Authoress' Notes: Due to demand… well, the demand of my brain, that is, I have decided to update all my stories within this four remaining days of my beloved sem break! Muwahahah! And so, since I like angsty-Yuta fics the most—angsty-Yuta fics go first. Muwahah. Ah, don't you just love Yuta? . Aaahhh… again, I am suddenly reminded of the ending of Shadow Hearts: Covenant… I mean, the ending of Shadow Hearts one was a tear-jerker (the bad ending, I mean)… but the good ending of SH:Covenant makes up for it. Definitely. And so now… before I lose my newfound inspiration…

DISCLAIMER: If they were mine, Yuta would have had a bigger part in Ultra Maniac. But alas, I do not own him… and everyone else, for that matter...

Stuffed Toy

Chapter 6

By psychedelic aya

The rushing of water from the fountain was almost comforting.

'I knew I'd find you here.'

"You didn't have to run off like that, you know."

Ayu stared at the boy's back, her eyes resonating with emotions for him. She could almost feel his sadness, his grief, his misery. He was always smiling, but he never showed any other emotion than that. And usually, someone who's always smiling is the one who's always sad…

Yuta sighed. "She still loves him, Ayu…" He murmured, without even looking to who he was talking to. "Tsujiai Hiroki."

How he wished he could curse the name. But he didn't, and he had no plans to.

Because he didn't want Nina's smile to disappear.

"But still…" Ayu didn't know what to say to him. Her words of comfort were already too cliché. "Maybe if you had told her sooner…"

He immediately knew how to retort. "And ruin our friendship? Tch. Fat chance." He looked away, his eyes narrowed. "She doesn't feel the same way, Ayu. I know that much."

'She'll forever see me as a friend.' His fists clenched. 'Only a friend.'

Ayu was at a loss for words. How could she comfort someone who had already accepted his sorrow? She pitied him for being such a martyr for his childhood friend. "Yuta-kun…" His name slipped from her tongue softly, and she walked towards him. With a small consoling smile and yet pleading eyes, she said, "Please… won't you stop torturing yourself?"

The laugh he gave was a hollow one. "I am not hurting myself, Tateishi." He said solidly, looking away. There was a small glint of resentment and guilt in his eyes, but it was gone as soon as it came. Then, out of the blue, he broke out his usual arrogant smirk again. Trying to change the topic, "C'mon, Ayu. We should go back to Nina..."

The other girl shook her head. "Nina just went home."

"Huh? Why?"

"She said she had some preparing to do." Ayu left out the fact that her best friend was off to call up Tsujiai. "She was looking for you before she went, though." She hoped that by saying that, he would feel even just a little bit better.

"Tch." Yuta placed his hands in his pockets and rolled his eyes. "Don't try to deceive me, please. I don't want to be pitied, either."

Ayu didn't know what to say anymore. But still, she refused to give up. "Demo, Yuta-kun…!"

He faced away from her. Then, with his voiced hushed and low, "Please, Ayu." She was surprised to hear so much agony in his few words. "I don't want to think about it anymore…"

Her words halted; her throat had gone dry. She knew it was painful… but the tone of Yuta's voice made it seem far more serious than what she thought. It was as if he was…

…dying.

Her eyes widened in comprehension.

"Iya…"

Yuta broke her train of thoughts all of a sudden. "C'mon, Ayu," He walked ahead of her, beckoning her to follow him. The pain he previously had shown was suddenly gone, and instead, it was replaced by his usual aloofness. "I'll treat you to a snack. What do you say?"

When he looked back at her and smiled his usual smile, she knew that it must've taken a lot of willpower to switch moods that easily.

From being sad… then back to arrogant and cocky.

Ayu ran over and walked next to him, smiling. She wouldn't let his glee, no matter how fake, go to waste.

Yuta, on the other hand, ignored the wrenching of his insides. He knew it would fade away later on, as long as he kept his lips twitching up like this.

Ah, the wonders that a smile can do.

…Yet still…

Such an enigma he was…

"Oh no! What if something goes wrong???"

This was about some seven hours later.

"Relax, Nina-chan. Nothing will go wrong…"

There was a frantic air around; the birthday girl had proceeded in rushing around the party area, making sure everything was simply perfect.

"Oh Ayu-chan! I'm just so nervous…!" Admitted Nina, who was now in the gown that Yuta had chosen earlier that day. Her hair was all fixed up, her face with powder and make-up. She was personally fixed by her Mama, who was also panicking at the moment—everyone was rushing and preparing for the highlight of the birthday girl's eighteen years in this world. "Do you think the guests will like it?" She asked in anxiety.

Her best friend grinned and patted her hair affectionately. "Relax, Nina. They'll love it, I'm sure." Then, with a small grin, "Just as much as they love you!"

Nina loved it how Ayu knew just what to say every time to make her feel better. "Ayu-chan…!" Without hesitation, she hugged her longtime friend.

A small, appreciative smile. Random hugs always felt good. "Oh Nina…"

It was a moment to be cherished—and so, as if on cue, sudden flash came from the side. Kawanakajima Jun was holding a camera, a silly grin plastered on his face. "What a touching moment, sempai!" He exclaimed, and suddenly went rushing around Nina and Ayu, frantically clicking the shutter button of his camera.

Nina didn't even seem to be bothered that he had interrupted her hug with Ayu. "Kawanakajima-kun!" She exclaimed happily, releasing her best friend slowly and rushing to the younger boy. "You came!"

"Ah, I wouldn't miss your special day for anything in the world, sempai!"

Emotions whacked with happiness… well, so… he got a hug too.

Ayu giggled fondly as she borrowed Jun's camera and took a picture him and Nina, laughing. "Say cheese!" There was a click, a flash of light, a buzzing sound; then a memory was preserved. Picture perfect in the frame of a photograph.

Soon, of all the guests began to arrive. Every time an old friend was spotted, Nina would rush over to them and spring her arms around them. It was fun to watch, actually—how everyone would get flustered against the birthday girl's grip. But it was such a splendid feeling to have such warmth and kindness wrap around you… so no one ever complained. Instead, they would just smile.

It was in the process of hugging her old childhood friend Maya-chan that Nina heard the strange and yet familiar voice.

"Don't I get a hug too?"

She was frozen to the spot as she heard the voice behind her. A rush of emotions rushed through her, and her lips slowly started forming into a large grin. She whipped around and gave the man what he asked for.

"Tsujiai-kun!" The birthday girl exclaimed, holding him tight. "I thought you weren't coming!"

A fond smile found its way into Hiroki's face. "How could I miss your special day?" He murmured into her ear, as he returned her embrace.

Nina giggled, feeling so contented with the moment. "I'm happy…" She mumbled, burying her face into his chest. "I'm so happy you came…"

Another flash came from the side, and again, Kawanakajima had taken a picture. There was a huge grin on his face, and he opened his mouth to tease the young couple; but Ayu had unexpectedly come rushing towards them with a cellphone in her hand.

"Nina!!!" She exclaimed, looking very distressed. Her shout hadn't been loud enough to attract the other guests, but it was urgent enough to cut the words Kawanakajima was about to say, as well as the tender moment Tsujiai and Nina were spending with each other. As she reached them, "I'm sorry for disturbing you, but… there's an urgent phone call for you, Nina." The cellphone was outstretched for her to take.

Uncertainty and confusion found its way to auburn eyes. "For me?" Nina pointed to herself in doubt. Hesitantly, her hand reached for the cellular. "Why…?"

Ayu actually knew why; but she wanted her best friend to find it out for herself.

Dainty fingers wrapped around the cold metal of the telecommunications device and brought it to her ear.

A cold and stoic female tone spoke from the other end.

"Moshi moshi. Sakura Nina?"

A steady and fearful gulp. "H-hai." Something about the way the girl spoke did not make her feel at ease…

"Sakura-san, please be prepared of the news I am to tell you."

"H-hai." She could think of no other reply. "W-what is it?" Her eyes wandered in fear; she could see Tsujiai, Kawanakajima and Ayu watching her intently… the look on their faces were unreadable.

"Do you know a Kirishima Yuta?"

She never knew her whole world would change if she said yes.

….It was soon enough when the cellphone dropped to the floor, shattered.

Authoress' Notes: FINALLY, Aya! Finally!!! One more chapter! Yes! One more chapter! Alright! Expect it sometime before December… I hope. . Mweheheh! Okie… so… yes. I love torturing Yuta, still. Ah, such a wonderful world this is… okie! Off to my other fics, muwahahahahaha!

Okie… this was cornier than the other chapters, I know… but still! I hope you guys liked it. Thankies!

ONE MORE CHAPTER, yeeha!

Smile! Jesus loves you!