Welcome Back! I read this story over for the first time and it made me cry.

Chapter 4:

Busy thoughts

Shigure returned to his home before anyone else was awake. He snuck into his office and looked like he had been working all morning when Tohru came in with hot tea.

"Are you working on a new book?" she asked.

"Why yes. This book is about two college graduates that could never be together and four years later the boy has some regrets about what happened between him and his college sweet heart," Shigure replied.

"That sounds so sad. I hope it goes well," Tohru said.

"Sad, Tohru? It's more than sad. It's reality," Shigure said to himself once she left his office.

At The School

"Shigure's been spending a lot of time in his office lately. I wonder if he's all right," Tohru told Yuki.

"I'm sure he'll be all right. Perhaps he just needs some time to be alone," Yuki replied. "I'm sure that there's nothing to be worried about."

"You're probably right. I'm probably worried over nothing. Shii- san is so mysterious he's so impressive," Tohru exclaimed with a smile.

"Hey! Orangey! Do you even know how to dance?" Uo- chan asked him.

"Yeah," Kyo said.

"If you're going to dance with her don't you have to get close and touch," Momiji whispered.

"Oh! Shit! If she holds me then the secret's out!" Kyo shouted.

"What was that?" Uo-chan asked.

"N-nothing!"

"Why didn't you tell me that before I agreed to go with her to the dance!?" Kyo demanded.

"I thought you'd remember by yourself," Yuki said quietly.

"Dammit!"

The bell rang and they went to homeroom. Kyo stared at the back of Uo-chan's head. He pondered what he was going to do about the dance.

Meanwhile back at the house

"Reiko. That's the only thing that comes to mind. I can never be with her no matter how much I want to be. The only people who I can be with are the few people who I don't really care about. I can never be with the woman I love. Never. Not in my dreams, not even in my heart. My dear Reiko. I'm so so sorry. If I'm with you then you will never stop suffering," Shigure thought to himself.

"Shii- san! Shii-san!" Aaya called through the house.

Shigure got up and walked into the living room.

"Hello, Aaya! It's so good of you to come and visit!" Shigure called.

"Hello, Shii-san. Are you all right? I haven't seen much of you lately. I thought that you'd l;ike to go to lunch or something. A little birdy told me about this morning," Aaya said slyly.

"Haa-san couldn't keep his mouth shut?" Shigure said simply.

"No, it wasn't him who told me. It was more of a person who is very close, but you don't klnow it," Aaya replied.

"Akito-san? He knows!? No! This can't be," Shigure exasperated.

"Shii-san, Akito-san was told by someone else. He forced it out of Haa-san when he came home this morning. He tortured it out of him. Haa-san had no choice but to tell him everything."

"Is Haa-san all right? Is he hurt badly?"

"Haa-san is fine a few minor wounds nothing serious."

"Why would Akito-san want to know about what's going on in my life?" Shigure asked.

"I don't know but, I think it has more to do with Reiko than it does with you," Aaya responded.

"Reiko? What does he care about her for/'

"Well, actually I think that him and Reiko did something without telling you. If I remember correctly Akito-san wanted Reiko as his own so he wanted to take her away from you."

"What?"

"I think he slept with her. I remember seeing her come out of his room she wasn't very happy though."

"No! Why is this happening to me? why didn't you tell me!? I can't take it! I'll just tell Haa-san to take her memories away! I can't stand this! You knew more than I did! How is this happening to me!?"

"Shii-san! Calm down! I think that you should talk to her. She remebersd everything that happened between you and her and more," Aaya comforted.

"Why should I talk to her!? Aaya-san! After all of this pain and torture I have to endure from knowing her, you want me to talk to this wench!?" Shigure shouted at him.

"Is that what you think about me, Shii-san?" Reiko asked peeking in through the door. "Do you find me bothersome and wish that you had never met me?"

"Reiko? Aaya! Why did you bring her here and then tell me all of this?"

"She wanted to come and talk to you. She wanted more than anything to be with you and how could I say no? She's such a pretty girl and I would've felt badly if I didn't," Aaya explained.

"Have a seat, Reiko. I suppose that we do need to talk," Shigure sighed returning to his smiling happier form.

"Shii-san. I never slept with Akito-san. He tried to sleep with me and I couldn't get him off of me. When I left I saw Aaya-san and begged him not to tell you anything because obviously he misunderstood. Shigure the only thing I ever wanted was to be with you. I couldn't stand when we were apart. And then Akito slowly pulled us apart until Haa-san wiped my memories clean. After that I knew I was missing something. That something was you, Shii-san. Staring into your eyes right now makes me so happy. I would never deliberately hurt you. I'm so sorry! Won't you please forgive me?" Reiko explained.

Shigure stared into her eyes and saw no trace of lying. His mind told him to look away but, he couldn't. Her eyes were filled with love and hopefulness. She really did want to be with him. That was the only thing in her mind and the only thing in his. He really did want to be with her but, something was holding him back. It wasn't that he was afraid to hurt her, he was afraid of something else. Something that he couldn't remember.

"Reiko," he began and then stopped again to think. "I've always known that I've been in love with you. But, there's something holding me back. We can't be together. Not now anyway. I'm so sorry. When I figure out what that something is then hopefully we can be together. No promises though."

Reiko's eyes filled with tears and she ran out of the house. Aaya watched Shigure's reactions to everything that had just happened.

"She loves you and you love her. I only wish that the two of you can one day find eternal hapiness," Aaya said and sat down on the opposite side of Shigure. The two men sat there and pondered.