Disclaimer: I do not own S.A. It's been 9 years since I posted the first chapter of this. You know the drill.

Face the Music

"Well, I'm sure Tadashi gave you away. Can't keep his mouth shut -" Hikari continued murmuring to herself as she paced the room.

Megumi could only watch her and sigh. She knows that Hikari's mind is running a mile a minute trying to figure a way out of this mess. Since she told her friend about Yahiro's email an hour ago, Hikari had been through a lot of emotions, but mainly annoyance. Megumi shook her head and let out another sign. To be fair, Hikari's reaction was mostly due to the fact that she looked absolutely shaken when she read the email. Hikari's protective instincts were kicking in.

"I never really meant for my trip here to be a secret -" Megumi started, "I just never realized that he'd go looking for me."

Hikari stopped her pacing and looked at her friend quizzically, "And him looking for you is a bad thing? Right?"

"I don't… I don't know. I just never thought that this would happen. When I left, I just thought it wouldn't bother him."

"You're crazy." Hikari said, as she sagged on the sofa, exasperated.

"I'm sorry?"

Hikari shook her head, "Both of you. You're crazy! You've been friends for what, more than a decade? Then you just go 'poof' and think that he'll be okay with it?"

Megumi felt her face grow hot, a mixture of embarrassment and self-pity washing over her. She really should have thought this move through. She loves her friends dearly, and she knows that she can trust them with her life, but her heart is now exposed to their scrutiny and she can't take it. She just can't take it.

Seeing Megumi's reaction, Hikari opted for a gentler tone when she spoke again. "I'm sorry. I don't know anything about your dynamics. I know you're trying to sort this out your way, but if I may just share one tiny, tiny input?"

"Yes?" Megumi looked up at her friend, fighting off tears.

"Just talk it out," Seeing Megumi shake her head, Hikari reached out to hold her friend's hand, "You never really talked, the two of you. He says what he wants, then you say what you want and that's that. But no one listened. That's not really how communication works."

Megumi nodded slightly. She understood what Hikari meant. She had been saying that she loves him for years without waiting for or expecting any response from him. She thought that she was being noble, stating her love without asking for anything in return, but the truth is, she's not giving him the chance to respond because she's too scared to hear his rejection.

Just send it, Megumi, come on! She chided herself for staring at her computer screen, debating for what felt like ages, if she'll send her reply to Yahiro or not. Coward.

She closed her eyes, just wanting this to be done and over with. Then she pressed send.