Chapter 3

The guys had finished with their morning classes and were hanging outside in the courtyard, doing some of the homework they had received.

"This is so boring!" Kento exclaimed, falling back against the grass. "Why do I have to learn this stuff? I've been working in the restaurant for years."

"But you don't know all the details that go into it," stated Sage. "You need to know this if something comes up." Both Sage and Kento were studying business since they are both taking over a family business.

"It's ok, Kento, you'll get it," reassured Cye.

"Easy for you to say; you aren't learning this."

"I do have to take some business classes just in case." Cye was studying to become a chef and while he did take a lot of food prep classes at a different college, he transferred over to take some business classes in case he wanted to own a restaurant. But for now, Cye would be happy just to cook.

"I think Ryo and I have the easiest classes out of all of you," stated Rowen.

"Your classes are a bit more complicated than mine, Rowen." Rowen was learning to be a teacher. He wanted to teach astronomy so he's taking the classes to be a teacher then transferring over to another college that specified in space.

Ryo, on the other hand, was still trying to decide what he wanted to do. When he first started, Ryo took basic classes but as time went on, he slowly got an idea of what he wanted to do. He either wanted to be an athletic trainer or join the police force. For now, he is going to finish the classes he was taking and then decided where his life would take him.

"Ryo, aren't you going to meet Tiffany for lunch?" Cye asked.

"What time is it?"

"It's almost noon."

"I should probably get going." Ryo collected his books and stood up. "I'll be back in an hour." He swung his backpack over his shoulder and started walking over to the mall. It was only five blocks away from the college so he didn't have to worry about getting on the bus. He walked into the mall and headed over to Green Parks, walking into the store. Two co-workers were talking amongst themselves with worried expressions on their faces but stopped when they saw Ryo walk in. He walked over to the two. "Can you tell me where Tiffany is?"

They were about to answer when Iris walked over. "Thank goodness you're here." She grabbed his arm and started pulling him towards the back. "Tiffany needs you."

"Why, what happened?"

"I don't know the full story but this woman came in and said something. Her co-workers said she froze and looked like she was about to pass out but she just ran to the back. The woman tried to go after her but I stopped her and told her to leave the store. I went back to Tiffany and tried to get her to talk to me but she wouldn't answer me. I think she might talk to you though."

They walked in the break room to see Tiffany sitting in a chair, her head in her hands. Ryo knelt in front of her, gently pulling her hands away from her face and holding them in her hands. "Tiffany?"

Tiffany shook her head. "It can't be true," is all she muttered.

"What can't be true?"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath then opened them. "This woman came in and said she was my mother."

"What?"

"I didn't know how to respond so I just ran." Tiffany looked up at Ryo. "My parents…no, Mizuki and Hayate, they wouldn't lie to me about my life." She didn't let Ryo answer as she rambled. "But the woman looked so much like me and she knew my name. She has to know me but she can't be my mother."

"Tiffany-"

"And Kayura, she wouldn't be my sister anymore."

"Tiffany-"

"But then how did I end up with them? And why would they lie to me about-"

"Tiffany!"

"What?!"

"It's going to be ok; we'll figure this out."

"No, not we."

"What-"

"I need to figure this out for myself." Tiffany stood up. "I need to talk with my par-I mean, Mizuki and Hayate. I'll do that after work."

"No, Tiffany," said Iris. "I want you to take the rest of the day and tomorrow off. If what that woman said was true, you might need some time to process this. I'll have you work Friday but if you still need time, call me and let me know."

"Ok." Tiffany clocked out for the day and followed Ryo out of the store. She didn't feel like eating; she just wanted to go home. Ryo tried to convince her to let him walk her home but Tiffany declined, telling him to go back to college and finish his classes for the day. He reluctantly agreed but he said he would follow her to the bus stop and then made sure she got on the bus before he walked back. So, in silence, the couple walked over to the bus stop and they waited for the bus to arrive.

"Don't tell the guys what happened," Tiffany said, breaking the silence. "I need to find this out for myself before I tell them what happened."

Ryo nodded. He then brought her into a hug and Tiffany rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes. She didn't know what to think anymore or if she wanted to know the truth but she needed to, to know if this woman was her mother or not.

The bus pulled up and Tiffany got on it after giving Ryo a parting kiss. The bus drove away and, on the drive, Tiffany's mind was elsewhere; she was not paying attention to what was going on. She was so deep in thought that when she looked out the window, they were already at her stop. She got off and waited for the bus to leave before calling for Kalana. The wolf bounded up towards her, wagging her tail but stopped when she saw the distraught look on Tiffany's face. Tiffany got on her back and said, "Take me to the village."

Kalana took off toward the path of her village and it wasn't long before they got there. Tiffany jumped off the wolf and headed towards her house, a determined look on her face. She walked through the front door, where Mizuki was sitting in the kitchen and smiled at Tiffany's arrival. "Tiffany, what a pleasant surprise. How are-"

"Who is Asami?"

"What?"

"A woman came in today and said that she was my mother. Her name is Asami and she knew my name so I'm asking, who is Asami?"

Mizuki froze, her eyes widening, but then let out a deep breath. "Hayate." He came into the room. "It's time."

Hayate looked at Tiffany. "Sit down, there is something you need to know."

Tiffany sat at the table across from them. "What Asami said is true; she is your mother." Tiffany clenched her fists, trying to catch her breath. "But she is also my sister."

"So…you're my aunt and uncle. Then Kayura would be my-"

"Cousin, yes."

"Why did you keep this from me?"

"Your mother came to us one day, saying she needed you to be hidden," explained Hayate. "She didn't go into detail but all she said was take care of you. You were only a baby at the time and Kayura was around the same age, she wouldn't remember the day, so we told you that you were born a year apart."

"So, my hair wasn't that special then," Tiffany said, remembering them telling her as a child that she was born special because of the color of her hair.

"You still were," confirmed Mizuki, a smile on her face. "I was there for your birth and, at the time, your mother's hair was blue so when you were born, your hair was golden. That's why your mother named you Tiffany, because you were special."

A small smile crept across Tiffany's face but it quickly faded. "Why did you wait so long to tell me though? Why did you let me believe I was your daughter?"

"Your mother said she was going to come back for you but didn't say when. All she said was you were in danger and that you needed to be hidden. She would come back for you when everything was over and done with."

"Why was I in danger?"

"We don't know. I'm pretty sure it had something to do your father," Hayate sneered. "That bastard."

"Hayate!"

"That guy was trouble from the moment I saw him! If Tiffany was in danger, I assumed it was because of him."

"My father?"

"Your father had…issues," Mizuki said. "Your mother talked about leaving him one day but it must have gotten to the point where she couldn't trust him around you." Mizuki reached out and placed a hand over Tiffany's. "But even though you were never our daughter, we still loved you like you were our own. We never pretended."

Tiffany smiled at her. "I knew you weren't but hearing that a stranger, who I didn't know, was my mother was surprising and over-whelming. I wished I knew about it sooner though."

"We were afraid if we told you, you wouldn't love us anymore or worse, hate us."

"I could never hate you." Tiffany walked over to them and drew them into a hug. "I love you." Mizuki and Hayate hugged her back. "We love you too." Mizuki kissed Tiffany's forehead. "And you're always welcomed back here. Don't think that because we aren't your actual parents that you don't have to visit us anymore. We're still family and I still expect you and Kayura to stop by."

"I will." Tiffany stood up. "But I need to head back. I have to figure things out, especially how to find my mother."

"Ok, sweetie."

Tiffany bid her aunt and uncle farewell and went back home with Kalana. Mizuki and Hayate watched them leave, silence between them when Hayate broke it asking, "Why didn't you tell her where to find Asami?"

"I couldn't bear it. If Tiffany knew we had the location of her mother as well, she probably would have flipped." Mizuki shook her head, tears forming. "I didn't want to see the hated look aimed at us; I wouldn't be able to control myself."

Hayate brought Mizuki into his arms. "We kept the information about her actual parents from her all these years and she took it ok. I don't think she would have exploded at us. Are you sure it's not the fact that you feel like you're losing another daughter."

"No…maybe…I don't know." Mizuki buried her face in Hayate's chest, trying to keep the tears at bay. Hayate stroked her hair and rubbed her back.

"It's ok, my love. Tiffany is still with us and she will still come visit." Hayate made his wife look at him and gave her a smile. "She is not going to forget about us, I promise." He wiped the tears from her face then kissed her forehead. "We should write Asami and tell her where Tiffany lives so she can go talk to her." Mizuki nodded in agreement and they both went inside to start the letter.

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