I woke up early, like much earlier than usual, so I spent my morning writing whatever I felt like writing, which ended up being chapter 44 of this fanfic. Now that it's completed, it's time for me to post the next chapter online, in less than 24 hours after its last update lol

Durpz - Thanks for another review! More reviews? That would honestly be great! This is actually my most reviewed work, even after the six long absence of reviews on this fanfic alone lol but I really did miss getting reviews on this one, so thank you!

Speaking of writing, I started a new fanfic last night. Durpz has already checked it out (thank you so much!), but I'd be happy if people could see it too. I'm still writing out the plotline for it before I continue it, since I don't want it to start off good, and then derail cuz too much plot holes or something like that. Of course, I'll still be working on this fic and After a Litre of Tears... and the other two fics when I get around to it. I'm not completely ignoring them or anything, but reasons.

Promise, I have a great idea for it, but I'm still debating on whether to completely follow the anime or trim it shorter. I'm debating that if I completely follow through with it, it'll drag it out so long and be repetitive, but trim it short could potentially leave out important details. Through Shattered Eyes, on the other hand, wasn't even intended to be made. It started out as an assignment for English class that I ended up writing out as a fanfic so I posted it here. Now, the assignment is over... but the story isn't. I do feel it only needs one or two more chapters to be complete, so I'll try to finish it before summer ends.

Enough of me rambling. Durpz has waited enough, so this will be a special gift to them for today since I worked on chapter 44 all morning~

The rain continued to pour down, hitting the earth and becoming smaller drops of water. The sound of the rain was all the students in class 3-3 could hear as they stood. All desks were pushed towards the walls, and everyone formed a crooked circle. They all kept their eyes on her, the culprit, the one who was caught with the missing wallet. Only three people were in the front of the room: Luo Tianyi, the one whose wallet has been stolen; Kagamine Rin, the one who caught the culprit; and Mayu, the teacher of the class.

SeeU stood in the middle of the circle, keeping her head low and trying to ignore the cold stares of her classmates.

"Why did you do it?" Mayu, standing behind and in between Tianyi and Rin, finally began the confrontation.

'Should I tell her?' SeeU wondered. She debated for several seconds. To tell the truth or to keep Ann out of this? After all, Ann could say something. She will do anything for her friends, as SeeU thought, remembering the past when little Ann would do everything for the timid SeeU.

"I didn't take it," SeeU answered honestly. The truth should be said regardless, but surely Ann will speak up. After all, she can't possibly leave her friend to suffer all because of her fears.

"Then why did you have it?" Mayu asked.

"A friend asked me to return it," SeeU responded. This was true. Ann did ask SeeU to return it. Well, she asked this after SeeU found her with Tianyi's wallet.

"Who is this friend?"

Should she say? SeeU wondered. Wouldn't Ann be upset if she ratted her out like this? SeeU took a deep breathe through her nose. Perhaps she will speak up in a few minutes. SeeU was certain Ann will say something.

Ann couldn't possibly sink so low that she'll leave her friend to suffer a fate she was supposed to have gotten.

"Please answer," Mayu commanded after SeeU didn't say anything for a little over thirty seconds.

"I can't tell you," SeeU answered.

"Why?" Mayu questioned.

SeeU looked up and locked her eyes into Mayu's. "I don't want to betray my friend."

"Isn't this all just an excuse you made up?" Mayu asked next.

"It's not an excuse," SeeU answered.

"Then how come that friend is not saying anything?"

SeeU's eyes widen slightly before she turned her gaze to the floor.

'Ann… Ann? Won't you say anything?'

…

'Something maybe…'

...

'Ann, you can't possibly be thinking of leaving me to your punishment… are you?'

"I don't know," SeeU answered honestly, again. Ann hasn't said a single word. Is Ann really that terrified of being punished that she can't even speak up for her own best friend?

"I have no choice then," Mayu's voice spoke calmly in this situation. "Until that friend comes forward and confesses, I'll treat it as if you did it." SeeU lifted her head with a face that lacked emotion. How could she react? She didn't do it, and she spoke the truth. She expected a response or something from Ann…

Why is she staying silent?

"I will hold your group responsible too."

Kaito's eyes widened upon hearing Mayu's words. 'Is she serious!?' Why? Kaito didn't do anything wrong. How come he has to be punished for it!? He glanced at Oliver and Miki, expecting them to be shocked by the sudden punishment they were given just for being in the same group as SeeU, but neither one of them showed any reaction towards the news. Oliver kept his head low, feeling conflicted over the situation, as he couldn't possibly imagine SeeU of all people stealing someone's wallet. Miki kept her eyes on SeeU, but instead of giving away anger or resentment, she felt sorry for her. Miki figured immediately that there is something wrong with this. As much as she disliked the timid blonde girl, she never thought of her as a thief in any sort, and she felt the honesty in her words.

"You and your group are now relieved of your duties."

Mayu had quickly turned to Rin and gave those words to her. Although she didn't show emotion through her face, Rin felt satisfied, feeling she has been given an award for finding the thief.

"Now, apologize to everyone," Mayu gave her command to SeeU. "You caused problems for everyone here."

SeeU stood, feeling more conflicted than she thought she'd be.

'Won't she say something?'

…

'Anything?'

…

'Ann! You can't be serious!'

"Hurry up."

Mayu's voice snapped SeeU out of her thoughts. Holding her hands together and keeping her head low, SeeU bowed slightly.

"I'm sorry," she said to her teacher, Rin, and Tianyi. Slowly, she turned to her right to face the next group of students.

"I'm sorry," she apologized again. Kaito's face was beginning to falter to anger. Oliver kept his head low. Flower kept an emotionless gaze. Miki felt her emotions stirring up inside, but she kept a calm facade. Kokone gave a harsh gaze at SeeU.

Leon and Gumi couldn't believe the entire situation had even happened in the first place. Both knew SeeU well enough to know she couldn't possibly do something like this. As Leon kept his eyes on SeeU in shock and tried to keep calm in this situation, Gumi turned her head to where Ann was at.

"I'm sorry," SeeU spoke as she bowed to the next wall. For a split second, SeeU's eyes looked up and faintly met Ann's eyes before she turned away. Gumi kept her gaze at her, slowly become suspicious of her.

"I'm sorry," SeeU gave her last apology to the last wall of students.

'Ann, why?'

Students were leaving the building under a gloomy atmosphere. Oliver knelt down in the rain, shoveling up the dirt off the pavement. Taking a small break, he turned his head and watched his classmates leave, opening their umbrellas as they take their steps out of the building. Inside, Miki and SeeU were sweeping the floors as their classmates walk by them. Tianyi, Luka, and Iroha made sure to keep their distance from SeeU. Chika and Prima glanced at their friend as they walk away, and when Ann followed, SeeU looked up and the two made eye contact. As quickly as it had happened, Ann turned her face away again, exactly as she did during the confrontation.

SeeU couldn't turn her sight away from Ann. She watched her friend walk away, pulling her umbrella up and taking a step outside. SeeU's mind was clouded and she forgot what she has been doing, losing touch with reality for a brief moment. All it took was a hand on her shoulder to bring her back to the real world.

"You're the worst," his voice whispered coldly into her ear before he walked away to attend his chores.

'You're the worst!'

For a split second, SeeU believed him. The mop she held fell to the floor. Her feet took her to where she was working at. At that moment, her bitter feelings towards her were ignored.

"Believe me," SeeU spoke softly, grabbing Miki's attention as she grabbed her arm. Miki paused in her mopping and turned to her. "I didn't really do it," SeeU tried to explain.

"I believe you," Miki answered, surprising herself. She never thought she would side with SeeU, but it is hard to believe something like this happened. "Nobody else does," Miki continued, aware that SeeU was seeking for people to believe her words. Sadly, it's not likely anyone will believe her, considering she was seen with Tianyi's wallet. "No matter what you tell them, nobody will listen to you." Making her point, Miki continues to clean the floor. SeeU kept still, knowing Miki was right.

'No matter what I do … no one will listen, right?'

"It's okay," a soft voice captured SeeU's attention behind her. Coming back to reality again, SeeU turned around and Oliver stood behind her. "But I wonder if that friend of yours is really a friend." Realizing his words, SeeU spoke up.

"She's a friend!" SeeU tried to defend her. "It's just… well…" SeeU tried to find ways to defend Ann, but she could no longer find a way to defend her at this moment.

"I don't know, and it's probably not my business," Oliver spoke softly while staring at the ground. "But a good friend would confess their crime instead of making their own friend take the blame for something they didn't do."

At last, SeeU's mind became blank.

A good friend…

Good friend…

"I see," SeeU said dully. Walking at last, SeeU went to her abandoned mop and knelt down to pick it up. Taking it in her hands, SeeU resumed cleaning for the next hour.

Once she was finished, SeeU grabbed her school bag and umbrella, and she stepped out into the pouring rain. As she walked out of school, the words she heard from Miki and Oliver echoed in her head.

"No matter what you tell them, nobody will listen to you."

"A good friend would confess their crime instead of making their friend take the blame for something they didn't do."

At last, SeeU grabbed her cell phone out of her bag, and she dialed a number. Putting the phone to her ear, she waited until she picked up.

"Ann, can we meet at the park right now?"

It felt really strange. To Gumi, it felt as if this has been the first time she didn't have to do any chores, which for once did not conflict her practice. However, even if she was relieved, her mind had been deeply occupied by the events that occurred that day.

As she walked out and head to cram school, Gumi tried to distract herself a little. The streets were crowded despite the rain falling down on the people. 'How about a stroll near the park,' Gumi thought, and she turned, heading to the park, knowing there were less people there. Reaching the peaceful area, Gumi saw how few people there. Two people were walking by the pavement. Three kids stood near a bench chatting endlessly. Gumi walked down the path leading to the square.

Gumi saw SeeU standing in the square. When she turned her head, she saw Ann coming towards SeeU. Suddenly, her mind was clouded with the events of today. With her curiosity taking over, Gumi took light steps, wanting to hide herself. Closing her umbrella and removing her glasses so she can see better, as the rain would blur her vision on her frames, she placed down everything she held and hid behind a tree. Taking a peek, she witness the two girls conversing and listened in on their conversation.

"What is it?" Ann asked in an unkind tone. "Why did you call me out here? What do you want from me?" SeeU kept a calm exterior, but she was ready to flinch hearing Ann using a cold voice towards her, something she never did.

"Ann-chan, please confess what you did," SeeU requested kindly. "Everything will be fine."

"No way," Ann responded.

"Why?" SeeU asked finally. What could possibly prevent Ann from confessing? Was she aware of what would happen to her own friend?

"This mess is all your fault, Dahee," Ann answered, using SeeU's real name. SeeU was taken aback.

"What do you mean?"

"If I had just thrown away the wallet, this would have never happened."

"Ann, did you really want the entire class to be punished just for something only you did?" SeeU put her friend on the spot. For a few seconds, Ann was quiet, just looking down to the ground. Afterwards, Ann looked up, stared at SeeU's blue eyes, and answered.

"I would look bad if the public was to learn I was once friends with a thief," Ann spoke and gave a small smile SeeU never saw on her face before. It was similar to the mischievous smiles Ann has given whenever she spoke poorly about someone, but this smile had a malice glint to it.

"Ann, what are you saying?" SeeU asked, feeling afraid to know the true meaning behind Ann's words.

"I'm a pure angel. I can't be friends with people like you," Ann continued, her smile growing bigger. "I mean, you stole Tianyi's wallet, and you betrayed my friendship by spending time with that girl."

"Her?" SeeU asked. "I didn't hang out with Furukawa Miki. I would never betray you like that!" SeeU enlightened her.

"I'm not talking about that shrew!" Ann yelled, her smile dropping and her face distorted in anger. "I'm talking about that green haired, glasses wearing freak! Her! Nakajima Megumi! That horrible girl who thinks being stupid will get her through everything in life!"

'Love you too, Ann,' Gumi thought bitterly as she heard them, ignoring how drenched she has become. Even the tree leaves above her couldn't protect her from the rain.

"What?" SeeU was taken aback again. "Since when did you care about her?"

"Didn't you see?" Ann began to explain. "That girl was corrupting you from the start, and you willingly ate with her yesterday!"

"Eh?" SeeU's eyes widen. "H-how did you kno-"

"That you and her were eating in the cafe together? Because Kaito told me," Ann answered. "And he also saw how you were always making small talk with that blonde representative boy, and how you are always watching them and feeling sorry for them as they work, and you knew they never liked me!"

"Them not liking you has nothing to do with me being friendly with them," SeeU tried to explain.

"Well, Dahee, you have a choice. It's me or them. Decide," Ann spoke as if she was the host of a dangerous game. SeeU just stared at her friend. How could she decide? Ann has been her best friend since elementary school, and she always believed her…

Although SeeU couldn't admit that she might have doubted her a little.

Then, Gumi and Leon were probably the nicest people SeeU has met. SeeU couldn't deny keeping her eyes on them for the past month, because the two had a friendship SeeU once had with Ann. They were so pure and kind to each other. Ann was like that too.

But then, Gumi and Leon used their kindness to help others, something Ann used to do until her fame exploded.

"Ann," SeeU began to speak. "If I choose you, will you confess?"

Before Ann could answer, Chika and Prima suddenly appeared, running towards the two and stopping once they were next to Ann.

"What happened?" Chika asked.

"We got a text saying to come here as fast we could," Prima panted heavily from running as she spoke.

"SeeU-chan was accusing me of being the culprit and tried to get me to confess," Ann began to tell her friends. "And she told me she's been seeing people who are plotting to ruin me for petty reasons."

'Ann!' SeeU eyes widened. "It's not like that," SeeU tried to explain, but her two other friends jumped in.

"How could you!?" Prima accused her.

"How mean!" Chika chimed in.

"There's no way Ann would do something like that!" Prima defended her popular friend.

"How could you do something like that? Steal the wallet and frame someone as sweet as Ann, I thought you were her friend," Chika berated her friend.

"Talking to people who despise Ann, how could you?" Prima antagonized SeeU.

"Apologize to her at once!" Chika demanded.

"It's okay, forget it," Ann spoke, silencing her friends. "SeeU," Ann turned her attention to her.

"I'm sorry, but our friendship is over."

That moment, it felt like SeeU's world has shattered. Ann. Friendship. Over. In a heartbeat. Ann didn't even give the thought of apologizing a chance.

Was her fame and reputation more important than her friendship with her childhood friend?

"Ann-chan," SeeU muttered through her mouth, but Ann ignored her. Ann began to walk, and she strolled passed SeeU. Chika and Prima followed her, leaving SeeU behind in the rain.

Gumi felt her fingers tremble. Her heart was sobbing. How could something like this happen? SeeU didn't do anything wrong! How could Ann do such a thing!?

Then, Gumi remembered, she was only eavesdropping. Taking silent steps backwards, she went to where she dropped her umbrella and schoolbag and knelt to pick them up. Holding them to her chest, she stood and turned her head to where SeeU was at.

SeeU, holding an umbrella that shield her body, timid, sweet Dahee with long, wavy blonde hair decorated with a cat ear headband, blue eyes of innocence, sweet soft lips, and her figure secured by the summer school uniform, stood silently, lost in thought.

All she saw was four young girls running in a field together. They were happily playing together. A girl with pink hair in a bun, a girl with curly dark hair with a ribbon, and two blonde girls, one with curly hair in a ponytail, and one with long hair, they were all playing together. Then SeeU saw a little girl alone in the field, lying down, staring at the sky. Then she closed her eyes and relaxed, and she felt weight on her body. Opening her eyes, a girl with curly hair in pigtails was staring down at her in surprise.

Sighing, SeeU turned around, half hoping that maybe, this was all a prank pulled by Ann. 'I'm sorry, SeeU,' Ann would say. 'You mean everything to me as you are my best friend. I'll confess to the crime and apologize to the class.' SeeU could hear her in her head. SeeU looked behind her.

There was no one behind her. There was only a wet pavement, and the rain continued to fall.

AN: This reminds me of all the past friends I have, and how it meant more to them to make themselves look good to people than it was to be around me. This is something I could relate to SeeU with. Also, in my head, I had split this entire story into 12 parts, and the next chapter is the end of part 4. Thanks for reading~ I hopefully fixed all grammar mistakes, but if not, I'll go back and fix them eventually ;; Thank you for reading!