Part 4

The next day, I got to their house pretty early. The maid opened it for me. When I got in, I took off my shoes, went up the stairs and knocked on his door. Then a handsome teenager opened it and his eyes showed tenderness.

"Hi." I said, closing the door behind me. "Van, let's just forget everything, ok? Everything that happened between us in the…in the beach."

"I can't." He muttered.

"What?" I asked him, afraid.

"I can't do that, Hitomi." He looked at me. "I have something to tell you."

"No." I whispered.

"I…I realized it yesterday when you were leaving…"

I shook my head. "Please don't tell me…anything."

"You have to know." He mumbled. He walked over to me and held my hands. "Hitomi, I—I-"

The door opened and revealed Mrs. Fanel. She stared at our intertwined hands. We both let go at once and moved away from each other. "What is going on here??"

"What are you doing here, mom?" Van asked.

She sighed. "I just wanted to tell you that Millerna's here and she's waiting for you downstairs."

"No way." He replied. "I'm not going out there."

"Van, you've got to." I persuaded.

"I'll give you two a minute and you come down and talk to her, all right?" Mrs. Fanel said and left.

"Look, I don't want to talk to her." Van sat on his bed. "Why should I anyway?"

"You can't just leave a relationship like that. You guys have been through so much together. You have to at least tell her why you broke up with her………or give her a chance…to talk."

He stared into my eyes. "Why do you want me to do that?"

I shifted. "Because." I paused, slowly smiling sadly. "It's the right thing to do."

"Ok." He nodded. He stood up and put a hand around my cheek. "You'll be here when I get back." It sounded more like a question than a sentence.

"Yeah." I nodded, taking his hand and pulling it away from my cheek. "Go."

He looked hurt for a moment, but left the room.

*Normal POV*

He walked down the stairs and saw Millerna sobbing in the living room. He felt rigid, but continued on. When he got there, Millerna looked up at him with red eyes. Van suddenly felt guilty and very hurt. He sat on the couch opposite hers.

"What are you doing here?" Van asked.

"What do you think?" She sobbed. "You can't just break up with me and not give me a reason!"

"I gave you a reason, Millerna." He replied. "You're in love with my brother!"

"I'm not in love with him!! I just wanted to dance with him! Was that a crime??"

"Look, I don't know what the hell happened there, but you…you have feelings for him. You can't date me when you're in love with him."

"How many times do I have to tell you, Van?? I don't love Folken! I love you!!" Millerna stood up and cried angrily. "I'm sorry for dancing with him! I'm sorry for whatever I did to make you feel like I loved him!"

"I-I…I…" Van was very confused.

"The only person I ever loved is you and please…" She sobbed out. "Please…please don't break up with me."

Van felt very bad. "God, I'm sorry…" 

Her shoulders shook. "You don't have to apologize for anything."

"The thing is that…uh…" He started. "Uh…"

"Please take me back, Van. I never did anything wrong. Please give me a chance to prove to you how much I love you."

He sighed heavily. "I don't know…"

"Please Van…"

"Just…uh…give me time."

"Ok." She paused. "I'm going to go."

"Yeah, ok." He stood up as well as she. "Bye."

"Bye, Van." She hugged him tightly and left the house.

*Hitomi's POV*

I heard everything they had talked about and I sat there motionless. I had a feeling that Van would go back to her. It was obvious that he would never love someone as much as he loved Millerna. I had a feeling he was about to say something important to me before Varie opened the door, and a part of me wanted to hear it………but I was afraid too.

Suddenly the door opened and came in Van. His eyes showed sadness and guilt. "I'm glad you didn't leave." He showed a light smile and lied down his bed. He turned towards me. "You heard what we talked about?"

I nodded.

"What do you think I should do?"

"I can't answer that." I looked away. "What does your heart say?"

"I don't know. I'm so confused." He closed his eyes and looked up at the ceiling.

"I think that…" I stared at him as he stared at me. I crouched down to face him completely. "I think you still love her, Van. You guys have been through so many things…and she just proclaimed her love for you. I think she really does love you and wants to be with you." As much as this was hurting me, I stayed strong. Still, I could feel tears stinging under my eyes. "Give her the chance to prove her love, because I think she deserves it. I know she hates me." I laughed quietly. "I don't know why I'm saying this, but…"

"What if she falls in love with him? And…I get hurt again?"

"If you truly love someone, you trust them with your whole heart and you're willing to go through that pain for them." I smiled. "If you don't want to be with her for other reasons, don't force yourself to just because of guilt. You have to go back to her if your heart says that she is the one. Ok?"

He suddenly pulled my arm. "Aah!" I yelped and I fell right on him. "Van!!"

He laughed and his eyes twinkled. "Thanks, babe."

For some reason, I liked it better when he called me 'babe' than Folken. I hugged him tightly. "You're welcome." I looked up at him. "Let's start tutoring now."

"Not yet." He whispered, looking down at me.

I felt nervous, so I pulled away. "Come on." I pulled him up. "Let's go."

**********

The next day I opened the door of our house and went out. I shut the door and looked up. I saw Van's gorgeous face and almost fainted. "Uh………hey?" I offered a grin.

"Hey." He laughed. "Let's go out today."

"What do you mean, go out?"

"I mean, go to the park and study there?"

My heart was relieved. "Oh ok. " I glanced at his hands. "Where is your stuff?"

"It's in the car."

"Ok."

We walked over and I saw that there were no books or notebooks anywhere. "Van…"

He shot me a nervous look. "Ok, look." He took my hands. "Let's just hang out today. Anywhere you want to go. My mom even said she'd pay you even if it's a holiday."

I wanted to say yes badly. "I can't." I whispered, staring up at him.

"Why not?"

"Don't use me, please." I whimpered. "If you're trying to get ba-"

"I'm not trying to get back at her for anything. I'm not using you…I want to take you out."

"Why?"

"I-I…I need to see something."

"See what? Like a sight-seeing thing?"

"No." He gave me a confused smile. "Just see something."

I wondered what he meant, but let it go. "Can it be just…between two friends?"

"Yeah."

I smiled. "All right."

**********

First, he parked the car on the parking lot in the park and we walked together. The place was packed with tourists, and it was really cool being there with them. The park was a national park and it was very important.

"Have you ever been here?" I asked him.

"Yeah, once. I was…14 and my family and me went here. You?"

"No never." I glanced around. "It's pretty here."

"If you're in that kind of stuff."

"What do you mean, stuff?"

"You know, nature."

"Oh." I was a little hurt that he didn't at least appreciate it. "You know what?" I glanced up at him.

"What?"

"You're like two different people." He cocked his head.

"No I'm not." He protested.

"You are." I looked up at him. "It's like…one of you is this really sweet guy who…doesn't care what others think about him…and just surrenders himself to his feelings, and there's another one of you…who's tough and mean…who's mysterious and…acting cool."

He smirked. "Yeah so? I can't help it."

I shrugged. "Sometimes it's better to stay as just one person…someday you'll have to choose between a loving guy…or a cool guy."

"Can't I be both?"

"Yeah…but you at least have to learn compassion and care." I shook my head. "Anyway, it doesn't matter." I glanced at the aquarium. "Hey, can we go in there?"

"Yeah, all right."

I walked around the aquarium and stared at the different kinds of fish. I was amazed at the amount of types that swam in the water. I kept walking around until I faced an aquarium full of crabs. I was really very scared, so I started whimpering. I shut my eyes and faced the other way. I started looking for Van, but I couldn't find him. I feared crabs the most and…if I didn't see Van, I knew I was going to start crying.

Finally, I found him staring at some goldfish. I quickly walked over to him and hugged him tightly. "Van…" I whimpered quietly.

"Hey, what's the matter?" He asked softly, putting his arms around me.

I shook my head. "I was just…" I looked up at him. "I saw crabs…and I…they scare me so much and I had to find you."

"Hey, it'll be all right."

"They're so ugly…"

He laughed. "They're gone now."

"If I didn't see you…I would have just started crying."

"Why?" He was smiling.

I pouted. "Because." I mumbled.

"Hey, tell me why."

I held his arms and tried to pull them away, but he wouldn't let go. "U-um, no reason."

"Come on, Hitomi, tell me."

I turned very pink. "All right, fine." I sighed. I kept quiet.

"Well?" 

"W-when you hold me…I get the feeling…that…" I shifted my eyes.

"You're not getting to the point."

"I-I…I feel safe." I mumbled the end. 

"Huh? I didn't hear what you said at the end." 

I gave a low moan. "When you hold me, I feel safe, ok?" I replied and turned away.

"Thanks." He answered, putting his arms around my waist. My back faced his chest. "That makes me feel really good."

"Why?" I turned around and looked up at him.

"Just to know that you're safe is…well, it's a relief."

I put my head on his chest. "Thank you though."

"No problem."

**********

We left the aquarium after the two of us toured around the whole place. We went to the ice-cream man. I got a rainbow flavoured one while he got a chocolate one. Then we started walking around the gardens.

"So how are you and Millerna doing?" I asked him and licked my ice cream.

"I don't know." He answered truthfully. "I told her…to give me time to make my decision."

I nodded. "So did you make a decision yet?"

He glanced at me and smiled ruefully. "No."

"It's ok. She did say that she'd give you space, right?"

"Yeah, but…" He paused. "Well, I don't think I want to go out with her anymore."

"How come?"

"I don't love her. You know?"

"You fell out of love for her?"

"Well…I don't think I ever really loved her." He muttered. "I'm one of those guys who falls in love when they see THE one. Millerna's not the one."

"Do you just know who SHE is?"

"Uh, no, not in my case." He laughed. "It took me a long time to find out."

"So you do love someone else." I felt really sad and jealous.

"Yeah." He agreed. "I don't know if I'll ever ask her out."

"Why not?" I asked quietly.

"I don't know. I got the feeling she won't say yes."

"How come?"

"Gut feeling."

"Gut feelings are sometimes wrong, you know."

He looked at me. "How do you know?"

"I've had many gut feelings and sometimes my gut feeling was wrong." I offered a smile to ease the conversation.

"Thanks." He whispered it so quietly, I almost didn't hear it.

"Well, does she know you?"

"Oh yeah."

"You should just try it. She might say yes."

He shrugged. "Maybe I should."

"Are you scared?"

He looked at his ice cream and then at me. "No…I just…I hate the feeling of rejection."

"No surprise there."

"What does that mean?" He nudged my shoulder.

I let out a little giggle. "Guys are scared of rejection. I'm not making fun of you or anything."

"Better not." He mumbled.

"Don't be sad, Van."

He looked at his ice cream. "I just want a guarantee or something…I don't wanna get hurt. I got hurt already from before." 

I felt really bad about that. "Well, if it helps…" I glimpsed up at him. "I don't see a reason why she, whoever she is, would say no to you. You're the sweetest guy I've ever met, even though we were enemies at first, but…you're so different from what I thought you'd be. I think all the girls are into you…you've got the looks, the whole package." I blushed heavily.

He chuckled. "Thanks, babe. That means a lot coming from you."

"Yeah well." I laughed. "I just want you to feel better."

He put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close to him. "Thank you." I nodded. "Listen."

"Yeah?"

"I need to tell you something."

"Oh. Ok."

**********


We walked towards a secluded area in the garden and he pulled me really close to him. We faced each other and there were only a few inches between us. "What's going on, Van?" I asked him quietly.

He stared into my eyes. "I have to be honest with you."

"You're hiding something from me?" I asked fearfully.

He laughed quietly. "No, nothing like that."

"Oh ok." I was really nervous.

"Uh…" He was looking everywhere.

"Van, what is it?"

"Heh." He looked away.

"Van?"

"I'm just nervous."

"Why? What's going on?"

He swallowed. "Uh," he looked at the ground and then at me, "I just want a straight answer, ok? Don't give me all that crap."

That surprised me. "Van…"

"Will you go out with me?" He asked abruptly.

I was shocked. My eyes widened in excitement and nervousness. He was watching me and when he looked at my face, I saw sadness and hurt in his eyes. 

I smiled genuinely and felt tears sting my eyes. "Don't be sad, Van." I touched his face.

"So you're saying no?" He whispered.

"No way." I half-laughed, half-sobbed.

His face brightened heavily and his eyes held so much happiness. I felt like crying with joy. "Really?" He breathed out, putting his arms around me and hugging me tightly.

"Yeah." I giggled, feeling shy tears leak out. "My mind's saying yes to you."

"How about your heart?" He asked as soon as we pulled away lightly, staring into each other's eyes.

"The first thing I felt was my heart saying yes."

"I'm glad. Maybe I'm the one for you." He whispered.

"I think you are." I smiled through the tears. "I never really felt that you weren't…you know."

He looked at me tenderly. "You're THE one. I knew it…"

I knew tears were starting to form in my eyes. "I can't be." I mumbled.

"You are though." He held my face in his hands.

"How?" 

"I never felt this way about anyone ever." He said softly. "Ever since I met you, I felt something for you, but I ignored it, cause I was scared. I made myself to hate you and just completely make fun of everything about you…and when you came to tutor me, I knew I was in trouble." He glanced away. "I knew I was going to feel those feelings I've been ignoring, cause you…I got so jealous when Folken asked you out. You don't know how relieved I was that you said no. Millerna and me…I had this really bad feeling that you would say no when I ask you out, because I've been so mean in the past. I was using her, really, which is…I'm not proud of doing."

I wiped away my tears. "No guy has ever felt this way about me…I'm not interesting!" I protested, sobbing.

"You are!" He replied. "You're not just interesting. You're beautiful, you're sexy." I giggled and cried at that. "You're…so caring. No matter how mean I was to you, you, you just ignored it and became my friend."

"I've never felt this way about anyone either." I sobbed, looking down. "I was scared of what I was feeling for you."

"Me too." He wiped away my tears. "But now I'm not. You shouldn't be either."

I shook my head. "I'm scared of getting hurt." I mumbled. "I don't want to give my whole heart to you and then I get hurt…"

"I won't hurt you ever. I'm sorry for being so cruel to you. I promise I won't let myself or anyone else hurt you." He held my face.

"You promise?" I looked at him with swollen eyes.

"I promise."

"Ok." I embraced him tightly. "Can I tell you something now?"

"Yeah go ahead." He whispered in my hair.

"Am I the girl of your dreams?" I teased.

"What do you think?" He laughed. "Am I the guy of yours?"

"No doubt about it." I giggled.

"All right, I want to do something." He took a deep breath.

"What is it?"

He stared down at me and put an arm around my cheek, caressing it with his hand. "Can I kiss you?"

"Be gentle." I smiled.

"I promise." He smiled back.

He leaned down and I leaned up. We finally got to kiss and the feeling was just so amazing. My heart burst in happiness and I felt so…so light-headed and so…so…so in love.

"That was nice." He whispered, touching my lips with his thumb.                                                                   

"That was my first kiss." I whispered back.

"It was?" His eyes widened. "Really?"

I nodded. "I'm glad my first kiss was with you."

"I'm sorry it wasn't mine."

I shook my head. "It's ok. It was your first kiss with me." I offered.

He showed a small smile. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's okay. I enjoyed it. A lot."

"I loved it." He replied. "So…do we get to kiss more often?" He teased, but I knew he was asking truthfully.

 "Hmm…well…" I pretended to think, but then he caught my lips in his. When he pulled away slightly, he looked at me. "I guess you already know the answer." I blushed. He grinned.

**********

The next day, I went in the house and I heard Van and Millerna talking in the living room. Millerna was practically yelling and I could hear the sadness in her voice. I moved away and walked to the pool where Folken was. He saw me and gave me a cool glare.

"Millerna did love me." He said as he glanced away.

"So why does she deny it?"

"It's obvious. She wants Van." He muttered. "Oh well."

"You're really upset, aren't you?"

"What do you think?" He asked sadly. "I love her. I don't think I ever stopped. Even when I asked you out."

He really was a heartbreaker. I kept quiet. 

He just shook his head and let out a loud growl. "I wish she only loved me and not Van. I don't like fighting over a girl with my bro."

"I don't think Van loves her anyway." I mumbled.

"Yeah I know. He loves you." He looked at me.

"No." I blushed. "He just likes me a lot."

"It's love for sure." He smiled ruefully. "I could see it in his eyes that he's in love."

"Yeah well…"

"Do you love him?"

"Yes." That was the first time I admitted it. At least publicly. "Yeah I do."

He nodded. "Don't hurt him, all right? As much a he acts all macho and tough, he's still a guy with feelings."

"I know." I interrupted. "I don't have a reason to hurt him. If you love someone, you try your hardest to keep them from getting hurt."

"I get that." Folken looked at someone behind me.

I turned around and saw Millerna and Van walking over to us. I looked down and moved aside. Millerna sent a really evil glare at me and I just ignored it. Van hugged me briefly. "Folken, could I talk to you, man?"

"Yeah, man." Folken stood up from his seat.

**********

Millerna and I were left all alone. "You're such a bitch."

"And you're not?" I retorted.

"He was mine. And you took him away. You're such a friggin' liar! The reason you blew up in front of me that day was because you wanted him for yourself!!"

"That's not true!" I protested. "I cared about him and I didn't want to see him hurt by you! You're the liar here! You tell Van that you never loved Folken when that's such a lie! You loved him and Folken even told me so!! You just want them fighting over you!"

Millerna scowled. "So what if I lied?" She growled. "At least I got what I wanted."

"You're such a two-faced backstabbing slut!" I called her. "I hate you for hurting both of them! I hate you for playing with Van's heart and Folken's too! You didn't have the right to do that to them!" I watched the two brothers talking.

"Shut the hell up!!"

I rolled my eyes. "You have to apologize, Millerna."

"Why should I?" She snapped.

"Because you hurt them so much."

"So what?"

"You're even dumber than I thought."

"Gee, like I care." She rolled her eyes at me and turned away.

I scoffed. "I'm not even going to try." I shook my head and walked inside the house.

Folken and Van were in deep talking. I stood there nervously. They both turned to look at me. "Yeah, babe?" Van asked.

"Can I go to your room?" I asked softly, not looking at him.

"Yeah."

"Ok. Thanks."

*Normal POV*

Van watched her go up the stairs. He was completely overwhelmed with happiness to have found her. "Folk, I gotta go." He nudged at the room.

Folken smiled. "Yeah all right, man."

"Go take care of Millerna for me, all right?"

"I will."

"Thanks."

Folken glanced at his brother's retreating body.

Van stood up and walked up the stairs in nervousness and excitement. His heart pounded heavily. He opened the door and saw his angel sitting on his bed reading a book. She turned to face him and her eyes glittered with happiness. A smile showed upon her face reflecting his.

*Hitomi's POV*

"Hey…" He whispered, pulling me close to him.

"Hi." I smiled, leaning up.

He kissed me slowly and softly, placing his arms around me and putting a hand on the back of my head, pushing me gently to him. We kept kissing for a long time and then we finally moved away, smiling at each other. We rested our foreheads together. "I love you." He whispered. I looked deep into his eyes and I knew he meant it.

"I love you too."

The End ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~