A/N: WOW! Look at all these responses. Yes, bringing in K was a stroke of genius!

Mistress: You're getting a big head…

Neko: Silence! Who asked you!? snorts Ignore her, my muse is nobody important.

Mistress: So she's says, but she couldn't do anything without me nyahhh sticks out her tongue Now, we'd like to thank all the reviewers .

Neko: That's just what I was going to say.

Mistress: Riiiiiiiight…

Thanks: Crazi 4 Grasper, Vera-Sama, Kya-kun, Notta Writer, cryearthstearsfalltou, Shos-lady, Guren, Raven's Light, Jessica, and clueless97.

Warning: Adult Language.

Chapter XII

After K agreed to everything, he soon left. The three then got into a deep discussion of what could possibly be wrong. "Is it possible that you two are just imagining things…." Sho asked, slurping at his smoothie. Ichigo shot him an ugly look that quickly shut his mouth. "No! We are NOT imagining things! How can you be so calm when my family is about to be torn apart!" "Women…" He muttered around the straw. "What was that!?" That was Shu-chan's personality. "Okay, so your not imagining things….When did this start?" He slumped in his seat looking at his best friend with roaving eyes, she looked beautiful in the halogen light's of the café. He'd never noticed it before but… "Sho? Sho, are you listening?" Ichi's voice said annoyed. He snapped out of his shameless ogling of his beast friend, blushing behind his smoothie. "Yeah, yeah, Ichi, I hear you." "Then what did I say?" She looked at him expectantly, the other girl Kari looking up from her notes. She wasn't even looking in his direction so she'd be of no help… He sighed. "Ummmm…" "That's what I thought." He gave a blank look. "Why do I deal with you? Remind me." He shrugged and slurped his drink, giving her the signal to continue.

"As I was saying….After K find's Kitazawa we can confront him…her….and question him/her about my tou-san and her/his brother." Sho made a face that said he questioned the plan. "Why would Kitazawa know anything like that…?" "Well….I…." She fumbled. Ichigo knew she made herself look dumb sometimes, but inside she was really very smart. Not dense at all, despite having Shuichi Shindou's genes. Not that her okaa-san wasn't smart, he was smart. Sometimes…it just took him awhile to get the big picture. She nodded. "She will!" she declared definitely. "Will she?" Kari intervened. "She has to…" Now the girl was just desperate. "And until then….?" Sho asked. "We act as normal as possible…You guys wanna go to the mall with me? I wamt to get a few last touches for my party and get something for okaa-san and the baby." "Sure." They both said. Kari was looking through the web as she said this. "Whatever it is…It must've been covered up really well…" She bit her lip and continued to tap away. She sighed when again her searches turned up negative.

"Nothing."

"Great.." Sho and Ichi moaned.

"I'm gonna get a cookie." Ichigo got up then picking up her black purse. "You guys want one?"

"None for me."

Her best friend raised his hand, "I'll take one."

"Is chocolate okay?" She asked, turning around and bumping into a tall guy behind her.

Sho watched as the ice-cold sodas fell from the guy's hand and drenched Ichi, plastering her hair and clothing to her. Ichigo remained catatonic for about a second until she snapped back to reality and realized the state of her top and hip-huggers. "My-my-my outfit! It's ruined!" The white baby doll tee was down a light brownish color the pink cat looking as soaked at a real one would. Her jeans were a darker shade and Ichi herself resembled that cat on her shirt with the look she took with her hair drenched with soda. "I'm a meeeesssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!" She cried, a geyser of tears starting to erupt. "I'm sorry! Terribly sorry!" The young man profusely apologized. "Oh yeah! Sorry doesn't save my outfit! Look what you've…Oh!" She hollered then stopped looking into his golden eyes…They reminded her of her tou-san's. "You have….pretty eyes." "Thanks…" He began to dry her off with some napkins. "They're not normal though. Not for Japanese." Ichigo shook her head. "Oh no…They're fine! Absolutely fine!" Her hand stretched up and put itself to his cheek. "Unique. My tou-san has eyes like yours…" "Oh…." He sounded disappointed. "They're very beautiful," She repeated.

"AHEM!" a throat cleared from behind.

Ichigo twisted sharply, slipping and was caught by the boy. From upside down she could see Sho frowning, he took her by the upper back and helped her back up. "Look she's not hurt. Thanks for catching her." He put a hand out to the amber-eyed boy's. The young man eyed him sharply. "Boyfriend?" The guy asked slyly. "What!? No! Are you on crack or something!? What makes you think she's my girlfriend!?" "Then why don't you get lost! I can handle this…" It was like the animal kingdom; one male challenging another male for the female. And Ichigo herself was stuck between them; Sho and the new male shooting each other deadly looks only men stuck with. She groaned to herself as Sho took one of her arms by the elbow, the way he always did when she needed a shoulder to cry on, and glared at the guy. "Back off, stud! Ichi doesn't like men like you! You're not her type!" "Oh, yeah! What would you know!?" "I happen to be her best friend! Pervs like you just aren't her type!" Ichigo was being tugged back and forth like she was the rope in a game on tug-o-war. "What makes you think I'm a pervert!"

"I can smell it all over you…"

"What…"

Ichigo gritted her teeth. What the hell am I, a dog's bone!? She had had ENOUGH!

"Let me the hell go!" She shouted tugging away from both the males.

They just stared at her as she backed towards the café door. "When did I become your favoritetoy?" By now, she was glaring not only at the nameless guy, but at her friend Sho. "What the hell has gotten into you!?" With that she fled, dashing through the door and taking off down the street, tears streaming down her face! She was thoroughly confused. The girl pushed passed mobs of people, tears still falling. She didn't like being confused! She had no control of herself when she felt this way! Ichigo kept running. She ran and she ran and ran until she reached the park. The blonde zigzagged along the paths reaching the place where her okaa-san had frequently taking her when she was young; the place she still visited. Ichigo threw herself at the rail and held on tight, her head swimming. She thought about the way Sho had acted, the way her family way, her tou-san, okaa-san, and oji-san. Her obaa-san, Mika. Still no word from her. Suddenly, she felt a vibration at her side. At her side? She frowned. No, not at her side, in her purse. Ichi hurriedly dug through it and brought out the cell phone. She looked at the number as her heart pounded:

Aunt Mika

Her heart then lept to her throat and she punched the green button in excitement. "Moushi moushi! Obaa-san!?" she answered excitedly. "Konichwa, Ichigo…" her obaa-san's youthful voice said. Despite being older, Mika Seguchi still sounded as young as ever. "How are you?" "I'm fine!" Ichigo answered once more. "Good. How's my kid brother?" "Tou-san…Oh…he's good. Okaa-san is going to gave another baby…" The other side of the line was quiet for a while. "Again?" "Yeah, tou-san was surprised too. I mean, after so many years…." "Tell Shuichi congratulations for me will you?" Sure, Obaa-san, I can do that!" "Good… How-how's Tohma?" "Oji-san..He's doing good!" She sighed. "Oh who am I kidding, he's a wreck without you….Please come home, Obaa-san!" Mika shook her head on the other end. "I'm sorry, Ichigo, but I cannot come home to him as long as he feels the way he does." "But, Obaa-san…" "Well, it was nice to talk to you, kid…" A sigh. "Give Eiri and Tatsuha my regards, okay?" "Okay." "Thanks. Good bye…" The phone on the other side went dead and Ichigo just stared at it before turning hers off.

Ichigo just leaned against the railing and sighed. This was the place where her parents had met… She looked down the path. It made her happy. She sighed once more. Though these memories would never me the same if she didn't put a stop to these cursed changes. What are they hidng? What do tou-san and oji-san know that I don't? Why would they hide such a thing? Do they not want our family to be happy? Ichi bit her lip and sat down, looking quite sad. "Okaa-san…" She thought of the new baby coming in seven months. That bundle of new life that would wiggle and squirm in her 'mama's' arms. "But he/she won't have a chance unless I do something about it. I have to make the world safe for the baby. I have to make this family safe! I'd do anything to keep my family stable!" "Miss?" came a voice. The blonde girl looked up and there stood the boy from the café… How had he..? "I wanted to apologize." He kneeled down. "You seemed-!" "GO AWAY!" She shouted, shedding more tears. "But…" "JUST GO AWAY! CAN'T YOU SEE I WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE?!" The boy gave a cross look and pushed off the ground.

"Fine….Bitch…."

Icigo had heard that—and it had stung—but she chose to ignore his crass comment. He didn't know what she was going through! He couldn't understand how much her heart was aching for her family..

She continued to cry.

Tohma Seguchi sat in his office, determined to put a stop to his daughter and niece's meddling. The past belonged in the past, why did they wish it to be dug up? The phone rang and he picked it up, "Moushi moushi. Yes, this is Seguchi. Oh it's you! Yes I'm the one who requested those files be burned.. Also…" He flipped through a folder. "Find a woman named Yoshiki Kitazawa, I wish to speak with her. It's urgent!" He nodded and hung up the receiver and returned to the file he was looking through. In many ways, Yoshiki looked so much like her older brother Yuki. And to think I trusted that monster….He sighed. No matter how many times he tried to bury it, the past seemed always to have a way of coming up at biting him in the ass. He sighed, staring at the picture of his wife he had pulled out of a drawer. "Mika-san…" He put it away again and made another call. "Yes, Kaoruko-san….You asked me to call to give a definite date for Bad Luck's farewell concert…It's May…The twenty-eigth day. That's right….What other bands? My band Nittle Grasper and Electric Shock…Yes, I think it's very generous of OVA records too…." He listened. "Yes, I think they're trying to get publicity too. I'm ready for a good fight though… Good-bye, Kaoruko-san…" He hung up the phone for the second time.

He buzzed for his secretary. "Send in Bad Luck….."

"Yes, sir."

Five Minutes Later

Tohma lifted his head and Shuichi Shindou entered the room with his two band mates in tow. His cousin Fujisaki sat to one side and the guitarist, Hiroshi Nakano, Shuichi's best friend since high school, sat on the other side. "Yes, Seguchi-san…" Shuichi spoke. "I have called you here to discuss the details of your farewell concert." "All right." He popped a cracker into his mouth to quell his queasy stomach. "But first we wait for…" "We're here, Tohma!" Noriko Ukai hollered followed by Ryuichi Sakuma. The vocalist had a funny smile on his face. "SHUICHI! This going to be SO great, isn't it!" "Yeah, Ryu-chan! AWESOME!" He pumped his fist in the air. He then turned green and shoved several more crackers into his mouth. "Shu-chan?" the other man looked concerned. "Morning sickness...." Hiro explained. Ryuichi looked out the window. "But its afternoon... how could Shuichi be having morning sickness?" "I'll explain it to you later Ryu…" Nori-chan said sitting down with Ryu-chan.

"Now, Noriko, Ryuichi." His band mates gazed at him intently. "As you know we will be one of the opening acts for Bad Luck's farewell concert…." "Who's the other?" Tohma looked over their heads and beckoned someone in with his fingers. A group of four walked in: a red-headed man, a blue-haired woman, and two others; a blond and brunet. Shuichi got up and bowed. "It's very nice to meet you." "Yo!" the red-head said, coming close enough. "Allow me to introduce myself and my band members…this lady…" He tugged on the woman's waist. "Is my girlfriend and bass player-back-up vocalist, Kaede Himura." He looked back. "The blond is Kano Ozaki…my keyboardist…the spikey raven haired one is… Izo Etsuko, my second guitarist. We are Electric Shock." "Pleasure.." Fujisaki murmured bowing as well. "It will be a delight to have you on the stage with us…" "Yeah, we hope to have a good time working with you to." Daisuke said this, but he sounded smug as he did. He wore dark sunglasses and smiled behind them, the woman'd (Kaede) head on his shoulder. Tohma Seguchi nodded. "Now, that you are all here…As I was saying….

"Nittle Grasper and Electric Shock will be the opening acts for Bad Luck, understood."

Both bands nodded.

"Good. You will both perform at least two-three song minimum. Consider the length of these songs so that you may choose them wisely…."

He spoke to his own band as the president and not as part of the band, but Noriko and Ryuichi understood just the same.

"Understood, Shacho."

"Good."

"Shindou-san…"

His eyes turned to the lead vocalist of Bad Luck.

"Yes, Seguchi-san?"

"Do you and the rest of Bad Luck have the arrangements out for your songs and apparel?"

"Almost, Seguchi-san."

"Almost?"

"Yes."

"I'll give you till the day after tomorrow, then I want those decisions."

"Yes, of course, sir!"

Tohma nodded his head briskly. "That is all. You all may leave." They started to get up. "All except you, Sakano-san…" He said not looking up from a file he was purusing. Sakano froze and grimaced. "Yes, Shacho-san!" "Sakano-san…I see that K-san did not attend this meeting.." He signed off one of the documents. "Do you have any idea where he could be?" "N-n-no, sir!" "Is that so? Hmmm..." He bit down on the pen-top lightly. "This is most perplexing…Try to find him hmmm….His presence is needed for the success of this concert, and I wish to know what was so important he skipped this meeting. Am I clear?" "Oh, yes, sir!" "Very well then. You are dismissed, Sakano-san." Sakano excited the room, leaving Tohma Seguchi to ponder some things …The fact that K had not shown up on the day of important meeting did indeed concern him, in fact it left him down-right suspicious. "Something is not right…." He murmured and reached over for his phone once more. "This is Seguchi. Please put me in contact with Orita-san…Yes, that's right, my private detective." He listened to the operator on the other end of the line. "Thank you."

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Yuki winced at the sound and stopped typing for a moment. "Will somebody get that!?" KNOCK! KNOCK! He gritted his teeth. Oh right, Shuichi was at work and so was Tohma…Ichigo had disappeared to Kami knew where….He hope to the Gods she wasn't creating trouble for herself. He slowly made his way to the front door, his hands feeling cramped. KNOCK! KNOCK! "I'M COMING!" he hollered, approaching the door. When he finally reached it, put a hand to the doorknob and opened it he was met with a slender magenta eyed and silver haired woman. He stared at her for awhile before he spoke. "Can I help you?" "Yes…" She tried to peer over his shoulder. "Is this…where I can find Seguchi-san?" she asked in a throaty voice that Yuki would have deemed sexy. Of course that was before he met Shuichi. "Yeah, he does come by now and then…" She looked down at this. "Oh…He's not here then…" "No." He blew out smoke over her head. "He went to work." "Oh?" She seemed to be biting her lip. "I…guess, I'll catch him there then." She turned to leaved, but as she did one of heels on her pumps broke off and her body twisted at an odd angle.

The woman cried out in pain as she was dumped to the concrete unceremoniously. "Ouch!"

Yuki looked down at her. "You okay?"

"Do I LOOK okay!?" She muttered, cursing all the while. "My dress is ruined along with my heel."

Looking concerned, he leaned down, "Here let me give you a hand…?" He reached his hand out to her grasping her at the waist with one hand and arm with the other.

"Thank you but I'll be….arghhhh." She cried out in pain.

"No, you're obviously not." He sighed; his deadline would have to wait. "Let me take a look at you-!"

"PERVERT!"

He got an annoyed look. "Not that! You've obviously sprained something…"

"Just don't go where your hands are not wanted…."

Yuki groaned. So this is what I get for being nice…

"Do you ever shut up?"

Next Chapter: Kitazawa's Sister

A/N: TA DA! Another rousing chapter! And all in one day too! Well, tell me what you liked! Review!