A/N: So far, three people have reviewed saying they want a happy ending…sooooo, so far this story is leaning towards a happy ending!

Thanks to everyone that reviewed! Hope you guys keep reading nyah

WARNING: Contains religious(Christian) themes. Nothing bad about it of course, except Himitsu-chan is the daughter of the local church's Reverend. Inspired by 'A Walk to Remember'. (:

Disclaimer: I don't own RikkaiDai. I mean, I don't own PoT.

Chapter Two: The Punishment.

"Looks like the prank went pretty well." Niou said lazily.

"You're gonna get busted Niou." Yagyuu said sounding serious. "The principal has got all the school staff tracking you down."

"Hiroshi, the –" Niou started.

"Trickster of RikkaiDai never gets caught." Yagyuu finished. "I know, but –"

"According to my calculations, you are 89.76 percent likely to be caught this time." Yanagi interrupted.

"Guys," Niou said, exasperated.

"Face it Niou, the prank you pulled this time was too big for the occasion." Yanagi pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Niou-san, please report to the principal's office." The principal's secretary said as she peeped into Niou's classroom.

Niou looked at his chemistry teacher and the teacher gave him a nod, signaling that he could follow the secretary. Niou stood up and walked to the door. The secretary led the way to the principal's office. Niou glanced at the secretary and saw that she had a grim expression.

I guess they've caught me. Niou thought as he prepared himself for a big telling off from the principal.

"Through here please, Niou-san." The secretary prompted.

Niou stepped into the principal's office. The principal was sitting on a big office chair behind his desk busy doing some paper work and behind is chair was a wide window, overlooking the entrance and front court of the school. The secretary left the room and closed the door.

"Principal Yoshizawa," Niou addressed.

The principal looked up from his papers and nodded at Niou.

"Niou-san, take a seat."

Niou sat down.

"Niou-san, do you know why you've been called here?" The principal said sternly.

"Would it be something to do with a prank?" Niou said trying to sound as unsuspicious as possible.

"Spot on, Niou-san." The principal said, his expression still stern. "Niou-san, were you aware that when you pulled this prank, the whole reputation of RikkaiDai was at stake? Luckily, the Ministry of Education has overlooked our supposed 'clash in dates caused by poor planning' and has agreed to visit again next term."

"That's fantastic Yoshizawa-sensei. Congratulations!" Niou said, relieved.

"Don't be so happy just yet. You're still not let off the hook." The principal started. "As punishment, the boys' tennis club will be disbanded."

Niou's face went white and his jaw dropped.

'Mura-Buchou and Sanada are going to KILL me.

Seeing the look on Niou's face, the principal's facial expression changed.

"Gotcha." The principal said, breaking into a smile. "I was a trickster too, back in my days."

Niou's jaw clamped shut and he let out a sigh of relief. "That wasn't funny sensei."

"Anywho, back to the topic of the punishment." The principal said, resuming his stern expression, "Aside from your usual schoolwork and extracurricular activities, you shall assist with school events and you will help out with the school janitorial work."

"Janitorial?" Niou said in alarm.

"That's not all, Niou-san. Wait for me to finish." The principal smiled. "This is the best part. You will perform in the upcoming school play to be presented in the middle of next term."

"You have got to be sh-" Niou started, jaw dropping once again.

"Language!" The principal grunted.

"You've got to be kidding me." Niou finally said.

"No, I'm not."

Akaya was clutching his stomach which was sore from laughing.

"You? In the school play?" Akaya said, tears in his eyes from laughing too much. "Hahahahaha!"

"Shut it, brat." Niou said in annoyance, not at all impressed with his teammate's dramatic reaction. "At least I can act!"

Is it really that funny? Niou thought to himself.

"Well, at least the tennis club is safe and you can still practice with us right?" Marui said optimistically.

"Marui, can you stop being so happy about me helping with the school's janitorial work?" Niou asked flatly.

"Just be thankful I'm not laughing my arse off like Akaya is." Marui replied popping a gum bubble.

Niou looked at his other teammates for support but Yagyuu, Renji, Sanada and Jackal's faces were all as blank as a clean sheet of paper and Yukimura was just smiling like he always did.

"Thanks for all your support guys." Niou remarked sarcastically.

"It's a pleasure, Niou." Yukimura replied elegantly, still smiling.

After dinner, when his younger brother went to his room to do homework, Niou told his mother about his punishment.

"Well I think it's pretty fair." Niou's mother commented.

"Janitorial." Niou told her, "Janitorial. You're just going to let the principal make your son help out with janitorial work?"

"What's wrong with that?" Niou's mother replied casually. "Some people make a living out of it you know? What are you being punished for anyway?"

Niou proudly told his mother about the prank he pulled.

"Masaharu, maybe I should call your father."

"No!" Niou immediately objected.

"You could go live with him for a while. Change of scenery, keep you out of trouble." Niou's mother told him informatively.

"I'm not going to live with him." Niou spat.

"Masaharu, he is your father." Niou's mother stated matter-of-factly.

"Sending us a cheque every month does not make him my father." Niou said as he stood up. "I'm going to my room."

Niou's mother sighed as she carried on washing the dishes.

"'Mom, why do we have to go to church?" Niou asked his mother sleepily on Sunday morning.

"Don't ask stupid questions, Masaharu. HATSUHARU! HURRY UP! Masaharu, go and see if your brother needs help." Niou's mother commanded.

"Help with what? Putting on his underwear?" Niou snorted as his mother glared at him. "Alright, alright, but can I just point out that he's thirteen and more than capable of putting on hi–"

"Masaharu, just go!"

"YES MA'AM! BUT WHY DOESN'T NEE-CHAN HAVE TO GO TO CHURCH?"

"BECAUSE SHE'S 21 AND NOT LIVING WITH US ANYMORE."

"To conclude this morning's sermon, the choir would like to share with us a song." The Reverend said as he departed from the pulpit.

Niou rolled his eyes. He hated church day, it was always so boring. He had no idea why his mother always went to church and insisted on himself and Hatsuharu to attend as well.

The choir stood up from beside the pulpit, where they were sitting. Niou saw a familiar face among the choir members. It was the girl that had talked back to him at school, Souki Himitsu.

"Let the light,
From the lighthouse,
Let it shine on me,
I wonder,
I wonder if the light,
From the lighthouse,
Would shine,"

Himitsu spotted Niou from where she was standing and their eyes locked. Niou looked away and yawned but Himitsu fixed her green eyes on him. Niou sneaked a peak and when he saw that she was no longer focused on him, looked back at Himitsu. Somehow, she gave off a different aura than the day he has first talked to her. Her face was no longer expressionless, she was smiling as she sang and it was different just seeing her in the white choir robe instead of school uniform.

Still, this is church and it's still boring. Niou thought to himself as he yawned and looked away from Himitsu.

"Would it shine?
Would it shine on me?"

Then it was time for Himitsu's solo.

"Here is my thought,
This is my plea,
Lord let your holy light shine on me.
I wonder will you,"

Himitsu rested her eyes on Niou.

"Hear my prayer.
I know I'm not worthy but need your help.
Lord shine your light,
Shine it this way."

Niou fidgeted in his seat.

Boringggg. Was the thought that ran through his mind. Himitsu carried on with her solo.

"Shine it so I can see which way to take.
I have faith in You, to bring me through,
I have one question,"

And the rest of the choir started to sing again.

"Doesn't that girl have a brilliant voice?" An old lady behind Niou whispered to her husband. Niou rolled his eyes.

Yeah, brilliant voice, brilliant voice to make me fall sleep! He thought to himself.

"Listen, mom, I gotta dash to tennis practice. See you at dinner." Niou whispered to his mother beside him then, without attracting too much attention, slipped out of the chapel.

Outside, Niou stuck the earphones of his iPod in his ear and bobbed his head to the rhythm as he walked to the bus stop to catch a ride home so he could get his tennis gear.

"How was church?" Marui asked popping a bubble.

"Boring, as usual." Niou replied. "Do you always have to ask the same question on Sunday practice?"

"YES. HE DOES!" Akaya interrupted.

"Oi, brat. How 'bout a game?" Niou asked.

"How about…." Akaya started. "OKAY!"

Niou sighed and shook his head. "Get your racquet then."

When the day's practice was done, Niou walked to the bus stop and waited for his bus. Ten minutes later, the bus came and Niou hopped on. The bus was packed with people as it was rush hour. The first empty seat that Niou spotted was beside a girl with black hair who was looking out the window.

Nope, I am not going to sit next to Souki Himitsu on the bus. He told himself sternly but there were no more empty seats and he would look weird if he stood up. Slowly, he made his way toward the empty seat next to Himitsu.

He sat down beside Himitsu who kept her eyes on the scenery outside the window. Niou stuck the earphones of his iPod in his ears and his loud music blared out. Himitsu's head spun around immediately.

"You're going to make yourself deaf." She told Niou but Niou paid no attention as he couldn't hear a word she was saying. Niou continued to bob his head to the rhythm of the music. This made Himitsu talk even louder.

"Niou-kun, would you mind turning the volume down?"

Niou pulled an earphone out of his ear and turned towards Himitsu.

"Ah, Himitsu-chan, didn't see you there." He lied. He looked at Himitsu properly for the first time since he got onto the bus. Himitsu was wearing the most old-fashioned dress he had ever seen and her sweater was a moss green color, something that his grandmother would wear. On Himitsu's lap was a Bible.

"You just left church?" Niou asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Choir practice." Himitsu replied.

"Oh, okay. I was gonna say. Who would stay at church that long?" Niou scorned.

"Actually, my father doesn't come home from the church until late." Himitsu replied matter-of-factly.

Niou blinked at her.

"He's the reverend."

"Oh." Niou said, then cleared his throat. "That explains a lot." Niou said, eyeing Himitsu's choice of clothing.

"You shouldn't've pulled that prank you know." Himitsu told Niou. "Our school's reputation has dropped."

"And how would you know that?" Niou replied carelessly.

"I'm in the student council."

"You can't tell me what to do. If I want to pull a prank, I'll pull one." Niou said, he was starting to get irritated.

"Well you should at least think about the consequences before you act." Himitsu retorted.

"Is this your idea of small talk?" Niou asked heatedly. "Because if it is, your social skills need some work. Look, everyone in school made their own decision to wear their own clothes instead of uniform. I didn't force them. I even took off the posters the same day I posted them up. It's not my problem."

"It's called peer pressure. Their friends were all talking about it and the girls all wanted to dress up to impress yo –" Himitsu got cut off.

"And how would you know about that? You, reading your precious book." Niou said, looking at the Bible in Himitsu's lap. Himitsu drew in a sharp breath and her hands flew to the Bible. "And your taste in clothing, no wonder you didn't wear mufti." Niou carried on, then paused. There was a silence between them. Finally, Himistu spoke up.

"Please don't talk about me like you know me, okay?" Himitsu said quietly.

Niou laughed. "But I do. I do. We've been in the same classes and the same school since junior high." Niou said. "You're Souki Himitsu. You sit at the lunch table in the corner of the cafeteria next to the window, which isn't exactly the reject table but it's definitely not in the popular territory. You have exactly one sweater, which is the one you wear every Sunday to church and you like to look at your feet when you walk." Then he carried on, "Oh yeah, and for fun you sing in the church choir and read books on stars and planets in the library and hang out with the "cool" kids in the drama studio. Now, what do you say about that?"

Himitsu blinked.

"Thoroughly predictable. Nothing that I haven't heard before." She replied with a small nod.

"You don't care what others think about you?" Niou asked with a confused look on his face.

"No." Himitsu replied breezily. The bus came to a stop and Himitsu got up. "Excuse me, but I have to get off now." Himitsu told Niou and Niou shifted in his seat to let Himitsu out.

Himitsu got off the bus and started walking, clutching the Bible in front of her chest and looking at her feet.

"Pfft." Niou snorted as he watched Himitsu disappear as the bus continued to drive on.

A/N: Niou's bother's name, Hatsuharu was taken from Greenberry Rhythm's fic called "May 11th". Because I was lazy and couldn't think of a name.

I'm tired. I'm sorry this chapter is so bad and rushed.

Oh and I might not be updating after next week since I'll be going to Japan for my break. I'll be too busy shopping and eating in Japan to write XD LOL

Please review!

~Yuu.