After School

"Alright, so why are you and Kei not friends anymore?" Hikaru asks me.

"Why do you care so much?" I ask, getting my things from my locker. "It's not like it has something to do with you anyway..."

"It does, Yabu."

"What do you have to do with this? Other than the fact that you're his cousin?"

"You don't remember me... I'm hurt, Yabu..."

"Remember you?"

"It's okay. It was a long time ago." He waves it off as nothing. I blink at him and can only nod, walking out of the school with him right behind me. "So, what happened?"

"Are you going to bug me until I tell you?"

"Yes."

"Fine, then you might as well come over." I sigh with defeat.

"What?" Hikaru asks. "Why?"

"You want to know why we're not friends anymore, right?" He nods. "Then come over. I have something for him, but... I've never been able to give it to him because he hates me so much..."

"So... You're using me to get to him?"

"Since you're his cousin, he'll listen to you. Plus, no one else believes me, so I can't give it to them either..." I explain. "Please?"

"Fine..." He agrees bitterly, making me smile at him.

~ ~ ~

"Here you go." I give Hikaru a cup of tea after we get to my house and settle on the sofa in the living room.

"Thank you." He smiles, taking it from me and sipping it. "So... About what happened between you and Kei..."

"Right, so..."

Flashback, 4 Years Ago, Author's POV

"Would you please hurry up? The guys are waiting for us!" Kei complained to Kota, who was packing up his stuff so they could get home.

"I'm going as fast as I can, Kei." The older boy retorts, finishing up his packing. "Done, lets go." The younger smiled and the two go out of the class and out the front door to meet up with six other boys.

"Finally. What took you two so long?" One of the boys asked.

"Sorry, Dai-chan. But this guy was taking too long." Kei answered.

"Anyway... Lets just go, please? I'm hungry." Yuya comments. The others nod in agreement and the boys head off for a cafe nearby.

~ ~ ~

"The usual for you boys?" The waitress that's named Nami asks them as they all nod. She smiles, taking their menus from them before leaving them to chat amongst themselves as they wait for their food.

"Kei, you like her, right?" Daiki asks. Kei nods at his friend's question before looking in Kota's direction.

"So does Kou-chan." Kei points out.

"Woah... That's just asking for trouble..." Yuya comments.

"No kidding..." The rest of them comment.

"Guys, don't worry. We already talked about this. Whoever gets her first, the other will be happy for him and won't try to ruin the relationship." Kota assured them all. They look from him before exchanging looks amongst one another, not being so sure of his words.

"Here you go, boys." Nami came back, handing them all the drinks that they normally order.

"Thank you." They all thanked her.

"Um... Kei...?" She questioned, making the said boy look up at her. "Um... Well... I really like you and... I was wondering if you would go out with me." The girl nervously questioned him.

"Uh..." Kei pondered for a minute, unable to believe what was happening right now. So, Kota stepped in.

"He would love to." He answered for Kei, making the younger give him a questioning look. "What about tomorrow, at 8?" The older continued, ignoring his friend's questioning look.

"If that's okay with you." Nami answered, looking from Kota to Kei. The younger boy nods in agreement as she smiles and leaves to take other orders.

"Can you please explain what the heck that was about?" Kei glares at Kota after Nami leaves. The older just shrugged.

"We said that we would be happy for the other, right? And I am. But, you looked like you needed help to answer that, so I helped you out." He answered, making Kei smile at him.

"Thank you. I really owe you one."

"Yeah, no kidding..." Kota teased the younger just for the heck of it.

~ ~ ~

"I can't believe you, Kota!" Kei was using his full name instead of just the nickname like he normally would. He only uses it for two reasons. One, if he's being serious with the older boy. And two, if he's angry with him. This time, it was the second reason.

"I didn't do it, I swear." The older tried to reason with his angered friend.

"I saw you with her! How can you deny that?"

"Okay, I was with her, yes. But, I was only talking to her. I wasn't the one to start it."

"Do you know how innocent she is, Kota? I'm her first boyfriend."

"Do you realize she could be lying to you?"

"What if it's you that's lying to me though?"

"Okay, seriously? Who are you gonna believe? Your girlfriend for only a week or your best friend since forever?" Kei ponders over the question a little bit, making Kota facepalm. "You seriously have to think about this?"

"I know you, Kota..." Kei concluded seriously. "You're a nice guy that wouldn't want to hurt your friends..." Kota sighed, relieved that his friend believed him over his girlfriend. "But... You also work hard for what you want and I know you wanted her. Because I'm your friend, you backed off. You still could have been planning to break us up though!"

"Kei, I would never..."

"That's what all friends say..."

"Fine, whatever! Believe her and get hurt by her, see if I'm still here to care for you." Kota snapped, not being able to convince his friend and getting frustrated.

"Oh, don't worry. I don't need a traitor like you to care for me anyway!" Kei snapped back at Kota as the older boy rolled his eyes and started to walk away. Before he was completely out of hearing range, Kei made a promise to him, one that he would keep no matter what. "I will make sure you regret doing this to me, Kota... Be warned. Just because we were once friends doesn't mean I'll go easy on you."

End of Flashback, Present, Kota's POV

"And ever since, Inoo has been bullying me... Along with our other friends so he can make me pay for doing that to him..." I explain to Hikaru. He blinks at me and nods slowly.

"But, you didn't actually do it, did you?"

"Of course not! I may have liked her too, but I would never betray a friend like that..." I sigh, looking to the table in front of the sofa that we were sitting on."If you don't believe me though, that's okay... No one else did."

"No, I believe you." Hikaru replied immediately, making me look up at him in surprise. He just smiled at me before answering my look of surprise. "You have an honest face... Kei couldn't see it, but I sure do. And, I'm happy to help you prove your innocence to him."

"Thank you." I smile widely at him, but then frown. "Don't give this to him yet though, okay? I want him to realize his mistake by himself, so that's why I haven't said anything... I'm wondering how long it will take... Or if he'll realize at all..." With that said, I give him a flash drive. "It's the video of what really happened."

"So, don't give this to him yet?" Hikaru repeated my words. I nod. "Alright... I'll give it to him when he's being too much to handle and is more relentless on you." With that said, he stood up. "Anyway... I have to go and start on the homework..."

"I'll walk you out then." I stand up too, walking with him to the door and waiting for him to put on his shoes before opening the door.

"See you tomorrow." With that, he was walking down the stairs. Before he was out of earshot, I replied back.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow. Have a good night."

A/N: I didn't die, don't worry, you guys~ Just been really busy... Anyways, you'll know what actually happened after that video is seen, but for now, I'll leave it up to your imaginations.