I do not own DC.
…
She hid herself from the dancing crowd. Or maybe she was hiding herself from him. She wasn't sure which.
She could feel the tears ready to fall and her runny nose told the world that she was not ok.
He spotted her starting at her glass of wine and walked over. "What's wrong?"
She chuckled a laugh. "I'm just—really happy for you."
"You are a really bad liar, you know that?" he sat down next to his best friend of over 20 years with a glass of whine in his hand.
"I'm not one of your cases to crack Heiji." She quietly snapped so she wouldn't have to make a scene.
"You never came to me as a case."
"Then stop trying to figure me out!" She stood up and drove away from the crowd of people dancing.
"Kazuha I'm just worried about you." He shouted after her, following her to the balcony outside. "Kazuha!"
"I don't want you to worry about me." She whispered when she knew he closed the door, separating them from the world downstairs. "It'll only be harder for me to let go." She let out a frustrated breath she didn't realize she was holding.
"What—do you mean, you don't want me to worry about you? Kazuha, you're my friend—you're family. I'll always worry about you."
"Heiji, please. Just go back downstairs—this is your engagement party—"
"Not until you tell me what's wrong." He said using his cop voice.
Her lips quivered.
"You're getting married soon. We're never going to be together, anymore." She whispered.
"That's what this is about? Kazuha, just because I'm getting married doesn't mean we won't hang out anymore. We'll still go on wild chases, and we work with each other every day, we'll still see each other."
Kazuha wiped her tears away angrily. "That's not what I meant." She fidgeted with her fingers.
"I love you." She said in a whisper, he wasn't even sure he heard it. "And since middle school, I've convinced myself that one day, maybe you'll love me too. But you're getting married—and that means I will never have that chance with you. " She hid her face in her trembling hands.
He walked up to her and hugged her. Kazuha was torn between wrapping her arms around him and pulling away.
But he beat her to it. He watched her wipe the fresh tears away and tilt her head up so he could see her.
She looked so fragile. So innocent. So hurt. Something he vowed he'll keep her from, but failed.
"'Zuha, I—"
"Don't." she begged. "I'm happy for you Heiji. I really am." She smiled. "All I ever wanted was you to be happy. And I can see that Sakura-chan really does make you happy." She pulled away completely and sighed. "At least I don't have to keep this a secret anymore." Heiji looked at her dumbfounded.
"Kazuha—"
"Can I just be alone now?" She asked. "Please?" Heiji nodded and left.
She spent the rest of the night crying.
…
"Do you think it was foolish of me to tell him?" She whispered in the dark to her stuffed teddy bear. There was a heap of silence before she turned to her window staring at the moon and agreed, "yea, me too."
…
"hey, can I talk to Kazuha?" Heiji said to Kazuha's assistant at the office.
"I'm sorry Detective Hattori, but Miss Toyama already went home. She came in about 7 this morning but Senior Toyama sent her home around 10. He said that she wasn't looking too good."
"Oh. Ok thanks."
…
She woke up finding herself still in her work clothes and an irritating noise coming from her head.
Or wasn't it?
She waited to hear the noise again but it never came. But she heard her door knob jiggle and the door soon cracked open. She jerked and grabbed her gun ready to defend herself. It wasn't until she heard the familiar whisper of her name before she set the gun down.
"Heiji? You scared me! What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Your assistant said that you weren't feeling too well."
"I feel fine, but dad made me come back home." She said trying to avoid eye contact with him.
"Kazuha, we need to talk." Kazuha froze in front of the open refrigerator. Heiji walked over and closed the door and noticed how red her eyes were.
"there's nothing to talk about." She said.
"Kazuha, the wedding's off." She snapped and looked at him with surprised eyes.
"What?"
"Sakura saw us last night at the balcony and when she asked what happened, I told her—"
"Oh god!" she leaned against the counter and rubbed her head. "Heiji, I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry. I'll fix this, I promise! I'll—" DING DONG! She looked at her door and rushed to get it.
"Hi." A voice came.
"Sakura-chan! I—"
"I'm sorry to come like this but, your assistant said that you were here." She smiled. "I actually came here to give you this." She handed Kazuha a jewelry box. "it was Heiji's. I know he would have given it to you sooner or later. I wish you two the best." She said and was about to walk off when Kazuha caught her arm.
"Sakura-chan! Listen! Nothing happened between me and Heiji last night. I promise you. Heiji loves you. You're making a big mistake, please—please! You have to believe me. You make him so happy—"
"you sound so much like him." Sakura said with an easy smile.
"Wha—"
"I was skeptical about you and Heiji at first. But after constant denial, I finally made myself believe that there was nothing between you two but friendship. It must be hard for you, huh—keeping this secret love from him for all of these years." Kazuha didn't answer. "I asked him yesterday if he loved me." She could see the tears ready to fall from the petite blue eyed princess she was so jealous of. "he said he loved me, but that he was in love with you." Kazuha's eyes widen like deer in headlights.
"Sakura-chan, I'm sorry—"
"It's ok. It's not your fault. Do send me the wedding invitations though, ok?" she smiled and walked off.
When Kazuha finally closed the door she was face to face with his chest. "Why'd you do it?" she asked.
"Do what?"
"Tell her that." He thought for a bit before answering.
"I don't know either." Heiji said truthfully. Kazuha shot him an angry stare and then slapped him. Hard.
"You just let the best thing in your life walk out on you, and you don't even see it, did you?" she waited for him to answer and when he didn't- she stomped away.
Only to get pulled back by his strength and his lips on hers. She struggled to get out of the rough kiss and his hold after a moment of trying to figure what just happened. He let her go with his hand still on each side of her face.
"You are the best thing in my life. I almost lost you once hanging over that cliff, and i'm not going to lose you again." He angrily said kissed her again.
This time, more softly.
And she kissed back.
…
