Yuuki wanted nothing more than to forget about Nishikado Soujirou. She loved him with all her heart and knowing he didn't feel the same broke her heart. It wasn't like she could cut Nishikado from her life completely since his best friend was dating hers, so every other week she had to have lunch with him, Tsukushi and the rest of F4. The worst part about it was that Nishikado would chat away with her like they were good friends and never failed to make her laugh. Yuuki's feelings for him couldn't help but resurface every time.

But...

If Nishikado saw her out in public and it was just them he would turn around and run in the other direction.

Yuuki never knew what to think – was she that bad that he had to run away from her? Yuuki knew she wasn't like the other girls he had been with. She wasn't glamorous or rich and deep down Yuuki knew she never had a chance with him and had finally come to terms with that, wanting to move on but his behaviour wouldn't let her.

Did Nishikado just put up a front in front of their friends?

Yuuki wanted to tell Tsukushi but she couldn't bring herself to, she would tell Domyouji and he would talk to Nishikado – then it would get really awkward. Domyouji would force him to tell her why he kept running away from her like the plague and Yuuki didn't want to know since she didn't think she could handle the truth, even though she already had an idea.

... But hearing it aloud made it all more real.

As the weeks went by Yuuki stopped going to the lunches. She made up excuses on why she couldn't go. Yuuki hated lying to Tsukushi, but she didn't want to see him. Yuuki knew that Tsukushi knew something was up and it wouldn't be long before she confronted her.

Could she keep lying?

Yuuki was finishing up work one evening when she saw him, Nishikado Soujirou. He was leaning against his bike just a bit down from the shop. Yuuki didn't know why he was there but instead of dwelling on it she started walking in the other direction before he saw her and started running towards her.

This didn't go unnoticed by Nishikado, however.

"Yuuki-chan!" He called after her.

It was like Yuuki body started reacting before she knew it and she was running away from him. Ironic, wasn't it? Yuuki thought, she was doing the thing she hated seeing him do, expect now she was the one doing the running.

Nishikado didn't give up and caught up with Yuuki easily, grabbing her hand to prevent her from running away from him.

Yuuki pulled her hand out of his grip.

"What?!"

She didn't know where she got the strength or courage to yell at him but it must have been the same strength and courage preventing her from crying. Yuuki refused to let Nishikado see her cry.

Nishikado flinched at her tone and felt his chest clench with guilt. He looked her in the eye and refused to back down now. "I'm sorry."

Yuuki was taken aback by his apology as she didn't expect him to say 'I'm sorry' and was Nishikado apologizing for now or...?

"There is no excuse for how I had treated you these past few months." Nishikado confessed, "not seeing you these past few weeks had been hard."

"I'm sure that's why you ran away from me every time we were alone." Yuuki didn't know what to think then. Maybe Tsukushi connected the dots and forced him to talk to her? No, Tsukushi would've talked to her first. "Do you know how embarrassing that was?" People would stare at Yuuki every time he ran from her, probably thinking she must have be a horrible person. Yuuki started walking away from him.

"I was scared!" Nishikado declared, stopping Yuuki in her tracks and turning to face him. "I'm not used to this feeling and it scares me because everything has changed. I can't bring myself to go to the club anymore."

Yuuki couldn't bring herself to say anything. Was he serious?

...Or was she dreaming?

"I know I don't deserve it and I don't have the perfect record but do you think you could give me a chance?" Nishikado stopped in front of her.

Yuuki just stared at him. "You're joking?" She blurted out thinking he was just teasing her – but what happened next surprised Yuuki. Nishikado Soujirou kissed her. She didn't even know what to do as she was so shocked. Yuuki was sure her heart was going pop out of her chest – it was beating so fast.

"It's you, it has always has been you. I've just been too blind to see it." Nishikado rested his forehead against hers.

Yuuki couldn't stop herself from smiling. "Good, because if you were, I was going to tell Tsukushi."

Nishikado laughed and pulled Yuuki into a hug. "Good thing I wasn't, she would've killed me!"

The End