NOTE* Sorry, this is a really short chapter and I know it's been literally forever since I updated this story, but here is a new chapter. More to come when I get around too it!

Chapter Nine:

Star Crossed Lovers Part 1

HAKUBA POV

A couple days after Kaira got over her "major illness" which she had to take a week off of school for, Hakuba was startled to see her walk in with Shinichi Kudo. It wasn't just that she walked in with him, because he now understood the detective was living with her, but it was more than that. It was like he was a completely different person. The other detective seemed so…natural, around Kaira. That very thought was extremely unnatural, as Kaira was anything but calming to be around.

"Kaira!" yelled Aoko as she darted past Hakuba to her childhood friend, nearly knocking the other girl over as she jumped into her arms.

Kaira flinched at the sudden weight in her arms. Luckily the angle didn't fluster her injury, but she noticed the way Shinichi stepped closer to her side, concern obvious in his gaze.

"Are you better now? I was so worried!" yelled Aoko as she peered into her friend's face for a definite answer.

"Yeah, still a bit tired, but better", she replied with a wide, fake smile.

She knew how overprotective her friend could be and quickly placed her coolest and most relaxed mask on before exposing the pain her side was currently giving her the longer she stood there on the hard concrete surface of the school lot.

Aoko, always innocent to the lies so obviously told to her, smiled as she felt relieved that her friend was better. She had been truly worried about Kaira and her obvious need of care and rest.

Hakuba who stood off to the side however wasn't so easily convinced. He narrowed his gaze as he spotted the way Kaira bent over just barely, a sign of pain in her stomach. Kudo's hovering only made it more obvious the girl was anything but better. Something about the entire thing just didn't set well with the blonde, though he couldn't understand the nagging gut feeling he got when around Kaira. It was the reason he was always so on edge with her. Something about the girl was just…familiar and yet so, so wrong.

Shaking off the insane thoughts he was currently having, he followed the others into the hall and towards the lockers. For now, he would merely observe.

KUDO POV

Shinichi could see that Kaira was still clearly in pain, but she was hiding it rather well. Unless you had seen the girl in pain before, you wouldn't recognize the signs that were so obvious in her eyes and in her gestures. The tight lines in her face, the spotty and slight twitches she gave when she moved. Oh yeah, she was hurting and badly.

He had tried his hardest to convince her to wait and attend school after healing properly, but she had insisted she was well-enough to attend class. Her excuse being "My missing is already suspicious enough. I don't need Hakuba looking further into me because of it."

His thoughts to that excuse, though he didn't share them with her, if he honestly was suspicious about missing school for sickness, than he would be suspicious about anything, because it was not a lie that she had, had a horrible fever. Still, he could understand Kaira's reasoning. Even now, Hakuba was practically staring her down, observing her every move. It probably made nervous and no doubt irritated her injury further as she tried to appear completely natural, as though she was still the energizer-bunny that everyone knew her to be.

"Attention class!" yelled the teacher as she walked in, a large smile stretched across her face as she placed the large book in her hands onto her desk at the front of the room, "I have finally decided on your midterm project!"

Students groaned unanimously around the room. No one looked forward to midterm, but her midterms…they were known to be, rather exotic.

"We will be doing a class play! Doesn't that sound fun?!"

Her large and eager smile only made the students wince more as she picked up the book she had placed down earlier and held it up, so everyone could see.

"The tale of Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare. Ah…what divine literacy", the teacher fawned as she rubbed the book cover in an appreciative fashion. "Now, who wants to be actors/actresses and who wants to build the set?"

Silence filled the room.

The teacher gazed around with a bemused expression, before she sighed.

"Good thing I was prepared for such a response", she replied dejectedly, "I have already decided on character positions. Here is a copy of the roster. You may talk to me after class if you have an issue with your part, but unless you have a very good reason, you will not be switched out."

Shinichi waited nervously before he finally got his copy of the play. He stared at it in amused horror.

Romeo: Shinichi Kudo

Juliet: Kaira Kuroba

Friar Lawrence: Saguru Hakuba

Mercutio: Amato Shiho

Rosaline: Masako Kumi

Nurse: Aoko Nakamori

Lord Montague: Akira Nass

Lady Montague: Izumi Aoba

Lord Capulet: Kai Kiriko

Lady Capulet: Asani Yona

Paris: Mizuki Tesshou

"Oh Lord", whispered Shinichi as he closed his eyes. Just what had they gotten themselves into?

Had he looked around, he would have seen the horror struck faces of Kaira, Hakuba, and Aoko just as obvious and defined as his own. No one, was looking forward to what this class play might entail.