Review Responses:

pretty-on-point: At this point, I think we're all going to be in quarantine forever. （；´д｀）ゞ And thank you for your input! I'll keep that in mind when I write the future chapters! Ah well, this chapter is going to be pretty intense, just a heads up, so please continue reading to see how it'll all go down! （￣︶￣）↗

MagicxMusicxMelody: Keep on reading to find out who it is~! (¬‿¬)

Innocent-Diamond: To be fair, I'm pretty dense too, so I can't really fault Klaus, LOL. The only 'formal' event I've ever been to was prom and even then, it wasn't really anything special about it, LOL. Honestly though, why aren't there anymore balls nowadays? I want to wear pretty ballgowns. ＞﹏＜ But anyways, please read on to find out what'll happen to Shurisu~! ~(￣▽￣)~*

Chapter 9

Everything was right in the world and just for a little while, she really did believe that they were sixteen again, sneaking out at midnight to meet each other and steal kisses...until an all-too familiar voice broke her away from her blissful daydream.

"Alice?"

With a loud gasp, Alice attempted to push Shun away from her, only for him to use that opportunity to pull her closer to him. She tried to squirm away from his embrace but all that did was him tightening his hold on her waist. With a shaky sigh, all that the redhead could do was resign herself to her fate as the person inched ever so closer to the two lovers.

"K-Klaus."

Said man stopped about a foot away from the couple, an unreadable expression on his face. Neither party said a word and it was so silent that she was certain that everyone could hear her heart, which was trying to hammer its' way out of her chest.

After a long and uncomfortable silence, it was Klaus who finally spoke and broke the silence.

"You and Mr. Kazami were kissing." The von Hertzon male stated simply, and Alice flinched at how nonchalant he sounded when he said that.

"Y-Yes." She admitted. "We-We did."

"You were in an affair." Klaus observed and she sucked in a shaky breath at the taboo word. She knew that proper ladies do not have affairs behind their husbands' backs and that if they were ever caught, those women would be mocked and talked about throughout the rest of the nobles. And even though Alice didn't love Klaus, that didn't mean that she would want to bring shame to his name and have the nobility society talk about him as if he was just an item to be gawked about and not a person.

"Hmm." Alice opted for a nod instead, not trusting her voice to not crack. She closed her eyes and rested her head on Shun's chest, bracing herself for the storm that was undeniably about to start.

It was all a blur, and a fast one, at that. Shun's arms that were around her so that she was pulled close to him unravel themselves from her waist as he pushed her behind him and the next thing she knew, a resounding crunch resonated the air followed by the unmistakable sound of a body hitting the ground. Alice opened her eyes and another loud gasp escaped from her lips. Because on the ground, was Klaus with a bloody nose and Shun in a defensive stance, his fist still in mid-air.

"A real gentleman does not slap a lady." Shun's voice was laced with venom, as a wave of nausea flooded Alice. Klaus, the nobility society's definition of the perfect gentleman, was about to slap her, had it not been for her childhood lover.

"A lady?" Klaus barked a laugh as he stumbled to get up, reaching in the breast pocket of his suit jacket for a handkerchief to wipe the blood that was dripping from his nose. "A real lady doesn't run around seeing other men and being unfaithful to her husband."

"Men have affairs and no one bats an eye at them. How are women any different?" The former ninja refuted, an arm behind his back to ensure that Alice was still behind him.

"I don't care about the affairs of others - that is none of my business." Her husband deflected, coolly. "But, Alice is mine - "

"Yours?" Shun interrupted, sounding incredulous. "Alice is not yours. She is not an object. She is not a porcelain doll for you to admire from afar nor is she a prize that you have won. She is a person with a free will and will do what she pleases."

"She is not yours, then?" The silver-haired male asked, smugly.

"She is mine just as I am hers. She has chosen me just as I have chosen her. It is a product of our decision." Her lover answered, without missing a beat. "Mr. von - my mistake, you are not worthy to be called so formally - Klaus." Alice could hear the slight amusement in Shun's voice as she saw the von Hertzon male scowling at the lack of respect. "You do not love Alice - you only admire her. You merely see her as someone you can bring to balls like these and someone you can show around to the people around her - you view her as an object more than a person. This really shouldn't have come as a surprise to you."

"Stop speaking such nonsense!" Klaus thundered, causing Alice to jump at the sheer volume of his voice and to cling to the back of Shun's suit jacket as a means of comfort. Throughout the duration of their marriage, the redhead had never heard or seen her husband as furious as he was in that moment, and she was terrified of what would happen. "Who are you to speak to me about my wife?! Who are you to tell me about myself?!"

As his shout echoed through the garden, it occurred to Alice that it was eerily quiet. There was no music playing nor where there any background noise of the guests talking amongst each others. Peering over Shun's shoulder, she noticed that beyond from where Klaus was standing, it seemed as if all of the guests were there, huddling amongst each other, watching the heated argument with rapt attention as if she and Shun and Klaus were nothing but for their entertainment.

"Klaus, there is a group of people, behind you." Her childhood lover murmured, making it loud enough so that the three of them were able to hear.

Klaus tensed up for a moment, letting Shun's words sink in. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down before he spoke once more.

"It is getting late, Alice. Perhaps we should head home now." He said, forcing a cheerful tone.

"Yes, we-we should." Alice replied back, trying her best to sound calm despite the chaos inside of her, as she stepped away from Shun's shadow.

"Good night, Mr. Kazami, it was...an experience seeing you again." Klaus managed to grit out.

Shun nodded. "Likewise." He addressed Klaus. "Be safe." Was murmured to her and Alice couldn't find her voice to reply back to him, so instead, she walked over to where Klaus was.

"I apologize for the disruption, everyone. Just a bit of a squabble." Klaus addressed the crowd with a forced cheery disposition as he looped an arm around Alice's, leading her out of the garden. The crowd of people parted for them as if they were a king and queen, and she threw one last glance back at Shun. She wasn't surprised to find his eyes trained on her, but gave him a small smile, as if to reassure him that everything will be all right when she was certain that they were not. In that last few moments before he disappeared in her line of sight, she tried to memorize the way he looked in that moment. How handsome he looked in his suit. How piercing his hazel eyes were. How much she loved him. After all, it might be the last time that she'd ever see him again.

End of Chapter 9.

Note: Ooh wee, talk about TUH-EN-SION and DRAM-A! But before that, howdy, y'all! How're you all doing? I hope you're all doing well during these times! This fic wasn't supposed to be updated just yet - *chuckles nervously as I look over the fics that I have yet to update* - but I kid you not, I was struck with inspiration when I was trying to fall asleep so as soon as I woke up, I had to write this out before I lose my motivation. So, yeah, here's the result of me banging out whatever writing juice that I have in me, LOL. Hopefully it's...somewhat decent. (〜￣▽￣)〜

But anyways, on to more important matters! Unfortunately, Alice and Shun's blissful days of being together are over now, sadly, thanks to Klaus. But really though, that was long overdue - Klaus is DENSE. And not to mention how scary angry!Klaus is? We hardly ever seen - or never seen - an angry!Klaus in the anime since he's usually so poised, so I imagined that when he does get mad, he gets MAD. And can we talk about Shun being a feminist? This man LOVES his mother and I believe with all of my heart and soul that he respects all women and you can't change my mind. （︶^︶）

Anyways, do let me know what you thought of this chapter and hopefully I'll see you all soon! Bye~! (oﾟvﾟ)ノ