Title: Once More

Author: jhay07

Pairing: Yahiro/Megumi

Genre: Drama/Romance

Summary: Sequel to 'Of Freedom and Realizations'

Disclaimer: Why am I in fanfiction? _

Beware: Contains lots and lots of OOCness and fluffiness! Enjoy reading~! ^_^

Read A/N at the end!

Chapter 1: On Their Forgiveness

xXx

Yahiro

I went to my favorite spot around the house. The place where I could think things through in my own peaceful way. A place where I could see the entire Tokyo.

I leaned back against the old sakura tree. The very tree that I asked my father to plant in our backyard ten years ago. I had a strong liking of sakura trees since then.

I felt the strong wind brush my face. So relaxing. I remember the time when she had sung a song for me.

I close my eyes, as I let my thoughts drift back to that time and remembered the message of the song.

The thousands of twinkling stars swallowed by the night sky…

…I hope one day I'll be able to give this to you.

This song that would bring a smile to that certain someone…

…I hope one day, you can make the flowers bloom.

I remember her beautiful voice then. Her long, curly hair being blown by the wind.

I can't help not to smile.

It was a new start for me.

A path has gleefully opened before my very eyes. Owing also the fact that she made me smile again.

xXx

A light and soft hand tapped me in my shoulder. I looked up and was surprised to see that it was Toudo Akira.

"Hey," she said.

I didn't give her a reply.

"What? Are you just going to stare at me as if I don't exist?" she exclaimed, sounding pissed. She then placed her hands on each side of her waist.

Now that I got a closer look at her, I realized that she didn't change at all. Physically there might be but her attitudes are still the same.

I laughed.

"What's so funny?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Funny how you never changed at all, Akira. You never did," I replied, cocking an eyebrow as if mocking her.

"Mou… How's life…?" she asked, clearly ignoring the comment I made earlier. She took the seat beside me and also leaned back against the tree.

"Nothing much… Same old, same old,"

"You're the one who've changed, Yahiro,"

"Hmmm… How can you say so?"

"You often smile now," she replied, grinning at me. "Is it because of Megumi? Well, no point in asking though. It really seems she is the reason," she continued, heaving a sigh.

"What? Regretting the you didn't return my feelings for you?" I replied, hinting in the tone of my voice that I was clearly teasing her.

"BAKA!" she cried, punching my shoulder real hard.

Man, that hurts.

"I'm sorry, Yahiro," she uttered.

"What for? For the punch that you gave me?"

"Not that silly," she began. "Well, you can count that in… but… sorry for causing you lots of pians and sufferings. I'm sorry for not being able to see that you plainly just wanted to protect me. And I'm sorry for…" she hesitated for a moment but continued," …sorry for not being able to return you feelings for me. I loved you, Yahiro to tell you the truth. But I was never in love with you. Does that even make a sense?" she replied, tears falling on her cheeks.

"With everything I've said and done, I hope you can find forgiveness in your heart,"

And then she became silent.

It seemed to me that Akira never forgave herself for what she did in the past.

Constantly apologizing and asking for forgiveness, it doesn't matter to me anymore.

I already forgave her.

It's time for us to forget the past and move on with life.

And so, I did what I think is best for us.

I placed my arms over her shoulders and pulled her close.

"It's okay Akira. I already forgave you. There's no point in turning the past back. What is done has been done. We can't turn back time. I think what's best for us is to set aside our past and live off our present… With the people we really loved,"

And the image of Megumi popped in my head.

It's weird for me to be saying such things nonetheless, it's for the best.

"Ne, Yahiro, how long has it been since you two first went out?" Akira asked, reclaiming her seat.

"Nearing to four months, counting the moment when she first asked me out," I replied.

"That long already? Wow,"

"How about you and Tadashi? How are things with him?"

She averted my eyes, as if avoiding my question.

"Things are… going well, I think?" she finally answered.

"What's with the hesitance? Is there something wrong?" I asked.

"Not really… Nothing's wrong actually. I guess it's just me…" she trailed off. "It's just that… Tadashi never really admitted he likes me. Or what he found so attracting to me," she continued.

"Where's your feistiness?"

"Huh?" She stared at me, looking confused.

"Your feistiness. You can just ask him that, you know," I answered.

"I… I… I never had the courage to do that," she stammered.

"Cat got your tongue?" I bantered.

"I… I… Anyway, enough of me!" she replied.

Then she stood up and walked in front of me.

Clutching her fist, she punched the tree behind me.

"DON'T YOU EVER DARE HURT OUR PRECIOUS MEGUMI! IF YOU DO-…" she cut off, unsure whether to finish her sentence or not.

"If I what, what will you do?" I raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"If you do, then I'll kill you to death," she threatened.

Akira is the type of person that you don't ever want to meddle with.

That's how scary she is.

"Anyway, I better get going. I still have some teas and cookies to make. My lovely Hikari will be staying overnight at my place tonight. I must fetch her soon," she said.

As I watch her walked away, I felt the need to say something… Something that could gain her trust into me, being with Megumi.

"I will never promise not to hurt Megumi…" I called out to Akira.

"…because in a relationship, there will always come a time when one would be hurt. But this I would do, to never give her a reason to cry. Because I will always love her forever. If being with her means that I would be facing Ryuu and Jun soon, then so be it. I don't care. As long as I'm able to make her happy, then so be it,"

What I got from Akira confirmed my wish.

She smiled.

xXx

Megumi

Riiiiing! Riiiiing! Riiiing!

Megumi let the phone rang three times before picking it up. She has been dreading for this time to come. No matter how much she avoided these things, in their world, it will eventually fall before their eyes. Yet she wasn't expecting the call so soon, after rejecting three yesterday.

"Hello? Megumi speaking,"

"…yes… I understand father but…"

"Isn't there any other way…?"

"When…? The day after tomorrow? But I-"

"…It's okay father. It doesn't look like I have any other choice, right? You don't have to apologize,"

"Yes. Goodbye. Take care,"

"I love you too, father,"

Then she hung up.

Going back to where she was seated, she went through the stack of papers laid down in front of her and looked for the name that his father mentioned to her earlier in their conversation.

After some time of looking, she finally found it.

KuniyoshiAlexander. It read.

Kuniyoshi Alexander. Blood type AB. Lavender-haired with gray set of eyes. Nothing much could be said about him as he is keeping a low-profile. He doesn't speak too much nor likes to socialize with other people. His main interest includes reading books, writing novels, composing music and playing the piano.

His family owns the largest corporation with regard the music industry, having over a hundred branches and companies all around the world.

Heir to the multi-million dollar company, he detached himself from his family and started his own business, which, apparently, is a successful one.

He reminds me a lot of someone.

Looking at his picture with his stoic and masked expression.

His unsmiling face.

He reminds me a lot of Yahiro.

Sadness landed on her as realization dawned on her.

'How could I tell Yahiro about it?'

What should I do?

Should I even tell him about it?

It would be clearly unfair in his part if I didn't. But if I do, what will happen next?

Megumi went to her bedroom, her head spinning.

So many things running through my head. So many things that need answers.

She climbed up to her bed and laid her back at it.

She heaved a heavy sigh and let herself relax.

Before she could even be aware of it, she found herself crying.

And for the first time in her life, she cried her heart out.

A/N: okay. My decent (finally) attempt to write the sequel of "Of Freedom and Relizations". For those people who have been waiting for me to post this, sorry if I took awhile. I got suck back to reality. And my muse didn't come back. And reality doesn't want me to go back to my fantasies either.

Anyway, this picked up exactly four months after what had transpired from the first fic.

Nothing much happened in this chapter but tell me what you think, okay?

This is the second part of the three-part story I'm planning to write. And it's a multi-chaptered one.^_^

I promise I won't AWOL this time.

Will be posting soon.

Jhay07