Author's Note: And we're back with Chapter 5! Hooray!

Alba: Let's get this overwith.

Shima: Don't sound so dreadful. It's CHRISTMAS! "There will be no sad faces on Christmas." Take from Jim Carrey's example, yeah?

Ros: Let's see how much more you can make Hero suffer!

Shima: That's the spirit, Rossy!

Alba: NO! I don't want to suffer!

Ros: It'll be your Christmas gift to me.

Shima: You two are so cute...eheh!

Ros: What was that?

Shima: NOTHING! So I don't own Senyuu and ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS MORE REVIEWS~ so yeah! New chapter okay here we go...

Alba: -smirks- Oh, how the tables have turned against you!

Shima: This chapter is short, sorry, but you'll have to deal with it! Roll the chappy!

Alba: HEY! Don't ignore me!

Chapter 5

Apple Tree of Memory

Alba wasn't sure how he managed to last through that Thursday. The anticipation of seeing Ros the next day was nearly killing him. That and he couldn't even text Ros because of the deal he'd made. He knew that he could always just forget about it and text Ros anyway, but he didn't want to prove to Ros that he was weak and really couldn't survive a day without him.

So he forced himself to wait it out. It was a struggle, especially getting through school, but he managed. And as soon as he'd gotten all of his chores and homework done for the night, he went straight to sleep.

Which didn't help much because he couldn't really sleep, anyway.

Finally, Friday arrived. Everyone was excited for that day, but Alba was excited for it for completely different reasons. He raced off to school right after breakfast, giving his mom a hasty goodbye, who smiled at his antics.

Alba was jumpy all morning long, gaining him some questioning glances from his friends, but he knew he'd have to keep his promise and not tell them that Ros was coming until he met up with him first.

Alba almost started screaming in excitement by the time lunch rolled around. When Rchi asked him if he wanted to join her for lunch, he simply shook his head and said, "Sorry, I've got plans today!"

Giggling madly to himself, he descended the staircase, almost tripping along the way. He didn't want to make Ros' prediction about that come true, so he slightly slowed his pace until he reached the bottom, and then he was rushing again.

Teuffel watched him from afar, curiously raising an eyebrow. For some reason, it seemed as if Alba was even more joyful today than any other day. He then realized that Alba wasn't joining Rchi and the rest of their friends for lunch.

Might as well go see what he's up to, the teen thought before beginning to follow him.

Alba arrived at the apple tree on the edge of the school grounds, panting. This was a very special place to him, because...

It was the place where he and Ros had first met.

He could recall the details of their meeting so clearly in his mind.

Alba stared up at the enormous tree, awed by its size and beauty. He gently traced his fingers along the worn trunk, smiling as the breeze played with his hair.

It was the start of a brand new school year. Alba had finally made it into highschool, and he was more than excited to start the year off by meeting new friends and forming relationships. He'd already met a young girl named Rchi, who seemed really nice.

"Pretty, isn't it?" A voice called out from behind him.

Turning, Alba came face-to-face with another teenage boy, and his breath immediately got caught in his throat.

The boy was tall and strong-looking, with spiky black hair and the most mesmerizing crimson eyes Alba had ever seen. He was looking at him with a slightly amused expression on his face, holding on to his backpack strap with one hand.

Maybe it was love at first sight, Alba couldn't be sure. But he knew, he knew that this boy was special.

"Hey," the boy called out again, raising an eyebrow. "You in there?"

Alba jumped, a blush rising to his cheeks for being caught staring. "Um, yes, sorry, hi!"

The other boy chuckled. "What are you doing out here? You know that class is gonna start soon, right?"

Alba squeaked, looking around in alarm. "O-oh, really? Um, I was just...looking at the apple tree. It's the biggest one I've ever seen..."

The boy looked up at it, eyes glimmering with pain for a second. "...Yeah, it is."

Alba watched him, confused. "S-so, um..."

"Say, what's your name?" The other boy cut him off.

The brunette fidgeted in his spot for a moment before he replied, "It's, uh, it's Alba. My name's Alba."

The crimson-eyes teen crossed his arms and smirked. "Alba, huh? That almost sounds like a hero's name."

"A...a hero's name?" Alba asked in surprise.

"Yeah, you know, like those heroes in all the popular shows on TV nowadays." He shot him a mischievous glance, "So, Hero, do you watch that kind of stuff? You seem like the type. Maybe you want to be just like them?"

Alba's mouth dropped in shock. How...how rude! "Wh-what?! What are you talking about? I do not!"

The boy tutted and shook his head. "Denial is the first step to acceptance, you know."

Alba fumed. "Oh, yeah?! Well, how do I know that you don't want to be a hero like them?!"

Suddenly, the black-haired teen shot forward like a bullet, twisting a well-aimed punch into his stomach. Alba wheezed and fell over from the impact, curling in on himself from the pain.

The boy straightened himself out, gaining a bored expression. "Don't make false accusations, Hero. That'll only get you into trouble!"

Alba glanced up at him, tears in his eyes. "Wha...what is your...problem?"

The boy looked down at him for a moment and then he offered him a hand. Cautiously, Alba stared at it before finally deciding to take it. He was immediately swung off his feet when the other teen pulled him up so fast he almost stumbled again.

He found himself being steadied by strong hands, and then there were a pair of crimson eyes boring into his.

"The name's Ros," Ros said, grinning. Alba felt his breath catch in his throat again. "Nice to meet you, Hero."

It had been almost a year and a half since that day. Alba soon learned that his newfound friend was sarcastic, rude, and extremely sadistic, especially when it came to Alba himself. But Alba was smart, and he could see that, beneath the surface, Ros was actually a very compassionate person who cared a lot about others. Alba didn't dare bring that up aloud, though, or he knew he'd receive a kick to the knees or a punch to the gut.

And here he found himself again, standing beneath their precious apple tree, heart pounding from nerves and excitement to see Ros again.

What would they do together, he wondered? There was so many things he longed to tell him, wanted to show him...

He glanced down at his phone, took a deep breath, and texted:

Me: I'm at our apple tree...are you here yet?

He stood there in silence for what seemed like a long time. Finally, after about ten minutes of waiting, he finally received a reply.

Ros: Behind u

Alba smiled, took a shuddering breath, and turned around.

"Ro—''

And his blood turned to ice.

Shima: Shit just got real, folks.

Alba: DAMMIT I HATE YOU!

Ros: All of this shouting isn't good for you, Hero. You might lose your voice!

Alba: What? What is it?! Is he a gangster or a mafia boss or something now?!

Shima: -giggles insanely- You'll have to wait until Sunday to find out!

Alba: NOOOOO!

Shima: Maybe if I get a lot of awesome comments I'll update a day early~

Alba: -stares towards imaginary audience- Review. NOW. -eye turns red- Seriously.

Ros: H-Hero's so cool like that...

Alba: 0\\\\0 E-eh?

Ros: Ah, he's lost his coolness.

Alba: AGH!

Shima: What will become of our favorite Hero screwup Alba? What happened to Ros? Is Teuffel a stalker? Where is my candy? I want to read more manga.

Alba: ! So off topic...

Ros: -winks seductively- See you all next time.

Alba: 0\\\\\0 Wh-whoa...

Shima: -snickers and inwardly fangirls-