AN: This was, by far, the most difficult chapter for me to write, and it's not even close.

PhantomGuest: I'm currently in the process of creating an AO3 account, but once it's up, I'll try to be publishing chapters onto there.

Samurai Seven: The time for when C.C explains to Kallen Charles and Marianne's plan will come, but right now, it's not a priority, as the Sword of Akasha isn't in their possession, yet. Also, a Lancelot variant for Lelouch is something I'll think about, though, if it is built, Cecile and Lloyd won't be the one's helping.

Ryuto: Shamna will be making future appearances, as I think it'd be a shame to make such a drastic change to her character, and not use her. Same with Shalio and by extension, the rest of the 'major Zilkhstan characters. Of course, they won't be playing too big a role in the grand scheme of things, except for Shamna, and that's only because of her Geass. As for things calming down now, that's a yes.

Guest: I appreciate all the information you're providing, and I'll try to use it in the future. Currently, the Kagero is for Naoto, as it's a Knightmare with good enough specs that it'll allow him to shine in battle, and not be limited to a Sutherland. Of course, Lelouch could also pilot it, as it's specifications suit him just fine, but Naoto's the only one of the two that can really make full use of its potential.

Chapter 58: The Shirley Problem

Ashford Academy. February 14th.

It had been a little under a week since the couple returned from their trip to Zilkhstan, though they didn't immediately return to Ashford, as Lelouch wanted to lie low in case Suzaku was waiting for his return. Luckily, just the other day, Milly managed to chase the Knight off, making it so he wouldn't be able to return without Euphemia's assistance. This allowed them to return to school. However, that wouldn't be the end of their problems…

Lelouch shifted in his seat as he felt the piercing eyes of Shirley drill into the back of his head, "Why is she staring at me so intensely?" he wondered while trying to focus on his work. Though, it was helped by Kallen, who slid closer to him, much to the orange-haired girl's dismay.

Meanwhile, the orange-haired girl in question clenched two tickets to an opera theater beneath the desk. She had resolved herself to asking out the Prince today, "Thank you, father. With these tickets… I should be able to finally confess my feelings to Lulu." her eyes then grew sad, "But… how? When would be the best time?"

"Poor Shirley… I've left her completely in the dark regarding my relationship with Lelouch…" the red head had a melancholic look as her friend returned to taking notes off the board. "I have to do something…" she then nudged her boyfriend, who leaned in for a listen, "Hey, when are you going to tell the student council about us?" she whispered.

"I'm pretty sure Milly's already done that for me, so I don't see why I should-"

Kallen slammed her arm into the Prince's, causing him to yelp slightly, "I don't care if you think Milly told them. It'll mean more if you actually say it."

Dark clouds began to form over the school, almost like it was a symbol for the chaos that was about to ensue. "Good Morning, everyone!" the school's intercom blared with the voice of the Student Council President. "As you know, or should know, we're going to have a special event take place today!"

"Special event? Milly never mentioned anything about that… Nevertheless, it seems like it'll bail me out of-"

Before Lelouch could finish that thought, the blonde's announcement shattered any hope of him having a peaceful day, "As you know, today is Valentine's Day! Meaning, there's no better time to proclaim your love for the one whose captured your heart!"

C.C and Kallen glanced at each other with competitive eyes. Though, one was more teasing than the other. "C.C… this better not be what I think it is."

While the couple had only just returned to school today, the Immortal Witch had been here for the past few days, informing Milly of their adventures in the Middle East. Of course, this meant she also had a hand in creating this 'special event', "Oh Kallen… you and I didn't get to experience this event in the last timeline, but from how Rolo and Sayoko described it, it sounded like so much fun."

"And that's why… I'm officially starting the event dubbed, Cupid Day!" Milly announced, much to Lelouch's dismay.

Meanwhile, Kallen's face turned red. Whether it was out of embarrassment or anger was only known to her. "C.C… how dare you! I didn't think you'd stoop so low as to use this ridiculous event to try and steal Lelouch away." However, the red head's face turned back to normal, as it was replaced with a smile, "Though, even if you do successfully get his hat, Lelouch won't be forced to love you. In the end, it'll be my victory."

Little did the two girls know, this even wasn't for either of them. Instead, Milly set this up exclusively for Shirley, as the poor girl had been distracted for the past few weeks by Lelouch and Kallen's thriving relationship. "Shirley, you must capture Lulu's hat at all cost." the blonde smiled as the blue and pink hats were distributed among the student's, "I know I can't force you two to date… that much is obvious. Lelouch's heart belongs to Kallen. However, at least this way, you'll finally be able to confront your feelings, and hopefully move on."

Lelouch stood at the back of the classroom, directly facing his girlfriend, whose eyes were locked onto his hat, "Alright… if I understand this correctly, the two people who switch hats must go on one date by order of the Student Council President. Luckily, I have Kallen, who'll surely grab my hat first, so I only have to stand here and wait."

"Remember to stand at least 2-meteres away from your target." Milly announced as a good amount of girls in the Prince's classroom stared him down. "Ready?" Kallen drew low to the ground in preparation, "Set?" C.C approached the red head from behind carefully, "Wait! Whichever club brings me the hat of the Vice President, Lelouch Lamprouge, will get an increased budget for the rest of the year!" Milly shouted at the last second, "Begin!"

Upon hearing those words, the Witch instantly restrained the Kozuki, preventing her from pouncing on Lelouch, much to the boy's surprise. This forced him to narrowly dodge another girl who dove for his hat, causing a chase to ensue that led him out to the campus, "What the hell are you doing!?" the red head questioned as the immortal held her down.

"Sorry, but this would be over in seconds if I allowed you to move, so try and stay still for me, okay?"

"Just get off me!"

"No way!" C.C giggled playfully as Kallen hoisted her into the air, before slamming both of them into a table.

"Milly, don't you think this is cruel to Kallen and Lelouch?" Nunnally asked as they sat in the Student Council room, "After all, they're in a real relationship, and if someone manages to grab Lelouch's hat… or Kallen's hat, then that would cause tension between them…"

"Aww… are you worried about your future sister-in-law? How cute!" the blonde squealed while holding the blushing Princess, "But you don't have to worry, after all, there's no way Kallen would let such a thing happen."

"If that's what you think… then why are you asking for Lelouch's hat?"

"Because… there's another friend I want to help with this event. And, quite frankly, this is the only way I know how."

Nunnally sighed, "Well… at least Euphie will finally be able to meet Lelouch."

"Ah. Euphemia's coming to school? That's nice." Milly said with a cheery tone.

"I told her about Lelouch returning yesterday. She said that today was the only day she had free, so she's sure to visit us." the Innocent Princess explained, "Oh yeah, so is Suzaku. After all, she needs someone to guard her."

The President's cheerfulness quickly faded as she muttered, "Oh… great."

"You don't sound happy… do you not like Suzaku?"

"He's… he's fine." Milly lied, "It's just… wouldn't you prefer if you were able to speak with your sister alone?"

"I mean, yeah. But Suzaku's a friend, and I should be lucky that someone I've known for so long is willing to protect my sister." Nunnally responded innocently, "Besides, if I want to speak with Euphie alone, I'm sure Suzaku would leave us if I asked."

"I'm sure he would…" the blonde pressed the button on her intercom and shouted, "Why has no one caught Lelouch yet!?"

"What?" Suzaku questioned as he and Princess Euphemia, who was in disguise, traversed the campus.

"Ah! Lulu's really here!" the pink-haired Princess shouted with jubilee as students mindlessly ran past them, "Though… why is everyone trying to catch him? Is this some kind of game?"

"Seems like it…" the corrupted Knight muttered while gently guiding the Princess toward the student council room.

"Wow, Suzaku. You must spend a lot of time here if you know where the council room is. It's like you practically go here!"

"Oh… yeah. Milly just told me about it in case I visited but couldn't find Nunnally in the clubhouse." he lied without skipping a beat.

"Ah, I kind of wish I could still go to school at times. Socializing with schoolmates… joining fun clubs," a group of students ran past the Princess once again, "And most of all, participating in fun events."

"Why don't you? It's certainly easier than assisting Lila in running Area 11."

"But if I do that, who will help Lila? I know it might seem like she has everything under control, but under the surface, she's still just a kid, someone who was forced into this roll by Carine and Guinevere's bullying. Without me… I'm afraid she'll crash and burn, so I can't just return to school." Euphemia then smiled, "Besides… I said, I kind of wish I was at school, not that I actually want to go back. After all, being royalty makes things difficult with fake friends and such."

"Ah, I see. That must be tough for you." Suzaku responded thoughtfully.

"Not really. There are people who have it rougher in the world. That's why Lila and I are working together to make Japan a better place. Though… it's been pretty rough recently, especially with Carine pushing against us so hard."

"Well, on behalf of the Japanese people, I must off you my gratitude." the Knight replied with an overexaggerated bow, causing the Princess to giggle.

"You're very welcome." she said with a smile, "Now, shall we go and see my sister?"

"Of course." Suzaku opened the door to the student council room, "I really missed these moments. If I want to keep them, I have to eliminate Lelouch by any means necessary."

"Ah, is that you, Euphie?" Nunnally greeted the pink-haired Princess cheerfully.

"How'd you know?" Euphemia asked while patting her sister on the head.

"I recognized your footsteps, that's how."

"Whoa… that's incredible, Nunnally!"

The innocent Princess blushed out of embarrassment, "I-is it really? I thought it was just normally…"

"No way! It's definitely something you have to work on honing! Right, Suzaku?" The Japanese man nodded in response as Euphemia continued, "By the way, Milly, I heard your voice over the intercom earlier. Why is everyone trying to capture Lulu?"

"Hoh~ You don't know about cupid day?"

"Cupid day?" Suzaku tilted his head.

Milly pointed to the pink hat on her head, and explained the rules as a cat snuck into the room, biting Suzaku on the leg in the process, "What the!? How'd you get in here!?" he exclaimed, pointing at the cat formerly known as Arthur in the last timeline.

"Aw! It's a kitty cat!" Euphemia gently picked up the cat, causing him to purr in response, "So you want Lelouch's hat brought to you so you can go on a date with him? But I thought he already had a girlfriend."

"Oh, it's not for me." the blonde explained, "After all, I know Lelouch's heart belongs to Kallen, but Shirley doesn't know that… yet. That's why I want to get his hat and give it to her, that way, she'll finally be able to confront her feelings."

The pink-haired Princess nodded, "Well… I still think it's cruel to Kallen… but if this other girl really needs to confront Lulu to move on… then…" she turned to Suzaku, "Hey, you're tasked with guarding me today, right?"

"That's correct." Suzaku replied.

"That also means you'll do whatever I say, correct?"

"Please don't ask me what I think you're asking…"

"Then… I, as Euphemia Li Britannia, order you, Suzaku Kururugi, to retrieve Lelouch's hat, and bring it to me!"

Reluctantly, the Japanese man agreed, knowing that now, he could no longer kill the Prince, lest he feel the wrath of the one he wanted to protect, "No… what am I saying? Even if she knows I killed Lelouch, that won't matter. All that matter's… is her survival, even if that comes at the cost of my own life." he then bowed and said, "Very well. I'll be back soon."

Lelouch hid behind a bush as the football club stormed past his position, "Why is this so stressful? It was supposed to be easy with Kallen taking my hat at the beginning, but for some reason… C.C intervened." he muttered as he heard horses galloping in the distance, "What's her game anyway? I mean, if she really wanted to challenge Kallen for my hat, she would've knocked her away instead of retraining her." he then shook his head, "No… I'm probably just overthinking it."

"Master Lelouch." the voice of Sayoko called from behind the Prince, causing him to yelp. Luckily, no one was around to hear that.

"S-Sayoko, what are you doing here?" he asked while noticing the dress the Japanese maid was carrying.

"I've brought you a disguise." she handed him the dress alongside a long black wig.

"Th-this is from the cross-dressers ball. I thought I burned this stuff the day after?"

"You did. But I bought you a second one at the request of Kallen." Sayoko explained as he donned the wig, "She said it would be funny to see you wearing it again."

"Kallen said that?" Lelouch clenched the dress tightly, "Whatever, I'll confront her later. Right now, I need to get out of Ashford." he put the dress over his uniform, finishing his disguise, "Can you escort me out?"

"Of course."

Sayoko and Lelouch left the bush that a rapid pace. The less time he spent in Ashford, the better. Needless to say, he also ditched the blue hat. On their way to the front gate, they came across Rivalz, who was slumped on the grass, muttering, "Oh, President. Why do you want Lelouch's hat? Is Kallen not enough for him? Why must he capture your heart too?"

"Jeez, how embarrassing…" Lelouch looked on with pity as his friend let out a heavy sigh, "Sorry man, but I can't help you. I fear the consequences I'll sustain if I get caught by Milly, and that's not including the punishment I'll get from Kallen for allowing myself to get put in such a predicament."

After passing the blue-haired boy, then came across Alice and Clara. The latter of which was letting out a hearty laugh, "Oh man, this school's so much fun!" she shouted while twirling a pink hat on her index finger, "Maybe I should join the student council… what do you think, Alice?"

The blonde shrugged and said, "I mean… it might be a bit fun… and there's someone who's a part of it that I'd like to meet."

"Ah, you mean that Nunnally girl, right? But isn't she too young to be a part of the student council?"

"Well, they call her an honorary member, so she's not officially a part of the council, but she might as well be…"

Clara nodded in response, "Then it's settled, let's see if we can apply!"

"What about your mission? For the past month, I haven't seen you do anything to actually make headway toward accomplish-"

Before Alice could finish her sentence, her 'sister' put a hand on her shoulder, and said in a chilling tone, "What mission are you talking about? You don't have any jurisdiction over my actions here, no one does. So, mind your business."

Obviously, Lelouch and Sayoko didn't hear the last part, as they didn't have the time. To Lelouch, getting caught by Milly is one of the worst punishment a human could sustain. That's why he was taking no chances now. That's also why when he caught a glimpse of the next person they were approaching, he shuddered in fear.

"Where are you going?" Suzaku, who had just turned the corner in front of the duo, asked Sayoko in a hostile manner.

"I don't believe I have to inform you of something so… personal." the Ninja maid answered with narrowed eyes.

The corrupted Knight eyed the female Lelouch, then asked, "Who's she?"

"Once again, I'm not obligated to answer that question."

Lelouch took a step back, much to Suzaku's suspicion, "If she's a student here, where's her uniform?" he asked while gazing at 'her' breast, noticing the collar of the Ashford Academy uniform slightly peaking out.

Upon noticing what he was doing, Sayoko stepped between them, "She's not a student here. She's just checking the school out in case there's an opening in the future."

"Then why are you escorting her? Shouldn't the principal or a staff member be in charge of that?"

"Th-this guy doesn't let up!" Lelouch began running away, confirming Suzaku's suspicions.

However, before he could give chase, he was forced to narrowly dodge a Kunai that was aimed for his throat. "Seriously? You want to fight here?" he asked the Japanese maid as she stared him down with two Kunais in hand.

"I can't allow you to put a hand on him."

"So, that really is Lelouch, huh?" the Honorary Britannian got into a fighting position, tensing his muscles in the process, "Whatever. This won't take long."

"If our last bout was anything to go by, I'd argue the latter."

Suzaku smiled menacingly, "Oh, trust me. Things are different this time. My bodies fully prepared to face off against you."

While clenching the hems of his dress, Lelouch rounded a corner, desperate to get away from Suzaku, who fought Sayoko in the background, "Why the hell is this happening!? And what is Suzaku doing here?" he tripped over himself and landed face-first onto the pavement, "God damn it… this is so embarrassing."

The Prince, with a red face, started running once more, this time, completely ditched the dress, allowing for his legs to move freely. Despite his constant training, the boy was still relatively slow when it came to running, but at least now he was able to keep a consistent pace, which only aided in his getaway. However, just as he entered the main student building to escape through the elevator, he came face-to-face with Maya and Mario, who had their hats switched, "What are you guys doing?" he asked as the former casually sat on a windowsill with a blue hat.

"I switched hats with Mario, duh?" she answered casually while turning off her phone.

"Ew… aren't you guys siblings?" Lelouch asked rhetorically as Mario cracked his knuckles, "And what the hell are you doing?"

"It's not like we're forced to date if we switch hats. After all, the President wants to focus on you." the black-haired boy replied while inching even closer, "You know what that means, right?"

"Traitors!" the Prince called, "So what? Milly puts you on the task of capturing me, and you agree? What's she offering?"

"Increased funding." Maya answered simply.

"I won't have to join any clubs." Mario added.

Lelouch exited the building slowly, before hitting a mad dash, trying to escape as Mario followed close behind, "Just leave me alone!" he shouted while rounding a corner.

"Just make this easy on both of us, Lelouch. Surrender, and I swear I won't hurt you too bad." his pursuer calmly explained while keeping pace like a hyena.

"Shut up!" the Prince leapt through an open window into a classroom, much to the shock of everyone inside. Then, he ran into the hallway, where Maya was waiting to catch him. At the moment, it was a guess between left or right, so Lelouch chose to feint left, before running right, successfully outmaneuvering the black-haired girl as she comically crashed into the wall face-first.

"Damn it!" she shouted in frustration as her quarry ran inside the elevator at the end of the hallway.

Once the elevator came to a stop, the boy mindlessly ran out, ramming head-first into Shirley, who had been waiting there the whole time. The two collapsed onto each other, flustering the girl almost instantly.

"Ah, Shirley, what are you doing here?" the Prince asked while trying to stand up.

However, much to his confusion, the girl wrapped her arms around his back, keeping him in place, "No! I can't let you leave!" she shouted desperately.

"Ah- What are you doing!?" he exclaimed while trying to get away. That's when he heard the door to the side stairs open, and Mario, followed by Maya, came rushing in.

"Whoa, you caught him!" the latter cheered, "Good going, Shirley. Let's bring him to the President. Then, she'll decide what to do with him."

"Why is this happening to me!?" Lelouch shouted as Mario dragged him by the legs.

Student Council Room.

Euphemia slowly approached her captured brother as he was tied to a chair in the student council room, "Wow… you actually got him." she commented.

"And who are you?" Lelouch asked in a hostile tone

This made the Princess smile, "Oh? You don't recognize me?" she took off her sun hat, allowing for her pink-hair to fall onto her shoulders. "How about now?"

The Prince's eyes widened with shock as he gazed upon his half-sister, whom he never suspected he would meet under such… peaceful terms. "Euphie… what are you doing here?" he asked as Nunnally giggled in the background.

"Sorry for not telling you, but she wanted to surprise you."

Milly smiled at the interaction before saying, "Hey, what happened to your hat, Lelouch?"

The boy froze as he was forcefully thrust back into the reality of the situation he was in, "I… uh… threw it away."

The blonde shook her head with disappointment, "Well, then who caught you?"

Fortunately, Mario, Maya, and Shirley weren't present in the room, as Milly had asked them to leave for Euphemia's sake. So, the Prince could lie if he wanted to, "Kallen was the one who caught me."

"Oh! Is that your girlfriend?" Euphemia asked with a zealous smile, "You have to introduce me! I'm absolute dying to meet her!"

Milly chucked while saying, "Oh, don't worry, you'll have plenty of chances to meet her later. But for now…" she grabbed Lelouch by the head, "Mario already told me Shirley was the one who caught you. I just wanted to see if you would be honest. That means you'll have to go on a date with her. Though, I think it's real sweet that you want to go on a date with your girlfriend so desperately."

"If you know that, then why are you forcing me to go with Shirley!?"

The blonde grabbed Lelouch by the face and stared into his eyes, "Listen. It might not show on her face, but the guilt is killing Kallen on the inside." Of course, Milly didn't know if that was true. She was just saying this, so the Prince would confront the orange-haired girl, "So, if you want to relieve the stress on her heart, you'll go on this date, and at the end, tell Shirley about you and Kallen."

Euphemia looked down with melancholic eyes, "But… what about Kallen? Won't it hurt seeing Lelouch with another girl?"

"Yeah. It will." the red head in question told C.C as Suzaku and Sayoko clash in the background, "So, why should I allow this to happen?" she looked the witch in the eyes, "I was the one who fought for him. I'm the one who won his heart, so why should I allow Shirley to go on a date with him?"

"I understand your pain. Trust me, I do. But, you and I both know Lelouch isn't going to confront Shirley. So, the best way for this to go down, is she confesses to him on this date, and he shoots her down." C.C explained as Suzaku and Sayoko crashed into the clubhouse, "Besides… if you love something, you should let it go. And, if it comes back, it's yours forever."

"I don't need you to read me off corny lines from a script." the red head answered with a sigh, "Do you think he'll come back?"

"What a stupid question." the immortal placed her head on her friend's shoulder, "You already know the answer to that."

The red head exhaled in an attempt to calm herself, "Yeah. Yeah…"

"It's still nerve racking, isn't it? A situation that's completely out of your control is happening, and no matter how hard you protest, you can't stop it."

"Can you stop rubbing it in my face!?"

A group of students watched as Suzaku stumbled out of the clubhouse, battered and bruised. Despite the onlookers, he brushed his uniform before leaving to the Student Council Room. At that moment, Sayoko calmly exited the clubhouse, and mockingly bowed, "Please, come again some time."

C.C and Kallen giggled at the interaction in spite of the seriousness of the situation, "I'm not trying to rub it in your face, Kally. I'm just trying to sympathize, that's all."

The red head sighed in response, "I… thank you. Thank you for trying."

"You're welcome."

"Princess." Suzaku entered the council room, "We must leave now. You have a meeting coming up today." he glanced at Lelouch, but also saw Sayoko in the background giving off a menacing aura. Making him rethink the plan of attacking his 'best friend'.

"Oh, that's a shame." Euphemia stood up and went to her escort, "Well, hopefully you'll be able to show me your girlfriend next time we meet."

"Of course. Just name a time, and we'll meet you there."

"Oh my, how bold." the President teased, "Are you that eager to show off your girlfriend?"

Lelouch looked off to the side and muttered, "Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, it's just odd to see you so confident. Is there something you're hiding from me?"

Euphemia giggled as she watched her brother and Milly argue, "Then… how about tomorrow? I'm pretty sure I've got nothing planned."

"Tomorrow's good. After all, I've caught up with my assignments yesterday."

"Then it's settled! Give me your phone number so we can properly plan it out." the pink-haired Princess handed Lelouch a pen and paper, allowing for him to give her his contact information.

"Tomorrow's going to be so hectic." he thought while giving her the paper.

February 14th. 7:00PM

Lelouch watched overhead as dark clouds moved in, creating a dreary atmosphere, fitting the emotions that were going through his head. "Looks like it's going to rain…"

"Lulu!" the voice of Shirley called in the distance. Despite the chilly weather, she chose to wear an orange sun dress with a large hat, causing her to stand-out. "Y-you look great." she complimented the boy's outfit, which was his casual red jacket, coupled with black slacks.

"Thanks. You look good too." he answered dryly while turning to the opera house, which was illuminated by hundreds of bright lights.

"Uh… do you want to get something to eat?" the orange-haired girl asked as they headed toward their destination.

"No, thanks. I already ate."

"Oh… that's a shame…"

"Are you hungry?" the Prince asked, "If you want, I could get you something."

"No… it's alright." Shirley answered in a disappointed tone. After all, this date is off to a bad start. She felt like Lelouch didn't want to be there, which was already apparent considering Milly was the one who forced him here, but his short responses made it all the more apparent. Not only that… but he was constantly looking at his phone, even while they were walking. This was too cruel. Shirley would've preferred it if he shot her down right then and there. But it's because he didn't, that she thought she stood a chance.

"So, what's this play about?" Lelouch finally put his phone away, but he didn't directly look at Shirley while speaking.

"It's not a play. It's an opera. And this one's about an unrequited love to a king who wanted to save the world, but at the cost of his own life."

"How tragic."

"I know, right? Why does he have to die at the end? I personally think it would've been better if he lived." Shirley sighed, "Then again… maybe it's just the romantic in me talking, but I prefer story's with happy endings."

"I can see that. So, who's the one with unrequited love?"

"It's the King's Knight. For years, she served under his rule in hopes of getting close enough to be his queen. But just as she was about to confess her feelings, the King says he must leave to a foreign land. Of course, before he leaves, they share a passionate kiss to signify their love."

"Wait… I thought you said it was unrequited?"

"It is, because the King didn't return the kiss."

"But… he did kiss her?"

"No. She kissed him."

Lelouch's eyes deadpanned, "So… have you seen this before or something?"

"N-no!" Shirley lied frantically. Truth be told, this play comes around once a year. While the tickets are incredibly difficult to obtain, her father always managed to get them due to his connections through coworkers.

"Well, then this sounds like it'll be exciting for both of us, won't it?" the Prince said with a smile as they headed inside.

9:34PM

Dark clouds loomed overhead as Lelouch and Shirley exited the opera theater. The boy was busy looking at a message sent to his phone, which read, "Meet me at the hot dog stand." it was from Kallen.

"Well, that was fun." Lelouch said as they walked through the park, "I've still got one more place to go, so you can head back to Ashford."

The two came to a dead stop, as it was about time they parted way, but Shirley didn't want it to end here. Not yet. "Wait. There's something I want to tell you." she stopped the Prince from wordlessly walking. "I know you wanted to spend time with Kallen today… it's something I suspected for a while, but… considering how cold you were acting… I think I understand it now." with tears in her eyes, she looked the Prince in the eyes, "You're… dating her, aren't you?"

Lelouch sighed upon hearing her answer, "Was it that obvious?"

The orange-haired girl looked down with disappointment, "So… it was true. I just didn't want to believe it."

"Listen, Shirley. I'm sorry for not telling you guys sooner. It was… just embarrassing, that's all." the boy explained as she tried to restrain her tears, "I hope you understand."

"Th-there's no need to apologize… after all, you're under no obligation to explain your relationship with Kallen. But… can I just ask, for how long?"

"Since my birthday."

"Ah- your birthday?" Shirley muttered, "Seriously? That long? How did I not notice?" she shook her head, "Uh… how did- actually, nevermind. I dont think I want to know how it happened."

"Once again, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." he then looked at the time on his phone, "It's getting late. You should head back to Ashford. Have a nice night."

"I'll… see you tomorrow…" the orange-haired girl whispered as the boy disappeared into the distance. Though, she didn't head back just yet. Instead, she stood there with an empty feeling in her chest. Almost like her heart had just been ripped out.

An umbrella suddenly placed itself over her, and from behind, the voice of Milly called, "Hey, let's go home."

"I'm here to pick you up." the blonde answered, "Lelouch told me it was going to rain, so he wanted me to give you a ride home."

"Don't worry about him. Let's just go home." Milly grabbed the heart-broken girl by the hand, "Why don't we watch one of those romantic comedy's you like so much?"

"B-but I thought you hated those?"

"Aw, I never said that." the blonde responded, "Besides, I'm in the modd to watch one."

Shirley tried to smile through the pain, yet eventually broke down sobbing into her friend's shoulder. It would take a while, still she would eventually heal. This was necessary for her to grow as a person. It may be cruel, but the girl known as Shirley Fenette would become stronger from this.

11:00PM

Kallen watched as the rain fell from her table with an umbrella overhead. It had been an hour since she messaged her boyfriend to meet her by the hot dog stand, and while the man had since packed up since 5PM, it didn't change the fact that Lelouch knew where the stand would be in the day.

"I wonder how their date went…" the red head wondered while tapping the cold metal table, "It's strange… Shirley probably doesn't wish any ill-intent toward me, and yet I want her date to flop so bad." her eyes went melancholic, "I really am a bad person, aren't I?"

At that moment, she felt two skinny, wet arms wrap around her neck, followed by a soothing voice ask, "You look lonely. Did your date stand you up?"

Kallen smiled upon hearing the voice, as she instantly knew who it was, "I haven't been stood-up. But what about you? How'd your date go, Lelouch?"

The Prince sighed, "It was fine. Though, opera really isn't my thing."

The red head touched her boyfriends cold hands and asked, "Want to head back to Ashford? It's a bit late to be going out." Lelouch chuckled while gently leading his girlfriend into the pouring rain, much to her protest, "Le-Lelouch! What are you doing!?" she complained as she was drenched from head to toe, "It's so cold…"

Just as she was about to continue her shouting, she felt the Prince's lips on hers, sending a warm feeling throughout her body. "You've been teasing me quite a lot for the past few weeks, you know that, right?" the boy said while pulling away, but keeping proximity as her face reddened, "And today… we didn't get to spend much time together due to Milly's ordeal, so I think it's time to make up some lost ground."

The red head stopped her boyfriend from going in for another kiss and frantically asked, "Wh-where the hell did all this confidence come from!?"

"Oh come on. I missed you." Lelouch pulled her in for a hug, "Is it so wrong for me to be affectionate to my girlfriend?"

"Well… not exactly… but it's still strange…" Kallen muttered into her boyfriend's chest, "Just… could you give me a warning before you act like this?"

Lelouch chuckled while gently patting his girlfriend's head, "Aw… you're so cute when you're flustered." he then gently lifted her chin with his hand, "Alright, in the future, I'll warn you when I want to be so affectionate."

Kallen puffed out her cheeks playfully and muttered, "You better…"

The Prince then leaned in for another kiss, which was fully accepted by the red head, who tip-toed to deepen it. This eased the doubt in her mind. Lelouch was hers. It might've been cruel to Shirley, but today showed Kallen that he only has eyes for her. And that was something that made her heart flutter. This was a sensation she would never let go of. Not in this life.

AN: Honestly, that last bit with Kallen and Lelouch may have been OOC, but I'm gonna keep it in, simply because there wasn't enough Kalulu in this chapter.

Also, this chapter was mainly focused on solving the 'Shirley Problem', hence the title, but I tried to make it as entertaining as possible. Next chapter will be Euphemia officially meeting Kallen, and don't worry, Suzaku won't be there.

One more thing, upon seeing other reviews, I won't be splitting this story.