Well, here's the second chapter to my little fic. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: The only thing that I own of this story is the idea, and nothing else.

Two Alone

Chapter Two: Confrontation

By Enchanted Pink Jade

*~*~*~*~*

During lunch.

Asuka was looking for Meimi, now that he had the chance. What she had said earlier hadn't made sense. He wanted to ask her now so that he can finally have some peace in his head. How can she have this affect on me? Asuka asked himself, then resumed his search for this one elusive girl, who's really good at avoiding people. Running away and leading on an endless chase. Sounds a lot like what Saint Tail does.... Asuka shook his head to clear his mind.

Just then he spotted her.

She was sitting alone under a tree, looking really troubled. Could it be something about this morning? He watched as she sighed and stared off into space. This is my chance.

He'd barely made three steps in her direction before Shota Kitamata, another guy who was in their Calculus class came up to her and started a conversation. He must've said something funny, because right then, that lonely look that she had a while ago disappeared, and was replaced with laughter and sweet smiles. Asuka growled under his breath and looked away. He was angry. Angry because he'd missed his chance. Angry because that guy had enough nerve to take advantage of Meimi's innocence. Angry because he'd never seen her that happy when around him. Angry because he knew that he couldn't make her laugh or smile that way. When she does, she lights up in a way that made you feel that there would never be darkness again. All he managed to do around her was arouse her fury against him.

He looked back at the two. He'd heard some people say that they would make a cute couple. He lowered his head. I couldn't even begin to compete with that guy... not for Meimi. She'd surely choose him... Good looks, intelligent, charming, well-known... Hey, that sounds like me. Hahaha... And why should I even be jealous? It's not like she's mine to begin with, and I already like someone else. But still...

He pivoted on his heels and walked away.

*~*~*~*~*

After school.

Asuka walked among the school grounds looking for her, once again. He had to know what she was going to say, and why she was so upset. He'd even considered asking about lunchtime, and if she was interested in that Kitamata character. But he decided against it. She might come to the wrong conclusion. She might think that was invading on her privacy, spying on her...

True, he always had thought about Saint Tail. But at times, unexpectedly, Meimi would slowly creep into his mind. He was so puzzled by her, and yet drawn to her at the same time. He just couldn't get her image out of his mind, her sad eyes, haunting him. He thought that he was going to go crazy.

Then he caught a glimpse of the back of someone with an unusual shade of red orange hair. It has to be Meimi, Asuka thought. But of course he'd know, after all the time he spent staring at the back of her head during 5th period... He'd know the back of her head anywhere.

He picked up his pace and sped up towards her. "Hey! Haneoka!"

At the mention of her name, she turned around, only to find Asuka Jr. making his way towards her. She moaned quietly and wished that she would just disappear from the face of the earth. Before he reached her, she made sure to put on a happy face.

"Hi!" she said back to him.

"Do you mind if I walk with you for awhile?" he asked, when he finally caught up with her.

"No, it's fine," she said, but her mind screamed something else.

Yes! In fact, I do mind. You're gonna ask about this morning and make me answer your questions when I'm not ready to answer, nor will I ever be!

They started walking side by side, but neither said a word. Every time Asuka opened his mouth to ask what he had been meaning to all day, he just lost all his nerves. It was quiet for so long that Meimi started to wonder if he had forgotten that she was there or if he was just trying to get his thoughts together. Then they finally reached her house.

She turned towards him and gave him a small smile. "Is there something that you wanted to say to me?" Meimi asked. I might as well get this over with... I could always make something up, so that he won't suspect anything...

"Um... well, actually, there was something I have been wanting to ask you since this morning..."

"Yes?" she asked barely audibly.

"Well, you know... um... What was it that you meant by what you had said this morning?" There. He'd said it. And now all he had to do was wait for her response.

All throughout the walk to her house, she had been trying to come up with something believable to tell him, so that he would leave convinced. But she had drawn a blank... "Um well, just don't think about it anymore, Asuka. Just forget it, it was nothing," she said. As much it hurt, she knew that she still had to go through with this if she wanted to remain sane. "I was just being kinda moody, it's a girl thing, so naturally, you wouldn't understand," she said and smiled, hoping that he believed her, he just had to.

Asuka looked steadily into her eyes, asking a million questions, and at the same time telling her that he didn't believe her story one bit. She was lying. He knew it. She knew that he knew it. Looking back into his accusing eyes became so unbearable that she had to look away.

"Yeah, well, I have to go now. I'm kinda busy, and I have to help my dad with something. So I guess, I'll just see you on Tuesday. There isn't any school on Monday, right?" she asked, knowing full well what the answer was. She was only saying this so that she could distract his mind.

"No, there's no school on Monday. Are you sure about this morning?" he asked. I should have known I couldn't distract him, Meimi thought. True, Asuka rarely could be distracted by anything or anyone. The only person to have ever done that was Saint Tail, and now Meimi. But basically, he had a one-tracked mind.

Meimi nodded carefully. It was as if she was treading on old and rotted stairs. If she wasn't careful, and took a wrong step, she could fall. But the thing was, was that she already has fallen. She had fallen for Asuka, and he doesn't know it. And that's the way I'm gonna keep it, she thought fiercely. "Well, I'll see you then, bye. Oh, and thanks for walking me home. That was sweet of you." She quickly turned and headed towards her home, when she reached the door, she turned around and waved back to him, then she stepped through the door and disappeared inside.

For awhile, he just stood there, staring at the spot where she had been before she went in, her words echoing in his mind.

*That was sweet of you.*

He shook his head and then headed towards his own home.

When he got there, he went straight to his room and flopped onto his bed. He propped his head on his hands and stared at the ceiling. What's with her anyways... And why is she always like that? I know when someone is lying, and Meimi was lying. She didn't think that she could fool me, did she? I wonder what she meant... She's so complicated! Why couldn't girls be more easier to understand...?

Asuka started to reminisce about all the times that he had had with Meimi, comparing the Meimi back then to the Meimi of the here and now. The scenes just played right in front of his eyes. Silent images of her... smiling, crying, angry, depressed, exhausted, excited, energetic, playing, laughing.

*Flashback*

"Asuka Jr.! Why so glum looking? Cheer up!"

*~*~*~*~*

"Asuka Jr.! You're so mean!"

*~*~*~*~*

"Asuka Jr., good morning!"

*~*~*~*~*

"Hey! You're so clueless! You don't get it at all. I hate you!"

*~*~*~*~*

"Saint Tail, Saint Tail. Always Saint Tail. Asuka Jr., just give it up, you can never catch Saint Tail. Not now, and never in a million years!"

*~*~*~*~*

*End of Flashbacks*

He sat up in bed right then. That's right! I still have to come up with a plan to capture Saint Tail! I'll show that girl, Meimi, and the town what I can really do.

"But how? That is the question," Asuka said to himself, thinking aloud. "This has to be something that Saint Tail would never expect... And yet, even when I try, she finds out about all my plans, but how can she? It's been the same thing over and over. She sends me a calling card. I get prepared with a plan and get guards all over the place. It's only one girl... and every time, she manages to find a way out of it, and saves the day, righting the wrong..."

There must be someway that I can use this to my advantage... he thought.

*~*~*~*~*

Some place near the church

"So, what's up Seira? What is it this time? Jewel thieves? Something valuable and priceless stolen? What?" Seira had called Meimi over, saying that someone else needed the aid of Saint Tail, and Meimi was anxious to get it on with, so that she can get her mind to think of something else. Or someone else.

"Actually, it's none of the above, but it's something stolen, yes," Seira said calmly. They were sitting in a secluded place, where no one else was around. Meimi didn't say anything, waiting patiently for her best friend to go on. "It's a poem that you have to steal back this time."

"A poem?"

"Hai. This young woman, who's only about five years older than us came and told me that something of her valued possession was stolen. Her name is Aika Yamamoto, and she goes to a college nearby. Someone who she had liked for years wrote the poem for her. His name is Akinari Takasugi. They were childhood friends, and it seems that their feelings are mutual. They both really like each other a lot. The poem is something that he just gave her, finally telling her of his true feelings."

"That's really sweet..." I wish that someone would write a poem, just for me... Meimi thought. "But who stole it?"

"I'm getting to that part. Someone who works in some journalism club got his hands on it. He found it, or so he claims. Jiro Matsuki is his name. He told her that he had it, and that he was gonna have it printed. The thought horrified Aika, because she hasn't told Akinari yet how she felt about him. And if he finds the poem that he wrote only for her in the paper, he'd probably think that she's playing around with him, and all she wanted was to humiliate him in front of the whole student body."

"And then he'd hate her."

"Exactly. The ways of those in love... The poem is called 'It Was You All Along.' And since this is the weekend, you've got a little time. What you must do is get the original copy out of his hands, and the disk that he has saved the poem on, from his home."

"Right, and then return it to its rightful owner. I know exactly what to do. So I guess right now, I'll have to send Asuka his calling card..."

*~*~*~*~*

At the Haneoka Residence.

Meimi was sitting at her desk, writing in her journal. She had started writing in one when she realized her own true feelings for one specific guy. It helped a little, to get all her emotions out. Almost like having another friend that she could talk to, but couldn't talk back to criticize her.

My dear friend,

You would never guess what I had almost done this morning. Well, of course you would never guess, you're only a blank book that I write and fill in with all my thoughts, problems and wishes and hopes and dreams, and desires. I decided to come early to class today, since I had nothing else better to do. And what a surprise! I find Asuka Jr. there. And he was the only other person there, meaning that it was just the two of us. He was looking really thoughtful then, but whatever he does, he always looks good. I greeted him happily, but it seemed like he didn't want me to be there. As if I was just a scrawny little girl who always got in his way. I asked him if he had already caught Saint Tail, of course he didn't. Because if he HAD caught the thief, I'd be the first to know... After all, I AM Saint Tail. I wonder if he's even trying, or if he's just letting me get away, prolonging the chase. He started saying that he would come up with another plan, and that the next time, he would surely capture her. As if! He hasn't caught me still since he challenged me... I asked him what this ingenious plan of his was. But I shouldn't have even bothered, because the next think I knew he was telling me that it had absolutely, positively nothing to do with me. And... I don't know anymore. I just kinda lost it there. I found myself pouring my soul out to him. He already has my heart! I want to keep my soul for myself, concealed inside of me. I told him that since he hated me so much, and couldn't stand to be so close to me, that I'll just leave and move, stay out of his way. Asuka is so full of surprises, because as I got up, he grabbed my wrist and asked what made me think that I hated him. He asked it in a way that made me think that maybe, just maybe, he didn't hate me after all. My heart was pounding so hard and loud in my chest that I was sure that he saw and heard it too. Thank God that the bell rang right then and there. Oh Kami-sama! What am I to do? And also, there is a new job for Kaitou Saint Tail. A have to go steal back a poem... Someone took it and they're going to print it in some sort of paper because it's very good. But this girl, the owner doesn't want it published because it was written for her, and her only. It's very personal. The poem is by someone whom she loves, and loves her back. She's so lucky...

Meimi sighed softly and put her pen away. She heard a small sound coming from Ruby, her pet hedgehog who was fast asleep in his own little bed, on one of Meimi's shelves. Her father had built it for Ruby awhile back. It was like his make shift-home, only it was in an open space. It even had the cute little sofas and throw rugs. Meimi couldn't help but smile.

She closed the journal and walked over to her closet. She placed the book under a loose floorboard. No one knew about it. That's where she kept her most personal things hidden. Meimi stretched her arms and made her way to her bed. Before sleep had taken over, a single tear born in her eyes, fell, went down her cheek, and died ever silently on her lips.

*~*~*~*~*

Asuka's Room.

He had made dinner for him and his father, as usual. Nothing new. All throughout the evening, he had thought about different plans. But he didn't like any of them. It had to be something that has never been done before, that would catch the thief totally off her guard. It's a good thing that it's a three-day weekend now, he thought. He turned off his lights and slipped into his bed. All he did was just stare up into the dark when suddenly he heard a POOF, and confetti was scattered everywhere, scaring him half to death.

"What the hell?!?" Just as everything was clearing up, Asuka closed his eyes, and laid back down. What in the seven hells was that? Asuka thought. Then he opened his eyes once more, only to find gigantic glow in the dark letters stuck on his ceiling wall.

"Ack!! Saint Tail's calling card!" The note read:

I will steal the poem called

"It Was You All Along" written

by Aika Yamamoto,

from Jiro Matsuki's home

tomorrow night.

~Saint Tail

All right! The perfect opportunity! Asuka thought. But he still didn't know what to do... He looked up at the ceiling again, and scrunched up his nose. "Damn woman... how does she do these things?" Asuka muttered more obscenities under his breath as he removed the letters that formed the note from his ceiling.

For what he hoped was the last time he'd have to crawl back in bed without anymore disturbances, Asuka nestled back in the warmth and safety under his blankets. Asuka was becoming drowsy and was almost asleep when what seemed like the very last thing that Saint Tail would ever expect occurred to him, and he sat bolt upright in bed. He threw off the covers and ran to his desk to write a couple of things down, before he forgot.

This is perfect! he thought. I'll get that Saint Tail yet!

*~*~*~*~*

Author's Note: Well, things are starting to get pretty interesting, huh? Asuka is trying to sort out his feelings, and Meimi gets another job for Saint Tail. But just what is this ingenious plan that Asuka has managed to cook up this time? Only I know! Hahaha. But you'll find out soon. Just keep on reading to find out. =)

So... oh, yeah, and tell me what you all think in your reviews. Good, bad, so-so. You get the idea.

~Enchanted Pink Jade

E-mail: Lyricalaznangel@aol.com