We have been betrothed for several months now, though it's not a bad thing, we do get a long and I know she likes me...but I am not sure whether I feel the same or not. You see I have managed to avoid being betrothed for two years, and she's two years younger than I, I enjoyed that freedom of not having to worry about another human being...even though I still had to worry about my best friend Tamaki Suoh, the pest, but still my closest friend. Speaking of whom, he is having a ball tonight, I am supposed to escort and charm Sakura, my fiancée, there. He let out a sigh and set down the still moist quill. The young man ran a soft hand through his black hair.

"Young Master, shall I prepare your breakfast?" His maid asked from behind the closed doors.

He looked to the brass doors, fully knowing he wouldn't see the maid, but it was a manner he had learned to always look at who he's talking to. "Yes. Also begin preparations for Lady Sakura and my transportation to Earl Tamaki's ball." He ordered kindly.

"Yes sir."

He picked up his quill again and continued to scribble his thoughts onto the page. My father isn't happy that I have avoided getting married, he says that it is disgraceful, my brothers' have already had children; the oldest has three children, a boy and two girls, the other has one, a boy. I personally see no point in putting in their names, they are addressed more than I am anyway, and this journal is about me and my thoughts, not about them. Sakura is still in my thoughts, I haven't been able to forget about her since the day I was told I were to marry her. Tamaki says that means I love her, but what does he know, he hasn't been betrothed yet, he's charmed many women, but has never been able to keep a lover after one kiss. How do I know this? He tells me each time they leave him; he gives me the full story even when I say I do not wish to hear it. He is like a pebble in my shoe, or even a thorn in my finger after picking roses. Speaking of which Sakura and I did just that a few days ago, I learned that she would like to have a garden when we are married and living together, she says she probably would not find herself taking care of it, but we could hire a servant to do that. I agree the smell of freshly picked flowers in the house is very enticing. Upon hearing the knock on his door signaling that his breakfast was ready, Kyouya Ottori stood and set the quill next to its ink pot, he went to the door and carried himself silently, but proudly down to the dining room, to be greeted by his older sister who was gently blowing on his food to make sure it was not to hot for him. "Sister, must you do that?"

She jumped in surprise slightly and looked to him with an innocent smile. "Of course I must." She insisted.

"This and rummaging through my wardrobe, sister you are too comfortable messing with other people's things." Kyouya kindly waved his sister away from his food and began to eat the surprisingly still warm stew.

"Do you have plans for today?"

"Yes, I am to help Tamaki prepare his ball."
"Why must you assist him? He is hosting the event."

"Thus is the trouble with being his friend." He set his spoon down, and set his napkin on the table without folding it. Signifying to the servants that he was finished. Standing he made his way to the door.

"Be safe Kyouya."
The dark haired boy waved her off. "Yes, yes sister." Kyouya left quickly and slinked his way through the crowds in the village. 'Why is Tamaki's home on the other side of town?' Upon his wandering he bumped into the one and only Lady Sakura; who was staring into space with a frown. "Lady Sakura?" Kyouya said.

She slowly looked at him. "Oh Sir Kyouya, how are you this fine day?"

"I am well, are you still wishing to go to the ball tonight?"

She gazed at her feet. "I will still be going to the ball, but my father does not want me going with you this time. I…I am to go with Sir Tamaki."

Kyouya's eyes widened. "Why does your father want you to go with Tamaki?" The young man's eyes then narrowed and his fist clenched.

"He…says that you need time to relax and that if I were to go with you it would just be too much."

"Do not lie to me!" Kyouya snapped.

She flinched, and gently took his hand. "Come with me please." She began to pull him out of the busy streets and into a secluded area. "The truth is that Sir Tamaki's grandmother offered my father a more stable prize if I were to be betrothed to Tamaki…instead of you." She held back her tears.

Kyouya growled. "So we're no longer betrothed?"

She shook her head causing her curly blondish-brown to bob, she chocked on a sob. "I am sorry."

"Just when I was positive I was in love with you!" He growled and stormed away.

Sakura stared in shock at him; before she could tell herself not to she ran after him, tears streaming down her face. When she caught up she embraced him from behind. "Kyouya wait!"

He froze in shock.

The street's crowd weaved around them giving them strange looks.

"Sir Kyouya, I love you too, please listen to my plan." Sakura mumbled into his back.

Gently he set his hand upon hers. "I will listen."

"Meet me at the rose garden in two days." She whispered, then let go of him, kissed his back and ran the direction they came from.

Kyouya stared at the ground. 'I can't believe this is happening! What does that incompetent fool think he's doing taking Sakura away from me?' He forced himself to take a step; a step to push through this situation. Then he took to a stride and arrived at his earlier destination in record time.

"Kyouya!" Tamaki cheered as he saw his best friend climbing the stairs. "It is such a pleasure to see you today; did you notice the clouds are not blocking the sun today?"

"Yes I noticed." He replied simply.

Tamaki stared at Kyouya for a few moments then smiled. "Shall we begin setting up?"

The dark man nodded. 'Why is he acting like nothing happened?'

Hours after the young men finished the set up guests were beginning to arrive, women overdressed with massacre masks and bright colors, men also overdressed and carrying their swords. Over half of the women were escorted by the dark clothed men, only a few brave (or desperate) women came alone, one of those being Tamaki's crush, Ichigo. Kyouya smirked when he saw her enter alone, then he glanced over to Tamaki giving Sakura a rose.

Kyouya Ottori walked over to Ichigo, when he approached her he bowed and held his hand out. "May I have this dance?"

Ichigo's blue eyes widened as she stared at the man. "Um…yes, you may." She set her hand on top of his.

He smiled and pulled her to the dance floor making her twirl on the way. "You look very lovely Ichigo." He complimented as they began to dance.

"What are you planning?" She asked, glaring up at him. "You are betrothed to Sakura, my best friend. Why on earth are you dancing with me and not her?"

His eyes narrowed. "We are no longer betrothed, her father broke it off. Now she is betrothed to Tamaki Suoh."

Ichigo scanned the area outside of the dance floor to find Tamaki charming Sakura. "This does not make sense."
"If you follow in my lead then I will pay you a large pound of gold."

Ichigo scoffed. "Let me guess you want me to be your pet for the night?"

"No." He snapped. "I want you to help me get Tamaki away from Sakura."

Considering her options she nodded slowly. "Fine, you better make it a swell amount of gold."

Throughout the ball Ichigo and Kyouya danced nonstop, until a song that required a switch of partners began to play. Kyouya smirked and led Ichigo closer to where Tamaki and Sakura were dancing. When the switching partners step came Kyouya quickly moved and pulled Sakura into a tight embrace and led her through the dance steps.

Sakura peered up at him. "Sir Kyouya, what are you doing?"

Whispering in her ear Kyouya smiled with glee. "I wished to dance with my love, is there something wrong with that?"

The girl gave a small smile and buried her face into the ruffles of his light blue shirt. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with that."

Still whispering Kyouya pulled her closer. "This is the only dance we can have. Tamaki was never told that I love you; he still thinks that I do not care for you. I do not want him to find out, he can become possessive."

Sadly she nodded. "I understand."

They danced closely, enjoying each other's embraces. Before they knew it the song ended and they had to break apart.

"Remember to meet me in the rose garden two days from now." Sakura reminded before joining Tamaki at the head of the room.

Not long after this the ball ended.

It has been almost two days since the ball. I am to meet Sakura soon, but there is something bothering me. I am not sure I should, Tamaki was just visiting my home, before he left he said that his father moved his and Sakura's wedding to tomorrow, and I am to be his best man. I am afraid to do this, to help give the woman I love to my best friend and to never be able to see them in the light I saw them in before. If I am the best man I will forever hold a grudge against my best friend, this is one thing that I would never be able to forgive. Actually to correct myself; if I were to not stop this wedding I will forever regret my life and hold a grudge. This may seem ridiculous, but this is how I feel. I must go; it is time for me to go see Sakura. He put down his quill, rolled the parchment and stuffed it into a drawer. Then he left quickly going to the rose garden to spend his last night with Sakura.

When he reached the rose garden he saw Sakura staring into a white rose, her eyes staring into space. Kyouya approached her and sat right next to her and wrapped his arms around her while digger his face into the side of her neck, pecking her softly.

"Hello dear." She giggled and set the rose down.

"Why are you going along with this marriage?"

"I already told you, but I have a plan." She pushed his face away from her neck that he was nuzzling into. "That is if you want to participate."

"Is it some scheme that we run away together in the end?"

She pouted. "That was supposed to be a surprise." She leaned over to him and begun to whisper her plan into his ear.

He nodded slowly, then his eyes widened. "Sakura, I do not think we should risk that."

Sakura frowned. "So you would rather me be married away to your best friend who I do not like?"

"No, but the risk of that potion not working properly is too high."

She pulled a vile out of her sleeve. "Kyouya the doctor showed me that it works, I am confident that there will not be a problem."

Kyouya took the vile from her and stared at the light brown liquid as he held it up to the fading sunlight. "Fine, we can risk it." He said with a grim tone and returned the vile to her.

"I promise you it will work." Sakura grinned and kissed him gently.

They stayed that way for several minutes until Sakura pulled away. "I despise cutting this short, but I must leave before my handmaidens realize I am gone." She stood, her light yellow dress flowing in the movement. "Be in the burial grounds the morning after when the wedding is planned."

Nodding slowly Kyouya looked down, his whole expression showing sorrow. 'I do not like this.'

She caressed his cheek and left.

It happened last not long ago, Sakura drank the potion the doctor gave her. The potion is to make her appear dead for twelve hours, after the given time she should wake up and be just as normal. She planned this long before asking if I agreed, she wished that we run away together after she wakes up. Of course I have no objections to this, because I love her. Right now I am with Tamaki while they prepare the funeral in place of the wedding. They won't be burying her tonight, but instead locking her in her family's cemetery. In the morning I am to go there as soon as I wake up, when I get there she should be awake…if she isn't then that means the potion did not work and it killed her.

"Kyouya how can you be so calm, you loved her too." Tamaki asked as he slumped onto the couch.

Kyouya looked up from writing in his journal. "If there was something I could do to bring her back, trust me I would. But there is nothing I can do, so why should I bother thinking of something?"

"I…" Tamaki sighed. "I suppose you're right."

Kyouya closed the journal. "So why don't you try to relax?"

"I suppose it's because this was my one chance to actually have a family, you do not have troubles with this because you already have one and you get along well with the women."

"That is because I don't try as hard and it is not your only chance."

"What do you mean it is not my only chance?"

"You honestly have not realized?" Kyouya sighed and shook his head. "Lady Ichigo has been in love with for as long as we have known her. I cannot believe you never noticed."

"She has?" Tamaki looked a surprise look upon his face.

"Yes, now let us prepare you for the funeral." Kyouya stood, stuck his journal in the sack hanging from his waste. He pulled the Suoh up and began straightening his clothes.

The next morning came quickly after the funeral ended, Kyouya treaded quietly through the village as he rushed to the cemetery. He was eager to see if the potion worked, he was praying that it worked! As he raced through he failed to notice the shadow following him.

He entered the cemetery and weaved passed the tombs until he reached Sakura who was lying on top of an altar. Her skin was pale and cold from the potion and having slept in cold weather. "Sakura." He whispered as he gently shook her. "Dear, wake up please." She didn't budge. "Sakura." He said louder.

Again she didn't budge, her eyes didn't even flicker. He waited until he heard a stone shift behind him. Quickly spinning around, he found Tamaki Suoh staring at him with sad eyes.

"You did this?" Tamaki asked.

"What are you doing here?"

"I saw you leave in a rush, did you do this?"

"No, I did not."

"Then why are you here?" Tamaki pulled out his saber.

"Can I not mourn for the woman I love? Why are you drawing your weapon?"

"You ruined my chances of having a family."

"I told you, Ichigo loves you. Sakura is mine!" Kyouya snapped, then he glanced at her, seeing how she has not moved and her skin was still pale his eyes furrowed. "She was mine." Before he knew it he had his saber drawn as well. "This is your fault! The only reason she wanted to do this is because you could not stand up to your grandmother and stop this wedding! You took her from me!"

Tamaki growled and charged at his ex-friend and slung his sword down. The two began to battle each other, slashing their swords against the others and attempting to stab the other. The continued for several more minutes when finally they both stabbed at the same time, the same stance making the two look as a mirror image of the other. Neither of them could block or dodge, before either of them knew what happened they were both on the ground, each other's sabers stabbed through their friend's heart.

Tamaki coughed out thick blood and stared at Kyouya with broken eyes that were almost closed. "I made a mistake, didn't I?"

Kyouya nodded shakily. "We…we were going to…run away together." He forced out.

"I'm sorry, I was…confused and angry." Tamaki gently grabbed the handle of his sword. "I am going to remove this…you should join her."

Coughing Kyouya nodded. "I'm sorry too."

Tamaki pulled the sword out with the strength he had left and suddenly slipped into darkness. Kyouya reached over and closed his friend's eyes lids. "What idiots we are." Kyouya said and crawled over to the altar and attempted to pull himself next to Sakura. He was unable to pull himself all the way up and froze with his head resting on her chest.

Not long after the man fell into darkness, Sakura's chest began to rise as she took in quick breaths. Her eyes fluttered and she forced the open. "Kyouya?" She beckoned and glanced around. "Kyouya where are you? What is making my chest so heavy? This wasn't a side effect." Sakura looked down and froze, she stared at the lifeless form of her loved one. "K-Kyouya?" She gasped for air and began to shake the man. "Kyouya!" She screamed and sat up, causing Kyouya to roll over and land in her lap. She looked over and saw Tamaki's body, then looked back at Kyouya. "What happened…why are they dead?" She shook him once more in hopes that it were just a prank, when she received no change from him, her eyes began to cloud with tears. Then she grabbed Kyouya's dagger that hung on his belt. Before she let out her first sob, she stabbed the dagger into her heart. She fell back limply her hand lay on Kyouya's cheek.