Disclaimer: I do not own Dynasty Warriors by KOEI. If they did, I would let them live in my apartment for all eternity. All I own is the plot plus the romantic sap and teenage drama that comes with it.

Main characters:

Da Qiao: Daikyou

Xiao Qiao: Shoukyou

Sun Ce: Son Saku

Zhou Yu: Shuu Yu

Other characters in Chapter 9 are as follows:

Cai Wenji: Sai Bunki

Bao Sanniang: Hou Sanjou

Sun Quan: Son Ken (mention)

Sun Shang Xiang: Son Shoukou (mention)

Author's notes: Here I am! Did anyone miss me?! I really appreciate of all the reviews, favourites and story followers that came to me this far. They really make my day...well here we go! The new chapter is here! Monday has arrived. What surprises are there in store for Da Qiao? Will she see Son Saku again and fix things between them?...let's read on!

Chapter 9 - The Truth Comes Out

I was a total wreck when I woke up on Monday morning. I couldn't sleep well for I was still haunted by disturbing images of Son Saku-kun's hurt face at the night of the ball punctuated by a nightmare of him saying that he hated me in return. I didn't have time to plait my hair and I had forgotten to pack the bento lunch Otousan made for me.

It was pure torture even though Sai Bunki-chan and Hou Sanjou-chan were near me, sending glares at the other girls who stared me with poison in their eyes. I could still hear the accusatory whispers and the spiteful laughs. I must had also shocked my other classmates since they were so used to my pristinely groomed appearance. I tried to alleviate the uneasiness by burying myself in my schoolwork and trying desperately not to think too much about Son Saku-kun. I hadn't seen him at all in our usual classes...I tried to fight the guilt surfacing in my heart but I felt that I was failing terribly...

As soon as the lunch bell rang, I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief when Shoukyou, who had apparently had the foresight to pack both of our lunches, delivered my bento lunch with impeccable timing. While Shoukyou went off with her friends, I sat with Sai Bunki-chan and Hou Sanjou-san at our usual lunch spot on the school rooftops.

"Hang in there, Daikyou-chan, you're halfway through," Sai Bunki-chan patted my shoulder.

"Honestly...if those girls won't stop staring and bitching at you like that, I have half a mind to kick them into oblivion! As if they have nothing better to do..." Hou Sanjou-chan said crossly as she finished her carton of strawberry milk, "Don't you worry, Daikyou-chan. We still have your back."

"I hope so..." I looked down on my half-finished bento lunch...I had already lost my appetite after finishing off my onigiri and there were still the tempura vegetables to finish.

Then we heard some footfalls and found Shoukyou running towards us, her bento lunch already finished. She ran up and hugged me.

"Onechan...are you okay?"

"I'm fine, imouto. I'm fine..." I noticed that she had a soft smile on her face. Then I noticed something shining in her hair. The golden comb with the crystal flowers nestled in her curls...she found it! But how? "Did something good happen?"

"Uh-huh. Shuu Yu-kun found me...when the girls started bullying me again..." suddenly she had our undivided attention.

"What happened?" I asked anxiously as I felt over her for any injuries, "Did they threaten you again?!"

"Onechan, I'm fine. In fact, he scolded them so hard that they burst into tears and ran away. I was so ready to rebuke him the moment he would insult you, onechan. But he didn't. He said that he still likes me and I was the one for him. That's when he returned my golden comb...he had it all this time hoping that I was still looking for it. And even better, he said that he will always protect me from the nasty bullies...and I have proof," she opened her bag holding her bento and I noticed that there was another container inside. It was a sweet pink gift-box. The white ribbon was already untied with the crystal flower charms still threaded through. Shoukyou had a blush over her cheeks, "Shuu Yu-kun's belated White Day present..."

"Well come on, let's see, let's see!" Hou Sanjou-chan urged as Shoukyou quickly pulled open the lid. Nestled inside were white chocolates perfectly formed in tiny round miniature peaches, with a sweet pink dusty coloring. Shoukyou looked as red as a rose and her eyes were sparkling with fond awe.

"Shuu Yu-kun said he made them for me...it's so sweet of him to recall that peaches are my favorite fruit..." she inhaled the pleasant candied scent and closed her eyes, "They even smell like the real thing...Shuu Yu-kun..."

"Awwwwwwww! How cute!" Hou Sanjou-chan squealed, "Did you taste one? How was it?"

"It's lovely and sweet just as I imagined it to be...I must make him a bento to thank him..."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate your efforts, Shoukyou."

I had to smile. I was truly happy for my little sister...she and Shuu Yu-kun were still together...but I still had to ask...

"Did Shuu Yu-kun mention where Son Saku-kun was?"

At this, Shoukyou's face turned sad and she shook her head. At this, my heart plummeted into my stomach...so he wasn't in today...it was too much to ask selfishly that things could be fixed between me and Son Saku-kun...I ruined everything...

By the end of the final period, I found myself unable to breathe properly as I made my way to the music room. My nerves were getting the better of me and I couldn't hold back the painful guilt inside my heart that was now manifested as the hot burning of my eyes. I hurriedly told the girls and my sister to head off first under the pretense that I needed more practice for the upcoming piano nationals.

Reaching my destination, I entered the room and shut the door tight. I blindly made my way to the grand piano and sat down on the stool. I felt the cold keys against my fingers as they expertly played a soft tune that plagued my heart. I had to get it out before it drove me insane! The melody was heartbreaking...I caused my own misery. Unable to play anymore, I collapsed onto my knees and started sobbing. Son Saku hated me now! I deserved this pain and loneliness!

"I'm so sorry, Son Saku-kun! I'm so sorry! It's my fault that you hate me now and for good reason! I know that you hurt me and I felt so angry that you betrayed Shoukou-san but it doesn't give me an excuse to hurt you back after the night we spent together at the ball! You were so wonderful to me and I was wrong to throw it back into your face..." I babbled and heard my tears drop onto the wooden floor, "I'm so sorry..."

I didn't know how long I kneeled on the floor as I cried my heart out...and I could've sworn I heard hurried footsteps coming towards me...

"Daikyou-chan..." I was shocked into silence when I felt strong arms wrapping around me and hugging me tight...a strong chest against my wet cheek, "Please stop crying...it's alright. I don't hate you."

That voice...

I pushed the intruder away and scrambled away from the piano. Someone was inside the room with me! Why didn't I feel the new presence?! I quickly stood up on my shaky legs. The last person I didn't expect to see again was standing near the piano. When did he get in here?! How did he come so close?!

"You?!" I gasped.

"Daikyou-chan...I had a feeling you'll be here... I'm sorry to have been avoiding you all day today but it wasn't easy to gather my nerves to see you again after what happened on Saturday..."

It was Son Saku-kun. I could see his solemn expression on his handsome face and his hair was more disheveled than usual. He also had dark rings under his bloodshot eyes. He looked like he had a rough time too...if not, worse than I was...I felt like my heart was ripped in two...I caused all of this to happen. How could I be the girl for him if all I did was to make him sad?

I had to get away...I had to leave...it was the only way to stop myself from hurting him further...

It was true...I was a monster...

Before I could make a run for it, Son Saku-kun's hand quickly gripped my wrist, "Wait! Daikyou-chan, don't go!"

"Open your heart and give him a chance to speak his side of the story, darling..."

Otousan's words made me still but I refused to see his face, knowing of the hurt I caused him that night...

"Please hear me out...ok? I don't want you to run away again...not when I finally got you here with me..." I nodded at his request but still said nothing, "At the ball, I meant it when I said that it is you who I truly like...you felt right in my arms...you are beautiful in every way...Daikyou-chan, the fair girl who stole my heart is you...it's always been you..."

I hesitantly turned around to see him. I looked into his eyes to find any trace of deception in his words. Yet he didn't flinch and his gaze didn't falter...he must be telling the truth. But...what about...

"Really?"

Son Saku-kun nodded, his expression pleading, "Yes, Daikyou-chan...yes, it's true..."

"Then what about Shoukou-san who came to you on Valentine's Day...she's the special girl who made you laugh and smile. It wasn't nice of you to break her heart. Even though I should be feeling happy that you really like me, I was angry that you betrayed her just like that..."

"Shoukou?" Son Saku-kun chuckled weakly and shook his head, "Daikyou-chan, Shoukou is my little sister. She and my second brother will be transferring here next year. I'm sorry that I gave you the impression that we're together. Very few people know that I have younger siblings..."

I found myself flushing beet red in humiliation. Shoukou-san was his sister?! My mind flashed back to our conversation then to my outburst at the ball...oh God...I had falsely accused him...I humiliated him...I was really the one at fault! Why didn't I read between the lines that night?! The hints were there and...I was so stupid!

I started to cry once more as hot tears trailed down my cheeks.

"Hey, hey...what's the matter? Don't cry, Daikyou-chan..." I only cried louder as he gently cupped my cheeks and kissed my forehead, "I'm not angry at you...it was my fault for not clearing up this misunderstanding earlier."

"You should hate me, Son Saku-kun! I falsely accused you of being a heart-breaker! I'll never forgive myself for humiliating you..." I sobbed into his chest, "I wanted to hurt myself when I said those horrible words."

"Don't you ever think of such terrible things! I knew that you were confused as hell, Daikyou-chan! Like I said, it's my fault that I led you astray. Don't blame yourself. I could never hate you...I like you...really truly like you...more than any other girl in this school..."

He hugged me tightly and whispered sweet nothings in my ear. I felt his fingers wiping my tears away and his lips kissing my head.

"I'm really sorry, Son Saku-kun...so unbelievably sorry..." I hiccuped, feeling a fresh wave of tears hitting me, "I don't hate you."

"I know you don't."

"If I could take all of those horrible words back, I would in a heartbeat..."

Son Saku-kun's voice was tender and sweet and I felt myself calming down from my tears, "Ssssshh...it's ok...it's done...no more crying, ok? If it makes you feel any better, I forgive you."

"Why me?" I had to know...why did he choose me? I was only a plain ordinary girl... "Why not-"

"The other girls?" I nodded. Son Saku-kun took a breath before he spoke again, "Sure, they are nice, pretty and fun. But they are all boring and only said things they think I want to hear...they don't want to know about my other interests...they only see me as a star basketball player. And besides, the one thing I said to myself that the girl I like with my being has to see my sister, Shoukou as her friend too."

"Huh? What do you mean..." what did Son Saku-kun mean about Shoukou-san?

Son Saku-kun's face turned a bit grim, "Ah you see, back when the three of us were in junior high together, many girls approached Shoukou under the pretense to be her friends to only ask how they could approach me since she's my little sister and knows everything about me. Because of that, she had very few friends and she hates being the messenger girl of having to send love notes and phone numbers from her classmates to me. That's part of the reason why I didn't disclose my relationship with my siblings when I transferred here. If the girls here found out that Shoukou is my sister, they will hound her again to ask how they can get to me and she'll end up lonely again...I don't want that to happen when all I want for her is to spend the rest of her high school years surrounded by friends who like her for who she is...I hope that her transfer here with my second brother, Son Ken will make that difference."

"Shoukou-san..." I thought over Son Saku-kun's words. It must had been so hard to be the sister of one of the most popular boys in school. I felt guilty since I had thought some ill of her and it was something that I need to fix when I see her again. I gripped his hand, "I have to apologize to her..."

"Huh? What for, Daikyou-chan?"

"I...I thought she was your girlfriend, Son Saku-kun...and it broke my heart...but now knowing how lonely she must have been...I must make amends and I want to be her friend..."

I was puzzled when Son Saku-kun smiled at me, "Shoukou understands, Daikyou-chan. She was the one who told me to belt up after the ball for misleading you and to make amends with you. I have never seen her react passionately about another girl that way and that means that she really likes you out of her free will. In fact, the other reason for looking forward to the transfer, other than to be together with me and Son Ken as a family, is that you will be the first friend who will be there to greet her when she comes next year..."

"I'm glad to hear that, Son Saku-kun...I will be a good friend to her when I see her again..."

"Perhaps sooner than you think...Son Ken is also curious about you since I talk about you all the time..."

"But you still didn't answer my question? Why me?"

At this, his smile softened and looked a bit shy, "Because you...you fascinate me. I mean, I know you're really shy but that's really cute and a part of who you are! You have no idea how beautiful you are! You're smart, intelligent and talented at the piano...I felt that I was unworthy of your affections."

I looked at him in shock at the last statement, "I don't understand. What do you mean?"

Son Saku-kun blushed and chuckled sheepishly, "I...I had a crush on you for a very long time...I liked you since my first day of school when I transferred here. That time when our eyes met in the classroom, that smile was meant only for you. You looked so radiant and pure. There was something different about you from the other girls. You have this special something...you're so honest and true like perfect crystal glass. I will never understand why any other guy don't want to be around you...but it makes me feel really happy that that you feel the same way about me..."

It was my turn to blush...Son Saku-kun really liked me all this time. But I frowned when I thought back to the days before the ball, "Then...why were you so cold after I gave you my chocolates? I was so certain you didn't like me..."

"My poor Daikyou-chan...I should've given you an explanation for my absence," he gently cupped my cheek before kissing it sweetly, "The first reason was I wanted to practice my waltz dancing skills in private so that I could sweep you off your feet. According to Shuu Yu, the man has to be the one to lead his dancing partner during a waltz. So I signed up in a crash course for waltz dancing in a dance academy not far from where I live...Oyaji's got connections there so I got to do it for free and...so that...well..."

I thought back to the waltzes we shared during the ball on Saturday night. I felt warm inside...he did all this for me...

"You practiced for me, Son Saku-kun?"

I felt his hand tenderly gripping mine, "Yeah...uhm...and the second reason is because...I made this for you...your White Day present."

Son Saku-kun reached into his duffel bag and pulled out a small white box with a white bow and small butterfly charms on top. As I took the box from him, I felt the tremble in his fingers. He was just as nervous as I was when I gave him my chocolates...how cute...

I carefully untied the ribbon and the charms and opened the lid. There were white chocolates shaped like butterflies and I could make out pink speckles embedded in the wings. They looked really pretty...

"I had a bit of help from Shuu Yu and my sister too. I was supposed to give the chocolates to you the moment we unmasked ourselves...but given your reaction, I wasn't sure you were going to accept them...but better late than never, huh?"

"They are beautiful, Son Saku-kun...too beautiful to be eaten..." I blushed as he gently cupped my cheek and brushed his thumb over my skin, "Son Saku-kun..."

"Daikyou-chan...somehow...even the loveliest flowers and the shining moon just don't seem to compare to your beauty. It is always blossoming and everlasting...you are so beautiful, Daikyou-chan. I will never forgive the fools who made you think otherwise," he said softly as his eyes turned tender with the same intense stare...what an endearing sight, "Consider this as my reciprocation to your feelings...your chocolates were delicious...you're the only girl who gave me such nice handmade chocolates, so it's most fitting that you'll receive in kind."

"Can I ask you something, Son Saku-kun?"

"Shoot away, Daikyou-chan..."

"At the masquerade ball, how did you know it was me under the mask? I never told you my name and you never gave me yours..." I gripped his hand still cupping my cheek.

"Uhm...well...Shuu Yu saw Shoukyou writing hers and your names on the RSVP list and he told me about it. And then on Saturday, while I was shopping with Shoukou who was helping me choose an outfit for the ball, I happened to pass by that fairytale shop and briefly saw you in that dress in front of the mirror..." Son Saku-kun confessed, his smile turning soft, "I knew right there and then on how to find you..."

I felt his hand reaching for my other unoccupied one as he intertwined his fingers with mine. I gazed down at our joined hands.

"When I saw you in the gardens, you looked so beautiful in the moonlight...yet it pained me that you looked so sad, thinking that I was taken when I wasn't...my heart broke upon hearing that whispered wish of yours and I swore right there and then that I'm going to make sure you'll never be unhappy ever again..."

"Son Saku-kun..."

"Daikyou-chan, despite what happened at the end, that night...was the best I ever had..."

We leaned until our foreheads touched. Never did I think that this would ever happen...if this was a dream...I never want to wake up.

"It was the best night I ever had too, Son Saku-kun..." a gentle kiss landed on my temple.

"You know...you look much much prettier when you let your down like that...and maybe if you switched your glasses to rimless ones or contact lens, I bet you look even better...your beauty has much room to grow. I hope you don't mind me babbling suggestions like that."

I smiled...Otousan did say some time ago that I need to go back to the optometrist for another eye checkup and it would be a good excuse to get new glasses...and...my hair could do without plaits for a while. Maybe I could ask Shoukyou where I can get a good deal for hairbands and ribbons...berets could be another option too...and I had ask her whether she would want to go shopping again...

"I will think about it..." then I felt something sliding against my lips. It was one of the white chocolates. I looked up to see Son Saku-kun smiling at me, "Son Saku-kun?"

"Say 'Aaaah'. I must make sure that these handmade chocolates are satisfactory for my new girlfriend."

My heart did a happy dance. I had really become Son Saku-kun's girlfriend. I obediently opened my mouth, allowing Son Saku-kun to delicately place the chocolate in my mouth. It was sweet, creamy and smooth on my tongue...I could also taste strawberries...yum...

"Well? How is it?

I leaned forward to kiss his cheek and gave him my happiest smile, "Sweet and delicious..."

"Yes! Nailed it!"

I couldn't help but giggle as I watched him pump his fist in the air triumphantly like he always did when he landed a successful slam dunk or three-pointer in a tournament match.

"Thank you for the chocolates, Son Saku-kun...it's the nicest present I ever received."

"But I still have something else to give you, Daikyou-chan."

He reached for his duffel bag again. What was the extra gift that he wanted to give me?

To be continued...just one more chapter!

Author's notes: If I didn't make you say 'Awwww' or at least make your heart give a tiny 'awwww', I have failed as a writer...but I feel so happy for the two sisters...they are finally with the boys they like :) Now with all the misunderstandings and explanations all done aside...what is this mysterious second gift Son Saku is going to give Da Qiao? Well, my lovelies, the next chapter will officially the last...the ending of the story...and...I'm off to Singapore! So while I'm there, I will finish the chapter and upload asap! Until then, I welcome reviews...feedback...favourites...all flamers will be used to fry my shrimps :)