After a short hibernation I am back! With procrastination levels lower than ever before!

Just a quick note before starting this chapter, I made some minor changes to the last chapter for the sake of my sanity while editing it and some points I really had to add in. I added a bit to the middle and most of the end fyi if you were wondering. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to reread the last chappy before starting this one… just saying…. ;)

Chapter 20: Doppelganger!

Makoto blew into his hand, the warm breath warming it before switching hands to hold the cold beverage and warm the other. He felt a little dizzy sitting against the metal rail with the cars zooming past behind him. The drafts wafted the plaid shirt he wrapped as an accessory around the waist of his white t-shirt. Looking up, the sky was in its azure blue that was only found in a port city or town. He shielded his sage green eyes with a hand from the sun above. The weather was really nice today he thought taking in a breath of seawater and light. Looking around, there was a lot more people on the street as well. Almost everyone was walking in pairs. Each pair leaned closely against one another laughing and giggling as they made went their way with the signature light walk of a couple. The boys holding the other's hand tightly and leading gently with confidence while the girls' floral skirts fluttered lightly behind them. Makoto cleared his throat looking away. Briefly in his mind he imagined her in one of those floral skirts wearing the generic flats and hugging tightly to his arm, all dressed up just for him.

What an embarrassing thought… Makoto's face reddened.

But not everyone on the street were in two's, there were still the lonely stragglers covering their faces from the sappy air emitted around them, huddled into their dark, too-hot for the weather hoodies. He felt a sense of pity for them but then again he used to be one too just not as depressing looking. Makoto swiveled his head around, glancing down the busy street. He was sure it was past the time that they decided to meet. Would she really come in a skirt or dress, maybe that's why he can't seem to find her in the crowd.

"Makoto!" He blinked as she appeared in front of him. Actually, he had to blink a few times before he could register that she who was in front of him. "Where were you drifting off to?" Kaede asked smiling behind the thick black glasses. "You're not checking out girls are you?" She teased.

"N-no of course not…." Makoto uttered still taking her in.

"You stuttered…" Kaede studied him suspiciously.

"I definitely wouldn't. It's just that..." He looked at her from head to toe.

"Ah… you mean this… Think of it as more a precaution…" She laughed awkwardly pushing up the lens-less glasses. Kaede was donning dark jean with a roan red long-sleeve sweater and to add on a vest and a hat to go with it. Makoto wasn't sure if he was disappointed or thoroughly concerned for her.

"Aren't you warm…?" He tried to put it nicely.

"Not really… The weather cast said that the wind was really going to pick up later you know!" She quickly tacked on the last part. At the edge of her hair line, moisture was building up quick.

"I really don't think the fan club would follow us like this…"

"I-it's just a precaution a-anyways let's go!" Kaede dragged him by the arm into the crowd.

"You still haven't told me about why you wanted to meet up today?" Makoto inquired when they were with the flow of the mass amount of couples. She held tightly onto his elbow to prevent from separating. At least he still got part of his wish.

"Ah yeah, I just wanted to go pick out a present…" Kaede told him scratching her neck. She had to hide the fact that the date was meant to get something for him as an insanely late birthday gift. The guilt of not knowing his birthday until she joined the fan club was still stuck her nicely.

Makoto stiffened feeling a sense of Deja vu come across him. He scanned the crowd, each face he saw had their own defining features. Nothing was blurred. Except the fact looking at Kaede she could easily be mistaken for Haru or any boy, the image of her was blurred. Suddenly he felt a strong tug to the side as he was being pulled into a store.

XXX

"Nagisa… are you sure this is alright?"

"Rei-chan you're always asking me that. Of course it's alright!"

"But hiding like a bunch of creeps behind a wall…"

"Rei-chan I see you are the more direct type hei~! Then you go and tail them from behind, you have to be within a meter's distance from them at all times!" Nagisa slapped him hard on the back and with his seemingly thin arms propel the megane teen a couple of steps ahead of them out in the dangerous open. Rei quickly slinked back to the safety behind the wall.

"What's with this anyways… they're just going on a date let them be…" Rin grumbled behind all of them.

"Oh no no no! It's their first time going on a date with just the two of them! First dates are important you know!" Nagisa emphasized.

"It's still just a date in the end…"

"Why are you here anyways Rin-san?" Rei asked.

"Haru dragged me here today saying he had to come…" Rin sighed.

"Do you not like being with me?" Haru questioned looking up to the red haired boy, the blue eyes slightly larger than usual.

"O-of course not…!"

"Good." Haru stated turning back to track the couple. "I heard that they might be meeting up with Gou and Seijurou later too." He tacked on.

"Why are we still hiding behind a wall?"

They mobilized.

XXX

"Say… Makoto… what color of a present would you usually prefer…?" Kaede asked in a sheepish manner. He couldn't hear her. "Makoto?"

His eyes faced forward. Kaede quickly yanked his arm to help him evade some passer byers heading towards them. Her black vest dropped from her hands.

"Ah… sorry, you asked me something right?" Makoto stated picking up the vest before it could be dirtied any further. He managed to convince her to take that off at least, it take too much convincing.

"It's nothing." Kaede waved it off. The question was too direct anyways.

Makoto knew her goal today was to pick out a present but it wasn't for Miwa. However, the parallels he kept connecting to his nightmare from before was really troubling. Even the last boutique looked similar to the one in his dream. Unsettled was an understatement now.

"Kaede."

"Yeah?" She answered.

"… You want to go rest for a bit somewhere? Like to grab something to drink" Makoto asked

"Sure that sounds like a good idea!" Kaede smiled. "Actually I know somewhere we could go!"

Makoto chuckled being pulled around by her. Her reactions to his questions were one of a kind that his dream couldn't replicate. Nothing seemed to jump from place to place suddenly either. But dreams were really something, he thought looking at the veranda of the café they sat at now. It was quite the match with the one in the nightmare. But then again examining the place more clearly it seemed really familiar to one that he and Haru had visited in the past before. Actually he was one hundred percent sure Haru had brought him here before recognizing their signature poinsettias. Makoto grinned seeing Kaede who was sipping her icy drink with a thoroughly relieved expression. He will never get tired of how much the two resembled each other.

"Kaede you were asking me something before weren't you?" Makoto asked leaning on a perched elbow.

"Ah yeah, it was just something irrelevant." Kaede muttered being reminded about her failed attempt to find something about him. She racked her brain for a better question. "Oh! Makoto what would you like someone to give you? Something practical maybe?"

"Something practical would be nice." He mused. "I don't know maybe something like a decoration. Hand made things are always nice too." Makoto made his usual gentle smile.

"I see…" Kaede made a mental note inside. But something handmade... like a scarf maybe…? it'll take too long to make, I might as well make it as his birthday present that's coming up instead. She muttered inside. "How about food? Would you like it if someone gave you food?"

"Food sounds like a good idea too." He smiled.

Yosh, my cooking skills are quite decent so I should be able make something good! Kaede fist pumped inside. Now the other question was what his favorite would be. Green curry would be too weird to give out of the blue…

"Chocolates tend to be a good choice to give if you're thinking of food." Makoto suggested.

"I was just thinking about that!" Kaede exclaimed. "What about type though? There's white, milk, and dark chocolate recipes."

"Milk chocolate would work."

"How about the wrapping though, what colour would you like?"

"Green would be fine."

"I think I still have some green tissue paper home if I go look for them." Kaede muttered.

"Who are you getting the gift for anyways?" Makoto said in an amused tone. He had to ask.

"A-ah just someone close."

"Is it a guy?"

"No..!" Kaede uttered looking habitually to the side.

"Okay, okay." Makoto chuckled accepting her answer. He's seen the same lie hiding face on Haru before. The 'twins' were always so amusing.

XXX

"Hurry! They're leaving!" Nagisa pushed as the group watched the two get up from their seats. Moving like one entity they followed close to the pair.

"Where are they heading to now?" Rin muttered.

"I'm not sure… they're probably going to stroll through the boutiques and stores again." Nagisa muttered. They piled beside a book stand.

"Hmph, what a disorganized date! If it were me taking Kaede-san on a date we would going to an art gallery so she could indulge in her love and appreciation for the art pieces. Then we would head to quieter café than that noisy one they went to. There we could talk about artist that I have researched and later we could go-" Rei got himself by a pouting look from Nagisa.

"You thought about dating Kaede-chan haven't you!" He accused.

"N-no I haven't I never would!"

"Our date plans never went anything elaborate like this…." The pouting increased.

"It's because you always end up ruining them…!"

Rin and Haru shifted a little to avoid the couple quarrel about to break out. They still had their eyes set on the target couple.

"They're walking pretty close aren't they?" Rin noted watching her cling to the boy's arm tightly.

"Yeah, they are walking a little too close." Glancing beside him, Rin leaned away a little seeing the magazine in Haru's hand crumple.

"Oy… Haru cut them some slack, especially with Kaede. It's natural for them to be all tight and stuff with one another." He calmed. Haru pointed sharply to another couple. The girl was clinging tightly to her boyfriend's arm too but they happened to have red hair that resembled of certain couple that Rin didn't necessarily approve of. The girl jumped a little to land a sweet kiss on the boy's cheek. Rin's eye twitched.

Haru gave him the point proven look.

"Alright let's rip those love birds apart." Rin hissed and dragged the still arguing blond and blue couple with him.

With expert skill the stalker group were following the target pair closely again. They were out of the shopping district of town now. With is rage drained a little, Rin dared to poke his head out a bit further from their hiding place. His brows joined.

"When in the world did they set all this up…?" Rin mutter with a dumbfounded expression. They were looking over the colorful fences or the large area cleared up to house carnival rides with screams blasting from them.

"It's the annual autumn fest that comes every year." Haru stated. The red head's expressing became doubtful.

"Rin-chan don't tell me that you didn't know. It's been going for at least five years now! So out of date!" Nagisa laughed.

"Shut it will you. It's not like I could've been here those last five years." He hissed back, the blond boy made a terrified face with a smile.

"You should've stayed then…" Haru uttered under his breath looking away from him.

"Come on Haru…" Rin pleaded, feeling the guilt trip. He still refused to look at him.

"They're buying tickets!" Rei alerted glancing up from his binoculars. The red haired boy didn't even have time to ask where in the world did the other boy get the gadget before being pulled along in a chain reaction originating from a hyper Nagisa into the amusement park.

"Let's go on this one too!" The blond shouta exclaimed pointing to a massive joy-drop tower. Judging by the distraught face on the megane teen, he was clearly had his fill of the thrill rides. "Ah! Come Rei-chan! They're going to disappear!" The shouta dragged him into the queue and onto the attraction totally ignoring the semi-green on Rei's face. This was the 11th ride they had followed onto while tracking the couple.

Makoto sure has quite the taste for extreme rides… Rin thought watching the row of chair rise up to the top of the towering tower of the ride. The megane boy looked like he wasn't going to survive this one. I give you my early condolences… Rin muttered looking away as the machine drop the riders at an insane speed.

Adverting his gaze he peered over Haru's shoulder.

"How come you never smile in pictures?" Rin complained scrutinizing the snapshot taken by the rollercoaster dubbed the "Last Scream".

"You're not smiling either. You look scared out of your mind." Haru countered.

"I do not." He lied.

I beg to differ was written all over Haru's face. Rin faced away admitting defeat in the argument like the usual. Haru continued to study the photo (while feeling victorious inside). The target couple were awfully good at avoiding them on the rides they led them to. Rin watched with a slight scowl as the blue-blond couple stepped off the ride. He had his bets set on the blue one not making it but miraculously he held the super sweet bread, forced down his throat by his significant other, down. Rin saluted him inside.

"Ah! They're running away!" Nagisa exclaimed jumping and pointing where the target pair was heading.

"Nagisa they'll just run away faster if you do that." Haru stated monotonously. The other boy wanted to protest but kept in and continued his hyper atmosphere as they waited for Rei to regain some health before heading off again to stalk.

The group managed to catch up to them surprisingly quick recognizing their dark outfits and signature toques they both wore compared to the summery wear of the crowd around them. Eventually their stalking led them to line up for an ominous haunted house ride. Rin's neck hurt a little looking up to the purposely etched sinister looking demon engravings at the top of the haunted house.

"How many floors do you think this thing has?" Rin muttered.

"Three maybe." Haru answered, his eyes narrowed contemplating something inside staring at the elaborate horror movie decorations.

"Isn't that little excessive for a haunted house, what if someone trips or something running away?"

"Are you scared?" Haru asked blatantly.

"Of course not!" He snapped back.

"Come on you guys quit whispering like a couple about to go into a haunted house. Oh wait you guys are a couple~" Nagisa placed a hand over his mouth 'trying' to hide his sly smile.

Rin was unamused. But beside him Haru didn't stick to his usual cool demeanor, there was a faint pink that was cracking the ice of his skin. Rin blanked for a moment unsure how to react but out of secret wanting he wrapped an arm around the clear ocean blue eyed boy's shoulders pulling him along the line behind the blue blond couple ahead of them. A full and deep red filled Rin's face that was enough to rival the color of his hair. Haru was jumping and flipping inside but only a small smile managed to leak to the surface. They closed in closer to the entrance of the haunted house. Haru cuddled in closer to the safety of Rin's arm when they were finally in although he really wasn't scared. The feeling of Rin's warmth was out worldly pleasant though. It was worth the questioning looks they received.

XXX

"Hm? That's weird…" Makoto commented.

"What's weird?" She asked looking up to him.

"A minute ago I'm sure passed this boutique already. The logo should match the bag." He pointed out.

"It does…" Kaede muttered holding up the plastic bag. "Eh… I couldn't tell since I'm not familiar with this district…" She sighed. I'm pretty sure we took a different turn though at the last intersection….

"Me too… It's a bit of a fail isn't it? Living here for so long. " Makoto laughed.

Kaede smiled along flouncing beside him with the bag of cooking goodies flapping behind her back as they continued their aimless walk. Once in a while she caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection of the store windows. Even she stalled for a second to make sure that it was actually her in the mirror image. Maybe she did overdo it with the disguise although she liked the hipster feel it gave off. She moved her toque around so that more of her bangs would fall out.

"Do you want me to carry that for you?" Makoto asked eyeing the plastic bag.

"Nope! I'm good!" She replied observing the modern yet old foreign styled stores they passed probably for the fifth time now. The purposely antique designs were making her consider them the next target of her paintings. But that was until she was done all the stuff for the school festival coming up for both the swim club and fan club. Hopefully they have an art supplies store somewhere… Kaede mused thinking of the things to replenish.

In one of the small side stalls something caught her eye more than the intriguing architecture around them. Makoto stopped close beside her. She first noticed the bundles of pink carnations and lilies placed daintily in dark green display buckets then it was the many hanging flower baskets above them with petunias overflowing from it. Kaede laughed seeing Makoto nearly head-butted into one of them.

"The colors are so vibrant." Kaede commented ogling at all of the flowers in front of her.

"They must have gotten good batch this time." Makoto stated taking look at the arrangements.

"They smell so nice too! It's rare for them to be so nice." She smiled dipping herself close to every green display pot.

Makoto's gentle smile widened watching her smell every possible bud. No wonder people always associated flowers to girls. They looked the best around them. No matter how much Makoto tried to snap himself from the thought Kaede always looked so fragile to him. She picked up an assorted bouquet.

"So pretty!" She grinned cheerfully holding the bouquet close to her. The smell of lilies, freesias, and peach roses filled her nose.

Ah, it was that glow again. He watched it in sweltering awe. With a soft hand he moved the blossoms away from the glow and kissed it gently tasting the fragrance of her. It was short. Leaning away he saw her surprised blush, he kept their foreheads touching and his hands over her stiffened ones clutching the bouquet. Kaede shut her eyes to help with the spinning in her head. She still wasn't quite used the sudden blood rushes when he was this close.

"Compared to taste of chocolate, I think prefer the taste of this more." He whispered.

"You knew the whole time didn't you…! Making me look like a complete idiot…!" Kaede sputtered. She cringed, still red, as he moved in a little closer as he chuckled.

"Not the whole time, but I did catch on pretty quickly." Makoto smiled.

"….! W-we better buy the flowers before the owner gets angry…." She muttered finally daring to meet his eyes.

"Alright, alright." He pulled away but not before landing another kiss on her. Kaede smooshed her face into the bouquet hoping the red would diffuse into the petals of the flowers. She was definitely going to get him back for this!

XXX

Coming out of the haunted house Rin was strangely out of breath, heaving even. He couldn't possibly out of shape could he with all of the vigorous swim practices.

"It's because you were screaming and running so much." Haru enlightened him, much to his demise and annoyance. At least he wasn't like Rei and Nagisa who were still shaking and clutching to each after the horror. Wimps! He sneered while comforting the two and distributing tissue after tissue to the blond boy. Without Rin's notice, Haru broke away from the group and ran after the couple they were stalking.

"Haru where are you going?!" He called after him sprinting too. Of course the other boy didn't answer him and continued sleuth around the crowds to reach the couple. Rin was right behind him and eventually on par with him and even pulled ahead a bit too. Haru wasn't too fast on land. But the target couple was unsuspecting. Closing in with less than a few steps, Haru sped up and landed a hard hand on the girl's shoulder and Rin's on the boy's.

"EH?! Haru-senpai! Onii-san?!" Gou exclaimed with horrified expression.

"I knew something was off…" Haru muttered.

"EH?! EH?! But how did you guys find out?! We were so careful!" Gou cried.

"Makoto is too scared to go on any of those rides and those two would never go into something like a haunted house even if they're trying to shake us off." Haru stated with Sherlock like atmosphere.

"But we tried so hard to go on a secret date together finally…." She pouted and sulked.

"Come on Rin let's go we to go find Makoto and Kaede again." Haru declared swiveling away from the couple he wasn't interested in, but the red haired boy didn't move. Uh-oh…. Haru uttered inside.

"What's this…? You two on a secret date hey…. Disguises and all too…. What didn't bother telling you kind onii-san did you…?" Rin seethed.

"W-w-wait brother-in-law we can explain. No. Wait. I can explain! Please let Gou-kun go!" Seijurou pleaded while crumbling from the clutch of Rin's hand that seemed to get infinitely tight.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING BROTHER-IN-LAW?!"

"ONII-SAN!"

A little bit of the underworld broke loose.

XXX

Kaede covered her mouth to smother her laugh down to a snicker. Makoto looked over to her with amused curiosity. She showed him the text from her electric blue flip phone.

You win… (TT_TT)

~Gou

Along with the text a blurry photo of a well beaten up Seijurou and a Satan resembling Rin was attached. Makoto covered a hand over his mouth to hold in his laughter.

"What was it for?" Makoto asked snickering.

"It's nothing major but you can expect a free lunch from them the next time we see them!" Kaede smiled holding a finger up.

"If they ever get to come out together again…"

"True!"

The two gave in and laughed openly at the other pair's funny demise.

They reached the small gate of her house. Snagging the chance she jumped and threw her arms, bouquet and all, around his neck.

"Thank you so much for today, I'll still make the chocolate for you." Kaede told him, her voiced muffled from his shirt.

"Hahaha, me too. I'm looking forward to them then!" Makoto chuckled wrapping his arms around her waist. Her feet were no longer touching the ground.

Kaede hold on his neck loosened, her thin hands grabbed his face and kissed him directly. Immediately she jumped down from him and sprinted into her house in triumph. Makoto liquidated outside her door and she celebrated inside. Revenge success!

Hohoho another super fun chapter to write! ^^

If you got any comments you would like to leave me about the chapter or anything I would love to hear about it!

Do stay tuned for the next chapter! ^^

Thanks for reading! :D