A/N: Yay! Updated! So this is going to be the moment of truth for Youko. Please review this chapter when you finish! Need feedback! Well I hope you enjoy it and please don't get sad... (just a warning)

Previously on Reaching True Feelings: Youko forced a laugh. He didn't want to act like that throughout the entire day. Something needed to be said. I'm never gonna get anywhere at this rate. I have to tell her how I feel now so that I could get it over with already. I'm sick of stalling. Come on Youko…you've known the chick for a while now…and it's not like you see her as a total stranger…All right! I can do this. It was going to be then or it was going to be never… "Kaoru. I've thought long and hard about something…" He twiddled his thumbs, and looked down at the floor, feeling his heart beat through his ears. "Look, there's something that you gotta know…" (end preview)

Kaoru waited patiently for his answer. She figured that it could take a while. "Go ahead. I can tell that everyone is going to be late for class so as long as that's the case, I don't mind waiting." He nodded. "It better not be anything hentai or so help me you'll get the pummeling of your life for making me wait just so you could say something completely unnecessary." He nodded again, knowing full well that she would make him pay if he did say anything perverted. "So…what is it that you wanted to say? You really do seem pretty serious about whatever it is that's bothering you…"

"That's because it is serious. I'm not gonna say something completely out of the ordinary, Kaoru. What I want to tell you is difficult for me to say. So I'm sorry if I can't come right out and tell you what's bothering me."

"I understand. Take as much time as you need." His eyes widened as he looked at her smiling face. Wait a second. Since WHEN has she been this nice to me? How about…never! "Maybe…you'd rather hint at what you want to say instead of coming right out and telling me…will that help?" Youko shook his head. "Ohh…so it's really that serious then?" He nodded. It was almost as if he could not speak to her about anything except for the fact that he was trying to convey his feelings towards her.

"Kaoru…I…have to tell you before I flip out." She giggled. "I care about you…you know that I do." She nodded deeply, now well aware that this was indeed a serious situation. "And I know that I've been rough on you in the past…but even so, you've forgiven me…for just about everything that I have done to you." She nodded. "You don't know how much of a jerk I was. To make fun of you was wrong and I knew it. I was just…too stubborn to see it." Youko could feel her eyes read him…look him in the face as he was struggling with himself. "But now…I'm glad that I could admit that I was wrong. To have a friend like you really does make me feel like I am cared for…I still don't understand it though. How were you really able to forgive me like that? Start over and forget…"

"Well…" She began. "I realized…that ever since you took care of me that day that the festival was canceled…I realized that you were my true friend. My heart was reborn." Youko gasped. That was the exact same thing that she had managed to say in his dream. Maybe…the dream itself was trying to tell him something. "I didn't know what to think of you when we were freshmen. I knew that all boys were trying to find a place. Everyone was. So I really didn't see that the popularity drove you to be the person that you are…" She paused and looked down at the floor, as did he. "I had closed my heart away…never dared to get to know you better. But back then, I thought that I shouldn't have because I thought that you would never grow up and never stop teasing me."

Youko was convinced. He was sure that she said something along those lines in his dream. But…what does that all mean to me now? That was a dream but this isn't. It's not like she's gonna start making out with me in a school hallway. No, that's not like her at all. Just calm down. This isn't going to be like the dream I had. It's just all a coincidence…from what she said up until now. Shit…I'm not good with this psychological stuff. "Uhh…well…bottom line: I'm just really happy that you did get to know me better." Kaoru laughed. She had expected a response like that coming from him. "And that's why…I…I…have…"

"You…have what? If it's too hard on you, don't say another word." He shook his head. There was no way that he would back down now. He had already come this far and so, he had to go through with it no matter what the circumstance. "…O-okay…you can take your time then. I'll be here to listen. Count on it…"

By that time, people were beginning to crowd around them, each student very curious as to why both Kaoru and Youko had such serious expressions on their faces. However, be that as it may, Youko had no intention of stopping. He didn't care if people heard his declaration or not. What mattered was that he needed to tell Kaoru what he felt for her then…it could wait no longer. "Kaoru…I have…" He started up again, but this time his heart beat painfully. Eyes from every direction averted their attention to him. It was he who had the floor. He was to speak and everyone was to follow. "Kaoru…I…I…love…you…ohh, crap…I said it okay?!? I love you!" Everyone gasped…Kaoru was simply unsure of how to react to his declaration of love…

Silence followed. There was not a person at the time who moved. Everyone now turned to Kaoru…it was she who had to continue and say what was needed to be said. However, she couldn't even do that. "Oh would you say something already, Kaoru?" Youko stepped forward, Kaoru still as stiff as a board. "It's not like this is such news. I haven't made my feelings for you completely obvious but surely, you should have known that it would turn out like this…" He knew that she was struggling and he knew that she was trying to say something in return, but she just couldn't do it. Something in her body prevented her from uttering but a word…

Both Kaoru and Youko stood, looking into each other's eyes for about a minute until Youko, as confident as he could be, closed the gap and took her into his arms. "I know…" He began by whispering in her ear so that no one might hear their conversation. "I know…that this is awkward for you. It is for me too…and trust me…I'm not a suave Romeo." Kaoru laughed on the inside. "I just had to tell you…because…I had discovered what kind of a person you were. I had no idea…that you were this wonderful." She tensed up in his hold but did not resist him. There was no way that she could be so cruel as to break his heart again. "For me to think that you were a different kind of person…was a stupid move on my part. And yeah, I'm admitting that I was wrong…just don't get used to that." It was now Youko's turn to tense up. "I'm sorry about all this. I just had to tell you…what I thought of you. And I did…hopefully, you'll see now that I'm not a bad guy."

"…I never…thought that you were a bad guy…" Kaoru spoke up, her vocal chords vibrating against Youko's shoulder. "Youko…I just thought of you as someone else…back then…" He released her and looked deeply into her captivating blue irises, his large hands still cupped around her wrists. "Yes, when we were new to this school, I was alone and I was afraid, even though I didn't want to admit that to anyone…I was way too proud…" The silence from all of their peers surrounding them was constant. Not a word was said while Kaoru spoke. "And then, I just let it all alone and lived my life up until this point. Although, I have to admit…I never would have imagined that you, the most popular guy in school would…fall in love with me."

"This really feels like a dream, doesn't it?" They both chuckled silently, their eyes now wandering down to the floor. "There's just so much that I want to say to you but I can't because we have to get to spanish class." Kaoru gasped. They would definitely never hear the end of it from their professor now. "So, I'll tell you later. Please…if you don't love me, the way that I do love you, don't let it destroy the friendship that we have. Right now, let's just focus on getting to class." Kaoru nodded and they both started sprinting for their first period classroom, everyone stepping aside so that they wouldn't collide into the fastest runners in the entire school.

For about thirty seconds, they veered sharp corners, cruised down long, straight hallways, and flew up two flights of stairs. "You tired yet?" Youko teased.

"Yeah right! I could run from my house to here and I still wouldn't be tired!" Youko tried to stifle his laughter but it came out anyway. "Hey! I don't want to hear it loverboy! Keep on running like this in the halls and you'll have to have detention! As a matter of fact, go slow for me would ya?" Youko stuck out his tongue and the two continued on. They were both almost there, the room in which they were trying to reach was yards away. "Come on, maybe we can sneak in without her noticing," Kaoru whispered as she tiptoed towards the door and opened it, Youko followed right behind her.

All things seemed as if they were tipped in their favor. Kaoru and Youko were just about to crawl into their own seats when suddenly, the teacher, with her back facing them, said in a loud and firm voice, "Kamiya Kaoru and Tasekano Youko…the two of you are late. You know how much I can't stand tardiness. Go stand out in the hallway." The last syllable of her sentence made most of the students jump in surprise. Crap, and we were so close too. If only I hadn't told her how I felt…it could have been later. Youko shrugged and walked out of the classroom, Kaoru followed, her cherubic face now wearing thin into a minute frown.

"Well now that that's over with…" Youko said jokingly, putting a hand up to his head. Silence ensued. Apparently, Kaoru wasn't in the mood to hear sarcasm from her friend. "Okay…well look at it this way, at least we don't have detention. You know how much you'd suffer if you were locked up with her after school hours? In case you don't have the answer for that one, I'll tell you straight out that it sucks."

"Oh like you would really know the answer to that one," Kaoru retorted as she folded her arms in a casual sort of fashion.

"Yeah, I've had detention with the old bitch before." Kaoru cackled silently. "The day that you were out about a month ago…she claimed that I was back sassing her or something so, as usual, she doesn't give me the freaking time of day to prove my innocence. Hence, she yelled at me in front of the whole class, basically handing me a detention right then and there. Kami! How CAN I attend this school?" Kaoru rolled her eyes, seeing that his histrionics really didn't suit him all that well. "Well whatever…" Youko began again, this time, Kaoru rubbing her forehead. "So are you doing anything after school or what?" The girl cracked open one cyan orb and shrugged. "Ya know…that's not really much of an answer…I was thinking…a movie or something?"

"Who knows. All they play in theaters nowadays is utter crap." A pause. "But whatever. It's your call I guess…" She could feel his chestnut colored eyes read her. Even though she knew him for such a long time, she always felt so uncomfortable once they were alone and when silence filled the air. "I don't mind what we see. Just as long that it's something that I can stay awake through, okay?"

Youko laughed silently. That's just great. I mean…she's acting as if I hadn't told her how I really feel about her. Why did I even say that? It's not like she cares or anything. Out of the corner of his right eye, he slyly peered over at her, she looked so innocent as she stood right beside him. He could see her hair blow gently in the wind. But…I don't know that. I can't keep assuming that she hates me or something. For one, she accepted my offer when I talked to her about that dance. She said that she would go with me…be my date. But still I don't know what's going on in her head. And I'm sure as hell not gonna prance around and hope that she likes me back. Yeah, so maybe I won't talk to her right now. It'd be too damn awkward for me. "Hey…Kaoru…"

"Yeah?"

"I forgot…I have to go somewhere with the guys today. So I can't go to the movies with you…" He began. Kaoru looked at him with those eyes…those big and captivating eyes. "I…well…I'll make it up to you, I promise, okay?" She nodded. "I'm really sorry. I guess that I wasn't thinking straight. Wanna go sometime later?"

"Yeah, that would be nice." Kaoru replied.

"Okay…" Youko whispered. They stood in silence for the remainder of the period, Youko unhappy that he just lied to Kaoru about the movies. It's strange though. I can never tell how she feels. It's almost as if she hides it all on purpose. But still…I can see that she doesn't love me…and I'm okay with that. It's fine. Maybe hanging out with other people will do me some good. Kaoru isn't my life… And a moment after Youko concluded his thoughts, he began to wonder about it. Maybe she was all he could think about. And it hurt him to know that she didn't return the feelings that he had locked away in his heart…the feelings that he had for his old rival. I just hope that we'll always be friends…no matter what happens.

The bell rang and both teenagers nodded at each other, saying goodbye. Soon after, they both went their separate ways, in two different directions. Even so, Youko turned around and watched her go. The sound of her shoes echoed brilliantly in the crowded halls and her skirt swayed as she moved oh so elegantly. It seemed to Youko…that Valentine's Day was not a day of acknowledgment but a day of rejection. The only problem was that he learned that too little too late…

A/N: I was planning on writing a lemon next chapter so I hope that you guys would want to read something like that. And it fits with the story. There are to be 53 chapters in this fanfiction so it wouldn't be fair if you only got to read 36... ne? Well I hope that you really liked this one and please review! I'd love to hear opinions about whether or not I should actually post that next chapter.