(One, Two, CHARGE!!! … Okay…Even I don't know what I'm doing. I just felt like writing that. ^-^)

(Now we go to Chapter seven. Let's go! Ikou yo! *That's the right spelling, isn't it?*)

I knew I made a mistake that afternoon. Mikan coming by to my place with a serious face could only mean one thing. "Mikan, I love you like a sister. You're my best friend and nothing can overcome that relationship. Nobody can replace you," I said as she was standing at the front door.

"Hikari…that's so sweet of you to say that," she said with a tear in her eye. "BUT… Right now, you're my only hope. Hikari, will you..," She began

"Sorry. When you want to ask me that question, I'm a total stranger! Anyway, goodbye!" I cheerfully said, trying to close the door. Mikan stopped me from doing so using her foot.

"Hikari~…Please reconsider. We don't do this very often and it's boring to shop all alone!!" she said.

Yes, people. The reason Mikan came to my house begging was because she wanted me to go to the shopping complex with her. I'm not the type to enjoy moving around a dozen miles and try on millions of clothes, even though Mikan is. "Hikari, please come. I can't go with Mori. He's got that international meet again…whatever that is," she said bluntly.

Mori was in the kendo team and is also the leader, so he usually has to attend these big meets and stuff. I once saw him in a sports magazine that my father enjoys collecting. "Mikan, I'd go through a blazing building, swim in a freezing lake, and fight rabid dogs just for you. But shopping is a different matter all together."

"Then…I'll ask Shiki," she replied slyly, and it made me stop.

And so, here I am in a giant shopping complex with my best friend dragging me around from shop to shop, complaining at the fact that Mikan can't decide between skirts that looks exactly alike except that they're different brands. "Hello, girls. Nice to see you going shopping for once, Hikari," a familiar voice said.

"Miss Sukunami!" Mikan exclaimed. I did the same but I shouted 'Mom!'

We joined my mother for lunch and for a moment, Mikan went to the toilet. My mother started to talk seriously. "Hikari, I heard from your father about the 'Universe of the Four Gods'. He actually told me three years ago but I never had the chance to talk to you before because you seemed depressed. But now you've been more cheerful," she said.

"Yeah… I heard about you being some sort of priestess and dad was…Tamahome, was it? His name, I mean. I never wanted to bring it up because it reminded me of Shiki," I explained. "But I'm fine now. Do want to talk about it?"

"No. Not here at least. We'll speak later when we get home. I'll be going now. I' making fish stew tonight," my mother told me.

After a few hours of shopping with Mikan, I returned to my house. Coincidently, I met Shiki in normal clothes this time. I wanted to say hi but he looked deep in thought. He was leaning against an old tree, now leafless. His blue eyes were staring off into space. His hair was blown by the wind and gave off a very deep feeling. I couldn't help but stare and admire him from afar.

The wind stopped blowing and Shiki seemed to realize that I was just standing around. He gave a small but warm smile. I felt like an idiot for just standing. Shiki started to walk towards me while calling out my name. And like the idiot I am I said, "W-who? Me?"

"Unless I know another Hikari who's standing right in front of me, then yes, I mean you," Shiki said, raising one eyebrow. "What are you doing here? I heard from Mori that you and Mikan were shopping."

That surprised me. I wondered how Mori knew that we were shopping. It seemed like that I wondered aloud because Shiki was answering my question. "I went to visit him just now. He was depressed. It turns out that he went to Mikan's house to get a congratulations or something since he's chosen to be the representative for that school kendo team," he explained. "Mikan's servant told him that she went to your house this morning to go shopping. I think Mori's sulking right now," he continued with a playful smile.

"I see. Well, right now I'm going home. Do you want to walk with me?" I offered.

He declined saying that he had a part-time job to go to. He left running and disappearing into the sunset. I sighed feeling a little lonely. Although Shiki is now back from the 'Universe of the Four Gods', I tend to feel uneasy. Maybe I still haven't recovered from the loneliness that I felt the last three years.

I returned home, discovering that neither my parents came back home yet, or so I thought. I didn't bother calling out. I just went to my room for a bath and a change of clothes. Having a bath makes me think about things, whether it's something I want or not. I thought about the talk that mom and I were going to have this afternoon. I wondered about the excuses I have to make, the answers I have to give and questions I have to ask.

I exited the bathroom and put on my pajamas. Usually, I'd wear some old shirt and trousers to bed but sometimes, I do like to wear my pajamas if there's nobody coming to dinner or some sort of occasion. As I went down the stairs, I noticed that my dad was talking to someone. I figured that it was my mother he was talking to. Turns out, I was wrong.

"Yo! Hika-chan! Cute PJ's," Mori complimented.

I wasn't taking it as a compliment. In fact, I was downright embarrassed. I ran over to him and slapped him in the face before rushing back up to my room. I hurriedly took whatever clothes that I could grab, put it on and went back downstairs. "Hika-chan, that's so mean of you," Mori said dramatically.

I couldn't help but to clench my fists. I decided to aim my attention to my father. "What's Mori doing here, dad? Nobody told me that we were having guests tonight."

"It was a last minute decision. I believe you heard that your mother was making fish stew tonight," my father said gloomily. "So, I called the Iwanaga family to come over to 'help' your mother with the cooking."

"I see. The painkillers I bought won't be needed then," I sighed.

Mori, unaware of the family history of stomachaches and heartburns, was lost in the conversation between father and daughter. "P-painkillers? What do you need those for? Is it that necessary?" he asked, hesitatingly.

My father and I nodded in unison. Mori was dumbstruck. "T-taka! Where do you keep the fire extinguisher?" I heard Uncle Keisuke shout from the kitchen.

"Why do need a fire extinguisher?!" my father didn't wait for an answer. He hurriedly rushed to the kitchen along with a curious Mori and a worried me.

It turns out that the fish my mom bought was burnt. Miss Yui was trying to put it out by using water from the sink. Mori was amazed. "I never knew that soup could be burnt," he whispered tome full of ecstasy. "Hika-chan, is this one of the wonders of the world?"

"No, just my mother's special talent," I whispered back.

We all ended up just ordering pizza and enjoying it too. My father was feeling just as grateful as I was that we wouldn't have to eat the burnt fish stew. Mori was…disappointed, as he told me during dinner. "I was really looking forward on how it would taste. I never had burnt fish stew before."

The night flew by with a lot of chatting and laughing until Mori's family decided to call it a night. My father did too as he had to go to school the next day to teach his students. I remember him mumbling about some interschool volleyball game. I helped my mother with the dishes. "Oh, if only that fish hadn't burn. I would've made such a lovely stew for all of us," my mother sighed.

I simply laughed nervously. My mother gave me a big smile. "Hikari, about the book…" she began.

We both wiped our hands and sat down at the living room. She started to have a serious face on which kind of worried me. "Hikari, do you now how me and you father met?"

"Not exactly. You never told me," I pointed out. "And I was kind of afraid if it's too mushy."

My mother giggled and for a moment, her face was just glowing. But before I knew it, her face was serious again. "Hikari, when I was sixteen, I found a book in the library with Yui. The book was entitled 'The Universe of the Four Gods'."

I felt my heart skip a beat as I remembered the book with the exact same title during my twelfth birthday. Felt like it was a nightmare but I knew it was real life that I was dealing with. She began again. "Yui and I were sucked into the book. I became the priestess of the god, Suzaku, while Yui became my bitter rival, the priestess of Seiryu. Taka was known as one of the celestial warriors known as 'Tamahome'. Though it was actually impossible, Suzaku granted me the wish…for your father to become a man of this world."

I began to remember the voice I heard three years ago and the night of my fifteenth birthday. It referred to me as…, "Daughter of the priestess…" But then I began to remember something else. "Shiki! He…"

"He's not a person of this world. You know this too well, Hikari as you have seen him when you were in the book. Once more, he's from the enemy country, Kutou."

"The crown prince…," I whispered, recalling the words used by the man called Hotohori. "Why…is he here?"

"I don't know. But I want you to be careful around him. Who knows what he might do since he knows about our family."

I barely had any sleep that night, so I decided to go out for a walk. As if it was coincidence, Shiki was taking a walk too, and was about to go past my house. "Hikari, what are you doing out here? I do this every night. It's invigorating and it helps me relax."

"Do you always go past my house?" I asked, lifting and eyebrow. "Or were you expecting to see me?"

Shiki's face turned red. He kept silent, most possibly to keep me in suspense. I tried to persuade him to tell me but he wouldn't even peep. I tried a different strategy. "Shiki~," I said in the sweetest tone.

"That's not going to work. I'm not going to tell you anything," he said childishly.

I pouted. I gave up and let him be. Then he began persuading me for a reason that I don't know. I asked him why he was doing that. "Well, you might be keeping something from me too. And you seem to be different today," he said.

"I'm different? How?"

"I don't know. You seem sadder and you're not being the same Hikari I saw this afternoon. Did something happen?"

I remembered what my mother said about Shiki. I bit my lip and looked away. 'Shiki, you idiot! You just hit the nail on the head! But…I guess it's not your fault,' I thought.

By staring away from him and keeping silent, I seemed to have stirred up Shiki's curiosity. He kept calling me and tried to grab my attention using various methods, like making me look or saying some sort of funny punch-line. "Shiki…why did you come to this world…?" I asked unintentionally, while Shiki was doing a handstand. Like I said, he was trying to grab my attention.

He seemed to enjoy being in that pose, or forcing himself to since there was a hint of absolute torture in his face. He didn't stop until I persuaded him to. He was out of breath so I let him rest before asking him again. Turns out I didn't have to. "You…" he whispered.

It was faint but I could hear it. I stared at Shiki who was staring at the ground. I couldn't really register what he said until a few seconds later when my cheeks felt unbelievably hot. He looked up at my face with a giant grin on his face. "My only reason for coming here…is you," he said in a tone so soft, I felt that my heart melt. "Only you…"

I never knew that love could be so complicated. A thousand thoughts gushed into my head until the next day at school. Maybe I didn't want to think about it, but…Was Shiki really my enemy? Or was he too perfect to be true…

"Hikari, are you all right? You seem to be zoning out," Mikan asked, sounding worried.

"Maybe she's thinking of a certain someone, eh?" Mori said cheekily. "Or maybe she's found another certain new someone."

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Shiki protested. Mori cut in.

"Why? I'm just saying the possibilities. Besides, have you even made your move yet? She could be hit on by another person before you would."

"Stop saying that about Hikari, Mori! You don't understand anything! Nothing about her difficulties and mine!" Shiki shouted in rage. "What can you ever understand?! Huh!"

I began to realize that Mori was in danger when I heard a yanking sound. I put my thoughts on one side and turned to try and calm down Shiki. He was pulling Mori's collar and his fists were ready to strike anytime. "Shiki! No!" I demanded.

He was still in that position. I felt that I had to calm him down or Mori would be in serious danger. Mikan was just keeping an eye for the teacher that was passing by. I tried to talk Shiki out of pounding Mori in the face. "Hikari, the teacher is coming!" Mikan warned.

Before I could even reply, Shiki had released Mori and exited the room after slamming the door open. The teacher was demanding to know what had happened and asked each and every one of us. "Sukunami! He's your friend, right? What happened?"

"I… he…"

I couldn't even say anything. My head was so full of meaningless facts. My mother's warning. The truth about my parents. And Shiki…

I stood up and immediately exited the room. I could hear my teacher threatening me with threats of calling my parents, failing my last test and all sorts of things. But my heart was only set on doing one thing. I wouldn't even care if the end of the world was coming. All I wanted was to see Shiki again. Just to see him…

"Why?"

I tuned and saw Shiki leaning against the wall. His face was serious. His eyes were so very frightening. His voice was tough. He was nothing like the Shiki yesterday or last night. "Why? You keep asking me that these days Hikari. Maybe you don't really say it but you're hesitating. You don't understand about anything anymore. I'm sick and tired of that face that's unsure," he said.

"That's not true!" I protested.

"Then what is?! What, Hikari? Tell me! Because of you hesitating like this… I…" he bit his lips and avoided my stare by looking at the floor.

"Shiki," I whispered.

"My only reason of coming here is for you, Hikari. Maybe once it was different, but not now. I really did come here for only you. Why can't you understand how I'm feeling?"

I feel silent. Doubt was still in my heart. Shiki was right. I'm confused, so confused. And I knew why. I think of Shiki…as my enemy.

A smirk appeared on Shiki's face. "Do you hate me, Hikari? Does that heart of yours hate me so much now?"

"I…I don't know," I said.

Silence filled the hallway. Neither of us said anything for a while. I decided to talk, even though…Shiki might hate me. "I do know one thing."

I looked up to see a serious boy, finally staring at me. The same boy who was my childhood friend. The same boy whom my mother said was my enemy. The same boy who I loved so deeply…but now, that love was full of doubt. "You went a little too far in there just now."

He looked away again. "I…I… I don't know why I did that..,"

I was shocked. For a long time, I thought of Shiki as a person with no flaws. Brave, fearless, charming, smart… but for once, Shiki was just as unsure as I was. Something strange surged inside my heart. My doubt was disappearing, but it was filled with another feeling that I hated, guilt.

Before I realized it, tears were flowing down my cheeks, falling just like rain. I dropped down on my knees. "Hikari!" Shiki called out.

'He was there, right in front of me, waiting for me to reach out to him. So why…'

I hugged him. "Hikari?" his voice was unsure, confused. "What's wrong?"

'For so long…I wanted to be with him. So why…'

"Please…don't hate me…"

'Why did I run away? Why? When I spent all those lonely nights believing that he would come back? When I cried so much and wished for him to comfort me?'

He held me as tight as three years ago, when I entered the 'Universe of the Four Gods'. "I can never hate you. Never…"

'For once, I wanted to believe it. That his reason for being in this world…was me.'

(Ahh! I checked the previous chapters and found something wrong. If I'm not mistaken, it was 'A wish deep in the heart' that had the mistake. Please forgive me! Hikari's last name's supposed to be Sukunami, not Tsukumiya. I'm really sorry!)

(Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I feel horribly awkward all of a sudden. *Laughs nervously* I just hope that the people that are reading this story are enjoying it. ^_^' the scenes usually change from comedy to drama, doesn't it? *Laughs nervously*)

(Next chapter: Decision. See you all!)