Warnings and disclaimers were in the previous chapters.

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Tsuzuki was dreaming the dreams that Muraki sent him, but then another dream came. He dreamt of a silhouette of a man scolding him but at the same time, he felt so strangely comfortable. The scene shifted and he was stretched out on a grassy hill watching clouds go by when the man came again bringing tea.

Muraki was not pleased by this discovery.

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Tatsumi kept putting one foot in front of the other until he collapsed. The air was chilly, a sign he was close; but still the earth was green, a sign he was far. He heard footsteps approach but he didn't care anymore if they were friend or foe. He was too tired. They helped him to get up. A blonde and a brunette. The brunette had the same exact hair color as Tsuzuki. Tatsumi smiled at the memory and promptly passed out.

He woke up hours later in a warm bed and welcomed with a warm meal. His rescuers introduced themselves as Hijiri and Hisoka. They asked what he was doing so far from home. He told them that the snow king had taken his friend.

Hisoka wore a grave expression. "Going against the snow king will not be easy. You must be able to claim some territory in his domain or he will add you to his collection of lifeless bodies. If you don't choose wisely he will trick you to go beyond your territory and he then kill you."

Tatsumi mulled over this carefully as he continued to eat.

When he recovered enough to continue, Hijiri gave him a small music box. "Music tames the wild beast."

He opened it and heard an old song he knew Tsuzuki used to sing but he could not remember the lyrics. "Thank you."

"It may serve you well."

Tatsumi doubted a music box could help him rescue Tsuzuki, but a gift freely given is always welcome.

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Muraki sat on his throne in a foul mood, why couldn't he control Tsuzuki. Who was the man of Tsuzuki's dreams?

A servant came into announce the presence of Tatsumi.

Now the snow king did not usually have guests. Some people got lost in his land hunting animals. Some were fortune seekers who took a wrong turn Interlopers who had to be punished. But rare it was for someone to actively seek him out. Muraki was curious so he agreed to see him.

"And what territory do you claim?"

"Where my shadow falls."

"Shadow?" He remembered Tsuzuki's dream and was disturbed by this answer.

"My shadow."

The sun was behind the stranger casting a long shadow that almost touched the snow king. 'A shadow of a threat.' The snow king told himself, he had to protect the one most precious to him. He had to get rid of Tatsumi. He studied the man before him with a careful eye. He had nothing, not even a sword or a dagger, but he was dangerous.

Muraki noticed s small bulge in Tatsumi's pocket so he asked about it.

"Visiting royalty requires one to present a gift." Tatsumi drew out the music box and it began to play.

Suddenly a voice joined in singing. "There's a place for us somewhere a place for us..." Tsuzuki's entire being was shining with happiness and it rendered both men speechless.

"Tsuzuki-san!" Both men exclaimed at once, marveling at the beautiful voice.

But Tsuzuki only had his eyes on Tatsumi. "It's you!"

"Yes! It's me."

"Tatsumi!"

Tsuzuki began to move towards Tatsumi when suddenly he found himself frozen where he stood.

"TSUZUKI!" Tatsumi shouted as he saw his friend instantly encased in a block of ice.

"HE'S MINE!" The snow king roared as he transformed himself into a dragon to kill Tatsumi.

"TATSUMI!" Screamed Tsuzuki in his mind.

Muraki was surprised to say the least when he crashed into the wall. He did not expect any power from Tatsumi. Then he saw it was Tatsumi at all but Tsuzuki. He had freed himself from his prison of ice. He had unleashed his power once more, but this time it had a focus, a goal – to protect Tatsumi. "I won't let you hurt him."

The snow king cried a terrible curse, which shook the whole palace.

Tatsumi and Tsuzuki continued to stand their ground. "We're going home."

The snow king knew he had no power over them even at winter's peak, not by brute force. However Muraki, had other talents and his power of persuasion was overpowering. "I only did it to protect you Tsuzuki-san. After all can you really go home after what you have done?"

Tsuzuki got scared. He was a murderer.

"Can he protect you Tsuzuki-san?"

"Tsuzuki-san?"

"Can you honestly protect him?"

"Leave him alone! We are going home!"

"This is your home Tsuzuki-san."

"Tsuzuki-san don't listen to him. No matter what happens -"

"The one who truly loves you Tsuzuki-"

"-I love you Tsuzuki!"

Everything fell silent as the two rivals saw their beloved about to speak. "I love you too." One heart began to fly and other was dashed.

Muraki then knew that his ice cold heart had melt over Tsuzuki. 'That is why I could not control you.' The entire palace vanished into thin air, leaving Tatsumi and Tsuzuki in each other's arms.

"Let's go home."

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owari

September 20, 2004