(I recommend listening to this song sung by Taniyama Kisho, voice actor for Tsukimori Len while reading the below scene)

 

As if she could still hear the beautiful music by her ears, felt her heart so warm and touched after the wonderful performance by the students of Seiso Gakuin. It had been a while since felt so moved emotionally. It was like that passion she had three years ago returned once again within her.

 

Three years ago, she knew what she wanted and she worked hard for it. Yet, she felt as if her life had not progressed, and she no longer knew what her goal was, and what was worth fighting for.

 

Nothing has changed in her life, just like that big glittering Christmas tree, thought mockingly to herself as she took a look at the beautifully decorated tree that stood silently outside the concert hall. Three years ago after the concert, it was there Tsukimori confessed. At that time, was in ecstasy when she realised the boy she had fallen for felt the same way for her. Unfortunately, three years later, what was left of that joy, that blissful feeling was an emptiness slowly eating up.

 

Suddenly ’s eyes fix focused on the tall figure standing underneath the big Christmas tree. felt her whole body burnt when she saw the tall youth standing there as his beautiful magical eyes gazed up at her. Before her mind could analyse the situation, ’s feet moved first as she turned and ran quickly down the stairs and out into the cold where she saw the man standing.

 

“Len…” Feeling her heart pumping fast, whispered.

 

“That was a beautiful concert,” Tsukimori said softly when he saw coming closer “I guess what you accomplished three years ago really did carry on.”

 

“No, I…” lowered her head and blushed in embarrassment. “I wasn’t trying to accomplish anything marvellous. I just thought, I wanted more people to fall in love with music, and it would be a pity if the school got divided…”

 

The facial expressions on Tsukimori’s face turned even tenderer when he saw the embarrassment on ’s face. “But you did manage to save many with what you did,” Pausing, Tsukimori whispered. “And I was one of them…”

 

Upon Tsukimori’s words, felt although the weather was cold, her heart was warm. Gently taking a wrapped present out from his pocket, Tsukimori blushed. “I know Amou organised a secret Santa thing tonight, but still, I wanted to personally give you this as a present from myself.”

 

“A present?” must admit she did not expect that from Tsukimori. Holding the small box in her hand, asked with a beautiful smile. ‘Can I open it?”

 

“Sure.”

 

Gently opening the wrapping, ’s eyes widened in amusement when she found it to be the beautiful necklace she saw in the window display last night! “Len, this is…I mean how did you…??”

 

Trying to keep a straight face when he saw ’s stunned reaction, Tsukimori explained. “When I saw the look in your eyes last night, I knew you really wanted this.”

 

“But it’s really expensive!” shook her head. “You really shouldn’t, I mean you didn’t have to…”

 

“I wanted to,” Tsukimori interrupted with a stunningly beautiful smile. “I hope you would accept it.”

 

Feeling indescribable joy running wild within, nodded as she whispered in shyness. “Can I wear it now?”

 

“Of course,” Tsukimori replied as he took the necklace out. Leaning in closer to , Tsukimori placed the necklace over as he clipped the jewellery on for her. However instead of moving away, discovered Tsukimori’s arms came around her instead as he held her softly in his arms.

 

“If,” heard Tsukimori whispered deeply by her ear, ‘If there was anything I have ever regretted doing,” Very tenderly and lovingly, Tsukimori fondled ’s soft silky hair as he closed his eyes. “It was for leaving you three years ago…”

 

Unable to hold in any longer, discovered all the emotions, all the love she had sealed away was released as droplets of tears fell off her beautiful eyes. Sensing the girl weeping in her arms, Tsukimori held even tighter as he leaned in, softly kissing away her tears.

 

“Len…” whispered not sure if she was dreaming. When sensed the touch of Tsukimori’s lips against her own, felt she had entered into heaven. Responding gently to the kiss, ’s lips also searched for Tsukimori’s forgetting everything around them, for it no longer mattered. It did not matter there may not be a future for them, or they were just setting themselves up for another heart break, all that mattered was, for the first time in three years the couple felt so close once again.

 

From a distance however, a man stood solemnly as he watched the pair coldly. Yunoki Azuma originally thought he was in luck when there weren’t much traffic on the way to the concert hall. Unfortunately, it obviously did not turn out so lucky for Yunoki to walk into seeing this.

 

Turning to leave the scene, there was one thing Yunoki discovered though.

 

Instead of the rage, jealousy he thought he was going to experience, Yunoki only felt cold. Yes, it was a cold winter’s night, but it was not the kind of coldness Yunoki was experiencing. It was like the kind of coldness that makes you numb, that makes you think nothing in life mattered anymore.

 

The warmth Yunoki had experienced a few minutes ago when he was on the phone with Hihara, thinking although his life was going no where, there was still something worth looking forward to.

 

But no, maybe there isn’t anything worth hoping for anymore. Maybe like what Kaji said to him three years ago, if he allowed fate to takeover his own life, it would be a life not worth living…

 

 

---

 

 

 

“I am sorry,” Tsukimori apologised as he let go of . “I shouldn’t have done that…”

 

Still feeling her cheeks hot, and her heartbeat fast, looked up at Tsukimori not understanding the nature of his apology.

 

Turning away, Tsukimori said in embarrassment. “I am just going to hurt you again, before I know I am the man that could make you happy, I should not…”

 

“Len…” called not knowing what to say. She wanted to tell him that he was not hurting her, rather it made her really happy to know after three years, she still remained in his heart. Unfortunately nothing could come out of her lips when she saw the saddened look on Tsukimori’s face.

 

“Ah, -chan and Tsukimori-kun,” At this time, Amou came out of the concert hall as she walked up to them not knowing what she had walked into. “We are ready to leave now.”

 

“Amou-san,” Tsukimori turned to Amou, “I am sorry, but I won’t be going to the party.”

 

“Eh?” Not only was Amou surprised with what Tsukimori said, also looked up at Tsukimori in shock.

 

“Have a good night.” Leaving and Amou that sentence, Tsukimori turned and walked away not looking back again.

 

“Eh?? Tsukimori-kun??” Not understanding at all why all of a sudden Tsukimori was leaving, Amou turned to for an explanation. However no words could come out when Amou saw the look on ’s face.

 

 

---

 

 

Standing up from her seat, Amou raised her glass and announced. “Alright, here is the event we all have been waiting for! The Secret Santa Presents time!” Taking a bag out, Amou placed the presents on the table. “Although Tsukimori had to leave early today, but he had given me the present he bought, I guess we should have all the presents here.”

 

Taking the first one out, Amou read the name on the present. “Ah, this one is for Kaji-kun.”

 

“Thank you!” In joy Kaji received the present handed to him from Amou.

 

“The next one is for Shimizu-kun,”

 

"And Tsuchiura-kun..."

 

sat there quietly as she watched Amou handing out the presents. Her mind had basically shut off after Tsukimori walked away from her. She could not understand his actions. If he no longer loves her, why did he buy her a beautiful present, and why did he kiss her? Most of all, why did he look so sad?

 

“Ee? We have a present missing,” Amou stated when she noticed after handing out all the presents, was the only one that did not receive one.

 

“Yeah, how come -chan doesn’t have one?” Hihara said quickly as he tried to count the number of presents. Pointing the spare one in the bag, Hihara asked. “That one is not for -chan?”

 

“Ah, no, this one is for Yunoki senpai.” Taking the spare present from the bag, Amou handed it to Hihara. “Can you pass this to Yunoki senpai when you see him?”

 

“Doesn’t that mean…” Kaji took a look at the spare present. “The reason -san doesn’t have a present is because Yunoki-san is her secret Santa?”

 

“You’re right!” Doing the quick maths in her head, Amou realised Kaji had a point.

 

“Here, you can have my present, -san.” Quickly passing his present to , Kaji offered.

 

“No, no, it’s okay.” shook her head quickly.

 

“Ah…but senpai will not be able to use Kaji’s present, it is useable only to a man…” Shimizu suddenly spoke up giving away the truth about him as Kaji’s secret Santa.

 

“Shimizu-kun…” Laughing dryly Kaji asked. “What did you get me?”

 

“No wait,” Hihara interrupted quickly. “I received a call from Yunoki a while back, he is on his way here, so he will be bringing -chan’s present over too.”

 

“Oh, Yunoki senpai can make it?” Amou asked in joy. “Great! I was starting to think that this party is becoming smaller and smaller considering Ousaki senpai also cannot join us tonight.”

 

When at this time, a man approached their table as he took out an envelop. “If it helps, I have a present here to give to -san.”

 

“A present? Is it a delivery from Yunoki senpai?” Amou asked as she took a look at the envelop from the man. “This look kind of flat, is it like special tickets or something?”

 

Not sure what the man had delivered for her either, opened the envelop and took the content out, which happened to be some photographs. However, as if a lightning struck her, felt darkness overlapped her when she saw what was shown on the photographs.

 

Noticing ’s hands shaking, and her face turned deadly pale, Amou asked quickly as she came up next to . “What is it? Whose photos are these…?!!” However Amou choked on her own words when she saw what had in her hands.

 

Noticing something had gone wrong; Hihara stood up quickly and held onto ’s arm in concern. “-chan, are you okay?” Upon the touch, to everyone’s surprise, the photographs fell from ’s hands as they scattered all over the table.

 

Moving his eyes onto the photos, Hihara’s hazel brown eyes stared at the photographs in disbelief as his hand trembled reaching for one of them. Immediately the table went dead silent as all eyes landed on the photographs, and every single one of them showed two people— and Yunoki.

 

“-chan and Yu..Yunoki…?” Hearing his voice shuddered with the shocking truth relating to his best friend and the girl he loves, Hihara felt he was going to be sick.

 

Seeing the look on Hihara’s face, shook her head madly, “No…no, it’s not like that, Yunoki senpai did not…we were not…” Knowing there was no way anyone was going to believe her innocence when the photographs clearly showed Yunoki and her entering the hotel room and a few hours later coming out of it, covered her mouth and felt tears of extreme embarrassment and shame filled her eyes.

 

When suddenly a person picked up all the photographs as without a word ripped them one by one. moved her eyes onto the person and saw it was Kaji, and that forever happy charming smile on his face disappeared.

 

“Ka…Kaji-kun?” called softly feeling her heart thumping hard seeing the cold, icy expression on Kaji’s face.

 

Walking up to the man that handed them the photographs in the first place, Kaji suddenly grabbed the man by the collar. “Who send you?! You think by showing us some digitally enhanced photographs, you can wreck -san’s reputation?!”

 

Sensing the rage and fury from the power in Kaji’s hands, the man hissed. “Digitally enhanced? Kaji-san, you of all people should know whether these photographs were real or not. Or did you already forget what you saw with your own eyes when the two walked out of the hotel room together?”

 

felt her heart sank when she saw the look on Kaji’s face with the man’s words. So, Kaji actually knew about it all along? In order to protect her, he had kept his mouth shut?

 

The man smirked when he too noticed the reaction from Kaji’s face with his words. “Are you going to let go of me or place further violence on me? I am sure it would demolish your father’s reputation if it hit the news tomorrow, the famous Kaji [v]Sensei has a son that is pronged to violence.”

 

Instead of letting go because of the man’s despicable threat, Kaji replied with a cool smile. “Since you know who my father is, I am sure you also know that he has the power to find out who you work for, and hunt you down.” Adding with a victorious smile when he saw the fear in the man’s eyes, Kaji threatened. “And I will make sure that you do not get off that easily for trying to hurt -san.”

 

“That is enough, let the man go, Kaji.”

 

To everyone’s surprise, another person entered the restaurant and approached the table. All eyes landed on the new visitor as no one could make out a word when they saw whom it was. Calmly picking up the ripped photographs, the person looked through the remains of the content that started this whole big drama.

 

“Yu…no…ki,” Hihara whispered in pain when he saw the calmness on his best friend’s face discovering immediately that these photographs were not fake.

 

Finally turning to face his best friend, Yunoki said. “Hihara, if you are upset that as your best friend I went behind your back and did this with the girl you love, then I do apologise.” Stopping, Yunoki’s beautiful stunning eyes looked straight into Hihara’s eyes without deter. “But you must know that nothing happened between -san and myself. Yes we did spend a night at the hotel due to some reason, but we were in separate rooms, and since this was obvious an attempt to destroy her reputation, I must make it clear to everyone present.” Taking a look at , Yunoki concluded. “Nothing happened between -san and myself, she is not the kind of girl that would sleep around.”

 

Not expecting Yunoki to clear her name for her, ’s eyes stared at the beautiful perfect face. However when she noticed the despair, the hopelessness in Yunoki’s eyes, 's heart gave a huge thump.

 

Turning to the man, Yunoki gave a sigh. “Go back and tell my grandmother, if the reason she did this was to ensure that I will stick to my marriage with the Urahara Group, I will give her nothing to worry about. The marriage will happen and I will not bring shame to the Yunoki family.’ Stopping Yunoki added in emphasis. “But do leave my friends out of this, for they do not deserve to be caught up in our family politics.”

 

Hearing the words from Yunoki, the man gave a cold hum and straightened his attire. Without saying a word the man left the restaurant proving Yunoki was right about who was the person behind this whole attack on .

 

“Yunoki senpai…” whispered in pain when she saw the lifeless gleam in Yunoki’s eyes.

 

“I do apologise for getting you all involved in this game my grandmother is playing.” Turning to his friends, Yunoki gave all a bow of apology. Lifting his head, with a beautiful polite smile Yunoki affirmed. “To ensure this will not happen again, I will refrain myself from coming into contact with any of you in the future. For I will not forgive myself if she tries to hurt any of you.”

 

“Yunoki senpai…” Amou quickly squeezed out a smile hoping to lighten the atmosphere for she had never expected Yunoki to apologise. “We, we are fine. You don’t need to think that you are troubling us or anything…”

 

“Yunoki!” Hihara interrupted as he came up to his friend. “Why are you always like this? You keep everything to yourself, and you do not share anything with me! We are best friends aren’t we?!”

 

Giving Hihara a warm smile, Yunoki replied. “I am glad that you still call me your best friend. To me that was enough.” Turning to , Yunoki apologised again before he walked out of the restaurant. “-san, sorry for whatever happened tonight. I do wish you all the happiness in the future...”

 

felt her heart twitched in pain when she heard those words from Yunoki. She had known Yunoki to be the teasing, bullying senior that would always stay strong and provide her the advice she needed. Never had she seen Yunoki so withdrawn, so lost like this. All of a sudden courage took over as turned and ran quickly out of the restaurant after Yunoki.

 

“Yunoki senpai!”

 

Not expecting to come out after him, Yunoki stopped walking and turned to look at her.

 

“Wish is…” said quickly as she tried to catch her breath. “Yunoki senpai, you are wrong!”

 

“Wrong?”

 

Nodding looked straight at Yunoki as she stated. “Wish is only beautiful when it comes true. So it will come true for you, Yunoki senpai! You must not give in!”

 

To ’s surprise, a saddened lonely smile came onto Yunoki’s perfect handsome face as he whispered deeply. “You are a cruel person, .”

 

“Eh?” blinked at Yunoki’s statement not understanding why he suddenly called her cruel. She, she was only trying to help.

 

However instead of explaining himself, Yunoki took a wrapped present out as he handed it to , that beautiful confident, and a little naughty smile returned once again to his face.

 

“Merry Chrsitmas, , from your secret Santa.”

 

 

[v] According to Corda 2 game, Kaji revealed a little bit that his father is a politician

 

 

Oh Noes!! I realised towards the end I forgot to include Ousaki into the party! XD

Oh Noes number 2!! I forgot about Tsuchiura too! He disappeared in the party....XD

Poor Yunoki senpai!! You will always have my love! ;_;

If you are interested, here is a Yunoki and fanart I drew for poor ebil senpai! XD