Partner or Lover Chapter 10: Feelings Revealed II
(Rewritten: 05/08/04)
"As people get older, they start to loose their innocence," Hiead whispered, staring deeply into Ikhny's eyes.
"It just depends on how soon they loose it," he growled as he leaned down and captured her lips in a fiery kiss.
Ikhny woke up from the very vivid dream, gasping for breath. With the back of her hand, she wiped sheen of sweat that had formed on her forehead. She was still a bit startled at the kind of dream she had… frankly, it disturbed her for the most part, and she started feeling uncomfortable with her pajamas sticking to her burning flesh. She went to the bathroom- but before she did, she went over to her dresser and got a new pair of clothes- and quickly stripped the garments off of her body and changed into a new pair of nightclothes. Then she washed her face with cold water and made her way back to bed, trying to get the dream out of her head, but ended up falling into a restless sleep.
In the morning, all of the repairers and the candidates saw that Hiead was back to normal, much to Ikhny's dismay, sneering at everyone that even glimpsed at him. Whenever she caught Hiead staring at her, Ikhny went red, turning her face to the other side. When the others ask her what's wrong, she would just shrug it off as nervousness, and say that it was nothing.
She caught Hiead looking at her again, this time during lunch. Now it started making her uncomfortable as she squirmed under the sliver- haired boy's gaze.
Ikhny turned her face to the side, trying to obstruct his view by asking Zero to move to the side slightly. Zero thought nothing of it, and moved a bit, cutting off Hiead's view of Ikhny. Kizna, who was sitting beside Ikhny, saw her unusual behavior, since morning actually, and turned to face her.
"Ikhny, what's that matter?" Kizna asked and then added hastily, "and tell me the truth this time because I know it's not nothing and I know it's not your nerves." Kizna looked into Ikhny's eyes, trying to see if the girl's eyes betrayed any sort of information.
"I'm telling you Kizna, it was nothing."
"Then tell me why whenever Hiead looks at you, you turn your head away from his gaze and blush?" Kizna asked bluntly.
"Ahh…well…" Ikhny could not come up with any excuse other than denying the truth to evade her friends. Kizna got the answer she wanted from the now speechless girl.
Kizna gave a knowing smile and told Ikhny that she will help her. Ikhny smiled back nervously and finished her lunch.
Later that day, they had class to attend.
"Now, all of you need to learn the right way of battling," Azuma started, and was surprised to see that Zero didn't interrupt him.
"Today I'm going to teach you about the different parts that the goddesses are composed of. We will have this class every other day and by the time you all become goddess pilots you will know every single detail of every goddess by heart," Azuma said, pacing in front of the small sized classroom that could only fit about fifteen students.
Roose raised his hand, his face etched in wonderment. "Sir, why do we need to know about the goddesses? I mean it's not like we're going to repair them later on."
Azuma shot a glare his way, and answered his question. "If the need arises, you will have to know the different parts of your goddess as well as the other goddesses. What if something happened to your repairer, or any other repairer? Or in the middle of fighting victim, your goddess malfunctions, and your repairer cannot figure out the problem? That is why repairers AND candidates need to know every single insignificant detail about the goddesses. And this is only a small bit of your training to become a pilot," Azuma said, glaring at the ten kids in the room.
"And candidates, you should never rely on your repairer too much, because if something goes wrong and the repairer becomes ill, or is in grave danger," Azuma glanced over to Zero and Kizna, "you will need to be able to handle the pressure on your own!" He took a deep breath and looked around the room.
"Now, let's get started…" Azuma said, walking around the desk that was set at the front of the classroom, and made his way to the computer screen that was placed at the front of the room. He went over to a keyboard, which was beside the wall-sized screen, and brought up a picture of the first goddess, and her pilot. (a/n: just think of a regular classroom, with a black board in front of the class. Instead of a black board, there's a big flat- screen monitor in its place, and there's a keyboard near the screen for control).
"This is the top goddess and her pilot," Azuma said, going on to explain about the goddess and her pilot in detail. "The goddess's name is Ernn Laties, and her pilot is Teela Zain Elmes. Teela is fifteen right now, the same age as you all, give or take a year. She is the first and probably the only girl for a long, long time, to pilot a goddess because she has the EX ability, and is able to control it very well."
Azuma goes on teaching for the rest of the day, till dinner at least, only getting through with Teela and her goddess.
At the end of class, Azuma stopped them before they went out the door for dinner. "I will see you all for pro- ing training in the morning again. The day after that, once you are done with lunch, I will see you all back here and shall continue my lesson." As soon as he was done talking, the five candidates and their repairers rushed out the door, and headed to the mess hall to get dinner.
During dinner, Hiead sat with the rest of the gang grudgingly, only because there was no space left anywhere else. He ate quickly, wanting to get out of there as fast as he could. 'I can't believe I'm sitting here with all of these good – for – nothing people! I'm just humiliating myself by sitting here longer than I have to!' he thought, a scowl plastered on his face.
"Hey Hiead?" Zero asked, looking up from his dinner, and looking across the table.
"Hiead?"
"HEY HIEAD!!!" Zero screamed, getting a little aggravated.
"What?!?" Hiead said, glaring daggers at the brown haired boy.
"Nothing, I was just wondering if you were feeling better. You were spacing out for a bit there," Zero said, shrugging his shoulders.
"I'm fine!" Hiead spat out. He quickly ate the rest of his dinner, got up from the table, and walked out of the mess hall. Zero saw his strange behavior, or well for him at least, it was strange. For the others, it was just normal, and Zero decided to have a little chat with Hiead.
Zero quickly got up, and followed Hiead out of the mess hall.
Seven pairs of eyes followed Zero out of the mess hall, then six of them turned to look at the other.
"What?" Kizna asked, staring back at all of them.
"Where did Zero go? He didn't even finish his dinner. And for someone who likes food so much, that's just not like him," Yamagi stated.
"Oh well you know, the usual "after – dinner – fight" with Hiead…" Kizna said sarcastically, but the rest of them just gave Kizna a confused look. She just glared at them and went back to her dinner. "I have no clue where he went ok?" she mumbled, as she continued to eat.
She had a fair idea why Zero had gotten up after Hiead. 'Maybe he just wants to talk to Hiead……. he has been acting funny ever since he set his eyes on Ikhny. I wonder…maybe he just doesn't know how to go about expressing those feelings…' Kizna thought.
After dinner, everybody headed back to their respective rooms to get some sleep, since it had been a long day and they needed to get up early the next day for training.
Later the next day, after training and lunch, the others tried to leave Zero and Kizna alone for a moment, but Kizna would hear none of it. She got up and dragged Ikhny away, claiming that she had to speak to her alone for a moment.
"Ikhny, what's going on with you and Hiead?" Kizna asked, staring intently on the brown haired girl.
"No-nothing actually," she said, sounding a bit depressed.
"Ikhny, you've got to stand up to him, and act a little more confident. If you don't then he'll just think your another one of those meek repairers, who just sit around repairing, and are useless at everything else," Kizna said. "If you don't get a little back bone, and stand up to him, then Hiead won't stop bossing you around. If you want to grab his attention, then get his attention by talking to him, and showing him that you're not afraid of him."
"I think you're right Kizna…" Ikhny said, looking a little apprehensive. "I'll try that. I'll try to act a bit braver around him next time. But what if he tries to hurt me again?" Ikhny asked, fear creeping into her eyes.
"Don't worry about that… I have a feeling that he won't try to hurt you anymore," Kizna said, winking at Ikhny.
The two girls got up and headed back to where everyone else was after they finished their 'girl talk.'
Between helping out Hiead and Ikhny, and running from training, to class, to practice, Kizna and Zero could find no time for each other. The rest of the gang were on their tails 24- 7, but could never find an opportunity for them. It was either that Zero and Kizna had class, or they had to work on Zero's anti- gravity sickness, or they were too busy with something else, or that they had to talk with Hiead or Ikhny, and they just wouldn't be left alone with the other. The rest of the candidates and repairers were getting a bit frustrated, and agitated from all their failed attempts.
"You know, Zero is spending a lot more time with Hiead ever since he got out of the Medical wing. Do you think something is going on between them that we don't know about?" Clay asked.
"Oh my gosh! Do you think that your plan backfired, and instead of hooking up Zero and Kizna, Zero got together with Hiead?!?" Yamagi asked, looking shocked. The rest of them just sweat dropped.
"You know Yamagi, you have a very disgusting mind……..what in the world do you think of every day?" Saki asked, slightly peeved. "You know what? Don't answer that, I don't want to know!"
Yamagi just chuckled. "It was just a joke! You people are impossible!" Yamagi grumbled.
A few days later
The rest of the candidates and repairers besides Hiead, Zero, and Kizna decided that they would take the day off, since they already had their training in the morning and no class in the afternoon.
Hiead headed off towards the medical wing since Dr. Rill insisted that he come back a few days later, to check up on his injuries. (Hiead didn't do much training with the pro- ings the past few days). Hiead tried to get out of it, but in the end, Dr. Rill said that she wouldn't let him get back into a pro- ing for a month if he didn't show up later, and Hiead finally gave in.
So now there was only Zero and Kizna left after lunch.
"Hey, you want to go and work on your anti- gravity sickness problem today?" Kizna asked, looking over the table at Zero.
"But I just ate lunch!" Zero exclaimed, trying to weasel his way out.
"So what? It's not like you're going to regurgitate your food…err……well in your case, that might happen…… Fine, we'll go after an hour," Kizna said, with a 'and – that's – final' tone. Zero just sulked for a few minutes.
"So, what do you want to do for one hour?" Kizna asked, with a bored look on her face.
"Well, since the other's aren't on our backs this time, how about we go to the recreation room, and maybe plan out how we can help Hiead and Ikhny. I know that it's driving Hiead bonkers with all those feelings going through his head," Zero said as he got up from the table, and waited for Kizna to follow.
Zero and Kizna headed out of the mess hall, towards the recreation room. They talked for a bit, and planned out a way to get Hiead to express his feelings to Ikhny without him loosing his pride and confidence. "I think that Hiead should first talk to Ikhny and get to know her a bit, before he does anything else," Zero started.
They finally decided that for them to help either one of their friends, they would need both Hiead and Ikhny to first talk to each other. Once they were done talking, Kizna and Zero both got up and headed out of the recreation room, and suited up. They went outside G.O.A. to help Zero on his anti- gravity sickness.
Zero floated in space for a few minutes, a rope tied to his waist. He started squirming around trying to figure which way was the top and what was the bottom. "Zero, you've got to stop looking for the top and the bottom. Just let yourself go, and try not to think that there is a top or bottom. Just be free," Kizna said, a look of sympathy etched onto her face for her boyfriend.
She saw him squirming again, and she let out an exasperated sigh. "Zero, just close your eyes and take a deep breathe," she said, watching him follow her directions. "Ok, now just focus on my voice. Relax your whole body, letting every muscle and bone in your body go limp. Just relax your mind and breath in and out." She watched Zero, as he floated easily in space, his squirming finally ceasing. "Now open your eyes, and just keep focusing on my voice. Even though there's no top or bottom in space, you have control over your own body Zero. You cannot fall, or float away. There's nothing to fear in space," Kizna said, trying to reassure Zero. But she mumbled under her breath, "except for victim, and flying asteroids…"
"I think I got it!" Kizna heard Zero exclaim. His voice didn't sound shaky meaning that he had full control of his body now. She turned to face him and saw him floating towards her. Zero saw Kizna sitting on top of G.O.A. and landed beside her. He sat down next to her and exclaimed, "I think what you said helped."
"How was it?" she asked turning to face him.
"Well, I did what you said, and just let myself go. I didn't try looking for a top or a bottom, just let my self go out there," he said, a smile brightening up his face. "It really helped. Thanks!" Zero wrapped a gloved arm around Kizna's waist and pulled her closer to his body. "Now what do you say we go back inside? There's only so much "space" a guy can take!" Zero said, his whole body shaking with pent up laughter. Kizna soon followed, laughing till her sides hurt.
After their short break, both teens headed back inside, and took off the suits they were previously wearing.
Before entering the halls of G.O.A. again, Zero wrapped his arms around Kizna, pulling her back into his chest, so that her back was pressed up against his chest. He bent his face to her neck, placing soft feather- like kisses down her slender neck. "What was that for?" Kizna murmured, getting lost in the sensations she was feeling. Zero abruptly pulled back, leaving her yearning for more, and turned her around. "What? I can't kiss my girlfriend now?" Kizna giggled, and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Alright Romeo, let's get back to our friends before they suspect something," she replied, walking back into the halls, with Zero following behind her.
Walking down a hall, they spotted a flash of silver hair headed their way. "Hey Hiead?" Zero asked, making the silver head come to a halt.
"Yes?" he said, an air of coolness radiating off him.
"How 'bout a one- on – one battle, with the pro- ings?" Zero asked, looking over at Kizna. Kizna nodded her head in agreement.
"Sure, I'm up for it…wait…what's the catch? I know you want something, cause it can't be that easy to get you into a pro- ing battle…especially her," Hiead said, nodding his head over in Kizna's direction.
Zero was just about to say that it was just for more practice, but Kizna interrupted him. "I got the greatest idea Zero!" she whispered into his ear. "Ok. How about this. If Zero wins the battle, then you have to go and talk to Ikhny sometime this week. It looks like you've been avoiding her lately, but have been staring at her quite often," Kizna said, raising one eyebrow and the now blushing Hiead.
Hiead glared back at her but asked, "What's in it if I win?"
"Then we'll stop bugging you to go and talk to her, but you will have to do it sometime," Kizna said, grinning.
"Fine, it sounds fair enough," Hiead said, shooting one last glare at the two, and headed off towards the battle room. Zero and Kizna followed. Once inside, Kizna went to the panel board, while Zero and Hiead got suited up for their fight. Kizna set both their pro- ings to "all systems green", and waited for them to enter the battlefield.
"Ok, all systems are up and running," Kizna said, watching the boys head toward each other.
Hiead let out a scream as he launched himself towards the brown haired boy. Zero countered, blocking Hiead's kicks and punches with equal fury. A kick for a kick, and a punch for a punch, both of them were tiring, but never giving up.
After about five minutes of "warm up time," as Zero claimed it to be, they suddenly stop when the field changes, and blackness surrounds them. "Kizna! What happened?" Zero asked on the verge of panicking.
"I- I don't know Zero. I am positive that I did not set these settings in," Kizna replied looking down at her control panel. "But Zero, ignore everything around you, and just concentrate on your opponent."
Zero closed his eyes, Hiead looking curiously at what he was doing. Zero took in a few deep breaths, and calmed his nerves. He opened his eyes to the surrounding blackness, and took everything in.
"Remember what I told you back there," Kizna said, a worried expression creeping onto her face.
"Right!" Zero said, getting into battle position. Hiead smirked and attacked. "Ready for the second round Enna?"
"Bring it on!" Zero said, as he dodged one of Hiead's very fast punches. Hiead stumbled around a bit, trying to regain his stance. 'I wasn't planning on Enna dodging that one! He's getting better!' Hiead mused, as he got ready to attack again.
Zero let out a battle cry as he launched himself towards the floating body, using the jets located at the feet of the pro- ings. (a/n: are there jets on the pro ings to get them around?)
The jets on the pro- ing propelled him towards Hiead at an alarming rate. He landed a punch on Hiead, his fist creating a dent in Hiead's armor. He caught Hiead off guard, again and punched him near the vicinity of his face. Hiead stumbled back from impact, and just floated in space for a few minutes. He floated around till he was up right again, and used his jet propellers to push himself towards Zero. He threw punch after punch at Zero, all of them missing.
'Man! Zero is better than I give him credit for. He's got the pro- ing functions down perfectly. When did he get so much time?' Hiead asked, his fury building at not landing a punch on his opponent.
"Lets finish this off Hiead!" Zero yelled, as his hair started turning a turquoise blue.
"Alright then!" Hiead yelled back, his hair also taking on a bluish color.
"Is blue hair the newest style or something?" Kizna mused, while watching the two adrenaline driven boys fight to their heart's content.
Zero threw another punch at Hiead and at the same time, started lifting his leg into the air. Hiead dodged the punch quickly, but got nailed in the side by Zero's kick. Hiead grinded his teeth in frustration, and threw a kick back at Zero. His foot collided with Zero's arm, as Hiead gave a haughty smile. "You can't take me down that easily Enna!"
"How much do you want to bet on that?" Zero asked, a smile playing on his face. Hiead just growled at attacked again. Zero maneuvered out of Hiead's line of attack quickly, and floated behind him. In a flash, Zero knocked Hiead down with an elbow to the middle of his back. (a/n: just think of Zero in a squatting position, and Hiead lying flat down, but in space).
Hiead groaned as he tried to get up, but Zero would hear no such thing. His hair went back to chocolate brown, but he kept pummeling the armor Hiead was in. "Zero, I think you can stop now…I think Hiead's had enough. If you punch him any harder, you might break the pro- ing completely," Kizna said.
"Alright," said Zero, backing off from the other dented pro-ing. The landscape immediately shifted again, and led them back to the mountainous terrain that they first fought on. Hiead pushed up, against the ground, but had no strength left to pick himself up. He rolled onto his back, and stared at the blue-eyed boy. Zero offered his hand, helping Hiead up off the ground. Grudgingly, Hiead took Zero's help and got back inside.
Once inside, Kizna jumped onto Zero, smothering his face with kisses. Zero just laughed it off. "Well, if I knew I would get this kind of treatment, then I would have beaten Hiead more often!" he said, stealing a glance back at Hiead. He was sitting on the floor with his back resting against the wall, his eyes closed. Hiead just let out a 'hunh' and left them to the silence.
Zero turned back to Kizna, and took her mouth with his in a passionate kiss. He wrapped his arms around his partner's waist, pulling her closer to him. Kizna moaned slightly as Zero applied a little more pressure, coaxing her mouth open with his tongue.
"Get a room you two!" Hiead said in disgust, his eyes still closed. 'I don't even want to try to look, scared out of my mind at what I might see…'
Zero ignored Hiead's ranting and continued roaming Kizna's mouth with his tongue. He pressed her back into one of the control panels, where she was seated at earlier; letting his hands roam over her back. Kizna brought one of her hands that was around his waist, and let it run through his soft hair, massaging his scalp. She pressed his head forward slightly, kissing him with a little more intensity.
All of a sudden, the door to the battle room opened, and a group of people chatting nosily marched in. Kizna and Zero jumped apart, at the first sign that someone else was in the room besides Hiead. The group came to a halt and an eerie silence surrounded them. Kizna and Zero were panting heavily, as if they just ran two miles and came to an abrupt halt. Both of them were blushing, their faces bright red at being caught in an intimate moment.
They stared at the group that walked in, Hiead looking on for his own amusement.
"Uhh…uh…hi?" Zero asked, rubbing the back of his head. The new comers we still silent, just staring at the pair in front of them, their mouths agape.
"What a-are you guys do-doing here?" Kizna asked, still trying to get the shock out of her system.
"I guess the cat's out of the bag," Zero said, turning to Kizna. She nodded in response. Kizna grabbed Zero's hand with hers and turned to face the group.
"Well, Zero and I are together now, you guys…" Kizna said, slightly nervous about their reaction.
"You're kidding!" screamed a red haired girl.
"Nope," Zero said, shaking his head. "We're not lying Saki."
The rest of the candidates and repairers mouths excluding Zero, Kizna and Hiead's, fell open in shock.
"When did this happen?" Clay asked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
"When you guys tried to set us up the first time. We figured out that something was up, and we decided to not say anything because we had a feeling someone, or some people in this case, were watching us. So we came back later that night, and talked it over," Kizna said, a smile playing on her lips as she remembered that fond memory. "But luckily, Hiead didn't give us away. We decided to get you guys back, for trying to set us up like that, and decided not to tell any of you bout us."
All seven faces in the audience turned to face Hiead, all with narrowed eyes, and stern faces.
"What?" Hiead drawled, looking at the group with fierce red eyes.
"You didn't tell us that they were together!!" screamed Saki; angry enough to even yell at Hiead.
"Like I care enough bout their love life to tell you measly wimps!" Hiead retorted, getting up to his wobbly feet, now off the ground.
Zero and Kizna looked at the fighting pair, and decided that it was a good time to leave the angry group. Both of them crept silently towards the door of the battle room, and saw the door open with a silent "swoosh". They were about to step into the hallway when Yamagi turned around and spotted them.
"Hey! Where are you two going?" Yamagi yelled so that everyone in the room could hear. He just wanted to see Zero and Kizna sweating under pressure. He gave them an evil grin, and turned to look at the group's reaction.
Both Zero and Kizna turned around, their mouths agape. They didn't know what to say since they were caught. They just stared blankly at the rest of the group. "Uhh…out?" Zero said, raising his eyebrows.
"Ok, ok…. we're coming back in…" Kizna stated, dragging Zero back into the room. "Just make sure no one mentions this to any of the adults, especially Azuma. Agreed?" Kizna said, looking around the room for confirmation. The rest of them nodded, including Hiead.
"Alright then. Let's get Hiead to Dr. Rill," she said, grabbing on to one of Hiead's arms, to help him off his wobbling feet. Zero grabbed Hiead's other arm, and hoisted it over his shoulder. They walked out of the battle room for good, ignoring their friends surprised, no, shocked faces. The three of them walked to the medical wing, and waited for Dr. Rill to come and check Hiead out.
"I guess I went a bit over board…" Zero started, rubbing the back of his head, smiling sheepishly.
"It was good practice…. next time I'll beat you though!" Hiead snarled, angry at loosing to Zero. He just smiled back.
"I'll go and get Ikhny," Kizna said. "It might do you two some good talking to each other…" she said as she walked out the door.
"Now you don't go trying to get us two together, cause it isn't going to work like it did you two…" Hiead yelled after Kizna.
"Sure it will! Just watch and learn Hiead!" Kizna yelled back, now out of sight.
Kizna ran down the halls looking for the rest of her friends, even though she had no intentions to see them right after their confrontation in the battle room. She spotted them down the long corridor, making their way towards the medical wing.
"Hey Ikhny!" Kizna screamed, picking up her pace a bit.
"Oh! Hi Kizna. We were just headed towards where Hiead is…" Ikhny said, casting a downward look.
"Come on, I promised Hiead I'd bring you back to see him," Kizna whispered to Ikhny, standing a bit closer to her than anyone else, so she wouldn't be over heard.
"Come on you guys," Kizna said, leading the way, with the rest of the group and a very surprised Ikhny following the pink haired repairer.
After an hour or two of mindless chitchat about random things, while watching over Hiead in Dr. Rill's medical ward, slowly, the candidates and the repairers left to do their own things. Soon after, all that was left were Hiead, Ikhny, Zero and Kizna, who seem to spend a lot of time together recently.
"How bout this…You two can start from the beginning…How does that sound to you Hiead?" Zero said standing up. Ikhny just gave him a weird look, confused as to where this conversation was heading. Hiead just grumbled an unheard response. Zero took that as a yes and dragged Kizna out the door, now leaving just Hiead and Ikhny together in the room alone.
"We'll be out here if you need us!" Zero yelled back. Hiead just growled and turned to face Ikhny who took Zero's seat on the chair that was placed beside Hiead's head. He sat up with difficulty and Ikhny's help he made it to a comfortable position."What was Zero talking about?" Ikhny asked meekly.
"He was talking about starting over…and I hate to admit it, but I agree with him, if I want to get any where…" Hiead trailed off. He lifted his hand off the bed and thrust it towards Ikhny. She looked at it curiously but took his hand in hers anyways. He shook it briefly and pulled away immediately.
"I'm Hiead Gner…and you are?" He asked lifting an eyebrow. Ikhny gave a soft smile and gave a similar greeting back to him.
A few days later, Hiead was back to normal, glaring at everyone and anyone that he could find worthy of his glare. Though, when it came to Ikhny, he gave some leeway towards her.
It was another bright and early morning and all the repairers and candidates were in their 'sleep- deprived' mode when they came to class.
Azuma sat them down and continued on about the other Goddess Pilots and their goddesses. "Now, the next goddess pilot is…" The silver haired boy soon tuned him out; his thoughts started drifting towards a certain brown haired repairer.
'This is insane!! Why do I even bother with these pesky feelings of mine when all they do is come in the way?' he thought, with a scowl on his face. His thoughts about his feelings and Ikhny kept him occupied, for the rest of the class time with Azuma, as he tried to decipher what exactly he felt towards the girl.
He got his feelings sorted out by the time class was over and with a determined face, decided to do something about it. 'I might as well act on my feelings if they're just going to keep coming in the way of my becoming a goddess pilot.' He thought. Then as an afterthought he added with a smirk, 'plus I'll have someone of my own that I'm not competing with Enna for…'
He made his way to the mess hall and ate his food slightly closer to the other candidates than normal. No one took notice of his actions and he just let it go. After lunch, the eight of them went back for their regular classes and had a pro- ing battle with Azuma monitoring them.
A few days later, with Hiead's growing feelings, and a budding friendship between Ikhny and Hiead, he felt ready to express his feelings for her, but he was not sure weather she would accept them or reject them.
'I might as well give it a go…' he thought, getting up the nerve to tell Ikhny. Ikhny on the other hand, had finally stopped fearing Hiead, and accepted that he had a difficult past to deal with, and that's what made him so secluded and isolated. She realized that she's the only one right now to help him come out of his shell and to live life the way he was meant to live life.
Both of them were the same around the other candidates, if he ever yelled at Ikhny, it would be sort of a playful bantering between friends, and she sometimes even chalked up some nerve to yell back at him. She understood that he was still treating her the same out in public to keep their cover, and she understood that he did not want to be "understood" by the others around him.
Hiead chickened-out and decided to give it another go at telling Ikhny how he felt tomorrow. All night he mulled over how to tell Ikhny his feelings.
After pro- ing battle practice the next day, Azuma collected the rest of the group for their "evaluation" speech.
"Everyone, come here for a second before you leave," Azuma was shooting a death glare towards the candidate who was trying to sneak away. Hiead snickered under his breath and mumbled "Loser" under his breath.
Everyone went up to where Azuma was standing and crowded around him, just like little kids would around a balloon-seller. "I see that the cooperation between candidate and repairer has gotten much better over this past month or so. But I would still like the candidates to help repair their pro-ings." With that said, Azuma turned around and walked out the door.
"I take it that that's the way Azuma says 'Great job'," Roose said scratching his head. Hiead was leaning against the wall during Azuma's speech and saw him walk out the door. A minute later, Ikhny went out the door. Hiead decided to follow her and finally get his feelings off his chest. He follows her out the door discretely. Once out in the hallway, he cornered her against the wall.
Ikhny was startled when Hiead backed her up against a wall, but she knew he had no bad intensions in mind. She looked him in the eye over the top of her rimmed glasses. He stared right back. "What is it Hiead?" she whispered. She knew he had something to say that was troubling him, otherwise he would not have taken so long to spill it.
"I-I—love---" He couldn't do it. Ikhny had a clue as to what he was going to say and decided to give it a shot. She was the only other person he was open towards besides Zero and Kizna.
"You love me?" Ikhny whispered. Hiead just nodded. Tears sprang up to her eyes. She was startled that she could turn a once cold-hearted person into a gentle one that loved her.
"Why?" she asked. She couldn't believe Hiead loved her. He couldn't possibly love her because she knew she didn't have the looks, nor the courage to stand up to him, nor what she thought were his standards for a girl.
"Why do I need a reason to love someone?" Hiead countered. Ikhny just looked towards the ground. She whispered the three words back to him –I love you- that made his heart swell with happiness, though his face showed no signs of it. But his eyes did brighten a tad bit and Ikhny could tell his emotions that way.
Hiead's eyes caught sight of Ikhny's rosy lips and got an evil look into his eyes and he started to speak.
"As people get older, they start to loose their innocence," said Hiead, staring deeply into Ikhny's eyes. She gave him a questioning look.
He continued on without stopping. "It just depends on how soon they loose it." Now she was really confused as to what Hiead was talking about.
Without any warning, Hiead swooped down and kissed her soundly on the lips. Ikhny's eyes widened in shock as the realization of what Hiead was talking about hit her, but she soon got used to the feeling. Just as she started to kiss back, Hiead ended kiss as quickly as he started it, and without a second glance at her, he turned around and walked away from the scene.
A second later, the door that they were standing beside opened and Zero and Kizna walked out, followed by the rest of the repairers. Zero took notice of Ikhny standing beside the door and asked her what was the matter. She had a far away look in her eyes, a smile on her face and she was staring at the retreating back of Hiead who was farther down the hall. Kizna stood by Zero's side taking in the whole picture… flushed face, swollen lips, glazed look in the girl's eyes… then Kizna gave a smile. Zero turned around and asked Kizna if she knew what was wrong with Ikhny. Kizna pointed towards where Hiead was and said "He told her." Zero gave a confused look back at her for a minute, then he realized what she was talking about. He grinned. "All right Hiead!" he whispered under his breath.
With one arm around Ikhny and the other around Kizna, the three of them headed off to the mess hall to join their friends for lunch once again.