Title: Starting Over

Chapter 4: Stop

Written by: Lisse08

"Takahashi."

Misaki froze at his spot, his head rose in shock at the person in front of him.

What the heck? What's with his lucky fortune these days? Where did they go when he most needs them in the exams?

"Morning, Kamijou sensei." Hiroki smiled, and asked a question that he already did know the answer of, "when did you come back?"

"Last week." Misaki said.

"I heard that you're getting married." He noticed Misaki tensed. Crap! Hiroki nearly smacked himself at the spot. He didn't intend to let the boy know that he was getting in touch with Usami. "I mean, I heard it from Nowaki," Nowaki doesn't know him! "And Nowaki heard it from Shinobu." That's even absurd! "I mean…"

"You heard it from Usami sensei…" the Japanese boy finished for him. Scratching his head, Hiroki grew solemn.

"Takahashi, what you see from the news isn't what you think. You have to believe Usami that he didn't betray you."

Misaki turned around. Damaged was done. It can't be undo.

"That's not the problem, sensei." Gaining on the strength, Misaki started to run.

"Takahashi!"

Hiroki heaved out a sigh, watching the back of the boy disappeared from his sight. He looked down at the shopping bag in his hand, thousands of thoughts formed.

Xxxx JE xxxX

"I'm back."

Hiroki felt as if the ground gave away from beneath his feet. His heart skipped beats. Putting down the chopping knife, he hastily took all the dishes down from the table and shoved them into whatever that could fit them in, in the oven, under the desk…

Nowaki raised his brows as he heard the percussions from the kitchen. He flinched when he heard something akin to a dish crashed onto the floor.

"Hiro-san, are you okay?" Worried, he walked nearer towards the place, when all of a sudden, the lecturer stepped out from behind the wall.

"Nowaki! Welcome back, I thought you said you won't be back until 8." Hiroki laughed.

"My patient is making progress, so sen-pai let me off early. Besides, today…" Nowaki shook his head when another thought hit him. "What happened in the kitchen?"

No good!

"AH!" Hiroki stepped in, putting a hand on his chest to stop him. He can't let him find out now.

"I broke a dish, that's all, since you surprised me. I didn't expect anyone to be home at this time. Don't bother yourself, I can clean it up later." He mumbled.

"Hiro-san." Feeling a strong grip on his waist, he was stunned as it was raised up to level with Nowaki's eyes. He felt a sudden tug from behind his back, his feet stumbled forward. He looked up reflexively and swallowed a silent gasp. Too close. Nowaki was within kissing distance, his body heat on him. He felt himself entranced by the deep blue onyx. "Are you hurt?"

Hiroki jerked, slackened the grip and stepped back, putting a good three meter distance between them. Even without looking at a mirror, he knew his face was flushing red.

"No… I'm fine. You should take a bath first. I'm almost done with the dinner."

There was a transient silence before the replied was given.

"Alright." He looked at the floor, listened as the footsteps brought his lover away from him.

Had he looked up, he would have seen the disappointed look flashing across Nowaki's face…

Xxxx JR xxxX

Misaki's paces were slow and heavy. Why did Kamijo sensei say that?

Usagi-san couldn't possibly have meant that kiss as an accident. The photo from a year back was still imprinted deep in his mind. He squeezed his eyes tight, for it was hurting him. He didn't want to be reminded of it. No matter how hard he tried thorough the years, never to let his thoughts strayed anywhere near him, it still failed.

He watched at his own shadow that was stretched long on the ground.

"Misaki!"

Not again!

Heart thumping, he crossed his fingers silently behind and wished that it was a dream. This person is the second on his 'to-avoid' list, i.e, the other man in that photo, the face that haunted him every night in his dreams. He couldn't believe, either, that this friend, whom he had put so much faith in, betrayed him as well. He turned slowly.

Indeed, it was Sumi sen-pai.

Xxxx

"Misaki, why didn't you give me a call?" Sumi walked nearer, approaching him. Misaki subconsciously took a step back. This is the worst. He couldn't face Sumi senpai with a poker face.

"Um…"

Because every nerve of mine had only one wish – that is to tear all your limbs apart.

"What's wrong?"

How could you? Knowing that Usagi-san belongs to me, but you…

"Misaki, are you not feeling well? Do you need me to call Usagi?"

Usagi..?

His eyes widened.

Usagi? USAGI?? I'm the only one who's allowed to use that name! Not you… NOT YOU! And since when did he switch from Usami sensei to Usagi?

He could feel the wall around him breaking down.

Since that? So… it means that it wasn't a rumor?

"I'm…"His shoulder trembled vigorously but the words weren't out. The long pent-up anger… there in his heart. There were too much, accumulated ever since the time when he first learnt the news, plastering up this poker face with his friends while his heart hurt, and… lying to himself by falling in love with Miyu. Why did he have to suffer? Why did this single rabbit have to mess up his life?

"Ah, I forgot. You're not with Usagi anymore." That was obviously a teasing tone.

WHY??

"DON'T.."

"Misaki!" He managed to draw all his muscle back. No…

From behind Sumi, the novelist trotted towards them. Misaki couldn't move a muscle. How many shocks did God intend to give him in a day? Like a movie, Usami's feet brought him closer to them. Misaki lowered his head, not daring to look.

Usami stood in between them, gave Misaki a scrutinized look before turning over to the bespectacled.

"What are you doing here?"

That was a sharp glare thrown.

"Greeting your ex," He particularly stressed on the last syllabus, a smirk spread wider on his face.

"Don't talk nonsense."

"The kiss wasn't the only thing we shared, Misaki."

"Sumi."

That was his limit. His hands weakened, as if this is the end of the world. Strong depressing liquids were gushing into his eyes. He held them in.

"We had sex every night after you're gone."

Misaki bit down on his lips. He couldn't face this anymore.

"It wasn't true, Misaki."

Why couldn't you be more objectives? Why could you still remain calm? Was it because…

"We had lots of fun, thanks to you."

… You never cared about losing me?

He backed away from the scene. Without forewarning, he felt the salty tears escaped from his eyes, rolling down.

Xxxx JT xxxX

"Where had you gone to this afternoon? Why didn't you pick up my phone?"

A frown fell on the professor's face. Ignoring the kid, Miyagi continued to read his newspaper, although as always, nothing could be absorb into his mind when Shinobu's childish trait was displayed.

"Miyagi, answer my question." He shifted the paper up, covering the little blonde's view.

Rage overtook his body. Shinobu hated it when Miyagi did this. It hurts his pride. He lashed out, snapping the papers into half.

Miyagi blinked.

"What are you doing?"

"Listen when people talk!" Sighing deeply rather to his own, Miyagi put down the destroyed newspaper aside.

"Shinobu, don't test my patience. I told you. He is my new associated professor. Besides, it was only a dinner."

"A dinner alone with him until 11 o'clock?" Shinobu raised his voice.

"Don't make me repeat myself." Miyagi doubted the kid heard his words or not. His voice was barely audible under the strong resonance resulted from Shinobu's tantrums.

"It wasn't usual! How could you make me wait…?"

Tssk.

'Here we go again.' That's why he hated kid.

"If being with me is such a pain to you, why don't we break up?" He unguardedly let the insensible words slipped from his mouth even before they were properly formed in his mind.

Shock hit Shinobu. For a moment, he thought Miyagi meant it as a joke. As he searched closely on his profile, with a jolt, he realized that was no trace of joke on the elder's facial expression.

None.

"You're kidding, right?" He inquired nevertheless.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?"

No.

Trembling, he clenched his fist at his sides. He wasn't going to succumb. He wouldn't cry. Not here.

"Fine!" The blonde shouted and ran out from the unit, the door slamming hard behind him.

He ran a few more steps, passed his own unit and straight towards the stairs. He was in no mood to go home. He couldn't deal with the loneliness in that house, not after a breakup with...

His feet stopped and slumped down on the wall.

Baka Miyagi… Don't you understand what I needed?

The darkness around him consumed him. Just like how it consumed his glass heart. The difference is, when there was a dim moonlight that lightened up the dark corridor, there was none in his heart.

A total ebony darkness.

The sharp lump formed, like a rolling ball, rushing all the way up to his throat. He covered his face, as he found the wet warm tears seeped in between his fingers.

All I wanted is a simple 'I love you'.

Xxxx TBC xxxX

A/N Thank you to Cherry-Anne Sponge, kawaii hime-sama, kute-kat509, Twilight Cherry, no name, setsuko teshiba, and xXMewNekoXx for the reviews. Thanks for cheering me up!

Sorry for the late update because I was in a writer's blocks. Anyway, ideas came back, so I'll keep this story going on. Will the next chapter be the last? I'm not sure yet.

But one thing for sure, chapter rating will be going up to M!

Again, thanks for reviewing!