A/N: Okay so I finally came up with a temporary title. I'm OPEN FOR SUGGESTIONS

Yahiko entered the apartment, throwing himself onto the couch.

Today…sucked.

Groaning, Yahiko turned over, and came face to face with one of the few picture frames in his apartment. He glared at the people in it before slamming it face-down. He shrugged out of his clothes and put on his training gi, taking out his bokken.

As he started his exercises, he turned on the stereo system and placed in his favorite CD. Once the music started, he closed his eyes, and moved around the room, fighting an invisible opponent.

I am a little bit of loneliness, a little bit of disregard
Handful of complaints but I can't help the fact
That everybody can see these scars
I am what I want you to want, what I want you to feel

Normally listening to his favorite music and doing what he loved to do allowed him to unwind and forget his problems in life, but there was just still one thing that wouldn't leave his mind. More like one person.

"Tsubame…" Yahiko murmured, as he issued another swing.

But it's like no matter what I do, I can't convince you
To just believe this is real
So I, let go watching you turn your back like you always do
Face away and pretend that I'm not
But I'll be here cause you're all that I've got


He'd lied many of times before. Heck, he was an expert at it. He could lie and completely forget all about it, and get away without the guilt that follows. But for some reason, he just couldn't live with lying to her. The very thought that he had lied to her was bugging him to no end and slowly eating him inside.

I can't feel the way I did before
Don't turn your back on me
I won't be ignored
Time won't heal this damage anymore
Don't turn your back on me I won't be ignored

The story he told her actually made his life seem…happy

But no, there was no such thing as happiness in the Seta/Myojin family.

He never experienced what it was like to be truly happy, with a family that loved and accepted him.

His real father was a drug addict and died of some drug overdose before he was born. His mother drank often, and beat him whenever she found an excuse. When she died in an accident, Yahiko thought he could finally be free and happy.

Boy was he wrong.


I am, a little bit insecure, a little unconfident
Cuz you don't understand I do what I can
Sometimes I don't make sense
I am, what you never wanna say, but I've never had a doubt

Sou's parents just found him as another mouth to feed. A simple nobody who was always going to be a nobody, but he'll show them.

Next to Soujiro, he would never be accepted. Sou was practically a God in his parents' eyes- there were no flaws in him. He had the grades, the talents, the looks, the personality, and above all, he had the family that would put him on a pedestal and shower him with gifts and praise.

The Seta's neglected him, pushed him away, and treated him like dirt. Soujiro didn't though, but that's only because he was such a self-involved little brat he didn't care about anything else. His parents treated him like the world revolved around him, and Sou probably felt it did with the way his parents treated him. He probably did in intentionally or he didn't, but he still walked over Yahiko.

It's like no matter what I do I can't convince you for once just to hear me out
So I, let go watching you turn your back like you always do
You face away and pretend that I'm not
But I'll be here cause you're all that I've got

They'd see one day. One day it'll be Yahiko's time to shine. He would show his worthless aunt and uncle he was a somebody. He'd show Sou he could be better than him in the Psychiatric world than he was in the Medical world. He would rise up above. He'd show his parents he never needed them

I can't feel the way I did before
Don't turn your back on me
I won't be ignored
Time won't heal this damage anymore
Don't turn your back on me I won't be ignored

He froze in thought.

Tsubame was different from him. Her family died before her very eyes in a terrible slaughter. He couldn't even imagine how it must feel to be threatened every second of his life while his family's killers were still on the loose. Nobody has really reached out to her enough. She was forced to be alone too soon. All his life he's been trying to prove he didn't need anybody, and yet there was this girl who needed someone. Someone to help her. He was gonna help her, if it was the last thing he did.

Hear me out now
You're gonna listen to me like it or not
Right now, hear me out now
You're gonna listen to me like it or not
Right now

'Not to worry, Tsubame…' he thought as he struck out with his bokken with all his might. '…you won't be ignored anymore…You've got me from now on…I promise!'


I can't feel the way I did before
Don't turn your back on me
I won't be ignored

He was interrupted when he heard the phone ring. Placing down his bamboo sword, he wiped sweat off his brow before he answered.

"Moshi?"

"Myojin-kun? It's Takani-sensei,"

"Oh, konbanwa,"

"Konbanwa, just wanted to inform you to be at the clinic tomorrow morning at 8:30 am, okay?"

"Yeah, okay, see you tomorrow,"


I can't feel the way I did before
Don't turn your back on me
I won't be ignored

Feeling like he didn't need to train anymore, he made his way to the showers, and he still heard the stereo's music slightly over the sound of the water. Hit by an inspiration, he turned off the water and quickly dried himself off, coming out of the shower stall.

Time won't heal this damage anymore
Don't turn your back on me I won't be ignored
I can't feel

Throwing on a pair of boxers and a t-shirt he dashed to the storage room where he found some old supplies. Digging them out, he set to work. He allowed his brain to unwind as he allowed his hand to move on its own across the blank canvas.

Don't turn your back on me I won't be ignored
Time won't tell
Don't turn your back on me I won't be ignored

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Yahiko showed up at the clinic bright and early, his daily dose of caffeine kicking in. His dreams last night kept revolving around a quiet and depressed young woman, but at least they were sweet. He was brought out of his thoughts when the door slammed open to see Sano come in with Kaoru a little ways behind.

"Ohayo Yahiko-chan!" chorused Sano and Kaoru together.

"Ohayo tori-atama, busu," he shot back with a grin.

"Touché, Yahiko-kun," Kaoru glared, and Sano laughed.

"I have taught you well!" he hooted, while Yahiko just grinned.

The door slammed open once more to reveal a very tired and annoyed-looking Misao.

"Ohayo!" Yahiko greeted.

"Hey Itachi!" Sano yelled, getting a slap on the head from Kaoru and a hiss of 'Be nice!'

"Ohayo Misao-chan!" Kaoru said pleasantly.

Misao said nothing. She simply looked at us.

"Mmph…" she grumbled and sat down, her head slamming forward on the desk with an audible SLAM

Yahiko shot a glance at the cousins, but they simply shrugged altogether.

"I never thought a weasel that's so painfully genki wouldn't be a morning person!" Sano laughed, which earned a groan from Misao and another bop on the head from Kaoru.

"It's too early in the morning for your jokes, ye damned rooster…" growled Misao, face still in the table.

"Couldn't agree more, Misao-san…" came Megumi's voice as she entered the office.

"Ohayo, Megumi-san!" Kaoru chirped happily.

"Ohayo," called Yahiko

"Yo, Fox,"

"Mmph," grumbled Misao from her table

"Ohayo minna, and shut up rooster."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Tsubame allowed herself to be dragged by Yahiko as he took her to another room with art supplies. He motioned for her to sit down with a huge grin, and she uncomfortably obeyed.

"Now, Kinomoto-san, I thought it might be fun and helpful to start off with a little artwork. You know, use your imagination and draw whatever you please or have an inspiration of drawing, how does that sound?"

No response, unsurprisingly.

However, that wouldn't dampen his mood as he dragged a canvas and an easel over in front of her, and placed oil pastels, paints, and chalks/charcoal on the table next to her.

"Have fun, I'm gonna get some work done myself, and just come to me when you're finished, ne?"

Tsubame simply looked up at him with an uncomfortable half-smile, and picked up some charcoal and set off to work.

Satisfied, Yahiko made his way to the other easel in the room with another canvas which held the pastel picture he was working on yesterday after he finished his training.

He smiled at his picture of Tsubame, but the only thing left on the picture was her face. He had been frustrated about it all night, he just couldn't get it the right way, so he figured he'd just complete it now while watching her.

The smooth curves of both eyebrows, the round eyes temporarily left white, the slight arch of the nose, and tiny mouth spread into a laughing smile. He closed his eyes and envisioned those empty black eyes laughing with delight to match its smile, and envisioned them dancing with life.

Unconsciously, his hand moved across the canvas by itself as he kept the picture in his mind. Opening his eyes, he was amazed at how beautiful his own work was, and wished he could see the real smile of this young woman.

He was broken from his slight trance when he saw movement from the corner of his eye. Turning around, he saw she had stood up, a small smile on her face.

"Finished?" he asked, wondering how long it took. She nodded eagerly. He grinned and made his way over and was stunned at what he saw.

She had drawn him in a half-turn, catching his back and the right side of his face, a casual smirk on his face, eyes dancing with life and mischief.

"Sugoi, Kinomoto-san! I never knew you were an artist!"

Tsubame smiled embarrassedly, cheeks slightly flushed. She picked it up from the easel and handed it to him. He stared in confusion as she shyly nudged it at him.

"…do you want me to have this?" he asked, trying to guess from her body language.

She nodded, a small smile still on her face, gazing into his eyes for something.

His face broke into a giant grin as he took the canvas.

"I'd be honored to accept such a wonderful work of art, Kinomoto-san. Thank you,"

She shyly smiled, which left him staring in awe. Before he could stop her, she made her way over to where he was drawing, and stared.

Yahiko ran over, embarrassed.

"It's not that great yet, I'm not finished, it's nothing in comparison to yours…" he trailed off as she turned around to face him, a wide grin on her face that even spread to her eyes.

Although she said nothing, he could tell by the look in her eyes the two words she wanted to say.

'Thank you…'

He couldn't help but stare, awestruck. her eyes in that one smile nothing like he had imagined. He couldn't describe it; it just wasn't the same. He turned to look at the oil pastel depiction of her, which now dulled in comparison. It looked like what it was; a simple picture. He gave a small smile.

"Would you like to have it when I finish it?" he asked her.

She hesitated, but nodded eagerly. Yahiko smiled back at her.

"Not to worry, I'll work to finish it tonight, that ok Kinomoto-san?"

She nodded again, eyes dancing with life. She suddenly grabbed the canvas back from Yahiko and picked up a bit of charcoal as she hastily added something on the picture, handing it back to him.

Puzzled, he looked at it again and noticed in hurried, child-like scrawl were words that made him smile.

'Myojin-kun, I thank you for your kindness and help. Please call me Tsubame!'

Bringing that smile to her face, he murmured, "I'd be honored, but when you feel ready to talk, feel free to call me Yahiko, ne?"

Tsubame paused for a bit and nodded happily, throwing her arms around him. She gave him a small peck on the cheek, and leaving for her room.

Yahiko stood there frozen as he placed a hand on his cheek as a dazed grin broke on his face.

He repacked the supplies and made his way out of the room, a carefully wrapped canvas under each arm. When he was almost out of the clinic, Megumi stopped him.

"Tsubame-chan gave this to me to deliver to you when she went back to her room," she said with a smile, handing the young man a bit of folded paper, "I'm impressed with the progress you've made with her in just one day, Myojin-kun, perhaps you'll continue working here after your internship?"

Yahiko took the slip of paper, a wide grin on his face.

"I'd be honored, Takani-sensei,"

Megumi smiled at him and ruffled his hair.

"Good. Now I best be off before the stupid Rooster kills our patient…"

Yahiko laughed and bowed as he left. Making his way to his car, he carefully placed the canvases in the back seat and seated himself in the front.

There, he unfolded the note.

On it was a simple and quickly sketched self-portrait, with a bright smile on her face, but eyes blank.

'Thank you…Yahiko-kun!'

He grinned and glanced back at the clinic.

Inside in her room, Tsubame practically heard his voice.

'Anytime…Tsubame-san.'

TBC