It was awful to hear rumours about someone close to you; More so when that person never ever hid anything in her life away from you. Takeru was sitting alone in the living room of the Yagami residence, staring blankly at the television screen. A movie was playing, but he had no clue what the plot was, nor who the main leads were. Heck – he didn't even know what movie it was. Takeru's mind was adrift. The sounds from the show, blended into the background, became barely audible.

She said she would see him the day after the dreadful Shoji occurrence, but that day never come. She had avoided his calls and ignored his texts. Takeru was never quick enough to get to her classes, because she was never there by the time he reached. Strangely, she was never there even if he was early. It was like his best friend had purposefully cut him off.

It was only when he saw Miyako three and a half days later did he found out what was going on. He had approached the older female with every step feeling like an eternity. The tips of his fingers went numb and his throat tight, as if his body had a weird way of building up a defensive mechanism in preparation for dreaded news – and they were right. He could still remember the way Miyako glanced up as he sat, eyes lit, ready to spew everything she knew. He didn't know why he didn't take the hint to walk off right then.

"I was right!" she said smugly.

Takeru gave an uneasy smile. The air around him had strangely become too thick for breathing.

"I knew he'd come back for her! How are her dates? Have they kissed? Oh my god I need to meet her! All these assignments and she's so busy dating – I can't seem to have a proper chat with her!"

Putting two and two together, Takeru's heart sank. He wished Hikari was ignoring him for his remarks the other day, yet, it was more than just that. She had continued seeing Shoji without his knowledge, and the thought of it felt like a blow to his pride. He stared blankly at Miyako, a million questions racing through his mind. Everything wasn't making sense. They were so intimate for the past weeks. Was he delusional?

"Did she tell you she had forgotten Shoji was away for a while to… I can't remember where now, but that was why he couldn't contact her?"

"Y…yea," he lied, trying his very best to keep a straight face. He turned away from her and began fumbling in his bag, looking for a distraction.

"So weird though. He could still try to reach her through other means right?" she questioned out loud, but Takeru could tell she was least affected by that loophole of an absurd lie Hikari had given from the way she shrugged with a smile, before saying "Oh, never mind that!"

"What else did she tell you?" he asked in feign interest, his mouth turning dry. Takeru wondered if he had paled. The blood pulsing through his veins were loud in his ears, like they were running fast and away from his entirety; He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe, and he could barely feel his hands. If he were to walk off now, could his legs take the weight of his body?

"Not much, really… I think she's really shy about it, but she's agreed to a double date whenever Sho–"

"Miyako-chan," Takeru interjected loudly suddenly. His voice had intentionally drowned out the name he least wished to hear. It caught the older female's attention, cutting her off from her sentence. "Why… do you think he's good for her? I mean… if you had seen her that night… she was… devastated."

Miyako looked at Takeru, her animated behaviour slowly dissolved, replaced by a facial expression that had softened hundred-fold. "Because she deserves to be happy, Takeru. He makes her happy, like an eighteen-year-old girl should be."

I do make her happy, too…

Miyako's words made him scoff. He very much wanted to retort. He didn't see how Hikari was not happy. In fact, she was fine without Shoji Harada around. Moreover, that baseball prat had upset her before so 'happy' was an overstatement. Thirdly – Takeru furrowed his brows – he couldn't think of a third, but he was convinced his reservations were right and unbiased.

"I know you're going to say something…" Miyako sighed. "Let her be, won't you?"

"She should be back. I told her she can't stay past twelve."

A voice deep and low had snapped Takeru out of his thoughts. Takeru looked up to see Taichi dragging his feet towards the couch and taking a seat next to him. The brunette was in striped pyjamas, his brown hair a big mess atop his head. The blond glanced at the clock and shifted. He didn't even realized he had been waiting for Hikari for near an hour, and that twelve was twenty minutes away.

"Versus again?" Taichi had turned his attention to the television with a frown. "They re-run this so often it's getting old."

"Yea," Takeru replied half-heartedly. His focus went back to the screen, the old classic movie now making a lot more sense. "Nothing's really interesting on TV."

"Yea, not at this hour," Taichi agreed. "Look… I… don't know what's going on between you and Kari, but… you kids are big enough to work it out, alright?"

Takeru swallowed hard. He squirmed in his seat, awkward. His fingers involuntarily tugged the hem of his top out of nervousness. Him showing up so late and waiting for his best friend must have looked obvious they had a row.

"You don't have to tell me anything – I don't need to know anything. I'm going to sleep and I trust you to make sure she gets home by twelve, OK?"

Takeru nodded, grateful for Taichi's less meddlesome style. "I will."

"Of course you will. When have you ever failed us?" Taichi said, a confident smile stretched from ear to ear, showing off his perfect rows of teeth. "Don't stay on too long. You know how I feel about overnights."

Takeru nodded again, a weak smile surfaced.

Taichi stood up and sauntered back into his room. Takeru's eyes followed him as he entered his room, his shadow casted by the dim lights elongated with his every step. The door closed softly on him and Takeru glanced at the clock again. 11.50pm. Takeru switched off the television and bit the insides of his cheeks in nervousness. Any minute now Hikari would be back, and he had no clue what was he to do. What was he going to say to her? Placing the remote on the coffee table, Takeru stood up with folded arms and began pacing about the small space. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding onto and stopped short in front of her room. He definitely had not planned this out.

With his arms still folded across his chest, he walked over to where the main door was and leaned against a corner wall. The whites of his eyes were quickly turning pink from the lack of sleep. Takeru yawned. He rubbed the sides of his arms, letting the temporary heat warm him. The soft ticking of the clock were the only sounds he could hear – until the shuffling of steps and mumblings from behind the main door. His head jerked in the direction of the door, his hands slowly unfolding. Takeru could make out her voice and her giggles. He swallowed hard and felt himself slowly moving towards the sound.

His fingers reached for the door handle, but stopped short inches away. The blond hesitated, glancing nervously at the peep hole that was beckoning him forth. She was not alone, and as much as he hated to admit it, he knew who she was with. He dropped his hand. Takeru stood still for seconds, listening to the muffled exchange wherein a door had separated him from them. He thought to interrupt them, and with a curse, Takeru turned the door handle to swing the door wide inwards.

Nothing could ever prepare Takeru Takaishi for the scene laid out in front of him. She had leaned against Shoji Harada, her petite frame held steady by Shoji's arm that went around her waist. Their lips were locked in a kiss that told Takeru it was not their first. It had robbed him off oxygen. His eyes grew wide in shock before regret could set in. Takeru's legs were giving way, involuntarily taking a few steps back. It was too late to swing the door shut now.

As he had intended, the intrusion had interrupted the pair. Hikari's eyes flew open before she broke the kiss. She turned her head to see her best friend at the doorway and gasped at being seen. Her face quickly reddened. Shoji had no choice but to release his hold, his one hand never truly left her waist. Takeru eyes fell on the hand that was placed against the small of Hikari's back, irked. The older male facial expression had also stiffened, his eyes narrowed and throwing daggers at Takeru. Takeru being at the Yagami's residence was as much an eyesore as Shoji's physical intimacy towards Hikari was to Takeru.

When shock had set in, an unexplainable surge of anger coursed through the younger male. In other circumstances, he would have apologized for interrupting or laughed it off. His eyes darted from Shoji to Hikari – he didn't know who he was angrier with. His fingers had curled into balls of fist. It took all of him to not storm off from the scene, painfully shoving the asshole aside if he did. He needed to breathe.

"H-hi Teeks…" Hikari started nervously. He must have scared her, for she was avoiding looking him in the eye. Takeru noticed her shifting away from Shoji, who frowned. "I w-wasn't expecting you?"

"I was… getting worried," Takeru answered in all honesty. He had been worried that she had avoided him; worried that she was nowhere to be found; and the thought of Shoji Harada interrupting their previous evening refused to go away. The anger he was experiencing slowly melted away as he looked at her. She would rarely be nervous around him, yet standing before him, she looked so timid like they were strangers. For a moment, he searched himself, guilty of a crime he wasn't sure about. His temple muscles slowly relaxed and softened; He had subconsciously forgiven her.

"She's safe with me, you had nothing to worry about," Shoji interjected. The baseball player had stepped closer to Hikari, possessively pulling her closer into his arms, which made the brunette beamed at him.

Takeru quickly diverted his view. His hands found their way into the pockets, wringing the insides of the fabric. He tried to breathe, but why was it so difficult?

"Thank you for sending Kari back, I can take it from here," Takeru said tersely at his rival, sounding the least bit thankful. He stepped back, widening the door a little more to motion for her best friend to end the night with her date.

Shoji opened his mouth in what looked like an attempt to protest, but shut it when Hikari gave him a farewell hug. Takeru turned his head away just when Shoji brushed Hikari's hair aside and leaned in for a kiss on the lips. The couple exchanged a few words before Shoji reluctantly left and she stepped in. The kiss and the cold air made the brunette's cheeks rosier than ever. She closed the door as silently as she could manage and swung the strap of her handbag off her shoulder.

Takeru looked on at her. He had so many questions – questions he didn't know how to broach. Why had she gotten so physical with Shoji? When had they started so? Did she realise how incredibly worried he had been when he couldn't get through to her, how it drove him nuts trying to understand what was going on? He swallowed hard. And then there were the questions. Was she stringing him along for the past weeks? He had been so obvious with how he felt about her, she must have sensed it! He wanted answers – justifications. But, how does he begin?

"You're… not mad at me, are you?" Takeru started, his eyes following her as she closed the door, put down her handbag, took off her shoes and coat, all the while avoiding looking at him.

She laughed nervously, still trying to fiddle with objects and items around her.

"Kari?"

"N-no, I-I'm just…" Her voice faltered as she bent at the shoe rack, her attention now focused on re-arranging the shoes.

Takeru squatted next to her to join her in silence. He watched as she pushed pairs of shoes deep into the rack in unnecessary perfect alignment and followed her. It was almost therapeutic, like they were sharing a moment again. They stayed like this for a minute or two until she had no more shoes to avoid a conversation with him. He heard her sighed.

"It's just – I-I know… y-you don't like him, I can tell… I d-don't know how to tell you…"

"Is… he?"

"Boyfriend?"

Takeru sucked in a deep breath and momentarily shut his eyes, hoping this was all just a bad dream. 'Boyfriend' sounded awfully official, and he wasn't ready for her to have a boyfriend – especially when he was not a part of it.

"Yes… he is."

Silence blanketed the pair. Hikari gradually lowered until she was sitting on the cold floor, hugging her knees. She raised her head to look at Takeru expectantly, who had found his spot on the floor next to her. The unwelcomed pain he couldn't define had found its way back, discreetly yet sharp. Light-headedness crept back, making concentration hard. He knew she was watching him, so he absently forced a smile.

"Congrats," Takeru said in his best cheery voice, looking up at her with a smile that felt unfamiliar. "I-I'm happy for you."

"So… You're not mad that I didn't tell you?" she asked, worry written all over her face.

"Of course not," Takeru replied, as if he was on automated mode.

His untrimmed fingers dug into the rough material of his jeans to distract himself from his distraught state. She had an unexplainable effect over him. He didn't know how to confront her, so he did what he was best at – being a best friend.

"But I did resent you just a little when Miyako asked me questions I couldn't answer. I think you have to make it up to me." He jokingly added despite hurting inside, raising his hand eye-level to exemplify a pinch with his index finger and thumb pressed together.

His remarks earned him a light slap on the shoulder from her, and he genuinely smiled the first time in a long time. She was no longer uneasy and giggled at his cheekiness. He marveled at her beauty; The curve of her lips and the twinkling of her brown eyes. How he had missed her, he so wished she knew. She grinned at him and his heart skipped a beat. He wondered if this feeling would ever go away.

"Kari, please don't do this again… I couldn't find you at classes, and it's no fun," Takeru sighed softly, his voice almost a whisper. "And you wouldn't text me or pick up my calls. I think we've been through enough shit to be able to deal with… this."

Hikari winced, hugging her knees even closer to her chest. "I'm sorry!"

He smiled it off and played with a loose tread from his jeans. The duo shared another moment of silence.

"You… like him a lot… I can tell..."

She blushed in response, the hesitation and sadness in his voice disregarded. "Are you teasing me?"

The loose tread had become longer with his fiddling, twirling around his fingers. He didn't like where the conversation was heading, but she was finally right next to him again. Months before, he had never felt so insecure. Every little moment spent with his best friend was like any other moment. How funny things played out differently over a short span of time. He looked at her, thinking how he had quickly become so possessive over the time they got to spend together. But what difference does it make now?

"You did make me promise you that I'll always be around to do that – I've now made it my life mission," Takeru tried a smirk, which grew into a grin when she giggled.

"So, I brought it upon myself?"

"You said so, I didn't," he chuckled lightly.

Hikari laughed. When their laughter had faded, her smile lingered. He felt her eyes on him and became self-aware once more.

"I miss this," she sighed.

"You meant… you miss me?" Takeru joked boldly, yet he could feel a surge of hope in him. His heartbeat involuntarily quickened, like that of an excited child. "Don't let him hear you say that!"

"Oh, please, don't put yourself on a pedestal," the brunette rolled her eyes, but he could tell she was embarrassed from the way her cheeks turned crimson. She was adorable. He had to resist the urge to brush her hair behind her ear, to graze her cheeks and trace the soft jawline that leads to her perfectly shaped lips.

"Aren't you tired," she yawned ungracefully and rubbed her eyes, breaking Takeru's thoughts.

It was almost two in the morning. Takeru instinctively yawned. "I didn't realise it was this late," he said, pushing himself off the floor. He extended a hand out to her, who took it without hesitation. Her hand was cold against his, reminding him of when he had held onto them to warm them. A pang of sadness hit him hard. He steadied his grip and pulled her up, but his hand held on, not wanting to let go. She slipped her hand from the physical connection, smiling so ever friendly at him that it hurt.

"I would ask you to stay, but you know Onii-chan…"

"I know," he smiled knowingly. Quickly patting his pockets to check his essentials were with him, Takeru took his pair of shoes off the rack to put on. "Does… Taichi know?"

"You know I can't hide anything from him… He gave Shoji a really hard time," Hikari winced at the thought.

Good, he thought. Milliseconds later, the blond recalled his previous conversation with the elder Yagami and realized Taichi being on the know must have conjured wild theories to speculate their dispute. The idea mortified him.

"'Keru…"

"Hmm?" the blond was now bent over, tying his shoelaces clumsily.

"Thank you for being the best."

"Why so formal, Kari," he laughed.

"I'm not – I really mean it! And… I-I hope you can find the chance to know Shoji... I'm sure you two will find something to talk about. He enjoys basketball, too…"

His body stiffened. The fingers that were busy tying shoelaces paused for a few seconds before resuming. Takeru said nothing.

"It'll mean the world to me if you two can get along," she continued, biting her lower lip in nervousness.

"I…" he hesitated. Not wishing to dampen his best friend's mood, he muttered coolly "sure".

"He follows the championships that you watch too," Hikari continued eagerly.

"Right," he responded, indifferent to the personal piece. The blond stood and did another quick time check on purpose. "I should go now…" he quickly added, fearful of having to tolerate more conversations about him.

"You really should, it's so late! Please get home safe, I'll wait for your text when you are back."

Hikari turned the door handle with as little noise as possible. Her small cold hands pressed gently against his back as she began urging him out. Takeru smiled, knowing she was getting worried about him. Would it be wrong to turn around now, to pull her close for a hug and to feel the warmth of her body against his? He unabashedly resisted her push ever so slightly so he could prolong the moment, but alas, he still reached the door.

"Go now!"

"Wow, that's so rude Yagami, chasing your guest away like that," he joked, shaking his head with a grin. He had turned around in time to see her giggle, the kind that made all his blues fade. He wondered if in another universe, she would have saved all her smiles and laughs just for him.

"Good night 'keru."

He hadn't heard that for a while.

"Good night Kari."

She did a small wave, her free hand brushing through her hair to tame them from the wind. He grinned at her and did a wave before his sneakers traced their steps towards the old lift.

"Takeru!"

Takeru quickly turned. A gust of wind blew, sending him shivering. He wrapped his coat tighter around himself, which did little wonders to keep him warm. But what is cold compared to her calling his name, cutting through the chills, familiar and comforting.

"You missed me already?" he grinned, his eyes lit in anticipation. "That's fast."

Hikari rolled her eyes and broke into a smile. He could see she was blushing from his outright flirtation. Albeit inappropriate, he didn't care anymore.

"I was going to say you don't have to find me after classes, I have plans."

The cheeky grin on his face faded into a thin straight line. "Oh."

"I'll see you in school!"

"Tomorrow," he corrected her. They were to have their usual gathering with their brothers.

She shook her head gently, before adding "I won't be joining". He nodded absentmindedly, unsure of how to feel. He saw her gave another wave before she disappeared into her home. His gaze dropped to the empty spot where he had seen them locked in a kiss – the exact same spot he had kissed her drunken self and confessed two weeks ago. The nauseating feeling came back at him. Takeru clenched his fist and shut his eyes, begging the painful imageries to be erased from his memory.

The bone-chilling wind nudged, like that of a knowing friend. Takeru's shoulders stooped as he walked away, down the lift and towards the main road. The stillness of the dark accompanied him until he hailed a cab and gave his address to the driver. His eyes wandered to the streets dimly lit by street lamps as the cab drove by, but his eyes were hazed, lost in nothingness. He felt empty – a feeling he could do little to describe. Is this the ill-reputed heartache many had gabbed about?

The cab stopped at his estate, but Takeru was looking out of the untinted window, lost in his thoughts – if he had any. He stayed this way for barely a minute, before the cab driver pointed out they had reached his destination. The blond fished out his wallet and began counting the dollars. He handed the exact amount over and with an exchange of thank-yous, Takeru swung the door out to step into the cold once more.

He was careful to stay as noiseless as he could, cautiously unlocking the main door and gently closing it behind him. His mother was a light sleeper and he really was not in the mood to explain to anyone where he was and why he was home late. It's the bane of being the only custodial child of a divorced parent. His mother, despite being the busy working woman she was, justifiably wanted to know every little thing that went on in Takeru's life. He loves his mother, but it was dejected days like today he wished the Earth could swallow him up and no one would ask him anything forever.

Takeru easily placed his removed shoes on the rack and dragged his tired body to his room. The house was pitch black, but residing at the same tiny house for years made it easy for navigation even in the dark. He stared at where the switch for the lights in his room was and hesitated. The idea of bright lights was not very welcoming, nor was shower, so he felt his way to his bed instead and slipped under the blanket. Her voice penetrated his thoughts and he remembered the text he promised her. Takeru pulled out his phone from his pocket and with a few quick taps, found the empty messaging box glaring at him. He tried typing a lengthy one, but stopped mid-way to backtrack his words. He started again, his fingers tapping the screen but at last he frowned and erased the message. Defeated, he typed the simplest and shortest message he could ("I'm home") and pressed sent. The light of the phone blinded him, so Takeru placed it screen side down on his bed to avoid the glare.

She must be sleeping now, he thought.

He stared up at the ceiling in the dark, suddenly feeling rather wide awake. He could picture her smiles and giggles, and the sides of his lips tugged, curling into a smile thinking of her. But the night played out in his head, every bit as painful as their first, and every moment counter-intuitive. The way she had lovingly looked at Shoji haunted him. Her soft voice rang in his head, and he could hear her confirming another as her boyfriend. The blond bit the insides of his cheeks and let out a long sigh, feeling the build-up of moisture in his eyes threatening to fall past his cheeks.

Bzz bzz.

The buzz of the phone disrupted his thoughts just as when the light from the phone screen flashed, escaping through the cracks of the crumpled bed sheet. Takeru's blue eyes fell on the now inanimate object, his heart heavy. His fingers slowly stretched out to grab the phone, to open the message she had sent.

"I know you worry a lot about me, and so do I about you. Thanks for always sticking by me. I won't let this change anything between us, I promise. Sleep tight!"

He slowly released a breath he was holding onto, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not stop the tear that ran down his face and fell on the bed sheet.

He had stopped crying a long time ago – until now.

A/N: Thanks for reading and supporting! This was a hard chapter to write, so it took way longer than expected trying to pen down the right emotions. I hope everyone found this chapter an extreme low point (sorry Takeru!), which means I've made you feel what I want you to feel for Takeru. This is still a Takari, just in case you're doubting! :P

To reviewers:
Carupin - Hi! I'm afraid she was a lousy drunk :(
NekoSparky - Hi! She will, I'm sure she knows Takeru's the best (:
MashiroAzuki - Hello (: thank you so much, I hope you'll continue enjoying the plot!
Guest - Thank you (: that means a lot to me! I hope the next few chapters will continue to drip you!