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The Person at Yoru's Side

"Thanks for visiting me. I didn't mean to absent for too long. Hopefully, I'll try to be at school tomorrow." The female teen with dark blue eyes greeted her best friend with a smile; she welcomed the brighter girl into her bedroom. The girl, who had just entered the room, wouldn't have been there if it hadn't been for Yoru's worries.

"Why haven't you been able to come to school for so long then, Mi-chan?" The rosette covered her jealous rage with a bright happy tone. In response, the other teen breathed a lifeless laugh, thinking, 'Is it just me who thinks of us as friends?'.

"Ran, it was nothing much. I just overstepped my position. Would you like some tea? My mother just got some from her friend." Miki offered, switching the entire subject. Ran just gave her careless smile and nodded. With that, Miki left the room for the tea. Right at that second, Ran grabbed the notebook Miki would always have at hand. She flipped through the entire book, and all she found was Yoru, Yoru, and Yoru. The red eyed girl would have stopped it at that and assumed the rest of the book was about Yoru; however, the next page held the resemblance of the person who lied to her – Ran, Hotori Ran. She with a prickling pain gasped and thought of all the times she had deceived Miki into thinking they were friends. She glanced through more of the pictures; there were more pictures of Ran. She just dropped the book and held her head in her hands.

"Hey, Ran, sorry, but I have to tell Yoru that I love—is there anything wrong, Ran?" With a truly concerned tone, Miki asked Ran about her welfare. Ran quickly composed herself, kicking the book under the bed.

"Let's talk as the closest best friends, okay? Why aren't you by Yoru's side?" Ran hid her watery eyes by her bangs. Miki was glad that Ran had called her the closest best friends and spoke truthfully.

"Ran, I know you love Yoru and I am certain that you'd carry him through the hardships of the rumors. Why would I take your place next to him?" Miki gave a trusting smile that pierced right through her.

"No, it's me who has to… meet my father right now." Ran didn't speak another word before rushing out the door.

The Person at Miki's Side

The boy with hair like lilacs approached the blue haired girl swinging on the swings. Seating himself on the swing next to her, his cyan eyes braced themselves for the great, heavenly impact they would get from the girl's dark blue striking orbs. He didn't know how falling in love felt; but he was sure that he felt more than that for her. He was dying in love.

"Thanks for your advice, Kiseki; but I think I'll hold back on my feelings. I'll tell Yoru about my feelings eventually and laugh it off as a joke." The girl's voice seemed like the greatest symphony only a choir crafted by God could produce.

"Ha, a sniveling fool like Yoru wouldn't be able to take on a girl as passionate as you, Miki. Don't worry about guys like that. I can take care of you all on my own." Kiseki declared with his princely, commanding voice. Miki just laughed at how Kiseki's personality was so stubborn to change.

"Kiseki, thanks for the nice words; but you should be busy finding yourself a girl. I don't want you to help me as we grow into that elder people." Miki meant it as a joke; but Kiseki wouldn't have minded that. "Growing old together" was what he dreamt of their future.

Yoru Sees the Other Man

The next day arrived, and just as promised, Miki had come back from school. Unfortunately, it was the same day as Yoru's big fight. This fight wasn't planned; it was just that the rumors about Miki began coming up again. It began during lunch period. A male student was whispering to another about useless chatter.

"I bet you Miki is just hiding her perverted self behind that artist façade of hers. How else would Yoru have liked her?" He sneered. Yoru had barely managed to contain himself, thinking it would be better not to satisfy their intentions – annoying Yoru; but boy, were they doing a good job!

"Let's test it afterschool." The boy meant it just as a joke; but Yoru took it way beyond serious. Yoru stood from his chair in the cafeteria, ignoring any common sense, and threw a punch at the joker, sending him across the room with a bloodied nose and a few lost teeth. The boy next to him stood up and attempted to exact revenge; but Yoru with his cat-like movements kicked the guy in the ribs, probably dislocating a bone or two.

"Stop!" The scared voice flew to his sensitive ears, and he swung his head to see the girl he loved next to a strange lavender haired man. In that moment, the man who he punched slammed a chair against Yoru's head. Yoru fell; his eyes glued themselves onto the man who held back the woman he loved. "Why won't he allow her to come to me?"
he thought.

"What are you guys doing?! Two against one is unfair, not to mention hitting an unarmed opponent is so uncool." The pink haired girl stood between Yoru and the offender. Miki calmed down, and Kiseki released his restraint on her. He hadn't wanted her to get involved with all these rumors from the beginning. The crowd dispersed, which left Yoru in Ran's care. "Yoru, what kind of reckless—don't get up just yet, Yoru!" Ran yelled at Yoru; but he couldn't hear her and just kept on going to Miki and Kiseki.

"Miki, who's your friend over there?" He set his lethal gaze on the rival. Miki just looked at Kiseki, who nodded towards her. It was a sign saying I won't be mean.

"Kiseki. I've heard a lot about you from Miki, Yoru." The boy gave a curt smile and brought Miki closer to him with a wrapped arm around her shoulders. Kiseki and Yoru were crudely the same height, seeing each other eye-to-eye.

"Yoru, since you guys have never met, why not go to Tsukiyomi-san's concert together? When I asked him, he gave me four tickets." Ran jumped in before it got any tenser, threw a look for help to Miki.

"Sure, let's go, Kiseki." Miki said, earning a nod from him. Yoru nodded as well.

"Great, now c'mon, Yoru. You promised me that you'd buy me lunch." Ran skipped a few steps past Miki and Kiseki, heading for the lunch line. Yoru nodded and walked to get past Miki.

"Miki, when did we become stranger to each other?" Yoru whispered into her ear, only audible between the two. Miki quickly turned her body to look back at him; Yoru threw her a lifeless smile and walked on.

Thanks for reading. Happy Veteran's Day!