Disclaimer: SKU is the property of the very talented Chiho Saito!!

Author's note: Yes, this is a redo of Chp.5 because I suddenly didn't like the idea of a lemon in it…Hope this is better. There will be a lemon in the next chapter though, but not between Miki and Kozue. Oh, by the way, does anyone out there listen to Weezer? I totally love them!!

Chp.5 (This chapter won't start with a Miki/Juri dialogue

The first stars peeped out in the darkness as the full moon cast eerie light on the surroundings. A breeze played with her dress, sending it billowing out around her legs and her hair went askew. She didn't notice however.

She was in an utter daze as she pushed the double doors of the ballroom open and met the noisy chaos. Music blasted and people swarmed over the dance floor, moving in sync with each other (although some moved to their own "rhythm"). One of her friends, a loud girl with black hair, rushed towards her and squealed, "There you are! I thought you weren't coming!"

"Oh," Kozue said distractedly. "Did Miki come by here yet?"

"No, but you have to try the strawberries and cream they have!" the girl said, changing the subject. She grabbed Kozue's arm and dragged her over to a long table with a white, lace cover draped across it. Various bowls of snacks and punch littered it.

"I'm not very hun—" she began, but was cut off as a luscious berry was stuck into her mouth. She bit down and cold juice spurted across her tongue. She winced with surprise as she remembered the strawberries her and Miki had eaten earlier. Before she had read the journal. Nostalgic tears filled her eyes and she swallowed hard.

"Aren't they good? Hey! Where are you…" the girl's voice faded as Kozue turned and ran, the tears beginning to course down her face. She pushed through a crowd and they yelled strings of obscenities, but she barely heard.

Outside, she took in the cold air sharply to her lungs and pumped her legs harder to get away from…what? She had no idea but she knew that she needed to be alone. When she reached the pool, she went through the old black gate to the water's side. Situating herself (with her shoes kicked off), she let her feet dangle into the water and cried.

He had no damn right to love her back. No right at all. Not when she loved him too. She supposed she had always felt that way about him but over the years it had become more apparent to her. She had forced herself to bury it, in the back of her mind, and let it be overcome by possessiveness. She pushed away anyone who had the slightest interest in him; telling him that he deserved someone better, someone like her perhaps…she figured though, if she just tried to forget about her need for him, it would just go away. Or, just be easier to deal with. So far, it had worked great. Whenever she felt an urge to grab and kiss him, she just spat out something to hurt his feelings. The sad look in his eyes made her feel in control of the situation. As long as she gave him no reason to have feelings for her, she was safe. As long as she thought he would push her away in disgust if she kissed him, she was safe. Safe in a world of self-delusions. Because, if he ever felt the same, then nothing would hold her back from doing what she sometimes fantasized about. Even the fact that they were related wouldn't have mattered. Yes, as long as he never felt the same…

But, the journal had sent all her hopes crashing into the ground. It had weighed so little in her hands, much less than she would have thought. With the ominous secret it contained, it should have been ten times heavier at least, but it hadn't been. It was feather light, giving her a false sense of security and making her believe that it would have syrupy words oozing across the lines instead of a bitter, shocking mess. Damn him…

I didn't remember actually pulling the tux from the closet but now I stood before the mirror, fully clothed. I combed back my hair back, straightened out my bow tie and examined my splotchy cheeks. Yeah, crying will do that to you.

The last thing I imagined seeing when I stepped from the bathroom was my journal and Kozue. After she had left the room, I stared at the door for a long time, willing myself to accept that it had actually happened. In a worst case scenario, she would slap me and tell me how disgusting I was. In a best case scenario, she would smile and say, "I love you too!" Yeah, right.

My footsteps echoed noisily as I walked down the hall. I wanted to tear back to my room and hide under the covers but I had to find her and talk to her. What would I say? What could I say? I pondered this as the horde of butterflies in my stomach led me onwards to quite possibly the moment of destiny I had been waiting for.

In front of the doors to the ballroom, I swallowed hard and tried to pull my courage together. What if she was the first person I saw? I placed my moister-than-usual palms on the polished oak and…was pushed backwards by a flustered black haired girl who burst through it with startling ferocity. "Miki! Have you seen Kozue? No one knows where she went."

"N-no I haven't. Was she here earlier?" I hoped she couldn't hear the relief in my voice.

"Yeah, but someone said she might have gone by the pool."

"I'll go check," I said and turned, sprinting in utter anticipation. Now it was time. Time for me to face up to her once and for all.

Her feet still trailed slowly through the water as she rubbed her swollen eyes. She had stopped crying now but the thoughts of Miki hadn't completely deserted her.

Her ears suddenly perked, as the thumps of feet became apparent, followed by a creaky gate opening. She sniffed and turned her head to the left. It was Miki.

She was so beautiful as she sat there, the pale moonbeams illuminating her features to a degree that could only be angelic. Nevertheless, tears stains marred it slightly.

She looked away from me, blushing, as I took a seat beside her. I followed her lead and took off my shoes to let my feet hang into the water. I ran through a list of things to say in my head like, I wanted to tell you for awhile but wasn't sure how? No, that wouldn't work. How about, I know I'm your brother but I really, really like you? This was hopeless. But, before I opened my mouth she said, "You lied to me. You said you didn't have a crush on anyone. For…how long have you…it has been for a while, hasn't it?"

"I, um…that is—"I began, my voice cracking.

She held to fingers to my lips and whispered, "Shh…It's okay. I understand."

"You do?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry you had to…um, find out this way."

"It's better than not finding out at all. Now, could you do me a favor?"

I was on cloud nine. She didn't even seem to care about what she read. Now, I could put it all behind me and forget about ever thinking of her this way again. I was about to find out how wrong I was though… "Hm?" I asked.

"Could you hold still? I want this moment to be perfect, so I can do what I want…" I heard the sound of water being displaced below us as she shifted.

I laughed nervously. "What do you want?"

"This," she murmured and then leaned forward. I gasped as her lips grazed mine in the softest of kisses and I faintly tasted a sweet strawberry. Her tongue flicked inside briefly.

I pushed her away in shock. "Oh god, we can't do this Kozue." It hurt me to say it but it was so true.

She gave me a hurt look and smiled sadly. "Why the fuck not? When I read your journal, the only thing I could think of was 'why didn't he tell me before I found out like this?' But you were just like me. In denial. I was perfectly safe until you…"

Could it be possible? "What are you talking about?" I asked dumbly.

She silenced me by pressing her lips into my own again, harder this time, and I closed my eyes, automatically putting my arms around her waist. I held her tenderly and settled my fingers on the small of her back, massaging gently. I knew we shouldn't be doing this but I just couldn't make myself let her go. I wanted her so badly. Then, after a few moments, she released me and trailed the wet kisses across my cheek and up to my ear. She pulled my head closer with her hands and whispered, "I love you too, you damn bastard. I always have." Then, she was gone. Up and through that gate. I sat, completely overwhelmed as the moon shone down. She left me with her essence still lingering and her true desire revealed. So much for the worst-case scenario…

Authors note: Hope you liked this chapter. Unless you actually liked a lemon between them. I thought it might be delving into the Realm of Creepiness to tell you the truth…