A/N: I hadn't realized how rushed this chapter seemed until, like... today. So please forgive me. I had no other way of fitting everything in the story! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! (even though I will probably post another chapter Christmas day or a day later. but anyway...)HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Thanks soooooooooooo much for the reviews and enjoy the chapter with as many reviews as you want (smile).

Chapter 9

I'm really starting to worry. I mean... what if I'm wrong? What if this guy, who I think is Satoshi, really isn't Satoshi? What if he really is some random Japanese guy from somewhere I've never heard of with a name Kazutaka Yitoren? I mean... last night, when he was helping me study, he really didn't seem to know me at all. He didn't act, or mention, any of my problems from the past. When he asked about my imaginary boyfriend... well, it was as if he didn't know...

That would mean I made a complete fool of myself! Not that I haven't done that already, but... still.

Oh, and he's actually being nice to me. I mean... more polite than before. That's one unusual thing. One very... very... very unusual thing.

I was really embarassed to face him the next day. I went into our class, not really looking forward to seeing him because of what happened the night before. Oh, and the little incident last night that had me blushing at the sound of his name. Yeah, you can thank my roommate for that. Not only had Kagura bugged me nonstop, but she told Izumi that we had gone on a date. An actual date! Can you believe her? Now, I'm betting the entire school knows about it. Poor Satoshi was probably dying of embarassment by now. Having a rumor spread about dating me. Me, of all people...

"Welcome to class, everyone!" Sensei Smith greeted us more cheerfully than he usually did. "Please, take your seats." We all did so, and I was surprised to see that Satoshi wasn't sitting next to me. "I have a new project for you!"

The class groaned as Sensei handed out pieces of paper. I took mine and passed the others, then set the paper on my desk. I didn't really want to see what it was anyway, so why bother? I was a better listener than reader; I learned better that way.

"Ah, Yitoren-san!" Sensei exclaimed, waving at the door. All of us looked to see Satoshi standing in the doorway. "You're just in time to accept your new project! Come! Sit!"

Sensei handed Satoshi a peice of paper, and he sat down. Maybe it was just me, but it seemed like Satoshi was collapsing into the chair... and before, when he was standing in the doorway... he didn't look right. I mean... something was wrong. His hair was messier than usual, his clothes looked baggy and worn, his face was paler than usual, and his eyes. They were... I don't really know how to explain it. The intensity that had always been there seemed... weakened. Like there was not a whole lot of life left in him.

I was about to ask if he was feeling alright, but Sensei opened his mouth.

"Now, this project is simple, usually used in High Schools," Sensei Smith told us. "Yet, because I am a college professor, I have the authority to force you to do this project again."

Sensei Smith went on to explain the project and what it was about. At a minimum of 100 points, I estimated that I would have to work about... a week or so to get an A. Why did this have to happen in my life?

The class ended later on, and I managed to catch up with Satoshi. He wasn't moving very fast after all. Actually... he was still in the classroom when I was about to leave. It looked like it pained him to move. So he moved very, very slowly. I became concerned.

"Hi- I mean... Yitoren-san," I said, standing and gathering my books. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he muttered, not looking at me. He stood himself, and picked up his bag. I thought I heard him hiss in pain.

"You just look tired," I said for no reason at all. "I was worried."

"You shouldn't worry about me," Satoshi said a little too harshly. "I must be going..."

I let him go, anger and concern swirling inside me. He had seemed so rude! Then again, I would be too if I had a rumor spread about me dating a person I didn't like very much. And what about his pain? Why was he lying? I know he was in pain. He can't lie to me, I saw it! I also continued to see it throughout the next couple of weeks. It was really starting to bug me.

No one should be in that much pain. Especially during the spirit of Christmas days. What with all the decorations, the professors begining to be in a better mood, the lights in the city, and the Christmas songs! No one should have to miss all this happiness! Even if they are a somewhat rude, ignorant jerk that only helps me with my homework because he has nothing better to do...

Besides, Satoshi never showed emotion. Ever.

"Risa-chan," Kagura said, awakening me from my zone-out session. I blinked a few times, and focused my attention on my friend. I had to lean in a bit closer to hear her over the noise level of the cafeteria. "Izumi's having her anual Christmas party. Kyo volunteered for it to be at his house. She asked to make sure that you could come."

I smiled, happy that I was included in their close bond of friendship. "Of course I can come. When is it?"

"Uhh... Christmas Eve," Kagura said, raising an eyebrow like I was the stupedest being on the face of the earth.

"Oh." I could say nothing else, feeling my cheeks heat up. I smiled weakly as she laughed at me, then kicked her shins from underneath the table. "Shut up! Now, from what to what?"

"From..." Kagura paused, thinking. "Six-thirty to eleven."

I nodded. "I can make it." Kagura kept talking about the party and what it was going to be like. I sort of drifted off again, my thoughts wandering. Somehow, someway, by a really odd chance of fate, Satoshi popped into my mind. I blurted out what I was thinking before I knew what was going on. "Is Satoshi going to be there?"

Kagura stopped talking immediately and stared at me. "Again with this Satoshi kid! Geez, Risa-chan, you must have a thing for him-"

"I do not!" I cried, mentally kicking myself. "He doesn't even go to this school." Does he?

"Well, if you tell me what school he goes to, I can arrange something," Kagura suggested.

"No!" I said sternly. "Don't. I'm serious." She began laughing and I lowered my head a bit. "It's bad enough that you're bugging me about Yitoren-san..."

"Oh, that guy?" Kagura gave me a reassuring smile. "It's ok. He's actually been a gentleman to you lately so I talked Izumi into letting him into the party. You just have to ask him."

"Are you serious?" I asked, not truly believing what I was hearing.

Kagura nodded. "Of course I am! Everything that I've heard about him was negative. Always negative. For the past month and a half, he's proved me wrong. Strange... that you were the one who pretty much opened him up..."

"It wasn't me," I protested. I then stopped. "Was it?" Kagura simply nodded, telling me that I was being stupid again. I could only shake my head. "He hasn't even opened up. Not really, anyway."

"I took a poll with all of his old classmates," Kagura informed me, poking at her lunch. "Trust me. He opened up."

I felt the heat increase on my cheeks, and I kept my head low. I heard the bell ring and I thanked the gods. "See you later, Kagura-chan." I quickly walked from the scene, afraid that I would say something I didn't want to... again.

"Are you doing anything this Christmas?" I asked Satoshi during one of our study sessions. We were in our usual cafe, and there were Christmas decorations everywhere. I was in a good mood because my grades were improving, and the last day of school before break was tomorrow. Meaning Christmas Eve was the day after tomorrow. And so was the party.

Yet, Satoshi was different. I mean... I could still see pain in his eyes, although he hid it very well... but he looked like he dreaded Christmas. Despite all the decorations and music. I was worried. I mean... I had been thinking. What does he usually do for Christmas? Anything? It would be a sad thing if he did nothing on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. So, because Kagura said it was ok, I was going to ask him if he wanted to go to Izumi's party.

Satoshi picked up his head, which had been lying on the table, and blinked at me. His glasses were crooked, and it looked at if they were in a painful position. Without thinking, I leaned forward and gently took them from his face.

"If you're going to fall asleep on me, then I suggest taking the glasses from your face," I said, folding the wires and setting them near my books. I turned my attention back to Satoshi, who was squinting.

"Why ask?" he said, after a breif moment of silence. He yawned, and I saw him wince. He tried to hide it with a fake look of curiosity.

I shrugged, playing with the straw in my hot chocolate cup. "Well... my friend, Izumi, is having her anual Christmas party... at her boyfriend's house. Kyo's house."

"So are you going?" he asked me, blinking hard a few times. "It would be a shame if you missed the fun."

I was touched at his concern, but I couldn't help but feel bad for him. He was always so concerned with... well, me. "Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come."

"Would your friends allow it?" I avoided his gaze when he brought this up, and I heard a dry chuckle. "I know what people think of me, Harada-san."

I twitched, like I always did when he called me that. "It's Risa. And Kagura told me herself that Izumi would allow you to be there... without getting beaten." There was silence, and I looked up at him to see if I had said the wrong thing. He was just... staring at me. The intensity, the one that had been missing for the past weeks, was back. A part of me jumped with happiness, the other sank. That look he was giving me... I just didn't like it. I cleared my throat and rolled my eyes. "If you don't want to, then-"

"No." He stopped me, thinking. His gaze left me for a second, and he looked at his hands, which were placed neatly on the table top. "I'm just wondering if you're serious..." At first, I was just watching him. I mean... it had been a while since I had seen him without the glasses... and... he didn't look half bad. Reasonably attractive, actually. Well... ok, he was REALLY attractive! But I would never tell him that...

"Of course I'm serious!" I snapped. He was talking more than he usually did, which was good, and his intense gaze was back, and he wasn't ignoring me either. So... why was I so annoyed? "Why wouldn't I be?"

Satoshi sighed, creating a soft groan from the back of his throat. "No reason."

It was then that the lightbulb finally went on. "Did something happen in past Christmases, Hi- I mean... Yitoren-san?"

Satoshi stood, grabbed his glasses, kind of shoved them on his face, and began walking away. "Nothing happened. Come on, we need to get going."

"So you're coming?" I asked, part of me wanting him to say yes, part of me wanting him to say no.

He didn't answer me for a minute, but when we reached the car, he opened the shotgun door for me. "As long as we don't do anything couple-like."

I felt myself heat up and I smiled weakly. "Is there a rumor going around?"

Much to my surprise, I could see a faint shade of pink glowing on Satoshi's cheeks. He cleared his throat, put on an annoyed face, and walked around to the driver's seat. "As a matter of fact, there is. And it's really begining to get on my nerves."

A/N: In the next chapter: The day of the party arrives. Yitoren-san seems... different. Very different. And (gasp) a truth circle? (pause) What the hell is a truth circle?