Hey! So, terribly sorry for taking so long at updating! I really feel bad...eh...so no rambling; only updating.

.::Review Replies::.

Stormy is shooting down Santa: (Hey, nice penname X3) Thanks!

YellowFluffiesForever22: Ahh, yea. School sucks XD Aww! Thanks! I really prefer writing lengthy chapters for this, because I'd only intended for it to be five chapters. XD But then, I figured that would be rushing things a bit too much hehehe. Aww...yea, the more I write, the less I really want to end it the way Why or Why Not ended, too...): Btw, about your review on Names, I DID EAT CORN! I LOVE CORN! And thanks for the reviews!

Rosie-Chan: Well that just sounds ridiculous, but also kinda funny. XD (Forgive meXD) Aww, glad you liked it! And that must've been a bit annoying, hehe, with your neighbors.

Mirror of Words: Kaito already has a part, so I can't use him :C Someone suggested Miki's genderbend, but I'd already planned him to be Miki's dad. And usually, I make Dell Piko's dad, but I already used him. I've decided on IO, or whatever you call IA's genderbend. His name might never get mentioned, so... You know, why not? XD Sometimes too much cheese is suckish, though! D: Awwuh snap.

Michi Sarune: Miki's genderbend is Miki's dad, but good idea, though! :3

Un-orange-inal: All questions will soon be answered, my friend! (: Thank you so much for the compliments!

Currently telling this story by days - to tell how many days they've known each other. But...once it reaches a year, I'll probably start over because my goodness...that's a lot of days! XD hahaha

Also, in this chapter, Miki reveals what she wants to be when she grows up...did I already make her do so in one of the earlier chapters? I can't remember...and I'm too lazy to check orz

Day 78

7:12 a.m.

The crisp air blew around them, ruffling her lengthy hair and allowing it to flow around her like a gorgeous red curtain; Piko certainly didn't fail to notice this beauty, and he was quick to tell her what he thought about how gorgeous she was looking that day, too. Her cheeks flushed to a rosy color, and though she ducked her head and murmured a quiet thanks, it was clear that she didn't believe a word of what he'd said to her.

Still, she accepted his hand and walked with him to school on their first day back all the same. Their fingers were braided together, sweat forming in their palms - their arms brushed as they walked as close as they could manage. Somehow, Miki wasn't the only one who got comfort from her friend's presence - in the days that he'd known the cherry-haired girl, he'd begun to find himself calmer when she was around, happier and more relaxed.

Piko wasn't sure why. Maybe that was the power of having a true friendship? Sure, he'd associated with Len and Rin and the others, but by that time, it was clear that none of them were real. They were only fake - getting in his way of the real happiness that Miki had helped him achieve. They didn't care that this poor girl was getting bullied the way she was before, and they didn't care anymore even though Piko claimed her as his friend - girlfriend.

Feeling her warmth despite the chill that engulfed his body from the January air, he managed to free his hand from hers and wrap his arm around her waist. The action - which he realized too late might've startled the girl - actually made her giggle slightly. And she kept that cheery face until they saw three boys standing together at the end of the street.

Miki noticed them first, and Piko probably wouldn't have had she not yanked herself free from his comforting hold and moved behind him. Her hands clenched his shoulders tightly, and he could feel her shaky breathing on his neck as she peeked over at the trio.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the school slut," Gakupo purred when he noticed them approaching, and he folded his arms across his chest as a smirk crawled its way onto his lips.

Piko held out one of his arms when the pruple-haired man took a couple of steps forward - yes, Piko would've fought the bastard right then and there if he had too, but since Gakupo and the other guys still had some kind of liking for him, he didn't think that would be necessary. At least, not until he snapped out in a voice crueler than he was used to using, "Shouldn't you save that title for Rin?"

Behind him, Miki stiffened at the insult, and while Kaito and Mikuo seemed just as shocked, Gakupo only raised his eyebrows lazily.

"I'm sure you wouldn't want that to get back around to Rin," the purple-haired boy drawled out slowly, letting his head tip to one side as his amethyst eyes glittered with a dark amusement.

"Actually, I really don't care who the hell hears it," Piko confirmed, his voice stronger than he thought he could manage at that moment - because, to be perfectly honest with himself, he was tiny, and if they tried to fight him to get to Miki, he was sure to lose. Gakupo seemed to be mildly surprised by then, but he blinked that expression away as Piko went on. "Tell Rin that if she has any problem with Miki and I, she can bring it to me and say it to my face, understand? I'm sick and tired of hearing her cowardly comments come from someone else that she's manipulating."

Gakupo's steps were slow and taunting as he made his way over to stand in front of Piko, and the white-haired boy could feel the threat even more when Gakupo stood directly in front of him. He tilted his head back to meet the taller boy's gaze, his own eyes narrowed down to defying slits. Their silence went on for a few long moments, in which Miki whimpered and backed away even more during their stare-down while Kaito and Mikuo looked on from a distance.

Then, Piko spat, "You look like you want to hit me. If you want to, you can. I won't care, and I won't move. But you won't do it, will you? You're not a coward, but you're following orders from Rin only because you don't want to become an outcast like me. You don't want to hurt me, but you're torn between causing me physical pain and enduring the emotional torment from Rin and her stupid posse."

Gritting his teeth together, Gakupo's hands lashed out to snatch Piko by the collar of his shirt. Miki let out a loud and distressed screech as the purple-haired man yanked Piko up to his level, until the shorter boy's feet were no longer touching the ground. "I won't hit you because scum like you aren't worth my time." That said, Gakupo released the boy who once used to be his friend and shoved him backward.

Piko stumbled a bit, but he stayed standing, eyeing the three boys until they headed toward the school by Gakupo's orders. As they left, Piko turned around to look at Miki, who had her hands help up to cover her mouth while her crimson eyes were wide with shock and terror. Even from the distance, Piko could tell she was shaking, and there were soft noises that were escaping her lips as she whined and sniffled. He extended one arm in her direction, turning his hand to show her his palm, as though he were trying to calm her down somehow.

Miki furrowed her brow together and, with one last sniffle, collapsed to her knees in heart-wrenching sobs.

"Miki!?" Piko bounded over to her side right away, dropping down next to her and placing one of his hands on her shoulder. His fingers ran through her crimson locks, while his heart pounded with a dull ache from hearing the girl cry. "Miki...? What's wrong? Everything's okay. You don't have to worry about it."

"Y-You..." the redhead murmured, letting out a ragged sigh. "Y-You would've t-taken a h-h-hit...for m-me?"

Bewilderment etched itself across the young boy's face. "Of course I would. That's what real friends do, right?"

Day 79

7:19 a.m.

"Utatane and Furukawa. How very nice to see the both of you again after the break - oh, and just as close as you were before, huh?" Rin placed her hands on her hips, cocking her head to one side. Her lips were curved in a smirk, cerulean eyes glittering with malice.

Piko's grip on Miki's hand tightened, and it shocked him that she didn't struggle at all when he continued to lead her in the cruel blonde's direction, despite the venomous look that Rin was sending towards them. He stood straight up, his chin held high, and he showed no signs of paying any attention to Rin's verbal abuse on him or Miki. That didn't phase the blonde, though.

"Ignoring me, huh?" Rin scowled at the white-haired boy as he brushed past her, roughly butting his shoulder against hers. A small noise escaped from her at the bump, and she crossed her arms while snorting. "I know people say that you need to ignore the problem, Utatane, but I'm not the problem! The problem is that Furukawa chick! You have no idea what kind of past she has, but you continue to allow yourself to get all caught up with her!"

The white-haired boy let go of Miki's hand and slung his arm around her, tugging her close in reassurance. By then, the only thing Rin could see were their backs, but she continued to shout at them with a frustrated tone. "You think you're doing the best thing, Utatane, but I can assure you that befriending that girl will ruin your life!"

Miki murmured under her breath, "H-Hey...h-how can you put up with all of that?"

"It's very easy," he told her after he leaned forward enough for his lips to ghost over her ear. "Just don't pay any attention to them, okay? Rin's all bark and no bite; the only ones you'll have to worry about are those who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty. And Miki, I swear to you, I'll be by your side if that ever happens."

She smiled softly. "Th-Thank you..."

Day 84

7:57 p.m.

Someone was clearly impatient, and truth be told, whoever the hell was constantly banging on the door was beginning to get on his nerves. He stomped down the stairs, screaming out an irritated, "I'm coming, I'm coming!" to the person, all the while raking his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"Piko, there's no need to be such a sourpuss!" his mother screamed from the kitchen. "My hands are covered with dough; it's not like I can answer it!"

"You didn't even try!" the white-haired boy retorted, but he wasn't as angry anymore; he found it hard to feel frustrated when his mother would snap back to him with her own sarcastic remarks, as though she were a child herself. In fact, the two got along as brother and sister might - certainly not the way that mother and son should behave.

"Would you like half of the cookies to be on the door handle!?" she hollered back.

He rolled his eyes and gave his head a gentle shake in reply, despite knowing that she wouldn't be able to see it, and he grabbed the doorknob, turning it and opening the door, only to see a very teary-eyed and trembling Miki. His response was to immediately step forward with his hand outstretched, cupping her face and allowing his thumb to touch her lips.

"Miki?"

She was grasping one of her upper arms, and she hissed in pain when he drew her in for a hug. It shocked him, of course, for her to react like that, squirming and writhing in his grip, and he let her go right away so that he could stare at her face - flushed, swollen red eyes, and tear stains down her cheeks.

"Miki, what happened?"

Her lips quivered, and she shook her head, still not wanting to spill the secrets that she had been containing for so long.

"Piko, who was at the door?"

"Miki." At the mention of her name, the redhead flinched, but Piko rested one of his hands on her shoulder and leaned closer to her so that their cheeks were touching.

"Oh! Would she like a cookie? Chocolate chip and sugar!" his mother offered kindly, though she still hadn't emerged from the kitchen.

Piko dipped his head down to search Miki's tear-filled eyes for an answer, and every sign told him that the girl had no interest at all in eating - she was too worried, troubled, and about what, Piko had no idea. He only hoped he could pry some of the information from the girl as he began to lead her to the stairs. "No, she's fine," he answered for her, and he began to pull her up the stairs before he could get anymore words from his mother.

Once inside his room, Piko carefully shut the door behind him, and during the brief moment that he'd turned away from Miki, the redhead sank down to the floor and let out a loud wail. The sound made Goosebumps rise over his skin - if he were a cat, he would've been bristling from the inhuman sound of terror and grief that she'd made. Swiftly, Piko dropped down next to her and gathered her in his arms roughly, forcing her head to rest against his chest.

"Miki, you have to tell me what's wrong," he told her matter-of-factly. He didn't think that silence would be the best for a moment like this; she needed to talk, or else she was going to begin to feel even worse than she already did. Piko cupped her face again, this time more forcefully, and made her look at him, leaning forward enough for his nose to brush against hers. Their foreheads touched, eyes clashing with two completely different emotions - fear and love. He repeated her name sternly, and the girl flinched.

"Y-Yes...I-I'm...sorry," she whimpered, a few stray tears running down her cheeks,

"Don't apologize. Don't apologize for anything that's not your fault," he told her, his voice forceful and desperate. "Miki, what's wrong?"

"I-I..." She fell silent, lowering her head to look away from her as she cried.

Piko drew his fingers through her hair and let his lips connect to her forehead. He let out a heavy sigh against her skin, stirring her bangs slightly. "It's okay...I understand. You're just...down...from all the bullying, right?"

"...Sure."

Day 86

7:13 a.m.

"P-Piko...?" She was too quiet when she spoke, and Piko moved his face closer to hers after using his free hand to brush his silky white locks aside.

"Yes, Red?" he prompted in a soft voice, squeezing her hand. He'd loaned her his gloves, and despite his own fingers becoming numb from the chill that lingered in the air as a gentle snow fell, he could feel the warmth of her own hand seeping through the thick blue fabric.

"I..." He felt her breath hit against his cheek, and he could sense the dread and dull, distant pain in her voice "I'm afraid..."

The white-haired boy's chest ached, heart filling with some kind of unknown feeling at Miki's terror. He never understood why he was scared when she was, why he felt so useless if he couldn't do away with all of the things upsetting her and replace them with something that would make her happy and joyful. But at such times, all he could do was offer petty words of reassurance while stroking her hair in the most tender way.

"I know," he murmured back, letting his dry lips touch her temple after he tucked her crimson locks behind her ear. "I'll make it better for you one day..."

Because you don't deserve this.

Day 111

4:20 p.m.

"Say, Piko?"

"What's up, Red?"

"D-Do...you think...y-you can - uh - come over? Just for a second," the shy girl on the other end of the line stammered. Something was crinkling in the background, and it was needless to say that it peaked his curiosity right away.

He perked up, barely speaking through a wide grin that showed his teeth as he stared at himself in the bathroom mirror - because, even if he was a guy, he couldn't neglect his appearance. "No trouble at all for me to pay you a visit, Red," he assured her, tilting his head to hold his phone between his cheek and shoulder as he darted towards his bedroom to get his coat.

"Thanks, Piko!" Miki shouted happily, and he laughed joyfully as he tugged on his poofy coat, running down the stairs as fast as he could manage without tripping over his own two feet. She was gone just like that, saying 'goodbye' and hanging up the phone just as he swung open the front door and bounded out.

Piko's feet carried him swiftly, and the frosty chill that smacked against his face was nothing compared to the warmth that swelled within his heart. His phone was clutched tightly in his hand, arms swinging at his sides, and his breath came out in exhausted pants.

Sure, there was one main reason why he was so excited to visit her, even though he was always thrilled to see his girlfriend - could they be considered dating by then? They were pretty close - inseparable, even - and had gotten even more attached to each other every single time that she cried on his shoulder or hugged him for comfort. But...perhaps that day, she'd finally decided to thank him more than she already had?

It was Valentines Day, after all.

He pounded up the stairs of her porch just as she opened her door with a bright smile, her cheeks rosy and eyes full of a loving warmth. Both of her arms were held behind her back, and they remained that way as he walked directly up to her. Piko grinned at her, and she returned it, thrusting a red box in his direction.

"Happy Valentines Day!"

Truthfully, he'd expected it. But he still blushed darkly, his voice suddenly failing to work for him as he tried to thank her, instead opening and closing his mouth to look like a fish out of water. His fingers fumbled with the white ribbon until he could pull the bow free. The lid was easy to remove, and once it was off, his nostrils flooded with the delectable scent of chocolate, along with the faintest hint of caramel.

"I hope you like chocolates, 'cus there's a lot of them in there!" Miki laughed, her face reddening as she clasped her hands behind her back once again.

"I love them." Piko reached into the box to grab one, and he plopped it in his mouth. The chocolate melted on his tongue and left the thick, rich caramel to flood over his taste buds. The pure bliss that showed in his eyes made Miki's grin become even bigger. Piko rested one of his hands atop her head, dragging his fingers down the side of her face until he could curl his index finger beneath her chin and tip her head back. "Happy Valentines Day to you, too."

Miki opened her mouth to say something but was silenced as he kissed her.

When Piko pulled away from her, he brought his hand down her own and laced their fingers together. "Really nice present, Red. I do like it."

The redhead's eyes shifted away from Piko. "I didn't think you would."

"Miki, if there's one thing I can promise you, it's that I'm pleased by the very simple things. I swear it." He pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead after pushing her crimson locks to the side and tucking them behind her ear. "Anything you do will make me happy because it's the thought that matters, right?"

"Y-Yea." She nodded weakly.

A few more words of encouragement and soft kisses later, Piko closed his box of chocolates and said his goodbyes to head back to his house. Though, he would've stayed for much longer had she not told him that she had to go back up to her room, that her father would be home soon and that he wouldn't want to end up meeting the man because, according to her, he was quite scary and intimidating.

Piko held his box of chocolates in his palm, choosing another one that looked delectable and eating it on the spot instead of savoring it like he had the first. Why was he always satisfied with the small things nowadays? Was it because he was growing older - becoming less selfish? - or had he truly found the one thing that might actually make him happy for the rest of his days?

As he was pondering those thoughts, he arrived back at his own house. Normally, he could've walked right in without a second thought. But something, something felt off - and though he had no idea what it was, it made him glance around for any signs of something suspicious. And that was when he spotted a small, heart-shaped box - a pink one, and this one also had a ribbon wrapped around it, though...it looked as if there was a note tied to it as well.

Curious, Piko walked over to the small box that sat right against the wall next to the door. He picked it up and, tucking Miki's gift to him beneath his arm, fiddled with the new present to read the small paper that was attached to the box. He could already tell by the smell and the weight of it that it was more chocolates, but from who? Who would drop some off at his place? At least, he assumed they were for him. Maybe they were for his mom, from his dad? Sometimes he liked to surprise her, so maybe that was a good possibility?

Unfolding the paper carefully, Piko's eyes widened when he read the blue words surrounded by tiny swirls and hearts.

"I've missed you, Piko~"

He knew that handwriting...

Day 117

3:53 p.m.

"Anything you wanna do?"

"Nah, not really." Piko shrugged, yawning. "I'm kinda tired, actually. This week drained me. A lot."

"O-Oh." Miki clasped her hands together in front of herself and dropped her gaze to look at them. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, while Piko lounged away on the floor, laying down on his back with his hands resting beneath his head. The redhead sighed heavily, and the noise made him look over at her with one eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"What is it?"

"Eh, just bored."

"Is there something you wanna do?"

"No...not really..." Her eyes darted back and forth for a moment before she murmured, "Well, not that I can think of. I just feel weird sitting here in silence, you know?"

"Sometimes silence is the best conversation," Piko told her pointedly, sending a friendly wink in her direction. "But..." He pulled himself into a sitting position, bringing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them as he looked at her. "...come over here. Let's talk for a little while."

"What's there to talk about?" Miki asked as she rose and padded over to him. She sank to the ground next to him, leaning against the white-haired boy and resting her head against his shoulder.

Piko wrapped his arm around her and placed his chin atop her head after he kissed her gently through her hair. "Well, we can find something, can't we? Something that's not sad and depressing, hm? Let's see..." There was a small pause after he trailed off, and then he went on again, suddenly enthusiastic. "How about you? What do you plan to do when you get out of school? That's one topic we haven't hit yet. I don't know much about what you want to do with your future! Ah, yes. You need to tell me about that!"

His rambling made her giggle, and she nudged him playfully before falling into an awkward silence. She spoke quietly after a few seconds, saying in a strained whisper, "I...haven't thought too much about my future, actually. I never thought I'd make it...there."

Piko blinked, dumbfounded, before tightening his arm around her and pulling her down into his chest as he fell backward again. Miki shrieked in surprise at first, but once she noticed that he was laughing, she began to join in. "You'll make it there, Miki. Don't worry about anyone. If they try to put you down, I'll be here to back you up!" he told her through his chuckles, and once he was settled on the ground with her laying against his chest, he asked, "Surely you've had some kind of a dream? When you were little, what'd you want to be when you grew up?"

Miki rolled onto her side, her arm wrapping around his torso as he stroked his long, slender fingers through her silken locks. "I...always thought it would be cool to be a nurse," she admitted softly.

The white-haired boy's heart jerked. He fisted her hair lightly, since he wasn't in a position that allowed him to hug her too easily.

"I've...always wanted to save lives." She let out a puff of air. "I thought it would be nice to help. You know? To be one of those rare heroes who'd save someone's life when they were on the brink of dying? Yea...it'd be a bit bloody and stuff, but I've seen and felt worse. I could do it. Do you think I could...?"

He didn't realize until then that he'd been stunned into silence, but he forced words to his mouth. "Yea. I think you would be the best nurse the world has ever seen."

"You really mean it?" she asked him, and he could tell by her voice that she was completely in a daze. She buried her head more into his chest and brought her legs up closer to him. "No one's ever believed in me before. Not since I lost contact with Mayu."

Piko struggled to sit up, and he embraced her the moment he looked into her eyes. He found himself caught in a face-full of her cherry-scented locks, his nose pushing through them to reach the warm skin of her neck. "I believe in you. I do. You can have an amazing future, Miki, I know it. I believe in you."

Day 121

6:27 p.m.

"Hello?"

"Ah. You answered."

"Rin?" Piko furrowed his brow and clutched his phone tighter in his hand. He was almost surprised that it didn't break from the force. "When did you change your number?"

"Oh, I didn't." She sounded careless, matter-of-fact. Everything about her attitude pissed Piko off. If he didn't want to remain being a gentleman, he would've pushed that girl up against a locker with his hands around her pretty little neck until she apologized to him and Miki. "But I knew you wouldn't answer if I call from my regular phone."

"Damn right I wouldn't, you sorry bitch," he muttered darkly.

Luckily, Rin didn't hear him - he knew that if she had, she would've shouted at him for being disrespectful. Instead, she said, "There's someone who's looking forward to getting back together with you, Utatane." She sighed dramatically. "And I tried to tell her that you wouldn't go for it, because you'd fallen for some pathetic girl who has no business even living. Still, she's insistent on winning you over. Maybe-"

He hung up and threw his phone onto the floor.

Day 128

2:59 p.m.

"Math is already killing me," Miki moaned as they began to head down the streets towards their houses. "I swear, if this keeps up, I don't know how I'm gonna get through this year."

"Relax," he cooed, swinging their arms back and forth. "I'm good with Math, so I'll help you like I did last semester. You need to do good in that class if you wanna be a nurse, anyway, right?"

"Of course. I'm doing great in my Biology and Chemistry courses. Just...the Math..."

Piko turned away from her for a moment and stared ahead at her approaching house. "Maybe I can come over sometime this weekend and help you out? Would that be okay?"

"Mm...I'd have to wait for a good time when my dad's not around, but sure! I was hoping you'd offer; I was gonna ask, but I don't wanna always mooch off you or anything..."

"Anything for a friend," he told her as they came to a stop at the end of her driveway. Their hands parted, and they turned to look at each other, Piko having to look down on her slightly more than usual. (He hoped that was because he was finally hitting that growth spurt he'd been dying for all those years.) With a grin, Piko said, "Anytime you need my help on anything, you can ask. Don't be shy. I won't bite; you've already learned that much, huh?"

Miki giggled as her cheeks colored, and she averted her gaze, allowing her crimson bangs to fall into her eyes. "Thanks. I suppose Saturday will be the best time, as long as you aren't doing anything."

"I never do anything, Miki. Don't you know that by now?" he teased, nudging her slightly with his elbow. "I'll see you tomorrow, then. Text me tonight, okay?"

"Sure!" A bright smile on her lips, the red-haired girl trotted down her driveway and onto the porch.

Day 132

8:31 p.m.

"Three hours..." she groaned. "I didn't think it would take this long."

"Well..." Piko's arm was lying out to the side, and Miki's head rested on it - the both of them were sprawled out on the floor of her bedroom, her Math book and papers thrown off the side after a long evening of work. He placed his free hand on her stomach, stroking her through her baggy blue shirt, and she shivered slightly at the feeling, a breathless giggle passing through her lips. "...at least now we can relax for a little while, right? Do you know when your dad'll get home?"

"He usually stays out really late on Saturdays," Miki told him. "You know, late night clubbing, I guess."

Piko's face contorted into one of pity for the poor girl; what a lovely life she had, what with a father that didn't bother to even try to raise her properly and bullies who made every day of her life a living hell - sarcasm, of course. Piko's hand clenched into a fist where it rested on her stomach, and he let out a breath of air in a sigh. He couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of pain she must've been suffering with every passing second - hell, with each breath she took!

In one sense, however, he was proud of her. She was still continuing on with her life through everything - she was getting stronger! She had promise! There was so much that she could do with her life, if she had him there to guide her when she started having problems.

"Well, then, is there something we can do?" Piko sat bolt upright, causing Miki to let out a surprised screech as she was brought up into a sitting position by him when he wrapped his arm firmly around her shoulders. "A movie? Dinner? Are you good at cooking?"

Miki blushed. "Eh...I kinda have to be, since my dad's not around to make me food."

"Well, coincidence! I'm good at cooking, too!" Piko hopped to his feet, grabbing her hand and pulling her up with him. He left out the part about how his mother taught him everything he needed to know about making food and baking - he figured that might've been rude and insensitive of him. "You wanna make something together, then? We can sit down and watch a movie or something while we eat afterwards."

"Y-You mean..." Miki ducked her head as her face turned into a shade of red quite close to her brilliant hair color. "L-Like a date?"

"Sure!" he exclaimed. "We could use more of those, don't you think?"

Looking away through half-closed eyes full of soft joy and relief, Miki nodded a couple of times. "Yea..."

Day 139

6:10 p.m.

"I...hope she likes roses," he muttered to himself as he raked his fingers through his hair in exasperation. Stress could be healthy, but now, it was just overwhelming him. He had gone through so much trouble to find the freshest, richest, reddest flowers that could possibly be found at a small store - since the florist didn't have any bouquets that he deemed worthy of giving to the precious girl.

The red-and-white plastic that wrapped around the stems crinkled as his fist tightened and untightened around it - he wasn't sure if a mere bouquet of roses would be enough to repay her for the delicious chocolates she'd given to him on Valentines Day - which, by the way, hadn't lasted to the morning after she'd given them to him. And the strange box he'd found addressed to him on the porch hadn't been touched, quickly discarded without a second thought.

His knuckles pounded on her door, and stepped back to wait for her to answer, moving the flowers back behind himself so that she couldn't see them right away. The door creaked open moments later, and he smiled broadly when he saw her standing there, despite her battered and exhausted appearance.

Miki's lips twitched upward. "Hi."

"Good evening," he greeted, and without any hesitation at all, he presented her with the flowers.

Tears began to fill up her wide crimson eyes, and her hands shot up to cover her mouth as she gaped in awe at the gift. Then, she looked up to Piko, dumbstruck. "They're...beautiful! And...for me?" His only response was a nod, and he pushed them closer to her with a glimmer in his heterochromatic gaze that brightened his whole face. She ducked her head down into the silky red rose to breathe in their sweet scent. "They're so pretty!"

"Well, so are you."

Miki gasped quietly, and she was going to stammer out some kind of response to his nice words, but she was cut off by a kiss placed firmly on her lips. Even though she didn't want to let go of her beautiful gift, didn't want to make him think that she didn't care at all about them...the bouquet fell from her hands as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

Day 142

3:15 p.m.

He'd only just arrived back home after walking Miki to her own house when his phone began to ring. Piko fished it out of his pocket after he let his backpack fall to the ground where he usually placed it next to his bed, and without even bothering to look at the screen, he pressed the green button and placed it up next to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Utatane."

"Rin." Piko closed his eyes tightly and let out a breath in irritation, but he didn't bother to hang up on the blonde. He figured he would wait and see if the bitch had anything good to say - anything that wouldn't be an insult to Miki or himself for befriending her.

He seriously doubted that that anything kind could come out of her prissy, dirty mouth, though.

"Well, I've been doing some thinking," the blonde began, "and I think that it would be best for you to listen to my proposition."

"Let me tell you this, Rin. If your proposition doesn't have anything to do with your leaving Miki out of your vicious attacks, then I seriously don't want to hear a word of it," he spat venomously, clenching his free hand into a fist that he would've driven into her cheek if she weren't a girl.

"You'll just have to listen to every bit of this, then, won't you, Piko?" Rin spoke with a taunt coloring her voice, and she chuckled darkly before sucking in a deep breath. "Well, let me just say that one of our old friends would really like to speak with you, Piko. I don't have her with me right now, though - to be quite honest, she has no interest in you if you're just gonna waste your days away with that Furukawa girl-"

Piko drummed his fingertips restlessly against the desk. "Still not hearing anything that promises peace for Miki," he interrupted.

"Just hold your stupid trap, Utatane, and wait for it," she growled. "I'll be completely honest with you now. I do miss having you in our group. You were a nice addition, a wonderful person to hang out with."

"Geez, Rin. You can't even lie convincingly," he scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Rin gritted her teeth together and ground out, "We all want you back-"

"-because my hanging with Miki is destroying your precious reputation, right? Wow, you're so sensitive."

"Utatane, if you come back to us-"

"I don't want to hear anymore of this nonsense!"

"-and you ditch her altogether-"

"I'm hanging up now."

"-then we'll leave her alone."

Thoughts on this chapter? I hope you enjoyed it! I was going for a 7.5k chapter, but I felt that here was a nice place to end it, so...

Until next time!

Drop a review?

(:Mizune