Alternative

Disclaimer: Tactics is not mine and will not be mine.

Rating: PG (old rating) or K+ (new rating)

Genres: Romance, angst, mild suspense

Pairings: Haruka and Yuri (if you remember her from the anime), mentioned slight Haruka and Kantaro

Warnings or notes: Continuous of anime, a 'what if' fic, one-shot, spoilers for anime, OOC-ness, grammar or other errors, short story ranged around 750 words, slight confusion.

Please take note this fic implied shonen-ai (in other word, 'boy-boy love' or 'gay'), and kindly leave if you find this an offence. Those readers that have known me for my other Tactics fanfictions would find the writing style is a bit different and shorter.

I am happy to hear from my readers, so please review or critique my story in order to help me write better stories in the future. Thank you! I hope you enjoy reading!

: Ready…Go :

"Haruka-san…," a female voice said in a soft voice. It somehow stunned the tengu in front of her.

"Yuri?" his usual cool expression was replaced by a shocked. He was facing the one he was fond of but lost all her memories. Now…she called him, not only a normal call, but with such affections. She must have recovered her memories.

Arms flung around his neck in a brief second. Yuri was sobbing while hugging him. "Haruka-san!"

Dumbfounded and somewhat feeling unease, although the demon did not understand why, he pushed her away. A confused expression took over Yuri's happy one. "Haruka-san?"

Outside of the ward, pain struck a certain youth with a pair of red eyes and silvery hair when he overheard them. "I know…one day it will come to this…," he murmured in a pained tone. Slowly and painfully, the youth walked away from the ward to somewhere, anywhere.

"Yuri, I am sorry…Some things…are better to be forgotten," the famous Ogre Eater stated dryly, his eyes were avoiding Yuri's.

"Why?" asked the confused girl. She loved the man in front of her, even though he was indeed a demon. She had fallen for him since the day she met him. She knew he returned her feelings too. Then why?

"If you are with me, you will be in troubles…," he replied in hesitation. Was that the main reason? "I don't want you to get hurt," he added in an unusual way.

Yuri's eyes filled with tears. "I…I…understand…," shocking as it already was to Haruka, her reply was unexpected. "Loving someone doesn't mean being with them, isn't it?" she asked, sounded almost like a statement more than a question. Haruka just ceased his eyebrows. Both of them fell into silence afterwards.

A few minutes passed by. Finally Haruka opened his mouth. "I hope…you find someone better than me…Yuri…," he went to hug her in a pained expression and then quickly pulled away before she could return the embrace. 'I am not worth it…'

Yuri did not try to pull him back, nor persuading him to come back. She knew it. She just knew it…she could sense the waving emotions coming from the man she loved. Obviously, he was hurt too. She knew, she must give up, give up on him. Someone better was by his side all the time now… "You too…Haruka-san…," was her last words as the tengu went out of the ward and out of the hospital. Most importantly, he had walked out of her life, once more…

"I…deserve no one…Yuri…Kantaro…," he murmured softly. He did not understand his own feelings at the moment. Why would he think of his master at this time?

Kantaro…was his master, although he did not want to admit it straight-forwardly. Kantaro was the one who unsealed him, released him, and allowed him to be back into this world. But Kantaro was the one he had intended to kill several times before. Maybe he might kill him when he regained his memories. He had told the young exorcist that. Yet, Kantaro welcomed him back with open arms. Huh…was he not afraid of being killed?

Now his mind was occupied by the image of the young folklorist as well as exorcist. He shrugged. Supposed he was thinking of Yuri just now. Since when did his mind is occupied by that young man? Speaking of Kantaro…where was that man? Haruka walked around until he heard small sobs. His steps were halted for a moment when he realized it was his master's.

Looking at the sobbing man, Haruka's eyes softened with guilt. He knew it was weird of him to feel that he was the one who caused those tears. But he could not help from feeling that way. He restrained himself from calling Kantaro. He just stood there, watching the younger man struggled with himself for a few minutes before he turned away from the sight. He did not go to comfort his master, he could not

"I really deserve no one…," his voice was so soft and inaudible to everyone but himself. "For my presence will only hurt them," he added while closing his eyes. He was dense to others' feelings at times, but he was dense to his own feelings too. It took him long enough to realize the fact…The fact that…

"I will not allow him or her to be the 'sunlight'…" Opening his eyes again, he looked upon the blue and cloudless sky. "For I will just hurt them…I will just hurt him more."

: The End :

Yeah, this is very short and not a happy ending. XD I guess I should run from any angry readers. XP Anyway, those who still do not get it…

Yuri regains her memories and thinks that she could be with Haruka, but he pushes her away. His reason is because he thinks he will cause more trouble to her. However, actually he is confused with his own feelings since he could feel the same towards Kantaro. In the end, he chooses neither Yuri nor Kantaro because he says he does not deserve anyone.

But if you look closely, you will find out that Haruka is holding more affection towards Kantaro over Yuri. XD I am evil after all. Could not put Yuri and Kantaro on the same level, you see. :laughs: