Clannad

In Our Early Days

Chapter 10

The Cure of Fathers Poison

The hearts of Tomoyo's and Youhei's hearts beat strongly.

"Go back to Youhei?" The brunette woman asks as she sees her friend Tomoyo jump to her feet in front her. It is strange considering that fact that Tomoyo would never have an outburst like she did only a few seconds ago.

Tomoyo nods with a smile.

"I made a terrible mistake Yukine," she pauses for a second. "I hurt Youhei in the worse possible way and I shouldn't of, it's just the issue with his father," she answers.

"His father," Yukine asks with her usually tone of voice but her eyes grew worry with concern.

"Yes," Tomoyo sits back down to her chair with a slight sigh. "His father, threaten me if I keep being Youhei's friend, then he going to put him away in an institution for his mental health. There is a small part of me that agrees that he does need help, but not in some sort of institution, he needs someone to be with him, to be his support. I need to find a way to reason with his father in the matter," she explains.

"I see... then go to him Tomoyo. Be his support, be his friend," Yukine smiles giving a sad smile.

"Yukine...listen, don't misunderstand, my feelings for Youhei , is of a friend," Tomoyo responses as she tries to explain to her, but the young woman simply shakes her head.

"All I want for him is to be happy, and if you can make him happy, then you are able to do something that I never could."

"Yukine...." Tomoyo begins to open her month but stops as Yukine raises her hand towards her.

"Tomoyo, you shouldn't hold yourself back with your feelings, you may think it is weak; however being able to express yourself freely is the strongest act that a person can do. We are not children anymore, life is not going to give us many opportunities as it use to," she pauses relaxing her shoulders. "Like you taught me; 'if you have the chance to strike, and then take it,'" she quotes with a smile.

"I find it really funny how life works," Tomoyo replies as turns towards the window right beside the two. "Back in high school, I more or less hated Youhei. He was an idiot, lazy and perverted, but that time where he really tried to help you Yukine... is the time where I knew he would become a good man. I was lucky that I was able to witness..." she shakes her head. "No...Witness isn't the right word.... Involved... with him for encouragement when he had doubts made me feel very happy," Tomoyo explains. "And for me...I struggle so hard to be more like a woman as society see us as, which I realize that it isn't about what people see me, it's about being able to accept what I see myself," she continues.

"However part of whom we become is what people who we love see us," Yukine interrupts

"Pardon me?"

"The eyes of the people we love help us choose a path in life, you alone make choice, but the words and feelings of others will always reach out to you. You help Youhei when he had doubts of himself, your words and feelings encourage him, so whatever path he is in right now...is because of them. This is of course is just my observation on it..."

Tomoyo smiles at the dreamy girl.

"This reminds me of our conversations before, I miss those days Yukine."

"So do I, but as long as we have a future, there will always be conversations..."

"I need to go now if I want to catch the last train for tonight," she got back to her feet. "Thank you Yukine good luck to all your endeavours."

"To you as well... and I hope you will be happy, if your path does cross with his."

***

This is the third time on the same day the young girl knocks on his door and receives no answer from the other side of the door. It was evening when Mei stands in front of the door in hopes for her brother Youhei would open the door and just smile at her. She knew something is wrong when he didn't call her for the past three days, he always did, he promise her that no matter how busy he is, he always have time to talk to her. Her worry grew even more when he never picks up the phone when she calls him, then the sounds of the door unlocking brings a smile to her face when she finally sees her bother in front of her.

"Hello Onii-chan!" she beams as she forces her way into his apartment.

"Hi Mei," he replies rather softy as he closes the door after she enters. He turns around to see Mei standing in front of him with frown. "What?" he finally asks after no longer willing to take the cold stare from his sister.

Mei crosses her arms and leans forward slightly, something she always did when she scolds him.

"Don't you 'What?' me!" the girl frowns. "You haven't been calling me lately and I was worried, you better not be falling into your old habits Onii-chan!" she raises her voice at the older man her stare growing colder at him by the second.

"Sorry, my phone died out me," he quickly took he's cell phone out of his pants pocket and waves in front of her, "I didn't bother getting another one," he added.

"Oh really?" she takes her cell phone and press redial within seconds Sunohara's phone begins to ring covering his awkward chuckle.

"Stop lying to me Onii-chan, can't you see I'm trying to help you?" she asks in hopes for an honest answer from the man.

Youhei, not being able take the heartbreaking face of her own sister, a deep sigh comes from his mouth when he sits down on one of his broken down chairs. It's not right for him to treat her like that, he knew already for sure, but he just couldn't help pushing her away.

"I know," he nods with a half smile. "But I need to deal with this problem by myself Mei," he informs her sister this time with truth.

"What problem?" she asks her eyes grew with concern walking towards him kneeling down so they were at eye sight.

Youhei just sits there with no response trying to stay strong however her sister eyes of worry is enough to break his strength.

"Tomoyo and I are no longer friends anymore," he answers avoiding eye contact from her.

Mei eyes widen.

"What? What happen? You two began to be so close these past few years," she gasps her hand over her mouth trying not to cry.

"I can tell you happen, it's simple, I was me," he answered quickly. "Something happen to her...and I try to help her the best I can, but you know me...I screw up when I try to help people." He pauses closing his eyes. "She says that I'm not capable of helping people and it's her fault that for making me feel that I can," he added.

"That doesn't sound like her!"

"It doesn't sound like her yes, but it doesn't change the fact that she said it. Besides deep down inside she spoke the truth about me," he replies with a softer tone more than usual.

"Onii-chan, stop it," Mei slapped him on the shoulder. "You have any idea how much you change since you graduated? You found yourself a job right away; you were accepted in University the next following year. You begin good friends with a person who used to hate you, and you're going to be a teacher soon with students who need help. You are capable of helping people," she blurts out in one breath.

"And toilet seat cover," he mutters under his breath. "It's funny, you, Tomoyo, mother keep saying that, how I can help people, how can I help people if I couldn't even help myself. I'm a screw up Mei, if only if Kazumi can see me now, he would punch me in the face and said 'Don't go emo on me Sunohara or the next punch is going to be harder!"

Mei punches him in the face, very hard.

"Don't go emo on me Onii-chan or the next punch is going to be harder!" she yells in a manly tone.

"Mei..." he rubs his cheek.

"Oni-chan, get your act together!" she puts her hands on his. "Are you honestly just going to give up like that?"

"Give up on helping people? No... I won't give up, as for Tomoyo," he pauses for a minute trying to think of the right words. "She already made her decision about me, anyway Mei I have things to do today, do you mind leaving right now...just tell mother that Tomoyo won't come for dinner tomorrow."

Her sister sighs with a nod.

"Okay onii-chan, but its okay to cry, you know?" she hugs him while he sat in his chair.

"I can't keep crying Mei," he hugs her tightly. "If I keep crying then my other me would take over and I don't want that to happen," he explains.

"What do you mean, your other you?"

"Forget it about it. No off you go," he gives a weak smile.

"I love you onii-chan," she said kissing him on the forehead.

"Ditto," he replied weakly.

***

The next day, Tomoyo finally had the courage to enter the very place she would have never thought she would go to in her life.

"Sunohara-san?" a voice calls in the inter-com in his office.

Yuuji Sunohara reaches over his phone to presses the speaker button.

"Yes?" he replies as he goes back to his papers.

"There is a young woman to see you, she says it's urgent."

"Name?"

"Sakagami Tomoyo."

The man pauses for a few seconds, he honestly didn't expect her to come here, but he just shrugged his shoulders and rests back on his chair his legs on the table.

"Bring her in then."

Within moments Tomoyo enters in his office, to her own surprise he gave a half smile and cross his arms. None of them said a single word for a minute that seems more of a life time; Tomoyo had many things in her mind say. In fact she felt the urge to scream all of them at once, she wanted to drop down on her knees and beg, and she also wants to kick him...very hard.

"To be honest...I would figure you would come to me much later," he chuckles.

Tomoyo frowns, she didn't stand that smug face of his, she would of enjoy kicking that head off his body, but this wasn't about her, not now at least. She went straight here after the long train ride, just thinking of a way to convince the most stubborn man in her life, second only to Youhei that is. Stubborn defiantly runs in the family, however he did speak first and she is thankful for it.

"Sunohara Yuuji," she bowed. "Please I need to talk to you about...."

"My son?" he interrupts her. "I thought I already made myself crystal clear about the matter..."

"This isn't about how you feel, this is about how Youhei feels!" she snaps back at him her tone deepens.

Her eyes widen when she realize what she just did, a young women being rude to a sempai, especially a male sempai, in Japan isn't treated well. All she could do is watch as the older man suddenly rises to his feet from his table, she froze as she approach her. She tried to move, but she couldn't, it strangely reminded her when she was rape only a few days ago, she was about to scream when he raise his hand at her, only for her to gasp as he pats her on the shoulder.

"It's about damn time you stood up to me Sakagami-chan, lets' go," he walked towards his office door grabbing his coat in the process.

"Wait where are you going?" she asks.

The man turns with a smile on his face.

"You want to talk about Youhei right? Do you really want to talk in a stuffy place like this where it's a beautiful day outside?" he asked as he walks out the door.

Tomoyo just stands there by herself thinking.

First he's cold towards me... and now he's opening up to me? What is he trying to do she thought?

"Are you coming or not?" Yuuji asks as he pops his head in the room.

"Yeah," she follows him.

***

Youhei feels uneasy returning to his old home, he didn't step in here since the day he left for high school. He takes a deep breath and knocks on the door; it feels strange knocking on the door of his home asking for permission to go in. He decides to visit when Mei is still in school, he didn't want her to worry more about him then she already was. A sigh escapes his lips as he looks at the blue sky above him at the clouds again.

It's still early in the day and the sun grave its warmth from the sky, it is the only few comforts in life that hasn't been taken away from him. The wind passes through him giving off its soft pleasance of summer to come. Then the sound of the door opening grabs his attention as he sees his father by the door. There is silence between the two men and the tension of a damage father son relationship between them didn't help.

The father is the first one to act, he didn't use words, and the man just went back into the house leaving the door open. Youhei took another deep breath and stares at the entrance for several seconds until he makes one step in. As he steps in the house a surge of emotions rushes to him all at once; the smell of lemon air freshener; the same old table he use to do his home work on. The sound of running water drew him into the kitchen as he can see his father washing the dishes. Youhei stands there in silence just thinking of something to say, he open his mouth but no words came out.

"You don't have to knock the door, this is your home after all," his father was the first to speak as he places a plate on the disk rack. "Your mother is out at the mall, and Mei is still at school with her photography club," he explains.

"Actually I came here to see you father," Sunohara replies.

There was silence between the two again, only the sound of running water.

"It's about Sakagami, isn't it...."the man asks.

"How did you know?"

"She came by earlier at my office, we talk about you." He turns and motions him to sit down at the kitchen table. Youhei did so, as the two men sits down face to face there was no turning back now.

"Youhei...I'm afraid that I owe you an apology. It was me that force Sakagami away from you," he admits.

"Yes, I know, in fact it took me a while to talk to you about it."

"You knew?"

Youhei nods.

"Tomoyo said, 'I can't be poisoning you anymore Youhei,' that is something you would say father. When I figured this out, the only question I want to ask is why, but after thinking of it some more, the only question I have to ask now is...What are you trying to protect me from?" Youhei asked his eyes not using focus towards his father

"Protect you from the world Youhei, as you know the world is a harsh place. People have good endings while some people have tragic endings. I had to be strong, for the whole family, and I wanted to protect you from something or someone that might endanger your will being. I really thought that Sakagami girl endanger you the most, that's why I force her to leave you," he answered. "However...I was wrong she came by the office earlier today...convince me that you are a type of person that was meant to help people no matter what the outcome... She can be quite the chatter-box if she wants to be huh," he chuckled.

And for the first time in the longest time both the men shared a laugh.

"Yeah, she can be at times...father you do know that you can't protect me forever right?"

"I know, but you can't blame me for trying, when you love someone and value them more then yourself, you will understand...you stupid things."

"Trust me, when it comes to being stupid I am a master of it," Youhei joked.

"Stupid runs in the family Youhei, trust me, I am the first example of it. Anyway shouldn't you get ready for dinner with Mother, Mei and Tomoyo?" he asked.

"Tomoyo," Youhei paused. "I... even though she did come to you father, and convince you about your opinion of me; I don't think she ever wanted to see me again. She's a great woman and is capable of doing amazing things...I will only hold her back," he answered.

"I don't think so Youhei, why don't you look behind you?" the man got up and walked out of the room on the opposite side.

Youhei turned slightly to see Tomoyo standing by the door way of the kitchen smiling at him.

"Tomoyo..." he got up. "I'm...."

But before Youhei could finish another word she rushed up to him and hugged him tightly. She took everything of him in, she rested her head on his shoulder and she felt his heat beating rapidly.

"Just shut up, don't say anything." She her voiced muffled in his body. "I'm the one that's sorry for running away, Youhei...you are my precious friend and I don't want to lose you," she sobbed.

"You are my precious friend too," he said as he kissed her on forehead. "So I guess that means you be joining us for supper then?" he asks.

"Yes," she nods facing up to him. "But there is one thing I need to do first..." she grinned at him.

***

"Masao!"

Was the first thing the man heard before he turned around from his coffee to see and feel a flash of kicks hitting his body from someone in a bear costume. The bear kept him in perfect air time and with one last strong kick he was launch the rapist outside the coffee shop through the window. Masao moaned in pain as he looked up from the ground to see a middle age woman in front of him with two police officers at each side of her.

"Masao-san," the middle age woman asked.

He nodded still in pain.

"My name is Hanoko, defensive lawyer and detective of Special Victims, you are under arrest for the rape of Sakagami Tomoyo!" she gave him a very cold stare.

***

"So here is where you hiding Onii-chan," Mei steps out of the house and onto the front pouch to see her brother there sitting there looking up at the night sky. She taps him on the shoulder as she sits with him. "Supper is almost ready and I already help Tomoyo-san setting up the table, you should come in soon," Mei suggested.

"Yeah," Youhei nod. "Thanks Mei for coming over and knocking some sense into me," he smiles at her and Mei smiles back. "I don't honestly know what I do without you."

"Don't worry Onii-chan as long as I'm alive you don't have to worry about a thing," she winks at him.

The chapters hidden in Tomoyo's and Youhei hearts remain opened.

(Present)

Despite the fact we were reunited as friends again...we still drifted apart. I pass my bar exam and I eventually became a lawyer, as for Youhei, he started to begin his career as a guidance teacher shortly after. We were so busy with our careers...we hardly spent time with each other, and worst of all I never had the courage to tell him that I love him... did I lose my chance of a happiness again?

"Tomoyo...Tomoyo!"

The woman came back to her senses as Ryou called out to her after putting her hand on her shoulder. Tomoyo looked up to see Ryou and Yukine standing there in the Reference Room both of them looked at her with worry in their eyes.

"Are you alright Tomoyo?" Yukine asked tilting her head. "You drifted off all of a sudden, are you feeling well?" she asked her tone full of concerned.

"You do seem distant Tomoyo-san, you might be coming down with something," Ryou put her hand on Tomoyo's forehead. "It's a little warm...maybe you should have something cold to drink?" Ryou suggested but Tomoyo simply shook her head.

"No, forgive me, I just full of nostalgia right now, I'm just overwhelmed," Tomoyo nodded. "Anyway you weren't you talking about your boyfriend Ryou?" she asked. "From what I heard of Youhei, he seems like a remarkable man."

"Oh yes, he wonderful!" Ryou giggled.

"How did you guys see each other again for the second time?" Yukine asked.

"Well, during the time when the Theatre Club was preparing the play for the school festival..."

The Be Continue

Ah so this last of the Tomoyo and Youhei Arc, this Arc was intended to be much longer, but we decided to cut out some of it.

For example the original beginning was when they first meet again in University and they worked together to stop a gang fight and which Tomoyo's brother was involved in, but we decided to take the whole chapter out and instead start at Youhei's graduation party.

There were also some scenes that we did enjoy writing, but do to overall pacing they were taken out as well, such parts as the actual fight between Youhei and Masao in which Youhei beats him into a bloody mess. There was a conversation between Tomoyo and her brother as why she leaving for a trip in which he discovers that she was rape and he goes straight to Youhei and blames him for not protecting her.

We know that the last few chapters were short, but we split up the chapters into smaller one because of pacing.

The next arc, is I'm sure Ryou fans are looking forward for is her and Kappei.