Lexiechan here! To sum things up: the underlined bold was Shindou-san's point of view, and as you can see, all is not as it seems. From now on to avoid confusion, I will explain that it's Shindou's POV or even Ichirou's. I think for this chapter though, we will stick with our intrepid heroine. :D So things are going to get a little crazy before they can get better! Sorry about the slow updates, I'm swamped with work as always in college, so sometimes my fanfic gets put at the bottom of my priority list. This chapter will be a very long one, so please enjoy!

Chapter 14: Pasta

"Don't call it off, Marie. There's something else happening here. Shindou-san never would see his mother without a good reason-" A knock at the door surprised us and I quickly went to open it. Ichirou was waiting, looking frightening with his glare face on.

"Can I come in?"

"Come in!" I opened the door wider and he walked inside, shocked that Marie was sitting at the table.

"N-Nishikawa-san?"

"Marie-san…..I can't believe he's hurt you too. " Ichirou punched a wall and sat at the table, head in his hands as he collapsed into sleep.

"I think we should leave him that way a bit before feeding him…" I sat back down, very confused and unsure.

"Uru-chan, should I have the wedding? I mean after everything that's happened, and hurting you, these couple of weeks in Japan….I don't know what to do. And it's only two weeks away!" Tears began anew on Marie-san's face and I sat highly conflicted. As I stood to get more tissues, I noticed the candy she'd given me when we first spoke.

"Here, Marie-s….Marie. Have one." She took it, her hand shaking as she recognized what it was and slowly put it to her lips. "I think…..that you should still have the wedding." She almost choked on the candy.

"You do?" She swallowed and took another sip of tea.

"I do. Despite…..everything, I think that you're good for Shindou-san. And I think you are a good person that deserves happiness." I smile at her, a true smile, something I hadn't done since this whole mess started for her.

"I….Uru-ch…Uru. Thank you. You are wise beyond your years." She smiled. "And this candy is very sweet."

"I'm glad. I haven't tasted it yet, but I hope to soon." I hand her another tissue and she wipes away the last remnants of her tears. "Now. I'm sure Shindou-san is hiding something. He's never acted like this before."

"He wasn't like this when I met him either. Although there was one time…" Marie drifted off, deep in thought.

"Marie, what are you thinking?"

"The last time anything like this happened, he was afraid he would have to return to Japan without finishing school, because of debt. He disappeared foe a few days but came back and said everything was resolved. I never asked how." Marie blushed a little, embarrassed by her ignorance.

"Debt? Let me wake Ichirou, he'll know about this better than me." I fed Ichirou some tea and a cracker, and he quickly woke up.

"That ass Satsuki, I'm going to-" I put my hand over Ichirou's mouth.

"Ichirou. I've made my peace." I smiled at him, with my true strength, finally over the pain and tears, and ready to move on. The distance that had been between us helped to dull the pain at first, and then meeting and talking to Marie…I could finally try and find my happiness again. "We think he's hiding something. Shindou-san, that is. Marie, could you explain again please?" She nodded and filled Ichirou in on everything she'd told me, adding even more detail than before., saying when Shindou returned, he seemed more stressed than before, despite his getting rid of the debt. Ichirou was attentive, snacking on crackers as he listened to every word.

"Marie-san…..did he say who the debtors were? Or the lenders? Or even what country the money came from?"

"He did mention Japan…" She looked confused. "And no, he refused to speak about anything like that." Ichirou looked at me and sat bolt upright.

"He's in trouble .Shindou is very meticulous with everything, he'd never just let this go like that." Ichirou reached for another cracker but pulled out an empty bag.

"I think I have some snacks somewhere around here I could make…" I started to search through my mostly empty cupboards.

"I think we should go out to eat. I will treat you both to a meal. I know of an Italian place open now, with great pasta. It's the least I can do for your help," Marie stood up. "And it will give us all something to do as we try to figure out how to discover what Shindou is hiding." I went to protest buy Marie stopped me with a wave of her hand. "If we hurry, we can make it before Ichirou-kun collapses again." I nod and with the two of us walking on either side of Ichirou just in case, we made it to the restaurant. It was in my district, behind a larger shop. Small and inviting, it had dark wooden booths and candles, very different from my usual shops. The tables were lined with white tablecloths and a waiter came and led us to a private table in the back. Marie and he spoke in another language, I guessed Italian, and soon breadsticks and water were produced. Ichirou began to eat right away.

"Thank you for this, Marie. You didn't have to."

"Oh no, it's fine. We were all hungry. Good food is good for hard times. And I know the owner." She smiled and handed me a menu.

"This reminds me of that movie we all watched Ichirou, the one with the….mafia, I think it was."

"Oh, you mean the Italian yakuza?" Ichirou mumbled through his full mouth, making me giggle. Marie nodded.

"I guess you could call it that. What movie was it?"

"I think it was …the… The Godfather?" Ichirou nodded and Marie smiled.

"I've always liked that movie too." I took a breadstick and slowly started eating the rich bread flavored with rosemary. I was surprised by the spices.

"This is really good!" I eagerly took another bite, reveling in the taste. Marie laughed and smiled, happier than I had ever seen her.

"I'm glad. It's the least I could do, since you comforted me and now are going to help me." She took a breadstick as well, ordering pasta for the three of us when the waiter returned with another basket. "My favorite dish is not on the menu, and I want you both to try it. I hope you don't mind." She smiled then grew more serious. "So what do you think Satsuki's hiding?"

"How much was his debt?" Ichirou asked, serious despite the crumbs on his face.

"I…I'm not sure. But in the thousands of euros range, surely." I gaped at her, unable to even attempt a conversion in my head. "He had scholarships but they couldn't cover everything."

"Uru. What do you know of loan sharks?" I gasped, remembering when a neighbor of mine had been harassed by loan sharks and yakuza for a bad choice they made in taking out a loan with them.

"Ichirou, you don't think he got the money from yakuza, do you?" Ichirou nodded his head. "Then Shindou's in more trouble than we thought!" Marie looked confused.

"What do you mean?" Ichirou explained to her how people low on cash would, in the most desperate of times turn to yakuza and loan sharks and the underworld when they needed money. And it now appeared that Shindou had done just that.

"So now we need to figure out how to get him out of it," I said. "And it won't be easy."

"I just…why wouldn't he tell me?" Marie looked sad and disappointed, as if his lack of confidence in her was her own fault.

"To protect you. To protect us all." Ichirou sipped his water, but before Marie could respond, the pasta arrived. The steaming plates of noodles covered in cream sauce with seafood in it looked amazing, and I couldn't wait to try it. We all dug in, the happy atmosphere from earlier now heavy with our combined concern. Marie paused, raising her glass.

"I propose a toast, like in my country. To good food in bad times, and good people to share it with." She clinked her glass with mine and Ichirou's after we raised them.

"Don't worry, Marie. With our help, everything will be solved by your wedding." I smiled at her, patting her hand to be reassuring. She looked at me with shining eyes.

"I have faith in you, Uru. Thank you." She smiled and Ichirou raised his glass this time.

"Kampai." He said, and Marie and I both shouted it back at him. That night in the restaurant we began a new friendship and decided to save an old one.

I couldn't believe how, sitting here in this restaurant, everything seemed to change. It all made sense. The letters, his distance, why he kept hurting everyone, driving them away. Shindou was on a downward spiral and was determined not to take anyone with him. And I, as his best friend, would make up for my rash actions and drag him back out, whether he wants it or not.

"To friendship!" Uru said, and I toasted her glass, looking at her joy and determination. I would soon show her friendship is not all that I want from her, I want so much more. But for now, my pursuit of her could wait until after we helped Marie. Watching the two of them become friends was a wonderful sight. It was too long since Uru smiled like this, and if those dark circles were any indication, for Marie-san too. I would do my best to protect the joy of these two women, especially Uru's. I wouldn't let Shindou go through with whatever he was planning. I sealed this deal to myself with a heaping spoonful of pasta. Tomorrow would begin the first day of our plan to try and save Shindou from himself.

Okay I hope everyone enjoyed that, and that it cleared some things up. I'll update again soon, I promise. If I don't have another update out by this time next Tuesday, 11/13/12, spam my inbox with messages please! I love all of you, and please as always, review!