Author's Note: Hi guys! I am back! I think I already said the reason why this fic will be in the remake so I'll just go explaining the changes. Since the original version of this fic was categorized as Romance/Humor genre, this one will be a Romance/Drama genre. Don't worry, there will be still funny scenes but I wanted to focus on Kei and Hikari's characterization. Actually, all of you might think that the characters will be OOC but all I did was adjust their characters in the highest mode. I want to portray Hikari's denseness/innocence and Kei fierce love for her in a level that might be close to reality. It was still on going so we won't know in the future chapters!

Still, we will follow the idea of the original, just a lot of changes and emotions,

I think this was because, after all these years, I can finally say I had matured and I wanted to improve my first ever fic.

So please read!

Warning: Although I can say I had matured, ny English communication skills was still the same, I think. So please bear with me!

Sacrifice and Pain

He thought it was all over. All of his actions, all of his intentions that had gone unnoticed, he thought it was all over. He believed he already had Hikari. He was sure that after what had happened in London, it was clear. They belonged with each other.

But, as he type vigorously away on his laptop, he thought that their relationship didn't take any step forward, instead it took two steps backward.

I'm sick of these kinds of affair. Takishima Kei thought, his teeth gritting inside his mouth.

No more than five feet away from him was the source of his distress, Hanazono Hikari.

Usually, in this kind of scene, Hikari was already fueling herself with Akira's homemade foods while reading mountainous of books as her preparation for her and Kei's challenges for the day. But until they had come back from London, something had changed and Kei didn't understand it.

After all the running and Hikari's confession about him being her special one, the couple finally felt the exhaustion and decided to get back in Kei's room. The first thing that they did was to get to Kei's king size bed and let the tiredness overwhelm their physical bodies. While his arms were around Hikari, her head began to get filled of question and worries. Unsurprisingly, Kei sensed her tension and took note of her stiff body.

"Hikari?" he called softly, his breath tickled her cheeks.

HIkari's body stiffened more and Kei felt her brows creasing into a frown against his cheek.

"Hikari?" he coaxed. He didn't know why, call it instinct, but a heavy feeling found its way to the pit of his stomach.

Taking a deep breath, Kei slightly lift his head so he can look down at her. Disappointed to see that she was not looking at him (or even moving), his hand found its way to her chin to gently nudge her to look at him.

"…Hikari?"

Like something had snapped inside her, Hikari pushed him away, abruptly sit up and jump off the bed.

He sat right up and stared, eyes widened, to the girl at the edge of his bed. Her eyes were obscured because of her hair, but her cheeks were a rich color pink and she was panting. He also noticed her fists clenching so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Kei felt his heart pounding inside his ribs.

"Hikari, what's the matter?" he asked, trying his best to make his voice sound neutral although he was getting worried with every moment that passed.

Seconds stretched to eons between the two while Kei's heart was throbbing so hard it felt like it will crumble to pieces.

"I – I can't do this Takishima."

The silence was broken. Her voice .He almost didn't recognize it because of the seriousness it held. It wasn't like Hikari, especially when what she said fully registered in his head. She can't do what? Why can't she do whatever it is? Isn't she the most challenging person ever? She never backs down on a challenge and she never gives up about anything without even trying. So why is she already admitting she can't do something?

"Can't do what, Hikari?" he continued to ask, his jaw clenching.

"This Takishima." She responded and finally lifted her head to look him in the eyes.

"You are my special one. You are my eternal rival. But I can't do this! I don't know how to feel! I don't know how to act around you if this will continue! I might lose something Takishima and I don't know what it is!" Hikari exclaimed. Her chest heaving up and down.

Panic laced her voice and it trembled slightly. She was truly confused and Kei can see it written all over her face. Getting off in the bed too, Kei moved towards her. He put his hands on either of her shoulders, trying to recover some semblance of intimacy like what had happened to them just a moment ago. He will do whatever it takes to grasp at the happiness Hikari presented to him at the Big Ben when the clock strikes twelve.

"Nothing will lose between us, Hikari. We are still rivals. I will still accept your challenges. We will still compete! Nothing will change!"

Kei felt the happiness slowly slipping away and he was desperately, almost pathetically grasping to her to not slip away.

She shook her head and his heart was beginning to break.

"It will never be the same if we continue this. I want you to be with me Takishima. I want the S.A. to be complete. I want you within reach. Do you know that it really broke me when you left the S.A.? I was just your friend Takishima, what more can I feel when we had something more special between us?"

In a broken voice, she whispered, "you'll just break me."

Kei bit his bottom lip so hard to the point that he tasted the metallic tang of blood. He can't believe Hikari was this stupid when it comes to relationships and love. Especially the love he felt for her. Can't she see? Can't she realize that he will do anything for her? For them?

Taking a deep breath, he move his hand on her shoulder to her chin, tilting it up so she will look at him squarely in the eyes.

"I will do anything, everything for you, Hikari but not to hurt or break you. I won't go away again. I promise you-"

"Then what about your grandfather?" she cut him off.

Kei released her chin and form his hand into a fist, his knuckles turning paper white.

"I won't let anything happen to you. I won't let grandfather harm you."

With his words, Kei saw how anger flashed Hikari's eyes.

"Are you out of your mind? Look at what he had done to the S.A.! To me! To you! He's so capable of doing harm to all of us, Takishima! I don't want to gamble what we have because I know he'll go berserk when he knew that we liked each other! I'd rather have you as a friend where we can be safe than be with you as something more and watch everybody around us suffer including the both of us! Don't be selfish, Takishima!"

What she said pierced through his heart that left him bleeding, bitter and hurt.

"Can't I be selfish? I've been watching you in the shadows for over ten years. I've been pretending that what I feel for you was purely platonic when all I want is to hug you and kiss you and make you mine. I've been suppressed with what I want. Then now? Now that I know how you felt for me you'll say that crap now?!"

He didn't mean for his voice to rose. He might've look like a monster with angry feral eyes and his teeth clamped together. But Hikari wasn't even scared. Instead, she looked like she was about to cry.

"I'm so sorry, Takishima. I didn't know how you feel about me before. I'm happy that you said it but if we pursue this, we might loose something more. Please. Let's drop this. We can still be friends."

A whimper escaped his throat and he closed his eyes for the stinging pain her words caused. He only opened it when he heard the clicking of her school shoes. She was heading for the door. She was leaving him.

He was so mad and hurt but the only thing that he can do was to whisper a bitter word in the air.

"Coward."

That stopped her from walking. He almost wished that what he said snapped something on her where she will treat this as a challenge where both can win. But what he received was an expressionless façade and a tone as warm as glacier.

"You can tell me names whatever you want. It won't change my mind, Takishima."

He watched her walked out the door.

And he wanted to die.

"I'll go now guys!"

Hikari's voice pulled him from his bitter musing and it was cheerful, and fake.

Everyone in the S.A. just stared at her. They were not stupid. They knew something had happened and they were worried, but they assumed that silence will be the best for now.

Kei tried to look at Hikari but her eyes were avoiding him. It only made him feel more miserable so instead of searching for her gaze, he closed his eyes and tilted down his head.

"B-but Hikari! We haven't had our afternoon snack yet." Akira cajoled.

Akira never really hated Kei. Annoyed maybe but not hate. Hate's a powerful emotion and she didn't possessed that feeling to anyone in the S.A.. That's why she was worried right now. She knew Kei was hurting and Hikari too, but she don't know why. Like the rest of the S.A., they just knew something had happened in London but clueless as to what it is.

There were disappointed to see that when they get back to Hakusenkan, everything was still not normal. Kei's departure had made them miserable and yet now that they were complete again, it seems like matters had became worst.

"I'm not hungry, Akira." she said in her fake cheery voice again. It was getting on Kei's nerve and with glinting eyes, he looked at Hikari.

She sensed his stare at she bravely looked at his direction. For a moment, their gazes locked. It made Kei's hope to renew again. There it was. Some acknowledgement from her.

But her expression was as expressive as a stone and it made his heart dropped to his stomach.

Hikari slowly looked away. She just wanted to get away from him. Again. His presence was suffocating her. His presence was hurting her. It reminded her that happiness can't be grabbed even if it's just an arm's length from. It always had a price.

"I'm sorry. But I have to go." She continued.

The rest of the S.A. was watching the gazing scene of the two top students in S.A. and the missing piece that they've been trying to figure out ever since they went back from London was increasing its space.

One thing is their sure about, this is very serious.

They wanted to know and Tadashi's the only person that was brave enough (and impatient enough) to tugged Hikari's hand and asked:

"Did something happen between you and Kei?"

All eyes looked at Tadashi but he held his ground. He knew that he might get bruised all over his body later (be it from Hikari, Kei or Akira) but he wanted to know. He might look carefree and all but he was really getting bothered with how the top two students of their group are functioning since they came back from London.

Moments passed and all are waiting for Hikari's answer. Kei was also looking at her too, waiting for her response though he bitterly thought that despite his name was included in Tadashi's inquiry, she never gave him even a second glance. Tadashi released her hand.

What seems like eternity…

"No. There's nothing that happened." She said in that fake cheerful voice again. This time, it was accompanied with a smile that was obviously hiding her strained feeling.

It was really getting in Kei's nerves.

And he snapped.

"How dare you pretend that everything was fine?"

The cold voice sliced through the air and everyone looked at Kei except for the person who he directed the question to.

"How dare you say that nothing had happened when I'm feeling miserable here?"

He didn't know why he had said it. Surely he was ready to go crazy but he can't believe he will actually say it to her. Let alone, in the front of their friends.

Their mouths hang open and their eyes widened but Hikari just flinched and her gaze went to the ground under her feet.

"Kei." Ryuu whispered and within seconds, Kei was already standing near Hikari. The rest of them started to get alarmed.

"Why won't you answer me Hikari?" Kei persistently asked. His hand found its way to her arm, tugging her to his form.

But Hikari forcefully released her arm from his grip.

"Idiot!" she yelled. "I can't believe you are this selfish! In front of them? Really, Takishima?" Her expression was no longer similar a stone like how it was minutes ago. She was angry and frustrated but at least there were some emotions in her. Kei felt triumph, although he can't help but to think that he was reduced to this pathetic young guy that was desperately clutching the girl that denied his feelings.

" Yes, Hikari. I am pathetically selfish. But you made me do it. You're just ignoring the mental messages I've been giving you every day." He said. His voice icy and dripping with disgust for himself. He tried to take a hold of her arm again, but she swayed it away from his reach.

"Stupid!" she yelled again, but this time, her voice were choked with tears and her eyes were moist.

All of them didn't have time to react before Hikari run away, sprinting towards the exit.

They stared at her retreating form and Ryuu noticed how Kei's fingers dug the flesh of his own palm.

"Kei." Ryuu called.

Kei's teeth were clamped together, his jaw clenched and his muscles were in tension.

"This is fucking pathetic." He hissed.

"Kei?" this time, it was Tadashi who called.

They were staring at him.

And like something had snapped, Kei suddenly ran, ready to follow Hikari's track.

"Kei you idiot!" Akira screeched and all of them ran to follow the two, very well aware that they can't catch easily with them.

Kei was panting. He had already scanned the whole Hakusenkan but Hikari was nowhere to be found. He was beginning to think that she must've gotten home, but when he exit the gates of the academy, he saw her sitting in the waiting shed of the bus stop. Her expression was forlorn and her eyes looking at the ground.

It didn't need him to decide because his feet were already marching towards her direction.

She was so deep in her thought that she didn't realize that Kei was only a foot away from her.

To say that she was surprised was an understatement but before she even make an attempt to escape again, Kei had already grabbed her arm again, this time tightening his grip (but not tight enough to really hurt her) while he glared down at her.

She gave him a glare of her own.

"Let me go, Takishima. I don't want to talk to you while you are this stupid." she exclaimed while tugging her arm free but to no success.

A dark, humorless laugh escaped from Kei's throat.

"I'm stupid? What do you call yourself? You're the one who's stupid for inflicting these wrecked emotions on us."

Hikari gritted her teeth and yelled at him.

"This is happening because you don't want to accept what I want! You're an idiot for insisting what you want! You're so goddamn selfish, Takishima! Drop it! Drop this! Let's just be friends like the way we used to and not what you want to happen now!"

Kei matched the raise of her voice.

"Then what?! Be in love with you again for another ten years then wait if you'll finally accept my feelings when you are no longer scared of my grandfather?! What a fucking coward you are!"

Kei saw the fire flash in her eyes and for the second time, he prayed that his persistence will finally pay off if she'll accept his insults as a challenge.

Like how they used to be.

But it won't happen.

"Don't you get it, Takishima?"

That surprised him. Her voice, it was so soft and so cold that an icy feeling ran down his spine.

"If I really loved you, why would I try so hard to get away from you?" Hikari continued.

Kei's heart started to pound heavily inside his chest that he can only utter a few words.

"You're lying."

Lying was something she was never good at, but there's no way to break gently.

"I wish I was. I mean, I told you I liked you didn't I? You're someone special to me. But do you know why I am doing this, Takishima?

His grip on her arm slackened and she took the opportunity to release herself. Hikari watched the look on his face. It was an expression expressed before you see something important to you breaks in front of you.

She felt like crying.

"Because I've realized that it was easy to set aside and ignore your feelings."

Her words were like poison in her throat.

"You see, it wasn't worth it. I'll feel the wrath of your grandfather. The rest of the S.A. will feel the wrath of your grandfather for what? For my feelings towards you? It's a very huge expiation for something so small."

Kei felt something cracked and he knew it was his heart.

"Liar." Kei hissed but Hikari didn't even react, instead she continued.

"No, Takishima. I might really like you but only as a rival. And rivals can be special. But that is it. Drop it, Takishima. My feelings for you are not worth the entire burden I'll receive when I grant what you want."

Her words burned her tongue and she wanted to cry.

While Kei…

It pounded so hard like something was hammering it. Then it broke in million pieces. And those pieces trembled in pain.

Kei wanted to clutch his heart to stop it from breaking, but it was already too late.

Hikari can't see his eyes because of the brown locks blocking it, but by his body language, she knew. She had hurt him so terribly bad.

They were now standing face to face, only a foot apart but they felt like they were million of light-years away from each other.

And Hikari can't stand it. She wanted to close the distance between them and hug him with all her strength while telling him that no, all that she said for the past minutes were not true.

She loved him dearly and she would go whenever in the world if they would choose to run.

But it wasn't that simple.

If only it was that simple.

Slowly, she walked towards the pedestrian lane leaving him behind.

She sprinted to cross the road when a bus sped through her direction.

Her heart was caught in her throat but fortunately, the bus halt and the driver gave her a glare through its front window. He honked his horn, telling her to cross already. She did it.

But Hikari failed to notice the speeding black car that overtook the bus.

Unlike the bus, it didn't stop. It continued to speed up and HIkari was glued to her position. Her eyes were wide and mouth agape while she watched it come closer to her.

There's no way she'll survive this. She can't move her legs. So she closed her eyes and think of Kei.

Something hit her and everything turned black.

There were noises around her and she was hearing her named being called. Everything was still black and her body hurt. The first thing that came to her mind was Kei before she realized that she was still alive.

The black car didn't kill her.

Hikari tried to open her eyes. When she does so, all came to view was blurred of purple and white. Her head was hurting but she tried to focus. Not long, Akira came to view.

And she was crying.

"Akira?" she whispered.

"Hikari!" Akira cried but instead of giving her a bear hug like how she used to, she stood up and help her to get on her feet. She was still crying and Hikari can't help to notice how her tears didn't mean relief that she was okay but something more… grim.

Past Akira's shoulder, Hikari saw the black car that sped through her and something doesn't seem right.

Something was telling her that something was gravely wrong,

She tried to walk towards the car but her right leg was smarting. Looking down, she saw that it was full of scratches from the asphalt road. Hikari gave it no mind and continued to walk while Akira was sobbing her name behind her.

Every part of her body on the right side is hurting but she didn't give attention to it. What she was worried was the ball of lead forming in the pit of her stomach.

The car was closer to her. She was walking towards it and saw how the front window was cracked into million pieces. As she continued to walk, she also observed how the roof of the car was dented, like something had landed on it.

Hikari was near the back of the car when she saw a man crying on the paved road. She strongly reckoned that he was the driver.

"I can't believe it. He pushed her off the road but I can't stop! It's too late to stop!" the driver cried.

The ball of lead was increasing its space, pushing through her heart that was hammering inside her chest.

Then she finally saw it. In the back of the car.

Ryuu and Tadashi were kneeling on the ground while calling a name.

Jun was on his phone, panicky talking to someone while Megumi was crying behind him, clutching her board tightly to her form.

Then there he was,

He was on lying on his left side.

His brown hair was soaked in red liquid it almost turned black.

His eyes were close.

His body was full of wounds and scratches.

His chest unmoving.

Like he wasn't breathing.

Like he was dead.

Hikari's felt her heart stop beating as it plummeted down her stomach.

She stood there frozen as her pupils abandoned any light and look solely to the young man on the ground.

It felt like everything had stopped and the only thing that moved was the flow of the blood coming out from his head.

The howl of an ambulance was heard.

Finally, Ryuu took notice of her and with his face expressing shock and panic, he spoke to her.

"What the hell happened, Hikari?!"

But all that Hikari remembered was her rival's smile.

Her pupils dilated it turned almost obsidian black.

And a scream ripped from her throat.

"TAKISHIMA!"

Liked it? Yes or no? Please let me know! R&R