The bell for the last period rang. Tang San stood up from his seat and looked out through the window. He smiled warmly on the memory of winter coming soon. Unlike other people who hated winter he loved it more than the other seasons. Aaah,wouldn't it be nice if brother came back early this month? Tang San shrugged off the thought and placed his books into his backpack.

He was about to walk out through the door when someone tagged at his arm. He looked back behind him and saw a pair of eyes looking at him behind the thick lances. "Can I help you?" he asked the girl trying his hardest to be polite.

He was too exhausted to talk with anyone. "S-Senior, can I talk to you for a second" she asked shyly. Tang San looked over her towards the door and saw his friends waiting for him by the door.

Unable to refuse Tang San nodded yes. The girl who was looking at him expectedly smiled. "What is it?" he asked her again. The girl took off her backpack and fished out a chocolate box and a letter. She lowered her head and shouted, "SENIOR,I-I LIKE YOU! PLEASE GO OUT WITH ME!"

Everyone in the class turned to see them. The class grew silent and you could only hear the breathing of people in the room. Tang San's friends who were waiting for him by the door looked at him with the Wow,That's a shocker expression.

Tang San smiled at her nervously and quickly said, "I'm sorry but it's......um......" The girl's eyes crystallized with tears suddenly and it made Tang San panic. "I'm I that unlovable?" she asked between sobs.

Tang San didn't know what to do so he blubbered out without thinking. "The Student council and I are having a time break today in the evening. Would you like to come?"

The girl quickly wiped her tears and nodded vigorously. She asked for his number. Tang San was reluctant at first but he gave it to her after her continuous begging. She bowed goodbye and left gingerly with her friends.

As the Student council vice president of Faltin High it was hard for him to say no to anybody. Generally it was his character. A yesman on the loose.

Tang San's friends who were also executive members of the Student Council walked in. The Student Council consisted of Seven members including Tang San himself. The members were pretty nice except for Mickah Yang, the president and also Tang San's childhood best friend. Crazy right? Why would two handsome guys end up as people who didn't want anything to do with the other? Mickah Yang, a hard notch and a cold blooded Casanova. Someone who had girls drooling over him but never gave a care about them.

"Dude, another confession this week?!" Vince Hamilton exclaimed. Vince Hamilton was the Secretary. A guy with a carefree personality and also competent in his duties. Tang San pulled him away. "What am l supposed to do? Anyways can she come?" he asked the members.

They all turned to look at Mickah , who was leaning against the door, hands in pockets, eyes closed as if he were a lizard sunbathing. The room was silent. Only the seven boys were left. Mickah opened his eyes slowly and said straight forward hitting the point with huge rocks.

"No."

Tang San and the others stood frozen in place. How could someone be so overbearing than Old Han So, the school janitor? In the middle of the night you would often hear the rolling of his wheels on the marble floor. A ghostly fetish behavior he had there. Eventually his name died down and it was replaced by the 'Walking dead.'

"What do you mean by 'no'?" Tang San finally questioned. His voice was both filled with curiosity and irritation. What does he want now? Is it really a problem hanging out with a couple of girls? Tang San complained mentally but avoided saying it out loud.

"It's my say and better not oppose to it," Mickah replied coldly.

Tang San fought back the urge to shout. The other four cried inwardly except for the guy by the window. This old dork! The guy looked unmoved and untroubled by his surroundings. As if stuck in his own fantasy ,he contentedly hummed a tune.

A sad ,lonely tune. His hair was long and hang loosely at his shoulders. One would consider him to have the, 'Stunning handsomeness of the Baracasa bride.' A small but interesting story that everyone knew with their hearts.

The guys finally stopped humming and turned his attention on the other members.

Yuu Akihito, the treasurer, looked at the president with unhidden detest and coldness. "Always standing aloof like a horse. Mr President, no one is an island so why don't you loosen up a bit and enjoy this Friday with us, ah?" Yuu said with a smile. He released a long, exhausted sigh but his smile never left his face. Loud enough for someone in the grounds to hear.

Although his smile looked warm and inviting it was actually cold and murderous. Darn this brat! Always pretending to be a rock when he was actually a feather. The others turned around to look at him in awe. You sure are brave,Yuu. They said mentally nodding their heads in acknowledgement.

Mickah smiled coldly to himself and said, "A dog without a master will always go astray. So it's best to cage it before it bites people, no?" The tension in the room was invisible but its malicious presence was there.

"Bark or bite so long as it doesn't attack innocent people, it is bound to be free," Yuu returned the remark with a smile. He shuffed his hands into his pockets and walked towards Tang. He held out his hand and ruffled his hair making it a reed mess. Mickah only grunted and walked out.

Would anyone believe that these three used to be childhood best friends? Of course not.

When Mickah was completely out of sight the others sighed.

"Why is he always like that?" So Ming, the historian, asked.

"Like what? Overbearing like Old Han So?" Dan James, the parliamentarian said, his voice full of sarcasm. He was a guy with a well built structure anda handsome guy. A mixed race of American and Chinese. The others laughed except for Yuu who had returned to his comfort zone. He sat there by the window staring into space. The way he just sat there made him look much more like a doll than a human being.

Tang San tapped him gently on his shoulder after calling him many times without receiving a response. Yuu looked at Tang San and smiled weakly. "Hmm?" Tang looked at him worryingly and asked, "Are you okay, Yuu?"

"Yes,I'm fine," he said reassuringly. Tang gave him an unconvinced look. Yuu smiled and looked behind Tang. "We will go to the newly opened Karaoke bar on Friday."

The others cheered.

Y****uu Akihito as always was the last person to leave the academy after the other pupils had dispersed. He glanced at his watch and sighed**. **I hope she's at home by now. **He thought. Yuu waited for the bus by the station. He really didn't feel like going back by the car. All he wanted right now was fresh air. The bus arrived thirty minutes later. Yuu took the seat by the window and again drifted off into his world.

"All passengers who're going to Holmgren, please exit through the rear doors," the driver repeated again , this time he was able to get Yuu's attention.

Quick enough not to miss his only chance of getting off the bus, Yuu took long steps to reach the rear doors. Once he was off the bus, the doors closed behind him and the bus drove off.

___________________________________

Yuu stood outside the door, hand hesitantly holding the doorknob of the front door. He took deep shaky breathes, gathering up all his courage. He turned the doorknob and opened the door slowly,careful not to wake anyone up. Since it was only the three of them living in this cold house, Yuu tried his hardest to be considerate of his younger siblings' well being.

He actually tried balancing taking care of them as the only adult and maintaining his grades and the Student Council work. Sometimes Yuu was scared, scared that he wasn't doing enough for his siblings, scared that one day once Sanato leaves she won't return, scared that Subaro would hate him even more if Sanato left. These were his worries, worries that he masked behind a smile.

It was not like his parents were not there, they were there but they were too busy with work to have time to look after them. Although this was a burden he had to carry on his own because of them, he never had a leaf of resentment against them. He understood them more than they understood him but how long were the young ones bare with these excuses for their parent's absence?

Yuu removed his shoes and slipped into the house slippers. As he walked past the passageway he stood halfway to look at the food on the table. A twinge of guilt jabbed him in the chest like a dagger. He was late again for dinner. Yuu climbed up the stairs and walked straight towards Subaro's room.

The light was still on. Yuu held out his hand to knock on the door but dropped it. He probably didn't want to see him right now. He glanced at the closed door on the left side that had the a little paper written, [WATASHI O KINISHINAIDE KUDASAI] in big letters.

Yuu hesitantly took a few steps forward, going towards the door. The vibration of his cellphone made him stop. He fished it out and smiled faintly when he saw the name of his caller. Answering the call he asked, "Why are you calling at this hour,Tang San?"

"Eish, do you have to be so cold? I called you because I was worried about you," Tang San scolded on the other side.

Yuu chuckled lightly. "Sorry, Mr Vice President."

"Forget it. So how are the twins doing?"

Yuu went silent for a while. He looked at the two doors with dread. "They are fine," he said silently.

On the other side Tang San couldn't help but worry. Why did his tone suddenly change from the beaming peacock to a choking cat on a fishbone? Noticing the discomfort in his friend's voice Tang San veered from the subject.

"Tomorrow we are going to drink to our full blast!" Tang San shouted over the phone. Yuu chuckled. "Um. Goodnight then,"

"Goodnight!"

Yuu hanged up. He sneaked one last glance behind him before heading to his own room. He didn't forget to silently pray for them in his heart**.