Disclaimer: All the Hana Yori Dango characters are owned by Yoko Kamio

Chapter 4: Heartaches and Battles

Her brain and heart were in conflict after hearing what had happened: her brain was saying that Junpei is BIG TROUBLE but her heart kept reminding her of his gentleness and his willingness to stand up for her. She looked totally miserable. She stared beseechingly at Junpei, "Please tell me what they are saying are all lies, or at least, that they have exaggerated the facts."

Junpei looked back at her, his eyes full of regrets, and said softly, "I'm sorry."

"Why?" Her heart broke: the only person in the world she trusted right now had made used of her.

"I did it because I wanted to avenge my brother. He suffered so greatly under the bullying of Doumyouji." He glared at Doumyouji. Tsukushi also turned in Doumyouji's direction. He was gloating away, secured in the certainty that Tsukushi would now turn away from Junpei in disgust.

Tuskushi could not stand his smugness and she demanded sharply, "Why are you gloating? Don't you know that all this is your fault in the first place? You, always being such a bully, causing harm to people around you, intentionally and unintentionally!" At this, she ran her fingers through her butchered hair absentmindedly.

Doumyouji's smirk faded away as he looked at her once-beautiful hair. He loved her hair, so straight, so soft and so long; and so, so sweet smelling. He loved to put his face in her hair and just hold her, breathing in her unique sense that could not be bottled; both of them not fighting at all, just enjoying each other's company. However, these moments were often few and far between. What her hair represented now was his fatal flaw: that he always had to come out on top of all situations, regardless of who or what stand in his way. She was right; it was his fault. Yet he could not admit that he was wrong, not in front of all these people. Another two of his flaws: his inability to admit to his mistakes and his foolish pride. So instead of telling her how sorry and terrified he felt when he found out that she had been kidnapped as a lure for him, he sneered, "Didn't I tell you not to get close to him, you stupid woman? All these come to be because you didn't listen to me! You truly are hopeless at judging characters, aren't you?"

Tsukushi, whose self-esteem was at an all-time low, broke down in tears. The others, who had been standing quietly all the while suddenly exploded when she started crying.

"How could you say that to Tsukushi-chan?!"

"Doumyouji-sempai, you really have gone too far this time…"

"Tsukasa, this is not the way you treat women…"

"Please leave me alone…" Tsukushi's quiet voice went unheard in the barrage of voices. When her request went unheard the second time, she could not bear it anymore and screamed, "Get out of my room, all of you! Get out!"

The room suddenly became so quiet, the silence only broken by the harsh breathing and sobbing of Tsukushi. One by one, they filed out of the room, Tsukasa, being the last. He looked back at her, his heart aching inside. Why couldn't he say the right things? Why must he always make her cry?

*************

*Couple of hours later*

There was a hesitant knock and the girl named Yuki walked in. "Tsukushi-chan, Doumyouji-san sent me to help you pack since you'll be discharged today," she said. Tsukushi looked at her silently, then got out of bed and started packing her stuff. She was relieved to get out of the hospital; maybe if she was in familiar surroundings, like her home, she would be able to kickstart her memories.

'But I still have to face the whole gang outside,' she thought wearily. And indeed, nobody had left the hospital, they were all waiting in the waiting room, either bickering or staring silently into space.

Doumyouji came over to Tsukushi's side and tried to take her bag. She held onto the bag as if it was her lifeline, "I'm not an invalid, you know." Then she turned away from him. He frowned at the sight of her back but wisely kept his mouth shut for once.

Rui then appeared in front of Tsukushi, "Tsukushi, you would be staying with me for a few days."

She gaped at this and asked, "Huh? How come?"

"Your parents and brother are away in Osaka with your sick grandfather, so we thought it would be better for you if there's someone around to take care of you," it was Doumyouji who answered her inquiry.

She glared at both him and Rui, "I can take care of myself! It's not as if I have broken my arms or legs."

"Wow, even when she does not remember anything, her personality is still the same. Guess the hardworking, violent virgin is ingrained in her," Soujirou remarked to Akira, not knowing that his words had traveled over to Tsukushi's ears.

She blushed upon hearing his description of her, and walked to Soujirou and kicked his shin, "Who ask you anything? And stop making perverted remarks!" Then she turned to Akira who was laughing at Soujirou (he was hopping around on the leg that was not kicked by Tsukushi) "And that goes double for you too, mister! I have no energy to deal with you and Tweedledum's innuendos."

She turned back to continue the battle with Doumyouji and Rui but Doumyouji had already anticipated that and said, "No arguments, Tsukushi. The doctor had released you into my care so I have the right to decide on where you stay or what you can do. Or would you rather continue staying in the hospital."

"Fine," Tsukushi groused, she was sick of staying in the hospital. "I would stay at Rui's house. But no funny stuff, or you'll get what's coming to you." She voiced her threat at Rui. He held his hands up as if to say 'I'm not gonna do anything."

Doumyouji was gratified at hearing that, it seems that along with her memories, she had lost all her previous liking for Rui. Now they can truly start on a new slate.

AN: Another chapter finally finished. Sorry, if this takes a long time n it seems pretty dull, but it'll get better next chapter! I promise! Lol. Anyway, the votes have been counted but the poll is not concluded yet. It seems though, Tsukasa is a very popular choice with Rui trailing far behind in second place. I'll end the poll the next time I update this story again. Probably in 3 weeks time, coz I'll be working on "His True Self" next. So you still can vote for your fav guy who u want pair with Tsukushi. And pls remember to continue reviewing.

thanx

Tsukasa: 31 votes

Rui: 17 votes

Akira: 3 votes

Kazuya: 1 vote