A/N: Apologies for the delay! This was kinda hard to write since I've been suffering from a major writer's block. So if it's lacking in quality, this is why.

Pikaajoy: THIS REVIEW GAVE ME LIFE! Literally! I came back to life and wrote the rest of this! No, seriously - thank you, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how happy your words made me :')

Chapter 12: Her Ex-Boss

The sound of a beeping alarm disrupted the silence of the dark bedroom. It buzzed for a while, disrupting the uneasy slumber of the room's occupant.

A large hand swung from the bed and hit the alarm clock, the object sailing through the air as the buzzing died out.

Heavy eyelids peeled away from garnet eyes; he blinked softly as the empty pillow next to him came into focus. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, the hours of restless sleep still lingering in his sore eyes.

Despite himself, he sighed though he knew it was useless. He was used to it now – finding the other side of the bed empty – but it didn't stop him from staring at the empty space as he withered with longing. Sometimes, when he blinked, he swore he could see her auburn locks staining his pillows; her bare back to him as she peacefully slumbered.

But then the illusion shattered, and he was once again alone in his bed.

With a groan, he tiredly got up from the bed, the sheets tumbling off his body. He stepped out of his pajamas trousers and entered the shower, numbly washing his hair as the hot water scalded his skin, staring off into space.

When he was finished, he quickly dried up and got dressed, going through the motions robotically. He glanced at his desk; garnet eyes drawn to the virtually burning paper that stood out from the rest of his documents. He grabbed it like he always did, quickly stuffing it into the breast pocket of his jacket.

As he calmly walked out of his mansion, he grabbed an apple for breakfast and settled with a few bites before throwing it away as he stepped inside the car that would transport him to work.

He arrived shortly, greeting strangers as they bowed towards him in respect, a light smile on his mouth as he hid today's heartache. As soon as he entered the elevator in silence and the doors closed, his smile faltered immediately. Kaname grit his teeth as he steeled himself for the onslaught of memories that would assault him the minute he arrived at his floor, counting down the seconds until he had to put on his smile again.

The elevator doors pushed aside. He straightened his back as his mouth twitched into a fake smile despite the hurt that travelled through his limbs. With confident steps, he strode through the office, greeting known and unknown faces, waving amicably at his co-workers.

As he approached his office door, his eyes latched onto the desk that was placed directly outside his office.

His eyes watered as he read the "SECRETARY" sign that lingered on the neat desk, the empty seat behind it taunting him.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he turned his head away and entered his office, closing the door behind him.

Kaname's shoulders slumped as memories assaulted him; he could almost see her there, watering the plants and grinning mischievously at him; he could see her sauntering towards him, her voice echoing in his head about schedules and lunches and whatnots.

His eyes latched onto his desk and the space behind it; there she'd almost kissed him after finding out that the Shouto deal had gone through; and there she'd confronted him, melting in his arms as he commanded her to turn around so he could put her necklace on – the one he'd given her for her birthday.

Did she still have it? Did she wear it from time to time? Or did she throw it away, like she did with everything else?

Kaname sighed, walking over to his desk and dumping his briefcase.

He wouldn't know. He hadn't seen her for eight months.

His last memory of her was in his bed as she moaned his name, gazing at him with tender eyes. She'd surprised him by showing up at his house at night, and before he knew it, they were kissing in the pouring rain.

There was an urgency in her; a desperation that made him abandon all rational thought. He gave in without any reservations; his heart swelling the moment her lips touched his. He'd longed for this for so long; dreamt of the moment she'd come to him, prayed she would feel the same way he did, almost giving up in the process. For three years he'd been madly in love with her; for three years he had to hide away his feelings and pretend like the sound of her heels clicking on the floor didn't make his stomach fill with butterflies. Pretend that her presence didn't send him into frenzy; turn his palms sweaty, get his heart accelerating; pretend that his body didn't flourish with desire whenever she wore those sexy skirts and smiled flirtatiously at him.

The night they made love had been everything he'd ever wanted and more; the culmination of his love for her erupting the second she was in his arms, sating his desire. Finally, she was his. Finally they could embark on the future together.

He'd been the happiest man alive when he fell asleep with her head on his chest.

But when he woke up, she was gone. She didn't pick up her phone when he called for her, and when he rushed to the office to see if she'd went there, her desk was cleared, all traces of her gone. Desperately, he'd tried swinging by her apartment only to find it abandoned as well; forgetting that she'd moved out a long time ago. Calling Kaien was useless, since Ichijou had informed him that he had been submitted to the hospital the day before. Suddenly her tears in the elevator when he saw her made sense; but why she'd ended up at his house later that night was unknown to him.

Had he only been a distraction? Just a quickie to forget the pain she felt over her father?

After a few days, without any word from her despite how much he'd tried reaching out to her, he found her note. It lay among the papers on his desk; he'd almost thrown it away in a fit of rage when he discovered that it wasn't just any note.

Sitting down in his office chair, he discreetly picked out the crumpled note from his breast pocket and unfolded it.

I'm sorry.

- Yuuki

He read it again and again, memorizing her handwriting. When the pain became too much, he scoffed and pocketed it again.

"You're sorry, huh…"

It hurt like a bitch. Every damn day; from the moment he woke up in his empty bed to the second he stepped inside his empty office and saw her previous desk, his heart ached uncontrollably. His parents worried about him constantly; as did Ichijou and Hanabusa, who fluttered around him like two mother hens. He wasn't eating much anymore, and he preferred to stay home during lavish get-togethers with his rich friends.

Isolation was his preferred company.

At one point he thought he'd grown numb to all sensation; but all it took was some random memory from their years together to bring back the pain, and suddenly he was back to square one, longing for her and missing her presence, even if she'd broken his heart.

He was no longer searching for her. Though it had been eight months, he spent a total of one week searching for her before giving up. The hurt and the pain were too much for him; for his own protection, he had to give up.

He'd crawled on his knees for her; did everything in his power to make her forgive him for what he'd done; yet she wouldn't forgive him, preferring to stay stubborn. At one point he'd realized that no mutter how much he begged her to forgive him, she wouldn't do it simply because she was too immature to let go. She held onto it and used it as an excuse not to let him in; he knew she felt something for him too, that much was obvious, but her refusal to acknowledge it irked him to the point where he got angry.

Their dynamics shifted; with his fake engagement he gained another advantage over her. He could see the struggle in her eyes; she wanted to remain angry but she was still put off by his engagement; she wanted to give in but she was too stubborn to admit it.

Two days before her last day, and she still hadn't given in to him; his confidence in her feelings for him faltered dramatically, and he was convinced that things would never get better. She would never love him back. They would part ways and never see each other again.

But she kissed him. She came to his house; she helped him undress in the heat of the moment, holding onto him as he told her he loved her. She initiated the whole event and indicated she wanted it too; igniting hope in his heart like never before.

And then she abandoned him without as much as a goodbye, disappearing from his life and the world like a ghost.

She didn't want to be found? Fine.

Kaname closed his eyes, basking in the anger and betrayal he felt, lest he let himself get sucked into his heartbreak and start to miss her again.

His door opened as the click of high heels echoed on his rosewood floors. His heart sped up as he looked up expectantly, hope in his eyes.

"Good morning, Kaname," Seiren said. "You have a meeting at 10:30 am, another meeting at 12 and an interview 1 am. Is there anything you need at the moment?"

Her.

Kaname shook his head lightly. "Ah, no, Seiren. Thank you."

"By the way, you never officially responded to my wedding invite. Are you attending?"

"Of course," he smiled. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Seiren smiled lightly and bowed, exiting quietly.

Even if it had been months, and even if he'd given up on finding her, he still hoped that she would one day walk into his office like she used to before. That he would look up from his desk and find her at the door, his eyes widening as he dropped his papers.

She would rush over to him, confess her love and apology for her betrayal. He'd forgive her instantly; crush her in his arms as he kissed her before laying her down on his desk and ravaging her.

Unfortunately for him, stuff like that only happened in those shoujo mangas Ichijou had forced him to read. And even in those there was no ravaging. And he really wanted to ravage her. Like, really, really.

But this was real life, and he was never going to see her again.

Time to accept it.

"How are your studies going?"

"Very well. Despite being older than most of the students in my year, I feel like I fit in."

"I understand that you're also in an internship. How's that going for you?"

"It's hectic… but I'm still grateful that I was offered it. Well, I mean, it was all because of Yori, but still… working in one of the biggest newspapers in the country is an amazing experience. I learn so much everyday."

"I see," the woman jutted something down in her notes, "it's been a while since the last time you were here. You've been responding very well to our sessions, which is why I've increased the time between your visits. But since it's been such a long time, I'm bound to ask you some questions to catch up. You may find them difficult, but it's important that you don't evade the questions."

Yuuki wringed her hands together in her lap. "Yes, I understand."

"Have you had any contact with your former boss since the incident?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Well, I… at first I couldn't face him, so I purposefully made myself disappear. After I started seeing you, I realized that I would need some more time before I could see him. I needed to… fix myself."

"And you're sure he couldn't fix you?"

"Well, I… what do you mean?"

"Wouldn't it be easier to just stay with him and let him fix your problems for you? I mean… he's rich, handsome and head over heels for you. Why do you feel like you have to fix yourself, when you could just put the weight on him? I mean, it happens in movies all the time; as long as someone loves you, you'll be fine and whatever problem you have will be fixed."

Yuuki flushed. "I… well, no. To what you just suggested. No, no, no. The only one that can fix me is me; only I can deal with my anxiety and my issues. No one else can do it for me. And I know he'd want to try and fix everything for me, but that's why I ran away; not only because I was scared of my feelings and the repercussions of what we did, but… because I wanted to protect him… From myself. He doesn't deserve the hurt and destruction I would cause him if I stayed."

Her therapist smiled, pleased by her patient's outburst. "That's a very good answer, Yuuki. You're absolutely right – only you can fix yourself, no one else. That's a very healthy way to view the situation, and it shows that you've really grown this past year. I'm proud."

Yuuki exhaled, deflating like a balloon into her seat. "Did you just use reverse psychology on me?"

Her therapist, Minori, smirked. "You got me. That's what we therapists do. Looks like it's working though."

Yuuki laughed lightly. "Ah, yes… I guess so."

"Now that we're talking about him, are you ready to meet him again? It's been eight months since you last saw him, and that was when you left after sleeping with him. I just need you to be able to put yourself in his shoes; he may have worshipped the ground you walked on before, but after you parted the way you did, it might not be so easy for him to forgive you and accept you. You must understand that he may not want you back the way you want him to; and if that happens, you need to accept it."

Yuuki nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Yes and no. I mean… I've written letters to him, trying to explain what happened and how I'm doing, but they were returned each time, sealed. I have a feeling it was someone close to him that did it to protect him, but still… if it was him, then that means he doesn't feel the same anymore. And…"

"And…?" Minori inquired gently.

Yuuki glanced up from her hands, looking straight into her eyes. "I love him. I do. I couldn't say it at the time, but now that I've worked through my issues I can finally be honest. I love him. And it's because that I love him that I will gladly walk away if he wants me to. If he's found someone else that makes him happy, I'll let him be with her in peace, even if… it breaks my heart. He deserves to be happy."

"I'm glad," Minori crossed her legs, giving Yuuki a gentle smile, "that you've come this far. I know it's been hard for you, but it's your hard work and dedication to work through your problems that made you come this far. As long as you understand that things may not turn out the way you want to, and that you are able and willing to accept it and move on, I'm confident in your recovery and letting you meet him. Which is when…?"

Yuuki glanced out the window, watching the winter wonderland outside her therapist's office window. Located a little outside Tokyo, the scenery surrounding the Clinique was serene and tranquil; lush trees covered in snow occupied the scenery while the faint shadow of Mount Fuji lingered in the background. The last time she saw Kaname was in late June; she'd enrolled in school almost immediately, having had the time to apply after her fallout with Kaname in Singapore. It was her last year, as she had previously finished the first two years of school and only missed her third and final one. The year was busy, and a large part of it consisted of practical work; writing actual articles, doing actual research – and lastly, interning at an actual newspaper.

In-between her busy schedule, Yuuki began seeing a therapist. She'd realized that it was time she began sorting through her problems after hurting Kaname. It was a hard and tedious process; the first meeting consisted of filling out a form where she had to cross of if she A) sometimes heard voices in her head, B) felt like life wasn't worth living C) struggled with mood swings, D) felt guilty for the horror in the world, and vice versa. It almost made her leave on the spot; the shame and the embarrassment of having to fill out such a form reminding her of the fact that she was goddamn mess. But she fought through the embarrassment, and survived the first interviews and soon she was coming in weekly.

Some days she'd get nothing out of her appointments; sometimes she'd talk about a random memory she hadn't thought about in years, and suddenly break down crying with no way to stop. It was awful and embarrassing having to cry like that in front of her mellow and calm therapist; but as soon as the tears subsided and she managed to calm down, a feeling of elation spread through her veins – like she'd emptied her body of poison and was now feeling the healing sensation of peace.

Piece by piece, she was unraveling and re-organizing the pieces once they came undone, creating a new canvas for herself. Finally things were making sense; finally she could understand herself better and deal with her problems without the fear and the pain getting in the way.

She was getting better.

And now she needed to make amends.

"Well, um… there is an event coming up, a wedding actually. I'm pretty sure he'll be there."

"Do you think you'll be able to approach him?"

"I'm not sure… like I said, I have no contact with him or the ones closest to him, except for our common acquaintance who's getting married. So I have no way of knowing if he'll be there or not, but if he is, I'll ask him if he wants to meet one day and talk. I doubt a wedding is the proper place for us to talk…"

"I see. Well, that's a good and rational way of doing it. Remember, if he doesn't want to talk, you need to step away and give him time. There's no need to let him hurt you; even if you've come far, you still have a tendency to cower away from difficult situations."

"I won't…" She said resolutely. "I'll be strong."

"Good. Well, before you leave, I was just wondering if you've had some time to visit the grave?"

"I…" Yuuki froze. "No. I haven't… I'm working towards it. It's been a while, but the wound is still raw and I… well, I'm just not ready to open that Pandora's box again."

"I understand," Minori nodded. "It's important that you do it one day, but for now, take your time, Yuuki. Recovery is a slow process; you may be halfway, but there's still the rest of the road in front of you. I'm very happy with your progress for today. Let's meet again next week, yes?"

"Sounds good," Yuuki said, exhaling. Though she liked her therapist, she still found herself tensing up from time to time during their sessions. Minori had explained that it was just her fear of opening up that lingered in her body; her anxiety lay in the back of her head, a claw on her nervous system ready to set it off and turn her into a slave. But she was stronger now; it wasn't easy opening up, but the difference from then and now was that she could actually open up now. She could talk; explain her feelings and only slightly fear the outcome of being vulnerable.

"See you next week," Minori smiled, waving her goodbye as Yuuki exited the office.

As Yuuki stepped out into the cold, she rubbed her hands together as her breath turned to smoke in the cold temperature. She checked her watch quickly and saw that she had a few more hours left until one of her lectures was about to start. As she got into her car and drove away, she thought about Kaname and the wedding.

Would he be there? Or would he not show, knowing there was a possibility she'd been invited?

No… Kaname wasn't that person. He'd come for Seiren's sake.

Then… when she saw him, what should she say? How would he react? What was going to happen?

She sighed, gripping the steering wheel as she sped down the highway. Only time would tell.

She unlocked the door to her apartment and dropped her keys on the nearby table. She slumped her bag onto the floor and kicked off her shoes, trudging towards her bedroom. With a tired yawn, she opened the door and walked inside before she stopped dead in her tracks; hazel eyes widening as she watched the other occupant of the room.

"I hope you had dinner," Hanabusa said, releasing the rose he'd held between his teeth, twirling it in the air. He trailed it down his naked side to his crotch that was barely covered by the white sheets. He lay on his side, his left elbow propping up his head with his hand on the mattress.

"Cause it's time for desert, baby."

"Hanabusa!" Yori gasped. "What the hell?!"

"You don't like your surprise, baby? I guess I should have wrapped myself in gift-paper instead of just offering all this deliciousness in one-go…" He pouted dramatically.

"What…" Yori shook her head. "What if Yuuki had come in here and seen you!?"

"Oh, well, that… She should be so lucky! This is all for you. Now, c'mere – let idol-senpai show you some idol-lovin'."

"You…" Yori blushed and giggled. "God, you're so lame sometimes."

"Lame? I think the word you're looking for is sexy," Hanabusa winked.

Yori giggled again. "Honestly, sometimes I have no idea what I'm even doing with you. You're incorrigible."

"You like it, baby," he snickered again, motioning for her to join him on the bed. "Now come here…"

She approached slowly, her hands supporting her on the bed as she climbed slightly atop of him. Yori grinned, her eyes filling with desire as she watched him. He held her eyes confidently as she approached, his hands coming up to her face and cradling it.

Hanabusa reached up and kissed her softly, tasting her lips. She responded eagerly, opening her mouth when his tongue begged for entrance. He grabbed the back of her head, pushing her closer, needing to feel her near.

"I've got a gift for you that absolutely needs your attention right now," Hanabusa breathed against her lips as they parted for air.

"Ah, that," Yori said breathlessly, "will have to wait. Yuuki's coming over soon."

"I can be quick," Hanabusa quipped, bringing her face back.

"I bet you can, but I don't want to risk it," Yori said, sitting down and using her hands to push his chest down.

He relaxed back into bed, pouting at her. "But I'm nakeeed," he whined, "and I'm horny and you're the hottest girl I knooow."

Yori grinned as she laughed, shaking her head. "Well I'm… flattered. I'm sorry, it's just… if she finds out about you and me, then…"

"Ah! Yuuki Kurosu!" Hanabusa huffed and sat up in bed, crossing his arms. "It's because of you that I tolerate her. What she did to Kaname was awful, you know, he hasn't been the same ever since. It totally sucks seeing him like that!"

"Hey, she's been through a lot of stuff. And she's been working really hard to sort through it… besides, she's my friend. You have to support her. You can't hate her, cause if you do, you can't have me."

Hanabusa sighed. "I don't hate her. I can't. I actually like her a lot – well, not like like – but, like, she was really fun to work with and she obviously cared a lot about Kaname and meant a lot to him. And she introduced me to you," he smiled warmly, winking.

Yori blushed. "That was one hell of a introduction. 'I want to collect your eyes'," she giggled, wiping a tear. "I still can't get over that!"

"Oh, let it go already!" Hanabusa yelled, crossing his arms again and turning his face away. "I… was just really starstruck when I met you. Yeah, I said it, starstruck. Pun not intended but whatever since I know you'll just laugh at me anyways."

Yori held a hand over her mouth as she giggled. "I'm sorry, baby. You're just so cute," she grabbed his hand on the bed and shook it.

"I know," Hanabusa cheekily grinned. "I'm so cute that you wanna ravage me right now. Well, baby, today is your lucky day." He reached for the sheet that was covering his crotch.

"Nuh uh," Yori chided. "Yuuki. Remember. She's coming over and I don't want her seeing you here, naked in my bed. She'll freak out and everything, and you'll just remind her of Kaname…" She trailed off. "Hey, speaking of, do you know if Kaname will be at the wedding or not?"

Hanabusa pursed his lips in thought. "Yeah, I think he's going. So your plan…"

"Seems to be heading in the right direction. I spoke to Yuuki earlier, she's attending too. Does he know…?"

"No," Hanabusa shook his head. "He hasn't asked either."

"Ah…" Yori traced patterns on the mattress as she pondered over the information. "Well, if he does, then… don't tell him. I won't tell her that he's coming either."

"Do you think it'll work?" Hanabusa wondered, shifting closer to her.

"I hope so. It's time they fix things between them; it's been eight months already. It's time they meet again."

"I agree," Hanabusa responded, putting his arm around her shoulder and kissing the top of her head. "So I can finally introduce my beautiful girlfriend to my boss and to Yuuki and to the rest of the world."

Yori giggled. "I'm your girlfriend now? That's what this is?"

"Yeah!" Hanabusa said. "I don't lie around butt naked in just anyone's bed, mind you. You are one lucky girl, Sayori Wakaba."

Yori giggled, reaching up and kissing his cheek. "I am."

A week later Seiren married Yagari Touga in a beautiful ceremony. Their 4-year old son, Kaito, offered them their rings, earning awws from the guests. He was a cute little boy; his hair a mix between Yagari's raven locks and Seiren's unique shade of silver – his energy level mimicking that of his father's, while his sharp instincts were inherited from his mother.

Kaname watched the ceremony unfold with mixed emotions; on one hand he was extremely happy for his secretary and dear friend, but at the same time he couldn't help but wither with jealousy when he saw the way they looked at each other.

The love and the trust between them saturated the room, radiating off of them. He could feel it all the way to where he was sitting in his suit.

Garnet eyes flickered around the room, searching for a certain brunette.

He had yet to see her. He wasn't even sure if he would get to see her at all; his attempts at finding out if she was coming or not had been half-hearted at most. Initially, he hadn't really considered the fact that she was a dear friend of Yagari's – and as a result she would be invited to the wedding.

When he did realize it one Wednesday afternoon, his mind had gone into overdrive; excitement and apprehension swirling in his veins. Suddenly he was nervous about seeing her – after all, he hadn't heard a word from her in months and the way they'd left things off had been so difficult. But just the thought of seeing her again, in the flesh… even for a few seconds made his heart skip a beat.

Even if she'd broken his heart and taken half of it with her.

But then the apprehension caught up with him again. Did he really want to see her? After what she'd done… could he really stand the pain of seeing her again? What if she was still dating Zero and she'd brought him to the wedding? Or someone else?

For days he was a mess, wondering about what ifs. Eventually he'd had enough – deciding that he wasn't going to intentionally seek her out. It wasn't worth the heartache and the pain. She'd made it clear to him that she didn't care about him anymore; and he would do his best to fake the same sentiments.

A sweaty hand grasped his. His head whipped around, staring with incredulous eyes at the person next to him.

"Don't worry. She'll probably be at the reception. Maybe. I think."

Kaname slapped Hanabusa's hand away in horror. "Get your hand off of me!" He hissed as quietly he could so he wouldn't disturb the ceremony.

Ah, yes.

Somehow, Hanabusa had gotten an invitation to the wedding – by him.

"Please, Kaname-sama, I beg you. Do it for the power of love. Let it compel you."

"Love?" Kaname sneered.

"Uhm, okay, so not the right word to use. Hey man, I know you're still heartbroken and all tha–"

"Heartbroken?" Kaname scoffed, gripping his whiskey glass. "Nonsense. I can't be heartbroken if I don't have a heart, can I?" He smirked into his glass, taking a sip and hissing as it stung his throat. "Besides, I don't believe in love. It's useless, pointless and ridiculously overrated. In fact, I'm going to–"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Hanabusa cut him off. "You don't believe in love and you're really jaded and ultracool now, okay – I get it. But… just do it for me? Please?"

Kaname narrowed his eyes at him. "Why?"

"For love! My love!" Hanabusa exclaimed, waving his hands around.

"Tch," Kaname took another swig of his whiskey.

"Pleeeeease, Kaname-sama!" Hanabusa begged, getting down on his knees and bowing his forehead to the ground. "Please let me be your plus-one to the wedding! I'm begging you! Let me be your date!"

Kaname glanced frantically around, mindful of the curious glances he was getting from the other bar guests. "Hanabusa," he hissed, "get up. Now!"

Hanabusa shot up form the floor, putting his hand to his forehead like he was doing a military exercise. "Hai!"

"Why do you want to go to the wedding so badly?"

"Cause she'll be there," Hanabusa said, stars twinkling in his eyes.

"She…?" Kaname breathed, his heart speeding up. "Yuu–"

"–Yori!"

"Oh…" Kaname slumped into his seat again. Damnit, he'd done it again; even though he'd convinced himself he would no longer long for her or search for her, even the possibility of seeing her again made his heart jump in his chest – even when he'd decided he didn't care about seeing her again.

Hanabusa pursed his lips. "I mean… there's a slight possibility she'll be there, y'know. I can… help you… if you help me."

"I have no interest in seeing her again," Kaname switched on his stoic mask, turning back to his drink. "She's no longer a part of my life; as I am no longer a part of hers."

"B-but…" Hanabusa's bottom lip quivered.

Kaname rolled his eyes, slamming his drink into the bar counter top. "Fine! You can come with me. I'm not agreeing because of She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, but because you're obviously crazy about Yori and… well, some of us deserve to be lucky in love," he smiled wistfully.

"YAY! Kaname-sama I love you more than She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named ever will! Promise!" He jumped up and hugged Kaname tightly.

He fought off his hug and barked. "Get off of me! Or I'll make you clean all the toilets at the wedding!"

Hanabusa gasped in horror and retreated immediately. "Sorry!"

Kaname rolled his eyes at the memory. How the hell had he gotten himself into this mess?

The wedding moved from the ceremony hall to the reception, where food and drinks were served. He mingled among his acquantainces, cautiously glancing around the room from time to time to see if she'd arrived.

Stop this right now, his inner voice commanded, you're not going to see her tonight and that's a good thing! She doesn't deserve you! She's a fool for even daring to sh–

B-but… it's Yuuki. She's so pretty. I want to see her. Just a second can't hurt, no?

What, are you 12-years old or something? He chided himself. You're the CEO of Kuran Inc.! You don't need a woman to make your life complete.

But… He stared into his champagne glass as the people around him droned on about useless things.

I miss her so much…

"How are you doing, Kaname?"

He looked up from his glass at his vice president. "Just fine. You?"

Ichijou glanced around the ballroom as he sampled his champagne. "Yeah… I'm fine."

Kaname nodded, sampling his champagne as well. He really didn't feel like talking at the moment, even if it was Ichijou. The awkward silence stretched on for a few minutes before Ichijou broke it.

"Are you looking for her?"

Kaname sighed in response. "Am I wearing a "I'm-Looking-For-My-Ex-Secretary-Who-I-Haven't-Seen-In-Months" t-shirt or something? Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

Ichijou chuckled. "It's just obvious, that's all… I mean, it's natural that you at least want to catch a glimpse of her while you're both here."

"Is…" Kaname cleared his throat. "Is she here?"

"Oh, um," Ichijou frowned as he quickly surveyed the room. "I haven't seen her. Do you want me to go look?"

"No…" Kaname waved his hand. "I don't really want to see her. I just want to make sure if she's here or not so I can avoid her."

"Ah… if you say so," he gave his boss a doubtful look.

When he still wouldn´t look away, Kaname frowned. "What?"

"Nothing…" Ichijou shrugged. "I, ah… just need to talk to you about something later. Not now though."

"Is it business-related?"

"No… But it's not something we should discuss here. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go and try that green punch thingy!" Ichijou grinned.

"Alright… hey, don't drink too much. If I find you screaming 'Marco, Polo!' in a pool again I'll fire you."

"Whaaaat? I would never– oh," Ichijou's green eyes widened. "I… did that?"

"Yup."

"I need professional help…" Ichijou muttered. "Well, all in due time. Bye!"

Kaname chuckled as he watched his vice president stalk towards the drink table. Some things just don't change.

A few hours later, Kaname politely excused himself and made his way through the crowded ballroom. He found the doors to the balcony and silently opened them, escaping outside. Although it was cold, he needed the fresh air to clear his mind.

He stepped over to the balcony railing and leaned his arms on them, gazing up at the moon that shone brightly. Stars twinkled all over the sky, some brighter and clearer than others. Vaguely he could make out some of the star signs, remembering years ago when he'd become interested in them as a young boy and read every book about them.

Suddenly there was a movement in the sky; he blinked as a shooting star blazed by quickly, its tale disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. With wide eyes he stared at the spot where the star had been.

Make a wish.

What's the use? There wasn't anything he wanted… except for her of course. But that wish would never be granted; he'd accepted the fact a long time ago. They weren't meant to be.

He closed his eyes, breathing in the crisp winter air.

I wish… I could let go of her.

"Kaname?"

His entire body froze on the spot, ice shooting through his veins. He opened his eyes and stared off in the distance, refusing to believe his ears.

With his heart hammering in his chest, Kaname turned slowly on the spot, drawing out the moment for as long as he could. Could it really be…? Is this happening?

And then he saw her, in the flesh, standing by the balcony doors. Brown eyes stared at him as she bit her lower lip, hesitation evident in her posture. She was wearing a beautiful champagne-colored dress made out of sparkly material; it draped down her body loosely, showing off her figure. Her straight hair was swept aside on her shoulder, cascading down her back and chest. Her make-up was minimal yet she still looked stunning; brown eyes accentuated by brown hues and long lashes; a light coat of pink lipgloss made her lips look utterly kissable.

Kaname swallowed harshly, willing himself to calm down.

How could anyone be this beautiful?

"Hi," she breathed when they made eye contact.

"Hi," he repeated as he pursed his lips. As soon as the happiness and amazement over seeing her again faded away, he remembered the last time he saw her and the eight months of pain and longing that followed.

She broke your heart, remember? She's evil.

He straightened his shoulders, his stoic mask slipping back into place as a form of protection against her presence.

He needed to get out of here as soon as possible.

"It's been a while…" She hesitated, her voice low and soft. "How are you?"

Kaname blinked. "Fine. You?"

"Yeah, I'm… fine," she replied timidly. Her eyes were filled with longing and desperation; he almost felt like looking away due to the intensity of her gaze.

"Listen, I–"

"I need to go," he cut her off tersely, taking a step forward.

"N-no, please, I…" Yuuki cut him off, taking a step forward to counter his. "I really need to talk to you."

"There's nothing to talk about," he quipped, crossing his arms. "What's done is done; it's all in the past. Now if you'll excuse me, I–"

"I'm sorry." She blurted out. "For what happened. I truly am."

He uncrossed his arms and gave her a cold look. "And what exactly is it that you're sorry about? Using me as a distraction from your pain – sleeping with me knowing how crazy I was about you, or are you sorry about the way you left me for good and never contacted me again?"

Her bottom lip quivered. "Both. Well, I… I didn't use you. True, I was spurred on by my pain, but I–"

"Doesn't make it right, Yuuki. Do you know what it's like having your heart broken, only to suddenly receive a ray of hope when the woman of your dreams kisses you in the pouring rain? And then have that hope crush and shatter into a million pieces when you wake up the next day and never hear from her again? Do you?"

Yuuki hung her head in shame, fighting back her tears. "I… can only imagine. I know you hate me, but–"

"That's the thing," he sneered. Yuuki looked up warily, detecting the venom in his voice.

"I could never hate you. God knows I've tried, but I can't," his voice quivered as emotion grabbed a hold of him. "I wanted to hate you so bad, Yuuki. I wanted to turn you into a wicked witch in my head; a monster, the villain, my personal demon – I wanted to taint your memory and forget about how I felt about you. I wanted to resent you. I wanted to erase everything we'd ever shared together, but I couldn't. I've spent so many nights trying to forget you; trying to erase you; trying to hate you, but I can't. I… can't."

A lone tear slid down her cheek. "Kaname, I–"

"I accept your apology," he said, looking away. "I forgive you. Everything is fine. Like I said, what's done is done. Had you at least had the decency to reach out to me once in the past months, maybe we could've parted as friends. But you didn't, Yuuki. I don't hate you, but I… I can't do this anymore. I have to go."

Looking straight ahead, he began walking towards the balcony doors that were behind her. He needed to get away before his emotions got the best of him; the longer he spent in her presence, the more he felt himself fall back into his old habits. She enticed him; made him crazy with need almost to the point where he was willing to get down on his knees and beg her for one more night. To let him love her one last time.

But he couldn't do that. To protect his integrity and his heart, he had to get out of there. He couldn't let her win.

Yuuki stepped aside numbly, walking towards the balcony railing, clenching her fists at her side.

She spun around quickly just as he was about to grab the doorknob.

"I did reach out to you, Kaname… I sent you letters, but they always came back to me. I suppose that means you never read them."

Kaname paused, his hand on the doorknob stilling. "…You did? When?"

"Um," Yuuki shifted awkwardly. "Over the course of the past year. Three letters."

He turned his head slightly, glancing at her sideways. "Well, I don't know why I didn't receive them, but I'll look into it. Anyways, I gotta–"

"The first letter was a giant apology. It was me explaining how sorry I was over leaving you like that after… after the night we shared together. I explained how ashamed I felt, knowing that I'd slept with my boss when I knew he was in love with me, and still left the next day. I told you how much I regretted it, how everyday I wished I could take it back. But, despite my regret, I told you how the event made me realize that I needed to get help. I told you that my actions in the past weren't acceptable and how I'd realized that I needed to fix myself. I told you about my plans for the future; studies, the internship and therapy." Yuuki paused, watching as his shoulders relaxed from their tense position.

"The second letter was more like a progress report," she began again, her voice steady. "I told you about my therapy sessions; how they made me feel, how they worked and how hard it was sometimes. I told you that I was diagnosed with anxiety and commitment issues stemming from my mother's death. I explained how I'd locked the sorrow away in my heart and never properly dealt with it; and as the years passed, the sorrow created cracks in my heart, slowly leaking out like dark material and staining everything in my life. The sorrow and hurt made me hurt people; made me cower from my feelings and the truth; run away when it mattered the most. I told you that the years I spent with you were the best of my life, because you made me forget about my past. I told you how much I missed you and hoped you'd one day accept me again, either as your friend or as your girlfriend. It didn't matter to me as long as you'd forgive me."

Yuuki took one final pause, trying to reign in her breathing as tears welled in her eyes.

"The last letter…" Her voice was thick with emotion as she struggled to contain herself, the fear of being vulnerable still chasing her rational mind. She cleared her throat, deciding to be brave.

"The last letter was my confession to you. It was me telling you that, after having worked through my issues and sorting them out, I was finally able to figure out how I felt about you. It was about how much I love you." She sobbed. "It was about how I fell for you no matter how hard I fought against it. How… everything about you drew me in and made me feel safe and loved; while at the same time, there was something alluring and exciting about you that made me come back time after time no matter how hard I tried to push you away. I told you how much I loved your concern for me; the things you did in the past were out of love, and I loved you for it but I was too stubborn to admit it. I told you how much I missed you and thought of you everyday; wondering how you were doing and if it was okay for me to reach out to you. I told you how much I still burned with regret over hurting you. I told you how I wished I could meet you one day and apologize; and if you didn't want me the way you used to, I wondered if we at least could be friends if you were willing to. Because… losing you is like losing another part of myself. I need you in my life."

Kaname turned around, his back to the door as he watched her. His mask of indifference was crumbling; his lips twitching as he listened to her; eyes brimming with sadness and hurt as she recounted her letters. "Yuuki…"

"And this is my final open letter to you," she sniffled, tears silently running down her cheeks, taking a brave step forward, "where I tell you that I'm in love with you, Kaname Kuran. I have been in love with you for such a long time, but I was too scared and stupid to admit it. I'm… head over heels for you; shot by the Cupid's bow, butterflies in my stomach whenever I see you. I'm recklessly, relentlessly and irrevocably in love with you, Kaname." She whispered, echoing his confession to her.

He recognized the words, his expression melting away and revealing the vulnerability and longing in his eyes. The fact that she still remembered his drunken confession verbatim made his heart swell with affection.

A wistful smile claimed her supple lips. "I just needed you to know…."

He stared at her in silence; the only sound on the balcony was the quiet rush of the wind. The chill of winter laced itself their bones, yet they didn't budge from their spots, eyes locked in this defining moment.

"…What is it about you that makes me feel this way?" Kaname finally whispered, his chest expanding and deflating rapidly as he fought to control his breathing.

She bit her lower lip, letting her tears run freely.

He took a few steps forward, approaching her. "…What is it about you that makes me want to forget every bad thing that's ever happened?"

She glanced up at him as his hand brushed her cheek lightly.

"Why…" he breathed harshly, "Can't I be angry with you? Why can't I stop… loving you?"

Caught in the moment, she reached up and cradled his cheek. Her glistening eyes stared up at him, conveying the emotional turmoil she was experiencing, saturated with her love for him.

"I know I'm asking a lot from you. But please… give me another chance," she begged, "let me make it right."

He closed his eyes, concentrating on his conflicting emotions. His heart raged in his chest; he was still so hurt over her actions – he couldn't just snap his fingers and forget the pain and heartbreak.

But this is Yuuki…

"I love you," Yuuki whispered. "And my feelings for you won't change no matter what decision you make. I love you all the same, even if you never want to see me again."

He opened his eyes, tears threatening to spill from his lower lashes. Softly and gently, he brought his hands up; cradling her face as he pushed away the stray hears blocking her eyes from view. His fingers filtered in-between her soft locks as he bent down slowly.

"Promise me you'll never leave me again," his voice quivered as his eyes bore into hers.

"I promise," she whispered, reaching up on her tiptoes, her lips lingering beneath his, waiting for him to decide.

He hovered above her, wondering if he should stop himself or give in. Protect his heart and cover it up, or lay it bare for her and put it in her hands to do with as she please – again.

But this is Yuuki… And I love her.

He kissed her then; and while he'd planned on it being just a short and sweet kiss, the second he tasted her he was lost, coming undone as all his emotions spilled over. His right hand trailed down to her waist, holding her closer as they kissed.

Yuuki responded vigorously, losing herself in the passion between them and the fire that ignited deep in her belly. Relief floored her veins at the same time as her love swelled in her heart.

Finally, they both thought.

Finally they were where they were supposed to be – next to each other.

Yuuki panted, as their kiss grew hotter, holding onto the lapels of his jacket, pushing him closer. His hands were touching her all over and she delighted in his desperation, feeling it echo in her veins.

Now that she was free of her demons; now that she'd confessed her love and freed herself, she couldn't get enough of him. She forgot all about the time and the setting; the winter cold was a mere myth compared to the heat between them.

"We should…" Kaname panted against her mouth, trailing his lips down her neck. "Take it slow…"

Yuuki moaned as he found the most sensitive spot on her neck. "Ahh… Yes, yes… absolutely…"

"Shouldn't…" Kaname licked and nibbled on her neck before trailing back up to her mouth, "rush into things …"

"No, no…" Yuuki licked his lips, "you're absolutely right. We should… wait and…" She bit his lower lip slightly, watching his eyes darken with desire. "Pace ourselves…"

"Oh, fuck it," Kaname hissed, bringing her to the nearby wall and caging her in. He began kissing and sucking on her neck lightly, his right hand bringing up her thigh and feeling the smooth skin of her leg.

"Kaname," Yuuki mumbled, desire humming through her veins. "I think we shou–"

"So anyways, the moon right now is spectacular, so why not share this magnificent view with my spectacular lady- ah! Kaname-sama! And… Yuuki?" Hanabusa gasped in horror, watching his boss and his ex-secretary almost getting it on against he wall.

Yori peeked out from the door, searching until she found them. Her eyes widened comically as a blush spread on her cheeks, eyeing Yuuki's leg draped over Kaname. "Oooh…"

Yuuki immediately put her leg down and adjusted her dress, straightening slightly against the wall. Kaname took a step away from her and adjusted his tie, clearing his throat.

The awkward silence stretched on for ages.

"Success!" Hanabusa squealed, putting his hand up. Kaname stared it in a daze, wondering what to do.

Hesitantly, he lifted his own hand up, letting Hanabusa give him a high-five.

"Hooly shit," Hanabusa gasped, staring at his hand. "Babe," he turned frantically towards Yori, "he gave me a high-five! A high-five!"

Yori chuckled. "We should play matchmakers more often."

"Babe? Matchmakers?" Yuuki said weakly, her eyes going back and forth between the two.

"Umm… well, um… both me and Hanabusa knew the two of you were coming tonight, but we purposefully kept it from you so neither of you would back out. We just decided to give you a little push in the right direction."

Yuuki waved her hand frantically. "Babe?" She nodded her head towards Hanabusa as she stared at him incredulously.

"Ah, yeah, me and Yori are dating," Hanabusa announced, slinging his arm around her shoulders and pulling her in close. "Kinda had to fool Kaname into bringing me so I could score a dance with her; but, in reality, I was her plus one all along. What can I say? She has a thing for us host-club lookin' boys and all that, I think maybe it's a fetish. She's into other fetishes too, but let's not delve into that. She's the girl of my dreams and I hope you approve and oh by the way wediditonyourbed. Bye!" He turned, pulling Yori after him.

"You what!?" Yuuki screeched.

"WE DID IT ON YOUR BED!" Hanabusa yelled, proud of himself.

"Y-Yori!?" Yuuki spluttered.

"Umm… my sheets were getting cleaned and we both got kinda carried away and uhhh… Love you, bye!"

The two ran inside and shut the balcony doors behind them, leaving behind a shocked Yuuki and a stunned Kaname.

"Huh…" Kaname uttered. What a turn of events… one minute he was grinding on his special lady, the next he was being high-fived by his cocky employee as he bragged about having sex on his girlfriend's bed…

Was that was she was now? His… girlfriend?

He glanced down at his alleged girlfriend, the surrealism of having her so close to him after all this time wrapping itself around him. It was like a dream come true; he almost couldn't believe that she was in front of him and that they'd just kissed like they hadn't spent eight months separated after hurting each other.

He opened his mouth, wanting to ask her what they were, but refrained the second he saw her stricken face.

"Oh my god," Yuuki whispered, looking on the ground. "Oh my god?" She looked up at him.

He shrugged, not knowing how to respond.

"Oh my god!" She repeated again, stamping her foot. "I feel violated!"

Kaname snorted, amused by her reaction.

"I… this is all to much. We just… had a big love confession and w-we almost defiled this wall and then suddenly those idiots barge in and t-tell me they DID IT ON MY BED!?" Yuuki grabbed her hair in frustration. "Ahh, this night is too much!"

"Well," Kaname quipped, his thumb rubbing away her smeared lip gloss, "aside from that little tidbit of information, I must say this night has been one of the best nights I've had in a long time."

"Yeah…" Her eyes softened as she gave him a shy smile. "Mine too…"

He licked his lips as he gazed at her. How could he go from being heartbroken for eight months to forgiving her within seconds? If he were going to keep this up in the future, he would be the one that needed therapy.

Speaking of the future….

"Yuuki, will you be my girlfr–"

"Kaname, can I be your girlfriend?"

They both blurted out the words at the same time.

"Oh," Yuuki giggled, a fresh blush staining her cheeks. He laughed with her, shaking his head as his heart fluttered in his chest. He really was a 12-year old.

She licked her lips, tucking some of her hair behind her ear shyly. "Well, it's just that I don't want to call you my boss anymore… or, well, my ex-boss. I just… want to mark you as mine." She admitted.

"I like the sound of that," he smirked. "Yuuki Kurosu," he flicked her nose, "my girlfriend."

Yuuki giggled uncontrollably. The whole situation was so weird yet so… endearing. She laced her arms around his neck, bringing him closer. "Me too."

His eyes softened; basking in the elation and joy of having her there with him. He leaned in close and kissed her gently. She responded immediately, relaxing into his kiss.

"Ew," she said, crinkling her nose in disgust as she parted from his lips.

"Umm…" he trailed off. Did he do something wrong? Didn't she want to be his girlfriend anymore? Was his breath bad? It wasn't bad earlier when they almost did it against the wall mere minutes ago. Did he suck at kissing? He didn't suck at kissing when they–

"I just… I can't get it out of my head! They did it on my bed," she cried.

"Oh…" Kaname almost sighed in relief. "That… is a disturbing image."

"D-disturbing!? More like trauma-inducing!" Yuuki exclaimed as she grimaced. "They had sex on my bed naked and I have no idea when… or how many times… and… and oh God, I've been sleeping on that very bed every night!"

Kaname couldn't hold back his laugh as he saw her disgusted expression. He pulled her into his arms, stroking her back as his chest shook with laughter. "There, there…"

"It's not funny!" Yuuki whined, playfully hitting his chest.

"It's… it's not," he lied, still laughing. "It's a very serious matter. Actually, the more I think about it, the more tempting it is to put Hanabusa on bathroom-cleaning duties for a year."

"That's not good enough…" She grumbled. "This is my revenge. I need to get even with them…"

She pushed slightly back from his embrace, looking up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "And I'm going to need your help," she said huskily, trailing a finger up his chest.

"I'm happy to be of assistance," he breathed.

"Good. It's going to take a long, looong time… many, many sessions. You'll need to get sweaty…" She licked her lips.

"Anything you need," he promised, winking.

She laughed and smiled, reaching up on her tip-toes and giving him a light kiss. She grabbed his hands and held them in-between them, lacing her fingers through his.

"I'm happy, Kaname. Can I say that now? I know we just made up, but… I'm just so happy."

His lips quirked up into a smile as he kissed her forehead. "I'm happy too."

He released her hands and brushed her cheek. "You don't know how long I've longed for this… I never thought you'd… love me back."

"Well, I do," she said resolutely, tapping his nose. "We may be two messed up people – hell, I'm more than enough messed up for the two of us, but somehow… what we have, it's stronger than anything. And I don't want to mess it up again. I love you, Kaname." She smiled softly, resting her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer. "A lot."

"Like a lot lot?" He teased.

"A lot lot," she giggled. "To the moon and back and all that. I love you."

"Good," he said, bending down and kissing her softly. "I think you're the best secretary I've ever had."

"Just that!? What else?" She giggled.

"Um, no that's all, I think," he quipped, pursing his lips. "Yep."

"Kaname!" Yuuki whined as she pouted.

"You may have been the best secretary I ever had, but you're also the love of my life. How's that?"

"I like that," she whispered.

"Wonderful. As for your little bedbug issue, I think I can help find a new bed for the night…" He trailed off huskily. "If you want to."

She nodded in response, reaching up and kissing him softly. "I'd love that."

"Good," he whispered in between kisses, losing himself in the happiness that swarmed him.

The moon shone above them as they kissed, unaware of the shooting star that glimmered in the distance – proving that sometimes, the wishes of the heart did come true.

A/N: See now, this was supposed to be the end. They confess, they make up, they do a lot of kissing etc…. I'd add a cute epilogue and call it a day.

But, due to the success of this story and the positive response I've gotten, I've decided to expand it with one little twist. I love you all for supporting me and reading my story. So no, this ride ain't over yet ;)