A/N: -big eyes- I can't believe how many reviews I received. I guess the angstier the story, the more readers. I have decided to continue this story because of the anxious public, and, especially, Bloodrose 'Valentine' Foxxstar and annakas. This new rule where you have to remove the lyrics is pissing me off, though. Takes too much time, but I don't want my account removed. Sigh.

baby mar-mar: Thank you so much for being the first reviewer! I'm glad that you liked it.

Bloodrose 'Valentine' Foxxstar: Once again, thank you for your review. Here's a quick update for your trouble. I hope this installment is less confusing.

Ceo Shinji: Ah, the other half. Thank you for the review! I left in the middle of showing the chapter to you, so no prob.

Narakunohime: Thank you kindly.

Treefox: Heheh. Should I have left a warning sign? I'm glad you liked it, though, and I achieved the effect I wanted. Let's hope this time it doesn't make you TOO sad.

Kaidomaru: I can't promise you anything, but I'll surely try. Thank you for the praise.

Annakas: Here is what will probably be the first of several sequels. You know what happens if you cry, though. Right?

…

…

…

Santa won't give you anything for Christmas! So no wailing this time, okay? Lol. Enjoy.

Last but definitely NOT least, thekatgrl: Thank you VERY much. I love the way you phrased your review.

There we are. I've thanked everyone,.

Disclaimer: None of the characters in this story belong to me. The song belongs to Matchbox Twenty.

:text: Again, this represents mind speech.

Now, on with the chapter!

Minerva

Unwell

By Mischa Kitsune

Aya slowly woke up, feeling as though something was missing. He rolled over and almost jumped when his arm hit the bed. Slowly, the events of last night came to him. Vacant lavender eyes gazed at the plastered ceiling, then drifted slowly around his room, noting all of the shadows he hadn't seen since...Yohji. Just yesterday there had been so much light in this room. So much, in fact, that he thought the shadows gone forever.

Footsteps hurried up the steps a few feet away from his room, followed by a light knock on his door.

"Aya-kun? Is everything all right? It's already past your shift, and we're about to eat dinner." When he didn't answer, Omi timidly opened the door, surprised to find it unlocked, and entered. He went over to the bed, stepping over the mission gear strewn across the floor.

"Aya?" Omi dropped the honorific when he saw Aya stretched out on the bed, staring at the ceiling. No answer. He leaned over and felt the red-head's cheek, surprised at finding it ice-cold. Not bothering to even try speaking again, Omi left and returned with some blankets.

"Here you go. I'll check on you in the morning. Maybe you'll feel better. Try and get some sleep," Omi told him, covering him with the blankets. He lingered for a moment, waiting for a reply, then left.

Aya rolled onto his side, clutching his blankets to him.

The longer he stayed in bed, the worse he felt.

He couldn't fathom why Yohji breaking up with him would hurt him this much. He couldn't remember doing anything especially special with him.

The next day, when he entered the shop, Ken sent him a puzzled look, and Omi beamed at him. Yohji just acted as though he didn't exist. He ignored all of them and went to grab a cup of coffee, then left to work on an arrangement he had left unfinished before the mission. He could feel Ken's unbelieving eyes on his back.

"Wasn't he sick yesterday?"

Ken followed him into the shop and went to man the register while Yohji and Omi opened the shop, Yohji yawning all the way.

Everything was falling back into its normal place, except for how Ken and Omi saw him. Maybe they thought he had gone crazy while he treated them nicely. They should get used to the old him again quickly enough.

Maybe they'd think him crazy now. He nearly let out a bitter laugh at that thought. He wasn't crazy. Just wounded.

Yohji brushed past him, fan girls in tow, and grabbed the lilacs off the shelf next to him. Aya closed his eyes and waited for him to go away. He doubted that Yohji had given a second thought to breaking up with him. He'd been so…resolved.

I wonder how long that resolve will last, Aya thought to himself.

He wondered if Yohji would remember the REAL him. The one he had revealed to them, when under Yohji's spell.

Ken had been next to him as he thought that, and only the odd look that Ken sent him made him aware that he'd said it out loud, albeit not loud enough for Ken to understand.

He decided to take the train instead of the Porsche to visit Aya-chan, and kept his eyes down the entire time.

When he got back and the conversation between Ken and Omi stopped, he shot them a glare and went into the kitchen to get some dinner before heading to his room.

He didn't close the door all the way, and heard them start up again as soon as he was out of sight. They were wondering why he was so cold suddenly.

At Omi's question of what could be wrong with him, Aya began thinking about it himself.

He laid down on his bed again, food set aside and subsequently forgotten. Was he really as crazy as they were beginning to think he was?

He reassured himself that he wasn't going mad, from grief or anything else, and sat up to eat the food.

While he was downstairs he ignored their looks and put the dishes in the dishwasher.

He was sure of it now; they would become used to this side of him again. It would just take a little bit of time.

Ken stared at him wide-eyed as he left, as though realizing something. As Aya was going upstairs, he heard Ken speaking to Omi.

"Omi, has he even SPOKEN since the mission?"

He heard a woman's laugh coming from the direction of Yohji's room.

Hiding behind women again, was he? How many would he bed this time? Did he even remember his roommates? Did he remember Aya?

He flinched at the memory of showing Yohji who he really was. Biggest mistake of his life.

The sound of his own voice startled him awake. He'd been silent for so long that he'd almost forgotten what it sounded like.

He was startled by pounding on his door and Ken's voice.

"Aya! Mission!"

He followed the other three down the stairs.

He watched the pictures flash across the tv screen unflinchingly. Normally they upset him, but he was still agonizing over Yohji.

Manx didn't notice anything different, of which he was glad.

He didn't linger in the briefing room, because he knew she would be able to see something was wrong, and he didn't want Kritiker coming after him.

Omi started to go after him, but Ken held him back. Yohji didn't spare a glance after him, and Aya felt his heart clench.

He picked up the abandoned mission gear off the floor and donned it. The mission, which all of them had accepted, was that night. He brushed past Yohji in the hall, making sure to hit him with the hilt of the sword in passing, making it look like an accident. Yohji didn't even look down.

He laughed to himself, realizing that the most attention he'd be getting would be on missions.

Would that remind Yohji that he wasn't a killer at heart? Or make him realize what Aya was becoming?

Abyssinian charged the target, cutting off his arm in one clean blow, then swerving and taking off his head.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of orange-red -- hair?

:Ja, katzen. That's right.:

Pain exploded between his eyes, and he collapsed.

"Abyssinian? Have you taken out the target?"

"Abyssinian!"

A/N: All right. So it wasn't any happier. The next chapter will be worse. I already have it planned out. Please R&R! If I was happy before, I'll be happier this time! Thanks for reading! Jya ne!

FUEISU-