This is chapter 9

This is chapter 9!! It will be the second-last chapter of The 2nd Mabudachi Trio. That means everything has been building up to now. Be ready for some real strife, pain and explosions. And finally, Momiji takes the attention he deserves!! Please read and review!!

Ep. 9- Breaking Confessions

Machi stepped outside the school into the bright sunshine and the clear weather. She tightened the bag she carried on her shoulder and was actually smiling into the sky above her because she felt quite happy. She wasn't so desperate to be with the Prince but to know that he saw her and noticed her kept making her happy. Machi did however worry that one day; these feelings would become so strong she would have to do something about it. But being the person she was, she would leave them there and ignore them for as long as she could.

But… fate would not let her. And neither would the bad luck of the Mabudachi Trio.

--

Momiji leant against the wall of Kaibara High, outside the entrance. Suddenly, he spotted Machi leaving the school. He quickly ran to catch up to her.

She was surprised to see him. "Eh? Momiji? What are you doing here so late?"

Momiji smiled as best as he could. "I was waiting for you."

Machi looked confused. "Oh…" She uncomfortably played with the bag strap over her shoulder. "You must've waited for a long time…" Then she looked up at him and smiled. "Thankyou."

Momiji felt his heart ache. "It's all right," he muttered.

Machi looked at the ground as she walked on besides him. She couldn't help feeling a little awkward. In fact, it wasn't just awkward. It was flat-out uncomfortable. Normally, she found it cinch to be herself and act fine around Momiji, but most of the time they were a threesome together with Haru. But now it was just them two. Together.

Machi couldn't look at him. She couldn't stop the uncomfortable thumping of her heart. She suddenly snuck a glance at him, looking upwards and sideways at his face. Now that she really looked at him, her heart beat faster. He really… was so tall and grown up now it blew her away. When he looked at her, his eyes had the expression that she couldn't explain. They always had maturity in them and it seemed as though he had gone through so much in his life. Maybe that was why Machi never really looked straight at Momiji. Because… he was really… so handsome and wonderfully touching that it moved her.

Momiji walked beside Machi, nervous. He had indeed waited for Machi to finish with her Student Council stuff, but he hadn't thought it was that long because he had been worrying and thinking so hard about what he should do about his ever-growing feelings for her.

"…hey, Machi." He said suddenly.

"Yeah?" she asked.

Momiji avoided her gaze and instead looked straight ahead of him at the road. "You really do like Yuki, don't you?"

Momiji could tell Machi was burning up, bright red, even though he wasn't looking at her. "N-no!!" she immediately denied.

Momiji frowned. He quickly turned and grabbed her shoulders, shocking her a lot. She stared up at him, fully puzzled. "Momiji?"

The seriousness and intensity in his eyes electrified and stunned her. "Machi, be honest!! You really like him, right??"

Machi shivered a little under his grip. Finally she lowered her gaze down towards the ground. "Yeah… you're right…"

Momiji stared intensely at her for a moment and then let out a tiny sigh and let go of her. He turned away from her and muttered to himself, "I knew it."

Machi frowned at him and went back to walking down the street. After a couple of halfhearted steps she said quietly, "Why did you do that, Momiji?"

"Do what?"

Her tone grew serious. "You know… ask me that so strongly and look at me with that… that really deep sad look in your eyes."

Momiji had a surprised look on his face.

Machi stared down at the ground. "I can tell, you know. I'm your best friend… even for someone who's always smiling and laughing, I know that you're deeply troubled right now, and that you're feeling great pain."

Momiji said nothing. Darn, Machi could read him like a book.

They walked together silently for a moment again.

Finally, she said, "What's up, Momiji??" Her voice was strained and desperate. She was just so worried about Momiji. She wanted so much to know what was wrong and help him. But she didn't know that she couldn't help Momiji, no matter how hard she tried.

Momiji himself felt touched at the stress and care in Machi's voice. But he also knew the sadness he felt more than ever. But… he couldn't run from it or hide it any longer. It was going to explode!! He'd kept it for so long!! He could now longer just look at her and not feel the burst of love inside him!! He needed to say it!! He needed to confess!!

"Machi,"

"Yeah?" She stopped and looked straight into his eyes, deeper than she had ever done before.

Momiji struggled. He felt heat rising up in his cheeks as he gazed back at her, feeling the emotion and worry in her eyes. He stared back at her and almost choked up. "You've… always been so in love with Yuki, no matter how much you deny it. Anyone can see that. And although Yuki is the perfect guy, and you and he are so good together… it hurts every time I watch you long after him. Because…" Momiji bit his lip and said louder, "Machi, you're so slow… you never ever realized… you loved Yuki so much, you never noticed or saw just how much I cared for you!! You never knew…"

Machi's eyes were wide and she was shocked.

"You never realized that I loved you!!" Momiji cried.

She stared at him, eyes so wide and incredulous.

Momiji's voice was aching now, and painful. "You never… noticed… that I loved you all along!! That I loved you so much I was always thinking of you!! And that's why for so long now I've been in pain!! Just because…" Momiji's voice faded softer. "I love you so much…"

Tears fell down Machi's cheeks.

--

"Saki…"

"Eh?" The pale-faced girl with the pretty black hair looked at him with a perplexed expression.

Hana was sitting by the tree and Haru was now laying spread out, his ruffled hair blowing in the breeze. Hana looked down at him and Haru's eyelids were closed as he thought back of what had just happened. It truly was a bonding then… him and Hana. Sharing their tears like that…

Who would've thought that they were actually so similar? That they were so alike in the ways that they had suffered?

Hana looked down at her left hand which was clasped tightly in Haru's hand. She sighed gently.

Black Haru was present in Haru's mind and impatient. Haru could hear his more obnoxious personality scowling: "So that's it? Not gonna say anymore?? So you two bonded. Great. Wonderful. Just what I wanted. Bonding. ARE YOU FRICKIN' STUPID?? At this rate, she'll never think of you anymore than a friend!! HATSUHARU!!"

Haru was startled out of his relaxed position. He sat up in alarm.

Hana was surprised at his sudden movement.

Black Haru: Haru!! Do something!! Or you'll never get the chance ever again!!

But Haru was torn. He was so struck by all his emotions blowing up before that he couldn't handle this now. Because before, he had been letting all of his sadness and frustration over Rin out and now he was supposed to use Hana's sympathy to get her? He couldn't do that!! He was still hurting over Rin, and although his greatest comfort was here right now he couldn't destroy this little bit of relief, this bit of peace just like that!

So he had gotten Hana to trust him and they were closer than ever before but he couldn't just open his mouth and say it!

Of course he had said it before. He had kissed her and told her that he was falling in love with her. But he couldn't find the courage to move on to the next step, to really embrace her and tell her she was the only one on his heart.

Because he was still scared.

When he had done all the stuff before, he did it in an easygoing way, slightly jokingly, not really sure what he wanted. And as he had told Momiji, it was some kind of distraction but it had proven much deeper than that now.

"Haru?" Hana looked confused.

Haru tried to chuckle. "Uh, don't worry about it! It's nothing!" Saying this made Black Haru so angry he burst out in infuriation. "IT'S NOT NOTHING!!" Haru was suddenly yelling. Haru suddenly jumped to his feet and was yelling out at Hana. "It's not nothing!! I'm sick of all this crap!! Friggin' hell!! When is this moron gonna do something about it!! This is so bloody annoying I'm gonna kill someone!!" Black Haru shouted.

Hana sat there and stared at him. Of course she knew about Haru's other personality. But she had never seen Black Haru so pumped up and pissed before.

--

Momiji and Machi stared at each other. Momiji's eyes were wide and he was shocked at how irritated and strong he had sounded just then, as though it had been Machi's fault that he was in so much crap.

Machi was sniffling and tears were running down her cheeks with no sign of stopping. The girl swiped hurriedly at her tears but the tears kept coming.

Momiji hated himself!! What had he just done?? Dammit!! He so couldn't face her right now!

Momiji lowered his head and murmured sadly, "Machi… I'm sorry…"

He said it genuinely, and with one last glance at the crying girl he turned and ran. Ran as hard as he could. Running like hell. As far away as possible.

--

Black Haru was insane. And he was out of control.

White Haru was literally crying. Black Haru was going to wreck everything!!

Hana sat there, eyes wide and disbelieving.

"Whaddaya gonna do, Saki?" He said her name in a mocking way. "When Haru spills the beans and lets you know that he wasn't just playing around like the player he is, he'll tell you that he actually LOVES YOU!! What are ya gonna do then?? Have you just been dragging him around and making him fall for you?? Do you know how much hell he's already been through?? You know why I'm out here?? And why I'm so bloody mad?? Because I already know, Saki Hanajima!! You're gonna do it again, right?? You're gonna REJECT him?? You're gonna break his heart again?!"

Hana and Haru were there. Haru stood there, chest heaving up and down from anger and weariness. Saki sat there, silent.

Haru was so bloody pissed that it was scary. Hana bit her lip as Haru opened his mouth to let fly with his next round of hurtful comments.

"Dammit, Saki, what the hell does that moron see it you anyway?? He's always looking for you, always hoping just to catch a glimpse of you, and what's it all for?? He's such an idiot he can't even come out and admit that his feelings for you are truer than he ever expected!! Just 'cause he's a damn wimp!! He's such a wuss he's scared of you hurting him and he's scared of going through all that pain again!! AAARGHH!!"

Hana gazed at him, unsure whether what she felt was confusion, amusement or fear. Then finally, she spoke, "…Haru… Black Haru… if that's who you are…" she said slowly, choosing her words carefully. Then she stared at him with such trueness that it shocked the tough guy Black Haru was. "…you two are the same person… after all."

Hearing this truth come from Hana's mouth made Black Haru explode. She was right. Black Haru had been shouting out all of Haru's inner feelings and emotional turmoil. And it was all there, like evidence. Just to show how strong Haru's love actually was.

Maybe Black Haru cared more than he let on.

Black Haru glared angrily at her, and just a glimmer of a tear shone in his eyes.

"Crap."

Well, that was the second-last chappie!! Wow!! I hope you'll all read the last one coming next week!! Thankyou!!