***Megumi***P.O.V

Tomoyo hasn't came to school today but what did I expect I watched her get suspended yesterday. Even though I think Tomoyo was wrong to call her brother out like that I still don't think my choices were any better.

I should have helped her, I mean I am her best friend why did I just stand there and watch her take all the blame.

At that moment I knew it was up to me to do something. So I made an emergency meeting after school with Kanou, Yukimura, Misaki, Takumi,Takashi and Mizuki. If we were going to figure this out we would have to do so together.

"Ok Megumi why exactly did you call us all in here?" Misaki blurts out bluntly.

"Well as you all know Tomoyo got suspended and I feel as her friends it's our job to help her in a time of need." I say heroically but to my surprise no one talks everyone has this sort of sad face.

"We understand you wanna help Megumi but the problem is even if we could help we have no proof that Tomoyo isn't the one who vandalized that teacher's room." Misaki says breaking the silence.

"Well I thought about that too. What if we go undercover like detectives and go around and ask people what they seen?" I say reassuring them but like always I just got stares.

Silence just what I needed.

"I don't know about that. The pres is right even if we are to do that we can't be sure that the person is willing to confess what they did." Takumi adds.

"But guys you and I both know we all care deeply for Tomoyo because she is our friend and we all know she didn't do this." I say pleading with them.

"I think it's worth a shot." Mizuki says.

"Kanou and I do too." Yukimura adds.

"Ok but if it doesn't work then all I have to say is I told you idiots." Misaki says in a joking way and we all nod our heads in agreement.

"Ok now that that's settled lets start the investigation tomorrow during class!" I say putting a fist in the air.

As everyone begins to leave the meeting I notice Takashi still standing there.

"Hey Takashi you can go home now, the emergency meeting is over." I say to him as he leans against the wall.

"Hmph." He says as he gets off the wall with a smirk. I have a feeling he knows something that I don't, well it's either that or he just wanted to show off his cute smirk.

The next day at school we start phase one of our plan.

"Ok Takumi and Misaki you guys ask anyone who comes in the student council room if they know who vandalized that classroom." I say to them and they nod their heads before leaving.

"Kanou and Yukimura you got hallway duty, so ask anyone who walks through the halls. Mizuki you go out to the courtyard and see if anyone know anything." I added.

The only ones left were Takashi and I.

"I can see what you're trying to do and I admit that you are a really good friend to my sister but you will never prove her innocents way." He says smirking again.

"Yeah and I suppose you have a better plan?"

"I don't know maybe I do, maybe I don't. All I know is I have to get to class bye." He says as he walks out the classroom. I don't think I quite understand Takashi. Why does he need to talk in riddles all the time?

When school was just about over I had everyone report back to the room so I can see what they discovered.

"Well did you guys find anything?" I say and no one says a word.

"The only thing me and Kanou found out was that it was a group of people that did it." Yukimura states breaking the silence.

"Well that's good see we're getting somewhere." I added.

"Maybe so but problem is there are so many people who walk in groups it'd take us forever to figure out the exact people that did it." Yukimura says in a sad tone.

"Well we should keep trying right guys!" I explain but no one responds.

"Right guys?" I exclaimed once again.

"Megumi I don't think so, this just isn't going to work it's impossible to find the culprits at this rate we should just wait until Tomoyo returns to school in two weeks." Misaki says in a sad low voice.

"But guys..."

"Misaki's right Megumi." Yukimura states.

"Don't you guys want Tomoyo back?" I say with my voice shaky trying to hold in tears.

"Yes we do Megumi, but at this point there's nothing that can be done sorry." Mizuki adds.

Everyone begins to leave the room.

"Kanou...even you?" I say to him but he just looks at me then turns around and keeps walking.

"Fine, I see how it is I'll figure out who's framing Tomoyo myself!" I yell after them but they all still don't turn around. By now a couple of tears are rolling down my cheeks.

"So how's the plan going?" I hear the familiar voice of Takashi say. I quickly wiped my eyes before speaking to him.

"What do you want, to rub it in?" I state between sniffles.

"Relax, I'm just here to help." He says leaning against a desk.

"Help how?" I questioned.

"I told you you wouldn't find the culprit that way. I happened to overhear something and find something useful that will help you pinpoint the culprits." He says in a cool, calm and collected voice.

"Ok then who did it?"

"Well of course it's gonna cost you first." He explains with a bigger smirk.

"Fine what's your price." I state. Takashi then begins to tell me what the price is.

"You have a deal." I reply and I can't help but smile a little.

***Tomoyo***P.O.V

"Hey sis, I'm home." Takashi says.

"Yeah I can see that considering you're right in front of me now. Why are you home so late anyway?" I say as I watch TV on the couch. I've only been suspended for two days so far and I can already say this is the most boring moment of my life.

"Ahh that doesn't matter, but guess what sis?"

"Huh...what I'm trying to sulk while I watch TV." I say.

"Well I had a little talk with the principle and they said you can come back to school tomorrow and you are unsuspended." He says while grabbing a water bottle out the fridge.

"Are you lying to me?" I say suspicious like.

"No they found the real culprit or should I say culprits who vandalized the classroom. Turns out it was just a group of kids that had a grudge against that teacher. They found evidence in all their lockers." He explains sitting down next to me on the couch.

"If you weren't my brother I would probably hug you right now. Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?" I say feeling like something is up.

"When am I never not nice to my little sis?" he states and I shoot him an ok what are you really up to look.

"Ok fine fine I had a little help from Megumi. Just between you and me I think she is the perfect friend for you, good choice sis."

"Yeah Yeah now let me watch my TV." I say and without realizing it he snatches the remote out of my hand and turns to wrestling.

"Do you really want to have this fight?" I say giving him a daring look and he just smirks in return.

I guess having a step brother isn't so bad I mean who would I have all my fights with? Who else would I be able to say to them that they have a smirking problem?

"Give me the remote you little twerp!"

"Uh I believe you're the little one in this case." Takashi adds as we both laugh and fight over the remote.

The next day I arrive at school to see all my friends standing in a group around me. Not too long after I am squeezed into a group hug with me being in the middle.

As all my friends begin to head in the school I notice Kanou still standing there looking at me. His beautiful gentle violet eyes and his dark blue hair. Yup he's still as handsome as I remember him.

"W...Welcome back Tomoyo. Also just wanted to say I'm sorry for not sticking up for you and being there for you." Kanou states looking guilty now.

I smile at him before speaking.

"Then just be here for me now." He then blushes and smiles the cutest smile back at me.

Yup I'm definitely still in love with this boy.

Megumi's been acting odd ever since I came back to school now. When I try to approach her she keeps walking away real fast saying she has to get to class or go to the bathroom.

Is she avoiding me but why? All I wanted to do was thank her for proving I was innocent.

At the end of the day I walk straight up to Megumi's locker.

"Megumi what's going on you've been avoiding me all day. Did I do something wrong?" I state. She just looks at me like she's nervous. What is it that she's hiding from me?

"O-Oh um hi Tomoyo, didn't see you there. No I'm not avoiding you I've just been um well super busy lately you know with work and other things." She says nervously.

"I don't mean this in a mean way Megumi but since when have you been busy with work you're always usually worried about your nails or your hair or something." I say not buying into her story.

"Well I see why you might think that but it's true."

"Well how about we go take a smoothes break since you seemed so stressed?" I add.

"Um...sorry I'm staying after school for...a club."

"A club, what club?" I say puzzled as ever.

"A club...well gotta go bye now." She says before zipping off in another direction.

Wow is she acting strange. As a normal person I would normally turn around and just go home but since I'm not a normal person I decide to follow Megumi and see exactly what she's hiding from me.

I notice Megumi stops in a classroom and closes the door. I peep my head through the window and see that she isn't alone, she's with my step brother Takashi.

"Whew that was close Tomoyo almost found about our secret." Megumi says to him which make me even more curious.

"She must never know ok. Who knows how she would react being my sister and all." He replies and Megumi nods.

"I'm just so glad to have a boyfriend like you." Megumi says hugging him.

Boyfriend?

"And I'm glad to have a girlfriend like you." Takashi responds squeezing her tighter.

Girlfriend? Oh I see what's going on here they're both dating behind my back. So much for my best friend, Megumi.

Out of anger I slid the door open to see there shocked faces.

"Tomoyo wa-" Megumi tries to say but I run away before I can hear the rest. How could they do this to me? Sure I might have been pissed about them dating but what's even worse is that they've been keeping it from me this whole time.

I would of expected better out of the both of them.

I was so busy crying and rubbing my eyes that I didn't notice I bumped into someone and by someone I mean Kanou.

"T-Tomoyo what's the matter?" He stuttered.

"I just found out that Megumi and my step brother Takashi are dating behind my back." I say still sighing.

"I-Is that really a bad thing?" He says and in my head I think of course it's a bad thing. Thinking deeper I then realize that Megumi looks happier than I ever seen her.

"Well maybe you're right but they've been keeping it behind my back for who knows how long." I say trying to plead my case.

"How they did what they did may not be the best choice but maybe they just didn't know how to tell you. They were probably waiting for the right moment to." Kanou explains. He's getting better at not stuttering around me.

"Yeah I guess, I should hear their side of the story but I'm still not happy about this." I add and Kanou nods in response and to my surprise I see Megumi running up to me in the distance.

"Tomoyo wait." She says trying to catch her breath from all that running.

"We're sorry we never meant to hurt you we just wasn't sure how you would take it but you should know that Takashi makes me extra happy whenever I'm with him and h-"

"Stop already, I get it you like my brother. It's going to take me sometime to fully accept that but I guess I can let it slide. If he ever does anything to hurt you I'll make sure he never sees the light of day again though ok?" I say with a smile putting my hand on her shoulder.

"O-Ok." She says sounding a little frightened at my threat to my brother.

"I think he's waiting for you now." I say looking at Takashi smile at Megumi from the entrance door.

Megumi gives me a friendly hug and begins to say something.

"Thank you Tomoyo." She says in a soft and sincere voice before her and Takashi both leave.

I then feel a hand on my shoulder.

"You did good Tomoyo." Kanou says in a gentle voice. I place my hand on top on his hand that was placed on my shoulder.

"You think so?" I say and he nods his head yes.

"Hey where's Yukimura?" I questioned.

"Oh he had a student council meeting."

As we both begin to walk out the school the most unimaginable thing occurs. I feel Kanou wrap his warm hand around mine.

I then turn to look at him, he doesn't look me straight in the eyes though. His head is turned away from me and his cheeks are also a bright red. I look away from him. Are we really holding hands? I squeeze his hand tighter.

I think I want to...

hold this hand forever...