6. Shattered promises.

T: Chapter two of the double helping…don't get too used to this! Not mine and warnings remain the same.

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It had been a week since he and Subaru had first began to search for a counter spell, time in which he had learned a great deal about the Sumeragi and had come to terms with the odd longing he felt for the boy.

The week had seen also an increasing bond between Noruko and Sakura and it was clear now to all who knew the Imonoyama well that he was deeply besotted by the girl.

As always he and Subaru had arranged to eat their lunch together and as today was one of the rare occasions when Subaru was at school and thus had made the meeting perfectly on time, they were also conducting a little more research.

They were deep in concentration when a polite voice enquires,

"Might I have a moment Yuko-san?"

Glancing away from his book he is met with the bright grey eyes of Akira Iyjin,

"Is it time for class already?" Subaru enquires as he reaches down to grab his book bag.

"No it is not, Sumeragi-san.

"It is rather that I wondered if Yuko-san might know where either Takumura-sempi or Imonoyama-sempi have gone."

"I am afraid not Iyjin-san, Why?"

"Imonoyama-sempi had arranged for a meeting this morning to discuss one of Kaichou's passing fancies but the board room was empty when I arrived.

"I thought, perhaps, that Kaichou had changed his mind so I went to look for him in class…he was not there and his 'fan club' had not seen him.

"I was a little concerned and recalling that Ukato-san had said Takumura-sempi and Nagisa-chan kept still in regular contact I went and asked her if she had seen him.

"She told me that she had talked to him just yesterday and that he seemed upset about something. She also suggested that I ask you as Takumura-san had talked of potentially sparing with you today."

"I see." It was clear from the shear volume of information form the usually sedate boy that he was truly concerned and Seishiro knew well that if Akira was truly concerned then something was most defiantly not right.

"Do not worry, Iyjin-san, I am sure that if we pool our knowledge we shall find them."

"It is clear that they are not anywhere obvious or otherwise one of Imonoyama-san's fan club would have seen him by now." Akira remarks as he takes the free seat at the table.

"It is also clear that something has changed between yesterday afternoon and this morning for Suoh-san to have mentioning anything to anyone."

"Perhaps whatever it is that had Takumura-san so down yesterday has finally come to a head." Subaru remarks, clearly eager to join in on the conversation.

"Yes, but how? Takumura-sempi is a patient man and for something to have pushed him…"

"It is Imonoyama-san." He remarks, his eyes drifting to focus on the middle distance.

"You are right, of course, the only thing that could ever truly upset Takumura-sempi would be Imonoyama-sempi's casual dismissal of him in the past few days."

"Is it possible that Suoh-san has 'had enough' of that dismissal and chose to confront Imonoyama-san?" Subaru enquires.

Seishrio turns to catch Akira's eye and the younger man nods before he says,

"That being the case I think I know where Takumura-sempi may be."

"Might I come with you Iyjin-san?"

"Of course, Yuko-san."

He gains his feet and bowing to Subaru enquires,

"Will you be here tomorrow?"

"As far as I am aware I shall be."

"Then I shall see you then."

Only one he is assured that he shall be seeing Subaru at the same time tomorrow (Less the boy receive a job in the interim) does he take Akira's lead, his eyes picking out landmarks in a hope that he would comprehend where they were actually going.

This hope was dashed as Akira turned down onto a small pathway that Seishrio had not previously known was there, yet was clearly familiar to the younger man for the confidence in his stride.

Clearly then this was one of the secret areas in the Campus designed by varying generations of Imonoyama's and to which Suoh had referred to from time to time when he was aggravated at Noruko's uncanny ability of the campus.

The tiny pathway opened out into a small ornamental garden that seemed all but out of place within the technical metropolis of the Campus.

Suoh was stood in the centre of the bridge, his eyes cast down to the stream.

Akira called the others name and as his attention was drawn towards them it becomes clear that their logic had been correct.

For clear on Suoh's skin is the beginnings of a bruise, the blow hat had been its cause strong enough to split the skin of the lip.

"Takumura-sempi, what has happened?"

"I went, yesterday evening, to talk to Kaichou about how he has been treating us of late.

"He was entertaining Sakurazuka-san and was thus very abrasive with me, something that I used as an example when he asked for one.

"I believed that he was actually listening to me and that he would apologise but then she intervened.

"She asked why I was so concerned by the fact that Kaichou was spending time with her and then she informed me that she knew 'the truth' about my feelings for Kaichou.

"I told her that my personal feeling held no sway in this matter and she laughed at me.

"I was so angry with Kaichou, with her and with myself that I raised my voice against her.

"Of course Kaichou could not suffer that and he struck out against me.

"It shocked me and yet it was his words that hurt me the most…he said that he was aware that I could not let him go, that I had chosen him for life and not simply for the short blissfulness of our childhood.

"He then told me that he wished me to leave, wished for me to be as far from him as possible and then he simply returned to talking to Sakura as though I had never been there."

"I am sure that Kaichou was simply saying those things in the heat of the moment, Takumura-sempi."

"I thought so too and so I went to the mansion again this morning in hopes of catching him before he came to Campus.

"He was not there but he had left a note with his mother that he had instructed that I see."

He raises a hand to present the both of them with the letter in question.

Akira goes to join his friend on the bridge and taking the letter from him he reads it before gesturing that Seishrio should do the same thing.

Joining the pair on the bridge he takes the 'letter; and after reading the four words written on the sheet passes it back to Akira.

"What shall you do now, Suoh-san?"

"When you asked me what I would so in a situation such as this, Seishiro-sempi, I told you that I would stay at Noruko's side no matter what and yet now…

"Kasan said that when she asked tousan to leave her, he went to tour America before coming back to Japan to watch her at a distance.

"I was tempted to do the same thing until I recalled that Kasan also told me that it was in that time in America that tousan met the men who would eventually attempt to kill kasan."

"Not everyone in America is a murderer, Suoh-san."

"I know, but despite that I can not go…to be so far from Kaichou would feel wrong.

"Tousan only left because he feared that he was endangering kasan by remaining here, which is ironic considering the outcome."

Recalling that Suoh had once told him his mother's reasoning behind her dismissal of her Takumura and wishing to distract his friend a moment from his current problem he replied,

"It is also a little sad considering that your mother feared she was the one causing the danger rather than your father."

Suoh smiles then and remarks,

"Takumura's have never been particularly lucky in regards to the heart." Before his eyes again drift to the stream. "Kaichou wishes me out of sight and as I can not bare to be continents away from him I thought, perhaps, to go to Kyoto for a while.

"Kasan informs me that there is a rumour that one of the temples is harbouring a master of a rare marital art.

"It would benefit my training to learn this art and at least then it would not feel as though I am abandoning Kaichou, but rather that I am learning that which I do not know in order to be a better protector."

"How long shall you be gone?"

"A year…maybe two."

Akira pails at that response and gripping to his friend's shirt he enquires,

"You are serious, are you not, Takumura-sempi?"

"What else can I do, Iyjin-san? You have read those words and you know well what they mean.

"My One has asked me to leave and leave I will because I love him and I can not bare the thought of being a nuisance to him."

"I admire your resolve, Takumura-san and I am glad that you have finally voiced your feeling for him to me.

"However good your intent we both know that Kaichou is in constant danger and no matter how well informed of his status you remain you must consider that Kyoto is a long train ride away.

"If you could not get to him in time or if you found trouble while away from him as your tousan did…"

"I know that you can not stay on Campus, especially when Kaichou is as he is, but I do not think you should leave Tokyo."

"Yet where can I go in this town? Where will Kaichou not find me?"

"Come to my home, Suoh-sempi, my mother's have and ability to hide the obvious."

Suoh regards Akira a moment and then bowing thanks the boy kindly.

They move to leave the area and Suoh stops a moment to take the letter from Akira and cast it into the lake before he continues back out onto the Campus grounds.

Seishiro watches the stark white paper drifting down the stream and finds himself thinking again of those hard words that had so destroyed the quiet, confident, boy that Suoh had once been.

'I meant it Takumura-san.'

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T: I don't know why I thought up this history for Suoh's mother and father…it just clicked. R+R…I've run out of reasons!