Chapter 20: Melting the Ice

Rukawa regrets having agreed to that interview. None of these things would have happened if only he had refused to do the interview. He did decline –several times in fact, but she was too stubborn, so infuriatingly persistent in her attempts, so damn determined to have her way, that he conceded in the end.

He sighed inwardly. When did he become such a pushover? All that commotion could have been avoided if he just stood firm in his refusal.

He could have saved himself an awful lot of trouble; he could have prevented her from being hurt – he closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep, but he kept seeing the vivid image of her tear-stained face in his mind.

He wishes that he never got to hear any of it. He should have minded his own business, stay out of their personal affairs, but he found himself hovering in the hallway, listening blatantly. He couldn't help but overhear their conversation as they were blocking his way to the staircase. He could hear the anger in her voice, as well as the pain and hurt lacing her every word. He wishes that he could pretend that he is not affected by these revelations. And just when he decided he didn't want to hear any more, as it made him feel things he wasn't prepared to feel, she suddenly appeared in front of him, almost colliding into him in her haste to escape. He reflexively reached out to steady her and made the mistake of looking into her face. The look of anguish in those brown eyes will forever be etched in his brain.

He straightened up in his chair and glanced at the classroom's wall clock. Second period will start in five minutes and she still hasn't returned.

Not that he care whether she misses class. He was just merely curious, he reminded himself. He just wanted her to return to class so he could stop overthinking and have his goddamn sleep back. The lack of sleep was starting to give him a headache.

She arrived before third period begins. She walked past him with her head down, hair falling like a curtain, concealing her face. Everyone in class regarded her with unabashed curiosity. She ignored their stares and the concerned comments from her seatmates and busied herself by reading a book but he knows it's all just for pretend because she's been stuck reading the same page for quite some time. Realizing that he's staring, he quickly averted his gaze and buried his head on the desk. Now that his curiosity has been satisfied and he doesn't have to bother himself on her whereabouts, he could finally acquire his much needed sleep.

Only sleep did not come.

xxxxx

True to her word, she never spoke to him again. He should be pleased, ecstatic even, that he would never got to deal with her again, the girl who seems to spend a great deal of her time deliberately annoying him.

But when you get used to something, it's hard not to notice when it disappears all of a sudden. His morning started with her greeting him in an overly cheery tone, asking him if he had a goodnight's sleep in her usual sarcastic manner and informing him that she's 'patiently' waiting for his response regarding the interview. Halfway through the class, she would slip him some questionnaires, which remained untouched on his desk, much to her chagrin. Towards the end of the last class, she would become more aggressive and audacious in her attempts to get him to agree, using all kinds of tricks she could think of. He found her stubbornness irritating and amusing at the same time.

So when she decided to ignore him all of a sudden, he didn't know what to make of his... feelings? Should he feel insulted and used? After all, he has never experienced being ignored before; usually it's him who does the snubbing, not the other way around. The thought that he's spending too much time analyzing her every action made him scowl. He doesn't like it, not one bit. Not only was she jeopardizing his sleep, she also made him feel things that he wasn't prepared to feel.

xxxxx

Did he ever mention that he regrets doing the interview? And if only he could travel back in time, he would undo all of it.

That one mistake had caused him a new great deal of trouble. Girls from all sorts of club had flocked to him asking if they could also do an interview with him. And when he downright refuses them, their reply will be, "You said yes to Yohei-chan, what made you agree?"

Because she's too pigheaded to listen and wouldn't take no for an answer.

Because she's resolute and unwavering.

Because when she's not bugging him about the interview, she looks sad most of the time, an air of melancholy surrounding her.

And now, he realized the reason behind that look of despair and having seen the devastation and hurt in her eyes within close proximity, he cannot unsee it. He swore that he could still feel the pain emanating off from her.

He knew that most of the students regarded him as callous and emotionless; he almost wishes it was true, so he won't have to experience the uncomfortable tightness in his chest whenever he thinks of her.

xxxxx

Rukawa awoke to the gentle drops of rain falling on his face, and he mumbled a few curse words aimed towards the sky for ruining his sleep before getting up and making his way towards the rooftop exit door.

As he descended the staircase, he saw a tall, lanky guy standing at the mid-landing, his face looks ashen (and somehow familiar) as he clutched a folded piece of paper in his hand.

He ignored him as he passed him by, even though it was obvious to him that the guy wanted to speak with him.

"Ru-Rukawa." He heard him called his name, but he continued walking anyway. "Please wait."

He heaved an annoyed sigh and turned to look at him with a 'speak fast, I haven't got all day' stare.

The lanky guy suddenly bowed, his waist bent at 90 degrees angle. Good thing Rukawa had quick reflexes, because if not, the guy's skull would have pummelled towards his chest.

"Forgive me, Rukawa! It was my fault."

His brows knitted in confusion.

"Mizuki-chan's innocent!" Lanky boy shouted, eyes wide and fearful, his shoulders were stooped as he wrung his hands, crumpling the paper he's holding. "She wasn't involved in all of these. The truth was I emailed the article even though I was fully aware that it was not the original piece."

Rukawa's jaw clenched reflexively at the guy's revelation.

"Hit me, punch me in the face all you want, but please, don't blame Mizuki-chan. I wasn't thinking of the consequences... I was just so consumed by my.. by my need for revenge."

'Revenge?'

Rukawa stared at him, his azure eyes hard and searching, racking his brain trying to think where he'd seen him before, but his mind came up blank.

Lanky boy stopped his rambling when he noticed the ace player's expression.

"You- you don't recognize me?"

"Should I?" He deadpanned.

"My seat is just in front of you."

"Huh."

Lanky boy let out a defeated sigh.

Rukawa started to walk away but the boy blocked his path and then handed him the crumpled piece of paper. "This is the original article written by Mizuki. Please take the time to read it as she worked so hard on it."

Lanky boy was gone before Rukawa had time to react.

He stood still, unsure of what to do. He eyed the folded paper in his hands. After a long thoughtful moment, he shoved the paper in his pants pocket.

Unbidden, his mind flashed back to how her chestnut eyes had sparkled with genuine happiness when he finally agreed to do the interview. How she looked so vulnerable, her face contorting into a mask of hurt when she inquired about his mother. "I think you're beautiful too, Rukawa-kun. Inside and out." The way she whispered those words with such raw tenderness and sincerity made his heart race.

Rukawa felt his resolve waver. With a sigh, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the paper and began to read.

xxxxx

It was still raining when he exits the stairwell and stepped into the third floor hallway.

He walked with his head down and hands in his pockets, ignoring the stares and whispers he regularly received.

He did notice that there seems to be a great number of students loitering in the hallway during this time of the day and that their attentions were somehow fixed on what was happening below.

As he walked passed them, he couldn't help but hear snippets of their conversation.

"She's still there?"

"Somebody oughta put some sense on that girl. Does she want to get sick or something?"

"Attention whore." Some girl commented bitterly.

"What is she doing?"

He blocked the steady murmur of conversation around him, until he heard the name:

"Yohei Mizuki."

Rukawa abruptly froze in his tracks.

"Damn, she's a total wacko."

"What do you expect? She's friends with that red headed freak."

"Birds of the same feathers flock together."

There was a chorus of laughter from a group of boys. They were too engrossed in what was happening on the field to pay any attention to him.

"Who's that fatso running after her?"

"Oh, I think that's Nozomi. Another buddy of that psycho redhead. Figures. They are all a bunch of weirdos."

"Don't let Sakuragi hear you call him that."

"Nah. He's suspended. Along with Yohei Mito and that blondie and moustache guy."

Rukawa found himself leaning forward to the concrete balcony overlooking the track and soccer field. He squinted to see into the distance and through the slow drizzle, and he saw two figures running in the field.

Besides him, the group of boys fell into a hushed silence when they finally became aware of him.

"He also can't stand that redhead." The student who was throwing insults at Sakuragi reacted defensively.

"Still, better be careful."

Rukawa slowly turned away and began to walk down the hallway.

He doesn't care.

"Aww. She tripped again."

His fists closed into tight balls at his side. He remembered her tripping numerous times because of that damn shoelace that always becomes untied. He shrugged off the memory and resumed his steps.

He doesn't care.

He repeated the words that had recently become his mantra ever since he had met her.

xxxxx

He can't fucking sleep.

How is that even possible?

He's the Grand Master in the art of sleeping. It was something –aside from basketball, that he excelled at.

Rukawa banged his head on the table in irritation. With his right cheek pressed against the table, his gaze once again went to the window, where the rain has eased off.

He straightened up in his seat, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He then stood up and began walking out of the classroom. Practice will commence in a few minutes, he might as well do something productive.

But it seems his feet had a mind of their own. Instead of heading to his intended destination -which is the gym, he found himself sauntering across the damp grass of the field.

'What in the hells am I doing?'

He had very little time to ponder the question as he saw her unconscious form lying on the ground, with the portly guy in glasses struggling to lift her up. He noticed two boys wearing baseball jersey approaching from the opposite direction running towards to help the pair.

Rukawa quickened his pace. He smiled inwardly in satisfaction when he got there first.

But his triumph lasted only for a mere seconds. She looks to be in so much worse condition up close. Her face and body were splattered with mud; her delicate features were dull and ashy gray. She appeared lifeless. His throat constrict at the thought of her never waking up.

He knelt down, put his fingers on her neck to check for a pulse.

"She's not dead, right?" The bespectacled boy, whose name he couldn't recall, asked quietly.

Rukawa cast him a deadly glare.

"Yohei-senpai!" One of the baseball players yelled as they draw nearer. Rukawa shifted his menacing scowl towards the newcomers. But the two students barely give him a glance. They knelt down beside him, fussing over her. "We need to bring her to the clinic." The boy with the funny bowl like haircut said. "Come on, help me carry-" his voice died down in his throat when he finally took notice of him. "Ru-Rukawa-senpai."

Without further ado, he gathered her in his arms, not caring if his uniform got wet and stained, ignoring the shocked gasps from the two underclassmen and fat boy's grunt of protest, ignoring the whispering voices and pointed fingers that followed his path, ignoring what will be the repercussion of this unusual behaviour, ignoring the strange stirrings in his chest. Ignoring everything and everyone around him except her.

xxxxx

It had been two days since he'd last seen her.

If he thought the situation after he agreed to the interview was terrible, the last two days were even worse.

It was hell.

His hordes of fans were more brazen and blatant in expressing their 'undying' love for him. If they're not hunting and stalking him like a predator to its prey, they were suddenly fainting in front of him. He even got dubbed with the ridiculous nickname, 'The Silent Knight' after his heroic rescue of rooftop girl.

It was driving him insane.

This is why he was currently situated in the far end of the school ground, his back leaning against the concrete brick wall enclosing the campus, his form hidden behind a large maple tree. He needed a break from all the chaos. He needed a break from all thoughts racing through his head. He needs some peace and quiet. He needs his sleep, damn it.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, clearing his thoughts. After a few minutes of meditation, he felt his muscles began to relax and his mind began to clear. He felt himself finally drifting off into slee-

"Oommppph!"

Rukawa fell forward to the ground when someone suddenly launched themselves from the wall above him.

"Oh shit! I'm sorry!" A girl's voice cried out as she scrambled to get off him.

He went still.

There could be no mistaking that voice.

He hasn't heard of that voice in a very long time.

"Rukawa?"

He pushed himself back to a sitting position and meets Mizuki's horrified gaze.

Her hands flew to her mouth, muffling her words. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy, her hair in disarray, a leaf stuck to the side of her head, stepping from one leg to another as she didn't quite meet his stare.

"It's the second time I collided into you." She said with a sheepish smile.

"Third time." He replied absently.

"Eh?"She tilted her head to the side, confused.

He stood up and dusted his pants off, ignoring her silent query.

"Cutting classes, huh?" He asked before he could stop himself.

She shot him a panicked look. "This is the first time I ditched class, I swear. It's not -" she paused, her expression turning to one of incredulity. She then raised her eyebrows with a scoff. "You're one to talk. You're always skipping class."

Rukawa shrugged unapologetically.

They stood silently under the old tree, not quite meeting each other's eyes.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her glanced at her watch.

"Free period is about to end in a few minutes. We'd better go." She suggested as she adjusted her backpack. She paused and looked at him nervously. "I mean, I should go now."She said, quickly amending her statement.

She lifted her arm to give an awkward wave before turning away.

"I've read the article."

'What the heck is he doing? He's initiating conversation now?'

She whipped her head around to stare at him. There was a prolonged moment of uncomfortable silence before he heard her speak.

"Which article? My piece or the botched-up one?"

Rukawa figured there was no turning back now.

"Yours."

A faint blush stole across her cheeks. "Oh?"

"So…." She trailed off as she fidgeted with her fingers. "How was it?"

He shrugged as he slipped both hands inside his pants pockets.

She exhaled, disappointment clearly written on her face when he didn't give her an answer.

"Where were you?"

He hadn't meant to ask her that, but the words had spilled out almost of their own accord.

He could feel her heavy gaze on him, those warm almond eyes observing him attentively, studying him like some complex organism under a microscope.

"I went to see Hanamichi."

At the mention of the redhead's name, anger flared in the pit of his stomach, but he tamped it down. But she seems to be able to sense his sudden change of mood as she immediately came to the Dou Ahou's defense.

"I hope you can forgive Hanamichi for what he did. He's currently suffering from a severe case of inferiority complex which drove him to do stupid things." She said, taking a deep breath. "I know the two of you don't get along very well.."

He gave a little snort. " That's the understatement of the century."

"But I hope that you will give him a chance to redeem himself. Who knows, maybe the two of you will turn out to be best buddies."

"I highly doubt it."

He glanced at her, expecting to see disappointment, but instead, a small smile curl her lips.

"The first time I met Hanamichi, I didn't like him."

"Who doesn't?"

A giggle escaped from her lips. He hadn't heard that sound in ages.

"My, my, we're quite chatty today, huh?" She teased, eyes sparkling with mischief.

He inwardly rolled his eyes, ignoring the sudden quickening of his pulse.

'What's wrong with him?'

"So, is this your new hide out?" She asked, scanning the place. Her eyes then widened in excitement as she recognized the tree besides her. "Oh! It's a momiji tree!"

"You know, I have my own momiji tree back home, but this one is much bigger. And definitely older."

"Who's the talkative one now?" He said with a tsk.

Her smile became rueful. "Sorry. I forgot my promise not to bother you again. I should -"

"I like it when you talk."

'He really, really needs to sleep. Exhaustion is turning him crazy'

He shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny.

"Is that your way of saying you enjoyed my company, momiji-kun?" She asked him, almost smugly.

"You mean your annoying company? No, I don't."

She looked at him for several seconds before bursting up into laughter. "You're a terrible liar, you know that right?"

He felt the tips of his ears reddened.

"For the record, I like it when you talk too. Very much." She added shyly.

Despite his best efforts to keep his expression as solemn as possible, Rukawa couldn't fight the upward tug of his lips.