Hello once again minna~san! :D I'm back again with another chapter! ;) I finally found the time to type for chapter 19. Let's just cut to the chase then.. . I'll leave the rest of my author's note at the end… Enjoy! ^_^

Chapter 19

"Nishino-san!" A familiar voice shouted from nowhere, breaking our intense conversation with the giant. Both of our heads immediately swung towards the voice. With his face turning into a scowl, the creepy giant lets go of my wrist and faced the black-haired guy before us.

"Muro-chin…" he mumbled irritated. "What are you doing here? The game isn't over yet…"

The black-haired guy continued to approach us. "Funny hearing that from you, you left the game yourself."

"I was benched…" Murasakibara-kun retorted, his eyes glaring at Himuro-kun

"Yes, indeed you were" Himuro-kun replied. "But then again, so was I"

Silence then erupted between both glaring figures, leaving me in a very uncomfortable position. I wonder though, why they are angry with each other. They were always such good friends, and now, it's like they want to bite each other's heads off.

Silently, Himuro-kun continued strolling forward, his pace unchanging. He averted his gaze towards me before his emotion turned soft. Standing there, I just gave him a weird looking stare, wondering why he suddenly bolted out like that. I have to admit though; I was slightly disappointed as to why he cut off my statement, after all, it took me quite some time and courage to say what I was about to. I just needed the perfect timing but then he interrupted.

"Nishino-san…"Himuro uttered softly "Sonozaki-senpai told me that you were dragged out by a creepy looking gremlin or something of that sort, so I decided to check- "

Himuro-kun's sentence was unexpectedly cut short by something surprising, or perhaps, someone.

"GAAAAHHHHH! I'LL KILL YOU!" Hito-nii sprang out of the blue from who-knows-where and charged towards Himuro-kun, carrying a [1]Harisen in her hands. "RIGHT WHEN KASU-NII WAS ABOUT TO CONFESS! LET ME SKIN YOU ALIVE!"

Flinching at the word 'confess' I immediately denied my creepy sister's cries.

"H-hey, I wasn't going to c-confess!" I screamed at her sternly, but Hito-nii just went out of her way and completely ignored me.

I merely sweatdropped as Hito-nii passed by me with tremendous speed, swinging her arms wildly in the air. She was comically shouting and shrieking nonsense statements.

Taken aback, Himuro-kun's eyes widened as he took a big step to the side, barely saving him from Hito-nii's cursed hits and smacks and as an effect, Hito-nii smashes hard unto the wall behind him, sending the weapon she was holding flying unto the air.

Everyone at the scene just stared in silence, taking time to absorb the incident. But as for me, knowing my sister really well, I was fully aware that she might pull an awkward stunt like that.

"I-ittai…" Hitomi mumbled quietly to herself as she stroked her forehead with her hand and slowly lifts herself up from the floor. "Wh-where am I?" she asked, as if she had an amnesia. Gosh, could she be any weirder? I know that she's just acting…

Startled at what had happen Himuro-kun immediately approached the fallen girl and extended an arm to aid her in standing up.

"My goodness, are you alright?"

Hito-nii looked up at guy above her, her eyes glimmered in wonder and amusement. "Are~? What is this I see? A hot bishounen[2] is standing before my very eyes! Wherefore art thou oh faithful knight, hath bequeath upon me such a verily beauteous sight! Could I be dreaming?!"

Having a yet another sweatdrop, I facepalmed myself in embarrassment at Hito-nii's cheesy appraisal, giving me goosebumps.

Chuckling slightly at my sister's sudden change in behavior, Himuro-kun leaned closer to Hito-nii. "Of course you aren't." Himuro-kun answered "Now if you would please stand up…" he said as Hito-nii slowly takes his hand.

"Oh, thank you VERY MUCH!" Hito-nii shouted surprisingly and pulled Himuro down to the floor. Tumbling down, Himuro indeed fell to the floor.

Quickly standing up by herself, she dusted her skirt quickly and hastily grabbed her Harisen.

"Hahahaha!" My sister laughed eccentrically "I can't believe you fell for that!"

Bending over to hold her stomach with one hand, she smacked Himuro-kun with her huge paper fan on the other, as if she was tapping a table.

"Oi Hito-nii! Stop it! You're hurting him!" I cried out, glaring at my sister. Hitomi immediately stopped laughing and then turned her head towards me and the creepy giant. Her aura changing into something obscure and daunting.

"He... deserves it…." My sister muttered creepily, like the way a monster speaks in a horror movie. She drew a cynical, psychopathic grin which sent shivers down my spine and cracked an evil laugh before she continued on what she was doing.

"Holy crap, here comes her yandere side again…" I said to myself, "If I don't stop her, she might end up really hurting Himuro-kun!"

Taking a step towards her, Murasakibara-kun stopped me by holding my wrist. Slightly being annoyed, I shot the creepy giant a death glare, only to find out that he wasn't looking at me. He was looking at my sister instead, and muttered something at her, in which I couldn't comprehend.

Looking back at my sister, her gaze was directed to the creepy giant and nodded. "Don't worry Sushi-kun, leave it all to ME" she said before cracking another evil laugh

"I-ittai.. Oi! Y-yamero![3]" Himuro-kun complained, trying to stop my sister's actions. Although the weapon my sister was holding is nothing but just a huge paper fan, it still hurts when you hit a person on the same area over and over again.

Then out of the blue, the creepy giant hauled me away from the scene and dragged me outside the halls of the gymnasium, leaving the poor black-haired teen alone with my crazy eccentric otaku sister.

Finally reaching the exit to the building, the creepy giant towed me yet again outside and unto the field before letting go of my wrist.

Catching my breath, I paused for a while before confronting him. "Hey! What's the big idea here?!" I growled, crossing my arms at him, waiting for a reply.

The creepy giant just stared at me and shot me another one of his perplexing gazes, his eyes unreadable. His mouth parted for a while, before closing again, as if trying to say something, but just couldn't find the right words to say.

Raising a brow at him, I asked him yet another question. "So? Are you just gonna stand there or what? Cause I'm getting really tired of your crap Murasakibara-kun…" I tapped my fingers on my arm trying to be the upper-man here.

Speaking nothing, the creepy giant continued to stare down at me, as if he was in deep thought. I know that I should just give some time to think what to say, since I know that this might be a crucial thing for him, but I'm getting really impatient especially when I'm confused.

I really have no idea what is going on and whether or not, it was this creepy giant who summoned my twin here is one of the many questions in my head right now. Turning my heel around, I faced the opposite direction and started to walk away. But I know… I just know… that the creepy giant would just stop me right there right now.

"Okay, fine. Tell me when you've made up your mind."

"Kasu-chin…Matte.." he stated in a demanding tone whilst holding my wrist yet again. Turning around, I faced him again and gave him another questioning look. The creepy giant's gaze was cast downwards; his bangs falling to cover his eyes, his lips trembled. Never in my whole life have I seen the creepy giant look so vulnerable before. He inhaled a deep long breath before exhaling it all out at once. He then locked his eyes with mine, looking at me seriously, catching me by surprise.

"I'm sorry Kasu-chin.." he said, his eyes still cast down upon me.

"You already said that." I retorted flatly, waiting for a good reply.

"I know… Just wanted Kasu-chin to… realize that." He said calmly, taking time to say it word for word.

"…I realize what you said…" I replied "But don't expect me to forgi-"

"I won't" He butted in and cut me short of my statement "Let's set things straight... please…listen."

Heaving a big sigh, I rubbed my temples as I looked at him suspiciously before giving in to his request. Besides, it's really like him to talk too much and explain everything himself. He always have Himuro to do the explaining… but right now… he is on his own… I should just hear him out.

"Fine… please enlighten me with the subject… I don't understand anything that's been happening ever since that psychopathic scissors-welding guy appeared anyway… I'll listen to you this time."

The creepy giant drew a small curve from his lips. It only lasted for a mere second though, before returning back to his serious gaze.

"Aka-chin told me… that you were a nuisance to my basketball play…" he started his explanation, nervousness underlying his tone. " Saying that I'd forget our promise…"

"Wait, wait, wait… what's this promise?" I asked getting confused at that part. Murasakibara-kun looked up for a while, as if thinking of something before answering my question.

"Aka-chin… told me..not to tell…"

"I've got feeling that you would say that…" I mumbled to him. "This has something to do with the Generation of Miracles, right?"

The creepy giant nodded in response. "Maybe… I'll tell it to Kasu-chin someday…"

Rolling my eyes at him, I nodded . "Okay. But why am I considered a nuisance? Is it because I caused your injury? Is that why?"

"…I guess… But… that's not the only one…" He said on a low tone as he averted his gaze from me to his side, scratching his cheek.

"Oh? Then what's the other reason?"

"You... I-I mean I….' He unexpectedly stuttered, having a slight pink hue dust over his cheeks… "I'll tell you l-later…"

Nodding my head once again, I gave him a signal to continue explaining.

"… Aka-chin warned me that he'll hurt you if I don't stop seeing you…" He took in a deep breath and then continued. "Cause of that… I told you I hate you… so you'll hate me too… and won't see me anymore…"

I looked down at the grass below me… So that means he doesn't mean that he hates me…right?

" You don't really… hate me… right?" I asked him hoping to hear the answer that I wanted.

"No… I'd… never hate Kasu-chin…" He answered.

A sigh of relief escaped from my lips… I'm not quite sure of what I'm feeling right now…but all I could say is that I might have felt slight happiness from that statement.

Noticing that I've been smiling for a while now, I immediately wiped my grin off my face and averted my gaze back at the creepy giant.

"Continue." I simply ordered him.

"So… Kasu-chin ran away… and met aka-chin I guess…" he continued, just as I ordered. "And he hurt you…because of me…"

I stared back in silence just waiting for him to continue. My heart started beating faster though, I can't explain why, I have a feeling that something unexpected is going to happen.

"Guilt…was what I felt...when I knew that Aka-chin hurt Kasu-chin…" he glanced at the side before looking back at me again.

"S-so I visited Kasu-chin… at the hospital…" My eyes widened.

"You did?! When?!" I asked almost immediately. I didn't remember him visiting me of any sort…

"When?..." The creepy giant asked himself. "I… forgot…"

My eyes widened in disbelief. "Really? Just… Really?" I glared at him, giving him an I-can't-believe-you look.

"… I just visited… didn't Muro-chin tell you?"

"Himuro-kun knew?"

"Mn… he told me to leave… So I… never saw you…" Muraskibara-kun said after he nodded a yes. "He told me that Kasu-chin hated me… that you don't want to see me again."

"H-he did?! I never said such thing!" I denied his statement instantly. I never remembered saying anything as such anyway. Maybe Himuro-kun just told him that to protect me? After all, he did now that Akashi caused my injury.

"But Muro-chin said—"

"Look Muraskibara-kun, I really don't know what he exactly told you, but I can tell you this… It's not true. And please don't get mad at Himuro-kun. He was most likely trying to protect me." I spoke out, interrupting him. He possibly visited during the time when the nurse informed Himuro-kun something. This must have been the 'thing' in which Himuro-kun had to attend to.

"Okay Kasu-chin…" He responded lowly as if he was defeated.

"Is that all you have to say?" I asked the creepy giant who was looking down at the grass. He looked back at me and answered "No"

"Then continue"

"Today… I can't stand ignoring you… so I came to you now… to explain…"

"In which you did…" I replied "But do you really think that that would change anything? I mean, you're just relaying some series of events, what do you hope to gain from this? My forgiveness?" I stared at him dead in the eyes, sternly looking at him, letting him feel my constant anger at his annoying attitude.

Looking at me straight in the eyes, the creepy giant didn't look down on the ground, nor did he try to avoid my piercing gaze like I'd expect him to. He stayed focus on me, his eyes full of sincerity, a side that I've never really seen of him.

"I don't want forgiveness Kasu-chin…" He replied simply "I want trust."

"Ha?" I asked in puzzlement "What do you mean by 'Trust'?"

"Trust… I want Kasu-chin to trust me…to depend on me, like she does to Muro-chin…"

"Trust… you? Well I'm sorry but I'm afraid that you'll have to earn that…"

"I know."

"Well if you knew… then prove it to me! Prove to me that I can trust you, that you'll stop annoying me with your crappy attitude!" I growled at him. I was getting annoyed at how he can act like a big shot. I could never trust someone so quickly, and what made him think that I can rely on him after what he did? He doesn't even tell me what promise he and that Akashi guy made and what are the reasons behind that psychotic dude's hatred towards me.

"Then... is a promise okay?" Murasakibara-kun requested, his eyes glimmering with earnestness. I stared at him, looking at him awkwardly before nodding a yes.

"Y-yeah… I guess..." I stuttered out "But I'll have to be the one to decide on what you should promise me!" I stated demandingly, feeling as if I'm the dominant character. The creepy giant nodded in return, agreeing with my suggestion.

"Okay…I want you to promise me…" I started as I put my hand on my chin, thinking of something decent. "I want you to promise me that you'll be always be telling me the truth from now on and nothing but the truth! Don't hide any secrets from me! And also, you're not allowed to eat candies unless I tell you to!" I exclaimed loudly, pointing a demanding finger at him before smirking at how evil I could get. I'm sure that he won't agree to that, now that his precious candies are concerned.

"Promise." The creepy giant immediately agreed without hesitation nor uncertainty as he leaned down on my shocked figure in which caught me by surprise.

"R-really?"

"Hai"

"Woah…" I uttered in amazement. So he really is serious. "You do understand that you candies are at stake here, right?"

"Hai"

"And you promise to tell me everything from now on?"

"Hai"

Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that kind reply. He really means business here… Maybe I'll let that candy rule off the hook. I have something more important to ask him anyway. If he says so, then I should just trust him. But I have to test that trust first.

"Okay Muraskibara-kun, then it is a deal. You have my trust from now on. So since you've swore you would tell me anything, I want you to answer this." I stated, tugging the ends of my lips to form a conceited grin.

"What's the other reason why that scissors-wielding psychopath told you to stay away from me?" I tapped my fingers, waiting for a plausible answer.

"uh… that…" The creepy giant mumbled as he looked away from me. His serious façade now gone and was changed into a look of hesitation.

"Well? I thought that you promised to tell everything?"

"I-it's because…" Murasakibara-kun stuttered a noticeable blush appeared on his cheeks, causing me to look in confusion. "Aka-chin told me that it would get in the way if I felt… like this… Cause I told Aka-chin that…" he then took a very deep breath before he continued.

"I like you Kasu-chin"

~End of Chapter 19~

[1] Harisen means "slapping fan" it is usually used to smack a man to straighten them from their idiocy or jokes, manly used for comedy.

[2] Bishounen is a Japanese term referring to 'Beautiful Youth' mostly describing male.

[3] Yamero means stop in English

Yep and that pretty much wraps up the new chapter. ^_^ So what do ya think about HIS confession? XDD What do you think of Kasumi's reaction? You'll find that out in the next chapter. . See you soon minna!