Author's note: Thanks to all of you who reviewed the last chapter. It's nice to know that there are some people who still like this story and I'm glad most of you like the edited version better, and I have decided I'm sick of trying to please everyone. It's impossible! We all have different tastes. It took me that long to figure that out.

Special thanks to my sister for your sweetness and also to my Italian cousin in law, your fan art has inspired me and of course my husband, my biggest inspiration.

* * *

Chapter 6

"How did the date with the babe, Hitomi Kanzaki go?" Kio whispered as he was intrigued by the whole event that occurred yesterday.

Kio wasn't supposed to be speaking as Mr Fanel had constrained them into complete silence, so that they could plan and ponder out their essays that were due in next week. Mr Fanel had granted them this special event to allow them to require their teacher's assistance so they would not deliver him unsatisfactory pieces of work like on previous few occasions.

"It went pretty well," Allen whispered with a grin. "I think she digs me."

"Mr. Shezar," Van cleared his throat as he looked up from his desk where Reedon, who was standing beside his desk, was receiving the teacher's assistance.

"I'm sorry, Mr Fanel," Allen quickly responded. He didn't want to have to listen to another boring lecture from his teacher about his problem with disrupting the class and his increasing apathy towards being educated. Allen then began to write on the pad trying his hardest to illustrate that he was actually doing what he was told to do.

Van sighed and turned his attention to Reedon. 'That…Shezar is really beginning to agitate me. God knows what Hitomi sees in that boy, she doesn't give me that impression that she is a superficial person. Why am I thinking about my student's pathetic love lives? Just help Reedon.' Van mentally scolded himself for having such thoughts.

* * *

"So…there is going to be another date?" Amano asked curiously. The events surrounding his friend almost seemed surreal.

"Yes," Hitomi replied again in tired tone. It was really beginning to bother her that so many people seemed so interested in her love life.

Hitomi then noticed that Amano was frowning; he seemed quite discontent with the whole matter. His face showed a mixture between being bewildered and troubled.

Amano decided to finally speak. "Do you think… you two… are really compatible?"

Hitomi didn't want to have to answer that question

Hitomi was slightly taken aback from the question; she had never expected such a question of this manner from Amano. Amano was an intelligent young man and he was extremely noble. He was highly respected among their peers but where did all this concern come from?

Hitomi decided that she didn't want to deal with that question at that present time as she knew she would have to question the veracity but truth be told, she knew deep down how she truly felt.

Hitomi's grip on her books got tighter as she turned to Amano putting on her best counterfeit smile which she had grown accustomed to. "Amano, I really have to go and thank you for your concern, it's greatly appreciated but I have the situation under control."

Hitomi then fled the scene before Amano could probe her any further. Amano let out a heavy sigh. 'Poor, Hitomi.' He thought, unaware that there was someone behind him.

"Amano, what did you say to Hitomi?" Yukari asked as Amano eventually turned to face her.

"Yukari, are you seriously okay with idea of Allen dating your best friend?" Amano asked in a blurted manner.

"Well, it'll be cool. I mean we could double date and it'll be good on Hitomi, it'll finally allow her to find the women in herself and she may gain some much needed confidence," Yukari replied edging out all the pros for Hitomi to be dating Allen Shezar.

"What about the rumours, Yukari?" Amano decided to enlighten her memory.

"They are just rumours." Yukari exclaimed gesturing with her hand her feelings towards rumours.

"I think there's more truth to them then people let on," Amano whispered as he continued to perpend the situation at hand.

Yukari felt a cold shiver run down her spine as she heard the seriousness that was in Amano's tone of voice. 'If the rumours were true like Amano thinks then Hitomi would be in danger.' Yukari's mind ranted. 'And it'll be my fault for not warning her but they are just rumours, I really doubt they are true and there's no need for me to go and upset Hitomi for no reason and I think Amano is just over reacting the whole situation.'

"Yukari, I want you keep a close eye on Hitomi, discretely," Amano voiced his plan.

"You really think those rumours are true, don't you?" Yukari asked with more concern. Her boyfriend seemed to be showing genuine concern.

"Just promise you'll do it," Amano tiredly said.

"Okay, seeing as you asked," Yukari smiled and tip toed up to kiss her boyfriends' soft cheek.

* * *

"Hitomi how was your evening with your boyfriend?" Merle asked in her most grown up voice as she liked to think her maturity was at the same level with Hitomi's.

"We had a great time, didn't we Hitomi?" Dilly said as he entered himself into the conversation.

"Shut up Dilly, I wasn't talking to you," Merle stuck her tongue out at her brother.

"Yes you were, I'm Hitomi's boyfriend," Dilly protested. "We went to the park and swinged on the swings and slid down the slide. It was great."

"In your dreams," Merle lashed out as she grew tired of her brother's foolish behaviour, she then relaxed her back into the leather sofa.

"Actually it might have been a dream," Dilly spoke out aloud to himself as he rubbed his head desperately trying to remember if the events he spoke of were true.

Hitomi let out a little chuckle as she continued to watch the twin's amusing behaviour. She then found herself drifting into her thoughts. 'Why did I agree to go out with Allen? I'm not even attracted to him mentally or physically. I always pictured myself with an intellectual man who had dark hair and was mature. Allen is the opposite of everything I want in a guy then why did I agree to out on a date with him.' Hitomi found herself becoming more frustrated than she initially was as everything led back to her initial question. 'Why on earth did she agree to out with Allen?'

Her thoughts were then interrupted by an astounded voice. "Hitomi, why aren't you stopping them?"

Hitomi then was brought out her trance to find that Dilly and Merle were hitting each other with the pillows from the sofas.

"Dilly, Merle please, stop," Hitomi cried as she put herself between the vicious assaults that they were causing towards each other.

The two young siblings still continued as they used Hitomi's legs as a shield and would make quick jabs to each other using the pillow.

"He started it for being so stupid," Merle moaned as she made a quick jab at her brother.

"I'm not stupid," Dilly yelled and charged at Merle only to find himself being held back from another being. It was only then, that Hitomi realised that Mr Fanel was the individual who had brought her out of the trance.

"You need to stop being so aggressive young man," Van said calmly to his nephew.

"Ha," Merle cried out as she believed she had won the battle.

"And you young lady need to learn when to silence that mouth," Van remarked. Dilly then stuck his tongue out at Merle; Van couldn't help but to smile at the twins as it reminded him of his youth with Folken. He then ruffled his hand in Dilly's hair and then patted his nephew on the back.

"I think it's your bedtime." Van said as he glanced at his watch. "And I think you two have some apologising to do to Hitomi and each other. Don't you think?"

"I'm sorry Hitomi," The twins said in union in what sounded like, a rehearsed manner. Both children had their heads bowed down as they apologised.

"Now to each other," Van ushered them both on.

"She started it, so she should apologise first," Dilly angrily said as he pointed towards his sister.

"No you did with your idiotic talk about Hitomi being your girlfriend," Merle angrily protested.

"Why don't you apologise at the same time," Hitomi said hastily as she was desperate to stop the bickering among the siblings.

"There's an idea after the count of three you both apologise to each other," Van spoke in his usual passive voice. "So, do we have an agreement?" Van turned his attention to Merle who let out a simple sigh but eventually nodded. He then proceeded to his nephew awaiting his answer. The boy eyed his sister for a moment and then shrugged. This was his way of saying his was in on the agreement.

"Okay, after the count of three I want you two to apologise to each other. One, two, three," Van instructed.

"I'm sorry Dilandau," Merle said.

"I'm sorry Merle," Dilly said.

There apologises where in perfect union like most things the twins seemed to do. It baffled Van sometimes. He truly began to think that the theory about twins having some sort of special bond was true.

"See that wasn't hard," Van smiled but the twins seemed to disagree with his statement as their facial expressions showed.

* * *

Hitomi slowly walked down the stairs feeling as if the weight of the world were upon her shoulders. She had just finished tucking the twins into their beds and she felt her eyelids start to drop but as she continued down the stairs she heard a noise, it sounded like a violin. Hitomi couldn't help but to investigate where the beautiful sound was coming from. The violin was one of Hitomi's favourite instruments along with the flute. She loved the elegance of the violin as every strum could dictate every single emotion known to mankind.

She followed the sound as it continued to consume her very soul; her heart began to beat faster as she felt like a detective ready to walk into a crime scene. She soon found herself heading into one of the back rooms of the house, which she had never been into. She wasn't one to pry into other's affair but the music had pierced into her devouring her senses so all she could do was hear the dulcet sound.

The hallway she walked through was dark and she dared not to put the hallway light on, in case this sound was to disappear.  She saw a fragment of light which shone through from the creak of the door where it seemed the source of the sound was coming from. She carefully tiptoed and peered into the tiny gap of the door unprepared for what her eyes would discover.

There he was her raven haired teacher playing to his hearts content. Hitomi couldn't help but to gaze at his brilliance and beauty. 'How can somebody bring out two qualities like that, together?' Hitomi thought to herself. 

Both the violin and the bow seemed to be part of him as if he was born to play. Every motion seemed intrinsic. Hitomi then finally realised what he was playing. "The Devil's Trill! That's one of hardest pieces of music to play."

Hitomi was glued to her position, part of her scolded at her to leave but the music was consuming… no he was consuming her.

Hitomi didn't realise that the music had stopped playing as the engaging tune continued to run through her ears.

* * *

"Hitomi," Van uttered he opened the door to see his student who seemed to be in a state of reverie.

Hitomi let out a gasp as she finally realised her surroundings. "I'm so sorry…it's just I heard a violin playing and…"

"Oh, you heard me play," Van started to scratch the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Yes, you were wonderful…I mean you played wonderfully," Hitomi continued to stutter.

"Well, I've been playing since I could first hold a violin," Van laughed as he recalled memories of his parents distress at the awful sounds he first used to make.

"You were playing the "The Devil's Trill," right?" Hitomi asked.

"Yes, I was. I'm surprised you have heard of it seeing it not very "hip". Is that still the word, you teenagers are using?" Van replied and then asked.

"I'm not sure, I'm not exactly "hip"," Hitomi replied. "And Mr Fanel, I would like to inform you that you are not that much older than I. In actual fact, you and I are from the same generation."

"And that we are, Hitomi," Van said with a musing expression. "Hitomi…" he stuttered for a moment trying with all his might to pluck up the courage to ask her the question that had been bothering him for a while. "Are you…having any problems?"

Hitomi's instant reaction was to drop her head so her eyes were staring at her feet and so therefore she wouldn't have to make eye contact with her questioner. "What gives you that impression?" she whispered.

"Well you seem rather detached lately. At school, I've noticed you haven't been paying attention the way you normally do and just earlier with the twins, you didn't notice them fighting," Van replied. "I swear I can hear those two fighting from at least two miles away and you were sitting right next them, oblivious to their actions."

"I've just had a lot on my mind," Hitomi uncomfortably spoke as the realisation struck her after hearing his reply.

'Oh please, don't let it be Allen Shezar. There is no rest for that blockheaded blonde. First he disrupts my classes and now he's taking my number one student down with him. I wish there was a law which prevented idiots from having an education,' Van thought to himself.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Van asked willingly.

"No, I've got things handled," Hitomi looked up and smiled. "But thank you and you do play the violin resplendently."

"Thank you, Hitomi," Van smiled. 'And I do hope your problems will go.'  He said mentally unable to voice those words.

* * *

Hitomi couldn't help but to toss and turn that night. Her large soft bed couldn't even comfort her. The blue sheets felt cold but why did she feel so warm and dizzy at the thoughts of him. This feeling inside of her was so unfamiliar yet exhilarating. It almost overwhelming yet the other emotion she couldn't quite describe. The feelings she felt made her feel…wrong. What were these feelings she had for him?

'It's just…maybe respect. I mean he's like in me in some ways but I do like the differences he has with me. I just feel a mutual understanding with him that's all. Well at least I think it's mutual. I mean we both are intellectuals and he has a great sense of humour. It's just respect even though he has the most beautiful hair I've ever seen on a man but he's my teacher but wait…I'm just merely commenting on his striking features. It's not my fault he's got them. If I saw them on another man, I'm sure I would comment on them. I'm probably right, it's just respect.' Hitomi told herself as she hugged her soft big white teddy bear harder and then closed her eyes so she could try to gain some much needed sleep.

LW: Okay that's a wrap. I'm hoping to get the next chapter out soon. So if you want more review please. Also I'm sorry the story is moving slowly but a subject like this in these times needs to progress slowly. In this chapter I'm trying to capture Hitomi's first signs of love for Van. I probably failed but hey I had a go. That counts right!