It's A Secret

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By: Ryoko

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Track 01:03:00

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They were taken away in separate cars, seeing as Haru probably would've KILLED somebody if he weren't alone.

"It'll be alright. He'll come back to us, Ashura." Momiji promised, wrapping his arms around the child. She didn't even feel the love and affection radiating off of him. All she could do was stare blankly, in silence, as the cars drove away.

"We're lucky they didn't take HER away." Kyou sighed, turning to the child.

"Will somebody please explain to me what just happened?" Shigure scratched his head.

"Haru just went black and made us all really proud since he didn't take anybody's head off for hurting this girl." Yuki explained. "He was as more attached to her than anyone COULD be. And now, he's been taken away from her…like SHE was taken away from HIM." He slid down the wall to his knees, clenching fists and bowing his head in submission. "Is the whole damn world against those two being happy together? Even if he had no authority to keep Ashura…how could anybody blame him for what he did…? He's giving up everything in order to keep her, and no matter how much life is throwing at him; he won't let it keep him down. Why is he trying to hard…? I don't understand…"

"Yuki…" Ayame whispered, crouching beside his younger brother and placing a sympathetic hand on his back. "That can all be explained in one word…"

"What's that?"

"Love. His love for her is what keeps him going. And her love for him keeps her coming back. Their love keeps her in his arms and him holding her as protectively as he does. It's said to be the strongest power of all, and now we're seeing it demonstrated at full strength. Hatsuharu and Ashura are like Father and Daughter. And even if they aren't biologically connected, Ashura and him are still as close as humans can bond with one another."

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"You say you FOUND her?"

"Yes, sir." Hatsuharu nodded, shifting in the hard plastic chair.

"Hmm…explain to me how this came about."

"I was only taking a walk…like I do every day…and I tripped on her…she's was half-asleep in the middle of the street, and I couldn't very well just LEAVE her there."

"So you brought her home with you."

"Yes, sir."

"Alright, after you brought her home with you, what did you do with her? Was she asleep?"

"Yeah. She was asleep. I…I took her to see Hatori, the doctor that you met. He checked her out a little, and said she was fine. From there, he told me to bring her to Shigure's, where she would stay until he could find her parents."

"And did you oppose him finding her parents?"

"Not at first."

"When did you start to counter the idea?"

"When me and Yuki found the marks on her, and found out that she was a runaway."

"Well…that's all I've got for YOU…" the interrogations officer sighed, standing from his chair. "Come on, kid." He waited until the boy was on his feet before leading him out of the dimly lit room.

***

"She looks crushed…I…I don't know what to do…" Tohru whimpered to herself, sneaking glances at the girl in the corner.

Ever since Hatsuharu had left, he hadn't moved from that spot. She stayed glued to that corner and refused to move. Thankfully, she wasn't facing the wall like she was in trouble, but that still didn't help the fact that she wasn't going to move. The only thing that would make her show any signs of life, now, was HIM.

Yuki hadn't moved much either, still clinging helplessly to Ashura, looking and feeling just as pathetic as he appeared to the others.

"For once in my life, I wonder if, what I did, was the right thing to have done?" Hatori sighed, kneeling in front of the two.

Neither of them moved, completely oblivious to the shadow looming over them. Slowly, the doctor reached out a hand to touch Yuki's face, actually getting a response, but not the response he wanted. The boy growled, turning away, jerking his face from the man's hand, in disgust and utter hatred toward him. However, he still kept the same solemn expression on his face, as if Haru had died, rather than being taken away.

"Yuki…I know you're angry, but please, this is going too far." He tried reaching out again, only to hesitate just before he touched the teenager.

"He hates you, Hatori. You can't get a response from him other than maybe a growl or two, now. He's not going to lighten up either…trust me." Shigure whispered, just loud enough for the other man to hear. With that in mind, he retracted his hand, resting it on his leg, staring at the boy, like he could see through his soul.

"Do you hate me?"

"…" Yuki gave no response to the question, fighting the temptation to lash out in an all-out rage.

"Do you think, what I did, was the right thing?"

"No. I don't." Hatori backed up, finally hearing a voice. But it wasn't Yuki's voice…it was the voice of hatred, loathing and depression, not Yuki's voice at all…but his heart finally speaking through words. "Hatsuharu thought it was right to protect what was important to him, but instead, you're false belief in him led him to give everything up for what he could never have. You were selfish, and didn't even think of how your decision would affect the rest of us. This girl, myself, the rest of the family…you didn't think. You didn't think about us, again."

"Yuki-"

"I can't hate you Hatori, but I CAN and DO hate your selfishness. I hate the way you put all of us in the gutter for what YOU thought was right. For YOUR decision, we are ALL paying. DEARLY. And Hatsuharu is paying the price that YOU should be. HE will pay the rest of his life for YOUR mistake. We'll be lucky if we EVER get him BACK."

The hatred was drowning out by pure sorrow and grief. This was an emotion he didn't want anyone to see: his love and longing for the comfort, protection, and sanctuary that the oushi offered him.

It was true…he DID love him…and Yuki…

Yuki wanted him BACK.

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