Disclaimer: yeah…I probably won't ever own this manga.


A/N: I forgot…


That Night

Part 8

Misaki fretted as she sat there twirling her thumbs around each other while she waited for her guest to approach, and the only thing she could think of was Hinata and how she was hoping that he wouldn't show up, or Usui for that matter. She didn't think that she could handle his little smug look when she talked about what happened between the two of them and on more than one occasion, and she probably would just die if Hinata overheard her talking of her and Usui's sexual encounters to people who didn't need to know as badly as he did. At that moment, she couldn't handle anything, nothing but telling two other people that seemed to matter to her, two other people she couldn't lie to.

Lie?

She flinched then slowly hung her head as she thought back two days ago, the day when Hinata returned hoping to see an alighted Misaki ready to pounce at him the moment she saw him again like some love-sick puppy, the day when his hopes where hurdled into the dark clouds of despair when Usui was the one he saw rather than her, the day when another fight between the two almost, literally, broke out, the day when She had to lie not only to him, but to her mother and sister as well for her and Usui's sake. That day. That day was by far the worst day she had ever witnessed. That day was the day that would forever go down in her book as "The Worst Day Ever".

She cringed to her own thoughts, jumping mentally out of the depression she was causing herself, and held her startled face there for awhile, unsure on whether or not hiding it would be of any use. Then a chime, perhaps the 50th chime that day, went off in the distance followed by a group "Welcome Masters" from the maids and her head instantly shot up. A sign of relief covered her face once she noticed the couple (though not really a couple) walking towards her. Emotions of worry, curiosity and grieve covered both faces, including hers making it three, as they sat down, heads bowed and eyes averted from the ex-president they once knew.

"Yukimura…Kanou…" Misaki swallowed.

"M-Misaki chan." Yukimura blushed her way before looking back at the tiled ground. Kanou said nothing. He just nodded, taking note of the still shy Yukimura before looking at Misaki fully charged with anticipation and a yearning to know. Misaki blushed to this then stood, keeping Kanou's gaze then looking momentarily at Yukimura before stepping out from the table and heading towards the back. Kanou, being the first to catch on, stood and walked swiftly after her with a confused Yukimura following.

"What's going on?" Yukimura asked the moment he stepped behind the curtains. "Misaki, please tell me that what Kanou told me yesterday wasn't true. Please tell me that his intentions were wrong and that he's over thinking everything."

"Yes, Misaki…ˮ Kanou cooed. "Please, tell him. Tell us, I think we deserve an explanation….Well, us and Hi-ˮ

"NO!" Misaki suddenly screamed catching everyone's eyes, even the maids. She blushed then walked farther into the back, expertly avoiding the eyes of her co-workers and Aoi till she managed to reach the very back where no one was to find her.

"Misaki?" Yukimura nearly cried, cocking his head to the side as he gazed at her with two watery beacons just waiting to burst. "Please…tell me that what he said wasn't true. You wouldn't do such a thing, right?"

She looked at him then at Kanou, knowing that no matter what excuse she tried to come up with nothing came anywhere near escaping those all seeing eyes that were unfortunately bestowed on her. So she swallowed then looked Yukimura's way, and shook her head feebly before turning away, not wanting to see his eyes.

Its okay, Misaki. She told herself. You can make it through this. You'll be okay. You'll survive. But when she looked up the thoughts that were previously swimming through her head attempting to boost her spirit, were completely crashed with one look at Yukimura's horrified face; that disdained look that came her way and those watery eyes that didn't want to believe what they just saw.

"But, Misaki…how could you?" He asked, his voice cracking a little with every word that managed to escape. "Hinata…what did he do? What did he do to make you do such a thing?" He questioned, trying his hardest to find some resolve around this situation and deciding to blame the one person he hardly knew. But Misaki sent those hopes away when her head shook once again.

"Nothing. Hinata didn't do anything to me. It was all my decision, no one else's. Just mine. Usui didn't even have to bribe me into doing such a thing. I was the one that pushed him as well. Everything was and is my fault. I'm the train wreck. Me alone." She took a deep breath, hoping that what she had told him got through to that thick heart of his. Judging by the look on his face, it did, slowly, but it still worked.

"But…Hinata…" He repeated. Misaki broke in before he was given the chance to finish the rest of his sentence.

"I haven't told Hinata yet." She stopped and watched both if their face's slowly change to her words before speaking again. "And I don't plan on telling him anytime soon, either. So if you could-ˮ

"What?" Yukimura cried out surprising both Misaki and Kanou. "You don't plan on telling him? How can you do such a thing, Misaki? What happened to you? The old you wouldn't have done such a thing, no, you would have been angered at whoever would do such a thing. You would nearly annihilate the very soul that thought they were right to do such a thing. You wouldn't, no you couldn't even be a part of the group of people that would be on that side of the fence! What happened, Misaki? Who did this to you? Who changed you? Who made you do this?"

"Yukimura, please." Misaki cooed, looking around at the crowd that stared back at them and apologizing with her eyes.

"He has a right to be mad though." Kanou cut in, finally stating his once silent opinion. "This really isn't the way the old Misaki would have handled that type of situation."

"But I-ˮ

"No excuses, Misaki."

"Not even the one about you missing him to the point of no return." Yukimura nearly cried as he sat back down. "There is a limit, Misaki. I just can't believe that you actually went past it."

"So what are you planning to do, Misaki?" Kanou questioned after looking at his watch. "You're just gonna' keep playing the both of them?"

"Misaki, you have to tell him." Yukimura sighed, a rather odd, older, sound coming from him. "I assume that Usui already knows of the whole thing between you and Hinata, ne?"

"H-hai." She mumbled like a small child making her feel kind of switched as she sat, cowering under the two people that once coward under her back in high school, but that was when she had a mind then, that was when she could easily tell right from wrong and she would have never made such a mistake like the one she had already committed.

"So, what now?" Kanou shrugged. "You want us to keep everything a secret from Hinata?"

"And everyone else as well…if you wouldn't mind?"

She looked up after speaking then cringed, wishing she hadn't done that. Yukimura looked like a different person all together at that moment. His face seemed harder and more lined, older and more masculine even as he peered down at her with hard eyes that raged with anger and frustration, and for a second, Misaki forgot who it was she was staring at, but that feeling vanished quickly. She felt slightly stupid for not realizing that he was a boy sooner and that he would have grown up eventually. She wanted to compliment him on his growing, but didn't know how to approach him after what they just discussed so she just sat there staring at him with a lowered head and admiring eyes.

"Are you ready to order now, masters?" Subaru asked. Misaki opened her mouth to dismiss her gently but was stopped by the loud sound of a chair sliding against the floor making both turn.

"No." Yukimura answered with a lowered head. "Kanou, come on. We're late for work."

Kanou simply stood and walked after Yukimura's sulking figure. He seemed unfazed by the aftermath. Misaki just watch as they walked on, leaving her wondering if she could really trust them. That's when Yukimura suddenly stopped to look back, a sad smile tugging the corners of his lips as a soft "Good-bye, Misaki chan." escaped his lips, making her blush and mentally punish herself for not trusting them too soon.

"Misaki?" Subaru cooed, placing a hand on her friends back. "Are you okay?"

"Hai." Misaki smiled before standing, bowing for her concern, then walking out the doors. Her next step was hopefully home. If no one else stopped her, her day would have at least turned around enough to lift her spirits back to the worrying Misaki.

Oh well. She thought. It's better than the scared and sad Misaki. Now let's just hope that things will improve from here.


EARLY RELEASE!...sorta. I guess it applies to how long you stay on the computer and what region of the world you're IN…ANYWHO, to me, it's an early release and I am proud of myself. Good job, me. Why thank you me. (Pats on back)

Keynote... Kicho is out. Peace!