Chapter 11:

"What is it that you want from me…Souma, Haru?"

"Ah…" Haru said, with a bored expression. He looked her in the eyes, long and hard, trying to see into those mysterious dark abysses. "Tohru's planning a surprise birthday party for Shigure-san on the 19th. She wants to know if you'll be coming."

Hana cocked her head to the side with interest but her face remained impassive. "Shigure-san will have his birthday this month?" her voice never wavered, never changed.

"Hai."

A long while of silence, consideration on Hana's part and observation on Haru's. She wasn't special, she was nothing special. She was even lower than normal. She was nothing like Tohru. Haru understood why Yuki would feel anything for Tohru. Tohru was a simple girl with simple wants. She was happy and content and that made everyone else feel happy and content about themselves.

Hanajima; she was so…not Tohru! Why would Yuki suddenly take interest in her? She wasn't pretty, she wasn't smart, and she wasn't even that friendly? What was wrong with Yuki?

"Alright, though I doubt me being there will make any difference…" she said in a monotone way.

"Haru." Hana turned and Haru looked up to see who had called him. It was, to Hana's inconspicuous delight, Dr. Souma, Hatori. The man with beautiful waves. He was carrying his organizer and a few files in one arm and his other hand in his pocket. He wore what he always wore, his white coat.

Hatori was a bit taken back at the sight of Haru and Hana conversing. What were they talking about? Did it concern Yuki? Was it something he should know about?

Hana turned to face him fully and bowed respectfully, snapping Hatori out of his train of thoughts.

"We were just talking about the surprise party for Shigure-san." Haru said, seeing the question in Hatori's eyes.

"Are you going?" Hanajima asked out of the blue.

Hatori looked at her with great consideration. He was going to be busy for a while, seeing as there was a family member that caught dengue from school yesterday and then Akito was complaining about his medicines lately. Though the thought of getting away from it all and making plans to speak more to Hanaji—other people was a bit enticing. He weighed his options carefully.

"Tohru invited Ayame-san as well." Haru added.

"I'll be there."

Haru walked Hana home in silence no one spoke but then again no one cared to speak. They were happy with their own world, up until Hana turned to see him turning down the wrong lane. "Souma-san." Haru looked at her lifelessly. "Where are you going?"

"To your house."

"My house is this way." She said, pointing to the white house up ahead. Haru took a good, hard look on it and then said,

"Ah…"

They got to the porch and out of her sleeve, Hana took out the key for the house. Her mother doesn't bother opening the door for her so she went and got a duplicate. She opened the door and went inside. "Are you coming in?" she asked out of politeness. If she wasn't polite and people would be displeased of her, her mother will punish her for it.

Haru looked up from his deep thoughts and finally asked the question he's been asking himself this whole time. "Are you and Yuki together?"

Hana looked at him with slightly widened eyes. No one had ever asked her that before. No one had even dared to think of that before. Who would ever think that Yuki would like her? Her of all people? "No."

Haru looked just as surprised but his face suddenly turned back into a blank façade. "I see." That fact made him relieved, but he wasn't comforted enough. He still didn't know why Yuki gave so much attention to her and poured all of his time staring at her from across the room.

He saw it before when he was walking down the hall, getting sent to the principal for whirling the P.E. teacher around the room when he called Haru a baka. Yuki was there, scribbling little nothings in his notebook while the teacher spoke, his cheek cupped in one hand that supported his beautiful face. He was staring but not outside like he always used to. He was staring far across the room, at the very opposite of his seat at the window. At Hanajima who was staring at something on her hand and it seemed to make Yuki's eyes sparkle with hidden happiness. It bugged the hell out of him that he turned black at the principal and got suspended for three days.

He never did see the principal look at him the same way again. That bite mark must have hurt on his—

Without him noticing, Hanajima had already closed the door. She turned to go to her room but stopped when the doorbell rang. She opened the door and found Haru there, looking as blank as ever. "Uh…can you tell me which way to the subway?"

"You know, not a lot of people give enough importance to toilet paper. What is it made of? No one knows really. No one except those who care. It's always there but no one understands its needs and wants. Who would care about a simple toilet paper anyway? But little do they know that—"

"Nevermind. Thanks."

Hana closed the door and banished a secret smile from her lips. That trick never fails.

The next day, Yuki was talking to his Editor in Chief about the upcoming Halloween Ball. A lot of ideas were already taken into account for the design and now he was talking to the editor about who should be featured in the article. He was glad the Editor in chief was a serious journalist, if he wasn't then he would be just like the other boys who wished he were a girl. Which was completely embarrassing, not to mention quite disgusting.

"So should I put the picture of the best costumed pair in the front page?" he asked.

"Maybe we should put that on page six. We should reserve the front page for more important news about the school." Yuki said. "Maybe you should put the picture of the—" he stopped talking when he saw something completely baffling along the hall. Momiji was talking to…Hanajima?

They were walking down the hall and Momiji looked like he was helping Hana carry some books. He seemed to be engaging her in a one-sided conversation. Yuki felt completely disturbed. Not only did Momiji have no reason to talk to Hana, Hana also has no reason to talk to Momiji. So why were they there?

"Yuki-sempai? Sempai?" the boy's voice was blocked out of his mind when Hana and Momiji were walking towards them.

"Hanajima-san, Momiji…" Yuki blinked to see if it was real or just a dream. The pair looked at him and Momiji gave a bright smile. Hana gave a small, unnoticeable smile.

"Yuki-kun! How are you today!" Momiji gushed happily.

"Uh—I'm fine." Yuki answered, still disoriented at the sight of them.

"We were talking about Shigure-san's party." Hana answered his silent query.

"We were planning on sending him to Aya-chan's first while we arrange the party!" Momiji excitedly said.

"We? Hanajima-san, you're going?"

"If Tohru wants me to go, I'll go."

"Ne, ne, Yuki-kun, can't you come?" Momiji asked.

"Ah, Gomen, Momiji, I have a lot of things to do."

"EH, you can do them later! It's Shigure-san's birthday! Ne, neee…" Momiji whined, swirling his hips childishly and pouting.

"You will not go?" Hana asked. Yuki turned to her with a fake smile, he was so used to smiling away everything that he suddenly faltered at the sight of her. Her eyes weren't as lifeless as they were before. It was strange seeing her eyes have something other than nothingness. It was an emotion he couldn't decipher. It seemed like she was actually disappointed, but it also seemed like she was interested or curious. "Souma, Yuki has too many responsibilities." She continued. He wanted to say something, but found he had no voice. "So many, but none that he wants. Everyone is unfair to him because they can all depend on him. But he cannot depend on himself. He takes up responsibilities and forgets his own happiness. He is too busy making everyone smile that he can't make himself smile anymore. Yuki is kind…too kind…"

You stared at her, drowning in her purple eyes, trying to decipher what it was that made her see right through to him. He wasn't afraid anymore, but he still felt naked. His mask keeps falling off whenever she was around. It was transparent to her.

Momiji watched with morbid curiosity as the two locked their eyes upon each other. Yuki was beautiful, a prince, flawless and selfless. Hana was ugly, a witch, dark and mysterious. They were complete opposites. And yet something was attracting them both to each other. Something was between them that were almost visible. Something silver around both their fingers. Their wedding bands. Their only visible link.

"Do you want me to go?" he suddenly asked in a low voice, he was afraid it might tremble and show how the blood inside of him rushed and his heart pounded violently against his chest.

"Do you?" she asked right back.

Yuki swallowed hard, "Will you be there until late at night?"

"If Tohru wants me to be."

"Will you wait for me to come?" he almost whispered, only she could hear.

Hana looked up at him, his eyes filled with a shadow. "If Yuki wants me to."

With that, Yuki took the books in Momiji's arms and half of the books in Hanajima's, taking almost the whole load of books in his arms. "Momiji, go on ahead, I'll carry these."

"Ah, demo—" Yuki smiled at the rabbit and Momiji pouted into submission. He was so engrossed with them, and just when it was getting to the good part. He whipped up a bright smile and said, "Alright, I'll see you all later! Ja ne!" with that, he ran away.

"Ah, Yuki-sempai—"

"Junta-san, I'll get back to you later. I'll just help Hanajima-san with these books."

"Ah—a-alright." Withreluctancy, he left.

They were left alone in the hall. No one else was there but Yuki, Hana and the books. Hana was looking down with a blank expression and peered up at him from beneath thick, black lashes. "Souma-kun is too kind. he doesn't need to help me."

Yuki's lips lifted up into a bright smile, the brightest he had ever smiled and it was all because of her. "Please call me Yuki, Hana-chan."

Hana looked at him with slightly wider eyes. She had never seen Yuki's waves so bright, he was practically glowing. It was, remarkably, undeniably beautiful! She wasn't used to calling bright waves beautiful; she often found morbid, dark waves more attractive. But this bright wave seemed to make her feel strange, almost entangled to it. His waves were lighting hers and she felt it.

Uncontrollably, a smile appeared on Hana's face as well. And she suddenly felt a rising heat on her cheeks. What was happening to her? What was he doing to her? What was happening?

Review Responses:

Tsuki Mizuno: Thank you, I'm glad you liked it.

Je-kun: Thanks for waiting.

...RouX... : Did I imply?I didn't! You said it! You said he was gay! BWAHAAHAHAHHA! I'm innocent!

Unchained3011: sorry for making you wait!

Moroi Mikomi: yes, Hatori has a large role in this story so you can hope to see him more often.

Yuka Kitsune: Thanks for reviewing!

Daniel of Lorien: lol! bad, bad Haru indeed!

Alex: thanks!

Different Child: thanks!

Matron Raenee: gomen for making you wait!