This chap really inspires me... Please i don't own Furuba... and I just invented Ms. manabe's first name... haha!

Machi wondered why Momiji was at Sayuri's apartment, or how he knew her. But whatever it was, she felt like prying over the both of them… but she just shook the idea away. While going up the steps, her mind began to wander… and it wandered over Sayuri.

Sayuri, for her was her best friend, her first friend. She is so warm, so gentle. Her thoughts wandered over to her middle school days…

She was a transfer student.

"She will be your new classmate, Sayuri Inoue," the teacher introduced her to class.

A new student? I wonder who she is, but, whoever she is, nobody is still capable of beating me to the top of the class. She wouldn't be a threat, just another addition to the class… I just couldn't let mother down…

A few days after she was introduced, she made a lot of friends, she was kind and light-hearted, but that didn't affect me at all…

Until… I made a mistake… I let my guard down…

OUR TOP 1 STUDENT: SAYURI INOUE

This was when my whole world began to shatter. Mom was furious at me when she learned about it. She even slapped me hard and told me that I was good for nothing.

Then, I tried to strive harder to be on the top of the class again. I vowed to myself that I wouldn't settle for number 2. And for the next few quarters, I became the top of our class… beating Sayuri to the second spot.

But, whenever I see her: having fun with my classmates I always feel a tinge of envy. That was then I felt the urge to hate perfection… I still resolved to stay alone.

I hate being alone, I HATED HER! I HATE BEING ALONE!

"Machi, your home earlier than usual," my mom greeted as I came home from school, I felt so miserable and I'm at the verge of crying, I ran towards her, I wanted to hug her, but then…

She shoved me away.

"Do not waste your time for study."

The world shut itself… Even you mother?

It was already around winter. And those graduating students were busy.

I was out on an errand that day when across the street I saw my half-brother, Kakeru together with Sayuri, with them were their mothers, happily chatting… they seemed so … happy.

When I got home, Mother told me that Kakeru Manabe would be his batch's valedictorian. Then mother told me those cruel words: "BEAT KAKERU"

It was already our spring break. I was out to walk as usual in the park. I watched the perfectly white snow to melt. But when I cannot hold my irritation I would stomp my feet on the thick patch of snow., I hated its perfection.

"I didn't know you like to stomp on the snow,"

I turned around to see who spoke, it was Sayuri.

I looked at her wide eyed, and full of suspicion. The villain had now just visited me, I thought. But then she just flashed me a warm smile.

"Chi-chan," she said, it was the first time somebody gave me a nickname "I like to stomp at the snow too, would you mind if I do too?"

"NO!" I suddenly objected. She seemed puzzled at my reaction. But without thinking and letting my emotions govern me, I held her by the collar. "I HATE YOU SAYURI! I HATE YOU!" My face was close to hers, this was the first time I unleashed such a strong emotion.

"But chi-chan, your eyes are teary, are you alright?"

I hadn't expected her to answer me like this, I expected her to push me away, run away from me, but I was wrong. I loosened my grip. Whether I am crying because of such emotion or not… I do not know. "Answer me," I told her "You go to school because of your scholarship right? But there's one thing I couldn't understand…'

"What is it chi-chan?" She asked me.

Then the images of winter came back to my mind. How she and Kakeru celebrated their victory when they were at the top of their class. But she was only top 2. How can that be considered as victory? If I was on the second spot, Mother would just slap me again. How can she be this happy?

"You're Kakeru's half-sister right?" She asked me. Her blue eyes seemed so pure and innocent. I nodded at her question.

"Then we must be like relatives! I am Kakeru's cousin from his mother's side. Aunty and my mother are sisters. I always talk about you at home. Mother seemed pretty interested to meet our class' number one!" Then she gave a little laugh. "You know, its very hard beating you in class, but being number two meant I'm still having good grades.

"And what's so great being number 2?"I asked her, like I was trying to test her. I wanted her to say that number one was still the greatest spot. But instead she said…

"I don't find anything wrong with being number two,"

I felt my eyes widen when she said this. I let go of her and felt water streaming out of my eyes.

Before I knew it, she offered her handkerchief. "I don't want to see people crying," then she wiped the tears from my eyes, then she extended her hand. "I hope we'll be classmates next year,"

And… after that incident… I couldn't help myself but to hate perfect things that reminded me of how an idiot I am.

We were classmates the next school year.

She introduced me to her parents and sisters. This was the time I've gotten a little closer to my half-brother. I always did my usual routine I did back then, but being with Sayuri, who always experiences one-sided love relationships with people, she wasn't boring and I loved listening to her fantasies… yet all this came to a stop when we graduated from middle school.

"I am going to enter Kaibara high," I told her while eating our lunch.

"Too bad, I'm going to a different high school, It is an all-girls academy," she said "But I am going to visit you… Um… by the way Chi-chan, what are you going to do after high school?"

"I don't know…"

"You know what… I wanted to become a lawyer!"

Listening to her fantasies sounded great, she did visit me in high school. We have always kept in touch. She always wanted to become a lawyer but…

Both her parents met a tragic accident on the eve of her graduation from high school.

That meant a lot of things to her: shattered dreams, she couldn't afford college and she had to support her sisters. She moved in Kakeru's apartment and lived together with his mother and Komaki. She proved herself to not be a burden.

Despite all those… I never saw her cry.

Machi found herself facing the apartment's door. With hesitation… she pushed the bell. Moments later, Ms. Manabe opened it and let her in. Later, the two women sat down by the sofa.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you… but, I wanted to drop this package for Sayuri, I forgot to give it to her yesterday…" then she gave a gift looking package to Ms. Manabe.

"I'm sure Sayuri would really appreciate this, by the way… how was your trip to New York? I hope medical school isn't wearing you out…"

"No, I'm just fine, aunty…"

"I have heard about your break up with Yuki… are you really sure…?"

With a small voice she said "Yeah… no regrets…"

"Does that mean you are already talking with you parents?"

"No… not yet,"

"You should fix yourself with them… or else, they might disown you forever… I think your break-up with Yuki was your best move you have done yet…"

"I just don't understand them why they don't like Yuki…" she told herself.

"uhm… Ms. Manabe… I wanted to tell you something… I plan to move out of my apartment…"

"huh? Where will you be moving?"

"I wouldn't reveal it for now, I just wanted to surrender my keys to you… you see I've already packed,"

Ms. Manabe sat agape.

"Thank you for your kind audience…" Machi said, she stood up and bowed "My parents haven't known about it yet, and I plan that they would never know…" With this she went out of the door, Ms. Manabe watched her behavior as she walked down the hall, full of energy, she found it puzzling. But she just ignored it, and then closed the apartment door.

Machi couldn't wait to get down the building, and when she got to the lobby, she walked as fast as she could towards the door. Because she knew, just across the street is a car containing her things, and of course Yuki. She took a deep breath then walked across the street.

Yuki opened the passenger's seat's door. Machi went inside. Now, as the two lovers sat beside each other, Yuki held her hand and his other hand on the wheel.

"You've told them?" Yuki asked her.

Machi nodded, "she was shocked about our fake break-up… even the others I suppose… somehow… it made me a little guilty to break my parent's trust…"

"well… you know… you can always back out--"

"NO!" Machi said "I cannot part with you! I can't! I want to stay with you… stay by your side… even if it defies my parents…"

Yuki smiled at her comment and squeezed her hand. "I'm glad, that you are here with me now…" Then he looked at the road, "Shall we go then… and fulfill the vow we made in America?"

Machi nodded. Yuki smiled.

Moments later, the car that was seen just across the apartment moments ago, had already moved away from the building.

(a/n) Aww... XD