"Lila? Is something wrong? "

"Oh, no. .."

She feels thirsty, her thirst can't be quenched by mere medication alone. She really wants to drink. Even though she had so much of Haruka earlier, her thoughts broke when Kasumi grabbed hold of her wrist, " Come with me for a bit, Lila."

Lila doesn't get a chance to say anything as Kasumi dragged her along. Eventually, Kasumi stopped until they were down the hall, and she extended her hand out. In Kasumi's palm was a small box of tablets, "I know the medication tastes awful. But this is slightly stronger, you'll be able to last with these. " Indeed, the box the girl gave her indicated a much stronger dosage.

"Why do you have. . ?" Lila looked at the girl puzzled.

"My boyfriend is a hanyou too. Although he's not from some famous lineage like yours."

Oh, that man is? " Oh so that hair and those eyes weren't dyed, nor was it contacts? "

"Why would a grown-up be wearing colored contacts? "

"Eh? It's fine. I do it too when I can't control my red eyes. "

"No no, you should just take time off when that happens," Kasumi deeply sighed, " Well it's not like he needs it so much anymore after what happened then. But I keep it with me, you know? Just in case something were to happen. I don't have the ability to keep him sane with just my blood alone if he were ever to lose control of himself. "

"Kasumi."

"Well now, enough of this depressing talk. Since you came to work in such a disheveled state. I'm worried that your nails are in the same manner, so take a seat. I'll do your nails properly for you," although Kasumi offered her a seat, it was more like she was being pressured to sit down.

But her nails ---

Kasumi took her hand; a surprised looked filled her friend's features, "Huh? It seems like you suddenly became able to do them so much better than before. They're so well done that we can leave them be," Kasumi said, as she put the nail polish away. Perhaps it was showing in her expression, but Kasumi suddenly said, " I see. Karas.h.i.+ma, did your nails for you didn't he? "

Her cheeks turned even redder at the memory, " I told him there was no need for it and that he could stop but," Lila trailed off, " He said that ' Oh no I'm not stopping. This is far too much fun; I just can't stop, no matter what you say of it. And he was so good at it too. I had a serious dilemma about whether I ought to be embarra.s.sed or amazed."

"Knowing you, there was more of the former than the latter."

"I'm not sure what to think of him being so skilled at a manicure, or what could be the purpose of him learning such a skill," Lila paused, a deep sigh pa.s.sed her lips. She doesn't know what to think about it, since it's a message saying, 'This man has experience with girls.' Lila already knew that, but she didn't want people to remind her twenty-four seven. While she believes in Haruka and knows he would never betray her. Lila didn't like the fact that

"I can see the dark clouds around you, even though you're avoiding the obvious explanation."

Lila sighed, "I know Haruka has experience with married women. But I shall not think about it!"

"You're already doing so, " Lila trails off, " Well I'm glad you two are getting along with each other so well. Karas.h.i.+ma is slightly awkward, and he's even more sullen and useless than he was a year ago. But everyone can see how gentle and kind he is with you. "

Since she has gone through so many things, it's only natural that something would change in herself as well as all the other -- Lila paused when she realized what Kasumi had just said.

"You're accepting him now?"

"At the very least, I can see how much he loves you. While comparing the love between the two is wrong, I have to admit that Karas.h.i.+ma's love won't lose out to Kiryu," Kasumi's gaze softened, "I'm relieved. You found two people who genuinely love you. The others had feelings for you as well, but I always felt that they wouldn't be able to support you when you're at your weakest."

"Even senpai?"

Kasumi sighed, "Don't ask me on that one. I never understood your relations.h.i.+p with Oujiro, and I'm not going to start."

"Kasumi, are we still friends?"

"Don't change the topic like that."

But, they sort of spoke, didn't they? Lila listened to Kasumi's feelings. She heard Kasumi loud and clear. Lila wanted to tell her right now what she thought if she could then perhaps this guilt would vanish. Her thoughts broke off when Kasumi reached out for her hand.

"Kasumi?"

"I won't ask you to tell me everything right away, and I know it's still difficult for you too. But," Kasumi trailed off, "I want you to understand, we've always been friends. You've always been my best friend. I care about you too much. I rushed all my work in France, just so I could come back here to see you."

"You didn't come back because of Mikami-kun?"

Kasumi shook her head, "I feel bad, but I actually forgot about the situation with Mikami."

Eh, uh? "You forgot?"

The girl's cheeks flushed in embarra.s.sment, "I know, it's ridiculous and cruel. How could I forget about that? But I kept hearing strange rumors about Karas.h.i.+ma when I was in France, and heard other people's opinions on your relations.h.i.+p too…"

Lila immediately understood. Anybody who heard such things about the guy their best friend is dating would worry.

"Lila, has he told you any of it?"

"Ah-huh," Lila nodded, "When were cuddling, we end up talking about such things. He keeps telling me not to trust him. Keeps telling me that the things people say about him are not completely exaggerated."

"But has he told you about any of those rumors?"

"Yes," she closed her eyes briefly. Whenever Haruka tells her those tales, he would tremble so violently in her arms, "I believe in him, Haruka he..," Lila paused and chose her words very carefully, "Haruka is trying to change, even long before we met again. Haruka was already changing."

"For your sake or his own?"

"For our future."

Kasumi still looked troubled but nodded, "I didn't want to fight with you over this, that's why I boldly came over to your place on the first day. I said it naturally like I usually would, in hopes you would give me a proper explanation."

"I see."

"Lila, there's something else...are you perhaps jealous of Emma?"

At that comment, Lila turned red, "Wh--wha!"

"Umm, so you are?"

"I am! I know it's stupid, but," Lila trailed off, "Even then I can't help it, I really like you Kasumi! I don't want anybody else to have you."

Lila didn't understand it very well. Kasumi already told her about the Emma girl before, and she heard Kasumi's intentions. It didn't stop her from feeling jealous; it didn't prevent a growing pain to appear in her heart whenever she listened to the news about the two.

"Really," Kasumi looked down, "You keep stealing my lines."

"You really are stubborn Kasumi. "

The pink hair woman laughs, " Indeed. I really am. Even though you're the one who broke the connection of, it seems like I really am far too persistent. For the first time in my life, I really disliked you, Lila. I couldn't believe you did that. After all, no matter what happened before, we were always together. That connection was something your never break. We've had our fair share of fights, some severe ones, yet you never broke it and yet when you did. I was devastated; it felt like I genuinely broke. Even though we promised always to be together, it was laughable. "

. ….As she thought, Kasumi was carrying a grudge.

"But when I thought about it. When I thought long and hard about your suffering, I realized that a person like myself was never qualified to be your best friend."

"No that's -- "

Kasumi cut her off and shook her head, "In the end, what I hated the most rather than my inability to be able to help you, was the fact that I could never see you again. The fact, that from that day onwards -- we would never be able to meet each other again. Its strange, isn't it? Even though I was supposed to be holding a grudge, in the end, what I wanted was obvious. "

What she wanted.. .." The two of…us can't return to how things were before. I'm sure you of all people understand that. Yet when I think about it, I really am incapable of hate. I haven't been avoiding you due to malicious feelings of any kind. It wasn't like that at all. It's because..because.. I was never able to tell you, what.. what I hated the most.. .. "

"Ah…"

Kasumi embraced her, " What I hated was not being able to see you even if we fought, even if the connection broke as long as I was able to see you. None of that would have mattered. Lila, I --I I really missed you. I was so so lonely without you here."

Lila could no longer hold it back, and she burst into tears, "Kasumi. Waaaaaaaaaaahh, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. "

"Are you two confessing your love for each other, or what?"

Lila jumped startled at the voice and fell on the ground, "Ouch."

"Hey, are you okay? You're so clumsy," she felt somebody gently lift her off the ground.

Ah, "Kiryu."

Kasumi sighed, "Why do you always interrupt?"

"Obviously the one I worry about the most in terms of my rival is you. I mean, if you were a guy, then I wouldn't stand a chance, let alone Karas.h.i.+ma."

Lila hits Kiryu, "Don't be so ridiculous."

"I'm glad you two made up."

It was just six words, and yet Lila felt her heart skip a beat. Kiryu looked at her with such a gentle look in his eyes. Come to think of it, the only one who actually knew about her worries regarding Kasumi was Kiryu. She supposes that's something that won't change. The fact that she can easily confine her problems to Kiryu.