I sighed deeply, glancing at the face of Fugaku underneath my lashes.

He ate silently, as per usual.

But everyone knew that something was different.

Both Sasuke and Itachi were on the very edge of their seat, probably mentally preparing themselves for whatever bombshell that Fugaku would drop. The maids and Satoru stood stiff and completely silent. Ready to jump to whatever any of the Uchiha would request. I saw one of the younger maids trembling slightly, she twisted her hands together over and over, trying to calm her nerves.

I sighed once more, knowing exactly why the Uchiha head was so tense.

I played with the food on my plate, pushing the pieces of meat back and forth with my fork. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sasuke and Itachi throw me disbelieving looks every now and again. Wondering what possessed me to be so calm and casual as our father looked like he was going to drop a bombshell.

It had been almost a year since I moved back in with the Uchiha family, and there was little to no progress with my… mobility problem. Fugaku paid for expensive therapy, but apparently, according to the news that we just received from the doctors, the problem wasn't in my legs, hips or spine. It was in my head.

Something was making me subconsciously not want to walk.

Which was absolutely ridiculous, considering that all I wanted was to stop being so useless.

There was something seriously wrong with me.

Looks like I can add mental problems to Fugaku's list of "Why Miwa Disappoints Me."

I sighed softly, as a maid knocked on the door and hurried over to where Satoru stood, whispering urgently. Satoru looked reluctant, but the maid was frightened. Muttering urgent words to the older male, a phone in her hand.

Fugaku glanced up at the maid and Satoru irritably, he wiped his fingers on a napkin. "What is it?"

The poor maid looked positively frightened from the annoyed look that Fugaku had on his face. Add that to the tense atmosphere in the room, and the maid looked like she was ready to wet herself.

"There was call, Uchiha-sama." Satoru spoke up for the poor maid. "It seems urgent."

Fugaku sighed deeply, and stood up.

"However, it's for Miwa-hime-sama."

At those words, everyone's eyes fell on me.

I blinked up in surprise, for me?

Fugaku's eyes slid over to me, then back to Satoru. He nodded, and sat back down.

Satoru handed me the phone, and taking the handles of my wheelchair, took me out of the room and into the living room for some privacy. As he left, I couldn't do anything but to stare at the phone for a while.

Slowly, I brought the phone to my ear.

"H-hello?"

'Alofa? La'u pele!'

Tears sprung into my eyes at the sound of Rasela's voice, a bright smile spread across my face.

'Alofa, did Tama call you? Do you know where he is?'

The smile slipped from my face. "What?"

Rasela sobbed into the phone, 'Alofa, la'u pele, Tama's gone missing! We can't find him anywhere!'

The tears began to leak out of my eyes, they were no longer of happiness or relief. But of shock and surprise.

'No one can find him. Jordyn and Taylor say they haven't seen him anywhere either, we've asked everyone but…' Rasela took in a deep, shaky breath. 'Are you sure you haven't heard from him?'

"I-I haven't." I swallowed thickly, my heart pounding. "How… how long has he been gone?"

'Almost two months.'

I fought to keep the panic from rising, I inhaled deeply trying to steady my nerves. That was around the time when I had called him, did I say something that may have done something? No, there was almost nothing…

'Tama? Tama, please don't leave me.'

No… there was no way.

"I-I'll call you if I hear any news." I mumbled, trying to keep myself calm, and to fight off the guilt that was steadily arising.

"Eh?" Miyazaki's eyes grew wide. "You think your cousin is coming here?"

"I don't know!" I rubbed my head in frustration. "I think he is, but I don't know if he's that stupid to actually do it! What's more, there's no way anyone knows for sure."

Miyazaki threw me a concerned look as she organised my textbooks.

At night, after dinner, my room would be a mess and Miyazaki would come in and clean my room. This was the only time when we could have a little talk between us. At least, the only time and it wasn't inappropriate for a maid to be in my room.

I like Miyazaki though.

She was like the older sister that I never had.

"Ne, ne, Miwa-hime." Miyazaki sorted the piles of exercise books and loose papers into neater piles. "How are your lessons coming along?"

I shrugged, glancing at the work on my desk. "It's going alright. Can't complain."

"And your tutor? How is he?" Miyazaki's eyes slid over to me, before returning to her task on hand.

I tilted my head to the side, thinking about that snake that was currently teaching me. He hasn't done anything to arouse suspicion, but I was just waiting for him to make his move.

"He's good at teaching." I had to give him that, I understood more from him than I did from my old teachers. "And he's well-educated."

"Miwa-hime, be careful with him. Okay?" Miyazaki murmured softly. "Yakushi-san… he…" She cut herself off, smiling sadly. "It's not my place to say."

"Have you met Yakushi-san before?" I asked innocently, making my eyes wide. Trying to pry some information from the maid.

"He used to go to my school." Miyazaki smiled softly. "Why don't you ask one of your brothers? I'm sure they remember him."

"Ano, Nii-san?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at me, from his place on the living room couch.

"Do you know someone called Yakushi Kabuto?"

He stiffened in surprise, sitting up from his lying position. "What?"

"Do you know someone called Yakushi Kabuto?" I repeated, taking note of his cautiousness.

"How do you know him?" Sasuke asked, going back to his original position. Lounging on the couch.

But I saw the way he laid, stiff and cautious.

"He's my tutor."

Sasuke's eyes widened in alarm as he shot to his feet. "He's your what?!"

I shrank back in surprise. "My tutor. He's my tutor."

"Has he done anything to you? Has he?" Sasuke grabbed my shoulders.

I winced at the contact. "N-no! Of course not!"

"Good, good..." He released me, sighing with relief.

I looked up at him with wide eyes, rubbing my shoulder. "What the hell was that all about?"

Sasuke looked at me carefully, "Nothing. Nothing you need to worry about."

"Like hell it isn't!" I snapped, "Not after a reaction like that."

"He's… bad news." Sasuke finally admitted. "Try not to give anything away. He's trouble."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I know. He's a snake."

Sasuke choked lightly at my words. I raised an eyebrow at my older brother, "You okay there, mate?"

"Wh-what makes you say that?" Sasuke coughed lightly, trying to cover up.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Everything about that guy screams fake. From that sickly sweet smile to that 'gentle' voice. Ugh, makes me sick just being in the same room as him. I hate people like him."

"Why?"

"He's the type of slimy, sneaky bastards that would do anything to get their hands on some shit. Once they do, then their opposition is done for." I checked my nails for any dirt under them. "He's been trying to find out why no body knows about me, but I've just been deflecting them with other questions. He actually believes that I'm some shy, docile, sheltered little girl." I laughed bitterly. "We could go dancing around each other for years. Don't worry, Aniki. I've got this."

The older male looked at with surprise clear in his obsidian eye.

I raised an amused eyebrow at him. "Look, Aniki, tell me everything that you know about me."

"You were raised in New Zealand, you like books and…" Sasuke trailed off, realising that he didn't really know much about me.

"Here's another thing," I smirked up at him. "I'm full of surprises."