Chapter Eleven

Disclaimer: I do not own Hana Yori Dango.

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Tsukushi took a deep breath and steeled herself. She had to be firm. She had to tell him exactly what she thought and how she felt. Pushing open the door to the emergency staircase, her heart softened almost immediately. There goes all my determination, she thought ruefully.

Sitting at the corner, was Rui. He probably arrived a lot earlier, judging by how deeply he was sleeping, but he wasn't alone. A total of four kittens were dozing with him. Three on his legs and one on his shoulder, having obviously climbed out of the box under Rui's arm.

Crouching down to get a better look, she noticed that each one appeared completely different yet had common traits. The kitten on his shoulder had black fur and white paws. The one nearest his feet was a fluffy, ball of white fur. Stretched out beside it was a purely black kitten. The last one was a lovely grey color and clearly the alpha cat, for it lay curled directly on Rui's lap, not even asleep, just staring at her intently. They were all so small, and were obviously siblings.

"He probably found you four on a corner somewhere, and decided to take you home." She murmured. "How am I supposed to talk to him firmly when he does things like this? It isn't fair."

"All is fair." He murmured, slowly opening his eyes.

"In love and war?" She asked, warily. Something tells me this guy can play just as hard as those playboys.

She glanced down as the white kitten rubbed against her ankle, purring.

"That one likes you." He commented, as she picked it up and held it awkwardly. "You can keep her if you want. She seems to have chosen you."

Tsukushi opened her mouth to decline, but hesitated when the creature in her arms climbed up her shirt, and burrowed in the hollow of her shoulder. "Thank you, Hanazawa Rui." She said, slightly defeated. Somehow, all the fire she had when she called him last night, evaporated the second she opened the door. "Jeeze, way to take the fight out of me."

She stood up and faced away from him, trying to collect her thoughts. The kitten meowed in protest at her sudden movement. Stroking her fur absently, she was struck at the nostalgia of this place. "When I first ran out here I was so mad. Doumyoji had once again forced someone out of school, and I couldn't keep it in. I screamed it out, and though I felt better, I knew it would only happen again in a few weeks." Memories, so many memories... "Yelling at him, that day in the dinning hall…it was so liberating. I didn't have to suppress anything anymore. I could just say what I felt and know that I was strong enough to deal with the consequences. You make me feel that way, Rui."

She turned her head at him. "When the F4 red-tagged me, and everyone wanted to haze me out of Eitoku, you gave me the strength to stay and keep fighting. When you saved me from the mob that time, I felt…so incredibly grateful. I really liked you then." Though her gaze was on him, her eyes looked so far away. "But I gave you up, and pushed you to go with Shizuka-senpei, whom I admired so much. Then Doumyoji and I…fell in love. We went through so many hard times, and when I wasn't strong enough or brave enough, you were always there."

She blinked as her eyes began to sting with tears. "And when it ended…all that overwhelming pain…I nearly cracked. But again, you were there for me. You've given me so much, Hanazawa Rui, without asking anything in return." She swiped frantically as the tears began to flow. What the hell? Why am I crying? "When you kissed me, and told me how you felt…I was so shocked. I didn't know what to do, so I did the only thing I could. I pretended it didn't happen." She could see now that it hurt him, but she had to be honest. That must be it. I don't want to hurt him, but I can't lie to him. "I don't like avoiding you, Hanazawa Rui. We've been friends for so long…I assumed you'd always think of me in the same way. When you said you loved me…" The blush was uncontrollable. "It scared me. Worse than the last time you said those words. Nothing good can come out of loving me, Rui. Nothing. You need to find someone else. Someone much worthier of you." The tears would not stop. All she could think about was that she would lose him. The one person who had always been by her side, she had to push away, for both their sakes.

Rui had listened to her, knowing that she'd reject him. He was prepared to fight, however unfairly, but she looked so vulnerable. As she started to sob, he stood up, dislodging the kittens on his lap, and pulled her into his arms. He held her, letting her cry out her worries and fears. "Shh, don't cry. Please don't cry." I want to kiss her, he discovered, not for the first time. I shouldn't, but I want to. Badly. He settled for holding her closer. "I can't help how I feel, and I know you can't either. It's alright, I don't hate you."

When her sobs quieted to sniffles, she was too weak to do anything but lean against his chest. "Why do you always know just what to say? I can't fight you, Hanazawa Rui. I could once, but not anymore."

A dangerous confession, he acknowledged. "Now, that doesn't sound like you. What would your family say to see you so weak and yielding?" As expected she stiffened, that delightful spark returning to her eyes. "Not that I'm complaining, you're much easier to manage like this."

That did it. She pulled out of his arms, and frowned. "Hanazawa Rui, you're too much. Manage me will you?" She took a calming breath, but was still slightly agitated. "I don't understand you. How could stop loving someone was wonderful as Shizuka-senpei? I think you're confused, Hanazawa Rui." She took a step back and pointed at his face. "It's impossible between us. I can't think of you that way—" The rest ended on a squeak when he suddenly pinned her against the wall, startling the kitten on her shoulder. She blinked at them and jumped to the ground to her siblings.

"Is there nothing between us, Tsukushi? Can you look me in the eye and truly say it's impossible?" He held her gaze, and seemed to look into her very soul. It unnerved her, but at the same time held her in place. Just like that night…

"Why are you doing this? When have things changed this much?" Her voice didn't waver, but it was a close thing.

"Answer my question, Tsukushi." His voice was calm, betraying none of the odd desperation he felt. He had to know. Was it even possible? Give me just a little bit of hope.

She couldn't look away. "I-I don't…" She trailed off when he moved in closer, his nose nearly touching hers. She gave an audible gulp. Has he always been this predatory? At the moment she felt very much like cornered prey. "B-Back off, Hanazawa Rui."

He raised a brow at the flustered look on her face. Cute. "Not yet. Did you know," he shifted to breath in her hair. "that I dream of you?"

A flush crawled up her cheeks. "Y-You do?"

"Mhmm. Every time I close my eyes."

A lesser girl would have buckled by now. The kittens, the sweet words, the look in his eyes…Just how the hell was she supposed to defend herself?

"You can't." She whispered, suppressing a shudder when he breathed on her ear.

"Can't what?" He whispered back.

"You can't have me." She tilted her head to meet his eyes directly. "You can pull all the romantic crap you want. Buy me expensive gifts, take me to exotic places and use practiced moves to seduce me. None of it will be enough." She braced her palms against his chest and made to push him away, when he stepped back on his own.

"Then I won't do that." He said. "There's no hurry. I'm very patient." I'll wait until you're ready to give yourself to me completely.

Suddenly the predatory air about him was gone. He was the sweet and kind Hanazawa Rui again.

"When is the festival?" He asked suddenly.

"Eh?" She blinked. "You mean the one around the Dango shop? I think it's…tomorrow night." Had it been only two months since that movie? It felt so long ago, and so much had happened. "Do you…do you still want to go?"

He nodded. "I'll try not to stand out, like last time."

Tsukushi couldn't help the giggle, all traces of their previous tension gone. She had wondered if he noticed the mob of women that followed them to the theaters. "We'll have to invite the others." She remarked.

"When we get there." He agreed.

She smiled, and for the first time in weeks it reached her eyes. "Okay, I'll see you then." She bent to pick up the white kitten. When she made up the stairs, she paused to throw him a glance over her shoulder. "You still have to get through Yuki, Hanazawa Rui."

As she shut the door behind her, he gave a sigh of relief. Hope.

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It was around three in the morning when Soujiro crawled out of the passage of the Mimasaka house. Half the time he could have sworn they knew he was there, or at least that Yuki knew. She would tend to turn the conversation to topics he'd much rather not have listened to. The things he learned about the female body were enough to make priesthood look appealing.

Akira had just laughed at him when he dragged himself through the front door. "I told you not to go. It's called a boy free zone for a reason. The girls don't want us there, and we certainly don't want to be there." He couldn't help but be amused at his friend's disheveled appearance. "So, did you learn anything interesting?"

"Makino has a friend we don't know about. She was pretty cute." His voice was strained. Exhausted and slightly disgusted from his night's adventure, he fell into bed. "She called Rui. Said something about…meeting him today…their spot."

Akira waited for him to continue only to find that Soujiro had fallen asleep. "Their spot, huh?"

He checked the wall clock. If I go now, I could probably catch some of that conversation.

Making his way to the high school section of Eitoku, he stood just at the bottom of the emergency staircase. He had known for sometime that the place was special to them, and though he sometimes stroveto keep it a secret from others, he couldn't help but eavesdrop now and again.

Their voices carried down, but they must have been there for some time, because he seemed to have caught the tail end to the conversation.

"You still have to get through Yuki, Hanazawa Rui." Makino said, and a moment later he heard the door close.

Akira raised a brow. I wonder what she meant by that.

"I know you're down there, Akira." Rui called.

Chuckling to himself, he climbed the stairs. "Yo, Rui. What're you doing here this early?"

"Are you busy today?" He asked, ignoring his question.

"What did you have in mind?" He asked, warily eying the mewing creatures Rui placed in the box. He hated cats. "Please tell me it has doesn't have anything to do with Yuki-chan. I really don't want to face her with this kind of thing. Last time—"

"These kittens need a home." He remarked. "If I brought them over to your house, wouldn't Memu and Emu love them? Ah, but you hate cats don't you, Akira?"

Akira stared at him. Blackmail? He marveled at the changes in his friend. You're going to play hardball aren't you, Rui? All for the girl you love. "I'm sure Yuki-chan would know someone who would like an adorable kitten of their own. We can ask when we go see her."

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So, it's finally come to this, Yuki thought, sitting across from Akira and Rui at the café shop. She sipped her tea, and waited for one of them to speak up. The kittens had softened her somewhat, but it would take more than that to win her over.

"So, Yuki-chan. I heard you were at my house last night. A slumber party of some sort, right? Was it fun?"

She smiled. "Very much. We've all been so busy lately. It was nice to spend time together. I appreciate that neither one of you was foolish enough to sneak in and eavesdrop."

She knew Soujiro was there. Akira realized, chuckling. "Wise men choose their battles."

"Indeed. So, tell me, Hanazawa-san, what makes you think that you're good enough for this particular battle?"

"I love her." He said simply. "I can make her happy."

"Can you? Do you intend to marry her?"

"Yes." He said, without hesitation. "Eventually."

Her tone was politely curious, but she wasn't expecting him to answer to quickly. Her eyes widened in surprise. "You plan ahead, don't you?"

"When necessary." He allowed. "I know, though, that when I eventually ask her she'll ask you what she should do. I'd appreciate your support."

She took a long sip of her tea, meeting his eyes intently. "I can honestly say, that the way you are now…you are nowhere near being worthy of Tskushi-chan."

Akira winced at her absolute bluntness.

Rui seemed nonplussed. "I can make her happy." He said, again.

"No." She shook her head. "You can't. You may have the wealth, the position and the power to try to make her happy. You may even have the skills to seduce her into thinking she's in love with you, but at the end of the day such things don't last."

"You are such a cynic, Yuki-chan." Akira couldn't help but comment. He drew back when she shot him a leveled look.

"Tsukushi-chan loved Domyouji-san." She stated, eyes hard. "They went through so much together, and she was prepared to go through more to be with him. He made her happy. Even though it's been year, I don't think she's over him. She hasn't even told me yet why they broke up. I've never seen her so broken as she was in the first few months he left. I will not allow such a thing to happen ever again."

"I won't hurt her." Rui said, his tone firm.

Her eyes softened. "I'm sure you wouldn't want to, but you can't care without hurting. You'll be treating her like glass, placating her at every sign of irritation and that's not real love either."

"You don't believe he loves her." Akira remarked.

Noting the cold that was beginning to show in those marble eyes, Yuki said carefully. "I believe he thinks he loves her, but just as he loved Shizuka-san, his feeling may change. If Tsukushi would ever begin to return his feelings, that would be one of her worries."

Rui wasn't one to question his feelings. He felt what he felt. But at the same time he could understand what Yuki was saying. Before he could even think of asking Tsukushi to share the rest of her life with him, he had to make sure she was the only one he wanted.

"You may have gotten her to see you as a guy, Hanazawa-san, but you've still got plenty of obstacles in your way." She finished off the rest of her tea, and turned it upside down on her plate. "For now, I'll tell you what you can do to make yourself at least worthy of this path you've chosen." She took a moment to find the right words, closing her eyes and assuming a serene pose. Her eyelids snapped opened to a direct gaze. "I believe a man shows his true character when he has had everything he owns taken from him. The entire Makino family is a testament to that. By all means, Hanazawa-san, pursue our Tsukushi-chan, but do so as common man." She stood and loomed over him. "Rid yourself of the influence of your name, the weightiness of your portfolio, and the years of knowledge of one of your class. Pursue her in our world. Prove that even when you have nothing but your own hands that you still have the confidence to love her and the strength take care of her."

She opened her bag and placed a few bills beneath her plate. "Good luck, Hanazawa-san. Please give my regards to Nishikado-san." She lifted the box of kittens in her arms and walked away.

Akira watched her leave the café, and gave a small shudder. Scary."Remind me never to get on that girl's bad side." He glanced at Rui, and found a thoughtful look on his face. "Rui?"

He said nothing for a long while, before stating, "I need a job."

Akira's eyes widened in surprise. "Eh?"

"Do you think my parents would agree to disown me for a while?"

"You're can't be serious."

"I should wear a disguise or something. Maybe dye my hair?"

"Rui—"

"Well, I'll see you later Akira. Please don't tell Tsukushi or Soujiro about this just yet." He tugged on his jacket and left him sputtering at the booth, with the bill.

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That night, Dame Hanazawa contemplated her son's request.

"Mother," He had said. "I would like the freedom to know what it is like to have nothing before I ask her of everything."

So, he wished to prove himself worthy of Makino-chan did he? She found it curious that the girl resisted him, and that he would go to such lengths to win her. His father's son, she thought fondly.

She had heard that the girl had a previous relationship with another member of the F4. Surely, she only knew too well of the dangers of their world for one who did not have the position to protect herself. So, naturally she'd be wary of Rui's intentions.

When he had first introduced the girl, there was a tender quality about him she hadn't seen before. This is the one, she had thought immediately. The research she had done on her background had only confirmed the rumors. The strength of her will and the genuineness of her character, was something many of her peers attested, however much she was disliked. But even with her approval there were still far too many obstacles that would keep her from accepting her son. Perhaps I could help…

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A/N What could Rui's mother have planned? What does Rui intend to do to truly become "worthy" of Tsukushi? How will Yuki make Soujiro pay for eavesdropping? Stay tuned for…Chapter 12!