After a long awaited time, chapter 5 is finally here! (If anyone was waiting to begin with...o_o...)

BUT! I will not have this absense of readers discourage me! My story will be recognized eventually!

Hey, I'm putting two emotionally scarred people and having them heal each other! Isn't that COOL? 8D

Boy, my mind is screwed up.

So screwed up that this chapter actually has an AUTHOR CAMEO! Wow, I'm awesome :D

Chapter 5

"WHAT?" Shion exclaimed, "You can't be serious!"

"Oh, I am serious." Replied the girl, looking through a clipboard, "Taido-san just sprained her ankle, so she can't come to work today. You're gonna have to take her place."

When Shion dragged Satoko away from the others, they had to pass the Angel Mort itself, but they were suddenly stopped by a lanky girl with tanned skin and freckles, the last person Shion wanted to see.

"C-Come on, Kimi-chan!" Shion grabbed her shoulders, "Can't you ask someone else? I just can't work today! I-I'm sick!"

"You seem pretty healthy to me." Kimi flashed a grin, braces glinting in the sunlight.

Blinking blue eyes, Kimi continued writing on the clipboard, "Sonozaki Shion, working today at 3:00 PM. Lucky our school had a half-day."

Shion groaned, Satoko giggled softly behind her, "Kimi-chan...why did my uncle let you be a..what is it... co-assistant manager? You're only 15!"

Kimi smiled, "Sorry, Shion. There's nobody else to take over Taido-san."

Satoko pointed behind her, "Nee-Nee, look, it's Mion-san and the others!"

Shion felt the color drain from her face and she turned around to see all the others approach the Angel Mort.

"Hello, Kimi-chan!" Rena called out, waving her hand.

"Hey, guys." Kimi smirked when she saw Suzaku, "Seems you guys have a young man tangled in your web of fun, haven't you?"

Satoko laughed and ran over to the brunette and grabbed his hand, surprising the latter, "This is Kiryuu Suzaku-san! He's gonna stay in Hinamizawa for a little while!"

"This is Kimi Angelo. She's in Rena-chan's class and is co-assistant manager of Angel Mort, since the real assistant manager is always so sick..." Mion rolled her eyes, clearly not caring.

Suzaku could tell that Kimi was a pure Britannian, she didn't look Japanese at all. Her hair was a dark blonde, reached her shoulders, and had very tiny ringlets surrounding her neck, and less curly pieces on the outer parts. She was wearing a black shirt with silver sparkles and short jeans.

"Nice to meet you." He said quietly.

"Charmed!" Kimi nodded, "Quite a shy one, isn't he?" She murmured to Rena, who came up next to her. Rena nodded, grabbing one of Kimi's ringlets, pulling them, and then letting them bounce like a spring.

Then Kimi said to Shion, "Well, better get your uniform on! Our faithful customers can't wait forever!"

"Why, Shion!" Mion said with fake surprise, "You're working today? What a shock!"

Shion glared at Mion, "Do you happen to know about why I was suddenly called into work?"

"That sort of explains why Mii had to walk away saying she needed to make a phone call, nano desu." Rika whispered to Satoko.

"Taido-san just sprained her ankle. No big deal." Kimi shrugged.

"Unless someone told Taido-san to call in that way." Keiichi pointed out, grinning.

"Well, that too."

Shion grit her teeth, then turned around and stormed her way up inside the restaurant, Kimi made a small wave and followed her.

"Um...Nee-Nee is not really happy today..." Satoko said, "I think we need to give her a little space..."

"Sure we will!" Mion grinned, walking backwards, "I'll make sure we end up as FAR away from Shion as possible!"

"Aahhh..." Keiichi leaned back on his seat in the booth, "This restaurant is like heaven, baby! All the pretty girls..."

Rena nodded, sitting to his right by the window, "Yeah! Rena wants to take everyone home!"

Mion was on Keiichi's left, and across the table, Satoko was by the window, Rika by the edge and Suzaku stuck right between them.

"I hope we can get some cake, nano desu." Rika said, "Their strawberry shortcake is delicious, nano desu!"

"Is pretty girls all you think about, Kei-chan?" Mion asked the brunette boy, raising an eyebrow.

"Yup!" Keiichi replied happily.

Suzaku noticed Mion's expression was a little bit strange after that.

He looked down. He had already plucked Shion's nerves too much today. He'd rather not be here now, but he also knows these kids aren't gonna let him go anywhere..

"Mii..."

Suzaku moved his eyes down to Rika, who was staring at something. Following her gaze, he saw something that struck his heart rather painfully.

It was a little circle table with a chess board and chess pieces on it, across the restaurant by the window.

Rika slid out of the booth and slowly walked over to it, as if in a trance. Suzaku got up and followed her. Satoko noticed this, but didn't move. She just titled her head.

The blue-haired girl moved and sat on one of the seats, and looked up at Suzaku, waiting.

Taking the hint, he sat down opposite her, "Do you know how to play?" He asked.

When she nodded, Suzaku looked at his hands on his lap.

"Do you?"

"Huh?"

"Do you know how to play, too?"

Suzaku nodded, "Yeah...I was taught a while back. A long time ago."

"Can you turn the chess board around?" Rika then asked, "I want to play with the black pieces, nano desu..."

He did as she asked, making sure he didn't knock any pieces. He remembered being scolded for not "handling the pieces well" when he practically dropped the chessboard briefcase instead of laying it down.

But instead of Rika smiling or saying thank you, she frowned, scrutinizing Suzaku in a strange way.

"This makes you sad, doesn't it?" Her voice was low, very much different than from usual. It startled him very much.

But before he could respond, "I didn't think chess could make you sad...but there's a lot of things that remind people of the past..."

This girl reminded Suzaku way too much of...

It was just her eyes.

The way she looked at him.

"It's the same with me when I look at bicycles."

Suzaku then blinked at her, "...Bicycles...?"

"You guys like the new chess addition?" That curly-top, Kimi, was suddenly right there, brightly smiling, "I thought it would be nice for any smarties out there who like playing while eating cake."

Rika then smiled, her voice back to normal, "It's very nice, Kimi, nano desu! I can't wait to play it with Suzaku, nano desu!"

Suzaku then noticed Shion over by the side. She was squeezing a large menu to her chest, slightly red as she looked away when she saw him staring. Suddenly it looked as if she...

Didn't have any...

"Shion-san!" Kimi waved, "Come on over here and take these two kid's orders! They're gonna play chess!"

Shion walked up to him and lowered the menu from her chest. That was when Shion realized she DID have some clothes on. She just wasn't wearing much. It was more like a black and white outfit with little bells hanging off the sides, and she had red laced ballet-like shoes. It took everything to keep from blushing.

She smiled, "Sure, Kimi-chan..."

Kimi patted her back, "Ahh, thank you, Shion, for coming in today. We've been rather tight on employees and with Taido-san suddenly spraining her ankle and all.."

The blonde girl turned and left, humming as she did so.

Shion handed Suzaku and Rika some menus, "Do you guys wanna order now, or do you want a minute to look around?"

Rika instead replied, "Wow, Shii, pretending to be nice must be hard for you, nano desu..."

Shion sighed, "Does this mean you want the usual?"

"Nano desu!"

"I see..." She looked at Suzaku, "You?" Her voice was an undertone.

"I'll have what she's having." Suzaku replied, pointing at Rika, who beamed.

"Fine.." Rolling her eyes, Shion turned and left.

Then the brunette young man asked the little girl, "What exactly is your usual?"

"Let's just keep it a surprise, nano desu."

"Alright then..." Suzaku stared at the chess board, "Do...you want to play now?"

Rika grinned, "Hai! You first, nano desu!"

Suzaku moved his white pawn. When Rika moved her black one, she asked, "So, who taught you how to play chess? Your parents?"

He shook his head, "No, just a friend."

"When did you learn?"

"Around your age, I guess. I was about 10 or 11." Almost nine years ago...

"I see, nano desu...A friend of mine taught me, too, nano desu! She's had a lot of time to practice, nano desu!" She moved after he did.

Suzaku nodded. He glanced over by the side and saw Rena, Keiichi, Satoko and Mion watching them with curiosity. They obviously couldn't hear the conversation, but they were wondering what the two could possibly be talking about.

"You remind me of him alot, Furude-san..." He found himself saying, "...Of my friend. It's your eyes. They're a shade of lavender. His was, too."

"Was? You mean your friend died?" Her voice went low again.

Suzaku looked down, shutting his eyes, "Yeah...and it was all my fault, too."

Realizing he was talking to a freaking TEN-year old, he lifted his head back at her, "S-Sorry, didn't mean to go off like that..."

"No, it's alright." Rika only shrugged, "I completely understand..."

He moved a knight, his hand lingering on the white piece. Withdrawing, he waited patiently for Rika.

"Sometimes I feel so selfish..." Rika then said after her turn, "I've tried so hard to achieve the world I've been dreaming of, and then I finally get it...'

Her bangs covered her eyes, "...But I keep forgetting others...even in the worlds where certain turn of events could've prevented many deaths, I just deserted them and searched for a more peaceful one."

There was a clang that caused her to look up. Suzaku had dropped his piece and was staring at her.

"What kind of deaths?"

Only a chuckle was Rika's response, "Silly Suzaku...if you thought I meant something important, forgive me if I say..." She smiled, "...I just talk to myself sometimes."

"But you said those worlds would prevent certain deaths. Which ones?"

That was when Rika saw how serious Suzaku was right now. Then she sighed, "Suzaku...there would be no way to understand my troubles. I regret what I said earlier, so if it bugs you, then I'm sorry."

Suzaku wasn't going to let this go. This girl was sincere about whatver she was talking about, he had to know what "could've been" from her perspective.

"Here you are." Shion was suddenly up and laying two plates in front of them, making sure they didn't mess with the chessboard, "Your usual order, Rika-chama."

"Thank you, Shii!" Rika smiled, hoping that this would get Suzaku to forget.

Shion nodded tautly to Suzaku, who nodded back, then she left quickly, hoping this would be the last time she saw him.

Suzaku looked down to see what Rika's 'usual' was.

They looked like little yellow puff balls. They looked awfully familiar, though. Had he had them before? He just couldn't remember.

He lifted up one, "What are these?"

Rika was already eating them, "They're cream puffs, nano desu! I find them very yummy, don't you think?"

When Suzaku tried them, he discovered she was right. The cream puffs were very good.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, moving and taking turns, taking each other's pieces. Suzaku realized he was actually sort of...losing.

"You don't play chess very well, nano desu." Rika commented with a smile.

"It's..been a while, Furude-san." Suzaku said with his mouth full, half wondering if Rika had a split personality disorder or something.

Then he paused, "Furude-san..." He cocked his head and moved a piece, "You're a member of one of the Three Great Families that "rule" this place, right?"

"Yes, that's correct, nano desu." The blue-haired girl replied, taking her turn, "But, my family doesn't technically matter right now. I'm the only remaining person with the Furude name."

Suzaku cringed with guilt, remembering Shion telling him that Rika's parents died just a few years ago, "So, where do you live?"

"With Satoko. We're both safe in our little house, Satoko always gets up early to make breakfast and we always keep our home clean, nano desu!"

Suzaku nodded, and Rika added, "I don't like how they treat Satoko...but since I'm around, they don't do anything bad...when I'm older, I'll make sure people leave her alone. Even if I have to use my special title."

"Special title? What's that?"

"Nothing." Rika shrugged.

Suzaku sighed, clearly not having the strength to talk to this completly strange girl.

A few minutes later, Rika moved her knight, "Checkmate, nano desu."

And while they finished their cream puffs, Rika fixing the chess board back to normal, Suzaku kept wondering how Satoko, who was smiling and chatting with the others over at the booth, could keep all this tragic stuff hidden inside.

The kids walked Suzaku back to his apartment at 4 PM. It was still pretty hot, the sun was close to setting. Shion stayed at Angel Mort because she still had to work, and Satoko decided to hang around the restaurant with her Nee-Nee to accompany her.

"Have a good evening, Kiryuu-kun!" Mion punched Suzaku's arm.

"See ya, tomorrow, dude." Keiichi made a peace sign.

"Hauu!" Rena hugged him, "Rena will be sure to make some lunch for the both next time, okay?"

Suzaku nodded, "Bye, guys."

"Chess was fun today, Suzaku." Rika said, tilting her head and smiling, "I hope we can play again soon."

Suzaku patted her head softly, "Me, too..."

Rika smiled, those lavender eyes tugging his heart again. Then she took Rena and Keiichi's hands and pulled them ahead, all three of them laughing.

Mion stayed behind with Suzaku, smiling, "Rika-chan has really changed these past months."

"How so?" Suzaku asked, looking down at Mion. It was then that he realized how identical she looked to her younger sister.

"Well..." Mion shrugged, "A while ago, we were all riding our bikes home from the pool in Okinomiya after having one of THE best days ever."

She laughed to herself at the memories, then she grew sober as she continued, "But as we were going down a hill on the streets, Rika-chan moved herself ahead, and she got hit by a truck."

Suzaku's green eyes widened in shock, as he turned to see the other three laughing, "...Oh my god..."

"It was so terrible, I know." Mion looked down, "She was stuck in a coma for a whole month. After that she was different. Like she grew several years mentally but realized she had to hide that to avoid frightening other people."

Suzaku watched Rika bounce around on Keiichi, her long blue hair flying around, "I see."

"Ah, well. She doesn't like us talking about it, though. Coach-Oh, I mean Irie-sensei, that's just our other name for him-he said that there was a good chance she was having a life-like dream during her coma. Maybe that helped affect her way."

"Maybe..." He murmured in response.

Mion only shrugged, flicking her pony-tail, "Well, this old man wants to join their party now!" She guffawed, "See ya, Kiryuu-kun."

"Bye, Mion-san."

She ran off after the others, and Suzaku found himself alone, outside by his building, the wind softly carressing his hair. He had been looking forward to those kids leaving him alone, but now...he had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Was he actually starting to grow used to these kids?

Sighing, he turned around and headed inside.

He saw her standing there in front of him, red blood dripping off of her dress, the machine gun hanging limply in her hands.

Her long pink hair stained red, slightly moving as her back faced him.

White surrounded them both.

Suddenly a gunshot filled the air. His eyes widened as she finally turned around to face him. Her bright purple eyes were wide and frightened, as even more blood dripped from the bullet wound on her stomach.

"Suzaku..." She whispered, before her body crumpled, but instead of falling on a white floor, it was as if it faded through, as despite Suzaku screaming her name, she vanished in the white.

He couldn't move. Why weren't his limbs working?

Suddenly his vision changed. He was suddenly floating above the Tokyo Settlement. He saw his Knightmare, the Lancelot, shoot out something into the sky.

He realized in horror what it was.

F.L.E.I.J.A.

Before he could do anything, the bomb had already exploded, sending a massive pink light over everything. He tried to move, but the pink light already enveloped him, and he covered his eyes.

Next thing he knew, it had gone totally dark. He was now on his knees, and in front of him he saw an opening in front of him. But there were thick prision bars blocking.

He started in shock when a slumped figured appeared on the other side of the bars. Hands clung onto it limply. He couldn't tell who it was until he moved closer.

That's when he noticed the long green hair spilled over shoulders.

"Sh-Shion?" He whispered.

She looked up at him, showing tear stained cheeks.

"W-Why..." She choked out.

"What..." He tried to touch her, but then she moved onto her knees.

"Why?" Her voice grew louder, "Why? Why didn't you save him?"

The volume and terror in her voice...he couldn't help but back up in fear.

"Why didn't you save him? You could've done it! But you didn't! WHY?" She screamed.

He found himself back against a stone wall, covering his ears. Why was she being like this?

She began slamming her knee against the bars, continuing to scream until the noise her knee made faded into banging on a door and her voice lowered to muffled yelling.

XXXX

Suzaku sat up quickly, breathing shakily and covered in cold sweat. He heard the commotion from his door and looked at the clock. 7 PM.

He was only asleep for 3 hours, but the banging on his door didn't stop.

Wiping his forehead, he got up and ran to it, opening it quickly to have Shion herself topple into his arms.

She shoved herself back, panting like crazy, "Is Satoko here?"

Suzaku was too busy staring at her, not knowing how to react until she shouted, "HEY!"

He couldn't help but jump in fright.

"Are you even ON this planet? I'm asking you if Satoko's here!"

"Um..." Suzaku swallowed, "Well.."

Shion pushed inside, walking around quickly, going into his bedroom and coming back out, "You were sleeping?"

"Y-Yeah..." Suzaku replied, feeling a little awkward in his t-shirt and jeans, "...Houjou-san isn't here."

Shion cursed, storming towards the door. Suzaku had to stop her, "Shion-san, what's wrong? Is Houjou-san missing?"

"Yes, you idiot, of course she's missing!" She gripped his shoulders, "When I was working, she got a phone call and she told me she had to go for a second. Naturally, the only one who calls her is Rika-chama, so I figured she was needed for something!"

He tried not to wince when he felt her nails digging into him, "And when it started getting busy at Angel Mort, I didn't realize how long Satoko had been gone! So I thought she...I thought..."

She trailed off, letting go of her life grip, looking up at him, "Hey, are you alright?"

She just noticed the trace of fear in Suzaku's eyes, he was looking at her in such a strange way, "Suzaku-san...?"

"I'm fine." He replied quickly, "Did you call Furude-san?"

"Yes, I did, but Rika-chama told me that she had never called Satoko in the first place! So...so..." Shion covered her face, totally at a loss.

Suddenly she stopped, looking up at the wall. "Shion-san?" Suzaku asked, leaning in a bit.

"Oh god, no.." She whispered, turning, "Come on, we've got to go. I think I know where Satoko is."

When she ran, she added, "But I hope I'm wrong..."

And then, Suzaku found himself going after the green-haired girl, the traces of his nightmare following slightly behind.

Oh my, I wonder what's going to happen now? Oh and by the way, the way Suzaku acts about Lelouch...just a reminder SUZAKU IS NOT GAY!

Just wanted to clear that up before someone asked xD

Hope you enjoyed :D