HappyJunjou: Yay! Guess what minna? It's September 17! Guess what day that is...

Ikuto: What day is it?

Amu: It's a special day? Why didn't I know about that?

HappyJunjou: Mou! You two are so mean! *cries*

Rima: So what SPECIAL day is it?

HappyJunjou: *She said SPECIAL DAY* It's...my birthday! *cheers*

Nagi, Rhymth, and Kusukusu: *claps*

Kusukusu: Surprise! Happy Birthday, Happy-san!

HappyJunjou: *cries again* Thank you guys! You're all so awesome! *glares* excpet the two who forgot! That's okay! I forgive you, Ikuto!

Amu: *shock* What about me?

HappyJunjou: Well it's easier to forgive cute guys then pink-headed girls. *giggles*

Nagi: So how old are you now?

HappyJunjou: 13! Yes. I know. I'm a young one. It's alright! At least I'm not younger than everyone in my class now!

Amu: Oops! Almost forgot! DISCLAIMER: HappyJunjou doesn't own Shugo Chara or any of the characters and that stuff.

Ran, Miki, and Su: Happy Birthday, Happy! Doki!

***Chapter 8***

Fire & Water

"A garden?" I asked.

"Yes." Nagihiko replied, "This place is pretty much deserted. No one comes here anymore, so I tend to the flowers. It's my own personal secret thinking place. So here you can just say what's on your mind. There's no one else around, so it'll be fine."

"I see." I nodded.

"So is there anything you wanted to say?" Nagihiko ansked after a few more minutes of silence. I shook my head, deciding to keep my feelings secret, but ended up speaking my mind anyways.

"How could you be friends with such a brat?" I asked seriously. Nagihiko burst into laughter.

"Why are you jealous?" I glared at him.

"Don't even joke about that or I'll turn around and kick that girl's butt." I said through gritted teeth. He sighed.

"Ai-chan w-" He started but I interrupted him.

"I don't like it when you say her name that way, call her Saitama-san instead." I said cooly. He chuckled a bit, but went back to what he was previously saying.

"Alright. Saitama-san wasn't always like this. She used to be such a sweet kind girl, before she moved to America. Personally, I too, am a little shocked that she turned out like this."

"About the...um...proposal..." I stammered.

"We were kids. I didn't think she was serious about it, and I didn't know what to say." Naigihiko explained. I could feel my face heat up.

"T-then d-do y-you l-l-like h-her?" I stammered , a little nervous about his answer.

"No." Nagihiko answered. I instantly felt a little relieved inside. I wonder why. "I have my eyes set on another girl, but I doubt she likes me back." I felt a little sad again. That wasn't fair that his feelings couldn't be returned. I wonder who this girl is. I bit my lip, and got that sharp pain in my chest again.

"If you want, I can beat some sense into this girl." I offered. Nagihiko chuckled.

"No. That's all right. As long as she's happy, I'm happy." He explained. This girl must really be stupid not to like him back. Nagihiko's so sweet and kind, how can anyone hate him anyways? Oh wait. I do...or do I? Why did I even have to question something like that?! Of course I hated him!

"Why don't you just reject Ai now, and get her off your back?" I asked, getting back to the subject. Nagihiko stared down at the ground.

"I could never do that. It'd be an unthinkably cruel thing to do." Nagihiko said, looking away from me. Again with be just too kind.

"I respect Ai too much to do that."

I nearly choked as soon as he said that last sentence. Respect? That brat? What was there to respect besides her oddly large collection of shoes?

"She can confess her feelings so openly. Compared to her, I'm such a coward. I'm too afraid to tell the girl I like that I'm in love with her even though I already know her answer? I'm such a weakling, a-"

"You shouldn't say that about yourself." I interrupted, "You can't be sure that the girl you like will definitely reject you, so don't give up so easily. If you're afraid of rejection, then MAKE her love you. I know that if it's you, it can happen." He gave me a heart-warming smile.

"Thank you, Rima."

"Now go ahead and tell that brat that you don't like her!" I ordered. Nagihiko sweatdropped at my statement.

"Like I said, Rima-chan, I can't because I admire her courage to confess like that. It'd be just rude to hurt her feelings like that." He explained.

I watched as he gently touched the tip of a flower's petals.

"A person in love is kind of like a flower, isn't it? Love blossoms just like a flower. Some flowers are waiting just to have their love bloom like the others too. But if you don't take good care of them, then they'll wilt. Then again, if you do take good care of them, they'll live forever. Ai-chan is one of those flowers." Nagihiko explained, "I don't want to be the one to make her wilt. I want to wait until she finds someone she can truly love who'll love her back."

"Don't you think you should find someone who loves you back then" I asked.

"Rima? Weren't you just the one who told me not to give up?" Nagihiko chuckled. I immediately turned red.

"You know what I mean!" I shouted and turned my back towards him. He chuckled. I soon decided to turn back.

"How do you know if you're in love anyways?" I asked. He seemed a bit shocked that I'd ask.

"I'm asking this for Amu!" I lied.

"It's a very pure feeling. Sometimes it can make you feel very warm inside, but sometimes it can causes your chest to hurt. Either way, I think it's a feeling no one would want to disappear. It's very important to all of us." Nagihiko explained.

I stared into space, taking in each of the words he used to describe love. Did those words not fit how I felt?

Why didn't I realize this any sooner? I was in love. I knew all those feelings better than I thought I did. I fit that exact definition.

"I guess I'm like a flower too then." I smiled to myslef. I'm not sure if Nagihiko heard me or not, but it didn't matter. Darn. I shouldn't have given him the advice earlier. If only I knew that it'd turn out like this.

I was in love with Nagihiko.

Nagihiko suddenly started laughing and it shocked me a little.

"What are you laughing at?"

"I'm sorry. It's just that I realized that I forgot all about our little bet." He explained.

"Why? Do you still think you're going to win?" I asked. He shook his head.

"No. That doesn't mean that I'm not going to try. What about you?"

"I think I'll win, but who knows? I may just be pushing my luck." I replied.

That was such a big lie. After all, he had already won.