Several weeks passed, and Yuki and Tohru continued to exchange letters. Pictures of little Ichiro came on an almost daily basis, and they showed the rapid development he was going through. "He still has all that hair", Haru said grinning over the most recent e-mail. "Yea, and look how good he can hold his head up now", Yuki said proudly, and a little sadly. It was painful knowing he was missing out on this precious fleeting time of babyhood with his son, but he could do nothing about it.
Akito had not suspected anything after Yuki's supposed outing with Ayame, even though he had returned exhausted. She drilled him a bit on what he had done at Aya's place, and Yuki had made up a string of lies about being used as a model for a new line of clothing, and going out to dinner at a strange restaurant and such. Akito seemed satisfied with his fib, and she questioned him no more about it. She had however, continued to press her desires upon Yuki over the ensuing weeks, and he continued to refuse her; suffering the consequences for it. He had tried on one occasion to get her to agree to let him return to school. He figured it was worth an attempt since she thought Tohru was out of the picture. Perhaps he could win his life back yet.
It was late afternoon on a Sunday, and Akito had been sipping some tea and looking out over the garden which was covered in snow. Yuki sat by at her command, keeping her company. "Sundays are so peaceful", she had said serenely. "Not really", Yuki said in sullen tones. "Why don't you agree", Akito asked him a little perplexed. She hadn't really expected an answer, and Yuki's caught her off guard. He paused for a moment wondering if he should speak his mind or not. "My days here all run into each other like a blur", he said with sudden vehemence. "I have nothing to work on, no goals or pastimes, I'm just here", he gestured to the room around them. "I'm purposeless", Yuki frowned. Akito shot him a suspicious glance, but said nothing. "Akito-sama", he continued cautiously, "please, please allow me to return to the university. I'm a good student; I know I can succeed if you will just…" "Silence!", Akito shouted, cutting Yuki off mid-sentence. "I won't even discuss this with you", she added in a huff. "Why not?", Yuki continued to press, even more agitated, "Hatori was allowed to go to college, why not me?" He knew he had said too much, but he didn't care. He spent so much time in the dark anymore it didn't really matter. "Hatori didn't betray me!", Akito countered. "Besides, why should I let you go; so some other low-life bitch can seduce you away from me?" Her eyes flashed like daggers at him. Yuki's fists clenched at her words. She approached him as she continued. "Your place is here with me", she insisted, taking hold of Yuki's jaw with her fingertips. "The sooner you come to terms with that, the better things will be for both of us". As Akito said this, she slowly drew her face closer to his, eyeing his mouth greedily. Yuki pulled back out of her grasp before she could close in on his lips. Akito smirked, "you are stubborn, aren't you", she chuckled; eyes aflame. Yuki stood there silent and motionless, but he glared at her with deepest disdain. She slowly began to circle him as she continued. "I could force the issue, you know", she smiled as she considered her options, "or I could beat you senseless for disobeying me, or maybe I should just leave you to rot in the dark where you seem to like it so well", she whispered this last sarcastically in Yuki's ear as she passed. He didn't show any reaction to her. He knew full well what she was capable of, but he had no intention of giving in to her desires. "Kureno!", Akito called loudly, her eyes fixed on Yuki. Kureno appeared quickly and bowed to her. "Take Master Yuki to the chamber and get things ready", she commanded, "I'll be along after I find my gloves". She shot Yuki a challenging glance, surmising how he would react to her directive. "Is this what you really want?", she challenged. Yuki glared at her once more. "You can beat me all you like, but it won't change anything", he said vehemently, and then turned and headed Kureno out the door.
"There that's better", Yuki patted the soil down around the roots of the bedding plant he had just set. He stood up and brushed the soil off his knees with a gloved hand, and surveyed his work. The little abandoned plot of ground he had discovered in the house garden would soon be a-bloom with springtime flowers. He wiped his shirt sleeve across his forehead. "I guess that's enough for today", he said to himself. Yuki lay down his trowel and gloves, and started back to the house to clean up for lunch. As he stood he flinched with pain. His back stung from the lashing he had received a few days earlier. It was early spring now, nearly six months since he had been forced away from the university campus, and from his life with Tohru.
Back at his room he was greeted by Haru who was sitting expectantly on the bed. "Hey", he said as Yuki entered. Yuki jumped a little, startled by his visitor. "You almost gave me a heart attack!", Yuki snapped. "Sorry", Haru smiled, "I just came to bring you your mail". Yuki's eyes focused eagerly on the letter in Haru's hand, and he reached for it, but Haru snatched it away. "That's mine", Yuki protested. "Not yet", Haru smirked, "Tohru made me promise to give you a hug and a kiss for her first". Yuki stared at him with a blank expression-, "You can't be serious", he said flatly. "Sure I am", Haru quipped, and stood up to approach him. "No way!", Yuki countered, and dodged Haru's embrace. A good natured tussle ensued, and the two of them ended up knocking over several figurines, a chair, and a foot stool before Haru called "Uncle" to Yuki who had pinned him. "Give me that letter", Yuki insisted with mirth. "Alright, alright", Haru chuckled, and surrendered the envelope. Yuki snatched it away from him, and settled on the bed to read it. Haru watched Yuki devour the letter intently, seeing his countenance change as he internalized each line. And for the hundredth time in the last few months, he truly felt sorry for him.
Yuki finished the letter, and was thoughtful a moment. He sighed heavily, "You know", he said quietly, "sometimes I miss her so much it hurts". They were both silent for a few moments, allowing Yuki's complaint to hang in the air poignantly. "Look at this smile", Yuki broke the quiet. He grinned proudly at a snapshot of Ichiro who was sporting a white sliver of a tooth peeking through his lower gum. "Yeah", Haru said, "Tohru and Shigure couldn't wait to show his new tooth to me". Yuki's smile faded for a moment as he thought about that. Then he smiled wistfully, "thanks Haru", he said quietly.
After Haru left, Yuki showered off the dirt and sweat from the garden in preparation for lunch. He slipped on a robe while he dried his hair, and then spied the letter lying open on the bed. He picked it up and settled into the chair to read it one more time. He was thoughtful as Tohru's words coursed through his mind. "I pray each day for us to be together again, until that time, all my love, Tohru". Yuki's eyes wandered from the page towards the window. The sun was high in the sky, and signs of impending spring were everywhere in the yard outside. He could see the main gate to the estate from his window, and he pictured himself walking unceremoniously out those doors towards freedom and never looking back. "If it weren't for the guards watching me day and night I'd be there in a heartbeat", Yuki sighed as he watched a man in a dark suit saunter across the yard towards the gate. He closed his eyes and tried to picture Tohru there with him.
Yuki's eyelashes fluttered as he regained consciousness, and blinked the sleep from his eyes. "Must have dosed off", he murmured to himself. As he sat up Yuki became aware that someone else was in the room. Standing a few feet away from him with an odd look on her face was Akito; the letter from Tohru was in her hand. "You didn't show for lunch so I came to get you", Akito said staring at the letter which was spread open before her. A chill went down Yuki's spine as he realized what had happened. He bolted upright in the chair he had been dozing in, but it was too late. Akito had obviously already read the letter. A heavy dread fell over Yuki as he looked at Akito's strangely expressionless face. Finally she spoke. "So Miss Honda still has her memories", she said almost as if speaking to herself, although she had turned her gaze to Yuki. He sat motionless, not daring to breathe. "And the baby she speaks of in the letter, is that the child she was carrying for you?", Akito questioned. Yuki didn't respond, but the fear on his face spoke volumes to her. "I see", she said quietly, and stared into space again, "I have been betrayed'.
Akito stood in silence for a moment contemplating her discovery. She seemed almost vulnerable for that brief time. "Don't blame Hatori", Yuki interjected. "It was me. I begged him not to do it", Yuki lied with great fervor. He hoped to protect his cousin who had kept his family from harm. Akito's countenance quickly turned from devastated shock to angry vengeance. She crumpled the letter viciously and turned towards the doorway to make an exit. "I shall have to take matters into my own hands", she hissed as she went.
The color blanched from Yuki's face at her words. He could only imagine what form her revenge would take. Before Akito could get to the hallway, Yuki jumped up from the chair and prostrated himself before her. "Akito-sama", he pleaded, "please, please don't harm them. I beg of you". Yuki's voice quavered with emotion as he spoke. Akito was unmoved by his pleas, but instead was growing angrier the more she thought about the betrayal. She snorted derisively at Yuki, and started to step around him. Yuki latched on to one of her ankles as she passed. "Please", he begged with more intensity. He was desperate to protect his wife and child from her. "I'll do anything", he found himself saying, "I'll do anything you say". Akito stopped in her tracks. She turned slowly back to Yuki who was groveling on the floor before her. "Anything?", she queried with sudden great interest. Her mouth curled up in one corner, and her eyes shone with keen realization. She had him. Yuki looked up and his eyes met hers. There was a silent contest of wills that passed through that glance, but in the end Yuki succumbed. He bowed his head in defeat, but shook it in the affirmative, and whispered, "Yes". A gratified smile spread slowly across Akito's face. "Really?", she rolled the word off her tongue luxuriously as she spoke, and offered Yuki a hand to assist him in rising.
Yuki stood before her with great trepidation. "Kiss me", she said simply, a look of triumph on her face. Yuki swallowed hard. His eyes were full of disdain as he looked at her, but he obeyed. He pulled Akito to him in a firm embrace, and pressed his lips to hers passionately. When he released her, Yuki looked at her with disgust. A sinking feeling formed in the pit of his stomach. Akito looked up at him with satisfaction and then breathlessly said, "Very good. Now, listen to me carefully if you value their lives", she continued. "You are going to write one last letter to Miss Honda", an evil grin curled on Akito's lips. "You will tell her in this letter your love for her has grown cold, and you never want to see her again", Akito smirked as she said this, picturing a devastated Tohru reading those callous words from her dearest love. Yuki stood there dumbstruck, and incredulous. "And in the meantime, I will set up an appointment with our family attorney", she added with glee. Yuki started to shake his head no, but before he could speak Akito reminded him what was at stake. "Their fates are in your hands- make your choice", she said as she retrieved a pen and some paper from his desk and held them out to him. Yuki hesitated for a moment, wide eyed with disbelief, then he slowly took the writing materials from Akito with a pained expression on his face.