A/N: Hey everyone, I hope you've all enjoyed your break! This story will never be abandoned and I apologize for those who have been waiting. I fear that updates would regularly be slow, as I am preparing for my new semester in college. I really appreciate everyone's feedback and hope to hear more from you all!

Chapter 16: A Period of Bliss

"Hayate and Hina-san sure have been spending a lot of time together..." Nagi muttered. She stared at her manga template, where she drew out her most recent thoughts on.

Maria sweatdropped at her drawing. It was a good drawing, and surprisingly accurate.

"Maria... can a boy and girl really be that close as friends?" Nagi asked.

The maid gulped. She promised the butler and s.c. president to keep it a secret, at least until they were ready to reveal themselves as a couple.

"Well, Nagi..." Maria said, quickly thinking of some words to say. "No matter how much you think about it, Hayate-kun is your butler and-"

"Hayate is a free man," Nagi interrupted. "Ever since winning against Ruka-san, I have been able to support myself with my manga. He should know this by now."

"But still... he values you as his lifesaver, Nagi. So he will always feel the need to support you."

The blond mildly blushed. "I guess..." she mumbled.

'Nagi's maturing quite fast,' Maria thought. 'Sooner or later, she won't need him to look over her anymore... Hold on, she might not even need me!'

"N-Nagi... would you like anything to e-e-eat?" the maid asked, searching for service to be fulfilled.

"Mm.. no, I'm good. Thanks, Maria," Nagi replied. "You can take the day off."

The maid walked away in defeat. Nagi looked back at her template and finished what she drew. It was a blue-haired boy and a pink-haired girl, facing each other with a smile. Nagi, for some reason, couldn't figure how she felt about it.

'I wonder what they're doing right now...' she thought.

Hinagiku pulled Hayate into the elevator with her and pushed the button to take them to the top floor. The two then resumed to lock lips once more once the elevator door closed. Feeding off each other's bliss, Hayate gently pushed her against the elevator door as her arms wrapped around his neck.

"I wish... I had known earlier," Hayate mumbled through their kisses. "That you've loved me for this long."

Hinagiku gently pulled him off her lips by his hair. "You just couldn't see it... baka," she said, staring at him deeply with her chartreuse eyes. It hurt her to love him for this long, yet she couldn't handle how happy she would to be alone with him like this.

Hayate noticed her eyes suddenly sparkling. "Hinagiku, I'm sorry..." he whispered.

"I can't help it..." she said, succeeding her tears from falling. "Every time we kiss, you always make me feel this way!"

After a few seconds of silence, they both laughed after what she had said. Hayate then proceeded to give her another kiss, before he noticed that she was actually crying.

"Hayate-kun... hic... ooh..."

Don't kid yourself,
And don't fool yourself

He knew why she was crying, but he did not want to talk about it. They have never discussed about it, but he also knew very well that she did not want to talk about it either. With his arms, he embraced her close, without saying a word.

"I love you so much..." she whimpered. "I really do, Hayate-kun."

"I know..." he whispered. "And I understand."

This love's too good to last,
And I'm too old to change, yeah

He nodded as she felt his head brush her's on the elevator door slid open, and Hayate peeked over her shoulder and was ensured that no one else was present in the area.

To her surprise, Hayate grabbed her waist and lifted her up, as she reflexively wrapped her legs around his waist and arms around his neck. She blushed as she was then at eye level with this tall butler carrying her, as he slowly walked the two towards her office. Entering through the door of her office, the two continuously stared deep into each other's eyes.

Don't grow up too fast,
And don't embrace the past

Slowly, as he walked and carried her towards her desk, both knew very well that at this point, words can no longer be spoken. Hinagiku pulled Hayate's face back to her's, colliding each other with another deep kiss. Her passion yielded the butler's control, forcing him to stumble and land the student council president on top of her own desk, but she didn't care. With her arms, she knocked off everything that was on top of that desk and pulled him down with her.

This life's too good to last,
And I'm too young to care, yeah

Hayate laid over her, hands and knees on the desk, kisses from her lips and down to her neck. The sounds of her beathing heavily into his ear made him even more excited. It was only a moment of time before Hayate's hands began to reach underneath her uniform, and at that point, it had to end, when they heard fast footsteps coming down from the hall and towards the door.

The door slammed opened, and out came in the teacher.

"Oy, Hina-chan, here's the money I owe you... Eh?"

Yukiji stared at the mess surrounding Hinagiku. Papers were on the floors, pens and pencils were spilled all over the table, and even the computer was knocked off to the ground. She nervously stared back at her little sister, who was sitting on her chair looking content as usual.

"Um... are you mad at me for not paying you back so late?" Yukiji asked.

"N-no! Of course not!" Hinagiku quickly responded, blushing as she stood up from her chair, unintentionally startling her sister. She couldn't shake off the moments that had happened right before her sister slammed open the door. Her heart was still beating fast.

"Aren't you cold here, Hina?" Yukiji asked, staring to her right, where the terrace was fully open. "Why do I have this feeling that someone incredibly poor may have jumped out of there?"

Yukiji then took a second glance at her pink-haired sibling. Her hair was a slight mess, her uniform looked partly undone, and she was blushing just as bad as she was breathing.

'Oh boy...' Hinagiku thought, just when she saw her sister making the biggest smirk she has ever seen from her.

"My my... I forgot that my little sister turned seventeen not too long ago, teheheh..." Yukiji teased.

Hinagiku turned even redder than she did. She knew there was no hiding from the way she looked right now.

"Why are you so embarrassed in front of your big sister?" she asked her. "It's okay, you're seventeen now! Enjoy the time you have left at this age."

Still, Hinagiku had to deny from this embarrassment. "It's not what it looks like..." she mumbled.

"Yeah, okay..." Yukiji said in a sarcastic tone. "So, I don't owe you money anymore, right?"

'Blackmail..? I knew it,' Hinagiku thought. How typical of her sister. 'Well, it was only 2000 yen, anyway...'

"Fine, only if you tell nobody about this," she said.

"No problem, little sister! Can I borrow 2000 yen, by the way?"

"What!" Hinagiku fumed, before Yukiji gave her another smirk. She sighed, pulling out another 2000 yen note from her pocket. "Here you go..."

"Why thank you!" Yukiji said, quickly snatching the note from her. She devilishly stared at the money in her hands, thinking of what to drink tonight, before remembering something extremely important. 'Wait a second... now I actually have enough to buy my guitar,' Yukiji thought.

"Are you happy now?" Hinagiku asked, showing poor judgement to the middle aged woman drooling on her sister-stolen money.

"Just you wait, lil' sis..." Yukiji responded. "I'm going to repay you ten folds of what I owe you!"

Hinagiku rolled her eyes in disbelief. "Oh, c'mon! You've said this many times before! Just leave!"

"Fine fine," Yukiji said, walking towards the door. "I wouldn't want to bother you and Hayate-kun with your 'special meetings,' anyway."

And with a quick flash, the door was struck with Shirosakura from Hinagiku's hand, barely cutting a hair from the guitarist. Yukiji yelped.

"How did you know it was him...?" Hinagiku asked calmly.

Yukiji nervously turned around to face the girl. "I-I-I can't believe I guessed right," she spoke with a shaky voice.

"Well?"

Yukiji gulped, and quickly began to think of words to say. "Well... he's the only boy I see you around," she said. "He's the only non-student council student with access to this room, so I guess it would all fall in naturally."

Yukiji scratched her head, beginning to blush as she realized that she was being honest. "And also... despite how poor and unfortunate he is..." she said. "I think he's good for you."

The sword that struck the door near her face then vanished. She glanced at Hinagiku, who was suddenly moving nervously and looking cute. Yukiji couldn't help but sweatdrop. 'Is that really my little sister?' she asked herself.

Hinagiku slowly sat back on her chair. "Do you think Otou-san would approve?" she asked.

Yukiji glanced at the girl placing her arms onto her desk, reminding her of a day when she felt the same way at her age. She simply shrugged it off. "Beats me," she said. She opened the door to the exit and paused, before looking back at Hinagiku once more.

Don't kid yourself,
And don't fool yourself,
This life could be the last,
And we're too young to see, yeah

"We are not as problematic as we used to be," Yukiji said. "But if I had that chance again... despite those 'other' two damned parents that almost ruined our lives... I'd pass on it, and hope that chance goes to you instead."

And with that, she left.

Hinagiku stared at the door that had closed, looking somewhat surprised. 'Onee-chan was so cool...' she thought.

On the other side of the door, laid an exhausted woman leaning against the door. Yukiji brought her right hand up to her sight. It was trembling ever since she saw that side of her sister.

'I could really use a drink...' she thought. 'No...' From what she just saw, Yukiji had never seen that look on her sister's face for more than ten years until now. Her trembling hand slowly clenched into a fist. 'I must help Hina-chan!'

That moment was when an old part of her seemed to have burst out.

A/N: Song - Muse - Blackout