If you're reading this for the first time(when I've just posted this and you have already read chapter six), go back and reread it. I added something in at the end.

Otherwise, this should explain why I like typing my stories on computers. It's so much longer. Tee hee. Recently, I've been downloading the entire Pita Ten anime series. I've already seen it, so I'm not getting any shockers or being disappointed in it this time around... but I still like the series. Occassionally you get a serious episode. The ending's pretty good, too. Anyways, on to the story. Please enjoy this chapter.

Chocolate
Chapter Seven

It was finally the day of the hiking trip.

Kotarou's heart felt like it was trying to jump up his throat and out of his mouth, so it could run down the street. He had barely even gotten any sleep. He could only toss and turn on his bed, thinking about what was about to happen.

What was about to happen?

It was just a school hiking trip. He and Takashi were only going to share a tent. It was nothing that should have been making him feel so nervous. But it was, and he was starting to hate it. He half didn't even want to leave home that day. He wasn't sure that he could make it through these two days without saying something stupidly obvious. He could do without the embarrassment. He could do without everyone knowing how he felt. It would just complicate things, and the worse case scenario was that it disgusted Takashi and he would hate being near him. He hated to think of losing one of his best friends that way.

"Kotarou-chaaan," Koboshi sang. She popped over the top of the seat. "You've been so quiet since we got on the bus! You're still alive, right?"

He blinked, and sat up suddenly. He, Koboshi, Takashi, and Hiroshi had taken up the last two seats on the left side of the bus. He had almost forgotten that they were on the bus, and on their way to the mountain as they spoke. His thoughts seemed to be doing that to him a lot more lately, consuming him until he forgot about everything else.

His eyes traveled to Takashi, who was sitting next to Koboshi, then quickly pulled away. The blonde was sleeping soundly now. Maybe he, too, had had a bad night's sleep. At least that meant that now he could calm down a little. He felt calmer when Takashi wasn't around, and even when he was asleep made a slight difference.

"Um… Sorry, Koboshi-chan," he mumbled. He gave her a small smile.

"You'd better believe you're sorry!" she agreed, shaking a fist playfully at him.

"Higuchi…" Hiroshi sighed. "You look pretty tired."

"Ah… Yeah." Kotarou admitted. He was not even going to try to deny it. He had not slept well the night before. If it was showing, why go through the trouble of denying it?

"You should get some sleep, Kotarou-chan," Koboshi suggested.

"Hn." Kotarou was starting to feel too tired to even bother with replying. Tired, and annoyed. Why did they keep bothering him? They could just let him go to sleep and leave him alone.

At least Takashi had been leaving him alone. Of course, the blonde was asleep, so it didn't count.

"Ah… I bet Misha-san would have loved being out here," Hiroshi mentioned suddenly in a dreamy tone. His eyes glazed over and he grinned stupidly. "She would have looked lovely, too…"

Misha-san… Kotarou thought, closing his eyes. He felt so tired. I know I didn't want to depend on you… but I think I really need you now…

----------

The bus finally made it's last turn some time later, and it was announced in excited voices by the teachers that they had finally arrived at the mountain.

Kotarou rolled his eyes. The teachers were stupidly fueling student idiocy and an excitement that they would surely regret later on. Yeah, this was a great trip. But why stir up the trouble?

"Ten-chaan," he heard Koboshi whisper to the blonde. He was still sleeping? "Wake up, Ten-chan."

Kotarou, himself, had woken up on the ride over. Somehow he had managed to evade the attention of his friends up until this moment. He did not really feel like dealing with anyone at the moment. His thoughts dwelled on Takashi, and on Misha as well. What would the angel have told him to do if she was still here?

Would he have even fallen in love with Takashi if she was still here? And if he would have, did that mean that he never really loved Misha? Though she was gone now, gone to Heaven, the thought bothered him. He had loved Misha. He still did. He knew that, and questioning it like this was stupid. The only thing was that now, the type of love he felt for her had changed. She was his first love, the first person to make an impact on his life, to open him up to the world and to show him his true self.

The love that he was feeling for Takashi now was the same as when he had been in love with Misha. Definitely. It was the same. It was a shy, frustrating feeling, and he had no idea what to do with it.

Of course, he could confess to Takashi. That was something to do with it. But Takashi obviously wouldn't share those feelings. He would just be ruining a life-long friendship. And if Takashi wasn't absolutely horrified by the thought of his friend being gay, and he was still willing to be friends, then it would be awkward. The friendship would still be over, though they would hold up false smiles and act as though nothing was wrong.

"Higuchi," Hiroshi called him. "We're here."

Kotarou tilted his head so that he was looking at Hiroshi, and gave him a tight-lipped smile.

"I noticed. Thanks," he muttered. He was much too tired to be concerned about his manners.

He waited until all of his friends had gotten up before he stood up along with them. He said nothing to any of them. He didn't know what to say. What was he supposed to say to them right now? What was he supposed to say to Takashi? There were too many thing to consider, and he had to be so careful about it. He hated it. He wanted it to be like old times.

"Ayanokoji-samaaa!" one of the girl's sighed as she and her friends clocked to Takashi when he got off the bus.

Kotarou could barely shove his way through fast enough. The teachers were assembling near the far end of the bus, asking for students to gather in pairs. They would be recorded, then given their equipment.

A small smile spread across his face. He was going to share a tent with Takashi. He glanced at the blonde. They were going to share a tent. It didn't matter how troublesome the situation was, he was going to get to be near him. The thought made him as happy as it did drive him crazy. The fan girls were bothering him, too. Takashi didn't seem to mind them, but he did.

"Kotarou-chan, you should get your equipment together," Koboshi said as she walked up to him. She had a backpack of something over one shoulder. It was probably a tent and her sleeping bag and a few other supplies.

"Ah, right," he said. For all of his best efforts, he couldn't keep the grin off of his face.

He headed over to where the teachers were. He left Takashi alone. He seemed to be enjoying himself where he was, so Kotarou let him be. Besides, even if the girls had him now, he had him in the tent… Something about that sounds dirty, he thought to himself.

"You seem pretty happy," Koboshi commented. She laughed a little to herself.

Kotarou glanced over at her.

"Yeah, I guess I am," he admitted.

"That's good," she said. She smiled broadly. "You haven't seemed yourself lately. Everyone was starting to get a little worried about you."

"Eh heh heh… Yeah, I guess I have been a little moody lately." He didn't know what else to say. For whatever reason, he was starting to feel better. Maybe the hiking trip would be fun. But if he didn't even try, then he would never know if he could handle it. It was better to just enjoy it, and worry about the details when they happened.

Right, Misha-san? he silently asked her. I have to stand on my own, just like you helped me learn to do. Just give me the guidance I need right now and watch over me… please…

----------

"Are you sure that you should be doing that?" Shima asked. She watched as a smiling Misha cast a happiness spell on Kotarou. Immediately he seemed to relax, and he even began to smile.

That was just a small example of Misha's abilities. She could help countless people at a time.

"Tee hee hee. Suu," Misha murmured as she back away from Kotarou. She hovered near him for a moment, though, as if to admire her work. "Kotarou-kun! You're so cute when you smile like that! Suu!"

Shima sighed heavily.

"Misha-san, are you sure that you should be doing things like this?" Shima asked again.

Misha finally acknowledged her apprentice and smiled in her direction.

"It's okay. Su," she assured her. "Kotarou-kun can't see me, so he doesn't know that I'm here. Suu."

Misha's voice rang with laughter when she spoke. Shima knew what Kotarou had once meant to her. How could she sound so happy when she was trying to set him up with someone else? Even angels were selfish to some degree. That was why they weren't supposed to get mixed up with humans. That was why Misha had fallen once before, and come so close to disappearing. But here she was now, being so happy for, and helpful to, the human that she loved so dearly as he found a new love.

She couldn't understand it. She was certain that if she was in love with someone, she wouldn't be able to do such a thing.

"Besides, Shima-chan," Misha laughed. "I want him to be happy. It's what I most the most in the whole world!"

Shima was quiet for a moment. It was right to wish for the happiness of humans. It was exactly what they were created to do. But still, how could Misha sacrifice so much with a smile on her face?

She really was an amazing angel, like her sister.

But that didn't mean that she was okay with what Misha was doing. No, she would not condone this. It was wrong. Misha was interfering too much. And she had plans to do more.

----------

"Aah, Higuchi-kun's so lucky."

Kotarou forced himself to hold back a smirk as he overheard yet another girl talking as if he was actually a threat to them, someone to compete with for Takashi's attention. He found it amusing.

Though, he was really lucky to be sharing a tent with Takashi.

It's weird, he said to himself. I was so nervous last night that I couldn't sleep… but now, I'm so calm. I'm even really looking forward to it. It's strange. Is this love, or…

"Yo, Kotarou!" Takashi called as he rushed up to meet him. He grinned. "You grabbed all our stuff, eh? Thanks, man."

Kotarou smiled sheepishly. He suddenly felt flustered and embarrassed.

"Y-Yeah, it was nothing," he stammered. His glanced towards the ground. It was starting to happen again, but he did not mind it as much this time. It's like when Sasha-san…

"Hey, I'll take some of that off your back," Takashi said, his voice laughing as he grabbed his gear from Kotarou's arms.

Kotarou tried to fight off the oncoming blush, but knew how badly he was failing.

"Ah, what's wrong, Kotarou?" Takashi asked when he noticed it.

He just laughed nervously. "Uh, what?"

"Your face is all flushed and stuff…"

"Ah, yeah… yeah…" Kotarou laughed. "I think that I've been out in the sunlight for too long."

"Really?" Takashi asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Yeah, really," Kotarou repeated himself, using a firmer tone this time. He turned away and headed for the campsite. "Now, I'm going to set up the tent."

Takashi was silent for a moment, before he suddenly replied.

"Hey, wait for me, Kotarou!"