Greetings everyone, I hope you're enjoying the season of autumn. I absolutely love the cold. It's a good excuse to cuddle with someone you know? Anyhow, I'm just warning everyone now that I'm not going to be updating my stories that often until the month of December. Some important stuff for school is coming up so I won't be able to work on new chapters for my stories. I did work on My Brother, Be Happy so you can expect one more chapter after this before I go quiet for awhile.

Also, KIRI NO BASHOE I'll think about making an alternative ending, but it all depends on the time I have to make a chapter for it. I'll try my best, but I can't offer much at the moment. I might just continue this tragic course, but we'll see.

That's it for now. Ciao.

Many days later, I was walking once again through the hallway by myself. This time however, I had a destination in mind which was the garden Kaoru and I always went to. The past few days, I have been checking in on Kousei to make sure that he was doing his job. Other times, I would hang out with Haruhi and talk about whatever came to our minds.

The thing that made me upset was that I haven't been able to spend time with Kaoru. Even though he was by my side watching over me as my bodyguard, he is no where to be found. Every time I was meeting with someone, he would suddenly disappear. He would appear only for a moment to check on me before blending in with the background. Even when we have a family dinner, he would always skip out on it.

These events, have made me think that he's spending time with Kyoya while he watches over me to make sure I'm alright. It would make sense since, like Kousei, he wouldn't be open with a relationship with another man. Who knows what the advisors might do to him. Even though he's now a general, they still had power over him until I become king. It made me want to get this wedding over with.

So before then, I decided to tell Kaoru about the marriage now. That's why, I was looking for him around the castle after excusing myself from dinner. It was difficult not having a meal with Kaoru. Now that he's back, I felt sad whenever he doesn't attend the dinner. It's like he's avoiding me, but now I'm putting my foot down. When I entered the garden, I went over to the tree and saw him sitting on a tall branch. He looked very deep in thought.

"Kaoru!"

As soon as I called out to him, his head snapped to my direction.

"Hi Hikaru."

I waved at him which made him smile a little while waving back. Somehow, it doesn't seem as energetic or genuine as before. It made me wonder what was on his mind. Maybe he wanted to see Kyoya. Knights are only allowed inside the castle when they're on duty, so I could understand if he was missing him right now.

"Well, are you going to come down or not?"

"I'm too lazy though."

This made me sigh a bit. He must be feeling tired right now if he was being stubborn. Since he wasn't going to come down, I decided to go up. So far, I was doing a good job of getting on one of the branches, so I continued my journey to Kaoru. At one point, my foot ended up slipping when it didn't have a firm base to push off from. Thankfully, Kaoru grabbed my hand at the last second, then pulled me onto the branch he was sitting on.

"Be careful next time, you could have gotten hurt you know."

He scolded me in a firm tone which made me sigh.

"Yea, yea. I don't get it though. You make it look so easy sometimes even when we were kids."

Kaoru chuckled then looked up at the starry sky. The only reason why I was able to climb a tree when we were little was because Kaoru showed me how to. He knew the correct way to get on a branch then go to the next one. I thought after a few years, I would be able to do it by myself, but I guess I was wrong.

"Anyway, why are you here?"

"To spend time with you of course."

I bit back a frown when he asked that. It sounded like he was trying to get rid of me.

"Do you not want me here with you, Kaoru?"

"But shouldn't you go back to the dining room? Everyone should still be eating right now."

He answered me in such a different tone, it made me a bit angry. His shoulders looked tense and he hasn't kept eye contact with me for the past few minutes. What was making him so agitated that he has to snap at me?

"I guess I should just tell him now."

"Kaoru."

This time, Kaoru looked at me and for a second, I thought he looked scared. His eyes searched my face for some kind of sign.

"Yea?"

"What would you do, if I said I was getting married?"

He blinked once then smiled at me.

"I'd say, 'good job, you found the person who you're going to be with for the rest of your life'."

I kept a serious expression on my face so he couldn't see my true feelings. It looks like he's still trying to be a good brother, so he's being supportive. I didn't know what to think for a moment. My mind then started imagining that he wouldn't return my feelings even if I tell him.

"Kaoru."

His eyes continued to stare at mine.

"Yea?"

"I'm going to get married soon."

I allowed a silence to drift over us so that he had time to take it in. His face looked like it was in shock, but I couldn't find a trace of any other emotion. The next time he spoke, it was in a soft tone.

"Oh...well that's great!"

His lips slowly twitched into a smile while his eyes started to get glassy. It looked like he wanted to cry, but he tried to hide it by looking at the sky. To bad for him, I already saw it.

"Are you so happy that you're crying? Is it cause you can focus on Kyoya if Haruhi is by my side?"

I was in such deep thought that I almost didn't hear him say 'good job'. The rest came out in a bit of a whisper. I mentally kicked myself then started to pay attention to Kaoru. He was still looking at the sky. The stars twinkled in his eyes, making him look so innocent.

"So, I'm guessing Princess Haruhi is the lucky girl? Hahaha, she's perfect isn't she?"

The way he was talking made me want to shake my head and grab his shoulders to say that it's all a lie.

"Why are you so happy that I'm getting married? Shouldn't you at least argue about it?"

At that moment, my mind was such a big mess. I didn't know what to do or think anymore. Everything was so confusing. Normally, I would have thought Kaoru would at least say something about it then ask why. He was being too accepting right now. I looked at Kaoru and tried to stay calm while looking composed right now. Suddenly, he smiled again and pinched my cheeks. The action held no life in them, and his eyes looks so distant.

"Hey, why the silent treatment? We should be celebrating now right? Here, I think I saw a pretty flower on the other side of this tree. You should give it to Princess Haruhi as a gift!"

"Are you just saying all that to be a good brother? I guess it's not the right time to tell you how I really feel. Not when your mind is distracted of him."

I felt like punching the tree, but if I did that, then Kaoru would know that something was wrong with me. But somewhere in my mind, it was telling me to be selfish, just so my brother would look at me and only me. I wanted him to devote his attention to me and worry of my wellbeing. Somehow, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I vowed that I would let Kaoru be happy, so I'll go along with things this time.

When he came back on the branch I was sitting on, he handed me a lily. I kept my eyes on him but thought of how the lily was like Kaoru. Innocent, beautiful, and sweet all at the same time. However, if I wasn't careful, then I'll be taken down by the poison hiding within the beautiful plant.

"So Hikaru."

He sat farther away from me this time which only made me feel lonely and sad. Kaoru would have never done this in the past. My mind kept wondering what is making him build a wall around him.

"Why are you pushing me away? I don't understand."

"When is this wedding?"

"Next Sunday."

I numbly answered his question as I continued to think 'why' in my head.

"Ah, right then."

My hands gently held the flower so that it wouldn't be destroyed or harmed by the slightest movements I made. In the corner of my eye, I saw Kaoru hug himself and shiver. He must have been cold, it was night after all. I'm sure he must be wanting Kyoya to come in and warm him up. I smiled bitterly to myself as I heard footsteps in the distance. The noise got closer and closer to where we were until it suddenly stopped.

"Hikaru!"

I felt mixed emotions when I realized it was Haruhi calling us. Somehow, I was relieved and upset at the same time. I didn't think much about it, but decided to see what she wanted. When I looked at Kaoru, I smiled apologetically and in return he himself smiled. Maybe I should just tell him how I feel, there's nothing I could lose after all. But when I opened my mouth to say it, my mind told me not to be a burden to him so I closed my mouth.

When I landed on the ground, I gave the lily to Haruhi which made her smile. I smiled as well, but it was a fake one this time. It didn't feel right to give it to her, the flower suited Kaoru more. Haruhi was more like an orchid, but that didn't matter. I held her hand in mine then lead her out of the garden while whispering to her.

"Let's talk somewhere else."

She nodded slightly then allowed me to guide her to another location. I wanted to let Kaoru have some time to himself since he hasn't had that in a while. It seems like he doesn't want me to be with him. Right now, I didn't belong by his side. Soon enough, we ended up at the maze garden where we started to go through the twist and turns of the tall hedges.

"What did you want to talk about, Haruhi?"

"I just got a reply back from my friend. He says that he has a ring similar to mine. He's going to be in this town for a while, so you can go pick it up tomorrow."

I didn't say anything for a while after she said that because I was having second thoughts of getting Kaoru a gift. He might get angry at me or take the ring as a joke rather than a confession.

"Hikaru? Did you hear what I said?"

"Yea, I did. I'm sorry, there's a lot on my mind right now."

"Did you have a fight with your brother?"

A sigh left my lips and I felt tired all of a sudden. I didn't imagine telling Kaoru about the wedding would be so stressful. My mind was still jumbled up right now and it's making me second guess all of my previous decisions. I might give up the idea of confessing to him now.

"Hikaru."

I looked at Haruhi who stopped walking and commanded my attention from calling my name. Her hands were resting on her hips told me that she was annoyed at the moment.

"I don't know what has gotten into you, but you better snap out of it. You look like you're fighting a lost cause, but it will be if you give up now. Go and be a man already or else I won't marry you."

She puffed her cheeks then started walking the other direction. When she turned the corner, I put her words into consideration. I guess I'll go get the ring and see what happens from their. It doesn't hurt to try. I isntantly redirected my thoughts so that I wouldn't change my mind.

Before I took a step towards the exit, I saw Haruhi walking back to me. She stopped a feet away then crossed her arms over her chest.

"Are you going to be a man now?"

"Yes, my princess."

"Good, now can you help me out of this maze?"

I chuckled remembering that not many people knew this maze as well as Kaoru and I.

"Of course."