A/N: Sorry that it took me a while to post again after my last story. I was a little shaken about something :)

I remember saying that I might do a sequel to Fighting Temptations to show one possible way how the pairs ended so here it is. I completed this even before my fanfic The Tigresses (meaning it had been idle in my files for so long as a reserve ;). The chapters are fewer than the previous.

This fanfic is dedicated to those who reviewed Fighting Temptations. Thanks for taking your time to review that story, one way or another. This is for you. Hope you find it worth of your time.

MSGM is owned by the great Konno Oyuki (I wish there's an English version of the novels so that I can read them huhuhu ;(

Read at your own risk!

My 11th fic!

"Falling Into Temptations"

---Arvendell---

Chapter 1. Dilemma No More

If you were looking at Mizuno Youko right now, you would think that everything was just normal. She was still the calm and collected, and not to mention beautiful young woman. However, if you would look closely, you would realize that something was not right. She wasn't the type of person who would space out while in class, a person who wwould not participate in the discussions. But she was surprisingly quiet today. And inside, her being was in turmoil.

What could possibly cause the young woman to feel like that?

It was a call from the other day.

A call from one person that could affect her like this.

A call from none other than Satou Sei.

It was just a short call, almost in a hurry. Sei said that she would come here and see her. What could possibly be the reason for that sudden decision to visit? It would only make it harder for her. And yet, she also felt a prickle of excitement. She knew in her heart that she missed her, missed her so much.

And so slowly, classes came and go until it was time to go home. Youko slowly and quietly made her way to the gates. It wouldn't be long before she saw again the person she cared so much.

Really.

It wouldn't be long because as soon as she stepped out of the university gate, someone attempted to surprise her with a hug from behind.

"Sei."

A familiar mischievous laughter was heard.

"Ah, Youko, you haven't changed at all. You can't even pretend to be surprised."

"Because that's just so like you. Besides, I'm not Yumi-chan."

At the mention of Fukuzawa Yumi's name, she smiled. She missed that funny young girl along with her petite soeur. However, her smile faded when she realized that Sei was still hugging her from behind. Uneasily, she freed herself from that pleasant hug.

"So what bad air brought you here?" She asked evenly.

"You didn't even ask me how I am doing. That's just so mean, Youko," Sei replied with feigned hurt.

"You wouldn't be here if you're not fine, Sei."

And then she started to walk but Sei stopped her.

"Over there."

Frowning, she followed Sei to the right side of the gate where a yellow car was parked.

"Wait. Don't tell me you drove her with that car of yours, Satou Sei," she asked in unbelieving eyes.

"Ah, well, you could say that," Sei replied with a grin.

"I'm surprised you're still alive. And you could still stand after that long drive?!"

She eyed Sei with worried eyes.

"Well, if you'll be kind enough to let me rest, then let's move on."

Despite driving for almost half day, Sei wouldn't still let Youko drive her car.

"How about your classes, Sei? You're slacking off again, aren't you?"

"You sounded like I always slack. The classes are boring today anyway so I decided to go."

Youko could just shake her head at the childish reason.

Suddenly, the car stopped at the parking area of a restaurant.

"Sei, what are you going to do here?" Youko asked worriedly. If it was possible, she wanted them to reach her apartment and have Sei get some rest. She was anxious that Sei would fall over with tiredness or something related to it.

"I'm hungry. I don't think you have something to eat on your place so here we are," Sei answered with a shrug of her shoulders. "Come on now, I'm dying of hunger."

As soon as they entered the cozy restaurant, a waiter approached them. Sei whispered something to the waiter, which Youko didn't catch, after which, the waiter guided them to a seat at one side that was almost secluded from the others.

Once seated, she stared at Sei with a frown, while the latter squirmed in her seat. It seemed that Sei had this place reserved earlier because the waiter didn't even give them the menu.

"Sei..." she started but Sei cut her.

"So Youko, how is law school doing?" Sei asked pleasantly, avoiding the unspoken question.

"You didn't come here just to ask me that, Sei."

"Come on, humor me."

All throughout the early sumptuous dinner, which was almost romantic, Sei kept saying things to avoid Youko's obvious questions, which only made Youko worry more. Did something happen? Was Sei really alright? Those were the questions that had been going on in her head.

Once they arrived at Youko's apartment, she didn't waste anytime and asked Sei directly.

"Sei, I know you. Even if you do play around more often than not, you still don't do things without a purpose. Don't tell me you came here just to have dinner with me and to ask questions that could have been easily done with a telephone call?"

"I came here to see my Youko, isn't that reason enough?" Sei said innocently.

Youko glared at her. Was Sei making fun of her? Did she know what she felt for her and thus, using that knowledge to hurt her?

No. Sei wasn't like that. Despite being immature most of the time, she didn't think Sei was cruel.

"Talk Sei. I know you're tired. But I want this to be settled before you get some sleep so don't make it harder for yourself."

Sei was silent for a long time while avoiding meeting Yokou's gaze. Suddenly, she looked so lost.

Youko sighed and then reached for Sei's hands. When the latter flinched with her touch, she almost pulled away, hurt. However, Sei stopped her.

"No, Youko, don't. I'm sorry."

"Then tell me what is it, Sei? Did something happen to you? Did you and Shiori met again?" She asked almost painfully. There was no one that could make Sei sad than the person she used to and still loved.

Sei almost jerked away at the mention of Kubo Shiori's name, her previous love, and Youko took it as a yes.

"I see."

This time, Youko let go of Sei's hand and looked away.

"No, you don't see, Youko. This isn't about Shiori anymore," Sei said. The seriousness in her voice made Youko looked at her, though she kept silent.

"I've fallen in love with someone else, Youko," Sei added, gazing at Youko's widened eyes intently.

Youko almost buckled at the hurt that she felt. Sei had fallen in love again. And she could guess that that person was none other than the one she met when she visited Lillian University last time.

It was Katou Kei.

Suddenly, Youko didn't know what to do or say.

"Youko, please look at me," Sei pleaded as she held Youko's hand.

Youko wanted to pull away but she couldn't. Sei would ask her why, and she would have to lie. She couldn't tell her that she was hurt, hurt like she had never been before. Now that Sei had found new love, she didn't have any place anymore. Bravely, she met Sei's eyes with a smile.

"I'm happy for you, Sei. Truly happy. Now, you should get some rest. Come, you can use my room for a while."

She pulled her hand away from Sei's grasp and then turned to her room to prepare the bed. Now, all she wanted was to be alone so she could cry.

Unbeknownst to Youko, Sei was standing frozen at where she left her. Sei wanted to run away, afraid to say what she really felt because of Youko's reaction to her first confession. Moreover, she was also hurt, hurt that Youko would just turn her back like that without letting her finish what she wanted to say.

"I love you, Youko!" Sei shouted on Youko's back. She watched as Youko stopped dead on her tracks. With renewed energy, she moved towards the frozen woman.

"Youko."

"Sei, please stop playing a joke on me," Youko said without turning back. It hurt. How it really hurt to hear the words she wanted so much to hear, but knowing that it wasn't true was cutting her heart like a knife. How could Sei be so cruel? All she did was care for her, love her. Was this her payment for all that she had done?

"I love you, Youko," Sei repeated. She reached for Youko's hand once again but the latter shrugged her off.

"Don't make fun of me, Sei."

"I love you, Youko," Sei said for the third time. This time, she held Youko's shoulders firmly and turned her around so that they were facing each other. She gasped at the hurt in Youko's eyes.

"Why are you doing this to me, Sei? It isn't fair!"

Suddenly, Youko couldn't hold it anymore and a tear ran down her cheek, which Sei tenderly wiped away, ignoring her own tears that were running freely on her cheeks.

"What is fair, Youko? Once in my life, I fell in love with a woman, promised to be with her, to love her, but she left me, she hurt me. I thought I'd never be fine again. You were there, you picked me up, helped me moved on, but you lied to me, Youko. You never once told me that you love me."

"How could I when I know you love Shiori so much, that you vowed to love no one else but her," Youko said painfully.

"I was a fool. I thought that even if I live my life, I wouldn't be able to love again. And I wa planning to not love again, really. But what I was not prepared for was when my heart started beating again, beating for you. I don't want to lose you, Youko."

Suddenly, Youko's face was a picture of sadness.

"You're only saying that because you don't want me to be out of your life to support you, to help you, Sei. Not because you really love me."

"That's not true!" Sei denied vehemently that surprised Youko. "Maybe it's true that I don't want you to be out of my life. But it's not because I want you to support me or help me. I want you to stay in my life because I love you. You don't need to do anything. Just let me prove to you that I love you. Just let me show you how much you mean to me. Not because you're a replacement or whatsoever, but because it's what I truly feel. My heart almost died when Shiori left me. But if you'll leave me, Youko, I will die, not only my heart but the very me. Please don't do that, I'm begging you."

Youko regarded Sei with tears now freely flowing in her face.

"You don't want me to support you or help you? Then what am I supposed to do for you?" She whispered brokenly.

"Just love me, Youko, just love me. That's all I ask," Sei said with a hint of smile. Hope now sprang in her heart.

Youko's face broke into a smile, a radiant smile that left Sei speechless. It was a very beautiful sight. She didn't know that Youko had a smile like that. She had never seen it before. Now that she had seen it, she wanted to see it over and over again. She would do anything, anything to just see that smile forever. She was in dilemma no more. She had already decided.

"I love you, Youko," Sei said for the fourth time that day.

"Oh Sei, I love you, too. I've always love you," Youko said emotionally.

And then their lips met in a tender kiss.

A kiss meant to let go all of their fears.

A kiss of hope.

A kiss of a new beginning.

It was a lovely feeling.

A/N: Of all the chapters, I like this one the most. Though of course, you may have different opinion than mine (due to our own biases) after you read all.

BTW, I didn't write a chapter for Eriko. I included her in another pair's story (please don't complain :) yet you will only read the result of her 'love life' and not how it transpired.

03 April 2008