Hello! I'm back. And updating. :D I'll be doing my research proposal now so I think I'll update. :)

Please read and enjoy. :D

Over The Rose

by four-eyed 0-0

CHAPTER TWO

Up until now she could still feel his gaze upon her. She could still smell his fragrance in the chapel. She could still recall how he gazed at Hiro like the boy was his own. No. She should scratch that. Hiro was his son. Their son. But she could not let him confirm his doubt. He should not know the truth. All these years she had gone incognito; she had assumed an inexistent person's identity. And she raised Hiro all by herself. Without him. Without the boy's father. She bore the child in her womb for nine months and delivered him to the world. They went to London to live a normal life, almost coming to be citizens of the place where Hiro grew up. It was the life she had wanted him to have ― a life without knowing his real father, a life far from the love of her life.

But still, fate managed to find a way to make their roads cross once again.

And she could not believe this. She could not believe that this was happening at all. Hiro had been bugging her with questions even before they went back here in Japan. He was a smart boy, very smart for his age, much like his father. And now that he had spoken to Kurama, he had asked her that question again.

"Do I look like my father?"

She wanted to say yes. Her son perfectly knew that it was impossible for him not to bear his father's face since he did not look like Inoue at all. She could still feel the way Hiro gazed at her as she was dressing him after his bath. How those emerald-green eyes make her feel so watched. He resembled his father very much. It was the only thing she hoped not to happen when she conceived him but it did. And now he met his father. All the time that they had been speaking to each other, she could not help herself but feel uncomfortable. What if Kurama suddenly let slip something important? She could not stand any more questions from her son. Goodness knew how he could pester her to no extent. She was not sure how she would be able to worm her way out of the situation now that Kurama was around. Worst of all, she should take charge of the company now that Korin died.

She would randomly consider running away now. But it was the stupidest thing to do. She perfectly knew that when the kitsune set his eyes upon her, all the hiding was done.

And it was time to face him. And his friends.

Yet there was something curiosity-perking with his stepbrother. Judging by the way he had looked at her, she could conclude that he was interested in this single mother. She mentally smirked at that. Perhaps it wouldn't be that hard at all.

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"Mum," said Hiro the next morning as they ate breakfast by the poolside, "Ku-kun has told me he would be having a party on the twenty-second of this month. It's his birthday."

Inoue swallowed hard. "And?"

"We were invited." He drank his hot chocolate, so that he had a thin line of it between his nose and lip. She smiled and moved to wipe the stain of with her fingers. "You'll let me go, right, Mum?"

Fumbling with a table napkin, she thought of the date. Her graduation in the university was two days prior to Kurama's birthday. She could go back to London and attend with her son. Of course she would be going too if her son was to go.

"Mum?" he asked, expectant of her answer.

She finished her cup of coffee. "But my graduation is two days before his birthday, Hiro. How will we manage to come on time without exhausting the two of us?"

Hiro undeniably snorted. "We came here in a moment's notice for Granny's wake, Mum. Surely we can board a plane in London and be here hours before the party." He stared at her with scrutiny. Why should this boy be so smart? "Well?" he pushed.

Inoue never knew how to deal with her son's vast intelligence. Sometimes he could outwit her so easily. "All right. We'll go to the party."

"Yes!" Hiro jumped off his chair and his arms were around her in a second. "Thanks, Mum! You're the best!" he said, happily kissing her temple. Even with her irritation with Kurama, her son was enough for her to smile. Perhaps she shouldn't be that wary around the fox. He knew how he should deal with her. All in all, he was the one who should be wary of her.

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"What do you mean that Anikka's back?" asked Yusuke, incredulous. He had just choked from his teriyaki and his shirt was dripping with juice he was absentmindedly wiping with the tablecloth. Kuwabara simply looked shocked at the redhead's information.

Kurama closed his eyes and leant on the backrest of his chair. "I said it. Anikka's back, and in the person of Inoue Takizato."

"No way." The carrot-top boy blinked and stared around, as though sensing something supernatural. "Don't tell me that she's gone off and then 'POOF!', became the daughter of Korin Takizato!"

The kitsune nodded, saying, "And the next CEO of the Takizato Group of Companies."

"No way," said Yusuke reiteratively. "After all these years…" He trailed off, for lack of anything else to say, perhaps in realization that it was possible for someone to come back no matter how many years it took. Kurama could almost read his thoughts. Like those in the movies. The kitsune bit his lip.

"So I guess you got the point there, Yusuke."

"You invited her to the party?" Kuwabara asked out of the blue, so that Yusuke gave him a sideways glance.

It was not him who had invited her in truth. Hiro did. "Actually, it isn't only her whom I invited." He looked at them meaningfully.

The two friends turned at one another, confused. They just gawked at him like they would always do when clueless of the whole situation.

"You'll meet my special guest," he announced, only to add, "if Anikka would allow, that is."

"What are you talking about, Kurama?"

"You'll know on my birthday." He stood up from his seat and told them, "And bring gifts. Bye," before stalking away with an empty stomach. When he was out of eyesight, he leant on the wall, unable to help the shaking of his knees. His son. How would everybody react upon the sight of the child? Sutoku and Kokoda did not mention anything about the boy at all when they arrived at home the night they went to the wake. They did not seem to be bothered by it at all. Now that he had come to think of it, a certain doubt that was nevertheless outdone by the familial skipping of his heart at the sight of the boy welled inside him. There are billions of redheads in the world who also have green eyes like the two of us. He was using his own words against him. Perhaps that was why they did not suspect anything. Besides, Sutoku didn't even recognize her.

He just prayed they did not think the same way as he did.

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Korin's interment went by placidly. Tears were shed, and flowers were offered. All of the employees had been present, praising the deceased foster mother of Inoue. Some would be very teary and she could not understand what they were saying but a little over ten had calmly stated their condolences. Inoue and Hiro had both delivered eulogies, and while doing so, they could not help sobbing. She had done them too many favors and thanking her for taking them into her life was not enough. She had been there when Inoue needed someone to hold on to. She was there when she was at her most vulnerable. And for that, Inoue was grateful. She swore to take care of all her efforts in keeping the company at the top.

Despite her mourning, Inoue could not help but think of Kurama and the Hatanakas. She was not in the mood to see any of them and when the burial was done, she right away went straight back home to sleep. Tomorrow they should be boarding the jet that would take the mother and son back to London the day before her graduation.

But of all these things, Kurama's birthday still made her feel more stressed.

And add to that the fact that Hiro had been bugging her of the right present.

"Mum," he said, just as they were preparing for sleep after her graduation rites, "I want to buy a gift for Ku-kun tomorrow before we pack-up for Japan."

Inoue sat straight on the bed and ruffled his red hair, kissing him on the temple. "All right, son." She lay down, massaging her forehead. "Come on and let's sleep, baby."

Hiro promptly laid himself beside his mother and tucked himself in her arms. "What would be the best gift for him, Mum?"

"I've no idea," she honestly replied. Or slightly honestly. She was just not in the mood to think of presents. Especially because they would be for that fox.

"Come on, Mum."

She opened her eyes and brushed his hair with a hand delicately. His emerald-green eyes were boring into her and she just rocked him like she would every time she would submit to his questions and arguments. "He's a businessman. What do you think businessmen like him need?"

"You're one. What do you think?"

She blinked at her son who was grinning. "I would need a pen to affix my signature on contracts."

"A pen? Yuck." He snorted.

She could not betray her son. Even though she was not in good terms with the redhead, he knew that it was her sole responsibility to be a mother to Hiro. She could not afford to hurt him or lie to him. "Son, it is not by the gift you give can a receiver measure its worth. It depends on the message of that certain gift."

"Meaning that the pen should bear a message?"

Inoue nodded, smiling. "And how could you convey that message?"

Hiro knitted his crimson eyebrows and looked down in deep thought. "I can include a card I made myself."

"That's nice."

"Really? Do you think Ku-kun would like that?"

The mother reluctantly nodded. As much as she did not want Kurama being happy was her desire to make Hiro feel good at all times. "Any person would appreciate that."

"Like, 'This pen may not have much sense to be given to you but I wish every time you use it you would be able to be reminded of me,' right?"

Oh no. He was turning to the chatterbox who wore her off to sleep many, many times before. "Yes. That's very good of you, son. Very smart indeed."

"All right. I'll buy him a nice pen tomorrow at the bookshop."

"Okay. Now let's rest so that tomorrow you'll have all the energy to search for a pen he would like."

Hiro kissed her cheek and muttered, "G'night, Mum."

"Candy dreams, baby." And she pressed his head to her chest, now fulfilled. This was how unconditional she could be for her son. She would not consider her own feelings. She just wanted him to be happy, to never experience what she had gone through. He was still young and still unfit for things that might hurt him.

The next day, Hiro woke her up ahead of the alarm clock. He had pulled her off the sheets and dragged her to the loo to shower and then ran to his own room to be assisted by his babysitter (Rosella) in changing. When she went out of the bathroom, her son was already dressed, smelling as fresh as he could be. They went down to breakfast together with Rosella and the other servants (which had always been their tradition; the long dining table was built for a feast every mealtime). Once finished, they got to the limousine and were taken to the city mall. Hiro automatically steered her to the direction of the bookshop and then to the school and office supply section.

The little redhead quickly took a fountain pen that lay placidly on a box and peered at it. "Mum, fountain pens are great, right? And very nice to write with."

Inoue gulped. "Well, they are."

"I'll take one."

"All right."

He was about to walk her to the counter when he looked at her. "I almost forgot. What will you give Ku-kun?"

Oh, how I wish you didn't remember at all, son. "I'm not yet sure about that."

"You should buy him something. It's his birthday."

She sighed. "I will. Don't worry." When he knitted his eyebrows together, she quickly added, "Did you forget we'll be buying some clothes later?"

He shrugged. "You didn't mention anything at all, Mum. Anyway, let's go." Hiro took her hand and they quickly got to the counter. She promptly gave the cashier the amount needed and they were riding the elevator to the department store in just a matter of three minutes. Hiro was particularly quiet this time, examining the pen with great endearment. She was thankful for the silence.

In the department store, Hiro just watched her with curiosity as she scrutinized a moleskin jacket and turned it over and over, imagining how it would look on Kurama. Suddenly taken aback with her being so meticulous, she shrugged and looked at Hiro.

"Son, do you think this will look good on Minamino-san?" she asked, waiting for her uneasiness to wear off. She had never thought of Kurama's birthday before and it was so troubling that she was being paranoid about her gift.

Hiro considered the jacket for a moment and nodded, smiling. "It will surely be."

"Okay, we'll take it, darling. Come on. We'll buy some clothes too."

"Ay."

By the time that they had gone out of the store, it was minutes before lunchtime and Inoue decided it would be better if they would have it in a restaurant in the mall. Right after, the two of them bought ice cream and were off to the mansion in time for Hiro's siesta. Once ridden of her talkative son, Inoue went to have a conversation with their servants. It had been agreed right after Korin died that she would be selling the house and that the servants would be given money for them to start for a business if they wished. All of theme had been quite close and warm to Inoue and she could not help but feel sorry for them. Nevertheless, it was what they had known long before since she was the sole heiress of the company back in Japan. With a lot of teary thanks, they parted and Inoue sought the comforts of her bed, thinking of the party for tomorrow and their flight in a matter of hours.

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They arrived in Tokyo a little after nine in the morning and were brought to their mansion right away. Hiro was so ecstatic and his blabbering made the jet-lagged Inoue wonder how he acted like he had not gone from a long flight across half of the world. She did not feel well at all. And this time it had nothing to do with the jet lag. It was because of a certain redhead who was celebrating his birthday today and his mother, Shiori. Add up to that his friends who knew her well. Hiro would be controversial. She would be controversial. How would they react upon seeing them? She just prayed it wouldn't be that much of an encounter, although it apparently would.

So, that's it. And Kurama's birthday coming up! GRINS I have something in mind, you know. :D

BTW, I would like to thank dear KuramaEnzanBlues for correcting Hiro's age! You really are great! Good thing you noticed. :)

S.A. Raven: Thank you so much for the review! Glad to hear from you!

How about you, dear reader? Will you serve me a nice midnight snack? I prefer reviews, you see. Haha. :D So please give me one. LOL.

~four-eyed 0-0