AN: The second to last chapter! It's not as angsty as I hoped to be, but a little is enough. It's a little lighthearted in their little scenes together, but you'll see where the angst builds up. Read, review and enjoy!

CHAPTER 9

Spring 1999

In the Shadows...

"Hey Haru," she greeted me with a hug and a kiss as she came inside my house. As she was trying to let go, I held on to her tighter, kissing her all over her neck.

"Aren't you all kissy today?" she giggled. "Hey...tell me about school. How was the first day of high school?"

"Mmmfmm." I still had my face in the gap of her neck.

"You will have to stop..." She was interrupted becauseI kept on kissing her. "Haru...talk to me for a min..."

"Come with me...and we'll talk..." I took by the hand and escorted her in the direction of my room.

After our dalliance, I sat up on my bed with her beside me. She held on to my arm. "Now could we talk?"

"Okay."

"As I was saying...how was school?"

"Heh. Do you really want to know?"

"Yeah...unless you're hiding something..."

"I messed around with the student council presdient and Akito visited."

"What!?" She had a shocked look on her face. I couldn't tell if she was shocked that I was messing around or Akito. Probably both.

"Messing around?! Akito?! You have to tell me everything!" she gave me a light smack on my arm with her fist.

"Well, the moronic president was picking on me and Momiji, so I shook the crap out of him."

"Ah..."

"I also had to prove my white hair is natural..."

"How did you?...Oh...no...you...did not!" She blushed. I thought she wouldn't guess how I did it. Yet, she of all people should of known...she shoved me a little with a little frown.

"I had to shut him up." I said coolly.

"Enough about that... What about Akito?"

"He came a little later...I didn't meet him personally, but I bet Yuki did. Honda-san too."

She hugged her knees and stared out into space, silently. A look of trepidation was on her face. I put my arms around her and pulled her close. "They smiled afterwards. We played badmiton together at the school court. Yuki was smiling." I spoke softly. "That proves that she could do it. She could make it go away."

Even, today... I still believe that she does wonders.

Later on into the evening, she left because my parents were home at that hour. After I ate a silent dinner with them. Mom told me that he wanted to see me because he didn't get a chance at when he visited my school earlier. I knew he would want to see me. He needed somebody to "feed" on if he couldn't get his hands on anyone else.

"Hatsuharu...welcome..." He greeted me with a low, cool tone. I walked in and sat a distance from him. The room was dark and cool. I could feel the goosebumps rising from my skin. Was I afraid? No. The room was just too damn cold. He walked up to me slowly with an eccentric smile creeping up his face. He looked down at me and lowered down to put his hands on my face and gazed at me with his face too close for my comfort.

"What man you grown into, Hatsuharu. Already in high school, with the others...soon you'll grow older and find someone of your desire..."

He said that last word breathing into my ear. What was he doing? Seducing me? I tried not to display the look of disgust I have inside. He wrapped his arms around my neck and whispered,

"When you do...you'll leave my side, won't you?"

He was in one of those moods again. After seeing that Yuki was no longer living with him, he got into these "moods" where he ask one of the junnishis, especially me... if they would stay by his side. Of course, I couldn't deny him... or he might explode.

I just looked at him with my usual blank expression and shook my head. He smiled and hugged me.

"You know I love you very much, Hatsuharu."

I had a very disturbing night afterwards...tossing and turning in my sleep. A nightmare in a dark, cold room. He was there and so was she. He said that he should be my only love in my life and that nobody could replace him. There she was crying. I couldn't reach her. My body wouldn't move. I couldn't speak. Only watch. He took her by the hair and swung her against the wall. He beat her until her entire face was covered in blood. He held her head up and spoke to her.

"You disguting little wretch! How dare you defy me! You touched my things! Digusting, filthy creature! You should burn in hell! While I am at it...I should rid of you...in front of him!"

My dream ended in bloody scream. I woke up with sweat soaking my pillow. My entire body felt numb. I instantly got up and took a cold shower. Various of fears rushed through the blood of my veins. He wouldn't kill no one...would he? He was capable of hurting. It happened to Hatori and Kisa. However...will he kill?

After my shower, I stared out of the dark sky. On my alarm clock, it was four in the morning. I quickly put on my school uniform and left to Kagura - neechan's house. I must see her to rid of my fears. I knocked on her window a few times to wake her. She got up slowly and dragged herself to the window.

"Hmm...Har...Haru...what are you..."

I immediately hugged and kissed her as I climbed through the window. "Haru? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, love...I just want to see you. We should walk to school together."

"But we go to different schools."

"I wanted to walk you to your school. Let me be a real boyfriend."

She blushed, "That's cute of you, Haru. Let me get ready." A smiled appeared on her face as she was heading for her closet. I smiled slighty, then frowned after she left. As long as he doesn't find out. It would be alright.

We left her house and walked hand to hand to her school, which was more closer than mine. She was smiling and talking, while I was drenched in my own apprehension. Ever since that dream, I felt like I needed to be with her more. I had to protect her. We parted ways at the gate of her school and I departed to go to mine.

Following a quiet second day of school, I went to her school to meet up with her halfway. We ate at our usual eatery for dinner. She seemed modest the whole time, talking about the tattoo I gotten last week and the newest hits with our favorite bands. It reminded me how we used to be, just friends hanging around.

Afterwards, we went to my house to finish our homework. It was an atmosphere of silence. Only the sounds of my pencil rubbing against paper could be heard. She was reading her Japanese literature book. We were distracted by a few kisses, but we managed to get our work done. Our evening ended with lovemaking.

She looked at me with a little sense of shyness. "I wish I could be your heart, Haru...we will always be together."

"Then, we couldn't kiss," I said as I reach over to kiss her. "Couldn't hold each each other... I like it this way."

"I never want to leave your side...never."

"Then, don't leave."

"I wish I could stay longer...but it's not possible."

"I'll stay with you then."

"As long as possible..."

"Yes."

Little did I know how important that day was. That was the last time she told me she wanted to stay with me. Also, that day comforted me of my fears of losing her. In my mind, during that time, we were always together. It never crossed my mind that it could happen...that could happen.

"Hatsuharu, you won't leave my side, right? That's right, you being the idiot you are...you're not stupid enough to do so."

What he doesn't know it that I'll always stay by hers...even from the distance...in the shadows.

AN: Yay! Two chapters in one day! The sad news is that there is only one more and an epilouge from Rin. Thank you all for reading! See you in the next chapter!