Disclaimer: I do not own Tenipuri ^^

Pairing: KiriharaxOC

Chapter 8: An Angel's Kiss

"EEHH? Uso? Daidouji-chan is going back to America? When?" Marui whimpered.

"Today." Yanagi replied a slight disappointment in his voice but can hardly noticeable.

"Sou..." The tensai said gloomily. Hearing the news didn't excite him at all. "So where's Kirihara? He's not planning to see her off?"

"Apparently, he skipped classes or cutting classes would be more appropriate. He even skipped practice today." Then Yanagi looked at the trickster who seems half listening to their conversation. "What will you do Masaharu?"

Nioh shrugged indifferently as he stood up. He was getting pissed off the way Kirihara was acting. Indeed, he was in a pinch and he's not happy about it. He just couldn't understand why Kirihara is denying his feelings for Daidouji when obviously he cares for her. Is he escaping from his own feelings?

"Where are you going?" Marui asked as he saw Nioh walking towards the door.

"Bathroom. Want to accompany me?"

Marui rolled his eyes at that remark.

"Arggh..." Kirihara opened his eyes and realized that he was lying down on the ground. The orange sky reflecting his sadness and bitterness he was feeling right now. Did I pass out? He asked himself rubbing his head as he sat up feeling the slight pain on it.

"Puri~ so this is where you have been?" A familiar voice startled him from behind.

He turned his head and saw Nioh smirking at him. "Nioh-senpai"

"What are you doing there sitting like an idiot?"

"Ah fine I'm an idiot!" Kirihara ruffled his hair furiously.

They stared at each other for about 15 seconds. After the staring-at-each-other contest, they burst out laughing.

Kirihara stood up dusting off his uniform and bowed his head. "I'm sorry for my behavior last time. I shouldn't have done that to my senior."

"You're now acting politely huh?" Nioh chuckled sarcastically.

Kirihara look embarrassed. He was even surprised that Nioh knew where he was. "Uhmm...Nioh-senpai...how did you know that...umm...I was here?" He asked curiously.

Nioh rubbed his jaw in amusement. "I remembered Yanagi's saying something like this was Daidouji's favorite place or something like that." He said crossing his arms. Seeing his kouhai looking away he added "And to think that you're actually here, let me get straight to the point." He looked at Kirihara with serious eyes. "I bet you already know that Daidouji is leaving. So is it alright to leave everything like this?"

Kirihara's expression changed. "I-I think it won't be necessary. In fact she had confessed to me and...I-I rejected her." He admitted bowing his head lightly.

Nioh's jaw dropped. "What? Are you nuts? Why did you do that?" He demanded his eyes narrowing.

"I-I don't know! It just slipped out on my mouth. But the truth is...I really wanted to tell her that I like her too." His cheeks heating up "But I ended up hurting her again."

Nioh hummed teasingly. "So you do like her?"

He looked up and blushed even more. "I" Seeing his senpai's teasing look, he frowned. "Never mind."

"Honesty won't kill you besides she had already told you that she likes you right? So what are you hesitating for?" He paused. "So are you sure you're not going? According to Yanagi, her flight is around 6PM."

He's right. What am I hesitating for? He looked at his watch and panicked seeing that it was already 5:30 PM. "I-I got to go now! Thanks Nioh-senpai! I owe you!" He bowed and started running off.

Nioh looked at his kouhai until he disappeared from his sight. He let out a small sigh and almost jumped up from his stance when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Did I surprise you?"

Recognizing the voice, he regained his posture and slapped his hands away. "What are you doing here Yagyuu?"

"I could ask the same thing you know."

"Did...did Yanagi tell you that I was here?" He asked annoyed moving his right hand on his forehead.

"There is an 89.9% that the bathroom-act was an excuse and a 98% that you will go here in the playground because there is a chance that Kirihara-kun would be here...unless you had talked to him."

"Since when did you become Yanagi?" Nioh asked his doubles partner, still annoyed.

"That's what Yanagi-kun had told me." Yagyuu said flatly as he pushed up the rim of his glasses.

"Damn that data freak." He muttered under his breath. "So what brings you here? It's not like you to eavesdrop on someone's conversation."

"No. I'm just checking you out. I didn't know you were such a nice senpai after all."

"Checking me out?" He repeated his question, annoyed by the whole situation. "And what do you mean by after all?" He demanded.

"You like Daidouji-san."

Nioh stopped abruptly as he heard what he had said. "What? Where did you get that from?"

"It's no use hiding it from me Nioh-kun. True, I don't know you that well but I can see it."

He didn't say anything as Yagyuu's question had hit him on the spot. He didn't want to admit it but true to Yagyuu's statement, he likes her. He sighed inwardly inside. Am I the one who's escaping with my own feelings?

Kirihara dashed madly to the airport but as he tried to move faster to reach his destination, the more his surroundings get slower. He decided to take a bus but unfortunately he missed it. It will take more 20 minutes to wait for another. He cannot wait that any longer so he decided to take a shortcut.

What now? He thought exasperated as he saw a sign board that was standing in the middle of his way. "Under construction? What the...AARRRGHHH!" Unfortunately again, his shortcut detour became a longcut instead. "Why now? Why is everything getting in my way?" He shouted in frustration.

It was already past six when he finally arrived the airport. Panting hard he looked right and left hoping to see her but it seems luck was not on his side. He cursed himself inwardly. I didn't make it in time.

At the same time on the airport

"Here." Tomomi's mother handed her a hot cocoa as she sat beside her. "They said that the flight in America will be delayed one hour due to some unexpected circumstances." She continued.

Tomomi nodded absently as she sipped on her drink.

"Tomomi?" Her mother tapped her shoulder.

"Eh?" Startled by the touch, Tomomi accidentally spilled her hot cocoa in the process. "Itai!"

"Are you alright?"

"H-Hai...Go-Gomen. I'm just thinking about something else." She smiled sheepishly as she stood up and picked down the cup. "Ahhh...there was still a lot left...I'm such a klutz." She then walked towards the trash bin and threw the cup that was in her hand.

She was spacing out. Each word that her mother was saying didn't absorb her mind. What's worst is that she cannot contemplate her mind. She also felt bad for not at least saying goodbye to everyone especially...him. Him. Him? AAHHH! Stop thinking him Tomomi! She shook her head rapidly.

"Tomomi?"

Tomomi sighed hopelessly. "Am I that pathetic? Why am I hearing his voice right now? Am I thinking him so badly that I am hearing things?" She cursed herself that she didn't realize she said it out loud.

"Baka onna"

"AAhhh! Stop! Stop!" She said covering her ears and gripping it tightly.

"Oi baka onna!"

"Baka onna...baka onna...baka onna...! ARRGGHH! I told you I'm not stupid!" She shouted in annoyance.

He looked at her oddly. Without thinking he knocked off her head lightly. "You're crazy."

She opened her eyes as she looked up. Her breath caught in her throat, eyes widening. "Eh...eh...EHHH?"

Seconds that seemed century, she took step back not believing what she was seeing. Finally, registering the person who stood in front of her struck her mind. Wait...is it me or is my ears not functioning? D-Did did he really call me by my first name? She thought looking at him. "W-What...err...are you doing...here?" She asked nervously.

Obviously not admitting his intention he answered, "Just...just passing by..."

"I-I see"

He nearly smacked his forehead because of what he had said. Is he an idiot? Why is he now acting like this? Just tell her...just tell her... Tell-

"Akaya-kun..."

He snapped back from his reverie when he heard her voice. A celestial voice. It is like an angel's voice that kept ringing softly in his ears.

"I-I'm leaving..."

He just went quiet. Déjà vu. It's happening again. He didn't know what to do. He didn't even know what else to say either. And certainly he didn't know how to confront her...to tell her that... What? He asked himself. That he loves her? No I don't love her...it's just... Then a question had struck him. If he doesn't love her, then why is he constantly thinking of her? Why is it that when she said she's leaving he felt all of his energy had drained up in an instant?

"A-Akaya-kun...I-I"

"I heard you."

She stood there with mixed emotions. Baka... She thought looking down.

"Tomomi?"

She looked at her side and saw her mother approaching them. "KKaa-san..."

"Who is this young man might be?" Daidouji Nadeshiko smiled softly as she looked to Kirihara then to Tomomi.

"H-He is-"

"It's been a long time Daidouji-san." Kirihara interrupted Tomomi as he bowed politely and introduced himself. "I'm Kirihara Akaya."

"Kirihara?" Nadeshiko repeated. "You mean Kirihara-kun? Tomomi's childhood friend?"

"Yes Daidouji-san. It's nice to see you again. Actually I'm in the same class with her."

Tomomi was taken aback. He…he actually knew?

"Oh! Kirihara-kun! Look at you, you're a grown up young man now!" Nadeshiko beamed enthusiastically then she looked at her daughter. "Tomomi why didn't you tell me that you were in the same class?"

"Ah Kaa-san...I...I mean...It-It's bec-"

Seeing her daughter stuttering in words, she finally got the situation. "Oh! I almost forgot! I have to talk to the flight attendant. Tomomi I will leave you and Kirihara-kun." And Nadeshiko left just like that.

"I want to talk to you." Kirihara suddenly said. He took her hand and led her to nearest bench. They sat in silence. It was an awkward silence that they had never encounter. She took a deep breath and was about to let out everything she was feeling at the moment when Kirihara spoke first. "Did you know what I felt when you left? You never came back again so what do you expect me to do?" He blurted out, his hand gripping tightly with hers. "And now you're suddenly here saying that you love me?"

She looked at him with a surprise look on her eyes. She was not expecting him to say those things. It was surreal yet illusive.

They talked. They talked about everything as if for the first time, and at the same time she felt empty.

"Flight number 203, from Narita to New York; check-in is in progress."

"I guess this is it..." Kirihara said as he stood up, not looking at her.

After a few more seconds of silence, she finally stood up. "Akaya-kun...could" She looked down "Could you say it again?"

He gave her a questioning look.

"Call me by my first name... for the last time..."

"I can't...I just can't right now..." He whispered in a low voice that, he himself didn't recognize either.

"Akaya-kun..."

"Just go. Go! Why are you making my life so difficult?"

She wanted to cry but held it. What's the point on crying right now? She took her stuff and turned to leave.

As she walked farther away from him, the more he was straggling with himself. Why did it turn out like this? He didn't plan this. It was unexpected. He remembered his question to himself Do I love her? Then what is this he was feeling right now? Love? Love. A passionate affection for another person. Then a thought had cleared his mind or more precise, to his heart. An answer from his question earlier. I do love her...I love her not because of the promise. I love her not because she was my childhood bestfriend. I love her because I love the current Daidouji Tomomi.

Turning his body, the vague figure is disappearing little by little so he gathered all of his might and do one thing he could right now.

"TOMOMI!"

Tomomi stopped walking as she heard that rough yet sweet voice and her tears are already spilling from her eyes. Nadeshiko stopped from walking, too and looked at her daughter softly. "Go."

Tomomi looked up not sure if she heard it right. "But..."

"Just go...I know what you are feeling right now..." Nadeshiko smiled. "I will explain it to your father." She patted her head and kissed her cheeks. "Take care." She said and started walking off.

"Arigatou." She whispered as she looked to her mother's disappearance. She then turned around and looked to where Kirihara was. "AKAYA NO BAKA!" She shouted making everyone in the airport looked incongruously at her.

"YES I'M AN IDIOT! I'M SORRY!" He shouted back.

He walked closer.

She walked closer.

As they met, he pulled her closer and embraced her tightly. "I'm sorry." He said softly as he caressed her hair. Looking at her, "I Love you." He whispered as he bent down and kissed her lightly. Their first real kiss. No words cannot explain how she felt that moment.

A/N: Haha. While I was reading this again (I almost forgot the story because it's been 3 years or so had passed since I last read this), I was amused with myself that I found asking myself "Did I write this?" LOL it was really cheesy haha and Kirhara is kinda OOC. But I decided not to change the story. :D

So hooray? Yay! Finished! Hope you all like it! Thank you for reading! Really! ^^ and for thos who reviewed and for those who read but didn't review... thanks, too lol XD XD

and! you may now check the DREAM NOVEL VERSION OF THIS STORY :D

just go to this site...

http : / ikasama-shoujo . webs . com / tenshi . html (Without the spaces of course)