A/N: Dear all, good morning! Haha. Here's another chapter for you! Please, enjoy. :)

Chapter 9: Sands of time

xxx Tetsuhiro xxx

Tetsuhiro could feel his heart thumping really hard but it was a strangely distant sensation, as though he was in and out of his body at the same time. Vaguely, he could feel his hand slipping against Kunihiro's cell phone as cold sweat broke out all over his body.

The stranger over the phone was his mother.

"Moshi moshi, Kunihiro? Why did you call? Is something the matter?"

Ma, I'm Tetsuhiro! He wanted to shout. Instead, Tetsuhiro gulped a deep breath and glanced at his Sempai for confidence. His hand instinctively reached for Souichi's, feeling those slender fingers curl around his encouragingly. "M-mother? This is Tet-tetsuhiro. It's been a long time…how are you and Father?"

Even over the phone, Tetsuhiro could feel the shock radiating from his mother. She should be surprised; after all, how many years had it been since they had last talked to each other? Tetsuhiro told himself that it was all right that his own mother had forgotten about him. However, his hand tightened around Souichi's as she spoke again, sounding much less surprised this time.

"Oh, it's you, Tetsuhiro. This is unexpected—Oh, anata, it's Kunihiro, just calling to say hi—" There was a slight commotion on the other line as a deep male voice sounded in the distance. His mother came back to the line shortly, sounding distracted. "What is the matter, Tetsuhiro? Why are you with Kunihiro?"

"Nii- san is visiting us—me at the moment…Mother, are you doing well?"

"…As well as we could be. Tetsuhiro, this is a rather inconvenient time to call; if there isn't any urgent matter, perhaps you could call at some other time. I have to hang up now."

"Mother—"

"Sorry, Tetsuhiro. We'll talk later, okay? Good night." There was a polite click.

Tetsuhiro sat listening to the empty dial tone until Kunihiro shook him lightly.

"Tetsuhiro, what did Mother say? Why was the call so short?" Concerned, Kunihiro leaned forwards on his elbows as Tetsuhiro lowered the cell slowly and placed it into the other man's hands.

"Mother, she—" The words choked as Tetsuhiro reeled from the sudden slam of emotion. His mother had not forgiven him after all. Like his father, she had washed her hands of him when the scandal had hit the fan. Oh Kami—

The chair clattered backwards as Tetsuhiro stood up hastily, a hand over his mouth. The bad memories swelled up unbearably. Before he knew it, he was retching and puking into the toilet bowl, unable to stop.

"Morinaga—"

There was the sound of water running. As Tetsuhiro slumped against the porcelain bowl, two hands grabbed him beneath the armpits and heaved him up.

Tetsuhiro was unaware as Kunihiro half- dragged him to the bedroom and draped him over the bed. A cool cloth was placed over his forehead as Souichi and Kunihiro conversed in soft voices.

"Tetsuhiro seems to be in bad shape; darn it, did Mother say something to him just now…should we call for an ambulance?"

"No…I'll take care of him. Morinaga- san, don't you need to get back home? The last train will be leaving soon."

"Ah, so it is. Darn…! Tatsumi- kun, are you sure you'll be all right taking care of him alone? Your condition—"

"We'll be fine, Morinaga- san. Thanks for coming over today—at least one of his family members know about the baby…Anyway, you can just lock the front door and place the key in the mailbox afterwards."

"…All right, I'll leave my brother in your hands. Please call me as soon as possible. Tetsuhiro should have my number. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The whisper of voices receded and soon, the sound of the front door being opened and closed was heard. The weight beside Tetsuhiro lifted as Souichi stood up, leaving him alone on the super- single bed, scrunched up and miserable.

He was so pathetic. Tetsuhiro's stomach roiled and he clutched the sheets tightly. His parents' rejection should be nothing new; he should have gotten used to it...There was a rustle and he faintly registered Souichi's presence as the man resettled heavily on the bed. Tetsuhiro turned away from the sheets and reached towards the one person who gave his heart sanctuary. "Sempai…"

"Shh, you don't have to say anything." Gently, Souichi lifted his head and shifted until Tetsuhiro was lying on his lap. With a damp cloth, the pregnant man began to wipe away the saliva and gunk from Tetsuhiro's face.

It was almost unbearable, the security that he felt in these arms. As Souichi finished cleaning him, Tetsuhiro pressed his face against the warm sides of Souichi's womb, feeling the last hold on his composure splinter. "They don't want me anymore, Sempai—my p-parents don't want me anymore…"

"They are a couple of idiots…" Hands rubbed soothing circles against Tetsuhiro's trembling back as he fought back shuddering cries. "Just sleep for now. We will deal with things in the morning."

"Don't l-leave me, Sempai...stay…"

"—I will if you'd stop crying like that. It…pains me to see you like this. Tetsuhiro…"

At those words, Tetsuhiro broke down fully. Years of painfully- checked feelings came gushing out as he took gulping breaths. The tears and snot flowed unceremoniously down his face. With no frivolous words of comfort or consolation, Souichi held his head as Tetsuhiro sobbed into his sweater.

Finally, finally, head aching and wrung out from crying, Tetsuhiro sagged into Souichi's warmth, vaguely aware of a thumb wiping away the tear streaks on his face. With a quiet whimper, he finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep.

When Tetsuhiro next opened his eyes, he was warmly dressed in new pajamas and socks. A thick quilt was wrapped snugly around him. It was deep night.

Lying on his back, he stared into the black nothingness of the ceiling. The loneliness was overwhelming. Tetsuhiro massaged his chest repetitively but no tears came out this time. It seemed that he had spent them all.

Soft breathing on his side brought his attention to the sleeping man beside him. Souichi was deep asleep, a pregnancy pillow between his legs as he lay facing Tetsuhiro. Souichi's left hand was stretched out between their bodies, and Tetsuhiro vaguely remembered being soothed asleep by the man's touch…Unable to see his Sempai's face clearly, Tetsuhiro settled for linking their hands together.

The empty ache in his chest slowly faded away as he snuggled closer to his lover and unborn baby.

He was not alone in this world.

"Open your mouth."

"Ah—" A warm mass of porridge was tipped into his mouth as Tetsuhiro sat in bed across from Souichi as he scooped more gruel from a small bowl. The taste was slightly off, possibly burnt but Tetsuhiro happily swallowed the chicken porridge anyway. He smiled blissfully at Souichi.

"Idiot, why are you smiling like that at me? It's scary- looking." Another spoonful of food was shoved not too gently into Tetsuhiro's mouth.

"Because you cooked for me and are feeding me now, Sempai—mhnn!" Tetsuhiro swallowed the extra- large spoonful of rice with difficulty and pulled Souichi into an embrace. With a chaste kiss that still smelled like slightly- burnt chicken porridge, he conveyed his thanks. "The porridge is the best, Sempai. Thank you."

"…Are you feeling better now?" The words were muffled as Souichi lay in Tetsuhiro's arms, surprisingly acquiescent.

"My stomach is okay now. You must have stayed up late yesterday, Sempai. I'm sorry for losing it like that and needing you to look after me, especially when you should have been getting some rest."

"I'm not just talking about your stomach, baka. Vomiting and crying like that—how could I not have worried?" Souichi's tone was exasperated but after a while, he enquired more seriously, "…What did your mother say to you yesterday?"

"…She didn't say much, just asked me to call again at a more convenient time…" Tetsuhiro tightened his arms around Souichi as he recalled the wary and distant tone of his mother. His mother had not wanted to talk to him.

"That's all? Then why did you get so upset?" Souichi lifted his head from Tetsuhiro's shoulder; gazing at his expressions with those sharp, clear eyes, he probed further, "Did she say that she didn't want to see you?"

"…Something to that effect, yes…"

"That woman—I hadn't wanted to say anything about your mother, Morinaga. However, this is ridiculous! Give me your home number; I'm going to talk some sense into those idiotic people you call parents!"

"No, Sempai—! It won't work; they've no longer seen me as their son since that day I walked out of that house. It's only natural, to dismiss a random s-stranger who just calls up your house at night…" His own words pierced through him.

"Like hell! It's one thing for them to think that way; it's another for you to think this way about yourself! Stop bringing yourself down, all right! Baka Morinaga." Souichi glared soundly at him until he nodded agreeably. The older man sighed and brought Tetsuhiro to his chest again. "Don't think too much about it already. We did our part in trying to get in touch. So now, the ball is in their court."

"—I'm glad that you are with me, Sempai." Tetsuhiro was comforted by the familiar scent emanating from Souichi's nape. "Somehow, I don't feel as bad whenever you are near…" Letting their bodies fall fully onto the bed, the two of them lay against the sheets facing each other. "Could we stay like this for just a while more, Sempai?"

Behind his glasses, Souichi studied his face for a pulsing moment. That penetrating gaze made Tetsuhiro feel vulnerable; entirely stripped of his defences. "…Baka, you don't have to pretend to be strong in front of me." Together, they snuggled closer until Souichi's swollen belly was pressed snugly against Tetsuhiro.

This must be how he had fallen asleep yesterday night, with Sempai fighting all of his demons away. Tetsuhiro knew that he had sworn to be stronger, knew that he was still depending on Souichi as his strength. "Forgive my selfishness, Sempai..."

"…Baka, there's nothing to forgive. But don't you dare cry like you did yesterday; our daughter can hear us clearly by this time, you know. I don't want her to be scarred for life, hearing you cry like that—!"

Hastily, Tetsuhiro immediately reached for Souichi's womb and patted it apologetically. Guilt ran through him as he recalled how shamelessly he had cried, right next to his little girl. "Sweetheart, can you hear Papa? Papa didn't mean to scare you yesterday—I won't do that anymore, I swear! I'm sorry, baby."

"Baka, she won't understand if you say so many things to her at one go," Souichi sighed and rapped Tetsuhiro's forehead smartly. "Don't forget what you promised our daughter just now, Morinaga."

In other words, don't cry anymore. Tetsuhiro understood Souichi's roundabout sentiment and looked at the other man warmly, his love for this man renewed all over again in an infinite loop. "I promise you too, Sempai."

"Good. Now help me put this pillow between my legs."

Tetsuhiro obediently did so, adding another cushion behind Souichi's back before he could ask for it. Making sure that his lover was comfortable before snuggling back by Souichi's side, they settled into a cozy silence as Tetsuhiro quietly palmed the firm mound of Souichi's womb.

His parents' rejection still managed to cut, even after so many years. However, as he felt the tiny ripples beneath Souichi's skin and imagined their little girl lying just inches away from his hands, the urge to share this blessing with the people who had borne him was almost overwhelming.

Having gotten to experience the miracle that was their daughter's conception and the joy of witnessing her growth in his beloved person, Tetsuhiro wanted to thank his parents for giving birth and raising him. He wanted to face his parents not only as their son, but also as a father to his child. "Sempai, I think…I think that I'll try to contact my parents again. Yesterday must have come as a shock to my mother, so maybe Nii- san could act as the intermediary this time around. What do you think, Sempai—oh, he's fallen asleep."

And indeed, Souichi was dozing on Tetsuhiro's shoulder, his glasses slightly askew as he breathed steadily. Heart aching a little at the dark shadows beneath Souichi's lids, Tetsuhiro kissed him softly on the cheeks. Shifting Souichi into a more comfortable position in the crook of his arms, he whispered softly, "I love you, Sempai. I love the both of you so much."

"Oh, Tetsuhiro, you can't be serious…"

Tetsuhiro flinched at the disappointment evident in his mother's tone as she answered the door to the Morinaga household. Looking at the thin and frail- looking woman whose gray- streaked hair was bundled neatly at the back, Tetsuhiro could hardly recognize his own mother. Had she always been this small and fragile?

"How could it be…you are a man—" Morinaga Keiko made no move to invite them into the house as she stared at Souichi with a combination of disbelief and shock.

The three of them stood unmoving at the threshold for a long moment until a male voice resounded from within the house. "Keiko, what's taking you so long? Are Tetsuhiro and his girlfriend here? Don't let them wait outside for so long—! Keiko, can you hear me—what the hell is this?" Morinaga Masahiro appeared behind his wife, the deep booming voice that Tetsuhiro remembered so clearly voicing his confusion clearly.

"Father, mother, uhm, ohisashiburi desu. This is my partner, Tatsumi Souichi. Sempai, these are my parents. Uhm, we are h-here to visit and tell you more about the b-baby."

His parents formed an impenetrable wall at the door, their confusion and shock slowly changing to disbelieved understanding as Souichi, visibly and heavily pregnant, bowed respectfully and greeted them. "Hajime mashite. I'm Tatsumi Souichi, Morinaga's Sempai at Nagoya University…please take care of me."

"But, Tetsuhiro, you said over the phone that you were expecting a baby…how could it—how could this be possible?" Morinaga Keiko's voice was unnaturally high, a hand over her mouth as though to cover her shock. "I thought—we thought that you had changed—!"

"Enough, Keiko. Let's not talk about this at the doorstep—the neighbours are going to talk again." Looking hard at Tetsuhiro, Morinaga Masahiro stepped aside, ushering his wife to do the same. "We'll talk inside. Come in."

With a hesitant glance at his parents, Tetsuhiro helped Souichi up the few steps and entered his childhood home. Despite the familiar surroundings, Tetsuhiro felt distinctly uncomfortable as he took off his shoes, bidding Souichi to do the same. "Please excuse my disturbance." He could not help but say it as he stepped over the genkan, feeling like the stranger he was by now.

"—We are all going to the living room." Without preamble, the tall, stern man that Tetsuhiro called his father led the way into a neat if sparse room. It still felt cold despite the kotatsu set in the center. Masahiro sat heavily onto one of the couches while Keiko meekly joined him at the side.

"Sempai, sit here, please." Tetsuhiro was acutely aware of his parents' stares of disapproval as he and Souichi sat down side by side on the other couch, their knees touching. He shivered slightly. Years of living alone had euphemized his memories. This house, this home; he had forgotten that he had never really fitted in.

"Tetsuhiro, I agreed to this visit only because I thought that you had learnt from your mistakes and stopped those foolish tendencies.

"I thought that you had matured—gotten yourself a good marriage prospect, and would even be giving us a grandchild soon. However, you are sitting here now, showing off your—your fagot of a boyfriend, and saying that he's pregnant? What the fuck is this, Tetsuhiro!" A vein was popping visibly at Masahiro's forehead as he banged the kotatsu. Beside him, his mother was trembling visibly, hands clutching at the apron that she was still wearing.

The scene was all too reminiscent of the time that his relationship with Masaki- san had been exposed. Tetsuhiro remembered the horrible beating that had occurred afterwards, the darkness in his room when he had cried himself to sleep. Tetsuhiro's heart clenched. He had not managed to protect Masaki- san that time.

However, he was older now, He was an adult that was no longer at the mercy of his parents, an adult who could protect the one he loved! Steeling himself, Tetsuhiro looked up at his seething father. "Father, please do not call my partner such names—he is my lover and the father of our child. I will not tolerate anybody who denigrates him!

"As for the baby, we were extremely shocked too at the beginning. However, Sempai's body is apparently able to carry; if you need verification, you may call our doctor, Dr. Hako, at Nagoya Hospital. I'm—I'm very proud of them, and that is why I wanted to share the good news with you both. Please forgive my imprudence."

"For fuck's sake—! What good news—do you know how much anguish you caused your mother and I with your homo habits?" Masahiro stood up and began to pace around the small room, gesturing wildly. "We threw away the television, cancelled the newspaper subscription; almost became hermits because of the scandal and gossip—!"

"That was not Morinaga's fault, Morinaga- san." Souichi spoke up forcefully, breaking Masahiro's tirade. The older man looked stunned; his olive- green eyes flashed but Souichi pushed on, refusing to be brow- beaten. "Masaki Junya was indeed Morinaga's…lover at that time but that was not the reason why that man tried to kill himself! Stop maligning your own son, the both of you!"

"S-sempai, stop—don't say anymore! Sem—" Tetsuhiro tried to grab Souichi but was shrugged aside as the man stalked towards Masahiro. He looked on in disbelief as Souichi punched Masahiro squarely in the jaw.

His father staggered backwards, looking extremely affronted. Uncaring, Souichi merely advanced further. "Even I, as somebody who has only known him for six years, think that he is a good, outstanding man! As his parents, how could you not believe in the man that Morinaga is?! You are an even bigger idiot than that eldest son of yours!" Crossing his arms over his swollen belly, Souichi glared at Masahiro like he was the biggest insect on earth. "What the fuck—my daughter does not need a grandfather who would not stand by her father's side! Morinaga, let's go. We should stop wasting our time here."

Tetsuhiro was torn between trying to help his father, who was holding his injured cheek, his mother, who was crying as she stood rooted to the ground, or listen to Souichi and leave. He stood up and went to Souichi's side as he faced his father. "Father, I'm really sorry—"

"I don't know what you are talking about; the only thing I know is that we suffered even after you left this goddamn town! Your mother—her group of housewife friends all forsook her; I very nearly lost my job! The only thing I care about is the fact that my homo son disgraced us! Oh Kami, what have I done to deserve this…!"

"What the hell, you old fart—!" With a growl, Souichi launched forwards again, his fist ready and swinging. However, Masahiro seemed to have recovered from his shock and managed to duck. Souichi missed his face but, pumped by the momentum, he stumbled forwards and began to fall. "Wa—!"

"Sempai—no!" Body moving by sheer instinct, Tetsuhiro rushed towards him and managed to steady the pregnant man, seconds before he crashed against the mantelpiece. "Shit…please don't scare me like this, Sempai!" With trembling hands, he snatched Souichi into his arms. "Are you all right?"

"Y-yea, we are fine. Shit—you!" Seeming to understand the limits of his body, Souichi did not attempt to hit Masahiro again. However, Tetsuhiro could feel the fury roiling off his lover as he strained against his arms. "What has Morinaga done to deserve such disgusting and foolish parents as you? You are an adult, aren't you? If you hate this town so much, why not leave, then? Slanders and gossip; you are only a victim when you allow yourself to be one! Stop placing all the blame on Morinaga! Urghh, you disgust me!"

"Get out of my house! I don't need to listen to such words from a fagot as you!" With a loud crash, Masahiro swept the vase of flowers off the kotatsu and started shouting and throwing cushions at the two of them. "Homos! Fagots!"

Tetsuhiro immediately moved forwards, shielding Souichi from the missile of objects that came flying towards them. "Father, stop—!"

"Anata, c-calm down, please…!" With a look of desperate pleading, Tetsuhiro's mother glanced towards him and Souichi. "Tetsuhiro, please, leave here. We know about the baby now, so just go!"

Despite his mother's soothing, Tetsuhiro's father was like an unleashed typhoon. Various small objects hit his back as Masahiro picked up whatever items that he could get his hands on. One of them managed to land on Souichi's arm and Tetsuhiro lost control himself. "Father, stop it now!"

His loud roar rang through the living room, acting effectively as a stopper. However, as Tetsuhiro massaged the part where Souichi had been hit, his father began to rant again.

"Bastard, I have no son like you—! Despite all the trouble that you have caused, I still did my part as your parent! But how have you repaid us? By bringing over a man who is like a woman!" Bitterly, Masahiro spat out the acidic words. "You left this house so willingly, as though it were a hotel—!

"Since you could step out of here so easily the last time, then pray do the same this time! We don't care about your partner or baby or whatever anymore—! I'm rid of you!"

Rid of you. Standing beside the mantelpiece, Tetsuhiro suddenly noticed that there were none of his amongst the multitude of photos displayed. Even his elementary school graduation picture, which he remembered had always been there beside Kunihiro's, was gone.

This house no longer shelved the existence of Morinaga Tetsuhiro. The creeping coldness that he had not felt for so long reached out its long fingers. Gathering up their belongings blindly, Tetsuhiro guided Souichi towards the entrance. With a last backward glance, he took in the shambles of the living room, looked at his parents as they huddled together on the floor. "For bringing me up, for the money you paid for my education, and for inviting me to Nii- san's wedding, thank you.

"However, from now on, I'll take care of myself and my new family. So, be rest assured that I will never disturb the both of you again. Take care, and farewell."

"Sempai, here—eat the cabbages. You need loads of fibre and vitamins now," A steaming pot of nabe sat between them in the small and crowded restaurant. Tetsuhiro busied himself with the cooking as Souichi sat with his arms crossed, making no move to eat even as Tetsuhiro piled more and more food onto his bowl. "Eat up now, Sempai. It won't taste nice if the food gets cold."

"And you don't need to? Stop getting the food for me and leave some for yourself! Look at you—" Souichi frowned as he pulled the empty bowl over to his side and started to transfer some vegetables and meat over from his. When he was done, he set the bowl down smartly in front of Tetsuhiro. "Eat." His tone brooked no argument.

"Okay, Sempai." The two of them finally started on the food. Amidst the bustle of the dinner crowd, their table seemed even more silent as the steam acted as a smoky screen between the two men. Tetsuhiro had absolutely no appetite but nonetheless mimicked the act of enjoying the food. He did not want Sempai to worry.

They finished the dinner without either exchanging conversation. After winding a scarf around Souichi's neck and making sure that his lover was bundled warmly, Tetsuhiro led the way back to their hotel near the train station. The crunch of ice could be heard clearly as they walked side by side through the quiet countryside town.

The Kyuushuu night sky was beautiful as always. Tetsuhiro gazed up at the twinkling stars high above him, his breath dissipating in white puffs. It was so very cold.

A gloved hand slipped into his as they entered a narrow street devoid of other pedestrians. Souichi's fingers curled with his, squeezing once. Shocked but nonetheless touched beyond belief, Tetsuhiro squeezed back gratefully. He did not let go for the longest time, unwilling to lose even an iota of the heat between their palms.

As they reached the end of the street, Souichi released Tetsuhiro's hands, glancing pointedly at the scattering of townspeople on the main street. He was just regretting the loss when his cell rang. A few people glanced in their direction and Tetsuhiro hurriedly picked up the call, retreating to a corner to speak. "Hello, Nii- san?"

A few moments later, Tetsuhiro hung up. Gladness filled his heart. Turning to Souichi, he spoke, "Sempai, Nii- san suggested that we sleep at his apartment tonight; he said it would attract less attention than a hotel. Is it okay with you? Masaki- san would be there too."

"Small towns are unbelievable…your brother offered us his place, huh? Wouldn't it be too crowded, especially with that Masaki guy?" Souichi muttered crossly. A tiny crease appeared between his brows.

"Yea, Masaki- san is also going to stay the night. I think the arrangement turned out nicely; I've been wanting to catch up ever since the time they visited me at the hospital." Tetsuhiro's mood lightened somewhat at the thought of his brother and Masaki- san. It was heartening to see the two people he cared a lot for being happy together. Although there was the same problem as his relationship with Souichi, Tetsuhiro felt that in Kunihiro's case, it might not be as hard for their parents to accept his homosexuality. After all, Nii- san had always been the apple of their eyes…

Pushing the depressing thoughts away, Tetsuhiro smiled at Souichi, injecting some cheer into his voice. "Ne, Sempai, you would be able to hear some interesting stories about my hometown later! Don't look at Nii- san like that; he is quite tuned into the going-ons of this town. You would be entertained!"

"…Yea, I would be…"

The small frown had developed into a full- blown scowl. The black atmosphere emanating from Souichi took Tetsuhiro by surprise. Mentally, he recounted the things that he had mentioned. That would only be about staying over at Kunihiro's apartment, and the matter of Masaki- san staying over…

The realization hit like a bolt. Tetsuhiro glanced at Souichi's darkened countenance. Could Sempai be—?

"What are you staring at me for?" Peevishly, Souichi snapped at him as they rerouted in the direction of Kunihiro's place.

Tetsuhiro felt a genuine smile spread across his face as he noted the faint but distinct note of vinegar in Souichi's tone. "Ne, Sempai, could it be that…you are troubled about Masaki- san's presence?"

"…What the hell are you talking about? Why would that guy trouble me? Damnit…" Souichi pushed Tetsuhiro away as he leaned closer to gauge his reaction. "Morinaga!"

"Aren't you worried that I would be meeting up with my ex- lover again, Sempai?" Unable to resist coaxing an honest response from Souichi, Tetsuhiro continued to tease his lover. It was delicious, the way Sempai's face heated up when he was caught with his guard down. Tetsuhiro ached to touch him but in his hometown where tongues wagged at the slightest news, he was mindful of his actions.

"Wha—why should I be? Unlike you, my mind is not perpetually filled with such stuffs! Don't walk so close to me—stay a metre away!"

"Aww, don't be so cold, Sempai! I know that you are feeling uneasy, hehe." Tetsuhiro laughed aloud, suddenly feeling that everything was right with the world. The restraints fell apart. In his current life, he was happy right where he was. He had a temperamental and often violent lover who nonetheless showed his love in the most adorable of ways. They were expecting a little girl in spring, and in summer, he would officially be a researcher at one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Japan.

Kyuushuu represented his old life, a life bound by society's expectations and his family's pressures. Tetsuhiro had come back this time without any delusions about mending bridges. Now that he saw that it was really impossible to reconcile with his family, he should focus even more on creating a better future!

He had done his best and left no regrets. There was no longer any point in dragging around this baggage that would merely make him feel morose. With another burst of laughter, Tetsuhiro stepped out from the shadows of the past, feeling lighter for the first time in years. "Hahahha!"

Souichi stopped walking and glared mutinously at him. "…So you are that happy to be seeing that Masaki guy, huh? Well, you alone can go and enjoy reminiscing with him then! I'm going back to the hotel—" Turning sharply back in the direction where they had just come from, the long- haired man ignored Tetsuhiro and began to stalk away.

"Sempai—! Wait; don't leave me! I already told Nii- san that the both of us would go to his apartment—" Running to catch up with Souichi, Tetsuhiro managed to stop the other man in his tracks. "Hey, Sempai, I'm sorry for teasing you—" At the man's furious sputter, Tetsuhiro hurried on to explain. "I was not laughing because I wanted to see Masaki- san; I was just really, really happy that you are the one going to walk the future with me, Sempai. I'm truly looking forward to it." He brushed a flake of ice from Souichi's arched brow, letting his fingers linger for longer than necessary.

"…What the hell does that mean, you idiot? And you do realise that we are in the middle of the street, right? Get your hands away from my face!" Despite the fierce tone, Souichi did not swab his fingers away, his cheeks reddening. "…That Masaki guy; he threatened to take you away before. I can't trust that guy! Saying something like that after all that he's done to you—it's ridiculous!"

"Yes it is…Sempai, I haven't told you before, right? Masaki- san and Nii- san are dating each other right now. Masaki- san told me about it himself at the hospital that time. So you don't have to worry that he would take me away from you, okay?" Grinning foolishly like a child, Tetsuhiro gently pulled Souichi back in the right direction, reluctantly letting go when some passersby appeared.

"…I told you that I was not worried, baka! Stop putting your own ideas and words into my mouth. Jeez…" Souichi seemed deep in thought for a moment. "Wait, your brother and Masaki? You can't be serious?!"

"Yes, I'm! If you don't believe me, then you can see it for yourself later!"

In the wintry night, in a small town in Kyuushuu, the past, present and future of Morinaga Tetsuhiro melded and flowed forwards ceaselessly.

To be continued.

A/N: I apologise for the liberties taken with naming Morinaga's parents.