A/N: Hey everyone, been a while…. Heh. But hey, I got one out now and it's a big one on development. I wanted to make sure that I got it right. Let me all know what you think. R&R~!

Owning OHSHC is on my bucket list but sadly it isn't quite crossed off yet.

I can't find them anywhere. Granted, I haven't really tried looking outside of where I usually go but come on! I don't…. I don't want to go approach them. Why can't it be a casual meeting, like in books or movies? Where I come up with the perfect thing to say and they forgive me on the spot. Eh….. Maybe that was fairytales. I gather my skirt in my hands nervously and then release it self-consciously.

Come on, Akari, you can do this. You can swallow your pride and apologize. You can…. What? Become 'great friends' with them again? Why am I even trying to make it up to them? Is it really worth it? No, I can't think like that. I have to be a good person, so that Brathair-mathar and Father can be proud of me. Not just that…. Okay, well mostly that. But I want to be friends with the twins too. I want to be able to help. I want to…. I want to be able to do something. "Ri-chan, are you okay? You're really quite today," Aya-chan twitters worriedly and I bite my lip at her question. As much as I appreciate the worry, I just wish that she could have left me alone today. I'll be like this until I finally talk to the twins…. Maybe I should go now. Get it over with and all. Yeah, that doesn't sound too bad. So much for slipping off when no one would notice.

"No, I'm fine… I actually just remembered that I have to go do something, uh… I'll be b-back," I promise absent mindedly, already walking away by the end of my sentence.

"What could she possibly have to do that has her in such a hurry?" Kiyumi-chan questions. Aya-chan's quiet answer barely reaches my ears and I feel guilt picking at me once her sad tone registers.

"Who knows…." I have a feeling she knows exactly where I'm going.

Where would they be? It's lunch time now, so maybe I should have looked for them in the cafeteria. But I never see them in there…. I've never looked either so I might have missed them. Ugh, I don't know what to do! I see that guy from the other classroom that is in Yui-chan's group… what's his name? Iru…. No no ….. uh Irai? No… Iruka! That's it. "Uh," I call as I get closer to him, still not that confident around him. "I-Iruka-san, right?"

The boy jumps slightly and looks at me in slight confusion before recognition dawns upon his features. "Oh, you're that…. Uh, Akari-san, right? You're Yui-san's friend," he affirms and I nod, a small smile tilting up my lips. "Hi, uh, do you need something?"

"Ye-yeah…. I w-was wondering if y-you knew wher-where the t-t-twins are?" I ask, shuffling uneasily.

A look of confusion washes over his face and contemplation follows it after he seems to do a mental shrug of acceptance. He taps his chin in though and answers, "Hmm, I think that they usually stay in the courtyard after they get their lunches. They don't like to be around everyone else it seems. I could be wrong though." He sounds sheepish towards the end and rubs the back of his neck.

"No, it w-was-was help-helpful. Than-thanks Iruka-san," I respond somewhat smoothly (not really) and I begin to walk away. The courtyard wasn't that far so maybe I can still catch them.

"Do you want me to go with you?" I turn to look back at Iruka-san, who has a kind look on his face. He seems like he could be a great friend, the type that would always be there to help.

I smile at him slightly and say, "I thi-think that I n-n-need to do thi-this alone."

The twins lay sitting in a well-shaded area under a large tree, their lunches next to them as they eat and play video games on some gaming system. I watch them from the safety of the hallway, still out of their sight. Nerves grip at me slightly and I tighten my grip on my bag. Should I really confront them? No, I know the answer to that. I have to. It'll just get the guilt off of my shoulders and maybe I can be friends with them. Brathair-mathar would be proud too. Can I face the possible rejection though? I've…. I just hate the feeling of being spurned.

I'm not like everyone else who can fire back a smart comment to people that they don't like or let it roll off their shoulders. I just…. I just want friends. Is it bad that I want them to be my friends? What if they don't want to be my friend though? I mean, come on, the only reason that they even know me is because I ran into them. And then we got stuck together on a project that they coerced me into doing the whole damn thing.

We definitely aren't enemies though. Well, I may have changed that a little bit. I'm… working on it. The past week events start to play through my mind. There has to be some time where I tried. There has to be. Something that will prove to me that I'm willing to do something, finally.

I've reached out to them. Tried to be their friend.

Been spurned by them. Left to wait for them to get an answer.

Laughed with them. Felt… content.

Made mistakes. Lost control of my temper.

Been challenged. Left to watch them as they hold me at arm's length.

Really… is it worth it?

I grab at my charm tightly, desperately hoping to imbue those characteristics in me. I don't want to give up; I want to be able to try. I want to help.

I stay back in the hallway, still just observing like a forlorn dog. Because no matter how many things I want to do, I'm still not willing to really work and put myself out there for them.

I edge backwards until I hit the wall and slide down, cradling my head with my hands as disappointment washes over me. Why can't I just do something for once?

"The truth is everyone is going to hurt you. You just have to find the ones worth suffering for."

-Unknown

"Akari-san?" a familiar voice questions, slight bemusement coloring their tone. I probably look like a sulking little girl right now, not the proper young lady I'm supposed to be.

I look up, managing a half-hearted smile at my friend. "Hey, Kyoya-sempai." He pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, masking any emotions in his gaze momentarily.

"Is there any particular reason that I have found you like this?" he asks but his voice leaves no question that he expects an explanation. I pout and curl in on myself a little more. I shouldn't have to explain anything to him.

"Not really," I mutter back petulantly.

His expression doesn't even flicker but I figure that he isn't exactly pleased with me. "I see no point in you staying there then. Come on, get up," he suggests firmly and he holds his hand out to me, his expression still that neutral friendliness that I've become used to. I look back down at his hand and a grin tugs at my lips.

He pulls me up easily, looking me over once I finally stand. "Thank you," I smile slightly at him, dusting my uniform off slightly. I hope that it isn't too dirty; it would be awful to have to wear it all of the day. "What brings you here, Kyoya-sempai?" I question curiously, walking next to my older friend as he ventures forward again.

"I usually walk this way to get to class. What I'm wondering is why I found you here today?" he turns the question back at me, looking at me in his peripheral vision. I shrug slightly and avoid his calculating stare. I know that he would somehow figure me out easily if I do. He hums noncommittally and lets us fall into silence, giving rise to a sigh of release whistling through my teeth. Kyoya-sempai is one of those precious people that know how to react to my sullen moods most of the time. It's a relief to know that someone understands.

"Kyoya-sempai," I blurt.

He glances at me and responds smoothly, "Yes, Akari-san."

I bite my lip, a little more hesitant now that I realize what I've started. I open my mouth again and close it, deliberating over my words. "There's no need for you to be so hesitant Akari-san," Kyoya-sempai urges, his tone even and slightly cold. I nod at his words, I assume them to be sincere but I can never quite say with Kyoya-sempai. Despite that, I know that I'm desperate to obtain advice desperately, even from someone that doesn't really want to give it. Eh, I'm sure that deep down he means it.

"I… what do you do when you want to apologize to someone?" I question finally.

"I have the oddest feeling that there's more to it than that."

I wring my hands and smile sheepishly. "Well… uh, what if you did something wrong and impulsive… and you made some people mad and you don't know how to apologize to them because you're nervous that they'll spurn you."

My older friend deliberates over my question, mulling over the words in that analytical way of his. "If I would have somehow done something wrong," Kyoya-sempai begins, playing along with my see-through shenanigan though his tone reveals that he doubts that it would ever happen. "I would still apologize, despite whatever personal feelings."

"Why?" I blurt, heaving a sigh. "They never really accepted you anyways and although you overreacted, they never really cared."

His answer was thrown back at me with ease, as if he had expected my response. "In my case, I would do it because I wouldn't want any future exchanges in business to be hampered by a detriment, small as it may seem." I slump slightly, well, that doesn't help me all that much. "In your case however," he continues. I jump in surprise at his blatant address to my quandary. "I would say that you would do it because you would feel an immense amount of guilt if you didn't, which would destroy your already small amount of self-esteem." I blush in mortification at his bluntness. Is it really that bad? He pushes up his glasses methodically. "That and those two aren't the type that let anything anyone says get to them. So the fact that they are even changing their schedule to avoid you shows that whatever happened affected them to some degree."

"Really?" I question his hypothesis, a small amount of hope filling me that I didn't expect to be there. I thought that they weren't worth it. Did I really think that?

"That is what I said."

The deadpan response makes me grin and I hug Kyoya-sempai's side, laughing slightly when I feel him freeze in place in surprise. "Thanks, Kyoya-sempai," I mumble into the sleeve of his arm and release him quickly. "I have to go, I'll see you another time," I call happily, waving at him exuberantly as I start to run back the way I came.

The upper classmen just continues walking, and I don't doubt that a mix of disgruntlement and surprise is flitting across his features.

My hand taps my side impatiently as I backtrack, my mind whirling though different scenarios on what I should say and their reactions. The implications are endless and it's making my mind hurt and worry churn my stomach more than it was. I filter deep breaths in and out of my system to slow my heart rate and clear my mind, a slight pounding in my head resulting from the forceful restrain on the pace of my beating heart.

I can do this. I have to do this, like Kyoya-sempai said, I'll feel guilty if I don't and they are slightly bothered by what is going on. I see the large tree in the grass area come into view and my heart speeds up to speeds are most likely life-threatening. Never mind, I can't do this. I catch myself turning around again and steel myself with a few more deep breaths, wiping my sweaty palms on my dress.

No, no, I have to do this. Not for them but for me. It doesn't matter what they think at all. I just need to apologize and then it doesn't matter how they react at all…

I wonder if I say that enough times that it will become true.

I shake my head to get rid of the unwanted prospect and walk forward again, getting closer to the tree that Hikaru-san and Kaoru-san are housed under. I swallow nervously one last time and try to push my determination to the forefront of my mind to block out the nervousness.

I have to apologize, if only to get rid of my own guilt and make it up to Brathair-mathar. Kyoya-sempai said that they care, to some degree so their reaction cannot be that terrible. I can do this.

I'm finally only a few yards away from the tree and I can see them sitting languidly on the other side still, preoccupied with their video game. Here we go…

"Kaoru-san, Hikaru-san, c-can I talk to yo-you?" So far, so good, that didn't sound that bad and my stutter wasn't too pronounced. It's obvious that I'm nervous though.

"No," they responded monotonously, not even looking up from their gaming system. Soft dings and music emanate from the device, displaying that they are in the middle of something they view as more important than me. I think, Kaoru-san is currently playing, Hikaru-san watching with dull interest over his shoulder. My face drops and my stomach does a similar plummet, they aren't even going to listen to me? Am I that insignificant? I can't be.

"P-ple-p-please," I implore. "I just w-want to te-tell y-you somet-something." They have to listen to me.

"What part of 'no' don't you understand? We don't care and we don't want you around. Just go finish the project so that we don't have to deal with you anymore," Hikaru-san orders, tapping buttons on the gaming system smoothly and proving that I had gotten them mixed up. They still won't listen to me. Why won't they even hear me out? Kyoya-sempai said that it bothered them. I have to apologize; I won't leave until I do.

I respond shakily, "I understand the w-word perfe-perfectly, Hikaru-san, I j-just hav-have something to say to you t-t-two. I'm nearly halfway done with the proje-project any-anyways." I tag on the last part with a prideful edge to my voice. I've never worked this quickly in all of my schooling years. The quality may have suffered a bit though.

"Say it then," Hikaru-san starts.

"Or are you scared?" Kaoru-san finishes and I see the smirk tilting his lips as he stares at the screen, mocking me.

"I-I woul-would prefer if yo-you pa-paid attention," I mutter petulantly.

"But you're not worth our attention," they chorus and I flinch violently. Was Kyoya-sempai wrong?

"If it's so important though," Kaoru-san continues, his tone oozing derision and other emotions I don't bother to sort through. "By all means, tell us." A small smile lifts up my lips; finally they are giving me a chance. Well… one of them is… kind of, I think. Good enough for me.

I fidget slightly and garner courage. I can do this. I inhale a deep breath and respond, "I wa-wanted to apolo-apologize for yel-yelling at you both, i-i-it was wrong of me to do s-so." A slight weight on my chest lifts at the admission and I lift my gaze, which had fallen to the grass, to survey their reaction.

The audio on the game stops in the middle of a tune and both of the twins are watching me with a stare that once again reminds me of cats watching a mouse. Hikaru-san's eyes are narrowed at me while Kaoru-san stares at me calculatingly, their stares different but still judging. A red blush lights up my face and spreads down to my neck. "C-can we b-b-be frien-friends again?" I ask shyly, holding out a hand for each of them and letting my bag swing from my shoulder.

"That would mean that we-," Kaoru-san answers. I stare at him hopefully.

"Were friends in the first place," Hikaru-san abruptly cuts him off, and I can tell that his narrowed eyes are filled with anger and disgust. My eyes widen and the air whistles harshly through my teeth as I register the rejection. Yeah, that whole thing about when someone rejects you, you feel numb was total bullshit. Or is that just for romantic interests?

I let my hands drop and the grip at the strap of my bag in a white-knuckled group. I lower my head and my eyes burn as I try to hold back the tears. "And trust me, you definitely aren't worth our time," he adds in a biting and condescending tone. I begin to shake as the emotions overwhelm me and I blink rapidly to get rid of the tears. God, why do I have to care at all?

"Just go finish the project, idiot."

"Yeah, maybe then we can finally get rid of you, it hurts to just look at you."

I whirl around at the dismissal and the tune of their video game chases me as I walk away quickly with my head down so that my hair covers my eyes. I was wrong…. They never did care about me at all.

Don't cry, Akari. Don't cry. They aren't worth my tears. Nothing they said was true. They aren't worth it.

"But you're not worth our attention."

I'm not worth it.

A muffled sob tears from my lips and I break into a run.

(Hikaru P.O.V.)

I tap the buttons of the console, destroying the boss and winning the level. I set the system down and sigh in boredom. What to do now? I look over at Kaoru and see him staring contemplatively off in the direction that idiot had ran off to. I read the slight hesitation and guilt in his features, fond annoyance aimed at my brother. I thought that we had agreed that we didn't need anyone but each other. Doesn't that mean that we have to drive everyone else away? We don't need anyone else to pretend to be our friends just to snap and yell at us at the drop of a pin like she did. We don't need people like that.

"Did you have to be so harsh about it?" my twin asks quietly, turning his eyes on me and watching as I let out a sigh and roll my eyes for good measure. Secretly though, I'll admit that I'm disconcerted that Kaoru would be upset about it. Usually, he doesn't care. Period.

"Who cares? It got her to go away didn't it? Now she won't bother us anymore," I answer off-handedly, waving a hand dismissively. I know that he won't let it go so soon though.

"You didn't have to lay it on so thick though," Kaoru argues pointedly.

"It doesn't matter!" I counter sharply and then take a deep breath. "She wasn't our friend ever and I just pointed it out to her."

"Yeah, you made that really clear," Kaoru mutters. My eyes slide over to him again before looking at the school building. Speaking of which, what was he going to say to the idiot? I doubt it was acceptance with open arms but it definitely wasn't rejection; that was part of the reason that I jumped in. I tense up once the though runs through my head. Does that mean that he would have eventually let her in of all people? No.

I frown and bite out, "What's your point?" I already have an idea but I'm hoping that I'm wrong.

"You know what it is."

"She wasn't a friend, just someone we used 'cause we don't want to do the work."

"Key word being 'wasn't'." I shoot my brother a slight glare. "Look Hikaru, all I'm saying is that you didn't have to be so harsh about pushing her away and you know that." Sometimes having someone that knows me so well that they can predict my reactions to things can be annoying.

"As long as she stays away, I don't care how harsh I was." Well, at least that answer isn't a surprise then.

We'll do it all

Everything

On our own

We don't need

Anything

Or anyone

Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

(Akari P.O.V.)

I stand in the girls' bathroom, a supposed safe haven for troubled girls. I didn't even mean to come here at first; I caught sight of my reflection and decided that I couldn't go back to class looking like a sobbing mess. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, a few sniffles interrupting it but otherwise I'm doing better. My eyes are slightly bloodshot and they're puffed up, cold and warm water could only do so much. Lunch ends soon but by then I should be ready to go back to class. And pretend that the Hitachiin twins didn't reject me as a friend. Wetness immediately wells up at the reminder and I focus on taking a few deep breaths and looking up at the lights to keep the tears at bay.

You're okay. It's no big deal. They can't affect you like this. You have to be okay. You'll be okay.

A repeated buzzing noise interrupts my thought and I fish my phone out of my bag, seeing that Aya-chan had texted me.

Where r u?

I text back a quick reply relaying my location and go back to focusing on the mirror, making sure that I don't look awful by the time that my friend(s?) get here. I hope that they don't notice. What does it matter? They would figure out eventually from how I act, I doubt I'll be able to pretend I'm perfectly fine. Aya-chan will most likely wheedle out where I went off to, anyways. I splash some more water on my face and dry it off with the nice towels set on racks.

"Hey, what are you doing in here?" Aya-chan questions, the door sliding shut noiselessly behind her. "I hope you haven't been in here since you left Kiyumi-chan and I." A chuckle coats her voice and I manage a slight smile, which has her analyze me in confusion. "Ri-chan? Is something wrong? You're acting really weird." She peers at me closer. "Have you been crying?"

"Not the best of days for m-me I'll admi-admit," I mutter. I wrap my arms around myself and Aya-chan clucks loudly.

She moves forward assertively and envelopes me in an embrace, which I gladly return. She rubs my back soothingly for a few seconds and then pulls back enough so that she can look at me. "Was it a boy? Did you confess to someone and they said they didn't return your feelings?" Her tone holds the upmost understanding and sympathy for me.

I shake my head slightly and curse the sniffles that are starting to appear again. "No, n-no, not like you're thinking. I, uh, I w-went to talk to H-Hikaru-san and Kaoru-san…. So that I could apolo-apologize to them." A look of understanding flits across Aya-chan's expression, so she did know where I was going earlier. "I d-did after some convincing from a friend. O-once I did though and I a-asked if we could be frien-friends again, they started in-insulting me!" My voice raises an octave higher than normal and I take another deep breath to stop the hitches in my breath. "Th-they said the most awful things! A-and then I realized that they n-n-never were my friends. Th-they never cared." I look at Aya-chan's face to see what advice she has to give to me and I see a myriad of emotions dancing across her features. Everything from pity to annoyance to indifference almost fights for dominance.

"What do you mean that they never cared?" Her voice was quiet, accusing almost. My eyebrows furrow in confusion. Wasn't it obvious?

"T-they were just using me fo-for the project. I'm n-nothing to them!"

"How dense can you be?" My eyes widen as I stare at my friend and I recoil from her, creating distance. She doesn't seem to mind one bit. "You three may not have been all buddy-buddy like you are so desperately hoping for but you were most definitely not strangers!" Aya-chan gestures wildly as she speaks, her eyes sparking with emotion.

"W-what are you talking about? T-they never even gave me a ch-c-chance," I argue timidly.

"You got more a chance than any other girl! And now I'm wondering why! Why you? You didn't even know that they were treating you better than they treated anyone else! Why couldn't they have given a chance to anyone else!? Why couldn't they have given the chance to someone who would actually take it!? Why wouldn't they give me a chance!?" The words ring in the room and I stare at Aya-chan with shock.

"I-I….. I don't know," I admit, a crestfallen expression reflecting in the mirror.

I don't know why at all.