Only Time: Deja Vu

Chapter Seven

By J. Marie

Warning!! This is a lemon yaoi fanfiction starring Nakago and Tasuki from Fushigi Yugi. It is rated NC-17. Are you guys still reading these things? Wow. Alright, I've read enough of the manga translations of the extra novels (like "Genrou Den" and "Eikou Den") to know that I just need to stick to the anime here. So in case you missed it, this is a continuation of the anime, NOT the manga, for those of you who've read it. You might eventually find some things I took from the manga transported to here, but for all intents and purposes, has nothing else to do with the manga. Personally, I think Yu Watase shoulda quit while she was ahead. "Eikou Den" was so cheesy I couldn't finish it.....

Who knows - only time

-- "Only Time" by Enya

"Ninja Scroll. End of discussion."

"Hell, no!! Akira!!"

"What about Ghost in the Shell?"

"I really liked Uroksokidoji: Legend of the Overfiend."

The entire group paused and stared over at Mitsukake. The tall, stolid young man blinked. "What?" he asked calmly.

"He doesn't look like an evil ecchi hentai," Nakago said neutrally.

"You?? Liked Uruksokidoji?? You?? Mr. Future-Discoverer-of-Terminal-Diseases?? What is the world coming to? I can't believe you even watched it," Tasuki said in complete and utter disbelief. Chiriko began to giggle.

Mitsukake shrugged. What was the big deal if he liked Uroksokidoji, anyways?

"Isn't that the one where the dude screws some nurse, and like explodes her body because his dick grows gigantic and then the whole hospital gets destroyed?" Chiriko asked between fits of giggles. Mitsukake sweatdropped.

"Yeah, and where you can see a bunch of girls getting it on!!! Although the Angel of Darkness series is better for yuri action...." Tamahome laughed, his eyes glinting ecchi and he developed a nosebleed.

"Don't forget all the tentacle sex. I like tentacle sex....." Hotohori grinned, which received him a disapproving glare from Nuriko.

"The action scenes were fun," Tasuki grinned, and realized that everyone was giving him an odd look.

"Nobody watches Uroksokidoji for the action scenes...." Nakago smirked.

"Well, I prolly would have liked the other scenes, but I watched it with Tamahome, and every time the girls got it on, he was jacking off. Like I wouldn't notice," Tasuki spat, blushing slightly.

"Yeah, well, you had a hard-on, too, Fang Boy," Tamahome said hotly. Tasuki glared at him, not wanting to argue for fear of Tamahome finding out he had the hard-on from watching Tamahome not-so-secretly jack off, not from the movie.

"Can we change the subject?" Chichiri sighed. Why was he always the voice of maturity?

The group ignored Chichiri's request, and as most conversations between teenage boys do, the conversation continuously slid into the gutter.

She had grown bored with her brother's conversation with his friends. It was far too testosterone driven to be of any interest to her. So she decided to wander off by herself.

Yuiren had on pair of headphones, and was dancing around to the J-pop that filled her eardrums. In her mind's eye, she was dancing with a beautiful and gentle young man with long brown hair and soft blue eyes. In her fantasies, they were in love. Love so binding, it transcended even death.

Maybe it was the fantasy she was immersed in. Maybe it was the loud music in her headphones. Maybe it was fate.

Young Yuiren never saw the train tracks before she tripped and fell on them. They were near her brother's picnic site, but not so close that you thought about them, unless a train was coming. She didn't realize that her dancing had brought her so close to the tracks. Her head slammed against the metal railing, and blood trickled down her forehead. She moaned a little, too softly for her brother to hear.

And passed out, lying over the train tracks.

Nakago was almost enjoying himself.

Tasuki was sitting close to him, but not so close that anyone would think anything of it. The redhead was an animated part of every conversation. He was loud and opinionated. And to Nakago's surprise, involved Nakago in every discussion. Nakago was not ignored, but became another member of the group, even if he wasn't their friend.

Nakago distanced himself from the conversation when it degenerated into pure smut. He didn't mind talking about sex, but getting graphic about it didn't sit well with Nakago's sensibility for proper decorum. He always distanced himself from graphic sexual conversations, even with his own friends. Sex was something he enjoyed, and did often, but he felt dirty talk should stay in the bedroom. Nakago was a very private young man.

Nakago sipped at his tea, observing the group objectively. Unlike his own group of friends, where he was always in charge, there was no clear-cut leader in Tasuki's circle. The deferred to whoever was the expert on the subject at hand. Nakago caught Chichiri's eye and smiled. He and Chichiri were the only ones not discussing whether performing oral sex on a girl was necessary to get anywhere.

Nakago's gaze wandered again, trying not be annoyed at how much attention Tasuki paid to Tamahome. It was almost obscene that Tasuki should be so enraptured with the raven-haired youth when Nakago was present. Nakago was far more intelligent than Tamahome, not to mention far more beautiful. His ego almost couldn't take it. Part of Nakago wanted to shake Tasuki and force the boy to pay attention to only him. Nakago wondered if he was indeed jealous of Tamahome, and if it was because he wanted to be the center of attention, or if there was another, more complicated reason.

The sound of an oncoming train blowing it's horn didn't even pause the conversation, they were so used to it. It disturbed Nakago. He disliked something so loud and obnoxious. Which begged inspection as to why Nakago was so taken with Tasuki lately.

And then Nakago's eye caught on the fluttering of yellow.

The blonde almost stopped breathing. His blue eyes widened. It was Yuiren! What on earth was Yuiren doing lying over the train tracks, especially with a train coming??

She wasn't moving. Yuiren was lying perfectly still on the tracks and Nakago could see the train coming, only several hundred feet away. And he was well over a couple hundred feet away from her.

Nakago didn't react on thoughts. He reacted on feelings and instincts. This was something he'd never done before. His tea slipped from his fingertips even as he stood up and burst into a full-tilt run, heading for the train tracks, right to Yuiren.

The group went silent, startled by Nakago's sprint, their eyes following the blonde. It took only a second for Tamahome and Tasuki to realize why Nakago was running.

"Oh my God!!!!! Yuiren!!!" Tamahome screamed, getting to his feet even as Tasuki did. The entire group started to move, but they were too slow. Tasuki was the fastest, but he knew he'd never reach Yuiren in time, even as he ran. Tamahome was already crying, falling behind Tasuki's superior speed.

Nakago was ahead, but even he wasn't as fast as Tasuki.

But he was fast.

Was he fast enough?

Tasuki realized what Nakago was intending to do-

-and saw the train grow closer, so close-

-they would all be too late, too late to save Yuiren-

-the little girl's body lying still, so still-

-the sound of panting from running so fast, so fast-

-the train so close, so close-

-never going to make it in time-

-Nakago's forehead was glowing blue, so blue-

-the train was almost on Yuiren, and it would cut her in half, almost there-

-did people's forehead's really glow blue?-

-Tamahome's sister was going die in front of him again, not again-

-Tasuki saw Nakago reach the train tracks, bending down to pick up Yuiren the moment the train hit.

Did that really all happen in the space of three seconds?

Tamahome screamed, a painful scream with no words, filled with sorrow and loss.

Tasuki fell to his knees, watching the train speed by, heedless of the two lives it just took. Tears poured from his eyes, and he thought his heart would explode from grief.

The group reached Tasuki and Tamahome, silent, stunned.

The train passed them by, speeding on towards it's nameless destination.

"No, oh god no..... Not again... Oh god no....." Tamahome cried to the heavens, his grief beyond imagining.

Tasuki stared at the spot where Yuiren had lain, and expected to see body pieces and blood stains.

He saw some blood stains.

But the body pieces were still attached to the bodies, whole.

On the other side of the train tracks, holding the unconscious Yuiren in his arms like an angel of salvation, was Nakago, whole and alive. Cuts and scrapes lined the right side of his body, but he was alive. And so was Yuiren, who other than her forehead, had suffered no damage.

Silence fell over the group. Even Tamahome stared at Nakago silently, watching the blonde calmly step over the train tracks, as if he rescued little girls from certain death at risk to his own life every day.

"So... What's the number to 911 again?" Chiriko asked absently.

"Holy shit!!!"

"Did you see that, Tetsuya???"

"Of course not!! I was blinded by a bright blue light!! What did you see??"

"That's what I'm talking about, Tetsuya!! The bright blue light!! From the book of The Universe of the Four Gods!!! It was blinding!!"

"You know, for such a smart guy, Keisuke, you're kinda dumb. Not as dumb as Miaka, mind you, but still pretty dumb."

"Fuck you, Tetsuya."

"I told you a long time ago, Keisuke. I don't swing that way sober. Talk to me about it when I'm drunk."

"You know damn well what I meant, you little ecchi!!!

"So, Mr. Smarty Pants, what does that blue light mean?"

"The book's been glowing all the colors for days now, but that was incredibly strong!! So strong we were almost blinded from it!! I still have sunspots in my eyes!!"

"Hey!!! Dumbass!! Stop telling me what I know, and tell me what I don't know!!!"

"Huh? Oh that's right, you don't know what it means..."

"Keisuke, stop beating around the bush, or I'm going to get you drunk and make you sleep with a woman!!!"

"If I'm drunk, I won't mind."

"Keisuke. I'm going to kill you."

"Alright, alright. I'm not sure really, but I think that just means that Seiryu was able to punch through to this world enough to give one of his seishi their powers back, even if it was only temporarily...."

"Oh, shit."

"Yeah."

"I better call Yui...."

"I'm fine, I said."

The doctor ignored Nakago's protests and continued to clean the boy's abrasions. They were nothing serious, but the doctor had said they needed to be cleaned. Nakago winced every time the doctor touched his wounds.

Tasuki sat by the cot Nakago had been given to rest on in the hospital. He reached over and touched Nakago's hand, offering some sort of comfort to the blonde. Nakago had been forced to strip his clothes off, and was wearing a flimsy hospital gown, which was pushed aside to clean his right side.

Nakago had barely reached Yuiren in time, it turned out, and as soon as he picked up the girl, he threw himself on the other side of the train tracks, shielding the girl from further damage with his own body. They had escaped being hit by the train, but Nakago had slid along the ground his right side, scraping himself up. Yuiren was being treated for a concussion, but she was going to be just fine.

Nakago sighed in relief when the doctor left him, applying bandages to the worst of his scrapes. "Hey, great work there, buddy!! You're a real hero," the doctor grinned, clapping Nakago on the back before disappearing.

Nakago rolled his eyes, and noticed that Tasuki was grinning at him. Nakago shook his head. "My whole reputation is going to be ruined now," he moaned miserably.

Before Tasuki could say anything, the door to Nakago's room was burst open, and Miaka Sukunami stood in the doorway, her eyes filled with unshed tears, staring intently at Nakago. Both Nakago and Tasuki fell silent, staring at Miaka in surprise. The small woman stepped into the room, and behind her stood Taka, her husband, who had his son, Tamahome, by him. Tasuki had to do a double take to make sure which was which.

Miaka's face was unreadable when she stood before Nakago, who was perfectly still. "Is it true? Could it possibly be true? Did you really risk your life to save my daughter?" her voice wavered. Taka and Tamahome entered as well, their eyes also fixed to Miaka.

Nakago shrugged. He said nothing, neither taking credit for his actions, nor refuting them. Tasuki blinked in confusion. Most people would eagerly take credit for wonderful things they've done. Nakago acted like it wasn't important.

"It's true, Mom. I saw it with my own eyes. Nakago saved Yuiren.... And almost got killed in the process. A nanosecond later, and he woulda got squished, too," Tamahome said softly, his eyes shifting to stare at Nakago. There was disbelief written on his face, even though he had been there. Nakago's selfless action didn't coincide with his compassionless, cold-hearted nature.

The tears finally poured down Miaka's face and she hugged Nakago tight, her thin arms wrapped around the handsome blonde. "Thank you. I don't know why you did it, but I don't care. You are not who I thought you were. Thank you so much...." she whispered to him, and stood up to plant a kiss on Nakago's cheek. Nakago look startled when Miaka hugged him, and shocked when she kissed him. He stared blankly at the woman.

Taka stood beside his wife, and held out his hand. He looked near tears himself. Nakago numbly took Taka's hand, and then stared at the hand, his face still blank.

"I thank you as well, Nakago. You saved Yuiren. You saved my daughter. That's not a thing I'll think of lightly..." Taka said firmly. Nakago stared up at him, an odd look on his face. Tasuki was thoroughly lost.

"I... had to make it up... to you... didn't I, Tamahome? And to Miaka....." Nakago said in an odd tone.

Taka blinked. "My name is Taka Sukunami. My son's name is Tamahome..." he said softly while Miaka's eyes went wide.

Nakago blinked and the odd look on his face left. "Yes, of course. My mistake..." he said in confusion.

Tamahome himself stuck out his hand, which Nakago took, a small smirk on his face. Taka and Miaka exchanged a look, and Tasuki felt like a fly on the wall. "I'd like to thank you, too, Nakago. You saved my sister. We may not like each other, but... Thanks, man," Tamahome smiled.

Nakago shook hands with Tamahome, nodding to the comment. Tamahome, however, didn't let go. He held Nakago's hand firmly, his eyes meeting Nakago's. "So tell me, Nakago... Why did your forehead glow blue? I know I wasn't seeing things...." Tamahome asked calmly, while his mother gasped at the comment, and Taka gaped.

Nakago blinked. "If it glowed, I don't know how or why.... But I did feel a... power... flow through me, if only for a moment..." he said oddly.

Tamahome nodded. "I can accept that," he said, and dropped Nakago's handshake.

"And tell me, Tamahome, when you started crying out... Tell me why you acted like you had lost a sister before?" Nakago asked.

Tamahome swallowed. "I don't know how or why. I just felt like it happened before," he said in the same odd tone of voice that Nakago spoke in. Taka blinked, and Miaka's hand flew to her mouth.

"I can accept that," Nakago nodded and looked away.

Tamahome and his parents soon left, murmuring their gratitude to Nakago, causing the blonde to blush slightly. He sighed and leaned back on his cot when they left.

Tasuki sighed and rested his forehead on the edge of Nakago's cot. "Am I the only one who didn't get that conversation?" he whined.

A smile flickered on and off from Nakago's face. "Yes. If you studied a little harder, maybe you'd understand. I see I have my work cut out for me with you as my study partner," he sighed.

"Oh, so we're study partners again?" Tasuki asked.

"Well, it's not Monday yet, and I see no reason to switch with Tomo. Besides, he'd only molest you, if we switched," Nakago shrugged.

Tasuki sweatdropped. "You already molested me, so why should it matter?" he grumbled, blushing.

Nakago smirked. "And yet, you invited me to a picnic with you," he said, his voice as smooth as syrup.

The door opened and the doctor came back in. "I have your release papers here, Mr. Iwasaki. I called your parents, and got hold of your father but he-" the doctor said before Nakago cut him off.

"-was busy. Of course. Thank you," Nakago said coldly as he signed his papers. Tasuki raised his head, blinking his golden eyes. Busy? What sort of father was so busy that he couldn't take time to check on his injured son?

Nakago quickly changed in front of Tamahome, apparently not ashamed of showing off his body. Tasuki blushed when the gown slipped to Nakago's feet and forced himself to look away. Even scraped up, he still looked good. The tall blonde turned around, favoring his right side.

"C'mon, Tasuki. I'll take you home," Nakago said simply, and headed out. Tasuki fell into step behind him, silent now. He had a lot of thoughts and feelings running around in his head, and he wasn't sure how to sort them out.

The ride back to Tasuki's house was quiet, the only sound being the low music from Nakago's radio. Tasuki stared out the window. Part of him was in awe of what Nakago had done today, and the other part was in complete and utter disbelief. Was there a real human being underneath Nakago's icy exterior after all?

Nakago pulled up in front of Tasuki's house. It was already late in the evening. Tasuki glanced over at the blonde, who was staring at him. Tasuki blushed and looked down, suddenly embarrassed to meet Nakago's blue gaze, for many reasons. Tasuki wanted Nakago, but he didn't. He wanted to ask Nakago to stay, but he didn't.

"Um, goodbye, I guess....." Tasuki said awkwardly.

"I guess. Unless you would like me to stay. I could. And I don't think your sister will mind much, either...." Nakago said slyly, favoring Tasuki with one his predatory smiles. He leaned over Tasuki slightly, making the redhead nervous.

Tasuki got an annoyed look on his face. "What kind of guy do you think I am? For one, you're injured! For two, I don't want to go all the way with you!" he said defensively, his eyes narrowed. Nakago's sly suggestion rubbed him the wrong way.

"Injured? What are a few little scrapes and bruises? And I don't understand you at all. You act like you want me, then you act like you don't. I don't understand what you're problem is. You act like a woman losing her virginity," Nakago said, his tone leaning towards irritated.

"I don't act a thing like a woman!! I just don't want to get fucked by anyone!" Tasuki snarled, his nostrils beginning to flare.

"Really? I'll bet if I was Tamahome, you'd let me do whatever I wanted with you," Nakago said nastily.

Tasuki raised his fist and glared at Nakago hatefully. "I'm not gonna fight you. You saved a little girl's life, almost at cost of your own. You're hurt. So, I won't hit you. Although, you really deserve to get your jaw broken," Tasuki hissed and opened the car door, storming towards his house.

Nakago sat back and stared at Tasuki's retreating backside. He had really done it this time. He had almost felt that Tasuki wanted him. But somehow, he had gone about getting Tasuki all the wrong way. He sensed he had lost an opportunity with Tasuki. Perhaps if he acted differently.... Nakago sighed. All his charm was wasted on someone like Tasuki. It was almost like Tasuki could see right through his bullshit. Every time Nakago tried to be charming, he wound up pissing Tasuki off. It was when Nakago's defenses were down that Tasuki warmed up to him.

And then, as Nakago slowly drove away, he wondered why he had such a sudden and driving interest in Tasuki. Was it because of Tasuki's obvious beauty and sexual magnetism? Was it because of Tasuki's casual acceptance of everyone? Was it Tasuki's frank, blunt personality? Was it the challenge? Was it Tasuki's passion? Was it the fact that the more he got to know Tasuki, the more complicated and interesting the boy became to him? He'd never been so caught up in another human being. It seemed Tasuki had the ability to make Nakago feel. Tasuki could make him smile, make him laugh, make him frown, and make him angry.

Not only had he felt compelled by a strange need to repent sins he'd never committed to save a little girl, but now he actually felt guilty for hurting Tasuki's feelings. It was a strange day for new experiences.

What was the world coming to, when Nakago Iwasaki felt guilty?

Soi had came when Nakago called her.

She always did.

She said little after Nakago told her how he got injured. She comforted him, soothed his wounds, boosted his ego. Everything about her was soothing. It was almost frustrating.

Nakago and Soi wound up having sex. Every time Nakago was injured, Soi always offered to have sex with him. And every time, Nakago felt physically better. He couldn't explain it, but then again, he didn't want to. Soi was very skilled for such a young woman.

She wasn't really his girlfriend, and certainly not his lover. Soi loved him, that was obvious, but he didn't love her. But yet.... He did care about her. It was almost how you would feel about a sister. Only with sexual overtones. Maybe he did love her, even if it was only a little. Maybe he cared about her because she loved him so much. But it wasn't intense. But then again, Nakago was not an intense person.

On many levels, Soi bored Nakago. She was far too submissive. Nakago liked someone who would keep him lively. Everything Nakago said, Soi agreed with. Everything Nakago did, was good as far as Soi was concerned. She frustrated Nakago with her eagerness to please him. Nakago found her cloying, but yet, she was the closest thing to a friend he really had. Nakago could never offer her any form of real love, but he could offer her his limited form of friendship.

But his thoughts were not on Soi, even when she straddled him, riding his hips slowly, careful not to hurt him further. He closed his eyes, and wondered what it would be like to be inside Tasuki, not Soi. In Soi, he felt empty and unfulfilled, despite the pleasure she brought his body. But Tasuki was not an empty personality. He was a creature in his own right. He had much to fill Nakago with. Tasuki possessed something Nakago craved, but he wasn't sure what it was.

Instead of Soi's hands, Nakago wished they were Tasuki's hands, his mind conjuring the sensation of Tasuki's rough, yet smooth hands touching him the night before. The sound of Tasuki's sultry voice mewling in pleasure, instead of Soi's. The feel of Tasuki's smooth and surprisingly soft skin instead of Soi's. The feel of Tasuki's slender muscles under Nakago's own hands. Nakago wished he could open his eyes and see fiery red hair tumbling down Tasuki's doll-like face.

Nakago had never wanted anyone this badly.

Nakago felt Soi get off him and opened his eyes, surprised. Soi had a hurt look on her face, and was reaching for her clothes. She closed her eyes, and then reopened them.

"What's wrong, Soi...?" Nakago asked, wondering why she had suddenly stopped and was leaving. Soi was not the type to deny him anything.

"You should probably call him," she said softly.

"What?"

"Tasuki. You called his names enough times. You should call him. Sleeping with me isn't going to get him in your bed any faster....." Soi said in a sad voice. Nakago swallowed. He hadn't meant to hurt her feelings. No matter what, Nakago had never wanted to hurt Soi. Not her.

"It's alright, Nakago," Soi said, as if reading his thoughts. "I know you don't love me. It's alright. I accepted that a long time ago... But I want you to be happy. So call Tasuki."

Nakago was left speechless, even after Soi left him.

Tetsuya Kajiwara stood in Keisuke's living room, anxiously calling his wife. Keisuke was in his own room, calling his sister to let her know about the blue burst of light.

Yui finally answered the phone with a muffled "Hello".

"Yui?? Are the boys alright?? The book gave off this bright blue light!! Please tell me they're okay!!" Tetsuya said urgently into the phone.

There was silence, and Tetsuya imagined all sorts of horrible things happening to his wife and children.

"So that's what it was... I felt full of power.... But only for a moment....." Yui said quietly.

"The boys?? Are they okay???"

"They're fine.... They're fine, Tetsuya.... It's just that...."

"That what?? What happened??"

"Amiboshi was practicing his flute..... And he began to play that song... The song he used to play in the book..... And he didn't know how he learned it. He said he played it from heart. And Suboshi was crying. He was crying, Tetsuya. He said he was sorry for killing the children....."

"They're.... are they?"

"No. It passed. They have no clue. They're both listening to rock music very loudly now. They ate their dinner, watched TV, and everything else so normally...."

Tetsuya sighed in relief. Then he frowned, a few suspicions about what his sons did in their room together when the music was blasting flashing through his mind. He sighed and shook his head. Damn Keisuke and his insinuations!

"I'm... glad, Yui. Tell them I love them. I'll be home soon. And I love you, too," he breathed.

"I love you too, Tetsuya. I'll tell them. Later," Yui said before she hung up. Both he and Yui had an unspoken agreement to never find out really what went on between their twins.

Tetsuya thanked Mrs. Yuki for allowing him to use her phone and headed back to Keisuke's room. He opened the door, watching Keisuke hang up the phone slowly. The blonde man turned around and stared at Tetsuya blankly.

"Did something happen, Keisuke?" Tetsuya asked gently.

"Yuiren... Yuiren fell and hit her head on the railroad tracks by the woods the kids like to play at. The boys didn't notice because they were far away. And a train came....."

"Oh my God!!!" Tetsuya cried, a hand flying to his mouth.

"But Nakago was there..... And he saved her! He almost got killed saving Yuiren's life! Tamahome said that his forehead glowed blue moments before he grabbed Yuiren!" Keisuke said in a shaky voice, his hands trembling.

"Nakago??? Nakago saved her???" Tetsuya asked in disbelief.

"And there's more. Tamahome remembered losing Yuiren in a past life.... He said he felt like he'd lost her before! They're remembering, Tetsuya! Even if it's just for a second, the seishi's past lives are coming back to them!"

"I know. Yui said Amiboshi was playing the song he used to play in the book. And Suboshi began crying over killing Tama's family..... But only for a moment. And then they go back to normal....."

"And Taka saw Tokaki of the Byakko Seven with Hikistu of the Genbu Seven. They even mentioned Subaru of the Byakko Seven! They've all been reborn!! Even the Genbu and Byakko warriors!!!" Keisuke said excitedly.

"What does this mean, Keisuke??" Tetsuya asked, his eyes wide behind his sunglasses.

"It means that neither of us are smart enough to figure this out, Tetsuya. So I'm going to find the smartest person I know of to help us."

"You can't seriously be thinking of-"

"I'm letting Chiriko read the book tomorrow. Bring Yui. I'll get Taka and Miaka to come."

Chiriko had grown up well.

He whistled on his way to Keisuke's house, pleased that the older man had invited him to study "something important". Keisuke had told Chiriko on the phone that he thought Chiriko was the only person smart enough to understand. Chiriko swelled in pride and eagerly headed to the Yuki residence.

Chiriko was very small for sixteen, being only 5'4", and slender. He kept his sandy hair in a ponytail that flopped down to his shoulders. His bright green eyes glittered with intelligence. His face was clear and bright, and much to his irritation, Chiriko was thoroughly adorable. He had a difficult time being taken seriously, because everyone thought he was just some cute kid.

But Keisuke Yuki always took him seriously. He never treated Chiriko like a child, despite the fact that Chiriko was only sixteen, and Keisuke was thirty-seven. Keisuke respected the boy's intelligence, and that made Chiriko happy.

And then there was the fact that he was developing a crush on Keisuke.

Chiriko blew his long bangs from his face, sighing. He wasn't so much frustrated that his crush made him gay, but the fact that Keisuke was old enough to be his father. Keisuke probably thought of him as a child and nothing more. The gay thing really didn't bother him. He was smart enough to understand that Tasuki was gay, but Tasuki's warped sense of masculinity forced him to hide it. He also knew that Nuriko was gay, and Hotohori was bisexual. He wasn't the only one. And his self-esteem was surely not as low as Tasuki's, so it really didn't bother him.

Chiriko just wished he was a little older.

When the small scholar reached the door, he knocked timidly, and a happy looking woman in her late twenties opened the door, smiling down at him.

"Hello, Chiriko! Keisuke and everyone is waiting for you!" Mrs. Yuki said cheerfully, bustling Chiriko back towards Keisuke's room. Chiriko frowned slightly. He had hoped it would just be him and Keisuke.

"Thanks, Mrs. Yuki!" Chiriko said brightly as he knocked on Keisuke's door. Mrs. Yuki bustled away.

Keisuke opened the door, smiling at Chiriko. "Hello, Chiriko! I hope you don't mind, but Miaka and Taka are here. I also invited Yui and Tetsuya Kajiwara, Suboshi and Amiboshi's parents. They're good friends of mine, and we've all been studying this book........."

"Book?" Chiriko asked brightly, bowing to Yui and Tetsuya. He exchanged a hug with Miaka and bowed to Taka.

Keisuke picked up the book from his desk. It was pulsating a dull red. He placed it on the coffee table, before Chiriko.

"The Book of the Universe of the Four Gods. We can't figure it out, Chiriko. But I think you can. Especially since you're from the book. Originally," Keisuke said softly and stood back. The entire group of adults held their breath, staring at Chiriko, waiting to see what would happened.

Chiriko blinked, the red reflecting in his green eyes. His expression went slack and he walked slowly towards the book. The red glow grew brighter and brighter as he drew near.

And while Keisuke, Tetsuya, Yui, Miaka, and Taka watched, Chiriko reached out and touched the book.

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