"Nee, Kaoru?" It's late. We're in bed, reading a magazine to lamp-light. But it's tense. Neither of us look up, and I know he's avoiding the subject.
"Mmm?" He responds, not looking up from our magazine.
"Why?" I ask him.
"What do you mean, why?"
"Why did you set me up!" I explode. "You know that you're the only one I like! Youknow that!But you still set me up with her!"
"That's not true. You love her." His voice is detached, almost as cold as Kyouya's.
"No, I don't!" I shout. "I don't love her! Why would I love anyone other than—" I almost stop breathing. I had just… "…you."
"SHUT UP!" He shouts at me. "Were you listening to yourself back there! It's so obvious! You're head over heels, possessively obsessed with her!" He looks down, then looks— no, glares— up at me. "You can stop the charade. I don't need your pity." I clench my fist, tempted to hit him. What the fuck? How could he even think—?
"Please…" It's just a whisper. He's not even looking at me, but at the magazine. One tear, two… He's crying. "I know you love her. I know that. You don't have to pretend like this for me. I can take the tr—"
Whack!
"Don't say that!" I shout at him. "Stop pretending you know everything! It's not true! You, Kaoru, you are the only one I love. Get it?"
He looks up at me, a snarl on his face, tears still running down his face, unhindered. "Don't lie to me." He tells me, coldly and firmly and loudly. "I don't want to hear any more lies."
There's a pause.
Suddenly, I'm crying, too. "Kaoru, I'm sorry." I whisper. "I… Maybe I have a tiny bit of a crush on her…" I take a breath. "But it's nothing near as strong… As how I feel for you. I could never love anyone other than you like this." I force the tears to stop and take his face in my hand, force him to look at me. "I love you, Kaoru. Much more than I love her."
"You're still lying." He tells me, his voice cracking with tears. "You don't mean that."
"I do mean that." I tell him forcibly. "I'd do anything to prove that to you."
He looks away, watching something out of the corner of his eyes, and whispers something inaudible.
"What?" I ask, gently. He's blushing deeply, and is obviously uncomfortable.
"Please…" He looks at me as he says the first word, then turns his head away. "…Kiss me." I can only just barely hear him, but I did.
I smile genuinely. "That's all?" I do. He seems surprised that I actually did it. His eyes are wide open for a moment, and then close. I follow his example, and close my eyes, too.
It's a sweet kiss, soft and innocent, but full of emotion. His lips on mine are smooth as silk, but much warmer. Reluctantly, he pulls away, blushing and embarrassed.
"Do you… really love me?" He asks. He's looking away again.
"More than anything." I say. "I love you."
He smiles. "I love you, too."