(Chapter Six: Yuki's Heart)

When Tohru and Kyo arrived home Yuki was sitting in the sitting room at the table. The first thing he noticed was how happy the both of them looked. He smiled at first but then frowned suddenly. Tohru walked into the sitting room while Kyo walked into the kitchen.

"Hello there Yuki" she replied, "Did you have a good day?"

"Oh uh yes Miss Honda" he smiled, "I had a pretty good day."

"That's good" she sat down.

"Miss Honda" he said, "Could we go to the secret base?"

"Hmm?" she looked at his determined face and nodded, "Sure. I wanted to see if we could pick a vegetable for tonight's dinner anyway. Let's go" she stood up followed closely by him.

They walked to the garden and Yuki was very silent.

"Yuki."

"Hmm?" he looked at her.

"If you don't mind me saying so, there's something on your mind isn't there?"

"Uh how did you know that?"

"Because lately when we go to the secret base, you want to talk to me about something" they arrived, "So what's on your mind?" she asked as they knelt down.

"Well now that you mention it" he nodded, "There is something on my mind. You see I'm confused."

"About what?"

"Certain things. I don't understand why I did it. I don't know why I showed her."

"Showed her?"

"The other day when I went over to Machi's house for a meeting, I showed her my Zodiac form."

"You mean it wasn't an accident?" Tohru asked surprised.

"Exactly. I just showed it to her, with no fear. No fear whatsoever about what she would think."

"What did she say when she saw it?"

"She wasn't afraid. She actually thought it was really cute. All my life I have been afraid to show people because of what Akito said. But maybe he was wrong. It still doesn't explain why I did it though."

"It seems to me" Tohru smiled at him, "That you might have feelings for her."

"Huh? Feelings for her?"

"Mhm. Do you like spending time with her Yuki?"

"I suppose I do. I mean I don't mind. I like spending time with her" he finally admitted, "I find it enjoyable. But how am I going to know how I feel? How am I going to know?"

"I can't really tell you. I mean I'm not that big of an expert on it. Maybe you should ask someone older."

"Like who? Shigure?"

"Possibly or Hatori, oh but if you asked him, he would probably get upset bringing old memories up."

"And I don't really want either one of them to know that I am feeling this way."

"What about your brother then?"

"Uh. Seriously Miss Honda?"

"He must have some experience in this."

"I guess" Yuki frowned.

"And I'm sure he would appreciate you coming to visit him too. It would probably thrill him that you're asking him for more advice."

"Maybe" Yuki said uncertainly.

"It's just a thought" Tohru stood back up, "It doesn't look like they're any vegetables here, so let's head back."

"Okay" Yuki nodded, "Miss Honda, thank you."

"For what?"

"Just thank you. For listening to me."

"No problem" she smiled.

(Next Scene)

On Monday afternoon Yuki was walking downtown. He had informed Tohru that he would be late coming home, but he didn't say why. As he stopped at a stoplight, he thought of an earlier conversation with Machi.

(Flashback)

"I understand that you and you're brother have nothing in common, and that he had hurt you a great deal, but don't you think if he's trying you should try to meet him halfway?"

"I don't know if I can" Yuki said, "I don't know if I can forgive him."

"Tell me, have you ever asked him why he turned you away?" her voice faded, echoing in his head.

(Back)

"If Machi has that much faith in me" he thought, "I got to try" he crossed the street and stopped in front of Ayame's shop, "Miss Honda thinks I should give him a chance as well. They can't both be wrong" he sighed walking forward and opening the door, "Well here goes nothing."

(Next Scene)

Yuki entered the store and looked around him. From out of the backroom Mine appeared.

"Yes good afternoon. How can I? Oh" she stopped, "It's you little brother."

"Hello Miss Kurami. Is my brother here?"

She smiled.

"Yes he's in the back. He will be so happy to see you."

"I hope I'm not interrupting you? Coming unannounced like this."

"No not at all" she shook her head with a smile, "We're hardly busy this time of day. Come on back. Ayame! You have a customer!"

"I'll be right there Mine!" Ayame's voice called from the back.

"He'll be right with you," she grinned at Yuki picking up her purse, "I have to run some errands. So I will see you later."

"Uh Bye" Yuki nodded.

Ayame appeared with a huge grin on his face.

"So how may I serve you.. Yuki?"

"Hello brother."

"Can this be?" his eyes began to well up, "That my own dear brother Yuki has come to me on his own?"

"Please don't make a big deal out of this" Yuki pleaded.

"But it is a big deal. I am so excited I don't know what to do first" he flapped around the room, "I know I'll call Hatori! No I'll call Shigure! I'll call them both!" he ran to the phone.

"Would you stop doing that!" Yuki shouted, "Or you will make me regret ever coming here."

"Oh of course brother anything for you" Ayame bowed his head and gestured towards the couches, "Please sit. Please sit down."

Yuki frowned but obeyed and Ayame sat on the opposite couch.

"I suppose you're wondering why I am here?" Yuki said.

"Oh I don't have to guess that. You've come to thank me, haven't you?"

"Huh?" Yuki looked up confused.

"You've come to thank me for that ingenious plan of mine. Of course you have. How could you not, when the sheer inspiration came from me. So tell me did it work? Did my little plan succeed?"

"Actually that is not the reason I came to see you today, but now that you mentioned it, yes it worked."

"And Tohru and Kyo are doing all right then?"

"Mhm."

"That's good. I must say that I was quite shocked to hear that she ended up with him, but I am sure there is someone out there for you Yuki. In fact I pray night and day" he said standing up dramatically, "That you find that true love of yours!"

"Brother could you be serious for just once" Yuki replied.

Ayame stopped posing and looked at his brother sadly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you" he sat back down, "Go on Yuki. Obviously it is very important why you have come here. Tell your big brother all you want to say. I'm listening."

Yuki was silent for a moment.

"Why? Why all of a sudden do you care?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean. You didn't then. You didn't care about me then. Why now, does it matter so much to you?"

"Yuki I" Ayame looked at him saddened by what he was saying.

"Can I ask you a simple question?"

"Of course, anything" Ayame nodded fervently.

"Why did you push me away that day?"

"So he does remember" Ayame thought, "Yuki I. I don't know how to apologize for that behavior of mine, and I don't expect you to forgive me because I don't exactly forgive myself. Do you want the honest truth?"

Yuki nodded.

"I didn't care. I said it" he thought, "I didn't care about you Yuki, back then. I didn't know you and didn't want to. The truth of the matter is, I was selfish and didn't see the pain you were going through. I only cared about myself back then and nothing else. You see growing up I got everything I wanted. I didn't want a complication like a younger brother."

"Complication? I was a complication to you?"

"I was young and selfish and I didn't know any better."

"I see" Yuki replied angrily, "And now you want to know me, care about me to ease that conscious of yours?"

"No" Ayame shook his head, "I thought that was the reason at first but it isn't. The truth is, as I got older I realized that I was missing something. It's true that you and I are so different like I said before, but there is one thing we have in common. We're brothers."

Yuki looked up at him in surprise.

"And we will always be brothers. I can't take back what I did to you Yuki. All I can say is I am sorry and ask you to forgive me. You don't have to. I understand if you don't want to. But I want you to know that I will always be here if you need to talk to someone. Okay?"

Yuki nodded.

"Thank you for telling me the truth. I don't know if I am ready to forgive you yet. But at least now, I have a better understanding of how you feel."

"Yes. It's true more than anything I want to be your brother" he started to get worked up again, "And I will wait patiently for that day."

"Right."

"Is that all you needed Yuki? All you needed to hear?"

Actually" Yuki said and then a picture of Machi came into his mind and he smiled, "I wanted to ask you something else."

"Oh?"

"Have you ever been in love before?"

Ayame smiled and then turned his glinting yellow green eyes to him.

"Of course Yuki. In fact I am in love right now."

(Next Scene)

Yuki stared stunned at his brother as Ayame beamed with absolute delight.

"You're in love right now? What do you mean?"

"It has been going on for three months now. That's when I told her how I felt. She has really been a real trouper dealing with me, and all my past baggage. She has been a wonderful listener and I can't imagine her not coming into my life."

"Well have you told anyone yet?"

"No not yet. After all it has only been three months."

"How did you know? How did you know that you loved her?"

"Oh that? Well that was easy. She accepted me, for who I was. My personality. My idiosyncrasies. Everything."

"When you say everything, do you mean even your Zodiac form?"

Ayame chuckled and then beamed once more.

"She was shocked at first of course, but then she held me in her arms and cried that she loved me anyway. That was when we told each other how we felt. I have never felt such love. I knew it then more then any other time, more then the times we spent together laughing and doing our job."

"Wait a minute" Yuki stopped him, "Are you talking about Miss Kurami?"

"Mine has been undoubtly faithful to me" Ayame nodded, "And my dearest friend. I can tell her anything. I'm so comfortable around her. She makes me feel all warm inside and needed. She makes me feel special."

"Well congratulations."

"Oh but brother" Ayame stopped, "That doesn't explain your question? Why are you asking me this? Could they're be someone special in your life too?" he said slyly.

"I think there is. She's also seen my Zodiac form. Except I showed it to her."

"Voluntarily?" Ayame replied shocked.

"Yes" Yuki nodded.

"Then there is no doubt about it! You're in love little brother!"

"I'm in love" Yuki thought as he looked straight, "Yes that has to be it. Why I am feeling so confused lately. I feel all those things that my brother just described when I am with her. All those things" Yuki stood up.

"Yuki?"

"If what you say is true. Then I can't waste another minute."

"That's right brother" Ayame nodded, "You must tell her how you feel. Right away."

"Yea" Yuki nodded, "Thank you for" he hesitated.

"Never mind that now Yuki" Ayame pushed him forward handing him his bag in the process, "You run along now. She's waiting for you."

Yuki nodded and dashed out of the shop. Ayame stood at the door, wiping a few tears from his eyes.

"Oh he's really growing up."

(Next Scene)

Yuki ran all the way to the Kuragi house until he was out of breath. He rang the doorbell a couple of times until Machi came to answer it.

"Yuki" she replied in surprise, "You're out of breath. What's going on?"

"Machi" he said breathing hard, "I wanted to tell you something."

"All right. What is it?"

"It's just Machi" he moved forward even more, "I think I'm in love with you."

A strong wind blew outside as Machi stared at him stunned and Yuki baited his breath, waiting for the answer.

(To be continued...)

Authors Note: Hey everyone! Sorry to leave you on a cliffhanger! I will back later with the next part so see you then!

Next Part: Machi's response!