Part 8

Hanamichi continued to gape at Rukawa as the rest of the students started bustling and murmuring to each other excitedly at what they had just heard.

"Did you HEAR that?"

"Yeah man!"

"He called Sakuragi-kun 'Hana'!"

"And Hanamichi didn't KILL him."

"Woah...weird..."

"Rukawa-kun...ka?"

"Hana! He called Sakuragi HANA!"

"Do you think they're-"

"NO WE ARE NOT!" Hanamichi yelled at the top of his lungs when he heard that person speak up. He glared down at the boy and shook his head. "Rukawa and I AREN'T what you think we are!" He drew away and blushed when the entire class looked from his to Rukawa and back. He blushed harder. Damn! This isn't good! He gave Rukawa a pleading look and thought, Come on, Kitsune! Tell them something!

Rukawa raised an eyebrow. Like what, Hana?

WILL YOU STOP CALLING ME THAT?! Hanamichi sighed inwardly when he saw Rukawa grin slyly at him. Look, I know you're enjoying this, but can you PLEASE quit it for now?

Rukawa crossed his arms across his chest and sighed. Fine. He looked at the entire class and said in a cool, detached voice, "Hanamichi-kun and I aren't like THAT. We are merely childhood friends who met yesterday, and he didn't know that I was going to study here."

Many students looked doubtful at that explanation, since they preferred the first thought. Well, most of the yaoi fans did, anyway. But they all left it at that and remain silent. The teacher, who was obviously amused by the way things were taking place that morning, coughed to regain his composure, then announced, "Well, as you have all heard from Sakuragi-kun, this young man's name is Rukawa Kaede. He is a transfer student from England, and sleeps over at Sakuragi-kun's house for the time being. Please make him fell welcome and comfortable."

At that last part, many girls were ready to make the new student feel VERY welcome and comfortable.

The teacher nodded and gestured to the seat behind Hanamichi. "You may take your seat now, Rukawa-kun."

Rukawa nodded politely to the teacher and made his way towards Hanamichi, who was still standing up. When he got to Hanamichi's side, he clasped the redhead's shoulder gently and gave it a light squeeze. "I have to talk to you during recess outside."

Hanamichi nodded slowly. "See ya."

With that, they both took their seats and listened semi-attentively to the teacher, the reason being that Rukawa was looking Hanamichi up and down in a sultry way, thus, making Hanamichi twitch and turn every second.

* * * * * *

Mitsui yawned when the teacher continued droning on and on about the life of this mortal named William Shakespeare, and how his stories portrayed life at the moment and all that stuff. He place down his pen and tipped his head back, wondering how to get the innocent Kogure to notice him. Hell, it wasn't easy at all. He kept on giving out hints and actions every second, but Kogure seemed to take it all in as a FRIENDLY action. Mitsui was getting impatient, and he was known in the Underworld for getting what he wanted when he was impatient.

He glanced to his side and watched Kogure lean down his desk to get a new piece of paper. Mitsui smiled. Everything the spectacled boy did seemed so graceful. His movements, his arms, his eyes, his voice...everything. Mitsui enjoyed watching him.

Mitsui.

Mitsui's eyes widened slightly as his heard perked up at that voice. Kaede?

Meet me and Hana outside by the cherry blossom tree on the center of the field in 5 minutes. It's important.

Mitsui looked up at the clock and nodded. It was going to be recess time. Wakatta. When he felt Rukawa's presence disappear, he leaned against the back of his chair and sighed. Must be important. He sounded strained. He then closed his eyes and waited patiently for the bell to ring, the lecture of the teacher keeping him company.

* * * * * *

"A WEEK?!"

Rukawa cringed as both Hanamichi and Mitsui shouted at his face when he announced that. Hanamichi looked so crestfallen, as if he couldn't believe his life span was shortening even more. As for Mitsui, he looked like a helpless child, not knowing what to do. Rukawa shook his head and leaned against the trunk of the cherry blossom tree. "We need t find an angel. It is certain now. My father found out about what I intended to do and spoke to Death himself. He turned the 2 weeks into 1, and at the moment, you have exactly 4 more days to live."

Hanamichi snorted and turned away. "Thanks for reminding me that, Kitsune. You're a real pal."

Rukawa sighed and looked at Mitsui. Can you start looking for an angel now? I need to talk to him in private.

Mitsui nodded at that request and walked away, leaving the two alone.

When Rukawa was sure that Mitsui was gone and there was no one around, he stepped up to Hanamichi and hugged the redhead to him tightly. Hanamichi was pliant in his arms, but he didn't care. The sorrow and pain emanating from Hanamichi made him want to comfort him and stay by his side for as long as it would take. When Rukawa felt the drop of a tear on his arm, he turned Hanamichi around gently and place his hand to the back of Hanamichi's head as Hanamichi pressed his face into Rukawa's shoulder, soft cries making their way towards Rukawa's ears. Rukawa merely tightened his hold on the redhead and gave a soft kiss on Hanamichi's head.

Hanamichi tried very hard to sop the flow of tears from falling, but they seemed to have a will of their own as they made their way down his cheek one by one. He couldn't help the sobs that broke past his lips. Who could? If that person knew that he or she was going to die in 4 days, how would that person react? Hanamichi shook his head and buried his face deeper into Rukawa's shoulder.

Rukawa kissed Hanamichi's forehead and whispered, "I'm sorry...for what I said a while ago." When Hanamichi didn't say anything, he ran his hand down Hanamichi's spine in a comforting manner. "But I told you before, and I'm telling you again, I love you."

Hanamichi stiffened at those words and raised his head. "Demon's can't love."

Rukawa nodded and kissed the tip of Hanamichi's nose as his other hand wiped away the tears that continued to fall. "But I do. And I promise you, I will try my best to save you."

Hanamichi sighed and rested his head on Rukawa's neck, breathing in the scent that was distinctively Rukawa. "I can't believe a demon is making promises to a mortal."

Rukawa smiled softly. "Hey, at least I kept my first promise, which was to make your wish come true."

At that, Hanamichi blinked and murmured curiously, "Were you the one that made Haruko-chan come to me that morning?"

"Well...sorta."

"Sorta?"

Rukawa sighed and explained. "She was with her friends, and they were asking each other who they thought was cute and attractive, then they made a dare that they would approach that person they thought of and see if they liked him. I just place your name in Haruko's head and she went to you, and liked you even more. It's not love at first sight or any of those petty tricks, but something that grows." When Hanamichi didn't answer, Rukawa grinned and brushed his lips against Hanamichi's nose lovingly. "Aren't you happy?"

Hanamichi blushed and extracted himself from Rukawa's hold, though a part of his body wanted to be surrounded by that warmth again. He wiped his face with shaking fingers and sighed.

"SAKURAGI-KUN!"

Hanamichi's head whipped up at that scream and his eyes widened with fear at what the saw. Up on the roof of the school, Haruko was leaning against the railing as a cloaked figure holding a scythe floated towards her slowly. Haruko was really scared. Her knees threatened to buckle as Death raised his scythe and aimed it towards the frightened girl, his evil laugh floating everywhere.

Hanamichi ran towards the rooftop, not hearing Rukawa shouting at him from behind. His mind was set on saving Haruko and nothing else. He ran up the stairs as fast as he ran across the basketball court, and in no time at all, he burst through he door on the roof and looked around wildly. "Haruko?! HARUKO?!" He went to the railing where Haruko had just been and looked down. No one.

"Hana!" Rukawa shouted as he finally emerged form the door.

Hanamichi turned around quickly. "Rukawa, where's Haru-"

But before he could finish his sentence, a black smoke appeared between him and Rukawa. Rukawa cursed and tried to get past, but the dark thing enclosed him in some sort of barrier, which he wasn't able to break. Hanamichi watched with concern when Rukawa continued to pound against the barrier, trying to tell Hanamichi something, but his voice couldn't be heard.

"Kitsune!" Hanamichi made a move towards Rukawa, and immediately, the form of Death made itself known to the redhead. It laughed evilly as it floated towards Hanamichi, it's cloak moving with an unseen wind.

Hanamichi backed away until his back hit the railing. He cursed and looked around. He was trapped. He faced Death and shouted, "What do you want?!"

Death merely laughed at that, and replied coldly, "You." And in a flash, Death swung his scythe towards Hanamichi's neck. Hanamichi managed to back away before the scythe could touch him, but the price was that he lost his balance and fell over the railing, his entire body falling towards the earth in heart stopping speed.

"HANA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Rukawa screamed.

Hanamichi looked down at the ground that was closing in, and closed his eyes tightly. Kami-sam, tasukete!

Just when he thought his body was about to smash against the floor, a gust of wind surrounded him followed by gently arms that caught him. He cringed, still feeling that he might have died a painful death, and was in the after world. But when nothing happened, nothing changed, he opened his eyes cautiously, and gasped in shock. Feathers...

White feathers...

Hanamichi glanced at the arms that held him, which were glowing with light, and moved his gaze higher. His eyes saw nothing but white, a perfect shade of white. His eyes widened when he saw white wings, and impatient, he looked up at the face of the person who caught him and gasped. "Me-Megane-kun?!..."

Kogure breathed a sigh of relief, and whispered, "You're okay now, Sakuragi."

Hanamichi stared in shock. Megane-kun's an...angel... With that, he felt his head roll back, and he fainted.

TBC