A/N: Hi and hello to those high and low! I managed to finish a chapter after a long time, I know that you've all been expecting this one for a REALLY long time, so was I honestly. Long story short, I lost the original file to the story which was at least 87% done. I know, "omg that was such a waste!", yes, I know it was. But thankfully I found a 15% version in my computer and continued on from there. There were A LOT of scenes that got deleted, replaced, edited and etc. Basically a lot was changed. So I didn't have a choice since I lost majority of the idea I had for the chapter and ended up making up new shit. Honestly, the whole write-up was rushed because I got so frustrated after looking for my file for months and only got to dig up only a tooth of the skeleton.

But I really hope that you'll like this one, at least.

Disclaimer: I don't own K nor anything from it, other than my OC (of course).

Give Me a Break

Chapter 17: Sei-chan

'Mikoto-kun'

Mikoto heard a voice calling out to him from a distant but completely ignored it, until it called out to him again but this time ever louder. He can hear the voice clearly this time and he felt like he heard it somewhere before, it sounded so familiar like distant memory calling out to him. It took him a while to realize that he was already running towards the source of that voice calling out to him, there was something about it that's attracting him, and he wanted to know whatever or whoever it is calling out to him.

'Mikoto-kun'

He heard it laugh, such a sweet and innocent laugh. Mikoto continued to run and run, his breath trying its best to catch up to him, until he sees a double door in the distance. He slams through the doors and was greeted by bright lights. Slowly, he opened his eyes as it adjusts itself to the surrounding and finds himself inside the public library. Looking around the place, Mikoto notices that there wasn't anyone around the area, it was dead silent. He climbed up the stairs to the second floor of the building, he can hear his footsteps echoing through the hall and felt like there wasn't a single soul in the area.

'Wait a minute' Mikoto pauses. 'I remember this place, I've been here before'

Mikoto continues to walk through the aisles between the shelves, glancing at the organized lineup of books as he passes by, until he reaches the end of the hall. There were a long line of empty chairs and tables next to the glass windows, from the corner of his eyes he can see a figure. He turned and saw someone seated at the end, with the person's back against him. He slowly walked up the seated person, his heart beating started racing for an unknown reason, as he comes up closer he can hear the person humming to a familiar tune.

He stops his feet as he stands at the side, taking a good look at the only living soul in the establishment other than himself. It was a young girl wearing a school uniform, similar to what Suoh wore during his high school days. She seemed busy as she furiously writes her notes on her notebook, her eyes firing with determination behind those thick framed glasses, while her other belongings were all neatly placed at the side.

'Sei-chan…?'

Mikoto called out with hesitation in his tone, his heart was racing like mad and he felt like he wanted to run away, fearing on what's going to happen next. The other person heard him and tilted her head to meet his gaze, it felt like time slowed down as he watches her eyes flutter open as she reveal those beautiful pair of purple eyes. Her face looked like it was glowing under the orange light beaming from the sunset through the glass windows of the library and her beautiful blonde hair shone like gold under the warm light.

'It is you'

It was her, she was the girl from his, the girl he shared laughs with, the girl that he became friends with, the girl that fallen in love with and the girl he lost. For many years he thought the he could just easily forget about her yet he realizes that as time goes on he still couldn't forget a single moment he had with her. She was a shadow that follows him around, a ghost that haunts him in the night and nightmare that attacks him in his sleep. There was never a day that he didn't about her and there was never a night that he didn't worry about her. Even until now, she was his everything.

'Mikoto-kun,' Taking off her glasses as she places it at the side, her gentle-looking expression suddenly changed to a more bitter-looking expression. 'You're late, again'

Mikoto felt like tears were about to come out from the corner of his eyes as he felt a rush of happiness spreading through his whole body. It felt like a dream, a wondrous dream, and a dream that he never wanted to wake up from. He reached out his hand to touch her, wishing that the moment he touches she wouldn't disappear like before. Mikoto cups her cheek, he sees her cheeks turn pink and her lips curl to a smile.

She felt so real.

'Sorry, Sei-chan'

The so-called Sei-chan tilted her head as she finds comfort in Mikoto's large rough hands, she then holds his hand and hums to herself.

'I've always love Mikoto-kun's hands because they were always so warm'

At that moment Mikoto felt like he was the happiest man alive, having the person he loved for so long finally in front of him made him wished that time would stop on them forever. Everything was already perfect until something unfortunate happened.

Suddenly Mikoto's arm began to shake as red flames started to appear, and she disappeared.

...

The silence was then replaced by the sound of a crowd chanting words aloud and in unison, words that drowns him in his head.

'No blood. No bone. No ash.'

'No!'

Mikoto screamed as he woke up from his dream, as his voice echoes through the the whole room. He clutches his chest as he gasps for air, and he felt beads of sweat began trickling down his sat up on his bed and turned on the lights beside his bed, his eyes squinted as his vision begins to adjust to the sudden change of lighting. Looking at both of his arms, he notices that they were both showed signs of slight burns. He can smell the scent of burnt cloth in the air, he then discovers his white sheets covered in light brown burnt markings, which was the source of the burnt scent.

Not again, Mikoto mentally said to himself. It's already been a month since the Red King started having these nightmares, all of them were fragments of his pasts and all of theme were about her. In the beginning Mikoto thought it was just a bad side of nostalgia from the number drinks he had, but lately it's been getting worst and worst. And whenever he would experience those nightmares, his powers would suddenly burst out in his sleep, causing damage to his surroundings and himself.

The redhead looked back to his hands and sees them shaking, he can feel a surge of heat coursing through his body, another burst of energy is about to release itself. Mikoto clenched his fist and took a deep breath, listening to the silence of the room as he tries to calms himself down. It took a moment for him to stop shaking and his power to be at ease, but that didn't help him stop the sudden headache he just felt.

'Damn it!' He mumbles as he kicks off the covers and get out of bed. The Red King stumbled a bit on his attempt to stand but manages to catch himself with the support of the bedside table. He took small but cautious steps as he makes his way towards the bathroom in his room, his steps would cause the wooden floorboards to creak, making his headache even worse.

He pushed the bathroom door open and had one hand blindly search for the light switch, with the lights turned on he made his way to the sink. Looking at himself, he feels disgusted with the reflection he sees. Those tired-looking eyes, making him look like a soulless being with a heavy burden. That anxious look on his face, making him look and feel so vulnerable and so weak. He hated it, he hated his reflection, he hated himself.

Turning on the tap, he cupped his hands together and splashed his face with water. The feeling of cold water splashed on to his face was enough to wake him up and his senses. He then opened the medical cabinet behind the mirror and took out the two small container labeled Diazepam and Aspirin, the redhead popped both open and took a pill from each. He then swallows both together, both his palms were placed at the rim of the sink, and let out a deep breath.

Mikoto waited for a the drugs to kick in before heading back to bed. He sat down on the side of the bed and pre-occupied himself with his thoughts for a moment. Ever since these nightmares started coming every night in Suoh's dreams, Kusanagi and Totsuka have started worrying about the King's state since they were the only ones that knows about it. Kusanagi was the one that suggested the Red King to use prescribed drugs to help him with his sleeping problem, but it didn't help him much from having the King's room almost burned down multiple times.

At first Mikoto didn't wanted to take any pill, even though they were prescribed. He just didn't like the idea of his body to be forcibly enslaved the effects of a single pill, even though he knows that the problem is just all mental, it's all just in his head. But there were just nights when he couldn't handle the pain in his head and the panic that his body has been experiencing, which led him to no choice but to take the pills. He tries his hardest to not overdose himself because he doesn't want to go down that easily, he's practically thankful of his pride for once for it's the one that's keeping him alive.

The Red King turned his head to the bedside table and saw the picture of him and whole HOMRA Clan. It was a picture of all of them taken inside the Homra bar, they were all so happy and lively souls. He thought about those smiles turning into frowns when the news of their King dead due to a petty overdose, it sucked, he thought.

He then reached out for the bedside table's small drawer. Pulling it open, he takes out a photograph and takes a look at it. It was a picture taken from his high school days, which was eight years ago, during his freshman days. It was his sixteen year old self posing, basically standing, next to a girl of the same age, who he calls Sei-chan.

How Mikoto and Sei-chan became formally acquainted with one another happened to be one of the most comedic moments in their lives.

'Suoh-kun, this has been going on for far too long' The hint of frustration from Hinami's tone and expression has become evident enough for Mikoto to notice.

Hinami opens one of her desk drawer, taking out a bunch of papers and have all of them put out on her table for Suoh to see.

'Don't you see what all these are?' She pointed it out as the young redhead turns his gaze to the papers on the desk. They were all of his test papers from different subjects, all of them were failures, with marks that averages between 0-15/100.

'What do have to say for yourself then, mister?' Hinami turns to Mikoto with a mother-like attitude and Mikoto just stares back with a dull look on his face. It's already the sixth time he was called-in to the faculty this week, he was just thankful that it wasn't completely about his violent behavior.

'I don't really like studying that much' Mikoto said plainly, his eyes avoiding her teacher's superior look towards him. 'It had always been such a bother'

Hinami gasped, totally shocked and offended by her student's words. 'Suoh Mikoto!' She stood up from her chair with her hands on her hips, she was still a few inches shorter than him. 'How dare you utter such words in front of your educator like that? You should be grateful that your parents are still sending you to school'

Mikoto just gave a shrug in reply. He honestly didn't care much about school nor his studies, he just wanted sleep and go around freely, and not be bounded by classes and teachers yelling at you for sleeping in their classes. He doesn't like the idea of standardized tests and educational institutes would dictate your worth in the professional world. He thinks that it's stupid to wake up early in the morning, just to be told by people whom you call "teachers" worthless being with no future, just because you didn't pronounce a certain word in English right.

'It's seems like I have no choice' Hinami takes a deep breath and fixes her composure, guess shouting wouldn't even get to him. 'Suoh Mikoto' This time he turns to look at her, he notices she was wearing a triumphant smile on her face, 'Since you've been having problems when it comes to your academics, I have no choice but to have you a tutor'

'A tutor?!' He was shocked for a moment. 'You mean a person coming to my house everyday to teach me the same crap that my own teachers in school teach, that can't be possible'

'Yes' Hinami happily said.'I know that you wouldn't agree, so I took the liberty of informing your parents about it and they happily complied with my request, and it is free of charge'

'You can't be serious'

'Do these look serious to you?' Hinami pointed at the test papers on her desk. 'Look Suoh-kun, I am only doing this for your own good and you should take this opportunity to improve yourself'

'Like hell I would let some stranger come in and force me to learn' Suoh picked up his thing and turned away as heads for the door.

'Wait!' Hinami grabs on his arm. 'You won't be taught by some stranger, you actually know this person, you've been classmates for a long time'

'What?'

'I'm home' Mikoto barely said it aloud as he takes off his school shoes and enters the house, he walks towards the living room and could hear his mother laughing cheerfully.

'Ah Mikoto, welcome home' His mother greeted him as she stood from her seat. 'This is your new tutor, I never knew you were classmates before, she's a lovely girl'

It took Mikoto a moment to realize the presence of the guest, who is his new tutor, in the room. She was a girl just the same age as he is, she wore the similar uniform from his school, wore round glasses, blonde hair tied on both sides, and her eyes were purple. She looked familiar but could never really fish out her name.

'Welcome home Mikoto-kun' She stood as she greeted him with a slight bow. 'It's nice to see you again, it's been a while'

'I'll go and make some tea and snacks, why don't you both go up to Mikoto's room and get settled' Mikoto's mom said as she rushed to the kitchen while the both of them complied.

Mikoto let out a stressful sigh and rubbed the back of his neck, he didn't expect that the said-to-be-tutor would arrive today. It seems like he doesn't have a choice but to obey, since it seems like there is no escape for him.

'Follow me' Mikoto said as they both make their way up to his room. 'I hope you won't mind the mess-' The moment Mikoto opened door he was shocked to see his room all tidied up, this morning there were piles of clothes, unfinished chips, mangas, and games lying around the room. But now everything is so clean and spacious, it felt like he went into the wrong room.

'So this is your definition of messy?' The girl poked her inside the room. 'I was expecting you to literally have a messier room, going by your attitude'

'So did I…' Mikoto mumbled to himself. It seems like his mom cleaned his room for him, knowing that his tutor is coming over.

'Pardon the intrusion!' The girl steps inside the room and takes a seat on one of the cushion set out by the table, while Mikoto just threw his bag at the corner of his room and sat down on his computer chair,she then began setting her stuff on the short round table. 'So, according to Hinami-sensei, you're having a problem with all your academic subjects' She takes out a bunch of papers from her bag. 'Judging by the copies of your test papers, it seems to me that you don't have a chance of improving on your own'

'Ha?' He's starting to get pissed off with the girl in front of him. Even if this person claims that she has been his classmate ever since middle school, he doesn't even have the slightest clue on who she is. Then again, he never paid any notice to anyone in his class. He feels skeptical about some girl who claims to be his tutor and doesn't even asks for anything in return. 'Are you telling me that I'm stupid?'

'I did not say anything, if that's what you think then I'll leave you with that thought. But what I mean is that with my guidance, you can show some improvement, it just needs some time and hard work' She turns her gaze to Mikoto, their eyes finally meet, with her hands cupping her cheeks. Her stares makes Mikoto think that she trying to show on who's superior from the both of them, he didn't like it not one bit of it. 'Are we clear, Mikoto-kun?'

'You have got to be kidding me'

'Do I look like I'm joking?' Mikoto looks back at her, hard. Looking at her eyes, he can see signs of seriousness and determination.

Mikoto leaned back on his chair.'You're not kidding, aren't you?' And shakes her head in reply.

'I am not the type of person to joke around in situations like this, you are completely in need of my help. I was told that you have quite a reputation for have a temper and your stubbornness' Mikoto was completely annoyed and ended up kicking the side of his desk, creating a loud thump, yet the girl didn't flinch. 'Like just now, sigh. I know that you don't like me, I can tell by your looks and by the way you grit your teeth, you think that my presence here is a threat to your pride. But I can assure you that I am only here due to personal interest, which is to help you'

'Bullshit' Mikoto looks at her, hard, and sees no sign of her lying. 'A person like you, want to help someone like me? Yeah, that some shit to believe. You're not even paid to do this and so why bother?'

'I am in no need for money nor anything, just take it as act of kindness'

Mikoto still feels skeptical about her, a mysterious girl comes into his life and offers her help and doesn't asks for anything in return, he felt like his life just became a typical story from a manga. He was curious, his eagerness stresses him out, he knows that there is something off about her. Behind that pretty face, must be a dirty secret.

The redhead jumped off his computer chair and took a seat across his female guest, his hands were interlocked and his gaze was fixed on her face. 'Why are you looking at me like that?' She asked.

'Tell me the truth, why are you really here?' She let out a stressful sigh, here we go again, she thought. 'This is nothing but a waste of time and I am only here until six, so far we haven't even touch a single subject' She tries to reach for the English notebook next to Mikoto, but he slammed his fist on it before her fingers could go near it.

'Well you better start talking' He felt so proud of himself for a moment, he could feel himself dominating over her own stubbornness to tell the truth. Tension between the two began to rise as they both stared into one another, with none of them having the intention of giving up.

This occurred for a while, until she finally gave in. Turning her head away in defeat, she took a deep breath and turned back to her victorious opponent, whom greeted her with a smirk on his face. Oh how stubborn this boy is, she thought.

'Alright, you win' She declared with both hands on the table. 'But I have one condition'

He hates her. 'What is it this time?'

She's interested in him. 'You have an upcoming Math exam which is a week from now'

'Yeah, so?'

She continues. 'If you managed to at get a grade of B and above, then I will tell you my secret. But if you fail, you will not bother me about it and you will obediently follow all of my orders. So, how about it? Do we have a deal?'

She reaches out her hand to hand for a shake. He thinks to himself for a second, it seems like this girl is trying to thin down his chances of unlocking her mystery. He, himself, couldn't even believe that he's betting his performance for someone he just met, even though even around him believe that they've known each other for a while. But then he wouldn't let himself go down like that, after all he gets more determined when he's challenge after all.

'Alright then, you got yourself a deal' He took her hand, they shook their hands to seal the deal and gave her hand a tight squeeze.

'Well then, that settles it then, you can let go of my hand now' She tried to slip off her hands from his grasp, but managed to get her hand back before it got to free itself.

'Wait' He murmurs. 'Your name, I never got your name'

After hearing those words, she felt her whole body froze in the moment. After nine years of being in the same class together, she couldn't believe that he forgot name, not to mention it took him this long to actually ask about it. She felt like her soul was just crushed into millions of pieces for not having her presence or even existence be recognized by her former classmate.

'After all this time you don't remember my name?' He shakes his head in reply. At least he's honest, she thought. She let's out a heavy sigh and turns to him. 'My name is Watanabe Akane, but since I'll be your sensei just call me Sei-chan'

Mikoto has known Sei-chan ever since middle school, for they had been in the same class during that time, but only got to know her during his high school days. Sei-chan was from a wealthy and well-known family, at a young age she was declared to be the heir to their family business, and was forced to give up high school in order to be home-schooled. She practically never got to experience a normal teenage life, for the burden of carrying the family business was given to her, and that she didn't have the right to refuse to. All she ever did was to learn how to run a global corporation, and not learn how to compute for the side of a triangle, like the people her age would usually do.

Now that it's been eight-years since he last saw her, he still couldn't stop thinking about her after all these years. The only thing that was left to him to remember her was the photograph in his hand and some memories before she disappeared from his life.

People say that what he's experiencing now is unrequited love, but for him it was unattainable type of love, where he has no chance actually loving her since he isn't sure where she is or if she's still alive.

On the day that he learned about her disappearance from the business world, he first thought that she was finally going to pursue a normal life on her own, which gave him hope that she would one day visit him and he could finally confess his long-awaited feelings for her. But as time passes by, his hopes of seeing her gets smaller and smaller, until he finally gave up. He gave up searching for her around the city or even bother Ana with such a selfish request, from what he knows to himself is that she's dead, and that was that.

A/N: Hooray! That was just a sneak peak of Akane and Mikoto's relationship, bet you didn't expected that hehehe. I wonder what would happen if Mikoto goes down and finally sees Sei-chan again after how many year, spoiler alert! I hope you enjoyed this update, please bear with my updating schedule, sometimes remembering what happened and trying to tie the knots with past can be quite hectic.

Don't worry I have more back-stories to share with you all in the next chapters, please wait for it :)