A/N: I was very lucky this week and had time to update mid-week. If my luck holds there might even be an update over the weekend so keep your fingers crossed. Again thanks for following my story. I love you guys!

Honulicious: I wasn't thinking about that aspect of Sachiko leaving her family. I was thinking more of that Aunt you have that got pissed off at your mom a long time ago and never shows up to family gatherings. However I might have to do some research on disowning family, I could probably use it in a story down the road. Thanks :)

(This fiction is based on the characters and settings created by Oyuki Konno)

Outside the Fukuzawa residence a black sedan waited with it's driver and one lone occupant. The two girls it brought were inside packing bags for Yumi's extended stay at the Ogasawara mansion. The nature of Yumi's relationship with Sachiko was known by all the Fukuzawas. So it didn't seem odd when the brown-haired girl told her mother, Miki, that she was staying over until the wedding. Yumi was relieved at that, because she really didn't want to get into the truth of the situaton and be bombarded with questions.

Touko expressed her disapproval to Yumi as she was helping the older girl pack. "You should just tell them the truth. They are your parents after all," she chided.

"It would just confuse and frighten them," Yumi responded. "If they knew the truth and my reasons behind it, they would end up meddling, which may cause trouble for them from Ogasawara-sama. I can't take that chance." Touko rolled her eyes and shook her head at the explanation, as she zipped up the last bag.

The two girls brought the bags downstairs and left them outside the door for the driver to put up. They went back inside to say good-bye to Yumi's mother. As they were leaving, Yumi ran over and gave her mother a tight hug. 'I'm sorry mom,' Yumi thought as she released her mother and headed out the door.

"What was that for?" A surprised Miki asked her daughter.

Yumi smiled and answered sweetly, "Well, I didn't want you to miss me too much."

Miki just shook her head and waved at the two girls as they headed out the door and into the waiting car.

Every time Sachiko walked through the gates of Lillian Academy, she felt like she was home. Most of her fondest memories occurred behind the school's gates. As she was walking down the paths, Sachiko smiled, remembering the clumsy, innocent girl that now consumed her heart and mind. She walked around with no particular destination in mind, reminiscing about her and Yumi's stay here. She stopped and looked up. Right in front of her was the greenhouse door. She opened the door and surprised an older lady, who was pruning back the rose bush that grew out between the floorboards. "I'm sorry," Sachiko apologized to the startled woman. "I'll come back another time."

As she turned around to walk out the door, the older woman addressed her, "Sachiko-chan is that you?"

Sachiko turned back around, and looked at the woman in the dim light. "Yumiko-san, nice to see you again."

The older woman walked closer. "My, My," she stated. "You are looking more like your grandmother every time I see you. What brings you here?" Yumiko asked.

"When I was troubled, I used to come here and think. Why are you here?" Sachiko inquired.

Yumiko answered, "Sometimes I come here to take care of the bushes. You know, your grandmother and I used to take care of this place when we were in school. I mainly come here now to remember her. You're troubled, I take it. Would you like to talk about it?"

Sachiko responded, "I don't want to be a bother, I'll just leave you to your work, Yumiko-san."

"How like her you are. Always keeping your feelings bottled up inside until they build up and burst out." The old lady stated, "Sometimes if you share your troubles, you might find the answers you seek. Come sit on the ledge with me and indulge and old lady."

The two women sat next to each other on the ledge. Looking at their positions, Sachiko's lips turned up in a wry smile as she said, "Yumiko-san, do you know you are sitting exactly where Yumi sat when I first opened up to her and showed her my pain. She sat there and held me as I cried. I know back then there was something special about her. Being with her made my heart feel lighter and the pain lessen.

"Are you pained now?" the older lady asked Sachiko.

"Yes, and the irony of it is, the pain I was feeling back then and the pain I feel now are caused by the same thing. That accursed marriage that my family arranged when I was young. The same marriage that Yumi has to face in my place because I wasn't strong enough to end it when I finally realized my love for her" Sachiko explained with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Yumiko gathered the crying girl into her arms and started rocking her. "There, there, Sachiko-chan," the old woman said. As the crying slowed, Yumiko continued. "Yumi's actions say how much she loves you. She's granted you one of deepest wishes, to be free of that arranged marriage."

"But if I had acted sooner and followed my heart, she wouldn't have had to. And now it's too late to make it right." Sachiko countered.

"Then the only thing you can do now is accept the situation and learn from your mistake." Yumiko told the raven-haired girl.

"I know, Yumiko-san." Sachiko agreed. "It still hurts though."

Yumiko patted Sachiko gently on her knee and said, "The hurt gets less over time."

"Thank you, Yumiko-san, " Sachiko said regaining her control. "It's getting late and I still have to find a place to stay."

"You're not going home, Sachiko-chan?" the old lady asked.

Sachiko responded, "I didn't feel like living in their world anymore."

"Why don't you stay with me," Yumiko offered. "I've been rather lonely since Kei-chan left. I could really use the company." Sachiko agreed and accompanied the older lady to her home.

Yumi looked out over the twilit expanse behind the mansion, enjoying the peace that settled over the grounds as night fell. This was the first time she had been able to think since signing the contract. Sachiko's mother, Sayako, having been so overjoyed by the news that Yumi would be spending the remaining time before the wedding at the mansion, smothered the brown-haired girl with attention.

*** FLASHBACK ***

Yumi looked wide-eyed at the suite of rooms she'd been given in the residential wing. Being across the hall from Sachiko's room, the layout was a mirror image of her girlfriend's room and just as palatial. "This room is way to elegant for me Auntie Sayako." the young girl remarked as she circled in place surveying the room. "Don't you have something smaller or less grand."

Sayako giggled at Yumi's discomfort and answered, "Get used to it, Yumi-chan, you are now a member of our family and you will be treated as such. Maybe a little more because I intend to spoil you during your stay here."

"You might as well let her Yumi. It will go easier on you," Touko said cheerily as she entered the room.

Yumi sighed, as she went over to her luggage to begin unpacking, resigning herself to being Sayako's new plaything. Sayako, noticing the two bags Yumi had, commented, "Is that all you brought with you?" When Yumi nodded sheepishly, Sayako continued, "That won't do. Tomorrow we are going shopping."

Touko rolled her eyes at Yumi saying "I told you so." Yumi broke into a grin and agreed reluctantly.

"Now until we can interview the maid staff and choose a personal maid to attend you, Sachiko's maid, Aya-chan, volunteered to serve you." When she heard her name a short black-haired maid entered the room.

"Good evening, Yumi-ojousama, I hope you don't mind, but I thought you might want to see a familiar face while you get settled." Aya-chan told the brown-haired girl.

Yumi had met Aya-chan a few times when she visited Sachiko. She really liked the older girl who seemed very kind and cheerful. "Thank you, Aya-chan," Yumi told her. "Please take good care of me."

"I will, Yumi-ojousama." Aya-chan responded smiling.

"Yumi-chan, could you come with me a moment. I would like a word with you." Sayako asked politely.

Yumi turned away from her bags to face the older woman. "As you wish, Auntie Sayako," she responded as she stepped toward the door.

"Don't worry about your bags, Yumi-ojousama. I'll have everything in order for your return." Aya-chan said.

"Thank you, Aya-chan." Yumi said as she followed Sachiko's mother walking down the hall.

"I have to thank you for taking Sachiko's place, Yumi-chan. That marriage would have been the death of her. I don't think I can repay you enough for what you;re giving up. I'm indebted to you." Sayako admitted to Yumi. "Let's check out the kitchen and see what's for dinner. Shall we?"

*** END FLASHBACK ***

'If I'm doing such a good thing, why does it hurt so much,' Yumi thought sadly as she stared up into the night sky. Yumi was nearly frightened out of her shoes when she heard foot steps behind her. She turned around quickly and addressed the handsome young man before her. "Suguru, you shouldn't sneak up on people. I nearly died of fright."

"A little jumpy, Yumi-chan?" Suguru asked rhetorically, "Let me assure you, nobody's going to hurt you while you are here." The young man moved closer to the younger girl and continued. "Sa-chan won't be returning to the mansion and asked for you to pack her things for her."

Yumi lowered her eyes and asked softly, "Does she hate me so much, she can't stand to see me again?"

Suguru's heart broke seeing such a sad look on his betrothed. "It's not about you, Yumi-chan. She had a difference of opinion with her grandfather and decided to move out on her own." He told the sad girl in front of him.

"So she doesn't hate me?" Yumi said pleadingly to the handsome man.

"I don't think anyone could hate you, Yumi-chan. In fact just the opposite is true. You are loved by many people, me included." Suguru confessed as he raised Yumi's chin to meet her eyes.

Yumi was shocked when she looked into his blue eyes, brimming with love and longing. 'They remind me of Sachiko's,' the young girl though. His gaze made her uncomfortable, so Yumi quickly turned her head away, saying, "But I thought ..."

"That I liked men." Suguru finished for her. " I do, or rather did. When I was growing up, girls were all over me, always wanting something. I became put off by them and their lies, their agendas, their vicious, catty natures. They all seemed fake to me. Boys were always more honest, more trustworthy. Maybe the illicit nature of the relationships made it more thrilling. I still don't know the real reason behind it. But everything changed after you pushed me down onto the ginkgo nuts and ran after Sa-chan. You hated me then and you were honest enough to let me know. Since then we have fenced and sparred, but you've always played it straight with me. Over time I came to appreciate you for it, and slowly fell in love with you. Seeing all the love you gave to Sa-chan, made me jealous. I wanted to be on the receiving end of the passionate love that lives in your heart. I know I can never replace Sa-chan in your heart, but I just wanted you to know my feelings before we married." Suguru finished and looked at the brown-haired girl.

Yumi looked at Suguru in a new light. "Even if I can never return your feelings, can I count you a friend Suguru? I could really use one right now," the younger firl said as she broke down in tears, her heart already strained by the events of the day.

Suguru ran over to Yumi and took her in his arms. "Don't worry Yumi-chan, I'll always be your friend and I promise I'll do my best to take care of you." Suguru said into her hair.

Yumi, feeling better teased the young man, "You better take good care of me, or Sachiko would kick your ass."

Suguru broke the embrace laughing, "Don't I know it." He said as he ruffled Yumi's brown locks.