"You are sure you don't actually want to walk?" Momiji teased the next day, as he and Hans both put on their suits. "The weather is absolutely gorgeous, and it's only what, seven blocks?"

Hans gave him an unimpressed look as he neatly tied his tie. "Are you volunteering to carry my cello?"

"You're the one who chose to play such a bulky instrument, not me," Momiji reminded him, standing at Hans' side and looking in the mirror as he tied his own. "Besides, it's not like it's all that heavy."

"You didn't answer my question," Hans commented, finishing with his tie and slipping on his jacket. "And remember, that 'bulky instrument' is the whole reason we're even here."

"Nein," Momiji said, quickly running his fingers through his hair before smiling at Hans, "We're here because of the man who plays it, who I know is going to perform brilliantly today."

Hans smiled at that, and he continued to smile as Momiji leaned over and kissed him. "Well, I am going to do my best. My very best," he said, his voice firm, and Momiji laughed as he put on his coat.

"I look forward to hearing all about it, later. Will you text me if you make it through to the second round?"

"I am not sure, but probably not. If I do make it through, I will likely just be focused on practicing, so expect to hear how everything went when I see you this evening."

"Sounds gut; be sure to let me know when you are finished."

In spite of Momiji's teasing, he was the one who picked up the cello, and the two of them were soon on their way, albeit by taxi rather than by foot. And as Momiji had said, the distance to the audition venue was short, so it wasn't long at all before they were pulling up to the curb.

As Hans reached for the door, Momiji reached out and caught his arm. "You are going to do brilliantly, Schatzi. You are so very talented, you will show them just how talented you are...and I am so very proud of you."

Hans smiled back, covering Momiji's hand with his other one. "Thank you, Häschen. I will do my best...and I will be thinking of you too," he said quietly, and Momiji squeezed his arm.

Both of them would be facing great challenges, today.

"I'll see you later today," Momiji said, and Hans nodded. Then Hans was gone, and Momiji was on his way once more.

He had thought about having the taxi take him to a train station, but in the end, he decided to just go with it. Yes, it was a bit of an indulgence...make that a lot of an indulgence...but it was worth it to be able to sit and zone out...or rather, to sit and think.

He wondered if his father was actually even in the office that day. Momiji was reasonably confident he wasn't travelling; he hadn't mentioned anything about travelling during their last phone conversation five days prior, but he also hadn't mentioned anything else about work, either. Their conversations had all taken a rather singular tack lately, even when Momiji attempted to steer them in another direction.

He wasn't surprised Koshiro was upset, though. It had been nearly four weeks, now, and Momo's strike was still going strong. He knew both Koshiro and Sabine were incredibly upset; he'd heard from Momo how their mother had been pleading for one of them to tell her what they were actually fighting about, and about how Sabine and Koshiro had actually raised their voices at each other on at least one occasion.

Momo had felt guilty about that, but not guilty enough to back down. And though Momiji had listened while Koshiro had ranted about it and demanded that Momiji try to talk her down, he wasn't about to back down, either.

He hoped Koshiro was there, and not too busy. In a perfect world, he'd be able to just walk right in, but as long as he could talk to him, he'd be fine.

Probably.


As the taxi dropped him off outside the familiar office building, Momiji looked up and exhaled. How many times had he passed through this place, over the course of his life? He felt like he knew every hallway and corridor, every department and division. He still even remembered where all the garbage cans sat, in the same relative position on every single floor.

He'd thought, once, that it would one day be his. And it was still possible...but he couldn't be sure.

He couldn't be sure about any of it.

But somehow, the uncertainty that had always made him feel so scared no longer held the same power.

'You need to do what feels right to you, Häschen'

'I am not afraid.'

Whatever happened with his father, he wouldn't be alone. And whatever the fallout with Koshiro, he knew he was doing it for the right reasons.

'I don't think anything could be as awful as what I'm imagining at this point, Momiji. And even if it is...I still want to know.'

Momo deserved to know the truth. She could be trusted with the truth. She could handle the truth.

It was time she finally got it.


With his work ID, Momiji was easily able to make it into the building, brushing off the offer from the receptionist to call someone to escort him to where he was going.

"Nein, thank you, but I've been here before and I can find it."

Up he went, up to the highest level and down the hall past conference rooms and other executive offices, down to the large door at the end that led to his father's office. Opening it, he stepped in to see who he assumed to be his father's executive assistant, though she was no one he recognized, and she gave him a curious once over with a frown.

"May I help you?"

Momiji gave her his best smile. "Ja, you can. I'm here to see Mr. Sohma, if he's available."

"Mr. Sohma is having a meeting right now," she said, her suspicious attitude melting away in the face of his flawless Japanese. "Did you have an appointment to see him?"

"Nein," he said, shaking his head. "My presence is somewhat last minute, but I'm actually from the Berlin office," he said, showing her his ID with his photo while casually covering most of his name. "I've already handled my other business, but I'd like to speak to Mr. Sohma while I'm here, if I can. I don't mind waiting," he said, glancing towards the seating area on the other side of the reception area.

She looked at him for a moment, then at the clock. Then she consulted something on her computer before looking back at Momiji.

"His meeting should be done in the next fifteen minutes. I'll check with him once it's over and see if he has any objections to briefly meeting with you then."

Momiji gave her his most charming smile. "Thank you, very much. I'll sit and wait, then," he said, heading to the waiting area.

As he settled himself in one of the chairs, Momiji took a deep breath. He couldn't say what his father's reaction would be once he saw him; for all Momiji knew, he could get the door slammed in his face.

And that was before Koshiro even knew what Momiji wanted to say.

Koshiro took business very seriously, and Momiji didn't doubt that his father would see Momiji's actions as a complete betrayal. He had to wonder if Koshiro would think he was bluffing...or if Koshiro would take his work ID and kick him out himself.

Anything was possible, where Mama was involved. Papa had always done what he could for Momiji, but only after he'd already taken care of Mama.

It shouldn't have been a choice. It had never been a choice. Mama or Momiji, to choose should have been impossible. Koshiro had tried not to choose, had said he wasn't choosing, had said he could take care of them both. And he had, after a fashion.

But he had chosen, in the end, and it hadn't been Momiji. It hadn't been Momo, either.

Momiji was ready to choose, too, and he was choosing his sister...and himself.

If Koshiro couldn't accept that, then that was his loss.


Momiji heard the sound of a door handle turning, and he was on his feet in an instant. Then the inner office door opened, and two men he didn't know walked out, followed by one he did.

The waiting area was slightly obscured by the open door and Koshiro's body was turned, speaking politely to the two men who'd just left the office. But Momiji recognized his voice, and his back, and even the way he bowed, quickly, stiffly, and precisely. Professionally.

"Mr. Sohma, do you have time to take a quick meeting?" The assistant asked before Momiji had a chance to say anything or Koshiro had a chance to turn.

"Right now?" Koshiro asked, and Momiji half-smiled, hearing the frown in his father's voice.

"Yes, the young gentleman from the Berlin office asked to see you, if you were free," she said, gesturing, and Koshiro turned to see Momiji standing there, smiling at him.

Momiji had wanted to surprise him, and he clearly had; his father's eyes were huge, and he looked like he was about to fall over.

"Hallo, Mr. Sohma," Momiji said, giving his father a moment to compose himself. "I'd like to see you, ja, if you have the time."

Koshiro recovered after a moment and turned back to his assistant. "I'll be unavailable until I'm out of this meeting, Oyama," he said, then gestured for Momiji to follow him, Momiji giving the her a smile as he passed.

"Thank you, Ms. Oyama, you've been most helpful," he said, then stepped into his father's office and pulled the door shut behind him. And taking a deep breath once more, he turned to his father and smiled.

"Hallo, Papa."

Koshiro was staring at him with a mixture of thoughtfulness and wariness that made Momiji's heart ache...but also didn't surprise him. Not once, in six years of living abroad, had he come back without letting his father know first; considering everything else that was going on between them, Momiji didn't doubt that his father was both hurt and suspicious.

And he had to admit he was right to be.

But after a moment, he came over and gave Momiji a hug, and Momiji allowed himself to smile as he held his father tightly. He didn't know what would happen before he left this room, or what things would be like afterwards, but right now, in this moment, they could at least do this.

"Hello, Momiji," Koshiro said as they separated, gesturing for Momiji to sit and walking around to sit at his desk. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to be in Japan?"

Momiji shrugged as he folded himself into the chair. "It was relatively short notice, and I thought it would be fun to surprise you."

"Well, I'm surprised," Koshiro said as he sat down himself. "I know you can't actually be here on business, though; there's no way you'd be sent here without me being informed," he continued, his voice composed and matter-of-fact.

Momiji had always expected he'd recover quickly. He was a consummate professional, after all.

"Ja, you're right," Momiji agreed easily. "But I wouldn't have been able to get up here unannounced without a valid reason," he said, eyes twinkling. "And working for the company is an excellent reason, ja?"

For however long it lasted.

Koshiro smiled slightly at that. "Did Momo know you were coming?"

Momiji shook his head. That was another thing he had debated, because he wanted so very desperately to see her while he was here. He planned to see her while he was here. But he hadn't wanted to make her keep a secret for him, or to give Koshiro anything to accuse her of when Momiji's plans came to light.

"I thought it would be a happy surprise all around," he said lightly, his gaze meeting Koshiro's steadily, and his father considered, then leaned forward.

"Why are you here, Momiji?" Koshiro asked, and Momiji did his best to avoid tensing.

He might not have the tenure of his father, but he had four years of school and two years of full-time immersion the business world under his belt. He wasn't about to show any sign of nerves or weakness, not if he could possibly avoid it.

Especially not when Koshiro was so clearly on guard already.

"In Japan, or in your office?" Momiji asked, and Koshiro smiled slightly once more.

"Either."

"Why do you think I'm here, Papa?" Momiji asked, his voice steady, and Koshiro's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"I'd like to think it has nothing to do with your sister."

At the words 'your sister,' Momiji felt a warmth within him. As much as he'd hated their conversations over the course of the past month, there had been one thing that had changed for the better: Koshiro had started consistently referring to Momo as Momiji's sister. All her life prior, he had typically referred to her by her name:

'Momo is asking about you.'

'Momo can't know.'

But now, all of a sudden, she was 'your sister.' Momiji wasn't sure if it was meant to be a balm, to comfort them in the face of his continued refusal, or if it was meant to remind them of what they already had and encourage them to stop pushing for more. Whatever it was, Momiji still loved to hear it.

"What happened to your hand?" Koshiro asked suddenly, and Momiji glanced reflexively at his cast.

"I broke it. I had a little accident, but it should be ok in another two to four weeks," he said.

"You never said," Koshiro commented, and Momiji shrugged.

"It never seemed important."

And Koshiro had never asked anything that would have brought it up. In the past, Momiji would have just brought it up himself...but that had been before.

Koshiro stared at the hand for a moment longer, then back at Momiji's face. His expression was still a mask of serenity, but Momiji could see that his eyes were even more guarded, and Momiji felt a pang.

Had things ever been like this between them before, so careful and wary?

"Why are you here, Momiji?" Koshiro repeated, and Momiji took a deep breath.

"I'm here to talk to you about Momo."

Koshiro sighed, then straightened up as his expression hardened. "There's nothing to talk about, Momiji, and you could have saved yourself the trip if this is all. You know my reasons, you know my decisions, and continuing to bring it up isn't going to change anything, any more than Momo's juvenile behavior will change anything. It's past time for both of you to grow up, stop acting like children, and accept it."

"But that's just it, Papa," Momiji said, his heart pounding in his chest but his voice steady. "You're right; it is time to stop acting like a child. Because I'm not a child, and I haven't been a child for years. Not by any measure," he said, his eyes looking into his father's. "And yet, I've been behaving like one."

Koshiro stared at him, and Momiji could see he was trying to see where he was going with this.

"All my life, Papa, I have let you guide me, and make decisions for me. It was, as you say, always your right. You are my papa, of course you would direct my life. And I know...it can't have been easy for you," he admitted, his voice quieting slightly.

"I'm glad you understand that, Momiji," Koshiro said. "And no, it wasn't easy."

"I know," Momiji said. "It was never going to be. Even in the households where acceptance came easily, having a Zodiac child was going to be a challenge. With Mama...there was no way you could win."

"No," Koshiro said softly. "But we all did the best we could."

"Ja, you did. And I don't judge you for anything you did back then, Papa. Not when I was a child...not when Momo was a child, either."

Momiji's use of the past tense had Koshiro straightening up and narrowing his eyes. "Momiji-"

"-Nein, Papa," Momiji said, his voice still steady. "You will please let me finish. I've travelled over five thousand miles to be here, I would appreciate it if you would let me talk."

Koshiro stared at him for a moment, then gestured with his hand. "Talk."

Momiji nodded, then took a deep breath.

"I don't judge you for your decisions or actions when Momo or I were children, Papa, because you did the best you could in an admittedly impossible situation. I don't judge you, and I don't blame you, either. But you must know how very, very much I do both of those things now," he said, his eyes narrowing.

Koshiro's narrowed back, but he didn't say anything.

"We are not children anymore, Papa, not even Momo. Ja, she might still be a minor, but she is not a child, and hasn't been for years. I have always respected your wishes about my relationship with Momo; I never pushed for anything more than what you allowed, and what Momo wanted. But I have always cherished everything I was able to have," he said, "ever since she was ten years old and first asked me to be her big brother."

"What?" Koshiro asked, looking at Momiji in startled surprise, and Momiji smiled slightly.

"You didn't know? The very first time she was allowed to see me, she told me she had always dreamed I was her big brother, you see, and she asked if I would be. I said yes, of course...because I always had been." He looked at Koshiro thoughtfully. "Would you have allowed us to keep seeing each other, if you'd known?'

Koshiro didn't answer, and Momiji snorted quietly.

"Be that as it may, Papa...I have cherished that. I have cherished Momo," he said, his voice still steady in spite of his pounding heart and rising emotions. "I have seen her grow up, and mature, and it has been so, so wunderbar. She is just...such a beautiful person, inside and out," he said, his eyes shining as he thought about his sister. The person who had always been so eager to talk to him, who had always been interested in his life and wanted to share hers. Whose first reaction on learning about Hans had been to shyly ask when she'd be able to meet him. Who had always so openly loved him...

"She is not a child, Papa, high school or no. She is grown, and she can be trusted," Momiji continued firmly. "And it is time that she knew."

"We've talked about this, Momiji," Koshiro said, his voice cold but calm. "Momo might be mature for her age, but she's still young, and excitable. If anything, her behavior this past month has only proved just how unready she is. What you're asking would be too much, especially with her having to live with Mama. It's already bad enough right now as it is, with her acting so very childishly and making Mama worry," he said, scowling slightly.

"You keep saying 'child' and 'childish,'" Momiji said. "To justify your actions, perhaps?"

Koshiro's eyes narrowed again. "I don't need to justify my actions to you, Momiji."

"In general, no, but when they so deeply involve me? When they so deeply involve someone I care about?" Momiji asked, his voice becoming more heated. "I'm sorry, Papa, but you do. And nothing you have said has justified any of this. You had your reasons for what you've done for twenty-two years now, and I have always gone along with your decisions. But the day Momo found my file, Papa, none of those reasons were valid anymore."

Koshiro's voice had an edge now. "I told you, Momiji, this is my decision, and you are not to interfere."

Momiji swallowed hard. "Ja, you did. You were very clear, when you told me you were acting within your rights. That you had always been acting within your rights. That you were the one to make the decisions for this family."

Momiji's own jaw was set, and he could tell that his own voice had an edge. There had been a time when this conversation would likely have made him cry...but not anymore.

"You said you had the right to make decisions for your children, Papa, and everything else in your life, too. And I agree, you have the right to decide things about your home...and your business," Momiji said, swallowing once again. "Even about Momo, to an extent, for the next few years. But you stopped being able to decide things for me years ago, Papa, and it's time I stopped letting you."

Momiji took a deep breath and met his father's eyes. "I am going to tell her, Papa. All of it. About Mama, about Mama's memories...and about the Curse. It's time she knew, and understood, why things have always been the way they have. Ja, I am sure she will be confused, and ja, it will be hard. She might not even believe me, I can't say. But others have learned, and believed...and I have faith in Momo."

Koshiro's eyes were dark and angry. "I've already told you not to go against me on this, Momiji."

"Ja, you did," Momiji said. "You made it very clear you don't want me to, and that you aren't afraid to use whatever you can to keep me in line."

Momiji reached into his suit jacket and pulled out an envelope, which he tossed on the desk in front of Koshiro.

Koshiro frowned as he picked it up. "What is this?"

"My letter of resignation, Papa," Momiji said without so much as a hint of a tremor in his voice, and Koshiro's eyes flared, then narrowed.

"I don't appreciate you trying to bluff me, Momiji."

"I'm not bluffing," Momiji said, staring him squarely in the eyes. "All my life, I listened to you and accepted your decisions for me, ones I privately agreed with as well as the ones I didn't. I listened, because you were my papa and I trusted you. I knew that you loved me, and wanted the best for me, always. But I've grown up, Papa. I'm a man, too, and that means you can't control me, or my behavior, and shouldn't try."

Koshiro had opened the envelope and pulled out the letter, reading it rapidly with, as Momiji noticed, slightly shaking hands.

"You can't actually mean this, Momiji," Koshiro said when he was finished. "Do you have any idea what you'd be giving up? You're my son, damnit," he said suddenly, his voice more aggressive than even when they'd first talked on the phone a month prior. "Everything you've been working towards for years, everything you could have going forward, you'd just throw it all away so easily, over nothing?"

"It's not nothing, Papa!" Momiji burst out, his own voice full of emotion. "It's Momo finally understanding how our family came to be this way. It's Momo finally knowing who I really am, and always have been! It's Momo understanding just how little choice you had in anything, accepting it, and moving on. And it's me," he continued, his voice suddenly raw, "not allowing you to make my decisions for me anymore."

Momiji's eyes bored into Koshiro's. "I don't want to do this, Papa," he said, his voice once more coming back under control. "You were right, you know," he said with a little laugh. "It turns out I am good at business, and I like it, too. It's not what I would have chosen for myself, on my own...but I like it. I have been happy with it. And I know I will be happy to continue with it. I had dreamed of working with you, Papa," he said, a little tremor of emotion passing through his voice. "Of working here with you, of learning more from you, of one day...sitting behind that desk myself," he said, smiling over at his father before his voice hardened.

"But I want a future I can believe in, Papa, not a future perpetually hanging by a thread. You say that your business is yours to make decisions about in the same breath you tell me not to go against you, what options do you leave me? I either side with you against my conscience...or I lose everything I've worked so hard to achieve. Can't you see you've given me an impossible choice, Papa? You should know all about impossible choices," Momiji said, his voice breaking yet again, "And how eventually, in the end...a choice must be made."

Koshiro took a deep breath, and looked up at Momiji. "What, exactly, are you saying, Momiji?" And Momiji could hear the emotion in his father's voice, too.

"I am saying, Papa...that I am giving you a choice. I am telling Momo, the entire truth," Momiji said, his voice steady. "That part is not a choice. Your choice is to accept it, and support it, and things can stay as they are between you and I. I will stay on at the company, keep working hard and doing my best. You know I have always been a hard worker, and a good worker, and I know I will only get better, with time. Or..."

Momiji took a deep breath and closed his eyes, then opened them. "You can keep fighting it. You can say nein, you do not agree, you will not support it. Then I will officially submit this," he said, leaning over his father's desk and tapping the letter. "I will submit it, and find a new position, with a different company. And you will never have to worry about me, my job, my life, or my decisions, ever again."

Koshiro's hands were clasped in front of his face. "This isn't fair, Momiji."

"Nein, Papa...but none of it ever has been, either," Momiji said quietly.

"You would really walk away from everything? A guaranteed future? You know I intend for you to take this company over, don't you? Likely within the next ten years," Koshiro said, his voice half-pleading.

He'd never heard his father plead before.

"I know," Momiji said levelly. "I know...and I want that future, Papa. I do. A future with you, and Momo, and this company...but not at this cost," he said.

"You would truly turn your back on me, Momiji?" Koshiro asked, and Momiji could feel his eyes filling with tears.

"Only if you turn your back on me first."

A silence fell over the room, one that was almost painful in its heaviness. Both men sat there, staring at each other, then Koshiro's eyes went back to Momiji's letter and stayed there for an even longer time.

Momiji couldn't tell how much time passed as the two of them sat there, Koshiro processing and Momiji waiting. It felt like an eternity, but Momiji almost welcomed it. The longer it lasted, the longer it would be before he knew...

"I've always tried to do right by you, Momiji," Koshiro said suddenly, his quiet voice breaking the silence. "To take care of you, to keep you happy, to protect you, as much as I could..."

"I know, Papa," Momiji replied equally softly. "And you did."

"I didn't push you into business just because of myself, you know," Koshiro continued. "I truly thought...that you would excel."

"I know. And I feel I have."

"You have," Koshiro agreed. "I've seen your progress reviews, and heard from your superiors."

Momiji smiled, not in the least bit surprised.

"I only ever wanted the best for you, Momiji. I still want the best for you."

"I know, Papa, and I do, too. But you need to trust that I know what that is, myself."

Koshiro looked back at the letter, picking it up and looking at it. "You are truly sure about this, Momiji?" he asked, his voice once more filled with emotion. "You would turn your back on the company, and me, forever," he said, his voice now shaking, "in order to go against me, to do something I so strongly disagree with?"

Momiji swallowed, then nodded. "I would. I don't want to, Papa...but if I have to, I will."

Koshiro closed his eyes, then looked at the letter once more, his gaze lingering on the 'effective date:' the very next day.

"If you are so very, very sure, Momiji...then I will have to respect your decision," Koshiro said at last, and for a moment, Momiji felt as though his heart had stopped.

Then all at once, it was as if the sun was breaking through the darkest storm clouds as Koshiro continued,

"I wish there was another way, Momiji, and I still don't...agree. But I have to trust that you are right, that with as confident as you are, things will go the way you say. You have never given me a reason to doubt your judgement," he said, laying down the letter and walking around the table, "and I will not lose you, over this."

And as his father pulled him into a tight, bone-crushing hug, Momiji let out a sound that was half-laugh and half sob.

"I won't let you down, Papa, I promise. You can trust me...and trust Momo, too."