Aomine carried an unconscious Akashi on his back as he and Takao exited the dilapidated building. They were running, hurrying to get the boy to the training facility's clinic.

"I-is that blood? Blood on Seijuro's face?" Fuyu and the rest of the group were running with the boys.

Mika grabbed her handkerchief and wiped the blood on Akashi's cheek. She wanted to cry so much but she couldn't break down and slow them. "He'll be fine once the nurse tends to his wounds." Yes, he would be. He was strong and he would never lose to this kind of injury. She bit her trembling lip.

The facility's nurse, Nakayama-san, was wide-eyed when she saw the wounded boy. "In here, quick!" She commanded, parting the white curtains surrounding a clean white bed. After Akashi was laid on it, she grabbed a flashlight and shone light into each of the boy's eyes. She took his pulse, checked his breathing, and examined his wound. Cleaning it, she turned to the others and said, "I would appreciate it if you all wait in your rooms. It is way past your curfew so I don't know what you have been doing. You are all dirty and have been carrying someone unconscious. Please, go back to your respective rooms and I'll take care of Akashi-kun."

"Will he be alright?" Mika asked. Now that they'd reached the clinic, she let her tears run down her reddened cheeks. She was trembling, tensed, and extremely worried.

"He's stable for now. I will monitor his status throughout the night. If something happens, I'll call the nearest hospital. And I'll inform Rakuzan."

Mika nodded then said, "I-I'll stay here, Nakayama-san. Please."

The nurse frowned. "You can't, little lady. Only patients can stay."

"I'm injured, too! And it really hurts." She showed her the big slash on her leg caused by the broken wooden stair earlier. Worrying over Akashi, Mika almost forgot about her own injury. It was fortunate that she remembered it now.

"Oh! That looks really painful. Sit on one of the beds then." To the rest, she said, "Now all of you, shoo!"

Mika heard Akashi's friends ask a couple of questions to the nurse then went away. The retreating footsteps of the others echoed as Mika further entered the clinic. It was really clean and full of white designs and equipment. The smell of alcohol, sanitizer, and medicine hung in the air.

She chose to sit on the bed next to Akashi. The boy's eyes were closed but it was a relief that his breathing was normal and even. She wanted to touch him and make sure he was alright.

Nakayama-san cleaned Mika's wound. The girl didn't hold back her yelps and squawks in hope that they could wake up Akashi. After the nurse was done bandaging the teen, she stood up and said, "There. You can go now."

"I-I'm a little tired. Can I stay here?" She wanted to stay with Akashi until he woke up so badly.

"I'm sorry, but tended students can't stay in the clinic."

Mika's eyes quivered as another set of tears threatened to spill from them. "He doesn't have a concussion, does he? I mean, could we check? Can we try getting him to the hospital now?"

"I've seen worse cases, miss. No need to panic."

"Are you sure?"

The woman smiled. "Your boyfriend will be fine."

Boyfr- "He is not my boyfriend." Gosh, another deja vu. This was how it went in Teiko before. "Did you hear that from the players? Please don't believe the rumors."

"What? No! I'm not into gossiping."

"Then, why…"

"Because you care so much."

Mika went quiet for a moment and recalled how much he would always think and care about the boy. How she cared now. Heat traveled around her body and settled on her heart and to her cheeks.

Gosh, was she that obvious?

Did… others really realize her feelings for the boy? Wait. What were her feelings for him?

The nurse pat Mika's head. "Don't stay up too late, kid. I'll leave you here to rest. I'll just be outside."

"T-thanks," she replied and watched the nurse close the white curtain, finally convinced to let her stay. Now she and Akashi were left in the little space. Mika tried to lie down on the soft mattress. She faced the boy, putting her head on top of her folded arm. She stayed like that for a long while until sleep crept to her and she finally dozed off.

When she woke up, Mika saw Akashi sitting upright, touching the bandage on his head curiously.

"President! You're awake!" She, too, sat on her bed.

Akashi's red eyes looked into her. "Ah. Thank you for staying with me. I'm touched."

"D-don't be. I was just injured, too." Mika was blushing again, like how she did years ago when the boy was around.

"I can see. Does it hurt?"

"Yes, but, I'm fine. How about you?"

"I'll live." Then they both got silent.

Mika looked at the wall clock hanging on the white wall of the clinic. It read 9:15 in the morning. The other students were already done with their breakfast and the players should be in the gym for their workout. Later, they would be doing the special regimen prepared by training professionals. Akashi would not be able to participate. Not like he needed to, anyway. Mika knew Akashi's natural strength and skills.

"Mika-san," the boy called her name so gently. "I know I owe you explanations for my actions and for the things that occurred in Teiko. Would you listen to me now?" The girl just looked at him without responding so he continued. "Fuyu is my fiance but it was something decided only by our fathers. We are childhood friends but I don't have any romantic feelings for her. We already told our parents that we do not agree with the setup. The interview during the exchange program was not live. It was cut and edited. I was not asked about my fiance but for my zeal for winning and I wasn't asked to wave at Fuyu but to Teiko. When I got back to school, I was devastated to know what happened to you. You were bullied and you suddenly disappeared."

The interview was edited? It was frightening realizing how the power of media and rumors could make and break relationships, even people. She pulled her knees close to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Her heart was thumping quickly inside her and she wanted so badly to ask Akashi about their relationship, wanted to know what they really were, but she was afraid to know about his answer.

Then, the boy said, "I love you." Simple but heartfelt. It tugged on Mika's heartstrings and made her world start spinning. "I cannot imagine myself with someone else. It's you I want to be with."

Mika's eyes burned with tears that threatened to flow down her cheeks again. She wanted so much to reach toward the boy and hold him tightly within her arms. Feel that he was safe and out of harm's way. She was so afraid before that she'd lose him.

Lose him?

She mentally kicked herself. It wasn't as if he was hers.

But…

Now he was confessing his feelings for her. That he loved her. That they could officially go out.

Mika's heartbeat tripled in her chest. "Can I trust you?" The words left her mouth.

"I will never betray you."

Can she surrender herself once more to this boy who had broken her faith before?

"I can prove to you my words if you would only give me time. Mika-san, I did not want to hurt you. Still do not want to hurt you now nor in the future. And I will do everything to convince you that I am true." Are those tears shining in his eyes? "Please trust in me."

There was a small voice inside her head telling her to just accept the boy back into her life. Because the truth was that he had always occupied a special place in her heart. Maybe… maybe she could give him a chance. "If you ever betray me I'll disappear from your life forever. I mean it."

Akashi just smiled. "I know you'd do that. Ouch." The boy leaned forward as one of his hands cradled his injured head.

Mika automatically stood up and touched the boy's head gently. "Are you okay? Should I call the nurse?"

"Could you kiss the pain away?"

The girl's heart skipped a beat. Surprised, she hit the boy's arm with her hand. He just told her that he loved her and then he asked for a kiss!

"That actually hurt," said the boy.

"You shouldn't joke like that, you know." Mika crossed her arms near her chest. Maybe the boy was just kidding.

But the boy replied, "I don't joke."

So was he not joking when he told her his feelings earlier? "President…" Time to know the truth. "What are we?"

"I'd like to think that I am yours and you are mine." He inched closer to the girl. "Don't you, too?"

Mika looked down at him, standing while the boy was still sitting on the bed in front of her. She knew in her heart about her feelings for Akashi since they were in Teiko. That she had fantasized that they were really officially going out then. That she loved him back.

She let the tides of emotion carry her to wherever they would lead. Damn the consequences. It was time to take a step and take a dare on love.

Slowly, the girl descended until her lips touched the bandage around the boy's forehead, willing the pain away and letting the boy know that they share the same feelings. "I do, Seijuro… Seiji."

+0+0+0+0+

One of the windows of the shining, white limousine was open. Fuyu, dressed in a brown floral yukata, peered from inside. She motioned her hand toward Mika, wanting the girl to come closer to her.

"Father was really furious about what happened. He doesn't want me to spend another second in here." She sighed. "And all I wanted was just to have fun." Then she spared a glance at the other students from afar. "Thank goodness Seijuro is alright. And thank goodness, too, you two finally made up."

Mika tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, suddenly feeling embarrassed. The whole training camp had seen Seiji and her eat lunch together. Though they didn't tell them that they were now officially going out, they must have had concluded things on their own.

Fuyu reached for her arm. "Actually, Seijuro and I planned the Kimodameshi. So that the two of you could talk together and sort things out. I'm sorry about that."

"I figured that much," Mika admitted.

"Oh, but that damn earthquake!" Her eyes widened as she remembered something. "By the way, is your leg alright? Wasn't it bleeding badly last night?"

"No worries. I'm fine."

"That's good then." Fuyu reached for her pouch and opened it. From it, she extracted a cream-colored envelope that she handed to Mika. "Here is an invitation for the opening of an exhibit to be sponsored by my family. It'll be held just right before the training camp finishes. Seijuro will be there, of course. Bring a friend with you in case Seijuro and I will be busy with the guests. It's all business, you know." Then, she cautioned her, "Akashi Masaomi, Seijuro's father, will also be there."

Seiji told Mika earlier that Fuyu and he had been telling their parents that they wanted to cancel their engagement but the elders wouldn't agree and still hoped they could push through the future wedding. If she would attend, it would be the first time Mika would meet Seiji's father. He must've hated her for taking his son away from his plan.

But Mika knew that she had to face the man sooner or later. She should muster her courage and prepare for their meeting.

"Thank you and see you there," she told Fuyu and waved goodbye as the limousine left.