CHAPTER 1

He weaved his drink and took a big sip. The cold yet burning sensation filled his throat; he drank the whole glass then ordered again.

This was his fifth...

The waiter refilled his glass as he stared into the amber liquid pouring out; small bubbles erupting from it, happiness he realized was a lot like these bubbles, one second they were strong and stable and the next second they burst, he never realized when his little bubble popped, was it the day she told him she was getting married or was it today, when he actually saw her getting married and realized that he'd lost her forever.

Did anyone ever tell these bubbles that their presence was transient, cause no one sure as hell didn't tell him that he'll have to be the best man at his brothers wedding , his brother who was marrying the girl he loved more that anyone or anything.

He drained his glass.

The strong alcohol dulled his senses but not his pain

Pain, ah what a beautiful word and his favorite companion.

Pain….. Pain …Pain, he said them like a lullaby, the syllables dancing on his tongue. It was the only emotion he could feel, the only emotion left in his life.

One moment he had everything a man ever wanted, and the next he was a drifter with no possession. His heart the place that was once filled with love and trust has now become a playing ground for hurt, pain and betrayal. He soon realized that they'll be snatched away from him too, until there was nothing left, until he was an empty shell. Void of any emotions.

Damn... She looked so beautiful in that white dress. So beautiful that when she walked down the aisle he forgot his pain, he forgot the reason why she was walking down the aisle. To marry his brother. He spit out the words.

All he wanted to do wad keep staring at her, hide her away if possible from any unscrupulous male's gaze.

But she wasn't his to be stared at, wasn't his to steal, not anymore.

She laughed her heart out. She believed that if she pretended to be happy then someday she might actually believe it. She smiled at everyone who looked at her, and why shouldn't she? Today was her wedding day, a day every girl dreamed of after they reached womanhood.

With every smile, with every laugh, she was losing a piece of herself, dying a little more inside. It wasn't a fast hurried kind of death, though she wished it would be, it was one of those slow poisonous kind.

The venom spreading through her entire body making her weak, fragile, making her lose a little part of herself with every breath she took.

Was it possible to perish from a broken heart, she supposed no, because if it did, then she would have been dead by now,

It's amazing how the internal pain can almost become physical until she could almost feel her heart collapsing.

She didn't dare look at him; she had betrayed him, raised his hopes then crushed them like child's play. She couldn't even say sorry, because sorry can't mend everything, and she wondered if it could mend his heart.

Sometimes it's not enough to be forgiven by someone, sometimes you have to forgive your self first.

And that she could never do, she had put his hopes on a pedestal then broke it, shattered them like glasses.

When the words 'I do' came out of her lips all she wanted to do was scream. Scream at him …

I love you, I'll always do.

Please forgive me

Please forgive me

Just… please…

She was so pathetic that she wanted to laugh at her own misery. She had brought this on herself and so she would face the consequences. She never should have let her heart out on a sleeve, never should have fallen in love but she did, and heavens knew nothing could make her regret it.

The number of laughs shared with him, all the memories that'll haunt her every second of everyday, all the kisses, all the love. She blinked back tears when some taped on her shoulders, trying to pretend that this was the happiest day of her life, but her smile soon faded away when she saw him.

'Not happy to see me, are you?' his voice was mocking her.

She sighed, she didn't wanted to deal with this right now, so she ignored his remark,
'what do you want Usui?'

'Well why, we should be dancing right now', she looked around and sure enough there were couples dancing and laughing, and they were the only two people incongruous.

He pulled her into his arms; and they started the slow rhythmic motions of their feet.

'Let me go' she hissed.

'Don't wanna' he said childishly. He was being the same playful idiot he was so famous for.

They were close and the heat radiating from his body was too uncomfortable.

She kept a passive face, as he swings her around in his arms. 'You look beautiful, by the way'

And she blushed, 'that was the only thing missing actually, or else you would have been perfect'.

'What do you mean?'

'That blush, it wasn't there when you walked down the aisle, in fact, you looked like you were going to be sacrificed'.

'How could you say that? I am very happy'

'Yes I can see that, you showed your perfect 32 teeth to almost everyone present here', she smacked him playfully on the arms and started laughing, 'you are only being jealous'

She bit her tongue as soon as she said that. Why did she have to go and ruin this perfect moment for all of them.

'Resentful is the word you're looking for'.

'How about aggrieved and bitter and angry' she said.

He stared at her for sometime, then said, I'll say 'miserable '

She choked a cry, but said nothing.

Seconds passed, honestly why was this dance so long? She had danced with hundreds of guests and she hadn't felt this tired with anyone of them; she tried concentrate on the fresh bouquets of orchids that hung in the wall.

'I love you' it wasn't a statement, it was a declaration.

Her eyes widened as she started at them, her eyes flooded with tears. Repressed feelings surfaced as she tried hard not to break down right there.

'Do-don't say that' in her state she almost forgot to watch out for hungry priers, thankfully the music was too loud.

The song ended and she pushed him away from her and left the hall.

The streak of mascara ran down her cheeks, she faced the mirror before her. Luckily no one was present in the washroom.

She looked terrible, with puffed eyes and the ruined makeup, she didn't looked like a bride at all.. in fact she looked as if she could get a lead role in some freaky horror movie.

She pulled out a tissue from her purse and started cleaning, 'stupid make up, stupid superfluous tears, stupid dress...' She blabbered on, as she heard the door creak.

'Let me help you with that', came his silky voice,

She groaned 'get out of here, this is the ladies room'

'Did you really think that this could keep me away?', he came close to her. She stumbled back until she felt the cold tiles of the sink.

He came closer and put his hands on the wall caging her. She tried to push him away but in vain.

'Go away'

'Not before you answer my question', he said in a composed voice

'And what is that?' she sassily asked

'Why?'

'Huh?'

'Why did you marry him? Why didn't you tell me? Why did you betray me?'

'That's HIS questions' she scoffed.

'Damn it Misaki, answer me', his hands were on her shoulders now, and were hurting her.

'Because I love him, and before you ASK me to say that staring into you're eyes I've already said it'.

'I love him. Him and him only.'

'I don't believe you.'

'You don't have to; who ever told you that you're opinion matters'.

'Prove it.'

'How?'

He kissed her then, not some hungry, wild kiss, but a soft slow, has- the –ability- to- melt –your- legs kinda kiss.

She could have resisted if he'd have forced himself on her, but he didn't. His lips were tender like feathers, but passionate as sin.

She couldn't push him away. She just couldn't. That single kiss had the ability to make her forget everything, where were they?, why were they here?. Every rational thought flew out of the window, and she kissed him with the same intensity, the fact that she was someone's wife didn't seem to matter, the only thing that did was the fact that tonight she was his, and he hers.

This single kiss will let her live her life as someone else's wife, he parted her lips with his tongue and plunged it in and she let him, meeting his passion head on.

She will cherish this kiss for the rest of her life, her last kiss; with the person she loved more than anyone, more than anything.

He pulled back as they struggled to breathe.

'You love me' he said with a smirk.

Yes' she smiled. God knows what was so funny about the situation, but she couldn't fight the little bubble of happiness that swamped inside her.

'Come with me' his eyes were full of hopes.

She gaped at him 'where to?'

'Anywhere, we'll leave this country, go somewhere where no one knows us, it'll be just you and me'

'I am someone's wife takumi, and as much as I want to , I cant. I have responsibilities'.

'To hell with responsibilities', he looked mad at the point of breaking something.

'I am sorry, but I can't.'

And she left without a second glance, never to look at his direction again.

A.N- alright, I told the readers of THM that I'll publish the next chapter in April, don't worry I will publish it in April, maybe on the 2nd week. So as a token of appreciation, I wrote this ff, don't worry Misa – Usui will be together in the end, give me lots of reviews and I might hurry up my chapters.

As for second time, I am working on those… gimme loads of reviews to encourage me to write more…

Btw, not that anybody cares, but I just gave my annual exam, pray for me that I get promoted.

Puh-leez.

With love

Windy Mist