Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction ❯ Sefiro High ❯ Chapter 24 ( Chapter 24 )

Fuu saw Ferio waiting for her outside their room. After saying goodbye to her friends, she approached him. "Ferio-san…"

"Hello Fuu, did you like my gifts?"

"Yes, thank you, Ferio-san…"

"Lots more to come…"

"A-anou…you don't have to…"

"I want to…Anyway, let me carry your bag for you," Ferio said as he noticed Fuu struggling to carry the bouquets on one hand and her bag on the other. "Uh Fuu-chan…"

"Yes, Ferio-san?"

"I was wondering if you would go on a date with me?"

"D-date?"

"Date as in real date…you and me together…watch movies, eat out, arcade, karaoke or anywhere you want…you know 'date'?"

"I know what a date is silly…"

"So, what'dya say?"

"Well…I…ok…"

"Great," he said, took her hand and smiled.

***

Clef silently sat on his own in a grassy area overlooking the man-made lake at the local park. He lay down on his back and looked at the sky above him. He hadn't been aware of his continuous sighing.

"Boo!" He found himself looking at Presea. He sat up in surprise. "Hey. You don't look quite good. Actually, you look awful…" she told him.

"Obviously I don't!" Clef snapped at her. Realizing what he just did, he apologized, "Sorry Presea-chan, I don't really feel good today."

"So I see…What happened to your face?"

"Oh this?…Nothing, Ascot and I had a little misunderstanding yesterday."

"So little that he beat you up that much huh? I don't remember him being that violent…Are you two okay now?"

"Yeah we are…told you it was just a little misunderstanding."

"So there's a different reason why you're sulking huh? Don't tell me it's a girl…" Clef looked at her, and then she knew, it was a girl… "My, my…It's Umi right?"

"How'd you know?"

"I just felt like she's the reason that's all…Call it intuition…Felt you like her a lot since that time she kinda walked out all of a sudden when we were shopping."

"Oh that…"

"Yeah…So what, she dumped you or something?"

"Not really…Besides, I haven't told her my feelings…"

"Why not tell her then?"

"Don't know…"

"So, tell her!"

"Well, it's not that easy…"

"Why not?"

"Oh well, I guess I should tell you the whole story…See, you do know that Ascot is like so into Umi even before right?"

"Yeah…"

"He just suddenly asked me if I like Umi and I denied it…coz well you know, he likes her too…Anyway he was getting persistent asking me what I thought of her and all. I don't know why but I got really pissed off and told Ascot that I think Umi is a 'whining, spoiled, and annoying brat'."

"Tsk-tsk that's not nice…"

"Umi was actually almost walking towards us with her friends and they all heard the whole thing. Ascot was really pissed off coz Umi looked realy hurt and I got this…" Clef pointed at his face. "Now…"

"She's angry?"
"No, much worse…"

"Huh?"

"She's been acting very, very cold…not as in angry-cold, it's more of like uncaring-cold. It would have been much better if she got angry at me. At least I might be able to do something to allay it. I don't like it Presea, her apathy is more than I can take…"

"You do care for her a lot don't you?"

Clef nodded. "More than that actually…"

"Masaka! You mean, you're actually…" Presea gasped. Clef nodded again. "My, she's really lucky…" She frowned, softly she said, "I envy her…"

"What do you mean?"

"She didn't have to try…while me…Maa--- why am I telling you this?…Demo, suki da yo!" Clef looked at her with surprise in his eyes. "I've always liked you…loved you…I thought one day, you'd actually do like me too…"

"Presea-chan…"

"No don't say anything…just listen…listen to me…I need to tell you this now, so I can get it out of my system and forget you…We've always been friends, you and I…We're so alike, we like the same things…You know…Maybe that's why I liked, no… loved you…I had longed for the day that you'd actually see me, more than a friend. But that day at the mall, when you ran after her…I had the feeling, that day would not come…And now…"

"Pre---"

"…Listen to me Clef…I have this one favor to ask. Think of it as a last consolation for a girl who had always loved you…please don't let me down…"

"I…anything…"

"Go get her Clef…Be happy for me…Please? Don't give up on your happiness Clef. Do all you can, so she can hear your heart calling out her name…"

"Presea-chan…"

She stood up and said, "Do it for me…and for yourself…" Clef nodded. Presea smiled, turned around and looked away. "Sayonara, Clef-kun…" That moment, both of them knew, that even the friendship they had, was over. She actually said goodbye.

***

Lantis looked at Hikaru and noticed that she looked really worried. "Is there something wrong?" he asked her.

"I am worried about Umi-chan…"

"Ryuuzaki-san?"

"Yes…" And then she said, "I know her heart is breaking and I can do anything about it…"

Lantis smiled and then lifted her chin up. "Don't be sad…Tell me about it…"

"I still don't understand it Lantis…Umi liked Clef a lot, Clef seemed to care a lot about her too. And yet, he still said bad things about her…She heard him say she's spoiled and a whiner to Ascot. He also sounded so irritated."

Lantis frowned. "When did this happen?"

"Well yesterday when we were walking home. We heard Ascot asking Clef of what he thinks of Umi-chan."

"I see…Does Ascot like Umi too?"

"Hmm?…I think so, Ascot always stares at her and gets shy when Umi is around."

"I understand now."

"Tell me?"

"Well, maybe Clef is lying and was just trying to hide what he really feels. That is why he sounded irritated."

"Why did he do that?"

"…Because Ascot is his friend, and he doesn't want Ascot to know his feelings because Ascot might be hurt if he finds out…He just kept his own feelings for himself in favor of his friend. And I guess the reason why Clef said awful things is that he felt pressured."

"What would you have done if you and Eagle-sempai like the same girl?"

"I don't know Hikaru-chan…but it would be really hard for me to give the girl up when she means a lot to me."

***

Umi sighed, she could not believe it, she survived this day. She actually managed to suppress her emotions, to act that she doesn't care about him. 'I did it…Soon I don't have to pretend…Soon…'

She closed her eyes. A picture of Clef appeared in her mind. He looked so sad…She felt a weird ache inside her chest…as if it was coming from her heart. 'No… Why am I feeling this way? Why is he so sad?…Did I hurt him?'

'No..more…' But the ache didn't seem to go away, and Clef's sad face that she saw when she left him, was still there, haunting her… 'I won't let you hurt me anymore!' she cried.

'…I don't want to see you cry, Umi-chan…'

'Why do you look so sad, Clef?'

'…Everything will be alright…All you have to do now, is take my hand…'

'It's not alright…because you…'

"Umi is a whining, spoiled, annoying brat, that's what she is!"

'…You're a liar Clef!' Umi said, tears on her eyes. 'Wait and see Clef, I'll get over you somehow…' And with that last thought she drifted into a deep slumber.