Disclaimer POT is not mine and the characters too they belong to Takeshi konomi. Only the story line belongs to me (sadly).

Sorry my last chapter was kind of confusing at some parts. It's just I was in a hurry to upload that Chapter for you guys. Anyway let me explain what I was trying to tell in it- basically it starts off with Sakuno dreaming about the day she met with the accident she keeps reminding herself and on the same day her grand ma had a heart attack. She was really scared that day and she sometimes has these nightmare where she images that her grandma died that day.

And later the dream continues with her going to her kitchen where she meets this imaginary guy.

Chapter-8 The Death of The Dear One

Today was the last of our summer vacation so Tomo wanted to spend the last day in bliss A.K.A shopping.

Who was I to say no? I kind of enjoy shopping and when there is a very good sale going on I can't come up with a proper thought to counter the "bliss". We spend the whole day trying out dresses and on Tomo's insistence I did try a mini skirt. I was skeptic about it but Tomo was grinning ear to ear and told me I should definitely get it.

It was way past dinner timing when Tomo dropped me at our door and left. I never thought that I would buy six bulging bags of clothes on a single day but it was a 70% off of the whole store so we kind of went crazy(A/N I hope it happens in real life tooo). Grand ma was watching some tennis match that was going on when I got in.

She was too into the match that she dint hear me enter. So I had to call her several times to get her attention.

"Grand ma!" and when she finally looked at me she was surprised to see my bags.

"Did you and Tomoka Clean out the whole store?" she asked a smirk playing on her lips.

"No grand ma you are being mean" I pout to which she laughs.

"I guess I'll put these in my room and then come back to make you a cup of that grean tea. Is that okay grand ma?" I ask her.

She was back to watching her match and just nodded.

I head to my room and deposit everything on the floor near my cupboard. And trot back to the kitchen to make tea for my grand ma.

I was humming a happy tune by the time I finished preparing tea for my grand ma and headed to my room. I logged on to laptop and checked if I had any mails. There were a bunch of mails regarding the new school year and my essentials that Sakura sent so I can just be prepared for the new year.

Wow as of tomorrow I would start my second year of college (A/N we in India have a four years of college for engineering so excuse me if I follow that pattern).

Then I logged on to my Orkut to see if I had any scraps. There were few from my friends some random requests. But the reason went to check had not sent me any scraps. I sigh in disappointment. 'Maybe he's just busy. But then again he's not my boyfriend to text me all the time! Get a grip Sakuno that Tezuka has nothing to do with you' I chided myself internally.

I went to bed set my alarm so that I would be up in time to get ready and go to school on time.

I had barely closed my eyes and fell asleep that my alarm started blaring out. I groaned and saw it was time for me to be up. 'How did the night end so fast' I grumbled and went to start for my day.

By the time I got to the kitchen my grand ma had a cup of tea and was reading her newspaper with her brows furrowed. May be some bad news on the paper I thought. As I made breakfast for us I heard grandma sigh.

"How do you plan to go to school today Sakuno?" my grand ma asked me.

"I'll take the bus grand ma" I told her.

"How long do you think you'll just take a bus there will always be a time for you when you have to drive then what will you do?" she asked me.

"I'll try to stall such a situation for as long as I can" I told not turning back to face her. I was not sure why she bought this up but I know something was up and I knew grandma would tell me next.

And sure enough she did.

As I placed her breakfast infront of when she looked at me as if she was stealing herself from doing what she is about to do. And finally she asked me in a resigned voice.

"Are you and Ken dating?"

"W-what" I squeaked. What was going on? Why would grand ma ask me something like this that too about Ken-chan! Come on… he has care bear written all over his friendly face.

"He called me earlier asking if he could pick you up for school" grand ma informed me with raised eyebrows.

"No grandma Ken-chan has been nothing but a sweet friend and no we are not dating." I told her smiling.

"He seems like a good guy" grand ma stated.

"Grand ma I know this is not my place to tell but Ken- chan has been pining for this girl for the past six months. So it doesn't matter" I laughed remembering how he used to try stupid things to get her notice him.

"Well I should get going then I have a staff meeting today." Grand ma rose from her chair she took her empty plate to the sink and started rinsing it.

"Be safe Sakuno and have a good term dear." With that she left the house.

I sighed and finished my breakfast a little slowly if Ken-Chan was picking me I could have a little more breakfast than the hurried one I usually have during my school year.

After about ten minutes I heard honk of a car. I went and peered through the living room window hoping it was Ken-chan. Sure enough it was him.

I ran to my room to pick my book bag and came down locked the house and got into the car.

Ken-chan had a pleasant smile, that widened as soon as I got in.

"Sakuno-chan I'm finally going to ask Tani out today!" he gushed at once.

I sometimes wonder how it would be if Tomo and Ken-chan sat together. They would be squealing and scream in no time and oh yeah would declare that they were best friend within the first five minutes of their meeting.

"Wow ken-chan that's awesome." I smiled at him really happy for him.

He did really love the girl. I could see it in his eyes. He always had this glint in them when ever he spoke about her. He did speak like she was the centre of his universe. And if she passed him in the hallway he had this goofy grin on his face throughout the day.

Sakura sure had a field day when we first knew about this. He blushed so red that he looked all of his blood was pooled into his head.

And he would shyly tell her to stop. Which made all of us to burst out laughing.

Tani was surely a lucky girl.

I was musing over Ken-chan's love life and hadn't realised that we had reached the campus.

I got out thanked ken-chan and made my way towards Sakura as she was waiting for me at the end of the parking lot.

"What's up Sakuno Ken-chan looks even more of an idiot than he really is" asked me looking at Ken-chan's profile critically.

"He finally maned up to ask Tani out. He said he was going to ask her today." I told her smiling.

Sakura suddenly looked horrified.

"Sakuno we have to stop him now! lets go" and with that said she started pulling me towards the way Ken-chan went.

I was confused.

"B-b—but why Sakura?" I stammered not understanding the sudden change in her mood.

"Come on Sakuno there is no time to waste. We have to stop him before he gets to her." She was still dragging me.

"Tell me why" I asked her.

Sakura sighed and looked at me, "Sakuno Tani is going to UK to finish off her college there."

"What! Why is she going?" I was surprised at this news.

"Because she and her boyfriend got engaged over the summer and decided to go study there together." She told me in a dull voice.

I was speechless.

Then I started panicking.

"Oh my god Sakura! We have to find him this instant."

We ran all the way to our block and went to his class but he was nowhere in sight.

We might have continued our search for him if it were not for the fact that it was almost time for our class and as it was our first day back we were supposed to attend all the classes.

Sakura and I were impatient for our class to finish for the day as we had class only for half of the day and the rest of the day was to go do our schedules for the semester.

By lunch we were done and handed in our Schedules to our in charge and went back to search Ken-chan.

After about two hours of searching him we finally found him sitting on the bench on the top floor of our block.

He had his back to us and by the way his shoulders were hunched we knew something was definitely wrong.

Sakura cautiously reached him and tentatively called him "Ken-chan?"

He was startled.

He gave us a fake smile when he looked at us and his smile dint reach his red rimed eyes.

He had been crying.

"Well hello Sakura-chan how was your first day? I had a pretty interesting one!" his voice was hoarse and scratchy.

"Are you alright Ken-chan? Is- is everything okay?" I asked him.

"Everything fine Sakuno- chan! All is good.. all is good" he mumbled.

We dint know what to do and we definitely dint have the heart to ask him if he talked to Tani.

We were looking at each other helplessly when Ken-chan suddenly rose.

"Well ladies I have to get going. I'll meet you at the parking lot in about ten minutes Sakuno-chan are you ready to leave." He asked me.

I dint know what to say so I just nodded.

"Okay then. Bye Sakura-chan" and with that he left without looking back.

"What do you think happened to him Sakuno" Sakura asked me nervously.

"I don't know Sakura but I hope he's okay" I did hope he was okay.

Ken-chan had the air of a man who had lost everything in his life.

We just stood there for a couple of minutes and started to go down the stairs to go get our bags so we could go home.

We had just reached our lockers when there was a loud shriek from the floor above us.

Sakura looked at me with the same expression I knew was on my face.

It was pure terror.

We ran as fast as we could and by the time we got to the source of the shriek we knew what we would see.

I could feel the nauseating smell of blood but I wanted to make sure.

We pushed to center of the group that had gathered there.

Sakura was the first to get to the center of the group and she let out a gasp.

I finally managed to see what was on the floor.

Drenched in blood that was around his pale lifeless body was Ken-chan. He had cut his hand with a paper knife.

Try as I may but I could not look away from his face. He had a pained expression but there was a faint smile on his face.

The events that followed were hazy and I could hardly believe that I was stand in the grave yard. Standing to say our final good byes to a dear friend.

They lowered his coffin in and filled it with the soil. I just kept looking at the spot that hid one of my friends whom I will never get to see again. We could no longer hear his voice, his smiles, or even his silly jokes about how annoying our professors are.

I finally felt the tears start to pool in my eyes as I looked at his headstone.

Now it was official that Ken- chan was dead.

I felt my breath get caught in my throat.

I whispered the question that no longer meant anything.

'Why Ken-chan?'

And as if to answer my question the carved script on the headstone flashed in my mind.

Died in the name of love…. Our beloved

I could no longer control my tears as I saw Ken- chan's mother half carried away by his father who looked like his loss was beyond tears.

I looked back at ken-chan's grave and his headstone and swore that I would never fall in love.

I promised myself that 'if this is what really love is then I really don't need it'…..

Author's note

I'm really sorry guys I couldn't upload a new chapter in a long time. But I have my exam in about 15 days it's on November 8th and I'm scared senseless about it. So anyway hope you like this very long chapter. Don't forget to read and review. I would love to hear what you thought about this chapter. Oh I almost forgot I'm sorry this chapter is a little on the sad side but this an important incident in Sakuno's life that changes her behavior. I can't reveal more info right now. Okay guys I should probably stop rambling and go! See you take care. love you guys xoxoxo