Fumei no Musubi
Chapter Thirteen 
by Ina-chan
First Posted Online:  July 20, 2004
History: Sequel to Jyuunishi no Enkei Monogatari

     They said it was just a dream. But he knew otherwise; it wasn't the case. He knew that he was lost for so long that. He saw... he knew that half the time, he even couldn't tell if he was dreaming or awake. Regardless of what everyone else said, he knew that it was all real. At least to him it was real. The fear he saw in his eyes was real... the visions that those eyes saw were real... and whatever phantoms or monsters that plagued him in his dreams were real.

     Everyone knew about her. His ramblings and babblings constantly told the world how she haunted him... how he needed to have her by his side. Because of a monster that plagued him... that followed him, lurking in the shadows and darkness of his dreams ever since he was a child. It came to him long before she did. He assumed that he never saw its form with his own eyes. Just fleeting glimpses of movement in the shadows, perhaps. Whatever it was, the fear it caused... he could sense it --the hate and loathing reaching out from the darkness.

     He assumed it was her presence that kept his monsters at bay. That woman... that beautiful woman who haunted him... That's why despite the number of time that she ran away and hurt him, he was still compelled to keep her close; to keep her by his side. It was the only way for him to feel safe. But the story never changed every time he managed to keep her. She always ran away. Nonetheless, no matter how many times she's run away from him, he knew where he could find her again. He told him once. He never told anyone else but him. It was a secret...

     It was their secret...

/Boy? What are you doing here? Are you lost?/

     The place they first met, ironically, was also in his dreams.

/...Neechan...are you an angel?/

     That's the reason why he always believed that they were connected to each other.

/..............?/

     But even in that initial dream her will to remain unattainable from his grasp was just as strong.

/Ha-ha-ha! You're funny. I'm not an angel. I'm just a regular person./

     Then, they met for real. But unlike that initial meeting that he'd dreamt, she ran away from him. And no matter how hard he tried to hold on to her, how many times he tried to keep her, how many times he tried to control her... she always manages to run away from him.

/What's your name, boy?/

     Yet still, No matter how many times she runs away she always returns there...

/...Akki.../

     ...waiting....

/It's nice to meet you, Akki-chan./

     ...waiting...

/I'm Yukino./

     ...in the garden.

     "Akito?"

     The man who dutifully sat from the shadows called out softly, and watched the current head of the Souma Family's eyes focused at the sound of his name. He held his breath for a moment, unsure of what reaction he would receive. He finally let out a soft sigh under his breath when the younger man's eyes flickered with recognition.

     "What is it, Kureno?"

     "I asked if you want to have your lunch now," Kureno's quiet voice repeated patiently

     The younger man's eyes flashed with annoyance, "You bothered me just to ask that? Are you stupid? Do I look like I want to eat now?"

     If he was offended by his master's voice or was threatened by his master's tone, he showed no sign of it on his face. Then again, Kureno Souma was used to his master's outbursts. The unchanging blank expression on his face was the result of many years of practice as Akito's personal attendant since the younger man was still a child. It was an ironic position, in fact. For when he started with his responsibilities, he was not much older than a child, himself. "It's just that you haven't eaten breakfast yet either and it is way past the noon hour. I assumed that you would feel a bit hungry, so I brought you your lunch."

     "You assumed wrong," Akito snapped irritably with a dismissive wave. "You of all people should know better."

     "I'm only worried of your well being," Kureno replied in a gentle reassuring voice, "And you also seemed to be in deep thought. If it is something that is troubling you, what better way than to talk about it over a hot meal?"

     For a moment, it seemed as if the Souma Family Head was going to open his mouth to say a string of spiteful words. However, the older man's words seemed to have called to his sense of reason, smoothing the angry furrows lining his forehead. The younger man once again waved his hand, this time with approval, as he motioned the rooster zodiac to come closer with his tray. Kureno in turn, presented his master's meal, before taking his place on the side, watching the younger man pick listlessly on the food in front of him as he silently awaited his further orders.

     Perhaps because of their long-standing relationship, one could say that of all the jyuunishi it was Kureno whom Akito tolerated certain behaviours that he would consider as defiance in the others. It was also because of that long-standing relationship that Kureno was able to accurately read his master's moods. Right now, despite the younger man's irritable disposition, he could tell that the Souma Family Head was in a relatively good mood. So he sat there patiently and waited for his master to speak.

     "She was in the garden today," Akito remarked absently, after a long stretch of silence. "And she was herself this time, when I first met her. Before she started to hate me."

     "I see," was the rooster's reserved reply as he realized the reason behind his master's relatively pleasant mood. He heard this story many times before... of that woman who haunted his master's dreams.

     For as long as he could remember, the Souma Family head was plagued with dreams and nightmares. He remembered the childish screams that woke all those who stayed in the vicinity of the Family Head's quarters. He remembered his feelings of helplessness as his master would cling to him, crying uncontrollably, for comfort after waking from a night terror but always refusing to share whatever horror he had seen. And he remembered when his master slept fitfully for the first time.

     It was the evening when he first dreamed of "her", whose presence chased the nightmares away.

     It was also the evening of that day when his master and the rat were first formally introduced.

     It didn't take much of a genius to realize that somehow Yuki's presence had a mysterious calming effect on their young master. From what he heard, it had always been the case with all the other rat zodiac incarnations. So the decision for Yuki to start living in their master's quarters to be at his side at all times was expected, just as it had been inevitable.

     For a several fleeting weeks, it seemed to have worked. His master's health improved and for the first time in his life, young Akito began to act more like a normal child would with his new playmate. But eventually, those moments became exactly as it were...temporary and fleeting. The nightmares and night terrors that Yuki's presence initially extinguished eventually returned. Only this time, instead of whatever frightening phantom that stalked their master's dreams was replaced with visions of pain, tragedy and death that he couldn't hide within himself. Even though Kureno never showed it, he was just as frightened by what his master described seeing, and even more so with the abuses that his master began to practice because of it.

     Yuki, being Akito's constant companion at the time, ended up bearing the brunt of their master's outbursts. At first, he thought it was out of disappointment that Yuki couldn't keep away whatever monsters that plagued their master as he was expected to do... or even perhaps, it simply because Yuki was convenient... whatever his reasons were, he saw how their master slowly tried to drag the rat along with him into that dark abyss of despair their master was constantly sinking to.

     It was a twist of fate that the younger Souma fortunately did not succumb to thanks to an outsider by the name of Tooru Honda, who was later to become the rat zodiac's wife. It was also then, when Yuki seemed to have completely strayed away from their master, that the Souma Family head finally succumbed completely to the disturbing madness that plagued him... and from their master's uncontrollable rants and ramblings, the picture of why he did what he did to Yuki became clear.

     It was because he was punishing her.

     The woman who haunted his master in dreams, who always ran away and came back as many other peoples and faces, who returned his master's love with fear and hate and loathing had somehow, in his master's eyes... become Yuki.

     "...she was the most beautiful person I've ever seen. Her skin was as pale as the moon, her hair was a long curtain of silk, and when she looked at you with her eyes... they looked so sad. You just felt that you would do anything in your power just to see those eyes reflect her beautiful smile. That's all I ever wanted Kureno..." Akito rambled on, his eyes turning sad and wistful before taking sips of miso from his bowl. He then replaced it on his tray and pushed his barely touched food away. "Take these away."

     "You barely ate anything," Kureno protested quietly, "At least finish your soup to have something warm in your stomach."

     "I don't want it. Don't force me to do things that I don't want to do, Kureno!" The younger man's eyes flashed angrily once more as he scowled at the rooster.

     "Then at least have some of the peaches," Kureno insisted. "The fruit trees in the western garden are now heavy with fruit. Hatsuharu-kun was there this morning and he knows how much you liked peaches so he brought some back for you."

     "I never liked peaches. I detest peaches!" Akito replied with a scowl, but took the fruit in his hand anyway. Despite of the sentiments he spoke aloud, there was a noticeable change in his expression as he held the fruit. His eyes softened and his lips curled into a small sad smile, "But she loved peaches very much. Her garden had a peach orchard... and the trees were heavy with fruit when I first saw her. She loved that garden with all her heart. She was upset at my intrusion at first... but she was really very kind. She understood me, Kureno. Even though she didn't know why I needed to hide or who I really was, she understood me... completely and unconditionally. We sat together, eating sweet peaches underneath the shade of her peach trees."

/Sometimes, I run away and hide too... especially when my older brother is being very mean./

     "Would you like to run away with me? We'll run away together and I'll make you the happiest person in the world, I told her. She looked at me strangely. She was probably wondering if I was serious. I was only a child, after all... and she was almost a woman. She laughed and rested her cheek on her knees."

     /If Akki-chan was a little older, it would be even more difficult to resist. You're a very sweet little boy. But... I have to stay./

     "But why? You said that your family was mean to you. I can make you happy."

/As much as they can be mean to me, my older brother needs me here, as much as your family needs you in your own home... and I made a promise./

     "A promise?"

/I promised someone that I would wait right here until we meet again./

     "What if that person never comes?"

/Oh, but that person will come. A promise is a promise, after all. I will wait forever until my death... and beyond if I need to./

 "You... love... this person... that much?"

/Yes. With all my heart./

 "Akito," There was a tiny twinge of fear in the older man's voice when he called out to his master this time around... a twinge that grew to full blown anxiety when he saw his master look at him with cold, almost murderous, look in his eyes, "Akito?"

     "I won't allow it, Kureno. I won't allow anyone to come and take her away. I'll lock her away and make her wait in her garden forever if I have to."

     "Akito..."

     "I won't allow it."

        When he knew that she was there, he would often walk quietly by the door to listen to the sound that always brought a smile to his lips. In the past, when things were much simpler, when it was only the four of them living in his small house, posing as a makeshift of a family... the mere sound of her voice brought limitless cheer and joy to their hearts. Even now, after everything that happened, regardless of how difficult their situation, every single time he passed by he would hear her voice cheerfully floating from that depressing room, from her soft humming to her one-sided conversations.

     But today was different. As it was the day before, and the day before that... when he and Hatori finally sat down with her to tell her the "truth". Since then, she never left her husband's side. No one, not even Kagura or Kyou could convince her to move. Even Ayame had retreated to be by himself, spending all of his time at Yuki and Tooru's side the times when he came to the Main House. Hatori didn't say anything, but Shigure knew that Hatori was silently blaming him. No. It was never in Hatori's nature to do that.

     At the way things were going, Shigure lost his courage to pursue his original plan on telling all the jyuunishi. Though at this point, it was merely delaying the inevitable. While Kyou has been surprisingly quiet, Kagura has started to become overly concerned (to the point of threatening) to find out what had happened. And as usual, Hatori didn't say anything about his decision to delay the meeting as well.

     What a mess.

     He pushed all of it to the back of his mind. There were more impending matters at hand. Such as his concern for the health and well-being of a certain the young woman holding a constant silent vigil by her husband's bedside.

     "Tooru-kun? Sa-chan made some soup for you," He called out quietly, "I also brought some tea and rice crackers. Would you care to join me?"

     She didn't reply, or even raise her head to acknowledge his presence. Not that he expected her to. Shigure let out a small defeated sigh as he entered the room and rested the tray he was carrying on a nearby side table, "I'll leave these here for you. Tooru-kun, please make sure to have something eat."

     He paused for a moment, waiting for her to reply, before letting out another sigh and making his away out of the room.

     "If you don't find it improper with a married woman," Her voice suddenly called out before his foot stepped out the door, "I don't mind having tea with you, Shigure-san."

     The writer spun around in surprise, to find his cousin's wife looking at him with a weak forced smile on her lips. He let out a soft chuckle as he re-entered the room and prepared to pour them both some tea. "Ah, I'm sure Yuki-kun won't mind. We'll even invite him to join us."

     There was a noticeable quiver on the younger woman's lips at those words. The writer held his breath involuntarily. At that moment, it seemed as if his cousin's wife was about to burst into tears. He let out a slow breath of relief, however, when Tooru's lips turned upwards into an awkward smile. She reached for the yunomi gratefully and clutched the cup of tea in her hands, almost as if she were holding on for dear life, "Un. It's just a matter of time now, isn't it?"

     "Yes," Shigure replied enthusiastically, awkwardly holding on to his own cup of tea.

     With that, he let the silence wash over them, not knowing what else to say. All at once, he realized too late, the wisdom behind Hatori's judgment. He could see now that this new knowledge had done nothing more than give both Ayame and Tooru additional emotional turmoil. Nonetheless, something from deep inside of him continued to push him forward. Something told him that they didn't have much time left. Despite of everything that was happening now, this was something that had to be done. Of course, that didn't change that fact that doing that didn't make him feel less like crap.

     "Shigure-san," Tooru suddenly spoke just before Shigure's words of apology managed to make its way out of his mouth, "Do you believe in predetermination?"

     The writer blinked at the younger woman's words, "Ha?"

     The young woman let out a nervous laugh and shook her head. "Forget it. It's nothing..."

     "Tooru-kun," Shigure began gently, "Its fine. You know that you can tell anything that's in your mind. No matter how silly it may be."

     Tooru gave the older man a grateful smile as she fingered the lip of her yunomi hesitantly, "When I was a little girl, I used to always have this recurring dream."

     The writer nodded, "The one you mentioned about a garden."

     "Yes," Her eyes seemed to look inward, as she visited that place in her dreams from what she remembered of her waking memories, "They were really just fragments here and there. It was a beautiful garden, full of peach trees that blossomed beautifully every spring and bore delicious peaches in the fall. I always felt happy when I visited it in my dreams. I stopped dreaming about it for a while. I don't remember why it just stopped... eventually I forgot about it completely. Then..."

     "Then?" Shigure echoed, encouraging her to continue

     "...since Yuki-kun... became ill... The dreams started again. Only this time, it was different," Tooru continued with a small frown, "This time there were two children in the garden. A boy and his little sister. They were always together. Playing, fighting... and when I came, they would always come to me, and ask to play with me. When I found out that our baby was going to be a boy... I hoped, perhaps, that it was some sort of premonitory dream. Do you remember, Shigure-san?"

     Shigure nodded with a smile, recalling that particular conversation from the library, "It was a very heart-warming sentiment."

     Tooru put down her cup and turned to the writer with an uncharacteristic overly-serious expression, "Do you remember the other thing I said that day?"

     The smile faltered on the older man's lips as he attempted to recall that day's conversation, "Something about what your mother said..."

/Dreams are glimpses of memories from a past life./

     The smile instantly disappeared from the writer's face at those words. He bowed his head, attempting to hide his features as much as possible, unwilling to allow the younger woman to see his cheerful demeanor crumble. The room fell into a heavy awkward silence. For the first time in his life, Shigure was completely at loss for words. Then he felt the younger woman's hands wrap over his. He looked up in surprise to find himself staring at his reflection on her brown orbs.

     "Thank you, Shigure-san," Tooru said gratefully

     The writer frowned. How can she thank him when all he's done was bring her more unnecessary pain? "Why are you thanking me?"

     She simply smiled and squeezed his hands affectionately, "Because you were very worried about us, weren't you? Hatori-san too...You were both working very hard to make sure all of us will be okay. But most of all, for making me understand things that didn't make sense. I know who they are now..."

     Shigure simply stared at her dumbfounded, not understanding what she was trying to say.

     "Kaji-kun and Yukino-chan," Tooru began as she released the writer's hands and sat back, eyes closed as if trying to hold on to an image in her mind, "Those were those children's names... They were the first jyu..."

     "It's just a story, Tooru-kun," Shigure interrupted with a slight frown, not liking where the conversation was heading towards

     "But I saw them in my dreams Shigure-san," Tooru insisted, "I saw them long before you told me your story. They were playing in the garden... two very beautiful children. They looked so happy, not knowing that they were born with the heavy responsibility of being the hope of the Mizugawa clan. Their mother wanted to be by their sides to guide them until they were old enough to fulfill their destiny. But that wasn't the case, was it... Shigure-san?"

     "No," The novelist replied in a hushed tone, "According to Iwaku-san's story, Nagisa-san fell ill when her children were around six or seven years old and eventually died."

     "I know how that feels, to lose someone so dear to you," The young woman gave the older man a sad smile. "I'm sure it was very hard for both of them... most especially Yukino-chan. Mothers and daughters have a special bond. So with her flagging strength, Nagisa-san took her daughter to the garden and they watched the peach blossoms together for the last time. She took the little girl in her arms and said..."

/Yukino-chan, from now on, you have to take care of your father and your brother for me. Both of them are men with great pride... make sure you protect them from being blinded by that pride./

     "That's good advice," Shigure replied softly

     "Yukino-chan was a very smart little girl. Her insight was so much like an adult's most of the time, it was scary. But despite all her cleverness, it doesn't change the fact that Yukino-chan was still just a little girl. That's why it was even much harder for her when she realized that Mother was going to leave her. So she clung to her mother and cried and cried and begged her to stay. That's why she made a promise to help her daughter stay strong.... 'Yukino- chan,' she said, 'No matter what happens, all our happy memories will forever be in our garden..."

/When Yukino-chan feels sad and needs to see Mother, all you have to do is sit here in our special place. And close your eyes and think of Mother very very hard and with all your heart. Then wait very very patiently... and surely, Mother will be there to meet you./

     "It's my fault." Tooru said almost inaudibly as she turned her gaze to her sleeping husband. "I shouldn't have made that promise. You were suffering all these years because you've been waiting, weren't you?"

     "...No..." Shigure whispered to himself as he felt his entire body go completely numb at the revelation. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard; he didn't want to believe what he just heard. In all accounts, he should be jumping for joy as further proof of his theories came to pass... but all he could feel, as he watched the younger woman reach out to stroke his cousin's sleeping face affectionately, was an impending sense of pure and utter terror. "No..."

     "I'm sorry it took me so long to find you again. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so--"

     "STOP IT!" The writer's voice boomed like thunder throughout the four corners of the room, causing the young woman to look up at him with a start, as if suddenly being woken up from a trance. Before the young woman could react any further, the older man was kneeling right in front of her, firmly holding the sides of her face with shaking hands. He forced her to look into his eyes before attempting to speak with his trembling voice, "Listen to me. Tooru-kun, are you LISTENING?!?!"

     A strange urgency... desperation... lit something in his eyes. It almost seemed he was holding her as if it was a matter of life or death, and it frightened her. All she could do was silently stare back at him at him blankly.

     "You're NOT her. You're not Nagisa Mizugawa. If she was ever a real person, she died thousands of years ago. You're Tooru. Our sweet little flower whom Yuki and I found living in a tent when you were in your first year high school. You went through a lot of hardships, but you overcame them because you never gave up. You helped free Kyou, you married Yuki, and now you're going to have a beautiful baby boy."

     Tears started pooling in the young woman's eyes at the sound of the older man's words. She bit her bottom lip to control its quivering as she nodded her head vigorously in agreement, not trusting her voice to speak.

     "And Yuki is Yuki. He's the stubborn idiot you married who doesn't know when to give up either. He's not Yukino Mizugawa... or Yumeko or Yuuta. He's Yuki, your husband... and he's going to wake up anytime now. When he wakes up and finds out that we've all been subscribing to this silliness while he was asleep, he's going to be so mad that he'll lecture us about our foolishness until our ears bleed. Then he'll see you crying, and he'll wipe your tears... and when he sees the baby, he'll probably start crying himself. "

     With that, the young woman let out a sob and allowed her tears to freely trickle down her face. Shigure closed his eyes and rested his chin over the crown of her head, "Its okay. I'm going to make this right, I promise."

     With that, he gave the top of her head an almost paternal kiss, and was across the room before the young woman could react. It was all very clear now. Hatori was right in some ways, as much as he was right in others. There was only one way to end this. He still didn't know how he would do it, but in order to save the lives and sanity every single person involved with the Souma Family curse, he would need to find a way to pacify and lay to rest old ghosts.

     "Shi-chan...."

     The writer froze in his tracks as he spun around to find Hatori by Yuki's doorway. Kyou, his wife and child stood just beside the Souma Family doctor. "H-how long have you been there?"

     "Shigure..." Kyou spoke again. The younger man's eyes were staring at him and looked as if he was holding back a dam of tears. The uncharacteristic tremor of uncertainty in the younger man's voice and the worried look that Kagura gave her husband instantly told him that the trio had been standing and eavesdropping in the hallway long enough, "... h... how did you...? How...?"

     "About what, Kyou?" Shigure replied

     The cat automatically turned his face, unwilling to meet the other man's eyes. So his wife answered for him, "Yuuta."

     The writer's eyes widened in surprise as he turned to the doctor. Hatori replied with a meaningful look to his silent question. Shigure clenched his fists as his lips thinned into a grim line as his eyes lit with determination.

     The dragon grabbed onto the dog's shoulder before the he managed to stride away. "Shigure, what are you going to do?"

     "Following the advice you gave me..." Shigure replied, "I'm going to pray."

     Hatori frowned, unconsciously tightening his hold on the other man. "Shigure... are you sure you want to do this?"

     "Maybe you were right that keeping this secret buried and forgotten would have caused less grief..." The writer admitted mournfully, "...but keeping it hidden won't end it. And it's time that I stopped running away from him too."

     "I'll go with you," Kyou stated all of the sudden, that familiar defiant fire burning once again in his eyes, "I don't understand what's happening at all. But if you're going to do some praying, I have a thing or two that I want to say to God, myself."

     It was obvious from the expression on the younger man's face that nothing could stop him from going. So the writer's only reply was a small smile and a silent nod before turning to his best friend, "I have to do this Hatori. We've been running and hiding away from this for who knows how long. We don't have much time, so we have to end this now."

     "And just how do you plan to do that?" Hatori asked with a raised eyebrow

     "I don't know," was the writer's honest answer, with a shrug, "It'll turn out alright, que sera sera..."

     "You..." The doctor sighed and shook his head. Nonetheless he gave his best friend's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before letting go. "Kagura and I will watch over them."

     "Thank you," Shigure gave his best friend a small grateful smile.

     "Wait, I coming too," The boar protested before shifting her sleeping daughter on her shoulder. "The last time Kyou and Akito were in the same room..."

     "The hell you are," Kyou scowled angrily at his wife, "Don't start getting pig-headed and stay here. Leave this to us."

     "Kagura, leave it to them," Hatori stated firmly, before the young woman could argue any further. "You have your own duties to fulfill."

     The young woman stopped with a start. A strange feeling of déjà vu washed over her. But before she could put thought to anything else, she felt her husband's arms wrap around her and their child from behind her, and heard him whisper softly in her ear, "I won't take long. Stay with Hatori and make sure that nothing happens to them. I'll come back as soon as I can."

     Despite of herself, Kagura let out a defeated sigh and nodded. "Alright. You better not make me wait too long, or I'll come after you."

     "Stubborn little..." Kyou growled in annoyance as he gave his wife one final squeeze before letting go to turn to Shigure. Hatori gave him a small nod before motioning to go into the room.

     The dog simply watched the scene with an amused grin, "Well, well, it's funny how fate changes and comes full circle... it would seem that this time around it's you who will be doing the protecting."

     "Ha? What the hell are you talking about?" Kyou blinked as his cousin walked past him and made his way down the hallway, "Oi! Shigure!?"

     Kagura watched the two men walk down the hallway. She caught her husband's eye and they gave each other one last reassuring smile before he disappeared into the next corridor. With that, she took a deep breath, let it out with a long sigh, and held on to her daughter a little bit tighter as she pasted a cheerier expression on her face before following Hatori into the room.

End of Chapter 13
Return to Chapter Twelve  
Continued on Chapter Fourteen 

AUTHOR'S SQUAWK:

First of all, thank you so much to Adria for beta-reading this fic. Even though you haven't read this fic from the beginning when you beta-ed it, you were great! If I ever finish writing the original piece I'm working on, can I hire you to beta before I send it out to potential publishers? . (Ah, to be published... what a lovely dream! It'll be nice if it comes true. .)

Anywayz... It's so ironic that when I first started this chapter, it was only that one short scene with Tooru and Shigure. It was so short that it was barely a chapter. Then BOOM! The muses speak, and they won't stop! I know there are a lot of things happening in this chapter... well, it has to be... the next chapter is the exciting conclusion... followed by either a heart-warming or bitter-sweet or heart-breaking epilogue. Which one is it? Well, you'll have to wait and see! Thank you to everyone who has been so patient with this fic... I know it's a big pain in the butt waiting for the chapters in between to pop out. . But look, it's only one chapter away from completion. . Yaay!

Though to be quite honest, I was actually reluctant (yet at the same time excited) to release the storyline revelation in this chapter... about Tooru being the "suspected reincarnation of Nagisa Mizugawa" because people might think that I'm copying the situation from the recent development in the canon storyline re: Yuki seeing Tooru as his ideal "mother figure". But I already had this storyline plotted just following the "Summer House" storyline (just before the Kyou finally tells Kagura how he feels about her storyline). That's why in this fic, Kyou and Kagura ended up together instead of following the canon. . I actually asked Merrow and RJunkie (who are my very important muses and has been helping me flesh out the story from the beginning) if they found it weird when I revealed Yuki and Tooru's relationship in a previous life to be that of a mother and child... then Takaya drops that bomb... the coincidence was just really... well... strange...

Anywayz... Comments and criticisms to

Ja!

Ina-chan