Her world was collapsing. This dream she had settled so happily in was now just another chapter in a long book full of pain and suffering. How could she have let herself be fooled? There was no such thing as the perfect man. There was no such thing as living a life of happiness with a man she loved, with no complications and only a bright future.

No. Lies. It was all lies.

Izumi saw the horror on her face. The shock was so clear. But she wasn't crying. She only stood there in silence. Yes, she had heard it correctly, but everything was going to change. Everything had to change. How could she look at him the same-

"Koizumi-san. May I come in? I feel like we need to talk more. If you are okay with it. I know this is really surprising, but there's more to tell you. Please. I promise it may ease you a bit."

She really couldn't bring herself to argue with her. Not that she really wanted to hear more. There was nothing she could say that could possibly soothe her in this situation.

"I'll make tea." Sumire managed in a faint voice.

"Thank you."

Izumi entered and proceeded to remove the lacy boots she wore. Sumire was in the kitchen in a few shaky steps, turning on the kettle and pulling out the first tin of black tea that her flailing fingers could find. The aroma did not settle her nerves. Her hands trembled as she completed her task and carried the tray into the living room where the regal woman had seated herself on the couch.

Izumi bowed her head politely and thanked her again. She noticed the nervousness emanating from the slightly smaller woman, so she waited in patience for her to seat herself and sip from her teacup. The tremors were so visible she simply couldn't wait. A pair of smooth, soft hands clasped around Sumire's once she had set down her tea.

"Please, don't misunderstand me." Izumi began. "I know I began with the worst possible thing, but I'm not here to try to convince you to leave him. I'm…"

She released a sigh that demonstrated an internal struggle.

"Itachi-kun and I have been friends since childhood. And I have to admit, I did have feelings for him when we were younger. He seemed so incredible and kind and he was different from a lot of the Uchiha in the main family. You see, I'm from a lower branch…"

Sumire was watching the hands that held hers. She processed the information slowly.

"And the Uchiha tend to require we maintain, pure bloodedness… I would never have been selected as his fiancee if the elders weren't desperate. My father is not an Uchiha, but he passed away and my mother and I were allowed to rejoin the family."

"I don't… what…"

"There's so much happening with the company and within the family right now. Has Itachi-kun told you anything?"

"...no…"

"That's one thing that frustrated me about him growing up. He thinks the best way of protecting those he cares about it hiding the truth from them and dealing with it all on his own." she squeezed Sumire's hands.

"Uchiha-san…"

"Izumi is fine."

"... Izumi-san. I. I'm just really confused. Please, can you…"

"Yes. I'm sorry." she took a deep breath. "I came here because I wanted to tell you, that I support you and Itachi-kun's relationship."

Sumire's knit brows pushed together tighter. Her frown caused wrinkles in the sides of her cheeks. What is happening? I don't understand!

"B-but…"

"The Uchiha company is being forced to merge with Shimura corp."

"Shimura…" she had heard that name before.

"Yes. It started a long time ago. It was the reason Itachi-kun left the company in the first place, but it didn't work then, so they've cornered the company into requesting an arranged marriage. And if he didn't comply they would release information on the heir's 'secret affairs.' The elders panicked. They quickly began arranging Itachi-kun and I together and trying to force him to marry me before the Shimura company releases the information."

Sumire's mouth had fallen open. This? THIS is what's been happening. And he told me NOTHING. I'M the reason everything is becoming so difficult for his family, and he couldn't just tell me?

"But I know Itachi-kun has a plan to stop Danzo. I know he does. He's been working so hard to help the company save face. He's trying to clean everything up. He wants everyone to be happy."

There was finally a pause. Izumi released Sumire's hands and sat up straight.

"I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry I've approached you in this way and behind Itachi-kun's back too, but I knew he would be keeping this all from you. It's not fair. It's not fair for you to not know what's happening."

Once again Sumire was at a loss for words. How could she respond? This was so much to take in all at once and from someone she barely knew. She would have loved to hear this all from the person that really mattered to her. She would have treasured his honesty and his willingness to include her in the trials he had to face, but no. She had to have this all thrown at her by someone who could just have easily been a rival who could just as easily have been an enemy.

"Thank you." she said softly.

No she wanted this woman to leave. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts. She wanted to allow herself enough time for it all to sink in before she saw Itachi's face again. She was unsure exactly how she would react when she saw him later that evening. Perhaps she would lash out at him or perhaps she would do as she usually does and burst into uncontrollable tears.

"Koizumi-san, are you alright?" Of course she's not alright.

Sumire nodded.

"Well, I know I've dumped a lot on you, but… well." she pulled from her purse a tiny rectangle of paper.

Both women recognized the necessity of adhering to customs. They both stood quickly and bowed. Izumi held out her business card with both hands which Sumire took with both hands. She cradled it while thanking her. Izumi had to excuse herself. She knew at this point there was nothing more to do.

"If anything happens and you think I could help, please don't hesitate to contact me."

"Thank you, I will."

It was with only a few more moments of awkward polite exchanges that the woman who had destroyed and sloppily reconstructed her entire word finally left her alone.

Sumire took a single slow deep breath. What could she possibly do now other than wait for him to come home?

X

Itachi was the happiest he had been in a while. Granted every time he went home he was elated for he could spend time with the person he cared for most. But this time was different. He knew what the next steps were for the Uchiha company, he knew exactly how to stop Shimura Danzo and his nefarious plans to absorb and essentially eradicate the Uchiha empire. Stepping out of his sleek black car he was smiling. Home. He was home. Soon it all would be over and he could finally live out the peaceful existence that he had dreamed of his entire life.

He was going to marry the woman of his dreams and create a family. Something he knew she had always wanted. He planned to give that to her as soon as she was ready. He planned to take care of her, pamper her, treat her as the "miss princess" he had always viewed her as. But she was not a princess, she was his queen. His treasure.

Itachi almost jogged up the stairs to the second floor and kept that pace as he headed towards the front door of his apartment. His jovial mood had clouded his perception. When he entered through the front door he called out "I'm home!" in a loud, eager voice that was not his usual tone. He was happy, of course he wanted to share this energy with Sumire.

There was no response, but he did not notice. He removed his shoes and walked through the hall, thinking she was in the bathroom he turned towards the kitchen.

"Oh. Sumire."

She was seated at the island holding a teacup in her hands, staring at the wall with a distance expression.

"I'm home. How was your day?"

How could he not have noticed yet? She didn't look at him, she didn't respond to him.

"Sumire?" he neared her, thinking something was bothering her and she was only thinking so hard that she simply hadn't noticed him.

He repeated her name. His fingers brushed her shoulder and she flinched so dramatically his hand reeled back in equal shock. When he saw those eyes, wide, full of a multitude of emotions, he knew something bad must have happened.

"Itachi." she said his name.

He didn't like that. He didn't like the coldness with which she uttered those three syllables. He had heard his name called happily, cooed lovingly, moaned wantonly, sobbed desperately, but this was different.

"Is…"

"I met Izumi-san today."

There it was. Someone must have poured a bucket of ice cold water down his spine. This was not part of his plan, this was not something that should have happened. He fell silent. She had to have more to say.

What had that woman told her that made her react to him this way. Had she told her the whole truth or had she twisted it. No, he knew Izumi did not try to change things to favor her, she was an honest woman. Itachi reached out to touch Sumire again, but she stood and walked around the island far out of his reach.

"Sumire."

"She told me…" she couldn't continue just yet.

She was torn between screaming and crying. The pull of these two conflicting emotions left her in a state of quiet shock. But this state could only last so long. The object of her frustrations was standing before her.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Sumire."

"Why didn't you tell me everything that was happening was because of me?"

"No. Sumire that's not-"

"DON'T LIE TO ME!"

He went wide eyed, but did not argue with her.

"The 'information,' the 'rumors' that that man is threatening to release. Those are all about 'me,' aren't they?"

"Sumire."

"I'm the reason your family's company is about to be absorbed by the… the Shimura company." she continued. "If I had never moved in with you. If I had just figured it out on my own. Then none of this… none of this would have happened."

"Sumire, no."

"Stop pretending that it isn't true!" she snapped.

He walked after her and she backed away.

"Sumire please. It's not that. It's not you."

"How could it not be me?" she screamed. "What else could it possibly be?"

"Even if you never moved in with me, he still would have done something like this. He still would have come up with some way to force our company to merge with his. It's not your fault. Sumire."

"If I go."

No. This is not what he wanted. No.

"If I go, then he will leave you guys alone."

She wasn't listening anymore.

"If I go." she took another step. "I should go."

"No."

When she started to walk away he fell to his knees. She was shocked. He had fallen to his knees once before. He took her wrist so gently, but his fingers pressed into her skin. He was begging her to stay, begging her to listen to him, just for a little longer.

"I'm so sorry." his voice broke.

She couldn't handle this, she couldn't handle men crying.

"Sumire, I'm so sorry."

"Itachi."

"No, please allow me… Sumire."

Both hands moved to her wrist and he lifted his head. She couldn't look directly at him, she didn't want to look directly at him, but she couldn't take her eyes away from those onyx irises filled with tears.

"I love you."

She couldn't hold back her own tears any longer. She tried to pull away, but he squeezed her tighter.

"I love you."

No. Not this. I can't hear this. It's not true. It's not true.

"I love you."

Liar. Liar. Liar. Liar.

"Sumire, I love you. I want to marry you. I want to spend my life with you. I love you."

"You're lying." she whimpered.

He stood. He knew this is how she would react to that phrase. He knew her trauma would make her run if he said it aloud, but he couldn't withhold this any longer.

He drew her back to his arms, wrapping them tightly around her and speaking softly into her hair those words over and over again.

"Liar." she sobbed. "It's not true."

"Sumire. You are the love of my life. I have never been so sure of anything. I'm so sorry, I was a fool. I wanted to resolve everything then introduce you to my parents as my future bride when it had all died down, but I shouldn't have kept you in the dark."

"Itachi, I…"

"All my life, everything I've done I've done for the sake of my family and my families company. I've lived my whole life trying to please my father and be a proper role model for my brother. But you…"

He cupped her cheek and lifted her head so they could look into one another's eyes again.

"You. Being with you. Is the only thing i've done for myself. Yes, this is me being selfish. Now, more than anything I want to give you the life that you deserve. I want to make you happy."

"But…"

"I know, you are worried about my family ties. If it's too much…" his thumb brushed under her eye. "If this is all too much for you we can go."

"Go?"

"Leave. I'll leave this all behind to be with you. It was too selfish of me to think I could have both. If what you want is not be involved at all, if you'll have me, I'll take you somewhere far away. We can be alone together, we-"

"Itachi, stop. Please."

His voice had grown desperate. She hated this. She hated seeing and hearing him like this. Her "prince" was human. He was not perfection, he was not a god, he was a human just like her. It must have been the the shattering of this dream that made her own emotion swell more, but she realized it was this. This moment was what she needed to take that leap.

"I love you too."

"Sumire."

His fingers trailed along her skin.

"But you can't do that. You can't leave it all behind just for me."

His eyes became wider. He was terrified of what she would say next.

"And it's selfish of me, but…" she laughed and smiled for the first time these past few minutes. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you too. I don't want to run away. I want…"

Her tiny hands reached up and cupped his face.

"I want to stand beside you and be there to support you. I don't want to be left in the dark anymore. I want to be equals."

He let the weight of his head rest in her small but surprisingly strong hands.

"You're right."

"Together." she said firmly. "I want us to do this together."

"Together." he repeated.

He took a chance and planted a kiss upon her forehead. They collapsed upon one another and sealed their agreement with a press of their lips. Things were going to change, for better or for worse, no one knew yet, but they knew now that whatever it was they faced, they would face it together.