A/N: I had been struggling to make this in English, and I think there are still some grammatical errors in here.

Thank you for the new reviews and suggestions from all the readers. They encourage me to write more and better, and I hope I won't hurt your expectations too much.

By the way, please enjoy this chapter. ;)

CHAPTER 17: LOVE LESSON

Yuno's POV

The school time was over and today was my turn to clean the art room. Since I was the leader of this cleaning group, I was the last person who left. Not that I minded. In fact, I felt so free to check the cleanliness, my habit after I did the house chores.

Satisfied with the result, I walked towards the door to go outside and lock it. But suddenly two familiar girls blocked my way.

Kasugano-san and Orin Miyashiro.

The blue haired shrine girl walked to me angrily and pulled one of my ponytails, growling, "You pretty bitch!"

"Ah!" Instinctively I grabbed her hair too, and pulled it.

"Orin-chan!" She asked the short girl for help.

As requested, the little servant came to my side to grab my hand pulling her master's hair. But when her eyes met mine's, they looked so scared. Her hands trembled as she retreated instantly.

Is my gaze so frightening right now?

Being frustrated, Kasugano-san worked her other hand to reach my face. Maybe she wanted to slap or scratch me. But I would never give her any chance.

I caught her wrist and gripped it firmly.

"Why are you always the best? Why do you always get the best? This is unfair!" She whined desperately, enduring the pain.

What is this? Is it about her rejected confession?

I eyed at her amazingly. It had been more than a week since that moment, and yet she still couldn't move on?!

She took my stunned action as a chance, and at the next second, her hand released my hair, just to land it on my cheek, harshly.

I released my hand on her hair soon.

"I gave you a chance. I didn't stop you, and you even got his reply immediately. Is that still not enough for you? Know yourself!" I growled. Something inside me snapped when I felt a burning sensation on my cheek, especially after I remembered again that she had kissed him too. This sly girl was really infuriating!

What's this feeling? When I watched the kiss that she gave to him, I didn't feel this way. But why now is different? Why does her direct protest towards me now make this difference? I feel that … her complaint triggered something inside me to do something violent to her.

Wait! Am I jealous?

"You lucky bitch! You're the one who should know yourself!" She snarled like a wild animal. "Is everything he has done so far still not enough for you? What do you really want anyway?"

I gazed at her, surprised. Her words were like a thunder that suddenly appeared when the weather was so nice. Shocking, and terrifying.

"Aru-kun is mine, Gasai Yuno, and if you think I'll give up, then dream on!"

That was her last sentence before she and her little friend left the room with me inside alone, as I slowly stroked my red cheek.

X X X

It was midnight and I was alone at my house. What Kasugano-san did to me didn't let me sleep.

I touched my cheek and felt now it was swollen. Good thing I had texted the Detective Boy that I wanted to come home alone. Or he would see this swollen cheek and start interrogating me.

"You're the one who should know yourself! Is everything he has done so far still not enough for you?"

That girl and her words!

I squeezed my pillow desperately, fighting my own mind.

If only that boy in my dream just disappeared ….

I tried my best not to think about him, especially after I knew Amano-kun wasn't him. Furthermore, I always read Aru-kun's everyday message or looking at all my photos with him in my smartphone before I slept all this time, engraving his picture in my mind (I knew it was a ridiculous idea. But if it really worked, it wasn't ridiculous for me), wishing that I would dream about that Detective Boy. But it looked like my dreams always betrayed me.

That brunette always came in my mind, day and night, unconsciously ….

… to the point that I thought I was insane, and desperately needed a psychiatrist. I hated to realize that I couldn't even concentrate on my feeling towards Aru-kun.

I was so scared. I didn't want to hurt anyone, but at the same time, I needed someone strong enough to accept my frustration and confusion, and then Aru Akise came, offering his unconditional love, devotion, and loyalty.

His absolute knowledge about all-about-me, his courage, and his careful observation were things that made me scared of him until now. Some of his statements could even make me lost in confusion and dissatisfaction, but strangely, I still could feel honesty and sincerity in them.

He was amazingly strong and gentle at the same time. He could dominate me in a good way. He always knew how to deal with my mysterious motives in a very surprised, but smooth way. He could also bear all my-demanding-and-not-caring treatments. He never yelled at me, never used harsh words towards me, let alone raised his hand to hit me.

All this time, he always supported me, always protected me, and always took care of me, and mainly, he could endure all the hurt caused by me for chasing after a guy for a pathetic reason. Just because he looked like the one who appeared in my stupid dream and imagination. Not to mention that the guy already had a girlfriend.

Now how about me? What could I offer him? What have I done?

... stalking Amano-kun almost every day (this stopped after I realized he wasn't the boy in my dream) ...

... following Amano-kun to his house and got unconscious there ...

... pushing him away because my parents didn't like him ...

... asking him for feeding my selfishness ...

... being so closed with Amano-kun at the public area in front of him ...

... letting him to see me with a guy confessing his love for me ...

... letting him wander and wait, searching for me, worriedly because I didn't tell him where I was ...

... rejecting his kiss just because of the dreams ...

Suddenly I realized something important.

Tsubaki Kasugano was right. She had known this before I did.

Am I too late to realize it now? Do I still have a chance?

I bit my lower lip. I could not hold my tear anymore. I could not bear the hurt inside longer anymore. It was like all the emotions in me were about to break in and destroy everything that I always used all this time as a reason to think that you-don't-deserve-me.

Even though you ever asked me to give you a chance, so one day I would think you deserve me, truthfully, I'm the one who doesn't deserve you.

I soon put my face on the pillow, letting my tears to be directly absorbed into it, while enduring the pain inside my chest. My heart.

Why I hurt someone whose only intention was to love me?

I'm sorry …..

… although just sorry would never be enough for him.

X X X

At the morning ….

Aru's POV

Yuno was so weird. Less talk. Less smile. No giggles. No spoiled, but shy acts. No cute sulk. Let alone that she suddenly texted me that she wanted to go to school and go home by herself for today. Usually I would ask her reason as I felt bad for letting her like that, but I was so busy with a very important investigation on these recent days, and silently I thanked her for asking me to leave her alone today.

However, I caught something unusual on her cheek. It was like a bit swollen. And her eyes. They were a bit puffy. Many questions ran in my mind.

Was that because she was lack of sleep? Is she having a toothache? Did she cry last night? Or … was there someone who slapped her?

I gripped my pen tightly while thinking about the last thought. Who would dare? Her mother?

I should get my chance to talk to her soon because I think this is not something that I could ask from the message casually.

"What did you do to her, Detective Boy?" Hinata asked me at our class as my pink girlfriend was out to the teacher room.

I shook my head, smiling bitterly.

"When a girl's mad at her boyfriend, it's suggested that he should buy her a gift." Mao-chan approached my seat before continuing, "Since you know her size, you can just buy one of them for her." She showed me the screen of her smartphone.

Curiously I looked at it and then sighed. "Not that kind of gift, Mao-chan." I pushed the screen towards her.

"Why not? Sexy bra is one of the girls' best friends. Or do you prefer to buy her a set of bra and panty? White is my recommendation, just like your hair color," she teased.

"Mao, you crazy. She'd definitely kill him." Hinata growled.

I chuckled, hearing the Tomboy's last sentence as it rang the bell in my mind.

X X X

At night ….

Yuno's POV

It was around 2 am and I still could not sleep … again. Thanks for Kasugano-san's lesson, keeping waking me up with guilt.

Sitting on my bed, I caressed my cheek slowly. It wasn't swollen anymore.

I wonder how long I would be able to avoid Aru-kun. For the first day like today, I had succeeded. But how about tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? I felt like he had realized my previous swollen cheek and he was waiting for his chance alertly, to get some information from me.

… like Orin Miyashiro ever said to me. He always gets whatever information he wants. Sooner or later.

Truthfully, I felt bad for doing this. But I didn't want to ask him anymore as I didn't know what I should do to reduce this guilty feeling.

Rrrrrr …..

I turned around, just to see my smartphone that vibrated. I frowned, thinking who the caller was. Who was someone so understanding enough to call people at this hour?

Lazily I reached my smartphone, and read the name on the screen.

Him?

I pressed the receiving button and put my phone on my ear.

"Aru-kun?"

"Yuno." I heard his husky voice from the speaker. Weirdly, it sounded a bit tired. "Are you busy?"

Laying on my bed, I felt so lost at this question. It was 2.15 am and he called me whether I was busy?

"You do know what people are doing at this time, Mr. Detective," I mumbled sourly, playing with my own hair, using my fingers.

I heard his small laugh. "Yes. But I just thought that you're still awake."

"Well, you're wrong." I lied.

"Am I? So is sleeping with the light on your new habit now?"

I sat up immediately, eyes widened. How did he know the light in my room was still on? My heart beat fast, thinking the possibilities.

"I really want to see you." He said faintly, as if he had difficulty in breathing. "I … I miss you."

I swallowed hard. Just three words from him, and he succeed to melt my stubbornness this time. He was just irresistible.

There was just silence between us and I could not find any word to say back.

My curiosity rose again, as I heard he hissed lowly, as if he was in pain.

Is he wounded?

"Yuno, please …" he called me weakly. "Please let me in."

"Where are you?" I demanded in panic.

"At your doorstep."

I ran fast to the closed main door.

"Aru-kun!" I cried out his name, opening the door widely.

He took a step backward when the door was suddenly opened.

"Hi, Yuno," he greeted me as slight warmth filled his cheeks when he realized how short the white night dress I was wearing. He caressed my cheek softly with his right hand, muttering, "Your parents are not at home, I presume."

"Yes." I looked at him from head to toe. As I was busy, noticing his condition, he was stroking my long hair, eyes gazing at me softly.

His jaw was swollen and the corner of his lips bled. His clothes were so worn and dirty as if he had just wrestled in the wet ground. I cautiously covered my mouth with my hand as I saw a red liquid coloring the abdomen part of his white shirt. I also noticed that his left hand wet with the same liquid because it previously held the wound. A few drops fell to the floor from the tips of his fingers, staining the floor.

"Why didn't you go to the hospital?" I questioned worriedly.

"Three reasons. First, because it's not too deep and not in the vital area, I guess. Secondly, I didn't want my parents know about it. The manager of the nearest hospital is a friend of my father." He explained with hoarse tone, enduring the stinging pain. His usual composed manner was not in him anymore. His body shuddered, restraining himself not to moan. "And thirdly, I believe you can take care of me."

I grabbed his arm soon and helped him to enter the living room.

"I'll take the first aid kit case." I muttered before leaving him.

He nodded, sitting on the sofa. He gave a long sigh as if ethereality consumed him slowly.

I came, sitting beside him and opening the case as he took off his jacket and placed it on the table.

I blushed when he also took his tainted white shirt off casually.

"W-Wait!" I trembled when seeing his manly figure.

"Hm?" He gazed at me, tilting his head. "It's not the first time you see a topless male, is it?"

"For that case …." I shyly lowered my head, having no wish to answer it. He would laugh at me, knowing this was the first time I observed a young man body closely, and now, just as I ever thought about him, he was definitely in good shape and so attractive, though there were some not-too-visible-scars on his back and chest. Not that I minded. In fact, this made him look stronger.

They must have been from fights when he was still a child. I remembered what Orin Miyashiro ever told to me about his harsh childhood.

"Can we start now?" His question made my mind back to the reality. "It's very uncomfortable for me to hold on to pain too long."

Fighting my own shyness, I nodded and started inspecting the main wound. As he expected, it could indeed be treated personally.

I wonder how he got this. It really looks like a stab wound.

It didn't need much time for me to also work for other wounds (they were just simple cuts anyways) and cover them with foam dressing. I also put a warm small towel on his swollen jaw.

"Finished." I stated as I closed the first aid kit case.

"Thanks, Yuno."

"No problem. Did you fight someone?"

He nodded casually.

"Who?"

He just smiled, not giving a reply.

I pouted, unsatisfied. So he said, "If I tell you more about it, will you tell me who slapped your pretty face?"

I held my breath.

What is this? Information exchange?

I laughed a bit. "And what will you do if I won't, Tantei-san?"

"I have my own way, Yuno."

"Look. You don't need to know."

"Then let me guess. Kasugano-san?"

My face got pale suddenly. "Aru-kun, please don't do anything to her, though she's still mad at me."

He gave a long sigh. His expression was so disappointed.

I lowered my head.

"Well, just like as I said, I'll tell you more about how I got these wounds. I was following someone dangerous these days. The international terrorist Minene Uryuu."

"The one who hurt Nishijima-san?"

"Yes. I found her, hiding below the dark bridge. I was about to call the police. But she already realized my presence and what I was trying to do. She suddenly jumped on to me and we wrestled in the ground. She hit me twice on my face before revealing a knife and stabbed me. When I started fighting back, she stepped back and ran away."

He continued, "Then I went to your house by my bike, enduring the pain all the way."

"Aru-kun, if only I didn't accept your call and open the door, I wonder what happened to you. You were in bad condition."

"Well, I could always break the door, or break the window of your bedroom."

"You wouldn't dare." I sulked.

"And why I wouldn't?" He chuckled. The way he looked at me was different from before. I could see desire in his taffy colored eyes, and I instantly knew what he meant and wanted.

I smiled.

"Aru-kun …." I called him, half whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Letting a girl to wait too long, like what you're doing to me right now, is rude."

He caught my signal immediately. He closed the gap between us fast, kissing me while closing our eyes, as I circled my hands on his neck, pulling the back of his head softly towards me.

A few seconds later, I felt he was a bit surprised when I kissed him back, especially when this was my first time that I kissed him as passionately as he did to me.

He stopped, opening his eyes and still getting stunned with my previous kiss. I could see hope in his eyes.

"Yuno, you …." He didn't finish his sentence, wishing that I knew what he wanted to say.

"What?" I asked innocently. "You still need clarification here?"

"If you don't mind."

"You say it first."

"I love you."

I whispered on his ear, "I love you too."

Cause I realize now that your love is a noticeable, irresistible and inescapable thing for me, and that I don't want to lose it.

Aru Akise. My guilty pleasure.

X X X

At the next day ….

Tsubaki's POV

When I opened my locker, I found a transparent gift box with pink ribbon.

Who put this in my locker? Who gave me this?

I saw a long pink ribbon folded neatly inside the box, and it looked like it was made from very expensive clothes. I also found a card there, with a neat and recognizable hand written.

Thanks for lecturing me. I have learnt my lesson, and I will make sure that you would never have a chance with him anymore. –Yuno Gasai

"Omekata-sama …. " Orin-chan called me sympathetically as if she read it too.

I bit my lower lip. It seemed that she had made up her mind. How dare she send me this warning!

This just made her to be a more formidable rival than before.

I gripped the card tightly.

"Omekata-sama, are you still …."

I gazed at my little servant without any expression.

To be continued ...