I can't believe it's been months since the last update...

I'm really sorry for the long wait, my dear readers. While I wish to say more, I don't want to clog the top page with lots of words. Please find the rest of my comments at the bottom.

18th January

Monday

"Have you heard of Mărțișor?"

"Mar… wha?"

At the hand gesture, Akemi tucked her skirt underneath her and reluctantly stooped down at the flowerbed. Poking out from the damp soil were clusters of stout leaf blades. Snowdrops at the early stage of growth.

Yukimura wore a serene smile. "A Moldovan legend tells of the power struggle between Winter Witch and Lady Spring. The witch refused to relinquish her reign over Earth to the lady, and in the midst of a battle, the lady suffered a cut to her finger. Blood oozing from her wound would fall on the ground, melt the snow, and –" The leaf trembled at his touch and sprinkled droplets of moisture, "– snowdrops blossom, signifying her victory."

Simmering in confusion, Akemi blew into her hands and rubbed them feverishly for warmth, as they walked aimlessly around the rooftop garden. "I appreciate your trivia drop, but is there another reason why you'd summoned me up here?" She shot the large black folder nestling in his arm an inquisitive glance.

"Straight to the point today, are we?" he teased.

"It's freezing out here," she flatly pointed out the obvious. The place was deserted because nobody – except these two – in their right mind would venture out in this cold before homeroom, making the rooftop garden the ideal spot for clandestine affairs. She eyed him suspiciously.

He chuckled, "Don't worry. I intend to make it brief." His expression turned solemn; a trickle of cold sweat ran down Akemi's spine. "There's something I've been meaning to ask." He smiled ruefully. "But I'm sure you know what it's about."

Despite her mental preparation, dread piled into her stomach and stirred her breakfast. Akemi swallowed back the nausea and took deep, soothing breaths. During the morning walk to school, she'd rehearsed everything she said to Atobe in her head, but couldn't calm the nerves gnawing her inside. "Can we talk about this afterschool?"

"I'm sorry, but that's not possible." Yukimura's voice was firm. "You might run away."

Akemi opened her mouth and closed it; his words rang of stark trueness she couldn't refute. Chagrined, she pursed her lips in a thin line. No escape. Sooner or later, he'd confront her again. She studied his unwavering countenance with solemn brown eyes. Yukimura was trustworthy in her books, but what he asked of her was a delicate subject.

"Promise you won't tell."

"Nothing leaves the rooftop."

They stared at each other at length until a heavy sigh escaped Akemi. She dropped into a bench and slumped against the backrest, staring blankly at the cloud-swathed sky. There was a soft rustle of clothes as Yukimura settled beside her.

"How much do you want to know?"

Yukimura briefly mulled it over. "For starters, I understand you and Joel lived in the same town and went to the same primary school in Scotland."

"Circumstances brought us together, but that friendship didn't last long, and we didn't exactly part ways on good terms either… But I suppose you've gathered as much after seeing how I behaved around Joel."

"Because he hurt you."

"He told you that?"

He flashed a disarming grin. "You came back from the bathroom before he had the chance to explain."

Akemi blushed. Was that supposed to make her feel guilty? Suppose he feigned ignorance lest she'd blemish the truth? No. Quashing the lingering doubts, she placed a hand over her heart and recalled yesterday's mishap. She overslept and arrived at Mori Tower an hour after their agreed time. Atobe wasn't pleased despite her apologies until she explained herself. That night at the charity party, she told him the truth. Those memories of Joel were hazy, scattered into oblivion like glass powder by the gust of time.

Then he materialised in her life again. Like a spectre.

Except Joel wasn't.

"Polite, top in the class, always immaculately dressed." The mended memories coming faster than her lips moved. "Basically a model student. You wouldn't think a kid like Joel would misbehave," Akemi laughed, sharply. "Guess what scares the living daylights out of me? Frogs and toads. I found a dead frog in my lunchbox once, probably died under a car. I didn't have an appetite for days. Did you know who put it there?"

"Joel."

"Bragged it to me," she scoffed. "I suspected him from the beginning though. We weren't in the same class but he knew my schedule. While my class was having P.E. lesson outside, he slipped into my classroom and snuck the carcass into my lunchbox."

"And you were…"

"Eight." Akemi closed her eyes, letting out a delicate sigh. "Seven when we met. It was three months into joining the dojo… Joel stumbled upon me while I was practising at the Mackenzie's farm. I never told you about them. Well –" She went off in a tangent, telling him about the elderly couple whom she used to visit on frequent basis because they're nice folks and owned pretty horses.

Yukimura couldn't resist a smile of amusement. He was sworn to secrecy last summer; her father would appreciate if he – Sanada and Yanagi – didn't show any hints that their manager's difficult childhood was ever disclosed. Best to keep it that way. "What happened after Joel found you?" he smoothly interrupted, prompting an unabashed Akemi to revert the subject.

XXX

He appeared out of the blue, thrusting his hand out for a handshake, but all she could do was stare. Apart from being known as the teacher's pet next door, Akemi didn't know Joel. By that logic, she rejected his friend request.

But he was persistent.

Every day after school, Joel intercepted her on the way to the farm and repeated his demand. He wasn't the perfect angel the adults envisioned. He was arrogant and downright rude. When Akemi started wishing he'd give up, two weeks after his first appearance, he stopped appearing on the dirt road.

She found him on the edge of the woods close to the farm by accident, surrounded by heckling kids twice his size. Before she knew it, she had jumped into the fray. It was a one-sided fight from the get-go; those bullies were larger than her, she barely reached up to their waists. Things were starting to turn ugly when Mr Mackenzie returned from the field with the dogs.

From that faithful day onwards, the kids struck up an odd friendship; they hung out afterschool and watched each other's back. Being the epitome of 'perfect' they despised, he was frequently hounded by bullies. To top it off, he had a huge attitude problem. She lost count on the number of times she saved his butt. Gave him an earful each time, but he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

The needless violence, Joel's gross attitude, getting into scraps and having to create a rainbow of excuses to her worried parents and the Mackenzies eventually drove Akemi sick with ire.

She threatened him, "I'll tell the teachers if you don't stop."

In a moment of panic, Joel let slip of his grand plan. Revenge. To get back at his bullies for those endless harassments. He didn't possess the strength, so he needed someone. He'd set everything up so that they'd do all the dirty work for him… Akemi fitted the bill.

Their rocky friendship ended there and then.

After that, her stuff started disappearing. Her school bag was binned, her books lying in a puddle of mud; nasty rumours about her sprung left and right. Joel had shifted his thirst for vengeance to her. He'd pester, goad and threaten her, "Lay one finger on me and I'll pay your sensei a visit."

Akemi was terrified of her sensei.

Her school teachers couldn't be persuaded. Their star students was the perfect angel. The end to Joel's torments were nowhere in sight. She lost hope.

The summer before she was due to enter primary six… a miracle.

XXX

Akemi suddenly found herself unable to continue. Her mind was a white void stretching endlessly beyond her peripheral visions. Yukimura's voice reached her from the very edge of such void.

"If you're uncomfortable, maybe we should continue this conversation some other time."

The suggestion brought her back to her senses and she looked at the captain as if he went mad. It was awhile before she found her voice. "I-I… I want to clear any misunderstanding between us." She averted her eyes. "Besides, it's too late to back out at this point. Geez, Yukimura-san."

He chuckled at her attempt to hide her embarrassment. "Alright, let's hear the rest."

Akemi bobbed her head in a small nod. "That summer, I heard Joel was moving to Manchester for good. His family ran a big business there. He sought me out before he left that morning… said a few things." Her voice took on a heavy note. "Mr Mackenzie never approved of him – said he gave off a nasty vibe – and I'm certain Joel sensed his distaste. I should've listened to Mr Mackenzie, but I ended up playing right into Joel's hands. He saw me as a tool, nothing more; us being friends was pretence to keep a leash around my petty neck." She placed a hand on her chest and sighed heavily. "I thought I've moved on after he left. Thinking about it though, this place hurts like hell after so many years apart."

"You'll be deceiving yourself if you say otherwise." The look in Yukimura's eyes were gentle and brimming with warm compassion. "Wishing you'd done things differently is natural. I won't think less of you." He patted her shoulder in a comforting way. "You're not a tool, or a toy to fool with, and I hope you realise that you weren't one during your brief time with Joel."

Atobe had said something similar, teasingly adding that she was too stubborn.

Drawing strength from their words and the warmth seeping from Yukimura's touch through her school uniform, the knot behind her chest became undone. A great burden was lifted. Akemi cracked a watery smile. "Thank you. You're a great listener."

"It's one of my strong points," Yukimura beamed, withdrawing his hand. "There is one more thing, if you don't mind me asking."

"No, I owe you that much."

"That time outside the train station, Joel called you Kemi."

Akemi winced and averted her eyes. "Pet name. Take out the A and Akemi sounds like Cammy." She recited the spelling. "Comes from a game; Kirihara-kun can tell you who Cammy White is."

"She's that British girl from Street Fighter." He chuckled at her dumfounded look. "You praised my listening skills moments ago."

"Right… Anyway, while we're on the subject." Her expression grew serious. "It may seem harmless but trust me… that name brings too many bad memories."

"Rest assured, you're always Akemi-san in my heart," Yukimura vowed.

"Thank you," she smiled meekly and dropped her gaze to the ground. "I was extremely shy; I didn't have any friends. My life before Joel was already a constant game of evading bullies. I pretty much spent my early childhood alone." She shrugged. "I thought it didn't matter, but when Joel came into my life – before he started getting out of hand – I hated the idea of losing a person I could call a friend.

"We were misunderstood, bullied. His parents hardly ever visited him and his old aunt. I don't blame my folks, but I sometimes wished they didn't work in the far city," Akemi sheepishly confessed, scuffing the ground with her shoes. "There were days when they didn't come home after work. I thought, 'Hey, finally here's someone who understands me.' I guess my insecurities and wishful thinking got the best of me in the end.

"The day he left town was the day I decided that a solitary life was for the better."

"And was it?"

"Maybe, maybe not," she admitted without missing a beat. "Here I am in Japan, constantly harassed by a bunch of wayward children."

"Ah, I take that went very well," said Yukimura, his eyes twinkling.

"Not a dull moment," Akemi tittered gaily, sounding more like herself. Her brown eyes caught the reflection of the grey winter sky. "We weren't even ten when those things happened. Joel seems like an entirely different person – all awkward and humble. I wouldn't recognise him on the street if I wore a blindfold."

There was a pregnant pause.

"Are you willing to give him a second chance?"

Akemi shook her head. "I can't deal with him… at least, not now. My mind is a mess, it's like a tornado ripped through my head, and I have more important things to deal with – school, the club, and the draft on top of everything."

The bells erupted, bringing the girl to her feet as if to say the conversation's over. The clamour of students rushing to their classrooms resonated across the school ground, a familiar thunderous voice could be heard from the rooftop.

"I'll tell you this, Akemi-san," said Yukimura, as they crossed the garden towards the exit. "There's nothing wrong with a little empathy."

"Unless those feelings are directed towards the wrong guy."

"Which is why you have us looking out for you." He let her freely interpret the meaning behind us.

"I sort of accepted this terrible fate since a long time ago," she retorted airily, receiving a chuckle.

Yukimura beat her to the doorknob. "I'm glad you're honest about Joel," he smiled, holding the door open for her like a gentleman. "I thought he's an ex-boyfriend."

XXX

That night, Akemi was sprawled lazily across her bed, tired and longing to rest. She laid there for a dubious amount of time, her slightly damp hair slipping over her pillow in black waves, but sleep eluded her. Her funny brain had unique ideas at inappropriate times like this, replaying the private talk on the rooftop, the embarrassing contretemps at Sunday.

Then, as club activities were drawing to a close earlier today, Yukimura had waltzed up to her and dropped the bombshell.

Joel was desperate to proof he wasn't the same kid who hurt her in the past…

…desperate enough to beg Yukimura for her number.

The captain merely gave a knowing smile at her brusque rejection and left without another word. As you do.

"Stirred, not shaken!" Akemi declared aloud, oblivious to the withering glare from a groggy-looking cat. "Geez, what was he expecting?" the girl continued. "An ex? Eww. Yuck! Bleurgh." Felicia questioned this wacky human's sanity before going back to sleep, as the barrage of passionate words continued. "I ain't changing my mind. And how dare they exchange contacts behind my back." At least Yukimura had the decency to seek her permission. Maybe she should apologise to him for being rude.

Unbidden, Joel's earnest pleas and her rebuffs reverberated inside her head. Akemi dispelled her guilty conscience with a fervent headshake, ending the mental skirmish. She wouldn't have acted differently under any circumstances imaginable. Her decision remained unchanged; she wasn't ready to face him.

She resolved to put Joel out of her mind indefinitely.

Distractions.

That's what she needed.

Searching her bedroom, Akemi spotted her schoolbag on her chair and dove for it. She settled back on her bed, legs crossed over another, and brought a black folder onto her lap. Running a finger reverently across the smooth surface, the dulcet voice of Yukimura whispered in her ears, "They didn't pass your judgement, but I thought you could use some inspiration."

The house was relative quiet, saved for the news anchor's voice from downstairs. Good, the nine o'clock news should occupy her parents for an hour. Her bedroom door's closed and she should be able to hear footsteps coming up the stairs.

With a calculated tug, the knotted thread sealing the folder's secrets slipped through her fingers.

XXX

A tempestuous storm was stirring on the horizon.

Each morning brought more trepidation to the tennis club. There was a growing consensus and the boys reached an agreement. In the face of adversity, everyone displayed tremendous teamwork and spirit that filled the vice-captain with pride, as they wrestled against the unsettling sense of foreboding and soldiered on.

Such was the curious effect of fearing the unknown, either it set people apart or forced them to work together.

Yanagi with his unparalleled intellect was hard at work gathering data from his corroborators and his solo espionage to distinguish a trend. Challenges invigorated him and he wasn't planning on giving in, though a couple of impasse had almost discouraged him.

Meanwhile, several brave souls associated the anomalies with the baffling female biological function, which proved to be the most popular theory among the lads. Determined to weather this storm, they waited in the shadows. Everything would be alright; they were sure of themselves.

Time passed and the symptoms persisted. Yanagi's statistics thwarted more than anyone could count, many conceded defeat, and with third years taking temporary leaves from club activities to focus on university entrance exams, their numbers soon dwindled to the eight regulars.

As hopes started to fade, one day, a new report surfaced. It sounded perplexing to their ears – the report itself was riddled with holes – but they were desperate. Marui volunteered to take matters into his own hands. Naturally, he meant –

"I don't understand. Why me?" cried Kirihara.

"Keep your voice down!" Marui hissed, grabbing him in a headlock before he'd make a quick getaway. "You're the obvious choice because Akemi-chan's always nice to you."

Kirihara's right hand gave an involuntary twitch. The night before last, he'd stayed up late playing video games instead of completing his English assignments, and failed to submit his homework the next day. He wasn't sure how Akemi-senpai caught wind of it, but he sure as hell didn't want to get on her bad side again.

His hand still ached from writing five pages of supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Kirihara shoved Marui off him and blurted, "It's your stupid idea. You should go."

"First of all, it's not stupid," the redhead defended, crossly. "It's a well-known fad among high school girls. Why the other day, the girls from my class were poring over the same stuff. Secondly, how can we leave Akemi-chan helpless? Poor girl needs us."

"H-have you talked to anyone about this?" Where's Jackal and the rest of the regulars when he needed them!? Kirihara took a wary step back. "What if you're wrong? Maybe she isn't in love with someone."

"Come now, women's magazine and shoujo manga? Have you even seen her reading those?"

"No. But I –"

"Makes perfect sense she's looking up tips."

"But she –"

Marui heaved a long sigh. He threw an around his shoulders before Kirihara could flee, and lugged the unwilling fresher towards a certain figure in the distance. "Akaya, my boy, we're at our wits end. Tell you what, talk to her and I'll treat you to ramen after school." The junior ace immediately perked up and a grin spread across the redhead's face. "Atta boy. Just stick to what we rehearsed and you'll do fine. And remember, we're counting on you. Now go, on the double."

"Right… right. I-I can do this… I think."

Inhaling deeply, Kirihara squared his shoulders and marched up to the wooden bench, where Akemi was taking a break. A thought suddenly hit him. He halted in his tracks, panicking. Was it safe to talk – let alone approach her? What if she's sleeping?

"Who is it?"

All of his bravado deserted him. Kirihara stiffened in the midst of turning on his heels, and glanced frantically around the courts. Nobody was paying attention to them, yet he felt a kaleidoscope of eyes burning through his flesh. Breaking out in cold sweat, he staggered back a few ungainly steps but stopped dead when the groggy voice spoke again.

"Is someone there?"

His right hand flinched. "K-K-K-Kirihara. It's… Kirihara."

"Kirihara-kun, huh? Come closer, I can't hear you." Akemi patted the seat beside her invitingly.

Fighting back nerves, Kirihara perched on the far end of the bench. He wrung his fingers restlessly, eyes darting about. Akemi slapped a hand over her mouth as a yawn escaped her, and stretched her limbs. What did Marui-senpai say? Make small talk?

"N-nice weather today."

"Hmm… not bad."

"Cold but bearable."

"For now."

"O-oh?"

Shifting around in her seat, Akemi nestled comfortably against the armrest. "Forecast says we'll experience temperature drops starting tomorrow night."

"Really? That means we'll use the indoor courts soon."

"I've submitted a formal request to the facility administration." Akemi suppressed another yawn. "We'll hunker down there for two weeks or less, I expect."

Her response so far encouraged Kirihara and he had to suppress the temptation to do a fist pump. He didn't want to arouse suspicion. Not now. He cleared his throat and asked, "Say, are you free after school?"

"Maybe," she answered, lazily. "Why?

"The guys are heading downtown for ramen. Wanna join us?" he asked excitedly. "I'm sure we'll have lots of things to talk about – like an advice or two."

"Advice?"

"On the matters of the heart."

XXX

Minutes later…

"He's back!" Marui grinned wildly. "Akaya!" He bounded towards the first year, the other regulars hot on his trails. "Akaya!"

Something about the first year's gait didn't seem right.

The redhead skidded to a halt in front of him, violet eyes wide with shock. "Akaya, what on earth happened?"

Their junior ace was quivering like a leaf in his shoes; his face white as sheet, blank eyes screaming of horror. His body began to tilt perilously. Marui caught him by the arms.

"Woah! S-steady there, buddy. Oi, Jackal, come lend me a hand."

"I don't need to be told," Jackal retorted anxious, swinging one of Kirihara's arms around the back of his neck.

That evening, they fed twelve bowls of ramen to restore his senses.

XXX

Jackal and Marui supporting the flaccid body of Kirihara on each side, they hauled him to the clubhouse. The others piled in after them.

Yukimura stayed behind. He surveyed the tennis courts, a bystander. He'd played along with their games and whatnots to amuse himself, pass the time. Lately, however, it's getting a bit out of hand. Wavering focus and low morale were disruptive to practice.

He kept the charade long enough.

Time to intercede.

'If not for the sake of the club.' His eyes landed on a distinct figure. 'Then for her.'

XXX

27th January

Winter Witch was a strong foe.

Most days, a persistent sheet of clouds covered the sky, pouring freezing rain without warning and the remorseless chill hung in the air like a clingy child. The relocation of tennis activities indoors meant longer travel to and fro clubroom. No grumbles from the boys. Everyone was glad to be out of the cold.

One dreary Tuesday afternoon, on the way to the clubhouse, Akemi found the entrance blockaded.

Reckless, dense – perhaps looking for early death – the boy was undeterred by the severe creases between her brows and broke into a toothy grin. He greeted her in an overfriendly manner, making the corner of her eyes twitched with displeasure.

Deciding to wait five minutes before following her was a good decision. From a distance, Yukimura observed the annoyance etched across her features shifted to curiosity, astonishment, before settling on suspicion. He couldn't make out their conversations clearly. In the shadow of the clubhouse, the two figures exchanged contacts. The guy bade farewell and jogged off wearing an ecstatic grin.

Chewing on her bottom lip, Akemi scowled at her phone. What kind of bloody mess she'd gotten herself into?

"Akemi-san?" a soft, alarmingly close voice spoke. Yukimura sheepishly held up his hands, as if warding off the torrent of malice pouring from a red-faced noirette. "Sorry, sorry. Didn't meant to frighten you. So if you can stop looking at me like that? Thank you," he smiled ruefully. "Do you have a moment?"

The withering glare was replaced with a pensive look. She glanced at her phone and made up her mind. "I'll need a cup of tea."

The tennis clubroom was warm, immaculate and empty. Peaceful. They shuffled about without talking to one another. At the snack table, she picked up the box of teabags – Yanagi, Sanada and Akemi were strong advocates of freshly brewed tea – and grabbed a paper cup. She briefly contemplated and took another. She glanced over the table, cramped with the usual energy bars, chocolates, crisps and biscuits. Her pastries wouldn't last more than five minutes of display.

She checked its battered biscuit tin. The pain aux raisins had vanished.

Minutes later, Akemi and Yukimura were back outside in the crisp January air, each holding a cup of tea in their hands. Leaving the clubhouse far behind them, the two strolled along a pergola-shaded path that cut through a thicket. The hubbub of daily school life was but a faint murmur drifting in the breeze.

Akemi savoured the fresh wintry air, occasionally taking sips from her cup. The tension in her muscles gradually faded. She looked at Yukimura quizzically. "Aren't you going to ask who that guy was?"

"Oh my, I thought I hid myself well."

"Hah… Standing out in the open, wearing bright yellow tracksuit, I hardly consider it hiding."

Yukimura chuckled. "But I do know Nakajima Hideo. Second year from the journalism club, in charge of the Rikkai High's monthly magazine." He smiled at her bewildered look, "My classmate."

"He asked if it's alright to interview the regulars for February's issue… said it's a special Valentine's Day edition." She scrunched up her eyebrows. "What's this all about? He refused to give me details, but said you guys are familiar with the concept."

Quite the opposite of Nakajima's intention, his penchant for the dramatic and suspense left her unimpressed.

"The journalism club prints special editions for Valentine's Day and White Day," said Yukimura. "Those magazines sell like hotcakes compare to the usual monthly issues, thanks to exclusive interviews and photoshoots; they included posters one year. The tennis club was chosen in my third year of middle school." He cupped his chin thoughtfully. "It'll boost our club's image. As long as they don't disturb practice, then by all means, let Nakajima conduct the interview during club activities. That way," he glanced over her, eyes glinting, "you can watch the guys show off in front of the camera."

Something about Nakajima Hideo reeked danger; the way those dark eyes looked at her throughout the conversation was frankly creepy, as if she was being probed inside and out. Despite being nonchalant about it, she was certain the captain shared her misgivings. He trusted her enough to grant her absolute authority over handling the interview. She was their PR officer.

However...

"Won't the others want their say?" Akemi broached the subject.

"They'll be fine."

He's not taking this seriously.

She narrowed her eyes. "Genichiro-san?"

"Him too," Yukimura tittered.

He's definitely not taking this seriously!

Ultimately, Akemi couldn't win against the great Yukimura Seiichi (heavy sarcasm). She sighed in defeat, crossing her arms in a sheepish manner. "I admit it'll be interesting to watch Genichiro-san's photograph being taken."

The captain laughed. "That's the spirit."

'But don't come running to me when you're surrounded by mutineers… on second thought, don't run to me. Ever. That'll be scary,' Akemi thought, quashing the graphic image.

The pergola trail emerged from the thicketed path and continued along the edge of a garden square. They stopped by a pillar to take in the view. The winter flowers adorning the garden square looked beautiful under the sombre overcast. This open space was the very place her class set up a pop-up café during the school festival. That was last September. Gosh, was it that long ago?

Loosing track of time, misplacing class notes, forgetting errands. Stuff like these were happening more often and the trend worried her.

Oh! Oh… Oh no.

"Looks like you've noticed it now." Yukimura had seen the astonishment flickering across her face. His voice was low and sombre. "No, you're conscious of it from the start. Am I right, Akemi-san?" He narrowed his eyes like a cat. "What time have you been going to bed?"

Akemi flinched. "Erm… t-that –"

There was a chilly timbre in his drawling voice. "Well?"

"…One o'clock." Her heart did an uneasy flop, as the corners of his lips began to rise dangerously. "F-fine!" she blurted. "Quarter past – maybe two? I-I don't know. I'm usually out like a light the moment I close my eyes," she rambled, the tips of her ears red. She crossed her arms with a sheepish huff and turned her back on him. "Y-you don't have to tell me how terrible I look these days."

Akemi was disconcertingly pale; her cold-nipped face and dark blotches under her droopy eyes stood out against her skin's pallor.

"You know there's more than meets the eye," said Yukimura, compassion returning to his countenance.

How could she not?

Akemi's conscious of the how snafu.

The thumb twiddling, darting eyes, stammering, flinching and jumping at her voice. The very air itself seemed to tense up at her presence when she walked in an occupied clubroom. At least she hadn't been screamed in her face yet. Gosh, that'd really tick her off.

She couldn't fault anyone for feeling put off by her.

She was uninterested in almost everything, had short attention span, and – whether in class, library, or out at the tennis courts – was habitually staring blankly into space. To the tennis club and her classmates, she was detached from the world. Earlier in the investigation stage, the club had worked out distinguished this behaviour as a phase, but things (or rather she) were severely complicated. Her mysterious behaviour fluctuated randomly between 'happy-go-lucky' and 'dark, sullen and plain moody' through the day. It's hard to pinpoint timing.

The boys wouldn't have given up if it was a simple matter, and allowed the fear of anomalies blind them to the glaringly obvious signs of sleep deprivation.

Something that should be relatable to all, sadly.

And the cause of the noirette's sleep deprivation?

"What can I do?" Akemi sighed in frustration, chagrined at her impuissance. "I can't ignore my studies. There's homework to do, tests to revise and finals to prepare for."

Yukimura was perplexed. "Finals aren't until March."

"Exactly."

Missed his point by a mile.

"Sooner I get the draft done, the better." Akemi began to pace back and forth, as if letting out the restless energy. She stopped and turned to him. "I have set a target. Third week of February."

'That's… an ambiguous target.' Noticing the determination flaring behind her brown eyes though, Yukimura broke into a bright smile. "You're very dedicated, Akemi-san. That's one of our good points," he complimented, patting her head. The act caught her off guard and she unwittingly turned a bright shade of seething red. He chuckled at the charming sight, receiving a withering look he's fortunately immune to. "But don't be too hard on yourself, okay? Health comes first. Can I safely assume the draft's progress is fine?"

Akemi rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her stomach. "Good. As a matter of fact, I'm more than halfway through the draft."

"And the last chapter?"

Her countenance faltered.

"I'm always here if you need help." Yukimura was struck by an idea. "How about it? Say we head over to the university library after club activities. We can spend an hour looking over the draft together."

"This isn't our agreement," Akemi protested.

"But it'll be more efficient this way."

She shook her head firmly. "I couldn't possibly take more of your time."

"Akemi-san…"

Rueful, she dropped her gaze to the ground. Something in particular caught her eyes and she stared at it fixatedly, ruminating. "Maybe it won't be 100% perfect," she said, "but I want to make sure I'm sending a quality draft your way."

Suddenly, overtaken by an urge to walk right up to him, a bemused Yukimura was forced back against the pillar.

"I can do this! I know I can do this," Akemi declared. "I'll come running up to you if I'm stuck. I promise. So don't worry about lil' ol' me." She was smiling brightly, as if believing ever word she'd just pledged to him. "Everything will blow over eventually; I'll be out of your hair before you know it. Please, trust me in this matter, Yukimura-san!"

The captain stared at her, dumbstruck. His hand tentatively reached out to pat her head. A light-hearted chuckle escaped him. "Well, well. Look who took me by surprise," Yukimura tittered, tousling her hair, much to her annoyance. "How can I say no after hearing that, hmm?"

It was time to head back.

Akemi strolled determinedly ahead of him. Unbeknownst to her, her flushed ears were poking through her hair. Smiling in amusement, Yukimura glanced over his shoulder at the clump of snowdrops growing beside the wooden pillar. My goodness, he didn't think the noirette had it in her to do something so bold.

His slate-blue eyes shifted to the white buds, some of white had blossomed.

XXX

February whirled in with a giddy torrent of excitement and dread permeating the air, spreading across campus, sweeping through corridors, seeping into every nook and cranny. Slits between floorboards. Cracks in the wall. Soil. Plants. Everywhere.

Unable to bear the asphyxiating reek of exam stress oozing from hollow-eyed third years, a certain tutoring class moved to an empty classroom. Once university entrance exam fever passed, Valentine's Day took its place on the pedestal.

Akemi welcomed the chaos. The perfect diversion needed to shift the focus away, take their minds off her.

That's not all.

Thanks to Yukimura, she had grown more conscious of the consequences of late nights. She strove hard to manage her time properly, her effort was gradually paying off. She no longer looked like she'd been staving off sleep for months. Her thoughts were more coherent, improving her mood and ability to focus. Unsurprisingly, she was doing better on revising her draft.

Despite finding themselves in yet another baffling situation, the changes were good nonetheless. There'd been much celebration happening behind closed doors in the tennis club.

Peace.

XXX

"Are you comfortable?"

"Yes?"

"Fancy a cup of coffee? It's my treat!"

"Thanks, but I'm not –"

"Coffee? She likes tea best. Right, Noda?"

"Erm, guys?"

"Milk tea? O-or was it early grey –"

Akemi snapped. "Guys! Honestly, I can look after myself… Don't make me set the vice-captain on you."

"Oh, hey, look at the time."

"Y-yeah. W-we should probably pack up."

"I suddenly remember there's something important I need to do."

Akemi heaved a long sigh. "Geez, give me a break."

Another day was coming to an end. She thought this moment would never come.

The guys had been at it since Monday. Offering their services, basically treating her like a queen, it was amusing while it lasted… for a day.

She wasn't naïve; them currying favour was cringe-worthy obvious, they should be given awards for worst acts. No matter how she looked at it, this was harassment – Valentine's or not.

Shaking her head, Akemi went over to the first years. The baskets around her were being filled with tennis balls gathered from four corners of the indoors courts, waiting to be carted off. She was having an idle chat with one of the first years when the conversation took a perilous turn.

"My sister adopted a kitten from a shelter last week," said Ota. "Female tabby. About three months old. She's a cute, tiny ball of fluff."

Akemi fought back the temptation, chanting mantras in her head. 'Discipline. Show restraints. Be unmoveable like the mountains. Make Genichiro-san proud.'

"Phew! That's the last of them. I've got pictures if you're interested."

Oh, sod it.

Akemi left the first years with a warm fuzzy feeling nestling behind her chest. She took in the rowdy activities around her, accidentally made eye contact with a certain redhead, and felt her innards froze over.

Marui had a quick work with Yukimura and bounded up to her, wearing an obscenely large grin. "Suuuup, Akemi-chan! Nice weather we've been having, aye?" His chirpy greeting was met with a dark glower.

"I heard that line before."

"Man, I've been waiting for this day. It's too stifling in here." Marui threw his arms up for a luxurious stretch. "Can't wait to move back out tomorrow. Speaking of which, Akemi-chan." He elbowed her arm playfully, wriggling his eyebrows. "Big day tomorrow. Aww, what's with that sour face? Don't tell me that you don't know what day it is tomorrow."

He guffawed, doubling up at the sight of her apparent blank look when she's really imagining her eyes were vaporising him down to a pool of red goo at her feet. "So what will it be? Homemade chocolates? Oh! I bet you're thinking of – OW!" He staggered backwards, stars swirling before his eyes in a dizzying circle.

Akemi regarded him with cold indifference. "Don't be ridiculous. What makes you think you're entitled to anything? Presumptuous," she harrumphed, sweeping a hand through her black waves in an Atobe Keigo way. She turned smartly on her heels and marched off, clipboard tucked neatly under her arm.

Grumbling under his breath, Marui tottered back to his place beside the Rikkai captain. He gingerly touched his forehead, wincing at the pain.

Yukimura chuckled. "Told you it's useless. Just be patient like the rest of us. Though," he flashed a dazzling smile, "I'm certain her clipboard did more than covey the message."

I have dozens, probably hundreds of reasons for this late update. One of which is the difficulty in writing chapter 33. Somehow, as usual, I ended up with a +11 000 words document by the fourth edit. I've split up the original document in two, so please expect chapter 34 up within the next few days. Well, it depends on how chapter 33 is doing and if anyone's asking. So please don't hesitate.

Thank you for the favs/follows.

Thank you for the reviews. Keep them coming. You'll never know if you're brightening up the author's day!

See you in the next chapter ~

PS. Guess who's going back to uni?