Part 11

Hanamichi strode down the hall, too furious to even think straight, when all of a sudden, a black force conjured itself in front of him. Hanamichi stood still and in battle stance, ready to fight off whatever the thing was. But before he could do anything, the black form threw itself on his body and 2 hands grasped his shoulder. Hanamichi gasped and looked up into the owner of those hands. "MITSUI!"

Mitsui growled and hurled Hanamichi towards the wall, his face masked in rage as he held Hanamichi by his neck. "What the hell did you do to my cousin?"

Hanamichi was shocked at that question and action, but instead of bursting out his anger, he bowed his head laughed sadistically. Mitsui raised an eyebrow and was about to demand what Hanamichi thought was funny when Hanamichi gripped Mitsui's arm firmly and said in between maniacal laughs, "Oh sure. Now everything's MY fault, right?"

Mitsui grinded his teeth together. "I didn't say that."

Hanamichi snorted. "Believe me, it doesn't take a psychic or mind reader to know what's written on your FACE."

Mitsui cursed and squeezed Hanamichi's neck tighter. "What the hell happened with you two? Rukawa's aura has COMPLETELY disappeared! If ever Death comes for you again, he won't be able to protect you, even with Kogure's help!"

"PROTECT ME?!" Hanamichi shouted back, his face contorted into a disbelieving look. He tore Mitsui's hand away from his neck and pushed the older demon away from him, his fists clenched hard. "Are you all just playing this stupid game together?! Do you all enjoy making mortals feel stupid and low after playing with their emotions, and in the end, you never even cared for them?!"

Mitsui's eyes narrowed as he stepped up to the redhead. "What do you mean?"

"That your stupid cousin said that he LOVED me when in fact he doesn't!" Hanamichi burst out fiercely.

Mitsui bristled. "But he DOES love you!"

"Then why the hell is he getting MARRIED?!"

Mitsui's eyes widened as he stepped back from Hanamichi, who was breathing rapidly in front of him. Mitsui stood still, just like what Rukawa had done when Hanamichi told him about the marriage thing. After a while, Mitsui lifted his head to meet Hanamichi's disturbed and angered face. "How?"

Hanamichi threw up his arms in the air and shook his head. "My God! Are you and your cousin equally THAT stupid?! HE asked me the very same question when I said that!"

Mitsui clenched his fist, his body strained. "How'd you know about that, Hanamichi?!"

"I saw it in my dream, okay?!" Hanamichi retorted. "I saw Satan and Death talking to each other about it all."

Mitsui's mouth became grim as he contemplated the issue. "You saw it in your dream." His eyebrows came together, making him look very disturbed. "How the hell did you get that dream? Humans aren't suppose to see anything in the Underworld."

Hanamichi shrugged heatedly in response. "Look, I don't know how, and I don't care." He blinked when he remembered something. "Hey, the Haruko I saw on the roof before I fell off, was she real or not?"

Mitsui shook his head. "I spoke with Kogure. He explained the whole thing to me. Death just conjured an image of Haruko to lure you in. The real Haruko was safe all along."

Hanamichi nodded and turned away, walking down the corridor.

Mitsui took a step forward. "Why'd you want to know that, Hanamichi?"

"Coz I'm going to ask her out on a date."

Mitsui blinked at that and tried to reach for the redhead, but before anything could escape his mouth, Hanamichi had already turned towards the left corridor and disappeared from his sight. Mitsui sighed and dropped his hand down. Kaede... He turned his head slightly towards the wall on his left and saw the image of his cousin crying silently on the bed, blood dripping from the wounds his nails inflicted on the palms of his hands. Mitsui felt helpless. Rukawa had a duty to make Hanamichi's wish come true, which was to get the girl of his dreams. Rukawa had done his duty, but now...

Mitsui felt another aura come around from behind. He turned his head slightly and watched Kogure approach him with pained eyes. Mitsui understood Rukawa's feelings very well. The person they loved was so close, and yet, so far. It was a hard situation to be stuck in, but they had managed to get buried deeper than they thought.

Kogure stopped beside him and whispered, "I'm guessing that the fight with Death will be very hard."

Mitsui nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry."

Kogure shook his head softly, then looked up at Mitsui's face. "Do you have faith, Mitsui-kun?"

Mitsui chuckled hoarsely at that. "I'm a demon, remember? We aren't allowed to have faith."

"But you do have some, don't you?"

Mitsui paused in his ministrations and stared at the beautiful boy beside him. He shrugged in response as he turned away, trying to hide his blush by giving the spectacled boy a cool shrug. "Maybe."

Kogure smiled and walked down the corridor where Hanamichi just passed. "Then I think that there's still hope in the situation that we are all stuck in. Even though we have been buried into this very hard trial," He turned and gave Mitsui's dumbfounded look a radiating smile. "I think that everything will turn out in the end. That's how big my faith is in people who find love." With that, he turned towards the right corridor, leaving Mitsui speechless.

After a while, Mitsui's shoulders finally lowered themselves, his cheeks hot. He heard me...he actually HEARD my thoughts... He shook his head in disbelief and was about to walk down the other way, deciding to give his cousin a few more minutes of getting over Hanamichi before lunch starts and to give himself some time to clear his mind.

He walked down the hall, thinking of what ACCIDENT, as his brother called it, to do now so that Hanamichi and Rukawa could stay together, but under the circumstances...

It was nearly IMPOSSIBLE.

* * * * * *

Hanamichi heard the bell ring, signaling that lunchtime was in order, and he stood up from his seat to stretch his body, followed by a very disturbed Yohei. Yohei walked up to his best friend and asked, "Hanamichi, you okay?"

"Eh? Why'd you say that, Yohei?" Hanamichi replied TOO enthusiastically.

Yohei sweat dropped then pointed at the redhead. "You've been acting weird since you came back from the clinic." Yohei scratched his head thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, this was the 2nd time you came back in the middle of class from the clinic acting strange and stuff."

Hanamichi laughed at that and slapped Yohei on the back good-naturedly. "NYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Don't worry, Yohei! I'm the tensai, remember? There's nothing wrong with me!"

Yohei looked doubtful, but pushed the issue away and shifted on to another topic. "By the way, have you seen Rukawa-"

"AH!" Hanamichi shouted all of a sudden, sending Yohei falling to the ground.

Yohei sat up and gave his friend a weird look. "What the heck was that for?!"

"Warui, warui! I have to go somewhere! Ja!" Hanamichi ran out of the classroom before anyone could say 'Ja!' back. He ran all the way outside and finally stopped when he exited the building. He sighed under his breath and looked up at the window of his classroom. "Gomen, Yohei, but I don't want to hear his name." He stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked down the pavement, noticing other students eating their lunch together.

He sighed, lost in his own thoughts. What the hell is wrong with me?! I'm acting like some love sick girl who found out her boyfriend was cheating on her. Besides, it's not like I really loved the guy. Ch! How pathetic can I get?! Hanamichi blushed at that thought. More like, I had a CRUSH on him. Or maybe since he was the only person who seemed to be affectionate with me, I was infatuated with him. Hell! There are a MILLION reasons!

He thought the whole situation over for around 5 minutes as he walked around the campus. I guess I was a bit too harsh on him. I mean, come on! Me? GAY? Hah! All that love crap of his was just a joke, a FRIENDLY joke, and I made it all seem like a reality to me. I took it too seriously. Hanamichi stopped in his tracks and looked up at the sky. I guess I should apologize to him later when I get home. It's not like I want to die. Besides, he said that he would protect me, in a FRIENDLY manner, mind you.

Hanamichi nodded at that thought as he whispered, "Yeah, that's right. I'll say that I'm sorry for taking it out on him. I'll say that I misunderstood him, that I still love Haruko, but I THOUGHT I loved him. Yeah. Besides, he's just a friend, after all, nothing more, nothing less..."

Hanamichi lifted his gaze at that moment and spotted Haruko surrounded by her friends under a cherry blossom tree. He gazed at her for a few seconds, wondering what to do as he watched the petals dance around her as if they had a life of their own. I still like her, right? So...I guess that I'll ask her out. Tomorrow's a Sunday, after all. With that, he strolled over towards Haruko.

* * * * * *

Satan moved towards the orb Death held in his hands and narrowed his eyes. "So, it seems that the problem regarding my son has been solved."

"Yes, your great." Death replied with a grin. "To invite that mortal into our world and hear our conversation was a brilliant tactic, your great. Even I didn't think of that."

Satan watched the image inside the orb. The mortal with red hair approached a girl and asked if she would like to go out with him tomorrow. The girl smiled up and him, a faint blush tinting her cheeks as she replied that she would love to. Satan nodded at that. "Good, very good."

The scene shifted towards Rukawa, who was out of the clinic and walking about the school corridors, his eyes blank. Death blinked. "What do we do about him, your great."

"Leave him alone for now. He will get over this stupid mortal soon."

The image shifted again to show Mitsui eating his lunch alone. Then, a young boy with eyeglasses came up to the demon to give him some paperwork. The white glow emitting from the spectacled boy was not confused with anyone else. Death shifted his head to the side. "What do we do about Mitsui and the angel, your great?"

Satan waved his hand about. "Mitsui hasn't performed any form of affection towards the boy since the truth has been revealed, so nothing shall be done. As for the angel, when you battle my son and him, make sure to destroy the angel completely. Let my son live."

Death nodded as he faded away again into the darkness, the orb still dangling in the air. "As you have commanded, your great." Then, he was gone.

Satan drew the orb closer to him and watched the image change again from Mitsui to his son. He watched the raven haired boy sit down on his seat and lay his head down on the desk, trying to fall asleep. Satan smiled as he murmured, "Sylvester, come here."

The assistant came towards Satan with an air of confidence. "Yes, your great?"

Satan smiled evilly. "Send out the invitations to my son's marriage ceremony TODAY. The marriage will be TOMORROW at 10:00 pm instead of Wednesday. Also, tell Death to change the date of Death of Sakuragi Hanamichi to Monday at noon. That way, there will be no interruptions and or disruption. Understood?"

Sylvester nodded, a sly grin on his face. "Yes, your great." And with a snap, he was gone.

Satan stared at his son from the orb and chuckled diabolically, "Nothing can go wrong now."

TBC