Ritsu jumped in fright as he turned to see Takano behind him.

Takano's eyebrows shot up. "Aren't you going to say 'good morning'? That's a bit rude."

Ritsu frowned at him. Suddenly he was talking to him? After a month? Ritsu decided to ignore him and walked away. He couldn't afford to be seen around him right now. The others could be around any minute and he didn't want to hear a lecture or see a fight. Besides, being next to Takano had his heart racing and his hands shaking.

"Hey, don't just walk away like that."

"Leave me alone Takano, I have nothing to say to you." He was surprised his voice wasn't quivering, Takano hurt him with his words that day and now he expected him to just pretend it didn't happen? They were enemies for God's sakes. Takano was supposed to hate him.

Takano stayed silent. He didn't know what he was doing. All that went through his mind was the fact that he was actually happy to talk to him again. It's been so long since he heard his voice, even if they were fighting.

"I just wanted to clear up what happened-"

"Now? Are you an idiot or something? That was a month ago Takano, let's just leave it at that." Ritsu was practically running now. Why wouldn't he leave him alone? They entered the west wing; people were staring at them wondering what was going on. Ritsu looked to be on the verge of hitting Takano.

Takano signed tiredly, "Come on Ritsu-"

"Shut up!" Ritsu turned toward him. "Don't call me by my name, you are my enemy. I'm sorry Takano but I can't afford this right now. Leave me alone and never talk to me again." If the others saw him right now they wouldn't let him move. They would keep him in that house and worse drop him out of this school after he worked so hard to get in.

There was no chance at a friendship with Takano, he knew that. Though he wished it otherwise he knew it wasn't going to work. He had to make this choice, even if he hated saying this to him right now.

Takano frowned. "Look if it was because of what I said last time, know that-"

"No, it's not that, you are Marukawa, I hate them. And so I hate you."

Takano flinched. Ritsu stifled one as well.

Ritsu gritted his teeth. It had to be done. Whatever they shared back in that Library was over.

I don't want to do this. I wish I could go back and stay in that library instead of going out that day.

"Fine…so be it." The hurt in his voice killed him. He wanted to apologize, he wanted to try to make their friendship work again.

He wanted Masamune back.

Takano turned away. Ritsu did the same.

Both men hurt.

Takano cursed himself. He should have left it alone.

Ritsu wished he didn't come to school today. It would have saved him from hurting Takano like that.

The day passed as usual. The two men avoided each other as always. Their families were wondering why they were so depressed. They tried to talk to them but nothing came out. They were walking corpses the whole day.

By the end of the day Kirishima came to pick Ritsu up.

"Hey Ritsu guess what?" Kirishima grinned. Ritsu wished he could share his enthusiasm.

"What happened?"

"I got you the apartment. It's next to the school." Kirishima grinned. "You're lucky that there was one more opening."

"Thank you Kirishima! You have no idea how grateful I am!" Ritsu's day turned just like that. At least one good thing came out.

Kirishima grinned. "They say you could move in tonight." Kirishima handed him the key to his new apartment.

Ritsu grinned and pocketed the key. "I am so glad you came, I would have never known where to look."

"Don't worry about it; I understand how it is to be crowded with those guys." Kirishima used to live with them before he got married and moved out a few years ago. Sadly his wife died shortly after and now he lives with his daughter. "Now all you have to do is deal with everyone else."

Ritsu grimaced. "How about-"

"Not getting into that. I got you the apartment; you're going to talk to them." Kirishima evaded.

Ritsu groaned. "Fine. Though I promise you I won't be there in person."

Kirishima chuckled. "That would be wise." He grabbed Ritsu to stop him. "Now why so depressed?" Ritsu hesitated. "Come on Ritsu, you know you could tell me everything."

It was true; Kirishima would never tell a soul. He was able to live rebellious because of him. "I made friends with Takano Masamune."

Kirishima sucked in a breath. "Are you crazy?" Ritsu winced. "Boy, you do know that those are the men I protect you from."

"I didn't know he was Takano, I only knew his first name. We'd been friends for a few days before we both found out that we were enemies."

Kirishima observed his reactions. "Did Takano know?" Ritsu shook his head. Kirishima smiled. "I can tell you really cared for him." He signed. "Wow talk about Romeo & Juliet."

"Ha!? We're both men!" Kirishima grinned.

"I was talking about the war. You become best friends with the enemy and yet its forbidden because of the war. The same scenario."

"My god I hope not! Don't they both die at the end?"

"That's why you don't get close to him."

Ritsu looked away. "Don't worry; I already made sure of that." Kirishima took in the way Ritsu sulked about it. They must have really connected then. Because of this war Ritsu was practically imprisoned in his own home, which was why he let him spread his wings.

Much later Ritsu secretly packed two cases of his cloths and sneaked out when everyone was too busy eating in the kitchen. He went to his apartment and set down his stuff. It was beautiful with a living room, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a patio. And it wasn't one of those small apartments every University apartment usually was; every room was big enough for two rooms.

Ritsu smiled. He was going to thank Kirishima with drinks.

Exhausted he left the room to walk back home. He didn't want to be rude, they say that his roommate would be moving in the morning and Ritsu wanted to talk about which room he would like to have. Ritsu was only glad that he finally gotten his own room. Sometimes he had to share with Chiaki or two other people because they either heard something or they believed someone was creeping in the window.

They would use any excuse to make sure he was protected one hundred percent.

Ritsu signed. Here we go, it was time to tell them. He knew it wasn't going to be pretty.

-Takano

Takano signed in depression. He just wanted to get this day over with so that he could move into his new apartment in the morning. He wanted to be locked in his new room for possibly months on end just so he wouldn't have to see Ritsu again. Yokozawa stopped him.

"What's wrong with you? You been depressed all morning,"

"It's nothing." Takano tried to resume walking but Yokozawa wouldn't let him.

Yokozawa touched his forehead. "You sure you're not getting a fever?"

Annoyed Takano drew back and went inside the house. He knew how Yokozawa felt about him. He'd asked Takano out a long time ago but Takano didn't feel that way about him. He was more like a brother than anything else.

Takano said his hello's to everyone and entered his room. He wished there was a lock so that he would be able to have a measure of privacy but it didn't work that way in this house.

Takano started packing his stuff not caring who saw.

Yokozawa came in and frowned at what he was doing. "Don't tell me you're planning on running away. What a childish thing to do."

"Shut up. I actually got an apartment near the university."

"Ha!? Who said you could move?"

"I'm old enough to get an apartment on my own Yokozawa, its time I started living on my own."

"Over my dead body. You're not going anywhere with Onodera Publishing also running around the school. We need to stay together, and that stunt you did this morning was stupid as well."

Takano rolled his eyes. "I'm not a kid Yokozawa, I got into fights too." With that bastard Haitani mostly.

Yokozawa called everyone. Takano cursed. Seriously? Bring the whole army? It was going to be a long night after all.

-Morning

So his roommate moved in already. He was informed about his new roommate had moved in last night but he wasn't here. He wondered who it was. He hoped they could get along great or it would suck for the whole year. Takano inspected the room with admiration. Finally his own room where no one could casually come in uninvited or invade his space.

Takano looked in each room and was surprised that the guy hadn't chosen the room yet. It was thoughtful actually.

He decided to wait as well. For now he readied his boxes so he could easily unpack them when he came. Finished with that Takano took out his favorite book and sat down on the couch. There was a sixteen-inch screen TV, but he was more into reading than watching.

An hour later he heard the door unlock. He got up and waited as the door opened up.

Takano's eyes widened. No way.