Alright, first thing first. I am so sorry. So extremely sorry for the delay in updating.

I'll be honest I've never forgotten about this story…But as I think I've mentioned before I think that putting this story into words was a huge mistake…I am starting to regret it…

But then, I felt angry at myself for feeling so half-hearted after writing this… So I kind of set this little condition. I told myself that I would NOT watch Fairy Tail episode 60 until I've completed this chapter and guess what? It worked. :) I am so sorry for putting all of you on hold like this.

Naively Clueless

crystal-mist

Chapter 6

They say that the passage of time heals all… And just as it is; this dispute between Dan and Runo soon blew away and they were back to normal… Julie tried making Runo talk about what exactly had upset her but it did not work. Runo was more stubborn than Dan was and there was no way Runo would reveal things so easily.

"What am I here? The mediator to get them together or what?" thought Julie to herself as she sighed heavily.

And then something happened…

A slip of the tongue was all it took to ruin everything.

One day Runo, Julie and Alice were busy having a nice little girls only chat. Mainly because the boys were glued to the TV set in Marucho's house playing video games. The girls had joined them at first but then it soon got tiresome because the guys were too loud and sharing was not a word that had top priority in their dictionary.

"The guys….They are like animals!" said Julie.

Alice giggled, "That is to be expected after all… Teenagers are tough to understand." she said.

"I only became thirteen recently though." Said Runo.

"Runo!" cried Julie. "It's been four months already… Fine, we get it. Your 13th Birthday was AWESOME. You don't have to go on and on about it."

Runo scoffed. "I did not say a single word about my party Julie! You're the one who brought it up."

"You guys… Stop squabbling." Instructed Alice.

"Well…guys are hard to understand… They say so many mean things to you but in the end they may say that they really like you as well…It's contradictory!." Stated Julie.

Both Runo and Alice stared at Julie in surprise. What was she talking about anyways?

And then A female voice called out "Alice…"

Alice sat upright. "That's my mom…I have to go now." She said before running in the direction of her house.

And then Julie started to talk about lots of stuff… Runo listened to half of Julie's stories and did not pay attention to the other half. She would put in a couple of words from time to time, but that was it.

And then Julie said something that sparked Runo's interest almost immediately.

"You know, guys aren't always as insensitive as you think… At times they like totally surprise you… I mean, who would believe that Dan could be in love?"

"What? Dan? In love?" repeated Runo, her face lighting up. She thought that she could finally have a piece of information to blackmail him with. "Who with?" she asked Julie.

It was then that Julie realized her mistake. "Oh shoot! Did I…just tell you that?" she muttered, her face engrossed in stark surprise...

"Who is it, Julie?" Runo repeated her previous question.

Julie was confused. What was she to do? Should she tell Runo the truth? How could she avoid this situation?

"Guess." whispered Julie to Runo without thinking twice about it.

Runo pondered for a bit. She studied Julie's horror-struck face. "No way!" exclaimed Runo.

Julie gulped, waiting for Runo's inevitable reaction.

"He's in love with… you?" cried out Runo, trying her best to hold back her laughter.

Julie's mouth dropped open… "Not really." She answered.

"Wow…So he likes Alice then…" said Runo.

Julie raised an eyebrow at Runo. Honestly; how clueless could one person be? "No." said Julie.

Runo's expression hardened a little. Her lips pulled into a taut line as she made her final conclusion. "It's…. Myleen isn't it?"

Okay, now this was taking denseness to a whole new level. That was it; that was the last straw. "Honestly Runo! Don't tell me you haven't figured it out by now… You really lack intellect."

"I do NOT lack intellect." retorted Runo.

"And who is this Myleen anyway?"

"Well she-"

Julie did not allow Runo to complete… "Well my dear girl… The person Dan is in love with is… you."

Runo's eyes widened as she froze. She felt this queer kind of shock, almost as if she were hit by the lightning of truth… She couldn't answer, she felt so strange… What was this? Anger? Surprise? Astonishment? She did not know. "What….what did you say?" she asked Julie hoping against hope that she had heard wrong.

Julie's face softened as she looked at Runo. She realized that she should've approached the situation more delicately… But there was nothing she could do about it now… She felt guilty after seeing Runo's confused expression…

She should've known that Runo would overreact. "Daniel Kuso is in love with Runo Misaki." Julie said in a low voice.

Runo gulped, she did not know what to say… "Uh…whatever…. It is not like I care." But it was clear from her voice that Runo was still in shock.

"Perhaps we should head home now?" suggested Julie cautiously.

"Good idea…" agreed Runo and made her way back home without another single word…

After she reached home she was distracted, she couldn't concentrate on anything. Julie's words rung in her mind again and again…

"Darn you Dan…." She muttered under her breathe as she splashed her face with cold water.

The next day, the walk to school was… in one word awkward. Well at least it was awkward to Runo. Dan was concerned as to why Runo seemed so preoccupied… She didn't look angry, but instead, her face was engrossed in a kind of worried expression.

Even on the way back home Runo still had that distant expression. Dan sighed.

"Hey what's up?" Dan decided to voice his question.

"Nothing." She answered half-heartedly.

Dan gazed at her from the corner of his eyes. "Doesn't look like nothing to me."

"Stop pestering me!" She muttered.

"Something bothering you?"

"Yes, actually…. And it's entirely your fault!" she said half-angrily, half-nervously.

"My fault?" he repeated. "What? But I-"

But before he could complete; Runo asked him something. "Is there something crucial that you are frantically hiding from me?"

Dan's chocolate eyes widened. "Not…really."

"Don't lie!"

"Well…Runo, I don't tell you everything about myself and you don't tell me everything either. Things are pretty well balanced out.

"Well apparently….Not as balanced as it should be." She commented.

"Just spill the beans Runo."

"Julie….She told me something…" said Runo gazing at Dan half-annoyed.

"Define this 'something'." said Dan. He had this strange feeling in the depths of his heart telling him that what he was about to hear wasn't going to be very pleasing.

"You…are in love?" muttered Runo.

Dan's eyes widened as he stopped walking as he realized that Julie had ratted him out. "So?" he asked.

"With…" Runo couldn't bring herself to say the two lettered word. She somehow forced it out. "…me?"

Dan took in a deep breathe as he readied himself for Runo's response. Now that the wheel was set underway there was no stopping it. "That's right… I am…" he said as he looked straight into her eyes.

Runo gazed at him dumbstruck… She could hear her heart beat as the moments slowly ticked by.

The silence was dreary and so uncomfortable.

Dan realized that Runo couldn't respond to that. "You answer?" he asked her, urging her to speak.

"I…have no answer." She told him… It was true, she had no idea, and she had never been so confused her entire life.

"Depressing for me indeed…" He said as he resumed walking.

She said nothing more as she started walking as well. She swallowed hard as she concentrated completely on walking. One foot in front of the other and then the other goes forwards and then the other. Why were there tears welling up in her eyes? This was discomfited! She blinked them away.

She knew that Dan was there walking right in front of her. Runo straightened her glasses as she walked heavily up the flight of the stairs... (Runo has spectacles… O.O)

"See ya…" muttered Dan.

Just as he was about to enter the door to his home Runo said something. "What's with that tone in your voice? I am the one who should be angry."

Dan just stared at Runo…. "I am not angry…Runo…" he said as a half-hearted smile appeared on his lips. "Don't worry about me… I'll get over you." He said.

"I…I…Dan…I-" Runo couldn't say anything and her attempt to explain her situation was failing miserably.

"Hey…It's alright." He said as he waved goodbye at her and went into his house.

Runo stared after him. She hadn't heard his voice sound so depressed… 'Dan, I am sorry.' She thought to herself.

She was thirteen years old… How was she to understand the whims of a teenager?

Thanks for reading…

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See ya. 3