Forever yours,

Conversation to freedom part 1

THIS CHAPTER MIGHT BE A LITTLE LONG, SORRY! It might end up in two parts!  Well here's an embarrassing find! I didn't post part 1.. my bad!!

*Mei*

When she awoke in the morning to her alarm it was 6:45, a little later than she usually would be, but still early enough to be at school for her council duties. She got ready and went down to breakfast, her grandfather still sitting at the table.

"Morning grandfather," greeted Mei,

"Morning Mei," her grandfather sounded sad, or distracted. "Mei today I have a meeting at 10:30 and we have one later in the day, so you will need to leave your last class a little early and meet me in my office, if you can."

"Of course grandfather, I will inform my teacher."

The rest of their meal went in silence.

When they both finished, they went off to start their days, before leaving the house Mei found her grandfather to say goodbye, he was in his study grabbing papers and his briefcase.

"I'm leaving now grandfather." Stated Mei.

"Okay, just remember to tell your teacher about our meeting today. It's rather important." Her grandfather looked different.. his eyes softer somehow.

"I'll be sure to see you later, good bye grandfather."

*time skip*

*Shō*

He got to his fathers office, and knocked. Upon hearing the usual monotone, "enter." He opened the door, and saw his father sitting at his desk.

"Greetings father." Shō said, "I came here to ensure you made that call we discussed the other day,"

His father looked up.

"Not yet no, I was going to do that today."

"Excellent, you won't mind if I sit in do you?" Shō said sitting on a chair, making it evident that he didn't really give him any choice. His father sighed, "no, of course not. Make yourself comfortable."

"How about we do that now, there's another matter I'd like to discuss as well, but it can wait until after." Shō was staring at his father once more, waiting for him to pick up his desk phone.

He dialled the number, and waited. Someone answered, "hello Chairman, what can I do for you today." It was a mans voice so Shō assumes it could only be the man he was going to force his daughter to marry.

"Good morning Udagawa-san, I just need to have a brief and uncomfortable conversation with you.." he spent the next hour explaining to the guy on the phone why he was no longer marrying Mei, and apologizing, Shō laughed to himself, he never saw his father look so uncomfortable as he was for that hour.

"After one final apology he heard the man on the phone say, "I understand, love is love and I don't think I could ever have made her happy or made her love me. I'll explain things to my parents, No hard feelings sir, have a pleasant afternoon." And they hung up.

"There, are you happy?" His dad asked still embarrassed.

"Not quite yet. We still have to discuss some things, like first, I will be here when you talk to Mei so you don't guilt her into anything again."

His father nodded, "Second, you will allow her to move out of your place and back home with me and Ume and Yuzu, IF and or when she so chooses."

Again, his father nodded. "She will never again feel pressure to do something she herself doesn't want to explicitly do."

"You won't press her for information about whom she is interested, ever. Finally" Shō stood up along with his father and walked towards him, "you are banned from making plans for her future."

"Okay, I get it.." he said as someone knocked on the door, "Enter." He said.

Shō heard a gasp just before, "Father? What are you doing here?"

He turned around and smiled at his daughter. Noticing her eyes looked dull and lifeless. "I will fix this" he thought.

*Mei*

* time-skip back to morning*

She left for school, and thought, "grandfather was acting weird.." she headed to school and did her rounds, going to class. Going through her day, she waited until her class she needed to leave to get to her meeting with her grandfather.

Finally the time came and she excused herself from class and walked to her grandfathers office, knocking on the door she waited to be allowed entrance, "Enter," her grandfather said. She entered the room and gasped.

"Father? What are you doing here?"

He turned around and smiled at her, she did her best to hide the fact she always feels dead inside lately. Judging by how her dads smile turned sad she failed,"crap" she thought to herself.

"Grandfather, am I too early?"

"No mei, you're on time your father has requested to sit in on what I am about to say to you... so please sit,"

Mei moves to the other chair in front of his desk, and sat down next to her father.

"So Mei," he began, " I am under the understanding that you have no feelings for your fiancée.. and after some deliberation, and much convincing from your father." Mei looked at her dad "you no longer have to be engaged.." her head whipped around to stare at her grandfather.

"What do you mean?"

Shō spoke up, "he means you are free to be with whomever you want Mei" her father was looking at her funny, like he knew something, he smiled again at his daughter, a twinkle of something mischievous in his eye.

Dismissing the thought she turned back to her grandfather. "You don't have to do that, I've accepted the fact I need to do this and I'm okay with it.

"Well Mei, I'm sorry to say I've already done it. I made the call earlier. You're officially single and free to be happy.. I hope you can forgive me one day."

Mei was lost in thought, since the word free her mind had gone right to Yuzu, the only person who ever reached her heart and cared about her enough to fight for her, regardless of what anyone were to think. Was it too late? To get Yuzu back she would do anything. Turning to her father she said, "May I come over for dinner? I'd like to see mother and Yuzu. I've been too busy lately to visit and during school it's no different."

"That is a wonderful idea, in fact, I'm sure you could even stay the night. We can ask when we get there, how does that sound?" Shō said with a large smile plastered on his face. Mei nodded, smiling at her dad.

"I'll be over right as soon as I finish the student council work for the day." Mei Stated, getting excited about the news she just got.

"Mei you can go, I'll handle it for today, enjoy time with your family for once, you work too hard," Her grandfather stated.