Sayuri had shifted into a girls' hostel near Aparo Park as there was no other place she could stay in. She knew in the current circumstances, she would have to fend for herself so she needed to find a job too. But that could be difficult considering the type of education she had received could not be put to use in conventional jobs.

However, it was a good thing she knew how to defend herself because, in a city like Gotham, there was trouble at every step.

She had finally talked to Tim through Richard Grayson and the boy had been very happy to hear from her. He wanted to meet her too so she had told him to come to Aparo Park that weekend.

In the days before the weekend, she checked the newspapers and applied for a job in places she thought she might be able to work in. She also needed some way to pay for the hostel's rent and her savings were already running out.

However, the weekend came much sooner than she thought and just as she was about to leave for the park on the time she had told Tim to come, she paused as a wave of unease gripped her.

She would be meeting her younger brother after eight years. A lot had happened in that time to her and perhaps Tim had changed a lot too from how she had last seen him. She also didn't know whether he was truly glad to have her back or if he would no longer need her around him.

He could resent her for not reaching out to them in all those years because even though he might not be aware of the actual reason she couldn't contact him, he could feel that perhaps she hadn't cared enough to keep in touch. Or he could think that things took a turn for the worse upon her decision of leaving them and if she hadn't left, they wouldn't be in such a situation right then.

All those troublesome thoughts were worrying her but she stopped herself, taking in deep breaths to calm down. Tim was her brother and he would understand that there must be a valid reason she couldn't contact them. Of course, he wouldn't hate her for it.

Time was running out and she didn't want to keep him waiting so pulling her hair up into a messy bun, she wore a light green cardigan over her blouse so that it would cover up the scars she had. She didn't want him or anyone for that instance to notice that.

Reminding herself for the hundredth time that it would all be okay if she acted normal, she finally left the hostel.

Aparo Park was right in front of the hostel so it didn't take her long to reach there. As it was a weekend, there were a lot of people around and she searched for her brother despite knowing that he would have changed a lot from how she had last seen him.

At last, she spotted a boy with curly brown hair and bright blue eyes who also seemed to be looking for someone. Standing beside him was a young man with dark brown hair that reached slightly above his shoulders.

She came closer and that was when she heard the man address him as Tim so it convinced her that her guess was right.

"Timothy, is that you?" She spoke soon as she stopped in front of them.

The boy looked at her and his bright blue eyes shone in happiness, recognizing her in an instant, "Sayuri?"

She quickly engulfed him in a warm loving hug. When she pulled apart, a genuinely happy expression had taken over her face too. 

It had been so long since she had seen him and right then she felt quite overwhelmed. He was now the same height as hers and would no doubt grow even taller in a few more years. His curly brown hair were longer and slightly unkempt but that delighted smile and his shining blue eyes were the same.

"You've grown such a lot," she remarked, gently ruffling his hair a bit, "and look at all these curls, adorable."

"You've changed too. At first, I was worried I won't be able to recognize you at all," he looked at her slightly nervous as if not certain of her response.

However, she just shook her head laughing, "that's quite expected. How old were you when I left? Seven? So it's been about eight years... Damn."

He nodded in affirmation. After a short pause, he seemed to have realized that Richard was present there too, and attempted to give the introduction. "Sayuri, this is Richard Grayson, my adoptive brother. Richard, this is Sayuri."

"Pleased to meet you," she nodded and they politely shook hands.

Richard remarked, "the pleasure is all mine. Tim has been chatting nonstop about you and by now I was quite curious myself to meet you."

"I hope he's not talked a little too much about me," after the handshake, she added, "you're the one I talked to that time I called Wayne Manor, right?" At receiving an affirmative nod from him, she smiled, "thank you for letting me meet Tim. I don't know why you haven't yet told Mister Wayne about all this but I trust it is with good reason."

She noticed he had paused at her remark as if thinking how to explain that but she turned to face Tim, starting to feel much easier after seeing how happy he was to meet her.

"We do have a lot to catch up on, Timbers," she remarked with a playful smile.

She had to act normal, she reminded herself deep down. Tim remembered her as the happy and cheerful Sayuri so she had to keep up the same persona, concealing what she had become after all those years in captivity. 

He shouldn't know about it or else he would get worried so she wasn't going to bring that up nor give him a reason to suspect that she had been through a lot.

Richard had excused himself so Tim and Sayuri came to sit at a nearby bench. She could see Tim was bubbling to tell her everything that she had missed in those three years so she let him talk.

As she listened to him, she let herself accept that she was finally back in Gotham and the worst chapter of her life was now over. The League couldn't possibly track her there and she should not be afraid of living as a fugitive anymore.

She was with her brother at last and still there were a lot of things she had to figure out, such as how Jack got imprisoned and if there was a way to get him bailed out and how she could reclaim Tim's custody from his foster family. But she decided not to worry a lot about everything just then.

It would all work out in its due time. For now, she had to focus on the present.

Richard had returned with ice creams for them so she smiled politely, taking the vanilla cone he had offered. 

"So when are we meeting again?" She asked Tim who looked up at Richard for the answer but he only shrugged.

"Anytime you like, I guess," he replied.

She nodded, "good. I'll check my schedule and we'll work out some convenient time for both of us."

"Sounds great."

"It was really nice meeting you both," she smiled and hugged Tim gently, "especially you, Tim. Take care of yourself and don't end up in any trouble, got it?" Turning to Richard, she added, "and thank you, Mister Grayson, for all you've done for us."

His face turned slightly pink at the way she addressed him, in a strictly formal way, "it's nothing, really. Even if Bruce legally has Tim's custody, you're his sister and you have a right to him that no one can take away from you. I assure you that you can meet him whenever you like and wherever you like."

She gave him a low nod, patting Tim's shoulder affectionately as a farewell, "goodbye then. I hope to see you again soon."

"Oh and Miss Drake," Richard called as she was about to leave, making her turn back, "you don't have to be so formal with me. I am not really comfortable with all the politeness either."

She paused, a bit startled at how he could possibly judge that. But a gradual smile graced her face when she spoke after, "indeed. Would you be comfortable being addressed by your surname or your first name?"

"Whichever you prefer, minus the Mister in it."

Her smile turned into a laugh, "sure thing, Grayson."

"Farewell Drake," he replied, blue eyes sparking with a hint of mischief.

"Oh, I prefer the Miss in it. But Sayuri would do just fine," waving a little to them, she retreated to the other end of the park which led straight to her hostel.

***