Yo. It's Oichi again. I'm more in the mood to write Gundam SEED- but I'll make sure to finish up all my other Fics first. This one's top priority! –Lovelovelove- Oh, there's one more flashback-same routine. 'Kay?

More terms, hai hai!

Maiko – Apprentice Geisha

Chobi – 'small' in Japanese

Tenshi – 'angel' in Japanese

Onwa – 'gentle' in Japanese

Kankei – 'Sweet Pledge' in Japanese

Kichou – 'precious' in Japanese

Please note I'm no expert in Japanese, so, if some are wrong, mah bad:'D

……………………………

Kurogane winced as he felt Yumi's shoulders shake as he held her. Sure, he was expecting tears and stuff but this… this was far from what he imagined.

"Yumi…?" Kurogane started to say something, but stopped. Something was obviously wrong with her- he had never, ever seen her grieve as she was at that moment. Falling silent, Kurogane held her as close to himself as possible without squishing her frail body. "Yumi-chan…" he mumbled into her soft, lavender smelling hair. He could feel her heartbeat through her kimono- it was racing.

After a moment of silence, Yumi finally looked up, green eyes hazed with pain. "Kurogane-kun, I'm so sorry."

Kurogane swallowed his questions, looking down at Yumi. He hadn't the faintest idea what she meant. "Yumi-chan, I…" he trailed off, trying to grasp the words he wanted. "What do you mean?" he started, stepping back so he could get a clearer view of Yumi.

He was right- she did look almost the same. Her petite body, the soft kimono with suggestive curves, her long, raven hair. But… something was missing. Then it hit him- it seemed as if her very life had been sucked out of her. Her glowing skin, childish giggle, even the twinkling in her eyes- it was all gone. Kurogane felt as if for those next few seconds that his mind had been completely wiped clean. Whether it was shock, grief or something much worse, he didn't know. All he did know, however, was that he didn't like it.

Looking around, Kurogane grabbed Yumi's hand softly, tugging at her arm. "'Comon," he said as softly as possible- quite a feat for the shinobi. Sitting down at the base of the sakura tree, he tugged Yumi down beside him softly. "Hey," he continued, looking at the back of her head as she turned away. "Tell me what's happened…?"

Slowly turning around, Yumi's green eyes met Kurogane's auburn. "Kurogane-san, remember back, when we talked about our future?" Kurogane raised a brow, shaking his head. "Uh, maybe?" Yumi shook her head, a small smile spreading on her face. "Ha, naturally you wouldn't. Think! We talked about how we'd want our children raised? And your promise?"

Kurogane blinked, and after a moment, nodded. "Oh, right." He frowned, looking back at the house. "I never wanted a little brat kid, anyways." He grumbled, giving Yumi the evil-eye. She only laughed softly, and looked down at her hands. "But, you do remember, ne?" "Yeah, I do…"

...

"Hey, Kuro-san?" I looked over at Yumi, who had been happily chattering away while clinging onto my arm. It was a mid spring day, and the scent of blooming flowers filled the moist air. Blinking in surprise as Yumi's voice suddenly got serious, I stopped acting annoyed and turned my attention to the girl. "What?"

Yumi looked down, face suddenly pink. She looked prettier then usual today, in a soft blue kimono with a pinkish orange setting sun. Little sailboats were sewn around the obi. Looking closely at the intricate pattern, you could even see little foamy waves on the ocean- as I had a chance to gaze at her body earlier. The humidity in the air had made her hair wavy, and she had let it out of the hairstyle I loathed so greatly into a simple bun laced with small white flowers. Not that you could see them anymore- most of them had been knocked out earlier as we made love.

"Well? Out with it!" I snapped, then immediately regretted it as Yumi frowned and gave me a sideways glance. "I mean," I started once again, trying to sound more modest. "What's on your mind?"

Yumi's face seemed to light up, even though I knew she'd never buy such a corny line. "Kuro-kun, do you think we'll have children?"

I stopped in my tracks, staring at the girl on my arm. "Are you mad!" I growled, glaring at her. "I hate kids! All of them! Besides, if we have kids, that means we loose time together. Meaning less sex-" I was cut off when Yumi elbowed me in the side. "What was that for!" I roared, attracting attention from passer-bys. Yumi flipped out her fan, giggling behind it. "Oh, Kurogane-san, please don't step on a crack! You'll break your mother's back!" she said in a false, giggly tone.

Staring at Yumi like she was crazy, I shook my head. "Damn it, Geisha scare me sometimes." Yumi rolled her eyes as the people surrounding us realized we were just two youths goofing around. "I just saved your shinobi as-" "EH! Geisha shouldn't foul their mouths, Yumi." "Pfft. My mouth is as dirty as possible. For god's sake, I kissed YOU!"

Shaking my head, I couldn't help but chuckle. "Anyways, what were you on about, Yumi-chan?" "Oh, right." Yumi claimed back her place on my arm, and we began to shuffle along the path. "Anyways, IF we do have children for some reason-" "You mean because we screw too much and chances are one of these days you'll get pregnant?" "-how would you want to plan for her future?"

I scoffed. "Her? What makes you so sure it'll be a girl? It'll be a boy. And he'll train to become a shinobi, like me!" I laughed, grinning evilly. "Oh, god, drop the act." Yumi sighed, brushing away a curly strand of hair from her face. "Either way, I want him or her to be educated by the best, so perhaps he or she could become more successful then us." Yumi put much more strain on the word 'or' then the rest of the sentence. "I mean, I don't want any child of mine having a childhood like I did…" Yumi trailed off, focusing her eyes into something in the distance. All was silent for a moment, until I piped up.

"You're right. My childhood was full of training, and I bet yours was just as bad." Yumi nodded, not bothering to tear her eyes from whatever she was gazing at. "Hey, Kurogane?"

Looking softly down at Yumi, I smiled slightly. I only gave her these looks- looks of caring, looks of love- when she wasn't looking. I didn't want to seem weak to the woman I had in bed almost every night… As Yumi looked up, my expression melted back into a monotone expression. "Promise me you'll never let me be with another man to survive? Other then my normal tea house entertaining?"

My eyebrows shot up. "Eh?" I blinked. It looked as if happy ol' Yumi had been doing a lot of thinking lately. "Yeah, I promise. On my life." "Me, too. I don't ever want to be away from you, kichou…"

Kurogane shook off the memory, then looked down at Yumi. "Yeah, I remember it quite well. Not like it was that long ago-" he cut himself off, remembering that it had been around five years since he left in Japan. "Uh…"

Yumi sighed, rubbing her temples with both hands. "Oh, Kurogane-kun, I'm so sorry!" he looked down, about to ask what was wrong, but there was no need to. "Lemme guess. You found someone else, you had a child. You thought I was dead, huh?"

Yumi looked up in surprise. "Not… exactly." She gazed back down at her clasped hands. "Alright… you sure you want to hear this?" Kurogane nodded, and Yumi sucked in a deep breath. "Alright, then…"

"After you left, or were sent away, which ever, I found out I was pregnant. With your child. I didn't know what to do, I figured you were on a mission or something and didn't have the time to inform me. I… I went to the Princess Tomoyo, asking of you. She informed me of… the events. After that, I tried to work my hardest. Not many men, however, enjoy being entertained by a woman with a swollen stomach. I could barley fit into my kimono after my fifth month. I stopped, and started slowly to use up the funds I had saved up. After Rei's birth- yes, I named him Rei, that was what you wanted your male child to be named, after all- I started to struggle. Not many people wanted to hire me for parties, knowing I had a child and was a lover of a shinobi, it was to risky for them. I certainly couldn't tell them that you had been sent to another world- the Princess Tomoyo forbid it.

"Then, I was approached by a wealthy man named Kyo. He supported Rei and I… but I refused to 'court' him, as he called it, or anything of that nature. Eventually, I gave in, and allowed him to marry me. However, I still refused to engage in any… activities. But… after a month or so, he got angry… and…"

Yumi turned her head, tugging down half of her kimono so her left shoulder was bare. What Kurogane saw made him tremble with rage. Cuts, bruises, even bite marks. He could practically fell his stomach turning inside out with disgust. How could anyone hurt anyone as delicate and intricate as Yumi?

"Anyways. It just started… going downhill. First that, then… lending me to friends, business partners. Then he… started to hurt Rei. I didn't know what to do, I was so scared, but…" Yumi buried her face in her kimono sleeves. "I broke our promise," she sobbed, shoulders shaking. "Please, go. Forget you ever knew me- it would be the best for both of us."

Kurogane looked down at Yumi, then at the house that was once his. Rage filled him- not towards Yumi. How else could she have survived? But towards this man- this Kyo- who had dared to harm and interfere with his… dare he say family?

"Yumi-chan." Kurogane wrapped his arm around her small waist, tugging her into his grasp. Resting his head against hers, he gazed down into her grieving eyes. "If anything, I broke our promise. And nothing's going to stop me from getting revenge."

Yumi pushed Kurogane away, shaking away tears as she protested. "No! Look what I've done- betrayed you. I have no right to even be in the presence of a man such as yourse-" she was cut off as Kurogane grabbed her chin softly.

"When did you start talking so formally?" he demanded, ginning slightly. "I want my Yumi back. And I'll make everything right for her again."

Yumi sniffled, cocking her head as I wiped away a couple of tears she had shed. "Yeah? Really, Kuro-onwa?" Kurogane blinked, then chuckled as Yumi used his old pet nickname meaning 'gentle'.

"Hai, my chobi tenshi. It'll be our kankei." He whispered, pressing his lips briefly to Yumi's own quivering ones, then he pulled away. "I promise."