Hearts' Remedy
Chapter 26

A coach arrived at Serena's house with footman and all.

"Good evening Miss." He bowed with poise as he opened the door for her. Serena almost laughed at the sight because it made her feel 'just like a princess.' She stepped forward and curtsied politely. Just as she came back up, a streak of gray fur crossed her vision, pouncing directly at her.

Serena caught Diana reflexively and grinned.

"Very sorry, Miss. I had no idea there was a stowaway. Just let me take care of the little creature."

"No, it's fine," Serena said, shifting away from his outstretched arms. "Diana is mine." A purr came from Diana as Serena stroked her small head.

"Oh, but she's a Royal Cat! How do you know her?"

"I'm her mother's owner and therefore she belongs to me as much as the royal family." Serena laughed lightly, at the confused look he gave her. She tried to alleviate his concern by saying, "I'll explain along the way. We don't want to be late."

"Absolutely," he agreed.

Serena hopped on, pulling her train up and out of the door's way.

They reached the castle, where quiet merriment enlightened the inner walls and boisterous crickets sung in the night of the outer walls. With the crickets, stood the princess in a ruby gown that hugged her perfectly round stomach. She looked like she was waiting for hours, livid and frustrated, ready to yell at any time. Though, at the sight of Serena, her tightened face relaxed and opened into a warm smile.

"Welcome, Serena! Come! Come!" Raye ushered her out of the coach and into the castle. Diana followed languidly behind, drowsy from the journey. Serena felt uneasy without the kitten close to her. She stopped to scoop Diana up and pressed her against her shoulder. Diana climbed up and sighed in content.

"… You've already missed the introductions… Serena, are you listening?" Raye asked. "You were late! What took you so long?"

"Oh, Sorry." Serena shrugged. 'I'm just incredibly nervous and out of it right now,' she added in her mind's voice.

"…Queen Serenity was too ill to come to her own party…"

"What? Is she okay? Does she need a healer's attention?"

Raye shook her head. "Oh no you don't! I've waited all day for this and you're not going to mess this up. You are staying and meeting my father and mother. Then, at the end they're going to make an announcement while you stand at their side…"

Serena looked slightly surprised at Raye's relentless tone. "You're very bossy—Hey! You never said anything about meeting Their Majesties."

Raye's devious smirk made Serena feel edgy. "Me, bossy! As if!" Raye barked. "Don't try running away or I'll set my guards on you."

Serena pulled out a hanky and started dabbing at her brow; an impression of weak nerves was displayed in the action. "Please, Raye. Have a little heart."

"This is important, Serena." Raye hung on Serena's arm graciously. Her eyes began to water as she blinked at the blonde.

Serena rolled her eyes. "I'll meet them," she sighed. "I am a cordial servant to them."

Raye was patting Serena's hand again. They reached the double doors of the ballroom that were wide open. From the outside, Serena saw the swirls and lights in the opening. She stood for a moment awestruck. It had been a long time since she saw so many ladies in elegant ball gowns and men in their dress suits. It was the old world she walked into and she felt like one who haunted it.

Serena looked to her side and noticed that she was bare. Where did Raye go? She was twisting this way and that with Diana clinging onto her shoulder for dear life.

"Serena, the princess has left…" Diana hissed.

Serena groaned and moved to the refreshments shakily. Still she hadn't spotted anyone she knew in the past. How fortunate.

"Hey, there's Papa," Diana whispered. Serena looked over at the thrones, where the King and Queen perched. Between them, Artemis owned his personal cushion, but the cat, instead of lying down and lazing away, sat stiffly upright, surveying the room with keen eyes. His eyes seemed to reflexively land on Serena. He slipped from his place and paced toward her.

Serena took him in her arms and hugged him. "Artemis, it's so lonely here. I want to leave."

Artemis meowed, his eyes resting on Diana, who was still on Serena's shoulder. Diana leapt off of Serena and Serena resigned to setting Artemis down. "I guess you're all going to abandon me now for cat food."

The two cats slinked away without a word. Serena sighed.

"My Lady?"

Serena spun around, heart pounding crazily behind her rib cage. She almost dropped her glass, but caught herself in time.

"I'm sorry to startle you," said the man who had addressed her as 'My Lady' in a deep, lulling voice. He was a tall, handsome Noble, Serena thought, as she curtsied gracefully.

Provided that Serena hadn't spilt juice on the man's suit or fell when she curtsied, she gave him a sparkling smile.

"Not at all. I'm just born to make mistakes." Serena laughed nervously, taking a step back.

"But you have not made any mistakes. I'd say you were born to grace the world with that gorgeous smile. And if you do not mind at all, I would like a dance with such beauty."

Serena blushed, "With a middle-class peasant like me, My Lord? No!"

"Peasant?"

"I'm not a lady of the court," Serena said, moving away from him, "You'll only feel the bruises next morning after you dance with me." Serena set her glass down and the Noble found it opportune to seize the free gloved hand and kiss it. Serena blushed redder.

"Lady, it will be impossible for you to land your pretty toes on mine. I am an impeccably good lead." He chuckled.

"Ummm…" Serena tried to think up another excuse. "I'm waiting for someone right now…"

"A man?"

"Yes!" Serena said, pressing her palms together.

"Well, I envy that man very much. Good evening." And with that he swept her another bow and disappeared again.

Serena jumped with glee. She had almost forgotten the old trick. Her mother used to scold her for it, so she would use it less and less. However, her sister approved of it and dubbed it the best scheme ever. It was the old I-am-waiting-for-my-prince-to-come-so-before-he-sees-you-back-away-please tête-à-tête. Of course sometimes she had to resort to dancing with him if she caught her mother's disapproving gaze.

Almost instinctively, Serena looked up at the thrones again in the center of the hall. She saw Artemis sitting beside the King and Queen as if he had not moved from the spot at all. This was reality. She did not see her mother give her a disapproving look nor did she see her mother at all.

Serena felt a sinking feeling in her stomach and a worry clenching her heart. Was her mother alright? Why was she too sick to come to the ball?

Serena needed an advisor to sort out her questions and to ease the aching in her mind and heart. She decided to set out and find the easy-going young Diana. Even if she could not talk to the kitten like she could with the kitten's parents, Diana was still bright enough to understand.

Serena was walking past people when she finally spotted her gray cat. She quickened her pace when she was only eighty feet away from the speck, but she came to a sudden halt at who she saw behind the cat.

A lady in a silky white dress with gold lace embroidered at the bodice stood behind Diana. Her hair was done up in the peculiar royal hairstyle that Serena had given up so long ago. Between the two familiar silver buns was a platinum tiara. The grace and beauty of the woman brought tears to the corner of Serena's eyes.

Serena watched as the Crown Princess of Luneria bent to the floor and touched Diana's head. Diana purred and allowed herself to be picked up by the princess. Serena waited for them to see her and they did.

Selene's violet eyes met hers from the distance that spanned them. Even from that distance, the wisdom-filled eyes met her dazed, blue eyes with the same powerful and intense look.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Well, hi there, Little One," Selene bent down to pet the gray kitten standing by her feet. Selene paused to stare into its eyes. "Odd, it's like we met before…"

The gray kitty purred and Selene could not help, but reach out to take the cat. "Who's your master?" She asked standing up.

Her eyes came up to search and she found herself immediately freeze. There, many feet away, stood a young lady with golden, silver hair. Even from the far distance she could see the summer blue sky in her eyes. So familiar…

"Is that—Is that your owner, Little One?"

She looked down and received a meowed 'yes' from the kitten.

Then looking back up, she saw someone behind the girl. It was the Crown Prince of Terra looking tall and dashing. A smile tugged at her mouth as she saw the girl spin around to face him. "Oh!" Selene gasped in realization, "They're in love!" Without being aware of it she spoke the words aloud.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Darien's ears strayed from the pointless chatter of the Lady, Bess. She was a pretty little creature, who only talked about flowers, herself, jewelry, dresses, herself, her father who was the duke, Darien, and herself. She was attractive, so the men flocked around her, but whenever he was around they disappeared as if they were afraid to contest with him. Without them, it was nearly impossible to get her out of his hair.

"Excuse me, Lady," Darien said, walking past the startled Lady Bess while she was in the middle of 'flowers and herself.'

It was almost perfect, when he heard a man he knew say in a rather loud exclamation. "Look who has entered with the Princess. What is that, what is that? A new, untouched blossom!"

"Very nice! How poetic of you," said the companion of the man that Darien knew.

"Poetry for the fair maidens that catch my eye."

"You might have a chance with her, Sir," said Companion.

"Wouldn't it be nice to take her out after all this and have her warm my bed?"

"She's not like other ladies, Sir," said Companion.

"That's the thing. If a peasant girl like that is available, I'll take!"

"Be five feet near her and I'll have your head on my wall," Darien muttered as he stood behind them, with his choppy tone.

The man he knew turned around. "Why Prince Darien! If she means that much to you I'll stand back!" And with that he hurried away as Darien glared at him retreat.

Darien stood in the place the two fools had been occupying. His eyes settled on the fair Serena, who seemed unaware of the attention she brought to herself just standing there. She looked rather confused, which made her seem the more stunning to gaze at. Her golden hair fell long and perfectly against her back. A blue clip held up her hair a few inches higher just so that her hair could not get in the way of her face. Her gown fitted her perfectly, billowing like a cloud under her. The skirts fluttered as she turned this way and that, obviously searching for something close by. Her dress left her creamy shoulders bare as the traps hung low on her upper arms. Diana covered one shoulder, but the other was just there for others to see how perfect she was.

Darien watched her move away from his vision, but he stayed put. It was as if the sight of her rooted him there forever.

"I think that dress looks rather lovely," Raye spoke behind her brother, interrupting his thoughts.

Darien turned to her. "It's not yours." He knew his sister's predilection to clothing.

"It's not. She said a friend by the name Sammy gave it to her."

"Sammy?" And Darien laughed. "I must ask her how the boy is."

"Why don't you?"

"She seems a little preoccupied," Darien sighed.

"Preoccupied! Preoccupied! What is wrong with your head Darien—she's anything, but preoccupied," she hissed.

"Give her time to adjust, Raye."

"Will other men be like you? Give her time to adjust, I mean."

Darien's eyes darkened.

"Hang around if you like, but I won't promise you I'll fend off her enthusiasts for you."

Darien growled and stomped off before Raye had any time to say something else. He started to search for his princess, while his sister gloated in joy.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Serena."

Serena broke eye contact with Selene at the sound of the voice. Feeling came back to her body as she finally saw the room reappear around her.

"I see you actually came," Darien said in a gentle voice as Serena turned to face him. A smile lighted his face at her astonished expression.

"Oh, Darien it's only you," Serena murmured, brushing everything on her mind away for the moment. "I thought it was another person, but I'm glad it's only you."

Darien frowned. "Another person?"

"You know… Other men who are hard pressed to get this girl and a dance." Serena joked without the usual grin caressing her cheeks. She looked over her shoulder at nothing after saying this. Selene was gone from the spot and so was Diana.

Darien noticed how distracted she seemed. "So you don't mind dancing, though… Right?"

Serena looked back at him. "With you? I guess not." She lowered her head as if feeling suddenly embarrassed for blurting out something childish. "I'm comfortable with ballroom dancing, just not with handsome strangers," she added quickly.

Darien nodded and held out a hand. "I'm not a stranger, am I?"

He epitomized modesty and charm with his appealing, suave stance. One hand tied around his back and the other hand he offered to her. Serena arched back slightly away from him as she stared at the hand as if it was something strange. Her eyes trailed from the hand to the emblem at his chest. The royal symbol glinted in the light and unintentionally Serena's hand reached to touch it. It rested on it for sometime before she spoke. "It does mean a lot to you."

Finally she looked up to meet his dark blue stare. "You gave it up for Naru."

Darien grasped her outstretched hand delicately as he stepped nearer to her to close the enormous gap between them. "No," he replied, "I did it for you."

The room turned into a spinning haze of blue and gray as Darien led Serena into a waltz.

"So Serena, how are you enjoying the party? You seem to be fitting in quite well," Darien said, looking at the area beyond Serena's shoulder.

Serena watched him playfully, smiling and said, "You don't look so bad yourself, Highness."

"That did come out all wrong, didn't it?" Darien mumbled, still finding the area above her shoulder amusing.

"It most certainly did and if I knew my friend well, I could tell something is on his mind."

"Nothing is on yours?" At the same time as he spoke, Darien made eye contact. He silently warned her, and then spun her out. Her skirts fluttered beautifully about her before he pulled her back in.

As Serena fell back into his embrace, she laughed lightly. "When do I ever have nothing on my mind?"

"I don't know. I can't really tell most of the time," Darien answered, truthfully.

"You want to know what I'm thinking right now?"

"Sure."

"I'm thinking about what you said earlier."

His brows drew into that puzzling look. "What did I say earlier?"

"You said you gave up that medallion for me. What did you mean?" Serena's eyes landed on the gleaming plate hanging around his neck for the second time that night.

Darien stopped abruptly causing Serena to slip. He caught her before she fell.

"I'm sorry," Darien said.

She looked up at him sternly. "You took advantage of my clumsiness."

Darien clutched her hand and was leading her outside. "Let's talk outside. I don't like being watched."

Serena looked back up at the thrones and surely enough caught the queen and king of Terra watching them from afar. Darien just continued to lead her out of the room, putting her in front of him as if to hide her.

"Your parents are beautiful people," Serena commented politely as they strode down the pathway outside.

"Let's not start here. There are still people around," he said, urging her forward.

The cobbled stone pathway led out to a wider clearing. They veered right and kept walking. Darien stopped her and pointed at their surroundings.

"We are in a private part of the garden. Notice the bush there trimmed like a swan. Behind that is the gate to the fountain."

"Private…" Serena spoke, staring at the circle where the swan stood, wings spread and head raised. "The sound is soothing." She could hear the water running on the other side of the hedge.

"Only my family, I, and workers who tend to the flowers have access to this part. Get caught and you can be in big trouble." Darien moved away from her and brushed away vines that were in the way of a plaque. In Gleaming, bold letters it read, 'Trespassers Beware.'

"Raye and I made it when we were little."

"So should I 'beware,'" she said, grinning at him.

"No… It's only private because no one knows about it. You see, there's a secret about getting through."

"Magic?"

"It's kind of like that, but not really," Darien said indirectly, running his hand around the hedge. "It takes a bit of patience because it moves around a lot."

"It?"

Just as Serena asked, there was the sound of a snap as something was being pulled out. She watched him smile smugly as a part of the hedge fell down for them. "Last time it took forever," he said with a sigh, "—couldn't find the lever."

Serena walked up to him, so that they stood side by side. She stared at the hole where Darien had clutched. "Where'd it go?"

"Probably somewhere else." Darien nudged her on the shoulder, making her move towards the opening again. "You first."

"If this is some sort of trick elaborately planned ahead of time, I hope you realize that you're threatening to get your self into deep trouble with me, Mister. If this is about that birthday present, don't even think about fooling me. I get really scared over surprises, Prince Darien. Honestly…" Serena's voice shrunk.

"I've never tricked you before! Why would I start now?"

"You have a point," she watched him with skeptical eyes. Then, she stepped through the live portal and halted half way there. Her eyes shot open in awe.

Maybe it was just her, but was the grass actually greener and was the area really brighter on the other side? In the center was a fountain shaped like a flower. At the bud it spurted out blue water. A river ran off the side of the fountain and circled the perimeter. Surrounding the area, where the river just kept running, there were bushes of all breeds of flowers. The fresh fragrance of nature from those flowers, drifted toward her leaving her in a dazed state.

Serena put one foot forward to get all the way in, but her dress caught against a branch that stuck out of the hedge.

"Hold it, Serena," Darien bent down to free her. "I don't want you to ruin a gift from Sammy."

"You know? Did you see Sammy?"

"A boy his age is probably being kept in the guest quarters with other children, while his parents enjoy the fun."

"Oh, yeah. That would explain it." She scratched her head, feeling silly. "That never happened to me when I was little because my mother would keep me at her side all the time." Reminiscing, she looked up at the sky, where it seemed the moon shown more brightly and bigger.

"Come sit down, Serena." Darien was already seated at the edge of the fountain

"What about the opening. Shouldn't we close it?"

"What opening?" Darien asked, smiling playfully at her.

Serena glanced behind her and noticed that the hedge had closed up again.

"People don't know about that particular passageway. Not even my parents. The only entrance anyone has ever heard of is the one that is in my parent's bedroom. The only reason why the garden is forbidden is because no one is allowed to enter that room without my father's permission. The passage through the hedge was discovered by Raye and me when we were little. We accidentally stumbled upon it and met up with our surprised parents on the other side."

Serena turned to look at him amusedly. She was once again shocked, but this time it was because she saw him holding a red rose to her. She settled next to him and took the rose. "It's lovely. Thank you."

"No problem." He looked away and stared at another bush.

"So your parents never knew how you got through?"

With a nod, Darien continued. "When we were children, we spent most of the time in our parent's quarters. They showed us this garden and told us that our ancestors made it. It was a place of intimacy and love that we could share. Apparently," Darien looked up and spoke, "my parents left out the part of a magical threshold. They didn't know about it, so they were surprised when they saw me and Raye in the fountain playing. They were so sure they did not see us go by the door in their room because they had been in there for hours. So it remained a secret until Raye broke it to her husband and, now, me to you."

"How funny! Not to hear boisterous children."

"It is a big room," Darien added. "They thought maybe that was why they did not hear us go by."

She nodded. "This is the place of intimacy and love, so Raye had to show it to her husband. And now you show it to me for the same…" Serena dropped her head and blushed.

"Do you love Seiya?" Darien asked suddenly. He felt every muscle tightening in his body as he awaited her answer.

She looked at him evenly. He seemed so fragile to her with his back hunched. "He's married."

His head shot up in surprise. In his eyes she could see a glimmer of aspiration.

"But I do love him as I love everyone who has ever been close to me; no matter how obnoxious they can be sometimes," she murmured, sounding tearful.

"That is not the love I'm talking about. I am talking about the love between two lovers."

"Oh… That…" Those words came out softly.

"You two seem to get along so well. I just thought it was that kind… What's wrong? Why do you sound so unhappy?"

Serena sighed. "The love you are talking about is hard to find. I guess my unhappiness comes from feeling left out from Seiya's life now that he has a wife. It's not only Seiya. There is Naru, Shingo, and Sammy. Even the orphans don't need me anymore…"

"You're wrong. Just because everyone isn't always there anymore does not mean they don't love you anymore. They still need you. I still need you…"

Serena set her flower down and took Darien's hand in between the two of her own. "You are so kind to me, Prince Darien. I can never forget it." She brought his hand to her cheek. "Everything you have done since I've met you, I can never forget."

He lowered his head and his bangs brushed gently across her forehead. The contact brought a blush to her face and he smiled at her. "I gave up the medallion for Naru's freedom because her freedom was what you wanted. I wanted you to be happy." He kissed her cheek.

"Thank you," she said, laughing a bit.

He pulled back slightly to look at her face, which still seemed flushed. "I needed a little help figuring out why I wanted you happy so badly. I had Raye explain it to me. The reason why we yearn for another's happiness is because of love." His mouth touched her throat. She couldn't see his face anymore in the shroud of darkness that was his hair. The area he touched was too intimate for Serena as she considered what he was trying to say. The cheek was a friendly territory, but anywhere lower was too dangerous.

Serena pulled back from him violently. "Don't say it!" She cried.

"It's too late. I love you," he said, his eyes downcast.

"You don't mean it. You're just confused."

He stared squarely into her face, his eyes raging with the emotion. "I love you."

"This isn't right! It isn't supposed to end this way. Take back what you say!"

Darien urged on. "I've talked to my parents. They have accepted me asking you to be my wife. You will say you will have me if you love me."

"And if I reject you it will be for your own good." She looked away. "Highness, I'm sorry I've been leading you on. I didn't realize…"

"That I would return your love."

Serena winced. "I never suggested that I…" She spoke quietly. She was shocked to find that she could not say it. She could not finish the sentence that would break the prince's heart.

"I guess the both of us are coming down with the wrong conclusions. Am I not right, Princess?"

It was about the fifth time he surprised her that night. "Did you just…"

"Yes, Serena, I know about it. You are that Lunerian Princess who ran away six years ago and went missing."

"How did you find out?"

"I put two and two together. It all made sense. I overheard you talking to Luna the day you drowned. I couldn't believe it, then, so I looked into it. Then, at your father's birthday party, you reacted to the song those bards were singing about the Lunerian Queen. You knew them just as you knew the queen in the song, another time in your life. Sometimes, you were probably never aware of it, you sounded diplomatic because of all your experience as a child in the court. Just now, you showed me that you knew how to ballroom dance." He paused to stare at her passive face. "Kenji and Ikuko accepted a gifted child I heard. It's been rumored that the Queen of Luneria has a magic that is passed down from generation to generation. Yours is linked to that, I hope you'll admit. You've been lying to all of us this whole time."

"I'm sorry," she said in anguish. "If I had been more careful, I believe we'd both be happy." Tears sparkled in her translucent blue eyes.

"Happy? You don't understand happy."

"I was happy when I went away."

"Were you really? You felt no guilt at all for leaving?"

She looked at him in dismay, too tongue tied to answer him.

Darien spoke in an agonized voice, "when I was young, I couldn't bear this caged life. Yet, I didn't run away because of my obligation to my people. I thought about Raye. I even thought about my parents, even though they seemed like my suppressors. I could not leave those I love. I cannot leave my people when they truly needed me to be there for them. Did you ever consider why you could not leave?"

"I was young. Everything I saw was only one-sided and that one side conveyed a miserable future that seemed to pain my people more than me. I thought I was doing them a favor." Serena shook.

"You were being selfish!" Darien cried. "You ran away because you were sick of your life. You would not sacrifice your life for the benefit of others. You hid as a healer to compensate for your misconduct!"

She stood up. "How can you speak so cruelly!"

"Because it's true. All this time you've been lying to me out of selfishness. The selfless Bright One was a lie.

I have had selfish thoughts since the beginning myself. I thought about running away with you if my parents did disagree to the arrangement I had in mind. It was all for one reason; to be with you forever. Doesn't that sound selfish?"

Serena steered clear from the question. "Nobody's perfect, but… I do not believe I have only made mistakes in my life. I am who I am not because I'm guilty, but because I get to be me." Serena looked down at him for a while.

"I know," Darien said glumly, "If we had met the way our parents had planned my feelings might not be any different."

"Met when?"

Darien nodded. "We were betrothed, promised to each other because our peoples needed help. I am the fiancée you promised to never forget. If we had met as Princess and Prince, I can bet we would not have gotten along at first sight. We didn't when we first met anyway. However, love is so easy around you. I don't think we would have had too much trouble getting along."

"But, you wouldn't have known the real me."

Darien stood. "That, we can't really tell. Your sister talked about you when I asked about the younger princess. She told me of a personality that matched yours when she spoke of the Princess she knew. It was strange to have that flawless beauty come up to me and apologize for something that happened six years ago. Stranger yet, to have her say that she owed me. There was no reason; just a blank 'I am indebted to you.'"

Selene acted so strange sometimes. It was like that all the time when they were children. Saying things that did not make sense, was one of her annoying tactics to get people to forget and not worry.

"How is my sister?"

"I don't know," he answered. "I don't know anything about the royal family if you cannot tell." He walked closer to her.

"I've missed you, Serena. I want to be with you forever. Please, marry me," he whispered. He planted a searing kiss on her trembling lips. He was fast and demanding.

If it weren't for the one thought in her head, she might have accepted him. Nonetheless, the thought overpowered the love he admitted to her.
Pulling away from him and holding his head back with both palms against his cheeks she looked at him with a heartrending stare in her eyes.

"You always had a knack for coming up with remedies for the sick. Do you have a remedy for the heart?" Darien was trying to change the expression she gave him with a bittersweet grin.

Serena shook her head. "I cannot go back, Prince Darien. It will only pain them to see me again." She blinked, trying to hide her tears.

"Alright, I'll take you home to Ikuko and Kenji, then." Locating the lever, he somehow opened the hedge again. Serena was about to pull herself out again, but Darien's hand stopped her by the shoulder. She stared at his hand. Why was it so hard for her to just ignore him and carry on?

"Serena?" He sounded melancholy, with his childish, shaky voice. Her eyes shifted from his hand to his dark blue eyes.

"One last kiss." His voice drifted into the breeze that carried his voice away.

Serena's heart stopped as she watched him descend. His face shadowed hers as they shared a final kiss.

The transparent walls behind her eyes fell, releasing a torrent of tears. She turned from him and ran through the opening. She did not look back as she thought about him and everything that she had left behind.

You always had a knack for coming up with remedies for the sick. Do you have a remedy for the heart?

Is it going to be an unrequitted love? Stay tuned for chapter 27, which should come out before school starts... No matter how highly unlikely that sounds.