Part Two – A Change of Heart

She watched the camera flashes reflecting off them as they made their way towards the entrance. The TV presenter was trying to get their attention and bring them over. Finally, they gave in to her demands. Tall and calm as always her father, Eiri, looked as though he belonged there. That was his environment. Shuichi on the other hand looked like he’d overdosed on sugar and caffeine. Turning her back on the TV, she tried to concentrate on her work, and not the voices in the air. She shot a glance at Ryuichi, who was watching it with an emotionless expression. She’d long since given up trying to get him to turn the volume down. Sighing, she returned to her maths.
“One last question! There are rumours flying around that you two have a daughter. Is this true?”
Kira’s head snapped round, and even Ryuichi sat up a little straighter. On the TV, she had barely finished her question before Shuichi laughed and replied,
“No, it’s not. We’d never have been left alone if we tried to adopt a child, and neither of us are female, are we?”
There was a scatter of laughter, as the presenter thanked them and they moved on. Ryuichi glanced across at her. Her eyes were hard.
“Don’t let it get to you sweetie. You’d be constantly hounded if they did tell the world about you.”
“I don’t care about that.” She murmured. “It’s the fact that he didn’t even need to think about it. It’s as if I’ve never existed.”
“It’s not like that…”
“What kind of parents ignore their child Ryuichi? What kind of parents act as if their child was never born, and never notice when said child moves out and never comes home?” Her voice held all the bitterness and resentment that she held within her. Ryuichi himself felt her sorrow. Rising, he dragged a chair over next to her and sat beside her.
“Listen,” he said softly, lifting her chin so she looked at him. “One day, they will notice you. And they will beg for forgiveness for the pain and sorrow they have caused you.”
She managed a half-smile.
“I s’pose…” she whispered.
“Don’t s’pose.” Ryuichi scolded her lightly. “Know. Now, let’s get this maths done.” Turning the book towards him, he eyed the sums. “On the other hand, let’s order a pizza and phone Tohma…”

“What exactly is it you wanted?”
He blinked. He’d only just opened the door. He couldn’t answer questions after doing something like that… Tohma sighed as he watched Ryuichi go into overload. He should have remembered not to ask too much of him at one time… Opening the door and answering questions, that was just too much to handle. He waited patiently for him to stop spazzing and asked again.
“What did you want, Ryuichi. You phoned me.”
A blink again. Then the memory came back.
“Oh yes! We wanted help with maths!” Excited arm gestures accompanied his sentences. Tohma raised an eyebrow. Ryuichi and maths went together like strawberries and pickle.
“We? Are you talking about Kumagoru?”
Ryuichi’s expression sobered.
“You’d better come in.”
Frowning now, Tohma stepped past him into the hall, removing his shoes and placing them neatly on the rack. He’d only seen Ryuichi like this onstage. This calm, grown-upness… It was unnerving. It wasn’t Ryuichi. He followed him in silence until he stopped before the door to the spare room.
“It’s your guest room…” he stated calmly.
“Look inside.” Ryuichi replied. Tohma frowned again, twisting the handle and letting the door swing open. Shock flooded through him as he saw the prone figure in the bed. Kira’s face supported a deep frown and her hair was strewn across the pillow like a silver halo.
“What’s she doing here Ryuichi? Why isn’t she at home?”
Ryuichi sighed and walked away, settling down in a nearby chair. Tohma carefully shut the door and followed him.
“Ryuichi?”
“She’s having trouble at home, Tohma.”
“What kind of trouble?”
Ryuichi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“You might want to sit down, it’s a long story.”

The gentle hum of conversation permeated even the deepest of her dreams. She tried to frown, only to find she was already. Dragging her eyes open, she listened carefully, trying to hear what was being spoken. The patterns on the ceiling jumped out at her while her ears strained for any words. Nothing. Rolling her eyes, she dragged herself from her bed, pulled on her dressing grown and emerged into the outside world. Tohma and Ryuichi immediately turned to look at her, giving her no doubts about the fact that they had been talking about her.
“Uncle Tohma.” She said, glancing at the clock. “It only took you a couple of hours to get here.”
Tohma looked mildly offended.
“You make me feel old Kira.”
“You are.”
Ryuichi snorted with laughter, while Tohma didn’t look best pleased. Kira ignored them both and flopped down on the sofa beside her uncle. She fought against the arm try to pull her against him for a hug, slapping the owner of the limb.
“There was no need for that.”
“Yes there was.” She replied grumpily.
“Kira… About home…”
“If you’re gonna say ‘go back and talk it over with them’, forget it. Ryu’s been through that one already.”
Tohma sighed deeply.
“Kira, what do you know about your father’s past?”
She turned her head to look at him, eyes narrowed.
“What has that got to do with anything?”
“Everything. How much do you know?”
“Not very much.” She admitted. “I know his parents own a temple, and Tatsuha is a monk there. But I’ve never met my grandparents.”
“That’s it?”
She nodded. “Yes. That’s everything.”
Tohma glanced at Ryuichi before saying,
“Then let me tell you everything.”

“I think I understand…” Kira sighed. “But that doesn’t explain why he’s putting me through the same thing.”
“No it doesn’t.” Tohma admitted. “But maybe it can help you see.”
“Yes.” Kira said thoughtfully. She rose from her seat and vanished back into her room. They watched her go in silence.
“What do you think she’ll do?” Tohma turned to face the silent Ryuichi.
“I don’t know.” He admitted softly. “She’s been here all this time and she’s still unreadable.”
“Just like Yuki.”
“Yes. She’s too similar to him for her own good.”
Tohma nodded, turning as Kira appeared from her bedroom with her bag. Without a word she placed a kiss on Ryuichi’s cheek, then on his own and headed for the door.
“Where are you going? Kira?” Tohma called after her. She paused.
“Home.”
“Why?”
“You’re the one who wanted me to go home.” She grinned at him. Her eyes flicked to Ryuichi as he rose and stretched.
“Scram.” He said slowly. “Go on, get out of here. Go home.”
Her grin broadened and she vanished into the night. He watched her go, his eyes saddening.
“You liked her company.”
Ryuichi glanced at Tohma and offered a lop-sided smile.
“It livened things up. I’ll miss her.”
“You sound as if she won’t come back.”
“I’m sure she’ll appear every now and again, but she had that look in her eye.”
“Which one?”
“Both. The look that said she was determined to make things work out.”
“I’m glad.”
They shared a look, and both smiled.
“Now, I should also be heading home. Goodbye, Ryu-chan.”
“Bye Tohma.”
“Don’t mope Ryuichi.” Upon receiving no answer, he turned to find Ryuichi sitting cross-legged in the middle of the floor, playing with Kumagoru. Rolling his eyes, he headed for the night air.

The apartment block loomed over her, a new terror from old memories. She inhaled deeply, the air, cool with the chill of night, calming her. Her eyes fluttered closed. Home. It was a strange word. A strange word for a strange place. Emerald and gold surveyed the expanse of concrete again. Sighing, she headed for the stairs and the never-ending climb to redemption.

The metal was cool against her warm flesh. Even from the other side of the door she could smell her father’s cigarettes. It brought back memories. Memories from long ago. Dragging herself from her musings, the sliver of metal slid home, and admitted her. The smell was the first thing that hit her. It was the smell of home. To others it may have been unpleasant, but to her it was as warm a welcome as she was expecting. She let the door close behind her, leaning against it to gather herself again. Kicking her shoes off, she grabbed her bag and headed through the, so far silent, house. Pausing outside her father’s office, the rhythmic tapping gave away the room’s occupant. She carried on past, holding her breath and praying she wouldn’t make a sound. The sanctity of her room couldn’t come soon enough. Everything was exactly as she’d left it. This room was one of the few in the house that was pristinely neat. Actually, it was one of two. Her father’s office being the other. She placed her bag carefully on her chair and began the task of unpacking everything she’d taken with her when she’d ‘moved in’ with Ryuichi. Clothes, books, and school items were all placed neatly away, leaving one thing left in the bottom of the bag. The leather bound tome was carefully lifted from its resting place and placed in the one place she knew was hidden from the world. The one place no one would ever look. Last task done, the bag was neatly stowed away in the base of the wardrobe, for use another day. A single glance around her told her there was no other reason to stay in this room. Heading back down the hall, she paused once more before the door of the office. Ivory rested on shadowy wood. A breath was breathed. A heartbeat passed. A lifetime seemed to come and go. The door opened. Mentally shaking herself, she entered, and stopped in the shadows. The light of the computer screen reflected on her father’s glasses, his face was serious as his fingers flitted across the screen, creativity appearing on the screen in tiny black kanji. She moved closer. He looked up.
“Father.”
He paused, as if he did not recognise her.
“Kira.”
Then those shiny stars fell.