Hating You

by Squit Ayumin

[Discontinued] The lives of four teenagers change when they are forced to spend every waking moment with the ones they most despise. Takari, Ryuki.

9. Takeru

From this point onwards is the old version of this story. Significantly worse, even more pointless, etc. If you have even made it this far and for some reason still wish to read further, I'd highly advise against reading these old drafts and suggest waiting for the updated versions instead. That being said, I decided against taking Chapters 9-15 off this website altogether for the nostalgia and memories, so if you choose to read on, you have been fairly warned.

Chapter 9: Takeru

Rika swiped her key card coming from breakfast and entered her suite.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

Rika shrieked as Ryo popped open a bottle of what appeared to be champagne. The bottle was obviously shaken before for it exploded directly on her.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH—"

Ryo took Rika by the hand and pulled her inside. "Hey, you aren't going to be bitter today. It's Christmas. And even if I have to spend Christmas in the goddamn summer, we're going to make it as Christmas-y as possible. So don't start the day screaming."

"You just drenched me in... in... what the hell is this anyway!" Rika grabbed the bottle from Ryo's hand. "Is this alcohol?"

"It's sparkling apple cider, don't have a heart attack." Ryo took a towel from a table and wiped his hands. "That's what sucks about going on vacation with your parents. You can't really do anything."

"I just took a shower, you jackass!"

"Take another one." Ryo grinned and outstretched his hand. "Where's my present?"

"How's this for a present?" Rika threateningly flung the half-empty bottle at Ryo's head, but he grabbed it just in time.

"Don't break your present! I'm not getting another one, you know!"

Kari looked around her flat. It certainly did not feel like Christmas. In fact, it felt like any other day. TK and Kari never bothered to set up a Christmas tree. Kari had not bought TK a present. It felt... empty.

Perhaps she would feel better once she went to her parents' house. It was seven o'clock—too early to call her parents, although they were probably awake. She looked in the direction of TK's room. He was still asleep. While it was true that he had been acting a lot nicer to her lately, she found it more awkward than comforting. It was almost like TK was doing it to make her uncomfortable.

She looked around the flat once again. It was so dark and depressing. She desperately longed for the warmth and love she received at home.

She took the pad of paper off the lamp stand and wrote a note to TK. She tore the paper off and taped it to her room door. She took a coat and scarf from her closet and left, heading for her parents'.

"I can't believe you didn't buy me a present!" Ryo complained through sips of his apple cider. "I'm hurt, Rika, really hurt. After all, I did buy you this wonderful drink."

Rika twisted her wet hair into a bun and put it securely in place.

"And when are you going to stop the silent treatment? I said I was sorry," Ryo said matter-of-factly. "Isn't that enough?"

Rika walked up to him. "Apparently, no."

"It's amazing, it really is!" Ryo frowned at her. "Somehow, you can spread your bitterness to every aspect of life, including Christmas. That's such an unattractive quality."

"May I see my present?" Rika asked innocently.

"What, so you can throw it at me again? I'm not stupid, Rika. And it isn't your present anymore. I took it back because you didn't buy me one."

Frowning, Rika grabbed his glass. While he tried to get it back, she took the bottle as well. She threw the rest of Ryo's cider in her mouth and spit it back into the bottle. She then handed them both back to Ryo.

"Merry Christmas, Ryo."

Ryo's jaw dropped. "You just—"

"Ruined Christmas?" Rika pretended to pout as she patted Ryo's spiky head. "Aw, poor baby. Santa will come again next year."

"Don't look at me like that, Rika!" Ryo grinned, standing at their doorway, his prize in his hand. "It's your own fault, just so you know."

"I can't believe you stole..." Rika lowered her voice. "that."

"You mean alcohol!" Ryo said loudly as he walked into their suite.

Rika slammed the door behind him. "Ryo!"

"It's just a bottle of vodka." Ryo headed towards the kitchen with his plastic. "Our parents won't notice."

"You're 17!" Rika paused. "Vodka!Are you stupid!"

"No. And, actually, I'm 18." Ryo faked a sigh. "I can't believe you don't even know that about me."

"17 and 18 practically the same thing!" Rika grabbed the back of his shirt to stop him from reaching the kitchen. "The point is you're not 20, and that's when you can drink."

"You're not 18, but you smoke," Ryo pointed out.

"That really is not the point. Like I said, 17 and 18 are practically the same."

"Well, then, have some. The legal age here in Australia is 18." Ryo gave Rika the smuggest look as he laid the bottle on their small table. He took the top off and poured some in a glass.

"No!"

"I would have thought a girl like you drank." Ryo rest his elbows on the table and smiled at her calmly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rika demanded, marching to the high table.

Ryo held his glass up. "I mean I didn't know you were such a pansy."

"I win!" Rika slammed her third glass down. "Ha, who's the pansy now, Akiyama!"

"Uh-huh..." Ryo raised an eyebrow. "Now you're just drunk."

"I am not drunk!" declared Rika, glaring fiercely at Ryo. "I don't get drunk like you."

Ryo smirked. "If you say so. I am drunk, after all."

"You asshole, I'm not—oops!" When Rika tried to get up from the table, she tripped over her high chair and landed on the floor. "Ow! See, if I was drunk, I would not have felt that!" She waggled her finger at him with each syllable.

Ryo, who had taken a total of two shots, was not phased with the effects of alcohol. He figured if one of their parents came in (as they would not have approved of Australia's drinking age), it would better be Rika drunk than him. He could do some pretty stupid things when drunk. "Rika, do you need help?"

"Do I look like I need help?" Rika snapped, getting up and sitting back down. She shoved her glass at Ryo. "More."

Ryo, who was rather enjoying Rika in this state, poured her some.

"You selfish brat, you only filled it halfway!"

"'TK, I went to my parents' for the day. Merry Christmas. Kari.'" TK read through squinted eyes. "Huh."

TK dragged his feet into the lounge and looked at the clock. It was 2:47. Rubbing his eyes, he allowed his body to plop on the couch. He lazily reached for his mobile on the coffee table. Fifty-six missed calls. Groaning, he threw his phone back on the table and shut his eyes.

'...Merry Christmas...'

TK's eyes shot open. "Holy shit, is it Christmas!"

He flipped his phone open, and clearing all his missed calls, stared at the date. December 25!

He scrambled out of the couch and into his room to find something appropriate to wear in public.

Kari stirred the soup slowly, just like her mother had told her to. Christmas dinner was very important in the Kamiya family, and they usually spent hours preparing. They, as in Kari and her mother. Her dad and brother watched sports, although they did help at times. The men were definitely the better chefs, but they were definitely the better couch potatoes as well.

"Kari, your phone is ringing," Tai said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Kari dashed into the lounge and flipped open her phone. "Hello?"

"Kari," said TK's whiney voice, rather pathetically. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Because I woke up at seven."

"So? I just woke up!"

"Well, I thought you had an alarm clock. Look, I have to go now. I'll talk to you later. Bye."

Kari hung up and shut the power off. She refused to let TK ruin her last possible Christmas as a Kamiya.

"TK's well?" her father asked, no sign of care in his voice.

"I really wouldn't know, Dad." Kari shrugged and walked back into the kitchen.

"Kari? Kari?" TK frowned and threw his phone at the passenger seat. "Damn her."

Immediately, his phone rang again. When he stopped at a red light, he reached for it—and noticed a deep cut on his leather interior. "Oh, my God... She..." He remembered when he left Kari in his car. "She sliced open my car! Oh. My..."

"God!" Ryo said angrily. "Why did you drink so much if your tolerance is so damn pathetic?"

"I cahn too durringk!" Rika slurred, feeling ready to barf any second.

"Shut up, will you? You can't even talk!"

"I cahn too tohgk!" Rika placed a finger in her glass and twirled it for signs of alcohol. "Moh!"

"I haven't got any more," Ryo lied.

"Jahkarse, moh!" Rika slammed her fist on the table with her left hand and reached for Ryo's shirt with her right. She missed his hand and grasped open air. "Moh!" Her tone was that of a teary child begging her mother for another cookie.

"For crying out loud!" Ryo took Rika by the arms and tried to pick her up. "Will you please cooperate?"

"Leh me go!" Rika shrieked.

"COOPERATE!" Ryo yelled at her face.

"Aurgh!" Rika lazily dragged her fist across Ryo's head.

"Damn you, everybody knows you're supposed to have one shot every five minutes."

"Leh me go! I haavda use duh loooooooo." Rika burst in a fit of girly giggles. Yes, girly giggles.

"Please tell me you're joking." Ryo lightly slapped her cheeks. "Rika, you can't use the toilet! It's too far away!"

"Yohr kyuu." Rika giggled, taking Ryo by the sleeve.

"Yeah, I know I'm cute." Ryo rolled his eyes and tugged on his sleeve to prevent from falling on her. "I am in so much shit if our parents come in."

Rika pulled harder on his sleeve, whinging a little now. It was amazing how different she was when drunk. She was almost desperate for his attention.

"Takeru!" Ms. Takaishi hugged her son when he showed up on her doorstep. "I missed you! How are you? You're so late; I thought you were kidnapped!"

"Fine, Mum, I'm fine. No, I wasn't kidnapped, TK said absentmindedly, patting his mother's back. 'I cannot believe she tore open my car!'

"Hi Son, glad you decided to make it." TK's father looked up from the television to greet him. "You okay there? You look a bit annoyed."

"No, I'm not annoyed. Sorry for not getting here earlier. I overslept on accident." TK laughed sheepishly. 'I mean, I bought her coffee and pizza. And she goes around vandalising my damn car

"She ran something through my car interior!" TK whinged to Matt. "It isn't a subtle thing either! It'sreally noticeable!"

"Well, maybe if you weren't such an ass around her…"

"I was nice to her!" TK cried, insulted by such accusations. "Well, before I was, but then I really tried to be nice! Really! I bought her food! I drove her around town! I bought her flowers! Look what she did to me, that ungrateful little brat!" TK showed Matt the bruise on his arm. "Do you know how hard it is to laugh at completely unhumourous things when the other person finds it just as unhumourous!"

"First of all, 'unhumourous' isn't a word. Don't use it ever again. Second, TK, you've got to stop talking. You sound like a baby!"

"How would you like it if somebody practically split your car in half!"

"I'd be mad, but she didn't split your car in half, did she?" Matt sweatdropped. "My car has a bunch of scratches anyway."

"Well, your car is crap!" TK snapped.

Because his mother spoiled him, TK unquestionably had the better car. Their father believed in building character, so Matt was forced to raise money for his own car. Matt had enough money by now, with his band's concerts and all, but he was saving up for a better car than TK. He believed in the whole older-siblings-get-all-the-good-stuff-and-younger-siblings-get-crap business.

"Whoa, what's that tone you're using with your older brother?" Matt said sternly. His constant reminder of him being three years his senior could get rather annoying at times.

"Matt," TK winced. "Why weren't you forced into marriage?"

"Because I'm not a Takaishi," Matt bragged. "I'm only half."

"Well, so am I!" TK blurted as if Matt just found out they were both half Takaishi.

"It's my lesser half."

"Are you insulting Mum!" TK asked, shocked. "You prat!"

"No, I'm saying I have a stronger Ishida influence." Matt chuckled. "It's okay, kid. On the positive side, you can brag to all your little high school friends that you're getting hitched before me." Then his voice lowered, as if that were possible. Matt's voice rivalled that of Barry White's. "Call me a prat again, and I'll key your car."

TK groaned angrily. "I still can't believe she destroyed my car!"

"TK, you were right." Matt's sternness lifted, replaced by a smug grin. "You always were the lucky one."

"Just lay here… and… sleep… or something." Ryo ordered as he set Rika on his couch. The one positive thing that came out of this was that he got the bed for an afternoon nap. He had hoped maybe drunken Rika would be a lot quieter, but not only was she louder, but she was annoyingly louder—as in she was talking away like one of Matt's fangirls.

Rika giggled, still clutching to Ryo's shirt. "Yohr kyuu!"

"Okay, okay." Ryo pushed her hand off, getting agitated by being called 'cute' repeatedly. "Go to sleep!"

"No!" She was screaming in his face, though there was no sign of anger in her voice. She was toying with him.

It was actually very cute, if he ignored the weirdness and annoyingness. He actually felt like a father caring for his baby daughter—who just happened to be less than a year younger than him. Okay, so it really wasn't like that, but it was cute nevertheless.

"Lyouu," Rika said, pointing to Ryo's face with her free hand. "Sit!" She pointed to the space above her head.

Sighing, he sat down. Rika immediately got up and sat on her knees, staring down at him.

"Holy cow, your breath…" Ryo stuck his tongue out in disgust. The stench of booze from her was strong.

Rika, who didn't get it, giggled and stuck out her own tongue.

"Yeah, that's right. You smell." Ryo said, glaring at her. "You smell like a big, fat cow."

"No, you!" Giggling, Rika flung herself into Ryo's arms. He caught her arms before she fell on top of her. "You smell laik a biiiiiiiig kau! A biiiiiig, faaht kau!"

"Then again, I always smell like one to you." Ryo chuckled, quite amused by Rika's newfound cuteness. She really was acting like a five-year-old. Nothing would complete his Christmas than videotaping this. Her calling him cute, giggling like a schoolgirl, trying to hug him—all very un-Rika-ish things.

"KAU!" Rika shrieked happily. She shoved Ryo's chest forcefully before exploding into a fit of giggles. Ryo coughed and let go of her arms when Rika nearly knocked out his heart for a second. She grabbed his shirt and pinned him to the couch. "Lyouu, do you heidt me?"

"Of course I hate you, you freak." Ryo took her arms and tried to pull her off again. "Damn you, get sober soon."

Ryo looked at her eyes to tell her this sternly, but got mesmerised instead. Her eyes were so… wow. And, now that she was giggling, she truly did look like the beautiful model her mother was. Not at the very least the rude and obnoxious girl she actually was.

"Rika? Are you in here?" came his mother's voice from behind his suite door. "Can I come in?"

"Holy—" Ryo looked at Rika, who was still giggling and clinging to him. "Sorry Ms. Makino, but I think she went out for some fresh air! I'd let you in, but I'm, er, yeah."

"Mu—" Ryo put a hand firmly over Rika's mouth, stopping her mid sentence.

"No, I understand. We all have our randy moments." Ryo's fingers almost slipped off Rika's mouth, horrified. How inappropriate and preposterous!

"Oh, no!" Ryo defended quickly. He didn't get to make up a story, as she finished off,

"Just tell her that her mother wants her?"

"S-s-sure thing!" Ryo stuttered, still recovering. It was only until Rika tried to pull his hand away from her mouth that he came back into his chances. "You seriously are nothing but trouble! Your mum thinks I'm some sort of lonely pervert now."

Rika giggled.

"Of course, if she really did think that, I wouldn't be here rooming with you, would I?" Ryo wasn't really expecting an answer from Rika, but thinking aloud. "No, I suppose not. Your mum's just toying with me, eh? Just like you always do."

She stopped giggling, instead giving a small smile.

"What are you trying to do, look cute?" Ryo asked, lowering his face to her level. "Because you aren't cute, Rika Makino. You can't pull off cuteness for a millisecond."

Rika giggled and kissed Ryo's nose since it was so close to her face. "Lyouu kyuu!"

"And I'm not 'cute.' Stop calling me cute!" Ryo said sternly. "Girls can be cute, but not guys—unless they look like a total girl like TK."

Rika blinked.

"Stupid." Ryo lightly hit Rika's head. "That's what you are. You're stupid."

Rika giggled and jumped on Ryo again. This time Ryo fell, knocking his head hard on the couch rest. It didn't hurt much, but it might be because he was thinking about her instead. She really was like a baby. Ryo smiled and let her play with his shirt and hair.

"Kiss?" Rika puckered her lips. Deciding to humour her (or perhaps scared of what she'd do if he didn't), Ryo pecked them. Rika giggled and flung her arms around Ryo's head and nuzzled into his chest. Ryo could feel himself flush, something he rarely did. Embarrassed, he took her arms and tried to push her off. She must have thought it was some sort of game, as she clutched harder to his neck, suffocating him. He finally let go, giving up, and she loosened her grip as well. Ryo sighed and felt his eyes drooping after several moments of silence.

'Even when you're drunk and acting like a kid, you still force me to sleep on the damn couch…'

"TK, that's barely noticeable!" Matt said, annoyed.

TK stuffed a big spoonful of ice cream in his mouth, despite the weather. "Behlee no-i-ah-bul!"

Matt rolled his eyes. "If you have to point it out, and I have to get this close to see it, then, yes, that would be barely noticeable. Why are you so dramatic? Stop acting like a goddamn baby."

TK swallowed. "I am not acting dramatic, and I am not acting like a baby! My car's been obliterated!"

"Yeah, I would consider calling this," Matt pointed to the mark, his tone sarcastic, "obliteration."

TK rammed his spoon into the pint of ice cream. "I can't even enjoy Christmas; all I can think about is my car."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Well, you can stay here and cry all you want. In case you haven't noticed, it's cold and dirty out here. I'm going inside."

"You're a crappy brother," TK whinged as he followed Matt into the elevator.

"What? Do you want me to complain and cry like you?"

"I am not crying!"

"You sound like you are. You're still a baby."

"I am not a baby!"

"Mum, do you think I'm a baby?" TK spread his arms against the counter.

Natsuko took TK's ice cream and put it back into the refrigerator. "Of course not, but you'll always bemy baby."

TK groaned. "If I'm your baby, can you please stop the marriage madness? I'm unhappy!"

"You just think you're unhappy!" Natsuko sat next to her son and gently placed a hand on his back. "You're not giving it a chance."

"I did!" TK turned his face to face his mother. "She hates me."

"Kari does not hate you. She's a very nice girl. Besides, you two were practically inseparable when you were young!"

TK groaned. "Mum, please don't remind me of that."

"Why not? Hehe, you two were so adorable! She was always saving you from—"

"I was not adorable!"

"I meant handsome. Honey, you really sound start being a bit more optimistic. I bet Kari's having loads of fun right now, and you're on the countertop, crying!"

TK groaned and sat up. "I am not crying!"

"YEAH!"

The apartment shook as the entire Kamiya family shrieked happily for a football game. It was Brazil versus Japan, and Japan had miraculously won. Of course, every game they had watched so far, Japan had won. Kari had bought her brother a DVD of Japan's football teams' greatest moments, so they were all watching it.

"A yellow card!" Tai yelled, standing up. "What the hell!"

Kari and her parents laughed. Tai, who had sort of given up football in uni, was obviously still passionate about the sport. He yelled happily each time Japan scored, and cursed, though not really, when the other team did anything wrong.

Kari smiled. Now this felt like Christmas.

"Dad, what are you watching?" TK slumped into the lounge, where his father was watching a game.

"Football," his father replied.

TK naturally preferred basketball over football, but walked sat on the couch to watch anyway. He could not understand how a sport where hands were not allowed to be used could possibly be fun.

In five minutes, he was bored and dozed off.

Rika slowly opened her eyes, feeling rather dizzy. The first thing she noticed was her bed was breathing. After blinking several times, she saw that her bed was actually Ryo, who was awake and watching telly. She had been using his upper abdomen area as her pillow.

She forced herself not to let out an ear piercing shriek. Instead, she yelled, "What the fuck are you doing!"

"Watching some programme," Ryo replied calmly.

Rika quickly got off him. "W—"

"Before you start yelling," Ryo turned the telly off and looked at Rika. "I tried to wake you up. I tried to get you to sleep on the bed. I tried everything, but you would just get on top of me and act like a baby. You really should not drink. You get way too needy. And whiney. And giggly."

Rika gasped, insulted. "Are you insulting me?"

"No, I'm explaining reality so you don't have to embarrass yourself again." He rolled his eyes and flipped the telly on once again.

Rika really could not remember getting drunk, nor could she remember acting the way Ryo described her. She knew one thing though. She was not needy, whiney, or giggly. Well, she could be needy and whiney at times, but she definitely avoided giggling at all costs. Giggling was for little girls who thought they were cute.

"Oh, and we snogged."

The shriek she had been holding in released itself as Rika screamed.

"Don't have a cow," Ryo grinned. "It was more out of pity than anything else."

"I pitied you when I was drunk!" Rika bellowed, bewildered.

"Oh, no," Ryo laughed. "You actually kissed me first." He knew it was his nose, but, thinking back, that would sound a bit stupid. Kissing just sounded better. "Then you asked me for a kiss, so we snogged." Okay, so he was exaggerating, but the look of horror upon her face was worth it.

Rika slapped his face. "Are you crazy!"

"Ow! Damn, woman, what's wrong with—"

"ARE YOU FUCKING OUT OF YOUR MIND!" she demanded. "When did I give you permission to kiss me!"

"When you were drunk!" Ryo said, annoyed. "You're act like you're a toddler when you're drunk, no joke. It's honestly the weirdest th—"

"People do not act like toddlers when drunk!" Rika said hotly.

"You do. Oh, and your mum wants you." Ryo got up from the couch. "And, don't worry, you weren't too bad at it—snogging, I mean. You could use a little bit of practise though."

Rika let out another furious shriek. "I'll murder you!"

"Matt, are you staying with Dad?" TK asked sheepishly.

"Yeah, why?"

"Oh." A look of disappointment crossed his face. "Just wondering…"

"Why?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering." TK waved his hand, motioning there was no reason behind his question.

"You were never very good at lying." Matt looked at his little brother sternly. "Tell me now."

"Well, I got this phone call, see?" TK bit his lip.

"Kari!" TK bellowed into the phone as he picked it up.

"TK, I'm staying at my parents' house for a couple days. That's fine, right?"

"Why is that, Kari?" TK asked hotly.

"I just want to spend some part of my holidays with my family," she said softly. "I'll be back on the twenty-eighth. I just thought I'd let you know…"

"Oh, really?" TK felt his anger rise. "You sure it isn't because you're scared I'll kill you for making a rip in my car?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Because I will, you know. Kill you, I mean."

"TK, what are you talking about?" Kari's voice seemed to heat up as well, giving TK a small pang of guilt. What if she hadn't done anything, and he was making false accusations? What if… no. It had to be her. It had to.

"You know what I'm talking about, Kari Kamiya!"

"No, I don't," she said, angry but volume at a fair level. "And I don't want to talk about it, nor do I want to talk to you about anything else. I'll see you on the twenty-eighth."-

"…So, I was wondering if I could stay with you, but if you're just staying at Dad's, then I might as well stay with Mum." TK shrugged.

"Why? Does Kari have the only key to your flat?"

"Oh, I have one," TK's fingers played with the keys in his pocket. "I just, you know, don't want to stay there alone."

"Aw, is ickle Take scared?" Matt teased.

TK frowned. He didn't mind Takeru, but couldn't stand Take. Thankfully, Matt was the only one who called him that. It was his childhood nickname for him, but now he used it more to refer to his childishness. "No! I just heard there's going to be blizzards and stuff. I don't want to be stuck—"

"You know, when I was your age, I would give anything to have a flat of my own. Have friends come over, party all day, party all night… Damn, you are one boring kid. How did you become to be my little brother?"

That had actually been TK's first intention, but if he invited his friends, they would know about the engagement. He wanted to hold that announcement off as much as possible. His flat wasn't a huge apartment complex like his parents' places either. It only fit four families, and seeing the other three were on vacation somewhere, he really did not like the idea of being there alone when a blizzard hit.

"I don't know," TK said, shrugging.

"I could stay there with you, if you want." By the tone of Matt's amused voice, he could tell he was still joking around with him. "I'll tuck you in at night and everything. If you're really good, I'll give you a lolly and a bedtime story. Sounds good, eh Take?"

Matt could be such a tart sometimes. TK was often bothered knowing he could be made fun of for his name, but he couldn't think of one for Matt. When they were both in primary school, a boy called him Matty. Matt became famous that day. He was the first kid ever to punch that boy in the face. He was the first kid to receive a suspension as well. TK was not about to be the second person to call his brother Matty.

"Never mind," TK muttered.

"Seriously though," Matt's tone went back to normal. "I'll stay with you if you want."

"No, no, it's fine." TK waved a hand again. "I'll just stay here with Mum. She must get terribly lonely here, since she's alone and all."

Matt softened even more. "You're a good kid, TK."

"Yeah, yeah," TK muttered, staring at the direction of the door

Three days later…

TK rested his head on the wheel of his car, waiting for Kari to come out of her home. His mother insisted in him picking her up, though he didn't understand what was so wrong with riding a bus. He thought he lived in a fairly safe neighbourhood.

It was now three days after Christmas. Matt and TK had stayed at their mother's. Hiroaki left them the day after Christmas. It was fairly comfortable. He had missed his mother's cooking. He had missed his brother's company.

But, finally, it was time to go back to Kari's cooking and Kari's company.

He was getting rather aggravated, as he got to the apartment homes exactly at one o'clock, just like he promised. It was now four minutes past one, and Kari had yet to appear.

He glanced to his left and saw the horrible scratch Kari had left in the side of his door. He winced. "Stupid little—I'll kill her."

"Now, TK, what are you going to do?" Matt asked TK as if he were a six-year-old.

TK rolled his eyes and indulged in the chocolates Matt had bought for TK to give to Kari. "I'm going to pick her up and take her home."

"And what are you not going to do?"

TK nibbled on a piece of chocolate. Seeing it was filled with that pink stuff he hated, he threw it back in the box along with others he had not liked. "I forget."

"TK!"

TK grinned as he nibbled another piece of chocolate. "I won't mention the car thing, and pretend to forget it ever happened."

"Good, and if I find out you did?"

"You're entitled to my car, and I'm entitled to yours."

"Good boy." Matt pulled out a sheet of paper. "Now, sign this."

"What's this?"

"It's our contract."

"For what!"

"Our car exchange in case you do spill."

"You're joking."

"I'm not. I might be your brother, but I'm willing to take your car."

"You're horrible!" TK accused, looking appalled.

"No, I'm human. Sign. Now."

"So, why the heck did I agree to that again?" TK muttered to himself, staring at a holly bush. The bush was so green and lush, full of healthy life on this cold, wintry day. Though the sun was shining brightly, the weatherman confirmed today would be the first snow of winter. It was making him tired. Sunshine always made him sleepy.

He shut his eyes, but did not fall asleep. The music in his car was too loud.

Bam!

TK opened his eyes, startled by a sudden jolt from the car. He looked up and saw that Kari had slammed her fist on the hood of his car to wake him up. His car door was locked.

His jaw dropped, but shut quickly when he saw she had not made a dent in his car. Cursing aloud, he unlocked his car.

Kari forced the door open, got inside, yanked the seatbelt, put it on, and slammed the door. With each excruciating force, TK flinched.

"How was Christmas?" she asked sweetly. Unlike TK, Kari was rather good at lying. He couldn't tell if she was pretending or not. Then again, it could be that he sucked at differentiating between lies and honesty.

"It was pretty good. How about you?" TK muttered, putting his car in drive.

"It was really fun!" Kari smiled.

For the remainder of the trip, Kari explained in full detail how fun her Christmas really was, adding obvious hints that his company was not missed.

Rika examined the fountain in front of her. The spurts of water had a fascinating routine, though that wasn't what Rika was examining. She was looking at the various coins in the fountain. Why the hell anybody would throw money in a fountain in hopes of fulfilling a wish was beyond her.

She looked to her left, where Ryo had been talking to her for the past few moments. "Pardon?"

Ryo felt a pang of annoyance. "Just give me your number, will you?"

"Tch, yeah right." Rika subconsciously put a hand over her jean pocket that held her mobile.

"Yeah?" Ryo crossed his arms and straightened his posture. "How do you propose we find each other at the end of the day?"

"Just come back here when you want to go home."

"I want to go home."

"Then stay here."

Rika had carefully avoided Ryo since Christmas, and if he tried to talk to her, she would ignore him. When her mother realised this that morning, she decided it would be exciting for the kids to experience Australian malls.

Neither of them thought they were any different than Tokyo malls.

"Rika, just give me your number."

"If I give you my number, you'll be able to contact me after our winter holidays. I plan to completely erase you from my mind once this nightmare is over."

"Yeah, because I have this terrible crush on you. I plan to profess my undying love for you, and stalk you around school until you agree to go out with me," Ryo said sarcastically.

It was Rika's turn to feel annoyed. "Goodbye, Ryo."

She turned her heel and began to walk away. Ryo immediately ran up to her, walking beside her. "Give me your number, or I'll follow you around all day."

"020543937," Rika said quickly before walking into Victoria's Secret.

Ryo, who only remembered the last -37, tried to make a quick grab at her arm, but missed, forced to choose between two options. One, he could walk in the lingerie store and look stupid to possibly get her number. Two, he could wait for her to walk out. The thing was this store had three entrances/exits.

He finally walked inside and immediately noticed he was the only male in the shop, which was perfectly understandable.

"Hello, sir, would you like to sample our cologne?"

Ryo stared at the short saleswoman who ran up to him holding a bottle of cologne. "Um, no thanks."

The woman sprayed him anyway. "That was Very Sexy for Him. And this," she sprayed him a second time, "is Very Sexy for Him 2."

Standing in a women's lingerie store as the only male, surrounded by nearly-naked mannequins, various cosmetics, displays of various women's underwear, and blindingly pink walls, very sexy was the last thing he felt.

"Yeah, I'll take both," Ryo said, finally spotting Rika. As the saleswoman talked excitedly towards the fragrance section to pick up his colognes, he rushed to Rika.

Rika looked up when she saw Ryo, but matter-of-factly turned to the rack of babydolls. She hated babydolls, yet every time she passed one her size, she pulled it out. She must have had nearly a dozen by the time Ryo had found her.

"You weren't kidding about the following-me-around, were you? But, unless you've decided to become a transvestite, there isn't anything worth your time here," she said, still rummaging through the rack. She pulled out a transparent pink babydoll and held it up to Ryo. "Although, I admit this colour goes so well with your cheeks."

Ryo grabbed the shirt and threw it over his shoulder, praying nobody who worked there saw that. "Stop joking around and give me your number."

"If I remember correctly," Rika gave him an amused smile, "I gave it to you prior to entering here."

"You said it so fast I couldn't hear anything but the last two numbers, which I forgot already."

"020543937," Rika said slower.

"0-2-what?" Ryo muttered, reaching for his phone and sliding it to reveal the keys. "One last time?"

"0-2-0-5-4-3-9-3-7," Rika said as slowly as she could. "As I won't be needing to ring you up, I won't need yours—"

She was interrupted as her mobile's ring tone blasted loudly, filling the store. She glared at him, who slid the top back down, abruptly stopping the sound. "Why the hell are you calling me?"

"Just checking to see you didn't give me a made-up number," Ryo put his phone back in his pocket.

Rika usually was not a big shopper. In fact, she constantly went to the mall with her friends for the company rather than the shopping. Occasionally, she would buy a basic article of clothing so her mother wouldn't try and convince her to shop in Harajuku.

Not today though. She had her mother's credit card, and she was going to make sure to max it out. This whole thing was her fault. She had forced Rika to go to Australia. She had forced Rika to room with Ryo. Now, Rika was going to blow all her money and laugh.

"This is our latest collection," said a saleswoman as she led Rika to a rack full of flashy items that were sure to be pricey as well. "In fact, Kate Moss was recently spotted wearing this shirt with this skirt!"

Rika could care less about Kate Moss. If she was so famous, why the hell would she shop at the mall? That's what Rika wondered. Her mother feared malls—designer boutiques only.

"Sure, I'll take that." Rika thumbed through the rack and brought out all the clothes marked with her size. "And all these."

"S-should I get you a cart?" The woman greedily gave Rika a wide smile that she was so familiar with. "Could I also interest you in some shoes?"

"Your total is 31,440.57."

Rika felt a slight rush of panic as she handed the ringer her credit card. She wasn't sure of the conversion between Japanese yen and Australian dollars, but she certainly hoped it was nowhere near what she thought.

TK opened the door to his flat, threw the keys on the ground, took off his jacket, threw that on the ground, walked into his room, slammed the door, and flopped on the bed. He was never going to talk to Kari. Ever. He would remain alone in his room until Kari walked up to him with an apology.

Several moments later, a knock came. "TK?"

He stood still, listening.

"TK, are you mad?"

TK slid quietly under his covers and stared at the door.

"I'm sorry I didn't wake you up, TK."

Although the apology sounded genuine, somehow, that wasn't good enough. Thinking back, Kari had done a lot of cruel things to him. At first it was just the car, now it was everything.

Kari continued to ask if he was all right. He pretended to snore, unconvincingly, but she finally got the idea and walked away.

Stomach complaining, Rika walked into the food court, dozens of bags and boxes in tow. 'Why did I buy so much crap?'

She already knew she liked nothing she bought. Being summer, everything was bright and colourful, something she wasn't fond of. She preferred more neutral clothing.

Rika threw all her purchases on the nearest table before sitting down on the chair, quite tired from walking around a huge mall. Groaning, Rika put her hair in a loose ponytail. As she lowered her arms, she noticed Ryo several yards from her, talking to a girl their age that was obviously uninterested in him. His back was turned to her, so he didn't notice her.

'How pathetic,' Rika thought, silently satisfied. It was nice knowing she wasn't the only one who thought he was a lame piece of rubbish.

"Please leave me alone!" the girl squealed, trying to walk away. Ryo grabbed her arm, something Rika had plenty of unwanted experience with.

"Ryo Akiyama, leave that girl alone!" she snapped, picking up a shoebox and throwing it at his back. "Can't you see she doesn't…"

Rika's eyes widened as 'Ryo' turned around. He was definitely not Ryo. In fact, the only thing their shared was similar hair and similar body type. He looked at least ten years older than Ryo.

"Are you talking to me?"

Rika immediately bowed her head and began to apologise. "Sorry! I'm so sorry! I thought you were somebody else. I—"

"Rika?" came a voice behind her. Rika jumped in surprise and slipped on the newly-mopped floor. She shut her eyes and let out a quiet scream, waiting for the painful fall. It never happened. Opening her eyes, she saw that Ryo had grabbed her. "What the hell are you doing? You look stupid."

"Let go of me!" Rika shoved him violently. "Didn't I tell you to stay away from me?"

"Yeah," Ryo replied simply, drawing his straw to his lips and taking a sip of his drink. "Getting ready to eat?"

"What do you care? Why don't you just go over there and leave me alone?"

"If you say so," Ryo shrugged and sat down on a table across hers.

"Away from mine!" Rika snapped. Ryo responded with a shrug, much to Rika's anger. Furious, she began to pick up her bags so she could move to another table.

"Wow, I never knew you shopped so much."

She ignored him.

"Your boyfriend is staring at you."

"What the hell are you talking—"

"Turn around. Your boyfriend is gawking at your ass."

"Stop staring at my—"

"Well, hello there." Rika dropped her bags again and turned around. The man she had mistaken for Ryo earlier smiled at her. He talked in a slight Australian accent. "Are you Japanese? That's what you were speaking, Japanese?"

"No speeka Engrish," This was her typical response to any foreigner who hit on her. Although she was fluent, this simple sentence usually chased unwanted company away.

Ryo, who was watching this scene from his table, choked on his Coke.

"Really?" The Australian smiled, amused. Up close, he looked nothing like Ryo. This man had darker eyes and a wider nose. Ryo's cheeks were a bit more chiselled than his as well. The man had a tattoo on his arm that Rika had not noticed before.

"No, I'm lying," Rika said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. She gasped and put her hands over her mouth, realising she had just spoken English out of habit. This was Australia, damnit! She wasn't going to speak Japanese in public!

Oh wait, she just had with Ryo.

"Please go away."

"Do you wanna go grab a pint?"

Rika honestly had no idea what he meant by that, but that didn't matter. She wasn't about to 'grab' anything with this man. "No thanks, but I'm hungry—"

"Want to share lunch?"

"No."

"Why not?"

He was actually a lot like Ryo. "I'm suddenly not hungry."

"I'll pay."

"I can pay for myself, thanks." Getting agitated, Rika began to walk away. He took her wrist. "HEY!"

"Why are you playing hard-to-get? What's your name?"

"I'm not 'playing' anything!"

"You're playing hard-to-get."

"No, actually, I'm trying to tell you to fuck off without actually saying it."

He scooped down, picked up her bags, and handed them to her. "My name's Steve."

She took them and swung them across his head. She heard something in her bag shatter, but she didn't care. "Will you fuck off alre—ow!"

A force had grabbed her by the wrist and was dragging her out of the food court and away from Steve. "Ryo, let me go right now!"

"Are you stupid!" Ryo snapped. He took her shoulder and slammed it a bit harder than he had expected to the wall. "You can get arrested for assault, you know!"

"I know," Rika said, glaring while ignoring the pain coming from her right shoulder blade. "I also know I never asked for your help."

"Well, you needed it."

"I did not!"

"No, Rika, you really did. If I hadn't come in, he would probably have hit you. Then you'd hit him again. Then there would be a huge commotion. Police would come and both of you will probably go to the station. Guess who'd get blamed for that. That's right, me."

"It's always about you, huh?"

Ryo's grip on her increased in fury. "It's one thing to tell a guy you don't like him. It's another to hit his face with… whatever all that was!"

"I'm not stupid, you are!" Rika ignored the increasing pressure on her wrists. "I wasn't going to hit him again. I wasn't going to get myself arrested. I'm not a baby. You don't think I can take care of myself, but I can."

"No, you really can't."

"I can't help it if you disagree with my approach to weird strangers!"

"At least I have enough will power to hold in my anger instead of exploding every time something doesn't go my way."

"Hold in your anger, huh?" Rika promptly looked down at her wrist.

Ryo threw her hand aside. "You know what, just go. Go back to that guy and hit him again. If you go to jail and they give you one phone call, please call me. I want to hang up on your only call."

As soon as he walked away, Rika looked poorly at her wrist. The shopping bag handles were imprinted on her skin—and it definitely hurt.

"Why are you following me?"

"I'm not."

"Yeah, you are."

"The shop I want to go to just happens to be in this direction."

Rika turned around and faced Ryo, who was several metres behind her. "And what shop would that be?"

Ryo looked ahead and said the first shop he saw. "Barnes and Nobles."

"Do you expect me to believe you read?"

"I want to read that new Harry Potter book," Ryo lied.

"Right. Well then, I'll walk this way." Rika began to walk the opposite direction.

"Where are you going?"

"Does it matter?"

"No."

"Then why do you care?"

"I don't."

"Then why did you ask?"

"To be nice."

"How is asking me where I'm going nice?"

"It means I actually care where you're going."

"How is that nice?"

"That's indirectly caring about you."

"Funny you should mention indirect meaning. Let me teach you another one: when a person suddenly walks the other way after you mention where you're going, they're indirectly saying they want you to fuck off."

"I know."

"Obviously, no, you don't."

"I'm choosing to ignore that indirect meaning, which brings us back to me caring about you."

"So you care about me?"

"Of course not."

"Then what's with the indirectly caring bullshit?"

"I pretend to care for you, but in reality, I'm caring for my own safety from our parents. Haven't I already gone over this?"

"Whatever," Rika waved a shopping bag. "I'm going that way. You go into your little book store and buy your little Harry Potter book."

"I will."

"40 for this crap?" Ryo muttered, looking at his adult edition of the sixth Harry Potter book. He really did not get the whole phenomenon. Of course, he never read any of the books. He watched the third movie, and he fallen asleep for about three fourths of it.

Hours later, TK finally left his room. He thought he heard Kari enter her room, but when he walked out, he realised she had been in her room the whole time and was just leaving it. She was reading a novel that honestly could have bored TK to death.

Still furious at her, he jabbed his shoulder fiercely across hers, making her drop her novel.

"Hey!"

He ignored her and continued to the kitchen.

"I'm talking to you!" Kari marched to him and shut the refrigerator door as he opened it. "TK!"

He glanced at her for a second, then shoved her hand off and opened the fridge door again.

"What is wrong with—" Kari stopped upon noticing a large bruise on TK's arm. "Hey, you're bruised!"

"Wow, thanks for noticing!" TK gave her a fake smile. "'Oh, I'm so sorry TK!' No problem, Kari. It only hurts a lot. 'Speaking of apologies, I'm also sorry for ruining your goddamn car!'"

TK shouted the last two words, frightening Kari slightly.

"I didn't—"

"Forget it," TK snapped, angrily shutting the door and slamming a can of Sprite on the counter.

"No," Kari said sternly. "You're making false accusations!"

"'False accusations' my ass," TK muttered. He positioned his finger to open the can, but realised that after shaking it up like that, Sprite squirting in his face would only ruin his moment.

"How did I ruin your car?"

"I don't know; you put a tear on the door!"

"I didn't mean to!"

"So you did ruin my car," TK declared.

"I didn't 'ruin' it. I put a small hole in it. Besides, it's just a car."

"Just a car? Pay to repair it, then I'll agree that it's 'just a car'!"

"I was mad at you!" Kari exclaimed. "You were being so mean, so I couldn't help but be mean back! You're not exactly the nicest person—"

"Because I'm not, Kari!" TK exclaimed, looking at her desperately. "I'm not nice to you. I don't wantto be nice to you. I want you to die so I can get out of this damned place. I want to spend my holiday with friends, not sitting around doing nothing with you. I tried to be nice, and you tore a hole in my car!"

"I did that before you tried to be nice to me!" Kari shrieked, her voice rising to match TK's. "Good job of keeping up with that, by the way!"

"I slept through over half of Christmas because you didn't wake me up! How do you not expect—"

"It's not my fault you overslept!"

"You had the chance to wake me up!"

"At seven!"

"Seven is a normal time, Kari!"

Kari crossed her arms. "Should I wake you up at seven from now on then?"

"If it's necessary!"

"Fine! And another thing. You make it sound like you're the tortured one and I'm just peachy keen. Do you think I like spending my life with you? Do you think I like the idea of—"

"You reminisce about the past a lot, so, yes, I think you do."

Kari gasped. "I reminisce? Are you functionally retarded! You named almost everything we—"

"'Just so you know, TK, putting mud in your hair does nothing!'" TK mimicked in a high-pitched voice. "Shut up, Kari, you started it. I only did it to make you happy."

"You think remembering that I was ever friends with you would make me happy!" Kari shrieked in disgust.

"Uh, yeah," TK rolled his eyes. "You were so damn emotional after I blew you off and—"

"I was eleven!"

"You stare at me all the time during lunch!"

"I do not!"

"Do you think I'm blind? I see you, my friends see you, everybody in the whole damn cafeteria sees you! Somebody wrote a love note to me—from you—and put it in my locker."

Kari flushed. "Don't flatter yourse—"

"It's not flattering; it's embarrassing," TK said through clenched teeth. "If the school finds out I'mengaged to you, my reputation is gone. Actually, I bet it's probably gone by now."

"Well, sorry for embarrassing you with my existence. Heaven forbid your high school social status lower because of me!"

He had never been so angry in his life. He wanted to hurt her. Bad. He wanted to hurt her horribly, terribly. Both emotionally and physically. He honestly had no idea why he was so mad at her. She merely had made a tear. Ryo had once keyed an entire side of his car when drunk, and he hadn't been this angry. Then again, he was also drunk and Ryo gave his car a new paint job to conceal it.

"You have no reason to be mad at me, Kari."

"Should I list all the reasons?"

"Things that happened presently, yes. None of that 'remember when we were four' crap."

"I wasn't going to do that," Kari said dangerously. "Okay, first of all, you bought me flowers."

"Oh, wow," TK rolled his eyes. "Insult!"

"You bought them for the wrong reason! Were you actually sorry? No."

"And how would you know that?"

"I'm not stupid."

"That's a stupid answer and a stupid reason to be mad."

"You only tried to be nice after I saved your life!"

"Saved my life!" TK bellowed. "When did you save my fucking—"

"And stop cussing!"

"—life!" TK took a step towards her to intimidate her, and it seemed to work as she flinched. "You mean giving me milk because I coughed? Why would you guys offer me a goddamn brick to eat anyway! Your mum—"

"Don't you dare insult my mum, TK!"

"Your mum sucks at cooking," TK challenged.

Kari shrieked, picked up the nearest thing—a container of sugar—and threw it at TK. She missed and hit the refrigerator, but the sugar quickly engulfed TK as the container exploded.

She froze, staring at TK's frozen face. The container had exploded centimetres from his face.

"Holy shit, you're mad!" TK declared. "Are you—"

Kari let out another shriek and stormed out of the kitchen.

"No, you don't!" TK angrily took her arm and pulled her towards him before she could enter her room. "What the hell is wrong with you! That could have actually killed me!"

"That's what I was aiming for."

Anger flowed through TK as he gripped her wrist tighter. "You psychotic, mental—"

"Ow!" Kari yelped, pulling harder on TK's finger. "Stop, that hurts!"

"That's what I was aiming for," TK hissed dangerously.

"I was kidding when I said that!"

"Well, I'm not."

"Then you're heartless!"

"I'm heartless for wanting to hurt a person who nearly killed me!"

"I purposely threw it at the refrigerator!" Kari said, wincing at the pain of TK's grip. Her fingers couldn't move even one of his fingers, no matter how hard she tried. "TK, please just—"

TK took her other wrist and held to that too. "I want an apology. For everything. Every damn thing you've done to me. And I want you to start from when we were toddlers."

"I can't remember—"

"Then start from when we were eleven," TK demanded.

"You were the one who started—"

"Because you got annoying!" TK yelled, way too close to her face. She flinched hearing him scream. "You followed me everywhere. You waited for me after every class. I couldn't even go to the damn toilet without you being outside. If I told you I wanted to go watch a movie with other friends, you'd invite yourself and tag along."

"Because you were my best friend, you bastard!"

She screamed that with a voice louder than she had ever used in her life. Then she broke down in tears. She lost balance as her body turned limp as she focused on crying. The only thing that prevented her from sliding to the floor was TK firm grip on her wrists.

"What do you want, Kari? Do you want me to feel sorry for you?" TK glared at her. "Do you think this is my fault? I made new friends, so it's my fault. You and I both know you were the reason. You used me, and you know it. Best friend my ass." TK let go of her wrists and she slid to the floor, still crying. "I'm going for a walk."

As soon as TK left, Kari put her knees together and cried in them. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't. It was his.

"I made it!" Takeru announced, running to Kari and hugging her.

"Oh, my gosh!" Kari squealed happily as he raised her in the air and spun her around. "We're going to be so popular!"

Takeru stopped spinning her. "Popular?"

"Yeah, everybody knows jocks are popular—like my brother! And now you're a jock! And I'm your best friend, so that technically makes me popular too!"

Takeru laughed and spun her again. "Whatever you say."

"G… girlfriend?" Kari blinked. "Why would you go out with her? She's so… ugh."

"She's my girlfriend, Kari," Takeru looked up. "I just thought, you know, you'd be happy for me."

"Happy? Well, of course I'm happy! I just think she's kind of a waste of your time, you know?"

"Waste of my time?" He looked insulted. "How is Hina a waste of my time?"

"She's just… I don't know. I just don't think she's right for you."

"I do."

"Well, maybe you're confused."

Kari watched that wretched Hina giggle, pulling on the collar of Takeru's shirt playfully with one hand and stroking his hair with the other. His hands were on her waist, and he looked at her lovingly.

She walked up to them. "Hi Takeru!"

His hands slid off her waist, and her hands found their way back into her jean pockets, where they belonged. They both looked very uncomfortable.

"Oh, hey Kari," Takeru muttered, not particularly happy. "What's up?"

"Nothing. What about you?"

Hina gave a small cough and put her head on Takeru's shoulder. "TK—"

"Oh, hi!" Kari said cheerfully. "We've never met. I'm Kari Kamiya."

"Hina," she said, not taking her gaze off Takeru's eyes. "TK, do you want to go somewhere more private?"

"Um…"

Kari pouted. "Takeru, do you want to come over today?"

"Actually," Hina wrapped her arms around Takeru's neck, "we have plans. Movie. Sorry, Katie."

"Oh, that's fine! I'll come too!"

"Kari, I—" Takeru stopped when he saw Kari's sudden sad face. He looked at Hina. "She can come, right?"

Hina frowned. "I guess, if she really wants to."

"Yay!" Kari ran into Takeru's arms, hugging him dearly.

"Um…" Takeru laughed nervously. Hina was hugging his neck, Kari was hugging his torso. Awkward indeed.

"Hmph," Hina said, letting go of Takeru. "On second thought, TK, I can't come. I just remembered I have to baby-sit my brother."

"Hina, wai—"

"Oh, that's too bad," Kari finished. "It's okay. We'll just go together!"

Finally used to his new nickname, Kari proudly waved at her best friend. "TK!"

He didn't appear to hear her. He took Hina by the shoulder and walked away.

"TK, want to go to my place?"

"Sorry, I have things to do."

"We can do them together!"

"Guy stuff."

"Oh, well I can learn!"

"What he's trying to say," Hina smiled smugly at Kari, "is he is uninterested in hanging out with you."

TK shuffled uncomfortably. "No, it's just—"

"You can't break our friendship, Hina!" Kari declared.

TK winced. "Kari… I can't hang out with you today."

"Fine!" Kari's smile disappeared. "I don't want to hang with you anywhere. You're so boring now."

Kari screamed and covered her ears with her hands. It was not her fault!

Ryo tossed and turned repeatedly until he finally sat up, frustrated. He looked across the room to where Rika was lying comfortably on her bed and groaned. "Having fun?"

"Sh!" Rika hissed, eyes glued to Ryo's new Harry Potter book. "I used to think this was crap, but it's actually not too bad!"

Ryo groaned, lied back down, and pulled his duvet over his head. "Can we please go to sleep?"

"Ryo, if you're going to be so whiny, sleep in the closet. Or the balcony. Or with your parents. Or something. I'm reading."

"It's already—" Ryo looked at his watch. "Oh, it's only nine. Damn, that sure ruined the moment."

"I don't get why you bought this if you aren't even going to read it," Rika said, looking at him as if he were an idiot. "You're so stupid."

Ryo angrily put the pillow over his head as well. Why wouldn't the damn light go off! "Rika, could you read that somewhere else?"

"No."

"Can you read it tomorrow?"

"No."

"Damnit, read it tomorrow!" Ryo yelled, throwing his pillow and duvet off him.

"No!"

Muttering angrily, Ryo sat up again. "Why the hell not?"

"I guess it's just fun to see you seethe in anger, while I'm enjoying myself," Rika gave him an innocent smile. Ryo mentally wondered why he didn't just throw Rika out of the balcony when she was drunk.

Perhaps it was that small consequence of spending the rest of his life in jail.

"I suppose I can let you sleep after I finish this chapter though," Rika said matter-of-factly. Truth be told, she was getting rather bored of the book herself.

"How kind of you to think of me," Ryo muttered, lying back down.

TK shivered in the cold as he was still wearing a t-shirt and boxers, his sleepwear. He knew he must have looked like a homeless man, walking around in almost nothing, but he had been too angry to put on anything else. Besides, walking into his room and picking out a pair of trousers would have ruined the atmosphere he was trying to set.

He fussed with his hair, making sugar escape and fall along with the snow.

It was the first snow of the winter, yet all he felt was bitterness. Snow was one of his (secretly) favourite things, but the last thing he wanted to be near was anything he liked. He wanted to be surrounded by everything in his life that he hated, which actually was not a lot. He was pretty much open to everything.

"TK?"

'Damn,' TK thought, realising somebody had recognised him—and his pathetic state. He looked up and saw Hina. 'Damn.'

"Why are you walking around town naked?"

"I am not naked," TK said, agitated.

"Aren't you cold?"

"No."

"You're shivering!"

"Maybe you're shivering and not feeling it, so it only looks like I'm shivering."

Hina's brows furrowed, knowing TK usually was not this bitter to her. "TK, are you okay?"

"Yes."

Hina took his hands and held them to her cheeks. "TK, you're freez—oh, my gosh. You have a bruise! Oh, my God. Were you just mugged?"

TK's anger faded at Hina's dramatisation. "No. That's from—something else. I'm just taking a walk."

"In your underwear?"

"I'm not wearing underwear!" TK snapped. "I mean, I am, but I—I mean—damn you, Hina!"

Hina smiled. "I haven't seen you all winter!"

"Yeah, I've been busy with stuff," TK lied. "Have a good Christmas?"

"Yep, what about you?"

TK feigned a smile. "Perfect."

"I didn't buy you a present, so do you want me to go buy you some trousers?"

TK laughed. "No, because then I'll have to buy you a present."

TK blew on his noodles before putting it in his mouth. When TK refused her offer to buy him pants, she bought him ramen instead to warm him up.

"I heard from Ryo that you're engaged." TK coughed suddenly and noodles fell out of his mouth. Hina didn't seem to mind such a repulsive sight. "I heard you're engaged to Kari. And you moved house with her."

TK gave several more coughs. 'Damn Ryo! I knew I shouldn't have said anything to him!'

"I guess that means you did," Hina said quietly, pushing her glass of water at him. He reached for it and took a gulp. "Congratulations, I guess."

TK put his glass of water down and gave a final cough. "What? Are you kidding? Me? Engaged? To her? No!"

Hina bit the tip of her chopsticks and looked at TK, smiling. "You're a terrible liar."

TK winced. "Please don't tell anybody."

"Of course not, silly," Hina dipped her chopsticks in the soup once again. "I'm not that bitchy."

"Thanks," he muttered, suddenly losing his appetite.

Hina set her chopsticks down and turned her chair towards TK. "So, I want to know everything."

"About what?"

"About your new life with that Kari person!"

"What's there to tell?"

Hina gave TK the you-know-what-I'm-talking-about look that she did so well. "Do you guys, like, crap in front of each other?"

"What!" TK was shocked Hina would ask this as her first question. "What kind of a question is that?"

"Well, do you? Or do you wait until she's gone? Or what?"

"Hina, don't you think it's a little strange that you're asking me about my hygienic habits—"

"Well, then, do you sleep together?"

"What!" TK's elbow slipped and accidentally knocked a glass of water over. Luckily, it was emptied earlier when he had choked. "No, no! Are you kidding?"

"Just wondering," said Hina wryly, giving her shoulders a small shrug. "I know you two used to be, like, really good friends and all."

"Why does everybody, all of the sudden, bring up that whole best-friend deal!" TK snapped, agitated that everybody was bringing it up after six entire years of silence.

"Um, gee, I don't know. Maybe because you're getting married to the girl!"

TK stood up. "I might be engaged, Hina, but there is no way on Earth I'm going to say 'I do' when the time comes."

When Ryo woke up, the lights in the room were still on. Furious, but needing to use the toilet, he made for the bathroom instead of the lights. Eyes squinting, he pushed open the door.

A shriek engulfed the area, followed by Ryo's eyes not really squinting anymore. He immediately shut the door. He had walked in the middle of Rika finishing up her shower. As in she was getting ready to dry her hair when he walked in. A towel was around her body, thank goodness, but he knew she would yell at him anyway.

"Are you crazy!" shrieked an outraged Rika from behind the door. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking!"

"Haven't you ever heard of locking the door?" Ryo asked, leaning against the door.

"We can't lock it, dumbass! Don't you remember?"

"How do you know I wasn't knocking when the door opened? If we can't close it, we can't exactly knock, can we?" He might as well have fun with her. He was, after all, the only way she could get out of the bathroom.

"As soon as I get out of here, I swear to God, I will kill you!"

"One time, I walked in when my friend was changing. She almost killed me."

"I'm not that girl! I will kill you!"

Ryo chuckled. "How can you kill me if you can't get out?"

He heard her desperately trying to open the door. "Ryo, let me out right now!"

"Apologise to me."

"Stop playing games, and let me out!"

"You threatened me again, Rika. I want an apology."

"No!"

"Then you can stay here all night."

"Please, I know you, and you wouldn't do that."

"I bet I will."

"I bet you won't."

"Is that a challenge? I seem to remember a certain someone who locked me in there for several hours."

Rika didn't respond.

"Go on, then, apologise."

"I'm sorry for threatening you."

"Now, now, that doesn't sound very apologetic."

Rika's grip on the door handle tightened. "I'm really sorry for threatening you, and I promise I'll try not to do it again."

"And what will you do once I let you out?" Ryo's grin widened even more, imagining her face from behind the door.

Behind the door, Rika was raged beyond all reason. "I don't know, Ryo, what should I do?"

"How about letting me have the bed for the rest of the stay here?"

"How about not?"

"How about I just let you stay there until your mum decides to look for you?"

Knowing Rumiko Makino, she would trust whatever Ryo would say. Unlike her daughter, she was easily under his charm, thinking he was, by far, one of the greatest people on Earth.

"So, like I was saying, I get the bed?"

"Fine."

"And if I want the telly, I get the telly."

"Fine."

"And if I want to do something, and my parents say you have to tag along, you have to tag along."

"Okay, God damnit, let me out!"

"And I get first dibs at the shower."

"OKAY!"

Ryo opened the door, and Rika walked out. "You do realise I'm still seeing you?"

Rika thrust the doors of her walk-in wardrobe open. "Yes, and if you don't either shut you eyes or get on your bed in the next millisecond, I will honestly throw this drawer at you."

"You'll throw the drawer me?" Ryo asked, still standing at the bathroom door. "I doubt you could lift that without hurting yourself."

Rika shut the door in his face.

Ryo lied on his king-sized bed, content. He had honestly expected Rika to have told him tough luck, kick him, and force him back on the couch.

But she hadn't. He was in the bed, more comfortable than he had been in the longest time, and Rika was to sleep on the couch.

When she walked back into the room, Ryo smiled widely at her. "Hi Rika."

She walked to the bed, seized the pillow from under Ryo's head and walked back to her couch.

Now pillow-less, Ryo got up and walked to the couch with her. "Aw, are you angry?"

Rika threw the second pillow over the one Ryo usually used. "Go away."

Ryo slipped his hand under Rika's pillow to take his pillow. "After I take this, thanks."

Rika glared at him before lying down.

"Are you really mad?" he asked, standing over her.

"No, I'm completely enjoying myself," she muttered, turning her head.

He squatted next to her. "Are you really comfortable?"

Rika glared at Ryo, who was uncomfortably centimetres from her face. "Yes."

"Really?" He set his elbow at the edge of the couch and looked at her with feigned interest. "I always found it awfully discomforting."

"Perhaps it's because you're really fat, so half of you was hanging off?" guessed Rika.

He smiled as her breath hit his face. "Had a smoke in the wardrobe, eh? Your clothes must smell like hell."

She glared at him. "Are you going to sleep anytime soon?"

Ryo sat down. "I just decided this is funner."

"Since when is talking to me fun?"

"Since I saw you trying to sleep on a settee."

"Just leave me alone," she muttered, turning her head again so he was staring at the back of her head.

"Fine, g'night, Rika." He stood up and lightly hit the back of her head with his pillow before making his way back to the bed. Once again, she did the unexpected. He had thought she would scream and hit him, but she laid there in silence once again.

He almost missed her annoying self.

TK sleepily tried to find the keyhole on his doorknob. His hand was too tired to stay still, so his key scratched the door and knob before it finally secured its place in the hole. He twisted the key and turned the knob, but it was locked. Realising Kari hadn't locked the door, he twisted the key back and turned the knob again. There was a small light flickering from Kari's room, but besides that, there was no other light in the flat, further promoting his sleep.

Suddenly, Kari's door opened and she emerged, dressed in what he assumed were his clothes. Before he could complain, she ran to him and hugged him tightly.

Half-asleep and stunned, TK just stood there, door still open, wind and icy snow still hitting his already-cold skin. Except he didn't realise any of it. The warmth of Kari's warm skin upon his icy one soothed him, and for the first time since Christmas, he felt content.

Then he realised what Kari was actually doing.

Kari was clutching his t-shirt, and she appeared to be sobbing and murmuring into it. After a short lapse of no thought, he took her by the shoulders and tried to get her off him. When he took her by the shoulders, she clutched his shirt harder, wrinkling the fabric and digging her nails into her own skin. He wanted to yell at her. He wanted to tell her to get the hell off him. He didn't, as he couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"Kari, are you okay?" he asked as gently as he could.

TK was cut short as Kari threw her arms around his torso. "You were right, TK. It was my fault. I did push you away. I was using you."

"No, wait!" He was stunned even further, not knowing if he was supposed to console her. Truth be told, he was making it up. He couldn't remember how they broke their friendship. He remembered him making new friends, Kari not liking it, then him blowing her off. And that was it. "I was making that up, so—"

"But it's true!" Kari squeezed TK harder, making it harder and harder for him to breathe. His throat was already coarse from walking in the cold. "TK, I am so, so sorry."

The guilt that was in his throat was already the size of an apple. Kari just made it swell to the size of two watermelons. "Kari, I was kidding. I don't even… care."

TK had originally meant to say that he couldn't remember, but he realised that might insult Kari. It probably would not have made much difference, as Kari was still grasping him and crying.

"You were right," she said through sobs. "I do stare at you during lunch. And I did mutilate your car. And I did like it when you reminisced. And I do miss being friends with you. And everything else you said, it's all true!"

"Oh," TK said, not knowing how to respond. "Here, um, Kari, we can, uh, we can, er, eat! Er… or something."

As TK closed the flat door, he realised how stupid his suggestion actually sounded. Kari was still clinging to him like a monkey, which made it very difficult to move, but he wasn't about to shove her off and make her cry again. Aside from Kari's emotional condition, the most important thing was that Kari had not told on him to Tai or, even worse, Matt. Tai could technically hurt him, but not to the point of a bloody pulp. His parents would sue. Matt could and force TK to say he accidentally hurt himself.

That happened once, actually. Matt was trying to get a bicycle downstairs when the movers decided to put it in their apartment. When it didn't fit into the elevator, he had to use the stairs. His hands slipped and the bike rolled down the stairs and on top of TK. It hurt like hell, and TK could have sworn he died, but Matt had begged—and eventually threatened—to make TK tell his parents he had tried to steal the bike, tripped, and fell down a flight of stairs. He ended up getting no television for a week, and Matt got nothing.

It kind of annoyed him whenever he thought of the story.

But, anyway, Kari. He had somehow dragged her into the kitchen, and after slight pushing, she had let go of him and sat quietly at the breakfast table, silently crying.

TK felt awful as he looked in the refrigerator for anything for her to drink. He took out a carton of orange juice, still feeling guilty. The first time in his life that he made a believable lie, it had to make a person cry. It had to make Kari cry. He thought about what he said to Hina and felt worse. He admitted he could be an asshole at times, but his conscious always got the best of him. And he couldn't forget the way he nearly cut the circulation to her hands off. He assumed they were okay by the way she tightly held his shirt.

He took out two glasses from a cupboard, surprisingly not dropping them as he his brain was elsewhere.

"TK?" Kari's voice was so soft he could barely here her, but he was instantly snapped out of his trance. He took the carton, glasses, and a random bag and immediately followed the sound of her voice.

Upon entering her room, he realised she was wearing his shirt. His shirt from a The Darkness concert, actually. He liked that shirt. He was examining the devil's tail on the shirt when his eyes shifted up to Kari's face. She was looking at the wall rather than him, and she looked absolutely miserable. Her eyes were puffed up from crying, and her tangled and messed hair indicated she had gone on a pretty bad rampage.

He forced a cheery exterior, pulled a chair close to Kari's, and sat down. He poured orange juice in the glasses and set one in front of Kari. He opened the bag and found they were mixed nuts. Grinning, he carefully took out the almonds, peanuts, and dried bananas. When they were children, she ate those three, he ate the M&M's, and the rest were given to her cat, Miko.

Kari finally took her glass and held it, but didn't drink out of it. TK set the almonds, peanuts, and dried bananas in front of her. As soon as she saw them, she burst into tears again.

Another slight form of panic swept through him again. Because he was sitting so close to her, he nervously patted her shoulder. He had never had experience with girls bursting into tears when they saw his face, which was actually insulting, now that he thought about it.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to… offend you…" TK felt stupid for what felt like the hundredth time. He couldn't have offended her! He didn't do anything. Unless she thought it was horrible that he was picking out her favourites for her. That was a nice thing, not bad! Damnit, he wouldn't mind if people did it for him more often. "Hey, look, I'm sorry if I'm, er, making you cry. I'm not trying to, honest!"

The next few moments were one of the most awkward moments of his life, him sitting there and staring at his hand petting Kari's shoulder, Kari sobbing uncontrollably.

Finally, in what seemed around a millennium to TK, Kari spoke.

"Why do you do that? Why do you always point out things from our past when you were the one who told me to, and I quote, 'fuck off'?"

TK could have sworn he didn't swear back then, but considering he did know Kari's memory was a heck lot better than his, he didn't question it.

"I dunno," he muttered, his response to every odd question.

Kari's lips curved upwards in a knowing way. "I knew you'd say that."

Not knowing how to respond to that, he took his orange juice and held it to his lips. Instead of drinking, he looked at Kari through the transparent green glass.

There she was, in the chair in his shirt. Besides obvious parts that developed with age, she was almost exactly like when he last truly looked at her, six years ago, back when they were eleven. Back when both were so innocent, so young, and so unadulterated by peer pressure or any sort of judgment besides what they had for each other.

Her back was perfectly poised even in tears, ballet being the sure credit. He realised his back was also in perfect posture, Kari being the sure credit. He used to drive her crazy when he slouched, so she would point out his hunched shoulders whenever he did so. Her legs weren't crossed, but if she wasn't so miserable, they would be crossed. He remembered her trying to teach him that as well, and this time, she failed miserably. He was about as flexible as a metal pole, and Kari was quick to learn that. She had always been quick to catch onto such things, though she often tried to teach him what she knew. If she learned a trivial fact on telly, she would call him, regardless of time, to tell him. These were her old habits.

A white smile always on her face, slightly chiselled cheeks always aglow, eyes sparkling as if they were her smile, hair always out of her face as she couldn't be bothered with frivolous fringes, ears not pierced due to her fear of needles, a slight bump on her nose from when he had accidentally thrown a basketball at her face, a small scar under her chin from when she fell on concrete and a sharp shear of glass pierced her skin, and though she tanned easily, she was light-skinned, thanks to sunscreen. Not particularly beautiful, but definitely not hideous. She was a bit plain, yet this was Kari physically.

Smart, kind, sincere, gentle, loving, mature. She could be mean if she wanted, as she had proved since the day they learned of their engagement. This was Kari mentally, simple as that.

And he didn't want to pretend to forget her anymore. It was like he said before during Christmas. Matt told him to forget his parents making out, and he told him that it was impossible. This was the same, except instead of this peace in his family, it was for his preteen social status. The more he thought of it, the more he wanted to kick himself.

He missed how Kari always took time out of her life to explain certain things he didn't understand. He missed how she would lie, and though both knew she was lying, it would make TK feel so much better. He missed how she was the one to go to when he got full marks or a sticker for being good. He missed how genuinely excited she was for him. He missed almost everything about her now. None of his other friends was anything like her. Ryo, his supposed best friend, often ignored him when he was moody.

He fixed his gaze at Kari, who looked back at him, completely opposite of how he looked at her. She was disappointed, negative, ashamed. He, in no way, deserved to be in her presence. She knew that. He knew that.

Yet, he refused to believe that.

"Kari," he said slowly, determined to get honesty and authenticity gliding through his answer this time. "I'm sorry. About everything. Everything I ever did, I'm so sorry. From when we were eleven to whatever I just did a couple seconds ago, I'm sorry. I know I was being a jackass. And it wasn't your fault. I don't even know what I was saying. Of course it was me. I ignored you and—"

"Are you saying you want to be friends again?" Kari asked bluntly.

TK had no intention in doing so, though he did want to have peace within the household.

He could accept Kari as part of his life, but he didn't think he could as a friend. She was unlike any friend he had. It seemed weird to classify her as one, especially after holding a grudge against her for so long.

Yet what else was he to do?

"Yes."

Kari's response surprised him. Grinning widely, she flung herself in his arms. "Let's have a pillow fight."

"A what?"

Kari screamed as she jumped from TK's bed to the floor, whopping a plush pillow on TK's head and nearly knocking him over. While he didn't fall, he managed to hit his head on the wall. Kari didn't appear to care, as she repeatedly hit his head over again.

Apparently, according to Kari's words, they did this a lot when they were children. She also mentioned that he always cried after the first hit, which he refused to believe.

"You're still nothing but a weakling, aren't you Take?"

For some reason, her calling him that horrendous nickname didn't result in him losing his temper or blushing into a wild shade of fuchsia.

He instead held up his own pillow, trying to defend himself without actually harming Kari. He might as well try to enjoy this embarrassment.

"Yeah, right." TK lightly hit Kari on the head, and she stared at him.

"You're letting me win!" she declared furiously.

"I am not."

"You're hitting me softer than a baby would!" Kari tried to cross her arms, but the pillow got in the way and she dropped it.

"I am not." When Kari reached down to retrieve her pillow, TK used his entire might to hit her back.

"Ow!" she squealed, falling to the floor.

He dropped his pillow and kneeled beside her. "Oh, my gosh, are you okay? I didn't mean to—"

TK was interrupted as Kari slammed a pillow on his face and laughed.

"That's it! Now I'm mad." TK made a grab for his pillow, but Kari took it and slammed that in his face as well. "Hey, no fair!"

The childishness in his voice was actually beginning to sicken him, but he couldn't help it. He gave Kari a small pout, hoping it would have the same effect as it did on so many others.

"Don't pout at me, Takeru Takaishi. I am unaffected by your little baby gestures." Smiling, Kari tossed his pillow back at him.

TK didn't have a chance to try and hit her, however, as she hit him over and over again. For a pillow, it sure did pack a wallop.

It suddenly stopped, and TK, who had been in the fetal position, looked up. Kari had slid on something on his messy floor and was on the ground.

"You should really tidy up the place," she mumbled, getting up.

TK allowed her to use his hand for support as she straightened herself up. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." Kari brushed her knees.

"Maybe we shouldn't play this—"

Kari slammed the side of his head with her pillow and let out a whinge as she found herself falling with TK. She had forgotten she was gripping his arm.

"I think you just crushed half my ribs," TK grunted, lifting Kari off him by the arms. He coughed several times. "I think your elbow punctured my left lung."

"Oh, my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Kari scrambled off him and helped him sit upright. "Are you okay? Do you need water?"

"I'm fine," he choked, giving her a smile. "Damn, you owned me."

"I always own you," Kari said, smiling at him.

TK felt a pang of guilt. Here Kari was, smiling as if her long lost best friend had finally come out of his asshole shell, and there he was, pretending to be that long lost best friend when he was actually still an asshole.

The guilt was killing him.

"Kari, do you consider me your best friend again?"

Kari's smile faded. "Well, I don't know much about you anymore, do I?"

"I guess not." TK gave a small frown, though he felt a lot better inside for a split second. Then he saddened. It was true that they didn't know much about each other and it hurt. They used to know everything about each other.

Kari shrugged. "Oh well, we have the rest of our lives to learn more about each other if one of us don't find our significant other, don't we? And I know we both can't find true love in just a few months, so I'm just giving up on that. I guess your divorce idea is the best, isn't it? Unless we just not go through with this and say we won't get married, but I'm not sure how my parents would take that. I'm sure they won't like it…"

It hit TK then that he did care for her friendship. He cared about it a lot. A friendship that took years to generate was thrown down the drain because of him. He didn't want it to start over again with him playing some stupid lie. He wanted to start back where they left off and pretend the past six years never happened.

He watched Kari talk, though he wasn't listening to what she was saying. Her lips moved steadily, and although she was rambling, they moved softly, as ginger as she was. He blinked once and looked at her eyes that were looking back at him, every emotion she was feeling for her words in them.

He couldn't help himself as he grabbed Kari by the waist and pulled her in for a kiss. Kari immediately jerked his chest and let go. She stared at him through large brown eyes.

"We could try it, you know," he said lowly.

"I… I guess, but—"

That was enough for TK, who took her by the waist and locked his lips with hers once again. Along with the pain in his left lung and ribs, his heart beat faster and faster, making it feel as if his chest would explode. Kari, in shock, sat there for a while before she finally kissed him back, putting her entire heart into the kiss, letting go of all grudges she ever held against him, forgetting that she had pushed him away, forgetting that he broke their thread of friendship, but thinking only of their future from that point on.