Normally I don't really like anything that I write, it's just a part of who I am, but... I love this chapter! I think you will too, so I won't waste any more of your time with this authors note!

Disclaimer- I own nothing.

The truth. A fact that is not imagined or invented. Something that almost all of us strive for, long to hear, but some are scared to face it. It can make us smile, bring back hope in our lives but can also make us cry, realise the unforgiving world we live in. When we are children, we lie to adults, trying to get away with stealing the last cookie. When we are adults, we lie to children, trying to shield them from the cruel world.

But as teenagers, the truth can hurt than anything else.

Ulrich stood against the, now closed, metal gates, replaying Odd's words in his mind. The last bell had rung many minutes ago, students returning home or to their dorms, but Ulrich had to be alone, think over all of his emotions. His eyes were closed and he didn't hear the sound of soft footsteps heading towards him. He jumped when he felt a hand place itself on his shoulder. Turning around to face the unknown person, a soft smile formed on his lips as he saw Yumi's face, but the smile soon turned into a frown at the sight of her expression. It was blank. No emotion placed upon it, but a million hidden ones behind them. Her hand travelled down his arm, loosely gripping his hand.

"Yumi, what's wrong?" Ulrich asked, concerned at her behaviour.

She stared into his eyes, a foreign feeling when she saw the bright green stare back at her. "Can... can we talk?"

Ulrich nodded his head, "Here? Or...."

"The park?" she suggested, or rather, hoped.

Again, Ulrich nodded his head, letting the chocolate strands falling in front of his eyes. Yumi felt her heart flutter as he reached up with his free hand to brush the strands away. With their hands still loosely holding onto each other's, they made their way to the small park where they had first met.

Yumi walked slowly and sat on one of the swings, Ulrich following her actions, taking the empty swing beside her. Yumi sighed and took her hand out of Ulrich's, placing them in her lap.

"Yumi, please tell me what's wrong." Ulrich pleaded, wanting to know what was wrong with her more than ever.

Looking down at her folded hands, Yumi began to speak- words she never thought she would say, "Ulrich I... I heard you talking to Odd and...." she inhaled deeply, "You said you liked me."

Ulrich looked at her in shock, not wanting her to find out that way, "I.. um..."

"Is it true?"

Ulrich nearly made an excuse, almost saying that she misheard, but only could reply with a one word answer, "Yes."

Yumi felt a lone tear fall down her cheek at his answer. "You... you can't like me."

Ulrich's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Why not?"

Another tear fell down her cheek, and as Ulrich went to brush it away, Yumi flinched and turned the other way. "Ulrich, you don't know me. You know nothing about me." she turned to face him with watery eyes, "I'm messed up, Ulrich. You can't be with a messed up girl like me. I... I have way too many problems for you to understand."

Ulrich started to feel the sense of rejection, "Yumi, if you tell me then I can make that decision. Or do you not like me back?"

On impulse, Yumi shook her head, "I do like you, Ulrich. When I heard you and Odd talking, it made me realise. But I can't like you, I just can't."

"Why not?" he repeated.

Yumi sighed heavily and threw her head back, "Because I can't like a boy."

Ulrich sat in shock and confusion at her statement, "Oh, so... are you..."

"No." she answered quickly, knowing where his question was leading, "No, I'm not. But still, I can't like a boy. Not after what I've been through." she added quietly, but Ulrich heard.

"What do you mean 'not after what I've been through'?"

Yumi shut her eyes tight, not believing she said that out loud. How was she going to get through this without revealing her past. "I... I uh... nothing. I meant ... nothing." she replied lamely, knowing that he didn't believe her.

"Yumi, I know you lying. And I also know that you cut yourself. Please, please just tell me what is going on?" Ulrich pleaded once more, praying this time she would open up.

"I can't tell you." More tears fell from her eyes.

"Yes you can, Yumi. You can trust me, you know that."

Their eyes connected, Yumi stared at him, vulnerable and hurting. "Can I?" she asked, her voice, like her soul, broken.

Ulrich smiled at her, "Yes."

Yumi reached over and grasped his hand in her trembling ones. "When I cut myself, some of the pain goes away, not all of it, it's still there, but when I cut, I can cope with it. I've been cutting for about the past three years. It's the only way to cope with the pain."

Ulrich tried to register what she had just said, reality hitting him, "Why, Yumi? Why are you cutting yourself?"

Yumi felt her mind shouting at her, telling her to stop before she tells him too much, but her heart wanted him, no, needed him to know. "My parents divorced when I was eight, Hiroki was only six." Ulrich frowned, confused why she would tell him that, "My dad got a new job with was here, my mom wanted to stay and they ended up splitting up because of it. Then..." she held back a sob, "When I was ten, my mom remarried, he was called John, " she said, hatred, anger and even fear in her voice when she said his name, "At first, he was nice, my mom was happy, so was I."

John? At first? Yumi couldn't like a boy? The pieces was coming together, Ulrich praying that she wouldn't say what he had concluded.

"One day, when I was eleven Mom went out shopping and took Hiroki with her, he needed some new shoes, or something like that, then they were going to one of Hiroki's friends house, my mom was friends with his mom. It was late, and they still hadn't come back. I- I didn't notice, but John has been drinking... a lot. I had been alone with him before but not when he had been drinking. He... he came up to my room and..." Yumi began to cry heavily, all of the painful memories flooding back at once, too much for her to handle.

Ulrich wrapped his arms around her, cradling her against his chest, letting her grasp his shirt tightly, "He did what, Yumi?"

Yumi sobbed loudly once more, "He... he raped me."

Ulrich froze. Yumi held onto him tighter.