Xxyangxx2006- Thank you! I try to keep the characters in character as close I can so I am happy to hear you think they're on point! As for her uncle and father, I don't want to give anything away, but I can honestly say you don't have to worry about the uncle. I think you're the first to really question the father though.

Guest (same guest as ch. 23)- You're welcome dear! And happy birthday! Wow that's a lot of hours to work so please be careful and take care of yourself, okay?

Atlantis5296- Pft. The hosts are funny that's for sure.

Bored411- Glad you loved the chapter, hope you like this chapter as well! Finally the dreaded Masami talk (or should I say fight?).

FanFictionReader225- Heh. Poor Riko just can't get a break, really.

Alice Kitten- Pft. At least the bubbles covered everything.

Them3CrazyGirls- Glad you loved the chapter, hope you like this one too!

Medieval Midnight- XD Thank you; it would be god 'cause I'm a male. Glad you thought it was funny!

Spirit of Imagination- You can slap him all you want, I don't think it's gonna stop him xD

Thank you so much for all the favorites, follows and reviews! So glad you guys liked the last chapter and I hope you all enjoy this one too- even if it's the dreaded talk with Masami.

~CWA

Chapter 36

It took forever before I finally managed to drag my feet toward Masami's house. Getting up this early to see her before school started was hard enough, but walking there is actually the real challenge since she lives a bit away. Still, after waking up three hours earlier than I usually do, I manage to make my way to her house only slightly flushed and out of breath with time to spare. Time that will hopefully be spent talking to her. Or it will be spent with her slamming the door in my face.

The only good news is that if it's someone else who opens the door, they won't be fazed to find me standing here like this. Her butler, as well as her parents, are well informed about my decision to wear the male uniform to school. They have a sort of fuck gender roles attitude to the whole thing and like Masami they think I'm, ugh, brave for dressing how I like without carrying about what gender people think I am because I'm comfortably secure. Meh whatever floats their boat I guess. I just like masculine clothing as well as feminine clothing.

I stand in front of the large mansion with hesitation. I can do this. But the real question is how? Do I just knock on the door? Ring the doorbell? Would her butler even let me in? Does he, or anyone else in her household/family, even know what's going on? What if her parents answer the door? Will she refuse to see me? Will it be Masami herself who answers the door only to slam it in my face without so much as a hello? I bite at the inside of my cheek and avert my eyes from the door.

Masami's mansion has once been a safe heaven for me. The place I would hide out and take comfort in pillow forts and movie marathons. Where I would listen to her as she confided in me and she would do the same to me. It was, in more ways than one, a second home. But what once was a comforting heaven now looms over me with an intimidating shadow like a dark cloud.

Taking a deep breath, I try to calm my nerves. My hands are shaking slightly at my sides and my mouth is a bit dry. Though the sudden opening of the door causes me to jump back with surprise, my heart pounding. Though I relax slightly when it's only the butler. The older, kind butler who is the least likely person to just slam the door in my face.

"You have been standing there for the past five minutes," he informs me with a passive expression, "Do you have any plans of coming in? I am sure that Miss Masami will be happy to see you."

Oh so I guess she hasn't told him about what's going on. Maybe she hasn't even told her parents. Which is likely considering the butler, whose name I always forget, seems to always know everything so if he doesn't know about this then… I relax slightly and step through into the mansion as he steps aside to let me in. I manage to give him a slightly forced smile. He doesn't smile back. I don't think he ever smiles actually. He just stands there, tall and impressive in his uniform with a blank look on his face and his hands folded behind his back.

"Miss Masami is up in her room if you'd like to see her. If you need my assistance, please do call."

He leaves without another word, leaving me to fend for myself. At least I'm in. There's no turning back now and I can't run away from this. My heart is creating a wild drum beat in my chest, pounding so fast I worry if it's going to split open my chest. My face is still a bit flushed and my nerves are still causing me to shake terribly, but I manage to find my way up the stairs that I know will lead to Masami's room.

I walk slowly up the stairs, not in any particular hurry since I don't know what will happen when I talk to Masami. Literally anything is possible at this point. Biting my cheek, I manage to quicken my pace as I try to convince myself that it's best to get this over with quickly. There is no use putting off what's bound to happen eventually. Though I'm concerned at how I will find Masami. I mean I haven't seen her around school these past few days. She could be sick or something.

Shaking my head to clear it, I finally reach Masami's bedroom. Her door is cracked just enough for me to glance inside briefly without being seen. She's standing in the middle of room, a bit dazed and it almost looks like something from a horror movie with how her hair is covering her face. It doesn't help that the lights are dimmed down, creating eerie shadows across the room. I almost shiver at how freaky the scene looks, but then I notice the bottle in her hand. Particularly a certain wine bottle that is not supposed to be drank all at once and judging from how it's already half empty, I have a feeling that's just what Masami has been doing.

A guilt builds up in my chest slightly as I see her. Now that I look closely, I can see the bags under eyes and just how pale her skin is. She is not in good shape. Why haven't I noticed how bad she is sooner? Why didn't I help her? And now she's probably drunk off her ass and who knows how many times she's done this in this past week alone?

I don't even hesitate to walk through the door this time. My sudden determination to talk to her, to try to fix this, is stronger than my nerves for once. I have to talk some sense into her. More than that, I have to make things right because she's my best friend. One of them at least. And how she's hurting herself like this is not okay.

"Masami," I call out softly, "Masami?"

She doesn't even look at me. I didn't know any better I'd say she's just brushing me off. But I have to talk to her. I step in front of her, standing right in her vision in a way that makes sure she will at least see me.

"Masami, are you drunk?"

My voice is laced with concern and worry, as well as a bit of guilt. But Masami doesn't answer me. At least not at first. She just stares at me, glancing me over with a distasteful scowl settled on her face. Like she's disgusted with me. Or angry. I go to at least get the bottle of her hand slowly and carefully, but she swats my hands away.

"It's only been a fewwww drinks," her voice slurs slightly and the stench of alcohol is strong, "Mostly it's just wine… And I only get really drunk every now and then. And I mean really drunk. So drunk that I just barf. You know that. You know everything about me."

She gets an almost wistful look on her face and if I look closely I can see the tears building up in her eyes. She is drunk. But some part of her is still sober. I can tell from how she talks. It's not total nonsense and it's actually relevant to what I'm saying. She's not being very silly so she can't be more than a few drinks in which means she's telling the truth.

But the wistful expression disappears quickly as she turns her attention back to me with a fierce expression on her eyes. Her eyebrows are furrowed with narrowed eyes and she's waving her finger at me accusingly as she barely even stops long enough to set down the wine bottle. Her waving finger hits my chest, poking it in an intimidating manner. Or what's supposed to be intimidating. Despite her being much taller than I am, she's slouched down to my level and it's hard to take someone too seriously when their voice slurs on every other word.

"Unlike me with you," she spits out, "I thought I knew everything about you. I mean we were best friends for a year and just like sisters. But apparently I don't know you as well as I thought because best friends don't do what you did."

Her voice is filled with so much spite that I half expect a lightning bolt to shoot me down where I stand. My grave will read death by betrayal. Like some sort of Shakespearean character. But unlike most of his famous, classic characters, no one will feel sympathy me because I would deserve it for what I've done.

A deep, dark dread washes over me as I feel myself pale with a bit of horror. My heart seems to stop at what she's hinting at. I don't even want to dwell on the fact that she used past tense when calling us best friends. I mean that alone is enough to make me want to cry, but there's something more she's hinting at. I don't know you as well as I thought because best friends don't do what you did. Almost instantly I know what she means. It's hard not to. I gulp thickly, unsure what to say in response. What is one even supposed to say in this situation? But I have to say something…

"I…what?"

Smooth Shibata. Smooth as sandpaper. That is totally playing it innocent. I flush slightly as I can't seem to find any words. I can't even look her in the eyes because of the guilt. I clench my hands at my sides slightly as they shake violently from the sheer fear and panic that is clouding my judgment. But after a moment I am finally able to look back up at Masami.

I wish I hadn't. She's staring at me with the most pure hate-filled glare I have seen in my life. As if her eyes could kill me on the spot. Her face is flushed with anger and her eyes are slightly glazed over with a few tears. I feel myself freeze over just from her glare alone. It's like everything else in the world just stops. Time itself is frozen. There is nothing. Just her eyes that I can't seem to look away from. I can't even feel the rapid pounding of my heart anymore, but I can still hear it in my ears.

"Riko, cut the crap," Masami spits out, "…I know about you and Takashi."

I gulp again thickly, my throat being tight and my chest feels like there's a giant weight pressing into it. Has it always been this hard to breath? I can't even speak from the sheer panic that is causing me to just stand there. Frozen. Useless. What does one say to that? I can't deny it. Masami knows and denying it can make everything worse besides I was kind of coming over here to talk to her and maybe tell her anyway so denying it would defy that purpose.

I sputter slightly, not able to find any words. All that just comes out is just a small wheezing noise of mild frustration. I can already feel the tears building in my eyes as my fists clench at my sides. But I can't seem to look away from Masami as she continues on her rant, her eyes dark with a mix of sorrow and anger.

"I thought it wasn't you at first Riko," Masami's voice softens slightly, "I thought wow my best friend would never do that to me, what am I thinking? So I laughed it off but then… I see you texting in class, smiling to yourself and glance over just enough to catch a glimpse of you and him as your background. I told myself it was just a picture and maybe it even included the other hosts since I didn't see all of it because you're all in the same club…"

I don't like the way this heading. The tears slowly start to roll down my cheeks as I sniffle to myself. I can even see Masami's tears slowly rolling down her cheeks as well.

"…I wanted to see Takashi at the Kendo Club," Masami continued, her voice barely above a whisper, "And I saw you. With him. I just… I couldn't deny it any more…"

Her voice fades out and away, a tension and dreary silence falling between us. I manage to finally look away from her, not having the hear to look at her directly as my hands fumble together in front of me.

"…H-How did you know it was me," I manage to mumble slightly.

I know it's not the best thing to say in this situation and I slap myself mentally for saying out loud the first thing to come to mind. But I don't have time to correct myself or say anything else. Masami glares at me, fiercer than before as her fists clench tightly.

"Riko, I'm not stupid," Masami all but shouts, her voice raising, "Really? Hair extensions and contacts as well as just some trick makeup isn't going to fool me! I'm your best friend!"

She's screeching at me, her voice cracking and wavering as she speaks, before she continues softer,

"…Was… I was your best friend anyway…"

I can't see her anymore. Tears are blurry everything too much. I can't even think straight. We are best friends Masami. We still are. We can fix this. I don't know how but we can. We have to. We have to at least try and talk it out. All that and more are things I just want to say right now. But I can't get more than a stupid stutter wheezing out. The words just die in my throat as my hands start to shake violently.

"You knew how I felt," Masami continues, the slur long go from her words, "You knew how I felt about Takashi and… Maybe it wouldn't have bothered me that much but you kept it a secret. Riko that hurts… Why don't you trust me?"

My heart breaks into a million pieces. Shattered everywhere. Just.. broken. I trust you Masami. Masami I have always trusted you. I just… I didn't want to hurt you. And Kyoya just… I can't seem to get any words out that could possibly defend myself to her.

"….Get out," Masami whispers, "….Get out!"

I don't know what to do. I can't see. I can't think. So I just do what I'm told. I high tail it out of there quickly, leaving Masami and her mansion behind me as I quickly make my way back to the sidewalk that will take me home. I may not be in the best condition right now. I may not be able to see anything. But everything hurts too much for me to go to school right now.

I just want to go home.