“Right. You came here. Alone. And happened to step into my capsule and Motoki happened to be mobbed by girls.” She looked at him challengingly.

Seething when he said there was nothing she could do about it now—because it was true—and even more when he said she was cute when she was mad, Minako had to resist the urge to stomp her foot on the floor like a child. Why was he so aggravating? And why wouldn’t he just leave her alone?

They started climbing higher and higher, and she looked in dismay at Motoki’s figure, which grew smaller and smaller. This was supposed to be their romantic ride! Instead, now, she was stuck here with Kunihiro.

“As a matter of fact, I’ve been enjoying it very much,” Minako replied to his question defiantly. “He’s nice, unlike you. If this is your way of trying to win me over, you’re doing it wrong.”

At that moment, the capsule swayed to a stop as the Ferris Wheel admitted another passenger below, and Minako, who was still standing, lost her balance. She yelped as she started to fall and immediately bumped into Kunihiro’s tall frame.

Did he orchestrate that too somehow?! she thought as her face instantly flushed.

Kunihiro raised an eyebrow at Minako's insensitive comment. "Excuse you, but if I remember correctly, I'm the one who practically put my heart in your hands, and you are the one who shoved it into the dirt. I don't do that crap for just anyone. In fact, I -" Kunihiro stopped when the ferris wheel came to a halt, causing Minako to lose her balance. Without even thinking, Kunihiro's hands flew to her waist, holding her in place so she wouldn't fall. Smirking, he said, "Didn't your mom ever tell you to sit down when the car's moving?"

He had covered up his shock with his regular cockiness, but on the inside, Kunihiro felt...strange. As if he had done this before. Maybe not the exact same situation, but...the way he was holding her and the way his heart beat out of control felt all too familiar. 

Realizing his hands had lingered for a bit longer than they should have, Kunihiro removed them from her waist and stepped away, sitting down and leaning back. He didn't need to say anything - he had a feeling Minako knew what he was thinking.

Despite herself, Minako bristled at Kunihiro’s comment. Guilt crept up on her as he spoke about how she had turned him down so decisively after he told her about his feelings. Was he serious, then? Well, what was she supposed to do? She didn’t have any reason to trust him, especially based on his actions and decisions up until that point. Was she supposed to just take the risk and bare her own heart for him to hurt?

But hasn’t he done it first?

She felt confused and unbalanced, and that was when his hands caught her. Her heart jumped to her throat and she stepped back quickly, shivering at how the quick contact had made her feel. How could he still have this effect on her?

She sat down on the opposite side and crossed her arms. For a moment she sat in silence, determined to ride this out without talking. There was nothing else to talk about, anyway.

But his comment made her feel anxious, and she turned to look at him. “I didn’t know if I could trust you,” she blurted out. “You were playing with me the entire time, even when you asked me to Homecoming. Would you have ever told me—if I hadn’t found out through Mio—that you only asked me because of a dare?”

At Minako's words, Kunihiro looked away from her and out the window. He had been asking himself the exact same question ever since she turned him down. Would he have told her the truth? Or would he have kept it all to himself? Would it have mattered either way?

He looked back at her, meeting her enchanting eyes. He knew the answer all this time - he was just too much of a coward to admit it to himself.

"No, I wouldn't have," he answered honestly. "Because I didn't just ask you out because of the dare. Do you just block me out when I talk? Do you hear the things I say? There's something about you, and...I can't get it out of my head. I feel something when I'm with you, and I know that it's...right. Can you sit here and tell me that you don't feel it too? Can you continue with your life standing by that nerd and honestly say that you're happy with him?"

Minako felt a momentary triumph when Kunihiro admitted that he wouldn’t have admitted the truth, but then his next words destroyed that feeling. So he actually wanted to ask her? But why had he acted like a stupid jerk about it the first time she brought up the dance then? Why couldn’t he just have asked her out like a normal person without waiting for his friends to dare him to?

“I feel it too, okay?!” she finally blurted out, surprised when she realized she’d said it out loud. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, and she looked away from him. “But the problem with you is you’re never honest from the start. You would hide behind your popular guy act and pretend you’re not interested. Sometimes you treat me like crap and throw me to the wolves, like with Mio. That night… that Homecoming night was the first time you were being honest about what you felt. And I was supposed to just be on board with the whole thing because you suddenly changed your attitude? How was I supposed to know you wouldn’t return to your usual self once that night ended?”

Minako huffed. “Guess what, I am actually happy with Motoki. He’s honest and uncomplicated. He says what he feels all the time. He treats me right and I never have to worry that he’d put his friends or his reputation over my happiness. So yes, I am happy with him.”

Maybe not as happy as she would ever be with Kunihiro if things had been different… but things weren’t different, were they?

The wave of relief Kunihiro felt when Minako admitted she felt the same thing he did was like a breath of fresh air. He knew it wasn't a one-sided thing. Nothing she could say or do would ever turn him away now. 

But of course she had to ruin the flood of happiness he was filled with. All of that relief and joy was slowly turned to dust as Minako pointed out his flaws and all of his mistakes. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair in shame and frustration. "I thought you were someone who could see past the negative," he said quietly. 

He only felt even worse when she told him she was happy. Of course she was - it only made sense for a beautiful girl like her to find a guy who treated her properly and wasn't a total jerk. But it still hurt. He wanted to make her happy - he wanted the chance. The problem was he already had his chance, and he blew it because of a stupid dare. The ride stopped, and he could hear the attendant fumbling with the door to their car. It opened, and Kunihiro stepped out, extending his hand for Minako to take. 

"Well, I'm glad you're happy."

Really, was he blaming this on her? Minako was so incensed, it was probably just as well that they were descending back to the ground. It wasn’t her fault that he had screwed up so royally when he had months to woo her properly. It wasn’t as if they’d just met the other day or anything. She had months of behavior pattern to get used to and she was blamed for not weighing it as more important than the one night he decided to be decent? While still not telling her the full truth, by the way.

He didn’t sound glad at all despite his words, and when he walked out the moment the capsule stopped, something inside Minako broke. She bit her lip to suppress the tears—she mustn’t cry, she mustn’t feel sorry for him!—and yet deep down she felt truly devastated for reasons she couldn’t fathom. Somehow, hurting him hurt her.

She did not look at him as she took his hand upon stepping out, yet the contact sent a jolt of spark along her skin. Why did she even do that? She didn’t even need his help. She wasn’t some dainty Victorian-era lady. And yet she had taken his hand almost automatically, as if that was what felt natural.

She dropped her hold on it the moment they were on solid ground. And then she found Motoki standing to the side in confusion, an expression of hurt on his face upon seeing Minako and Kunihiro side by side.

“Motoki-kun…” Minako said uncertainly as she rushed toward him. “What happened to you? I entered the capsule and I turned back and you weren’t there.”

“Oh, funny story…” he scratched the back of his head absent-mindedly. “Some girls mistook me for a famous person, I think. Imagine that. Me! A famous person!” he laughed somewhat awkwardly. Seeing her expression, he quickly forgot his own disappointment. “I’m so sorry, Minako-chan. I didn’t mean to leave you… alone.” His gaze flicked to Kunihiro when he said this, clearly knowing she wasn’t exactly alone.

“I didn’t invite him with me,” she said quickly, frantically. “He was just there behind me, I swear. I had no idea he’s even in this park…”

“You didn’t?” Motoki looked unsure, and Minako shook her head vigorously.

“Of course not! I wanted it to be you in there.”

Motoki smiled hopefully, and finally waved awkwardly at Kunihiro. “Hello, Kinzoku-san.”

Minako fidgeted uneasily. “I’m sure he’s here with someone else. Let’s not keep him, shall we? Now, do you still want to go on the Ferris Wheel? We can queue again.”

Motoki shook his head, eyeing the long snaking line. “No, let’s not waste our time. Let’s do something else.”

Minako’s eyes roamed the park and landed on something called the Fun House. “How about that? I think it’s a mirror house!”

Motoki nodded and Minako excitedly ran in that direction, waving a “See you later!” to Kunihiro. The closer they got, though, the more ominous it looked. It seemed as if it wasn’t just a mirror house. Creepy music was emanating from inside and there were pictures of clown out front.

“Uh… Minako-chan, I’m not sure about this. I don’t really like clowns.”

“Come on, Motoki-kun! We’ll do it together! We’ll hold hands! It’ll be romantic.”

‘Romantic’ seemed like the last thing Motoki thought when he gazed at the Fun House, but he nodded bravely, tremblingly.

Minako squeezed his hand and stepped inside through a heavy, thick black curtain.

They were immediately facing mirrors everywhere. The creepy music intensified, and as Minako walked slowly, she felt Motoki’s death grip on her hand. She tried to keep her eyes on the ground—the easiest way not to bang into a mirror—but as they made the first turn, a clown jumped out at them with a loud, eerie laugh.

Motoki screamed, inexplicably let go of her hand, and ran in the opposite direction.

“Motoki-kun! Wait!” Minako yelled. She ran after him and immediately banged into a mirror. Groaning in pain, she used her hands to trace the walls in the dim light, trying to find an opening. God, this place was a nightmare. Why was she so stupid as to walk in here?

She thought they’d only made one turn, but now she couldn’t retrace her steps. When she went around the corner, instead of finding the entrance, she just found more mirrors. Another eerie laugh echoed in the distance, as if laughing at her foolishness. Despite her bravery, Minako felt goosebumps all along her skin.

“Motoki-kun?! MOTOKI-KUN!” she yelled above the noises of the mirror house, but found no answer. Had he really abandoned her here?!

As she turned around in circles, finding only her reflection at every turn that seemed to be mocking her, she felt the paralyzing fear that she would never get out of this horrible place.

A defeated Kunihiro walked away from the ferris wheel, not even bothering to return Motoki's lame greeting. He was about to exit the park when the devil herself walked past him, immediately smiling once she caught his eye. "Hiro-sannnnn!" she called, grabbing his arm. "What a coincidence! I didn't expect to see you here today! What are you doing here all by yourself? That doesn't matter, because I'm here! Let's go do something!" 

Kunihiro resisited the urge to groan in annoyance as Mio spoke, dragging him off to who-knows-where. They walked around for a while, and after she forced him to buy her a pina colada and win her a stuffed animal, she got distracted by some other guy. Thinking he was home free, Kunihiro tried to sneak back towards the entrance of the park, but was stopped by her shrill voice calling his name. In seconds, she was clinging onto his arm again and pointing to a nearby attraction. "Let's go in there! I heard a rumor that if you and another person make it out together, you're destined to fall in love!" Mio squealed. Kunihiro rolled his eyes, dragging his feet after Mio into what seemed to be a mirror house.

The two walked around the mirror house for about thirty seconds when a clown jumped out, causing Mio to jump slightly. Before Kunihiro even knew what happened, she was beating the poor clown with her purse and yelling at him. The clown attemped to escape, but she followed after him, yelling and cursing at him. Kunihiro attemped to follow her, but found himself facing a mirror. 'Great. Now how am I going to get out of here?' he thought. After a few minutes of walking around aimlessly, Kunihiro rounded a corner and ran straight into a short girl with long, familiar blonde hair. His stomach dropped as he looked down at her. She was going to think he followed her - he could just tell.

"Uh...hey," he said, scratching the back of his head. "I swear I didn't do this on purpose this time. Where's your date?" Kunihiro paused, thinking a moment. "Wait, don't tell me. He got scared off by the clown, didn't he?"

Minako was totally on the verge of crying and yelling for help when she bumped into a very familiar chest. She looked up in disbelief at Kunihiro’s face. He immediately claimed that he didn’t follow her on purpose, but Minako didn’t really know if she could believe him.

When he asked if Motoki got scared off by a clown, she scowled. “Well, it is pretty terrifying. Have you seen one of them? God, I’m going to get nightmares tonight.” She wondered where Motoki was. Had he found the way out yet? “But I’m sure he’s here somewhere. We just got separated, that’s all. He won’t abandon me.”

She turned around and tried to find another escape, but all she could see were herself and Kunihiro, reflected a thousand times, some distorted in strange ways. From the corner of her eye, she thought she saw one that looked different. They almost looked… ancient, and sad, and they were wearing strange clothes. She blinked and turned to look at it fully, but the strange image disappeared. Their reflection was back to normal, just really tall and skinny.

Minako shook her head. She was clearly losing her mind. “I’m going to get out of here,” she announced, took three steps, and bumped into another mirror. Cursing, she started groping her way like a blind person, trying to find an opening desperately. She was going to get out of there, even if she had to claw her way out.

Hearing Minako's confession about the clown made Kunihiro smile. God, she was adorable.

"You're doing a great job so far," he remarked at Minako's attempt to escape. "Just let me help you. I've got a pretty great sense of direction, so I could lead us out of here in no time. If I haven't won you over by my charms by then, you're free to go back with scaredy-cat and enjoy the rest of your day." He smirked, placing his hand on her waist and gently pushing her to the right, where the real opening was. "That way."

His sarcastic comment made Minako bristle. Great sense of direction? Right. Half of her was tempted to take him up on that challenge, seeing if he could really lead them out of there in ‘no time’. But that would mean admitting she needed his help, wouldn’t it?

She almost jumped when he touched her without warning, mostly because each time he made contact with her it messed with her head. But she grudgingly saw that he was indeed pointing her to the right direction. “I knew that,” she said with bravado, completely lying through her teeth. She marched through the opening and felt triumph when she managed to make another turn successfully.

Soon, however, she was completely lost again, and worse still, she saw no sign of Kunihiro. Not that she missed him or needed him or anything. Not at all.

But as she tried once again to do battle with the mirrors—half wondering if she could get away with just smashing them all—she heard the hair-rising laugh of the clown again and felt terrible dread.

“…Kunihiro?” she called out.

But not too loud, lest he thought she was desperate.

Kunihiro chuckled at Minako's stubbornness, shoving his hands into his pockets and watching as she left him alone in the small space. Shaking his head, Kunihiro leaned against a mirror and waited patiently, tapping his foot against the floor. As soon as he heard her quiet voice bouncing off of the mirrors, he smirked and headed in the direction he knew she had gone. Seconds later, he was leaning against another mirror, facing her in the small room she was standing in. 

"You called?" he said, not even bothering to hide the "I-told-you-so" look in his eyes.

Minako hated this situation. A lot.

But she had had enough of these stupid mirrors and those stupid clowns and this stupid maze and her stupid idea of getting in here in the first place. So she swallowed her pride and said, “Fine. Lead the way out, please,” through gritted teeth.

She appreciated Kunihiro not outright saying ‘I told you so’, but only barely, since she could practically see the words plastered all over his expression. She didn’t like admitting that she needed him, but right now she did… and maybe not just to get out of here.

Maybe she needed him in a much deeper level.

Kunihiri smiled warmly, extending his hand for her to take. "So we don't get separated," he explained.

Minako stared at Kunihiro’s hand distrustfully. Okay, so maybe he had a point. She had gotten separated from him after a few steps, and she really didn’t want to have to keep calling out for him. But to hold hands?

She was horrified to discover that she was terrified of the physical contact.

And yet she could not resist the pull, just like always. With her heart beating loudly in her chest, Minako reached out… and grasped Kunihiro’s hand.

It was warm and comforting… and worse, it felt right. Holding Motoki’s hand never felt like this. It never gave her butterflies, it never made her feel like there was literal electricity passing between them.

There was no spark.

She looked straight ahead, refusing to let her face betray her emotions. “Lead the way then,” she muttered, her voice just barely steady.

When Minako took his hand, Kunihiro felt all of the tension and stress from the last several weeks melt away. Her hand was so much smaller than his, yet it felt so warm in his hand. He couldn't help smiling at her as he led the way out, keeping her close as they weaved through the narrow passages of mirrors. With one hand tracing the mirrored walls, Kunihiro attempted to show Minako what was a wall and what wasn't so that she wouldn't run into anything. In no time at all, they found the exit where Mio and Motoki were waiting.

Kunihiro was still very much aware of Minako's hand in his, and yet he still didn't let go. He wanted to make this moment last for as long as he could, because he wasn't quite sure when he would ever get this chance again.

How was he doing this so easily?

Minako shook her head in disbelief as Kunihiro navigated the labyrinth as if he’d done it a thousand times, and the way he was always so careful with her, making sure she wasn’t hurt…

It made her heart ache.

As the sun shone brightly in their faces, Minako had to blink to let her eyes readjust. Her heart plummeted when she noticed Motoki and Mio standing together. She turned to look at Kunihiro in betrayal. So he came here with Mio?

Then she realized how stupid she was. Why was she feeling angry? He had every right to come here with Mio. He was clearly on a date, like Minako and Motoki had been.

Except that somehow she kept ending up with Kunihiro instead.

Was the universe trying to tell her something?

“CONGRATULATIONS!” a girl jumped in front of them, shocking Minako half to death. She wore the uniform of a park attendant and shoved a bouquet of balloons into Minako’s arms, all heart-shaped and in various shades of red and pink. “You found the exit together! It means you’re destined to fall in love! I hope you two stay together forever!” the girl continued cheering happily.

Minako blushed. “Ahem, I’m… I’m not actually… his girlfriend,” she stammered.

The girl froze, looking back and forth between them. “Oh,” she deflated a bit, but then her face brightened again. “Well, it just means you will be! You totally have feelings for each other, right? Go for it!”

Minako frowned at this meddling park attendant. “Actually… I already have a boyfriend.”

This time the girl turned red. “Oops! Sorry. That was… I’m just going to…”

Mercifully, she disappeared back into the mirror house.

Minako sighed in disbelief and looked back at Motoki and Mio, who had obviously heard everything. She grimaced. “Well. This is a creepy mirror house with killer clowns. Clearly we should not trust it as an authority on destined lovers or whatever. That’s just a gimmick, right?” she announced to nobody and everybody.

This was so awkward.

Kunihiro felt his chest swell with pride as he successfully navigated himself and Minako out of the mirror house. He never understood why, but he always had a flawless sense of direction. If he wanted to go somewhere, he could get there without needing a map or directions. It was weird, but he wasn't complaining. After all, now Minako had a reason to think of him as her knight in shining armor.

But of course, Mio and Motoki were waiting outside for them. Seeing the look on Minako's face made Kunihiro's heart break. Of course, she was going to get the wrong idea and he would be considered a jerk, again. He had tried to hard, and for Mio to ruin his hard work again was starting to piss him off. Couldn't she take a hint?

"Minako-chan, this isn't wait it looks like, I-"

Kunihiro was interrupted by a shout, and he almost jumped had he not caught himself. It was only a girl working at the mirror house, which didn't interest him, but the words coming out of her mouth did. Destined to fall in love? Together forever?

He liked the sound of that.

But to his dismay, Minako didn't. 

"Erm...sure..." he mumbled, not believing what he was saying. Did Minako really not want to be with him? Was she so smitten by Motoki that the very thought of dating him turned her away? 

Defeated, Kunihiro frustratedly ran his fingers through his hair before giving a small wave to the group. "I'll see you all around," he said solemnly. As he exited the amusement park, it was all he could do not to look back.

The image of Kunihiro’s retreating back that day in the amusement park was burned into Minako’s mind forever since.

The way he had appeared so defeated… She didn’t understand why it got to her so much. That was what she wanted, right? For him to stop bothering her and leave her be in peace with Motoki?

And yet, it felt like he wasn’t the only one who walked away brokenhearted that day.

Minako couldn’t shake the feeling for the weeks and months that followed, and it nagged at her constantly. It made her angry, but she had no idea who to blame.

At last, prom was looming ahead of them. Minako never thought it was likely that she would get to go since she was only a freshman, and to be honest, she hadn’t much cared about it either since it wasn’t her prom.

However, some of the juniors would be attending, and Motoki had asked her to be his date. So she said yes, largely for him. She knew Motoki had wanted to take her to a school dance as his date for a long time.

However, as she prepared for the dance on the night in question, it felt very different than the night of the homecoming dance.

Back then, she was deathly nervous, but looking back on it, she realized now that it was exciting kind of nervous. The night felt full of possibilities, and she had never felt more alive with all the sensations coursing through her veins. All the questions and the wondering that had driven her crazy was like a boost of adrenaline that made everything appear so much brighter. More intense.

Now… she felt nothing. It was almost like she was dead inside, which was rather horrifying. No matter how much she tried to summon some excitement, she just felt nothing. It didn’t feel like the special occasion it was supposed to be. She knew exactly how that night would go. By now, she already knew all the things Motoki would and would not do, and she realized the safety and certainty that she thought she wanted when she chose to be with him was—to put it harshly—boring her.

There was no question, no wondering, no daydreaming. Everything was predictable.

And it was only now that Minako realized what her soul truly craved was the opposite.

The unpredictability, the excitement of not knowing, the endless questioning. The fire.

Kunihiro.

Only, it was probably too late, because surely he had long given up on her.

Standing in front of her mirror that night, looking as perfect as a princess, suddenly all Minako wanted to do was cry.

The next several weeks after the amusement park debacle passed by in a blur. Kunihiro didn't talk to Minako, didn't annoy her, didn't purposely take routes that would make them pass by each other. He left her alone, just like she wanted. And he hated every second.

He couldn't believe that Motoki was enjoying Minako's light, her smile, her laugh, her outgoing personality, and he was all alone. Mio had left him alone, finally finding someone else who tolerated her. All he really had was the football team, and even they left him alone.

He was missing something without Minako. It wasn't until too late that he finally realized it.

The night before prom, Kunihiro was out on the football field with Satoshi, tossing the ball back and forth. They made fun of each other from across the field, nagging one another about how they threw like a girl, just like guys always did. After an hour or so, the two went into the locker room to change and go their separate ways. But instead of goofing off like always, something else happened.

"You going to prom tomorrow?" Satoshi asked. Kunihiro shook his head.

"Nah, not really my thing," he responded.

"Not your thing? Or you don't have a date?"

"Both, I guess."

Silence for a few moments.

"You've got to talk to her, man."

Kunihiro froze, his fingers pausing in the middle of tying his shoe. Since when was Satoshi going around giving relationship advice?

"I mean it. I'm not sure about everything between you guys, but I know that I've never seen you like this. I've never seen you as happy as you were with her, and I've never seen you as sad as you are without her. Ask her to prom," Satoshi continued.

The quarterback shook his head, finishing the knot of his shoelaces and standing up straight. "She's got a date already. It's too late," he said defeatedly.

Satoshi shook his head and smirked. "Not unless you know someone."

---

WhatamIdoingthisisn'tgoingtoworkandI'manidiotandIhavenoideawhyIalwayslistentoSatoshiandthissuckssobadandwillneverwork.

His feet moved on their own, taking him closer and closer to the place he thought he would never return to. This wasn't happening.

It all happened so fast that Kunihiro didn't even know if he was dreaming or not.

To his luck, the prom theme for this year was 'Royal Ball', and so he was dressed like some frivolous rich prince, complete with a cape and some sort of gemstone he couldn't name. Out of stubbornness, Kunihiro refused to button the top of his grey jacket, so it hung down his chest slightly. His hair had been combed neatly, and it was probably the nicest he had ever looked.

He had to admit, he felt badass looking himself in the mirror.

Like a knight marching to save a princess from her tower, Kunihiro took the last few steps and paused. After taking a deep breath, he lifted his fist and knocked on the door of Minako Aino's home.

When she heard the knock on the door, Minako grabbed her purse and listened as her mother bustled her way to open it. She waited to hear her mother gushing over how good Motoki looked—she seemed to simply adore him and had always treated him like her own son. And Motoki loved it, too; it seemed his own mother never paid much attention to him. Sometimes Minako wished her mom would just adopt Motoki so she would stop pestering Minako about someday marrying him.

Because the thought of it made her nauseous.

It wasn’t until her heels’ clicking echoed loudly in the room as she made her way down the stairs that she realized the foyer was completely silent. She didn’t hear either her mother or Motoki’s voice. Something was wrong.

When she got to the bottom and around the corner, she finally realized why that was.

Because instead of Motoki, there was the last person she ever expected to see on her front door instead.

Her heart thundered loudly in her chest, so hard it almost felt painful.

Her mother just stood there, as confused as she, looking back and forth between them.

Minako didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t particularly certain she wasn’t hallucinating, to be honest. But when the illusion didn’t let up after a few more seconds, she finally cleared her throat. “Mom… can you give us a few minutes, please?”

She could see her mother opening her mouth to ask for some explanation, but wisely closed it again when Minako shot her a look. And so she left.

Tonight, Minako stood wearing another gold dress with a golden bow in her hair. Long ribbons decorated the gown from the back and sleeves. She stood there facing Kunihiro, who looked like a prince.

Her prince.

The corner of her mouth turned up when she saw the top of his jacket remain unbuttoned. A familiar memory flashed in her mind, too quick for her to catch.

He was actually wearing a cape. If anyone could pull off a cape, it was Kunihiro.

And that gemstone holding it in place…

“Kunzite,” she murmured, wondering how she knew the name of the stone.

Another strange feeling washed over her as the word left her mouth; the world seem to change for a moment, a glimpse of a beautiful castle appeared behind him before it returned to normal.

She stepped forward towards him as if in a trance. It seemed a struggle for a moment to remember who she was.

“What are you doing here, and what have you done to my date?”

To his fabulous luck, Minako's mom answered the door. He didn't know why he expected it to be Minako herself - it was just like her to be theatrical about how her date saw her on prom night. Too bad he wasn't really her date and was probably about to ruin everything.

Screwup #1: He didn't say a word. Kunihiro and Minako's mother simply stood there, her staring at him and him staring everywhere else. It was the click of Minako's heels that saved him.

His gaze found her, and he almost dropped the small box in his hands. It was like every time he saw her, she became more and more beautiful. And tonight, she was breathtaking. She looked like a princess out of a fairytale, from the bow on top of her head to the shoes on her feet. The two of them stood there for a while, and it wasn't until Minako murmured something that he noticed her mother had left the room.

Recognition flashed in Kunihiro's brain, and he looked down at the gemstone on his jacket. "Oh, yeah, that was Satoshi's idea. He said it 'made my eyes pop' or whatever. Sometimes I really question that man's -" he paused as his eyes met Minako's, and suddenly they were in a different place. A palace, a garden, a battlefield. She glowed with radiance and confidence, and his heart swelled with love for her.

Minako spoke, snapping him out of his daydream, and Kunihiro scratched the back of his head. "I'm glad he's not here yet, because that would have really messed up my plans, and-" he paused again, realizing he was rambling. After heaving a deep sigh, Kunihiro placed the box in his hands on a nearby table and went to stand directly in front of Minako.

"I'm here because...well...I miss you. I know that I haven'y treated you well in the past, and you have every reason to hate me and never want to see me again, but...I can't stay away. I tried, and I failed, and now I'm back, and I'll never stop coming back. I've never felt the connection that I feel with you. It's...like a part of me's gone when we're not together." He stopped, cringing slightly at how lame he sounded. "Minako-chan, I...I know you've already got a date and he's great and he's everything that I'm not, but..."

I can't believe I'm doing this.

Just like he and Satoshi had practiced, Kunihiro flourished his cape behind him and bowed slightly, hand extended for Minako to accept.

"It would be my greatest honor to escort you at the ball."

Plans? He had plans. Minako didn’t know if this was a good thing or not.

As he spoke, however, each word unraveled every hesitation and doubt that had ever plagued her mind. All she could feel was yearning for him, yearning that she had pushed deep down for almost an entire year. She couldn’t do it anymore. She loved him so much she almost needed to shout it from the rooftops. She couldn’t deny it any more than she could deny that the sky was blue.

And she was so grateful to hear that his feelings for her were the same, and that they had not changed, that she didn’t even realize she was crying until her vision became blurry.

Every word that he uttered resonated with the truth in her heart, and she knew he meant it. This time, she was absolutely sure that he was honest, because that was what she felt, too. And how could she ever turn down someone who loved her this much? She didn’t doubt that Motoki loved her. But she didn’t love him, and that made all the difference in the world.

And then he actually flipped his cape, and she couldn’t help but laugh even as her heart soared.

“You are ridiculous, you know that?” she shook her head, wiping the tears that had pooled on her eyes.

He had said all that, and what could she say in return? What could be enough?

“Kunihiro, I… I’ve been lying to myself for the better part of the year. I thought you were the wrong person for me, I thought I wanted something else. I knew who I really wanted all along, but I decided not to listen to my heart and thought love was an equation I could solve with logic. But it isn’t.”

She stepped forward and slowly put her hand in his, and when they touched, she felt it again; the slightly charged air, the connection between them that was almost palpable, like a physical energy rather than just something she felt in her heart. Her hand fit into his like it had always belonged there, and this time she didn’t question it anymore.

“It’s you. It’s you that I’ve always wanted, from the first moment I saw you. And I can’t lie to myself anymore.”

Kunihiro knew his efforts had amounted to failure when tears filled Minako's eyes. The last reaction he thought she would have was crying, but here they were, him standing here like a jerk and just watching her cry. Had he really hurt her that badly in the past?

He was about to turn around and leave when she laughed. And it wasn't that condescending laugh Minako had sometimes, it was a genuine, happy laugh. His eyes found hers, and he suddenly realized that perhaps she wasn't crying out of sadness, but out of something completely different. He smiled back, shrugging his shoulders at her comment. This whole ordeal was rather ridiculous, but it was worth it.

He was dressed in a suit and cape, but it was worth it. Because now her hand was in his, and everything fell into place.

Her words resonated through his ears and straight to his heart, making it swell to the point of almost bursting. He felt his breathing escalate, and he simply didn't know what to say. He had no idea she felt that way.

But he was glad she did.

Unable to find words, Kunihiro's hand tightened around Minako's and he pulled her close, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing his lips against hers.

It felt so real, so right, like it had been done before. Like a dream he had over and over again.

Minako had lost her breath even before the kiss, but when Kunihiro pulled her toward him and finally gave her what she had been waiting for all year, she felt positively lightheaded. She never thought it was possible to feel this happy. Warmth filled her insides until she felt feverish, and she knew she never wanted to let him go again. Here was where she belonged, where she wanted to be for the rest of her days; in his arms.

She kissed him back with all the emotions that had been suppressed for months. Her hands tangled in his long hair, pulling his head ever closer toward her despite the fact that there was no space left between them. Her world exploded and froze at the same time, the overwhelming feelings crashing into her like an ocean in the middle of a storm.

She felt as if she—they—had unlocked something important, as if the universe literally realigned after being skewed all this time. Something clicked inside her; a puzzle piece sliding to its rightful place.

Minako only pulled back when the need to breathe became dire, and she smiled at Kunihiro with unbridled happiness. She had thought she had fallen in love many times before.

She was wrong.

“Let’s go,” she whispered against his lips, pressing her forehead against his. “We wouldn’t want to miss the biggest party of the year.”

She stepped back and glanced toward the window, and her heart plummeted as quickly as it had soared.

Motoki was standing out there with a bouquet of flowers in his hands that seemed to wilt along with his smile as he stared at the two of them.

She kissed him back, and that was all Kunihiro could ever ask for. His every wish since he met Minako had been met in that one night, and he had never felt happier. All of his crap, all of his issues, all of his mistakes just dissolved with Minako's lips on his own. She made all of the bad things go away.

It was all perfect, so perfect, until Motoki jumped in and ruined it all.

Again.

Anger, then worry, then shame flashed in Kunihiro's eyes in that moment. He was angry Motoki was here, worried that Minako would leave him again, and then ashamed that Motoki had to find out about them like this. Kunihiro had no idea how he would have felt had he been in Motoki's place.

Kunihiro scratched the back of his head, not really knowing what to do or say. So he just let his mouth run. He wasn't about to give Minako up, but he also wasn't about to drive her away by being a jerk.

"Motoki-kun, I..." he sighed, "I'm sorry about...all of this. But I can't let you have her. She's everything to me, and...I honestly think I'm starting to fall in love with her. So...you know...if you want to fight, that's fine, but...I just want you to know that I'm sorry, and that I won't go down easily."

Kunihiro spoke before she could, and despite the awkward situation, Minako’s heart skipped a beat at his words. Everything to me. Falling in love with her. She had never imagined in a million years, certainly not when she first got to know Kunihiro, that he would ever say those words about her.

“It’s okay, I wasn’t going to fight you anyway,” Motoki replied with a bitter smile. “I’m no match for you. I never have been. I’ve only just been warming your seat until you’re ready. I kind of already knew this was coming. At some point, anyway. I’m just surprised it took this long.”

“What?” Minako blinked in surprise. “What do you mean you knew this would happen?”

“Come on, Minako-chan. It’s obvious who you really like. I’ve been with you all these months and you’ve never—not a single time—looked at me the way you look at him. Do you think I don’t see you stealing longing glances at him every time he passes us by?”

Minako shriveled guiltily, but Motoki just shook his head with a smile. He was about to throw the bouquet away into the nearest trash can when Minako stepped forward and stopped him.

“Hey, don’t throw away perfectly good flowers. You should take it to the prom. You might find a girl worth giving it to… A girl more worth your love than me.” She looked down in shame and guilt washed over her. “I’m so sorry, Motoki-kun. I never meant to hurt you. I didn’t mean for it to happen like this. I was serious when I was with you—I thought I wanted to be with you. I guess I wasn’t fooling anyone but myself.”

“Yes, you weren’t fooling anyone,” he confirmed softly. He tilted her chin up gently so that she could look at him again. “You deserve true happiness, Minako-chan. And as much as I like you… I can’t give that to you. Not if you don’t want it with me. It’s okay. I understand. I’m used to being second best. Heck, I’m used to being the last pick. I’m just grateful you made me feel second best at all.”

Minako shook her head vehemently. “No, Motoki-kun. You’re a wonderful guy. You might not see it, and neither has anyone yet, but I did. Anyone would be lucky to have you. I’m sorry you’re not the one for me, but somewhere out there a very lucky girl is waiting for you to find her. Don’t lose hope, okay?”

He managed a grin, even though it was a sad one. “I guess.”

“Look, I’d understand if you don’t want to be friends anymore, but I hope you won’t be a stranger.”

“I can never be,” he said, then stepped back and waved his hand awkwardly. “Well, you’d better go. Your court awaits. Maybe you’ll get to be queen again, just like at Homecoming.”

Minako laughed. “Yeah, right.”

“Hey, you’re always a queen to me,” Motoki winked at her, then bravely looked at Kunihiro, daring him to punch him for that last line. Then he turned and waved over his shoulder. “Have a good life, you both.”

Minako turned back to Kunihiro, her cheeks warm with embarrassment. She couldn’t believe she just had to break up with her old boyfriend in front of her new one.

“I feel like the worst person in the world right now. I should set him up with a friend or something.” She glanced back at Kunihiro. “I feel like if we went we’d be rubbing this in his face. Should we still go?”

Kunihiro could have swore he was floating on clouds after hearing what Motoki said about the way Minako looked at him. Had he really been so blind as to not notice that? He thought that would be the end of Motoki's speech, but his eyebrow raised in suspicion as Motoki lifted Minako's chin.

I swear, if he kisses her, I'll kick his ass and use it to wipe the windows of my car.'

Suppressing a growl, Kunihiro suppressed his jealousy and let Motoki have this last moment. When he was finally gone, Kunihiro couldn't help but heave a small sigh.

"We're going, Minako-chan," he said, taking her hand. "I want everyone to see how hot we look and I want to have one dance with you that isn't forced. Please?"