Disclaimers: blah, blah, blah. :3
Dedication: Because I've been into KKM today, this chapter is dedicated to my pretty boys and grown up guys: Yuuri Shibuya, Ken Murata, Wolfram von Bielefield, Conrad Weller, Gunter von Christeoff and Gwendal von Voltaire. Kudos to Guileene and Coline who uploaded the entire two seasons!
A/N: Someone told me that the first chapter of Kiss and Tell had received 66 reviews immediately and I was so happy about that. But then, she suddenly said, but what happened with you're The Grim Reaper? You already had 3 chapters and yet, your reviews were only 20? I couldn't help but laugh at her. You know, for those people who think I only write for the review, well, it wasn't really a lie. Of course I write to know what others think about my stories. But mainly, I write to showcase my talent to other closet writers like me and inspire them to step out of the shadows and show the world how good it is to have a talent in writing. :D. So, I don't care much if this wouldn't be as successful as my first M-rated story. As long as I get to inspire other people—and show my ideas to my fellow writers—all is well. :D.

And all is well that ends well. :)

AndyBunny

Read on!

-;-

When the lights fade out, all the sinners crawl

All family has its secrets

Death is only the beginning.
-;-
No one was able to know how much pain Ayuzawa Misaki has seen, how much torture she had undergone and how many deaths she had witnessed.
-;-

The Grim Reaper
.
The Grim Reaper
.
The Grim Reaper

Four:

Mornings has always been a bleary event ever since I came to Miyabigaoka.

I remembered I wasn't like this before. There were many flowers on the place where I lived before with Mom and Dad and our house was seated on the top of the small hill that just overlooks our humble village. It was just so peaceful, you know? And despite what I have, despite the burden I carry, I was pretty certain I enjoyed my life and everything I have since I wasn't depraved. My Mom and Dad loved me with all they have and not even for once had they thought of hating me.

The skies were always blue—except when there was a storm—and the breeze was comforting and safe to inhale, unlike that of the city. I like Miyabigaoka because it was in a secluded property but the people in here? I don't like. Sometimes I wondered what I did to deserve something like this when I've never disobeyed anyone. In fact, I was pretty compassionate. I'm not one whom you would call friendless. I have a few friends of my own—very few—but I wouldn't really call them my best friends since none of them stayed. I was the type to be alone, you know? Of course, I wanted friends, too, but being involved with people the same age as me doesn't really seem like a good idea anymore as soon as I became aware of what we have—of what we carry.

It was almost anomalous, you know? The bad luck, I mean. And I didn't know one specific person could have hold so much bad luck when she didn't even remember doing one thing that could set all of this into such a warping situation. My thoughts flew off to my predecessors. I remembered Mom telling me that my great, great, great grandmother—about six generations ago—was the first person to ever hold this kind of power. She mentioned something about a wedding and a third party and the early death of my great, great, great grandfather two days after their wedding. But since I was still a child and I wasn't thoroughly interested with what happen, I didn't listen well to her story.

And now that things have turned to this at such an early stage, I started regretting why I didn't listen to my mother when I still have the chance to listen to her speak and hear the mellow tone that was her voice.

"This is the worst day I've had ever!"

I closed my eyes again upon hearing Sakura's strident voice—imagining a telephone ringing persistently at such an ungodly hour—before I dragged myself out of the bed and opened my door slightly to check out what's happening in time to see her fresh-out-of-the-bed messy look—complete with her PJs and the devastation that was her auburn hair—while glaring angrily at her cell phone. She was pacing around the room at God knows what time already—it's only ten minutes past four AM—complaining that today is her worst day ever when the day hasn't even begun yet.

I got out of my room, too, and stood lazily by the door. "What's wrong, Sakura? Cat got your tongue—"

"Arg! Why did he decided to come here?!" she screamed again, not even having the presence of mind that despite the noise she was creating, I was here to accompany her. And besides that, I worry that if Shizuko awakens, the room will turn into a bloody mess. God knows that very woman belongs to the Cretaceous Period—she acts like a dinosaur!

"What the hell are you fuzzing about now, Hanazono?"

Ah, speaking of the Devil. When Shizuko eyed me since Sakura hasn't answered and continued pacing around the room like she had done a murder last night, I shrugged. "Hey, don't ask me. I've just recently woke up upon hearing her screaming her guts out." I eyed Shizuko from head to toe and blushed beet red upon seeing that she was into nightgowns. And damn, must I say, she was really sexy.

Shizuko, after clearing her throat, glared at me. "What the hell are you staring at?"

Oh, I forgot the dinosaur—I mean, the woman—was a grumpy troll every time she wakes. "Nothing. I just thought you're really sexy." I chuckled darkly at her when she grimaced at me and gazed at Sakura's direction again when she slumped down the couch and started banging her head against the light purple wall behind her. I couldn't help but grimaced, too. "Hey, Sakura, what's wrong?"

"He's coming here!" she shrieked at me, and I cringed away since her voice was just too high that it was almost possible to rip my eardrums off.

Next to me, Shizuko rolled her pale grey eyes. "Who is?" she asked in irritation. Clearly, she was put off that she was awakened by Sakura's screams and not because her alarm clock is ringing like a banshee.

Sakura exhaled, and I thought there was a hint of desperation on her voice when she muttered, "Kuga Sakurai."

"Okay." I nodded. "Who the hell is that?"

"My fiancé!" she wailed at us. "My fiancé! You know, future husband! Someone I never wanted to marry in the first place! A completely arrogant jerk that isn't admirable at all!"

I'd snorted at that. "Says the woman whose been glorifying some school icon who was more of a frog than a Prince." I muttered with a roll of my eyes. She glared at me but I merely ignored her. "Come on, you better start preparing yourself now. I don't want to get late at school and be blamed by you because you were throwing a tantrum." I started to move back to my room again but paused midway upon hearing her groan. In the end, I sighed. I made a turn to the kitchen a pour her cup some warm chocolate before I placed it down the center table and smiled a small one to her to brighten up her awful demeanor. "Here. Chocolates always makes me feel better so, help yourself."

She stared at the cup for a moment and darted a quick glance on me before her pale arm stretched forward to reach out for the cup. "Thanks."

"I want one, too." Surprise, I snapped my head to Shizuko who was still standing by the doorframe and watching the two of us. She was just so silent it was almost scary. "Do you mind?"

"Uh… no." I blinked because her eyes were too intent into staring into mine that as though I was on cloud nine, I walked back to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for us.

What a weird way to start the day.

.

I pulled off my hood upon I entered the library since the building itself was about an entire mile away from the main educational facilities and I've used my free time as an excuse to head to the Library since I haven't been into the said place ever since I arrived here about three weeks ago. I smiled at the librarian on duty and dropped my things on the desk by the windows and proceeded to the Lit. Section when I ended up colliding against this same guy—Aoi Hyoudo—when I rounded the corner.

I stared up at him in surprise; clearly I didn't know he's the type to spend the free time in the Library, too, before I bent down to pick up the books he had in his hands before we collided against each other. "S-Sorry—"

He snorted at me. "Were you always like that?"

"Huh?"

"Were you always like that?" he repeated, snatching the books on my hand and picking the others quickly. "You're really a troublemaker. No wonder I don't like you ever since I first saw you."

I was mortified at that. I might be so used with Sakura's sharp tongue but I haven't encountered anybody yet—especially members of the opposite sex—to ever say he doesn't like me. I know I was supposed to feel awful and humiliated but I didn't know why I didn't feel neither of the two. I laughed at him, ignoring the condescending look he had on his face, before I reached forward to pat him on the head. "Thanks. That's the first time someone ever told me they hated me. I didn't know it would make me feel this happy." I laughed again. "You must be thinking I'm so weird."

He stared at me for an entire minute before blushing and looking away. "You're Aoi Hyoudo, right? I've been hearing a lot from you. I'm Ayuzawa Misaki… and even though it's a bit weird, thanks for hating me." I chuckled darkly again. "You're the same as my roommates." You don't get affected by me at all.

Aoi snorted, slapping my hand away before he walked away to his seat.

I went on to my own destination and grab a thick copy of Sense and Sensibility and headed right straight to my table only to pause upon seeing that Aoi was occupying the same table, too. Well, it was a table for four. I don't mind sharing. I sat right in front of him and smiled. "Hah, we meet again—"

"Shut up." He mumbled while scanning through the contents of his book. I didn't know that despite his feline looks, he actually had such alluring voice. I sneak a glance at him; regarding the bluish black hair and his red eyes that was more like the color of molten lava. His skin was pale and I stared shamelessly at the expose flesh of his muscled arm since his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. I sighed, and went on reading anyway when Aoi spoke again.

"So, how are you faring with the accident last week?"

I paused at that, my eyes narrowing at the moment before I forced out a smile. "I'm fine now. I just… I just hope the guy wasn't expelled. It wasn't his fault."

"Why wasn't it his fault? He attacked you, didn't he?" his eyebrow was arched as he said that. "You're really a weird woman. And Shizuko was right when she said your eyes are distracting."

I stared up at him in surprise. "You know Shizuko?"

"She's my cousin."

"Oh." I see. No wonder he had the same personality as that stone hearted woman. Now I know who he reminds me of. "So, my eyes are distracting, huh?" I simply decided to play it off well. "I get that a lot." Aoi snorted at me again before he turned in his full attention on the book he was reading.

On the other hand, I simply exhaled. I guess I wouldn't really be that peaceful here.

.

It literally surprised me to know that Gym class is actually a class that both genders shared together.

It was almost mercenary—the bad luck, you know? It was already made known from the start that I'd faced nothing but bad luck until the curse was passed down to my child—which would never ever happen—but seriously, does it really have to be this bad? Wherever I'd look, I'd see sadistic people—people who would stare at me as if I was a walking disaster that needed to be immediately kicked out of the Academy.

And if that so ever happens, where else would I go now?

I told Mom that I wouldn't return home until the curse is over and has been thrown to oblivion. I told them I'd stay here and accomplished things I've always wanted to accomplish right from the start. I told them I'd stay away so they wouldn't be dragged in to my troubles. And I won't be eating my words now just because people of this Academy have been treating me like a human trash can. I've undergone even crueler things than this. They won't be able to put me off now. I've been a lone fighter. I know I can do this.

Yukimura was already smiling at the sight of me exiting the girls' locker room and he immediately swept me off the ground for a tight bear hug. "Why, hello to you too, troublemaker. When I found out from Cherry Blossoms that we're all sharing Gym class, I became so happy that I could sing."

"Don't, please. I don't want to hear it. The weather is already bad enough, Yuki." I laughed when he snickered playfully at me and wordlessly whacked me hard on my back. Ah, Yukimura is really a breath of fresh air. With his usually sunny demeanor, he pushes off the storm clouds that seem to be looming over me every damn day. Slightly punching his hard chest, I grinned… until it fell off my lips. "Who's Cherry Blossoms?"

"Don't nickname me after a friggin' tree, you idiot!"

Ah. Of course, it's Sakura. "That's why I was asking. You don't have to shout." I spun around to face her only to see her glaring at Yukimura heatedly. "Lover's quarrel?"

Yukimura exploded with laughter. "Hell yeah, it was."

"That—ugh, I don't even want to call you a guy—guy is nowhere near my lover—"

"But you're still calling me a guy…" Yukimura sing-songed while prancing around and grinning a toothy one. "—I know you're attracted on me in some way."

She returned his enthusiastic grin into her own versions of sarcasm. "Some way is going down the drainage now. I don't like you, Souichirou—"

"I love you too, Cherry Blossoms-dear—yikes!" I laughed when he suddenly made a mad dash towards the Gym as Sakura finally snapped and charged after him while screeching the words, "You bastard!"

I settled on to picking up Yukimura's towel that fell off the ground and Sakura's pouch which she carries around every day and made my way towards the gymnasium when I ended up colliding against someone probably tons taller and bigger and less delicate than I. I looked up, startled; only to end up meeting a pair of harsh hazel green eyes that belonged to none other than the person I least wanted to see. Usui Takumi. But instead of dishing out a snarky comment since I absolutely and really, really dislike him now, I shrugged—not even bothering to apologized—and entered the huge dome-like structure. I look around and searched for the stupid couple that is still engaged in what seemed like sprinting to me.

I sighed. Those children, really.

"Hey, Misaki, over here!" I spun upon hearing Hideki's familiar voice and immediately saw him standing next to a bench where Shizuko—and Kanou—are seated altogether. He was holding a purple fan and seemed to be fanning Shizuko who was currently eating some kind of muffin.

I grinned at Shizuko and pointed out her food. "Didn't Lunch just ended recently?"

She shrugged, purple eyes obviously bored. "Well, it isn't like I've got a proper lunch with all your haters glaring our table a while ago." I glared at her—since her statement was so obvious and clearly directed on me—while she simply shrugged and continued to eat.

Hideki smiled at me in apology. "You already know that her tongue is as sharp as a knife."

"Well, yeah I've known that much." I muttered, looking over at Sakura and Yukimura again who weren't done yet with their brawl. "I think he likes her."

Hideki laughed. "You'd be surprised once those two finally settle things with the way their relationship—even as barely friends—is going way, way downhill."

"Yeah. That is so like Yukimura and Sakura." And then I froze and practically tackled Hideki down the floor. "Wait, so he actually likes her? Oh, my God. No wonder he takes it as a pleasure to bully her—Yukimura, that dork."

Hideki simply laughed while Kanou-kun grinned as Sakura finally caught Yukimura by the collar of his gym shirt and beat the hell out of him. Ah, the power of young love. When our coaches arrived—male to males and female to female students—we said our goodbyes to each other and made our own ways to our own coaches. I throw Yuki's towel on his direction and handed Sakura's pouch to her with which she received gingerly and while breathing hard.

I grinned at her. "You needed water."

"Hell yeah, I do. That bastard Yukimura never fails to tire me out of my head." After a series of discussion about a brief review of the prerequisites needed to pass Gym class, I volunteered to buy both Sakura and Shizuko drinks since the vending machine was placed just right before the girls' locker room. I got the money from my wallet and made a dash out of the dome and towards the said machine only to completely regret becoming The Good Samaritan at the sight of Usui Takumi seated on the bench beside the vending machine while staring at his phone with a furious expression on his face.

Oh, great. I can't simply return there empty-handed. Those two are food whores. They'd kill me once they realized I lead them on. Before I could even sneak away and search for another vending machine—since I thought I saw another one somewhere around nearby—Takumi had snapped his annoyed eyes back up at me and for the briefest of moments, I thought his expression softened up a bit.

"Polka." He acknowledges.

And he ruins the moment by blurting out that perverted nickname. Defeated, I walked towards the machine and made a quick decision with regards to the drink I'd choose. "My, you really aren't that polite, huh, Chief Usui?" I said as sarcastically as I could. "Well, what can I say to the Academy Icon who everybody thought of as a role model when he's more of a frog than a Prince?"

He didn't reply and I didn't dare push my luck into throwing a confused glance on his direction since he didn't even bother to retort back to my nasty comment about his attitude. I gave up, and got the drink—lemon juice for the two and orange juice for me since I love everything that has tangerine in it—and was about to head back to the gym when Usui's hand suddenly slammed softly against the machine right at the corner of my head and before I could even realized what's happening—with my back facing him—he already had his head leaning against my shoulder.

The only thing I could do is fall completely stiff.

I wanted to pushed him off because what he's doing is illegal until he suddenly leaned away, got one of the juices, leaned forward to whisper something in my ear before he walked away again and towards the gym with one hand on his pocket. I heaved out a sigh of relief when he was finally gone.

Seriously, what the hell was that for?

Or rather, what the hell do I'd know your secret soon meant?

I decided to ignore him and walked back to the Gym since we have a game going on until I notice that the orange juice I bought for myself was already gone.

I could only exhale. Stupid Usui.

I stretched my arms and limbs and reached out for my toes in preparation for the volleyball game our coaches had told us to participate on. I was good at sports—that was one thing I'm so proud of. Well, I wasn't that good, really, but at least I can defend myself when it comes to ball games. I remembered participating on a few high school games once but then, because of some unavoidable circumstances, I was kicked out of the game and became a bench warmer for the better part of the year. After that, I decided to quit the team because I know the coach just didn't have the heart to kicked me out and went on to playing with Mom since no would play with me.

After securing the laces of my shoes, I walked towards the court along with Sakura since we're on the team. As for Shizuko, she doesn't like playing so she threatened the coach that if they involve her on the team, she'd eventually wreak havoc. That scum. There were five of us on the team: myself, Sakura, and three others named Honoka, Subaru and Erika while on our opposing team, I could only recognized Kaon Umekoji-san. Upon seeing me, she waved enthusiastically at me and since she's probably the only girl here who was kind at me—except the friends I made—I waved back at her and gave her a thumbs up.

I winced, though, when someone elbowed me on the ribs—hard—and snarled at me. "Get your head in the game, Ayuzawa." Sakura hissed. "I want to get an A here. And will you please stop waving at that Umekoji woman!"

My forehead creased. "Why? She's kind. She's the only girl here who was kind to me." when she glared at me, I smiled. "Apart from you and Shizuko, of course. Don't be mad now."

"Shut up." She elbowed me again and went to her position since the game was about to begin. And when our Gym coach whistled loudly that sent eerie vibrations all over my spine, I swear I saw how Kaon's eyes narrowed as she stared at me while wearing that really creepy smile.

My forehead creased. Whoa, did I just imagine that?

.

The ball flew upwards, like a parabola, and Sakura was fast as she tossed it towards my direction. The game had been going on for a good half an hour and since I like volleyball so much—and I didn't know Sakura likes it too much, too—we didn't allow ourselves to be substituted and continued on playing even if our other three members were already replaced by another set of girls for about twice already. Sakura was good and it would be an understatement if I told her she was plain good because she was better at it. She's been doing a lot of heavy spikes and smashes lately and sometimes, I couldn't help but think that she was purposefully doing that because she wanted to hit Kaon Umekoji on the face.

I waited towards the ball to come my way, preparing for the spike when the world started to spin and it felt like my soul was about to get ripped off my body. On my peripheral view, I thought I saw a flicker of green and blonde but I didn't want to check out who it was because I fear I might see Usui Takumi and that odd way of heartbeat might start occurring again. I fought against the oppressing blackness that seemed to be blockading my sight, ignoring the also odd way my bracelet reacted since it was starting to go abnormally warm that it was almost burning my skin, and glared at the ball on my way, raising my hand swiftly and jumping on the process before slamming it hard passed the net with unnecessary force before I landed on the ground.

But I guess I wasn't so lucky because my fall was wrong and when my feet hit the ground, I tripped and rolled by my ankle, sending me flat on my stomach. I didn't know how it happened, and it all happened so fast that I wasn't even sure if the ball really went pass the net. And add the fact that I hit my head pretty hard that the dizziness was becoming pretty persistent.

I winced, too, when someone hit me on the back which didn't go well with my aching ankle and recognized Sakura's voice as she said, "Way to go, Ayuzawa!" along with the loud cheers and sounds of students clapping and screaming. I looked up, confused by the sudden cheers until I saw people gathering around the opposing team that I realized I hit someone when I spike the ball with a sharp smash.

My forehead creased. "Oh, my God! Did I hit someone?!"

I didn't know why she looked so enthusiastic but I didn't care much about it anymore because I was more worried about the student I hit. Sakura nodded. "You did. Umekoji."

Umekoji—"Kaon?!" I screeched, quickly bolting up to my feet but regretted it anyway because it seemed as though I sprained my ankle—again. I fell down on the ground again on my knee and quickly sat up properly to nurse my ankle. "Owch! Owch! M-My feet—"

"Are you okay?" Sakura aided me, and I cursed my own stupidity when it was set on the wrong time because I needed to check out Kaon's condition. She slapped my hand away and started probing that spot on my ankle carefully. But every touch just hurts that she raised her hand to call our coach. "Coach, Misaki sprained her feet!"

Eyes were on me immediately and amongst the sea of amused faces, Usui Takumi's face was the only thing that registered in my head. I tried to ignore the look he had on his face and glanced back at Kaon again as she stood up while being help around by her fellow group mates who threw a bland look on my direction. Kaon emerged from the middle and started walking towards me until she was already standing in front of me.

"Kaon, I—" I started because she has been kind to me before and I don't really want to ruin her trust on me. "I'm sorry—"

She smiled at me, although I'm not sure why I don't feel safe on her smile. "It's okay. I know you didn't do that on purpose. Are you okay?"

I was in a daze, and after warming up severely, my bracelet started to go extremely cold next that I could almost feel my skin prickle. I winced, not because of the sprain but because of the effect of the bracelet. I darted a quick glance on Takumi who was still seated next to Hideki and the others—who all look worried—and flicked as my bracelet reacted even more abnormally.

I turned back to Kaon, forcing out a smile. "Y-Yes. It's just my… my foot."

She kneeled next to me to hold my wrist and I winced as slight pressure was place on my bracelet before grinning again. My eyes rounded when she leaned forward and whispered on my ear, her voice no longer friendly and approachable. "You deserve that, witch. And I'm telling you right now that this is where our life and death game starts."

She leaned up again, leaving me as flabbergasted as ever because this would be the first time she showed me such attitude I didn't know she was capable of. Kaon smiled again, while her friends started whispering to each other while sneering at me, and lowered her head to the Coach who finally had the nerve to approach us.

And in a friendly way, Kaon said, "Coach, I think Misaki-san sprained her ankle. She should be brought to the Infirmary."

The Coach eyed me again before turning to Kaon. "What about you, Umekoji-san? Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm perfectly fine. Misaki-san, however, I don't think so."

"I'll bring her." I snapped my head towards Shizuko's direction with Hideki following behind her and watched her scare the Coach again with the expression on her face that wasn't really there. "Hideki will carry her. Misaki, you can't stand, right?"

"I'd try—"

"Don't push it." She cut me off and nodded at Hideki who excused himself and smiled at me good-naturedly before lifting me off the ground. "Do excuse us." He said to the Coach and started walking off.

I clutched onto his shoulders and darted a glance on Kaon again who had that fake smile plastered on her face before risking another glance on Usui Takumi whose eyes were still focused on me—and I wasn't sure why. Our eyes locked for a moment and I didn't know why my heart reacted that way when he held my gaze until I could no longer see him. I looked down, wincing when both ankle and wrist started to prickle again, and shut my eyes closed.

How terrible… and scary.

Kaon's sinister smile flashed inside my head again and I started wondering why her smile and her words felt familiar… like I've heard it before… quite a long time ago.

.

AB