So… here it is folks, the second chapter.

I would like to thank the two people (sigh…) who took their time to leave a review. Haha. Not much as I expected, but still reviews, nonetheless. Kudos to LauraNeato who gave me advices. Because of the reviews, I couldn't help but feel pressured with the next chapters… 0_0… I hope I will be able to live up to your expectations.

But anyway, enough of my rant. Here it is!

II

The little girl- Chizuko-chan's- eyes flew from him to her, as if she was watching an interesting tennis match, oblivious to the tension and awkwardness that had started building it's nest in the room. The two adults stared at each other, as if sizing each other up. For some reason, it felt as if time had stopped, and she stood quietly as she continued watching the two people who, unknown to her young mind, had too much history between them.

Chihaya had straightened up, and was looking at Taichi with wide eyes, as if unable to believe that he was there, kneeling in front of her. She stepped forward with one foot, almost hesitantly, as if afraid that she was just imagining him.

Her lip trembled.

Taichi stared at her warily, feeling suddenly tired and exhausted all of a sudden. Years of not being able to see her, of avoiding meeting with her again, admittedly, had taken it's toll on him. He was exhausted, that much he is aware of. He wanted to turn away from her, but he couldn't move, as if an invisible force was holding him there, holding her gaze for what seemed to be an eternity.

She hadn't changed. She was still the tomboyish girl he had loved ever since their childhood days, but her chestnut hair had grown longer than he was accustomed to seeing, with little wisps at the end. She had remained her height, and he knew without trying that if he stood close to her he would tower over her now. He himself had grown and added a few inches over the years, and he got the feeling that Chihaya would have to look up to him if he stood eye-level with her.

His heart throbbed painfully.

She wasn't wearing slobbish clothes, but was wearing a rather casual but fashionable ensemble. She had on a blue butterfly-sleeved blouse and a white scarf around her neck, with artfully ripped jeans and boots. He wondered how she was able to run with those booted heels she had on. But then again, Chihaya was capable of doing anything impossible for other people once she put her mind into it.

Somehow, he missed the days that she would only hang out with her usual sweats and track pants. It made her seem so close to him then.

No. She had always been close. However, always out of reach.

"Long no time no see." He finally started, trying to keep his breathing under control and not panic at the sight of her. Let's deal with it maturely, he told himself as he watched Chihaya's eyes narrow. "I see that you're her guardian?" He gestured to Chizuko-chan, who had gone over to Chihaya and was tugging at her sleeve.

"Yes."

Her voice was trembling, much to his wonder. Did he look scary now?

"You were right, obaachan! He was here in this hospital!" the little girl exclaimed, giggling happily, tugging away at the hem of her blouse instead. "Wasn't that great? You guessed right!"

Obaachan?

He had to curse himself for feeling so relieved at that. He had to remember that he was not supposed to be happy with seeing her again.

Still… with the resemblance between the two of them being so obvious, he had to admit that his thoughts had gone into a very weird and embarrassing direction.

He had given up already. Why the hell am I still hoping? It's not like this is going to change anything. You've given up on her Taichi, so stop acting like a pathetic wimp.

He hated himself.

Chihaya knelt in front of the kid, placing her hand on her head and mussing up her hair affectionately. "Yes, I can see that. You do have a knack for finding people huh? So stop calling me obaachan already. Call me oneechan instead, Chizuko-chan." She smiled in teasing as the girl giggled, catching her hand and swinging it around. "Now why don't you run along to your father? He's worried where you've gone. We thought you've gone missing."

The girl nodded enthusiastically. "Okay! I'll go to 'touchan now…" She turned once again to Taichi. "Thank you Taichi-niitan."

"Take care." He responded, straightening up as the little girl dipped into clumsy bow, somewhat making him smile despite of himself. Chihaya planted herself on the door to make sure the girl finds her father, who luckily, had followed her and was now giving her a stern reprimand.

She could feel his eyes on the back of her head. "She looks a lot like you." He said, his gentle, soothing voice somehow piercing through the tension in the room.

"I don't have kids yet if that's what you mean." She sounded defensive, and maybe a bit embarrassed.

"I know. It's impossible for you to have one that age already." Was the exasperated reply. "She looks like she's around eight years old. You're only twenty one. It's only been three years." Since I last saw you, he added quietly to himself. And unless you're married to him already.

He was surprised by the sudden vehemence he felt in his chest along with the pain. Dammit. So even now, he couldn't accept the fact that they may or may not be together.

Well, I will find out, even if I don't want to.

She finally turned to him, whirling around in order to gaze at him with those large, auburn brown eyes of hers. She looked like she didn't know what to do, eyes unsure as she stared at him. Her face held an expression of fear, -as if she was scared of him, and why, he wasn't aware of.

She's scared because I'm back? Oh don't worry Chihaya. It's not like I'm still your rival for Class A karuta. He thought darkly, avoiding her gaze.

His mood was turning down. He wished he hadn't let Chizuko-chan in instead. But how was he to know that she would be related to the girl that he had given up but still is hopelessly in love with, and that she, unknowingly, had brought two people who had not seen each other in three years?

I hate this.

"They might be looking for you. You can leave if you're done here already." He said in a polite tone, one that suggested that he would rather she be out of this room already but unable to be completely rude to the girl he loved. And still is in love with, by the way.

He was caught off-guard when she slammed into him with such force that he nearly fell backwards if it wasn't for his quick reflexes. Caught unawares, he suddenly realized that she had thrown her slender arms around him, and that she was crying, sobbing even, into his chest, the kind of sob that made his heart clench in pain, because he had never heard such a sound from her.

Never did she cry like that, -not even for Karuta. It was a woman's cry, a heartbreaking sound of a woman who had been left behind without any explanation by someone most dear to her.

"T-Taichi no baka!" She exclaimed, beating him with her fists without force, grabbing fistfuls of his long-sleeved dark blue dress shirt, warm tears coursing down her face and ruining his shirt with salt water, "Baka! H-how can you do this to me? To us? You've disappeared the last three years! And you expect me to leave? H-how dare you!" She yelled into his chest, which he nearly did not manage to make out because her words sounded jumbled.

Despite of himself, tears formed in his eyes, unconsciously lifting a hand and settling it on her shoulder as she shook against him. She was trembling, and her hands were still clutching at his shirt as if it was her lifeline. "Chihaya…"

Whatever he had been about to say had been cut off with Chihaya looking up at him all of a sudden, so much that when her head snapped up, the top of her head collided with his chin.

"Ow!" he exclaimed in incredible pain, letting go of her shoulder and immediately rubbing the sore part. "That hurt, baka!"

The moment had been incredibly ruined with Chihaya's classic clumsiness. He couldn't believe it. Here he was, about to get all weepy and shove her away, -back into wherever she came from in the first place, because he didn't think he still had the face to show her when he had ran away three years ago. He hadn't wanted her to see him like this, a broken man beyond repair who never had the courage to face what he felt for her ever since their childhood.

"Do you think it didn't hurt me? Baka!" She responded with equal heat, face in a grimace as she too rubbed the top of her head and glared at him, as if wishing for his death.

Taichi suddenly felt irritated. No, he was beyond irritated. He was mad- to whom and what he didn't know, but he knew that he had to cut off this charade. Now.

"Get out," he grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to the direction of the door. "Forget that you ever saw me. No, just forget about me. That would be best for you. Just go and-"

Slap.

The force which she had slapped him with made his face whip into the side, and if anything, served like a bucket of cold water that had been splashed over him. His eyes widened with the stinging pain that her palm had left with his left cheek, and he turned to her, not in anger, but in surprise.

Never before had she slapped him like that. Kicks and punches, yes, -whenever she got pissed off with his usual jokes despite of him having told her about those jokes twice or thrice already. She would kick him on the shin, or sock him on his arm. But never a slap.

Well… she had changed.

As if suddenly realizing what she did, her eyes widened and she looked at her right hand, as if trying to see if it was really hers. Biting her lip, she stepped forward and placed her hand on his stinging cheek, rubbing her palm against it as she carefully held his face like it was something so fragile it would break. There were still tear marks on her cheeks but they were forgotten already as she sniffled. "That was for trying to kick me out. I'm not going to apologize for it. I am sorry if it hurt though."

"Wanna bet?" He snapped, horrified that he was enjoying the sensation of her palm rubbing across his cheek, like she was trying to relieve the sting that her slap had caused on him. What a pair of hands she had. He thought with dark humor.

He couldn't believe that they were acting civil with each other actually, as if the last three years had never happened. She wasn't crying messily, for one, though she had left her eyes unwiped. And she had slapped him, an action that could be really associated with women, which was a big change for her.

"You were acting like an idiot. You deserved it." She said, sounding defensive again. Then she suddenly averted her gaze from him. "I missed you, Taichi. So much."

That made him unfreeze. He caught her hand which was gently rubbing his cheek, and he lowered it. He wanted so badly to curl his fingers around hers, but he knew all the same, that he couldn't. "You should go home, Chihaya."

She narrowed her auburn eyes. "If you think you can drive me away again like what you did before Taichi, then you don't know me at all."

"I mean it." He said, without looking at her as he let go of her hand. "Go home. You shouldn't be here."

"Don't make me punch you this time." She warned, but he still turned away from her.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Chihaya." Was his response. "You shouldn't be here in the first place. Your niece will be looking for you, and I'm sure you've got other things to do –like practicing karuta for instance."

It hurt. Goddamit. Trying to drive her away had never been one of his smartest points to begin with. He felt, as he was saying the words, like he was stabbing himself repeatedly through his chest. But he was a proud man; despite of the fact that knew he had missed Chihaya with every fiber of his being, those large, auburn eyes especially, her clumsiness, and practically just everything about her, he couldn't allow her to see him in such a state like this: a man who had given her up three years ago without even a fight, along with the game that admittedly, had been their blood and soul.

"Why… are you doing this to me, Taichi?"

He flinched at the pain so clearly heard in her voice. He turned to her again, unable to bear not looking at her any longer.

"Three years ago you avoided me," she began sniffing, tears pooling in her eyes as she did so, "You suddenly disappeared, you never talked with me or Arata, you gave up karuta. You were still with the club, but it's almost as if you suddenly became someone else. I tried calling out to you, but you never listened to me. Even in graduation, you never tried to be with m- with us!" She exclaimed, her chin dimpling, as she suddenly grabbed his arm. "What have I done to you, Taichi? Tell me, what did I do to you that made you disappear just like that?"

Taichi was at a loss of words, which was a first, since he always had an answer ready for all questions she might have had, -even before. He wrung his arm from her grip. This was a confrontation he had not been ready for at all. Avoiding her gaze, he turned to the side. "Just go home, Chihaya. I am not the same person as before. You know that already."

"You're still you…" She said in response, refusing to believe that he had changed, despite of everything. It was one of her qualities that both endeared her to him and exasperated him at the same time. She was just so honest with her feelings, and she was a badger to those she loved, that one might say even if she was betrayed by that person, she would refuse to believe that until she had seen it with her own eyes.

"I wish I could say the same." He replied, then leveled her with a serious gaze. "It's good to see you again, Chihaya. Really. But it's getting late," he gestured to the window where the setting sun is visible, "and I've got my internship to worry about. I'm sure you've got plenty of other things to do as well. Don't make Chizuko-chan wait too long."

And not allowing her to say anything, he turned to the direction of the door and opened it, stepping outside. His gaze caught the man and the little girl who were sitting outside the office, and he momentarily froze from his tracks when he saw the little girl looking up at him, and the man, -which he assumed to be her father, stood up. He looked to be in his late twenties, with a mop of dark hair and crow's feet at the corners of his eyes. He was handsome, for a man he had assumed to be in his late twenties.

"M-Mashima-san… right?" The man asked him a bit uncertainly, looking unsure and a little… embarrassed? For what? "Is Chihaya-chan…?"

Oh. He probably thought that he had gotten into a fight with Chihaya inside. "She's fine. She's about to come out for a bit, so don't worry. It's nice meeting her again, after all these years." Just what is her relationship with these two?

The man set him with a piercing stare, his gaze lingering on his chest, which was still wet from Chihaya's tears from earlier. He mentally cursed himself. He should have known better than to come out without looking decent.

Gods… The man probably thought something worse had happened between him and Chihaya.

Chizuko-chan stood up all of a sudden and ran into him, smiling widely with practically hearts in her eyes. "Taichi-niitan, had she told you how many times she had told me about you? You were always her bedtime story to me, you know."

W-What…?

"Don't reveal your aunt's secrets, Chizuko." The man said in a light scolding voice. "Hadn't you promised to keep it a secret? And you must remember your manners. Do not be so familiar with him."

"N-No, it's fine…" He said, surprised by what he heard from the little girl. Bedtime story? Seriously? "You have a lovely daughter Mr…"

"Ayase. Ayase Keiichi. I apologize. How rude of me." The man introduced himself finally. "Chihaya-chan's first cousin from her father's side."

Oh. I hadn't heard much about her extended family. Well, of course. Chihaya had never bothered to tell him much about her family, though her family knew him well. That girl never really think that things like that were important, -well to a prospective boyfriend, at least.

Damn it, Taichi. You're not her boyfriend in any way. Now stop acting like a lovelorn fool. Argh. This whole situation is stupid. Damn.

"Well, it's nice meeting you, Chizuko-chan, Ayase-san. But I need to rush off and…" He trailed off, panic and desolation reflecting in his eyes.

Seeing this, the older man bristled and gently held one of Chizuko-chan's arms. "Oh, of course. Don't let us hold you. It's good to finally meet you, Mashima-san."

Somehow, Taichi felt the wariness and caution from the older man. "Thank you. Well… if you will excuse me." He dropped a kiss on the little girl's forehead (surprising himself in the process, because the action seemed not to be something new to him at all,) straightened up and bowed, and in one fluid movement, turned around… fleeing from them.

He ignored the disappointed fluids that were forming in his eyes. He kept his head bowed as he brushed past friendly and familiar faces, not wanting them to see how upset he was with the events… and with himself.

He had to get away from her. He had to. Because heaven and Kami-sama knew, he wasn't prepared to face her yet. He had long accepted the fact that she wasn't going to love him anytime soon, so he didn't stick around just to prolong his heartache. He had thought it best for the both of them, because he had thought that someday he will be able to see her again without feeling as if he was sticking a knife through his chest, and be able to greet her in a familiar, friendly manner.

But no. It was terribly disappointing to realize that. He realized that he could never do that, be just a friend to her, because even now it felt overwhelming to have her in his arms, how his heart had throbbed painfully when she was rubbing his cheek gently earlier. He had deluded himself into thinking that he will be able to accept everything in time and remain as he is, -in love with her but could only be her best friend. Apparently, he was, again, wrong in that department. Spectacularly wrong, might he add.

Had it been selfish of him to avoid her for three long years? Was it wrong of him to want to stay away from her in order to lick his wounds and pick up the scattered pieces of his heart that had been lying around, forgotten?

Maybe. But the only thing that he could do right now was to flee and hide from her, because yes, he is a coward.

And maybe, for the first time in his life, he would not give a damn about it.

Whaddya think?

I'll be posting chapters the soonest I finish them (before life continues to distract me,). Right now I'm still in the middle of Chapter Three. Haha. I hope you don't kill me if you didn't like this one. It's kinda difficult to keep them IC, and I didn't even know if I captured them well here. I hope I did…

Till next chapter minna!