A/N: Back again. Here we go. Thank you for the reviews! n.n

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that isn't mine, because stealing a child means I have to feed it too. At least this way, I can spoil it and then give it to the mother when the child gets unruly. And this is all beside the point.

Petition of the Heart

Chapter Two.

Minto looked around nervously. There was no one there. She hadn't told anyone else that she was leaving. No, she had told them, just so they knew in case they ever wanted to look for her, but she had lied to them, saying she was actually leaving tomorrow when she wasn't. The jets engines were already warming up.

6:38.

It was too much to hope for after all, wasn't it?

"Ojou-sama, it's time to board."

Minto smiled softly. "I know."

But she still waited.

6:45.

"Ojou-sama..."

"Just a little longer," Minto whispered, "Just let me wait a little longer... please."

The old woman bowed. "Of course, Ojou-sama."

Minto smiled a little. She said that as if she knew why Minto was waiting. What she was waiting for. But she hadn't told anyone that either. It was her secret. Hers, and only one other's.

6:59.

She's not coming. That thought rang again and again in Minto's mind. She turned around. Towards the jet that awaited her. The lonesome future that would continue to stretch out before her.

7:05.

She reached the top of the staircase.

The jet engines were roaring to life. Her caretaker calmly asked her to buckle in for the take off. The door closed, the staircase rolled away.

Minto fought back tears as she leaned her head back. It was over. Assuredly over now. She wanted nothing to do with her.

7:21.

"Ojou-sama?"

Minto groggily looked up.

The old woman smiled at her. "You may take off your seatbelt now if you wish, Ojou-sama."

Minto didn't quite see the point in doing so, but she did, out of mindless boredom.

7:23.

"Ojou-sama?"

She didn't even bother to look up this time, her eyes captured by the clouds as they rolled past. "Mm?"

"The co-pilot told me just now. Someone dropped off this letter for you before you arrived and..."

Minto snapped her eyes open, a startling turnabout of emotions crashing onto the banks of her mind. "What? Where?"

She saw the crisp off-white envelope on a platter in the old woman's hands.

She bent over and snatched the piece, dignity be darned with yarn.

She caught herself before she could rip it open. The handwriting was hers no doubt. On the back, as if mimicking her, there was no name, but instead, a sticker to seal it. A wolf.

She carefully peeled apart the flap from the envelope's base, preserving the sticker. When she finally had it open, a nostalgic scent of... lilacs filled her nostrils.

There was no doubt about it; this was from Zakuro. Her beloved Zakuro.

7:28.

Minto carefully took out the neatly folded paper, bare of lines yet neatly written. Bare of cute designs or other distractions. Just her words to affect her.

7:30.

Minto finally stopped staring at the paper itself and began to read.

-.-.-

Minto,

I received your letter midst the usual fan mail, but it must have been fate's blow that made me read it last. Forgive me also for not seeing you off, but I had a very early appointment the day of.

Nevertheless, since you are an old comrade, I will respond to your letter with the same detail and intimate level of trust that you gave me with yours.

You're right. It has been quite a long time. To be honest, I think back on those days as well, when I'm not completely tired out or otherwise preoccupied. Ichigo drops by every now and then, batting through the security to get to me. It's quite amusing to watch on the security camera footage. Perhaps I shall send it to you, since you have been so kind as to also give me your new address.

Congratulations on taking that opportunity, by the way.

Lettuce and Pudding... I've never had a reason to be particularly close to them, so I'm not entirely surprised that we went our separate ways once we were allowed to.

I do remember the day care, actually. And I receive letters from Momoka-chan more frequently than any of my other fans. She's one of the few that I really take the time to reply to as well. Aside from this letter.

I would wonder why Momoka-chan doesn't mention your comings, but of course, I know the answer. I happen to remember the letter she sent me that told me how much more time her parents were spending with her, even before she grew out of that day-care center.

You... you may be right, about the way I gave advice. And something tells me you already know, but I still have had no serious romantic interests to this day.

Though I just said that, let me slip into my old role once again and say... there is always a reason to decline. Because to decline and hurt once is better than to accept and hurt the other repeatedly. But like you, I too have 'tried' and failed to date for long. Incidentally, their reasoning was that no matter what I said, my eyes looked cold, unfeeling. Odd that you might have seen something different. But then again, I've changed a little since I met you all, and I was talking of the attempts before our meeting.

During the time that we five were together, there was also talk of how all I did was work. I can't imagine why they would say that, when my mornings, afternoons, and some evenings were taken up by photo shoots and relations thereof, my otherwise free afternoons were taken for the café, the few free week days I had devoted to school, and then our 'real' work at any given time of day.

Looking back on it, I do wonder where the time went. Now, of course, I just have a bit more of school to worry about, and then I can decide where my history as a popular figure will take me. And the café work and the important job we were assigned is behind me as well.

Again, remembering that when I started this letter, I promised to be just as honest as you, I admit, I do wonder what I've been doing these last few years. It seems... oddly empty, looking back on nothing significant.

Sometimes I wonder that as well- where the honest people are in the world. I've heard that honest people actually far outnumber the crooked, but they never show their face for long for the famous. Maybe that was the real reason I was touched by Ichigo's claim that day. Her honesty. All I can say for either of us is... it's a game of patience. Think like a predator, pursue like a friend.

Sometimes I wonder if there are still noticeable traces of gray wolf in my blood. I just had a craving for meat, writing that last bit.

You aren't the only one who lost their will at one point or another. It was perfectly understandable given our circumstances. But I believe that having the strength to admit faltering, is just what we need to build our strength once we've found our way again.

In regards to the rest of your letter...

Thank you.

Thank you for your feelings.

Thank you for telling me.

Thank you for the memories.

As the memory just came to me, I apologize (though late I know it is) for calling you annoying that night we essentially first met. That was uncalled for, and I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. But now that you have your own fan base of sorts, I hope you can understand how I generically feel towards them. And to think of teaming up with one of them...

But you're different. To me. And in general.

I never thought you were annoying in the least. Except maybe for a few instances, but I've let those go, in my mind.

I remember that day, when you told me you loved me. Had loved me.

I've never been very good with confessionals.

But... you amazed me, in that moment. In your touch, I felt your emotions surging through, from your eyes as well. I was at a loss for words in face of it.

From that day on, every time someone told me they loved me, I thought of you, of your face, the moment those same words touched your lips.

I've turned down every single one of them since that day.

When asked for a reason, from them personally or a friend, I can never give the answer. But maybe I can now, after reading your letter.

I was a coward for not answering you directly when you told me you loved me.

I won't be a coward again after being told just as clearly if not more so.

But forgive me for not knowing how to respond positively to something I've rejected for so long.

To say "I love you too (Aishiteru)" would be a lie. I've never really thought of you that way. If you haven't noticed, there would have been so many things that could go wrong, if I had said this five years ago. Minors. Same-sex. Tabloids. Our age difference alone. You see? It would have been impossibly hard to cope with, and... a part of me... beside the part that knew from the start of your feelings... said I didn't want to lose you to that. To all the things going against us.

I don't know if I love you. I'm certainly more fond of you than any of the other girls from the café. And to answer your unasked question, you're right in that it's only an assumption that I'm straight. But at the same time, I'm aware that love can come from anywhere, whether you look for it or not. So a long time ago, I decided that gender wouldn't matter to me, as long as I had the right feelings for the person in question. So don't worry about that, too much.

I plan to start fading away from the limelight sometime in the space of this year. I don't really care to go out with a bang; quietly will last longer and come sooner. I hope so, at least.

And in two years, you'll be eighteen, won't you? Age difference matters less at that point.

Isn't it amazing, what can disintegrate in the wind... in just two years?

There's a saying I know that says when it comes to love, one should only come 90 of the way and wait. The other 10 must come from the other.

Since you made the first step, that first 90, and are waiting, here is my answer.

I'll wait for your return. When that day comes, I will come find you.

And I will tell you my answer in person.

Sorry for making you wait more, put patience is virtue.

I wasn't sure what I could do to make the wait shorter but...

For now, I'll give you a tentative, tentative- mind you- affirmation.

Suki. (I like you)

Sincerely,

Zakuro

P.S. Here too is my private contact information. As long as what was written in these two letters is never mentioned in that time, I would be more than happy to exchange letters or phone calls with you. As they are private lines, my fan mail does not permeate it so thickly, and so if you do make use of it, I will be able to read it much sooner. Though, yes, my email is included as well, and that is much faster altogether.

P.P.S. I like your sticker. I was suddenly struck by the fact that I had none of my own, and actually had agents combing the city for them. Little did I know, an agent on vacation found them in Kyoto of all places. But now I have a roll of my wolves, and I'm childishly content like I haven't been for oh so long. And I feel that I have you to thank, though I hardly believe you to be likewise childish. Ar-i-ga-tou. (Thanks.)

8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8—8-8-8

A/N: Another chapter draws to an end. Can you guess why this is only three chapters long?