Standard Disclaimers Apply

Meet me in the washroom by the gym at 12:40.

Chizuru eyed the text she received from Shizuka. She was not stupid; she already had a vague idea of what they would talk about. She only wondered why they hadn't thought about this sooner - Kaoru would not be able to enter the girl's washroom after all, unless he sacrificed any male pride he had in him and dressed up as Chizuru.

She really hoped he wouldn't do that.

Checking her surroundings for who she now referred to as her "evil" twin, she quietly made her way to the designated washroom. She didn't know why Shizuka had chosen this washroom out of all the other available ones, but when she spied the two eating lunch together nearby, she praised the girl for her carefully thought out plan. From the direction she came from, Kaoru wouldn't be able to see her enter the washroom. Furthermore, since this washroom was near their usual lunch spot, it wouldn't be suspicious if Shizuka used this one. With the way they were sitting, Shizuka could see Chizuru enter too. Snooping around Kaoru these past few days must have trained Shizuka into the perfect secret agent.

When Shizuka entered the washroom, Chizuru abruptly pulled her into a hug. The girl immediately flushed.

"Ch-Chizuru-chan? Wh-what are you doing?"

"Thanking you, and apologizing. I was so oblivious to it before, but I get it now…well, kind of." She released the confused girl from her hug to hold her hands instead. "Kaoru…he doesn't want me to meet them, right?"

Her eyes visibly widened but Shizuka knew she couldn't fool her anymore. "Sorry, I didn't know how you would react. I… I thought you would hate him for it, and I didn't want that."

"How could I ever hate my own brother?" she reassured calmly, meeting Shizuka's eyes. "You must really care about him to be that worried."

"It's kind of hard not to after all these years," she said solemnly. It didn't seem like Shizuka and Kaoru were on good terms with each other, but she was happy that at least Shizuka tried.

"I guess I'm not the only sister he has now."

Shizuka was startled. "Oh no, I didn't mean to repla-"

"He has both of us!" The laugh from Chizuru was genuine. This made Shizuka sigh in relief before she quirked a smile of her own. Then, she remembered the reason she had called her out in the first place.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a sanitary pad and handed it to Chizuru.

"Um…I'm not on my-"

"Oh, sorry!" She tore the wrapping apart. Chizuru noticed that the taping on the plastic wrap had been done by hand. If that hadn't been confusing enough, Shizuka pulled out a note next.

"…What is this?"

"A letter…from your parents."

She swallowed. Finally after all these years came the first form of communication from her parents. So much could have happened that Chizuru couldn't even begin to fathom what the note would say. Her hand shook as she reached out to take the letter. Noticing this, Shizuka unfolded the note for her and held it in place for her to read.

To our dearest Chizuru,

How are you, my dear? I have yet to hear from you directly, but I've heard many great things from you in passing -like the fact that you now attend Kazama H.S., and that you live with Chikage-kun at the Kazama residence. That's wonderful! I'm glad you were able to see each other again. We are doing fine here as well. The Nagumo's have been treating as kindly. Kaoru is also being a great help around the place. I'm sure you two met at school; I hope he's not causing you too much trouble. You know how your brother can be at times!

I am deeply regretful that we could not see each other in person. We have both been very busy - Mr. and Mrs. Nagumo travel around quite frequently and they have honoured us the opportunity to explore the continents with them. What an adventure! Your father and I never got the chance to do this in our days so what a blessing indeed.

In better news, Shizuka-chan has managed to squeeze some free time into our schedule so that we can visit you. Please arrange the details with her and she will deliver them to us. I look forward to seeing you again.

With love,

Mother and Father

With hardly steady hands, she took ahold of the piece of paper. She didn't realize she had been crying until Shizuka dabbed at her cheeks with her handkerchief.

"Tha- thank you! Oh, thank you so much!" She allowed Shizuka to timidly pull her into her arms.

"You're welcome." Despite the awkward position, Shizuka found herself smiling. "I don't have much time before Kaoru starts to get suspicious over my long absence. The best time to meet them is after 10 pm when everyone has retired to their rooms. The security goes up, but I've already negotiated my way through. Tonight, I will arrange for a ride to the Kazama residence at 10:30pm sharp. Have your gate ready for us."

She grabbed Shizuka's arm. "How can I thank you for all this?"

"It was nothing," she smiled. It was the most confident smile Chizuru has seen on her face to date. "I can no longer depend on Kaoru to be the head of the family, so this is only expected if I plan on succeeding my family. I have to go now. I hope everything goes smoothly tonight."

"What took you so long?" Kaoru demanded, legs and arms crossed impatiently.

Her answer was immediate. "Constipation. It happens more often when I'm on my period."

Kaoru would have choked if he hadn't finished his lunch just now. "That's disgusting."

"You asked," she shrugged.

Instead of another gnarly insult, he just eyed her suspiciously. "You've…changed."

She didn't look up from her unfinished meal. "I changed my pad, yes."

"Ugh! I am so done with you. I'm going back first!" He grabbed his lunch and stood up, ready to walk away. She was about to sigh with relief until she realized that he was still standing there. Looking up without moving her head, she silently questioned him. Seeing her unwavering gaze, his eyebrows knit together in frustration, as if he was admitting something he really didn't want to admit. "You're different now."

"Is that a good thing?" she tested rashly. In all honesty, she had expected him to recoil in disgust and dig his fingers into her head, drilling the idea into her that she would never be associated with anything good. So when he didn't, she nearly dropped her chopsticks.

"I don't know, but...it's not bad." Then he turned away.

It was a small step, but any progress in the right direction was appreciated. Shizuka was glad that not only was she changing for the better, but Kaoru was changing too -and she knew exactly who to thank for that. With a genuine smile, she ran through tonight's plan in her head once again.

Chizuru waited until they got home before breaking the news to Kazama. She must have been very jiffy throughout the car ride though, because before she could even ask to speak with him in private, he had already called her to follow him to his office.

He sat on the couch and waited calmly for her to close the door and join him. She reached his side but showed no signs of sitting down, so he took the liberty of pulling her down to the spot next to him. "Now speak."

Even though she had planned out what she was going to say, what came out instead was a messy jumble of words. "Tonight. Shizuka-chan. Gate. 10:30. Open!"

He did not look impressed. "What?"

"Parents!"

"You have such a beautiful way with words, Chizuru."

It took a minute to realize that he was teasing her. "Sorry, I'm just so excited right now."

"I can tell." There was a glimmer in his eyes.

"Okay, so I spoke with Shizuka-chan in the washroom by the gym today and she pulled out a pad-"

"I don't need such fine details. Just give me the gist."

"Oh," she shrugged. "If you say so. To summarize then, we were right to be suspicious about Kaoru. Apparently he's been trying to keep my parents from seeing me. Shizuka-chan managed to sneak my parents' letter to me." She paused to show him the letter and he accepted it carefully. "I don't know how much of what's written here is the truth, but I'll find out tonight. Shizuka-chan's sneaking them out and arranging a ride for them to be here at 10:30. She said to keep the gate ready for them."

After glossing over the contents of the letter, he met her eyes and nodded. "I'll let the gatekeeper know."

"Can I meet them outside and bring them in?" she asked hopefully.

"Only if I come with you."

"Of course," her eyes twinkled in delight. "Thank you, Chikage. I really appreciate it."

The time was 10:30pm sharp when she heard the sound of a vehicle approaching the gate. She saw the security staff walk up to the car before waving a signal to open the gate. She could hardly wait, so she pulled Kazama along to get closer. He didn't comment on her bold move; he could tell that she was too excited to even realize what she was doing. The car slowed to a halt beside them and a couple stepped out. Their faces were familiar, and although it had been years since she had last seen them, she could still recognize them. Vaguely in her peripheral vision, she could make out Kazama greeting the driver and thanking him for the late night job. At this moment though, she could care less. Her parents were standing in front of her after all. With no hesitation, she pulled them in for a hug.

"Your place is as beautiful as always, Chikage-kun," her father complimented openly. "Everyone is still alive and booming here at 10, huh? Over at the Nagumo's, they're all already dead asleep! Hah!"

Her mother decided to join in as well. "Yes, it hasn't changed a bit…but Chizuru, my dear…it's getting hard to walk."

Clutching tightly onto her mother's side was Chizuru, her face still glued onto her mother's shirt. And by the looks of it, said shirt was starting to get wet from all her tears too.

"Chizuru, you finally get to see us and you're hiding your cute little face away?" her father coaxed. "Come here to daddy too!"

Her mother laughed lightly.

Kazama spoke up just then. "I hate to disrupt this touching moment, but we should go somewhere more private." It was then that her parents realized what a big scene they were making. All the maids and servants were still working at this time, so many were out in the hallways to witness the Yukimura family's reunion.

When they were in the comfort of Chizuru's room, she finally released her vice grip on her mother. "Sorry, I ruined your shirt."

"Nonsense, the tears will dry."

"They weren't just tears…" At the sound of that, Mrs. Yukimura took a better look at her daughter. "Oh my, let's wipe your little nose before you get that all over this fabulous carpet." She was about to get up from her position on the couch to grab a tissue herself, but Kazama beat her to it. To her pleasant surprise, he gently yet firmly took hold of Chizuru's face and, with no trace of disgust whatsoever, wiped her daughter's snot away.

When he was done, he sighed and grabbed another tissue to wipe her tears away too. She smiled thankfully up at him. Her parents, noticing their sweet interaction, felt their hearts warm up. "Well aren't you two just adorable?" Mrs. Yukimura grinned, putting her hand lovingly on top of her husband's.

Turning to them, Chizuru cleared her throat and straightened up. There would be no more crying tonight. She had questions that needed some answering. "Mother, father," she looked them both equally in the eye. Seeing how serious their daughter was, her parents immediately gave her their full attention and listened. She noticed Kazama getting up and about to leave, but she quickly tugged him back down. "Stay."

She needs the support, he reasoned. He complied and leaned back in to the couch. Her hand was still holding onto his sleeve - that couldn't have been very comfortable for her. Wordlessly, he guided her hand to his and held it reassuringly.

With their hands connected, she suddenly felt a boost in confidence. Her eyes hardened. "I need you to be honest with me. How has Kaoru been treating you?"

Her parents looked shocked at her question. "I don't know what you're talking about, sweetie. He's been fine."

"That doesn't seem to be the case, seeing how it took this much effort to sneak you out."

"It's just that we were so busy, you see-"

"He's been hiding you…from me. Why?"

Chizuru was persistent in her interrogating. It seemed to have worked because her parents began to slump in defeat. She suddenly noticed how tired they looked. Could it have been from overwork? Had the Nagumo's treated them poorly?

"Not just Kaoru, but Mr. and Mrs. Nagumo too. Tell me everything."

After a moment of thought, her father gave in. "We'll tell you as long as you don't do anything rash."

"Okay, I won't." Her eyes were clear and unwavering which seemed to do the job for him.

"We don't interact much with the Nagumo's since we don't directly serve them. We work under the other staff instead."

"Is it unfair work?"

"No, I think it's fair. They're letting us live there after all. The only thing that's really bothering us is why the Nagumo's are…avoiding us. When we see them while working, they ignore us completely. It's as though we're complete strangers. The other workers limit their interactions with us to work only."

She didn't know if she should breathe a sigh of relief or not. On the one hand, they were not being overworked. That was good - at least they weren't forcing unfair labour onto them. On the other hand, the cold work environment that they were thrown in everyday must have worn them out. Her parents were social by nature - that was one of the traits that led them to their success, so being treated as outcasts must have been uncomfortable for them.

"Kaoru though…"

Her ears perked up.

"His animosity is obvious. Every time he walks by, his face is scrunched up into a scowl," her mother mumbled bitterly. "He hates us, no doubt."

"But why?"

Her mother's smile was achingly lonely. "He probably thinks we love you more."

"What?"

"As your parents, we love you both equally. We tried to get him to listen to us, but he was always a stubborn child. It seems to have only gotten worse as he grew up."

Chizuru frowned. "If anything, I feel like I was the one that was loved less."

"What? Oh, no sweetie. You know that's not true." Her mother instantly had her arms wrapped around her. "We wanted you to have a good life. The Nagumo's did not want a daughter. They were unwilling to take you in, but even if they had, they would not have treated you well. We didn't want that, so we entrusted you to someone we knew for certain would take care of you. I'm glad we did too, because you've become a very bright girl."

She smiled sweetly at that. "So Kaoru was jealous of me?"

They nodded. "He thought we gave him to the Nagumo family because we didn't want him anymore."

"That's ironic, because I've always been jealous of him! By letting Kaoru enter the Nagumo family, he can stay with you! And you're telling me he took that for granted and only scowled at you all these years? He has some nerve."

Her parents let out a chuckle. "It'd be nice if Kaoru thought that way too. We haven't told him yet but the Nagumo's were looking for a son to properly inherit the name. Shizuka-chan wasn't enough for them. She was quite the meek child too back then, and in their eyes that meant she was not heiress material. That was the reason they wanted to take Kaoru in. We wouldn't have done it if that was the only reason though. We agreed in the end because growing up in a wealthy family would give him leverage."

She nodded in understanding. It would be quite difficult to tell your child that. If they had told Kaoru how desperate the Nagumo's were in adding him to the family, then it would only fuel his hatred for them more. Nonetheless, she would have to get this message across to him. He deserved the truth.

After a moment, she decided to speak up again. "So…the reason you left me was for my own good, and not because you didn't want me anymore?"

Her parents' eyes seemed to pop out of their sockets. "Chizuru, we love you so much, both you and Kaoru. We would never not want you! I know it has been difficult for you, and I'm so thankful that you've made it this far."

She shook her head. "It's been much more difficult for you two. I've had a lot of friends along the way to support me. I can't even imagine what you two have been through…and Kaoru too. Even now, he must feel lonely there."

"He is, and he won't listen to us. He thinks we abandoned him. That's why…I want you to get through to that child for us. Chizuru, please save your brother."

She nodded firmly. "Don't worry. I will." And she meant it as the truth. She needed to convey the message properly - that their parents loved him just as much, and that it was ultimately all for him.

It was good to finally get to speak with her parents about the truth. It had been plaguing the back of her mind all these years - was she an unwanted child? Or was it for her own good? She had always tried convincing herself of the latter reason, and she was glad she did. Although it would still take many meetings with her parents to make up for their lost time, she was relieved to know that she would no longer get any nightmares about her parents leaving her. (Silently, she pondered about the fact that her nightmares haven't haunted her in a while. Perhaps staying by Kazama's side has chased those nasty thoughts away.)

Speaking of meeting her parents again, she really needed their contact information.

"How do I reach you directly?"

They looked just as perplexed as Chizuru. "We don't have a cell phone…nor access to a computer. I think the best way is through Shizuka-chan."

Chizuru nodded before teasing with a grin. "She's not so meek anymore, huh?"

Her parents laughed. "And neither are you."

That got her confused. "I was shy before?" At her parents' knowing smiles, she turned her head to Kazama for his input.

The corner of his mouth pulled up into a smirk as he recalled a distant memory. "It took quite the effort to have you open up to me. It was worth it in the end."

"Oh," she blushed. "Uh…Sorry for the trouble…?"

He outright laughed. "I enjoyed the challenge. Since it seems this matter has been settled for now, I'll be giving you some personal time with them." Turning to her parents, he bowed with all the grace of a wealthy host. "It was very nice seeing you again, Mr. and Mrs. Yukimura. I do hope you visit again."

Her parents nodded, pleased with Kazama's conduct. "Quite the gentleman you've grown up to be."

"And a gentleman I shall remain in order to win your daughter's heart."

"You have such a beautiful way with words, Chikage," Chizuru sarcastically quoted him from earlier this evening. He looked at her and saw her playful grin.

"Still up for the challenge," he retorted in almost a singsong manner before closing the door behind him.

When she returned her attention back to her parents, they were looking at her like a hawk waiting for its next meal. "So? Tell us the details, Chizuru!" Her mother beamed excitedly.

"You're still pure, right my daughter?" her father pushed.

Oh. My. Dear. Lord. What have you left me with, Chikage?

Desperately trying to steer their conversation away from her love life, she brought up something else. "Oh! Did you know that our student council likes to roleplay?"

Her parents didn't know where this was going. "Oh? Really?"

"Yeah! I'm the son, and Chikage is the dad!"

Back at his office, Kazama sat down and hastily pulled opened a drawer. He dialled for his father and pulled out some documents simultaneously. It rang twice before his father answered. "Hello? Chikage?"

Without even uttering a greeting, Kazama got straight to the point. "I'd like to have a word with you."

A/N: So it's been...a while. I'm sorry! I've been busy with school and have completely put this story on hold. I can only hope that there aren't any discrepancies (but I have a feeling there are.) As always, thank you for reading. I wish you all a great day!