive us for allowing such dishonor to come to you." He gave a stately deep bow that left the little girl blushing a little.
Still, Urameshi Khryseis she was and Urameshi Khryseis she would be. Rightful anger kept her head, prompting her to shake away her girlish imaginings. She nodded, her manner a little less curt than previously, and sat beside her brother.
"All right, mister," said Yutaro in a businesslike manner. "Where are we and why did you kidnap us?"
"Whatever gave you the notion that you were kidnap, sir?" replied the man.
"We're kids but we're not stupid." Yutaro rolled his eyes. "You got us wrong, mister. We were just staying in that house for the night. Kinda like charity from the kindly lady who owns it. We live in a little house in the slums. And we don't have money for you."
"Is that so?" He stroked his goatee thoughtfully. "I thought I got it right. Grandchildren of Toyotomi Mamoru. And the slums you were talking about. Such a poor place, that subdivision in that cramped city. Some poor place." His lips curled into a half smile. "My child, I did not kidnap you. I merely transported you here the most convenient way possible."
"Sure mister," said Yutarou, yawning boredly. "I love sacks. Very comfy."
"Where is here, exactly?" asked Khryseis. "Please, sir, so we could go home soon. Mom must be worried and Dad would get mad. He doesn't like us wandering away and talking to strangers and you are one after all."
"Duh, oneechan. Mister, ignore my sister. She's crazy. Just take us back home to our grandma's house."
"I am afraid not," replied the man quietly. "You have to stay with me for some time, children."
"Why?" demanded Khryseis. "We want to go home."
"Because your father a has a little errand and it won't do to have you running around and disturbing him. Later we will fix the arrangements on how you two will be fetched."
"That I can believe," muttered Yutarou.
"No," said Khryseis, frowning both at her brother and their captor. "Dad won't ask strange ask men to grab us from our beds and steal us away. You lie."
"I never said your father requested it. We merely did him a favor."
"Some favor-" began Yutarou. But he stopped suddenly for no apparent reason.
"It's not as if he has any choice," continued the man as if he was never interrupted. "And neither do you."
Khryseis gasped and fell silent. Yutarou's eyes drifted towards the solitary window, past the billowing curtains and out into the pitch-blackness.
~~~~
He opened his eyes; brown orbs collided with green ones.
"Yusuke," said the owner of the latter quietly. "It's time."
The reply was in the form a grunt. Kurama rose to leave, allowing the man some quiet time with himself before things begin. But then, things had already begun. Things had begun long before they discovered them so.
Skeleton aching in several parts, Yusuke sat up from his hard bed. For some days running now, they had been forced to look upon the hard frigid earth for comfort, the tiny amount they were allowed. Yawning lazily, he gazed at their makeshift camp through scrunched up eyes. As usual, he was the last to rise. The others had already fixed their sleeping places. Except for one, of course. Yes, royalty was among them.
On the day they had set out, Yusuke had been glumly reflecting on how lavish he seemed compared to his two other companions. He was well prepared, having been briefed some days ago about their strenuous trip: a trusty backpack, a doggy old sleeping bag, a Coleman and other essentials. On the other hand, Kurama, despite all his riches, was merely carrying a small leather satchel and was garbed in faded jeans and light jacket. Hiei brought nothing at all! But then arrived Koenma Daiou. Yusuke's guilt was assuaged and he came to understand the others' decision to travel light.
Presently, Yusuke rose and folded up his sleeping bag. Koenma was first to awaken in most days, rousing the others soon after with all the racket he created. Apparently, something happened today, for the neat freak's portable automatically inflatable airbed was still unmade.
The shrill voice of the prince floated towards him, and with it wafted the wonderful smell of brewing coffee. Yusuke had been dreading the lack of coffee for the whole duration of their trip prior to their departure. Unknown to him, so was Minamino Shuichi, who had become something of a connoisseur of coffee. Were they all glad to find a "magic" brewer among Koenma's knickknacks! Even Hiei, who had accused his best friend of succumbing to slavery under a Ningen upper, was forced to eat his words bitterly.
"I told you to wait for me!" screeched the prince presently.
"I would have if you had gotten your lazy ass up early enough!" retorted an angry voice. Hiei's.
Ah, the coffee again, decided Yusuke.
Majority of the day's share of squabbles, mostly between Hiei and the prince, concerned victuals. The prince was utterly convinced that he was being leeched off his resources. Hiei quite bluntly clarified on their very first day that this was, in fact, the only function of the blueblood. Koenma obviously had no problem with that (otherwise, they won't carry his stuff for him), for he was quite prodigal with other things. In fact, he shared everything- no, forced them all to take part. But the issue of coffee was a different thing. Or perhaps, it was Hiei that was the different thing…
Upon waking up on their first morning out, Koenma was already up and about prodding Kurama to make breakfast. Yusuke found this a little shocking and was dubiously anticipating a nice flop. But the wealthy man was a worthy cook, and thenceforth was established as the grub person. The coffee, however, Koenma insisted on making himself.
Hiei had then sniffed suspiciously at the black liquid. Coffee he knew, of course. But that drink was different. Was Reikai scheming to murder them all? Still, when he saw that none of the others were frothing in their mouths, or were having seizures, he consented to a tiny sip. And then a not so tiny sip. And another. And another. The poor aloof one had developed quite a fetish for Koenma's exotic Reikai coffee beans and the prince was not happy about it. By no means did he love his drink less; he jealously guarded it day by day.
"Liar! You purposely didn't wake me to snitch some coffee!" yelled Koenma. Yusuke could already see him shaking his fist at the smaller man through the low-lying branches.
"What's your problem?" yelled back Hiei. "You'll give us some all the same!"
"Yes, but there won't be any left if you keep on meddling. You poured a whole bag!"
"Now, now, Koenma," said Kurama, trying to appease him. "I thought you said money was no object? But if you like, I'll pay back all the expenses when we get back home."
"That is not the point! Wasting enchanted coffee beans is one thing, putting them on the wrong compartment is another. This is a very expensive wedding gift from a Ningen envoy!"
"I can for that, too."
"Are you kidding me?! Botan would kill me! And don't flaunt."
"Look who's talking," muttered Hiei.
"Hey! I do not flaunt." asserted Koenma.
"Yeah, you just boast."
"Why you-!"
Kurama shook his head and left the other two squabbling. He met Yusuke halfway and handed the latter a cup of coffee.
"Take it," he assured. "It's safe."
"No monstrous baby would gobble me up?" asked Yusuke. "No extremely strong badly brewed coffee?"
"We've ran out of that." Kurama laughed. "And the baby is presently occupied."
"Hey, I heard that!" screeched a voice.
"Sorry," said Yusuke with a shrug. "The image just keeps popping out of nowhere. No offense, Koenma-san."
"Sama."
"Eh?"
"It's sama. Koenma-SAMA."
"Don't do it," warned Hiei. "For the sake of your honor."
"Why sama?" asked Yusuke.
"I'm a prince remember?" said Koenma irritably.
"Okay. Whatever. Sure thing, Koenma-sama."
"YES!" Koenma whooped triumphantly. "Finally!!!"
"EH?!" Yusuke looked at the others quizzically.
"He's very happy you called him 'sama'," explained Kurama. "You never did respect him. Or so he claims."
"Yusuke, I really prefer the new you. Can we abandon the search? I'm itching to go home."
"Home?" replied the other sharply. "And my kids?"
"He meant by himself," said Kurama. "We go directly to the rescuing so his presence won't be necessary anymore."
"Egoistic pig," added Hiei.
"Look who's talking!" snapped Koenma.
"Why not?" said Yusuke. "We can rescue my children first then return for my memories later."
"How do you plan on doing that?" asked Hiei satirically. "You stupid Ningens usually sue people."
"Of course, Lakashka was already sued," said Koenma impatiently. "Otherwise, there won't be any action regarding that problem."
"The red tape bureaucracy is that bad?" said Yusuke.
"It is not bad," replied the prince defensively. "It's just extremely ordered."
"And what can that horseplay do?" said Hiei.
"He was given permission to deploy the Tantei," said Kurama.
"The Tantei. Of course. Who else?"
"The Tantei has failed. " the prince said quietly.
"But you're a prince," said Yusuke. "Surely you have people qualified to handle this kind of situation."
"The Tantei is the group responsible for such operations and they have failed."
"But don't you have a SWAT team or something?"
Koenma started in surprise. "Are you sure you don't remember anything?" he demanded suspiciously.
"What? Doesn't every nation have an elite fighting force? What more for a whole world-"
"Not every country does."
"But they do," said Kurama. "But Reikai won't extend its arm farther than it can reach."
"But my children-"
"He's not the one calling the shot's up there," said Hiei.
"Koenma-san?"
"Sama. Sad but true," Koenma replied grimly. "We must make do with what we have. As of now, you three are the most qualified."
"Hn," snorted Hiei. "So finally our absence has been felt."
Kurama smiled thinly. "You could almost say our skills are beyond that of the regular Tantei. We're over-qualified."
"And hardheaded," said Koenma. "I told you not to touch my coffeemaker."
"Here we go again," moaned Kurama.
"Why are you mad anyway? Really?" asked Yusuke curiously. "You can't be so upset over that."
"Besides," said Kurama. "He interferes with your coffee-making every morning."
"Well, he has gone too far this time!" declared Koenma. "He cheated me!"
"Eh?!" said Yusuke. "Of what?"
"He cheated me! He purposely didn't wake me up this morning."
"And you feel cheated because of that?"
"Damn straight. I don't care about the coffee but his evil designs are insufferable. Grrr… Why am I surrounded by swindlers? I take a break from my father and I get stuck with him. Imagine! It was my turn to watch and he cheated me out of it."
"Watch what?" asked Yusuke.
"But I thought you hated watch duty?" said Kurama.
"Well, yes," sputtered Koenma. "But I still woke up late and my equilibrium has been destroyed. Duty is duty and Hiei's belittling me. I've enough of people belittling me! Do you think I'm not competent enough to do my duty properly you- you- You fire elf from hell!"
"Hn," replied Hiei. "I am not an alarm clock."
"Right. An alarm clock would have more wits! I over slept you fool. My biological clock is befuddled now. My schedule has been ruined!"
"Koenma," said Kurama. "The problem with you is that you're obsessed with schedule. We can't exactly keep a rigid one here."
"Well, the system in Reikai won't change for my sake. And I can't afford to lose time trying to readjust later when I get back."
"Loosen up, will you? You're too tense. At this rate, you'll work yourself to death."
"Do us a favor and drop dead already," said Hiei.
"This isn't some vacation!" fumed Koenma, though ignoring the fire youkai.
"Yes, but take advantage of it anyway. Besides, you need all the rest you can get right now. We don't know what will happen next."
"Hmph," declared Koenma dogmatically. "Whatever you say won't work."
"Okay, okay," said Kurama with a sigh.
"Let him die," said Hiei nonchalantly.
"Don't be presumptuous," snapped the prince of the dead. "I decide who dies or lives, not you!"
"Won't you two stop?" asked Kurama incredulously. "Ever?"
Yusuke just kept his peace.
~~~~
The house had never been before quite as filled as it was then. Ironically, it had never been as quiet either. Right now, even the servants found themselves unable to engage in their usual chatter. The occupants of the house, solemn and withdrawn in thought, held a spell over the surroundings. Minamino-san had that effect sometimes when he's brooding too much. But today, there was a sort of poignant sadness mixed with the tranquility. It was even worse at night time.
"Are the children asleep already?" asked Yukina, her soft voice almost swallowed by the large room.
Kuwabara nodded and gratefully sank on the sofa.
"I'd sure miss Kurama's couch," he said ruefully. "Can I keep this when we leave?"
There was an uncharacteristic stillness before another voice piped up in answer.
"Probably," Botan said, looking up from the paperwork she insisted on doing. "In exchange for a number of grands."
Even her cheerful voice died away into the bleakness, as if absorbed by the thickness of the books crammed in the floor-to-ceiling shelves.
"Wah…" groaned Kuwabara, just for the sake of filling the void. "I'm dead tired."
"Now, now," said the tinkling voice of his wife in jest. "My babies aren't that hard to manage."
"Babies?!" wailed her husband. "They remind me of… Aurghh!! I won't say it."
"Of what Kuwabara-kun?" asked Atsuko testily, eyes smiling beneath the hair hanging across her face.
"Of little Hiei-kuns," finished Yukina, smiling openly. "He told me once."
Shizuru and Botan exchanged knowing glances, and then laughed out loud.
Kuwabara sputtered, enraged with himself. "I was just mad at the triplets that day," he clarified. "Really mad that- that- the comparison just popped out! Ugh. They drove me crazy!"
The others laughed a little, but soon after the silence settled again.
"Same is true with Yutarou and Khryseis," spoke up Keiko quite suddenly. "They dove me crazy… Still true now, I guess."
"Oh, Keiko…" said Botan sadly.
She smiled, trying to hide the pain. "I'm fine."
Shizuru, who had been perched up a ladder searching for books, grabbed a last one hurriedly and came down at once. She marched to the sofa nearest the lamp. Glowering, she kicked Kuwabara out of it.
"Take that you insensitive oaf," she huffed. "Anyway, Keiko-chan. They'll be back with your kids. It's just been three days anyway. Yusuke is one tough guy. A real one, too, mind you. Not like this one." She pitched one of her books on the prostrate form of her brother.
"Itai!" he said miserably. "You're just like the rest of them. All of you belittle me. You have no right! I could have proven that I'm still the greatest. Hu hu hu…"
"Greatest what? Greatest dumb ass?"
"Anata," said Yukina, still a little bewildered by their martial sibling relationship despite the many years she has known them. "Sit here." She pulled him beside her.
He sighed as he dropped beside her. "I really love these seats." He suddenly stood up again, shaking his fist in the air. "I shouldn't be here! I should be them having the adventure of a lifetime. Who says I'm too old? Yusuke and Kurama are just as old as me! And Hiei's hundreds of years old. They left me again, Yukina-chan. They left me again!"
"And here we go again," muttered Shizuru.
"Do you remember? I woke before any of them. Heck, I was up before dawn. I had everything packed and then they just locked me up in the garage! Unfair… UNFAIR!"
"SHHHH!!!" said the others in unison. "The kids."
"Right." He continued after a short pause. "They could use my help. I'm not useless!"
"We know you're not," said Botan with a sigh. "That's why they left you here."
"Again?"
"You ought to be flattered because they're leaving behind everyone they love under your protection," said Atsuko.
"Me?" squeaked Kuwabara. "That's right. Why didn't I think of that?"
"Hmph," remarked Botan. "It's times like this I start doubting Koenma's love."
"Why? 'Coz he loves his job more?"
"No," said Shizuru. "Because he left his eight month pregnant wife with a stupid imbecile like you!"
"You, too, Botan?" gasped the poor carrot-head, flabbergasted.
Botan laughed. "Of course not," she said. "Koenma isn't really more confident of Ningenkai hospitals than of Reikai ones. He's just more worried about his scheming father. You know Enma-sama. And have you forgotten? Keiko-chan is a doctor. She specializes in delivery of babies."
"Oh, I see," replied Kuwabara. "But it's still not fair. I've been cheated!"
"Why are you so bent on going anyway?" Botan wrinkled her nose. "It's not as if you can match with those folks out there. I mean, you'd get creamed!"
"Want me to just ship you home on a coffin?" asked his sister boredly. "If that's all you want to experience, I'd like to offer my services. And I'll beat you up, too, whether you like it or not."
"What's Makai like?" asked Keiko.
"It's like here, I guess," said Kuwabara with a shrug. "Yukina-chan came from there."
"Yukina-chan?"
"She's a youkai," said Botan.
"I see." Keiko nodded thoughtfully. "Is it that awful out there?"
"Not everywhere," answered Yukina. "It's like Ningenkai. It has different colors and shapes. Sometimes, it's almost the same. There are nice place, and horrible places. There are dangerous places and safe ones. Just as with people, there are bad and good youkais."
"Oh," said Keiko. "Can they easily move from one place to another? I mean, can the beings traverse between the different worlds?"
"There are times, yes," said Botan. "After Yusuke, set up the central government, the place became more organized and they started cooperating with us. But then Lakashka came and destroyed that order. The old partition allowed some youkais to pass willingly but the one now doesn't so they force their way through it."
"So what do you think?" Keiko finally asked. "Are my children safe?"
At first, she got silence for a reply. Botan thought hard for a while, finding her gaze inevitably drifting towards her friend's direction. Keiko looked so resigned yet so anxious; Botan found that she couldn't lie, just like nineteen years ago when she had to cover the men for the Ankoku Bujutsukai.
Botan lowered her eyes sadly. "I don't know," she whispered.
"They're alive," supplied Shizuru as a matter-of-factly. "I'm sure of that, at least. Lakashka wouldn't harm them. He doesn't work that way."
"Lakashka is a wily creature," said Botan darkly.
"Precisely."
"You mean he has other plans?" asked Kuwabara.
"Other plans?" repeated Shizuru crisply. "How can you say that? In the first place, dear brother, we don't know his plan."
"It seems to me, you all know Lakashka," said Keiko. "Except for me. Who is he really? Have you met him?"
"Yes."
"But before he came to trouble us did you know him? How did he become angry at Yusuke in particular?"
"I did," said Yukina. "I had met him in one of my travels. He inquired about some one. He had been so different then."
"And I," came the voice of Atsuko distinctly.
"Kaasan?" gasped Keiko. "I meant, before the incident years ago."
"Yes," replied her mother-in-law calmly. "I meant that as well. And I think it's time I should tell you. Part of it, at least."
"W-what? A part of the story? Oh, please do!" Keiko faltered at the thoughtful look in Atsuko's face. "That is, if you want to."
"Do you remember, Keiko? Fifteen years ago. That fateful day… You saw me sober and in a business suit and all, heading for a new job. You had the shock of your life."
"Shock? Sober? Why shouldn't you be? And you always had the same job. That's how you met Mamo-san. You got promoted."
"So they have erased that part of your memories as well." She nodded. "I see. Very well. I shall start…"
~~~~
Her head ached like hell.
"Last price? That's way over the top! I bought one last week at nearly half the price."
Still, she had to feed herself. Feed? What for, to live? Really. Was it that pressing a concern?
Never mind. It was a rule of thumb in the market to arrive early. The day's catch were always shipped early and every shopper yearned for the freshest seafood. As it was, she was already late; some of the in-demand products had been already sold out. On top of it all, the jostle and din of the crowd, was the persistent hammering of her skull. Dammit.
She had probably overdid herself last night. Yusuke was away, anyway. There was hardly any reason for restraint. Restraint? People who knew she actually limited herself every time she went on a spree would probably laugh. A good thing there were no such people. Yusuke, for one, wouldn't believe anyhow.
"All right, I'd take it," she said with a sigh. She could have probably gotten a lower bid but she just didn't feel like haggling at the occasion.
"We appreciate your business!" replied the tenacious old man cheerily.
With another sigh, and then a wince and a stifled oath, she trudged for home.
Look at her squandering her inheritance. She had to start being careful or she might finish it all off. Yusuke would start college soon but that was no problem. Her parents were organized, smart and prepared. Always. They kept a trust fund for her son.
At first, her parents helped her cope - financially, emotionally, physically- despite being the "prodigal progeny" that she was. But that was eighteen years ago; her parents were dead now. She had no will or strength to run the company they left. Even until now, she, who was a score and a half old, could not help but feel orphaned.
She smiled to herself ruefully. I wonder, she thought. Perhaps, Yusuke feels more orphaned than I ever had felt and he has a mother at least… A poor excuse for a mother, but a living one nonetheless.
Indeed, a poor mother she was, just as poor a replacement her inheritance was of her parents. No. She wouldn't deplete her wealth until fifty years from now; her share was also put into a trust fund. But even a hefty monthly allowance wouldn't be able to support her ravenous appetite for alcohol. That's why she had to drag herself daily to her measly-paying nine-to-five job. It was boring and monotonous but at least it brought food on the table and allowed her to go on drinking binges every night. And also, it served as some tiny reassurance that she still had the semblance of a mother to her son.
Atsuko finally arrived in the apartment building, and started the long trek up the several flights of stairs she had to climb to reach home. The apartment was fairly recent for her; it never quite felt like home. She missed her old home, the one Taka slaved for, the one consumed by a fire fanned by the intense heat of summer, the one that almost took with its ashes her most important possession.
Even as she reached the landing of the floor where her apartment was, she already sighted the men standing before her door. Puzzled, she immediately racked her head of the possible identities of this people and their reason for coming there.
Bank people? No, she just spoke with her lawyer a few days ago and he always dealt with bank people. Had she forgotten to pay for electricity? For the cable? For water? Of course, not. There were people paid to do those things for her, otherwise they would have long been turned out into the streets what with all the things she forgets whenever she's drunk.
Speaking of drunk…
The police then?
Oh boy… What did she do last night? She was pretty sure it was nothing extreme, whatever it was. Not worse than usual, anyway.
Now, what could possibly be…He's such a troublemaker and he hasn't answered my letters recentl-
Fear suddenly arrested her thoughts.
Kami-sama! It can't be Yusuke-
Blood pounded loudly in her ears. Still she managed to walk normally towards her door.
"May I help you, gentlemen?" she said as calmly as she could.
The men in uniform black suits bowed to her and cleared her way. Only one was left on her way.
I know him… That plain drab hair. That kind frank face. Those silent gray eyes.
She gasped.
"You-"
Her groceries clattered to the floor.
"Yes, me," the man replied solemnly. "It has been long enough, Urameshi Atsuko."
To be continued.
Note: I didn't want to stop there but the chapter's getting too long and I couldn't cut it anywhere else. Anyway, I've seen the whole YYH anime series but I never read the manga. Plus the dubbing where I live is pretty crappy. So, I don't really know any hard facts about Atsuko and Yusuke's dad and their past and all. I'm making it all up as I go along. And no, that statement was not a spoiler… Errr, but maybe that one was. Never mind. . Anyway, I'm warning you people if your particular about accuracy and stuff. ^.^