Hi! Okay, I have to explain something or you'll just think Narumi-chan is weird. Yep it deals with the code of Bushido again You remember how I said in earlier chapters that preserving someone else's feelings by not adding any more trouble to them was considered considerate. Well if a girl likes a guy, they date or marry, and the girl happens to be your friend that guy is pretty much taboo for the rest of your friends life so you don't accidentally hurt your friends feelings, anyway that was the original intent. And Narumi is an old fashioned kind of girl in my story. Besides I'm a bushido nut. Though I can't help but wonder if anyone does that anymore? However, I do know that it was common practice up through World War II.

Also, I took a line from Tsubasa by CLAMP and used it in here.

I know this is kinda short but we have a major plot development here! You know labeling this story as anything was tuff. I'm still not sure humor was the right thing... but then drama sounds too serious, aand it doesn't become a mystery until about half way through it...'sigh' The only thing I was sure of was the romance part. Oh well...

Also I'm participating in the National Novel Writing Month, nanowrimo, for short. If you don't know what it is basically you get to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. So if I fall behind I'm apologizing right now. I'll try not to though. Got to do my best! The good news though is that it doesn't start until November 1st. This is gonna be hard!

Chapter 19: Shadows in the Blackest of Nights
Well things certainly had become more interesting. Touya thought to himself. He looked around her home surveying the cages filling up the house.

The real question was what was he going to do with all these rabbits? There was no and's, if's, or but's they had to be gotten rid of and the house had to be very thoroughly cleaned or Narumi would have another attack. Her health right now was far too fragile. Why was it for their family that things could never be simple?

"Touya, I'm going. I've decided to accept the job in Tokyo."

Touya could remember just how defiant she had been that day 4 months ago, when she had told him that she was leaving. Her hair had been longer back then and she had always used to keep it up in a ponytail. When exactly had she gotten it cut anyway?

"This is a great opportunity for me! You know I've always wanted to be a school teacher."

"So be a teacher here! Why do you have to run all the way to Tokyo? Is this because of Yuri and Aoi? Narumi so what if they got a divorce? Masami Aoi is a jerk and you know it. Just stay away from him and things will be fine."

Touya knew that those two were the only reason that could ever get her to leave Osaka. She still felt guilty over what had happened in college between the three of them, and she believed that the only way she could make reparations was to run away.

Far away.

Someplace where she could never see her best friend Yuri again. Someplace where Aoi would never see her again. Things had just become too awkward. The two of them had been married in college and in less than a year they had gotten a divorce. Unfortunately Aoi had turned his eyes to Narumi. Ever since then things had become extremely strained.

"It was because of me, Touya. That's why..." Narumi couldn't hold back the tears from falling though she desperately tried to.

"It's not your fault! It's Aoi-san's! He's the one that betrayed Yuri like that! Right after their wedding he dared to come after you. That pervert if I hadn't come along..."

"I... I don't want to talk about it Touya. Please." She begged. She could already begin to feel her hands trembling.

"But..."

"It's for the best that I go. If I hadn't been there Aoi would never have looked at anyone other than Yuri, and then Yuri wouldn't have... she wouldn't have... "

Narumi's knees had given out beneath her, and her sobs racked her body violently. She was huddling over herself trying to protect herself from the memory...the painful memory of finding Yuri's lifeless body. It was just too much for her to bear.

To be honest she was scared of Aoi. No scared wasn't the right word terrified was more like it. The police had said it had been suicide but something inside of her screamed that it wasn't that. Sure it had been a locked room, but still Narumi understood deep inside of herself that Yuri hadn't killed her self. She wasn't the type to do something like that. There was no way.

If she hadn't killed herself than that meant that somebody else had done it.

Narumi gathered her strength and looked her brother right in the eye and tried again.

"I know what happened, but I don't have any proof. There really isn't any choice so I have to leave. I have to protect myself any way that I can! Don't tell anyone where I've gone to. Please! The old instructor at this school she died in her sleep, and they need a new teacher before the next semester begins. This is the perfect opportunity for me to get away."

Touya knew there was nothing that he could do to stop her. Perhaps this distance would give her the time that she needed to recover from everything, and the sence of safety she desperately needed.. He knew that after watching her parents being murdered when she was just a child and then seeing her best friend in a similar situation...

"Mule."

Touya muttered under his breath. That's what she reminded him of sometimes, a big gray mule.

"Just don't forget your roots! You really are an aho sometimes."

Narumi had packed that very night and had caught the train to Tokyo the next morning. Touya had troubles admitting it but he was pretty lonely without his little sister to torture.

Well, for now at least he had a mission to accomplish. He pulled out a phone book and started by trying to find homes for all of the rabbits.

The man dressed in black stalked through the corridors of the hospital, his fists were clenched in rage and his eyes burned with a fury that was so strong that his normally blue eyes seemed almost gold.

There was something about him that was more than just scary to the people who looked at him. He felt... almost unstable. Everyone did the best they could to just let him pass by without meeting his eyes. Nobody wanted to find out what kind of temper he had.

Damn that brat for stealing a kiss from his prize. Narumi was his, and nobody could have her except for him. Masami Aoi! That brat was going to suffer for this. Painfully suffer.

Narumi wasn't sleeping quitely in her room something was making her feel uneasy... like a nightmare that was waiting to come above the waters and grab her and pull her under into it's murky depths. She couldn't hold still she was scared. Whatever it was made her feel this way was real it wasn't a fantasy.

She was in danger.

Something soft caressed her hands and she could feel a warm hand put over her own. It gave her comfort.

This person...

This person was protecting her...

Somehow she was able to rest peacefully as long as that hand was there she felt safe.

Chapter 20:
Maybe I should have put Aoi in earlier but I felt that I needed to create a relationship before hand and establish some plot elements that would come into play later... sorry about that.