Part 4

"Haruko-chan?!"

Hanamichi stared in shock as the girl of his dreams stood there by the door, watching him with silent eyes. He trembled, both from her gaze and from what she thought of the situation at present. He felt beads of sweat travel down the side of his face, his back still against the wall. His breathing was erratic, and his chest was moving up and down at a rapid pace.

Haruko stepped into the room and asked, "Sakuragi-kun...are you okay? You look sick."

"Nani?" Hanamichi gasped out. What is she talking about?! Can't she see Rukawa? That I was KISSING him?! He turned to regard the devil in front of him, but his eyes met nothing but thin air. He looked around wildly, searching for a sign of a shadow or something black. He moved away from the wall. "Where did he go...?"

Haruko came forward and regarded her classmate with concerned eyes. "Hanamichi, I came here to ask you if you have seen Mito-kun, but you were leaning against the wall as if you were having a hard time breathing. Oh!" She reached out and felt Hanamichi's forhead. "You're burning! You have a fever!" She held Hanamichi's arm firmly and started pulling his limp body towards the door. "Come on! You have to rest, Sakuragi-kun."

"Huh? What?" Hanamichi was still searching the room for Rukawa, unable to believe that Haruko didn't see him.

Haruko pushed him out of the classroom door and towards the clinic. "Come on, Sakuragi-kun, we're almost there." She encouraged, holding on to Hanamichi's arm in case he would fall.

Hanamichi's vision was beginning to get blurry, but he managed to get out, "Haruko-chan...did you see...someone with me...in the room...?"

"What are you talking about, Sakuragi-kun? You were all alone in there. Oh no." She touched his neck and gasped. "Your fevers getting worse! Come on!"

"I...was all...alone..." Hanamichi mumbled, then, without wanting to, his vision blackened and he fell to the floor. All he heard in the background of his consciousness was Haruko shouting his name in a panicked voice, then, a soft voice whispered, Sorry for giving you a fever, Hana, but I had to make an excuse on why you were blushing so hard.

Hanamichi groaned. Kitsune?...

Rukawa's face appeared in his mind and said, You got her all to yourself now. I suggest you talk to her and become better acquainted.

With that, Hanamichi exhaled and fainted.

* * * * * *

"Ah! Sakuragi-kun! Hang on!"

Rukawa watched with dangerous eyes as the girl called Haruko held his Hana's head in her arms, trying to make him wake up. He clenched his fist tight, an air of jealousy surrounding his body. When he saw a schoolmate of Hanamichi come over to help, he watched with indifference as the guy lifted Hanamichi's body over his, and together, he and Haruko went towards the clinic in haste.

Rukawa punched the wall beside him with so much force, that if he were real in that moment, the entire wall would have exploded. He bit his lip, trying to control his anger. He was pissed off. One moment, he was having the time of his life seducing that beautiful redhead of his to want him back, and the next, that annoying mortal comes in and ruins everything! Now, he had to give Hanamichi a fever to make up for his rumpled state and the way his entire body was so hot. He cursed loudly. Damn her!

"Ah...I see that our dear prince as fallen for a mortal."

Rukawa's eyebrow's furrowed at that voice, but he turned to regard the other devil with a cold exterior. "What are you doing here, Mitsui?"

Hisashi Mitsui, Rukawa's cousin and one of the strongest demon's in the Underworld next to Rukawa, floated beside the dark haired man, a small grin playing on his lips. He was known to be the hentai of hell, but lately, he has been more than demure. Mitsui chuckled silently and patted his cousin on the back. "Man, oh, man, but he is one fine piece. I mean, that ass! Have you had him yet?"

"No." Rukawa answered, rather annoyed with his cousin. "Why'd you ask?"

Mitsui snickered evilly at that defensive response. "Well, if you aren't having him anytime soon, I thought that maybe I-"

Rukawa turned around sharply and pinned his cousin to the wall with a rather strong grip. His long hair mixed with Mitsui's also long hair as he grounded out, "Don't even think about it."

"Hai, hai!" Mitsui answered, rather disturbed on how much Rukawa was into the redhead. He pulled away from Rukawa's grasp and voiced out his thought. "Are you really falling for this Hanamichi Sakuragi? Are you?"

Rukawa turned away from his cousin and started floating towards the clinic, still in stealth mode.

Mitsui groaned and followed Rukawa, folding his wings slightly. "Come on, man. Tell me. You know, if I were stronger, I could read your thoughts, but hey, since I'm not, I'm asking."

"It's none of your business."

Mitsui snorted at that. "Oh sure, it isn't any of my business. Well, guess what, Rukawa? I'm your cousin, PLUS, you're the prince. You will be taking over your father's throne in less than a month. If you fall in love with a human and defy us, it's a BIG problem, believe me."

Rukawa glared at Mitsui, but after a while, he laughed. "Right...the great son of Satan falling for a mere mortal. What a story."

Mitsui eyed him carefully. "You're amused by this?"

Rukawa turned and saw the clinic just ahead. He floated faster, his answer drifting into Mitsui's ear. "Why wouldn't I be? I don't care about Hana. I don't care if he dies right after he gets his wish. I don't give a damn about him at all." With that, he slipped in the clinic door, making Mitsui stop dead in his tracks.

Mitsui stared after his cousin for a while, then, his eyes became wide with understanding. He shook his head and followed Rukawa.

His cousin was in BIG trouble, all right.

* * * * * *

Hanamichi lay against the pillow as white as a ghost. Haruko sat by his side, holding his hand in case he would suddenly wake up due to a bad dream. She sighed.

"Haruko?"

Haruko turned and smiled when she spotted Kiminobu Kogure, the one who helped her carry Hanamichi all the way to the clinic, open the curtain and peer in, a soft smile on his face. "Hello there, Kogure-sempai."

Kogure came in and watched Hanamichi's face with concern. He looked at Haruko. "Will he be all right?"

Haruko's smile faded as she bowed her head and whispered, "The doctor said that he had been under a lot of stress lately which must have triggered the fever to go to full blast. He must have had a light fever to begin with, but since he didn't rest, it got worst." Haruko eyed Hanamichi with a small smile. "All he needs is rest. That's all."

Kogure nodded at that, then eyed the sister of his teammate. "I have a question, Haruko. How'd you know Sakuragi-kun over here? You don't usually go to the basketball practices, and you're not in the same section as he is."

Haruko sat up and sighed. "Well, he approached me twice before, always wanting to say something, but after he introduces himself and greets me, he runs off. I can't forget someone like that."

"Ah...sou." Kogure smiled at that, then his eyes widened with shock. "Oh no! I totally forgot!"

"Eh?" Haruko turned to regard her brother's best friend.

Kogure grabbed her arm and pulled her up from the seat. "Akagi told me that he needed to tell you something important! That was why I was in the first year building! Come on!"

"Eh?! What about Sakuragi-kun?"

"Don't worry. The doctor's here. Saa, let's go." With a tug, the 2 of them went out of the room and down the corridor.

Once they were gone, Rukawa appeared out of thin air right beside Hanamichi and knelt down, his nose nearly touching Hanamichi's as he listened to the breathing. Mitsui shortly appeared after a few seconds and looked over Rukawa's shoulder. He blinked. "Man, he looks like a kid! When he was up and about, he usually looked like a gangster of some sort."

Rukawa didn't mind his cousin as he place a hand over Hanamichi's head and made his power flow out towards Hanamichi. The fever instantly disappeared, leaving Hanamichi looking more relieved than ever. Rukawa smiled softly when he saw Hanamichi roll over and mumble something incoherent.

Mitsui shook his head. "Okay...since you're done with this little task of yours, I didn't come here to bother you, but, to give you a message from your dad."

"Father?" Rukawa's eyes narrowed at that, but he straightened up, brushing a few of Hanamichi's bangs away to distract him.

Mitsui nodded gravely and said monotonously, "You are to pick your bride in 3 weeks. And then, you are going to stand beside your father in 4 weeks with your chosen bride."

Rukawa clenched his hand tightly. "Already?"

"Yes." Mitsui replied, turning away as he did so. "That's all. Anyway, gotta run. Enjoy your life of being a single for the time being, okay?" Then, in a whirl of black, Mitsui disappeared from Rukawa's sight.

Rukawa stared at Hanamichi's sleeping face and felt blood run down his bottom lip. He had bitten it too hard, due to the news of getting a bride, and the thought of loosing his freedom. His body shook as he leaned over Hanamichi's prone figure. He didn't want that life. He didn't want to sit in a throne ordering demons around, deciding important issues such as whether to fight with God today or not, or to marry someone he didn't even like. Sure, most people and angels would think that demons are nothing but disgusting animals that take anyone they want, or do whatever they want...Rukawa wasn't like that.

He brought one hand up to his face and touched his bloody lip. He brought a sample of the blood up to his eyes and whispered in a sarcastic tone, "I am like you, Hana. You will die when you get your wish in 2 weeks, and I will die internal in 3 weeks...ironic, isn't it?"

When Hanamichi made no move, Rukawa bent over and kissed Hanamichi on the lips, a chaste kiss, a loving kiss, a sorrowful kiss. He kissed Hanamichi's forehead and murmured against the cool skin, "I don't know why, but...demons aren't suppose to care about mortals, but you..." He chuckled softly and whispered, "You're special. And yet...you will die."

Rukawa pressed his lips tightly against Hanamichi's again, wishing that this moment would last forever. But, he knew nothing lasted forever. There's always an end to everything.

He drew back to once again be in the shadows and watch over his beautiful redhead, but when he backed up far enough, his breath hitched.

Hanamichi was awake...and he had heard everything.

TBC