AN: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews minna! It's fuelling my passion to write, really. You guys are awesome! =D And sorry if this took longer than expected, it's one heavy episode so I had to reaaally take time and feel the feelings so I could write it more or less accurately. So, some poignant moments, but mostly full of heartbreaks. Enjoy!

CHAPTER 11: TRUTH

Chihaya's phone began to ring 12 minutes after midnight. Lazily, she reached out for the phone at her bedside table.

Arata? She thought groggily when she saw who the caller was. It was rare for him to call her during these hours, with him knowing that she's too tired to have a chitchat after a long day.

"Chihaya?" Arata called in his deep, melodic voice.

"Arata, what is it?"

There was a hesitant pause, and she was wondering whether or not he was drunk for him to have called her.

"Can we go out? I… I need to tell you something…" he finally said.

"Like, right now? Arata it's already midnight. Can't you just tell me over the phone?" Chihaya replied, slightly annoyed.

"I know… I'm sorry, I'll just…see you tomorrow. I guess… " he said haltingly, making her worry. There was something in his voice that made her feel uneasy. Sighing she replied;

"Okay, I'll go. Where do we meet?"

"I'm here in front of your house" he said. She leaped instantly to her window to check. There was a blue sedan car outside her house. Arata's.

"O…kay. I'll just dress up. I'll be down in a minute." She said, as she hanged up on him.

I should've went home. Taichi thought darkly, his hands covering his face as he sat outside a hospital room. Satoko called him a few minutes ago, and though she wasn't really angry that he forgot to inform her where he went and where he was at this moment, he knew there'd be hell to pay when he gets home. But of course, it wasn't the only reason why he wanted to leave in a heartbeat.

Flashback to an hour ago…

"Shinobu-chan, how are you feeling?" Taichi asked as he went near the raven-haired girl. It was the first time he saw her ever since he came back. And their meeting wasn't exactly what he expected.

Shinobu didn't reply. She was staring into a blank space in the wall and he couldn't blame her. He sat by her side as he waited for her answer.

She didn't change much aside from her long and wavy jet-black hair. She's pretty, still a little bit lanky but with curves in the right places. Though they weren't exactly close, he respected the latter's great talent in Karuta. But if there was one thing that was really bothering him, it was the unexpected condition she was in.

"I know it's not my business… but the doctor… he did relay that you should tell your family of your…" he said hesitantly, as he tried to get the words off his mouth.

"Especially… the father of that child." He added, trying to spell off the awkwardness.

He didn't know Shinobu had a boyfriend. Nobody told him she was dating someone. But then again, as private she is, she might not have wanted it known to anyone.

It was a long time before she replied, he almost didn't hear her.

"I know." She croaked, her voice sounding coarse after the long silence that passed between them. There were a lot of things going on in her mind, but if there was one word that would describe the emotional turmoil she's in, it was fear.

"I'll help you contact them if you want, who do I call?" Taichi said, breaking the woman's reverie. He was already feeling exhausted after the long day, and he didn't really fancy sleeping in hospitals especially when he'd been stuck in it for more than 7 years due to study.

She turned to look at him as tears came falling from her face.

"Sooo why are we here?" Chihaya asked for the nth time, as she removed her seatbelt. They were in front of their elementary school. Arata was awfully quiet during the trip. He wouldn't answer where they were going and it was a surprise that he chose this place to say whatever he needs to say.

The doors were locked so they just stood by the hood of the car facing the massive entrance.

She peered at her watch. It was almost one o'clock in the morning. She was hesitating whether or not to ask him again what the impromptu date was all about. She needs to catch some sleep before her classes in a few hours, not to mention preparing her team for the Inter-High Karuta Championship in a few days.

"Arata?" Chihaya started. Arata turned to her. He was staring at her intently at first, as if he's sculpting her face into his memory. They've had moments like this, when he just stares at her until she finally looks away.

"This is where I first fell in love with you." He smiled, as he looked at the school. She remembered standing up for him during a rainy school day when he was being bullied because of his origins. She smiled vaguely at the memory.

"You already told me that you know." She laughed, as she remembered hearing the same when they had their first date years ago.

"Yea.. I thought I never told you how amazing you are." He said, smiling coyly at her. She blushed. Whether he was teasing her or not, she blushes over the littlest things he does for her.

"You're the most important person to me, you know? And I know I'm not always by your side but I hope you do know how much I love you and…" Arata blurted out, his words flowing with so much emotion she could almost feel what he was trying to arrive at. She couldn't look at his eyes because her face was blushing so hard as memories of Kanade describing how Tsutomu proposed to her came to her mind.

He's not…he's not going to propose…is he? She thought nervously. It took her a moment to realize that Arata stood there silent, with his last words waiting for a continuation.

"I'm sorry… that I lied." He finally said. She snapped her head in surprise.

"Lied… about what?" she asked, worry filling her heart as she tried to dispose of the thought that he might not have meant his earlier words at all. He sighed heavily as he turned towards her with desperate eyes.

"I'm… I'm having a child… with Shinobu-chan… Chihaya…" he said quietly, his head hanging in shame as Chihaya stood there in utter shock.

He couldn't really tell if he was feeling the pain of betrayal or the pain of his left hand smashing the wall due to the former. Maybe it was both. Or maybe this was a dream. If only it was.

"How long has this been going on?" he managed to calmly ask, despite the resentment brewing under his sleeve. He was trying not to be antagonistic towards her, especially in her condition. But thousands of thoughts were plaguing his mind, and he wasn't stupid to just assume that Arata was the only person responsible.

She's pregnant. PREGNANT! With that bastard's child. And does Chihaya know? He thought miserably, as he waited for her answer. She was sobbing now, her eyes fixed on the ceiling as if she was refusing to meet his eyes, knowing the accusations he might throw at her.

"Ever since… we went to Dubai." She said quietly, as she held her blanket tightly.

"So you've been playing her for 5 YEARS?! What the fuck are you?!" He cursed, as his final shred of patience evaporated into thin air. He stared incredulously at her as she covered her face with her hands.

"I know how it sounds. I'm truly sorry Mashima-san." She pleaded, her voice muffled from crying.

"We weren't really serious at the beginning. He… he wanted to experience sex and Chihaya wasn't ready and… I gave him… I gave him that…" she explained, as she removed her hands from her face. He felt his jaw tighten.

"But even when we were only intimate when we're making love, I've been there when Chihaya wasn't… I've been his companion through all the triumphs and challenges we encountered in school and in our career... I was his shadow… as you were to Chihaya." She added, as he gazed sadly at him. He stiffened as he remembered the reason why he felt this way.

"What the hell do you know about me and Chihaya?" He said scornfully, his patience dangerously dwindling due to exhaustion and anger. Only those close to them knew how close she was to Chihaya. Others just assume that they were together.

"Arata… he was jealous of you. He knew you had feelings for her."

"And is that an excuse for him to cheat on Chihaya?! What reasoning does that bastard have? And you? You fuelled this madness?" he shouted, slamming the railings of her bed in frustration. Shinobu was startled.

"Haha. Shadow." He remarked sarcastically. He went dangerously near her as she tried to avoid his stare.

"I tell you what, no matter how much I loved Chihaya to the point of insanity, I'd never ever allow her to fall into such a disgraceful state." He snapped seethingly.

"I'll FIGHT for her if I could! I'll try to WIN her if I could! But if I couldn't I'd gladly let her go! Even if she says she needs me!" he added, his emotions getting the best of him.

"Even if I KNOW that there's a PART, no matter how tiny that part is, that yearns for ME. If she can't choose me there's no reason for me to stay. Don't you have ANY pride?" He finished, his words heavily laden. Shinobu broke into more sobs as he withdrew his hands from her bed.

He never told his sentiments to anybody because he feared he might be encouraged to either break them up or do exactly what Arata and Shinobu did. He was no saint, that much he knew.

But he had pride. And he loved Chihaya that much to actually give her away. To move on. To pretend to be happy. To start anew. He loved her that much he was willing to support her even if it meant he won't end up with her. He was wondering desperately if all of it had been in vain.

"What do you plan to do now?" he asked silently, his back facing her. He didn't want to see the bitch's face. There was someone he wanted to reserve his fury to.

"I'm… keeping it… But… I need your help…" Shinobu said meekly, her request sounding like a joke to his ears. He forced himself to listen.

"You're… you're kidding right?" Chihaya asked, disbelieving what she just heard. Didn't he tell her he loved her just now? Arata remained silent, as he stared sadly at her.

"With Shinobu-chan… are you pulling a prank or what?" she asked as she tried to laugh.

This has to be a joke, she thought. Even though it's not funny.

"Chihaya…" he called, as he started towards her.

"Let's go. I still have classes tomorrow. I need rest." She said dismissively as she turned her back on him. She had no time to listen to his old granpa jokes especially with this kind of nature.

The Arata I know wouldn't cheat on me. She thought angrily. Arata held her by the shoulder and hugged her back.

"Chihaya. I'm really sorry… Please… just listen to what I have to say." He pleaded, as he buried his face into her neck.

"I… fell into temptation.. I've always wanted to be more intimate with you, but you always shoot me down." He said, as she remembered the times he asked her to have sex with him. She thought he understood why she couldn't do it. Tentatively, she asked,

"So you had to find that intimacy somewhere else?" her voice broke. Her shoulders were already shaking. She couldn't believe it. Arata was cheating on him with Shinobu. And she's pregnant.

This has to be a nightmare. Wake up Chihaya. She thought numbly. The tears falling on her shoulders told her she was awake, and all of this was really happening.

"I… I know… I was wrong. I've always been jealous of you and Taichi -"

"Taichi? Why? He's our FRIEND!" she interrupted, as she pried his arms off her waist. She couldn't really understand his petty jealousy over Taichi.

"But you like him! I'm not blind Chihaya!" he shouted, as he slammed his fist in his car roof. Chihaya's head whirled.

"And so you cheated on me with Shinobu-chan… because you thought I was dating Taichi behind your back?" She surmised, the truth finally sinking in. Arata turned to face her.

"I-I…" he stammered hesitantly. But Chihaya beat her into it.

"Both of you are my best friends… But I chose you because I love you! Because we both share the same love! And now you're telling me you cheated on me because I didn't give you what you WANT and that you're JEALOUS of a FRIEND?!" she said incredulously, as tears finally began to make its way down her face. This was the man she fell in love with. The man who gave her her passion. The man who taught her to persevere. The man who inspired her. And the man responsible for her pain.

"He was there when you weren't and yet I chose you!" she added, feeling the pain at her chest as memories of them together began flooding her mind.

"You love her don't you?" she asked, looking at him with hurt in her eyes. If he had been lying for so long then she deduced it could only mean he valued Shinobu-chan in the first place.

"Chihaya, you're the only -" he tried to answer as he went near her.

"ANSWER ME!" she cried, as she took a step back with her hands held up in front of her, refusing his embrace.

"No! I love YOU! And this is why I'm telling you this because I don't want to keep on lying to you. I wanted you to know how sorry I am for doing this to you so I could make it right again…" Arata pleaded as he held her arms tightly. She could only push him back.

"How could you do this to me?! I loved you! I Believed you! Both of you! WHY?!" she demanded, frustration and hurt punctuating her every word.

When she was a child she only cared about seeing her sister achieve her dreams when they were little, but it was Arata who showed her what it means to dream for one's self. She remembered the joy of getting her first card, of having a card named after her, of winning a match against Taichi, of winning a match as team, of fuelling her dreams to be the Queen… She felt her memories shattering into bits as it pierced her heart.

She ran towards the street, with Arata shouting after her. She was lucky to spot a cab, but before she could board it Arata held her arm tightly.

"Chihaya, please, listen to me -" He begged, as she tried to push him away. She managed to slap his grip away in time for the cab to make its exit.

He was about to run after the cab when he received a call from the last person he ever wanted to hear from that night.

"What is it, Taichi?"

He was about to stand up and leave when he saw the feet of the man he'd been wanting to see.

"Taichi…" Arata called out. Taichi went to him in blinding speed and launched a punch on his face with all the strength that he could muster. Arata keeled over.

"THAT. Is for Chihaya." He bellowed. Taichi landed a kick into his gut.

"THIS. Is for Wakamiya-san." He gave him another kick.

"And THIS! Is for YOUR child, whom you're running away from, you bastard!" He shouted, as he fisted on his collar to pull him upwards.

"How could you do this to Chihaya?! How could I have left you with her?! Why did you do this, WHY?!" Taichi screamed, as tears ran down his face. Arata's mouth was bleeding, but he could tell that the pain reflected in his eyes wasn't because of the ones he inflicted.

This was the man who stole her childhood friend. The man who he proclaimed his rival. The same man who taught them passion over such an insignificant sport. The man who he willingly gave the love of his life. The man he calls friend.

"Gomen ne, Taichi..." he replied, tears flowing from his face. Taichi let him go as Arata slumped into the floor. They remained still for a while, with Taichi trying to calm his emotions.

"Did you tell her?" Taichi asked quietly.

"Yes…" he replied, as he sobbed again. Taichi didn't need to ask the outcome.

"Where is she?"

The phone was ringing, but she didn't want to talk to anybody. She was busy downing her drinks at a local store near her place.

It was 3 o'clock in the morning and she didn't want to go home. She didn't want to go to her class in a few hours, and she didn't care if her team loses in the championship. All she wants was to drown her sorrows with the pain of having her most trusted person betray her for something so primal.

"I told you you're a bad drinker," said a man who sat by her side as he snatched the drink she was about to chug on. It was Taichi.

She looked him up and down to verify if it was really him, as her sight was dulled due to intoxication. He wore the same clothes as when she saw him last, but he had an exhausted look on his face, like he'd been through a lot in the past few hours after his visit.

"How'dyoufineme?" She asked, her voice slurring as her head leaned on her palm.

"Luckily your GPS was turned on so it wasn't really that hard to find you," he said nonchalantly as he reached for her phone to turn her GPS off. He didn't want anyone following them tonight. Especially that bastard. He paid for the drinks and was amazed she was still up at 4 bottles.

"Let's go home," he finally said, as he took her hand in his.

"Donwannaaa…" She pulled it back, and she almost fell back if it wasn't for Taichi who steadied her.

"Easy. Come on." He insisted, as he carried her towards her car.

"Make me forget." She whispered, as tears began to flow from her eyes. They were already at her house, but she refused to move. Taichi could only look at her in pity. He knew how much she loved Arata, and her craft being connected to him was what will make forgetting very hard for her.

"Kiss me. Have sex with me. Didn't you say you love me?" Chihaya suddenly demanded, looking at him with wild eyes. She touched his knee as if to emphasize what she wanted. His gulped tightly, willing his reason to take over the situation. He knew the normal Chihaya wouldn't say this if she was sober.

"This is wrong, you know that. You're not in your right mind." He said gently as he held her eyes. He understood why she requested it, not because she was lewd, but because he knew she must be feeling horrible after learning that Arata chose to cheat because of his needs.

"It hurts, Taichi. Make it go away." She pleaded, her eyes shutting as her hand clasped his thigh tightly.

"I won't do it. I'm sorry." He replied sadly, as he held the hand that was clasping his thigh. He held her like that until her sobs subsided. It felt like hours when he felt her withdrawing her hand, as she turned to caress his face.

"I'm very sorry Taichi. I shouldn't have asked you such an irresponsible request. Don't hate me please." She said, as she finally remembered that this wasn't 3 years ago, and Taichi had a fiancée.

"Chihaya…"

"Go… I'll be fine..." Chihaya replied softly, forcing a smile that broke Taichi's heart. She fumbled with her seatbelt as tears continued to fall from her face. He protected her and supported her as much as he could so she'd be happy. He'd set her free so she could choose the man she really loves. Only to see her break like this.

It was then that he broke whatever resolve he had not to give in.

"Screw it." He cursed, as he pulled her in his arms and locked her lips with his.

AN: Heavy episode, I know. It was really hard to write, but I hope I justified Chihaya's reaction and Taichi's massive disappointment somehow. So up next! Role reversals, someone goes back to Karuta, and… a new beginning? Hmmmm… 4 more chapters left! Hooray! Stay tuned =)

Read and review minna! Arigato gozaimasu! ^^