Yay! This is it. The epilogue. Enjoy.

For more of the twins see the side story "Mother"

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"Ta-kaaaaa!" Miaka called out to him, waving ecstatically as he carried his lunch over to her table. "I just had the most interesting conversation after class today."

"Really?" Taka smiled at her beaming face across the table. She was a wonderful girl, and worth all it cost to feed her. She hadn't been at all mad when he told her about Kai. Well, the tiniest bit at first, before he'd explained. She had been far more concerned that he'd been rooming with Suboshi for nearly a semester and a half.

"Yeah. Remember that guy who was eating lunch with you and Tomo?"

"Jake? Tomo's boyfriend." Chuin's boyfriend actually.

"Uh, yep, that was his name. But he's not Tomo's boyfriend anymore."

"What?" Taka paled. Chuin must have told him about the book and Jake must have freaked. Not that he really blamed him. Still, Taka couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. He had encouraged Chuin to tell Jake everything in the first place.

"He said that Tomo dumped him. Well, he called him Chuin, but it's the same thing."

"When did you see him, anyway?"

"He's one of the T.A.s for my C-Language course." Miaka had finished her lunch and was now picking at Taka's. "I told him he was better off dumped."

"Miaka, did you tell him why?" Taka hoped not.

"You mean why he's better off without that pervert? Of course."

"Do you know where I can find him?" Taka stood. Miaka blinked up at him questioningly.

"He should still be on duty. Computer Science Building, room 202."

"Uh, look, I'll meet you back here soon. I'm gonna go talk to him." Miaka simply nodded. Taka leant down and kissed her forehead. "Love you."

"Love you, too." She was confused, but she trusted him. Taka always did the right thing, just as Tamahome had.

"Jake." Taka leaned in the door, letting his breath catch up to him.

"Brad, was it?" Jake looked up from the computer screen.

"Taka."

"Sorry. I'm not very good with names." Jake returned his attention to the monitor.

"Not a big deal. My girlfriend said she was here earlier."

"Hyper girl? Brown hair? Fourth stomach?"

"That's her."

"She was here." Jake continued typing, answering Taka in a half-hearted manner.

"She said she told you. About Chuin, what he was like."

"Was she lying?" Taka thought he heard a faint note of hope.

"No. But she didn't tell you everything. We really…" Taka paused to order his thoughts. "Neither of us actually knew him, except as an enemy in war. There was more to him then she told you. I'm not exactly sure, but I think that's who Chuin is. The rest of Tomo."

"I told you I wasn't good with names." Jake sighed. "I did ask him to explain it. This mysterious play he was cast in, where I was only part of the audience. He said he wanted me to hate him for who he was, not who he'd been."

"Do you hate him?"

"No."

"Talk to him, then. Tell him you know-"

"Taka," Jake interrupted. "He was right about part of it, though. I can't date someone like that. I may not hate him, but things can't be the same."

"I'm sorry." Taka turned to leave the room. He knew Jake was right. A man is only the sum of his experiences. And Chuin had Tomo's experiences, regardless of deserving them. Taka felt sorry for him. For Jake as well. The past dragged innocents down as well. Taka barely caught Jake's soft words as he left the computer lab.

"So am I."

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