salut et quoi de neuf (hi and what's new)! here's my only update for the day (it's the 4th of July, and i'm American, so...). it took a while ot get my old computer to function properly - and it still isn't. the internet is hard to keep constant with... read, review, and enjoy this short chapter, s'il vous plaît!

Chapter Nine:

“‘I would have expected you to keep up with your obligations before mingling,” Kasumi mimicked under her breath while grudgingly shuffling through a tall stack of manila folders resting precariously on the edge of the teacher’s desk. “Who does she think she is?” She spent a few minutes complaining in muffled whispers until she reached the bottom of the stack. And realized with horror what was going on.

In panic, she lunged toward the door, tugging on the handle furiously. It moved less than a millimeter in either direction. The official status: locked.

“Hello?” Kasumi called into the door, gazing out the small glass window on top for anyone that could help her. “Please, somebody?! I’m locked in here!” She pounded her fists against the door to make more noise, hoping to attract anyone that had lingered farther away from the main dance.

Setsu sighed in disappointment. “Midori is victorious again…really? Why did you mindlessly go along with that evil girl?! You should have known better!”

She ceased her beating, sliding down with her back against the door to the floor. Noiselessly, she tucked her arms over her knees, curling up. After letting a couple of sniffles out, she leaned her head on her legs. “Well, I’m sorry, this time-”

“Believe me, Kasumi, I have forever - I’m fully aware of that. It’s you that I worry about. Kenshin and I already decided upon what we felt for eachother…you have to discover who you are destined for.” Setsu’s voice was apologetic and soothing in the stillness of the classroom.

Slowly Kasumi raised her head, realizing the impact of Setsu’s words. There was a choice, now. Before, she believed it could only be Sanyu or no one at all. New options presented themselves, becoming more and more reasonable. As long as she was in contact with Sanyu Tokuta, Setsu would be satisfied. The severity of the situation seemed to melt away.

“I…suppose someone will check out the rooms before they close down the school for the night,” she estimated hopefully, glancing down at her watch. Only ten minutes had passed since Fuyu had pulled her from the social hall. Some students snuck out of the main event anyways, lingering in the hallways or empty classrooms.

“Well, now you know that we have to be more careful around her, right?” Setsu asked clearly as Kasumi rested her head down again to wait.

“Yes,” she murmured in response, closing her eyes. Since she was right against the door, she could easily hear if someone approached, which made the situation ideal for a light nap while waiting to be rescued. But her conscience tugged at her for making it less of a struggle for Fuyu to corner Sanyu. It’s probably the least thing he needs right now, Kasumi thought guiltily. I just made his life more complicated…he doesn’t need that from me-

Her ears perked up when she heard the door being twisted from the outside. Groggily, she scrambled away from the door, pushing herself up from the floor to peek out the window to see her savior. Deep inside, she was disappointed but relieved at the same time. It wasn’t who she had first expected to come to the rescue, but it was the person she should have.

“Kasumi? What are you doing in there?” Sai Furukawa questioned in disbelief while digging out a set of keys from the inside pocket of his tuxedo.

She glanced down to the ground in shame at her brainless mistake. “I…um, was tricked, I guess.”

The sound of the lock clicking open caused Kasumi to release a thankful sigh. Gripping the handle, she turned it, the door opening effortlessly. Once she was in the hallway, she gazed around in surprise. He was alone, without any fangirls hiding in the corner nearby.

“W-Why…did you come out here?” She impulsively questioned Sai, as he gently tugged her by the elbow back to the social hall. “Oh, I’m sorry to have inconvenienced you!”

Sai paused, shifting his hold on her down to her hand. “It wasn’t too much trouble. Anyways, Toshi came and found me a few minutes ago, worried that Fuyu Sakai had done something to you. But, I believe that she was being rather lenient, from my experiences.” He laughed while recalling a few incidents while being in class with the cold beauty.

As they continued on towards the school-held gathering, an obvious silence formed between them. Sai seemed unbothered by it, only concentrating on dodging his fangirls. Kasumi’s mind continued to spin, pondering the consequences of her error.

Did they even meet? How long have they been together…alone? She thought in dread. This whole event is turning out to be a gigantic mess!

Breaking her out of her thinking, Sai squeezed her hand kindly, similar to the way he did when they were kids. She smiled at the small gesture, realizing how they were gradually drifting apart as more time passed. Yet with the comfortable partnerships within their companies, they would always have some form of contact.

“We’re here,” he announced grandly, gesturing to the ballroom in front of them. Couples moved unhurriedly to the soft ballad emitted from the state-of-the-art stereo system, while the rest of the attendees stuck to the sides, chatting or snacking. Toshi waved to them from the left corner of the hall, then ducked behind an ice sculpture. She had evidently discovered the attendance of Kaemon Mitani by now.

“Thank you, Sai.” Kasumi pulled her hand away to bow to him, her deepest gratitude obvious in her voice. “I really didn’t believe that anyone would come for me-”

He crossed his arms, leaning back against the entrance archway they were underneath. “We’re always even, Kasumi…please remember that.”

She stared at him, perplexed, for a moment while absorbing his words. It was already apparent that ever since that night, he seemed to hold an immense amount of “debt” to her. Still, she found it awkward that he was merely brushing off her appreciation.

“Well? Go on in there,” Sai urged while he strode away from her. “I suppose I’ll see you soon…”

Faintly, she waved as he left, scanning the crowds for two people: Sanyu Tokuta and Fuyu Sakai. With her stunning evening ensemble and abnormal yet dazzling hair color, it wouldn’t be too difficult to locate Fuyu. But Sanyu would take some time, especially since he seemed to have wandered away from Kaemon.

She reached up on her tiptoes, trying to get a better view when she saw them. Both of them…and right where she predicted them to be in the back of her mind.

He stood with ideal posture while trying to shuffle his feet correctly to the beat. She linked her arms gracefully around his neck, smirking serenely as the song seemed to endlessly play on. His expression was one of slight discomfort - hers, of wholesome bliss. And all Kasumi could do was watch and wonder.

Have they really won?



Sanyu couldn’t exactly explain the sensation that came over him as he concluded his first dance with the “Princess of Snow”. While she whispered sweet words of thanks in his ear, he felt his throat go dry in remorse. As she walked away, he flashed her a false grin out of politeness, only wishing to escape from the massive social hall. And moments later, he did.

He stepped slyly through gaps in the crowd, loosening the buttons of his suit jacket. Within a few minutes, he pushed through one of the side doors to the outside, where the occasional recently rejected teenager dejectedly wandered around alone. Determined to avoid those people, he headed to a seemingly empty bench as he pulled off his jacket. Before he could sit down, his vision caught that the seat was currently occupied.

By a sleeping Kasumi Yuasa. She was spread out on the bench, shivering sporadically as the chilly night air skimmed across the bare skin of her arms and legs. Yet the detail that stood out to Sanyu the most was the single leftover tear, clinging stubbornly to her made up eyelashes.

How long do you think she’s been out here? He questioned internally to Kenshin, laying his jacket over her chest.

“It’s hard to say. Judging by how obvious it is that she has cried, when you were dancing with Fuyu, possibly,” Kenshin replied honestly.

Sanyu exhaled deeply, observing the resting Kasumi. We already looked for her, didn’t we? She wasn’t anywhere around. What if she was dancing with someone else? He walked around to the back of the bench, gripping it tightly. She has appearances to keep up with, concerning her family name - it’s no big deal.

As soon as he completed that thought, he noticed her eyes begin to flutter open. Part of him wanted to hide behind the bench, preventing him from triggering more pain from her. But he decided to remain within her sight; ready to accept any doubts and questions she had for him. It was the only way to get the truth about the circumstances, since Sanyu Tokuta hated misunderstandings.

“Mmn…who…is it?” She mumbled blearily, wiping delicately at her eyes.

He smiled at the adorable manner in which she was waking up. “Me,” he decided to answer vaguely.

While sitting up, Kasumi pulled the jacket up with her, feeling the fabric that was reciprocating the warmth of her body. “Who is…” She glanced up at Sanyu, who was leaning over the back of the bench. “‘Me’?” The rest of the question was released into the air breathlessly as she gazed up at him drowsily.

Sanyu felt a rushed puff of her breath tickle his nose. Now she was starting to gain comprehension as his calm visage hovered over her. He stared into her typical chocolate brown irises steadily, finding absolute tranquility in that instant.

“…promise me that we’ll be together forever…”

“Whatever I did,” Sanyu began, walking over to sit beside Kasumi on the bench. “I want to apologize for it. Truly, I do.”

Cautiously, she offered the jacket back to him. “Here…thank you.” Her timid appreciation made Sanyu laugh.

“Sure.” He took the jacket, slipping into it instantaneously as the frosty breeze returned. “Are you..?”

“Staying?” Kasumi finished for him, hugging herself for warmth. “Maybe not. I have some things at home I should probably help with.” She breathed out, gazing up at the mysteriously clear sky. “Then again, Toshi might need me…”

Sanyu leaned back against the bench, resting his arm on the elegant armrest. “Stay, Kasumi. You really should.”

Her eyes widened in incredulity at his request. “H-Huh? What do you mean?”

Suddenly, he stood up, stretching his arms before holding his hand out to her. “You barely had the chance to enjoy yourself…so I’m going to rescue you. Believe me, you want to take up this chance.” His deep brown eyes regarded her sympathetically. “Believe me…”

Progressively, Kasumi unfolded her arms from around herself; the longer they remained in the forming tranquil stillness, the more she found her guard lower before him. True, he hadn’t saved her then. Yet he was willing to do so now. That was all that mattered to her.

“Well, well…things worked out by themselves, I guess,” Setsu commented approvingly as Kasumi’s hand made contact with Sanyu’s. “The way that it may be predetermined.”

random babble... music is S.H.E. and Fahrenheit. Taiwanese music is actually pretty good to me, but my younger sister really detests it. oh well, i guess we all can't love everything. a bientôt et au revoir (see you soon and good-bye)!