(My Question. Your Answer.) Question: how do you thanks a person if you only understand what they taught you now? *think. think. think*

After Graduation

"You can't be serious," Zoe said Wednesday afternoon. "You've completely lost your mind!"

"Say whatever you like about me," Koji answered. "The party is still on."

She stared at his eyes, her eye so wide with disbelief it felt like they might fall out and land on her organizer.

"Oh, calm down, Zoe! There's no reason not to go through with it. Besides, the invitations are already sent."

"But…the…you…I…insane!" she spluttered.

"You've already bought my present," he reminded her. "You don't have to do anything by show up."

She made an effort to calm herself. "With everything that is going on right now, a party is hardly appropriate."

"We've graduated is what's going on right now, and a party at school is what's going on at the gym is so appropriate it's almost passé."

"Koji!"

He sighed, and tried to be serious. "There are a few things we need to get in order now, and that's going to take a little time. As long as we're sitting here waiting, we might as well commemorate the good stuff. We've graduated from high school—for the first time—once, Zoe. This is once-in-a-lifetime shot."

Takuya, Koichi and JP, silent through their little argument, flashed Koji a warning look. Koji stuck out her tongue at him. Koji was right—his soft voice would never carry over the babble of the gym. And no one would understand the meaning behind his words in case.

"What few things do we need to get in order?" Zoe asked, refusing the sidetracked.

Takuya answered in low voice. "Koichi thinks we could use some help."

"Our ex-classmates agreed to help us…" JP added.

"Of course, the organizer is you, just like what you did at the Valentine's Ball and the prom," Koichi said.

Koji shuddered delicately.

"It shouldn't be too hard to convince them to help," Takuya continued. "Everybody wants a graduation party."

"But I'm not into this kind of stuffs anymore," Zoe protested. "Koji only forced me at the Ball and the prom."

"Oh c'mon, Zoe," Takuya put his arms on Zoe's shoulders, suddenly full of expression.

"Yeah, don't be a party pooper," Koichi pouted.

"Koji forced you not once, not twice, and this will be the thrice," JP noted.

"Here? At the gym?" Zoe asked.

"We're friends," Koji reassured her. "Everything's going to be fine. Don't worry."

Takuya's eyes brightened at that, and a brief smile flashed across his face. Zoe's stomach suddenly felt like it was full of sharp little splinters of ice.

"When's the party going?" she asked in a hollow voice. She couldn't stand this—the idea of her friends. Her friends cheered.

"A week," Takuya said causally. "That ought to give us enough time."

The icy splinters twisted uncomfortably in her stomach. She was suddenly nauseated.

"You look kind of green, Zoe," JP commented.

Takuya put his arm around Zoe and pulled her tightly against his side. "It's going to be fine, Zoe. Trust us."

Sure, she thought herself. Trust them. And then it occurred it to her.

"I hate this part right here," she said slowly.

"Don't give me that attitude." Koji's head cocked to the side she he processed the change in her tone.

Zoe looked only at Koji as she answered. Her voice was just slightly louder than a whisper. "Can I skip the party?"

Takuya's body was suddenly rigid; his arm was too tight around her. He exhaled, and the sound was a hiss.

But it was Koji, still calm, who answered. "That really wouldn't be helpful."

"Why not?" she argued; she could hear the desperation in her voice. "You're better off without me," she excused.

"What are you avoiding, Zoe?" Koichi disagreed coolly.

"Do you remember how we described you when Koji forced to the prom?" JP recalled.

"We'd be no good without you," Koichi reminded. "Especially at this incoming party," he added.

"Takuya would get hurt." Koji folded his arms across his chest, pleased with his unassailable logic. Takuya eyed him.

Zoe slumped to the seat, her sudden hope defeated. Beside her, Takuya relaxed.

"Not because you're afraid of me, aren't you?"

"In your dreams," Zoe shoved Takuya's arm.

"Oh," Koji said, and a blank look crossed her face. Then his expression became surly. "So that puts the party attendance list down to sixty-five…"

"Sixty five!" Takuya, JP and Koichi's exclaimed at the same time and their eyes bulged.

"I didn't have that many friends." JP wondered.

"Did I even know that many people?" Koichi raised an eyebrow.

"It's a senior's Party, Koichi," Koji snapped.

"I thought only us in the class?" Zoe gasped.

"It's a surprise for our graduation."

For a moment, Zoe just let herself enjoy the relief.

Party

"Zoe?"

Takuya's soft voice came from behind her. She turned to see him spring lightly in the gym, his hair windblown from running.

"Let's get this stupid party over with," she mumbled not meeting is eyes.

"Takuya won't let anything happen to you," Koji teased.

"I'm not worried about myself so much," she snickered.

"Why am I not surprise?" JP muttered to himself. Koichi took a deep breath, and then he smiled slightly.

"Ready to celebrate?" he asked.

Zoe groaned.

He held the door of the gym, Zoe stood frozen there for a minute, and then she slowly shook her head.

"Unbelievable."

Takuya shrugged. "Koji will be Koji."

The interior of the gym had been transformed into a nightclub—the kind that didn't often exist in real life, only on TV.

"Zoe!" Koji called from beside a gigantic speaker. "I need your advice." He gestured toward a towering stack of CDs. "Should we give them familiar and comforting? Or"—he gestured to a different pile—"educate their taste in music?"

"Keep it comforting," Zoe recommended. "You can only lead the horse to water."

Koji nodded seriously, and started throwing the educational CDs into a box. He noticed that Zoe had changed into a sequined tank top and red leather pants. Her bare skin reacted oddly to the pulsing red and purple lights.

"I think I'm underdressed."

"You're perfect," Takuya disagreed.

"You'll do," Koji amended.

"Thanks," she sighed. "Do you really think people will come?" Anyone could hear the hope in her voice. Koji made a face at her.

"Everyone will come," JP answered.

"They're all dying to see the inside of the reclusive gym's mystery nightclub," Koichi admired the decorations of Zoe.

"Fabulous," she moaned.

She doubted that—even after she didn't need sleep and moved at a much faster speed—she would ever be able to get things done the way Koji did.

All at once everything was surreally normal. A perfect smile, genuine and warm, replaced the stress on Takuya's face. Koji turned the volume of the music up, and then danced hip-hop to give the visitors some hi-five.

It was suburban-load of their friends, either too nervous or too intimidated to arrive on their own. They all were curious, and then overwhelmed as they took in the huge room decked out like a chic rave. Tonight Zoe felt like she was acting every bit as much as her friends were.

She went to greet Natalie and Alex, hoping the edge in her voice sounded like the right kind of excitement. Before she could get some anyone else, another crowd came. She let them in, leaving the gym's door wide, because the others were just reaching steps.

She didn't get another chance to panic. She had to talk to everyone, concentrate on being upbeat, a hostess. Though the party had been billed as a joint event for Takuya, Koji, and Zoe, there was no denying that she was the most popular target for congratulations and thanks. Maybe because Takuya looked just slightly wrong under Koji's party lights. Maybe because those lights left the room dim and mysterious. Not an atmosphere to make their average human feel relaxed when standing next to someone like JP. She saw JP grin at Dylan over the food table, the red light gleaming off his teeth, and watched Dylan take an automatic step forward.

Probably Koji had done this n purpose, to force her into the center of attention—a place he thought she should enjoy more. He was forever trying to make her be happy the way he though she should be.

The party was a clear success, despite the instinctive edginess—or maybe that simply added a thrill to the atmosphere. The music was infectious, the lights almost hypnotic. From the way the food disappeared, that must be very good, too. The entire room was soon crowded, through never claustrophobic. The entire senior class seemed to be there, along with most of the juniors. Bodies swayed to the beat of the rumbled under the soles of their feet, the party constantly on the edge of breaking into a dance.

It wasn't as hard Zoe had thought it would be. She followed Koji's lead, mingling and chatting for a minute with everyone. They seemed easy enough o please. She was sure this party was far cooler than the town of Shibuya had experienced before. Koji was almost purring—no one here would forget this night.

Zoe circled the room once, and was back to Natalie. She babbled excitedly, and it was not necessary to pay strict attention, because the odds were she wouldn't needed response from her anytime soon. Takuya was at her side.

"Stay here," he murmured in her ear. "I'll be right back."

He passed gracefully through the crowd without seeming to touch any of the close-packed bodies. Natalie shouted over the music eagerly, hanging on to her elbow, oblivious to her distraction.

She stretched up on her toes, craning her neck. She ducked her way through the bodies, getting shoved around a bit. A few people were dancing now.

Takuya was gone, but Koji was still in the dark.

"What's up with Takuya, Koji?"

The gym's door just open then, hours after the last time, and Koji looked up with a puzzled expression that quickly turned into one of disgust.

"Who invited Austin?" he griped at me.

Zoe raised an eyebrow. "Koji just say what?"

"Well, you go take care of it, then. I don't wanna have a fight."

"No, Koji, wait!" She tried to reach for his arm, but she was gone and her hand clutched the empty air.

"Damn it!" she grumbled.

"Hey, Zoe!"

The Austin's deep voice caught a lull in the music, and Zoe looked up in spite of herself at the sound of her name.

She made a face.

It wasn't just one bully, it was three. Austin had let himself in, flanked on either side by his two brothers. The two of them looked terribly tense, their eyes flickering around the room like they'd just walked into a haunted crypt.

Austin was waving at her, calmer than the others, though his nose was wrinkled in disgust. She waved back—waved goodbye—and turned to run away from him. She squeezed through a space.

He came out of nowhere, his hand on Zoe's shoulder pulling her back toward the shadow. She ducked under his grip, but the he grabbed her wrist and yanked her from the crowd.

"Friendly reception," she noted.

Zoe pulled her hand free and scowled at her. "What are you doing here?"

"Why is it I'm the only one who's not invited?"

"In case my right looks subtle for you, let me translate: this is me giving you an invitation to get out."

"Don't be a poor sport."

Zoe folded her arms across her chest. She didn't want to fight with Austin right now. She craned her head around Austin, searching a way to get away from him.

"Take your butt out of this gym, Austin. I've got to do something…"

She stepped into her line of sight, demanding her attention.

"I can't do that. I always get what I want—nobody tell me what to do. It took me a really long time to find about this party."

She leaned around him again, but she couldn't find any way. Her eyes scanned the darkened room.

"Oh, c'mon Zoe. Don't pretend like I'm not here!

"Nobody tells me what to do." She couldn't see one of her friends anywhere. "Look, Austin, I've got a lot on my mind right now."

He put his hands under her chin and pulled her face up. "Could I please have just a few seconds of your undivided attention, Miss Orimoto?"

She jerked away from his touch. "Keep your hands to yourself, Austin," she hissed.

"I like tough girls," he said at once, holding her hands.

"Tough—what a perfect description!" She tried to pull her hands away but he squeezed her hands tightly and squeezing out of the crowd.

"Be nice, you know."

"Do you wanna be punched like I did to you last time?"

"Do it," he mumbled.

"I can't wait to see what Takuya does to you! I hope he snaps your neck, you pushy, obnoxious, moronic PIG!"

Austin rolled his eyes. Still pulling her out of the gym.

Takuya appeared quite literally out of nowhere. One second it was just Zoe against the wall, JP and Koichi blocking Austin's exit, and then Takuya was standing on the other side of Austin's arm, his expression terrifying. Koji put his back in front of Zoe.

"Looks like Zoe got some real friends here," Austin muttered, glaring at Takuya.

Takuya stepped in between them, and the three uninvited visitors braced themselves.

"Hey, hey," Zoe said, adding a slightly hysterical chuckle. "This is a party, remember?"

Nobody paid any attention to her. Austin glared at Takuya while Koji glared at Austin. Zoe's face was suddenly thoughtful.

"Just leave, Austin, please," Zoe choked out.

Austin didn't respond; his brothers headed impatiently out of the gym. He didn't respond; he hurried to catch up with his brothers, who were already gone.

"That was close," Koichi whistled.

"Are you okay?" Takuya asked Zoe.

"I'm okay," Zoe lied as she moved her now-broken wrists.

"Back to work," JP went into the other side along came Koichi while Koji went back near the gigantic stereo.

Takuya was staring at the floor, hiding his eyes. His lower lip jutted out just a little bit.

"I guess Austin was right about my real friends," she said in the same defeated tone.

Zoe groaned. "Aw, Zoe, you shouldn't have said that."

"Don't I?"

"Maybe you should." Zoe leaned forward, peering up, trying to look into his eyes. He looked up then, over her head, avoiding her gaze.

"Takuya?"

He refused to look at her.

"Um. I brought you a graduation present," he blushed a little as he raised what he was hiding. "As you can see, I can't take it back to the store, Zoe, because I didn't get it from the store—I made it myself. Took a really long time, too," he explained.

"A present?" He rolled his eyes and then grimaced at her.

She held her hand open in front of her. "I'm waiting."

"Right," he grumbled sarcastically. But he also reached into the back of his pocket of his jeans and pulled out a small bag of a loose-woven, multi-colored fabric. It was tied shut with leather drawstrings. He set it on her palm.

"Hey, that's pretty, Takuya. Thanks!"

He sighed. "The present is inside, Zoe."

"Oh."

She had some trouble with the strings. He sighed again and took it from her, sliding the ties open with one easy tug of the right cord. She held her hand for it, but he turned the bag upside down and shook something silver into her hand. Metal links clinked quietly against each other.

"Shinya helped me with the bracelet," he admitted, "but I did make the charm all by myself."

Fastened to one of the links of the silver bracelet was a tiny wooden carving. She held it between her fingers to look at it closer. It was amazing the amount of detail involved in the little figuring—the miniature heart was utterly realistic. It was even carved out of some red-brown wood that matched the color of his skin.

"It's beautiful," she whispered. "You made this? How?"

He shrugged. "It's something Mom taught me. Shinya's better at it than I am."

"That's hard to believe," she murmured, turning the tiny heart around and around in her fingers.

"Do you really like it?"

"Yes! It's unbelievable, Takuya."

He smiled, happily at first, but then the expression soured. "Well, I figured that maybe it would make you remember me once in a while. You know how it is, out of sight, out of mind.

She ignored the attitude. "Here, help me put it on."

She held out her left wrist, since the right was stuck in the brace. He fastened the catch easily, though it looked too delicate for his big fingers to manage.

"You'll wear it?"

"Of course I will."

He grinned at me—it was the happy smile that she loved to see him wear.

She let her hands down then it there was a crunching sound.

"Ow! OW!" she screamed, frantically hopping up and down in agony while she clutched her hand to her chest. It was definitely now broke, she could feel it.

Takuya stared at her in shock. "Are you all right?"

"No, dammit! I broke my hand!"

"Zoe, Austin broke your hand. Now stop dancing around and let me look at it."

"Don't touch me! I'm going home right now!"

"I'll come with you," he said calmly.

"No, thanks," she hissed. "I'll walk alone." She turned toward the gym's door.

"Just let me walk you home," Takuya insisted. Unbelievably, he had the nerve to wrap his arm around her waist.

She jerked away from him.

"Never mind!" she growled. "I don't wanna be a party pooper and burst all of your bubbles."

Takuya rolled his eyes. He walked her to a chair and helped her sit. He was whistling.

"You should've continued the punch," he muttered. "I was really touched when you said my name."

Zoe snapped her head, furious and annoyed.

"Are you kidding? Before you started screaming, I've have figured out that your wrist is hurt. I may not be made out of stone, but I'm not that soft.

"Takuya I…no, this is nothing."

"Don't lie to me, you suck at lying. You should've told me about that," he said.

"I hate you, Takuya Kanbara."

"That's good. Hate is a passionate emotion."

"I'll give you passionate," she muttered under her breath. "Murder, the ultimate crime of passion."

"Oh c'mon," he said, all cheery and looking like he was about to start whistling again. "That had to be better than acting."

"Not even remotely close," she told him coldly.

He pursed his lips. "You could just be saying that."

"But I'm not."

That seemed to bother him for a second, but then he perked up. "What are you mad about?"

"Ugh," she groaned.

"You're going to think about it tonight. When he thinks you're asleep, you'll be thinking your options."

"If I think about you tonight, it will be because I'm having a nightmare."

He turned to stared at her with his brown eyes wide and earnest. "Just think about it could be, Zoe," he urged in a soft, eager voice.

Here we go again, Zoe thought.

"You know Mr. Orimoto would be happy if you picked me. I could protect you as well—maybe better this time. And I would make you happy, Zoe. There's so much I could give you. I would never; never let anyone hurt you, Zoe."

Zoe held up her injured hand.

He sighed. "Starting now."

"Takuya, I can be happy without you."

"You've never tried," he disagreed. "You could be happy with me."

"I don't want to be happy with anyone like you now," she insisted.

"You'll never be able to be as sure as you are of me."

"I'm fine without you," she said through her teeth. The pain of the memory bit into her like the lash of a whip. It made her want to hurt him back. "You cheated on me once, you could do it again," she reminded him in a cold voice, thinking of the weeks he'd hidden from her, the words he'd said to her in the street.

"I was guilty, I regret that," he argued hotly. "But I didn't mean to! I used to run around your house at night—like I do now. Just making sure you were okay."

She didn't know that. She wasn't about to let him make her feel bad for him now.

He sighed.

"Just think about it, Zoe."

"No," she said stubbornly.

"You will. Tonight. And I'll be thinking about you while you're thinking about me."

"Like I said a nightmare."

He grinned over at her. "Oh, really? Then why were you saying my name a dozen times when you're asleep?"

She gasped, unthinkingly balling her hands up into fists again, hissing when her broken hand reacted.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I did not."

"I think I can tell the difference."

"Obviously you can't—that was me saying your name because it was a nightmare, you idiot."

She took a deep breath. There was no point in arguing with him; he would twist anything she sad. She concentrated on her hand, trying to stretch her fingers, to ascertain where the broken parts were. Sharp pains stabbed along her knuckles. She groaned.

"I'm really sorry about your hand," Takuya said, sounding almost sincere. "Next time Austin shows up with that attitude, use a baseball bat or a crowbar, okay?"

"Don't think I'll forget that," she muttered.

She didn't realize that Koji was coming until she looked up.

"What happened?" he said.

Zoe stood up awkwardly, heading for the cafeteria, and she was less surprised that annoyed to find Takuya and Koji beside her again.

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

"I am going to get some ice on my hand, and then I when the party's over I'm going to fix me hand at home. Then, if you're still here, I am going to go hunt up a crowbar."

They didn't answer. Takuya opened the door to the cafeteria and held it for her.

They walked silently past the room.

Zoe stalked on to the kitchen.

"What's wrong with her?" Koji wondered.

"Austin broke her hand," She heard Takuya tell Koji. Zoe went to the freezer and pulled out a tray of ice cubes.

"How did he do that?" As her best friend, she thought Koji ought to sound a bit less amused and a bit more concerned.

Takuya laughed. "Obviously, he squeezed really tight her hand while ago."

Koji laughed, too, and Zoe scowled while she beat the tray against the edge of the sink. The ice scattered inside the basin, and she grabbed a handful with her good hand and wrapped the cubes in the dishcloth on the counter.

"What's with the attitude?"

"Same," Takuya said, unashamed.

"Good for you," Koji congratulated him.

Zoe ground her teeth and went outside where Takuya and Koji were.

Koji spoke again. "Maybe you ought to take off, Takuya," he suggested.

"I think I'll hang out here, if you don't mind."

"You're funeral," Koji muttered.

"I can see the idiot still here," Zoe finally spoke again.

"How's your hand?" Koji asked as she walked by. Koji looked uncomfortable. Takuya lolled next to him on the table, perfectly at ease.

Zoe lifted the ice pack to show it off. "It's swelling."

"Maybe you should pick on people your own size," Koji suggested.

"Maybe," she agreed.

"Let me see," Koji murmured.

He examined her hand gently, so carefully that it caused her no pain at all.

"I think you're right about the brake," he said. "I'll take care of it," he promised. And then he called, "Takuya," his voice still quiet and even.

"Now, now," Takuya cautioned.

Takuya had himself off of the sofa. His expression was alert and eager.

"I don't want any fighting, but if you're going to order me to get the first aid kit, count me out," Takuya looked only at Koji when he spoke.

"That won't be necessary," Koji said in restrained tone.

Takuya grinned, incorrigible. "I'll take the trade any day.

Koji grimaced.

"Koji, get a baseball bat."

Koji looked at her evenly. "Enough, Zoe," he said. "I'll get the first aid kit before you wind up in a jail cell," Koji said. Koji walked out of the cafeteria.

"Don't leave me here with this break-face," Zoe said, and then Koji was gone. "Fine."

So, what do you think? Like it hate it? Funny or boring? Read/Review! :)