I think it has been more than two months I've updated this story. It just that my hard drive crashed, and when it got ok, I got really really busy with end of semester duties. But now my updates will be speedier now I'm free. Thank you for all who are reading this story to be patient.

I've also uploaded a new story, and it's kind of opposite to this one. This one is light and comedy, and that one is going to be taking a darker tone. It's called Heart Hacker for those who're interested in Takumi.

RockMusiFan80 making Takuya suffer is what I'm technically going to be doing in the single digit chapters. I still have to decide how long I want to make this story and if I should include the drama or leave it for the sequel.

Thank you everyone for reviewing!

Your Love is my Drug

Takuya

16th April '08, Wednesday

Izumi was already late for class as it is when she bursted through the gates of school when she was ambushed by Aqumi. She was apparently waiting for her in the corridor and wasn't caring if she herself was running late.

"What is it Ai?" she says impatiently as Aqumi stopped her.

Aqumi had once told us that the housekeepers who had raised her all called her Ai for short. Before her adventures, Aqumi had hated the name. It was so ironic. Ai meant "love" in Japanese and Aqumi was the Warrior of Hate. It made her feel like the Hell Girl Enma Ai, whose name bore a lot of similarity to her situation, Enma meaning Hate and Ai meaning love. After her adventures, she had let us all call her Ai and felt proud of it. The name was a secret joke only our group shared.

"I wanted to know how you were feeling today. You're late because you didn't want to get out of bed to face the world. Are you still feeling off?"

"What the heck are you talking about?"

"I already told you before also, you need to hide nothing from me," Aqumi says. "I'm uhhh… harmless. Honest. It's not like I even have anyone I'd be super eager to gossip about it."

"It was really fun and all talking to you Ai, but I'm really running late, and my first period is with Meiji-sensei. He'll not let me off the hook so easily. He'll embarrass me in front of the whole class first and then kick me out. Even you are late for class, and Li told me you don't have particularly tolerant teachers either."

She ignored this. "At least have this," she says, thrusting one of the books she held in Izumi's hand. It was titled, Work, And How to Avoid It.

"Ummm… what am I supposed to do with this? I have no trouble with working."

Aqumi looks at it. "Oops, wrong book, that's actually the book Takuya asked me to bring for him," she says, looking at Izumi carefully and closely as she said my name.

Izumi's face hardened just a little as she listened to her. And instead of giving Aqumi her usual complimentary reply like, No way, Takuya hates to read, as it comes under the heading of Work only, she remained impassive, like she hadn't even noticed my name being said.

"So if there's nothing else, can I leave now?" Izumi says checking her cell phone for the time. "Commosione! I'm really late now! Later Ai!" With that she runs off.

After she was gone, I came out of the bush I was hiding in.

"The news isn't good Takuya," Aqumi says. "She didn't like even hearing your name."

"Yeah, I saw that. Chiku shou (Damn it)! Oh well, arigato Ai."

"Dou itashimashite (You're welcome). And don't worry; he may be a big girl but I'm sure Jason won't tell on you to her."

"I hope."

Kōichi and I ran straight into Lili in the corridor as we got out of our class and were making our way to the cafe. She was walking away alone. We called out to her and caught up with her. I saw that Zoë wasn't with her. But then why was Lili walking around the eleventh graders section?

"Why are you going alone? Don't you always come here to meet Zoë and walk to the toilet or whatever before going to the caf with her?" I ask.

"Yes," Lili replies, "But Anderson wanted to talk to her, so he and I came to meet her here together. He had to talk about some private stuff with her so she and Anderson left together."

"Who?" Kōichi asks.

"Anderson," Lili repeated. "Arbormon. Dolly."

"Oh, you mean Jason," Kōichi says.

"Yeah, him," she says waving her hand carelessly. Kōichi stopped and stared at me. It didn't help me any further. My stomach had twisted in knots upon hearing the words.

"You didn't tell me how it turned out yesterday," Kōichi says softly.

I shake my head, my face spelling out d-o-o-m. We both started walking again, not knowing what to expect. I tried to get more out of Lili without making her suspicious.

"What did he wanna talk about?" I ask, trying to appear nonchalant.

"I dunno," she says shrugging. "He wouldn't say in front of me, but Zoë tells me everything, so it's only a matter of time when I do know anyway."

I wasn't sure what to make of it. True, Zoë does tell her all her stuff, but Lili didn't look like she knew anything about what had happened yesterday. I tried to test her.

"Did Zoë tell you she found her earring?" I ask.

"Yeah, it was in JP's car right?" she says, busy ruffling her bag for loose change to contribute to our lunch. Kōichi offered to hold her bag while she searched, helping me by stalling for time.

"Yeah," I say.

I couldn't decide whether she knew. Lili kept other's secrets like a sealed vault and acted so dumb and innocent that she got one really confused whether she knew anything. She would make a great spy. She hadn't even breathed a word to anyone about my Zoë infatuation. I know she knows. I have felt her eyes on me many times when she caught me staring at Zoë and when I looked back at her she would always smile knowingly and mischievously.

Girls. What WAS it about them? My doubts were however confirmed when Lili spoke next.

"Oh and Takuya, You were asking me that day what do girls hate the most about guys right?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, the other thing they hate the most is when a guy gives something else importance over them, even inanimate stuff like a football."

I stare at her. She smiles in that mischievous manner of hers.

"Come on, it's your turn to fight into that horde they call a line. It's not going to get any thinner just looking at it."

She takes Kōichi's hand and drags him away to their table, leaving me standing in front of the canteen alone. I look around. Shinya and Zack stood in a corner talking, looking much like JP and Tommy had when JP had led him away at the park to talk private, though I can bet a million yen that their topic of conversation isn't about Zack teaching Shinya what he needed to know about girls. It didn't take me long to spot Izumi and Jason. They were standing away from our group, talking animatedly. Izumi looked up at that precise moment and I felt a cold stare. I shivered and turned around immediately, taking a deep breath and launching headfirst into the tide of student wrestling to get their orders placed first.

"Watch it Takuya," I heard Russell's familiar laugh. Being taller and a senior, he would no doubt have his order placed much before me.

I handed him our money. "Get me 7 different drinks and 7 different sandwiches or burgers," I say, running away from work as usual.

Russell winked at me and turned back around. Two minutes later, we were both standing with pieces of recycled papers used as tokens in our hands in the other, much tamer line to take our orders.

"Hey there Delilah," Russell greeted her as she came to stand beside him. Yes, I'm aware it's a song, but that's what he said.

She was a thing of beauty, with mahogany hair and shining eyes which lit up even more when she looked at Russell. She looked older and more mature for her age than she was, with a mean figure, both attractive and strong at the same time. I know she played tennis. Russell was looking down at her smiling warmly and seductively, running his fingers through her hair. Looking at them, like always, I felt a pang in my heart for something I know I'm missing. I wish I also had a girlfriend who stood by my side always, in more ways than one. I looked back to where Izumi was standing and this time I saw both her and Jason looking at me with eyes of hardened steel, their daggers reaching and poking me even from that distance.

Maybe they're looking at Russell and Delilah like that, coz I remembered how Izumi had instantly sided with Jason instead of Russell that day of the condom episode, but I knew it was only wishful thinking.

When our turn came, it was then only when Russell and Delilah both broke out of their looking-at-each-other's-eyes trance.

"Hey Delilah," I said as Russell picked up his tray.

"Hey Takuya, how are you?" she replies in her little girl voice.

I shrug in reply.

"OK, since when has your girlfriend to-be and Jason been so chummy?" Delilah asks, nodding in their direction.

I groaned. Of course Russell told her everything. And only his side of the story as well no doubt. I had no doubt that Delilah knew about the episode of the condoms. But I was in no mood to argue as my stomach was still twisting in knots. I might as well kiss my chances with Zoë goodbye now anyway.

We went back to our table together. JP had thoughtfully combined two tables to make room for all fifteen of us, including Shinya and Delilah. Two chairs were still empty as Izumi and Jason hadn't returned yet.

Zack lit up a cigarette upon sitting down, never caring about the No Smoking rule in the cafeteria. Myakka sat beside him, throwing him moony looks she might have had better luck throwing to a stone while holding a casual hand to her face to avoid inhaling the smoke billowing in her direction; she hated smoking and smokers, just like Zoë, but that didn't stop her from hating Zack. She no doubt hoped that once she had him hooked, she could get him to quit.

Shinya is yapping away with Tomoki about some video game, arguing about who was better and who could pawn who and who had the better score.

Russell and Delilah are feeding each other, completely oblivious to the rest of the table. I wondered why they had bothered to sit with us anyway instead of getting a separate table together. It would've been better that way anyway, both for them and us, as things are bound to get awkward once Jason joined us.

Lili and Junpei were absorbed in another one of their Boys vs. Girls conversations. They won't be lifting their head up for a while now, I know, looking at Lili's red face blooming with excitement. She is somewhat a feminist. Joanne wasn't an active part of the conversation, but kept giving her opinions, as obvious siding with Li.

The twins are arguing about whose turn it was to clean their room while Aqumi listened in on them. Knowing that topic, I'm sure it will be difficult for them to ever come to a decision. Or on a different note, if their room would ever get clean.

Just then, Izumi and Jason join us. All conversation ceases for a while before resuming, everyone's glances flying from Jason to Russell and Delilah. Russell grins awkwardly but Jason gives no sign he had noticed them even sitting there.

I look at Izumi. She's also behaving like she hadn't seen me sitting here. Awesome.

I couldn't understand why Izumi and Jason were behaving like the episode of yesterday had never even happened between them. They had their heads leaned in close and were whispering intently. I felt Jason deserved as much of the attitude Izumi was giving me. He was a part of it too damn it! But instead, he was getting quite the opposite of it; good attention! I fully intend to eavesdrop on their conversation. It wasn't like anyone was paying me much attention anyway.

"… Think you're being immature again," Izumi was saying.

"Nope. I just don't like that." That was Jason.

"Forget it. It's up to you now. You wanted advice I gave you."

I couldn't understand what the hell they were talking about. Were they still talking about me? I wasn't given more of a chance to listen in further, as Aqumi had to choose that moment to speak to Izumi.

"Zoë. How have you been holding up?"

Izumi rolls her eyes. "Not this again Ai."

"I've noticed you aren't sitting with Mr Fat."

"Hey!" Junpei said from across the table, having heard the comment. Not that Aqumi cares.

"So?" Izumi asked.

"So that means you don't exclusively need him to be in top form."

"Of course I don't. I told you before also, I need all my friends."

"Hey!" JP says again. Nobody listened to him.

"Yeah, sure you do. You need a good friend. I'm talking about a "special" friend, get my drift?"

Izumi blushed lightly, as now everyone was listening in, interested.

"What of it?"

Aqumi looks at all the attention they had attracted.

"Ok everyone, let's play a game," she announced. "Starting with Zoë, we each will have a turn to tell the qualities we want in our "special" friend. Both physical and… mental." She rolled her eyes at the last bit, speaking for everyone. Obviously it's the physical qualities which make you want to approach a person in the first place.

Everyone nodded, even if they were a bit uncertain. It sounded sort of interesting to them; though I hope Aqumi knows what she's doing.

"So, start Zoë," she says, nodding at her and glancing sideways at me. As if I needed the hint.

"Ummm… OK I don't really know how this topic even came up but..." She taps her chin with her index finger, pretending to think. When she spoke, however, it was clear what everyone already knew. Izumi had already set standards for her perfect guy to be like a long time ago.

"I would want him to be tall…"

Cross that. I didn't even get to qualify for the TRIALS. It's not MY fault I'm the typical Japanese.

"Smart…"

I remember that day last year when Zoë had invited the others and me over at a party her parents were throwing at her house and I had reached her house in normal jeans and a sweater not understanding why all the others, even Tommy, were dressed in suits. Then Zoë had invited us in and I'd had a good look around at how all the men were dressed in three piece suits and all the women were dressed in ball gowns. The worst flaw of having a filthy rich best friend is that you forget how filthy rich she is and what kind of people her family no doubt associate with. I had spent the entire evening trying to dodge disapproving looks from the elders and girls my age group eying me up and down, pointing at me and giggling. Zoë had told me it would be considered rude amongst the guests if I left, even to go home and change clothes. So, cross again.

"Handsome…"

Isn't this some sort of combination of being tall and broad shouldered or whatever? Because I certainly am not. CROSS.

"Muscular…"

OK, now kid me not. I'm a football player (soccer), not an American football player (rugby). Cross.

"Protective…"

Do you have a weak memory? Did you already forget about Jason assaulting Izumi and me being a tad late to "save" her thing? Cross.

"A non smoker..."

I live with Shinya. Izumi no doubt also associates me in the smoker category. Cross.

"Attractive…"

Ummm… No. The girls who even find me remotely interesting only go for me coz I was in the football team last year. Cross.

"Rich…"

Ummm… things had been tensed at my house for a year now as the real estate company where my father works is going bankrupt. Anything can happen any day. Cross.

"Good listener…"

I myself am always trying to make myself heard. Cross.

"Compromising…"

Me? Compromising? HA! Cross.

"Intelligent…"

Judging by the way how Kōji had popularised the name "Dumbass" around the whole school by calling me that constantly and how my plans keep backfiring, I very much doubt if Izumi will count me in the intelligent category. Cross.

"Sensitive…"

Li is always calling me Hot Headed as OPPOSED to being Sensitive. Cross.

"Caring…"

"Ok Zoë, we get the idea," Li says mildly as all the guys sniggered. At this rate, Izumi might just have to keep on dreaming.

"Oh," Izumi blushes a little, just realising now how much she had enjoyed talking about it. "So, whose turn is it now?"

"Ooh ooh, me me me me!" Junpei says, jumping up and down on his chair, raising his hand and increasing the risks of the chair he was sitting on breaking like yesterday again. "Mine mine mine!"

"Hmmm…" Aqumi says, looking around the table, ignoring Junpei. "How about you, Takuya?"

Everyone's eyes land on me. I flinch. What the hell did Aqumi think she was doing? If this was also a part of her plan it sure wasn't a good one!

"Ummm..." I stalled. "Uhhh..."

"Today Takuya," Shinya says. Everybody laughs. Great. Just what I wanted, to be made a fool of in front of Izumi. I never understood why Shinya seems to hold more power than me anyway.

"Well... I've uhhh..."

I saw through the corner of my eye that Izumi is looking at me. I clear my throat.

"I've always kind of liked more of the traditional type. You know... like, I want my perfect girl to be modernistic, but cultural at the same time. Like I don't really like those types of girls at all, who think they're all that just because they wear tight fitting western clothes and fake their accents. I mean, that isn't sane, they're pretending to be someone who they're not because they think it makes them look "cool"."

"Yeah Takuya, you have good reason not to like them, coz you're never getting one!" Kōji cracks and everyone went into fit falls of laughter. I swear at him before catching myself, due to respect of the girls sitting at the table. Then I bury my head in my arms.

Junpei slams the table. "It's my turn now. Right? Right?"

Aqumi looks at him dismissively. "Nah, I'm tired of this game. Let's go back to doing nothing again."

JP looks at Joanne. "Is it me, or she has it in for me or something?"

"Nah, it's only you," Joanne says sarcastically.

I didn't care, head still buried in my arms. In that position, I could just see Zack taking out another cigarette and offer one to Shinya, who politely declined. Then I saw Shinya take out his own pack and offer one to Zack. Zack took it without hesitation and the two both grinned at each other as Zack put his own fag away, as if sharing a secret.

Dope. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on, especially me, who lives under the same roof as Shinya and even share the same room. I spend almost every night inhaling second hand smoke with my head sailing in cloud nine as I try aimlessly to sleep. It's my belief that Shinya even spiked his breakfast to get him going through the day. Izumi had just said she didn't like smokers so no doubt the same thing went for dopers as well.

I snapped my head up. A plan was quickly forming in my head. But for this I would need Shinya, and Shinya had proved more than one time that he is NOT someone I can depend on without suffering some kind of loss.

"Hey Zack," I say turning towards him, my voice low to prevent Jason, Zoë and Mia who were sitting beside us from overhearing.

In response, Zack puffed smoke in my direction. The familiar scent suckered my nostrils and fogged my brain again.

"Ummm... Yeah... Other than Shinya, who else supplies you?"

Zack looks at me indifferently. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I try to control my mind. "You know exactly what I'm talking about bub."

"Nope," Zack denies easily.

I hadn't thought about this. Now what? I racked my mind for an eye witness account I could throw at Zack's face so he won't be able to deny his association with drugs, which everyone knew about anyway. I had to hand it to this guy though, because even though people knew, no could prove it and Zack could easily deny and one would be left with nothing. Like me. This guy was GOOD.

"So are you saying Shinya and you haven't ever... uhhh... Dealt?"

"Shinya who?" Zack says casually.

I sigh in frustration and turn away. I'd have to change my tactic. Just as I was thinking of another way, Zack tapped my shoulder.

"Why?" he asks. "You already have a brother who can supply you."

"No," I say. "I don't want any for myself. I am just looking for information."

"Information about?"

"Marijuana... Cocaine," I look pointedly at the cigarette balanced between two of his fingers. He swiped the ash carelessly onto the floor.

"Ok, now you can't fool me that you're new at this since you live with Kanbara."

"Yeah, because I'm Kanbara as well, how could I've missed that?" I say smartly. "But I uhhh... tend to not involve myself in any of his... business."

"Well, Shinya mixes his own cigarettes. You already know the key ingredients."

"Yeah, so... That's all you do? Get them from Shinya?"

Zack raises an eyebrow. I backtracked at once.

"Anyway, how high does it take you?"

"Depends how much you're used to it, and how much of a beginner you are. It also depends on how quickly you inhale it and finish the joint."

I thought for a while. "Can you recognise it once it's mixed?"

"You can't really tell by looking at it," Zack says. "But you can tell at once by smoking it. But there are some things you can't tell when they're spiked," he says grinning.

I shivered. I had seen this kind of evil grin on Shinya's face when he's about to or has already spiked anything I'm consuming. Zack had put it simply that he wasn't buying my lame attempts to disguise my true intentions. Now we were getting to the point.

"Yeah, you've got the point... I'm actually looking for something which can be mixed in a drink to spike it. I'm planning on pulling a prank on someone..."

"For that, everyone's best friend is vodka. I have friends you can easily..."

"No no, I want something stronger, and something with effects that don't take too long to kick in and knocks you out quick."

Zack nods. "Yes, what you want is Roaches."

"What?" I ask, disgusted. "You're seriously telling me that I need cockroaches?"

"No you dumb idiot," Zack says, his voice dropping considerably. "I'm talking about Rohypnol."

"Oh. How the hell can I acquire that?"

Zack looks at me like I was pulling a lame joke. "Kanbara, you have a brother who is a pro at these things and has all the right contacts."

Now I look at him like he was trying to pull a very lame joke. "Ivankov, are you suggesting I ask Shinya?"

"Obviously."

"Are you high?" I mutter furiously, as loud as I can without attracting the attention of others. "I don't have a death wish you know!"

"What?" Zack laughs. "Are you actually scared of him?"

"No!" I say hotly.

He raises an eyebrow. "Then you'll have no problem asking him, correct?"

I stared at him. He had caught me neatly as a deer caught in the headlights of an approaching vehicle. But I have ego. Every guy does. And no way in hell was I admitting to him.

"Yup, I have no problem at all," I say stiffly.

"Good," Zack grins. I try to stop myself from glaring at him angrily.

"Just out of curiosity, who're you planning on date raping? I hope you didn't take Kōji seriously, coz he may be right but he's not a lady's man himself so what does he know?"

"What? You actually think I'm…! No way!" I sputtered. I'm actually planning on accusing someone else of date raping.

"Come on, you can tell me, I won't tell. Is it Zoë?"

"NO!" I explode. I was loud, so Izumi and Jason turned to glare at me. I ducked my head under my arms again.

To put this plan into action, I'll need to talk to my brother. Asking Zack for further help now would be admitting I'm scared of my little brother, and no way was I doing that. I look at Tomoki and Shinya still talking about video games, thinking…

Later that night, at the Kanbara household

"Here you go Takuya," Tomoki says, handing me a very small medicine bottle. I survey it intently.

"Is this it?" I say in awe.

Tomoki shrugs. "Probably. And Shinya warned me that an overdose can be lethal when you're going through withdrawal, so you might wanna be careful."

"Sure." It's not like I'm planning on actually using it. "Well thanks a bunch Tommy."

"No problem," Tomoki says. "I don't get why you couldn't ask Shinya for a free sample for yourself though, it's not like he lives in Kyoto."

"Uhhh…"

"Now where's my part of the deal?" Tomoki asks.

I pull out a magazine from under my mattress and toss it to him.

"Neat! I haven't been able to get this limited edition," Tomoki says happily.

"Since when were you interested in hentai?" I say, amused.

Tomoki looks up at me from the cover. "Since JP told me a few things and Shinya showed me a bunch of stuff and when I discovered my brother's stash. Now come on. This was part of the deal. I don't ask you what you want with that thing and you don't ask me what I want with this baby."

"Yeah… Don't ask don't tell right?"

"Yup. Well, see you around Takuya. I uhhh… ought to be getting home."

"Sure you do," I say.

Tomoki grins slyly before exiting the room.

I lock the door and empty the bottle on my open palm, looking carefully at the five white 1mg pills. I sniff, but they were odourless, sure enough. I didn't have anything bad planned; I just wanted to get JP caught in its possession so I can accuse him for planning on date raping Izumi, in front of her of course. Then Zoë would see that he planned on taking advantage of her.

17th April '08, Thursday

I was thinking about the best way to bring Izumi's attention to whatever it is I'll end up doing to sabotage JP's image, especially as she still wasn't talking to me. I took out the little bottle and looked at it again, thinking, leaving my breakfast unattended on the table.

"Hey there nii-san!" Shinya yelled, causing me to jump. I hurriedly toss the bottle back in my pocket.

"What do you want Shinya?"

"What'chu thinking?" Shinya says

"None of your bee's wax," I snarl.

"Here, let me pour your drink for you," Shinya says, taking out my opened can and pouring it in a glass.

I looked at him like he was joking. Shinya laughs.

"Don't worry, I haven't done anything. I'm in a particularly good mood today."

I saw Shinya that hadn't stopped pouring the juice and it was overflowing. I jump and grab his arm to stop him.

"Clean this mess dipshit," I say. Shinya grabs a rag and wipes it, all the while laughing. He continued to wipe at the spot long after it was clean, forgetting he was even doing that.

"Sweet Buddha you're high again," I groan. Shinya wasn't a drug addict if you speak technically. He got high like this around only four times a month.

"Maybe," he giggled, grabbing a cup of tea while I passed him a "toast". He took a bite.

"Kuso, it tastes like cardboard!"

"That's because it is cardboard dear," I say smirking. I couldn't resist taking advantage of Shinya whenever he got like this. It gave me an inner satisfaction of getting back at him for all the pranks he's always pulling on me.

Shinya looks at it confusedly, and then tosses it to the dustbin, where it bounced off the can with his weak aim, even though the bin was only a few feet away from him.

Taking a sip of the tea, he retched. "God that's revolting," Shinya says, looking at it closely. "This really is tea aint it?"

"Yes it is," I say. "But you forgot to add your normal gazillion teaspoons of sugar in it."

Wow, I thought. I wasn't planning on letting Zoë drink whatever I'll be mixing, but what if Izumi accidently does drink something spiked? Shinya, experienced as he was, still got this absent minded when he's high.

I push this thought away. No, Zoë won't be getting anything. I won't make this kind of dangerous mistake again. The lesson I've learnt from Jason is still fresh on my mind. What if Jason actually had done something? I'd never have been able to forgive myself. But my mind would've no doubt found a way to blame it all on Kōichi instead. I know I'm a bit stupid sometimes. (Revelation Revelation)

Shinya laughs again. "Guess I'll skip breakfast today. I'm heading for school. See you around Taki boy. Oh and make sure you finish your juice!"

He giggles at my dumbstruck expression as he waltzed away.

Now, I know that Shinya just said that to get me nervous, but I wasn't taking any chances. I poured all the juice down the drain and washed the glass thoroughly as I tossed my empty can of drink away.

K.I.L.L.S Cafeteria

"It's not my turn! Yokatta!" I say, sitting down at the table.

Izumi looked at my coldly as she sat down with JP. I flinch.

"Ouch," Kōji whispers to me. "What did you do this time Kanbara?"

I gave Kōji almost the same look I had received from Izumi. Why must everyone insist on making my life very difficult?

JP conveniently sat down right beside me. At least something was right. I planned on getting this mess cleaned over before Tomoki joined us after getting our lunch and figured out what was going on and opened his mouth. I was glad the others had decided to sit in separate pairs today, but Kōji as usual had to butt in with me to make my time hell.

"Why the hell did you ditch Kōichi and Lili? Weren't you sitting with them for your own "private" stuff?"

"Why the hell are you sitting with JP and Izumi? Won't they have their own private stuff?" Kōji counters.

Did I mention how much I hate him?

I scan the cafeteria for a sign of Kōichi and Li and saw them sitting a bit further off with Zack and Aqumi. Joanne must not be far, as she and Li are becoming practically like glue. Right at that moment, Zack and my eyes met, and he winked, like he knew what I was trying to do. I look away, pretending I hadn't seen anything.

I catch Kōji steal an uneasy glance at Aqumi's direction. Well, that's one mystery solved I guess.

I had just taken the bottle out of my pocket when it slipped from between my fingers and landed on the floor right beside JP's feet. I flinched, my eyes automatically closing, taking deep breaths. I hoped no one had noticed. But I should've known my luck. JP was already bending over to retrieve it.

"What is it?" Izumi asks curiously.

"I don't know…" JP says, turning it around to examine it.

"You don't know?" she scoffs. "Show me."

JP hands it over. She looks at the tag and I could almost see her mouthing the word "Rohypnol". Wow, Europe had educated her a LOT. She looks up at me with a fierce expression.

"Where did you get this?" She demands to know.

She talked to me, but I couldn't acknowledge this fact over the roar in my ears which kept screaming my life is officially over, over and over again.

JP is also looking at me, and he must've seen something in my expression, coz he went, "That's mine actually."

Both Zoë and I turned to gape at him. Whaaat?

He spoke softly, so Zoë and I had to stoop closer to listen. For some mystical reason, Kōji wasn't even paying attention to our conversation. He was absorbed in his cell phone.

"Well, I asked Takuya to bring me some sleeping pills you know... Coz I've been kinda depressed lately and haven't been able to sleep at all."

"Awww my poor baby! Why didn't you ever tell me this problem?" Izumi says worried.

"I just didn't wanna worry you Zoë darling," JP says convincingly.

"But JP! There are supposed to be no secrets in a relationship!"

"I know, and I'm sorry," JP says solemnly. "I promise I'll never do this kinda thing without first telling you again."

Izumi looked like she wanted to remain angry, but JP had won her over. Me? I could just look from JP's face to Zoë's with my mouth dropped open till the floor. My mind kind of clouded over and I missed their line of conversation. I got back in my senses just as Izumi was telling JP she was confiscating the bottle tossing it in her bag, and forbidding him from taking anti depressants. There was a lot of mushy stuff, but I don't want to get into that. My stomach is already weak.

If Zoë was still talking to me, she would have growled at me that why hadn't I told her on my first impulse what JP had asked me to do. But she wasn't talking to me.

After the break was over, JP cornered me, like I knew he would.

"Takuya boy you did it again!"

I could just stare at him speechlessly.

"Zoë's caring for me has grown by like around ten times! I was getting kind of impatient waiting for it to happen and it finally did, all thanks to you! I don't know HOW much I'm in your debt till now Taki boy!" JP says, almost burying me into the ground again.

I don't know why the hell this keeps happens to me. Why is Lady Luck NEVER on my side? Why are my perfect, flawless plans always backfiring on me! No good thing ever comes out of anything I do! Now the only person I can turn to without exposing myself completely is Kōji, and there's no way in hell am I doing that!

Joanne doesn't count, as when I had asked her, she had butted in my business just like Russell had.

I'm destroying all my chances with Zoë; I'm further driving her away by my plans which keep nipping me in the pants. It's like I'm my own worst enemy.

All I can say now is, back to the drawing board.