Chapter Eleven

Buzz. Buzz. Buzzzzz….

‘Ah… shut up…’

Buzz. Buzz. Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz………

“I said shut up!” She yelled, angrily hitting the snooze button before plopping back on the bed, wishing
that she had destroyed the digital alarm clock with the force of her fist.

‘Now… back to dreamland…’

“Ahhh!”

The high-pitched shrill was enough to send Hannah jumping off her bed, landing flat on the carpeted rug
with a loud thud. Her hair was a complete mess, shrouding her entire face with some strands sticking to
her cheeks. She pulled off the purple blindfold and stared at the comforter messily draped over her
mattress.

“What was that about?” She groaned, patting her head as she turned sideways, her gaze landing to the
door. And, as if on cue, the door blew open. Hannah smirked while being dragged up from the floor by
her strangely jovial okaa-san, whose smile stretched her already lightly wrinkled skin.

“Okaa-san…”

“Hannah-chan, did you just wake up? Didn’t I tell you to set your alarm for seven o’clock sharp? How can
you still be sleeping on such an important day?” Her okaa-san blabbed with a displeased look. It was the
day the entire Hayashi household was waiting for, and it was the day Hannah hoped would be farther
than they were awaiting.

Her little brother, Junpei, beamed at her with the most innocent face she has ever seen. Junpei wasn’t
like most kids his age. He was rather quiet and reserved, not that he chose to act in that manner, but
because it was his only choice. Not being able to talk wasn’t exactly his personal disadvantage. It was
really more of the idea of communicating with people outside the small circle he centered himself in. He
was too afraid to talk to other people.

“Yes okaa-san. I’m going to prepare now.” Hannah uttered in her gentle voice, smiling as calmly as
Junpei. The little boy climbed up her bed and began to jump around. His arms were flailing in the air
with each bounce that he made.

Junpei wasn’t really allowed to have a high, bouncy bed since he was a small toddler. After discovering
his incapacity to speak, their okaa-san has been more protective of the little boy, insisting that certain
measures were taken to ensure his safety. And one of them was Junpei sleeping on a cot in the floor,
even when he was much younger. They were all afraid that if he fell off the bed, no one would know
because he can’t yelp in pain like most people. That was why he particularly liked Hannah’s bed, since he
could jump up and down without a single care in the world.

“Hannah-chan, watch over your brother, okay?” She nodded, softly pushing her okaa-san out of the
door. “You should get ready too. I know you’ve been waiting for this day, so you should enjoy it. I’ll take
care of Junpei-kun and Hayami-kun.” Hannah nodded, jumping on the bed. She placed her arms around
Junpei’s waist and helped him jump on her bed.

“You know Junpei-kun, onee-chan really wishes that she could be like you. Your life is so simple. Nobody
puts you on a pedestal and expects you to do so much. Nobody can hurt you because no one else can
enter your life except us, and you know family would never hurt you. Nobody can make you feel bad
about yourself, and make you feel like you’ve made the biggest mistakes of your life… consecutively.” As
she whispered it in Junpei’s ears, she could feel tears welling up in the corner of her eyes.

Knowing the sadness in her voice, Junpei faced her and began wiping the tears using his tiny thumbs.
Then, he placed his index fingers on the corner of her lips and began to stretch it.

“Yes, yes… onee-chan should be happy.” She muttered, finally understanding what the little boy meant.
Junpei knelt on her lap and patted her head softly before wrapping his tiny arms around her.

“Arigatou.”

“Pi-kun…”

Yamapi shook his head and gazed intently at her eyes. “Hmm?” He asked, putting on his megawatt smile
as his eyes widened in curiosity. “This doesn’t make sense anymore, does it?” She breathlessly uttered,
biting her lower lip as she forcefully closed her eyes. Yamapi knew that face more than anyone in the
world did. She wanted to cry, and she was just trying to hold it in.

“What are you saying?” He asked in bewilderment, holding on to her hand and gently squeezing it.
Pulling away, she turned her head upwards and glanced at him weakly, their eyes making perfect
contact. The expression hiding in her eyes could not be read, and even if he knew her well enough, he
wasn’t familiar with the expression she was holding in.

“We said we would only do this when it still made sense. It doesn’t make sense anymore, and I know it.
And blame can’t be put on you, or on me, because we brought our own share of difficulties in this
relationship.” She choked because of her own sobs, yet she forced the words out of her lips, no matter
how much she didn’t want to hear them.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” He said in response, still trying to process everything
that she was telling him, everything that just came out of nowhere.

“Us, Pi-kun. This relationship. It’s not working anymore.” She finally yelled in desperation, breaking into
streams of tears that were unstoppable. “I… I can’t keep… the promise I made.” Her normally low voice
suddenly became higher, to the point of cracking. She wiped her own tears and rubbed her wet palms
on her skirt.

“What are you talking about?” Yamapi asked, everything finally registering in his head. He could finally
follow everything she was saying, yet he was having a hard time accepting it. In fact, he was constantly
denying it in his head. Even if the truth was right in front of him, he couldn’t face it. He was too afraid.

Why would he let go of something that he always believed was right for him? He had the dream, or so
he thought. Everything was already perfect. Why would he want to give up the person who knew him
the most for someone who has probably long forgotten him? It just wasn’t right. Maybe she was saying
the truth. Nothing is making sense anymore.

“I… I’m leaving soon.” She finally spoke, looking down in discomfort. “Huh? What?” He frantically
muttered back, trying to reach her hand no matter how much she pulled away. “It’s final. Mom and I are
moving to Canada. She found a job there, and she’s settling down. She says we can have a stable life
there… everything that we’ve ever wanted.” She whispered, smiling foolishly, knowing that she was
lying to herself as well.

“And you… your heart doesn’t belong to me anymore, Yamapi-kun. And you should face that too. No
matter how much you try to fight it and convince yourself that what you’re doing is right, we both know
that it’s not. Yamapi-kun, just please stop trying to fight it… and accept it.” She said, withstanding the
pain that her words brought her as well. She wanted him to lie to himself as well, but true love required
sacrifice, and this was probably the biggest sacrifice she could give for the sake of his happiness.

“But we were happy…”

“No we’re not. We’re just creating this lie. Yet, no matter how beautiful it is, the feeling’s not there
anymore. But if you really want me to be happy, then just please do one more thing for me… just one
more thing…”

“Yamashita Tomohisa!” Yamapi was disturbed by the deafening sound in his ear. He shook his head back
and forth then rubbed his eyes, noticing that tears were forming on the corner of his eyes. He looked
around before finally staring at Ryo, who was standing right beside his bedside. “Oh… it’s you.” He
mumbled, throwing the blanket aside as he got up.

“Yeah… we’re going out tonight, so look for a tux.” Ryo grinned, patting Yamapi on the back. “Sunako-
chan wants to take us out so you have to get dressed by 7. She was pretty mad when she called me up
this morning, and I think she’d be angrier if we don’t show up.” He added, smirking at him as he began
to fix Yamapi’s bed.

“Um… you didn’t run this through me, but sure. I guess I have nothing else better to do tonight.” Yamapi
managed to say, running to the other side to help Ryo fix the bed sheets.

“Okay. So now that we’ve got that settled, let’s go out for a jog. I haven’t been able to train in days
because Sunako-chan keeps on nagging me or bothering me and I really could use a jog.”
“Otou-san!”

Sunako shrieked as she ran down the stairs, Otokoyama and Vick following closely behind her. Her otou-
san appeared from the end of the hallway, raising a brow at her. “Otou-san! Did you get it?” She
squealed, running over to her otou-san, who was simply standing there.

“Yes, and the last three too.”

“The last three what?” Megumi appeared from the door leading to the kitchen, holding a steaming cup
of hot chocolate in her hands. Jaejoong followed behind her, the same expression painted on his face.

“Oh. Your sister asked for tickets for Hamlet tonight. Since you two got the company tickets, I had to pull
some strings to get her tickets as well. They’re with Sakurai-san. I have to go now though.” Their otou-
san explained before taking off, waving goodbye.

“Since when were you interested in ballet?” Megumi asked with a raised brow, carefully walking over to
Sunako’s side with a hint of suspicion lingering in her face. “I’m probably more interested in it than you
will ever be.” She shot back, smirking at her sister in victory.

“You’re going to that show because you want to do something to Minho-kun, huh?”

“Please. I bet you’re only going to that show because he asked you to.” Sunako snapped back, crossing
her arms on top of her chest, trying to look as intimidating as her sister.

“Well, yes. Then we’re going to have dinner to discuss the rest of the clauses in the contract. But what I
do for the business shouldn’t be your concern.”

“I bet you want to make sure that I lose, so you’re doing all these things just to be one step ahead of
me.”

“I bet you’re only going in another attempt to force them to be together so I would lose. I know you hate
doing homework, and doing more homework makes you sick!”

Soon, the two started yelling and bickering about nonsense that apparently, only the both of them
understood. Well, nobody else knows about the reason of their argument except for the both of them.

“Stop fighting!” Jaejoong yelled in the midst of the commotion, standing in between the both of them.

“You,” He managed to say, casting a glance at Sunako. “Stop fighting your onee-chan. It’s rude. And
whatever happens, don’t mess with Minho-kun, because otou-san’s business will be affected by this
deal.”

Sunako nodded meekly, knowing not to yell back when Jaejoong was pissed and he made perfect sense.
Usually, it was either he was pissed or his sentiments made sense. Sadly, today was one of those days
when both things happened. And when it did happen, he was not a force to be reckoned with.
“And you…” He turned back to Megumi, who was wagging a finger at herself. “I don’t like the fact that
you’re spending so much time with that kid.”

Megumi’s eyes widened as her jaw dropped. “You just said it yourself, Jaejoong-kun! It’s for the
business!” She retorted, frowning. “Still. I don’t like it.” He shot back, staring down at her.

“You’re just jealous because I get to handle a deal.” Megumi roared in a threatening voice, even if her
expression was rather calm and reserved.

“No. I’m just jealous.” Jaejoong blurted out, immediately cupping his mouth after realizing what he just
said.

“What?” Megumi asked, staring at Jaejoong with confusion. She was trying to digest what Jaejoong was
saying, and based on the look in her face, Sunako knew that she was putting too much meaning on it.
Sighing, Sunako decided to stop things before it gets any farther.

“Will you two just stop fighting? We have to get ready for the show!” Sunako interrupted the both of
them, pushing them apart before they get into another silly and pointless argument.

The theater was slightly dim, yet everything seemed to sparkle under the faded yellow light. The blue
carpet lined the room from end-to-end, complementing the dark red curtains which ran along the full
length of the glass windows. One wall was purely made of glass, revealing a spectacular view of the
Tokyo skyline. The night sky seemed to shine, with the stars sparkling over the high-rises covered in LED
light.

It was a perfect evening, with the exception of the strange fluttering feeling that erupted from the pit of
his stomach. He looked around the crowded theater, gazing at each cluster of people chattering away.
The energy was high and free-flowing, and it didn’t seem like it would die down soon.

This was her moment, the chance that could make or break the rest of her young career.

She was young, inexperienced, and maybe even unprofessional to some eyes. People liked to judge, to
scrutinize, and he couldn’t help but fear for her. The feeling within him was probably something they
both shared… nervousness, excitement, and maybe a little fear and insecurity. It was her first step on
the global stage, her chance to be recognized for her innate talent worldwide. And these critics and
aficionados weren’t belittling the fact that her first official performance was alongside the acclaimed
Choi Minho. It was a big responsibility to carry, and for someone unrecognized by the worldly talents of
ballet, it would be the most critical performance of her early career.

She was standing backstage, looking at the only person who made her entire body shake, feeling the
same way as he did. She couldn’t help but wonder why he was sitting there, in the middle of the sea of
spectators. He never liked ballet, yet he was simply sitting there, staring ahead. On his lap were a
bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates, making her wonder whether or not he was going to
approach her after the show. Just the thought of that was scary enough, knowing very well that she
wouldn’t know what to do or even what to say.
“Places on… three, two… one.”

The curtains blew open, her fate starting once she takes a single step forward. It was her destiny… her
destiny…

The theater lights turned off completely as the curtains drew wide open, revealing an intricately
designed stage. Yamapi could feel his palms sweat as the dim yellow spotlights appeared on the stage,
giving a little glow to the already glistening set. He remembered each detail quite remarkably. The
female lead graced the stage, holding the hem of her dress as she spun around in poise. Her sharp
movements were enough to catch anyone’s eyes, since they were perfectly balanced with grace and
elegance.

The soprano began to sing beautifully, her words accompanying the spring-themed melody perfectly.
With each word softly sung, the prima ballerina began to leap in the air and turn in swift grace until she
reached the other side of the stage. The male lead entered, taking her hands and spinning in the same
pace as her, lifting a leg with each 180 spin they made.

Turning to his side, he saw her smile brilliantly. Her small face was filled with awe as she gazed ahead,
her tiny hands clapping softly. Her rounded eyes sparkled in amazement, her lips pursed together,
letting her eyes say everything she wished to. He could still remember that expression very clearly, for it
was the last picture of her that remained with him.

It was the very first ballet performance that Sayuri-chan ever watched. Their parents decided to take his
little sister to the performance of the French Maiden, where their aunt was playing the lead role of
Genevieve. The little girl was quiet throughout the whole day, not quite comprehending what it was that
they were doing. She was too young, after all. Yet, her eyes spoke of the knowledge and understanding
beyond her years. Even if she hardly spoke, Yamapi could feel that she silently answered everything that
she was told, just by the emotion lingering in her eyes. For her, there really was no need for words.

“Pi-kun.” She suddenly uttered, poking his cheek with her tiny finger. He turned to face her, grinning
softly. “What is it?” He asked. “Pretty…” She said, pointing her finger towards the stage. “Yes, very
pretty.” He answered, patting her head.

“Yamapi-kun?” A sharp jab stung on his arm as he shook his head, letting the memory fade away in a
blink of an eye. Cocking his head to the side, he saw Sunako-chan glaring at him in confusion. “Yeah?”
He croaked.

“The show is about to start and you keep on spacing out. Are you sure you can do this?”

“Yeah. It won’t be that hard, right?” He confidently answered back, rubbing the back of his head as he
forced a smile. The lights flicked close and the stage lit up, a bright yellow glow resting above the set. It
was a banquet in the palace, just like the start of those children’s versions of Hamlet. Strolling in the
stage was Minho, who looked enraged as he moved sharply, even turning in the air at one point. After
him followed an older man, leaping as though he was trying to attack Minho. Their movements were so
graceful, yet it left a bold impression on anyone who was watching it.
Yamapi tore his gaze from the scene developing before him and looked at his companions. All of them
were quite astounded and fascinated by the performance, as though taking their eyes off it would make
a big difference to the progression of the story in their heads.

Mica was gazing at the stage with wide eyes that were specifically directed at Minho. She let out a soft
sigh, swooning because of the sight before her. She shifted on her seat, leaning on one side as she
rested her chin on her palm.

Naie was watching the scene in wonder, carefully observing each movement. It was as though she was
studying it. Her smile reached ear-to-ear in realization, then she nodded in agreement with possibly, her
thoughts.

Megumi was slightly slumped on her chair, in a sleeping position, yet her eyes were still wide open.
Jaejoong was imitating the same pose, but he was tapping his fingers on the armrest to the beat of the
Bach melody. Megumi then hit his arm, signaling him to keep quiet. Koike leaned towards Megumi,
whispering something in her ear. She looked up and nodded in agreement.

From what he could remember, Koike’s sister-in-law loved the world of dance, since she was raised to
be cultured and suited for high society. Even his niece took ballet despite her young age. Yamapi even
accompanied Koike to his niece’s classes, thinking that it would be nice if his sister knew how to dance
ballet.

Sunako and Ryo… well, they were not fighting, which was good. But Ryo was constantly yawning and
Sunako was very fidgety. Both of them looked like they didn’t want to be there, yet they still gave their
full attention to the performance. Yamapi knew he couldn’t disappoint them. They did so much to help
him, and it was the least he could do to repay their kindness. He was going to do it, no matter how much
it scared him.

As if on cue, the person filling his every thought appeared onstage. The lights were all turned off, except
for the sole spotlight that was focused on her. She slowly titled her head up, pulling the rest of her body
up along with the movement of her head. As the whole stage lit up in a blazing red, she began to pivot
and leap. The music increased in pace, and the tempo became darker and heavier. The lights changed
colors quickly, adding more feeling to the performance. From red to black it progressed, until Hannah
fell on the floor, her entire body being supported by her arms.

The lights changed to a mixture of white and blue as Minho came out from the other side, slowly
approaching her, making big leaps as his arms were extended sideward and his back was pressed
backward, creating the illusion that he was moving as quick as air. He stood behind Hannah and picked
her up, his hands holding onto hers as she tilted her head up to meet his gaze. The music slowed down,
until the whole room was silent. They held the same position for a second. Hannah took a deep breath,
her chest heaving upward in slow motion.

As soon as she exhaled, the music changed to a relaxing and beautiful melody. It was very light and
energetic, yet graceful and soothing. It was as though the music was taken from the movie Snow White.
Soon, they moved in perfect synchronization. Minho was still holding onto Hannah as they turned in
unison. Hannah was standing right in front of Minho, her back pressed against his torso as she rested
her head on his broad shoulder. They lifted their right legs then took a step forward using their left feet.
They moved continuously, circling the entire stage until they were torn apart. They both tiptoed
backwards, flailing their arms out as though they were calling for each other.

The music picked up a faster pace as Hannah leaped forward, jumping in mid-air. Minho hurriedly
tiptoed towards her and caught her by the waist. Hannah’s legs were positioned in a split as Minho
turned her around and around. As soon as Minho let her go, Hannah turned her head only to see Minho
being dragged away by other dancers dressed in pure black.

The sound of a single violin echoed throughout the entire room as Hannah slowly fell on the floor, her
hands covering her face as she turned her head back and forth. Her hair moved back and forth until she
lay flat on the floor.

The stage turned completely black, the sound of Hannah’s scream making it all the more dramatic.

“Wow. I’m actually speechless.”

The music ended as the cast took its final bow. The whole theater was full of spectators who all felt the
same way. It was simply brilliant, and nothing short of it. A dancer who was able to stand alongside an
acclaimed performer without being outshined, Hannah has finally gotten what she deserves, the
approval of the global audience. And it was shortly achieved on her very first performance.

Hannah couldn’t hold in her joy anymore. Once the curtains closed, Hannah squealed and hugged Minho
tightly, wrapping her arms around his neck, not wanting to let go. “Congratulations. You made it.” He
whispered, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I know. Thank you for helping me through it.”
She replied, pulling away as she beamed brilliantly at Minho.

“Well, we better get used to working with each other. I mean… there are going to be more shows than
this one, and you will get better and better with each show. That’s just my loss because you were so
amazing back there… and you might even outshine me.” He said, patting her back as they both walked
back to their dressing rooms. “Don’t say that, Minho-kun.” She answered, chuckling lightly.

Soon enough, the entire backstage was filled with staff congratulating both of them for the spectacular
performance. Hannah has never really felt that popular before, since there wasn’t a sea of people
walking over to congratulate her on her regular performances. She could feel the pressure being lifted
off her shoulders as people kept on constantly reminding her that everything would flow smoothly, and
that more opportunities will come to her because of her indescribable talent.

And what made it all the more comfortable was Minho’s presence. He never left her side throughout the
whole time that people were talking to them. He was her teacher, her companion, her friend… and
probably everything in a gay best friend… minus the gay part. He helped her throughout the whole
process of her debut performance, from the practices all the way to the confrontation with the press.
Sometimes, she even thought that it would just be easier if she fell in love with him. It would be easier if
she was the type who forgot easily, who didn’t wish that the impossible would happen just for her.

As she watched Minho converse with the production manager, her eyes wandered around, landing on a
specific silhouette that stood in the corner of the room, unmoved. It was Yamapi, and she didn’t need to
glance at him twice to confirm that it was indeed him. Tilting his head up, their gazes met, creating a
little spark in the pit of Hannah’s stomach. He smiled warmly at her, his eyes saying so many words that
she couldn’t quite comprehend completely.

“Hannah-chan, they want to take a picture with us.” Minho whispered in her ear. Nodding timidly, she
broke off the gaze and smiled at her companions. She posed for the picture and shared little
conversations with the group. After letting out a tiny giggle, she lifted her head only to see Yamapi
walking away.

She looked back at Minho, who was, strangely enough, glancing at the same direction as well. “Are you
okay, Hannah-chan?” He asked, gently nudging her, dragging her away from the crowd. “Yeah. Why
wouldn’t I be? It’s my night.” She softly uttered, forcing a smile which ended up being quite bitter.

“You’re still thinking about him, huh?”

Hannah was silenced as she glanced at Minho questioningly. “Pi-kun and I are best friends, so much like
brothers. He tells me everything, strangely enough… like that little fight you guys had.” He said,
chuckling a little as he took her hand and played with it.

“He may not know and you probably are too hurt to understand. But what I see is that he really likes
you, and he didn’t mean to disregard your feelings. It’s just that the whole story between him and
Mariko is way too complicated to understand. And I just hope that you’d give him a chance to explain his
side. I know it sounds really cheesy, but I guess that the cheesier it is, the more truth there is in it.”

“Takenaga-san, Tatsuya-san.”

“Mitzushima-san.” Jaejoong greeted, automatically turning around upon recognizing the voice. Megumi
followed Jaejoong and bowed politely. “I see you were here to watch the performance as well.” Megumi
tried to make small talk, failing horribly. She grabbed Jaejoong’s arm, looking up at him upon realizing
her mistake.

“Yes. I was just actually about to leave when my daughter convinced me to come here and have a word
with you, Takenaga-san. She has been pleading me all night to introduce you to her.” The middle-aged
man moved aside, beckoning a young girl to join their conversation. She had long, curly chocolate brown
hair with some strands held together in a loose bun. It perfectly framed her tiny face, her almond-
shaped blue eyes, her tall nose, and her glossy pink lips which were shaped in a stunning grin.

“This is my daughter, Aiko.” Jaejoong put on his ‘playboy’ smile, which always seemed to charm girls.
Megumi rolled her eyes, pulling her hands away from Jaejoong’s tensed arm. “We were just going to ask
you two to dinner.” The man added, taking a glance at Jaejoong then at Aiko. “You two should get to
know each other.”

Megumi was silenced as she kept her glance constantly moving, until it landed on Minho, who was
waiting for her in a far distance. He walked closer and closer to their little circle, putting on his best grin.
“Yumi-chan. We’re going to be late.” He chided, taking her arm as he politely bowed, acknowledging the
presence of the two Japanese elites before him.

“We’ll go ahead, but I’m sure Takenaga-san can join you two for dinner.” Megumi excused them both
and dragged Minho away, sighing in relief. On their way out, they saw Yamapi standing by the doorway,
carrying a little boy she really feels like she’s seen before.

Yamapi bent down and glanced at the little boy once more, trying to figure out how he can make the
boy say a few words. “Do you remember where your okaa-san and your otou-san are?” The boy shook
his head, frowning in confusion. He found the little boy wandering around backstage, on his way back to
the lobby of the theater. He sighed as he lifted the boy and carried him, heading for the front entrance
to see if his parents were looking for the child.

The little boy kept making funny faces, causing Yamapi to laugh. He even widened and crossed his cute
little button eyes and stuck his tongue out. Yamapi giggled as he played with the little boy, pinching his
nose and tickling his sides. The little boy smiled and even opened his mouth in a sudden reaction, yet
nothing seemed to come out from the little boy, not even a tiny laugh.

“Pi-kun.” He noticed Minho and Megumi walking towards him, hand-in-hand, though both had different
reactions upon seeing him with the little boy. Minho was overjoyed, beaming ear-to-ear, while Megumi
looked like she was thinking about something or trying to figure out how to solve the little pieces of a
puzzle.

“Hey… isn’t that Junpei-kun?” Megumi finally said, tousling the little boy’s hair.

“You know this little boy?” Yamapi asked, putting the little boy down but held his hand tightly. “Yeah.
You should go backstage… the little boy’s parents are probably there.” Minho answered, winking at him.
He and Megumi shared a tiny chuckle as they left the theater.

“Backstage… your parents are backstage?” Junpei nodded, gently tugging Yamapi forward. Soon, he was
dragging Yamapi through the crowd of people chatting in the hallway, past Naie and Mica who were
talking to a big group of guys who were from St. President Gakuen, another prestigious Gakuen in
Tokyo. He recognized some guys from the Gakuen’s basketball team. And all of those guys seemed to be
flirting with Naie.

They also walked past Sunako, Ryo, and Koike, who were immersed in a game of rock, paper, scissors.
He was also dragged passed Jaejoong, who was capturing another victim, even if he was still dating Emi.
Actually, Emi was a record girlfriend. They’ve been together for two and a half weeks, probably
Jaejoong’s longest relationship in senior year.
He and Mariko have been on and off since he could remember. All the girls he’s dated understood that
once Mariko was back, their relationship was considered inexistent. A lot of girls couldn’t handle that
clause in their relationship, so Yamapi labeled those girls as his ‘casuals’. There were some girls that
were okay with that clause, the ‘long-terms’ as he called them. The long-terms were much smarter than
the casuals, and they were much easier to get along with. But the long-terms were harder to let go of
compared to the casuals, since they spent more time together.

Immersed in his thoughts, he did not notice the fiery eyes staring at him, tugging on to the little boy’s
hand.

“What are you doing to my brother?” Hannah’s icy voice caught his attention, breaking his strange
trance. He looked at her, wondering as to how he reached Hannah’s dressing room without even
noticing. He shook his head and frowned.

“Nothing. I found him loitering around so I helped him look for his parents.” He softly uttered, not
wanting to agitate her any further than she already looked. Hannah pulled Junpei away from Yamapi and
hugged him tightly. “Junpei-kun! Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Why aren’t you with Hayami-kun?”
Junpei smiled reassuringly at her as he pat her head and hugged her tightly.

“So your brother… he’s mute?” Yamapi warily asked, taking a step closer towards them, careful to keep
his distance. Hannah didn’t say anything else but nodded, lifting Junpei up and putting him down on the
sofa.

“My little sister didn’t talk that much either, but she’s a bit different from your brother. I actually envy
people like them. Everything in their eyes is just so simple. Nothing needs an explanation.” He uttered,
chuckling softly as he tilted his head up, avoiding the glance which seemed to break through him like a
knife.

“What do you want?” She snapped, glaring at him with so much hatred that it seemed unreal. Yamapi
looked back at her with a softer, gentler gaze. They stared at each other in silence, both trying to
understand the feelings that were conflicting deep within them. There were so many questions that
need answers. Life in their eyes was so much harder than it had to be. If they both just faced the truth
instead of running away, then things wouldn’t have to be so complicated.

It was just like one of those sad love songs. The words were so beautiful, yet the melody was enough to
make you cry. Love doesn’t need pain or trial in order to be true. People who say that have experienced
too much in life. They are young. They’re just beginning life. That kind of love sung about in those songs
playing on the radio… it’s too much for them to handle.

Yet, why does it seem like they’re being tested even before they began?

“I just want to talk.” Yamapi finally said, breaking the uneasy silence between the both of them. Hannah
turned away, just like those big confrontation scenes in those afternoon soap operas.
“I thought that time we talked in the hallway was the last time we were going to talk. Didn’t I tell you to
stop being so nice to me? Or do you want me to spell it out for you? Stay away from me.” She hissed,
obviously displeased by all the events happening before her very eyes. Suddenly, she felt her little
brother tugging her hand. She knew what he meant even if he didn’t say anything.

The way she was acting was wrong.

Even a little boy knew that the way she was acting was wrong, yet why couldn’t she accept that fact and
act decently for once?

“If you still like me, then you’d give me a chance to explain all of this.”

Sighing, she looked at Yamapi, waiting for him to say what he has to.

“I know that the whole thing between me and Mariko-chan would be so hard to explain. But that’s
entirely different from both of us… and this…” He held her hand and brought it close to his heart. He
gently kissed her hand and cupped her cheek. “This… is something I just can’t explain.”

“Maybe we should just talk about this when you can explain it.” She uttered, letting go of his hand and
putting on a small smile. It was the first smile she’s shown him in days… in weeks… and it actually felt
good. She was finally letting go of everything and just realizing that she didn’t want to lose him… that
there really was something between the two of them that was too special to ignore.

“At the ball… we should talk at the ball.”

End of Chapter Eleven