Chapter 4: Love Is Blind

He wanted to continue walking but his feet wouldn't let him. He turned his head and saw his partner walking towards them, carrying a notebook on his right hand.

"Shusei-kun. Good timing! Do something about this!" the Pres said.

Shusei stared at Hotsuma for a while, sighed and then turned to the Pres.

"Sakura, I'm sorry for the trouble my friend gave to you. Can you please leave this to me and go back to class first?"

"oh…alright then."

The Pres then walked back towards the school compound.

"Hotsuma. What are you doing here?" Shusei asked.

Hotsuma looked away.

"I just wasn't feeling well so I wanted to go home."

"Look into my eyes and say that one more time."

"Tskkk, what is it with you?" Hotsuma said and stared into the God's Eyes.

"Nothing…I just want you to look at me when you talk to me that's all."

"Shusei, haven't anyone told you that you only tell this kind of cheesy lines to your girlfriends? Hotsuma asked.

"Yeah. But isn't it not only to girlfriends but also to the people I love as well?"

"Huh? What's that suppose to mean? Quit joking around."

"Its not a joke at all, Hotsuma….."

Both of them stared at each other for a while… then Hotsuma broke the silence.

"Shusei…"

"Anyway you are not feeling well right? It's fine. I'll just get permission for you. Go home and rest, Hotsuma." Shusei said.

"Huh? Are you sure? I mean will you get into trouble?"

"Don't worry about it. No one is going to get into trouble. Sakura is just being too meticulous about minor stuff. But I forgot to ask… are you ok? I mean I rarely see you not feeling well."

Shusei's expression was full of concern. Hotsuma was touched. His loneliness that he felt just now during lunch break was slowly diminishing as he looked into his best friend's eyes.

"I….I'm fine. It's not a biggie. Maybe I just lack sleep that's all."

"Haizzzz.. Hotsuma, one day I'm going to lock all those games up.

"NOOOOOO! I mean… its nothing to do with the games….. alright alright! FINE! I suppose the games contributed to my lack of sleep," he added on when he saw a glint in the God's Eyes.

"…But nowadays I just can't sleep properly. I mean I wake up about 3 times in a night."

Shusei walked up to him. Then, he gave Hotsuma a pat on the back.

"Alright. I believe you. Now go home and get some sleep. We will continue this conversation later."

"Thanks Shusei." He then walked towards the Twilight Mansion, with Shusei gazing him from his back.

'Hotsuma…'Shusei said in his mind. Then, he walked back to class.

(3.00pm)

School dismissed. Shusei packed his books and was one of the last to leave the classroom. He was relieved that he didn't have any student council duties. He didn't mind them but on this particular day, he just wanted to go home and be with his partner. Toko came in.

"Shusei, Hotsuma has gone home during break."

"Ah don't worry about it Toko. I saw him when he left."

"Really? I see.. then it's alright… Ne, Shusei, did something happen between you and Hotsuma?"

"No….nothing in particular."

"Hotsuma has been a bit over the edge lately. And sometimes he looks so lifeless. I mean I don't want to bother you with it in case its nothing major but I thought you might know something."

"Thanks for telling me Toko. Yeah, I know Hotsuma has not been himself since a while ago but I really don't know what is going on with him. Like today for instance, this was the first time he actually complained that he wasn't feeling well."

"I see….. I wonder if something happened?" Toko asked.

"I'll talk to him as soon as we reach home. So lets go."

(Twilight Mansion)

After coming back from school, Hotsuma was lectured a little by Tachibana who immediately shut up after Hotsuma gave him a deathly glare and saying in a dangerous voice "TA…..CHI….BA…..NA…"

He then walked up to his room, threw his blazer onto the floor along with his tie and flopped onto his bed. Hotsuma was tossing and turning on his bed. He really couldn't sleep. 'Why? Why can't I sleep soundly like I normally do? Am I suffering from insomnia? Nah it's impossible. I have never had trouble sleeping before.' "Shit! Get some sleep Hotsuma!" he said to himself. He lied there for nearly two hours but in end he still couldn't get some sleep.

After another few minutes of being unable to sleep, Hotsuma got up and decided to take a shower. He took a long cold shower, trying to empty his mind. After showering, he changed into a pair of faded jeans and a black T-shirt and put the towel across his shoulder. His hair was still drenched but he couldn't be bothered by it. He sat down on the long sofa next to the window and stared out, breathing in fresh air.

Suddenly he heard a knock on his door.

"Hotsuma. Are you asleep? Can I come in?"

The door opened and Shusei walked in, still in his uniform.

"Shusei! Wait, what time is it?" he looked at the clock beside his bed and it read 3.10pm. "Don't you have student council duties?"

Shusei walked to him.

"You are going to catch a cold if you don't dry your hair."

Then, Shusei took the towel from his partner's shoulder, placed it on top of the wet blond hair and shook the towel gently.

"I don't have any student council duties today. And class was dismissed on time so yea.. basically that is how I managed to get home so early."

"Did you get into trouble with your annoying President?" Hotsuma asked.

"No. She didn't ask any questions at all. More importantly, did you get any sleep at all?"

Hotsuma sighed and then leaned against Shusei. He placed both his hands onto Shusei's arms. He realized that he was always longing for Shusei to always be by his side. Shusei was his support, and without him he crumbles.

"Shusei…. Don't talk. Just let me be in this position for a while."