Disclaimer! FY is the copywrite of Watase-sama, Bandai, Flower Comics, Tokyo Television, Pioneer, and others. No infringement was intended in writing this fic.

When Chuin was certain that Byuki-san was asleep, he crept away. He had to see Bada. He hurried to the theatre and back to the man's room. Bada was just putting his hair back into a bun. Bada smiled at Chuin as the boy entered the room. Without much preamble, Bada had Chuin sit and started undoing the boy's hair bun. "I'll show you how to style you're hair as well as put on the crown over it."

Bada brushed Chuin's hair out, pulling most of it back into a ponytail, but leaving a lock of hair on either side of the boy's face. The feel of Bada's hands running along his hair was shear heaven for Chuin. *And this time, it's not an illusion,* he thought, contently. Bada tied the ponytail with a band. He took two bead ornaments and a wire loop off the table. He threaded one of the locks of hair through the loop, then used the loop to gently pull the hair through one ornament. He did the same thing with the other lock of hair. "This adds a bit of decoration to your hair. It also adds a bit of wealth to your looks."

Chuin watched as Bada picked up the headdress and pulled Chuin's ponytail through the crown. Then brushing the boy's bangs back, he worked the crown onto Chuin's head. Chuin picked up the mirror and looked at what Bada had done. He fingered the ornaments on each lock. "It's little touches like that, that help to bring out a character," Bada told him.

Bada silently watched Chuin. He had been doing some thinking for the past week. Finally, he spoke up. "Chuin. The company is leaving tomarrow morning." He watched the pain that crossed the boy's face. *I can't leave him here.* "How would you feel about joining the opera?"

"Join?? You want me to join you?" This was more than Chuin could ever hope for!!

Bada nodded. "You seem to have a love for the opera. You can be trained in singing and movement. I think the makeup won't be a problem for you, as you seem to have a knack for it." Bada studied Chuin for a moment. "How old are you?"

"Sixteen. But I'll be seventeen real soon!"

"A little late to be starting, but you should do nicely." *He has a girl's face and build. He could easily be trained for a female role.* Bada thought. *And with the other boys in this group, he'll have friends.* "So do you want to join?" Chuin nodded heartedly. "Good, we leave in the morning, so be sure you get here then."

A little while later, the two walked out of the theatre. "I'll see you tomarrow morning, Chuin." Chuin watched Bada walk away. His spirits were soaring! He was finally going to get away from Byuki-san. Escape from the horrible life he'd been living. And to be with Bada from then on. To spend the rest of his life with the kind and gentle man. It was the answer to every prayer!

A hand grabbed the back of his neck. "So here you are, boy! Come on and help me get the wagon ready. We're going home."

"Home?? But we still have one day of selling left! We can't leave now!"

The hand let go of his neck and hit him sharply across the head. "Don't talk back to me, boy! I said we are going home!" He grabbed onto Chuin's neck again, and dragged the boy back to the wagon. Chuin wracked his brains trying to figure out how he was going to be able to get to Bada in the morning.
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The next morning, Byuki-san made sure that Chuin had plenty of work to do. Chuin kept waiting for a chance to get away, but he was unable to. Byuki-san was always nearby. Then finally, in the later part of the morning, Chuin was finally able to get away. He didn't bother going into the house to get what few belongings he had, not even the little clam. What did he care about his powers, if he could be with Bada.

He ran into town and to the theatre. It was empty. His heart pounding in fear, he ran back to Bada's dressing room. Nothing. The only thing in the room, was a bundle with a note on top. Chuin picked up the piece of paper.

"Chuin, please forgive me. I tried to wait as long as I could. But when the company sets out, I have to go too. I left you one of the extra costume I have and some makeup as well. The costume will be a little big on you, but you have a little more growing to do. It should fit you soon enough. I hope we meet again. Good bye. Jisuno Bada."

Chuin felt his heart shatter. All he had hoped for was gone. Nothing left but a costume and some makeup. He picked up the bundle, not even bothering to look through it, and held it to his chest. Tears stung his eyes. There was nothing left to hope for. Chuin couldn't bear having to go back to the way he had been living. Back to Byuki-san and the abuse, but he felt he had no choice. He started back for home.

He hid the bundle away in a part of the barn where Byuki-san would never come across it. He went to the area where the hay was, and laying down on it, began to cry. *Is this what love is?? Feeling as if your heart's been ripped out? If so, then I never want to fall in love again!* Why should he love someone if they were only going to leave him? First his parents abandonned him to this life of hell, then the first man to ever treat him kindly, left. So lost in his own misery, Chuin didn't hear the footsteps behind him.

Chuin was grabbed by his hair bun and dragged to his feet. "So you came crawling back, did you, boy?" Chuin looked at Byuki-san, who had a smug grin on his face. "What? Have you been crying? Awwwww. What's the matter? Your lover from the opera leave you? He get tired of his little boy-toy?" He laughed as Chuin's face became pale. "You didn't think I knew about you traipsing off to the theatre every night we were in town. I knew you were seeing him, just as I knew they were leaving this morning. He was very handsome, your lover."

He yanked Chuin's hair out of it's bun and ran his fingers roughly through it. "So tell me, boy," he said cruelly. "Is he a better lover than me?" Byuki-san kissed Chuin on the lips, hard. "Is he a better kisser than me?" He pushed Chuin back down into the hay, then began to undress. "Well, we'll see who the better lover is."

Chuin began shaking. *No. Not this. Not now. Please not now.* He tried to get away, but Byuki-san grabbed him. He backhanded Chuin across the face, knocking him back down onto the hay. He got on top of Chuin, grabbed his shirt and easily torn the thin fabric. Chuin tried to push him off, but was only reward with another slap. He turned his face away, tears rolling down is face, as Byuki-san continued to literally rip his clothes off.

Afterwards, Chuin lay on the hay, shaking. He had tried to create an illusion, but his clam shell was still in the house. But even if he had had it with him it wouldn't have done him any good. He was too upset and heartbroken to concentrate. His whole body ached. It had never been this harsh before. Bruises were beginning to show on his body. Byuki-san stood over him, hands on his hips. "So then, boy, is he a better lover than me?"

Chuin slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position, glaring at Byuki-san. "I wouldn't know," he yelled. "He never touched me!" Fresh tears began rolling down his eyes. He lowered his head so he would have to look at Byuki-san grinning at him like that.

"So he didn't want you either. He deserted you the same way your parents did. Face it, boy. Nobody will ever want you. Nobody will ever love you." He bent down, grabbed Chuin's hair, and yanked the boy's head back. He smiled cruelly at Chuin. "You are mine, boy. You belong to me! So just get used to it!"

He laughed as he laid down in to hay next to Chuin. "You belong to me, boy." He ran his hand over Chuin's body. "And don't ever forget that." He settled back into the hay and soon fell asleep. Chuin sat there a few minutes as the tears ran down his face. This was the life he was condemmed to live. Left by the man he had fallen in love with, to stay with the man he despised.

Then, strangely, the tears just stopped. He no longer felt like crying. He felt nothing but cold hatred. "No more," he said, softly, slowly shaking his head. "No more." He looked over that the pile of his clothes, torn beyond repair. It didn't bother him. *I'm never wearing patched clothes again.* With some effort, he got to his feet. He took the costume and makeup out of hiding, then leaving the barn, he made his way to the house.

He put the breeches on, just so he wouldn't be completely naked. He gingerly sat on the floor, grimacing in pain. He grabbed his hairbrush and brushed his long hair, trying to get all the bits of hay out. He picked up a band and tied his hair up into a ponytail, leaving a lock of hair on either side of his face. He looked at himself in his hand mirror, disgusted at the site of his own face. The face of an unwanted boy. A face no one feared. Well, things were going to be different now.

He took out the makeup and looked over the colors. *Didn't Jisuno-san say that a white face showed that the person was evil?* He began applying the white makeup. He grabbed the indigo color next. *Indigo means strategy.* After he had applied some of that, he picked up the black. *Loyalty.* He wasn't quite sure to whom, but he liked the color, so he used it. He came across the gold color. *Harmony. The harmony of evil, strategy, and loyalty.* Chuin didn't want to admit to himself, that he also chose the color because he never had harmony in his life, and so desparately wanted it.

When he had finished applying the makeup, he looked at himself in the mirror. *Much better!* He got up, not even feeling the physical pain anymore, and picked up the costume. He put the long coat on. It was a trifle big on him but, as Bada had said, he'd grow into it. He pulled the boots on next, tucking the bottom of the breeches into the tops of the boots. He threaded the hair ornaments onto the two locks of hair. The last thing was the crown. First he pulled his ponytail through the headdress, then brushed his bangs back. It took a couple of tries to get the crown on properly, as his bangs kept falling forward.

He went into Byuki-san's room, where he knew there was a large mirror. He looked himself over, in the mirror. He didn't look like a frightened boy anymore. He looked like a man, with the ability to strike fear in others. "I am Seiryuu Seishi, Tomo," he told the reflection. He liked the sound of that and decided that that's what he'd go by from that moment on. But first he had to deal with Byuki-san. "It's time to pay for what you have done. Kakakakakaka!!"