So last month, I realized that this story has had over 2,500 views. I'm so happy! I didn't even think I'd get 1,000. Thank you for over 2,500 views. Let's make it 3,000! I'm really glad that people are reading this and I'm really excited about future chapters. I hope you enjoy this one.

Surprise, Surprise

Kido's POV

I understood why Momo and Mary wanted me to eat at the rooftop with them. They wanted to talk about the surprise party for Kano they were planning. They were setting up their bento boxes. Then, Momo asked, "Kido, we need you to stall Kano after school for at least fifteen minutes. Mary, the others, and I are going to set up the party at the clubroom while you stall."

"Alright. Wait...how should I stall him?" I asked.

"How about confessing your undying love for him?" Momo suggested playfully.

I glared at her and sighed. She's lucky she's not Kano. "Hey, Kido..." Momo started. "Hm?" I asked, while munching on a rice ball Mary sweetly gave to me. "Do you like Kano? Please don't kill me." I didn't reply right away. I was still munching on my rice ball staring right at her eyes. Still munching...

At last, I finished and said, "It's ironic how his dad asked me the same thing," to avoid the question. Instead, I made her ask more questions...Momo's eyes popped out. "Wha... You me.. his...da..? You we...to..his hou..?"

"Huh?"

"What?! You met his dad? You went to his house!?" Momo repeated. So that's what she was trying to say.

I yawned after that. "Stop being loud. I'm kind of sleepy right now, so can you guys wake me up before lunch is over," I said as I lied down on one side and rested my head on my arms like a pillow.

I heard, "Wait, Kido! We're not done with this conversation yet. Don't go to sleep!" and I'm out.

I'm in my middle school, sitting at the last row near the window, just gazing at the outside."Good morning, Kido!" I turn away from the window and I see a girl I don't know. Why is she speaking to me?

"Good news! We're sitting next to each together from now on." The unknown girl said happily to me.

"How is that good news? More importantly, how do you know my name?" I replied indifferently to her.

"HUH? I can't believe you forgot about me from last year. We were in class 1-A last year and we talked at detention that one time. You should really pay attention to your surroundings." She said and pouted. She sat on the seat to the right of mine.

After that, I remembered exactly who she was. I remembered last year, there was always this one girl in class who got the lowest scores on tests and the teacher would always scold her. But even so, she was friendly to everyone and was everyone's friend, except mine. I just ignored her like the rest of the entire school's population. Her name is Ayano Tateyama. The only time I actually talked to her was in detention and our current conversation.

"Oh yeah? What about you? You don't pay attention in class, idiot. You always get bad scores on your tests. I can't believe I have to sit next to an annoying girl." I said and sighed

"Hey! I do pay attention. It's just-"

"You're really dumb." I interrupted her.

"Hey, Ayano. You shouldn't talk to her She'll just make you feel bad.." A guy said out of nowhere.

"Tch." He was right, though. I just ignored him and went back to face the window. From my peripheral vision, I sensed that she was staring at me. Why is she still here? I thought she would leave. After all, I said some horrible things to her earlier.

I turned to her. "What? Do you need something?

"Let's be friends!" She smiled widely to me.

"No." I said immediately.

"Why not?" She complained.

"You're annoying, dumb, and loud." I said. Because I'll hurt you. Damn it.

"Then, I'll change. I'll be smarter, less annoying, and quiet." This girl said with a determined face.

"..." Why does she want to be my friend so badly. She'll just regret it.

"No...You don't have to change." I replied back.

"Eh? Then, how can I become your friend?" She asked with curious eyes.

"Just be yourself. Then, I'll think about it." I said and gave a small smile to her. After I said those words, she looked like she won the lottery. She told me that she would approach me more, we'll hang out, and eventually become friends. I didn't believe her at first.

Before I knew it, this girl would become precious to me.

Before I knew it, this would just be another fragment of her memories about me that she wouldn't know of.

"Wake up. Wake up, Kido. We're going to be late if you don't wake up, Kido." I opened my eyes slowly. In my vision, I see two girls looking at me, concerned.

"Hey, Kido. Are you alright? You've been turning a lot and you kept murmuring stuff in you sleep. Did you have a bad dream?" Mary asked with concern in her voice.

"Ah. Something like that." I stood up and we walked back to class. The dreams and flashbacks I get of Ayano are happening frequently now. It's getting really annoying. I shouldn't be thinking of Ayano right now and focus on Kano's party. How the hell do I stall him?

Then, I remembered what Momo had mentioned earlier."How about confessing your undying love for him?" Hell no!

Kano's POV

"I think I do kind of like her."

I looked up at Seto and Shintaro. Their heads dropped to the desk. "Pfft." Their reactions were priceless. I couldn't hold in my laugh anymore.

"Just kidding." I said with my trademark grin and winked. Just kidding. I really can't say my true feelings, can I?

After that, we changed the subject and finished our lunches. Ten minutes later, the classroom door had slide opened and we saw that the girls have returned, walking back to their desks. I was mostly paying attention to Kido, though. She still looks exhausted and went back to her desk behind me. Damn. Stop making me worry. It's my birthday, too. I sighed. The bell rang . Lunch was over.

Normal POV

Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock.

Kido stared at the classroom clock from her desk intensely. She only has one minute before she stalls Kano, still having no clue what to do.

Bring-bring.

The school's chime broke her out of her thoughts. She looked around. Everyone was packing up. She saw Momo and the rest of the gang leave the room. Momo looked at her one last time and nodded before she left. The plan to stall Kano has begun. Kido just sat on her chair. Crap. What do I do? Kano just finished packing and waited for Kido.

Two minutes passed and only four students were in the classroom now: Kido, Kano, and two students who had After School Cleaning Duty.

While Kano was wondering why Kido was still here, Kido thought that maybe they should just stay here for the remaining thirteen minutes. Unfortunately, her plan backfired. The students on clean up duty politely asked them to leave, so they can straighten the desks and sweep the floor.

"Hey, Kido? Shouldn't we be heading to the clubroom?" Kano asked as they walked out of the classroom. Kido walked behind him.

"Yeah, but I wanted to talk to you." Kido said. Oh gosh. Now I have to come up with something.

"Hm? About what?" Kano asked. She's acting weird.

"Uh...isn't the weather nice? We should go to the rooftop." asked the girl who was always taciturn around others.

"..." She's acting really weird.

Immediately, Kano stopped walking and Kido bumped into his back. She rubbed her nose and saw him turn around suddenly with a skeptical look. He scrutinized her, wondering if she really did have a fever from last night that had made her attempt to make conversation.

She looked fine, except for the dark circles under her eyes. 'Maybe it's because of her lack of sleep,' Kano thought.

"Let's go to the rooftop for fresh air." Kano said to agree.

Kido sighed quietly of relief and nodded. Kano had put his hands in his pockets and they continued walking in silence. And in unison, they thought...

The atmosphere is so awkward.

At the rooftop, they stood behind the chained fence and looked at scenery. Well, only Kano paid attention to it. Kido was busy checking her phone for that time and stared at Kano a few times. Soon, Kano started to notice her secret glances.

When she turned to glance at him again, he was already staring at her. She quickly looked down to her phone. Kano thought that this was the perfect opportunity to tease her by saying something like, "You keep staring at me. Don't tell me you like me." Kido looked up at him once again to see he had a smirk.

"Shut up." Kido said.

"But I didn't say anything." Kano feigning innocence.

"You were going to tease me." Kido said.

Kano chuckled and replied "Guess you know me too well now." The atmosphere got a little better. Kido said nothing back and leaned against the chained fence. She returned to her phone. Seven minutes left, she thought. 'This will be the longest seven minutes of my life.' She was going to look up at Kano again, but found him right in front of her.

"But you know, I just realized I still don't know much about you, Kido." She heard him say softly."Er. What do you want to know?" Kido asked.

"I want to know more about you, Kido..." Kano said with his usual smile. " Remember last month, you said you would answer all of my questions soon, but how long is soon?" he asked. She was shocked that Kano wanted to know more about her and had waited for a month. Kido looked down, not really having an answer. Kano sighed and ruffled her hair. He's the second person who wanted to know more about Kido. "Never mind. Let's go back to the clubroom. Didn't you say we had to go there?" He said and started walking to the door. "Wait." Kido said as he grabbed the door's handle, but didn't open it.

"Let's play a game." Kido announced.

"Huh?" Kano turned around, confused.

"You want to know more about me? Then, let's play a game. We have to tell each other two truths and one lie about ourselves. Find out the lie and you only have one guess." Kido said. Kano smiled widely, getting excited.

"Hm. Sounds fun! I'll find out more about you." Kano said walking back to Kido.

"You start." Kido said.

"Alright. I'm actually a masochist. I punched my sensei in junior high school. I crossed-dressed as a girl one time." Kano said with a grin.

"The hell? I said two truths and one lie. Not three lies." Kido said.

"Haha. I'm actually being honest right now. I said two truths and one lie about myself." It's funny how nobody believes me when I tell the truth, but instead, they believe the lie, Kano thought.

"There's something wrong with you then. Um...Is the lie that you cross-dressed as a girl? " Kido guessed.

"Bzzz." Kano started, making the "wrong answer" sound. "No. That actually did happen." Kano confessed.

"I'm not even going to bother to ask." Kido said.

"Your turn." Kano said to her.

"I'm scared of roller coasters. Someone thought that I was a guy. I made a kid cry once.." Kido said. Kano laughed and clutched his stomach.

Then, Kano thought about this for a moment and said, "The lie is that you made a kid cry once."

"Damn you." Kido muttered.

"Yes! So Kido's scared of roller coasters eh? Remind me to take you to the amusement park." Kano said happily.

And so they played this game for the next five minutes. Kano learned a few interesting things about Kido. Kido can cook. She likes cats and dogs. Her parents forced her to play the piano. Kano's many questions for Kido were still unanswered, but he was happy that Kido was sharing these things with him.

They walked back to the hallway after that. Kido wondered if he was going to be surprised. Fifteen minutes had finally passed since after school. They were walking nearer and nearer to the music club.

Then, Kido saw Momo through the glass of the door. Momo was holding up one finger at Kido. Kido's expression said, "You still need one more minute!?" Momo nodded and mouthed "sorry". Kano didn't notice anything.

Kano was getting closer to the door. Kido stopped him by grabbing his hand. "Hm? You want to hold my hand?" Kano teased. Kido looked down at the floor. Her cheeks were red. She has to stall him for one more minute. I only have one option left, she thought.

"K-kano. I-I" She stuttered out. She couldn't believe. She was going to say it.

"What's wrong?" Kano asked. His expression changed to a more serious one. Kido took a deep breath.

"I l-lik-" I started, but was cut off.

"You IDIOOOTTTT!" That was Shintaro's voice.

Crash!

Kano had let go of Kido's hand. He ran and opened the clubroom door.

Kano's POV

What...the...hell? I see streamers everywhere on the floor. Momo and Shintaro are on the floor in dizzy states.

"Surprise!" Seto, Mary, Takene, and Haruka popped out of nowhere. They all looked nervous.

"Sssuurrppriseee..." said Shintaro and Momo in a lackadaisical voice. They were still on the floor.

Kido appeared from behind me and saw the scene. "What happened?" I shrugged and rubbed the back of my head nervously, not really knowing myself.

"This idiot happened." Momo and Shintaro said unison, both pointing to each other.

"Me?! No! It was your fault!

"Stop copying me!"

"No, you stop!

Kido signed in frustration, but at the same time, relief. "You guys were throwing me a surprise party?" I asked. Everyone nodded quietly. We were almost done with the decorations, which Shintaro and I were in charge of." Momo said.

"We had these streamers hung onto a string below the ceiling. To reach that high, we had to stand on chairs. My idiot sister, here, lost her balance on the chair and tried to grab onto me. I just so happened to be holding onto the string holding all the streamers, though. And here we are now. Surprise mission failed." Shintaro explained while rubbing his head.

I was quiet after that. Even though the surprise party plan failed, I was still surprised. No one has ever thrown me a surprise party before. I feel so happy right now.

"Oi, Kano." I turned around to Kido. "Why are you so quiet? You don't like the party?" She asked. I shook my head and said, "No. That's not it. I'm just really grateful. Thanks everybody!" I gave the brightest smile. It was a genuine smile

"Hey, Kido. What were you going to say earlier?" I asked, remembering that she was talking to me before I went to clubroom. Kido looked other way. "Nothing. Just forget about it." Yeah right. Like hell I will.

"Anyways. You should open presents. Then, we can eat cake." Momo said happily! "Mhmm." I smiled. I opened my presents. Shintaro gave me a new phone case. I received a book and a homemade card from Mary. Haruka and Takene bought me a shirt together. The last person was Seto and I got a framed picture from him. I felt my eyes widen when I saw the picture...I thanked all of them.

I put the framed picture in my handbag. "Time for cake!" Momo and Mary announced. They had set up a cake on table in the club. I was sitting in front of the cake. Kido was to my right and Seto was to my left.

Momo started, "Ready. 1, 2, 3..."

"Happy Birthday to you!" They all sang. I looked at everyone. They were all singing happily and I was just staring at them. Even Kido was singing and smiling. "Happy Birthday, dear Kano!" I don't know what to do. I feel like I'm in an awkward position. "Happy Birthday to you." The song was finally over and everyone waited for me to blow out the candles.

"Don't forget to make a wish." Mary reminded me. I nodded.

I looked at the candles. Fifteen candles. I have lived for fifteen years with regrets and negative feelings. I looked at everyone smiling. Now, I'm living a normal life in high school with friends. I wish that I could smile and laugh with my friends every day. I blew the candles, and everyone cheered. I know this wish seems lame, but I really do want to make good memories with my friends from now on and move on from the past.

The cake was sliced evenly and a slice was passed to everyone. "Hey, Seto." I said after eating some cake off a fork. "Hm?" Seto asked. "How did you get that picture?" He had put his fork down and said, "I found it in my bedroom a few days ago. I thought you would like it, so I decided to give it to you." "I see. Well thanks." I replied back. He nodded. We continued eating.

"You've really changed, Kano. You're not the same person I met in middle school." Seto spoke. I laughed bitterly at that. "Well that was middle school. By the way, I'm sorry about...you know...I thought you would hate me after everything that had happened."

He had one hand on my shoulder, trying to comfort me. "Hey. That was middle school. We can forgive and forget now." That was bullshit and we both knew it. "I'll always be by your side, Kano." Seto said in a friendly tone. I didn't say anything, but nodded.

"It's all thanks to her that you changed. She also changed you." We looked at Kido, sleeping soundlessly with her head in her arms. She didn't touch her cake at all.

"Yeah. She brought me and my dad closer just last night." I smiled as I said that. Seto looked shocked. "Seriously? That's great. Ah. I'm such a terrible friend. I couldn't even help you with your dad." Seto said with a painful smile. I rubbed my hand on his head, hard.

"Hey. Don't be like that. You've helped me through my middle school years. I don't think I could have graduated without you." I joked. We both laughed. "You just keep being my brother. Okay?" He smiled and nodded in agreement. Seto is actually my best friend. But to me, he was more like the brother I never had.

"Kido hasn't eaten her cake yet." Seto pointed at her. An idea popped in my head. A crazy, stupid idea. No...more like a death wish.

I grabbed her plate with the slice of cake with one hand. I tapped on her shoulder with the other hand. "Uh. What are you doing?" Seto asked. "Shh." She stirred, but she didn't wake up. Finally a minute later, her head moved up. It turned towards my direction. At that very moment, her face made contact with the cake. Well that woke her up.

"KANO!"

She got up from her seat. She had this glare I couldn't describe. It was different, but the only thing I know now is that she wants to kill me.

"You can't hurt me! This morning you said you would make an exception, since it's my birthday." I told her and stuck my tongue out.

"Argh! Seto, lend me your fist!" Kido said to him.

"I'm afraid I can't help you, even though Kano does deserve it." Seto told her. I smirked. She groaned. "Damn you." She muttered. Mary helped clean Kido up. Soon, she went back to sleep. She better sleep a lot tonight.

"Any volunteer wants to take her home? Momo asked, pointing at Kido. Two hours had passed. It was 5 p.m. now. Everyone, excluding Kido, was cleaning up the clubroom. "I'll take her home." I raised my hand.

"Don't piss her off." Momo was observing me with doubt. "Alright. Alright. I understand." I said as I got Kido on my back. I grabbed her legs from behind and made sure her arms were wrapped around my neck, so she wouldn't fall. Even though, Kido was slightly taller than me, she was pretty light to carry. Her body is so skinny...

"You're not taking her home, are you?" Seto asked. I shook my head. "Not yet. I want to show her that place before I take her home.

I left school and walked for ten minutes, giving Kido a piggy back ride. I just ignored people's strange stares along the way. We finally arrived at the destination I wanted. I laid Kido down on the grass, letting her sleep more. I opened up my handbag and took out the picture frame. I had set it on my lap. Seto...

I know you mean well, but you just brought back unwanted memories.

-Twenty minutes later-

Kido suddenly got up. "Oh. You're finally up," I said to her. "Where the hell am I?" She asked. "At a riverbank, the best place to watch the sunset." I answered, pointing at the sunset's direction. "Oh. Why did you bring me here? She asked.

"I just told you. This is the best place to watch the sunset. Back in middle school, Seto and I would hang out here after school. Actually, this is where we first met. We would watch the sunset together." I answered.

"Wait what? You knew Seto in middle school? I thought you guys first met and became friends in our class." I shook my head. "No. We knew each other before we met you and the others." I explained. "I see." Kido said, watching the sunset.

"Did you have any friends in middle school?" I asked her.

"I had one." She replied.

"Oh cool. Tell me about her or him." I said.

"She used to be my best friend." Used to? "She's actually the reason why I made the club. If I could describe her as one thing. I would say that she's like the sun. She shines brightly with her smiles, but I'm can't get to her." She said this, while stretching her hand out to the sunset. Maybe her friend moved away?

"You've heard of the Red String of Fate, right? An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it well never break. This is mostly for lovers, but I'm sure you'll meet her again." I said and gave her an encouraging smile. I pointed to the redness of the sunset. She smiled sadly back. "Yeah." We were silent for five minutes.

"It's time for me to take you home." I said, breaking the silence. I got up and forgot about my picture frame. It had fell from my lap and landed gently on the grass closer to Kido.

Kido's POV

"Hm? What's this?" I asked Kano.

"Ah that's..."

I grabbed the picture frame and scrutinized it. I gasped. My eyes widened because I thought that my eyes were deceiving me. I almost dropped the picture frame. No. It couldn't be. But why? How? What does this mean? My mind is filling up with so many questions. My heart is beating so fast. I can feel sweat forming on my forehead. I just don't understand, because there on my hands was a picture of a younger Seto, Kano, and my former best friend smiling.

"Kano, why do you have a picture with Ayano?"

A/N: Dang. This chapter... I just started like one week ago and got stumped. I'm really sorry! By the way, I finished my three projects! Now, I have high school registration stuff to do, and I'll be able to work on future chapters. So please review. I was really happy getting three reviews from the last chapter, because I'm a loser! :/

Anyways, I feel like you guys hate this chapter or something. Tell me what you think. What do you think was Kano's actual lie from the game? And what about Seto and Kano in middle school? And how Seto is also connected to Ayano? Do you guys think the characters are OOC? Also review about my writing please, because I suck at it. Don't forget to review, follow, and favorite! Thanks for reading. Okay. I'm done. Bye! c: