MBP: I just want to say, thanks to all of you! I'd have never made this story finish if it hadn't been for everyone viewing and reviewing this! So, in the end, this wasn't just me, Rini, and Kioshi who created this story, it was all of you as well! This is not just mine, it's all of yours as well! Thanks again for everything, especially for sticking around when I didn't continue writing for the longest time!

Rini: You're all amazing! I'm sad that this is over, but I'm so happy that so many of you continued to read and enjoy this! I wish all of you the best of stories to read/write/enjoy after this! Thanks so much, all of you!

Kio: Thanks for staying with us... we couldn't have done this without all of you! There are too many people to thank individually, so everyone that reviewed even one chapter anonymously or not, and everyone that is reading this... you're all being thanked right here!

MBP, Rini, & Kio: Thanks again, from all of us! And here it is... the final chapter of Letters for Yahiro... We own nothing!

Chapter 27: Finishing the Game...

Yahiro pounded his head against the wall, cursing the silence in the house. For a Christmas, it really sucked. Christmas was officially the worst holiday of the year.

Chitose was off at the Takishima's, getting ready for the Christmas party there. Sota was gone, again, so of course his loud step-brothers weren't there. Shame, at least they'd at least distract him for a little while. His parents weren't home, which wasn't surprising since they were never there for the holidays. Even the servants had left him, taking a Christmas vacation. Christmas was just a lame excuse to take a break from doing anything productive... Bah humbug!

Yahiro realized exactly how Scrooge-like he was acting, but he didn't care anymore. He didn't care about anything anymore. He'd lost the most important thing in his life... for the second time! He felt entitled to have some self-pity.

So absorbed in his self-pity and hating the world, he didn't notice someone enter his room and watch him silently. It was only when the other boy coughed that Yahiro even noticed that there was someone else there.

Too bad it wasn't who he'd wanted it to be. Yahiro's eyes narrowed hatefully and he resisted the urge to kill. "What the hell do you want?" He snapped to Mitsuru, who was leaning against the wall with a smug smirk on his face. "You already got what you want; you don't need to rub it in."

"Wouldn't you do the same exact thing? Rub in the fact that Megumi was with you?"

"Hell no!" Yahiro sat up straight and sent his deadliest glare towards the other boy. "She's way too precious to use like that!"

Mitsuru stared at Yahiro, cold blankness in his gaze. Yahiro hated him more than anything... hated everything about the other boy. "So get out, and let me get on with my life." Yahiro sent the order, barely able to speak the words without yelling. He turned his back and sent his attention to the dent he'd created in his wall.

"I love her." Mitsuru said suddenly, breaking the silence. Yahiro turned again to look at Mitsuru, who avoided his eyes. "I've loved Megumi for years, you know that?"

"And now you have her," Yahiro growled, shaking in fury. Mitsuru was mocking him now, mocking the way Yahiro was grieving.

"No... I don't." Mitsuru sighed and shook his head. "Maybe I thought I would, but Megumi would never care for me that way."

Good. It was the only word that Yahiro could hear in his head, and it's spiteful tone almost helped him feel better about himself. Almost.

"She loves you," Mitsuru said quietly, finally looking back at the defeated boy on the bed. Here he was, looking at his rival, and he couldn't feel anything but pity. He wanted to hate Yahiro for having Megumi's heart, but... "She never stopped, not even when she was with us. You, the SA... you were all she'd ever talk about sometimes."

Yahiro scoffed at the idea of Megumi caring anymore. "She doesn't love me."

"What makes you say that?" Mitsuru asked, taking the chair from the desk. "The fact that she didn't come to see you?"

"I'm nothing but a jerk who'd only hurt her," Yahiro muttered, turning away from the other boy. He wasn't taunting him, but Yahiro didn't want to see the Mitsuru. If he looked, all he saw was Megumi with Mitsuru, forgetting about him.

"You've hurt her before and that didn't change her feelings," Mitsuru said, getting tired of the other boy's self-pity. He was in the same boat basically, and he'd landed on his feet. "Why would that change now?"

"Don't you get it?" Yahiro snapped, letting his anger take over now. He turned on the other boy, shaking with fury as he nearly ripped his sheets, needing to do something with his hands so he wouldn't rip off Mitsuru's head. "I'm a monster, nothing but a despicable jerk that no one should care about! I don't deserve her! Nothing I do will ever make me deserve her!"

"No one deserves her!" Mitsuru shouted back, giving into violence and grabbing Yahiro's collar. "Not you, not me, not anyone in this world, do you understand me? She's got the purest soul in the world, and there is no one who can honestly say they deserve her love! No one!"

Mitsuru shook Yahiro harshly, tossing him back on the bed. "But we got her love anyways, and I can't believe you'd seriously give it up that easily!"

"I don't want to give it up!" Yahiro yelled, standing and pushing Mitsuru angrily. "But what else am I supposed to do?"

"Go find her!" Mitsuru was beyond being calm. He was talking to his major rival, and said rival was actually giving up on the best person who could have ever walked into either of their lives! "Don't let her get away!"

"And how do you suppose I do that?" Yahiro shouted, running a hand through his hair. "I've gone over her hints a thousand times each, and they don't connect! I've tried, do you think I haven't? I'm willing to give everything up to find her!"

Mitsuru stared for a moment at Yahiro. He hated being good at reading people; it didn't help him when he wanted someone who was completely sincere to be lying. Mitsuru sighed, hoping that he was doing the right thing...

"Tsukiyomi Hotel, room 19 on floor 14," Mitsuru sighed, searching through his pockets as Yahiro stared at him in confusion. Mitsuru pulled out a room card and tossed it at the other boy. "That's my room card. Connecting door to the left leads to Megumi's room."

"Why are you doing this?" Yahiro breathed, holding the card as if it was the last link to life. "Why help me if you love her?"

"I'd go quickly; she's leaving the hotel in an hour," Mitsuru said, not moving even when Yahiro ran out of the room, leaving him alone.

Mitsuru tried to smile weakly, but failed. "It's because I love her," he answered to the silent room, unable to find the strength to move. "I'd help you because that would make her happy... even if it hurts me..."

() () () () () ()

Yahiro found the room Mitsuru had told him about easily and gone in. Actually opening the connecting door was a much harder story... the doubts began to hit him.

What if she'd already left? What if she didn't want to see him? What if she told him that he was late and she never wanted to acknowledge his existence again?

Yahiro Saiga didn't feel doubts. He was calm, confident in everything he did, smart, strong...

What the hell was he thinking? When it came to Megumi, he was anything but any of the above. And right now, he was almost shaking in his shoes... but he couldn't let her go... not now.

He went to open the door, but paused when he heard voices on the other side... voices he'd heard before.

"Megumi... are you okay?" Kenta, the man from work? He knew Megumi? What the hell?

There was silence, but Yahiro could safely assume that was Megumi on her sketch board.

"Megu-chan, do you want one of my cookies?"

"No, one of mine!"

Ko and Kohaku? The little kids too? That only meant...

"Um... Megumi? Are you sure you're alright? I mean... we all just want you to be happy."

Oh, Sota was going to die. Yahiro sincerely hoped he was going to continue working at the Saiga household, if only for one more day. He'd be so maimed that his brothers would have to baby-sit him, instead of the other way around.

"Where's Mitsuru?" Kenta asked quietly. "I thought he said he'd be here."

Yahiro needed to get in that room. He'd instill some fear into Sota while he was at it... he had a feeling Kenta wouldn't be scared, and he at least was doing his professional company some good.

"Sorry, Mitsuru won't be here," Yahiro drawled as he walked in, relishing the look on Sota's face. He wasn't too pleased at the fear in Megumi's though... "I need to speak to Megumi alone please. Now."

Ko and Kohaku were the wise ones. Yahiro was glad to be able to recognize brains when he saw them. The twins didn't even bother to exchange glances at Megumi, they just ran. Kenta looked at Megumi and then nodded before he left. Sota appeared to be shocked into place, so Yahiro smiled evilly at him.

"Sota, leave please," Yahiro said quietly, quite enjoying the fear growing. Sota turned to leave abruptly. "Oh, and Sota... I'll see you for work tomorrow."

Sota ran, and Yahiro heard a choked laugh behind him. He hadn't realized Megumi would take so much pleasure in her friends getting threatened... He'd have to do it more often.

"Now... I need to talk to you." Yahiro turned to look at Megumi.

'I won.' Oh, now she wanted to rub it in... or reject him, but Yahiro was more inclined to lean towards the first option.

"Yes, you did," Yahiro agreed, taking a step towards her, disappointed when she retreated as well.

'You have no right to be here.' Megumi held her sign up stubbornly, then indicated to her suitcases. 'I'm leaving soon, and I'd like to pack.'

"Well, that's too bad, I don't plan on letting you leave this room until I finish what I'm going to say," Yahiro replied, smirking at her frown. Just like old times...

'And I'm not missing my flight. So leave.'

"So pack while I talk. You can multi-task, right? You're not that much of an idiot." Yahiro chuckled inwardly at her glare. She really hadn't changed much, she was just more outspoken.

'Was that a kind of compliment? I'm so flattered...' Megumi rolled her eyes, returning to her belongings. Yahiro let her pack while he tried to find the words he needed to say.

"I love you," Yahiro heard come out of his mouth, freezing the girl in her tracks. "I didn't realize it until you started writing to me, but I've loved you for years, and I was too dense to see it. It practically killed me to think of you being gone forever."

"Yahiro..." Megumi took a step towards him, but he didn't even notice.

"I was a jealous wreck! I couldn't sleep, I couldn't think of anything but you! I thought I'd ruined everything because I was such a despicable jerk, and a moron, and I was too much of an idiot to find you!" Yahiro admitted, letting his emotions show all at once. "I'm in love with you, and I'm not letting you get away this time! I'm not letting you go, do you understand me?"

"You can't control me." The four words froze Yahiro and he backed away, trying to gain control of himself.

"You're right..." Yahiro choked out, backing towards the door. "You're absolutely right. I can't force you to do anything. But I needed you to know how I felt before you left."

Love hurt. He'd thought he'd loved Akira, but it was nothing like this. Real love made him feel like he was going to fall into a million tiny little pieces, and still get trampled on. Losing her was worse than anything he'd had felt before... and he couldn't do anything about it. Nothing he said or did would help him here. He was one of the most successful people in the world, and the one thing he really needed was the one thing he could never have. The one person he really cared about was the only one that would never be there.

"W-wait!" Yahiro was out the door and closing it when Megumi grabbed his arm and pulled him back, slamming the door so he couldn't leave.

"Megumi, I can't..." Yahiro backed into the wall when Megumi wrapped her arms around his neck, caught off balance at the sudden weight.

"Please... if you really love me... than just hold me..." Yahiro sighed, knowing he'd hurt more at the end of this, but unable to let her go. He wrapped his arms around her waist protectively, wanting more. He wanted to hold her close to him and never let go. But it was impossible.

"Yahiro... will you kiss me?" Megumi whispered, and Yahiro tensed in surprise. Who was this girl, and why was she asking him to kiss her? "You never did when we were younger..."

"Megumi... don't do this to me..." Yahiro choked on the words. "If you won't stay, then don't..."

"I'll stay. If you really love me." Megumi's eyes were wide, and innocent. "I'd stay for you."

Yahiro's heart warmed at the sound of the words. But he had to be honest... "I won't always be nice," he warned. "I'll end up hurting you sometimes. More often than not, I'll be insulting you, instead of giving you compliments. You're going to think I'm despicable, and I'll think you're a naive fool and..."

"And that's not new," Megumi interrupted, pressing a finger to his lips. "Do you love me?"

"Yes... more than anything." Yahiro held her hand and touched his cheek to it. It was so soft, so warm...

"Then I'll stay. Are you going to kiss me?" Megumi looked so serious, and absolutely adorable.

Yahiro chuckled and kissed Megumi's hand instead. "Idiot..." he murmured against her skin, ignoring the frown. "I plan on kissing you every day for the rest of our lives... no need to be in a hurry."

Megumi turned red, and Yahiro began to laugh again. Some things just never changed...

~~()~~()~~()~~()~~()~~()~~

Three Months Later

"Ouch! What the hell Mitsuru?" Yahiro punched Mitsuru in the face, in revenge for the bruised kneecap he was sure he had now. "Have you finally lost your mind?"

"You. Are. Dead!" Mitsuru threw another punch at Yahiro, who dodged it, still wondering what the hell he'd done to piss him off this time. While he was thinking about it, Mitsuru's foot hit him in the face, sending him flying.

And with that, Yahiro was done with it. For the next ten minutes, the two boys fought in front of the Saiga home, with no one trying to stop them. Sota came back from some errands, paling when he saw them, and ran inside the house, returning with the soon-to-be lady of the house.

Megumi approached the two boys and smacked both of them with her sketch board, effectively stopping the fight. 'Both of you need to calm down!'

"But... Megumi..."

"He started it, hitting me the moment he saw me!" Yahiro sent the blame towards Mitsuru, eager to escape a lecture. "I was defending myself! You wouldn't want your beloved to be killed by your insane friend, would you?"

"Well, if you could control your hormones, we wouldn't..." Mitsuru snapped.

"What do my hormones have to do with anything?" Yahiro growled, about ready to start the fight again. Yahiro was practically already married to Megumi anyways... they were already engaged, living together... they just hadn't had the ceremony yet.

Megumi hit Mitsuru on the head again and then smiled her brightest smile at Yahiro. "Yahiro... I'm pregnant."

"P-pregnant?" Yahiro stared for a moment and then grabbed his fiancé in a hug, spinning her in a circle. "I'm going to be father?"

"Yes!" Megumi giggled, holding onto him.

"Well, now I understand why he was trying to kill me," Yahiro said, teasing Mitsuru gently. Mitsuru glared, used to it, but now was a serious moment!

Yahiro understood that, and looked at Megumi. "Could I pick the godparent?" Megumi nodded her approval, frowning in confusion when Yahiro let her go.

"Mitsuru... would you be the godfather for our child?" Yahiro asked seriously, reaching out a hand for the other boy.

"Are you serious?" Mitsuru asked incredulously. He might be at the Saiga's home a lot, but he'd never gotten close to Yahiro. There was no reason at all for Yahiro to be asking him...

"I haven't forgotten that if you hadn't helped me, she'd have gotten away," Yahiro replied quietly. "It would be my honor to have you be the godfather."

Mitsuru thought for a moment about what Yahiro was saying and smiled. "I'd love to." He took Yahiro's hand and nodded. There was no way that he'd not be able to be friends with the boy now, not after this.

The rest of the group, their very large group now, came from the house. Sota was hiding a little, still frightened of his employer, while his brothers laughed by him. Kenta had gotten a promotion, courtesy of Yahiro, for his work on the motorcycle piece he'd done. Kei and Hikari were holding onto each other. Aoi watched Alisa ruffle Kohaku's hair while Akira handed out sweets, Tadashi begging for some. Ryuu was hugging Finn, and Sakura chased Jun around, and they were all waiting at the door. Megumi grinned and waved, taking Yahiro's hand gently.

Yahiro smiled and enlaced his fingers with hers. He was surrounded by people, but she was the only one that mattered in the end. Megumi, and the little one she was carrying... He loved them, completely, with everything he was...

And this time... he wouldn't let what he loved go...

~Fin~

MBP: And... it's over... it's so hard to believe...

Rini: Thanks so much for reading everyone... We'll miss you, and this story...

Kio: Um...

MBP: Let's all do the end, okay... 1...

Rini: 2...

Kio: 3...

All: We love you all... Jaa nee!