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I do not own "The Wallflower" franchise, nor am I the author of this series. This credit goes to TOMOKO HAYAKAWA. Please support the mangaka!

Author's Note:

Hiatus finally over!

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CHAPTER 7 : The First Step to Letting Go

Following Kyohei's advice, Takenga bought as many chocolate bars as he could to make up for the incident with his 'fan girls'. He was surprised at how Kyohei knew Sunako. But then again, he shouldn't have been considering the fact that he had always teased them at how 'close' the two were and how they acted towards one another. And yet here he was doing what Kyohei had done to Sunako – making her his 'girlfriend' – which he never thought he would be doing.

He tapped on her door, hoping she wouldn't answer (which she normally did when someone tried to enter her room) so that he didn't have to explain himself. After a few light taps, he put the chocolate bars by her door. He never knew that he'd be getting her into trouble by his actions a while back. He thought his 'fans' weren't as vicious as Kyohei's, since they usually backed away when he was with Noi. But as Kyohei put it, the situation was different.

He was about to turn away when he heard someone call him. "Do you still plan on using her?"

'As expected.' Takenaga thought to himself. "I'm not using her."

"But you're planning to." Kyohei muttered.

"Well she agreed to it."

"You probably promised her something in return." Kyohei bent down and picked up the gift Takenaga left for Sunako by her door. He rapped on Sunako's door. "Open up. Takenaga has chocolate."

The door instantly opened much to Takenaga's surprise. He saw Sunako's face peep from the door. "CHOCOLATE!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah. Takenaga left this for you."

Sunako looked at Takenaga curiously. "Thanks!" She grabbed the bag from Kyohei and slammed the door.

"If I were you, I'd face my problems. Using her won't solve your problems about Noi."

Takenaga was unable to answer. "Just allow me for now, Kyohei. I promise I won't let anything happen to her."

Kyohei shrugged. "If anything happens…" He didn't finish his sentence but turned around and left.

"Kyohei…how much does Sunako really mean to you…?" Takenaga wondered. With the way he was acting, Takenaga felt that Kyohei really did have feelings for Sunako. He turned to Sunako's door and stroked it with his hand. "Don't worry, Kyohei. I won't let anything happen to her."

-

The next morning, Sunako was greeted by Takenaga who had barged into the kitchen while she was preparing breakfast. "Wait in the dining room. Breakfast isn't ready."

"Uh, Sunako-chan…I'm sorry about what happened yesterday."

"Don't worry about it. I've handled much worse." When Sunako turned to leave him, he noticed the cut on her cheek. Instinctively, he moved his hand to her face.

"This is wrong."

She paled when he touched her. 'Too bright' she thought. She would have pushed him, but that meant dropping the tray she was carrying.

"Will you still pretend for me?"

She didn't answer right away. "I guess. But I don't want you anywhere near me."

He smiled. "Well, that won't help me if you don't act like my girlfriend."

"Oh." She sighed. "I don't know how to act like one. And besides, I'll melt when I'm around radiant creatures." Suddenly, Sunako felt him move towards her back and slip a pair of sunglasses on her. She felt the radiant creature turn her around to face him. She was ready to break into a nosebleed, but surprisingly, she didn't.

"Extra dark lenses. I didn't know why we never thought of this before. You've always said that you get blinded by us."

He was right. The glasses were dark enough to make him look a tad blurry. She turned around to serve breakfast when suddenly she hit something. "Ouch." Apparently, the glasses not only blurred radiant creatures, but her whole surroundings as well. She felt the creature take her arm and guide her to the door.

"This way you won't be bothered when I'm around." He guided her to the dining room and took the tray from her.

"Whoa!" The three other housemates were surprised to see Takenaga with Sunako.

"Kyohei, Takenaga stole your girlfriend!" Yuki teased.

"Oh, dear Kyohei! Fight for her!" Ranmaru cried out. And to Takenaga, he pointed an accusing finger. "A love rivalry! How could you do this to Kyohei?" he teased.

"Stupid." Kyohei muttered. "Hey, why are you wearing sunglasses in the house?" he asked Sunako.

Sunako turned her attention to the voice that sounded that it belonged to the most radiant one. She smiled happily. Even he was a blur to her. She walked to an empty chair, bumping everything in her path. This new thing needed some getting used to. "It's perfect!"

Takenaga couldn't help but let out a small laugh. Sunako looked really cute with the glasses on. He turned around to surprised not to see Michiru around.

Ranmaru caught him in the act. "Playboy. Michiru left a while ago. Said she had something to do."

That did not sit well with Takenaga. He knew she might be reporting to his father. He made a mental note to keep an eye on Michiru while she was staying. There was much he had to ask. One of them being how long she planned on spying on him.

'Was this what Noi usually did?' Sunako thought to herself. Takenaga had insisted on walking with her. He was probably making sure the fangirls left her alone. Would that mean she'd get free chocolate if they did? "Chocolate…"

"Oh, did you want some?" he asked her.

She blushed. She hadn't meant to think out loud. She was glad she was wearing the special lenses. That meant she could actually tolerate being with him. That and the fact that she couldn't see how he reacted towards what she said.

"We could buy some on our way home."

She felt her mouth water. Pretending to be his girlfriend wasn't so bad after all. That was until they reached the school.

It was a good thing she couldn't see much of her surroundings, however that didn't block all the voices she was hearing.

"Lucky girl! How did she manage to convince Takenaga-kun to make her his girlfriend."

"Playgirl! How could she play around with Kyohei and Takenaga?"

"She probably put an evil spell on them. Or is blackmailing them…"

"Don't mind them, Sunako-chan," she heard Takenaga whisper. "I won't let them pick on you again."

When they reached her classroom, he took the glasses off and handed them to her. "I'll pick you up here after class." He smiled. "Make sure to wear them when I arrive."

After class, Sunako wondered whether she should wait for the smart radiant creature to pick her up. Did he do the same for Noi? He probably did since they were always seen together. She looked at the altered glasses he had given her. They really did help her 'cope' with the radiance. She wore them and tried feeling her way across the corridor. She had taken but a few steps from the door when someone grabbed her arm. She felt the figure guide her past the other classrooms, wondering where he was taking her. When they finally stopped, he pushed her inside a darker room – the abandoned lab she guessed.

She took off her glasses and immediately fell back – blinded by a surprisingly radiant light.

Apparently it wasn't the smart radiant creature.

It was Kyohei.

"You should stop pretending to be his girlfriend. You'll only get into trouble."

"I can take care of myself."

"Well you should because he can't do that."

"It's none of your business."

"What did he promise to give you?"

"Nothing..."

"I don't believe you."

The radiant creature was getting on her nerves. Why the hell did he care? He was doing the same thing to her before. Then she suddenly realized that the smart one would be picking her up. "I have to go." She moved to the door but he caught her arm.

"Where are you going? To save him again?"

She shrugged her arm away. "I made a promise." Without another word, she left the laboratory and ran back to the classroom.

When Takenaga arrived at Sunako's classroom, he was surprised not to find her waiting. He sighed. He guessed Sunako really didn't want to help him after all. But then again, his pushing her to do what he wanted which was unfair. No sooner had he decided to just face his problems when he heard a bumping sound from the distance. He turned around and saw Sunako wearing the glasses, trying to feel her way through the crowd. Instinctively, he ran towards her just as she was about to bump into someone again.

"Sorry I'm late." Sunako mumbled under her breath.

He smiled and held her to him. "No, you were just in time."

END CHAPTER SEVEN