A/N: There's a poll up! If you want me to write another story about VK character among other options, I'd really appreciate it if you vote for your choice :) Thanks!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

To Orbit the Sun

"Kiryuu," I said. My eyes darted to the door behind him, and my hands tightened around the edge of the corner behind me. I didn't like this – being alone in a room with someone I've always heard about but never really met. I knew that we would have been in the same grade, if he had not...not went to school for a year. Something like that. I wasn't sure. I just didn't really want to be in an enclosed area with the guy who gave me this black eye. And I had a feeling I would end up being the one to apologize for it because it was simply in my nature. "Hello."

He cleared his throat. "About your eye..."

" - I'm sorry," I said immediately and wanted to hit myself for it. Of course I would apologize before someone else would - as if it was a freaking competition. I blinked and then looked away, up into the ceiling and sighing, touching my hair before facing him again. I began to remember things, like being hit in the eye after Hanabusa and he appeared in my room. About what, I still did not know yet. Could not remember.

"I'm sorry," he said in a low voice and he looked just as uncomfortable as me. He looked at the ground so I looked up. A moment passed before he shuffled and straightened up again. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, thanks," I said quickly. He stared at me for another moment, his incredibly light eyes – his light everything – on me before he nodded and left. But then he stopped, and sighed, turning around abruptly and walking towards me, then past me, to one of the cupboards to pull out an ice pack. "Oh," I said dumbly, for a lack of better words. He frowned when he touched the limp, liquid package.

"I can get you ice for that in the Headmaster's kitchen," he offered. It was strange. He didn't look like it would bother him, but he had this eternally, pained expression on his face. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but he didn't look quite happy either.

"That would be great, thanks," I said but even as I said this, I dreaded walking behind him for even a couple minutes. But eventually, I did and I stared at his back the entire time, or around me. A lot of people were leaving now, and they were all looking at me – the girl in pajamas and socks, and no shoes walking behind the disciplinarian. I remembered when I used to be a part of the shadow, just hiding out in the library and going to the mandatory classes or otherwise being in my room, streaming shows or out, watching the stars. And yet, walking through the campus, in December nonetheless, in my sleepwear seemed to be becoming a ritual.

He led me into the kitchen of the private quarters and pulled out a plastic bag, then filled it with ice before handing it to me. His eyes were on me, and there was that tortured sad look again but completely passive. "Here," he said as he dropped it into my hands.

"Thanks." Now what? You see? This was why I didn't want to follow him. To walk away would be...strange. But necessary. I sighed. "I'll get going then, thank you again. I can uh, see myself out." And he stared after me as I closed the door behind me. I took a peek down the corridor that was lit up with morning light – but one room caught my attention. And by one room, I meant the only one that wasn't absolutely quiet. And I was curious, so naturally, I crept along just right the door – and I heard a voice.

Not just any, but Kuran's.

"...this isn't the first time you broke a rule," he was saying. I heard a hm in agreement.

"If it was anyone else, you would be suspended by now. You've made several advances throughout the years, but this was too far, Aidou." The Headmaster? Talking about Hanabusa – or rather directly to him? That meant he was in the room too, but I didn't hear him. And what rule was this? He was at my room, and I knew that it wasn't allowed between boy and girl, and Day and Night class...and it did say suspension was a possible punishment but...

"You've come too close to exposing our secret," Kurosu Kaien said somberly, not sounding at all like the loud and over affectionate Headmaster that greeted me occasionally. And what secret? "And you're endangering my lovely, innocent students. I don't know how to say this kindly but...Aidou, I strongly urge you to consider...well..."

"I'll say it," Kuran interrupted, "Aidou, perhaps you should move schools."

I held my breath.

"By the end of this year," came Hanabusa's quiet, low voice, "I'll -"

"I don't think so," Kuran said, "you have more than enough credits. Perhaps you should graduate...now."

There was another pause and I was up against the door, trying to catch every word.

But at last, he answered. "Yes, Kaname."

Hanabusa was leaving -

Great, just great.

And that led my friend count back to one – or half, considering Akira was a dog.

xx-x-xx

"Papa," I called out, "Où-es tu?" [Dad, where are you?]

"Ici," [here] I heard a voice in the distant corner of the main lobby. There was my father, frowning.

"Y a-t-il un problème?" [Is there a problem?]

"Non, j'ai rencontré ton ami, Aidou," [No, but I met your friend, Aidou] he said slowly. I blinked.

"C'est mauvais?" [Is that bad?]

"Non mais... lui as-tu dit que tu pars?" [No but...did you tell him you were leaving?]

This was getting strange. I didn't want to be arrogant but...if he found out, could that have anything to do with his lack of reluctance to leaving? "Non, mais nous partons l'année prochaine, non?" [No, but we're leaving next year, no?]

"Il semblait surpris, c'est tout." He shrugged. "Allons-y. T'as dit au revoir à tous tes amis?" [He seemed surprise, that's all. Let's go. Did you say bye to all your friends?]

I laughed at that idea. "Parce que j'ai beaucoup d'amis." [Because I have so many friends]

He gave me a dry look, muttering something about me undermining my self-worth but I smile anyway. I was glad that I was wearing my sunglasses now so people wouldn't be staring at me, since we were already getting enough glances are way from the French conversation and...our ride. He nodded towards a black car...but not a car. A limousine. "C'est la voiture?" [This is the car?]

"L'université veut faire une bonne impression. 'ton ami est un chercheur hautement recherché." [The university wants to make a good impression. Your friend is a highly desired researcher] My father laughed, shaking his friend. I frowned.

"Tu veux dire Aidou?" [You mean Aidou?] I asked incredulously. I mean, I knew he was smart – but this smart? Really?

My father raised an eyebrow. "Tu vois? Tu as beaucoup d'amis – et oui, lui aussi," [You see? You have a lot of friends - and yes, him] he said with a smile sent my way as he gave my single suitcase to a man to stuff in the trunk. I gave him a withering glance to which his eyes softened but he did not comment further. I walked around the limo, peering inside. I've been inside limos before, of course, just twice. Both were complimentary of some research hospital. Distractedly, I wondered if Hanabusa owned his own. I looked out the window as Cross Academy faded behind me, being consumed by the tall, shadowy trees.

Good bye, Cross Academy.

"Es-tu prête?" [Are you ready?]

I nodded. "Ouais." [Yeah]

"Ensuite prochain arrêt, Tokyo." [Then next stop, Tokyo]

xx-x-xx

Three days later...

"Kaede!"

I looked up from my laptop which was comfortably propped on my stomach as I laid on the couch, my legs sprawled out and blankets galore. "What's up?" I asked as I pulled out my earphones and leaned over to see my mother. She was standing in the entry to the kitchen, her long dark hair in a braid down her shoulders. She was wearing a plain shirt splattered in various paint, a belt on her hips holding brushes and towels as she hugged a can of paint. And she was wearing boxer shorts.

This was my mom. The half painter, half too-lazy-to-care. Ergo, the only woman that could possibly brought me into the world.

"You can drive, right?" she asked as she stabbed a screwdriver onto the lid of a paint can. I blinked, and then sighed, putting aside my laptop and sitting up straight.

"No, mother," I said with a hint of irritation, "I can't." Even though I memorized where "green, yellow and red" was located on the stoplights, and I was able to notice the difference when it lit up, it just didn't quite cut it. She blinked, as if she forgot that her only daughter was an Achromatic – and she didn't. The thing was, whenever I was around, I acted too normally. I didn't give her a reason or any indication that I was disabled, I wasn't a constant reminder, I didn't need constant minding.

"Right, right," she stopped what she was doing and came to the couch, sitting down before standing back up gingerly when she remembered that she was nearly covered in stains. "Well, can you take the bus over to your dad's university? He left his cellphone here."

"He can do without," I groaned. I was so comfortable in my shorts and slippers, wearing nothing more than an oversized shirt that belonged to my dad. "Besides, he has no friends to call him anyway."

My mother shot me a look, but I just laughed. "I'm kidding, geesh, fine – okay. I'll go," I said as I get up. I really didn't mind. My eye was pretty close to healing and I simply had to steal my mother's concealer to hide up the worse of it. Over the past three days, I had done nothing more than watch shows online and ate food and as great as it was, movement was needed. I went up into my room, a tidy one my parents kept for me to return to, and stuck my arm out the window. It wasn't too cold out, so I changed into a pair of black jeans and threw on a simple, white shirt. I wanted something soft. So on went a too-big cardigan and scarf before I went back downstairs and grabbed my dad's phone after yelling a good bye to my mother. Slipping on knee high boots, I trudged back outside.

My parents lived out in the corners of the main city, a tedious forty minute bus ride away from the university. There were a ton of people out and despite the fact that I was in a private school for the majority of the year, I was used to it. I sat there with my headphones on, watching people behind my sunglasses. I didn't particularly enjoy people staring at my eyes – it looked strange with the lenses, let alone the dark circle that surrounded the formerly bruised ones.

Eventually I arrived and made my way to the international graduate studies on engineering, where my father, as a doctor of astrophysics and whatnot was testing out their new equipment. When I walked up to the counter, there was a young man sitting and typing away. I cleared my throat. "Hello?"

"Hi," he stopped, and his dark eyes flickered up to me – to the girl wearing sunglasses indoors – and smiled politely, "how can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Dr. Leroy?"

"Ah yes." He clicked away at his computer before frowning, then looking down at his watch. "No one has signed in at our department of aeronautics and astronautics yet, and it's almost noon – perhaps he is at lunch?"

"Um," I took a moment to think about it. He probably was at lunch. Made sense. Didn't know why I had to think about it further. "Do you mind if I check in anyway?"

"Sure, here," he said as he typed away, "just wait a moment for me to print you a guest tag."

"Thanks," I said and my eyes wandered. I could see crowds of people walking in their own direction within the building, chatting away. There was a man leading a group of people, giving them a tour and I assumed it was because it was almost the start of the new year. He seemed incredibly apathetic towards the eager-eyed students that were several years older than me, and as he talked, he waved his hands instead of stopping in front of whatever it was he was talking about.

I heard the sound of the printer...printing. "Here you go."

"Thanks," I said and the secretary held out a clipboard, which I signed in and took the tag, looping the rope around my neck before saying goodbye. Then I stopped.

Another tour was coming right towards me.

A private tour.

My God, this guy was creepy.

"And this is our graduate department working on innovating technology that will one day go up to..."

I ducked my head and swung the other way, walking quickly to the other direction -

"Hey!"

I walked even faster, hand shading over my sunglasses.

"Hey, Kaede!" he shouted out again, waving his arms enthusiastically, a grin lighting up his face. With a reluctant sigh, I turned around slowly and gave him a tight smile, slipping off my sunglasses sluggishly.

"Hey Hanabusa," I said weakly as he jogged towards me, leaving behind a blinking old man, "your stalking tendency is getting out of control, you know?"

He smiled at me, completely unashamed but he looked as if he was hiding something – other than the fact he was...well, stalking me. He was wearing a contrasting white sweater over a darker button down, looking every bit like the privileged guy I thought he was. "How's that black eye?" he asked, and I wasn't sure if it was meant as a taunt or not. Upon my disinterested stare, he continued. "How don't I know that you're the one stalking me, Misane?" he asked, throwing an arm casually over my shoulder.

"Aidou -" The man behind him began but I was frowning, picking up his arm and removing it off me as if it was full of germs.

"Right. You just happen to be exploring the department my father works in?" Then I remembered what I saw, or rather heard. He just grinned, giving me a smoldering look and I rolled my eyes. "While on this topic, I was eavesdropping earlier," I said bluntly. There was no way around it and I had been worried for the past several days that whatever crap he had gotten into by invading the girl's dorm, I would get sucked into it and punished as well. "I heard you were leaving."

He frowned at this, straightening up and his eyes narrowed at me. "Where did you hear this?"

"At school, where else?"

"Aidou -"

"Wait," he said, holding a hand up to the exasperate man. He leaned in closer to me. "And what else did you hear?"

I raised an eyebrow, curious. What was it again? "Something about you breaking a lot of rules. But not the point. You're not planning to come here, are you?"

Hanabusa still looked bothered, and his eyes didn't leave me although he turned his head slightly to acknowledge the man that had been trying to get his attention. "Can we postpone this tour later? I think I'd like to take my lunch break now," he said and you could tell from his voice he wasn't going to take a no for an answer.

"If you like," the man bowing his head slightly. Then he left. Strange. From what I saw of the earlier tour, the guy in charge seemed to be...well, the guy in charge. This man acted as if he was waiting on Hanabusa's every will – but I supposed money bought better service. I turned my attention back to Hanabusa. "What's wrong?"

"We need to talk."

"Do we now," I said and looked past his shoulder, hoping to see my father. "Hanabusa, look, if you're leaving – I wish you good luck and all. But um, I have to find my dad..."

"He's out."

"Out?" I frowned.

"Yes, out. I saw him leave with a colleague. Let's go for lunch," he invited suddenly and the grabbed my wrist, walking me out.

"Hey!" I protested but Hanabusa didn't stop. I fumbled with my sunglasses before yanking – unsuccessfully – my arm away but he seemed intent on bringing me towards the food court. "What do we even have to talk about? Can't you just -" Nope, not the food court. He walked right by the ring of fast food joints at the central of the building, and towards the exit. "Where the hell are you taking me?"

"To somewhere private."

"Hanabusa, stop."

At last he did and turned around. The grinning Hanabusa was gone, the distracted one was gone, and now he simply looked surprise. He blinked. "What?"

"What?" I repeated. "You just manhandled me across the campus to go talk. I don't even know what we need to talk about." I crossed my arm. "And this isn't the first time you've forcibly brought me somewhere against my will, you know, and I don't know how to make it more clear that -"

He stared at me for a moment before tilting his head, his fair hair falling slightly along with it as he looked at me with an openly curious expression. "We're going to get lunch. It's on me."

I blinked.

"Oh. Well...okay."

xx-x-xx

"A chauffeur, really?" I asked, my face against my knuckles as I leaned out towards the window of yet another limo. "I sort of figured you to be more of the sports car type," I muttered.

Hanabusa yawned, stretching out his arms and legs before saying, "I like room to stretch, I left my Vanquish at home."

I stared at him. "Are you serious?"

One eye peeked out at me. "I made a joke?" Then he smiled and sat up straighter. "Maybe I'll show you her sometimes."

I groaned. "Oh. You're one of those type of people."

He raised an eyebrow, and shifted. He, who had been sitting in front of me, now moved next to me and I inched closer towards the window. It already felt private and intimate enough in this now too-tiny car, and he directly moving closer obviously did not help it. "What type?" he asked.

"The ones that objectify women by calling an inanimate object she therefore - never mind." I didn't feel like talking about it anymore. "Where are we going anyway?" I asked, swift to change the topic. I looked back out the window, watching as the impossibly bright, city pass by behind me in a blur. This wasn't just any limo, after all, it was a Cadillac and if memory served me right, this was roughly the same one the President of the US gets driven in.

"To get lunch," he said with a hint of a pout.

"We just passed by like, ten burger places..."

His nose wrinkled up. "Was that what you want?"

"I'm not picky." I said but really, I just wanted to get out of this car. I mean, I'm okay with Hanabusa but I was never alone in a car with him before. I didn't want to say it was awkward in fear that it would suddenly make it awkward, but I would have rather much walked. Plus, my parents were probably wondering where the hell I was.

"Great, we're having lunch at my place."

"At your -" I stopped when the car slowed down to a stop in front of an impossibly huge house that was located in one of the inner neighbourhoods that I swear was reserved for just government officials or celebrities. "Hanabusa, who the hell are you?" I asked. I knew he was rich – everyone at Cross Academy was pretty well off, and I was just barely there – but this was pushing it. The driver opened the door for me, and I smiled at him, thanking him, as I got out before throwing Hanabusa a glance.

"What – what do you mean?" he stuttered, his eyes wide as if he was caught in a secret.

"Like, who are your parents? This -" I waved towards the mansion, "is a bit over the top, don't you think?"

"My father does business here, so we need a house in the city," he frowned as if it was obvious. I didn't want to ask what this business was, so I just played along.

"So this isn't your main house?" I asked slowly.

"Of course not. I like privacy." He said smugly, and I sighed, rolling my eyes. I had to remind myself that this was the same boy who taught me algebra and watched stars with me – otherwise, I would get lost in the extravagance that was Aidou Hanabusa. He held out his arm and I stared at him.

"What?"

His mouth twitched and he pulled his arm back. "Come on, lunch is starting." He pulled up the sleeve of his jacket as he walked up the steps from the circular lane way and into the porch.

My eyes ran over the entire thing. The limo was leaving the lane that circled around the garden framed with even, shoulder-high hedges. Everything was rimmed in snow, and that included the single tree in the middle that looked too perfectly decorated in white. There was a short set of stairs that led up to his entry, in which four pillars held up. It was a tall, at least three floored house with the usual slopping, tiled roof tops common in Japan except this was...well, a designer home. A perfect blend of pale wood, dark roofs, white walls and glass windows. The door was opened, of course, by a butler.

And I hated to sound like those teenage girls, but he was the most adorable old man. With a monocle and everything. "Master Hanabusa, welcome home," the old man greeted with a bright smile, bowing his head slightly without creasing the whole black, vest, long tail coat and bow tie to match.

"Hey," Hanabusa said, looking at me, "we have a guest. Do you mind setting up another plate?"

"Of course," he smiled, "will Akatsuki and Ruka be joining us?"

"Nope, they're at the Touya house." Hanabusa stepped in. "Come on, Kaede, what are you waiting for – an invitation?"

"It would make sense," I muttered. I wasn't used to all this splendour. How did this even happen? One moment, I was sitting at home, watching some generic show with good looking actors and actresses doing exciting things while epic music was playing in the background, and now I was walking into this mansion with its very own Alfred Pennyworth.

I removed my shoes at the entry and looked inside. I wasn't very surprised – expensive looking Japanese orientated decor, with a wide, entry with opened screened doors. Everything screamed out vast and grand. There were flowers here and there, portraits on the walls and beautifully made pottery on displays and ledges and I wondered, as pretty as it was, why anyone would buy so many of them.

"Come," Hanabusa called out, walking towards a twirling stair case and I sighed. Great.

"I thought we were just talking...and having lunch," I said nervously, looking around, seeing if anyone was home. He caught my gaze.

"Relax, no one's here but one of my sisters."

"One of your sisters," I repeated. Great, just great.

"Come on, let me show you my room," he said with an amused smile.

"Can't we talk down here...in the safety of the living room?" I asked, although I felt like even if I were to simply sit, I would ruin the whole movie-set like room. Hanabusa stopped for a moment, thinking, and then shrugged, muttering something about there being no secrets here. "So. Talk."

He opened his mouth, but didn't say anything. Then he gestured for me to sit down. This was getting even stranger. I sat but not without watching him, waiting. He sat on the arm of the couch and studied me. "What?" I asked, playing with my scarf to give my hand something to do.

"I don't know where to begin."

"What do we need to talk about again?" I asked, scratching my eyebrow. I somehow avoided the topic altogether in the ride here by looking out the window, but now, it was back front and centre. I leaned back but then shot straight up automatically when he became too close. "Wait, am I getting blamed for you coming into the dorm -"

He blinked, his eyes widening. "What? No -"

"Hanabusa."

He froze.

Behind him, past his shoulders, I saw a man walking in. He looked eerily like Hanabusa – they both had the same light complexion and, for lack of better word, colouring but his hair was slicked back and he was obviously much older. His father. He didn't quite so much as frown, but his face lost any easiness when he came closer into view and saw me. Immediately, Hanabusa shot up. "Father!"

"Hanabusa," he said strangely again, almost hesitant, "you have a guest."

"I – I wasn't aware that you were here," he said meekly, looking down. This was awkward. I felt as if I walked into something I really shouldn't have. Or rather dragged into.

"Your sister told me you were here, and I thought I would visit as well," he said slowly, "after all, I do own this house if I recall correctly." He exchanged a look with his son that looked internally conflicted but did not stop walking once he reached Hanabusa. Instead, he continued to walk. To me. Ah, shit. He held out a hand. "My name is Aidou Nagamichi," he introduced and I shook his hand lightly, but upon seeing Hanabusa's frantic eyes behind this man's shoulder, I tightened my grip. Firm handshakes meant confidence, did it not? Or was that just in the US? Was that considered rude in Japan?

Why was I thinking like a tourist?

Nerves. Right.

The older Aidou turned his head back to his son. "I wasn't aware that you had a guest."

"She's..." Hanabusa stopped. I knew I had no real comparison, but with all the reading I had done, I suppose the right word to describe him in this moment was that he paled. And although he left his explanation hanging, he looked as if he gave up; his eyebrows pulled together and his eyes fell to the floor.

"Ah," Nagamichi said with understanding, "I suppose this is the Misane Kaede I've heard about?"

Did the Academy alert his father already of his expulsion? Shit. That meant I was in trouble. Fantastic. That must have been what Hanabusa wanted to talk to me about - he was lying earlier, probably to keep me calm. But the moment he said my name, Hanabusa's eyes flashed up and he looked at me pleadingly. I knew that look instantly.

He wanted me to cover for him?

I can do that.

"Uh, no sir," I said with a polite smile, "my name is actually Cadence Leroy." Ah, how I love truths. "I'm from the, um," think, Kaede, think, "the university."

Nagamichi frowned. "The university?"

Hanabusa nodded eagerly behind his father's back, pressing me to go on with his eyes. "Yes, the Tokyo University of the Science department, Astronomy in particular." Why, why didn't I say my father's – the Astronautics one? Yes, my father held a doctoral degree in Astronomy and spoke a little to me about the process – but I had nothing to lie on. I knew nothing about the actual work of that department and I just wished I had more time to work on lie. Shit. At least if I had said Astronautics, I would've known about what he was doing – what Hanabusa would supposedly be doing.

"Ah," Nagamichi nodded, although his eyes remained on his son. I blinked and then...

Blabbered on.

"I was here on an informal plea on behalf of our department, you see," I said quickly, "we'd really appreciate your son's knowledge on physics and hope he continues onto astrophysics, so that he could be a consultant on one of our conjunction projects with the astronautics engineering department." Yes. This could work. I sounded a bit informed. Hanabusa's eyes brightened, and he was staring at me with awe, so of course, I continue. "I'm sorry if this was um, too invasive."

"Not at all." He turned to Hanabusa. "I wasn't aware that you were interested in...that area of science."

"It's a new hobby," he laughed nervously, fingering his hair.

"Right." New hobby. New hobby that I think I got him into. "Your son is incredibly talented."

"Right," Hanabusa agreed. What a modest guy – but then when I looked at him again, his nervousness was obvious on his face. The usual cool, charismatic Hanabusa was no more. Who ever thought he was the type to falter under family pressure. Then again, remembering the incident a couple weeks ago when he told me about this case with this girl, I suppose I should have been expecting this.

"You haven't told me earlier," his father said, suspicious.

"We were preoccupied with other matters," Hanabusa said almost snappishly, and then added quietly, "earlier."

Cue the awkward silence.

I would like to say that they were staring at each other uncomfortably but that wasn't the case. Nagamichi was openly staring coolly at his son, but Hanabusa had his eyes on the ground.

Oh geez.

"It's a really great field to get into," I said slowly and swiftly walked closer so it was no longer their not-quite stare down, but now a conversation of three. "There's even an opportunity of going into space one day, of being an astronaut."

"An astronaut?" Nagamichi repeated, raising an eyebrow. He looked faintly interested and I couldn't tell if it was out of politeness, or if it was genuine.

"If he prefers an up-and-close observation to the very thing he studies, it's a definite possibility. Or," what else can I say? Lie, lie, lie, Kaede, lie more. "He can have a hand in building the space craft to," I forgot – astrophysics, "making sure that it's safe to go up to space. Of course, the field goes much more in the theoretical sense as well and continue to study stars, galaxies, planets, other celestial objects like -

"Now now, Kaede -" Hanabusa stopped, "Cadence," he corrected, "you don't have to bore my father about this sort of thing."

Nagamichi didn't look convinced, but I guess I took it far enough that he didn't want to further hear about it. "I suppose it would quite a feat to see Aidou Enterprises' logo on a space craft," he murmured. Then he cleared his throat, turning around. "Well, I'll leave you to it then." His hand clamped down on Hanabusa's shoulder. "I'll see you at dinner, Hanabusa."

"Of course." He couldn't meet his eyes and as soon as Nagamichi was out of sight, I let out a huge breath that I didn't realize I had been holding in. Hanabusa stared after him for a long moment before sighing as well and turning back to me. "Kaede," he said, with an expression I couldn't place, "Kaede, you are an angel."

I laughed. "Thanks."

"No, really," he took a step closer to me and put both his hands on my shoulders, leaning down so that we were eye to eye, "thank you. So much."

I shrugged. "It's what I do. Although why I am lying, I don't exactly know – and I don't really want to know but I doubt your father will believe it if he gives it even a single other thought."

"I can handle it then, don't worry." Hanabusa's mouth perked up into a small, almost shy, boyish smile.

And I smiled too. I couldn't help it. There was something about seeing new sides of a person that tugged at a girl's heart.

And then I realized what was happening and quickly changed gears. I cleared my throat, swinging around and releasing his hold. "So," I said as I moved the hair away from my face, my eyes meeting his, "Aidou Enterprises...what are you, Batman?"

He looked at me strangely, and that smile of his deepened. I could see that he was thinking about something in the way his expression shifted. "Sure," he said distractedly and I'm almost a hundred percent sure he wasn't really listening. His voice wasn't so much as tired as it was...I didn't want to say soft or gentle but..."I guess I am."

xx-x-xx

Two weeks later...

"Hey, Hanabusa!"

He turned around to see a grinning girl making her way towards him, bumping against a trolley of books before finally stumbling to the table, dropping her textbook and papers. Kaede was a mess. She flicked back her hair impatiently before sitting down. Hanabusa frowned. "You're late," he said with a twitch of his mouth. He didn't like to be kept waiting.

She grinned anyway. "Hey, do you wanna hear a joke?" she asked instead, completely ignoring his rightfully made accusation.

"Not really," he mumbled tiredly, the side of his face resting against his fist as he yawned. His eyes wandered the nearly deserted library. Strange, there were exams around the corner and no one seemed to be quite worried about it. He heard her fumble as she set up papers and then reach down to her bag to grab some pens.

"Why did all the fruits left out the grape?"

He sighed then rubbed his eyes tiredly. He had been waking up early for so long now but he was still not quite used to it. "Why?" he asked, his eyes, half open, steadily on her hazel ones. She wasn't wearing her contacts today, he noticed distractedly. And the bruise had completely healed. He mindlessly watched the way the light from the window behind him played on the colours of her eyes, brightening the flecks of greens while setting back the amber tone.

And he watched as she tried to bite down a grin, failing.

"Because it always whined."

And then she exploded into a manic fit of laughter, wiping away an invisible tear before slamming her head down onto the table, into her arms. Her body shook with laughter and she gasped for air, her hand hitting the table. Eventually after several wheezing moments she came up again, clapping her hands together like a seal, not breathing. And he simply stared at her. Not amused, but amazed. Not by her joke, but by her reaction.

"Oh my God."

Aidou Hanabusa was in love with an idiot.

A rather long chapter because it originally was split into two chapters, but I felt that the first half was too...uneventful. Thank you to moka-girl
for all the help on the French! And in case you didn't get the joke - the grape whined as in wine. Get it? GET IT? Idk. I laughed pretty hard but that's just me. I like bad jokes and just felt like slipping that in. Anyway...

I really hope you enjoyed this chapter though! Finally things are picking up :') Hopefully, not too fast for y'all. Reviews would be lovely :)

Have a good summer everyone! And Happy Canada day!