Chapter 21- The Bridge

"Our final meeting was over this weekend, and our engagement is finalized." Seiran stared hard at the ceiling, forcing his voice to stay level. "My lady has requested to spend my last day at Kohaku high with me…" he swallowed hard. "I'd like you to all greet her now."

He stiffly walked to the classroom door and slowly slid it open. A girl that could only be described as elegant stepped to the front of the classroom and bowed shallowly.

"My name," her voice rang clear, "is Yuuki Karin, and as you already know, I am engaged to Seiran Shi." She almost to smile and glance at the class, but held back when she met the metallic sound of descending silence. "I hope you'll make me feel welcome."

The classroom fell silent, the enormity of the news heavy on their minds. The stiff air was cut by a clap, and then another, lead by Haku.

Haku sat, eyes closed and composed, showing acceptance to Seiran's fiancé. The tension broke, and Seiran, feeling like slime, stood in front of his cheering and hooting classmates with a tight smile

There was one person who was still frozen by the news. Yuuki held up her hand and the cheering hesitantly stopped. She smiled. "Thank you." Her eyes darted to Chihiro and fell into a blank stare at the back of the room. "It's good to know that Seiran was surrounded with good people."

"Hey cheerful," Akari bonked Chihiro on the head with her lunch tray. She sat across the cafeteria table from her pouting friend.

Chihiro ignored Akari and continued to stare, glazy-eyed, at Seiran's back, which was leaning tentatively away from a girl by the name of Yuuki. There were so many question she wanted to ask him, but couldn't because Yuuki stayed glued to him at a polite distance.

Chihiro shifted so that Akari blocked the view of the couple.

"Do you want to do something after school? We could go to the café or shop." Akari fiddled with her juice straw, waiting expectantly for an answer.

Chihiro thought about declining the offer, but decided she could use a break from Seiran-drama. "I might need that," she nodded, "how about the mall? We can pick some food up while we're there."

Akari nodded. "The bridge at four?"

"The bridge at four."

"Chihiro." Seiran looked relieved, but tense as he stood in front of his desk partner.

Chihiro nodded slightly and pulled her books onto the desk.

"Uh, excuse me."

She dug for a pencil and looked up at a girl that she disliked without knowing her.

"Yes?" Chihiro straightened and twisted to face the girl.

"Can you tell me where there are extra chairs?"

Chihiro turned away from her. "There aren't any."

Seiran sat next to Chihiro like he was lowering himself into a pit of smashed caterpillars.

The girl spoke again. The teacher called the class to attention.

"I'm Yuuki-"

"I know."

Chihiro felt guilty through biology class. Yuuki sat one table in front of Chihiro and Seiran, a desk that was unassigned to any team.

Chihiro heard Seiran write something and looked down at her notebook.

Meet me at the bridge to talk?

Chihiro stared hard at her paper, frustration growing in the form of a smile.

No.

She looked at the teacher to show that she was listening. She reluctantly looked down with curiosity at the new message on her paper.

Are you mad?

Why should I be?

Seiran frowned and tried to connect with her eyes. He motioned to the seat in front of him.

She's nice enough. Chihiro turned so that her hair fell in her face.

I'm sorry.

Chihiro ignored this new addition.

I had to try.

She grabbed her pencil.

Try what?

He bent low and scribbled on his own paper. After a short while he slid the paper over so she could read.

It was my final option, their ultimatum. If I was found to be… unfaithful to "my lady," He wrote with dark, angry quote marks, then I had something I could use to refuse the marriage.

Chihiro shook her head.

So basically you tried to use me to get our of this marriage. Thanks.

She put her pencil down noisily, ignoring the look from her teacher, and didn't look at Seiran or her paper until the bell rang.

Yuuki has to leave at 2:30. I'll be at the bridge at 3, so please come talk with me. I want to say goodbye.

My gosh am I a lazy butt or what? Sorry about the lack of updates yet again… I'm bummed that I couldn't have any comic relief in this chapter, so I'll… no, I'd better not promise anything.

Anyways, just in case this didn't come across right, by "unfaithful" Seiran means that since they'd been planning the marriage for a while, if he brought up that he had a girlfriend during the time of the marriage planning, he'd be "unfaithful" in the eyes of the strict Karin family.

Not that he was suggesting anything icky. Just clearing that up. :D

Oh I was so sure that Yuuki was going to be this uptight, mean person. But, after much afterthought and a reader's review, I decided to be nice.

Happy Halloween everyone!