1000 views! OMG! I was so thrilled when I saw the view count! Thank you so much guys for reading this story! Thank you for your support (priceless reviews that always make my day, or simply reading this and add one more view to the count) I hope you don't get bored but instead enjoying this story more and more ^^

Neil

It has been a week since that incident and from what I heard, Reine doesn't talk to her sister at all although they still walk to school together.

"Girls are weird," I tell Rod when we're on our way to the school. "They can have this silly long fight. In silence."

Rod laughs. "That's why they're girls, I guess."

"How could you solve the problem when you don't talk to each other?"

Rod shrugs. "We're boys, they're girls. I'm sure they have their own way to settle things."

"So troublesome."

When we almost reach the school gate, I can see a group of people, wearing different school uniform, is gathering in front of the empty gate. As we draw nearer to each other, I realise who they are: they are the people who abducted Reine the last time. Plus several others. Some of them bring some sorts of weapons: metal pipes, wooden planks, or just empty bottles.

They must be here for a payback.

"Rod,"

"Yeah?"

"I need a favour…"

Reine

I walk in silence with Gwen to the school. Since that day, we stop talking to each other, even in the room. Initially, I wanted to talk about it, but Gwen always brushed it off as if she had been reading my intention. In the end, we decided in silence that silence is the best policy for now.

BUK! BUK! BUK!

Huh? What's that sound? And what's that commotion in front of school gate.

"He—" A hand grabs my mouth and pulls me back. I immediately try to strike the assailant with my elbow (although it's kinda hard thanks to the crutches) but he blocks it successfully.

"This is me! Rod!" he whispers frantically. "Whatever I'm gonna do, blame Neil."

Suddenly he lifts me up to his shoulder.

"What?!"

"Well, I'd prefer you not to blame any of us."

With that he asks Gwen to take my crutches on the ground and carefully avoids the commotion through a detour to the back gate. I can see a glimpse of golden hair in the midst of fray.

"Neil?!"

Neil is obviously being overwhelmed by the glaring disadvantage in number. There are like... fifteen of them against him?

"Shhhh!" Rod silences me quickly. "You don't want them to hear you!"

"What's the meaning of this?!" I ask him, "Put me down, Rod!"

"If you're going to help him with your current condition, you're only going to be in his way!"

Shit. He has a point.

Why…? Why can't I be useful to him?

He brings us to the empty gymnasium and puts me down. He asks Gwen to sit next to me. "We're staying here."

"You're not going to help him?" I ask.

"No."

"They're beating him up! Aren't you going to fight for him?!"

"I am," he says sternly. "I am fighting against the urge to beat them up. Because that means he will lose his fight."

"What are you talking about?!"

"He is breaking that cycle of fight." Rod explains. "A cycle that can only be broken through letting them to beat him as they like with no resistance."

"But… but…"

"He is fighting for his freedom." Rod says, "No, it's more like he's fighting to protect you."

Neil's words are echoed in my mind.

I can—and I will—protect you.

I clench my fist until I can feel my nails are buried in my skin. Why? Why must it be this way?

"Then why am I here as well?" Gwen asks.

"He doesn't want them to mistake you as Reine. Well, you guys are twins."

"You sound like his sidekick."

"I don't want Allen to go on rampage at me if I let you go as well." Rod adds with a grin. "Anyway, Gwen, I want you to listen to me."

Rod takes a deep breath. "Neil Forrester isn't a delinquent like what you thought."

Rod continues by telling her the story of Neil's first day, where it all began. Gwen doesn't say anything, but I can see there is a change in her eyes.

"Now, it's your turn, Reine." Rod says, turning at me. "Allen's not as bad as you thought. By now, you know the rumours are true. I bet you might want to know his story, but Allen's… is not something I can tell you. Only Allen can tell."

Rod stares at me squarely. If even he doesn't grin, I know this is a very, very serious matter.

"I see…." I ask, "Do you know his story, then, Gwen?"

"Yeah."

"Reine, please believe me for this once. Allen is my childhood friend and I know what he's been through."

I remember my first impression on Allen: yes, there was pain in his eyes. Could it be… that pain I saw is related to this, somehow?

Since he met your sister, he stopped doing it again.

I remember his face at the hospital: it's genuine concern.

He's trying his best to make Gwen eats more.

I know he is sincere about Gwen.

I... I don't think I want to ask anything more than that.

"Okay, I'll trust you." I reply, to which Rod smiles. I then turn to Gwen, "So, you know your boyfriend isn't that perfect. That being said, Neil is just like Allen. He's flawed. He may not be the ideal boyfriend you can think of, but… please, Gwen… there's much more than him being blond!"

I can't hold back my tears anymore and all the words I've been meaning to say since last week come out from my mouth one after another. "Why can't you understand Neil as well? Why do you only see his blond hair? You don't even look at his blond eyelashes! We are the last people who can judge others from the colour of their hairs!"

Gwen keeps her mouth shut but a few moments later I can hear faint weeping from her. She reaches out her arms and hugs me. "I'm sorry, Reine…"

"Yeah, I guess I should be sorry for hitting you. It was actually meant for Rosencrantz."

She glares at me threateningly, prompting me to laugh in the midst of my tears. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry because I wanted to hit him."

Gwen laughs as well.

It feels nice to be able to laugh with her again.

But I can't stop thinking of Neil. I hope… he's alright. There are so many of them and he's alone. Why… why can't I help him? Why is it so hard to let him fight his fight and to fight my own fight?

Neil

The pain in burning every inch of my body. I really want to hit them back.

But I know I shouldn't.

It's just a bit more, a bit more, I tell myself. A bit more and you're out.

I can't let Reine be dragged into this world.

I've tried to keep her away, but it failed.

If I can't keep her away, so I should get myself out of this no matter what it takes.

"Ha! I knew it! He can't face us now!" one of them yelled as he stomps on my body.

"He's pathetic!"

I knew that I should've done this earlier. Maybe it wouldn't been so bad if I'd done in earlier. But somewhere in my heart, I knew I was scared; I was scared I couldn't bear the pain. I was scared of the bruise they would inflict on my pride if they managed to beat me up. That's why I've been fighting back.

Yeah, now I realised I've been using 'to survive' as my scapegoat. The truth is, I was scared to be beaten down.

Now, I've got to pay the price of all my cowardice.

This is the fight I've been avoiding all this time.

My vision is blurred by the blood that drips from my eyelid. I wonder whether I can make this through.

"Hey!"

They stop beating me and turn around. From my place, I can see a red-haired person. Rosencrantz. They walk towards him. Shit. I can't let them beat him up. I try to get on my feet again, but even moving my leg is painful like hell since they've been hitting and stepping on it non-stop.

Oh, no.

My ears are buzzing. I can't hear a thing. My eyes aren't any better. My vision is blurred so badly.

I see both two figures are towering over me. "Well… at last… Congrats…."

What? I can't really hear it.

Never mind.

It's done.

I'm done.

Reine

His right leg is fractured, so is his ribcage. More than half of his face, including one of his eyes, is covered in bandages. His arms and legs are also covered in bandages that he almost looks like a mummy.

But he's alive.

I spend my time staring at him, wondering when he will wake up. The doctor told me it can be any time soon, so I'm not going to leave before he's awake.

He slowly moves his finger, prompting me to rise from my chair only to be reminded that my ankle is still sprained.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch,"

Neil slowly turns his head. "Are you… okay?" he asks hoarsely.

"You dummy!" My tears start streaming down again thanks to his foolishness. "Isn't it supposed to be my question?!"

"You're such a crybaby…."

The door is opened and Allen, Gwen, Yuri and Rod come in, "Hello! We run here as soon as the school ended!" Rod greets as cheerfully as always. "Wow! You're already awake! I know your life is comparable to that of a cockroach!"

"NO!" I yell immediately

Okay. I'd admit: I'm scared of cockroaches. And to compare Neil with that… disgusting… brown… should-have-been-extinct-since-centuries-ago creature… NO!

"Why? Isn't it great? That means he won't die easily?" Rod asks.

Gwen giggles and whispers something to Rod. "Oh! I see… hehe… sorry, I don't know you can be scared of cockroaches."

"Shut up." I don't like it when people talk about… that.

Rod laughs again.

Gwen walks to Neil's bedside. "Forrester," she says. "I'm sorry."

"Oh."

From the corner of my eyes, I see Allen is glaring at Neil.

"You're so rude."

Hearing Gwen's comment makes me laugh. Sometimes I forget that she can be so blunt. Rod joins me in laughter (Yuri only smiles) and it takes us some moments to calm down.

"Neil, say something else, won't you?" I ask him nicely.

Neil throws his glance sideways, one thing I notice he'll always do when he's nervous. "You are forgiven."

"Well, I applaud you for your chivalry in protecting the sister. You have my praise."

"I don't need it." Neil replies bluntly.

Allen is clearly shocked, causing me and Rod to break into another fit of laughter. Gwen and Yuri only giggle. Allen's face is priceless, really.

They can't be more entertaining than this.

But more than that, I'm happy that now we can share laughter like this, one thing I have never imagined after what happened the last time the four of us being in the same place.

"Well, I'm happy for you guys," Yuri says, smiling gently. "It's just… I never thought Allen would finally go steady and Neil would meet someone who understands him."

This time, both Allen and Neil smile.

I can't be happier than this.

Suddenly, I'm reminded of something.

"Allen Rosencrantz," I say, glancing at him. "Do you know I have a name, right? Can you not call me 'the sister'?"

"Fine, Reine."

"That sounds better, Allen."

Seems like the two couples manage to reconcile and even form a friendship. What do you guys think? Please leave a review so I know how you guys feel about this ^^

Thanks for reading!