Part 13

Kogure sighed heavily as he leaned back on his chair and stared at the moon shining in front of him, a confused yet thoughtful expression on his face. He was trying to study for the big test tomorrow that would test how well he had paid attention in class, but somehow, all the symbols and algebraic expressions started turning into the face of a certain demon with midnight blue hair. He sighed again and stood up, pushing his books and notebooks away as he made his way towards his bed and plopped down on it.

He grabbed his pillow and buried his nose in it as he contemplated the issue at hand. When he had first met Mitsui, he had already known that he was a demon. It was pretty easy for angels to distinguish humans, angels and demon from each other. The aura they emitted could be seen quite easily by angels, which was why most demons that came to earth were easily destroyed. But Kogure had no intention of destroying Mitsui and his cousin. He wanted to know them.

Kogure leaned back against his other pillow and smiled softly. He had known that Mitsui sort of liked him, but he had never imagined it to go to the level of loving him. He was quite shocked and amused at the same time when he had heard the demons thoughts as he stood there by the clinic entrance. It was strange...many angels and humans have said that demons were heartless and cold, unfeeling and diabolic. But Mitsui wasn't like. Kogure would have guessed that not all demons were like that, including that boy named Rukawa. It was mind boggling. One minute, he had his own point of view on what demons were, and the next, it was completely different.

And the worst part was...

Kogure turned over his bed, his face suddenly red. Angels were not restricted from loving and caring for anyone, that would include demons too, he guessed, but...His face reddened. He had wanted to submit to all those sexual thoughts Mitsui had on his mind when he didn't think Kogure was an angel. Kogure always blushed when he was with the demon. They were talking about one thing for a minute, then, Mitsui has a picture of him and Kogure lying naked on the bed, doing...

Kogure shook his head to clear that image, and hid his face under his pillow. Was it a sin? Was it a sin to want to do that? He had thought so at first, so whenever Mitsui's mind would come up with those images as he gave Kogure signals of liking him, Kogure would simply treat it like some sort of joke between friends. Mitsui would look discouraged at that, but he would never stop trying.

The cool air entered the open window and touched Kogure's heated cheeks. He opened his eyes at that contact, then, bit hi lip. Mitsui had chased him like crazy when he thought that Kogure was a mortal, but when he found out, he had stopped. Kogure was slightly pained by Mitsui's actions. Whenever Kogure would try to approach him, he would turn around and walk away. Whenever Kogure would try to talk to him, he wouldn't answer. Whenever Kogure called out to him, he wouldn't mind him. Kogure knew that it was for their own good. After all, a demon and an angel could never be together, but on that day when Mitsui thought to himself about loving an angel, Kogure felt a spark of hope.

Demons were like them, but not like them. They had feelings, but they usually channel it towards the opposite direction. That was why most of them were misunderstood. Kogure had fallen for Mitsui right then and there. That was why he couldn't help approaching the dark haired boy after his thought by the clinic and said what he had said. He was too happy to care. Mitsui loved him, and Kogure loved him. Some people said it was impossible to love a person in only a few days, but Kogure had done the impossible. It all seemed like some crazy plot, but Kogure liked the way it was going.

Suddenly, there was a knock on his door. He lifted his head up as he hears his mother's voice on the opposite end. "Kiminobu, you have a guest."

Kogure looked at the clock and narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. That's odd...who would visit me at 9:30 at night? Nevertheless, he shrugged and answered respectfully, "Please tell him to come up to my room. I'll fix a few things."

"Okay."

Kogure stood up and started tidying his room up a little. He was known as a clean freak most of the time, but if ever there was a test the next day and Kogure had something else in mind, the room tended to get a little dirty. Kogure picked up the other notes that were scattered on the floor when he heard a knock on his door. "Come in."

The door didn't open at all. Kogure blinked from his position on the ground and lifted his head. His eyes widened considerably larger than it's usual size as the notes he held in his hands dropped to the ground. "Mi-Mitsui!"

Mitsui looked at the mess Kogure had just made combined with all the other things around the room. He arched an eyebrow. "I thought that you're the neatest guy in the world."

Kogure looked around his place and blushed in embarrassment, laughing nervously as he did so. "Yeah well, I'm usually like this when the tests are coming." He cleared his head and gave Mitsui a curious look. "That aside, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be studying too?"

Mitsui's smile suddenly faded when Kogure said that. He looked around the room and murmured, "Believe me, I tried to study, but it wasn't possible, not with the situation we have in our hands now."

Kogure stood up from his position and went towards Mitsui. He motioned for Mitsui to sit down on the bed as he sat on his chair. "What do you mean?"

Mitsui lifted his head and eyed Kogure seriously. "Kaede's marriage is tomorrow." When Kogure opened his mouth to say something, Mitsui continued. "And your battle with Death is on the next day."

Kogure open and closed his mouth at that, then, he managed to gasp out, "Why?"

"I don't know." Mitsui clenched his hands into fists. "Kaede didn't explain it either. When Hanamichi and I arrived home, he was there, greeting us cheerfully. I was happy for him, thinking that everything would be okay, but..." He bit his lip in annoyance, drawing blood from the wound he had inflicted on himself. Kogure gasped as he watched the blood run down the cut lip to the dark haired boy's chin as he continued talking. "He told us that announcement a smile on his face. Hanamichi and I were quite shocked, and when I asked Kaede why he would think that that was good news, he replied that Hanamichi wanted this." Mitsui cursed under his breath. "I had always thought of Kaede as someone respectable, but after what he did-"

Mitsui was cut off. Kogure had leaned in closer and had kissed him on the chin, where the blood and fallen to. Mitsui sat there as stiff as a board as Kogure licked the blood away. When the spectacled finally reached the source of the wound and gave it a kiss, Mitsui felt that he was going to die. Kogure ended the kiss and backed away, his hand on the side of Mitsui's head. "Don't inflict pain on yourself."

Mitsui stared at Kogure in stunned silence.

Kogure leaned in again and gave Mitsui a chaste kiss. "Have faith. Just have faith." And with that, Kogure kissed Mitsui fully on the lips.

Mitsui remained still in Kogure's arms, but after a while, he relaxed and reached out hesitantly. He held Kogure's arms and pulled the spectacled boy on the bed. Kogure gave a surprised yelp as Mitsui pinned him underneath his own body, but that yelp was silenced when Mitsui gave him a soul-searing kiss. Kogure sighed and arched against Mitsui's body. Kami-sama...please forgive me...demo... He snaked his arms around Mitsui's neck and held their lips together. I love... "Hisashi!" He gasped out.

Mitsui kissed Kogure heatedly. I will have faith... "Kiminobu..." He murmured gently against the other boy's lips. Because I love you...

"I love you..."

* * * * * *

Hanamichi lay down on his bed as he watched the moon from his window. He stayed still not wanting to move, not wanting to speak, not wanting to do anything. All he could do was replay the whole scene over and over again in his mind. He felt a lone tear make its way down the side of his cheek again, and he hastily rubbed it away, cursing himself for his being too emotional. But even though he tried to harden himself, another tear rolled down as he heard Rukawa's cold, unfeeling voice in his head.

"My father changed the marriage date to TOMORROW, so I won't be here the whole day."

"Isn't it obvious? That way, I'll be out of Hanamichi's life FOREVER."

"Isn't this what you wanted, Hanamichi-kun?"

Another tear fell from his eye, and before Hanamichi could stop it, an anguished sob escaped his lips. His body shook as his tears and cries started flowing out continuously. He buried his face in his pillow to quiet himself, but the tears wouldn't stop. He expected to be hurt by Rukawa's announcement, but he didn't expect to be hurt this much.

He rolled over to his stomach and cried, wanting this nightmare to come to an end.

"Doshite?...Rukawa..." He whispered brokenly. "Doshite?..."

* * * * * *

Rukawa leaned against the wall beside Hanamichi's room, his own tears cascading down his face as he listened to both Hanamichi's cries and thoughts. He wanted to enter the room and hold the redhead badly. He wanted to comfort him, touch him, kiss him, protect him from everything, but, he couldn't. He had done this to ensure the happiness of Hanamichi. He wanted his redhead to be happy, and the only way for him to be happy was...to get his wish.

Rukawa gave a soft cry and walked away from Hanamichi's room. I'm so sorry...I love you... He thought over and over again in his head. Tomorrow, he was going to lose his freedom. He was going to marry someone he didn't even love, and he was going to live a boring life in hell. No Hanamichi, no life, no love...

With that, one final tear made its way down his left cheek as he walked down the corridor towards his room, walking out of Hanamichi's life forever. He was going to make Hanamichi happy, even if it meant hurting him for the moment.

"Sayonara...Hana..."

* * * * * *

Death cackled evilly as he watched Rukawa walk away from the redhead's room and into his own room. The aura was still gone, but nevertheless, it would return. He turned to Satan and gave an amused smile. "Mission complete, you great."

Satan smiled at that and rubbed his head exasperatedly. "I have to go now."

Death blinked, not understanding. "You great, what do you mean by that?"

Satan turned and regarded the cloaked figure with an air of indifference. "The Underworld Association will be having their annual meeting in Denver tomorrow. I was suppose to leave today, but because I had to make sure that things would run smoothly as planned, I stayed. Now that Rukawa has broken the heart of that mortal, I don't have any worries. I'll come back on Monday."

"You'll...not be here tomorrow?" Death repeated uncertainly.

Satan turned and went towards his room. "When my son chooses his bride tomorrow, do not stop him. I want him to be married and bonded so that there will be no more trouble, understood? I trust you'll fulfill your duty in my place."

Death nodded eagerly. "Yes, your great. I will carry out your plan perfectly."

Satan entered his chamber and grinned to himself. He made his way towards his orb and watched as the image of his son came out. Rukawa was lying on the bed, tears still streaming down his face, but Satan could see that little by little, his heart was hardening. Satan nodded, satisfied with the results. He didn't need a stupid son who was emotional and who would fall for a stupid mortal. He touched the orb and murmured evilly, "Sleep well, my son, for you will have a very long day tomorrow..."

With that, Satan opened a vortex in front of him, and made his way to Denver.

When he was gone, Koshino and Sendoh popped out of the closet where they were hiding. Koshino fell to the ground, his knees still shaky from the fact that they had snuck inside Satan's room. "Ah...We could have been KILLED if he found us, Akira!"

Sendoh smiled, a plan already formulating itself in his brain. "But we didn't, so relax. Besides, I think I may know how to solve my cousin's dilemma."

Koshino shook his head and muttered, "What?"

"You'll see." With that, Sendoh happily grabbed Koshino around the waist and made a vortex towards Earth. He smiled happily. It might work. His plan just might work. It was a long shot, but hey, what did they have to lose? Sendoh thought that over and smiled.

A lot, but at the same time, nothing.

TBC