-peeks around the corner- I AM SO SORRY! Life just hasn't been easy lately. Schoolwork, extracirriculars, college apps, blah blah. Please forgive me. Writing hasn't been my forte for a while. I have ideas and inspirations, but whenever I want to write, my muse fails me. I am truly sorry for my long absences. Please bear with me as I go through my final year of high school. I am trying my best to write, but it has been hard. I hope you guys can understand. I love each and every one of you. Thank you for your support! I love to read all your reviews every time I need a pick me up or inspiration. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter :)

Chapter 9: Another Forbidden Revelation

Ritsu and Masamune sat on the couch of their earthly home, both sitting towards the two edges, creating a distance between them. A prominent air of awkwardness caused the break between them two. Obviously, the reason went back to their little incident in the nurse's office. The brunette couldn't understand why it occurred in the first place. What caused the man to react in such a manner? However, they must talk about the little information Ritsu discovered today, in order to quickly find the Halfing and return back to their normal lives. Lives where they can fake happiness, as if no turmoil existed in their darkening, fragile hearts.

"I-I think I know how we can find the Halfing…" The angel murmured in a soft voice. He felt afraid to speak up due the heavy atmosphere.

The devil simply said, "Oh… And that is?"

"Umm… Aoyami Miya, the girl who came into the office appears to be around the Halfing fairly often considering the heaviness of the air around her. I can feel it around her…"

"Ahhh…I guess we can simply watch her and see if we can determine which one is the one we're looking for…"

"Yes… It's hard to detect him or her in the midst of thousands of students…"

"Mmhmmm…"

The conversation between them stopped there. Masamune never turned to look at him, but rather preferred to look out the window, as if there was something interesting occurring out there. It hurt Ritsu to be treated in such a manner, as if something stung his heart. The brunette bit his lip trying to think of way to break the silence between them.

"I-I'm sorry…" Honestly, he wasn't sure what he's sorry for, but if would fix things between them, then he would apologize for what he supposedly did.

The ravenette turned towards him and furrowed his eyebrows. "What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything wrong."

"Then why are upset and in a bad mood?" The angel moved from his spot and closer towards the devil. "Why do you refuse to talk to me or be near me?"

"Because I would do this." Masamune pushed the other down onto the couch and climbed over the other. "I'm angry at those humans thinking its okay for them to seduce and flirt with you." He clicked his tongue at the thought of such an annoyance. "No one is allowed to have you." Sadness entered his eyes. "We aren't even allowed to be together, but I won't let anyone else take you."

Emerald eyes widened at those words. A deep crimson colored his cheeks due to those embarrassing words. In his heart, he felt some warmth. To know that the other cared about him that much made him feel happiness, something he hasn't felt in long time. The brunette turned away slightly embarrassed. He murmured quietly, "I… don't want anyone else to take you away either… I don't like that those girls surround you…"

A gentle smile decorated Masamune's lips. He understood that the two of them can't be together, but even so, to have someone you consider your soul mate to possibly be taken away hurts. For them, to simply be near each other and pretend that there is nothing between them is the best they can have. No words of love may be spoken nor conveyed to prevent themselves form falling deeper into their sin. The ravenette leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss onto the other man's lips.

As the night progressed, the two let their unspoken and forbidden feelings release. To be honest, neither truly understood what they felt in their hearts. Was it love? Neither could tell. Perhaps it's for the best the two could not identify their feelings in order to deal with their current reality…

…

"Now class! We shall have a pop quiz on the reading you have done for the Tale of Genji. I assumed each and every one of you have read it considering it was you assignment for last night."

Loud groans could be heard from different areas of the classroom. Masamune rolled his eyes and began to pass out the quiz papers to the student. He recognized the female student, Aoyami Miya from two days ago in the nurse's office. She didn't attend class on his first day probably to go a doctor due her sprained wrist. He first saw her in his class yesterday when she finally attended his first real teaching session. The ravenette still hasn't spotted the Halfing so far yet. Maybe he should follow Aoyami discreetly to see if she comes in contact with the child. It should be fairly often considering the atmosphere around her. It could not have gathered up to be that heavy if she wasn't around the Halfing for a fair amount of time.

The devil sighed. Why did he have to go through this? Hopefully, they can get this over with quickly.

…

Lucky enough, the school finally came to end after that last literature class of the day. Masamune still needed to do some work and had to stay for a bit. He assumed Ritsu would want to head straight home, so he headed towards the nurses office to inform the man.

He entered the office, but he noticed that the brunette was not alone. Aoyami Miya and another male student resided in the room as well. The male had chestnut colored hair that reached a little past his ears, striking grey eyes and lean, muscular frame.

The atmosphere instantly changed. He realized who this child was. He made eye contact with Ritsu. Both knew immediately who this child was, the Halfing they have been sent to find. Though neither expected it to be that easy…

Ritsu gave a pleasant smile. "Ah! Takano-sensei, is there something you needed?"

"Just wanted to pass along some information, but I see I'm disturbing something." The two tried to keep it nonchalant.

Ritsu stood up from his chair. "Of course not! We were simply having a little chat. Do you know these two students?" He gestured towards the two children.

"Hello Takano-sensei! We just saw each other in class now?" Aoyami rose and gave a small bow to show respect.

"I remember Aoyami-san." The ravenette offered a smile. "But I don't know the student next to you."

"I'm Yamamoto Kei! It's nice to meet you Takano-sensei." Kei stood up and bowed to show his respect as well.

"Nice to meet you Yamamoto-kun." Masamune kept looking at the male student. There was something about Kei that threw him off, but he couldn't tell what. The ravenette turned towards the brunette. "Can I speak to you outside?"

The angel nodded and excused himself. The two slid the door closed. The two began to spoke hush tones.

"It's him…"

Ritsu nodded. "I didn't expect to find him so fast…"

Masamune chuckled. "I didn't either, but I guess it's a good thing. What do we do now?"

The brunette chewed on his lower lip. "I think we should wait for a bit."

The ravenette furrowed his eyebrows. "Why? We could take him to Adioria right now."

The angel shook his head. "There's something about him that I don't quite understand. And I believe if we wait a little longer, we could possibly find out who are his parents. From what he has told me, he has both a mother and father and isn't adopted. We can safely assume that one of them is the one who broke our laws."

The devil gave it several thoughts. "I guess you're right. But how would we meet his parents?"

"Aren't parent teacher conferences in a few weeks?"

Masamune shook his head. "It is, but I won't be the one talking with his parents since I don't have him in any one of my classes."

"Mmm… I guess we can figure that out later. But for now, we should get to know Yamamoto-kun and see if we can somehow."

"Will he come by to see you often?"

"It seems like Aoyami-san and him enjoy spending time with me. I wouldn't be surprised if I see them again."

"Alright then. That seems to be our plan for the time being. Should we still report to the sages?"

"We can, but we don't have to."

"Ok then." Masamune suddenly remembered why he came here. "I forgot tell you. I need to stay afterschool for awhile to complete some work. You can go home first if you want."

Ritsu shook his head. "I'll wait for you."

The ravenette smiled. "Thank you."

The brunette returned the smile. "I'll go back in to talk to them. You should go and finish your work.

"I will. See you later, Ritsu-san." He brushed his hand through the other's hair and walked towards the direction of the staff office. He didn't know notice the blooming red blush on his angel's face.

…

A week passed, but no new information surface regarding the Halfing, Kei. Something about his presence unsettled Masamune and Ritsu. They could not fully pinpoint the reason, but there was definitely something unusual about him. Miya and Kei often came by the nurses to talk to Ritsu during their breaks and lunches. The angel found comfort in talking in them. They were quite intelligent and mature for their age. Miya had a bubbly, sparkly personality, while Kei remained more reserved; however, they complimented each other in every aspect.

Today, Miya came into the office alone because Kei had to attend an emergency student council meeting. As the vice-president, he could not ditch.

Miya pouted. "I hate it when he has these emergency meetings. I feel so bored without him."

Ritsu chuckled. "It's just for one lunch period. Don't worry, he'll be back soon."

A comfortable silence settled between them. Miya stared out the window, while the angel filled out some paper work regarding some students who came in previously.

"Sometimes… I wonder why we are friends…"

Ritsu furrowed his brows. "Miya-san, why would you wonder that?"

She nibbled on her lower lip. "Even though he doesn't realize it, he is quite popular with the student population. Teachers adore him and hold him in high regard. While me, I'm practically a nobody… Sometimes, I feel like I'm brining him down…"

The brunette reached forward and clasped the student's hands in his. "Miya-san, you are beautiful young woman. You are kind and caring. You always find a way to brighten my day with your presence. If you looked at yourself in the mirror, you would see the beauty you have inside and out. I guarantee you that Kei-kun feels the same about you. And besides, a few boys about you several times. You are quite the charmer apparently. " Ritsu winked.

"Onodera-sensei, you always know what to say." Miya giggled.

"Tell me, how long have you been friends?" Ritsu was honestly curious about their friendship…

"Mmm… it has been around 6 years now. We met in elementary school."

"Kei-kun reminds of a dear friend of mines. Their nature seems quite similar." A sweet smile adorned his lips at the thought of his childhood friend, An-chan.

Miya smiled, "She must be a wonderful friend."

"She most certainly is."

…

"Where shall we eat?" Masamune asked. After the staff meeting, Ritsu and Masamune decided to go out to eat, instead of cooking dinner.

Ritsu thought for a few moments. He suggested, "How about the café we went to last time?"

The devil nodded and they went to the quaint café they ate at during their first night on Earth. The two ordered simple, healthy meals on the menu and chatted. Over the course of their stay, they found a comfortable balance with one another; however, kept a safe distance. Ever since their last intercourse, they took measures to not fall under the same spell. They needed to distance themselves in order to protect their fragile hearts and stop their powerful soul bond from drawing them together.

As they were paying for their meal, they heard a voice call out to them. "Onodera-sensei! Takano-sensei!" The two adults looked to the side and spotted Kei. The chestnut-haired teen walked over to them with a bright smile decorating his face.

The brunette spoke up and asked, "Ah Kei-kun. What brings you here?"

"Just picking up a treat for dessert tonight! My parent love eating the desserts from here, so I thought I would stop by and get some to surprise them!"

The ravenette smiled. "That's quite nice of you."

The three exited the café together.

The angel asked, "Which direction do you live in Kei-kun?"

The teen pointed to his left. "This way."

"Ah, we live in this direction as well. Let's walk together."

As the three walked, they chatted about mundane things. Kei-kun related some miscellaneous details regarding future school events. Masamune and Ritsu believed if they continued walking with him, they would be able to meet the angel or devil who broke the rule and also discover what that certain unsettling detail about Kei was.

Soon, they arrived at a beautiful, two story house with a white fence around it. Kei-kun pointed to it and said, "I live here."

The brunette and ravenette quickly glanced at one another. Before they could say something, Kei spoke first. "Sensei, would you like to meet my parents? I would like them to meet the two teachers who have been very helpful to me during the past few days."

Ritsu smiled, "We would be delighted to Kei-kun."

Bingo.

Kei-kun led the way and unlocked the door to let them in. "Papa, Mama, I'm home!"

"Ah! Kei!" A girlish voice responded from a nearby room. Ritsu furrowed his eyes. That voice sounded fairly familiar. He heard light footsteps approaching the doorway.

"I have some people I would like you to meet."

"Of course Kei! Who are-"

Ritsu's emerald eyes widened with surprise and confusion. The woman he saw before him was…

"An-chan…?"

An-chan stood there frozen, unable to say a single word. Footsteps descending the stairs was heard. "Kei, An? Is there someone at the d-?"

Masamune's honey orbs widened at the sight of the new presence in the room. "Yuu…"

Yuu stood rigidly in his place, unable to move due to shock and fear.

A tense silence permeated the air. No one could mutter a single word. The princes stared at their respective friends with confusion and shock, while the latter returned the stares with worry and fear. Kei stood on the side silently. He knew it would be better to simply allow the situation to unravel itself without his interference.

"An-chan…Yanase-san…" Ritsu found the courage to break the heavy atmosphere. "Are you soul mates?" Ritsu decided not to beat around the bush because it would lead to no where.

Yuu descended the staircase and stood by An. He grasped her hands into his. "Yes…"

Emerald and honey orbs glanced at one another, but quickly looked away.

"I see." An awkward smile graced Masamune's lips. "You have a fine son."

Yuu tightened his hold on his wife's hand. "Thank you…"

Silence once again fell between both parties. Kei decided it was his turn to speak up. It was going no where at this rate. "Mama, Papa, how do you know Sensei?"

An-chan gave a strained smile. "Ricchan and I are childhood friends."

"Masamune and I are childhood friends as well…" Yuu gave a terse answer.

"Ahhh… I see."

Ritsu asked softly, "Does he know…?"

The chestnut haired angel nodded her head. "We told him a few years ago…"

Kei tilted his head in curiosity. "Onodera-sensei, Takano-sensei, are you guys from their as well?"

The brunette answered, "Yes, we are…"

"Are you from Heaven or Hell?"

The ravenette responded, "I am a devil, while Ritsu here is an angel."

"Oh! I have always wondered what it is like to go there, but Papa and Mama never let me. Why is that?"

The Prince of Heaven gave a saddened smile. "They made a good choice in keeping you from there. It's a harsh world up there…"

An-chan and Yuu looked away. They had to hide Kei and their relationship in order to remain alive. Their relationship would have ruined them and brought discrimination and isolation upon them as well.

Nervously, the chestnut-haired angel asked, "Are you going to tell on us…?"

Ritsu and Masamune glanced at each other. The Prince of Hell shook his head. "No… We will not tell our parents, but we must tell the sages."

Desperation washed over An-chan and Yuu's faces, but the brunette reassured them. "We can trust the sages. They will keep in a secret. I know they will. And we promise to keep it a secret as well. We swear by Adioria."

Swearing by Adioria indicated the seriousness of their words. The two truly meant that they would seal their lips regarding their soul bond.

Yuu asked, "Why…?" He did not understand why Ritsu and Masamune seemed quite calm about their relationship. Normally, angels and devils would freak out and mistreat them for their forbidden relationship.

With a strained voice, Masamune simply said, "We understand…"

"You understand?" The lower devil couldn't understand what his friend meant by those words.

"Believe us we do… We truly understand…" Emerald orbs were filled with pure sadness and pain.

By the look of his eyes, An-chan understood what they meant. "Yuu… they do understand. They really do…"

Once again, silence settled between them; however, a sense of relief filled the atmosphere as well.

Things are getting tense! The school arc has ended. Now we will move onto the real part of the story where things will get very rocky and confusing for our beloved nostalgia couple. I will do my best to update as soon as possible! I am trying to write Worlds Apart, but I can't seem to find the words to write… I will keep trying to write and hopefully have a chapter soon! I love you all :)

Please review! Love and Kisses! :)