A/N

It's been hard trying to balance a day job, night job, a weekend job, and writing. I've considered really putting every story on hiatus and just post whenever I have the time, but I do want to get some things finished. It's not fair for me to start a project and not finish it...and it's not fair to you guys who are waiting for updates either...=\

Sometimes though, I just have a massive writer's block. To be honest, this fic was a "writer's block cure" for my other story, The 14th Division, in the Bleach-verse. I'd get these ideas that wouldn't fit for the project I'm working on, but it would be a perfect fit for another project...but I decided to put my Bleach fic on Hiatus for now, and focus on the 2 stories that I have going on now.

Btw, to those that reached out to me via PM, thank you =]

Like to thank the following...followers!

Cecilia-Senpai, AlexisBaudens, Euiko Tsukemo, AnimeMyWorld, Dragon God xxx, terminus94. and Cobalt Strike Gundam

Hope you all enjoy this 6k+ mega chapter update!

~~Chapter 10: Will You be Mine?~~

"That was a great match, Jinsoo!" Haru greeted me happily as he and the others met me outside the locker room doors. "Can't believe you managed to make this trimester's quarter-finals!"

"That was a pretty good move Jinsoo...very unorthodox..." Taku trailed off as he got deep in thought. "Almost reminds me of the fake-out move you did on our last match on Brain Burst..."

"Haha...did I get found out already? My Avatar's a melee-type, so figured I'd try to apply some of the kendo training to the game," I scratched the back of my head as I readjusted the backpack strap. "...and besides, getting the combat experience from Brain Burst does help with your reaction speed and quick-thinking too."

"You guys speak like this game is the reason Jinsoo's Kendo got better!" Chiyu complained. "It's like this game is replacing your lives or something..."

"Not really, Chii-chan...though, to be honest, it gives us a lot more time in the day-" Taku trailed off. He was about to say something else, but a simple glare from Chiyu was enough to stop him. "-erm, anyway, it was a good round. I'll have to train harder or I might lose to you!"

"Haha, I doubt that. You were better than me at Kendo even before Brain Burst," I responded light-heartedly as we walked towards the school grounds. "You'll be back to your top-form in no time!"

"It was a fantastic match, Jinsoo-kun. For a 1st year member to get to the quarter-finals match is unheard of," Kuroyukihime spoke. "You don't always have to be so humble."

"Haha, yea...maybe..." I scratched the back of my head with a sloppy grin and a small blush plastered on my face. "What do you guys say we celebrate the end of the 2nd trimester with an early dinner at the restaurant down the street?"

"Sounds great!"

"Let's go!"

"Finally! I was starving!" came the 3 replies from Chiyu, Taku, and Haru respectfully. I was curious when Hime-senpai wore a slight frown, instead of her gentle smile.

"Ah...sorry Jinsoo-kun. I have some Student Council duties to attend to. I'll contact you when I'm done and maybe I can join you if you guys are still there?" Kuroyukihime asked with a smile. I responded with a small nod and a smile. "Excellent. See you soon."

"See ya senpai! We'll see you soon!" Haru answered as the group split up at the school's entrance way.

Haru, Taku, Chiyu, and I found ourselves in a comfortable silence as we left the school grounds. It seemed that everyone was lost in their personal thoughts, but that would soon end as Chiyu broke the silence.

"So...Jinsoo, now that you're not denying the fact that you and senpai are together...gone on a date as a couple yet?" Chiyu asked, in the middle of our walk towards the apartment complexes.

"Uh...no? A D-d-date? What's with that all of a sudden?" I asked, stuttering like a blabbering idiot. Apparently, my response was not what she was looking for, judging from how she was grabbing my shoulders and shaking me.

"Whaaat?! You haven't taken her out for anything?! No romantic dinners, movies...anything?!" Chiyu almost screamed as she placed her face right in front of mine. I had to tread carefully now. Chiyu was a diehard romantic, and my responses would either calm her or turn her into a crusader of Love.

"Well...we always go to that cafe after school..." I responded as I was looking frantically for help from Taku and Haru. "It's not like we don't spend time together..."

"That's a start at least...but have you actually done other things? Like a walk in the park, taking her out to a fancy dinner...anything that actually is considered romantic?!" Chiyu pouted angrily. "Even Taku took me out to different places every so often..."

Taku could only scratch the back of his head, looking apologetic and slightly uncomfortable. After all, they haven't gotten officially back together yet and their current relationship was ambiguous, to say the least. I was about to say something about her predicament but decided to bite my tongue. How did the saying go? Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?

"Well, it's not like I've actually dated anyone! Jeez...besides, I don't think you can exactly call us an 'item' yet..." I mumbled out my response. Before I suffered through this losing staring conversation anymore, Taku spoke. I was hoping he would save me from Chiyu's onslaught.

How optimistic I was.

"Did you at least ask her to be your girlfriend?" Taku asked me somewhat seriously, while adjusting his glasses. I have to say, the light reflecting from his eye-wear made me even more nervous for some reason. "With a confession like that, and the things you told me...not to mention, she confessed to you at least twice, right?"

"So let me get this straight...she confessed to you, twice...and you couldn't simply ask her to be your girlfriend?! How spineless or stupid are you?!" Chiyu got more aggressive with every word spoken. By the time she finished her sentence, none of us were moving and I found myself metaphorically and physically cornered by this romance-addicted monster called Chiyu. When I looked to Taku and Haru with a silent plea of help, the two smirked at my predicament before looking away.

Traitors, both of them.

"You're going to go get her something nice, take her to a nice dinner, dress well, and you're going to ask Hime-senpai to be official!" Chiyu spoke with a tone of finality. She then stormed towards the shocked Haru and Taku before grabbing their hands and dragged them towards the apartment complexes, which was the complete opposite direction of the restaurant. Before my group of friends turned the corner, Chiyu turned around and shouted, "I mean it! Stop dragging your feet on this! A woman won't wait forever!"

With a huff, Chiyu grabbed Hari and Taku by the hand and dragged them away, leaving me on the street by myself. After my brain had caught up to the fact that Chiyu ditched me, I dug my fingers into my hair and messed it up in frustration. I mean, what gave her the right to push things along? Yes, Hime-senpai and I Direct-Linked with the XSB Cable, which is pretty much a couples-only thing. Yes, we always walked each other to school and home, ate lunch together, and spent as much time with each other as possible. Not to mention, I would always find her wrapped around my arm when we went from place to place.

Oh crap...I told myself. I guess I'm REALLY dragging my feet on this, huh?

A small 'blip,' sound effect and a flashing icon broke me from my thoughts. Huh...I guess I'm near a public network...I'm sure I turned the GlobalNET function off...I thought to myself as I popped open the message.

Jinsoo,

Good Luck! ('.') ('.')

Chiyu

I was confused by this message. Good luck? Good Luck with what?! My answer came in the form of a message, from someone different.

Jinsoo-kun,

Chiyu let me know that your dinner plans got cancelled and you felt a little down from it. I was hoping that I could join you instead? It'd be nice to spend time together...I missed your company these past few weeks.

I'll be done with Student Council duties in about half an hour. I'd like to get home and make myself presentable..so would you like to meet in front of my complex around 6:00pm?

Would that be...okay?

Kuroyukihime

That scheming, cat-obsessed...I thought to myself as I realized what Chiyu had done. Out of the 3 friends I had, Chiyu was always the mischievous one. I was tempted to call to yell at her, but realized the message with Kuroyukihime-senpai ended in a question.

Not really thinking or knowing what I was doing, I replied to Hime-senpai's message with the first response that came to mind.

Hime-senpai,

That sound great! I'll be at your apartment complex to pick you up.

Jinsoo

With the "Message Sent" icon flashing before my eyes, my brain finally caught up with me. CRAP, I NEED A GIFT! WHAT DO I GET A GIRL?! WHAT DO I GET HER FOR A CONFESSION?!

"Sir...do you need help with something?" The store clerk asked me in a calm, soothing tone.

"Yes...date...gift...need...asking her out..." I babbled out incoherently. When I saw the confusion on the clerk's face, I forced myself to take multiple calming breaths. I tried again. "I have a date tonight...going to ask a girl out...please help me with a gift."

"Young love! So precious! I'd be glad to help you!" The clerk squealed in excitement. If this was an anime, I would've definitely seen stars sparkling inside of her pupils. "Here are some things you should look at..."

The store clerk dragged me towards the middle of the store to a decently-sized kiosk, where most of the little trinkets, bracelets, necklaces, and other small jewelry were. The clerk was doing a great job giving me recommendations, but my brain began turning her out when my eyes found a necklace. At a quick glance, the necklace was a simple one in the shape of a butterfly. When I focused on it in more detail, I couldn't help but appreciate the craftsmanship that must've went into its design and construction.

The necklace seemed to be carved out of a single piece of metal. It had the border of a swallow-tail butterfly, but the wings had these small patterns carved out. The border/frame design was a stark contrast to the solid body, which led to two antennas. At the ends of each antenna were small amethyst-looking stones. It was simple, elegant, and beautiful design.

Noticing where my attention was, the clerk opened the display case and took out the necklace.

"There's a custom jeweler that lives pretty close to the store. He usually sells his custom jewelry though our store," the clerk spoke as she held the necklace closer to me. "This month's theme is 'Beauty in Nature,' and I think this is one of the cutest he's made in a while!"

"It's beautiful..." I replied. This would be perfect for her and excitedly looked for the price tag, but grimaced when I saw the price. My fingers navigated through my linker's display to check my bank account, and couldn't help but feel defeated. "...this would be perfect for her, but I can't afford this. Not in a middle school student's allowance..."

"Could you tell me a little about the girl?" the clerk asked me. I was caught off-guard from the question, but didn't think much of it as I explained how I met her, and how our interactions have changed over several months. I obviously left out the fact that we met over a reality-altering game, but most of the details were there.

"...she seems very special to you," the clerk responded when I was done with my monologue. When I nodded in agreement, the clerk took the butterfly necklace from its display case towards the checkout.

"Sorry but I can't really afford this..." I said as I followed her. The clerk didn't reply to me as she expertly surfed through her personal heads-up display on her Neuro-Linker before using the swiping gesture: a general gesture command for sending information through a short range. When I opened what she sent to me, my eyes almost bugged out. "This is...but...this is less than half!"

"Oh don't worry about it, I just used my employee discount! Don't tell anyone though, or I might get in trouble!" the clerk winked at me as she replied playfully.

"I...gee...um, wow...thank you...I don't know what to say. No one's been this helpful to me!" I exclaimed as I quickly transferred the correct amount towards the cashier terminal. When the light flashed green, the store clerk smiled brightly at me.

"You can thank me by telling me how your date went! I'm Nagisa, 2nd year at Umesato Senior High!" Nagisa replied cheerfully. "Always willing to help an underclassmen!"

"Thank you Nagisa-senpai! I'll definitely come back!" I bowed quickly as I hurried off out of the store with the gift bag tightly in my grasp.

The Japanese city-design evolved greatly in the past few one-story and two-story homes were razed in favor of the towering apartment complexes that spread all across the country. Most apartment complexes were like condominiums; you could purchase a section like a home and live there until you sold your space off to someone else. Those that could afford it could live in a more custom-designed, more spacious complexes. These complexes were usually fenced off from the general community and housed a small park, fitness center, and any amenity you could think of. The complex provided their own 24-security service and had a guest waiting area, just outside the gates.

I didn't know too much about Kuroyukihime's personal life, as she rarely spoke about it during our times together. I didn't even really think about her home life it until I walked her home one day and realized: she was very well-provided for. She lived in the premier complex of the district, and rumor has it that there was a long waiting-list to even be considered to be a resident there.

Needless to say, I was just slightly intimidated and nervous. Okay, very nervous. Thankfully, my mom was home and created a presentable "dating" outfit for me with the random selection of clothes and shoes I had in my closet. With the help from Mom, I chose to wear a light button-down shirt and a dark-colored pair of jeans. My attire was finished with a belt I wear with my formal wear, a pair of casual-style oxfords, and a blazer that happened to match the same color as my shoes. The confidence of my outfit, however, didn't do much to ease my nerves.

I arrived about 15 minutes before the designated pick-up time, so I was allowed to sit in the guest building. It was well-decorated, but not overly done so it wasn't tacky. There were big windows embedded on the walls and ceilings, allowing plenty amount of natural light to come in. The plants in the waiting room gave a calming atmosphere, which was doing little to calm my nerves. I occasionally fidgeted in my seat and played with the small gift box that was resting neatly in my blazer pocket.

What if this doesn't go well? What if I completely misinterpreted this? What if she decides I'm not worth it...What if-

"Hello Jinsoo-kun...did you wait long?" the familiar, calming voice broke my train of though. When I looked up to make eye contact, my jaw dropped.

Kuroyukihime could be described in two words at that moment: absolutely beautiful. She wore a long, flowing, dark purple dress that hugged her petite frame very nicely. The dress wasn't too long like a prom dress, as it cut off just below the knee, and she wasn't wearing her usual leggings that she wore under her school uniform. She wore a light-colored cardigan and a set of low heels that match the color of the cardigan. She also held a small, purple-colored handbag that matched the color and quality of the dress.

Kuroyukihime was one of the few that had natural beauty; she didn't have to accentuate her face with any make-up. So it threw me off and my jaw dropped even more when I realized that she had put makeup on. She had a thin layer of red lipstick and did something to her eyes to accentuate the warm, brown eyes. Her natural, slight blush that graced both her cheeks made me do a double take. Was I about to take this girl on a date? Or rather...

Why was she willing to come out with me?!

"Um...Jinsoo-kun? You okay?" Hime-senpai asked me, looking slightly down and away, trying to hide the deepening blush. Before my brain could formulate a response, my lips decided to do the talking instead.

"Beautiful...absolutely beautiful..." I could only mutter back. It took a second to for me to register what I said, but both of us managed to share a blush when we both did. Taking a deep breath, I gathered what little courage I could and offered my hand. "Shall we?"

Her eyes widened slightly, but was quickly replaced with a small, gentle smile as she took my offer, gently interlacing her fingers with mine.

"Yes."

This is just like any other time...this is just like any other time...this is just like any other time...I chanted to myself as I tried to keep my nervous tremors down as I escorted Hime-senpai through the familiar streets of the business district. To be honest, this was just like any other time after Hime-senpai and I had a successful Brain Burst grind. We would go from the school to the local cafe, often times Direct Linked with our cables and her wrapping her arms around mine. However, there were a few "minor" differences to that.

We haven't spoken since we left her apartment complex.

We were both sporting a blush that would rival the shade of an apple, but most noticeably:

We were on a date.

"Jinsoo-kun...are you okay? You seem a bit tense..." Hime-senpai trailed off as she spoke.

"A-a-ah...yea, I'm fine! Yup, totally fine! Not nervous at-!" Crap, I thought. Well, the cat's definitely out of the bag now. I was taken by slight surprise when I heard her giggle slightly.

"I'm glad you're nervous. to be honest, I am also a bit nervous..." She responded in kind, while squeezing my arm a little bit tighter. "I've never been on a date before."

"Really?" I asked, completely taken aback. "I thought someone would've asked you out on one...considering how popular you are in school..."

"I've been asked many times by many in the school, but I've never taken any offers until you..." Hime-senpai responded, her blush deepening. Despite her reddened cheeks, she looked up to meet my eyes with a small smile. "You're the first."

I released a breath that I didn't realize I was holding, and what she said eased my mind and body a bit. The fact that we were both of our first dates was relieving; it meant that she was also nervous, but excited like I was. But, all good things come with the bad, as I got nervous again: I wanted our first date to be a positive memory.

Before either of us could formulate a sentence, my stomach growled a bit, reminding me that the dinner plans I had with my 3 friends just earlier was canceled. Hime giggled as my blush returned full blast.

"I haven't eaten either...how about that restaurant over there?" Hime-senpai pointed out. I looked at the restaurant and it seemed welcoming enough, so I gave a small smile.

"...well, if that's where you want to go...sure..." I responded after a little bit. The restaurant seemed normal and inviting enough.

"Welcome to Hotaru's, home of the finest Japanese Cuisine in the area! Do you have a reservation?" The hostess asked us politely with a smile.

"No, but we were hoping you had a table for two?" Hime-senpai asked politely. The hostess gestured up and down with her hand, seemingly checking the reservation list she had up on her Neuro-Linker's display.

"Let me see here...ah yes, we have several! Would you two like one of our personal dining areas? It's quite serene and perfect for a dating couple!" The hostess responded with a kind smile. When we both nodded, she grabbed a set of menus and led us to our table.

The restaurant decor was so that you felt like you've traveled into the past. There were numerous architectural cues to suggest that the restaurant owners went for a feudal-Japan look. There were shouji walls that separated each dining table, the waitresses and waiters were dressed in the period-appropriate clothing, and even the silverware were made of polished wood.

Hime-senpai and I didn't share too many words as we were escorted and quickly seated to our table. We took a quick look at the restaurant's virtual menu system before ordering through the Neuro-Linker's display. After the food orders were done, we fell quickly into our usual conversation topics, from Brain Burst to some friendly gossip that we heard around the school. However, since we talked to each other every day, the conversation eventually died down to a slightly awkward silence.

"So...uh..." I started as I fidgeted uncomfortably, playing with the utensils on my side of the table. I was fishing for conversation topics right now. What should I say? What should I talk about?

Fortunately though, the waiter came to the rescue as he brought in the appetizers. The mixed smells Hime-senpai's small bowl of Miso Soup and my order of beef gyoza got my stomach to grumble slightly, but the waiter cleared his throat before we could dig in.

"I'm sorry to bother you during your dinner, but we're doing a survey for our business," a waiter spoke as he bowed in apology. "We're collecting data on how many people are new and returning customers that come to our restaurant. Would you mind submitting your Public Identification Cards?"

Similar to a driver's license, the Public Identification Card was a general-purpose ID card that each Neuro-Linker was assigned by the government office. The card only displayed a current photo, date of birth, country of origin, and country of citizenship, with the student's cards listing their current attending schools. These cards were often used for school attendance, public surveys, among other non-intrusive data collection. So when the waiter asked for our digital ID Cards, neither of us thought much of it at first.

"I don't see a problem with it...here you go," Kuroyukihime-senpai spoke as her delicate fingers expertly went through her display. When she stopped, I noticed the small LED light blinking on the side of the waiter's Neuro-Linker, confirming that it received the information. The waiter nodded politely before facing me.

"Sir...your identification card please?" the waiter asked me with a smile.

"...sure..." I replied as I went through my menu and sent my Public ID Card to the waiter as well.

Instead of confirming that he received my card, the waiter navigated through his HUD display. His fingers started low and moved upwards: the default hand gesture when you wanted to scroll down. Maybe I was imagining it, but I could've sworn that the waiter had a frown before he quickly covered it up with a smile.

"...thank you, please enjoy your dinner." The waiter spoke quickly as he bowed to us and retreated back to his other station. I felt some unease about the exchange, but I tried to hide it. Unfortunately, Hime-senpai quietly observed the exchange and commented on it.

"Hmm...it's rare for people to collect individual Public Info Cards like that..." Hime-senpai wondered aloud. "You could easily set up your business's LocalNET to automatically collect that data. I wonder what that was about..."

"I-I wouldn't worry about it," I stuttered slightly. Before Hime-senpai could pursue the thought further, I picked up my chopsticks and continued.. "Let's eat for now...I know I could use some food. Haven't eaten since lunch!"

Quiet clanks from our plates and utensils filled the void of conversation as we consumed our food. The food was delicious, despite the fact that it was simple beef gyoza. I usually consume my food quickly, a habit I formed when attending school here. It was really simple; the faster I eat, the faster I can escape the crowd and avoid the hateful glares that came my way. Even after meeting and being with Hime-senpai, I never truly broke out of the habit. Thankfully though, today wasn't the typical school lunch scenario, so I forced myself to slow down and actually enjoy the flavors.

"You seem to be enjoying your food, Jinsoo-kun," Kuroyukihime said playfully, as she put down her spoon quietly. "You usually eat a lot faster than this..."

"Ah yea, well we're obviously not in school now, so I can actually relax..." I spoke as I put my chopsticks down. I heaved a light sigh before leaning slightly back on my chair, a small smile forming. "I haven't felt like this in...well, it's a good feeling."

"Does being in school make you that uncomfortable...tense?" Kuroyukihime asked me, a small frown developing on her face. "I've known of your difficulties living in Japan, but you've never talked about it yourself..."

The term gaijin is a shorthanded version of the full phrase gaikokujin, which meant foreigner. Despite the many advancements in communication and inter-continental travel technologies, Japan and many other Asian countries harbored fear for other cultures. Most traditional families saw foreign cultures as poisonous and ruined their way of life, and pushed their children to remain true to their heritage. Japan was quite strong in this stance, as hate crimes were ignored or even subliminally encouraged.

My school life deteriorated when Araya and I had a falling out. Araya used to be a good friend since I moved to Japan in Elementary School. Back then, knowing a foreigner meant you were "well-travelled" and "worldly cultured." This soon changed when Araya started spreading rumors about Koreans in general and about me specifically. When the parents heard about the rumor, they encouraged their children to stay away from me. Needless to say, I hated the term gaijin after that; it felt like a brand on my skin that couldn't ever be removed.

I was brought out of my dark thoughts as I heard a glass clink against the table, and I looked up to meet the concerned eyes of my date. I took a breath and forced a smile on my face.

"Lets...talk about that later, okay? I'm not brushing it off, but I'd like to enjoy our time together a bit longer..." I trailed off. I decided to be slightly brave and reached out with my hand and caressed hers. "I trust you, and I'll tell you everything. Just not now, okay?"

Kuroyukihime seemed slightly off-put about my response, but blushed at the contact and nodded with a small smile. She was patient, she could wait. But I also knew that I wouldn't make her wait that long.

Before anything else could happen, the waiter came out with our food. The waiter put Kuroyukihime's food down with the grace of an experienced waiter, but sort of unceremoniously put my food down in front of me. Too caught up in our little moment, we didn't notice it but went back to eating our dinner.

"The food here is good, I quite like it," Hime stated as she tasted her food. "How do you like yours?"

"It's...it's good," I said. Truth was, it wasn't. I ordered a small plate of tonkatsu, but something was off about it. The cutlet tasted like it hasn't been cooked, and the sauce was gritty, as if dirt was mixed in. As I forced myself to chew and swallow the food, I was starting to remember when my mother and I experienced something similar in the past.

I just kept my head down and forced down the food, taking care to brush off the sauce before I ate it. I didn't want to worry her, and I didn't want her to have a bad first date either. So, like back in school, I roughed it out. There were small pebbles imbedded within the cutlet, but I used my knife to cut around it and brushed it off to the side.

Dinner passed mostly without incident, and we were getting ready to pay and leave, if it wasn't for the waiter and 2 bouncers that approached out table. Noticing the 3 individuals, Hime was the first one to speak.

"I'm sorry, is there a problem?" Kuroyukihime asked politely. She had an uneasy feeling about the situation, but she remained calm and composed.

"No problem with you ma'am," the waiter said kindly with a smile. That changed immediately when he turned to me though. "However...we do have a problem with the gaijin in our respected establishment."

"Please, let's be civil. Let me just pay for the meal and we can go," I tried to diffuse the situation. The bouncers, however, had other plans.

The walked around the waiter and roughly grabbed me. I didn't even bother to struggle as they forced me out of my seat and roughly took me to the back of the restaurant. The kicked the door open and tossed me against the wall. I barely had time to recover from the impact to the wall as they threw me against the garbage cans and against the wall again. One of them held me while the other threw in couple punches. The pain was bearable, except for the punches to the stomach.

"Burst link!"

Reality froze to it's familiar blue shade as everything slowed down. My avatar faded into the blue world from my frozen body. As I looked around, the unmistakable avatar of Kuroyukihime stood by the door, near her physical body.

"Jinsoo-kun! Are you okay?" She asked me as she rushed towards me.

"It's bearable...can't say I appreciate the special service though," I tried to joke, but the way it came out sounded darker then I wanted it to.

"Is...is this what you've experienced since coming here? Is this what you've had to go through...?" Hime-senpai trailed off, her eyes flowing with tears. I sighed in response. I couldn't put this off.

"About a year after I moved here...my mom and I just finished shopping. We were hungry, so we decided to eat at a local restaurant near our house. When we approached the restaurant, the host welcomed us until the Neuro-Linkers connected to the system. When he found out we were foreigners, the host shoved my mom away from the entrance." I paused for a little bit, recollecting my thoughts before continuing.

"The host said 'We don't want your kind here! There are no gaijin's allowed in this establishment! By that time a crowd formed...they didn't do anything to hurt us, but didn't do anything to help us either. We just quickly packed up our groceries and ran home.

"From then on, we had to be careful of where we went. If a place asked for Public ID Cards, we'd never go in there."

"Haven't you ever fought back? Stand up for yourself?" Hime asked me gently. She walked around the blue-frozen bouncers and stood next to me.

"I did...it was a bit after Araya and I had a falling out after someone in his family passed away. It was a day after school, and Araya and his friends just jumped me. I punched them out of the way but tried to not fight...he used to be a good friend. We fought...but I usually lost.

"The more I fought back, more of them kept jumping me...and more often too. One day it got too serious and I ended up in the hospital for a week. After that, I just stopped fighting back...they eventually got bored and didn't jump me as much." I laughed bitterly. "But life's a total ass, isn't it? When they didn't get the satisfaction of beating on me, they went after Haru. I wasn't going to stand for that...so I took their abuse for him too. He was the one of 3 people that I could call friend."

"I...didn't know about that. I knew you were bullied for the most of your time here, but this..." Kuroyukihime trailed off as she placed a hand on my cheek. "And now you're suffering through that same fate..."

"Don't do anything that will get you involved. They'll stop soon, as long as I don't fight back," I told her seriously. I took my hands and firmly grabbed her arms. "Please...I can take the hits, but I don't...can't see you suffer because of me."

"But-"

"No!" I shouted back. I took a big breath and slid my hands into hers and held them. "Please, just do it."

Despite not wanting to, Kuroyukihime could only give me a nod.

"Burst out!"

After what seemed like hours, they finally dropped me. I was on all fours trying to breathe, but couldn't when one of the bouncers kicked me in the face, knocking me to the ground.

"Stay away from this restaurant, gaijin. Your kind isn't welcome here," one of the bouncers said roughly before slamming the door, leaving us in the dark alleyway.

I turned to my back and looked up to the clear night sky and breathed deeply. My body was in pain from the punches and kicks, but the beating was relatively mild to the other times. Before I got too lost in thought though, Hime sat near me and cradled my head on her legs. I closed my eyes as I felt her hand brush against my hair, and it relaxed me. Or it would have, if I didn't feel small droplets of water on my face.

"I'm...I'm sorry, Jinsoo-kun..." She sniffled as she forced out the words. I opened my eyes and placed one of my hands to her cheek. She pressed her head into my hand more as she held that hand as well.

"It's...not really your fault. You didn't know..." I started.

We sat in the alleyway for a little bit longer until we couldn't bare the smell anymore. We both stood up, and I brushed myself off of the dirt and other grime that got on my clothing. I did feel relieve though, when my hands felt the undamaged box that sat in my pocket.

"Help me home...I want to get out of these clothes..." I told her. She nodded and held onto my arms tightly, as if letting go meant I'd get jumped again.

I changed out of the dirty clothes and slipped into a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve t-shirt. Luckily, my mom had to fly out of Japan for another business meeting soon after we left, which meant she wouldn't be questioning me about the bruises and gashes I had. When I walked out of the room, Kuroyukihime-senpai was sitting on the living room couch, staring at the closed first aid kit.

"You know...you might want to open the lid to see what's in there," I said playfully. It seemed to catch her slightly off-guard as her head snapped to my direction. Once she realized what I was implying, she gave me one of the cutest pouts that I'd ever seen. Cuter still, was the small smile that followed.

"I was reading about how to apply first aid treatment," she replied as she made a swiping motion, closing whatever window she had on her display. I joined her at the couch as she opened the case and took out a small bottle of isopropyl alcohol, cotton pads, anti-bacterial ointment, and some bandages. "The alcohol is going to sting a little bit..."

She worked quietly and gently as she cleaned the multiple, small cuts on my face. I did my best to not react to the sting, but isopropyl alcohol stung. After a little while, all the cuts were cleaned out and she applied the anti-bacterial ointment and bandages on my face. As soon as she finished that, I packed up the First Aid Kit and quietly thanked her.

"You know...today started off really well...Kendo tournament went really well, school's over for the 2nd Trimester, and the 'cherry on top' was supposed to be tonight..." I started off. "I just feel bad that my past decided to catch up with me, today of all days..."

"It's not your fault, Jinsoo-kun. It's not your fault people don't have an open mind..." Hime-senpai responded. She seemed relieved at the fact that I broke the silence first.

"But you know...it's almost poetic," I chuckled a bit.

"Poetic? How?"

"Well...just like my school life, you're still here," I looked at her and smiled. When a slightly shocked face greeted mine, I panicked a bit. "I-I mean, well...truthfully, you literally changed my life..."

I took a breath to calm my nerves. My hands reached into the pocket, making sure the necklace was still there.

"Until you came into my life, what you saw today was my life. Getting jumped, bullied...everything. But when you reached out to me that day during the first month of school, a lot of that changed. You helped me get Araya off my back, and people actually started to get curious about Jinsoo the person, not that gaijin," I paused for a moment. I took her hand in mine and gently thumbed over her knuckles. "Now, people are still trying to figure out what makes me the one that stole the most popular girl's heart.

"To be honest, I'm still trying to figure that out...but I was wondering...hoping..." I paused a bit and scratched the back of my head in nervousness. I was sporting a full-on blush at this point. "...I was wondering if you'd let me stick around and figure that out. Together..."

"Are you asking what I think you're asking?" Kuroyukihime asked as she herself sported a blush. "Are you asking me to be..."

"My girlfriend, yes." I responded. After couple seconds of no response, I looked to her direction.

Her eyes filled with unshed tears and wore a small smile. The same smile she wore when she confessed her love to me, twice. I felt relief and released a breath that I didn't realize I was holding onto. When she nodded in response, I reached out to hug her.

"Yes...yes I will. You can't believe how long I was waiting to hear that from you, Jinsoo-kun..." Hime-senpai spoke while being in my embrace. Then she giggled slightly. "I was afraid I'd have to make the first move again..."

"Hey...I'm slow in these things. You're the first for me..." I mumbled out. She giggled again.

"Well, you're the first for me too..." Hime sighed as she relaxed into the embrace a bit more. It was then that I remembered something. I gently pushed her away from me and immediately began to fish into my pants pocket. She looked confused until I pulled out a small, rectangular case.

"W-w-w-wait a minute, Jinsoo-kun! We just started dating...aren't we moving too soon?!" Kuroyukihime blurted out. It took me a second to register what she was saying, and my face flushed red.

"N-n-n-n-not what you think it is! It's just a necklace! See?!" I stuttered out as I opened the lid. Within the box sat a hand-crafted silver butterfly, with amethyst inserts at the end of each antennae. "I wanted to give you this after the dinner..."

I pulled the necklace out of its case and unhooked the chain. Kuroyukihime grabbed her hair and moved aside so that I could get the necklace around her neck. Somehow, I managed to get the link connected without trouble, and when she turned around, the butterfly say just below her collar.

"It's absolutely beautiful...thank you," she said as she literally jumped and hugged me. I held her close.

"No...thank you. Thank you for being my guardian angel."

Review Response

Sanity07: IT'S ALIIIIIIIIIVE (Again)

Rai of Bladege: I am back again!

qweenashleyfox: You knew this was coming...=p

Guest "Diz": Awesome! And I just prefer people having accounts...but that's me being me .

TichePotato: Hahaha...I literally write when I have time, and it literally comes out. 7000 words later, I have to sift through the junk, proofread, then viola...here it is!

moondragon84: Well, to be honest with you...yes, I am replacing Haru with my own OC. The reason that I have my character go through similar events as in the anime is so that my readers can get used to the idea of replacing the original protagonist with a new one. Maybe I did do a little too much with the original story-line, but I hope that this chapter satiates your need for a completely original chapter? =D

And hopefully this chapter also explains the biggest difference between Haru and my OC as the main protagonist! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Leonister: It's so great to have reviewers that are very attentive to the details. Pushes me to create even more...and I really hope you all enjoy this chapter. It's more original...actually, it's all original!

Cobalt Striker Gundam: I can hear you just fine...or rather, "read" your messages! Hope you enjoy this chapter!