Isao nodded, having no intentions of doing so unless it proved counter-productive. "Your son is in the medical ward in the third building from this one. He is in one of the rooms at the end of the main hallway. Give him my regards." Perhaps there was an intentional irony to the words, well-masked under a polite tone.

One of the attendants stationed outside the office was called in and instructed to take Akimoto to Kouta. He was one of the oldest attendants, a rank above most others. He politely bowed to his Head then to Akimoto, and turned to lead the way towards the medical ward.

Through long corridors he paced through until he was lead to the chamber within which Kouta was being held. A faint voice could be heard speaking through the door, much too soft and feminine to be Kouta's. After a moment or two, the attendant seemed to recognize it and knocked on the door before sliding it open, not really waiting for a response.

The aging attendant gave the girl a disapproving frown and opened the door wider, gesturing her out. "Miss Yue, you shouldn't be here. Please reurn to you quarters at once." The man had no authority over Yue but she relented, bowing to Kouta before getting up and leaving the room.

Had Isao seen her weighed down and slightly stumbling as she walked, he'd have committed her to years of balance and kimono-walking lessons. She bowed respectfully to Akimoto, acknowledging her former teacher, to which he bowed back just as deeply. Yue had little doubt that Isao had allowed them to leave on proper terms and she hoped that he hadn't severed ties with the man. That wouldn't do anyone any good, she decided as she left the medical ward and returned to her room.

Kouta rose promptly after Yue and the attendant had left. He looked at his father with a hint of sadness. Akimoto shared the look and took his son's forearm in his strong hand. The forearm was larger than his own, but the grip was unlike any other. Kouta grasped back and they shared a silent moment of joy. "I'm so glad you're okay, son."

Kouta nodded stiffly and followed his father out of the complex, knowing little of where he even was. They passed a few Yukihiro members on their way back from the ceremony and bowed deeply to the pair, to which they returned respectfully. Akimoto was internally grateful Isao hadn't spread propaganda against them.

Back in his office, Isao sighed, already feeling his age take a toll on his body. A thousand years of managing an unruly and brutal house took a considerable effort, effort he sometimes couldn't give for the sake of giving. And now, he had the Ichigawa on his head.They were becoming a bigger thorn in his side than he'd originally envisioned. Much to his displeasure, their suggestion of an inter-house marriage wasn't sounding so bad. Now he only had to decide who to sacrifice for the good of his family.

A year later, after returning to the Academy, Yue graduated a year earlier than her classmates and though most suspected her family's meddling and influence, Yue knew they didn't bother with her Academy progress all that much. But when she was assigned to the Fourth Division, a hint of doubt began to surface. The Fourth were equally ridiculed by the Yukihiro as the Ichigawa, the members in the Eleventh Division often harassing the healers. Even as she got promoted the 17th Seat a few months later after picking up the most important Kido spells, Isao's disapproving frown quickly squashed down any sense of accomplishment she'd felt. The harassment of her fellow healers was a common, almost daily occurence and though the Yukihiro avoided antagonzing her, Yue still felt the effects.

Her progress in Kido and the Division's ranks was steady and good, despite her colleagues' chilly disposition towards her.Yue gradually realized it wasn't only her name and her connection to their tormentors; having Hakuda as a superior skill to Kido was seen as something of a disgrace, as Kido came above everything else. Naturally, she still trained in Hakuda at her family's dojo daily, but still received the same looks from her clansmen. Having talent for Kido in her family was pretty much the same; disgrace followed. There was no pleasing anyone.

The first hint of her family's meddlesome nature was when she was abruptly called to the Lieutenant's office, informing the young girl that she was being transferred to another Division. For a moment, Yue felt relief; had her request to be transferred to the Twelfth Division been accepted? However, she quickly deflated; her destination was the Second, the Division specializing in assassinations and other dishonorable deeds.

The Second, however, was more accepting. Due to her short and slender stature, she was quiet on her feet and quick, her uniform blending in perfectly in the darkness and rendering her invisible. The first time she'd been tasked with a solo assassination as a 15th Seat, Yue could barely do it. It had been a man that had been plotting against the Central 46, bribing servants in the Ichigawa to gain information. Though a noble from the lower families, his house was poorly guarded and Yue had no trouble getting in; minutes later, she stood above the sleeping man, hidden in the shadows that spanned across the room. Had he been awake, he'd have noticed the shadow that loomed over him for almost half an hour, visibly upset. However, after slitting his throat clean open, severing the arteries and his trachea, she plunged the tanto in between his eyes and into his brain, afterwards fleeing the scene leaving no trace, still upset.

Despite the Damage Control Corps-Commander's approval, Yue was still visibly shaken at her actions. Once home, she fidgeted about for quite a while until, unsure of what she was doing, left the compound and found herself standing in front of Akimoto-sensei's Dojo. It was after hours so unless he was training, Kouta probably wouldn't be very busy. That had been the first time she'd visited him after their ordeal. She didn't tell him about what she'd done; she hadn't come for consolation.

As she progressed up the ranks of the Second Division, Yue visited Kouta more frequently, getting closer to him in the process. He was more of a brother to her than anyone in the Yukihiro House, someone she could confide in without worry. Their time apart only drew her closer to him, his cold demeanour not fazing her in the least. He was like a shield that could keep her grounded, even sane.

By the time she was a Lieutenant, Kouta was no different from an older brother to her and Yue never failed to greet him with a hug, wrapping her arms around him and drawing him closer as a way of saying 'hello'. Even as she physically grew and matured, no thoughts of it being awkward crossed her mind and, hearing no complaints from Kouta, she continued to show her affection for the man.

It was strange, physical touch. It wasn't bad, no. His father didn't offer much physical contact outside the Dojo and his mother was busy and possibly just as stern as he. He was used to showing love by appearing strong. Hugging was foreign to him, but he couldn't deny the comfort and warmth it provided. Sometimes he would find himself grasping onto her a little tighter or a little longer than usual.

_____________________________

"What?!"

"You're getting married and that's final. And don't say 'what', that's incredibly rude and disgraceful. You've been taught to say 'pardon me', so utilize it." Isao didn't look up from his paperwork. Even without looking up, he could tell Yue was shocked and distressed.

Yue shook her head, unable to believe it. It was so abrupt, out of the blue - it had to be a joke. But Isao was never one for jokes. "But... I can't. I'm not ready for marriage.' Though her appearance was now sixteen, Yue's problems didn't end there. Marriage meant getting pregnant and having children, which meant she couldn't be a Shinigami anymore. Inwardly, Yue suspected he'd noticed a growth spurt she herself hadn't took note of. "I'm just about to be promoted to Captain, you can't do this, Otou-sama." Her voice took on a pleading note, but it went unheeded.

"That doesn't matter. You're getting engaged tomorrow evening and the wedding will take place a year from now. Give up on that silly dream of yours and focus on what matters." Isao's voice was cold and sharp, holding no compassion for the girl whose world was slowly cracking at the edges.

Days, weeks and months of arguing ensued. Yue had finally snapped and had a nervous breakdown, refusing to show up to any ceremony and leaving her fiancé-to-be hanging more than once. She'd argued ardently against the marriage and several months later, Isao finally relented and allowed her one condition; the marriage was to take place 200 years from now - seeing no other way out, Yue agreed. A week later, Isao and Kazuhiro overlooked the engagement ceremony as Ryuusei slid the ring on her finger.

Yue had left the room in tears, trying to keep others from seeing her break down. It didn't matter that she wasn't dressed appropriately for leaving the compound, wearing only a thin summer yukata despite the oncoming winter and chilly air. Her feet took her out of the compound and towards Kouta; she honestly didn't know who to go to. He seemingly hadn't sensed her approaching and as Yue stood behind him, she spoke, her voice shaking slightly, "Nii-san?" Approaching his form, Yue slid her arms around his neck, her long hair spilling over their shoulders. She fought hard to keep the tears at bay but as the seriousness of the situation came crashing down around her, they escaped and slid down her cheeks.

Kouta bent down so she could reach him without too much effort. He gently caressed her sides and back with his large arms. "Yue," he whispered to her, attempting to sound comforting for the obviously distraught girl. "Why are you crying?"

After a few moments of struggling to pull herself together, Yue relaxed into the hug. No matter how hard she tried, her lips wouldn't move, her voice wouldn't work. Unable to form coherent words for a while, Yue tried to steady her uneven breathing. She didn't even want to say the words aloud; it seemed like if she did, it'd cement the whole thing into place. Kouta's very presence managed to calm her down after a while and she took a shaky breath. "I'm engaged." Those two words brought on a fresh wave of tears that Yue struggled to keep in. "He's marrying me off to the Ichigawa family."

"Why does this sadden you, Yue-chan?"

He was surprised by this, but held onto his emotions if only for the sake of Yue. He'd grown to care for her deeply, and it was different than anything he'd ever felt. To see her express sorrow, it created a sorrow within him. He didn't know why he would feel negatively towards this revelation, so he pushed it aside.

"Isn't this for the betterment of the Houses' relationships? Is he unsuitable?"

That second question was a surprise to him. Why should he care? The Houses held many favorable suitors, so how was he to suspect the son of the Head to be "unsuitable"? He knew the relations between these two Houses in particular was more than rocky, but he respected the mutual decision between the two Heads.

"I apologize. That was inappropriate."

Yue tightened her arms around Kouta and said, "It's okay; it's you and I don't mind." Though Kouta's second query was slightly strange, Yue was too upset to make out anything off and brushed it off, answering him instead. "I think it'll help their relationship... but why me? Couldn't he have picked someone else? I'm too young, I don't want to marry anybody." Though she was aware of how selfish she was being, Yue didn't particularly care at that moment. She knew how valuable a marriage would be between the two Houses and the political and social stability it would bring, strengthening both Houses. But it was all forgotten in the heat of the moment, because Yue didn't want to remember.

Kouta's presence and embrace had significantly reduced her tears and she tried to compose herself a little bit before looking up. "Nii-san, what do I do?"

His eyes looked upon her in a slight confusion. He thought her to be throwing some kind of tantrum, but he then remembered the rumors of this even from his father. Realizing how long it had been going on behind the scenes, he was entirely disheartened by her vehement dislike of this proposal. True, she was young, but she was too mature for this not to be a close eventuality.

"Yue-chan," he whispered. A short pause followed as he still didn't know what to say. "Of all the things you should worry about, why does this distress you the most?"

She hadn't gone to him in such a state about her dealings within the Second Division. Of course, her profession didn't allow for disclosure to those outside their dealings, but she always seemed so composed otherwise. "What about this marriage are you so against? I'm sure they wouldn't remove you from your position if you were to begin bearing children. Even still, that doesn't have to occur for decades to come."

He paused for another moment, considering another possible hesitation toward this matter. "Is there another you've longed after?"

He couldn't remember anyone she spoke about fondly. Perhaps she didn't wish to speak about her infatuations with him, knowing he couldn't fully understand them or enjoy the gossip. She was ever professional and dedicated to her work and betterment of her self.