A/N: So sorry for the late update. I know you guys want chapters updated asap, but I've rewritten this chapter about three times this month; hitting a serious case of writer's block. Haven't lost passion for continuing this story though! I've written extra scenes for future chapters whenever I had an idea come up. Also found good inspiration, so I thought I'd make a slight parody of it. Can you guess which anime inspired me in this chapter? (Hint: It's a new show from this fall). Thank you all for reading this.

Chapter 13: Can I See You One Last Time?

"Um... will you come this way for a bit?"

With no hesitation, he grabbed her hand and began pulling her outside.

"No... no! Not the terrace!" she whimpered. She resisted, but couldn't pull away from his masculine strength, so she closed her eyes tightly shut, forcing herself to think that she was still inside of her student council office.

It didn't help, however, as Hayate placed his other hand on her shoulder, feeling her tremble so much as he continued to walk her outside. He gave out a light laugh to see her so scared.

"It will be fine," he said.

"N-no!" Hinagiku yelled. "You know that I am afraid of height!"

"I will hold onto you tightly," she heard him from behind. "So open your eyes and have a look."

She was scared. Her feet felt numb to her worst fear. Tears tried to escape from her closed eyes, but she resisted. She was afraid of letting them out. She was afraid that she might break down and cry, or worse.

He will once more see her defeated.

But she couldn't do it. She lost. She finally admits it to herself. It was now time to face the consequence, so she prepared herself for the worst. Gripping his hand tighter, she finally opened her eyes to his victory.

Victory that she's avoiding to be a part of.

She stared at the prize she never realized that she had; the beautiful scenery the city has with all of its night lights laying over it. She was no longer standing on top of a tower, but a cloud, watching over the land like an eagle would fly over, as if she was no longer restricted to just stay put at the ground.

It wasn't defeat that she was resisting. It was freedom.

She felt so free, yet so vulnerable, but she loved it, because he was there. That was when she realized that she loves him, and she loved it.

The freedom to love.

The reddest orange sunset laid throughout the city; the hue everywhere in the area were just red orange.

The sky looked beautiful in Hinagiku's eyes, as she stared deeply into the cyan eyes in front of her. Falling down at high speed off a tower however, she didn't have the time to enjoy the scenery. She held on to him as they shared their last moment.

She yelled at him. Just those three words had to be heard, twice, no matter what happened to her or him. Her acrophobia prevented her from doing anything else. Tears flew off her eyes as fear hit her to fullest.

He locked himself to her.

"Wh-what are you doing?!" she asked, surprised by his arms wrapped tightly around her back.

'No time to think,' Hayate thought.

He spun their bodies around, to have his back turned to the fall, and changed their direction towards a large building. Hinagiku realized what he was doing.

"No! Hayate-kun! You're gonna-!"

Her words were cut off as they braced impact through the roof. Hayate's back landed through first, securing the pink-haired girl as his body teared through from the roof to the ceiling, landing their bodies high off to the indoor swimming pool.

A large splash was made as the bodies landed into the water. Hinagiku was stunned from the crash. She awoke in water, only to see the body in front of her unconsciously go down to the bottom of the pool. She swam down and grabbed his arms, before swimming them up to the surface.

She gasped for air as she dragged his body to the nearest surface, sitting by his side before performing CPR. She pumped his chest then breathed into his mouth. She pumped his chest and breathed into his mouth. She pumped his chest then breathed into-

"Hayate-kun! You better not lose to me!" she yelled at him. She continued the procedure once more, feeling more desperate than she ever did.

"Don't lose to me! Don't you dare lose to me!" she screamed this time, even louder. She repeated the procedure once more. Tears rolled down her face as she could no longer feel anymore warmth coming out of his lips.

"If you lose, I lose..." she muttered. "I can't lose you..."

The hands that she loved to hold were now cold. His lips wouldn't kiss her back anymore. His cheeks would no longer blush for her, even to this extreme kind of contact.

She cracked more of her tears out. She can't do it anymore. Her face hung inches above his face, dropping tears all over him. Her fingers trembled as they could no longer feel a pulse from his neck.

"It's my fault... it's my fault... I could have used Shiro, but..."

It was because of her acrophobia..

"We were so high..."

She really hated it.

"But I could have saved us. I could have... saved us..."

She despised it.

"I could have!"

Shirosakura!

Her body lit up in the brightest blue. Her hand wielded a powerful crystal weapon. Gone were her school uniform as they were shredded off and replaced by a crystal armor to match her weapon.

The surroundings of the pool house burst away from the girl as her aura yielded great energy. Chairs flew, windows cracked, the pool water formed waves. She pointed Shirosakura towards the sky, then in an instant, took off the grounds and flew straight to the top of the tower.

Isumi fell to the ground, no longer able to defend herself from King Midas' powerful explosive attacks.

"Any last words before your death, human?" King Midas said, speaking through Mr. Katsura's body. He laid his arms high and formed a big ball of violet energy in his hands.

The girl in the kimono dress panted as she struggled to get up. 'I can summon my last scroll on him,' she thought. 'But Katsura-sama's father will be in danger...'

She remained quiet, unsure of what her next move will be. King Midas chuckled. He chucked the bomb at her.

"Very well. Die!"

The bomb made a huge explosion, only it was about a thousand feet higher into the air.

"What!" King Midas shouted, staring up to the red sky at the violet explosion. He looked back at his target, only to see another opponent in his eyes.

"Shirosakura..." he muttered. "You chose this pink-haired weakling over me? Allow me to demonstrate what a mistake you've made..."

'Is he talking... to my sword?' Hinagiku thought.

'No, he is talking to us.'

"Eh? Shiro can talk?"

Her armor communicated with her. 'That's right. You've finally awakened me and now you are wearing me. We are one now. Together, as a human weapon.'

Her body felt light and more dense. "Yeah... I feel much stronger with you, Shiro-san. Let's do this!"

'Especially since you were naked before you worn me... You have embraced my armor to the fullest potential!'

Isumi sweatdropped as she stared at Hinagiku in her outfit. "Katsura-sama... your sexual appeal might be your new strength. You might even challenge Hayate-sama, the most-trained person to resist such sluttiness."

She blushed, slightly embarrassed as the armor revealed a lot of her skin. "Why must this armor look... so slutty?"

'I cannot answer that... Ask my creator instead, whom I also don't know of, but could most likely be perverted...'

King Midas formed another bomb in his hand while Hinagiku prepared for an attack with her partner.

"You really think you can avoid this one?!" King Midas shouted. The bomb changed from violet to a thunderous red.

Hinagiku felt more energy channeling into her sword.

'This is it, partner,' Shirosakura said to her. 'This one shot will be enough to save your father.'

She nodded and flew towards King Midas as he threw the bomb right to her. With lightning speed, her sword slashed through the bomb and King Midas himself, immediately being ripped out of Mr. Katsura's body.

S*NI-SOSH*TSU!

Isumi watched as King Midas' real body flew out of from Mr. Katsura's.

'Now's my chance!' she thought. She threw the scroll at the king, which opened and wrapped around him completely, sealing the spirit within the scroll. The scroll rolled back to its normal size, glowing in a violet color.

Hinagiku flew down by the scroll user. Curious, she asked. "What did you do to the king?"

"He is sealed, but only temporarily," Isumi replied. "I must now go to Oka-san. She will send him to another dimension. Who knows when the king will return."

She casually walked away, stepping over some broken furnitures before she took the elevator. Hinagiku turned to see her father waking up.

"Otou-san!"

She ran to him as he softly spoke.

"Hina-chan..." he muttered. "What happened...? I'm so sore..."

"Don't worry, Otou-san! I'll take you to a hospital!"

"No no, I'm fine," he told his daughter. "I should have just... skipped leg day..."

"I could use some help over here."

She turned her head to see none other than her chair president and love rival, Athena Tennousu, barely standing on her two feet, panting for breathes as she leaned against a wall.

"Hayate-kun... I must see him now," Athena said. "I'm running out of time..."

Hinagiku glanced at her father, who nodded to her that he could remain still. She turned back to Athena, unsure of what to say about Hayate's current condition, also feeling pain at the sudden reminder.

"You don't need to hide it," Athena said, holding her blank face. "I know he's dead, but let me see him one more time..."

She grabbed Athena's bleeding hand and led her out of the council room through the exposed terrace. With Shirosakura, they flew back down to the pool house.

The butler's body remained where it was, right next to the swimming pool, laying lifeless. Athena slowly walked towards the body, unable to hold her composure as she covered her mouth in shock.

"Hayate..." she muttered. Hinagiku watched from afar, feeling guilty to be the cause of his death.

"I'm sorry, Tennousu-san..." Hinagiku said to her. "He saved me... but I could have saved the both of us!"

Athena stood still with her back facing the pink-haired girl, staring at the still body in her red eyes.

"You have every right to be angry!" Hinagiku shouted. Tears yet again rolled down her cheeks. "I'm so... pathetic!"

The blonde kneeled down to the butler's side. "There's still hope," she said. She placed her hands on his chest, forming a bright white light beneath them. She turned her head to face Hinagiku.

"You're not pathetic," she said. "You're an amazing woman."

"Tennousu-san, wha... what are you doing?"

"I'll be gone for a while now. Maybe even forever..."

The light beneath her hands to his chest grew even brighter, surrounding the walls in bright lights. Hinagiku watched in awe at her magic. She brushed off her surprise, more worried to what's going to happen to Athena.

"Gone? Don't do this!" she yelled. "What if you're really gone forever?!"

Athena chuckled. "I don't care," she said. She stared and smiled at the blue-haired butler. "The only time I felt alive was when... it was when I was still with him."

"Tennousu-san..."

"It's okay, Katsura-san. I'm happy," she said. The light grew blindingly bright. "Hayate-kun finally found someone to make him happy."

The blond turned her face to look at the pink-haired girl.

"Someone who loves him more than I do."

The pink-haired girl stared at the blond smiling at her, before she disappeared as the light has taken over her vision.

All surroundings of the pool house turned bright white. Hinagiku covered her eyes from such brightness. After a few seconds, when the brightness disappeared, she looked around for the blond.

She was no longer there.

Hinagiku heard a slight mumble in the pool house. She looked at the only body left slightly moving. Hayate mumbled louder as he was about to wake up. Hinagiku ran to the butler who laid on the ground. Tears fell as she's seen a miracle and a tragedy happen at the same time.

She kneeled by his side, the same place where her role-model had kneeled, and leaned over to see his eyes open.

"I'm... alive?" he softly asked. Hinagiku, still crying, simply nodded.

"You're crying, Hinagiku-san..."

She couldn't say a word. She just nodded for no reason.

"Is King Midas taken care of?"

She nodded yes.

"Isumi-san okay?"

She nodded yes.

"What about A-Tan?"

She froze. Her lips slowly moved to speak. "Tennousu-san, she's... she..."

"I'm right here."

Both turned their head to that familiar, but younger voice. Athena, or rather Alice, in her ten-year younger state.

"Alice-san?"

"What happened in here? It's a mess," Alice said, looking around the destruction of the indoor pool house. She looked confused when she stared down at her oversized dress. She the looked back at the couple. "And why are you two on the floor looking all lovey-dovey in such a dark, spooky place? You grown-ups sicken me."

Hayate lightly laughed. Hinagiku quickly ran to the little blond and hugged her.

"Thank you... thank you so much!" she said to her, holding her tighter.

Alice blushed as Hinagiku squeezed her. "Wh-what are doing?! Get off!" she yelled. "I can't take this level of affection!"

Hinagiku continued to cry on the little girl's shoulders. "I'll never forget what you've done... thank you so much..." she whimpered. Alice, still looking confused, noticed Hinagiku's tears and nervously hugged her back around her neck.

"There, there... it's okay..."

Hayate watched in confusion as Hinagiku cried and Athena was Alice again. He slowly stood up, only to realize something was around his fourth left finger.

He felt for it. It was a ring. But when he looked at his ring finger, there was no ring. He brushed his other fingers against it, somehow able to still feel the edges of the ring. That was when he realized, it was there for a reason. He finally understood as he turned his head back to the girls, staring at Alice hugging Hinagiku.

"Thank you, A-Tan..."

The next day, Hakuou Academy was closed due to the damage caused by an unknown source.

Hinagiku used that time to visit her father at the hospital, who actually needed treatment for his injuries. The nurse had just finished wrapping bandages around his left leg.

"Well, Mr. Katsura, I highly doubt your injury actually came from you working out on 'leg day,'" the nurse said, rolling her eyes as she wrote down on her clipboard. "But you should be able to go home tomorrow in a wheelchair."

As the nurse walked out, Hayate came in.

"Ah, Ayasaki-san," he called as he watched the butler enter the room. "Hina-chan and I were just talking about what happened earlier."

"Mr. Katsura, I'm so sorry that you had to end up here," Hayate said.

"No no... I deserve it," Mr. Katsura said, his face showing a bit of guilt. "I thought this King Midas would help me with my situation here, but instead... he made me hurt you and my family. Hina-chan told me that I almost choked you to death. I can't even remember..."

He glanced down at his hands, showing disbelief that he was capable of doing such lethal acts. He turned to Hayate, bowing down from his hospital bed.

"I apologize, Ayasaki-kun! Please forgive me!"

"No worry, Mr. Katsura," Hayate said, being a forgiving person as usual. "After all, you were possessed, so you couldn't control yourself, so it's okay."

"It's not okay!" the father shouted. "Please, marry my daughter!"

Hayate and Hinagiku, who immediately stood up from her chair, both yelled in unison. "Ehhhhh?!"

"Otou-san! Who I marry is not upon your decision!" Hinagiku shouted, with her face being extremely red.

Hayate blushed as well as she continued to yell in panic. Mr. Katsura gave out a light laugh.

"Haaa. Just kidding."

They both glared at the father as he continued to laugh, as they couldn't even look at each other at that moment.

"Not funny, father. Hmph!"

"Ah well, it was to me!" he said with a smile, immediately transitioning back to his serious face. "Now go home so Oka-san doesn't get worried. I need to talk to Mr. Ayasaki here."

Hinagiku sighed. "Yes, Otou-san." She walked up to Hayate and gave him a slight glance. Hayate already knew what that meant as she walked out of the room.

She'll be waiting for him.

He turned back to her father, who also watched her daughter leave the room. His eyes then focused on the butler, staring right into his soul.

"I made that joke just to see how you two would react," he said. "You really like my daughter, don't you? And you better not lie to me..."

Hayate gulped. "Yeah, I really do like her... but of course, I won't date her unless I have your permission, sir!"

"Oh, cut the crap," Mr. Katsura said. "I won't get mad if you don't get my permission. You're a decent person from what she's told me."

"Ah-um... thanks," Hayate replied, blushing from the thoughts of what she could have told him. 'She's been in my room quite a lot. We kissed once. We even slept together before... If he knew, I'd be dead!'

"She told me that she confessed to you," the father said. "And you didn't even respond to her. This is what bothers me, kid."

Hayate blushed again, remembering that very moment that was mentioned. Mr. Katsura noticed.

"Eh, you don't need to tell her anything, anyways," he said. "She'll be transferring to Harvard after this spring."

The father looked towards the window. A good glimpse of the blown up tower can be seen from the window. "My daughter, I'm sure you know, is a really smart, accomplished student that Hakou is proud to have. She told me that she always wanted to become lawyer. She's had some doubt in the beginning, but she always excelled in all of her courses. Falling in love can't stop her from her achievements, but now I see doubts in her... She doesn't want to leave. But you can change that."

Hayate glanced down at the floor, clenching his fists.

"You're telling me... if I let her go, that she can transfer and become a lawyer?"

Mr. Katsura watched the boy in anger, not surprised at all to see him that way. "Yes, to have a better, more secure future," he said. "As should you, Ayasaki-san. You're the Sanzenin butler, after all, aren't you?"

Hayate widened his eyes, remembering that he still belonged to someone.

"Ojou-sama..." he muttered.

"I'm not saying that you should end it," the father said. "But it's just better this way. It would cause less complications on all ends. You'll stick to your duty as a butler as she'll continue to pursue her education."

"..."

Mr. Katsura sighed. He laid back against his bed, relaxing as he continued to speak.

"I met her mother when I was young, probably around your age. We were really happy together, you know. Our parents at the time weren't too fond of us dating because we were still in high school, but we didn't care, so we dated in secret. Eventually we did care, when graduation came up and everyone had to decide what to do afterwards with their lives. We realized that we each had our own goals that could lead each of us to a different path."

As Hayate listened, he began realizing his relations with this man. The time he spent with Hinagiku were indeed amazing, but it was at a secret that the others should not know. 'What if Ojou-sama knew?' he thought. He would not dare rebel against his own mistress if she disagreed, and he knew how much Nagi wants him all to himself.

'You better not make Hinagiku-san fall in love with you!' he remembered her shouting when he was looking for Hinagiku's birthday present.

"So what happened after graduation?" he asked the father.

Mr. Katsura stared out of the window, looking at the sun from his hospital bed.

"We were so in love, so we decided to move in together."

Hayate realized that his debt won't allow him to afford his own place as his empty, skinny wallet brushed inside of his pocket.

"It was really hard, but we managed to stick together! It was really nice at first, to finally be together, and alone! Everyday, anytime, we could literally be anywhere in our apartment and just f-"

"Hey! Hey!" Hayate shouted as he quickly waved his arms back forth. "Mr. Katsura, not appropriate!"

"Oh, sorry. Aha, I got a little carried away," he replied. He cleared up his throat and continued his story. "Anyways, Ayasaki-kun, we were happy, but it was hard work. Maggie worked as a certified nursing assistant while I worked in construction. On top of that, we were studying really hard. but living together really did cost of us a lot of money and time. Eventually, we stopped studying because we got tired."

Mr. Katsura looked at the butler with shame in his eyes. "We didn't take the scholarships we were offered if we were to separate."

"Hey, at least you two are still together, right? I'm really amazed by how much effort you both put into this relationship."

"That may be, but now, we're old and tired..." he said. "I've been outsourced here in Japan to teach, so now I work in America as a law professor at Harvard University. The pay is great, but now I don't get to see my own family. Maggie now would hate to hear that I have to fly back soon to get back to work."

'Mrs. Katsura was always lonely...' Hayate thought. He barely realized it when he seen her so happy to have had him as a house guest.

"We've been working for so long, that by the time we decided to have a child, it was too late," Mr. Katsura said. "Hence why we adopted our two little girls."

'I... I see...'

"I gave the recruiters of Harvard my daughter's transcript. They're highly impressed. Very high grades, student council president, kendo club leader, tons of community hours, among the top students... so they offered her a full-ride there."

'A full ride..' Hayate gulped at the thought. She really had it great coming along.

"You understand why I'm looking out for my daughter now, right?"

Hayate couldn't help but stare at the floor. What was he in comparison to her? An idiot who constantly needed tutoring and took advantage of their relationship? Hayate felt sick of himself.

"I... I understand, sir..."

"Good," he said before closing his eyes. "Now get out."

Hayate left Mr. Katsura's room, only to see Hinagiku leaning against the wall as he closed the door. He walked past her and went outside as she followed, making sure Mr. Katsura would not eavesdrop on them.

Finally out of the hospital and at its front entrance, Hayate asked, "You heard everything, didn't you?"

She held a straight face. Hayate looked slightly away from her, waiting for her response. Both knew they didn't want to talk about it now.

He walked up closer to her. He realized that they haven't been together like this for a while.

She noticed how close he's gotten. She realized how much she missed him.

"C'mon, let's go eat somewhere..." she said. "I'm hungry."

He noticed her ignoring his question, but nodded nonetheless.

"Alright... me too."

They walked away together, hand-in-hand.