A/N: Wish you all a Happy Valentines Day… As my V-Day gift to all, I'd like to present to you the sequel to "saying Goodbye"… please enjoy….

What happened in 'Saying Goodbye'

'Is it true, Kanata…?' asked Mizuki again, 'about you moving to New York…?'

Kanata blinked for a second. Then, he said, 'I have to be at the airport in an hour…'

'Alright… I'll see you at the airport… Tokyo International, right…?' asked Mizuki.

'Why, Kanata…?' she asked, teary in the eye, 'why are you leaving us…?'

'Well, now…' he said smirking and placing a hand on her shoulder, 'now, you can move in with Mizuki without me interrupting you two…'

Miyu turned bright crimson and said pouting, 'that's definitely not nice Saionji…'

Kanata smiled and said, 'why are you still blushing…? You are engaged to him, aren't you…?'

Miyu glared at him and said, 'unlike someone, he knows how to appreciate me…'

Kanata smiled and said, 'that's the reason I'm leaving now, Miyu…'

'I'm no good at saying goodbye Miyu…' he said painfully, 'don't make this hard for me…'

'Why are you saying goodbye…?' she asked, tears flowing down.

'I've been your best friend ever since Middle School… how could you leave me just like that?'

'Because you did!' he said suddenly.

'Kanata…' she started and then asked lightly, 'you would be back for Christmas, right…? For my wedding with Mizuki…?'

Kanata smiled weakly and said shaking his head lightly, 'no… I won't…'

'Why?' she asked again.

'Why…?' he asked and then moved forward and planted a soft kiss on her lips much to Miyu's surprise and shock. He withdrew and stood with his back to the crimson-red Miyu.

'That's why…' was his simple reply.

'I really am sorry Kanata…' muttered Mizuki under his breath.

Mizuki swallowed hard and said, 'I should've realized it ages ago… it was my fault… I'm sorry…'

Kanata smiled and said, 'don't be… take care of her…' he punched hi lightly on the chest and added, 'if you don't, I'd be there to kick your butt!'

And now, for the continuation to the story—

Kanata looked out of the window of the airplane and stared at the clouds passing past the aircraft. He bumped his head lightly on the glass window and wondered what he was actually doing. He wasn't even sure whether going back was a good idea. He looked uncertainly at his watch and considered the idea of getting a flight back to New York on landing.

He turned and saw the blonde, sitting next to him, giving him a questioning glare. He sighed and pushed his hand into his brunet locks and asked the blonde uncertainly, 'do we have to go to Japan?'

The blonde, who looked around the same age as Kanata, had twinkling azure blue eyes which were now giving Kanata a very cold look that clearly said "you can't turn away from this".

'Kanata…' she said lightly, her voice soft and composed, 'it's going to be fine… how long do you think you can run away from your own friends… you moved on… you have to tell them that…'

Kanata sighed and muttered, 'there's no use arguing with you now is there?'

'None at all…' she said with a smile.

Kanata returned the smile, a little lightly.

'Now, you have to remember to behave and not to try and run away again,' said the blonde with a stern look.

'Yes ma'am,' said Kanata, rolling his eyes.

'That's the good boy,' said the blonde and rubbed Kanata's hair lightly.

Kanata ducked lightly and then continued looking out of the window. He could remember the times back at Japan. It's been nearly four months since he had been there last. The last four months in New York seemed so vague for all he could remember doing was work, lay wasted in his apartment, more work and finally there was this blonde who was presently sitting beside him.

She was the one who brought him out of the black-hole that was sucking him away from the inside. Rachel Masterson, the beautiful blonde who had helped him to pass this phase of despair. He had been in despair and sadness. She changed him a lot. Though he was still sad and somber, he knew that time has come to move on with his life. And that was what he was trying to do.

Love Again

Sequel to Saying Goodbye

By

Kanata Saionji

The snow was falling lightly on the roads of Tokyo and the Christmas purchasing had started throughout the city. Everywhere there was merriment and happiness. But that was absent in the face of the twenty-five year old blonde who was walking along the snowy streets with her hands in her overcoat pockets, deep in thought. Her blonde hair moved lightly with the light breeze that was blowing. She looked up at the sky and it was getting steadily dark.

She withdrew her left hand from her pocket and stared. The diamond ring that was there a few weeks ago was not present there any more. She remembered vividly the night she had returned it to Mizuki. It seemed like it happened only yesterday.

Three weeks ago—

'Hey Miyu…' said the ash-green haired youth with a smile as he sat down opposite the blonde in a classy hotel, 'sorry I'm late… held up by traffic…'

Miyu smiled at her fiancé and said lightly, 'it's ok… I've been waiting only for a few minutes…'

Mizuki smiled and seating himself more comfortably at the chair said, 'I've been thinking about holding the wedding at Heiomachi… and…'

'Mizuki…' called Miyu suddenly.

Mizuki looked up curiously. Miyu's emerald orbs were fixed to her lap where she was holding both of her hands and she was fidgeting lightly. She looked as though she could break down any minute. Mizuki was a little worried about what she was about to say.

'What is it, Miyu?' he asked, slowly.

'The wedding,' she started, 'well... Mizuki… I don't think… erm... well…'

Mizuki closed his eyes lightly and a small smirk formed along his lips. Miyu looked at him surprised. He opened his eyes and there was a definite hint of grief in them. Miyu couldn't continue. But he did.

'I knew this day would come,' he muttered shaking his head lightly with a smirk, 'how many ever times I try to deny it, I was sure…'

'Mizuki…?'

'It was pretty obvious from the day he left…' said Mizuki, 'I guess it's true what people say about feeling the importance of something only when that thing parts from us, huh Miyu?'

'I'm sorry Mizuki…' said Miyu, tears welling up at her emerald orbs.

'Why are you sorry…?' asked Mizuki incredulously, 'at least we haven't sent out the invitations yet… that's a good thing, right…?'

Miyu smiled lightly and then remembering it, pulled out the engagement ring from her left ring-finger and then extended it to him going, 'you should give it to someone who deserves this…'

'Yeah…' said Mizuki painfully and got to his feet.

'You're leaving…?' asked Miyu, 'aren't you going to have dinner here…?'

Mizuki just smiled and said, 'trust me… I lost my appetite… I can't deny that I'm sad right now… so, its better that I leave right now… so… bye…'

'Yeah… bye Mizuki…' she said with a strained smile.

Present—

Miyu sighed as she remembered what had happened that night with Mizuki. He had been very sad but he would be even worse if Miyu had gotten married to him when she knew that she had feelings for someone else. Yes, she was having feelings for him—the idiot that ran away from them—Kanata Saionji.

Ever since he left, for nearly two months, Miyu couldn't stop thinking about him. The parting kiss that he gave her, though light and gentle, but it had a definite impact on the blonde. She had had just one kiss with Mizuki before, on the night when Mizuki proposed to her. But after Kanata's kiss, she couldn't even get close enough to Mizuki for him to touch her.

And then, she realized. Thinking about his, thinking about their times together, thinking about how he was always by her side, thinking about how comfortable he had always made her, thinking about how supportive he had been whenever she had problems, thinking about his last kiss, thinking about him… she realized how she felt about him. She realized that she was in love with him.

But just when she had realized it, he was not here for her to tell him how she felt. She tried calling him but unfortunately, it seemed he had changed him mobile. She guessed he was trying to break free. She couldn't blame him but how else was she going to tell him that she was not going to get married to Mizuki and she had fallen for him?

After she had told all her other friends about canceling her wedding with Mizuki, she had received the same comments as from Mizuki. They had just told her that they knew this would happen. She couldn't help but blame herself for realizing too late who she was in love with. But regretting it now is not going to help.

Now, she was on her way to Mizuki's apartment. The friends were planning to go out for dinner together. Mizuki didn't find another roommate since Kanata left. Kanata's room was left the way it was since he left because nobody wanted to replace him in any way.

She sighed as she stood outside the apartment. She searched her pockets and brought out the key that Kanata had given her four months ago. The dropped the key back into the pocket seeing as the door was open. She opened the door and her friends were there to greet her.

'Hey Miyu!' exclaimed Nanami, who was sitting at the couch with Aya, as soon as she entered.

'You made it…' said Aya cheerfully as Miyu removed her jacket and placed it at the coat hanger.

'Santa hasn't made it yet…' informed Mizuki, coming out of his room, 'he'd be here any moment though…'

'Right…' said Miyu and sat down beside Nanami.

The four were silent for a few minutes. None knew what to say. Then, after what felt like eternity, the doorbell rang.

'It must be Santa…' said Mizuki.

'I'll get it…' said Nanami and sprinted towards the door.

Miyu looked down at her hands with a frown. She had this weird feeling in the pit of her stomach all of a sudden.

'Kanata,' she heard Nanami gasp.

Miyu froze.

'Kanata…?' exclaimed Mizuki, his eyes widened and he got to the door at once closely followed by Aya.

Miyu, however, was still sitting at the couch, stiff as a statue. The couch was facing opposite the door so she wouldn't have been able to see who really was at the door.

'It can't be true…' she muttered inside her brain, 'he's not here…'

'Hey guys…'

A tear fell down Miyu's cheek as she heard his voice.

'Kanata, you're back!' exclaimed Mizuki, with a smile.

'Yeah…' said Kanata scratching his head and added with a smirk, 'I had to… after all, she made me…'

Miyu frowned. Aya asked the question that ran across her mind at that very moment.

'Who's she?' asked Aya.

'Erm…' started Kanata looking around and then looking at the end of the corridor called, 'did you drop your luggage again…?'

To everybody's surprise and horror, it was a woman who answered him.

'I wouldn't have if you had helped me!' came the accusations of a warm-voiced female.

Miyu heard a few footsteps and then Kanata introduced, 'guys… meet Rachel Masterson… she's my… erm…,' he paused and added with a smirk, 'colleague and neighbor…'

Miyu turned in the couch to see a beautiful blonde stand beside Kanata, dropping her luggage beside him and shaking Nanami's hand. She had the most beautiful eyes which twinkled when she smiled and her hair was long and slender and reached up to her waist.

Miyu stood up with a weird look in her eyes. Kanata was cheerful and not at all the way he had left. She wondered whether this "Rachel" person had changed him. A sudden wave of fury passed through her body and she knew she didn't like Rachel Masterson, one bit.

'Kanata has told me a lot about all of you…' said Rachel with a smile and grabbed Kanata's arm.

Correction: Miyu started to hate Rachel to the last bit.

After a whole minute, Kanata noticed Miyu in the room. Their eyes met and Miyu felt herself warm up. He smiled, pulled his arm out of Rachel's grip and walked over to Miyu.

'Hey…' he started, 'how are you…?'

'Um…' she said, trying to trying words together, 'well… I'm okay… I guess… how have you been…?'

'I guess ok…' he said with a smile, 'I missed being here in Japan… a lot…'

She smiled. Well, she was a little angry that he didn't say that he missed being with her a lot.

'Miyu…' he started again, with a slightly red face, 'I'm really sorry…'

Miyu frowned, 'why…? Why are you sorry…?'

'Well… you know…' he said, looking into her emerald orbs, 'I should've been happy for you two… instead, I got so worked up over it…'

'Um… Kanata…' she started, knowing that it was time that she told him how she felt about him.

'If it weren't for Rachel, I'd be at my apartment in NYC… wasting away…' he said smiling, 'she made me realize what a jerk I have been… so, she dragged me here to apologize to you and be Mizuki's best-man…'

'Er… Kanata… about that…' she started but at that moment, Rachel called, 'hey Kanata! Should we get a hotel room to stay for tonight…?'

'I guess…' said Kanata turning to see her.

'Why don't you two stay here?' asked Mizuki.

'We can't do that…' said Rachel at once.

'Why not…?' asked Mizuki, 'you can take Kanata's room… Kanata, you can adjust in the couch, can't you…?'

'Fine by me…' said Kanata, 'better than having to carry my luggage to a hotel and hear her complain all the way…'

'Hmpf,' said Rachel scowling, 'If you're going to talk like that, I'm leaving…'

'Rachel…' called Kanata and walked over to her, 'I'm sorry…'

'Rachel…' Miyu muttered, under her breath, with clenched teeth.

~Love Again~

'So… why are we here again…?' asked Nanami as she looked at the blonde who looked as though she was having a never-ending battle with the noodles on her plate.

'Rachel! Rachel!' she chanted, 'Rachel this! Rachel that!'

'Oh… I get it…' said Nanami, with a smirk, 'someone's jealous…'

'So not!' exclaimed Miyu, a little red in the face.

Nanami smirked even wider and asked, 'so, you're ok with the fact that Kanata and Rachel are kinda together now…?'

'Ugh!' cried Miyu, frustrated and called the waiter and asked for a glass of vodka.

'Miyu… you don't drink…' pointed out Nanami.

The waiter placed the glass before Miyu.

'Watch me…' said Miyu and taking in a deep breath, gulped down the entire glass in one go. After drinking it, she shook her head violently and blinked several times. Nanami looked at her, surprised.

~Love Again~

It was nearly half past nine. Nanami sighed as she saw the drunken blonde talk nonsense to a stranger. She didn't know what to do seeing as Miyu was trying something she has never in her life done before—trying to get over a guy. She had called Santa over to the restaurant to take Miyu home whenever she was finished for Nanami had an early important meeting to attend to at work.

'Now…' Miyu was saying to a bald old man sitting at the adjacent table, 'I drop my marriage for him…' she hiccupped, 'throw away Mizuki…' another hiccup, 'and then he comes back…' more hiccups, 'with Rachel!'

Miyu's head dropped on the table as she was too drunk to continue.

'Great…' Nanami sighed, poking the blonde on the head, 'Santa, when on earth are you going to make it…?'

'Nanami…?'

'Santa!' exclaimed Nanami as she saw the raven-haired youth enter the restaurant, 'thank goodness you made it!'

Santa looked at the collapsed Miyu and asked with a frown, 'who's this drunken blonde?'

'It's Miyu, you idiot!' exclaimed Nanami, and getting up added, 'could you take her to her apartment…? I have some papers to finish for a meeting tomorrow at work…'

'Ok…' said Santa as Nanami sprinted out of the restaurant in a hurry.

Santa looked uncertainly at Miyu and then slowly sat down at the seat previously occupied by Nanami. He cleared his throat and then called lightly, 'Miyu…? Hey, Miyu…?'

Miyu slightly stirred and then shaking her head, sat up straight. Santa breathed a sigh of relief and asked her, 'shall we go home now…?'

'Kanata is such an idiot!' she exclaimed standing up, making the entire population in the restaurant turn to stare at them.

'Miyu… please don't shout…' whispered Santa and tried to pull Miyu down back on her seat.

'Ugh… he makes me so sick!' she shouted some more and then suddenly looked all teary and sat down on her seat and looked dazed for a whole minute.

And then, tear formed at the edge of her emerald orbs. Santa pulsed up at once. What the hell can he do…?

'Miyu… why do you put yourself through this,' he asked uncertainly, 'why don't you just tell him it's over…? Show him some closure…'

Miyu looked at him with teary eyes and then sitting up straight said with a determined voice, 'yo-you're right,' she hiccupped, 'w-why am I br-brooding o-over him,' more hiccups.

Santa patted her gently on her shoulder and said, 'c'mon let's go home…'

'Gimme your phone!' demanded Miyu suddenly.

'What?' Santa asked.

'Your phone idiot!' said Miyu frowning, her face red from all the drinking, 'you have his new number, right?'

Santa raised his eyebrows and then rolling his eyes pushed his hand into his overcoat and pulled out his mobile. He passed it to her and then said, 'what are you going to tell him?'

Miyu took the phone and worked through it for a minute with dazed eyes. And then, he placed it to her ear and then waited.

'He has it switched off…' said Miyu in a whisper with a pout.

Santa smiled at her awkwardly unknown as to what to do.

'Ooh… it's asking me to leave a message… cool…' said Miyu smiling.

'Miyu, hang up…' said Santa and moved forward to pull the phone away from the blonde but Miyu moved away from him and getting up from the table, seated herself at another one where the bald old man was sitting.

'Kanata…. Hey…' she said in the phone cheerfully, 'I just called to tell you I'm fine… I'm doing great…' she rubbed her eye lightly and continued, 'and yes… I wanted to tell you that… I'm over you… yes, I am over you! And that, my friend is what they call closure…'

She dropped the phone into the bowl of the soup that was before the bald old man and her head dropped on the table as well to the shock and bewilderment of the old man.

'Great…' sighed Santa.

~Love Again~

'Kanata…' Miyu mumbled as she turned over in her sleep.

She rolled over a little more and then opened her emerald eyes lightly and the purple of her roof was not-so-vividly visible to her. She got to a sitting position and her head suddenly felt really heavy for after all it was her first time drinking that much. She got of her bed and walked out of her room and into the hall. She was still in the same dress as last night and she walked slowly, dragging her feet towards the kitchen to make a cup of hot coffee.

Then, the bell to hr apartment rang and she looked at her clock. It was already nine. She dropped on the couch to a sitting position and unable to move any more muttered, 'it's open… Come on in…'

'Miyu…?'

'Kanata!' gasped Miyu and turned in her seat and there he was… coming into her apartment slowly.

He walked into the room frowning at her.

'Where did you go last night…?' asked Kanata stopping a little away from the couch with both his hands into his pant pockets, 'both you and Nanami vanished… Rachel wanted to talk to you all…'

Miyu rubbed her forehead lightly and said, 'just…'

Kanata walked over to her and then bending a little so that his face was level with hers smelled her lightly and got to his original standing position at once with a frown.

'Did you drink last night…?' he asked incredulously.

'I think so…' she said, going a light shade of crimson around her cheeks, 'bad day at work…'

'Idiot…' he said and walked over to the door, 'well… I just dropped by to invite you to come with me and the others… Rachel wants to go visit Heiomachi…'

'I don't think I can…' she said shaking her head with a smile.

He sighed and then said, 'take some rest…'

He turned to leave when she suddenly called, 'hey Kanata…'

'Yeah…?' he asked, jerking his head.

'Did…?' she started, straining her memory, standing up, 'did I—did I talk to you yesterday or something…?'

He frowned and asked, 'after you left…? I don't think so…'

'Did I call you…?' she asked closing her eyes painfully, rubbing her forehead again, 'I just have this feeling that I may have…'

Kanata frowned more and took out his mobile from his pants. He sighed and muttered, 'I turned it off last night before dinner…'

He turned it on and turned to leave. Then, he suddenly muttered, 'a voice message from Santa…?'

Miyu stood up when she suddenly remembered something.

Kanata placed the phone to his ear and then gasped, 'hey… it's a message from you…'

'Kanata…! No…! No! No! No! Don't…' she gasped and ran toward him to get the phone out of his hands. He turned at that exact moment with widened eyes. Miyu got behind him and tried to grab the phone. In the effort, Kanata's phone dropped to the floor.

He turned to look at her with a shocked expression and then he mumbled, 'you're overme..?'

'Oh no…' she whined and went to the couch and buried her head on the cushion.

'You-you're over me…?' he repeated with the shocked expression still fixed to his façade.

'Kanata…' she started looking at him.

'Wha-what!' he muttered under his breath and caught hold of his head, 'what do you mean you're over me…? When were you…? When were you—you under me..?

'Kanata listen…' she started with a strained expression.

'I don't need this right now, Miyu…!' he muttered, blinking many times and looking as though he had gone temporarily blind.

'Kanata…'

'What were you thinking…?' he asked, suddenly furious, 'I come back ready to accept you and Mizuki as a couple and you say that you are over me…?'

'It's not my fault Kanata!' she said at once, anger rising to her eyes.

'So, you're saying it's mine…?' he retorted, his auburn eyes firing up.

'You kissed me and expect me to forget about it…?' she asked at once and turned a bright shade of purple at the pronouncement.

He jerked his head away from her gaze, turning crimson himself and muttered, 'so… it was just one kiss…'

'Yes…' she said forcefully, 'and that one damn kiss of yours made me totally resistant to Mizuki's…'

He looked at her frowning.

'What…?'

'You idiot…' she accused, 'because of you and what you made me feel, I broke my wedding with Mizuki and I am not getting married to him…'

'What…?' he repeated.

'And you… you come back to Japan…' she continued, furiously, 'I was so happy… but no… you had to come back with a blonde in your arms… Rachel…'

He looked at her confused and then, shaking his head lightly said, 'I don't need this right now… trying to get over you was the hardest thing I had to do… I don't want to go back to that…'

He got out of the apartment.

'Fine…' said Miyu, tears welling up, 'I already told you… I'm… over… you…!'

'So am I…' he retorted, 'I'm over you too…'

'Thank you Saionji!'

'Any time…'

BAM

She slammed the door shut and then with her back on the door started crying at once. Tears kept flowing down and she couldn't stop them from falling down her cheek.

She tried brushing the away but they kept falling. Then, there was a soft knock on the door. She stepped a little away from the door and then holding back her tears, she opened the door.

At the corridor stood Kanata his brunet hair messy probably from the constant interruptions it got from his hands. His auburn orbs nervous and a little hurt. He looked at her uncertainly.

'Are you really over me…?'

'Are you over me…?' she asked back.

'I've been in love with you for ten years…' he reasoned, 'four months is not enough to get over you Miyu…'

'What about Rachel…?' she asked, frowning.

'Rachel..?' ridiculed Kanata with a chuckle, 'did you think I was dating her…?'

'But you said that…'

'That she was my colleague and neighbor…' he finished, 'nothing more… she helped me understand some stuff… she's like my sister… if you want more, she's not Ms. Rachel Masterson…'

'What do you mean…?' asked Miyu curiously.

'She's Mrs. Rachel Masterson,' he said with a smile, 'her husband also works at my office…'

'Oh my…' gasped Miyu, 'I was so stupid…'

'So…' started Kanata, scratching his head, 'you broke up with Mizuki…?'

'Yeah…' she said, going red, 'after you left, I couldn't stop thinking about you… the times we had together… and how you were always there for me… when you left, I felt so alone… I felt so… I knew it then… Kanata, I… I was… no, I am so in lo—'

Before she could finish, Kanata locked her lips with his. After the moment of shock was passed, Miyu closed her eyes and then wrapped her arms around his neck and Kanata wrapped his around Miyu's waist. After a whole two minutes, the two withdrew.

Kanata brought her even closer so that their noses touched and then whispered on her lips, 'I love you… I'm crazy about you Miyu Kouzuki… Will you be with me forever…?'

She smiled and then replied with another kiss.

When the two withdrew, Kanata asked with a smirk, 'can I take that as a "yes"…?'

Miyu giggled and then hugging him tighter muttered into his ear, 'I love you too Kanata… and I'd love to be with you forever and ever…'

'I thought I would never hear that…' whispered Kanata, hugging her.

'I was always yours Kanata…' she said, burying her face into his chest, 'I didn't notice it up until a few weeks ago…'

'You are always mine…' replied Kanata, 'all the time… and I knew it all along…'

'I love you…'

'I love you too…'

Five months later—

'I now pronounce you man and wife…' said a pastor to the brunet and the blonde standing before him, love overflowing in their eyes, 'you may now kiss the bride…'

And they lived happily ever after

The End

A/N: How was it…? Hope it was okay… Have a happy Valentine…

Love from,

Kanata Saionji