Mizuki yawned and stretched, feeling refreshed. The day had gone well, and Jirou for once looked like he had in junior high school, bouncy and energetic. Mizuki hadn't seen him like that in a long time.

"Are we going to do the same thing?" Ryou asked. He looked better too, for a full night's sleep without getting drained. Only marginally better, though; it'd take more than one night to actually get him back to health.

"Yes," Fuji said.

"Okay," Ryou said, and then took a deep breath. It trembled lightly. "I thought I heard him last night."

"He was here."

Ryou's eyes widened. "And we're staying here?" he demanded, eyes flicking between them. He looked like he wanted to run and couldn't get a clear path to the door.

"He didn't get to you," An said evenly. "It's going to be safe."

Ryou nodded, visibly calming down, trusting them. "Okay."

Mizuki didn't have to take Atsushi home this time, so he settled in the front room with Jirou, who slept now. Mizuki checked on him, but he looked peaceful, not like he dreamt something he'd rather not see. Fuji returned shortly and sat down. "I don't think this will be safe for much longer," he said softly. "Saeki learns. We need a more permanent solution."

"Any ideas?" Mizuki asked, distracted by the sudden appearance of Kippei.

:He's here!: he yelled. Jirou sat up, eyes wide.

Before either of them asked, they heard a crash, and then a thud. Mizuki followed Fuji into the bedroom to find the closet open and empty, glass shards around the bottom of the door, and a rock in the middle of the mess. An lay dazed against the opposite wall, katana out of reach.

Fuji went to help An up; she looked stunned, but recovered even as she stood. "He came prepared," she said. "I didn't even see him until he was in the room." She picked up her katana and checked it over.

Jirou appeared at the door. "Now, we have to go now," he said, tugging at Mizuki's arm. "Or we'll be too late."

Fuji and An followed the two out the door and down to Fuji's car, Fuji quizzing Jirou about where they needed to go. Mizuki would have liked to hear, but Kippei was bugging him about how An was. But she tried to listen and Mizuki didn't want her to miss out, too.

He followed behind them as they walked out to Fuji's car, dropping back a couple of paces. "Look, I'll ask, but if she's anything like you, she'll say she's fine," he said to Kippei in an undertone.

Kippei grimaced. :Ask. I'll be able to tell.:

Mizuki climbed in the car next to An, and leaned over to her. "Are you okay?" he asked. "What happened?"

"He tossed me against the wall," An said. "I'm fine."

Kippei rolled his eyes but didn't comment, and Mizuki leaned back in the seat. She could be tough, that one.

Fuji backed out of the parking space and drove like a madman under Jirou's directions, and the two in the back seat didn't even try to talk. They arrived at a small, rundown house near the beach, and got out of the car.

An looked at Mizuki. "Is there a back door?" she asked.

He relayed the question to Kippei, who came back moments later with an affirmative.

"Good. Fuji, I'm going around back with Mizuki," An said quietly. "Keep him distracted."

Fuji nodded, and the two of them took off around the back. It wasn't big, and the door opened quietly. Mizuki followed An in, careful where he put his feet. Trash littered the floor, piled high in the corners and on the counters. Mizuki didn't want to know what might end up on his shoes, grateful that he couldn't see the floor that well. They picked their way through the trashed kitchen to where they could hear Saeki talking.

"It's not horrible," he said, probably in response to something Ryou had said. "It'll be great, and you'll be with me."

"I told you, he doesn't want to be with you," Fuji said, and An stopped. Mizuki stopped as well, narrowly missing running into her. He backed up a few paces, careful not to make too much noise.

"He does," Saeki said, sounding desperate. "Yes, he does."

"Is he even capable of answering if you ask?" Fuji asked.

"It doesn't matter," Saeki said.

An slipped forward a couple more steps and looked through the open doorway. Mizuki remained where he was. He'd seen her move, and he didn't want to get in the way. He crept forward as she did, making sure to stay well back.

Saeki stood with his back to them, holding onto Ryou. Ryou leaned on him, his eyes closed. Fuji and Jirou stood just inside the front door across from him, and Fuji's eyes were open and blazing blue.

"You'll regret doing this," Fuji said.

"Why, are you going to kill me?"

"Even if we don't, you will regret it. He probably won't want you."

Saeki went still. "Why wouldn't he?"

"Because he's a twin. He is very close with Atsushi."

Mizuki winced. Did he have to bring Atsushi into it?

"Ask him," Jirou said, his voice carrying. "Let go of your control, and ask him if he wants to go with you."

"I can't," Saeki said, and Mizuki stared at him. He could hear the naked longing, the loneliness in his voice. "I won't. It's too late."

He moved, and Ryou opened his eyes wide as Saeki bit into his neck again.

An moved, her katana a blur, and swept it across Saeki's shoulders. There was a pause, and then both Saeki and Ryou collapsed. Saeki's head rolled away from his body.

Fuji lunged forward and pulled Ryou away from Saeki, checking for a pulse. He looked hopeful, then his eyes closed and he sighed. "I thought we might have been in time," he said.

Mizuki sighed. He didn't look forward to telling Atsushi that they'd failed.