CHAPTER 23

                                  Yuuri was day-dreaming at the balcony. She leaned against the window while looking at the stars, scattered beautifully like diamonds on the sky. “I told you too stay in your room, didn’t I?” said Hattori while walking towards Yuuri. “What are you doing here? It’s getting late. You should go to sleep.” said Hattori. “It’s really nothing.” Yuuri answered gloomily while hanging her head low. Started to feel dizzy and almost fell on the floor. Hattori held her and cradled her. Yuuri looked at him while blushing madly. Hattori took him inside her room and put her on the bed. “Get some rest. I’ll come back after I finished my work.” said Hattori while patting her head gently while smiling. He went to the door and left the room. Yuuri held her chest. “Why is my heartbeat racing like crazy? Am I in love with him?” Yuuri whispered to herself while blushing. She lied on the bed and covered herself with the white blanket.

                             Hatsuharu and Rin were at the park, trying to relax. “Haru! Rin!” They were dumbfounded when Byakya called them. They both looked at him curiously. “When did you get here?” Byakuya asked as he walked towards them with Hazuki. “We just got here this afternoon.” Rin answered while smiling. “What are you two doing here?” Hazuki asked curiously. Hatsuharu told them everything. Byakuya and Hazuki were very shocked. Tears started to well in Hazuki’s eyes. She hung her head low gloomily. “So she did this to protect us?” Hazuki asked gloomily. “I’m afraid so.” Hatsuharu answered gloomily. “But why didn’t she tell us?!” Hazuki protested. “May be she doesn’t want you and your friends worry about her.” Rin explained while smiling calmly. Hazuki can’t controlled her tears and cired in Byakuya’s arms.

~*****~

                                     Yuuri was in her room with the twins. Yuuri had a heavy sweat while looking at the table. “You two made this?” Yuuri asked. “Yes! It’s really special for you! Eat it!” The twins answered cheerfully. “But… the meat… it looks like it was burned to ashes.” said Yuuri with a heavy sweat. “We’re sorry… we really want you to get better soon.” said the twins. Yuuri sighed and smiled. She patted their heads. “Thank you, dearies. That’s really nice. I’ll eat it later, okay?” Yuuri persuaded the twins. The twins looked at her and smiled happily. Kisa and Hiro snuggled in Yuuri’s arms. Yuuri sighed while smiling. The twins looked at her curiously. “Honestly… what am I going to do with you two.” said Yuuri. Suddenly, the door was opened. Hazuki and Yui ran towards Yuuri and hugged her. Yuuri was startled. “I’m sorry… I’m really sorry…” said the girls while weeping. The boys went inside the room. Yuuri hung her head low and pushed both of them a side. Yui and Hazuki looked at her with their watery eyes. “Kisa… Hiro…” Yuuri called her siblings. The twins looked at her curiously. “… I want to get some fresh air. Do you two want to come with me?” Yuuri asked while getting out from the bed and walked towards the door. Hazuki and Yui tried to stop her but it was no use. “Okay!” the twins answered. Hakuren caught Yuuri’s hand. Yuuri stood quietly while hanging her head low. “Yuuri… we’re really sorry…” Hakuren apologized gloomily. “We shouldn’t say those harsh words to you.” said Goku. “We’ve should trust you instead of thinking bad things about you.” said Gojyo gloomily. Yuuri parried his hand really hard. “Why? I thought our friendship is already over.” said Yuuri while smirking. Hazuki went towards Yuuri and leaned her head against Yuuri’s back. “I’m really sorry… I shouldn’t say those harsh words to you.” Hazuki apologized. She started to break into tears. Yui went towards Yuuri and held her hand tightly. “We’re sorry. We’re really sorry!” Yui apologized. “Why are you apologizing to me? I’m a witch, aren’t I?” said Yuuri while smirking. “We really didn’t mean to say that…” said Sanzo gloomily. “I’m going to get some fresh air… when I came back… I will act like nothing happened…” said Yuuri while hanging her head low. All of them smiled happily and thanked her. “… I will forget everything…. even the day that I met you guys and also the memories that I had with you guys.” They all were dumbfounded and speechless. “…. We’ll be stranger that never meet each other for now on.” said Yuuri. Hazuki looked at her as tears started to ran down her cheeks. “But we’re friends, aren’t we?” Yui asked gloomily as tears started to well in her eyes. “Friends? Do you really call yourself ‘friends’? For you information, ‘friendship’ started with trust.  How can you call yourself my ‘friends’ if you didn’t trust me even thou we know each other for quite a long time?” Yuuri asked. She parried Yui’s hand and left the room with the twins.  The air in the room became stiff with tension.

                               White fluffy clouds were scattered on the blue sky. Yuuri and the twins were at the rooftop.  Yuuri only hung her head low gloomily. The twins hugged her arms tightly. “Are you okay, sis?” Hiro asked gloomily. “Please don’t cry.” said Kisa. Yuuri smiled and sank on her knees while holding their shoulder. “I’m not crying. I’m okay. So don’t worry about it.” Yuuri answered while patting their heads. “Why don’t you two go home? Yuuki might worry about you.” Yuuri persuaded the twins. The twins nodded. They said their goodbyes and left Yuuri alone. Yuuri stood up and looked at the sky gloomily. “You shouldn’t be here, Yuu.” said Momiji as he walked towards her gloomily. Yuuri looked at him curiously. “Why?” Yuuri asked. “Because you might get sick and might faint.” said Momiji. “You worried too much.” said Yuuri. “Of course I’m worried! I don’t want… the same thing happened to you.” said Momiji gloomily. “Oh, come on, Momiji. I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.” said Yuuri while smiling cheerfully. “Even when you said that, I still feel guilty about what had happened to you…” said Momiji gloomily while hanging his head low. Yuuri looked at him gloomily and smiled. “Well, do you want to make me feel better?” Yuuri asked. Momiji looked at her curiously. “Please stay with me… until we graduate. Can you do that for me? I would probably be alone if you left.” said Yuuri while holding Momiji’s hands. Momiji smiled and put his arm around Yuuri’s neck. “Sure… what are friends for?” said Momiji while smiling. “And also….” Momiji looked at Yuuri curiously. “… eat this meat for me.” said Yuuri while giving him her food that the twins made for her. “No way!” said Momiji with a heavy sweat. They both kept quarrelling. In the end, Momiji gave up and ate the food. Yuuri laughed at him happily. 

                                 “Are you sure about this, Hattori?” Kagura asked as she gave Hattori a small red box. “Of course.” Hattori answered as he took the box from Kagura. “What if she rejected you?” Kagura asked curiously. “She won’t. I know her quite a long time.” said Hattori while smiling. Kagura smiled. “You must love her so much, don’t you?” Kagura asked. “Well… I won’t do this if I didn’t love her.” Hattori answered. “If you said so. Good luck then!” said Kagura while smiling happily. Hattori kept the box quickly when he saw Yuuri and Momiji, walking towards them. Yuuri was dumbfounded and looked at them gloomily. “Are they both together?” Yuuri whispered to herself gloomily. “Hey, Yuu! How are you feeling?” Kagura asked as she hugged Yuuri tightly. Yuuri managed to curl a fake smile “I’m fine, thanks for asking.” said Yuuri while smiling cheerfully. “I have some work to do.” said Hattori. He excused himself and left his cousins. Yuuri, Kagura and Momiji went back to Yuuri’s room and chatted together happily.

                                 It was a moonless and cloudless night. There were millions of stars, shimmering like diamonds in the dark sky. Yuuri was walking home together with Hattori. “Where’s your car, Hattori?” Yuuri asked curiously. “Shigure used it.” Hattori answered. “I see…” said Yuuri. They both started to feel awkward. “Do you have any plans this Monday?” Hattori asked. “Well, I don’t think Haru let me go to school. He would probably force me to stay at home. Why?” Yuuri asked while looking at him curiously. “I got two days off. I’m going to be transfer to Osaka soon.” said Hattori. Yuuri was dumbfounded. She looked away and smiled gloomily. “When?” Yuuri asked gloomily. “This Monday.” Hattori answered. “Oh...” Yuuri only looked away. “Do you want to do something? There’s a festival tomorrow night.” Hattori explained. “Sure, but… what about Haru?” Yuuri asked curiously. “I’ll talk to him. You have to get some rest. After all, you’re going to take a very important exam next month. Mind as well relax for a day and study your brain out later.” said Hattori. Yuuri smiled and nodded. “Okay than, sure!” said Yuuri. They both went home together.