*two weeks later*

"Etsu!" I hear an unfamiliar, yet familiar voice behind me. I turn around inquisitively, then gasp in shock.

"Adrien?" I venture, afraid I'm wrong, but the moment I see his wide grin, I know I'm right. "Adrien!" I say again, unable to keep the excitement out of my voice as I run over and hug him.

"It's good to see you!" He laughs, squeezing me tightly.

"It's been too long." I answer quietly. He grips my shoulders and pushes me back so he can look at my face.

"How've you been?" Adrien asks softly, gently caressing my face with his hand. "You look tired."

"Well that's a nice thing to say." I try to laugh it off, but he purses his lips, expecting a real answer. "I just expected news on Kuri by now." I sigh.

"Patience." He smiles sweetly, his hand still touching my face.

"Well look at the loving couple." My head snaps to the right, searching out the owner of the sarcastic voice. I see Hikaru leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. His irked expression shows that he is clearly thinking what anyone else would be thinking if they saw this. I hastily remove Adrien's hand from my face, releasing my hold on his waist and facing Hikaru.

"It's not – "

"What I think?" Hikaru cuts me off, his tone ruthlessly sarcastic, and I blush, knowing how cheesy that line sounds. "I'll leave you to it, then." He continues, turning around and stalking off down the hall. I glance pleadingly at Adrien and he nods, letting me know it's okay for me to go after Hikaru. I rush down the hall as fast as I can, finding him just as he finds Kaoru, probably intending to rant to him about me.

"Hikaru, hear me out." I grab his hand, forcing him not to ignore me. Kaoru looks from me to Hikaru questioningly, unsure of what's going on.

"You called him Adrien. Someone you know from France?" He refuses to face me.

"Yes, he – "

"Is this where you tell me he's just a friend you grew up with?"

"Well – "

"You were hugging him. He was touching your face. You honestly expect me to believe he's just your friend?" Kaoru's eyes narrow at the description of how Hikaru saw me and Adrien.

"That's because he – " I say, my voice growing quieter.

"Can you tell me you don't love him?" Hikaru cuts me off yet again, now finally facing me. Tears well up in my eyes and I remain silent for a moment.

"If you would let me – "

"You can't tell me you don't love him?" His tone is accusatory. If only he would let me finish a sentence.

"I can't. But that's because – " Anger flashes dangerously across Hikaru's eyes.

"Then I have nothing more to say to you." He growls, ripping his hand from my grip and walking away, leaving Kaoru staring wide-eyed at me. Kaoru's eyes suddenly narrow again and he approaches me.

"Do you have an explanation? Because you had better tell me before I go after him." Kaoru says darkly.

"Of course I love Adrien." I whisper, tears slipping down my cheeks.

"How could you – " Kaoru accuses, but I cut him off.

"How could I not love my cousin?" I look up at Kaoru, more and more tears pouring out of my eyes. His eyes widen as he realizes what I'm saying.

"Hikaru!" Kaoru calls out down the hall, running after him. I jump as a hand grips my shoulder lightly, and I look over my shoulder to see Adrien standing there.

"Did I cause a problem?" He asks, genuinely concerned.

"It's not your fault." I answer somberly, unable to stop more tears from coming.

"Maybe I should take you home for right now." He suggests gently, and I give a weak nod. I'm silent on the car ride home. There's no reason for Hikaru to still be mad at me when Kaoru tells him that Adrien is my cousin, but somehow I still fear that he'll be angry.

I sit in my room dejectedly for a while after we get home, just staring at pictures of me and Kuri. Both my parents are out of the house today, and I asked Adrien to leave me alone for now so there's no one around. If Kuri were still here I'd be able to talk to her about it.

A hesitant knock on the door makes me jump, and I nearly drop the picture I was holding. I gently set the frame back on my dresser where it belongs move towards the door. My hand stops before reaching the handle. Could it be Hikaru? Or is it just Adrien coming to check on me? I breathe in deeply and open the door.

"Etsu?" My eyes well with tears as I comprehend that Hikaru is standing there. His eyes are slightly red-rimmed, as if he's been crying too.

"I'm so sorry." I whisper, circling my arms around his waist and burying my face in his chest.

"I'm the one who's sorry." He replies, returning my embrace. "I acted terribly to you." His voice hitches a little and he pulls me closer, as if he's afraid I'll try and get away.

"No, you did exactly what I would've done in your position."

"Somehow I doubt that." Hikaru tangles his fingers in my hair, a small smile in his voice. "Can I…kiss you?" He asks hesitantly.

"Yeah." I tighten my arms around his waist, tilting my head back so our lips can connect. As a few moments pass, his kisses grow rougher, and he's pushing me back into my room. One arm is snaked around my waist tightly while the other hand grips my hair almost painfully.

My back bumps into my dresser and I break our kiss abruptly, spinning around frantically to steady the photos that had begun to tip over. Once they are all safely in place and undisturbed, I release a sigh of relief.

"Sorry." Hikaru says, running a hand through his hair sheepishly.

"It's okay." I smile slightly.

"Which one is Kuri?" He asks, picking up one of the photos from my dresser. It's of me and Kuri in front of the Eiffel Tower.

"The one on the right, making the peace sign." I laugh. "She always did that so everyone could tell which one was her in pictures."

"You both look really happy." He smiles.

"We were." I sigh. A moment later my phone rings, and I glance at it inquisitively. My Dad never calls in the middle of the day. I glance at Hikaru and he nods for me to answer it.

"Dad?" I pick up. My eyes widen as I hear what he has to say and the phone slips from my hand, cracking on the ground. But I don't care. Phones can be replaced.

"Etsu?"

"I have to go." I whisper, starting towards the door, but Hikaru grabs my hand.

"What's going on?"

"Don't worry." I grin, giving him a light kiss. "But I really have to go." I tug my hand from his and rush down the stairs, dashing out the front door and into the car waiting for me. Could what my dad have told me been true?

I arrive at the hospital slower than I'd wish, and I run as fast as I can to the correct room. My parents are already there, and my mother's eyes are filled with tears. They move aside so I can see her. I can't even see her face yet, but she's unmistakable.

Kuri.