Chapter 48

Luka.

I groaned, tossing and turning in bed as sunlight sliced through the gaps in the blinds and showered onto my eyelids. I wished that the sun would just turn off, just for a few more hours. I pulled my blanket over my face, but it was too late; I was awake, and going back to sleep wouldn't be easy anymore.

Once I was awake, my brain started clicking and whirring, planning out the day and setting up a schedule. I was a slave to my own mind, and it almost seemed as though there was someone else up in my head who moved my body around like a marionette.

"Good morning," I muttered groggily, peeking through the blinds, barely able to take in the intense sunlight. I walked away and headed into the bathroom and took a shower, which is something I think deserves to stay private. After my shower, I dried and combed my hair and slipped into a T-shirt and black jeans.

Heading downstairs, I hummed a cheery little tune to myself. I walked into the kitchen and put a frying pan on the stove, and then there was a knock at the door.

"What're you doing here?" I frowned at Gakupo, crossing my arms.

"I lost my cat," he slumped. I scoffed, but also took note of how tired and worried he looked. Still, I couldn't help but ask a question.

"You had a cat?" I asked. At that point, I sort of had to let him in. I never kept anyone out on the doorstep for long, obnoxious colleague or not.

Gakupo nodded, looking like he could start crying any minute now. "Her name was Meringue!"

I blinked. For a second, I thought he had named the cat after me, because my full name was Luka Megurine, but no, he had said 'Meringue', as in the stuff on top of pies.

"Why would you name a cat Meringue?" I asked, "That's a weird name!"

"S-She was sweet, like meringue, and...I couldn't name her Megurine, now could I?" Gakupo sniffed and then began bawling. I never expected to see someone like him start crying so suddenly and so openly like that.

"It was...right after I dropped you of last night," Gakupo continued, "I went home and...she wasn't there! I searched everywhere!"

I sighed. "Okay," I said, "Have you eaten anything?"

He shook his head. "As soon as I found out that she was gone, I didn't take any sort of breaks! I just kept searching! No sleep, no food...no bathroom time..."

I turned on the television and switched to the weather network. It was a habit of mine, and I would continue to do it every morning, even when this Gakupo weirdo was around.

"Look, it's gonna rain soon!" Gakupo groaned, pointing at the television screen, "My poor Meringue will freeze and get cold and wet and dirty and she'll die!"

"Go use the washroom," I instructed sternly, "You need to pull yourself together. I'm making breakfast, and I'll make something for you, too. After that, you can go look for your cat, but don't get hit by a bus or something."

Even I didn't think that Gakupo deserved something horrible like that. Just because I disliked him didn't mean that he was necessarily a bad person. He stared dumbly at me for a few seconds, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Do it!" I ordered, making him jump. He nodded and ran off as I raised a finger and pointed to the bathroom.

It's going to rain soon, I thought, his cat really could be in trouble...

Gumi.

"I'm an idiot!" I cried as I kicked a trash can on my way to the schoolyard, "He probably knows, and now I've hurt him, dammit!"

Only a run could fix this, I figured. That was why I had come to the schoolyard. I was planning on running and running and running, till I fell face first in the dirt and my heart felt like it would explode.

I wasn't sure if I was drowning in guilt or love. The only thing I knew was that I was going to run like crazy.

The only thing I hoped at that moment with all my heart was that Yuma wouldn't come here looking for me.

I walked to the track and tied my green hair into a high ponytail.

"Okay, Gumi," I whispered to myself, "You've got this."

After counting to three, I began to sprint across the track, my legs moving like pedals, almost in full circles, and I felt as though I was flying. That was how amazing running was for me.

"Yahoo!" I laughed, slowing to a jog, keeping my feet moving. Yuma wouldn't find me. I wasn't planning on hanging around here for very long, anyway.

As the sun began to hide behind clouds that grew darker and darker, a cool wind swept past my face and pushed me even harder. I laughed. I was barely sweating, and I was feeling awesome!

"I love you, wind!" I yelled to the sky as I bolted around a turn, "And I love Yuma, too!"

All I could really do was run. I was running from my problems, and I kept running as the winds got faster and faster, harder and harder, threatening to let rain fall.

Miku.

Kaito walked me home, and I noticed that the sky was getting darker and the winds were blowing harder. He had given me his coat, so I pulled it over my shoulders tightly as he held my hand, almost as though I was a princess...

His princess?

...as he led me down the streets.

I kept looking up at him, but he didn't seem to notice. He was smiling, not grinning, but just smiling, and actually looked very cute, I'll admit, and he didn't seem at all fazed by my earlier comment about how I didn't like him in a romantic way.

He had said that he was fine with that. How could anyone be fine with that? It just didn't seem right.

I frowned and furrowed my brow. He should have been jealous, or pissed off, or something, but being happy with that just didn't work. Did he think that I would fall for him later? ...Maybe I would, but...probably not.

"Are you alright?" Kaito asked. I looked up at him. The wind was blowing his hair all over the place.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I shivered, "Just thinking about something."

He smirked. "Thinking about what?"

I glared at him. "It's getting cold," I said, "That's what I was thinking about."

He chuckled and tousled my hair. What was I, a little kid to him?

Nope, just his princess...

"We're here," he said, "Your home."

I nodded, walking up the steps and standing in front of the door. Kaito stood on the step behind me. A gust of wind rushed past us, and I nearly tumbled and fell back.

"You okay?" Kaito asked, his hands holding me up. He straightened me and I nodded.

"I'm fine," I said, unlocking the door.

"Are you feeling better about the whole...Mikuo thing?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. Thanks for listening, Kaito."

I stepped across the threshold and into the hall, now under my roof. Kaito stood on the steps outside, looking at me.

"Don't cry anymore, okay?" He whispered. I barely heard him over the voices in the wind, and I nodded slowly.

"I won't," I answered. He nodded.

"That's good," he smiled, "Take care, okay?"

"I will," I said.

"If you need anything, just call me up."

I nodded again. "Okay," I said, feeling my heart beat faster and faster as blood rushed to my cheeks.

There were a few seconds of silence between us as I stared at him with a frown, and he looked back with that half-smile of his. Kaito had both hands planted on the banisters on the sides of the steps, and he just stood there, with his hair blowing like it was alive, like it'd fly away if it was a wig or something.

But I knew better, not just about that, but about other things, too. It wasn't a wig, and Kaito really wasn't jealous or angry. He'd help me get Mikuo if I wanted, but did I know any better? Did I really know what I had wanted? Was I really so hung up on someone that I had only known for about a year, when Kaito was crazy about me after having been with me for a decade? All of the questions were making my head hurt, so I did what seemed rational and followed my heart.

I stepped back across the threshold and kissed Kaito on the mouth, closing my eyes and only imagining things.

And I could have sworn that he was grinning stupidly, adorably, against my lips.

You guys think you're fangirling? You should see me! I'm all like ☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆ right now.

I hope you liked it! Tell me something, is the end of the chapter better with or without that last line? You know, the one where Kaito grins? I added it last minute, and I'm not sure...thanks for answering, if you do!

Thanks for reading! I'll see you next chapter.

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