"Mou!" said Touya, annoyed. "You're never going to get a good mark with that performance!"
"I know," groaned Yukito. "But… it's just not me!"
Touya shook his head. "I have no idea what made you want to select that character."
"I was thinking of something else when I put up my hand!" said Yukito in a pleading voice.
Touya facepalmed.
All the commotion made Sakura stick her head into the lounge room.
"Sakura-chan!" said Yukito as warmly as he could. She could tell he was a bit rattled.
"May I be of help?" asked Sakura. Truth be told, she just wanted an excuse to stay in Yukito's presence for longer. She knew that Yue was Yukito's true form, but she still liked his disarming attitude.
"Er… well, you see…" Yukito said apprehensively, running a hand through his hair.
"Actually, that would be perfect!" Touya said, dragging Sakura into the room. "You can say the lines to her!"
Yukito looked shocked. Sakura was standing there, wide-eyed.
"Let me show you," Touya said, then turned to Sakura. "I find you very annoying."
"I can't say that to her!" Yukito exclaimed.
Touya looked irritated. "We all know you'd be acting." Then he rolled his eyes. "Even thoughem I/em wasn't," he added under his breath.
"You can do it, Yukito," Sakura said encouragingly. "I don't mind."
Yukito started to shake as he looked at Sakura. "I… I… find you…I just can't do it!"
"I know you put your heart in your words," Touya said with gritted teeth. "But that's the point of emacting/em. Doing or saying something you wouldn't normally do."
"I understand," Yukito said, fretting. "I know that people have different modes of behaviour. But it's like there's something blocking me from ever behaving that way."
Sakura and Touya shared a meaningful look.
"Does it feel like the way you usually behave is the acting?" Touya asked. "Are you afraid to open Pandora's Box?"
"Something like that," Yukito said. "I know it's weird. I'll try my hardest to find my acting wings."
Touya's eyes widened. "Don't try too hard to find your wings – you have to be human to do this, after all."
"What?" Yukito asked, surprised.
"Er, why don't you try again?" Sakura asked, smiling, trying to distract him. "I'm sure there's a deep hidden part inside you that you can tap into."
"I have a fear that I'll never return," Yukito said, sighing. "It's irrational. But things may never be the same if I do that."
"I think you are right to fear that," Touya said. "But perhaps it would be better for you in the long term if you did access that part of yourself. It takes a lot of energy to suppress the subconscious."
Sakura looked worried.
"Alright," Yukito said, closing his eyes and raising his arms. When he opened them, he looked straight at Sakura.
"I find you annoying," he said coldly. His inflection was exactly that of Yue's. Then his eyes shot open. "I'm… remembering… this is…"
He started to shake, then fell on the ground on his knees, holding his head. Wings sprouted from his back as he identified with Yue.
Finally, with a burst of energy, Yue stood before them in his true form.
Fearing the worst, that Yukito was gone, Sakura started to cry. Touya looked at Yue intently, also concerned.
Yue's eyes widened. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan… I'm still here," he said in Yukito's voice, as he reached forward to pat her head.
Relieved, Sakura launched herself at him and buried her face in his chest.
Still sniffling, she broke away. "You… what happened to Yukito?"
"I have his memories and he has mine, now, thanks to you wanting me to pass my little class," Yue said dryly.
Sakura blinked, not detecting any presence of Yukito.
Yue looked aloof, and crossed his arms, not liking the fact that Sakura seemed unhappy. "Both of us… like to see you smile, you know."
Sakura gasped, then wrapped her arms around Yue's neck, giving happy sobs.
Yue was taken aback, but tolerated the hug. "Gee, she really is annoying," he said to Touya.
Touya smirked. "Nice to see the real you, for once."
Yue smirked and morphed back into his human form, making sure he gave Sakura a bright smile. "Sakura-chan… I am not sure if I can behave the same way with these memories."
"That's fine, Yukito… I mean, Yue," Sakura replied. "After all, I want what's best for you, and I want you to be yourself."
"You can call me either Yue or Yukito," Yukito replied. "I do feel more myself, now. And I know I'm not using as much energy." He looked at Touya. "Perhaps if I had done this earlier, you wouldn't have had to have parted with your magic to save me."
Touya smirked. "I'm not worried in the least about that, Yuki. We did what we thought was best at the time."
Yukito looked at Touya gratefully. "Thank you."
"Well, this calls for a celebration!" Sakura said enthusiastically. "I'm going to make some cupcakes!" She dashed out of the room.
"Hey!" Touya called out after her. "Remember, Dad said not to eat too much sugar!"
Shaking his head, he turned to Yukito, looking at him with sympathy. "I thought you didn't like sugar."
"I don't," Yukito said, smiling that he remembered. "But it's true that I like to see her smile. Perhaps Yue and Yukito aren't so different after all."
"Mm," Touya said, pleased at Yukito's progress. "And I always thought you were a snivelling aloof bitch."
"Hey!" protested Yukito, then he burst into laughter, knowing that Touya was just teasing him.
Whatever the future held, he was happy that he had the support of both of them.
