Disclaimer: Takaya Natsuki is the rightful owner. I'm merely borrowing her creations for my own diabolical ideals. No, really.

A/N: I will tell you all beforehand now. Chapter 14 might take a bit longer than usual to come out. Just wanted you all to know.

Life's Many Indulgences
Chapter 13: Only Pretend

"Wow, everyone's staring. You've become quite the item, Mizunashi," Arisa commented.

"Shut up, Yankee," was Kyo's response.

"Say that again and I'll bash your face into the nearest wall, red-head."

"Now, now, you two, stop fighting." Tooru got in between them. "I don't want either of you to get hurt."

"She started it."

"Don't put all the blame on me - you fell for the bait and responded."

"Ah, they're coming." Saki pointed to her left. Yuki was the lead of the pack, and the three student council vice-presidents were following behind him. "He must be coming to greet you, Mizunashi."

Kyo tensed - people were expecting them to be somewhat intimate, if not by a lot. Yuki looked all too calm for someone who isn't gay. At least this was what Kyo thought. The gray-haired teen stopped right in front of the red-head and waited for Kyo to do something.

"Kiss me?" Yuki mouthed, eyes growing wide. He was taking one step forward.

"I . . . I need to go!" Kyo turned around, walking as fast as he could.

"Well, what do you know, Tooru, it looks like your brother is embarrassed. How interesting." Saki placed a hand on Tooru's left shoulder. "Usuda asked him to kiss him and he ended up running away instead. Cowardice."

"You can't expect much from a guy like him," Arisa said, snorting lightly. "He may be bashful, but for a reaction like that, I doubt he'll ever cheat on you, Usuda. Shouldn't you be relieved."

"Ah . . . Ah, thanks for the reassuring words . . . I guess." Yuki wondered if Arisa even knew that some of what she says hurt people. Almost like a sharp needle piercing one's skin. "I ought to go after him . . ."

"Please do," Arisa and Saki chorused.

Yuki smiled (ever so nervously) and went after the gutsy red-head. Yuki felt a strong urge to be with Kyo, but Kyo wasn't opted to feeling the same way. At least from his actions, Yuki could only assume that Kyo did not want to make their relationship into reality.

Kyo was standing by the front of the school under a magnolia tree (with his arms crossed), when Yuki found him. Even as the gray-haired teen came nearer, the red-head did not look up or take notice that someone was coming towards him.

"Kyo . . ."

"What!" Kyo snapped, as if realizing for the first time someone was right beside him.

"Should I not call you by your first name?" Yuki's voice was soft and calm.

"Wh-what did you say?"

"Would it be uncomfortable for you if I called you by your first name? Since everyone in the school--"

"I know." A annoyed expression came to his face, and Yuki felt a pang of pain come to his wildly beating chest. "They think we are seeing each other, so it'd only be natural to call one another by first name basis."

"So . . ."

"Tooru looked so happy."

"Eh?"

"She looked so happy when thinking of me being together with you." Kyo then gazed down at his hands, studying them long and hard. "With these hands I'd hate to disappoint her." Yuki smiled. Kyo noticed it and decided to change the subject to someone else. "Right now it'd make sense for me to beat the crap out of Kishida for saying such a stupid thing. Remind to tell me if you happen to see him walking by you one day."

"Actually, this is silly. Let's call it off because it'll cause too many complications for us."

"Not, it's all right. Pretending won't hurt anyone."

Yuki smiled. "Yes . . . Only pretend."

XOXOXOXOXOX

"Hmmm, the President hasn't returned yet. Isn't that a little strange?"

"How can it be strange, Kimi, when it's only been ten minutes tops. Besides, even if he was an hour off the clock I wouldn't care too much. Yuki deserves a break, too."

Kakeru grinned. "Awwwwww, is Nao developing a crush on out dearest President?"

"I think it's the other way around," Naohito said. "Although I don't see why you'd feel attracted to a guy when you have a--"

"Thank you, Nao! Yes! I know I am beautiful!"

Naohito wanted to roll his eyes but refrained from doing so. "I believe Yuki said something like this once before. I don't recall it but I am sure he definitely said something. And you didn't let me finish my sentence."

Kimi sweetly smiled and batted her eyelashes. "You were going to say beautiful, weren't you?"

"Yes, Kimi, yes, he was." Kakeru mouthed to Naohito 'don't upset her!' "I'll say it to you as many times as you'd like!"

"Okay, say it twenty times in a row!"

"Uhm. You are a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful . . ."

Naohito moved away from the couple, and stood by the exit way. He looked out occasionally to see if Yuki was coming. After several more head-stuck-out-of-the-door phases, Yuki finally rounded the corner, and Naohito quickly waved him over.

"Ah, Yuki, you're back at last. Kimi was worried sick about you," Naohito explained. "Go to her before she faints."

"Are you serious?" Yuki didn't look one bit moved.

Naohito's expression became amazingly rigid-looking. "Would I kid with you with a look like this? Can you answer that, Yuki?"

"In other words, you're trying to fool me, Nao, but nice try."

"Damn . . . How is it that you can see right through me?"

"I didn't. Kimi and Kakeru are making out over there, so I doubt she's going to faint anytime soon."

Naohito sheepishly laughs and said, ". . . making out. Can't they do that somewhere else?"

"Hey!" Yuki shouted. "You two other there need to do that elsewhere, because the student council headquarters is not a place for such activities!"

Muttering and murmuring broke out among the other members. It sounded like they were agreeing with Yuki, too.

Kakeru pulled away from Kimi and said, "you can do it too, Mr. President. Just bring Mizunashi in here and there you have it!"

"Did you just call me Mr. President?" Yuki asked, as if he didn't hear Kakeru the first time.

His question went ignored. "I'm sure Mizunashi would love the feel of his lips against yours! Wouldn't that be great! Bring him in sometime!"

"Kakeru, if you don't stop moving your mouth right now I am going to punch you. It's going to hurt, bad."

"As if! I'd like to see you--"

Kakeru didn't get to finish his sentence because before he knew it, he was lying face down on the floor. Everyone in the classroom merely looked, and didn't do anything to help the fallen boy.

"Whoa, Yuki, that was quite some punch," Naohito said. He then went towards Kakeru. "Hey, are you okay? Can you hear me?"

Everyone else were paralyzed with fear, and that was why no one went to help Kakeru. Only Naohito was unaffected.

"I-I can hear you just fine. But my face really hurts," Kakeru replied.

"Yuki looks so demonic!" one boy cries.

"He looks angry! I've never seen him this mad before!" another boy said.

"We better give him some space before he hurts one of us!" a girl exclaims. "I'm getting out of here!"

"Yeah, me too!"

"Me, too!"

"Me, also!"

Everyone went marching out, leaving behind only Kimi, Naohito, Kakeru, and Yuki.

"Don't piss me off like that," Yuki surmised.

The remaining present few turned to look at him (since they were once occupied with watching the other students leave.) The anger had subsided within Yuki's eyes, but not within his voice.

"Uh, we . . . we won't, Yuki, we promise." Naohito attempted to smile and tried to look at the gray-haired teen reassuringly. "Speaking of which, today's Friday - do any of you have plans for the weekend?"

A very corny sounding way to change the mood, but hey, at least Naohito put some sort of effort into it.

Friday? Yuki remembered something. Tooru passed him a note and it said had said for him to go over the Mizunashis' again this Saturday. If today's Friday, then he only has one day to prepare. Prepare, though? Prepare for what exactly?

"Kakeru's injured so he isn't going anywhere and neither am I. I am going to stay right by his side," Kimi answered. "But we were planning on going to watch Harry Potter at the theaters, but oh well."

" . . . don't say it like it isn't a big deal, Kimi," Kakeru whined, feeling a bit hurt. "That's how we ended up together - I confessed my love to you during a previous Harry Potter movie." Kakeru winces. "Ouch, my mouth hurts . . ."

"Shush, my love. Yes," Kimi's eyes glittered beautifully, "yes, it was a special time for the both of us. I love you, Kakeru. I love you so very much. I'll love you till the day I die. Wait, I'll love you for the rest of eternity. Love you forever."

"Okay . . . That's quite enough with the love oath." Naohito wanted to gag - he was feeling more jealous than annoyed though. Poor, guy.

§KAKERU'S CONFESSION§

"Oh! The movie's about to start!" Kimi squeaked. "Don't you think Harry is the best!"

Kakeru blushed, paying attention to only Kimi's lips the entire time that she was speaking. "Uh . . . Uh, yeah."

"Hm? Is something wrong? Your face is all red."

"No-nothing's wrong! Ah! Look, it's starting!"

Kimi turned her attention back to the movie screen.

Thirty minutes went by. Kakeru opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. An hour later. Again, he attempted to say something but found he couldn't utter a single word. Two hours and twenty-eight minutes later . . .

At last . . . "um, Kimi?" She was too absorbed in the movie to notice him. "Kimi."

"Yeah?" she asked, eyes fixed only on the screen.

"I need to tell you something very important."

"What is it?"

"Can you at least look at me while I'm telling you this?" Kimi leaned close to her companion, but still did not look at him. "Uh, eye to eye, Kimi."

"I'm listening though. Oh! Harry learned that spell! Since when!"

Kakeru sweat dropped - it became obvious Kimi was neither listening or looking at him. "Well . . . What I want to say is that I really like you. Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Eh? Girlfriend?"

"Yeah . . ."

"Girlfriend, you said?"

"Yeah, Kimi."

"Sure."

Kakeru's eyes grew wide. "Do you mean it?"

"Why not?"

This time he frowned instead. "Do you like me too, then?"

"Yup."

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes."

"Doesn't sound like it."

"I do mean it. Here." Kimi leaned over and stole a kiss. "Do you believe me now?"

Kakeru flushed, his ears turning as pink as his cheeks. "That was unexpected."

Kimi looked at him from the corner of one eye. "I really do like you, Kakeru."

And thus this was the confession.

§KAKERU'S CONFESSION: END§

XOXOXOXOXOX

"Looks like he's gone and done it. I knew he had a violent rage lying dormant within. It was only a matter of time before he unleashed it."

"Saki, you're talking like you predicted this," Arisa said.

"How can I possibly predict this. It is only natural to get angry and not vent all the time, and when that happens you'll develop a whirlwind of anger deep inside you."

Tooru came strolling over just then, bringing along with her Momiji and Hatsuharu. "I invited them to eat lunch with us, because my mom and I made too much food."

"More company isn't a problem." Arisa smiled and patted the grass beside her. "Sit down, guys."

"Thanks! Uotani, Haru and I are glad you approve of us!"

"Huh? Why do you say that?"

"Well, some girls came up to us and told us that you have a mean streak, and its not easily approachable. But I'm glad you like the both of us."

"I can take an easy guess at who the girls responsible for this were," Arisa mused. "Must have been the YFC."

"Yeah, it was them!" Momiji cheered.

"They have issues," was all Hatsuharu wanted to note about them.

"In any case, let's start eating lunch before the bell rings," Tooru suggested. Her stomach had been growling the entire time, but the others didn't seem to notice because they were talking.

Tooru's stomach growled once more, and this time everyone noticed.

"Ah, looks like Mizunashi is hungry!" I'm hungry, too!" Momiji quickly pulled out a bentou box and opened it. What laid inside dazzled everyone.

"Your food looks of great luxury." Saki looked at Momiji directly in the eyes. "I'm sensing erratic waves from you, though. Are you troubled about something, Kishida?"

"Um . . . No." Momiji sweat dropped. Saki was reading him dead on.

"Are you sure?" Saki pushed onward. "Your waves aren't changing at all - in fact, they are getting more unstable."

Hatsuharu sighed. "Don't badger him so much; you're making him uncomfortable as is."

"No, it's okay, Haru. It's about time I told you anyway." Hatsuharu nodded towards the others, indicating if they needed privacy or not. "Everyone can hear this . . . It won't cause me problems. Okay, here goes . . . I'm afraid to admit that I like to cook cute-looking food."

"Huh?" the others chorused.

"I know. My bentou doesn't look the part, because my mom made it but I can cook very well, too. I'm ashamed of myself though."

"Why are you ashamed about your cooking?" Arisa asked. "A man that can cook is my sort of man."

"Well, when I was younger I used to be teased about it. Even after all this time it still bothers me."

"I recall those incidents - you used to say: "it's nothing, really. I'll be all right." Seems like you hid it from me well, Momiji. Good riddance."

"Ahahahaha. Sorry, I guess.

Chapter 13: END