sorry about the late update, i was trying to rewrite this to make it make more sense, but it was taking too long, so i'm just giving this chapter to you guys now, and also, this story's coming to a close, at this point, it will only be about 35 chapters. i already have the rest written, but it doesn't make much sense, and is lacking detail, so i'm rewriting it, and also with school my updates will not be often. sorry.

Chapter 29 -- Reason

-Still Ichi's PoV-

"What do you mean?" I asked, eying the man in front of me. 'how could it be a lie?'

Yoruko-sama sighed in slight frustration. "How do you know nothing? After all you've been through?"

"Um..." I stuttered, failing to come up with a suitable defense.

Yoruko-sama looked at me with an unreadable expression. "Well, there's one thing Tenma got from her mother, her habit of hiding how she really feels…" he said sadly. "did you know she did that?"

I nodded, deciding to remain silent, and trying to look like I understood at least some of what he was

"you were shocked at the smell of her blodd earlier weren't you? That was because shiraiyuki, she did an awful thing to my daughter." he paused. "that day, that day Shiraiyuki attacked, she wanted my daughter, and she wanted her badly."

"Wait, who's Shiraiyuki?" I interrupted, completely and totally beyond confused at this point.

"Oh that's right, my daughter only knew her as 'the lady in white,' along with most everyone else, sorry" Yoruko said, giving me an apologetic smile.

"Why did she want Tenma?" I asked, attempting to keep myself calm. 'Why am I having such a hard time with this?'

"ichijou, who wouldn't want a pureblood? Especially an untaught child at that?" Yoruko-sama said sadly, his smile ghost-like and hollow.

"So she..."

"Wanted the strength and power that tenma's pure blood carried." Yoruko finished, crossing the room and standing beside an old fireplace, old ash and soot falling through his transparent body.

"But Tenma was-"

"Don't ever." he paused. "Don't finish that sentence. She was my daughter. She was a pureblood." He said dangerously. I could feel rage seep through his tone, I let out a small shiver.

"when I went to see her earlier..." I paused, he looked up. "she was saying something about her mother, wondering who she was. Who is Tenma's mother?" I asked, my hands clenched tight.

"Kuran meiru. the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen, besides my beloved daughter." he said calmly, his eyes wandering around the room.

I couldn't hide the shock from my face.

"I assume, that by your expression, you already had much of this information?" Yoruko said, walking up to me.

"Tenma was saying something about it earlier..." I mumbled. "Can I ask a question?"

"You just did," Yoruko said, laughing.

I pouted for a moment, but continued. "Why does Tenma push others away so much?"

Yoruko's laughing stopped, his smile gone. "I'm afraid that' my fault...she got that from me." he said, sighing. "I was hoping she didn't, but I guess fate wanted to give us an 'up yours' for a while." he said, stifling a laugh.

"but don't worry," he said, gaining my attention. "She'll most likely get over it. Meiru helped me out, but she had a hell of a lot of trouble with me, one thing about my family, we're too damn stubborn." he finished, releasing another laugh.

"I'm sorry, but that doesn't really answer my question..." I said, my eyes watching the man in front of me curiously.

"Oh, right. sorry about that," he said, sitting down on a chair in the room. "Sit," he said, pointing to the chair in front of him.

"Ichijou, you need to figure her out better." Yoruko-sama said as i sat down.

"But how am I supposed to?"

"her body language is the first way to tell. When she's in pain, her eyes aren't open all the way, and her arms are crossed around the middle, no matter where she hurts, or she holds her head. when she's happy, you can just plain tell. When she's sad, her eyes are dull, and she doesn't move around a lot." he explained, taking a deep breath. "her eyes always betray her, watch her eyes, and you can find out so much about her." he explained. "Does that answer your question?" he asked jokingly.

"That was a long explanation, and yes. It did answer my question." I answered, smiling.

"She's really worried...you should head back, Ichijou-kun." Yoruko-sama said, getting back to his feet.

"Who?"

He laughed. "You obviously are oblivious. She's worried sick that you ran off like that." he said, walking to the door.

-outside moon dorm-

'I'm almost back, I hope no one noticed.' I thought, walking past the last few trees of the forest.

And then, Kilo ran up to me, she was out of breath. "Have you seen Tenma?" she asked quickly.

"What happened?" I asked boredly.

"I don't' know, but as she left, she said 'Ichijou,' and she had a bruise on her cheek, so I thought you'd know." Kilo said, putting her fingers together.

I took a step back. "I'll go look for her." I said, turning to leave, but stopped when Kaname appeared from behind the trees. A sleeping figure in his arms.

"That won't be necessary," Kaname said, walking past us. "And don't worry, she's just tired." he added as he passed me.

-Kaname's PoV-

I walked quickly through the moon dorm, ignoring the curious looks of the others.

Aidou ran up to me, but stopped. "Kaname-sama?" he said quietly.

"what?" I asked, not slowing my pace.

"Why are you being so protective over her?! She's just an abandoned brat!"

The lanterns in the hallway shattered, and all those still left in the hall stared at Aidou, their jaws dropped.

"Aidou," I called, forcing calm over my voice. "If you want to keep your head, you will not say that again." I finished, walking past him.

"Hai, Kaname-sama."

I stood outside Tenma's door, shifting the figure in my hold, I opened the door and brought her inside.

"You must have been worried sick, to have pushed yourself so soon." I said quietly, tracing the fading bruise on her cheek.

"Why would she be worried, I'm the one who slapped her," Ichijou said, standing in the doorway.

"Of course she'd be worried, you're her friend." I said, sighing as I pulled the blankets over her. "So, I take it you know then?" I asked, looking back at my old friend.

"Yes, Yoruko-sama told me..." Ichijo said quietly.

"Ichijou, if you want proof she was worried, why not just ask?" I replied.

"What do you mean?" he asked, surprised.

"don't worry...he won't believe you anyways..."

"Tenma..." Ichijo said quietly. 'Grandfather's going to kill me...'

"That old bastard? yeah right. Ichijou, you could commit murder, and he'd find some way to blame me." Tenma said, sitting up. "And besides, I'm used to having people do crap like that, I just walk it off, no biggy."

"...sorry."

"Don't be! It's not like you broke anything, I'm still intact, and Kilo hasn't murdered you, so be happy!" Tenma said, poking him in the forehead.

Ichijo jumped back. "How'd you get over here?!"

"...I walked..." Tenma said, taken aback by the question.

"Oh...sorr-"

Tenma put her hand over his mouth. "that's my line," she said jokingly, removing her hand and poking him in the nose.

"Tenma, you sh-'Thud' …nevermind" I said, stifling a laugh.

"What's so funny?" tenma asked, her eyes still on me.

"Turn around."

She did, and she nearly fell over laughing at the sight: Ichijo was laying spread out on the floor, messing with his nose. "Ouch."

"I think I'll take my leave now." I said, nodding to the two, and walking out the door. 'one can only guess what might unfold now'

-3rd person pov-

"it's quiet now…" tenma said, sitting over friend, who was still laying on the floor. "how long are you gonna stay there?" tenma asked, surveying him curiously.

Ichijou looked up at tenma, giving an uncertain shrug. "…..I haven't decided yet…" he answered, staring up at the ceiling.

"you're a very indecisive person….aren't you?" tenma asked, following his gaze up to the ornate ceiling patterns.

There were a few moments of silence.

"I wonder what kilo is up to…" tenma said absent-mindedly, playing with the silver pendent she wore around her neck constantly.

"don't know" ichijou replied, putting his arms under his head.

"hm? Oh, I thought I said that in my head…" tenma said, glancing out the window. "it's going to be dawn soon, shouldn't you go get ready for bed?"

"do you want me to?" ichijou asked, finally sitting up from his position on the floor.

Tenma looked down. "n-not really……" she answered quietly.

Ichijou said in front of tenma. "is something wrong?"

Tenma looked up at him and let out a yawn. "no, I'm just tired is all…" she answered, stretching slightly.

"then you should get some rest."

"no! because then-" tenma quickly put her hands over her mouth, cutting off her own sentence.

"then what?" ichijou prompted, removing her hands from her face.

"…then ichijou would go away…" tenma answered quietly, her voice no more than a whisper.

Ichijou paused, and tenma stood up. "good night ichijou…" she said, turning and walking off to the window. "see you later I guess…."

-tenma's pov-

'I can't believe I said that to him! That was supposed to be a secret dammit!' I shouted at myself, my hand gripping hard on the deep colored curtains.

But out of nowhere I felt someone's hand over my own, and I turned around. Ichijou was standing in front of me, his face inches from my own. I moved back slightly, startled. "I-ichijou!?" I shouted in surprise, nearly tripping over my own feet..

He pulled back, but he never moved the hand that he kept over mine. "I'm sorry…" he said, a sad smile almost ghost-like across his thin lips.

"you really like sneaking up on me, don't you?" I asked jokingly, laughing quietly at the incident

His hand came up, and lightly brushed my cheek. "sorry…." he whispered gently, his arms wrapping around me, one hand combing through my short hair.

I felt my cheeks grow warm, and for a moment, all the worry and anxiety inside me vanished. But all too soon he released me, and that feeling I'd craved for as long as I could remember vanished as well.

"how?" I asked desperately, locking my gaze with his.

"how what?" he asked, confused.

"how can you break all the resolve I had so easily, and with just one gesture!?" I shouted at him.

alright, here's 29. wish me luck on finding 30. (i had it all rewritten and everything, but now i can't remember what i did with it...--) until next time! reviews loved! and rewarded with virtual cupcakes!