Chapter 28- The Moment

A/N: This was the most emotional, most complicated chapter that i ever had the misfortune of writing! I went mad writing it! Anyways, Read, enjoy and review!
And thankyou, ilovemyniece for the idea, it got my mind racing!

Risa Manabe sat stationary next to the rigid Yuri. Her father had forced her to come and visit since she hadn't seen them since. Rika was somewhere and her she was, sitting next to the most quiet person she had ever met. She sighed. She hated the silence yet she liked to be the silent one. She tapped her fingers impatiently then glanced at Yuri who seemed to be very interested at his shoes. She sat another five minutes in silence, swinging her legs to and fro. She stared back at him. He was still in his own world. She sighed again and bit her lip.

"Um… Yuri?" she said, speaking to him for the first time in their encounter.

He looked up at her blankly.

"So you're done being quiet?" he smirked.

Risa blushed and looked down. She heard him chuckle quietly yet sadly.

"Yeah, I'm done..."

He looked at her and smiled- almost sneered- then stared back at his shoes.

She felt somehting gone, as though something- or someone was gone. She knew Viola was at the hospital, saying that she fell down the stairs or something... but there was someone else...

"Where's Ryo?"

"Ryo?"

She felt the hurt in his voice... it was as though he had died...

"I-I don't know... Why'd you want to know, you barely speak... to him, I mean."

"I don't know either, i just remembered."

His violet eyes dimmed even more if possible. "Actaully, I do know." he said, looking down again, bowing his head lower. She stared at him.

"He's banished... him and his family..." his voice cracked.

Banished? What was he talking about?

"He was my best friend..."

Risa didn't know what to do. She was a sociable person nor was a comforting one, that was Rika's job. "Why'd they banish him?" Curiousity killed the cat.

His nostrils flared and he glared at her. She saw his body tense and grow hard. She thought that all of a sudden he was going to hit her- attack her. But all he did was walk away. WAlk in a manor that made everyone back away from him... a way which sent that aura of anger... just walked away.


Zora sat down staring at her book blankly as she was supposed to be writing the answers of the questions given for homework. But, she didn't have time for homework! She was worked up in her own thoughts that lingered her mind. They were confusing thoughts. Thoughts, so deep that she a person like her would never be expected to think about. On her right, Shun was scribbling away with his dark green hair falling over his eyes. His hair had grown and he had been restless and tense as well as stressed by a few matters. From the way he wrote, you could see that his arm was already tensed up and a bit rigid from exhaustion.

It had been a while since he had erased the memories of Ken about Shena, and even though Shena had told him that it wasn't his fault, he still seemed guilty about it.
'He was too sensitive.' Zora thought.

That was exactly what he was- she couldn't risk it. He may seem this tough, tall standing boy- but he was still fragile. His eyes were broken and were leaning with all their strength. But he can't always be that way, can he? You can't pour tea onto an already full cup without it spilling, can you? She stared at the boy for a while thinking how oblivious he is as she stared at him. Suddenly, he looked at her, seeming to feel the pressure radiating from her. Her golden-green eyes met his deep green. She remembered her encounter.

Ren was seated on her usual long couch with different blankets of silk wrapping around her, and her midnight black- no, worse than midnight black hair was trickling onto the floor with soft flickers. Her eyes were shut, hiding her cold, mirthless, and hollow eyes. Zora stood against the wall that Ren was giving her back to.Zora stared then snapped out of her day-dreaming. She realized that Shun was still looking at her intently. She bolted out of her seat so fast that her long, silver hair had danced around her and whipped Shun across his face.

"Do you know why I've called you here?" Ren spoke in that chilling, silky tone that was like solid ice thrown on your back.

Zora just stood stationary behind the woman. She wanted to answer- but the words couldn't come out of her mouth. She felt as though her tongue had been stabbed to numbness.

"Do you know why I called you here?" she repeated, her voice was much colder and much firmer.

"N-No," she replied.

Ren started to straighten up as she held onto her robe tightly around her body. Her black hair trickled as though water was flowing with it. She turned around slowly, with her silt-like, piercing black eyes. Zora felt her body freeze.

"Then, how about I tell you why you're here, hmmm?" Ren replied, her lip curling into a very bitter smile.

Ren took slow steps towards Zora.

"You will not meddle, nor steal my things…they all belong to me… your souls are mine to own… they should only feel that they can't live without me… their feelings will be towards me, not towards anyone else…" Ren continued.

When she was exactly face-to-face with Zora, she brought her hand and gently yet malevolently let her fingers- more like her nails- stoke Zora's soft cheek.

"Listen you!" her voice became hard and bitterer. "Don't you dare think that you can simply walk ahead of me and steal them from me! They all belong to me- you belong to me! Who do you think you are to just try and fall in whatever you call 'Love'? This love that you are trying to feel will only- and only- belong to me! I am here to be loved and obeyed! I am here to own you! I am the significant one while you- all of you- every single one of you- are just my toys! You're all here so I can have ownership- you're here so you can only fill a space! Once you die, no one will care! Because after you comes another! See- you are just an object for my pleasure! An object for such pleasure will love me only! Not go ahead and steal that love from my Zodiac and throw it towards yourself!" Ren had shouted.

Zora stared in horror that she lost her balance and fell on the floor.

"If I hear or see anything of Shun having any relation with you- he will be the one to pay the price of your stubbornness and disobedience! He'll share the fate that Hatori had! You will see his eye bleed from the looks of you!"

"Zora? Is something the matt-" he said.

"I have to wash my face," she said simply and walked to the bathroom at the side of the room.

Shun stared at the retreating form of the girl with an oblivious thought on what was going on. He had no idea what was going on- she wasn't like this. She was usually the one who was hyper and loud, right now, she was quiet and downtrodden… He cocked his head a bit and flinched as the door shut with a slam.

Zora stared at her reflection on the mirror. Her eyes were dimmer than usual and her hair was all over her face. She brushed her hair away from her face. She opened the tap and heard the water splash onto the sink with the usual sounds of flowing and splashing. What was she thinking!?! She heard Ren's threat on what would happen- if she advanced- if she wanted- no… she can't, she'd be selfish… he'd be the one to get hurt-she couldn't hurt him because of her- she wouldn't bear it!

She then heard a sharp knock on the door followed by Shuns voice.

"Zora, can you get out, please?" his voice trailed to her ears.

She felt as though her body was moving- not allowing her brain to think. She shut the tap off and opened the door to look at him right in front of her. His expression seemed worried- worried about her.

"Zora? Are you alright?" he asked.

She didn't meet his gaze and swiped her eyes away from his.

"Yeah, I'm fine… why?" she asked.

"Zora, I know you're not fine. Tell me what's wrong?" he said.

Zora bit her lip before saying "Nothing."

She bit her lip again and thought about what she should say. Should she tell him that she loved him? But- if he didn't… she would be crushed. If he did… she would still be crushed, because if Ren knew, he would be hurt. But… she wanted him. She did, so badly. She wanted to feel how it was to hug him or how it felt for him to touch her cheek or how it felt to touch his lips…

"Shun?" she said weakly.

"Yeah?"

"W-What do you think of me?" her heart raced against itself while and when and after she said that question.

She didn't want to bloat the question straight at him- she might kill him! As well as she didn't want to humiliate herself. But that question was all that came into her mind. Subtleness was never her strongest points. She glanced at his now surprised face. He was just staring at her with an expression as though she was nuts.

"What I think about you?" he repeated in a tone of double checking.

Zora made a stiff nod. He seemed quiet for a few moments.

"Do you think I'm just a friend or only family or…" she trailed off her voice dying away.

She felt tears prick her eyes. She swallowed them hard and bit her lip.

"Y-you're a little of everything, I guess," he tried to keep his voice calm and cool and flat, yet the tinge of panic was inescapable.

"So you like me, eh?" she asked.

Shun stared at her. "You're family of course I-"

"Don't you love me?" she said.

Her eyes were burning with the tears she was trying to hide. She looked straight at his face. He was shocked. He was speechless, and above all- he had no idea what to do.
He stared at her as though she went mad. From his expression Zora's eyes, brimmed with tears already started to flow. They threw themselves from her eyes and dived down her soft cheeks like a waterfall. She bit her lip but it was no use. She lost its control.

"I- I'm sorry, I have to go-" he turned around and was ready to leave.

Zora grabbed hold of his shoulder to stop him. He whipped back to face her exploited face. She looked at him as though the answer was written on his face.

"Zora, listen-" Shun said.

"Do you?" she interrupted as though he had never said anything. "You don't, don't you? You don't."

"Wha-"

"You don't?" she said in a dead silent whisper.

"I never said that- listen, Zora-" he grabbed hold of both her shoulders.

She broke down and started to cry. She felt her body break and shatter- she felt her body crash- her heart crash. Shun just realized how small she was. Her shoulders were hunched up ever so easily- she was so small. She always jumped about and laughed and yelled happily and always looked tall and strong. But right now, in front of him was a small, little girl no older than 16. Zora's legs gave away that she fell onto the floor, Shun had come down with her as he kneeled in front of the crying girl. Zora closed her eyes tightly not wanting to meet the world. She was crying because he loved her. His eyes loved her. She was a horrible person. She felt disgusting. She felt her petite body being held by a stronger one- a warmer one. She was held tightly that she felt arms wrap her back strongly yet- yet gently.

"I never said any of that… All I can do is hurt people. I hurt many people. I- I didn't want to hurt you," she felt a warm whispering breathe next to her ear.

She pulled away to face Shun who was smiling ever so slightly. Her face was a mess due to her emotions being all tangled up. She saw his face creeping slowly to hers. He was so close that she could detect that mole next to his eyes- just like Mayuko.
She kissed him. She had him. She felt dirty. She felt so dirty that he was tangling up with her. If Ren knew- if Ren knew, it would be all her fault. Yet she still clung on. She knew she was going to regret it. Yet she still needed him so badly.


Muro sat quietly in his seat being as rigid as possible. His eyes averted towards his parents. His mother was trembling in her seat, he face drenched in sweat and tears and his father stood next to the door- the door which held his sister. His sister who was lingering between life and death… who was injured to a limit that- he couldn't think about it. Viola would live! She will!

Then the doctor came out the room and shut the door quietly. His parents jolted with amazing speed and sped to him… expecting. He removed his facial mask and looked at them somberly.

"It was a serious injury and we have tried everything… you're daughter has…"

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