It's been a while since I updated this story, hope you readers didn't wait long. As always, you're free to vote for whoever you like for each chapter. We are somewhat getting to the end, but I can't say for sure yet…so pray your girl gets to be the one. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

-Zero

Secret - Ch. 11

Summer break was over and school is back in session. Although nobody liked the thought of schoolwork, everyone was happy to see their friends again.

xXx

"Nee~ Ushio~, let me borrow you're notes~." The older Hasegawa twin bothered the bluenet who was sitting in front of him.

Ushio, who would usually scold him for not paying attention in class, didn't reply back.

"Ushio...are you okay?" Hiroshi asked. "You look kind of out of it:"

"Eh?" The question snapped him out of his thoughts. "Oh...um...I was just in thought that's all."

"Really~, you weren't thinking about a girl were you?" A grin appeared on the twin's face.

"D-don't be ridiculous." A small blush was present on his face.

"There's no need to be shy~. Well, who's the lucky girl?" Hiroshi pulled his seat beside Ushio, grin widening.

"Like I said it's not that." The blue haired boy sighed. His face becoming deep in thought again. "It's just..."

"Ah, Hiroshi-kun!" One of their classmates called out to the twin. "Could you come here for a sec?"

"Sorry Ushio, maybe we can talk about it later." The brunet clapped his hands together and left. Ushio sighed, resting his chin on his hand, and let time pass him by. His mind wandered back to what Hiroshi said.

You weren't thinking about a girl were you?

Suddenly, Ushio remembered what Maki did to him when he had walked her home during the night. He still didn't know how to face the first year. Lately, the members of the club were messing around with him. But Ushio didn't think the redhead would be one to do so.

What was Maki's true intention by giving him that k-kiss on the cheek? Yes, his cheek. The blue haired boy was in complete denial that their lips had somewhat it wouldn't be considered a real k-kiss if they weren't really touching...right?

Ushio's face became red at the thought. It was almost as if he could feel the softness of the first-year's lips. Before he knew it his mind began to spin from overheating.

*SLAM*

As Honoka, Kotori, and Himawari were approaching the bluenet, his hand had slipped from under his chin, leaving his face to greet his desk.

Maki sat at her desk with a blank face. She stared out the window as if it would help her in her current situation.

"Nishikino-san, I'm talking to you." Another female first-year with long light brown hair spoke in an annoyed tone to the redhead.

"And like I've told you already, I'm not dating Ushio. Now leave me alone." Maki replied back in the same tone.

"Why is it that you casually use his name?"

"Because we're friends. What's it to you?" Maki's temper was on the verge of tipping over. "And if we were dating, what are you going to do about it?"

"I- you already have Shinoda-kun! Why is it that you're going after Sonoda-sempai now?!" The other became upset with the redhead, her friends now by her side.

Maki's abruptly stood up in her seat and stared hard into the other's eyes. "First of all, Itou-san, there is nothing between me and that no good playboy who tries to get with any girl he can get his hands on! Secondly, what is between me and Ushio is none of your business!"

Maki's words left everyone in her classroom speechless. It wasn't very often that the red haired girl would shout at another (unless it was Rin or Nico).

"Yumi-chan, let's go before something happens." One of her friends tugged onto her arm.

"I'll make you regret becoming enemies with me." The girl known as Itou Yumi glared at Maki before leaving turning around with her nose in the air.

"Believe me, it's the other way around." Maki muttered under her breath.

Kotori was worried for Ushio. The whole day he had been very distant. She wasn't so sure herself, but the face he was making also seemed like he had something on his mind that was bothering him. There were times where the taupe haired girl had to continuously call out his name to get his attention.

"Ushio-kun, are you sure you're okay?" Kotori asked in a concern tone.

"I'm okay, don't worry about me. I just have some things on my mind lately." As usual, he replied with his charming smile that had girls fall for him all the time, making Kotori fall under the same spell.

They were the first to arrive at the clubroom. Honoka and the Hasegawa twins were on cleaning duty for today. Once Ushio sat down he rested his head on the table and was fighting the urge to take a nap. Kotori sat across from him and tried to hide a small smile that was threatening to spread across her face. She found Ushio's stubbornness to fall asleep to be very childlike and cute. Unable to fight it any longer sleep invaded his mind and a soft snore could be heard from his direction.

Eli and Maki arrived not long after it happened. The two raised their eyebrows at Kotori, questioning the boy across from her. The ashen haired girl brought a finger to her lips, giving the two the answer they were looking for. Eli smiled and pulled a chair beside Kotori, leaving Maki with the choice to sit either beside the student council president or the sleeping second-year. She took her chances.

Maki was still in a somewhat grouchy mood from earlier. The interrogation that she received from Itou Yumi, a first-year who also likes Ushio, was still in her head.

My relationship with Ushio...

The redhead looked at the older boy. She could hear him mumble words in his sleep, but couldn't decipher them clearly. She popped her elbow on the table, resting her cheek in the palm of her hand and looking at the other two girls sitting across from her. The room was filled with silence, but not an awkward one; it was more soothing and relaxed. Amethyst eyes returned their gaze upon the blue haired male as the younger girl tried to fight a small smile. That was, until she remembered what she did to Ushio when he walked her home and was now feeling hot in the face.

"Ara Maki-chan, what's wrong? You look like you were thinking of something very dirty while looking at a helpless sleeping Ushio-kun." The teasing came from a new presence in the room, which, Maki didn't really appreciate much.

"NO-" Maki stopped herself from yelling at the top of her lungs as her blush reached past her ears.

"Nozomi! I wasn't doing that!" The red haired girl whispered yelled at the other.

"Hmm, then care to share what you were thinking?" A smirk appeared on the purple haired girl's face as she leaned in closer to Maki.

"Come on now, don't start any ruckus." Eli tried to break the tension between the two.

There was a silent war between Nozomi and Maki as the older girl continued to lean closer. Maki, in repsonse, continued to lean back almost at the edge of her seat. The last thing she wanted to do was fall off and wake the bluenet.

Ushio, however, stirred from his small nap and rubbed his eyes. Turning around, the second-year was basically inches away from Maki's face. Sleepy amber eyes stared into lilac orbs for a good five seconds before moving down to her lips.

"Maki-chan, what are you two doing nya?" Rin, Hanayo, and Nico arrived, but at the worst timing possible. They looked at their friends with confusion.

"Ma...ki..." Ushio furrowed his eyebrows and looked back at a blushing redhead. Like a lightbulb clicking inside his brain, he realized how close they were. Erupting in a full blown blush from their close proximity and the many thoughts that had been bothering him all, the bluenet pulled back in panic. Luck not being on his side, the sudden movement caused him to fall out of his chair and ultimately hit the back of his head.

"Ushio(-kun)!" Everyone shouted.

"Whoa, what the heck are you guys doing?" Honoka and the twins were now present too. They were completely let out of the loop and were also wonder why Ushio was on the ground gripping the back of his head.

"I'm...fine..." The blue haired boy managed to speak and waved a hand above the table. "Just...fell...that's all..." He finished tiredly before letting out a long sigh.

"Are you sure?" Maki asked. If she heard the fall clearly, it had to have hurt a lot.

A vibration in the pocket of his pants cut him off form reassuring the younger girl. Ushio pulled out his phone and excused himself for the interruption.

"Hello." A small pause invaded the room as Ushio listened to the other person on the line. Everyone grew curious of who would call the boy during clubs.

"Yes. I understand. I'll head straight there then." His voice grew monotonous, hiding all emotions behind a blank face. The bluenet turned around and began to gather his belongings as he continued to talk on the phone. "Yes, I'll be fine."

After he hung up, the air in the clubroom became thick. Ushio looked at the members and gave them a small apologetic smile. "Sorry, some things came up and I have to go."

"Is everything alright? It must be very important if you need to leave." Eli went into her student council president mode and furrowed her eyebrows.

There was a short pause before he answered, as if he was trying to find the right words to say without worrying them. "Just...some family issues...that's all. Don't worry about it." He gave them another small smile and said his goodbyes to leave. Everyone gave each other glances, half confused and half worried. They spent the rest of their time together, but there were a couple of them that were thinking about a certain bluenet.

A day have passed since Ushio got that call. Yesterday, he was absent from school which made his friends worry. They practically blew up his phone with calls and text messages during lunch and during clubs. This time, of course, he replied back saying that he had some family business to attend to and telling them to not worry too much.

Today, Kotori made the decision to not leave Ushio's side and stuck to him like glue. Ushio wasn't so sure why she was acting this way, but he had a faint feeling that it was because of his absence. He didn't questioned it, even after she was being more close than usual during their selfstudy period. Nope. Not one bit. After classes were done, the bluenet's childhood friends surrounded him at his desk.

"Hey Ushio, what exactly-"

"I'm sorry for bothering you, but Sonoda-kun, the teacher is looking for you. She said that she needs to speak to you about the assignments that you missed." One of their classmates interrupted Hiroshi and informed the other male student that he was needed.

"Thank you, I'll be there in a bit. Sorry, but I have to go." He gave them an apologetic look and left.

"So suspicious." Honoka commented.

"I think we should let him tell us instead of asking him. It might personal." Himawari suggested.

"I guess you're right..." The ginger replied dejectedly. Kotori nodded at the suggestion. She was willing to wait for her childhood friend to open up and tell them what's really wrong.

xXx

"Ushio-kun, you're still here?" Kotori walked into the clubroom and found a spaced out boy with papers scattered on the table.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I had some more work to finish. If you're looking for everyone else, they left for the arcade already." He let out a tired sigh. "Although, Rin and Honoka do need to be more diligent with their schoolwork."

"Ushio-kun is always worried about others." The taupe haired girl couldn't help but giggle at Ushio. He raised an eyebrow, wondering what was funny. Kotori then made a softened look at him. "But when others worry about you, you always try to act strong for their sake."

Ushio opened his mouth to retort the statement, but no words came out. The smile that the girl gave him was more than enough to surrender. "You always figure me out don't you? Sometimes I wonder if Honoka realizes it." He returned a tired smile back.

"She does; she's just afraid that you would get mad at her for asking."

"That's true. Which is probably why she makes you to deal with such a difficult person like me. I find if unfair since I can never say no to you." The blue haired boy began fiddling with his pencil.

"Eh~ if you put it that way I would have to say that it's a talent." Kotori's smile brightened.

"You're really not making this easy." Ushio put down his pencil and got up from his chair to stretch. "And if you were all curious in this conversation, listening from the other side is considered rude."

Ushio opened the door and let all of the members of the Idol Research Club fall to the floor with a thud on top of each other. The bluenet shook his head at his friends and walked back to his seat. They dusted themselves off and entered the room with sheepish smiles.

"I told you we'd get caught." Maki muttered.

"It's not my fault. Blame it on Honoka for wanting to listen." Nico argued back.

"Hey, I can't help it if Ushio-kun has a sixth sense." Honoka's commented.

"So, Ushio, you finally gonna fess up or am I going to have to force it out of you?" Hiroshi asked the other male.

"I'd like to see you try." The said person smirked. "After all you have yet to do so."

For a moment the two had an intense stare off before laughing it off.

"Everyone, I'm sorry if I made you worried for how I have been acting. My grandfather was emitted into the hospital for his health and I wasn't able to come to school yesterday." Ushio bowed his head. "I'm really sorry."

"You should have told us sooner." Nico crossed her arms.

"She right, you shouldn't carry a burden by yourself all the time." Eli nudged the younger.

"I guess you're right. I'm sorry."

"Enough with the apologies. If you want to make it up, let's go and have some fun!" Honoka jumped on the taller boy. A cheeky smile appearing on her face.

"Rin thinks so too nya!"

"Fine." Ushio replied with a sigh. A small smile tugging on the edge of his lips.

"Last one out buys everyone juice!" Himawari shouted leaving the room followed by Ushio's childhood friends, and Rin. Nico wasn't far behind saying that she didn't want to buy juice for everyone dragging Hanayo who was yelling 'save me' down the hallways. Nozomi and Eli giggled leaving a certain first-year with the blue haired boy.

"They're ridiculous." Ushio muttered as he gathered his things together.

"You know, they were all just worried." Maki spoke up startling Ushio. He had thought she left with the rest.

"Were you too?" He was curious.

"O-of course I was!" Maki's cheeks became red. "What kind of friend would I be if you ended up holed up in your room again?"

"I guess you have a point there." Ushio chuckled bringing a smile to his face. For a second, Maki was sure her heart skipped a beat.

"What's with that? I don't get it." Maki crossed her arms and tried to control the heat creeping up her face. Amber eyes looked at the scarlet haired girl, gratitude emitting from them along with his signature smile. Not being able to take the look any longer, Maki flicked Ushio's forehead.

"Ow! What was that for?" The older rubbed his forehead and looked for an answer from the younger.

"For being stubborn. You told me that if I had something on my mind I shouldn't keep it all to myself." Maki stuck out her tongue at him (which caught him off even more off guard). "I hope you have money on you, since you'll be the one buying us juice."

"Hey wait!" Maki turned around and smirked at Ushio before leaving him behind. He stood there with his bag slung over his shoulder pondering on the fuzzy feeling he had in his chest.

What is this feeling?

Remember to vote!

Until Next Time…