Author's note: GAH! I am so sorry again! But you all know the song by now. :( Still, I am so surprised by the number of reviews despite my dumbassery. So thank you. I wish we could have a Discord chat room or something, just so you guys can bug me to update faster. How about it? Actually, I thought that maybe you guys would have rememberd the footsie table scene from the first KenSou fic, "Eyes Of Truth". Remember? XD Soujiro has a thing with messing with other people with his feet in my little world. Not his fault that people can't understand when he's attracted to them.. so his foot does the talking! ;)

Anyhoo, hope you guys have a lovely Labor Day weekend. I won't, because I'll have work, wahhh! Enjoy this chapter meanwhile!

"They'll be some sharks, sharks, sharks ahead.
They'll be some sharks, sharks, sharks, sharks ahead.
And you will fall, fall, fall, fall apart.
And I will fall, fall, fall, fall apart."

- Melpo Mene

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"Good morning."

My eyes flutter open to a rosy glowing room, the curtains just slightly open to let in the soft golden rays. I grumble, my eyes feeling heavy. What time is it? It feels so early. And who said that just now? I turn my head to the side to see a pair of happily, sleepy blue eyes peering back at me. Soujiro. I frown and rub my own eyes to fix the blurry vision brought on by my premature wakening.

"What time is it?" I mumble.

Soujiro answers by climbing over my body despite my groaning protest, kissing the bridge of my nose, "It's time to live."

"Ugh. Seriously."

He giggles, warm air hitting near my nose.

"Six in the morning. I had a really nice dream about you."

I stare at him, waiting.

"I dreamt that we made love," He kisses near my eye lovingly, "Right here.. on this bed."

I scoff softly, "That was totally last night, dude. And that wasn't a dream. I fucked the hell out of you. Don't you remember?"

He is quiet for a moment, before sighing, "No. I really did have that dream. I know it because you told me something.. really interesting."

He pins his lower half of his body onto mine suddenly, making me grunt uncomfortably. I blink, frowning into his eyes quizzically.

"Interesting?"

"Mmm-hm." Soujiro nuzzles his face against mines, dragging his nails gently against my arm. I've never experienced this kind of tenderness before. And to be honest, it does makes me feel kind of awkward.

"What.. what did I say?" I implore as Soujiro rubs the other side of my face with his cheek.

He doesn't reply, leaning back slowly to smile dreamily at me. My eyes widen with confusion. Soujiro smiles with his eyes before leaning back in to kiss my lips chastely. There is a sweet melody outside by the early birds rousing from their slumbers to welcome a brand new day. I wonder what the ocean looks like at this time of day. He breaks the kiss after a long minute and still doesn't respond to my question; instead, he lies his entire body on top of me, sighing.

I don't get it.

Soujiro..

What did I say?

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"What do you wanna do today?"

"Let's just stay in."

"Are you sure about that?"

Soujiro helps me rinse the shampoo from my hair before replying, "I'm sure. I think I'm coming down with something, anyway."

"You're sick?" I turn around to face him and pour the shampoo in my hand to wash his hair next, "Are you getting a cold?"

"I think so. If I feel better later on, maybe we can go out to dinner somewhere."

"Cool. I'll pay."

He giggles, "That's okay, I can pay!"

"On top of everything else?" I look all around in the beautiful walk in shower, "I'm starting to feel useless."

"You? Useless? Never.." Soujiro closes his eyes with a satisfied hum as I rub his scalp with the shampoo, "You're priceless."

"You can stop being mushy. Shit." I chuckle uneasily, "You're starting to make me feel like I'm part of the Titanic movie."

"What?" Soujiro opens his eyes in surprise, "That was one of my mother's favorite movies."

I smirk, "Figures."

He hums, "I didn't think it was a bad film, to be honest."

I shrug and rinse his hair, "Too flowery for my tastes."

"What's your most favorite movie?"

"You mean romance?"

"Yeah!"

I pause to think.

"House of a thousand corpses."

"Ew."

I laugh, "Okay, okay! I'll be serious. My most favorite romantic movie would have to be.. Ringu."

He slaps my upper arm and I laugh even harder, "You ass!"

We got out of the shower together and dry ourselves with the really nice luxury towels. I wish I could steal one of these and take it home with me. Maybe I should. But I have a feeling that the help counts the items in the room. And of the numbers don't add up, they will most certainly point the finger at the poor boy with the red hair. Putting on our bathroom robes, we lounge in the suite peacefully; Soujiro having tea with the kitchen's kettle, and I watching the news on the big television screen in the living room.

I really, really wouldn't mind living like this. I sigh contently.

And then an intrusive thought rips inside my head: This goes against everything you stand for.

I couldn't even fight back against my own conscience. They're right. I slump into the sofa in defeat. Fuck. What am I doing here? I do enjoy fucking Soujiro and I like all the perks he has to offer. But at the same time, if the world finds out about this, what would they think of me? How will I ever learn how to be strong and independent, when I'm laying around in expensive robes and letting Soujiro pamper me like his little pet?

It's practically emasculating.

"Want some wine?" Soujiro beams at me with two glasses of red wine in his hands.

"No thanks. It's not even the afternoon yet, anyway, what're you doing?"

This is not how I want to end up as an adult, anyway. As useless and drunk as my stepfather.

He comes to plop down next to me on the couch and places one glass in front of me and drinks from his own before replying, "It's Saturday, Kenshin. Lighten up."

"How can I lighten up when we haven't had sex with those hot chicks?" I switch the channel to a cartoon absentmindedly.

"Still going on about them whores, huh?" Soujiro chuckles, but there is a hint of bitterness there. I smile.

"Oh? Do I detect a bit of," I lean to the side to wrap my arm around his shoulders, "Jealousy, perhaps?"

He shrugs, "They weren't even that hot. It's gotta be their makeup that's blinding you."

"What are you, a makeup artist now?" I sneer jokingly, "Maybe you should lighten up."

Soujiro sits there quietly. I let my eyes glaze over to the television set playing dumb cartoon shows that I haven't watched in close to ten years now. I can hardly remember my early life before being adopted by Hiko; I don't even recall how my father looked like, or what kind of perfume my mom would wear. Like the cartoons that I can't pay much attention to, my memories of them seem just as distant. Like background noise.

I wonder..

"What was your mother like, Soujiro?" My hand that was on his shoulder now travels up to his head to rub his scalp gently, and he rests it on my shoulder in return.

"Really one of a kind." Soujiro drifts off with his eyes closed, "She couldn't always bring me with her when she did business travels with my dad, so she would buy me all sorts of neat stuff from other countries. When other women would wear floral perfumes, she'd wear something distinct that always turned heads wherever she went. I can still remember how strangers used to look at her when she would walk by them. She was very beautiful. She could play the harp and entertained my father's guests during house parties. She had a really.. perfect smile even when she knew that my father.."

I waited. But he doesn't go on. I guess I hit a sore spot.

"Sorry."

"Don't be," Soujiro takes my hand into his now, "I'm happy that you're so curious about me. I'm flattered."

We look into each others' eyes, both caught by a silent surprise by the surge of electricity by that single moment.

We could have kissed right there and then. But I suddenly wanted this moment to be over already..

"We should do something now. I'm bored and I know you said you feel kind of sick, buuut―" I stretch my arms with a yawn, "Can't be good for you to stay stuck in here as well."

Soujiro giggles softly underneath his breath, "Sure. What are you in the mood for?"

I smirk secretly to myself.

"You gotta be kidding me." Soujiro states with a deadpan tone.

Both of us are now sitting in a swan shaped boat, paddling together as a team down a beautiful and serene river. I'm willing to bet that when Soujiro took me out here to Hiroshima, that I'll be the punk rock lover of his dreams, and show him all of the coolest (and maybe illegal) happenings wherever we go. Not so! Instead, I'll fuck this trip up a little by doing grandmotherly things just to piss him off.

And I think it's working!

"We could have gone to a local show or something!" Soujiro bickers like a disappointed child whose parents drove right past the toy store.

I snigger, "Whoopsie daisies!"

"God, you are so annoying." Soujiro sighs and continues peddling, "Say, where does this duck go?"

"You mean swan!"

Soujiro growls even louder, "Whatever!"

I laugh, "Just follow my lead and I'll take you someplace nice."

"Jesus Christ.." Soujiro pouts but then follows my lead.

We paddle further down south until the city life and the streets seem to merge into a more countryside scenery. I read from the search engine on my phone that this is a great spot for that sort of thing. I guess cities have its charm, but I'll always be a country boy at heart.

I bet when Soujiro took me out here to Hiroshima, he would only experience the busy life of the city. Not so. Instead, I'll show him what beauty hides in the heart of what Mother Nature has to offer. That not everything in life that has something of worth has to come with a price tag.

And I think it's working.

We stop peddling, and I wait.

...

"Kenshin.. this is.." Soujiro turns his head left and right and all around him. The sparkling October sun has seemed to light the forest on fire with all different, vibrant shades of the deepest scarlets, glowing embers, and right down to the milky lavenders. The river is the clearest I have ever seen in my life before. But despite the wonderful things all around me.. all my eyes can focus on is the boy sitting next to me as he absorbs the world all around him like a newborn baby.

"It's so beautiful." He finally breathes in awe, his smile the purest I have seen yet.

A wind passes us by, his scattering chestnut hair glinting by the generous sun.

Beautiful.

".. Like you." I bravely state, making him turn to me, obviously startled. I look at him as he fumbles with his words in a voice so timidly and faintly, I could hardly be able to recognize any of the vowels he is trying to formulate. He looks at his own hands gripping his jeans and ungripping them repeatedly, as if trying to think of the perfect thing to say right back. When really.. he doesn't even have to say anything at all. Soujiro, I think you've done everything to make me and my friends happy so far. Even if there is something that you are hiding.. Maybe you are a victim to all of this mystery. A mystery that I no doubt will solve on my own, but a mystery that I hope can help you somehow. I don't know if that makes sense, but.. I just know. Because there's no way any normal person would just come to school and start buying other people presents and gifts in order to befriend them. Not to mention, that person being rich beyond imagination going to a regular school filled with regular folks? There just has to be a real reason as to why.

Without waiting for his answer, I take his chin gently with my hand to turn him to me, and I kiss him. The entire world melts all around us, the trees that were glowing vermilion and titian now dissolving into a world of candy colored liquid. And I feel warm and safe. Floating. I wonder if Soujiro feels the same with my lips on his at this moment. As I pull away from his lips to look into his eyes, he abruptly, without warning, whispers, "I don't understand."

I smile against his lips, "I just like spending time with you. What's there to get?"

He pulls away from my face further to study me, "So you mean.. you actually like me? At long last?"

I inhale and exhale deeply, catching what he meant by that, "..I'm sorry. I should have been nicer to you on your first day at school. I guess.. I guess I'm not used to people like you."

He sits there for a while, and then he says: "What do you have against rich people like me?"

I look at my feet, just thinking. What do I have against people like Soujiro, exactly? All my friends don't have a lot of money, but they seemed keen on Soujiro much faster than I have for some strange reason. What do I have against rich people? Is it jealousy? Bitterness that they can buy their way out of most of life's troubles easily? If I had a lot of money, I could put Hiko into a great rehabilitation program so that he can stop drinking. I could go to any school I wanted, and I could help out my friends if they needed anything. I could do so many things if I had the money.

I turn to Soujiro to finally admit, "I'm envious of you guys."

He doesn't say anything except leaning in to kiss me on the cheek, resting his head on my shoulder, "I understand. I don't hold anything against you for that. I'd be angry in your shoes too at someone like me. I'm sorry if.. I'm sorry if it looked like I was flashing money around in peoples faces like that. I'm realizing how rude that comes across now."

Soujiro..

We sit in the swan boat, the skies above us taking on a rosier tone to signal the upcoming evening.

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"Hah!" Soujiro gasps as I rub his shoulders with my hands.

Ew, you thought it was something else, right?

"Will you please just relax?" I growl in annoyance, "I can't believe rowing a damn boat could make you this sore!"

"It's not my fault you suggested that stuff on the first place!" He growls right back, wincing visibly as I add more pressure, "That hurts!"

I sigh, withdrawing my hands, "Okay. I'm going to head down to the drugstore to get some supplies. And snacks. You just rest in bed, okay?"

"Do you need any mo.." Soujiro stops himself from the look in my eyes, "I'm sorry."

I merely turn away from him and climb out of the bed to put on my brand new leather jacket and Levi jeans. Slipping my worn out wallet in my back jean pocket and my van shoes, I walk out of the suite to catch the elevator. I really don't feel like chewing his ass out over that money comment. Something tells me he doesn't even mean it, anyway.

At the drugstore just a few blocks away, I brought a few medical supplies: A bottle of ibuprofen, a warming massage oil, and something else that I think Soujiro would like. I also brought said snacks with me too.

I dump the materials on the bed once I came back from outside, "Take off your shirt."

"Huh? What's this?" Soujiro starts picking up said materials with curiosity, "Painkillers.. massaging oil, and.. anal lube?"

I throw my head back with a loud guffaw, "You're surprised?"

He sighs with a twitch of his eyebrow, "More like disturbed."

"Come on, let's get you all nice and relaxed." I pat on the area next to me so that he can crawl over and sit in front of me. I squeeze some of the massaging oil in my hand and rub it together to warm it up before I start pressing them on his shoulders and near the sides of his neck.

"Hmm," Soujiro moans softly, "You're really good at this, Kenshin."

"I'm always good with my hands." My lips spread into a knowing grin.

I continue at it with rubbing his upper arms and all the way down to his forearms. I even massage his hands and fingers, just to be extra nice. I guess it's not so bad to be friendly with Soujiro every once in a while. I mean.. something's gotta give if he's spending so much money on me, right? And I think I know what he desperate desires, deep down.

"Wow," Soujiro chuckles lightly, "You really are good at this, actually!"

"Lie down." I instruct him simply, and he does so. Lying on his stomach, I continue to rub and massage his shoulders and around his neck, slowing my way down to his upper back now. I can feel his muscles relaxing just by me touching him. Trailing my hands now on his tail bone, I hear him breathing deeper in relaxation, my arms breaking out in goosebumps.

"Kenshin.." I hear him mumble ever so softly.

Like every man, I too, have desperate desires. I reach from under his jeans to undo his belt and zipper, before slipping my hand down there. With my heart thumping and stomach dropping from a new height, I knew where I'm going with this. I've never touched another guy like this before. I only ever messed around with my hands with a girl who's eager to jump into bed with me. But I guess, there's a first time for everything.. right?

"Hum, Kenshin?" I hear Soujiro stumbling with his words when I can feel his bare torso, "What're you―"

"Just stop. I want to.." As soon as my hand brushes against the unfamiliar thin skin of his genitalia, my stomach drops even sharply.

Soujiro flinches with a sharp breathing in take, "Ha!"

"Hm!" I too take in a breath of surprise. Is this what other boys feel like? This alien feeling creeping into the depths of my stomach makes my heart race even faster than before. But I continue feeling him, my fingers delicately stroking the sides of his enlarging sex. It feels so weird. Familiar, but strange never the less. I gulp dryly.

"Hmm..!" Soujiro writhes under me and I simply pin my lower torso against his back to keep him still, making him moan suddenly, from either pleasure or protest.

"Don't move." I clearly instruct him, stroking him faster while my other hand reaches for the intimate lube, popping the cap open.

"What is this?" He chuckles nervously, "Kenshin.. Kenshin, I don't understand? You don't have to touch me like this.."

Pouring the clear gel into his opening, Soujiro flinches with a startled cry, and I smirk, "Sorry."

"That's cold!" Soujiro looks over his shoulder to snarl at me, "Don't be an asshole!"

My smirk doesn't leave my face and I push the head of my cock into the slit of his opening, making him shiver, "Poor little rich boy."

"W-wait!" He whines as I push the first inch inside of him, his back arching with a cry, "Ugh!"

"Why are you acting like such a virgin?" I laugh under my breath, "Come on, just relax—"

"STOP!"

I flinch, a startled gasp escaping my lips. I stop moving and just stare at the back of his head, waiting. Slowly he turns his head around to face me, his eyes pink and wet with tears. My blood turns to ice and I bite my lower lip. Did I just went too far again?

"Soujiro, I.." I carefully pull myself out of from inside of him, my hands now trying to gently stroke the sides of his hips, "I'm so sorry—"

"Get off." He cuts in sharply with a low growl, and almost as if his words were fire, I snap my hands back, burned by them. He sits up and crawls out from the bed, heading into the bathroom without words. I sit there, staring dumbfound at the door, listening to the sounds of the shower heads being turned on.

What the hell is wrong with me?!

I have to apologize!

Before..!

My stomach twists at the mental possibility of losing him and I nearly bolt into the bathroom. I find him letting the water cascade over him and leaning against the shower wall forlornly. I walk up to the shower area and lightly tap the glass door to alert him, and he looks back at me, his eyes redder than before.

I'm so horrible. I'm so sorry!

"Let me in.." I choke out the words, "Please. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Soujiro.."

He stares at me for what feels like forever. Finally, he nods once carefully, and I come into his space, the water delightfully hot against my shivering skin. I have to feel him again. I am cautious with my movements so as to not scare or anger Soujiro any further, my eyes no doubt filled with sadness and worry. He meanwhile gapes at me with the most frightening yet deadpan expression I have ever seen.

I knew I had to ask.

"Soujiro, who hurt you?"

He gasps, his eyes wavering with more tears.

I ask him again, "Soujiro, who hurt you like this? I feel like there's more to your story about your teacher..!"

Soujiro moves swiftly to try to escape from the shower, but just as quickly I block him with my body to grab a hold of him, "Stop it!"

"Who hurt you like this?!"

"STOP IT!"

"Who raped you, Soujiro?!"

A drop ripples across the ocean, and the rotating corpses drop collectively to the floor.

Soujiro finally collapses on the floor into a sobbing mess, hysterical and uncontrollable. I hold onto him meanwhile, burying my face into that sweet neck of his, the water drenching us together into one spirit. I knew it. I just knew that he was hiding something this big from me. Will he tell me who did it to him, though? Was it the teacher, or somebody else? Who could hurt someone as sweet and innocent like him?

I think I'm going to be sick.

"It wasn't your fault.." I spoke monotonously despite my queasiness, but my voice sure enough reached him because he cries harder.

"No, no, no..!" He groans and dry heaves from all the crying. I hug him tighter.

"It's not your fault."

"No.."

"It's not your fault.." My voice fades along with my escaping strength, though my grip is still strong.

The water continues to run peacefully, unaware of the dramatic unfolding.

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"Here you boys go!"

Our plates of pizza arrive on the table and the waiter walks away, whistling a happy tune. Sitting across from me is a pale, sickly looking Soujiro with redness tinting the skin from underneath his baby blues. He is staring sadly at his plate of food, completely quiet.

"I'm sorry it's not.. fancy, or whatever.." I take my slice to take a bite out of it, "It was pretty last minute and we were both starving from all that crying, y'know?"

Soujiro ignores me, closing his eyes pointedly and takes his own slice to dig in, clearly not interested in responding. Despite the seriousness of this situation, I couldn't help but smile secretly at how cute he looks when he's angry. It's absolutely charming. Still, I don't bother him. I let him eat in peace. We eat our pizza in silence, enjoying the cheesy goodness and slurping our sodas. The pizzeria is almost empty except for one other couple who are sitting huddled together to share one cup of drink. All the while staring into each other's eyes amorously. How fucking gross is that, honestly?

"Ugh.." I mumble to myself in disgust.

"What?" Soujiro frowns at me.

I shake my head, not wanting to disrupt his eating with that display of affection behind him. But he is relentless.

"What?" He asks me more pointedly this time, and I sigh, defeated. Casually pointing my finger at the side of his head, and Soujiro follows my finger with his eyes. He turns around to look at the couple. I watch him. After a few moments of observation, Soujiro turns back around with a grimace, and I had to laugh. He glares at me and I shrug with an uneasy chuckle.

"This isn't funny." He scoffs, taking a gulp of his drink.

My giggling quiets down, "It's not."

"Really. Not. Funny."

"I'm sorry."

"You should be."

"I am so, so sorry, Soujiro," I close my eyes, "I just care about you. A lot."

"I don't need you to care about me."

My eyes are still closed, "I'm sorry."

Silence.

"Let's just pay and leave." I hear Soujiro wrapping up with his utensils and napkins and getting off from the seating booth.

We walk together in silence to head back to the hotel, the night skies illuminated by city lights and the street lamps. Wearing my new leather jacket, I shove my hands into the pockets and watch ahead as Soujiro walks in front of me. I guess he's too angry to walk along side with me. I know I shouldn't let it get to me.. I know what I said in the shower was the truth.. I know all of that.

But.. it still hurts to be even just a little far away from him.

I hate how attached I've become to him.

"Whoa, wait up, my dude!" I chide him playfully, quickening my pace to walk next to him, "Any faster and you'll lose me to the swans!"

Soujiro looks at me in shock for a split second, but then turns his head away from me to hide his smile. Not quick enough to hide that even from me, you goof. I smirk, bravely wrapping an arm around his shoulders. He flinches and stops walking, "Wait.."

I blink, smiling, "Yes?"

He looks at my hand that is grasping his shoulder and then back at me, his eyebrow cocked.

I beam, "Lets just stop fighting, okay? I want us to be okay again."

He grunts, flickering his eyes to the ground. We start walking together now, ignoring the stares from strangers who walk past us. Soujiro seems to keep his eyes glued to the ground as I lead us walking back to the hotel. A few were brave enough to mumble something offensive under their breaths; others would just glare straight on at me or Soujiro. Despite the weirdness, I just hold onto Soujiro's shoulder tighter. Just to reassure him that I won't let anything bad happen to him.

...

"Kenshin.. did you saw all those people?"

We are now lying in bed together, the room pitch black and comfortably cool from the AC. We have to get up early tomorrow morning for the travel back home, and so we are here in bed right on the dot. Hearing Soujiro's weak voice, I turn to him to whisper, "Who?"

"All those people today. From the street. When we walked together and you had your arm around me.."

Silence.

"And?" I readjust my lying position.

"And.. does it.. doesn't it bother you, Kenshin?"

I shrug, though I doubt he is able to see that, "Not really. If it was people that we know, though.."

Soujiro makes a quiet sound before replying, "Yeah. I get it. I completely agree."

"Agree? Agree to what?"

He takes his time thinking about his answer, and finally responds softly, "That I don't want to date you or be in a relationship with you."

The pain in my chest came so hard and so fast that I nearly lost my breath. I stare ahead at the darkness in front of me. I couldn't see Soujiro no matter how hard I tried. But I can hear him. I can feel him. I can listen to his steady breathing and I can smell his scent. That cologne I used to hate so much before, and now..

I clutch on the mattress sheet painfully, my voice waivering, "Yeah. I agree."

Soujiro takes a deep breath and sighs, "Goodnight, Kenshin.."

Soujiro..

The next morning, we took the long bus ride back to Kyoto. It was a long, quiet ride back home. Soujiro and I would only share a few short words or phrases to get things going, but otherwise, I feel a wall between us that didn't used to be there before. At the bus station in Kyoto, I told Soujiro that I can hail a cab home from here so that he can head on home without me. He frowns.

"Are you.. I can drive you—"

"No time. I'm worried about Hiko." I smile, hiding my inner demons, "I'll see you at school tomorrow."

I don't let him answer before I turn around and walk out of the bus station, turning on my phone to call a taxi. Even now, I refuse to let Soujiro know or how I live with Hiko. Coming through my front door, the stench in the air makes me groan in disgust; Hiko has been drinking again. Did he drank all weekend long while I was gone? Finding him sprawl out on the couch in the living room, I simply watch him while leaning against the wall. His five o'clock shadow, the beer stains on his shirt, his matted hair.. I close my eyes painfully.

Why, Hiko?

No matter how hard I try, I can't pinpoint how or why he decided to drink. He had a great career, climbing the ladder to better positions seamlessly, and he adopted me as his own when my mother died. For so many years, he had everything. So why? Why did you started drinking? Was it because of me? Did single fatherhood drove you to drink? Am I the problem? Am I the problem to everyone's lives? Is that why my real father left my mother?

Am I the sickness?

Is that why Soujiro doesn't want me?

I slam my bedroom door shut as I scream into my hands, kicking my stuff and punching anything my eyes catches. I nearly broke my laptop but instead crash my potted plant against the wall. It's all too much. I can't possibly handle my own mess of a life forever, can I?

"Aurgh!" I kick the edge of my bed as a final blow to let off the last bit of my rage before I let my body fall on the mattress. I pant, my heart beating slower with each calming breath I take. To be honest, shouldn't I be glad that Soujiro said that last night? We can't be together.. not with all of our friends and family here with us. And there's no way that I'm like those disgusting men on the streets.

So then.. why does his rejection hurt so badly?

After my dramatic meltdown, the clock strikes noon. I can hear Hiko puttering around downstairs, hungover and confused no doubt. I decided to take a nap to sleep off the exhaustion. I hate waking up super fucking early. When it's almost three in the afternoon, I come downstairs to check up on him. He's nowhere to be found. Usually I would call him to chew his ass off, but today.. today I just want to forget about everything.

I take a bottle of vodka from underneath the kitchen sink. Time to explore the reasons as to why Hiko drinks..

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"Whoaaa, Kenshin. You alright?"

My eyes peel open painfully. My head feels like a monster's heartbeat and my skin is crawling with a feverish tremble. I feel so fucking nauseous. I have drank alcohol before, but never went as far as getting smashed for hours on end. I finished that large bottle of vodka as well as a few cheap beers that Hiko hides in his closet. And now it's school and I want to throw myself off a cliff.

I moan in pain, grumbling, "No!"

Sanosuke chuckles, sitting down at the desk in front of mines, "Yeah, no shit, Sherlock. What were you thinking? Who drinks the night before school?"

Me, apparently!

"Hey guys!" Yahiko comes into our conversation now, sitting down in a desk next to me, "What's going on?"

"Kenshin here is mad hungover."

"For real? Hey buddy, you okay?" I can feel Yahiko's pencil poking at my shoulder.

I growl, "Stop it!"

"Cut it out." Sanosuke says in a lower voice, and Yahiko retracts his pencil away from me, "Matbe you should go to the nurse and, like, go home."

"Right, like Hiko will let that one go." I rub my temples exasperately, "He's going to kill me."

"Oooh, maybe you should just go to the nurse and then say you'll call your dad to pick you up. Then pretend that you are and just leave." Yahiko cackles like a evil little bitch.

"Think that might work?" Sanosuke crosses his arms and thinks to himself with his eyes closed.

I gulp, feeling a wave of nausea washing over me, "I hope so."

"But where would you go?" Yahiko inquires.

"That's what I wanna know, too." Sanosuke opens his eyes, "You can't just walk around in the street in this state. I can't have anyone at my house right now, either."

"Yeah. Plus my folks wouldn't let me hang with you if they find your drunk ass in my bed." Yahiko follows.

I look at my desk somberly, "Maybe I can ask the girls.."

We all sit quietly for a moment until the girls arrive in the home room. Megumi is the first one to greet us, "Hola, amigos! How was your weekend?"

"I had fun." Sanosuke quips.

"I just chilled and baked. The usual." Yahiko chimes in.

"Smoking all that weed is going to turn you into a fucking tree, I swear." I can practically hear Misao's eyes rolling to the back of her head. Sanosuke chuckles.

"Oh, Kenshin, are you okay?" I open my eyes to follow the sweet, feminine voice that belongs to none other than Kaoru, who is standing over me with worry in her eyes. She is so pretty that I almost hate her for it.

"I'm.. I'm.." I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks. This is so embarrassing!

"He got drunk last night." Yahiko finishes for me dryly with a shrug. All the girls gasp unitedly.

"Kenshin, what the fuck?" Megumi frowns, "This isn't like you."

"After all your preaching about not turning to alcohol, this is a bit strange of you to do!" Misao chastise and I flinch painfully on the inside. I totally deserve this.

"I'm so worried about you, Kenshin. Why didn't you call us?" Kaoru sighs sadly with her shoulders noticeably deflating, and I sink further down in my seat.

"Hey, come on, you guys are being a bit much. Can any of you let him crash at your place so that he can sleep it off, at least? They'll expel his ass if they knew what he's done." Yahiko states as he rummages through his book bag.

"My folks are out, so no." Megumi leans on the desk behind her.

"My mom might help buuuut we don't have any food right now so that sucks for Kenshin if he gets hungry later." Misao says, "She's not getting paid until tomorrow and I only have enough money on me for today's lunch."

"The hell are you guys eating for dinner, then?" Sanosuke inquires.

"Aoshi is taking us out."

"Oh."

"I'll do it. You can go sleep in my room, Kenshin!" Kaoru happily jumps in, "We can watch movies together when I get back home!"

"What about your folks?" Megumi sniggers, knowing all too well of her overprotective parents.

Kaoru stops and thinks to herself, "Oh. My parents work until tonight, so.. I think we will be okay. I'll be home before them and I'll try to nurse him back to health."

"That is so cute of you to do!" Sanosuke says in a sing song voice, "So sweet!"

"Shut up, you're all giving me a headache!" I growl, to which everyone chuckle to themselves.

"Hey, where's Soujiro? He's usually the earliest out of all of us." Megumi pipes up, and I immediately dry heave into my hands, making her flinch, "Yikes! Don't puke on us!"

I burp and groan, "Don't talk about him. Please."

"You two fought again?" Yahiko asks, but before he could even get an answer, the homeroom bell rings and everyone has to take their seats for our teacher to arrive. The teacher does her usual morning announcements and school news before she does the attendance roll.

"Himura Kenshin?"

I simply raise my hand, my head still slumped on my desk. Thankfully, the teacher moves on with the other names.

"Seta Soujiro?"

Silence.

"Mr Seta Soujiro?"

I open one eye in time to watch as the students start looking around and whispering, knowing his perfect attendance record. Probably wondering where the star pupil could be. The teacher looks a tad disappointed with his absence and scribbles on her notepad before moving on. Meanwhile, I try with all my might not to violently projectile the disgusting bile that's rising inside my throat.

How am I going to survive this?