Well, I didn't receive as much reviews as I expected in the last chapter, so I delayed the update by a week, until the reviews get up to the number. Don't blame me, just remember to give reviews and that will prompt to work faster.

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Reflection of the Moon

Mirrors • Amethyst Mirrors

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"Yukito, wake up," I called out to the form curled into a ball at a corner of the "world" I was in. ever since he had fainted on the stairs, he had been here, but had never moved a muscle. I was afraid that he had gone within.

"Yukito, come back. You can't stay this way forever. There are people waiting for you out there." Still no response. I sighed in frustration. I didn't like to do this, but it was time to poke him where he hurt most. If not, he would keep staying this way, and the wound would only fester. "Touya is calling you. He is waiting for you to wake up."

His head shifted a little. "Go away, Yue. You know I can't see him anymore."

He was starting to test my patience. "You can't see him? Or are you too scared to see him? You keep saying that you can't hurt Touya, but do you know what is hurting him the most now?" My voice rose, and he lifted up his head to stare at me. "You! It's you who's causing him so much pain, while you are here hiding like a coward. Has he not told you before that he wants to protect you? And here you are purposely torturing yourself. How do you think that he'll feel if he knows that you are doing this all because of him? Have you not already felt his tears?"

"B . . . but . . . then if he can forget me, he won't feel so much pain. I want him to forget me . . ." he stammered out.

"Then you will have to forget him in the first place. Can you do that? There is nothing more painful in the world than to be forgotten, because memories make up a person. If there are no memories, it might as well be that nobody ever existed. Besides, do you want to forget him? Do you want to forget all those times you spent together, all the hardships, and the warmth of his hand, the sense of absolute safety as you lay in his arms?"

Unconsciously, my hand clutched at the cloth of where my heart is. "It hurts to forget, when you try to erase something that your whole life revolves around. We never forget. We have only dug a hole in ourselves."

He rose to his feet slowly, then came over and placed his hand over mine, which I kept above my heart. Then he looked at me straight in the eyes, and for the first time, it struck me how alike we really were. He gave a bitter smile.

"It hurts, doesn't it? To love someone. You love To-ya too, don't you?"

I started, and my heart almost stopped beating. I jerked my hand away. "No, I don't," I retorted sharply, "all I have ever loved is Clow Reed, but he is dead. You may love Touya, but not me."

He shook his head and smiled bitterly. "I'm sorry if I ever said that you don't understand how I feel, when I fact, we are two of the same person, no matter how different we look on the surface. I realized this when you talked about To-ya just now. You voiced out exactly what I was thinking, and the way you spoke of To-ya . . . I must have been like that too when I shouted to you last time. Perhaps we are made so differently on the outside is just that we would be able to view and experience things form each different angle, and yet be able to share our viewpoints, to make up for what we lack. But when it boils down to the basics, we are still the same. The same fragility, the same protectiveness towards Sakura, the same kindness towards people, no matter we show it or not, and the same love towards To-ya. It's time to let go of the past and live again, Yue."

I turned away from a notch, and muttered, "If you're so good at counseling people, then sort out your problem with Touya first. Don't lecture me here."

"If I have a plan, then I won't be here brooding, would I? There is no way that I can make both side work, is there?"

"But do you think Touya would hurt more if he were to lose, or to lose the society? He has already told you the answer."

"I know . . . but . . . I'll think about it. Perhaps I'll talk to him," then he smiled at me. "Thank you, Yue, for helping me. Oh, and stop using 'you'. Use 'us'."

I looked at the "ground". "It's not as if he knows I exist. Beside, do you want him to know that you've not human?"

"If we have the courage to go against the whole school, then we will have the courage to tell him the truth. If the first step work, then yes, we will let him know."

"Don't drag it out too long. It will only hurt more."

"Don't' tell it to me. When you fell that you are ready, then I will be too."

I smiled and shook my head. "Go now. Touya is waiting for you." And with that, he melted away into the water beneath my feet.

"I . . . love Touya? Is it possible? I don't know anymore . . ."

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Yukito woke up, then looked out of the window with a wistful sign. He wanted to see Touya.

Touya stood up after finally recollecting himself. Just as he was preparing to go check on Yukito again, someone called, "Kinomoto-san! The soccer coach is looking for you!" A person from soccer team came running in his direction. "Have you forgotten? There's a match today, and it's starting in one hour! Go and prepare."

Having totally forgotten about this, Touya hurried towards the soccer field. He would have to visit Yukito later. The team needed him, and he couldn't abandon all their expectation just because of his personal affairs. Yukito would be fine, wouldn't he?

Draping on his uniform coat, Yukito waked out of the medical room with wobbly legs. He could feel the magic evaporating into the air around him, leaving him almost with nothing. Even appearing to be corporal was using up all his energy. But no matter how difficult, he sill wanted to see Touya, even if from a distance. He hadn't decided whether or not to tell the truth, but for now, all he wanted was a glimpse of Touya, to remind him that he still existed, and was needed.

Suddenly, he found his way blocked by several people. Class was supposed to have started, so there should be nobody in the hallway. He lifted his head and saw at least six huge guys towering over him.

"Hey, fag, we are running a little bore here. Can you let us play with you for a while?"

The coach called him over. "Touya-san, I know that you are 'stressed' lately, but try to ignore what the other teammates say. I don't want you to get distracted before the match, okay? I'm depending on you."

Touya nodded mutely, when in fact, the strange glances and hushed whispers directed at him were driving him crazy. They were up against the soccer team of a neighbouring school, and even students from there were casting him weird looks. This was totally ridiculous. He had to talk to Yukito. And soon.

"W . . . What do you want?" Yukito stuttered as he backed up against the wall.

"Oh, don't worry," one of them said, "it's just that one time, there was a girl whom I liked, but she dumped me because she thinks that a wimp like you is the 'cutest guy in the school' and stuff. I'm sure she'll be pretty disappointed now, eh? Won't she be happy if I were to 'each you a lesson', don't you agree?"

Another piped in, "And there's that Kinomoto, who acts as if he's the king of the school or something. Doesn't even bother to bat an eyelash at someone. He thinks that he's so tough, and we can't touch him. Ha! Who does he think he is? We'll just have to start with you first, since you're his lover. Who would have thought that the Kinomoto is gay?"

"Come on, come on, let's not scare this poor creature. We'll be light this time." They smirked.

The referee blew his whistle, and all the players took their positions on the field. The match started.

Touya's team had control of the ball, but when Touya signaled them to pass the ball to him, they simply ignored, passing the ball to anyone except Touya. Finally, Touya stole the ball form an opponent, and he dribbled and managed to get the ball very near the goal, but too many people had blocked him from shooting. Glancing around fro someone to pass the ball to, he found that all his teammates were at the other side of the field, not even moving up to help him. With a frustrated growl, he kicked the ball hard and watched as it soared way pass the goal. But the end of the first quarter, the other team had one goal, while they had none.

Once he reached the benches, Touya demanded, "What is the meaning of this?! Do you know how many chances slipped past? I don't care what I've done, but on the soccer field, I am just another player! There's no reason you should alienate me!"

"Shut the hell up, Kinomoto! A person like you should be long kicked off the team. We don't need someone like you to boss us a round, and turn us all gay like you. We can still win even if you are not on the team, so bug off."

"SO WHAT IF I'M –" but Touya's rage was cut off by the announcement that the second quarter was to start. Fuming, Touya stormed off into the field, with the rest of the team sneering behind him.

A cracked of lightning split through the sky.

Yukito couldn't see. They had blindfolded his eyes. Yukito couldn't shout. They had stuffed something into his mouth. All he could hear was their maniacal laughter, as he fell to the ground. His legs were already numb with pain, ever since they decided to start off with kicking his knees until he could no longer stand. And then, they had picked up something that sounded like wooden bars, as they hit it against the wall, and with each sound, Yukito's heart jumped, as if the bat had not landed on the wall, but on him.

Fear was exploding in his mind, and he could breathe no more.

With a muffled thud, the bat hit him across the back, sending him sprawling onto the ground. His whole back was paralyzed, as he tried to move but with no avail. It didn't hurt, but I made him want to purge out everything inside him, so that his lungs would no longer burn with each breath, his heart no longer beating so wild, and that his ribs would not snap with even an ounce more of exertion. But that did not happen. He heard a snap within himself as someone stepped on his back.

"Having fun, guys? I know I am!" and laughter broke out again.

the rain fell like sheets, totally obscuring his vision as he ran with the ball, he could not even see within two meters of himself. The roaring thunder was drowning out almost everything, except for the chants of the people watching the match.

"Get the ball away from Kinomoto! Don't let him score!" They kept chanting, and it was no longer only from the opposing side. It came from everywhere, wrapping him in it like a curse.

He wanted to shout, he wanted to yell. His senses were so overwhelmed that he failed to notice that anything was wrong.

Someone took a handful of Yukito's hair and pulled his head up. He felt something cold and hard against his cheek.

"Make a guess, Tsukishiro. What is this?"

A knife. Yukito wanted to speak, but was gagged.

"What is it? Louder, I can't hear you! If you don't say it, then you'll be punished, like . . ." and he felt a searing pain on his thigh, " . . . this." A warm liquid slithered down his leg like a cold-blooded snake, and a nauseating smell wafted in the air. He would have vomited if not of the gaga. He promised himself not to cry but tears sill erupted, only to be taken in by the blindfold.

"Do you think the Kinomoto will like him if we spoil this pretty face of him? He'll become form the prettiest to the ugliest in the school within a second." A chorus of humourless laughter.

His mind was foggy, but was pulled back into reality as a stinging sensation burned on his face. That smell grew stronger.

Suddenly, siren s ran gout form the school gate. Police cars. Someone called the police.

Touya stopped dead in his tracks, and his eyes widened with horror. Then he took off with all his speed, knocking over whoever was in is way, and barged into the school building, letting his senses guide him.

Yukito was disappearing! Yukito was . . .

Yukito was lying on the ground like a broken doll, his pale features splattered with blood. A pool of dark red blood was also clearly visible beneath him. His whole being had become translucent.

"YUKI!"

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