"H-He can't be." She held her a fistful full of hair as she could not believe the words that came out of her mouth.

"I found out yesterday when I went to visit him." Toneki couldn't stop her tears from coming.

"Look at us, we're both here crying our hearts out yet we're not the one in a hospital bed." Toneki walked over to Sasumi who also kept crying.

"Hino-kun is what is important right now." She held out her hand as Sasumi wiped her tears, taking Toneki's  hand as she helped her stood up.

"You're right." She said as they walked down the stairs leading back to the floor Hino was in.

They noticed a familiar Hyuga tugging onto her shirt as she was sobbing.

"Neji." Sasumi said as she walked towards her.

"I'm sorry Sasumi-sama, I know I shouldn't be crying but he was a little brother to me." She said.

"Knowing that soon, I won't be hearing "Neji-onee-san" makes me sick to my stomach." She said as Sasumi hugged her as she watched Toneki walk into Hino's room.

"Don't worry, Hino is strong." She said but who of both of them was she trying to convince?
ROOM 209
"Toneki-san, I'm fine really." Hino refused the apple slices she was offering him.

"Nonsense, Hino! You need energy!" She fed him as he sighed and took a bite of the slice.

"Feeling better?" She smiled as he smiled back.

"My energy is back." He said as she hugged him.

"Toneki-san, you're hurting me." He said as she let go.

"I'm sorry." She composed herself as he laughed.

"Hino, about the proposal." She bit her lip.

"Don't worry, Toneki-San. I understand, it's for the sake of your company." He looked down remembering that she had proposed to him as her father had said she could choose her fiancé but it had to be from the people who would work well with their company.

"Choose who you love." She ended up saying as he looked at her.

"W-What?" He looked confused.

"I know you like Sasumi-chan." She teased him as he blushed.

"See? Hino, I want you to be happy that's why I'm letting you go." She said as he held her hand.

"Thank you, Toneki-san." He kissed her hand as she blushed and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you for letting me fall in love." She laughed as she left.

Opening the door to an almost falling Sasumi.

"Were you spying on us? No fair." She pouted as Sasumi's face grew red.

"I was not!" She shouted.

Hino laughed as Sasumi shut the door.

"How are-." She was cut off as her arm was pulled causing the rest of her to be pulled into a hug.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything." He spoke as Sasumi began to cling onto his shirt causing her to start crying.

"I'm sorry for not realizing." She said frowning upon herself as she realized that the years he had taken off of school were because of this, those fake smiles he put on were to hide his pain, to hide the truth and all she worried was about herself.

"You have nothing to apologize for." He said as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"No, you don't understand I-." She began looking at him as she noticed he was crying also.

"The truth is, I'm scared Sasumi. I'm scared of what's to come next, I was scared to fall in love but I did anyway, I didn't want to make friends but I did anyway.When you overheard Naruko and I, I was scared to go after you because I know that every time I saw you, I wanted to tell you what I felt and what was going on. I even learned how it feels to be jealous when I saw you hanging out with Saku, I was scared the you would forget me and treat me differently but the truth is Sasumi, I'm not scared to tell you one thing."

"What-." She barely got the chance to speak as his lips connected with hers causing her to reddened.

His lips were soft and sweet.

"I love you, Sasumi."