Yuutarou

That name again…

"Grandma, is this man Yuutarou? Who is he?" Yuki tilted her head slightly while asking her grandma with a quizzical expression.

Arianna looked fixedly at the picture and her hand shook as she reached out to touch the hologram. Her eyes glistened as her fingers trembled and stopped just before the hologram. Her hands paused momentarily before dropping back onto the bed and she closed her eyes, as if in pain. A minute passed before she slowly opened her eyes and gazed at Yuki.

Yuki was astounded to see deep sorrow and pain in her grandmother's eyes. Yuki held her grandmother's gaze for a few moments before her grandmother heaved a heavy sigh. Yuki's grandmother blinked once and the sorrow and pain that Yuki witnessed in her eyes had been erased. There was a short pause before Arianna opened her mouth.

"Yuutarou, he… he is someone very special to me. This picture was from a very old storage device wasn't it? Was it in a box with two Polaroid photographs and a bundle of letters? I misplaced that box a long time back, where did you find it?"

Yuki knew that Arianna was still hiding something from her and had not fully disclosed her relationship with Yuutarou, as she described where she found the box Arianna was talking about. However, she could tell that Arianna was currently overwhelmed with what had just happened and thus she did not push her grandmother for more answers.

"I can't believe that I marred your homecoming by ending up in the hospital," Arianna apologized with a guilty expression. "By the way, what made you decide to come back? I heard that you filed for a Leave of Absence, from your mother. Did something happen between Naoki and you?" Arianna had been Yuki's long-time confidante and hence she could see the heartache that flashed in Yuki's eyes.

Seeing that Yuki was hesitant to answer, Arianna continued. "Well, he might have been your first boyfriend, but that doesn't mean that he'll be your last. Some relationships work out, but most do not. Sometimes you might meet the right person at the wrong time, sometimes it's just the wrong person. But all these experiences are what helps you grow as a person, so let your emotions out, don't hold them in, and once you're done crying, go out and face the world again with your back straight and chin held high. What's in the past should be left in the past, clinging on to the past would only hurt your future."

After all that had happened in the past few weeks, following her break up, Yuki was emotionally exhausted. Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, Yuki cried her heart out in her grandmother's warm embrace. Sniffling, Yuki asked Arianna, "Why is it that you seem to understand my heartache so well? Was it because of Yuutarou? Did he break your heart too?"

Startled, Arianna opened her mouth, but no words came out. There was a slight pause before Arianna started to speak.

"Well… Yes, he broke my heart so badly that I thought I could never love again, until I met your grandfather. But even until now, he still holds a place in my heart no matter how many years have passed. No matter how kind and patient your grandfather is, I know that his heart still aches from the fact that he isn't the only one, even though he tries to hide it… And seeing him in pain, makes my heart ache too. I love Kosuke so much, but I can't give my whole heart to him, even if I really wanted to. I just hope that this will never happen to you, my dear… That's why I have never told anyone about Yuutarou, because I don't want to see the pain reflected in Kosuke's eyes…" Arianna reflected with a far away look on her face.

Suddenly she grabbed Yuki's hand and clasped it between hers with a very serious expression, scaring Yuki. "Promise me Yuki, that you'll never let your grandfather know what I've just told you. Maybe I'm greedy for loving two men, maybe I'll go to hell for causing Kosuke so much pain, but please Yuki, don't ever let Kosuke know that Yuutarou still holds a place in my heart. Kosuke knows about how much Yuutarou meant to me, and he probably suspects how dear Yuutarou is to me, but I don't want to cause him anymore pain, especially after all that he has done for me. Please Yuki, can you promise me this?"

Yuki was aghast at Arianna's sudden confession. In disbelief, she asked, "Have you ever met with Yuutarou after you got together with grandpa? Have you ever cheated on grandpa?" Deep inside her heart, Yuki was dreading Arianna's answer, she prayed hard that her grandmother had not done such a dreadful thing to her grandfather. However, she was at a loss of what to do if Arianna admitted to cheating on Kosuke. Should she really keep it from her grandfather? Would she be able to?

"Cheat on Kosuke? Even if I love Yuutarou and Kosuke, I would never go against my principles and cheat on my partner. Of course, I have never cheated on Kosuke and I never would and have never been tempted to," Arianna pouted, slightly insulted that Yuki would think of her that way. "There are many types of love. Although I love Yuutarou, but it is a different kind of love from my love for Kosuke and Kosuke understands that. Of course, I have met with Yuutarou even after I got together with Kosuke, I never felt the need to hide it from Kosuke, I had Kosuke's permission. In fact, Kosuke has gone out with Yuutarou and I numerous times." Arianna harrumphed.

Yuki heaved a sigh of relief, glad that she did not have to face any moral dilemma. Just as Yuki wanted to find out more about Arianna's relationship with Yuutarou, an announcement broadcasting the end of visiting hours was heard.

"If I want to know more about your relationship with Yuutarou, would you tell it to me?" Yuki asked as she prepared to leave.

Arianna blinked in bewilderment. "You… You want to know more about Yuutarou and I? Aren't you afraid that it might upset you?"

"What else could be more upsetting than knowing that you love someone else apart from grandpa? It's not like you cheated on grandpa anyway. I'm just curious as to why you can't forget this guy that had broken your heart." Yuki replied bluntly.

"Well, if you're really curious, alright then. Bring along the box, it'll make my story-telling easier." Arianna replied happily, relieved that Yuki didn't seem to hold anything against her.

Yuki nodded numbly to signify her acknowledgement as she left the ward, her mind a mess from trying to process all the information that Arianna had just revealed. Yuki felt as if someone had just set off a bomb in her mind as she struggled to make sense of what had just happened.