Hiro's POV

2 Weeks have passed and Kohana never came back. I still have her number but I find it so hard to call...

Hikari: "We should go somewhere today Hiro... Maybe on a... Date?" Hikari came from behind me and placed her hand on my shoulder and blushed as she giggled.

Hiro: "Hahh... I guess..."

Hikari: "Ne, what's wrong Hirwo?" She pursed her lips.

Hiro: "Nothing, lets go..." I grabbed my car keys and walked out...

~~~

Hikari was staring out of the window as I drove in silence. How does Kohana expect me to forget this? No matter how I try... I just can't forget her... I wonder how you are... Kohana...

~~~

Kohana's POV

Kohana: "Ahh!" I screamed in pain as father whipped me across my back with a whip. Tears formed in my eyes and I held back my screams. Or at least tried to...

Father: "I didn't get a chance to ask you so I'm gonna ask you now... Mind telling me why that one boy called you Kohana?" He withdrew the whip, indicating that my punishment was over...

Kohana: "It's..." I hissed in pain and carefully sat up. I thought of an excuse (well it's basically true too) "It's so people won't find out who I am..."

Father: "I see..." He thought for a moment, seeming to buy it. "...You're going to get a new mother."

Kohana: "What?!"

Father: "You'll meet her next week. I expect you to be on your best behavior."

Kohana: 'Do I look like a kid dad?' I wanted to ask but changed my mind after eyeing the whip drenched in my blood... "Yes father."

Father: "Good, now get yourself cleaned up and pick out a non-too-flashy outfit for tomorrow. We're going on a cruise tomorrow night..."

~~~

Hiro's POV

Hikari: "And my friends told me that---"

Hiro: Kohana...

Hikari: "!!! Hiro! Watch out!!!"

Hiro: "Ahh!" I quickly swerve my car into an alley just before a truck hit me...

Hikari: "Hiro what's going on!? Why are you acting like this? This isn't you!"

Hiro: "I'm sorry! I just..." I took a deep breath. "I don't feel like going anywhere today..."

Hikari: "But Hiro... We're already halfway there..." She clasped her hands in front of her and pursed her lips at me.

Hiro: "... Please Hikari, I promise I'll make this up but right now... I'm just not in the mood..."

Hikari: "Hahh... Nothing's gonna change your mind... Alright... Lets go back..." She sighed and slumped back into the chair. I turned into a street and drove back to LRN, thinking about Kohana the whole way...

~~~

Riki's POV

I joined the others on the first level of LRN after taking a nice hot shower. I walked down wearing a pair of my ripped up jeans and a gray hoodie. Guys..." I started and everyone turned towards me, patiently waiting for me to finish speaking. "As your leader, I have the plans on what we are gonna do tomorrow night."

Kenshi: "Gosh Riki you should've told us earlier so we could mentally prepare ourselves for the mission tomorrow..." Kenshi sighed playfully.

Riki: I smirked, reached for the slip of paper in my hoodie pocket, and slapped it onto the counter, everyone huddling around it in curiosity.

Takuto: "These are---"

Kenshi: "Reservations---"

Boss: "To a free cruise!!"

Takuto: "Awe hell no..." Stretching the word hell for a long second.

Riki: "Awe hell yeah baby! I got these for free." I smiled proudly.

Takuto: "First of all... Don't, I mean DON'T... Call me baby... Second... You totally did not get these for free, unless you had help from me..."

Riki: "That rhymes heh-heh... Well, alright, so it really wasn't for free, but it's here so we have to use it before it expires after tomorrow night or it will be considered wasted..."

Kenshi: "Someone gave these to you?"

Riki: "Co-workers. They were all gonna go but had to go out of state for an important upcoming job... So they gave these to me and told me that I deserved it since I work the hardest without breaks..." I explained. "And because tomorrow's Friday and I usually get off early at work."

Boss: "That's too bad for them..." He muttered sympathetically and looked down.

Riki: "They said that it wouldn't be a waste of their money if we use it..."

Kenshi: "Sounds fun! We can all finally relax together!"

Riki: "Not only that..." I reached in my pocket for another sheet of paper.

Takuto: "Wait for it..."

Riki: "We're also going there because they are going to feature some of the Japanese Leonardo Da Vinci's paintings..." I exclaimed and slapped down a blueprint.

Takuto: "Knew it's too good to be true..."

Riki: "It's a perfect opportunity! We were gonna go anyway; with or without tickets... So have something nice for tomorrow."

Kenshi: "How many tickets do you have?"

Takuto: "..." Slowly starts counting. "6."

Boss: "Ooh! Can I go too!?!?"

Riki: "We have enough I don't see why not." I smiled.

Kenshi: "That means we have one left... Who else is gonna go? Should we ask Hikari---"

Riki: "If we do, then there's a 50/50 chance that she'll find out about our identity... But... Should we still ask?" I crossed my arms and leaned my back onto the counter.

(Chime)

Hiro: "Howdy."

Boss: "Speak of the devil..."

Hikari: "Hey guys!"

Rest Of Us: "Hey."

Hikari: "What's up?"

Riki: "Nothing much, what were you two up to?" I raised my eyebrows in interest.

Hikari: "Nothing... Except for the fact that Hiro almost got us killed..."

Riki: "???" I looked at the others who in return looked shocked. "What do you mean by that?"

Hiro: "It's nothing okay?!" He hissed and stormed upstairs.

(BAM!)

Riki: "Well someone woke up on the wrong side of bed this morning..." I joked.

Takuto: "It's 7 at night." He whispers.

Riki: "Shut up, don't make me sound stupid..." I whispered back.

Kenshi: "Anyway.......... Should we check to make sure Hiro's okay?"

Boss: "Lets go get some answers! ♪" He exclaimed and ran upstairs, skipping every two steps.

Riki: "Ugh..." I sighed and followed...

Takuto's POV

The first thing we saw when we walked into the room with the bunk beds was Hiro sitting criss cross on the bed, staring out of the window with a blank face. We all walked in and Hikari stood near the door. (Riki's orders)

Riki: "Hey you okay?" Riki automatically switched to his big brother concern, loving, whatever side and placed a hand on Hiro's shoulder, taking him out of his trance.

Hiro: "Huh!? Oh, yeah I'm fine."

Riki: "Maybe this will cheer you up?" Riki waved the tickets in front of his face.

Hiro: "A free cruise?" He asked curiously.

Riki: "Yup. Tomorrow night. You coming? We're going there to relax and take pictures..." (Wink)

(A/N: See what I did there? Hikari is there after all... 😏)

Hiro: "Ohh..." He nodded in understanding.

Takuto: "So you're going right? Maybe you could have our clothes ready?"

Hiro: "Okay."

Kenshi: "Well we have 6 tickets, and we decided to let you chose the 6th one."

Hiro: "Well..."

Takuto: "..." I watched Hiro making a thinking face. He looked like he might have one person in mind but after him accidentally making eye contact with Hikari, who was making puppy eyes at him, he audibly sighed. "Hikari."

Kohana's POV

Ugh... I flopped onto my bed and hissed from the earlier whipping. "I miss you Hiro..." Which one was I talking about? Maybe both...

Kohana: "Maybe I'll go for a walk..." I muttered and walked into my closet. I left my apartment after deciding to wear a wig to hide my identify and a red checkered dress. "Maybe I'll go to..." I started and head for my favorite place. A hill that faces the lake was my favorite spot ever since I came here... No one comes here and I always go there when I'm upset or need time alone. I sat on the green grass and stared off towards the lake.

How is Hiro I wonder??? I wish my life was as great as Hikari... Will I ever get a happy ending?

Kohana: "Will I ever tell them my true identify? Will I never find love in this life? It's depressing enough that I killed my mother and now I'm getting a stepmother? I'm just bad luck altogether... Was my birth even worth it? Ever since birth, all I was to father was a tool. All I wanted in my life was a praise from a loving father to a daughter... Why does my life have to be like this? There's no point in living if I'm just going to used as a tool... No one wants me... No one needs me... I'm hopeless, useless, weak, pathetic... Everything!!!"

I screamed into the empty space, hearing my own echoes in return... "I'm..." I held my knees to my chest and placed my head on my arms. "Hikari Saki-Sarashina... Nothing but bad luck..."

~KohanaAyame