He'd lost him again. He could've forced him to stay but he knew Azu well enough to know that it was impossible to tie him down. And Akira couldn't really blame Azu for doing that. 

Afterall there was no reason for anyone to stay in this cursed mansion of Aratas where nothing mattered more than bloodlines and power. Still he'd selfishly hoped that Azu would stay by him - even after the incident that took place on the day they celebrated the birthday of the Lord, his grandfather. The day Akira's father did something he could never forgive him for. 

Unlike Akira, Azu wasn't born with  a silver spoon in mouth. His mother was a lower-class 'Moarata'* and also poor. She had to raise Azu all by herself in the slums since his father left her and banished her from the city, the moment he found out that she was bearing his child. When sweeping streets and cleaning public restrooms fetched her barely one meal a day, she decided that she'd do whatever it takes to feed the baby and take care of it. 
A woman of the street - Mikumi-san. She'd silver locks and a pale and frail body sculpted into shape by poverty. She was indeed a beauty - both inside and outside. Akira couldn't help but remember fondly how similar Azu is to her.

That evening, when men of elite families from the city had gathered around the fireplace, comfortably seated between young ladies and were at a loss of topics to gossip about, his father had summoned her. 

And in front of the gathered guests, he had asked her to come and sit on his lap. 

He had insisted, but she had refused. When his father couldn't take the hit to his ego, he ordered Mikumi to pour drinks for the group of greasy old men who had their share of enjoyment from the drama that unfolded in front of them and then remove herself from the scene. 

Akira had not heard about the incident until much later and Azu would never know how guilty he had felt when he came to know about it. But then again, his feelings of guilt and anger doesn't amount to anything, does it? He couldn't protect the dignity of his beta or his mother. It was just like what Azu had said - where was Akira, when his beta needed him? 

"I know things could be much better for you if I leave you alone, Azu.",  Akira mumbled his confession, sitting on the chair, alone in his huge private chamber in the mansion. "But it seems like I don't love you enough to let you go." 
He wept silently as his heart and brain struggled to find pace, even though four days had passed since the day his beta abandoned him.