Chapter 20: The Last Straw

Yuki closed his locker and turned to see Tohru, Hana and Uotani walking together. Tohru caught him staring at them and smiled widely, waving her hand high up in the air.

Yuki smiled as well, waving back to the princess of the Souma family. When Yuki saw Hana turn to him, his smile widened. Her eyes saddened suddenly, making Yuki's smile falter. Without a word, she turned and walked away. Yuki's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as Tohru and Uotani followed their friend away.

What was that all about?

Yuki heard the ringing of the school bells, telling them that it was time for the end of classes. He stood up and turned to Hana who sat at the very back of the room, completely opposite from his spot at the very front. His eyebrows furrowed when he saw her leave as soon as she packed her bag. Usually she would wait for him to come to her and ask her to let him walk her home. What was wrong? Why was she in such a rush?

"Souma-kun." He turned to the voice and saw that it was Tohru with that bright smile of hers.

"Honda-san." Yuki said, smiling his usual smile. "How may I help you?"

"Um, well, you see…I was wondering if…" she visibly blushed, looking down at her toes and squirming in place. Yuki smiled, thinking how adorable she was. "…if you're going to the Halloween Ball with anyone yet."

Yuki's eyebrows rose in surprise and he took a moment to take it in. "I-iie, I haven't thought of that yet."

"Oh…well then…"

"Isn't Kyou coming?"

"Um—no, he said he had other things to do. He didn't tell me, though." At that, her face expressed sadness. If there was one thing that Yuki never wanted to see ever, other than Akito, it was a saddened Tohru. But she could not ask him. That would be too embarrassing. With that thought in mind, Yuki smiled kindly.

"I will see if I'm not busy in the Halloween Ball. If I have a free schedule, I would love to be your escort, Honda-san."

Tohru quickly brightened up, staring at him with those wide brown eyes. "Really?"

"Hai." Yuki nodded, smiling at the now happy Tohru.

"Arigatou, Souma-kun!" Tohru said, bowing again and again. Yuki could only smile, glad to have made their princess smile again.

"Oi! Hanajima!" Hana turned to look at her friend Arisa as she walked casually towards her with a worried look. "Are you alright?"

"…." She grunted, cocking her head to the side as if to ask 'why would you ask that?'

"You've been real quiet lately." Hana raised a brow at that but let Arisa continue. "And you're walking through classes like a giant frog's chasing you down. I don't even catch you leaving the room, you just disappear!"

"Nothing is wrong with me." She stated in her deadpan tone.

"Yes there is—" but they stopped when somebody called to Hana. Arisa turned around and saw that it was Yuki who called to her from the doorway of their classroom. "Hey, Hanajima, the Prince is calling you." She turned to look at Hanajima only to find her still walking, not even glancing back at Yuki. "Oi! Hanajima!" she turned back to Yuki, seeing a strange look in his eyes, before running after Hana.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? The Prince was calling you, didn't you hear?"

Hana's face did not change, it still held no emotion. "No, I didn't. Pity."

"Hana—" but she was silenced when Hana suddenly turned to her with a glare. She froze, for never had Hanajima Saki ever glared at her before. She had never been at the receiving end of this quiet girl's anger before and now that she had been given a threat, she suddenly found herself terrified.

When Arisa had silenced, Hana resumed to walking, her glare disappearing quickly. "I'm tired." She excused. It also served as her apology.

Hatori stood outside the school building, smoking lazily underneath an old oak tree. He inhaled and exhaled smoke, polluting his body bit by bit. He knew he was a hypocrite. Being a doctor, he tells his patients to quit smoking, drinking or any other vices that may affect their physical health. But look at him. He was the one smoking, killing himself slowly.

It was as he thought of such things that Hana passed the halls in front of him. She stopped right when she caught Hatori's eye. She turned to him, having felt his familiar waves and the heat of his stare. Almost nonchalantly, she faced him fully and bowed out of custom.

Hatori's eyebrow rose. Someone was in a bad mood. Casually, he walked from the comfy shade of the tree to come to her, throwing his cigarette to the ground in the process and stepping on it. She watched him come closer with emotionless eyes, up until he was an arm's reach away.

"Escaping?" she suddenly asked, turning her gaze to the cigarette Hatori just put out.

"You could say that." Yes, perhaps escaping was the proper word. He was trying to kill himself to escape; escape from the curse, from Akito…from life itself… "What about you?"

"Maybe."

Silence ensued between them as birds chirped up above a certain tree and the wind blew gently, making leaves rustle. "I'll take you home."

For a moment she hesitated, but then she nodded.

Hatori and Hanajima walked the halls side by side in silence, the 'witch' simply going where the doctor was going. "How was your day?" She spoke softly, never turning her eyes from the path that lay in front of her.

"Dreary. And you?"

"So-so."

Hatori looked at her for a moment, not believing her statement. Obviously there was something that made Hanajima…angry? Perhaps. Disappointed? Maybe. Sad? Highly impossible. But he supposed it was none of his business. If she wanted to keep it to herself, she would keep it to herself. Besides, he was not the kind of person who asks 'what's wrong?' when it doesn't concern his profession or family.

But admittedly, he was a bit curious as to what could set Hanajima off as much as she was at that time.

Turning back to the path before him, he pushed the thought back into the darker recesses of his mind. That should be pondered on later, not at the moment. At the moment, he had Hanajima with him. At the moment, all that mattered was her.

As they walked down the halls, they passed by a certain room where studious students were having a council meeting about the last details for the Halloween Ball instead of going home. And predictably, Yuki was inside. He was speaking in front of the class at the exact moment they passed the room.

His eyes widened when he caught sight of Hana with Hatori. Suddenly something within him was awakened again and this time, it was not so foreign to him. Jealousy. His grip on the table tightened, almost loosing control of his strength and breaking it. His eyes narrowed and darkened almost visibly to his audience and his jaw tightened.

No more. He would take no more. The whole day she had ignored him, the whole day she had avoided him. The whole day he had been wondering if he'd done anything wrong, the whole day he'd been bothered about her strange behavior. He'd been patient enough, trying to set aside the fact that he could not concentrate in his work for he was far too bothered by her coldness towards him.

And to see that she was once again with Hatori, whom he had unconsciously considered as his rival…it was the last straw. Letting go of the abused table, Yuki excused himself in a low whisper, ignoring the questions of his subordinates.

He opened the door and slammed it shut, catching the attention of the morbid couple who were a few feet away. Hana and Hatori both turned to the sound, surprised to see that it was Yuki who stood in the middle of the hallway, his eyes shadowed by his bangs and his hands tightly clenched at his sides.

When Yuki finally raised his face to look at the two, Hanajima almost gasped as the intensity in those eyes of his, his aura was positively red with anger and green with jealousy.

"What's going on?" He asked darkly, his intense amethyst eyes turned to Hana. Hatori raised a brow at him but Hana was cool enough to keep her emotionless façade. Hana closed her eyes calmly and turned to Hatori, opening them again and speaking in her deadpan tone.

"May we have a moment alone?"

Understanding, not questioning, Hatori nodded and turned to leave. But not before saying, "I'll be in the parking lot."

Hana nodded and turned back to Yuki as Hatori left.

"What are you talking about, Souma-kun?"

Yuki's fists tightened even more. He stopped himself before bearing his teeth in agitation. "Why?" he said, "Why are you distancing yourself from me?"

For a long while, Hana just stared at him and then, "I never liked it whenever things got too complicated. I don't like handling complicated things; it's just too much trouble. When you came into my Tohru-chan's life I almost hated you for it because I knew Souma Yuki was going to complicate Tohru-chan's life. But Tohru wanted you and your family in her life so I had no choice but to accept it."

"But now, Yuki-kun—iie, Souma-kun has entered my life. Ever since then my mind has become baffled, I've felt more than I want to acknowledge, my life has become complicated and confusing. I don't want this, Souma Yuki. I never wanted it."

"So," Yuki said, "You're saying I'm nothing but trouble to you?"

"Yes." She icily answered. "And I am nothing but trouble to you. We cannot be acquainted with each other Souma-kun. A beautiful prince cannot be seen with an ugly witch."

"What nonsense." He said softly, angry but at the same time saddened. "I'm not a prince and you're not a witch. We're both just human beings. Why are you so afraid? What are you so afraid of? Why don't you just trust me? I don't listen to what they say, why can't you?"

"Because I don't deserve to be with you." She answered softly, lowering her head so that the watering in her eyes may be hidden.

"Why not! Who has the right to say such things?"

"The world."

Yuki walked forwards briskly, shocking the gothic girl by grabbing her arms. Her widened, watery eyes stared up at him. At the sight of her eyes, Yuki's fury diminished and was replaced by a deep sadness. "They don't know what makes me happy." He whispered.

"It's for the best."

"No, it's not!" Yuki said, his grip tightening on her arms. Something in his tone broke her heart, his eyes were pleading to her. "Isn't it fair to me to give me the right to choose who makes me happy?"

"I cannot make you happy."

"Yes you can and you do! Why is it so hard to accept that?"

Bump, bump. Bump, bump. Went her heart. Immediately she struggled from his grip. "Stop. Stop this." He would not let go of her. Stop making me believe such things. Stop.

"Don't run away, Hana-chan. Don't hide anymore."

She stopped struggling, her eyes were shadowed. Then she spoke, "Isn't it fair to me to give me the right to reject the friendship you offer?"

At that, Yuki's heart broke. Reluctantly, he let go of her. He couldn't say it. He simply couldn't say the words he wished he could. I'm not offering you friendship…I'm offering you my heart…

When Hana was free, she quickly turned to briskly walk away. But then Yuki called her name. She stopped.

"If you want me to get out of your life completely…please do me one favor…"

She turned her head to look at him with that same neutral façade.

"Please come with me to the Halloween Ball."

Hana thought of it for the longest while, and then…"Alright."