Kaio: Thanks for reading, commenting and motivating me as per normal !!! Sorry I have been pretty tied up this week so this update is a little late (but still within the week;) )! I have jumped quite a lot in this chapter in terms of events, but largely they relate to T&T.

Yuei: Ah a new reader ! Welcome !! I'm so glad you like Façade !!! Thanks so much for letting me know … … And I'm glad you like Kiss too. Sorry that update's been slow. I guess my main focus has always been on Façade, so I didn't have as much time to spend on editing. (found lots of mistakes in that!). I think it'll be a bit more focused on R&T for the moment, but yes, I intend to answer those questions hopefully quite soon!

Lindkher: Hi hi! Hey, please don't apologise for not commenting or anything! I mean I know how it's like sometimes when I don't really know what to say about a chapter coz I have a mental block, or lack or time or 100 000 other reasons! Though I love reading all the comments I get, please please please don't feel obligated to do so :) !! About the airport dialogue, I think I read it in a translation (coz I don't own the manga). However, I must say that I do kind of create of at least reword quite a significant portion of the characters' conversations so there's a mix of original fic vs. my own thoughts. However coz I try to stick to the storyline, it's quite diff to distinguish btw what I created/what was written! Thanks so much for your kind comments!

orenjipanda : Actually to be frank, I haven't really decided yet! I mean I'm letting the story speak for itself and I have a few endings in mind which I am still trying to decide on! Thanks so much for your encouraging comments!

.:: Stacey ::.: I'm so glad you liked this chapter and I really liked your interpretation of Rui's loss of control! And thanks so much about your comment on my writing of this vs the diff POV. I guess I was trying to improve my writing and I'm so glad that you think I have. Thank you thank you! To be frank when I wrote the diff POV, it wasn't meant to be a story at all. I wanted to stop after the first 3 chapters when Tsukushi, Tsukasa and Rui had had their say about their point of view about the entire story – which was why the title was diff POV. However, I got carried away as usual ;)

ToinKs; Hi hi! I think Rui always has problems with expression his own emotions and comprehending them. Yes, this was one of my favourite scenes too – so I couldn't help but incorporate it. Also, I think this event was extremely important in terms of how it affects Tsukushi's relation with either of the boys :)

Nana-chan : I'm glad my last update was timely and hopefully this will be too! I am writing more about his other life in the next chapter. I decided not to incorporate it into this chapter because otherwise the update will be far too long !!! Really enjoyed your astute observation about wrong timing – that made me think of this story in entity in relation to your comment. Actually, we could say that a lot of events that took place in this manga occurred because of wrong timing and we would probably not have a storyline if not because of that !!!

kensingtonkid: Hi hi hi! To be honest, some of the scenes are created and not from the manga. However, I must say that New York I and New York II probably sticks rather closely to the manga because of the importance of the events, except for of course any part my write-up that relates to Rui's agent lifestyle. Those are strictly out of my head ;) I hope you enjoy this next update and thanks for your comments!!!

crybaby : Another new reader!! Yay !! I'm glad you like the flashback – Rui was in his "sweet" mode wasn't he? I think Rui has deep feelings for Tsukushi, but to be fair to Tsukasa, so has Tsukasa. In fact, I wouldn't like to compare the depth of feelings that they have for the same girl. I feel that the only thing is that Tsukasa is a less complex person with a less complex life so he can simply throw himself headlog into his feelings for Tsukushi, wherelse Rui has lots of baggage emotional and otherwise and he perhaps analyses too much!

Chapter 31 – Brewing Troubles

"Make sure you keep the promise you made to me. Because I will be waiting." My heart contracted sharply as those fateful words fell from her lips. I turned my head abruptly to the side when I saw the look they exchanged - the look of longing, sadness and love, not wanting to intrude on their private moment or to torture myself any further by watching the dying embers of a hopeless dream … …

"I will keep my promise. I swear." I heard my best friend reply.

"Okay, I'm off then!" With that, her small hand was dragging me off in the direction of the gates. Before we stepped through the gates, I looked back and caught Tsukasa looking at me with a rather sheepish expression on his face. I knew things were more or less alright again when we both exchanged our usual "see you later dude" kind of nod.

"Is everything alright?" I could not help but ask Tsukushi when we boarded the plane.

"Yes, everything is fine!" She smiled at me, a brave smile that was still a shadow of her former cheerful and light-hearted grin.

When we finally arrived in Japan, I dropped her home only to discover that her place was swarming with unwanted guests - Soujirou, Akira and the rest of the crowd. I left her with the "wolves", making an excuse to get some groceries. By the time I returned, she was alone again.

"Thanks so much, Rui." She said as I left the groceries on her table.

"That's all right, I didn't think that you'll have the energy to cook so I took the liberty of getting take away for you as well … …  Okay, I'm leaving now!"

"Rui." I heard her soft voice calling me when I was halfway down the stairs. I turned back and saw her running out of her apartment.

"Yes?" She swallowed a little nervously and hesitated for a moment before finally speaking in a rather gentle tone, "Rui, I ... I need you to know that I love Tsukasa, even if my relationship with him is rather undefined at the moment. And even if our friends may say or think otherwise." She was too kind to leave me with false hopes that may have arisen from our mutual friends' speculations. I knew I had made the right decision to leave Tsukushi just now although it might have seemed cruel. It would have been more difficult for her to answer the questions that the crowd must have bombarded her with honestly if I had been around.

My answering smile successfully concealed the tumult of emotions that I was experiencing, "you don't have to explain anything to me. Your relationship with Tsukasa doesn't bother me. I'm just happy to be your friend and I want to see you happy. That's all." With that I walked away into the darkness and never looked back.

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I rubbed my hand tiredly over my face. My head ached just to think of this latest development. Just when we thought things were getting back to normal, just when I had resigned myself to watching the woman whom I had deep feelings for happily spending the rest of her life with my deliriously happy best friend. Did fate just get a kick out of messing with my life and my friends'? From Soujirou and Akira's frowns and occasional sighs, I could sense that they were similarly troubled. I have to admit that although quite the strategist, I am definitely no doctor. And even if I could complete an entire medical degree within one year (which I probably could), Tsukasa's condition was not one that even the best-qualified doctors could really help.

How does one deal with "selective" amnesia? I think partial amnesia is probably the more accurate medical term, but selective amnesia seems more appropriate in the current context. Not that I blame my best friend if he wants to remain in his blissfully oblivious state. His life has been more than hectic enough ever since his mother decided to get on his case. However, he should have thought of Tsukushi who is, as expected, a total emotional wreck although she manages to hide it relatively well.

We watched in relative silence, refraining ourselves from meddling when Tsukasa repeated drove Tsukushi away with insults and his infamous rages. Akira had to restraint me with a heavy hand on my shoulder when Tsukasa threw Tsukushi out of his hospital room for the third time. She was obviously in tears as she fled the room. I had enough, no, I had more than enough. When I felt composed enough to face Tsukasa without beating the crap out of him, I shook Akira's hand off and stormed up to his bed (okay so maybe I was not as composed as I would have liked to be).

"What on earth are you trying to do Tsukasa? How can you treat Tsukushi this way?"

"Why can't I get rid of that annoying idiot? She's not even pretty too."

I had to exert my utmost self-control to hold myself in check, reminding myself that a second concussion would likely aggravate his condition. "That's not what you used to think," I managed to grit out through my teeth. "Tsukasa, look, I can totally comprehend why you would choose to pretend that you don't know Tsukushi. Tell me, are you not acknowledging her for her own sake? I promise not to tell her." From the genuine confusion that appeared on his face, I could tell that he was not putting on an act. However, to be certain, I decided to try harder.

"Hey, you're such a coward! Aren't you even man enough to admit that you know her? My goodness, you're such a weakling."

"What are you talking about you little piece of s***!" He roared at me. "How dare you accuse me of pretending? Whatever for? And isn't she your girlfriend?" I knew he was telling the truth because acting was not one of my best friend's forte, and to fool me, you had to be REALLY good.

"Fine," the entire room fell silent when they heard the glacier tone of my voice. "Just keep in mind Tsukasa, how badly you've hurt Tsukushi and that you gave her up willingly. Don't you dare to blame me for whatever is going to happen. You are no longer fit to even lick her boots." I left the room.

"Tsukushi." I had been waiting outside the dango shop for two hours when I finally saw her slight figure emerge. She turned and waved at me as her co-worker and good friend – Yuki – said her goodbyes and left.

"Rui." Her voice was bone-weary.

"Let's get you home." I waved to my chauffeur.

"I'd rather walk – I need the fresh air to clear my head."

"I'll walk with you," I said simply as I made a different gesture to my chauffeur and he drove away. She did not protest any longer but allowed me to walk by her side. Other than asking her preference for dinner, we both walked in companionable silence for the entire journey. When we reached her apartment, I handed her the food that I had bought and turned to leave when she called my name softly.

"Wouldn't you join me for dinner? You've bought enough food for an army and I'm sure you haven't eaten." I retraced my steps. We ate in the same easy silence, or at least I ate - she hardly touched anything as she sat there and stared at the table. My patience had been tried rather severely of late and soon I decided that enough was enough.

"Eh?" She was startled out of her reverie when I, rather impolitely, grabbed her meal box with one hand and removed the chopsticks from her hand with the other.

"You've got to eat Tsukushi. Since you appear incapable of doing so, I'll feed you." Totally ignoring her protests, I acted on my threat promptly. She stared at me numbly as I focused on selecting the choicest morsels and delivering them to those pale lips. She obediently opened her mouth like a child and I fed her silently. I was concentrating on trying to remove a fishbone, when my concentration was broken as a drop of water plopped into the mealbox. Stunned, I lifted my head only to see that tears were streaming down her face as her slight shoulders hunched forward with suppressed sobs. Wordlessly, I laid down the box on the table and pulled her forward into my embrace. She did not resist. Like a broken doll, she crumpled against my chest as her small hands fisted in my shirt. I stroked her hair and back soothingly as I held her tightly in my arms, letting her cry herself out. When the whimpers finally stopped, I carried her to the bathroom and left her to clean up as I prepared her futon for her.

"Come, it's time for you to rest," I told her when she reappeared in her pyjamas, ready for bed. "Don't worry about cleaning up or anything, I'll do that." She obeyed me almost mechanically and got between the covers. I sat on the edge of the futon, holding her hand.

"Rui," her voice was hoarse.

"Yes?"

"Thank you … …" her lips were starting to quiver.

"Hush, it's okay. Don't think anymore. Just go to sleep." Hoping to take her mind off her worries, I started humming my favourite tune although I had to admit that it sounded far better on my violin. Perhaps I could play my violin for her another day … … When her even breathing informed me that she had finally fallen into a deep sleep, I left her side to clean up the place a little before locking up and calling my chauffeur to collect me from her place.

I was waiting outside her apartment bright and early the next morning, waiting to walk her to school. When Tsukushi appeared, I smiled at her and her face brightened for a moment as she caught sight of me before turning rather red.

"Rui, I'm so sorry about last night … …" she began.

"Have you had breakfast?" I interrupted her. There was an answering growl from her stomach and I laughed merrily as she blushed even harder. "Here, my cook was baking some muffins. Have some." I pushed a blue berry muffin into her hand as I took one myself and we started eating as we walked to school. It soon became a routine and we became rather inseparable. Or rather, I found myself by her side most of the time, supporting her, encouraging her and trying my best to take her mind off her worries. Vicious rumours about her started spreading in school. However, this only made Soujirou, Akira and me more protective of her, and we made sure that there was always either one of us or her close friends around her at all times.

Then one day, Akira approached me, "Rui, we need to talk." I brought him to the stairwell and arched an inquiring eyebrow at him.

He went straight to the point as usual, "you're getting too close to Tsukushi. Is this fair to Tsukasa?"

"You tell me." I challenged him.

"She's still in love with him." Akira said rather gently.

"I know but he doesn't deserve her," I muttered.

"That's not something we can judge. It was not his choice to forget her. He loves her so much."

"And you think I don't?" I bit out as I spun around and faced him. The stunned expression on his face mirrored my own. "Damn," I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. "Forget I said anything."

He was silent for a long moment. "I really didn't have any idea that you felt so strongly about her … …" Then he added a little hesitantly, "Rui, you'll end up being the hurt party. Are you sure you can handle that?" Again, his perceptiveness caught me by surprise – there are times when I really underestimate Akira.

"It's my choice," I said lightly but there was something in my tone that warned him to drop it. He acted accordingly, knowing when not to push. He had played his part as a friend by giving me advice and I had acknowledged it. That was the end of the matter.