A/N: I want to start off greeting everyone a happy new year! Yaaaayyy! *throws grenades everywhere and triggers bazookas* How have you been guysssss!? Did you have an awesome holiday? I know I have. I haven't updated in two weeks! Well, I guess, you can figure out why. It's the holiday season! Nyaha! Anyway, I here the latest chapter to make up for the past two weeks. This is the longest chapter I have written, so far, in my life. I am not even kidding. It was a 13k-words chapter earlier. But I trimmed it down to a 12k. Yeah, as if that made a difference. It's still hefty. XD Maybe because this chapter's the head-canon that started it all. Yes. Too much talking. Let's go, go, go!

Disclaimer: I love Yuhi with all my feels.


TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCE

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The Problem With Troubleshooting

There was an extent to how infatuation could turn people's lives around. There was an extent to what it could do to a person. One day you're looking out, seeking him or her. Catching a glimpse would be enough. Exchanging a greeting would be too much. The next thing you knew, you're curled up on your bed, releasing tears you're not supposed to release—not allowed to release.

Perhaps that was what our protagonist was going through. It seemed as normal as it was, especially in her teenage years where things happened abruptly without warning. Yuhina Nagame was 14 years old, in her second year of high school. Not once in her life had she felt something as strong and intense as what she was feeling for the white-haired boy, and she had no idea what it was—how to deal with it. She knew that she liked him, but she wondered about its power. It seemed so deep, so, so true. It felt right, perfect. But it also felt achingly raw. It burned her chest deeply, for a reason she could not understand.

Do people know when they have fallen in love?

Yuhi didn't. But she wanted to know badly. She wanted to know whether the sting in her chest was a legal sign, or just a normal concussion or a bad case of mood swing because of adolescence. She needed to know, so she could figure out somehow how to mend it. She did not even know what hit her, why she suddenly felt so low again. A day before, she was overflowing with optimism, the next she was holding her tears in. Maybe the confession thing had gone past its limit. Maybe her time's up. Maybe the chances are up and she had wasted all of them. Maybe it was the others' turn. Hers was over.

When she felt Mitan's letter against her palms, her heart ached, so much it was far worse than before. Because before, she could control it, tell herself to do it for her friend. But that part of her went missing now. She could not say no, but she wished she did otherwise when she got home. Yuhi felt so selfish when she thought of that. No, she could not possibly tell Mitan that she would not anymore give her letters to the white-haired boy, only because she will give way to herself in his heart. It was selfish, and Yuhi knew better. She melted the thought in a pit of fire in her head. She should simply tell Mitan that she liked the boy too. The problem was, Yuhi's a chicken-head. She was aware of that.

Now, her friend beat her through it. Not that she thought of Mitan as competition. Someone went ahead of her; throughout the chances she had been given. How Yuhi wished she was as brave as Mitan, and that she had a friend who could pass a letter for her to Killua.

Killua.

If Yuhi were a Mafioso, she would have cursed the boy's name by now. But she did not want to put the blame on him. It was her. She liked him first. She let herself closer to the edge of the river, ready to fall. One more push, she was sure, she would definitely cascade down the waterfall. The only choices were, falling in the arms of an angel, or falling face first to the ocean. It's not even a decision she would make. It's Killua's. She gives her own options, the boy decides.

It's difficult for girls that shared the same sentiments as Yuhi. But, turning the tables, that may be the case for boys that were going through it too. That was when the girl thought of her guardian's words again. Love lives are complicated.

Tuesday was grieving day perhaps. Yuhi was out of bounds that day, still, quiet, blank. She would smile and laugh from time to time but they were not as genuine as she wished. She told Mitan about her delivered message, however retreating to her chair before her friend could thank her with a hopeful voice. It would hurt her. Mitan's optimism always got on her good nerves. She did not want to fake a smile in front of her innocent friend.

The preparation for the school's winter festival started that day. It made Yuhi nervous, for the fact that it reminded her that she'd be working side by side with Killua. They had a meeting after school hours. Fortunately, the student council only allotted the meeting for orientation and schedule giving. Yuhi and Killua were assigned to a TTH schedule, together with Gon and Taro, three other groups from the first meeting, the 10 council members, and the student council officers. The other batch was to work on Wesnesdays and Fridays. The girl was relieved that Gon and Taro were in the same schedule as they were. It would be less difficult to move around. Yuhi did not speak much to the boys that day. Gon noticed that and asked why. But Yuhi evaded everything by saying that she's needed home immediately then sprinting away.

The boys then were left to trace where Yuhi disappeared into with their eyes.

Gon broke the ice, turning to his best friend. "Killua, what happened to her?" he asked with the high-pitched tone of his voice.

Taro turned to them.

Killua was taken aback by his best friend's suddenly-leaning-in-close-demanding-an-answer stance. His eyes grew wide as he pointed to himself with a tired finger. "Why're you asking me?" he asked back, tone just like Gon's.

"'Cause you're sitting next to her! You should know!" Gon exclaimed.

"Wha— What does that have to do with anything?" Killua argued.

Gon exhaled, and that signaled the end of the argument. He put his hands on his hips and cocked his head to the right. "I hope she's okay, though."

Taro agreed.

Killua crossed his arms against his chest; face read a mix of irritation and annoyance. He looked back to where the girl ran into before turning to walk home.

Yuhi panted when she reached the bus stop. She did not know if she could mask the truth with what she was doing. All she knew was that, she did not want to lie anymore, but she did not want to tell the truth either. The best way was to run away. Confessing was gradually sliding out of sight too.

Wednesday was a breather—or more like a silent preparation for the activity the next day. It was a still day. The trees were not dancing but it was not hot at all. Gray clouds covered the sky all day, not letting the sun peep in to shed its rays to living things, and non-living things. The students figured it would rain, or start to snow, because it was almost the beginning of the season. But not even a few seconds of drizzle amounted. School went on normally. Sejin announced their final proposal—the approved booth that their class was to do. They also discussed the materials they were going to use, the budget for it, how much the class were going to pay, the design, and when they would start working. Yuhi told Sejin she'd help out when she found free time.

The girl had told her seatmate about Killua and her being "partners" under the student council staffing, by the way. Sejin's reply was odd and uneasy. Perhaps she did not know what to say. "Uh… Good luck?" she said, clearing her throat and pushing the bridge of her glasses. It sounded as though she was greeting a woman best wishes for her marriage.

Yuhi could only laugh sheepishly. Ever since then, they had both not talked about Killua—not until that day.

"Are you sure you'll be able to find free time?" Sejin asked, voice sounded like a playful tease.

Yuhi felt that Sejin wanted to know, but she just did not want to sneak her butt in her life too much. She was sure to tell her seatmate about her plans—her cancelled plans—soon, the moment she was sure. "Of course!" she'd answer. Then the conversation would be over.

When they were walking to the school gates to head home, Yuhi could not take the silence between her and her friend anymore. She told Sejin that she planned on not confessing to the white-haired boy, because, she said, she thought it did not make sense. "What would I gain from it?" She shrugged.

The question then surprised the president. "Since when did you sound so practical?"

Yuhi could not answer.

Sejin chuckled at that. "Not knowing how to defend your smart-ass question, huh?"

The auburn-haired girl snapped her head up. It was the first time she heard Sejin talk like that.

"What? You think I can't crap-talk too? Don't act as if you don't care about these things, Yuhi. It doesn't suit you." Sejin looked at the girl. "Like how crap-talking doesn't suit me."

Yuhi could only take a deep breath as she turned ahead. Sejin made perfect sense all the time. She envied her at that.

On the way home, the auburn-haired girl walked alone to the bus stop, eyes to the ground, thinking. So many things were in her mind she did not know where to start. She was so deep in thought that she did not notice a group of boys walking past her. A bump on the shoulder woke her up. She blinked and looked up. Killua was with those boys. 2-A boys, Yuhi guessed. He paused in his tracks when he saw Yuhi.

"Oh? Ramen girl," he greeted.

For a moment Yuhi thought he sounded polite. She gave him a reluctant smile. "H-Hey…" The greeting was as silent as the sound of the wind. She avoided eye contact.

Killua peered in from under her bangs. When Yuhi slightly moved her head, he yanked his back straight. "Gon said you don't look well. I don't want a jelly-ace buddy tomorrow," he commented. But before Yuhi could look up and reply, Killua turned a heel. "Ja, hallway girl."

Yuhi watched him catch up with his friends that walked ahead. Killua had no idea how hard her heart hammered her chest at that moment. She started to wonder about the next day. It would be worse, for sure.

Thursday was the D-day. Yuhi feared about it happening, or maybe feared that her emotions would get the best of her by that time. What would the student council have them do? She hoped that there were no more shenanigans from the officers. She had to stay away; at least that was what she planned on doing. Stay away or fall into the pits of the unknown? Yuhi wanted to be sure. She could not bring herself to take risks at that time. It was the safest way to deal with everything—the safest way to guard her feelings.

"What time is your council work?" Sejin asked, fixing her things. She had to double the volume of her voice for the whole class was blaring on chatters. It was the end of another school day, but everyone was to use the time before twilight to prepare for the school's winter festival. "Taro won't tell me," she added. "He says it's not my business."

The girl smiled sheepishly at that. "Are you fighting?"

Sejin shook her head. "A little misunderstanding, I guess. I think he's still upset about me yelling at him the other day. I couldn't help it. It's his wrongdoing, anyway."

Yuhi could but only laugh it off. She remembered Sejin and Taro exchanging arguments that Monday—one saying something about responsibility and the other about democracy. But she did not join the betting game happening inside the classroom while they were at it. The whole class knew it was normal and nothing to be seriously concerned about. Both parties just had too much pride with their own principles. "I'm sure he'll get over it soon," she said, piling her books neatly on her desk and placing her notebooks in her bag. She zipped it shut, turned to the clock in front, stretched a little and took a deep breath. It was time.

"At 4?" Sejin asked.

"Yup!" Yuhi smiled at her seatmate and stood up.

"Good luck."

She had no idea what it meant, but it triggered the nervous feeling inside Yuhi's chest. "Huh?" she absent-mindedly asked, turning her wide-eyed gaze to her seatmate.

"Good luck," Sejin repeated indifferently. "Council work might be hard so you may need it."

Yuhi exhaled and nodded slowly, smiling one last time to their president and waving a hand before leaving the room with Taro. She felt like it meant something else—something for her. Sejin liked wordplay. Their raven-haired president may have said that to connote two things. I may need it, Yuhi thought. For something else.

Walking up the fifth floor felt like a death march for the auburn-haired girl. It was as though she committed an extreme crime and was sentenced to be hung that day. Her steps were silent, slow and careful, as well as her mouth. Her eyes were stuck to the floor and her hands were clasped tightly together behind her back. She was concentrating, trying to control her heart that beat fast with every step, picturing in her head what could possibly happen while they were at work, and remembering over and over again how she would do her job properly. Yuhi did not want to act like a 'jelly-ace', as what Killua said the other day, while she was at it. The last thing she wished was to be useless and a nuisance, especially to the white-haired boy who was her "partner". Her heart flew and ached at the thought of her working with Killua. She felt that it would start a great revolution in her chest again—would release a new set of fast-running racehorses from their stables.

Taro noticed the silence in the air. He knew Yuhi well enough to wonder why she was so quiet. "Earth to Yuhina. Earth to Yuhina," he called, waving a hand in front of the girl's blank face as they walked.

The latter blinked and looked up, meeting the curious sharp green eyes of her classmate. She pursed her lips. "Hm?"

Their vice president made a face. "You're acting real weird, you know. Normally you'd blab about random stuff and laugh real loud like you own the entire universe."

The girl laughed sheepishly, rubbing her arm. The way Taro said it sounded like an insult. Maybe that was one reason why Sejin was so furious about his arguments every time. But Yuhi knew he was only stating his opinion. She, herself, was aware that she was acting weird. She needed to give her classmate an explanation. "I'm just feeling a little sleepy, I guess." It was half-true. She did not get much sleep the night before. She couldn't.

Taro laughed, placing his hands inside his pockets. "Yeah, we were waiting for you to drool on your desk during Language. You didn't sleep at all! You have actually managed to pull it together! What an accomplishment!" He looked at the girl, still laughing.

That was what they were doing everyday—Taro, Jinop, Suno, Ren and Maru—waiting for Yuhi to drop her head on her desk and sleep away. Somehow it was entertaining for them, because they were betting whether she would wake up or not. Yuhi was also aware of that, because she saw them did the same to Taro and to everyone who fell asleep during class, especially if the subject or teacher was too boring. She laughed as well. "Yes, an accomplishment!" she exclaimed to the air, bouncing a little. And just then, something came dashing from behind her, racing past her side. Then another one came in racing after a millisecond from Taro's side. It was so fast that the latter, with instinct, pulled the girl in his arms.

"What the—?" he muttered, pausing in his tracks.

"I won!" a familiar, high-pitched voice exclaimed a few feet from them.

"What are you talking about? I was obviously first!" another familiar, drowsy voice replied disbelievingly.

Both 2-B students then turned their gazes ahead, eyes wide. Yuhi's heart raced instantly.

"Eeehh!? But I stepped in front of the door first!"

"I had my hand first on the door, you know!"

"Hand-reach is different from stepping in front of the door!"

"No, it's not! I stepped in front of the door when I grabbed the handle. It's the same. I was first."

"But I was ahead of you!"

"Are you suuuure?"

"Killuaaaa!"

The addressed grinned while he watched his best friend whined and complained. Then sensing eyes on him he turned to the students that stood five feet away from where they were. His grin disappeared into a surprised expression. "Oh?" he muttered under his breath. He was about to give a little smile to greet them, but it was instantly replaced with a rather sharp look.

The horses inside Yuhi's chest were galloping while she drowned into the intense gaze of the white-haired boy.

"Yuhi! Taro!" It was Gon. He waved at them, smiling widely. He then cocked his head to the right. "Why are you hugging each other?" His tone of voice was so innocent he sounded like a curious little three-year-old.

The question woke Yuhi up. She did not realize that she had been holding on to Taro's arm and was snuggling against him. She chained away from him instantly, almost pushing herself—or pushing him—off with such force. Standing straight, she waved two frantic hands, smiling convincingly. "W-We're not!" It was a high tone. She wished that she looked and sounded more persuasive than defensive.

"Naw, man, you two were like the flash or something we're afraid of getting hit, that's why!" Taro emphasized.

Yuhi was beyond thankful for the support. Somehow she prayed that Killua would believe it.

"Oh! Sorry!" Gon laughed. "We were racing!"

Taro snickered lightly. "I can see that!" he playfully exclaimed, turning to Killua. He greeted him with a nod, returned by the white-haired boy with a little smirk.

Yuhi subconsciously sighed of relief when she saw the interaction. It was accompanied by a smile—to which Killua saw—to which she looked away immediately, blushing lightly.

Gon insisting the two to tell him who won the race followed the conversation. Taro defended he did not notice, but he was obviously on Killua's side of reasoning, to which the white-haired boy was grinning to his best friend about. Yuhi could tell they were in it to piss Gon off. She was on Gon's side, saying that it may be a tie. Killua was the one who immediately argued against it. Gon then countered Killua, and Killua shot back another one. It continued until they reached the chairs inside the office, only halted when Jared came clearing his throat aloud to catch the crowd's attention, signaling the start of the meeting.

There had been a sitting arrangement rule inside the student council office that started Tuesday, that week, their second meeting. The protocol was that, partners should sit next to each other so it would be easier to talk and take down notes if necessary. Yuhi felt as though the whole universe heard her fast beating heart that day when Hikari announced the idea. It was even more fast and brutal when they started standing up and executing the task. However easy it was, because she and Gon just had to switch places, it was still nerve-wrecking Yuhi's head spun. She was thankful that Killua acted naturally and just right when she sat next to him, because Yuhi swore if Killua met her eyes that time and forced a smile she would suffocate because of the awkward air she would feel. But Yuhi felt comfortable—sort of, because her heart still swirled—even though she was feeling Killua's sleeve brush against hers.

"Hi again, guys," Jared started. "We're going to start off with booth deco props. Yesterday's batch already started it so we can continue where they left off or start on anew if the props they did yesterday were enough for this week. As what was planned, we're dividing work. One booth, two teams, two council members, and an officer. We'll be assigning tasks now. I suggest you jot these down. These will be your work assignment until the festival."

Yuhi nodded and scrambled through her bag to get her notebook, as what everybody did. She scrambled through her things again for her pen, forehead knotting when her hand was not sensing any. She then zipped open all of the compartments of her bag but there was no pen. Where'd I put it? Yuhi then felt something poking her right shoulder. She turned around. It was a pen. Killua was handing his pen to her. She gave a small smile and silent thanks as she reached for it. Her pulses were throbbing hard against her skin while she wrote.

The booths assigned for the student council to work on were all for the outdoor amusement of the festival. All indoor booths would be settled per class. It meant double workload for the council—the reason why they needed the people. Jared was the one who requested uplift from Mr. Chango, saying that they might not be able to produce a satisfying event if the students who would work with them were scarce. Mr. Chango made the compromise by suggesting that the students with memo might be of great help. He worked on it and talked to the teachers for second opinion. Later, the principal gave the list of students that would help the council with the work through his secretary. Jared held a meeting with all the presidents of each class to announce the tasks with the complete platform of the event. The student council president was thankful and relieved that no students from the list bailed out from their compulsory occupation. They all peaceably agreed to do the work saying that it may be more fun and exciting than class work—coming especially from the higher years.

The freshmen were quiet as sleeping lambs on the first two meetings. However, they started getting along well with everyone on workday. The seniors and juniors were loud and funny. They would joke around on everything and were the life of the party. When they started work and everyone would be seriously busy, they would break the ice and the air would seem light again. The sophomores were even. They worked accordingly. The boys were obviously having a lot more fun playing around. Jared and the rest of the student council were incredibly game as well. He would remind the students about the gravity of their work, but he would say it with so much kindness in his tone.

Yuhi felt more than comfortable with the pack compared to how she imagined it would be, grateful that Gon was there and the work kept her busy. They—she and Killua, together with their council partners—were assigned to work on decorations of four food stands, to help with the lights, and to create plenty paper-fold designs for the Christmas tree and all-around decorations. On the first day, they started with the food stands decorations, continuing where the first batch left off. At first the girl could not handle all the awkward air she was feeling. She barely said a thing whenever Killua tried to initiate a conversation. Yuhi did not know why she could not bring back the then she managed to do when she and the boy talked. Maybe it was because she was thinking of Mitan's letter and if Killua had received it already. The boy sure did not talk about it.

Eventually then Killua started working silently and whenever he wanted to talk, he would call on his best friend. The auburn-haired girl did not know whether she would feel good or bad about that. She felt relieved, somehow, she would admit, because then the boy would not waste his time talking to a girl whose words were scarce because she had a secret crush on him. But she felt guilty, of the fact that the boy was trying to talk to her, yet she could but only reply with silent "Hm" and "Yes". By and by, the crepe papers for the food stands made her forget about her complicated love life, but she would still feel as though eyes were looking at her. Then she would feel her heart skipping a beat.

"Huh!" The girl exhaled sharply, sitting up straight and stretching her arms. She placed her 114th flower-designed paper-fold in the table together with the others. Looking at them compiled and many overwhelmed her. She smiled and inwardly celebrated herself. Yes! I've done quite a few! Turning her gaze to her right she watched her councilor group-mates busy themselves on their shares of the decorations. Theirs were stars, birds, and suns. One worked per design and altogether they blended well with all the different colors and sizes.

The girl then turned to the clock. It had been almost two hours since they started and looking around the student council office, the decorations produced that day were massive and beautiful. She then scanned the room for people. Some seniors were already slacking around, perhaps done with their work for the day, some were still busy cutting and folding, some boys were carrying boxes of finished decorations, the student council officers were standing around monitoring everyone, Jared was talking to HIkari while they did their own assignment with two other officers, freshmen were carrying buckets of paints in. It was a busy room and Yuhi felt that their shift was about to end. She stretched her neck, subconsciously searching for her white-haired partner. He and Gon were missing. Hey, Taro's not here too.

"Yuhi, are you done with this?"

The addressed turned back around and found a smiling council member, gesturing to her flowers. She instantly nodded. "Yep! I'm kinda out of paper too."

"That's okay. I think we're about done now. And it's already 6PM. It's getting dark. We should pack up in a moment." He smiled, "Can I carry this batch out?" and gestured towards the paper flowers again.

The girl nodded and started piling them up and carefully putting them inside the box of colored papers Killua provided her with earlier. She noticed that the other council members who were doing the same paper-folding were done as well and were putting the finished works inside the boxes too.

"I'll write 'em down the list." The council member then took Yuhi's box and signaled his fellow council members to carry theirs for inventory. "You're partners with Killua, right?"

For a second Yuhi's heart skipped a beat. "Yes." She smiled.

"Okay. I'll forward these to Klint-san." The council member smiled and walked to the corner of the room where the other boxes with finished decorations were placed, together with Yuhi and Killua's council partners.

Watching him walk to Klint about the work, the auburn-haired girl then turned to the table to clear it up of small pieces of papers.

"Whoa, where did all the mess go?"

Heh— Yuhi did not know why but every time that voice turns up, she experiences this instant blood rush or spark sprinting up her spine, and it shocks her like electricity, making her heart pump blood like crazy. However she hid it all by taking a deep breath and pressing her lips together. It was Killua from behind. He's back. "I'm done." She found her voice, though it was as short-breathed and faint.

"Obviously," the boy replied, his tone indifferent. He took a sit on his place beside the girl and stretched his arms behind his head. He sighed and muttered, "This is tiring" under his breath.

That was what Killua was doing since he and Yuhi started work. He would say something that sounded as if he talked to himself. But Yuhi felt that it was meant as a start of a conversation. It was like that when they were together inside 2-A's room. It was like that every time. Yuhi knew she needed to give her comment to follow up the conversation, but she honestly did not know what to say. Her heart started racing when silence between them once again commenced. Trying to ignore the tensing feeling, she busied herself with clearing the table up. Luckily for her, the mess their paper-cutting and folding left was countless. That should shun her away from the presence of the boy on her side.

But after about ten seconds of silence, Killua stood up and brushed the pieces of colored paper from his side of the table to Yuhi's side.

The girl then instantly held her breath as butterflies started flapping their wings inside her chest, and stomach. She continued work without showing any signs of nervousness that was slowly electrocuting her up her spine.

"Why didn't you ask for my help?" Killua mumbled between his lips. His tone was of the usual weary.

Yuhi could not answer. Or, she did not know what to answer. Because I was shy to talk to you? Because I was shy to talk to you because I feel shy talking to you? Because I was shy to talk to you because I feel shy talking to you because I like you? The girl could not waste one more second of not uttering a word. Because I though we're doing separate works. I didn't want to ask you while you were doing yours. She took a deep breath, and gathering a handful of scrap papers to throw in the box, she answered. "It's okay." She bit her tongue after.

Killua raised an eyebrow and slowly removed his eyes from the girl. "O-kay." His reply sounded more like a question.

Yuhi pressed her lips together and nodded. That was another end to a conversation. She then scooped the last handful of papers from the table and threw them in the box. Inhaling and looking at the neat table, she smiled a little and muttered a "There" before pulling the box to her and lifting it up. But before she could embrace the box together with the other trashes, Killua snatched it off her. She looked at him.

The boy looked back, eyes gentle. "At least let me do this," he muttered, tone contradicting the angelic look on his face, and walked to the corner where the other boxes were.

"Alright, listen up people. It's already dark outside and we've done quite a lot so let's call it a day." It was Hikari who announced the dismissal. "Once you're done in clearing up your stations, you can go home. Thank you for your hard work!" She bowed, and so as the other officers and council members.

The students around gave their unison "Thank you for your hard work" as well before returning to their own businesses.

Yuhi smiled widely at the council members and other students therein when she met their gazes. However turning to the right, her smile fainted to a rather small one when she locked gazes with her white-haired partner who was approaching her. Killua was looking at her and she instantly looked away to avoid some major internal concussions. She pretended to fix her things in her bag.

Killua paused on his side of the seat again adjacent to the auburn-haired girl and looked around, hands placed inside his pants' pockets. His spiky-haired best friend then came rushing to them.

"Yuhi, Killua, are you done?" Gon asked, the excited tone in his voice not faltering despite the tiring work.

The girl lifted her eyes to greet Gon with a smile. She nodded.

The latter addressee turned to his best friend. "Yeah. Are you?"

"Yup! Taro just went to the restroom. Let's wait for him before we head home, okay?" Gon looked at the two with his sparkly eyes, hands grasping tight on the slings of his bag pack.

Yuhi chuckled. Killua shrugged. "Sure!" "Okay." They answered in unison, immediately turning to look at each other.

It was the girl who shunned away first after swallowing a massive block in her throat. "C-Can you wait for a sec? I need to go to the restroom too." Smiling at Gon and glancing at Killua, she dashed out of the room. Yuhi wished she did not have to stutter.

They went home parting in front of the school gates—Gon and Killua to the right and Yuhi and Taro to the left. The two 2-B students talked about the day meekly, with Yuhi perfectly evading the subject of "working together with partners". Taro was obviously too tired to equal the still enthusiasm in the girl's voice and Yuhi was a tad thankful for that.


The following week, the students were getting busier with their class work for the school winter festival. Every day after school hours they would stay to finish at least a tiny portion of some props for their booths so they could finish early, to give way to the projects and assignments teachers still threw at them. However, despite the tiring work for the festival and the academe, the students were still optimistic about everything. Winter was only a few sleepy nights away and that meant the holidays—Christmas, and New Year's. Everybody loved the winter holidays. Including our auburn-haired protagonist. Yuhi loved Christmas and New Year's celebration so much ever since she was a toddler because, she thought, the mood was just so merry and carefree, as if everyone had no reason not to be happy and smiling. She looked forward to being like that again that year—because she did not know what to feel anymore when Mitan told her something that Monday after school hours, when Yuhi was helping the class with the booth.

"I'm gonna tell him, Yuhi-chan. In person."

It was a faint whisper, but the auburn-haired girl heard it clearly. She froze, accidentally cutting the paper she was working on the wrong way. Yuhi did not know how hard her heart fell into the pits of fire that time. But she was aware of her surroundings. She immediately tried to compose herself and smile at her black-haired friend. It was a small aching smile, that shattered her soul to bits. Yuhi felt like she was fooling herself so much, but she could not do anything but that. She did not ask Mitan when or how she was going to do it. It would be too much.

Student council work went on just like the first day—Karina, their council officer partner, would instruct the task for the day, Killua and the two other male council members would bring a box of colored papers in, place them on their station, and they would start by cutting them in strips. But it was a whole lot difficult for Yuhi to move around whenever Killua was there. It was worse, especially because the boy was strangely hyper that day. Gon said it was because he had too many sweets. The candy store in town, Gon added, started selling Killua's favorite chocolate treat and he had been like that since the day before. The auburn-haired girl found that extremely adorable, but she feared that Killua's frenzied manners would tense her even more.

It did.

Killua asked her how to do the "paper thing", and she could not ignore it only because of her personal issues. She showed him how to make paper roses first, but seeing his curled, confused eyebrows, she told him to move on with the stars instead—although her words were still scarce and meek.

"I don't get this," Killua mumbled, glaring at the strip of colored paper he was holding. He only made about three folds before he sighed and lowered his arm.

The auburn-haired girl pressed her lips together, and lifting her paper strip she showed the boy how to continue—without uttering a word.

Killua did what Yuhi was doing. "Like this?"

The latter looked and took a deep breath. She shook her head a little, careful not to appear as though she was a know-it-all person. She heard Killua sigh.

"It'll be a lot easier if you talk, you know, geez."

Yuhi held her breath for a second, and inhaling a good amount of air, she cleared her throat. "S-Sorry," she muttered. Her voice was silent and sharp. She took another deep breath for a speech. "There," she pointed out. "Fold the paper at that corner." She lifted her hand, touching a part of the paper in Killua's hands—cautious, painstakingly avoiding brushing her skin against his. She did not utter another word after, pacing a good distance from the boy when she was done with her short-lived teaching gig.

On the third day of student council work, they finished with the sun still about to disappear into the horizon and the sky was still the color of golden orange. It was still early at that time when almost everyone was walking out of school gates to head home. It was also one of those days where Yuhi would not be able to reject Gon's offer to walk her to the bus stop, because Taro was already sprinting when he escaped the campus building to head to his part-time job. The girl was left to concentrate on her actions.

Yuhi felt incredibly guilty and unfair to the white-haired boy that afternoon, and she felt that it clearly showed on her face, plainly because she talked to Gon so much but never uttered even a single complete sentence to her council work partner. She had a feeling that Killua was starting to notice, for when she would glance at him she saw him giving her a suspiciously confused gaze, perhaps wondering why she had a strange addiction to the shameless display of her favoritism. Yuhi expected that Killua would butt in the conversation because it was his best friend who was telling the stories. But he just remained there, walking with them in silence, replying only when Gon asked for his opinion. Before, that behavior of the boy would give the girl a feeling of fear, that he was probably not enjoying her presence. But during that time, Killua's silence felt fair, as if it was a given thing. That, or Yuhi was just used to it.

However, a different air suffocated the girl when they reached the bus stop. She did not know why but she felt tension amounting between her and the white-haired boy when they sat on the bench to wait for the bus, even with Gon's presence in the middle. That was when the true silence commenced. When Gon talked, either would only reply with a short one, and then it would be quiet again. Yuhi had no idea whether it was only in her mind but it was as though she deemed that Killua had the same thoughts during that time. She only wondered what the white-haired boy was bearing. She wondered if he felt the same. She wished he felt the same. The girl went home feeling a dynamite about to explode inside her ribs.


The next day, she came to school early and with long and fast steps, wishing that she would not walk past Gon and Killua when she entered the gates.

"Can you tell?" Sejin asked, turning to the left and clearing her throat to try and catch her seatmate's attention. Her voice was loud, equaling the early morning noise inside a room of high-school students who seemed as though haven't seen each other in centuries. The president was lucky. Yuhi turned to her. Her eyes were wide, blinking, curious. Sejin sighed. "Can you tell when all of the leaves of that tree will fall out? You've been eyeing that thing for three weeks like an old person who experienced all of the problems of the world, Yuhi. It's eight o'clock in the morning."

The auburn-haired girl blinked again. Then she released a sheepish smile, turning her shoulders away from the window slowly, embarrassed by the fact that her observant seatmate had actually noticed her self-contemplation in the past days. "Is that a bad thing?" she asked, subconsciously thinking that the response Sejin would make could be related to her feelings for Killua. She then rubbed her arms. The morning air was getting cold by the day.

Sejin raised an eyebrow. "No, but you're young. You don't want to look like an old person."

Yuhi paused. Then she laughed, because of her failed attempt at indirectly asking for advice, and laughed even more when she thought of what she was going to say next. "I hope I won't look like Mrs. Malu, ne."

Sejin released a smile and shook her head.

A boy classmate then who sat in front of the president leaned back and nudged Sejin on the elbow. "Yo, pres, don't pressure the orange so much." He grinned and snickered as he looked at Yuhi. "You know, I heard that Gon from 2-A's with ya in the council. Maybe the orange's thinking about why he volunteered, pres. Confusion. You feel me? Give Yuhinana some es-pa-cio."

The sharp, dark green eyes of Sejin turned to the boy. She looked at him indifferently and disbelievingly.

Yuhi chuckled. That was perhaps the hundredth time she received a tease from his classmates about Gon since they learned that he was with them in council work. Half of them came from Jinop. Well, that particular male classmate of hers was one of Jinop's people as well. She shook her head. "He's there for his best friend, ne."

"Ohh!" The boy wriggled his fingers in front of Yuhi's face as though he was doing magic. "Maaaybe. Maybe noooot." He then gave Yuhi the grin again before turning to his desk.

The girl cackled as she shook her head. She looked at Sejin who was eyeing her.

"Remind me not to ask you personal things when everyone's around."

Yuhi smiled and nodded, watching Sejin return to reading something on her desk. She looked out the window again and hugged her arms when the cool wind touched her skin. It was a few days before December and it was expected to snow that week. No signs of frozen rain amounted, though, and it was already a Friday. However, the winds were chilly and the nights were starting to get long. It should snow soon, Yuhi thought, shrugging and feeling the breeze caress her cheeks. The December wind had always made her feel cozy and comfortable despite its coldness. Yuhi reckoned it was because the season reminded her of her warm bed and the thick blankets Roroturo would drape upon her whenever it was bedtime when she was little. She smiled to herself, remembering how Roroturo would strictly tell her to bring the blankets out herself because she was already big enough for the job.

Pictures of chunks of snow started filling her mind. She thought about it sticking to her windowpane, feeling it in her palms, covering the roads. Then suddenly, the chunks of snow in her head began to move. They swirled, curled, until it formed into something the girl was very familiar to—knew by heart. It bounced in perfect rhythm with the wind—so cottony, fluffy. When it turned around, it revealed the face of her angel. It was a face so gentle and pure, yet so grave and treacherous at the same time. His eyes looked at hers, intently, as though they pierced her soul. But they were soothing gazes—to all which the girl had not seen him make in all of the months she saw of him. Yuhi pouted as thoughts about the boy suddenly barged in her brain once more. Then the Killua in her head smiled. She lost it. She planted her face in her palms and tried to slap her cheeks lightly with her fingers. Wake up, Yuhi. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.

"Whoa, there. Easy, orange! Don't think about him too much!"

Huh! Yuhi instantly looked up and found her male classmate from earlier looking at her with his usual goofy grin. She reckoned by him, he meant Gon. She laughed sheepishly and scratched her nape. "Sorry," she muttered. The boy then bowed his head and returned to talking to some friends to his right. The auburn-haired girl then shifted her gaze to her seatmate. Sejin was looking at her with a confused look on her face. Yuhi only smiled. "I-I was feeling sleepy, that's all." After a long stare, Sejin continued to read her book. Yuhi exhaled sharply then and thought, Sleeping in class can be handy in giving excuses sometimes, ne. A few minutes later, Pironst arrived.

Killua Zoldyck and the whole idea of student council work never really left the girl's mind since two weeks ago even though she badly wanted them gone. Even for only a day. Or for only a second. Because in all honesty, Yuhi was starting to become worried about the fact that slight changes in her behavior brought by these confusing things were beginning to get noticed by her classmates. In the past couple of weeks, whenever she would stare out the window, or be quiet all of a sudden, some of her friends would ask what was wrong, and she could not give an honest answer. She was starting to feel guilty and unfair to people she considered comrades. It was not as though the whole Killua fiasco had eaten her optimism up and killed her old self—to be replaced by a more grave person who thought nothing and no one else but the love of her life. Yuhi was still Yuhi, that was what she had in mind. There were only a few add-ons to herself as a teenager. And she was not the type of girl who would get all-out depressed because of a boy. Yuhi knew better. But still, Killua would not leave her thoughts.

That Friday, the auburn-haired girl figured it would be a good time to not think about things too much. She had done quite a lot of it during the precious weekend. She thought she needed to give her brain and heart a breather. It was also a perfect time, because it was the last day of school week and student council work would not be up for another four days. That should give her more time to prepare—to keep telling to herself that Killua was her partner so she could get used to it easily. Yuhi believed she could achieve this. The start of the day felt still and normal after all. She thought she should take advantage of that and focus on reality and not let her mind go flying somewhere where even she could not reach.

So far, the girl was doing well. At recess, she walked along the hallway to head down to the canteen with some friends without pressuring herself and thinking of what she would do had Killua been there. She did not look over 2-A's room when she walked past it. She busied herself with chatting with her classmates, which, she noticed, she had not done for quite some time. But it was after Mitan talked to her that everything came crashing upon her again. However, she tried to be easy about it.

"Oh, only a note?" Yuhi asked, eyes wide as she shifted her gaze from a small folded paper in her palm to the black eyes of her friend. The latter would normally have her pass a letter-envelop or a bond paper folded in four's. It was the first time Mitan handed her a small piece of folded paper to pass to the white-haired boy.

Mitan smiled and nodded. "This may be the last time I'd ask a favor from you about this. I'm really sorry for the times I bothered you about my letters." She looked down, face coloring a little.

Yuhi's eyes grew wider. The first thing that came into mind was that Mitan knew of her also crushing on Killua. Her breath fell short. She held it for a second, inwardly formulating all of the words she could use in explaining things to her friend. "Why?"

Mitan tucked her long black hair behind her left ear. She looked up and gave a small smile. "Remember what I said to you the other day?"

Because of the massive amount of thoughts that invaded the auburn-haired girl's mind, she could not anymore tell which of those Mitan said to her. Sweat dropped from her temple as she laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, Mimi-chan. I think I forgot."

A light chuckle escaped Mitan's throat. "That's okay." She shrugged. "I'm… gonna tell him."

Oh. Now Yuhi remembered the scene as though it only happened the day before. Her heart swelled, but she gave a smile. It was true. She felt good about it. Yet, again, like at that time, she did not want to know the details. All she needed to know was that her friend was going to confess her love for her angel to her angel. That was it. Details could come after. Or maybe she should never inquire about that. She raised Mitan's note in her hand. "Will hand this to Gon, then." She then tapped her friend on the shoulder, feeling a tang in her chest as she thought of what she was going to say next. Good luck. But it did not escape her lips. She could not bring herself to.

Mitan smiled cheerily. "Thank you, Yuhi-chan! And… c-can you make sure that he… receives it?"

It was a shy request, and Yuhi could do nothing but smile and nod. She started walking to 2-A's room after waving a hand to her friend. Her steps were slow and careful, face gently forming a frown. She looked at Mitan's note in her palms and for some unknown reason, she wanted to know what was written inside. She did not open a letter from her friend before, and she had no plans of doing so. It would be beyond the foray of confidentiality. Yuhi knew that she would be breaking rules had she opened one of them. But that note, that last note she would be handing for the white-haired boy to receive caught her curiosity in a mouse trap.

As her steps grew slower, she pushed her thumb on the fold, catching that part of the paper with her index finger. She bit her lower lip and wetted it as she carefully began to lift the first fold up. Exhaling, she stared at the single-folded paper in her hands. One more gape and she would see the interior of the letter. She hesitated and held her breath as she reached for the other half of the paper, grabbing it with her thumb and index finger, and slowly pulling it open.

"Hey, Yuhi!"

"Heh—?" The girl shrieked and turned around, only to see a pair of honey brown eyes smiling at her. She blinked then released a shaky laugh, finding her own surprised reaction funny. "Hi!" she greeted.

The boy stood straight and beamed.

"Oi Gon, I told you to wa— Oh, hallway's girl's in the hallway."

Then girl then shifted her gaze ahead fast, meeting blue ones. For a moment she thought Killua was smiling at her. Was he? She didn't notice, for she tried not looking in his eyes long. She greeted him with a rather awkward wave of the hand, though.

The white-haired boy turned to his best friend. "I thought you said Mr. Tenoshiru needed us ASAP?"

Gon then instantly changed his stance. He stood up straight with wide eyes and blinked a couple of times, as though a bulb flicked on in his head. "Oh, yeah, I forgot!" he exclaimed, throwing a finger in the air.

Killua made a face.

Gon faced his best friend. "We'd better hurry, Killua! Mr. Tenoshiru needs us ASAP!"

"That's what I said!" Killua groaned, watching his best friend scratch his temple while laughing sheepishly. He grimaced and smiled. "Whatever. Let's go." Then he stumped forward, muttering a "See you around, ramen girl," when he walked past the girl.

Yuhi could but only reply with a nervous "Ah! Y-Yes!" when she met Killua's eyes. She inwardly smiled at the sudden wordy greeting of the white-haired boy to her. Normally he'd just murmur a "Ja".

Gon turned to the auburn-haired girl who followed Killua with her eyes. He waved a hand. "Bye, Yuhi. See you!"

The latter blinked and turned around. She nodded and smiled, watching Gon run to his best friend who was halfway down the stairs and throw an arm around him. Yuhi smiled, and sighed of awe when her gaze shifted to the white-haired boy. Her heart started beating hard and loud. Oh, man… She took deep breaths to calm it, clenching her fists as she felt her life muscle hammering her ribs. Then her eyes grew wide. Wait. She looked down at the piece of crumple paper in her right palm and felt her blood rushing fast because of adrenaline. It was Mitan's note. She forgot to give it. With instant reflex, the girl sprinted down the stairs to catch up with the two. But she turned and walked back when she realized that Killua was there. She was supposed to give the note only to Gon so he would be the one to hand it to his best friend. Yuhi groaned inwardly as her steps grew slower, thinking of the chance she would be missing. Ah! Doesn't matter! Dropping all her concerns, she turned back around and ran to the boys. "Gon!" she called. Luckily for her, the boy heard her. They paused. Gon turned around first.

"Oh! Yuhi!" He beamed.

Yuhi returned it, feeling her heart race with her feet when her gaze shifted to the white-haired boy. She paused in front of them, panting a little—not because of the physical run, but because of the horses that dashed in her chest. "I forgot to give you something," she said with exasperation, looking at Gon. Here the girl did not know to whom she would hand the note. To the best friend who always did it for her? Or to the angel who ignored the first one when she handed it to him? Yuhi clenched her fists, feeling her pulses thump against Mitan's note through her fingertips.

"What's that?" Gon asked, voice of the usual enthusiastic.

Killua placed his hands inside his pants' pockets and waited for what the girl was to say.

Yuhi glanced at the white-haired boy, and meeting his eyes she smiled—though slightly shy. "I-It's…" She trailed off. Something was pricking her from the inside. "It's from my friend, Mitan." Her sentence was straight and fast, stating it without looking at either one of them.

"Oh!" was Gon's excited answer. He beamed again and looked at his best friend. "Really?"

Yuhi waited for her angel's response. But glancing one again at him, she saw that he only stared at her. Well, it's better that way, I guess. She cleared her throat and looked at Gon. "I was supposed to go to you for it but…you know." She then laughed sheepishly. "I forgot." She looked at Killua, and thought that she needed to get out of there before they could say something about it that may break her heart—not only for herself but also for her friend. She gave a smile she never knew she could. "Here you go." Raising her arm, she stretched the note towards the white-haired boy.

For some reason, at the back of her mind, the auburn-haired girl somehow wanted to hear or see Killua's response to her action—although she thought that she didn't want to. But at that time, she wished that the boy gave her the same response from when she handed Mitan's first letter to him at the rooftop. At least, then, she knew what was in his mind. Because when she handed the note, though Gon was so hyped about insisting him to take it, Killua, without faltering, without even moving a muscle on his face, and without averting his eyes from the girl, took the note in her hand, never saying even a single word, and turned back around to head to the gym after Gon waved a hand. It started to confuse the girl then. Or maybe she was curious. Why did he take the note this time? Why didn't he say a thing? Why was he giving me that look? The questions led the girl back to Roroturo's whole idea of 'something going on between the two of them'. Though she did not want to dwell so much, or expect, or assume anything, it would not leave her thoughts.

When she came back to their room, Yuhi gestured a thumbs up to Mitan as she walked to her desk. Then sitting back, she planted her elbow on her table and dumped her chin on her palm, eyes shifting to the window. She sighed. Why wouldn't it stop?

Then the bell rang.

Everyone stood up to head to the locker rooms. It was P.E. time. Archery. Yuhi sighed again at that as she head out of the room with her female classmates. I'm forgetting to practice.

They talked about the festival and their plans for the holidays while preparing for their P.E. inside the locker rooms. The girls were excited, Yuhi reckoned, because they spoke of so many ideas—gift giving, family gathering, shopping, food, skiing. When asked, she told them that she'd help Roroturo inside the shop. The warm presence of the people and the ramen there were enough to get on with winter, after all. She laughed as she opened her locker when her classmates teased her about how the answer did not differ from the one last year. She thought she did not need any add-ons during the season. It was the perfect time for her to figure things out, take a break. She gave a little smile to herself. But what Yuhi did not know was that something was lurking in her mentality. Her smile transformed into a curious look when she noticed something in her locker. She took the paper, flipped it, and had her heart racing of tense, and excitement. It was from the secret person who gave her the drawings. But she did not receive a drawing that time.

It was a note.

And it shook her day more than anything else.

Yuhi's eyes were wide as she stared at the words, reading it over and over again in her head.

"You're right. It's me. Meet me at the rooftop after school. :D"

The girl did not know how to feel about it, and even though there was no signature nor indication that the note really came from her secret artist, she knew it was that person because of the handwriting. She bit her lower lip to hide her smile as she returned the note inside her locker.

Classes came and went with the auburn-haired girl thinking about what and who could the person be. She erased the idea of it coming from one of her classmates. She started to wonder whether the person was a girl or a boy, whether the person was nice, why the person was drawing her, why the person was showing her that he or she was drawing her. Piles and piles of unanswered questions started their invasion inside Yuhi's head. And she did not mind, because the whole idea of her meeting the person who gave the drawings excited her, but it tensed her at the same time. It was a good feeling, like when she would receive a gift for Christmas having no idea what it was. A surprise—that's what it was.

It was not long after the last subject of the day that Yuhi thought of how Sejin would react to it when she glanced over her while clearing her desk. She sure knew Sejin would think twice before barging into something dubious. It suddenly made her think twice—made her think of the what if instead of the what is.

When Sejin stood up and started announcing the start of class-work for the festival, Yuhi pressed her lips together, pondering whether to ask her president friend for her opinion about it. Perhaps Sejin noticed the look Yuhi gave her as she walked back to her desk.

"Do you need anything, Yuhi?" Sejin asked.

The auburn-haired girl blinked. "Uh… N-No. I was just…" Yuhi stood up, pointing to the door. "I was gonna ask permission… if I can help get other materials from the storage cabin?" She smiled, and it was a sheepish one.

Sejin gave her a look before nodding. "Okay. I'll ask someone to help you out—"

"No!" Yuhi exclaimed, and realizing that she did, she smiled apologetically. "I mean, I can do it. We have individual works, ne?"

Sejin blinked, and pushing the bridge of her glasses she shrugged. "Alright."

Yuhi beamed and ran to the door.

The class president was left to follow Yuhi with her eyes—confused and suspicious.

She knew it was a bad thing to lie—especially to friends—but the girl instilled in her mind that she would tell Sejin about it soon, just not at that moment. She didn't know. She just thought that she wanted to see in order to believe first before Sejin gives her idea about it and clouds her reasoning. Yuhi was aware of how inane of a choice it was, but she still wanted to push through with it nonetheless. She sprinted to the ladies' restroom, fixing herself in front of the mirror, and inwardly encouraging her esteem. She was going to meet the person behind the drawings. They sure would talk about a lot of things. It made her smile. The girl felt the rush of excitement flowing through her veins as she barged out of the restroom to head for the stairs. She climbed up—taking two steps at the time. It was not long before she saw the door to the rooftop within reach, a few steps more. Smiling to herself, she sprinted up faster, feeling her heart race with excitement and tense.

And then she paused, panting, the rooftop door only a few inches away from her hands. Yuhi took a deep breath, nodded once, and reached for the handle, twisting it, and pushing the door open. The view revealed the beautiful colors of the afternoon sun, the dancing leaves from the very top of the trees, and an empty lot. Yuhi took another deep breath, calming her still giddy nerves, and looked down, laughing a little at herself. I guess I was too early. Looking up, she sighed, stepped forward and looked around. There was no sign or presence of anyone there. The girl then walked to her left to try and find her luck at the other side of the lot. She looked out the opposite direction to gaze at the sky. The wind was stroking her cheeks. She smiled and shrugged, shifting her gaze back ahead—only to freeze like ice in her position. Yuhi blinked, subconsciously thinking that if she did so, she would be transported back to their classroom, opening her eyes to the sight of Sejin waking her up from her desk. But no, that was reality, and the moment she realized that, Yuhi's heart started beating loud and hard from the core.

Killua was there, standing right in front of her, and for a second or two, the auburn-haired girl felt that time had stopped, with both only looking at each other's eyes. It was only then when the white-haired boy pulled his lollipop out of his mouth that the girl gasped and absent-mindedly held her breath.

It was incredulous. Yuhi did not want to believe it. Why was he there? Why was he the one who was there? Was it supposed to be that way? Why was he there? She badly wanted to ask—demand, with a serious tone—the reason why. Yuhi wanted to hear justification, or a reasonable excuse, before she could welcome Killua in her sight. He should have knocked, or asked permission first, before barging in her vision as though he was the one who owned her world. A realization then went past her thoughts. She had not thought of Killua being the one who sent the note since she received it. Yuhi's eyes grew wide, catching her breath again as the gaze of the boy took it away. Is he the…?

Killua blinked his wide eyes a couple of times, stepping his left foot forward. "Ramen gi—" His greeting was halted by the sight of the girl stepping a foot backward. He blinked again, and pressed his lips together, looking down, and giving a rather grave grin to himself.

Yuhi watched with a swelled chest as Killua snickered and smiled the smile she saw him give Gon whenever he mocked him. It baffled her greatly. Her eyebrows furrowed, fingers stiff but shaking with tension. However inside, she was starting to consider and reconsider. Had Killua been the real person behind the drawings, then wouldn't that be a dream come true? Yet the chances were obscure. Killua was not the type of person who would risk an effort into going in the ladies' locker room only to sneak a drawing in her locker after all.

"Hey, c'mon," the boy started, his voice as gentle as his smile. He popped his lollipop in his mouth as he took steps forward.

This time, Yuhi did not move, although she had the urge to do it. There was something different, something in the way Killua talked, something in the way he moved, there was something in the air—in his air—that had the girl pulling her guard up, as though he was a predator, and she was his prey, as though Killua was a beaming light and she was a firefly. Nonetheless, she would still fly through it and let herself be mesmerized by his eyes. The boy paused in front of her, and Yuhi could not believe the smile he was giving her. It was a smile she never saw before. It was grave, toxic. But it disappeared when he looked straight into her eyes. The sapphires in his pupils were burning her.

"You know, I always wonder why you're so… strange," he said casually, lollipop in his mouth. He stressed the last word as though it was the oddest thing in the world.

Here the girl somehow breathed out of relief. Killua's tone sounded normal—rude, but normal. Yuhi thought that she'd rather hear him talk that way. She swallowed hard, readying herself for a speech. "Why?" It was almost as though a whisper.

Killua's expression suddenly became serious. His eyes were still piercing, sharp. He furrowed his eyebrows, shifting her lollipop from one cheek to another, and after a sudden gust of wind he said, "Why are you here?" The tone on his question sounded as though he was demanding an answer he already knew.

Yuhi's heart suddenly fell. Her eyes grew wide. Why…? She did not know what the boy was talking about. If he was there, he should know why she came. If he was the one who gave the drawings, he should know why she came. Right? Killua's question confused the girl so much she did not know whether he was asking or checking something—whether she would answer or ask why he asked. She pressed her lips together, swallowing a good amount of liquid. Reflex told her to smile a little and shrug. "I…" she started, but no words came out after.

"I know," Killua stated, face unfaltering.

Eh!?

A small smirk crept across the boy's face. And as though he was a bullet fresh from the nose of a triggered gun, he leaned his face close the girl's right ear, pulling the lollipop out of his mouth for a speech. Sparks dashed up the girl's spine when she felt Killua's breath on her neck and heard him lick his lips. She held her breath. Killua breathed in. "You like me… right?"

Silence then filled the entire world, with Yuhi hearing and feeling only her heart pounding loud and heavy against her chest and her pulses racing from all parts of her body. Her voice seemed to have lost, as well as her rational mind. She went blank, throat blocked. Her head spun. Her knees grew weak. Her breath fell short. Thoughts were starting to mash up in her head. They were messed up. They were gone, disappeared. All the things she had been thinking about concerning the white-haired boy melted in the drain. Only one thing remained—the answer to his question. Her heart screamed for it. But she could not find the voice to speak it aloud. Her lips parted, watching as Killua pull his head back and stare into her eyes. He looked at her with such fragility, but with a hint of apprehension in his eyebrows, as though guilt had replaced the tough armor he had with him earlier. His face was so close part of her wondered why she was not looking away. Yuhi blinked, and finding a great amount of courage from her core she took a deep breath, and wished the words out. "I… I—"

Clank.

The girl paused, and with a skip of a heartbeat, she shot her head to the left were the door was. The view revealed a small, black-haired girl, standing across from them, holding tight in her hands a bag of homemade cookies. Her face read a look of passionate shock, black eyes glistening with liquid. Mitan… Yuhi whispered in her head as she tried to absorb everything in. She then gasped, eyes widening, when it felt as though the entire universe had crashed on her. "Mimi-chan…" she muttered under her breath, eyebrows curling of pure concern. She stepped her left foot to the black-haired girl's direction and held her arm out as though to reach for her, but she was gone, sprinting down the staircase before she could even count to one.

Yuhi felt as though her heart fell deep into the pits of hell. It burned, roasted her life muscle and completely fed to the flames. She wanted to run to her friend, but she was aware of the presence of the white-haired boy beside her. Hesitantly, she turned to look at him. Killua was looking down at nothing with his wide-eyed gaze. Yuhi pressed her lips. There was no time to waste. She had to choose, and at that moment, she chose to run to the door and follow her friend. She sprinted down the stairs, hoping she could catch up with Mitan. For a moment, she thought she ran past Gon, but she did not stop to greet him when she heard him call her. She had to run. Fast. But her chest felt heavy and hollow, and it slowed down her steps as she was reaching the floor to their room. She didn't catch up. Breathing heavily, she stopped trying and ended up hiding in the shadows of the dark hallway of the third floor, leaning her back against the wall and letting her body slide to the floor. She gathered her legs, pulling them up and embracing them, and burying her face in her arms.

It was over.

Why? was the question. Why did this have to happen? Yuhi had no idea what to start thinking. The only thing that occupied her mind was that particular question. She had no idea what to feel either. Something—someone—had played with her. Some incredulous entity had turned the tables around for her—someone despicable, cruel, mad. The girl did not wish to blame her stars. She did not wish to blame anyone. But the things that happened were pushing her to. Why? The girl pulled her legs and snuggled her face deeper into her arms as tears started to run down her face. Why does he know?

"Well, wasn't that unexpected?"

Yuhi's heart jumped when she heard someone talk just in front of her. She blinked and wiped her face off of tearstains before sniffing and looking up to inquire who it was—whether the person was talking to her. She narrowed her eyes, focusing them to see some light through the darkness of the hallway. It was a boy, and he was smiling at her. Yuhi could see the beam in his toothy grin, the shade of pink and peach in his hair, and the color of hazel in his eyes. He looked familiar.

"Oh!" he suddenly exclaimed, bending his back and leaning in close to get a good look on the girl's face. His lips formed the shape of an 'o'. "You crying?" he asked with pure surprise.

Blinking her eyes, the girl sniffed and wiped tears that flowed down her neck. "N-No." Her voice cracked. She failed at lying terribly. Standing up, she dusted off her skirt. She needed to get out of there. It would be embarrassing if the boy would ask why. Yuhi forced a smile. "I'm sorry, I have to—"

"Here."

After batting her eyes, the girl focused her irises at what the boy shoved in front of her face. Then her eyes widen again, with shock and incredulity. It was a piece of paper with a drawing of her animated face, the word "Smile!" penned at the bottom right of it. It was the same penmanship as that of the note. She looked at the boy, and had her head leaning back with astonishment when she finally pictured out his face.

"Yeah, I'm the guy who's giving you the stuff." He grinned widely.

Yuhi knew where she saw that smile. She could never forget his face. The boy at the back lot of school, the one who hit her with the soccer ball on purpose, the one who magically appeared in her life to give her some fitting principles about her love life, the one she swore she would ask the name of the moment she saw him again—he's the one! "But, how… why…"

"Hey, you look like you've seen a ghost." He laughed and took Yuhi's hand, placing the drawing in her palm and releasing it. "We've met. But I guess I should introduce myself properly this time. I feel that you're completely crept out right now." He cleared his throat, and smiling again he saluted. "My name's Yellich."

Yellich. Yuhi was glad that she knew his name, but she was still flabbergasted by everything that happened she did not know what to start thinking first. Why… Why weren't you the one up there? She wanted to ask, but words would not come out of her throat.

The boy scratched his nape, laughing sheepishly. "Sorry, I kinda ruined everything."

The girl blinked. She cocked her head to the right and replied with an "Eh?"

"Who'd know it would lead to that?" He shook his head disbelievingly, crossing his arms against his chest. "That boy's a real jerk, isn't he?"

Yuhi's eyes grew wide. He… He saw…? She took a step back, slamming lightly against the wall. "What…?"

Yellich sighed and eyed the girl with the same look he gave her before he left back when they first met. "And you still haven't told him. I even offered you a chance. My, Yuhi, aren't you a patient one." He smiled, and patted the girl in the head. "I'm sorry about that, though."

Yuhi blinked again, heart skipping a beat. Offered me a chance…? "Why…" she managed to let out.

"Hmm?"

The girl's cheeks were starting to burn for no apparent reason. She looked at the peach-haired boy from under her bangs. "Why would you… Did you… I mean, why?"

Yellich retrieved his hand and took a step back, scratching his temple and laughing sheepishly. "I'm sorry. Was I too creepy?"

Yuhi looked down.

"Well, there's no point in hiding anything now, am I right?" He grinned. "Yuhi." The girl looked. Yellich's gaze was gentle yet playful. "I'm your brother."

-CHAPTER END-


I took a Mary Sue test a couple of days back to check whether Yuhi was a Sue-to-be. There was bad news and good news. The awesome news was, Yuhi's not close to transforming into a Sue. The awful news was that the result said I don't care about my OC. What the heck? I love Yuhi. I care for her. She'll see a rainbow soon, I will assure you that. :D

AND YEAH oh my glob I'm so sorry I couldn't reply to you guys individually. But I want to let you know that I appreciate your long reviews so much so please keep them coming. I really, really love reading loooong reviews so don't feel bad about writing one. You're giving me no trouble. Reviews are always appreciated no matter what the length. Lemme give you an internet hug right now!

I should reply to a common question though. I think two asked me whether I experienced stuff like what Yuhi was going through in the story. Well, I should say that I have, and I haven't. It's a different situation, but I did my best to incorporate the feels in Yuhi's POV and I'm glad it kinda fit everything. Did I answer the question? XD And to be fair to everyone, I should answer my own question in the previous chapter. What would I do if I were in Yuhi's situation? Like what most of you said, I won't do anything. I would never even think of confessing. I have never thought of doing that unless the guy would do it first, ya know, if I was lucky enough. Sooo, yes, I think Yuhi is already brave with what she thought of doing.

On the other note: what do you guys think of this chapter? This is kind of a serious turn of events and Yuhi needs your opinion on it. How about it? Pleaseeee, continue to tell me what you think through your reviews! I'm always taking notes. And I appreciate everything so thank you so much!

Oh, and fan-art alert! Two readers drew Yuhi! Nyaha, they're Pika Yuhi-chan and makoto yuki! Thanks you guys the drawings are so freaking cute my glob XD Links are posted on my profile! Check 'em outtttt.

NEXT CHAPTER: Someone's a little confused.

Your reviews are amazing. Always remember that. :D

PS: Sorry for the long footnote.