Jin sat in his room feeling rather conflicted as he found himself staring blankly at a letter that was addressed to him. The letter was from the Imperator of the NOL, drafting him for the up coming war of Ikaruga once he graduates from the Academy in the next month.

He wasn't afraid to die, the thought of it didn't even shake him the slightest. What did faze him however, was the thought of confronting Tsubaki about this. The girl from his childhood, the woman that he slowly began to develop a deep connection with in their academy days.

How was he supposed to tell her that he was drafted for war? She was close to him, she saw him like her brother, maybe something more. He just couldn't bare to witness her crying face, especially over someone as low as he saw himself.

But, he knew it wasn't something that he could just keep from her either.

Sucking up his pride he dropped the letter onto the bed before standing himself up. He turned to the door of his dorm room and opened it. Once he was outside those enclosed walls he went to find his childhood friend. First he checked the student council room, figuring she may of been working. She wasn't there. He then checked the cafeteria, her dorm room and finally he found her standing on top of a grassy hill that over looked the school.

"Jin!" He heard her call his name in a gleeful tone. As she turned to him her crimson hair danced in the gentle breeze while her sapphire eyes glinted from the sun light that reflected on them. Her beauty was truly breath taken, he thought, and to think that he was about to that shine away from her.

"Hey, Tsubaki." His voice was quiet, as if he was hesitating to talk to her. Which she noticed immediately.

"Are you alright, Jin?" She walked to him, with a look of concern plastered over her facial features.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?"

He brought her back to her dorm room, no one else was there so it gave him a chance to talk to her. "I see..." She softly mumbled once he finished explaining what he was ordered to do. Her eyes casted to the floor and like he imagined her to be, that shine about her died right there and then inside of her. "Jin, what if you die out there?" She looked at him, desperate for a excuse as to why he couldn't possibly follow through with his orders.

There was none and even she knew that...

Jin lowered his head, wishing desperately that he could make her that promise to come home safely. But, he couldn't handle taking the chance that his promise would turn into a lie. Even though he would of loved to ease her aching heart.

He felt her slender hand cling to the sleeve of his uniform as she held the fabric tightly in her grasp. "I know you can't promise me anything but, at least try and not to die." She buried her head into his chest, finding herself fighting off any tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.

"I'll try not to, Tsuba-" He was cut off by surprise as he felt Tsubaki's soft moist lips press gently onto his. His eyes grew wide as he felt a rush of fear, followed by that sickly feeling pouring into his gut. The emotion that made him close his eyes as he pressed his lips firmly against hers. He wished that they never did this. Because he knew no matter what this would all end in misery and she'll be left on the floor of her dorm in despair.

Once their lips began to part he prayed that she wasn't about to tell him those three forbidden words. Those three little words that caused the biggest of impacts. "I love you, Jin."

Jin swallowed hard, there was that feeling again! The one that made him do and say things that he really wished he didn't feel. He fort against the urge to reply, but that feeling tore at his stomach the longer he stared at her. "I love you too, Tsubaki." His mind filled with regrets once those three forbidden words spilled from his lips. To know he just let his guard down and let her in, only to result with pulling her heart apart, as she would lay on that cold hard floor alone and in despair. It eroded at his heart. Yet, as selfish as it was, hearing her say those three forbidden words made him want to live again and to his dismay... It made him afraid of dying...

A/N: And after being depressed of having writers blocks left, right and center, it looks like tonight I was finally able to construct a story even if it is a small one shot. I hope you guys enjoyed this little read, please feel free to leave me a review or some pointers on how to improve my writing and hopefully I'll be able to write again soon. Thanks for reading~!