chapter 6

"Sasame? Sasame? Aren't you going to be late for work if you don't get up?" Hayate asked as he donned his blue jumpsuit he wore when he did work for Kaoru.

"Huh? Why what time is it?" Sasame asked groggily as he put his glasses on to see the clock hanging on the wall.

"It's almost nine."

Sasame grumbled as he got out of bed. "I thought it was earlier."

"You never sleep in this late on weekdays. Are you all right?" Hayate asked.

"I feel tired. Yesterday was a long day, and I couldn't seem to sleep well last night," Sasame replied.

"Hmmm… you went to bed pretty early yesterday, why couldn't you sleep?" Hayate inquired.

"I couldn't stop thinking about something, that's all. It was nothing really. Anyhow, you should get going, and I better call work and let them know I'll be late," Sasame said.

"Yeah, okay. Take it easy Sasame. I'll see you later."

- o - o - o -

Sasame was only a half hour late to work and luckily he didn't get much flack from his boss. The day went by slowly, and Sasame had a hard time focusing. He kept thinking about that scene in the park. Finally, at around one Sasame left and wasn't letting anything prevent him from walking right over to the mansion to talk with Takako.

Sasame rang the doorbell at the Awayuki mansion and one of the maids answered the door. She recognized Sasame right away because Takako was always showing her pictures of the two of them and saying how blessed she was to have such a wonderful guy.

"Come on in Sasame. I'm glad to see you. Maybe you can make Takako feel better. She's been cooped up in her room all day and won't come out," the maid said.

"I hope she's all right," Sasame said worriedly as he walked inside and towards Takako's room.

The maid followed him part of the way and continued talking. "Takako said she didn't want any visitors, and that's really not like her. She wouldn't even open the door when I went to go deliver a bouquet of flowers that were sent for her. I hope she isn't mad at me for seeing you in, but I think she'll feel better when she sees that you have come to visit," the maid said. "Well, I ought to get back to work. Have a good day," the maid said cheerfully as she returned to her sweeping. Sasame finally made it to Takako's door and sure enough, there was a huge bouquet of roses in a vase sitting outside her door.

'I should bring these in for her,' Sasame thought as he bent down and picked up the flowers. After admiring the bouquet for a moment he found a card tucked into the bunch of roses. He put the flowers back down to read the note and see who the flowers from. The note read:

Dear Takako my love,

Yesterday our date in the park was the best day of my life. I had a feeling we were meant to be in the end.

I love you so much!

Taru

P.S. I never knew you could be such a great kisser!

'Taru… Takako's old friend from high school… the one she went out for ice cream with.' Sasame thought in his mind, as he felt anger and confusion rise in him. 'Does this mean that Takako doesn't…"

Sasame quickly shoved the note back in the flowers and left them on the floor. Then he knocked on the door.

"Takako, I really need to talk you," Sasame said urgently.

"Come back later," Takako said dryly.

"But this is really important Takako, and I'd rather not wait," he said growing more agitated.

"Ugh, fine." Takako said sounding annoyed.

She opened the door and let Sasame in and then she closed it.

"What do you want?" Takako said plainly, before Sasame could ask about the flowers.

"Didn't you say that you wanted to be alone yesterday afternoon?" Sasame questioned.

"I did," Takako lied, trying to keep her cool.

"So you didn't go out yesterday afternoon?" Sasame asked with a critical tone.

"Well… no," she said nervously, trying not to show it, but nevertheless looking Sasame straight in the eye.

"Takako, please, you don't need to hide anything from me. Tell me the truth." Sasame said more gently, picking up on her anxiety.

Takako stared at him blankly, not responding. Growing frustrated and angry now, Sasame let out a deep breath.

"When I came over here yesterday, Mr. Tanaka said you weren't here, and earlier that day I thought I saw you with some guy in the park. I'm assuming its Taru since he sent some flowers and a note talking about your date in the park. Like I said, you don't need to hide anything from me."

"Flowers?" Takako said innocently, truly not knowing Tsui had been so cruel as to send flowers to mock her even at home.

Sasame quickly went out in the hall and brought them in, plopping them somewhat carelessly down on her dresser. He then yanked out the note and handed it to her.

Takako started to read it and Sasame saw guilt crossing Takako's face. When she was done she looked up, but just as soon lowered her head and stared down at the floor, now unable to meet his gaze.

"Was it you I saw then? You were kissing him?" Sasame said now more confused and anxious. 'Does this mean her feelings for me have changed?' Sasame thought uneasily.

Takako finally looked up and summoned her courage for the terrible deed she was about to do, this one far worse than having to kiss that worm Tsui.

"Yes! It was!" Takako let out angrily. "Look… I never really loved you, Sasame."

"What?" Sasame said in total shock.

"I've always secretly loved Taru. Once I became my normal self again I was just trying to get back at Hayate for dumping me. I wanted to make him jealous by spending time with you, but now that Himeno and him have finally shared their feelings of love for each other, Hayate wouldn't care much about me anyway. There's no sense in pretending anymore."

"Pretending?" Sasame said as he felt as though he was being pierced through the heart again, only this time his pain was emotional. He could not believe what he was hearing. 'This must be a joke. It has to be,' he thought unwilling and afraid to accept reality.

"No… Please Takako, tell me this isn't real," he said desperately, growing distraught as he grabbed Takako's hand.

Takako forced herself to briskly take her hand out of his and with her other hand she slapped him across the face. "Don't touch me! I don't ever want to see you again, Sasame," she said harshly.

Sasame slowly put his own hand to where Takako had slapped him, reacting to the blow in slow motion. He felt numb of all feeling suddenly.

"Takako?" Sasame murmured, his tone like that of a scared child.

He looked at Takako for a few moments. She gave him the best icy stare she could manage. Then without another word, Sasame disappeared from Takako's room and traveled back through the gate to Leafenia.

Once in Leafenia, Sasame transported deep into one of the forests there. He listened keenly and heard no one for at least a mile. He was completely alone. Takako's words still stung terribly. He felt as though she had stabbed him in the most tender part of his heart and ruthlessly started cutting it to pieces. No longer able to keep the agony of his wounded heart inside, Sasame let out an angry and anguish filled yell and dropped to his knees. He sat silently on the forest floor trying to hold back his emotion, but soon thereafter he broke down and wept bitterly.