Stick With You

by: Digger's Girl a.k.a. kei sainter

Disclaimer:I do not own Hana Yori Dango or its characters
Goal: to populate the world with just one more Soujirou/Yuuki fic

Introduction: Although this first chapter is supposed to be set at the end of the first live action series-- the rest will be after they graduate from high school. On with the story

Take One: The First Rejection

'I really, REALLY like you!'

Matsuoka Yuuki's heart thudded painfully so much that even her ears were throbbing with the rush of blood.
Her head was bowed low and her body was stiff as she waited for the reaction of the figure of her confession.

Not that he didn't already know of her feelings.

There was no way that he could NOT know.
Nishikado Soujirou may be lax, care-free and more often then not in his own world with those tea ceremonies of his—but he was no idiot.
He had to know.

She'd been obvious enough the way she grabbed onto any moment she spent with him.
But now was the first time she had confessed her true feelings.

'Yuuki...'

She was brought back to the present, surprised by the gentleness of his voice.
He touched her cheek lightly and guided her to an upright position, still touching her.
She could barely breathe... was her dream finally coming true?

Ever since Nishikado-san had utterly humiliated the boy that had broken Yuuki's heart a few months ago, he'd been the man of her dreams.
The prince in her romantic thoughts…
The perfect guy behind the facade of a playboy…

Would he really tell her that he loved her too?

'I'm sorry.'

Ouch.
Rejected.

His hand dropped so suddenly that Yuuki imagined the loss of heat almost as though the door to a cold winter had opened.
She forced herself to meet his gaze, expecting a cold glaze.
It was frightening how many times she'd witnessed Soujirou rejecting a girl before.
And each time, his eyes took over a frozen, detached look which killed any hope a girl had.
She dreaded looking into those eyes that had been so kind to her when she was so vulnerable and be met with such an intimidating look.

But again she was surprised by what she saw.
It was compassion.

'I am sorry but I cannot accept you, Yuuki-san.'

She was ready to make a light off-hand comment about understanding, but he continued.

'You will find someone who deserves you, Yuuki. I meant what I said that night--.'
The night she'd fallen in love with him.
'-- but it is not going to be me. I'm sorry.'

Oh it hurt.
It hurt like hell even though she'd expected it.
She was a fool to believe that if she was prepared, it would hurt less.

But the optimistic side of Yuuki kicked in.
Tsukushi always said that it was her most admirable and exasperating trait.
Because at least he didn't give her the reasons why he rejected her.
To be told that she wasn't pretty enough, rich enough, cool enough—he had spared her the humiliation.

'I... understand.' She smiled forcedly at him.
'Good.'

They continued to stand awkwardly there.
Or rather she was standing awkwardly, he looked calm and cool.
He had not gotten his heart broken.

'But I won't give up!'

She didn't know who was more surprised, her or Nishikado-san.
By the way his jaw had dropped and he was staring at her, she would guess it was him.
Her grin widened, this time with a determination so strong.

'I won't give up because I know that one day I can change and make myself into the girl that Nishikado-san wants.'

'Yuuki...'

But Yuuki blocked out any of his reasoning.
She was not going to be dissuaded from this.
And eventually, after months of friendship and being thrown together by their friendships with Tsukushi and Tsukasa, Soujirou gave up too.

And as surprises went, the friendship they formed was a pleasant one.

Author's Note: So this is it-- my first offering of a Hana Yori Dango fic, if you liked it please support me by commenting! Thanks for reading this far!! -Kei