Reflections
The next day during gym class Himeno told Yayoi what happened yesterday. Yayoi was shocked by all Himeno said. She could not believe that some one tried to kill her best friend. She knew that Himeno was the only one who could protect the world but this is the first time Yayoi realized that Himeno was in extreme danger. She looked over to Himeno and saw that her best friend did have allot on her mind so when Himeno said "I feel like someone is watching me." Yayoi did everything to lighten the mood that she could. "I think I what it is." Yayoi started "Some boy fell in love with you, and now he is admiring you from a far!" The Princess shook her head and began to think. 'Can there be someone in love with me? That can't be true; there is nothing special about me. I am not at all ladylike, I have a short temper, and I can knock some one out in less then a minute. There is no way that someone fell in love with me.' She sighed 'Could it be Hayate? He is somehow always near by when I am in danger. He is always protecting me even though he can be so mean to me. Is he truly the boy from my past? The one who brought me home when I was lost all those years ago. What is this feeling that I am having? Every time I think of Hayate my heart starts beating fast. Is this what love feels like? Am I in love with Hayate?' Himeno finally spoke out loud "I am not popular with the guys at all." She had a realization 'This presence is someone powerful. Can it be Hayate? If it is, it must be because I am the Pre'tear and he wants to make sure nothing happens to the Pre'tear.' "Oh, Himeno it's not true! What about those guys? I mean look there's Hayate, the Knight of wind. He is a little scary, but definitely cool!" Yayoi's words about Hayate made Himeno's heart pound. Yayoi continued to list off all of the older knight's qualities. This made Yayoi go into one of her romantic ideas. Yayoi suddenly turned to Himeno "Which one is your favorite, I mean besides the young ones?" Himeno didn't answer and put her attention to her class.
Himeno walked home slowly reflecting on how the knights only care for her because she is the Pre'tear. Himeno went up to her room nearly in tears because her step mother Natsue slapped her out of the way when Himeno's father fell down the stairs and then there were the harsh words that Mawata said. 'I am so useless. Why am I even here? I am just a burden on every one.' Himeno started changing out of her school uniform when she felt a presents. 'Is someone watching me? I feel something, but why would anyone be watching me? Why would they want to? But, there is defiantly a presence here. Some one is defiantly outside on my balcony! It can't be the Disaster Princess. "Who's there!" Himeno shouted and started to attack the person outside. Her hand was grabbed by Hayate. Himeno blushed when she saw the Wind knight holding her hand. "Hayate!" She squeaked. "What do you think you are doing? Do you always lash out to everyone like this?" He snapped. Himeno stepped back from her knight. "I thought you were here. I mean I thought you were the Disaster Princess." She Paused, "By the way what are you doing here, Hayate?" Hayate took a step closer "I came here to protect you, Tulip Head." Himeno's eyes widened 'What, he came here to protect me?' Hayate mumbled "Because the Princess of Disaster attacked you directly… And I was going to take my turn as your bodyguard." Hayate's cheeks began to glow. 'He came to protect me? Then I was right before it was Hayate watching me.' Himeno thought to herself. Hayate turned his head, his cheeks started to glow redder. 'Why is he blushing at me? Could it be he actually likes me?' Himeno felt her heart beat faster. "Could you do something about your shirt?" Hayate looked to the sky. "My shirt what is wrong with my…" Himeno cut herself off when she looked down and saw that her shirt was unbuttoned to the point that her bra was almost completely showing. Himeno pushed Hayate away "Get out of here now!" Himeno stormed back to her room opened her bathroom door and slammed the door behind her.
Later that night Himeno looked to her balcony 'The nights have been cold lately; maybe I should invite him inside.' The Princess walked outside and called out to Hayate. "Hayate, are you still here?" She heard a voice above her "What is it?" Himeno paused to gather up her thoughts, and then she called up to the moody knight "Aren't you cold? Would you like to come inside?" 'Did she just offer to let me come into her room?' Hayate felt his heart tighten 'I know it is not meant to be anything more then kindness, but a small part of me wishes it was.' "No thank you. I'm a perverted stalker, right? The last place you would want a perverted stalker is inside your bedro… achoo!" Hayate's sentence was cut of by him sneezing. "But Hayate, if you get a cold you wont be able to protect me…" she paused "Like you should as a Leafe Knight." She grinned at him. Hayate's heart nearly exploded outside of his chest when he saw her smile. He gazed at her smile 'She looks like an angel when she smiles. Wait what am I thinking? This is not the time or the place to be thinking of things like that. I need to have my mind on protecting the Pre'tear nothing else. I should go in there it would be easier to watch over her.' "Alright." He agreed to come in. Hayate followed his beloved princess inside into her room but went no further then the doors of the massive bedroom. Himeno climbed into her bed and placed the covers completely over her head. She tried to close her eyes and get to sleep but her heart would not stop pounding. When she thought her heart could not pound any harder Hayate began to approach her bed. Echoes of Yayoi's speech of a princess and her knights rang through Himeno's head. "Himeno are you asleep?" Hayate placed his hand onto her bed. Himeno stirred and looked into the two perfect sapphires that were Hayate's eyes. "Himeno, did anything strange happen today?" Hayate had allot of concern in his voice. 'What?' Himeno looked puzzled. "Was anyone acting strange at school? Does anyone seem different all of a sudden?" Himeno shook her head "No, not really." Hayate grinned "Oh, ok then." And returned to his spot in front of the balcony. Himeno was puzzled 'Is he hiding something from me? I feel something is not right.' With that she fell asleep.
Hayate wanted to tell her everything but he was afraid to get too close to her. He would love to hold her close to him and not let go, but he could not do that. He swore he was not going to get involved with another Pre'tear. He did not want what happened to Takako happen to Himeno. Even though he has loved Himeno ever since he first met her, 12 years ago. At that the time Himeno was upset because her mother had just died. He returned the small girl to her father, but not before he calmed her sorrows. At the time he was only 5. 'Himeno, I've known that you were destined to be Pre'tear ever since I met you. I secretly hoped that we would never need your help. If the Disaster Princess never started havoc then you could have lived a quiet happy life. You would have never been placed into danger's way. But if the Disaster Princess never started causing trouble for the world I would also not been able to meet you again, my princess. Himeno, even thinking your name makes my heart soar. How I would love to do nothing but to simply hold you. I will probably never tell you my princess, but I love you. Your kindness, your compassion, your loving soul.' Hayate sighed 'Why am I so mean to you? I can tell that it hurts you. But I say the words before I can even stop myself. Himeno I hope that you find someone who can treat you like the sweet angel you are.' Hayate held his hand to his heart as he watched the Pre'tear sleep.
Himeno was having the dream where her mother dies leaving there all alone. "Mum" tears fell from Himeno's sleeping eyes. Hayate saw this and made his heart ache. He quietly walked up to the slumbering girl and carefully wiped her tears away. Unconsciously she grabbed his arm and held it tight. His eyes widened and he tried to get arm free but she held on to it tight. He would like nothing more then to stay there but if she woke up and found him like where he is she would freak and probably hit him again. He rubbed his cheek where the last time the Pre'tear hit him. 'I do not want her to get mad at me again.' It was hard for the wind knight to concentrate long enough to come up with a plan mostly because he did enjoy being this close to his princess. Himeno's bad dream seamed to subside and she loosen her death grip on the poor knight's arm. Hayate was able to get his had free and he resumed his place standing with his back to the balcony door. Moments later Himeno's bad dream must have returned because within a blink of an eye Himeno rose out of her bed and ran to Hayate crying. The knight noticed that she was still asleep when she did this and he did not want to awaken her, so he carefully picked her up and softly placed her back into her bed. As he placed the covers back onto her fragile body he gave he a small kiss on the forehead and whispered "Sleep tight, my beloved princess." He stroked his fingers through her hair a couple of times and returned to his post. From that point on Himeno's dreams seemed to calm. By the time that the high school student woke up her knight was gone. Days went on with a different knight guarding her each night.