"Kasumi, I sincerely apologize. I had no idea I'd put you with those kind of students. To learn discipline of all things." Mr. Jael bowed his shiny head, nearly blinding me in the act. "Please forgive me. How about we push that entire expulsion under the rug? No need to get your guardians involved in this incident either because I'll be having those students once apart of the council serving time in detention and even suspension as early as next week. I ask that if you can, please do try to forget this entire incident and enjoy yourself to the fullest at this institution."

"—sumi! Kasumi!"

My head jerked up in surprise. I turned my head to find the exasperated face of my older sister.

Her hair had fallen into her face as she declared, "It's dinner time. Get your butt downstairs already."

Disregarding the frayed hairs tumbled out over my eyes and crumpled pyjamas, I pushed myself out of bed. I passed her as I left my bedroom, to which Shizuka sighed.

"No 'thank you'? You're seriously such a brat."

"I learn from the best," I called over my shoulder as I hopped down the steps.

I walked past the empty kitchen and peered over into the living room. Like we did every autumn, we'd put out our a heated table—perfect for our weekly hot pots. Though, when I spotted Dad dressed in his casual attire, already sitting underneath, my nerves unintentionally stiffened.

He turned his head to me, rigid features loosening the slightest. "Kasumi, how are you?"

I avoided his eyes but made my way towards the heated table anyway. "You're back early."

"Got the night off," he enlightened me. "It's been awhile since I joined you two for dinner, huh?"

I collapsed and reached for my chopsticks as Shizuka followed suit.

"You should really cut down on work hours," she scolded. "Take better care of yourself."

Dad chuckled, boisterous and unwavering—a laugh befitting someone of his broad build and businessman status. "I'm fine. I'm still in my prime, you know."

"Your grey hairs tell me otherwise."

"I assure you these grey hairs are my pride."

Shizuka laughed alongside him, prying the lid off the boiling hot pot and allowing us to be exposed to the delicious scent that wafted out. Although it would've been ideal to dig right in, Shizuka insisted we wait a bit longer for the meat to cook right. In the meantime, she and Dad threw playful banter around as they discussed their daily schedules and news.

This lighthearted nonchalance; warm and cozy atmosphere. It'd always been like this whenever Dad came home early, and yet here I was with half-hearted vigour. All because of that hollow tug at my heart. The heck? I should be glad that group's been disbanded. Even if Juuna and Koga were two-faced asses.

"Kasumi, how's school been?"

I had to resist the grumble of my stomach at the mouth-watering scent of the food waiting to be devoured. I reluctantly rose my head to meet identical eyes.

"School?" I responded.

Dad maintained his smile. "I can be assured you've been behaving yourself?"

Yeah... Definitely.

"Oh, she's been a sweetheart," Shizuka said for me. "I haven't heard a single complaint since that one fiasco where she singed off that kid's eyebrows."

Unlike Shizuka who broke into laughter at the remembrance, Dad didn't look the least bit amused.

"You went out of line there."

"Whatever you say, Pops," I replied.

His typically stiff frown softened the slightest. "Kasumi, you do know I'm proud of you, right?"

The words, this time, hit me deep. I stared at his sincere smile, and that only furthered the swell of warmth sprouting from my chest.

"Again?! When will you get your shit together? You're a teenager now, not a little kid I have to babysit!"

"You're acting like such a disgrace! Getting expelled time and time again... How many times do you have to hinder this family's reputation before you're satisfied? Huh?"

"Get in trouble one more time! Mouth off to me one more damn time...! If I hear even one freakin' thing from your next school, you're out of this house you hear me!?"

Feeling Shizuka's equally reassuring smile above me, my head dropped. "I know, Dad," I murmured. "I'm sorry."

He stopped me with the shake of his head. "No. I overreacted, too. I apologize."

Her chin on her palm, Shizuka tittered. "It's like she purposefully misbehaved so she could get her father's attention. Like a child."

My neck jerked towards her, scowl in place. "The hell are you implying?"

"Nothing," she drawled innocently. The smirk on her face hadn't fallen. "Hey, Dad. Guess what? Our innocent Kasumi went on a date last weekend!"

Dad promptly choked on his spit, eyeballs bulging from their sockets. "She didn't—"

"But she did," Shizuka squealed, throwing an arm over my neck and successfully choking me with her brute strength. "The guy dumped her but she was so giddy, believe me! She even asked to borrow my clothes. This barbaric sister of mine wore a dress."

I struggled for freedom and she soon relented. Once capable of breathing again, I barked, "I was not dumped! We just reached a little misunderstanding!"

"Ooh," she cooed with a suggestive smile. "So you're going out now?"

Colour promptly flooded my cheeks as I fumbled for words. "We reached an understanding!" I finally sputtered.

She snickered, tossing her hands over her belly. "Aww, my little sister is all grown up!"

"I'm already grown up as it is! Only four months until I'm eighteen!"

"Now, now." Dad called back the order to him. He gave me a stern look, one with evident discomfort. "Kasumi, I understand it's normal for your hormones to be raging right around your age but even so I do not want you performing any of those..."

"Frickety-fracking," offered Shizuka.

Dad nodded, his serious gaze back on me. "—temptations until you've matured and are ready to handle the responsibilities of a parent—"

"Dad!" I cried in exasperation. "Holy shit biscuits, it's just a boy!"

"'Just a boy,'" Shizuka echoed. "'Just a boy' can lead to early teenage pregnancy—"

"Oh shut the frickety-frack up yourself!"

My face reddening to a lovely cherry, I practically threw myself at her to silence her giggles but was distracted by the chime of my cell phone. Dad parted me from Shizuka, after much struggle and screams, and I picked myself up from the ground, smoothening out the crinkles of my pyjamas.

"Demon child," Shizuka spat, hauling herself up. She now looked frayed, as if a tornado had just ravished her.

I stuck out my tongue and peered down at the Caller ID. Hikari. I took a quick glance at Dad who beckoned me on. Grateful, I hurried off into the kitchen to take the call.

"Hikari?" I asked once I answered.

"Kasumi!" she returned. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

I opened my mouth to reply but she'd already beat me to it.

"Not that anything could be more important than me," she said. "So listen!"

I rolled my eyes with a grin. Typical Hikari. "Listening," I reassured her.

She inhaled a huge amount of air before letting it all out as an ear-piercing scream. "I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT BELIEVING YOU!"

I teetered over the kitchen counter until I was hanging on by sheer will. Yanking my body up, I shut my eyes. The stinging sensation that stabbed my ear made it feel as if it was bleeding.

"The frick was that for Hikari?!"

"Oops." But she wasn't done. "Just, the news of the Student Council spread like wildfire around the school today! I can't believe they're like that!"

I hoisted my body upright, until I was sitting on the firm wood. I sighed, "Yeah. They have some disgusting fetish."

"Collars, whips, ropes... The principal kept trying to deny it but the rumours were flying around!" Hikari's octave had dropped into a saddened whimper. "I can't believe my princes were like that! Princess Juuna was kept hostage, too! Poor girl!"

My lips met and I shut my eyes. "'Poor girl' was good at putting on an act."

That nearly made me shit myself times and times again.

"I know, right?" Hikari boomed, snivelling. "But she had no choice or else they would've treated her like some kind of slave!"

"I'd really have liked to see her as a slave," I murmured.

"Huh?" She gasped. "Kasumi, did they brainwash you too? That student who was also put under the care of the SC—that Ashikaga kid—he was teary-eyed as he explained the horrible things they did! They treated him like gum stuck under the shoe! I've even heard one of the princes tied him up!"

My recollections flood back to Juuna and I deadpanned. "Yeah. One of the princes."

Hikari huffed, as if exasperated. "Why do you keep commenting like that? It's almost like you don't believe a damn thing they said!"

"I believe it," I assured her. "It's just not entirely true."

Hikari cried in eureka, "You should know best, right? I mean, you got there before that Ashikaga! Why don't you try talking to the principal about it?"

"Those SC guys are already enduring their punishment. Why should I?"

"What do you mean why? The truth is important, Kasumi!"

"I wonder."

I could just imagine Hikari pouting with her eyebrows scrunched together. "Kasumi—"

"Look, I'm happy you're worried about me, Hikari, but I've already pushed that incident behind me. I'm glad I don't have anything to do with those guys anymore."

"But—"

"I'll talk to you at school tomorrow, okay?" I hopped off the counter and landed on my feet. "I'm in the middle of dinner."

Before I could hear her response I cancelled the call and heaved out a loud sigh. I strung my fingers through my crazy bedhead, my heart heavy in my chest. Was it because this ending was too surreal to believe in? They were finally going to be off my back; even if like this, I should be damn grateful. I didn't have to be expelled either. And if I ever did get close to a near-expulsion situation again, I could just use this card against the principal.

Who cared about these mixed feelings. I was finally getting my happy ending. Humans or not, Juuna had a point. The Student Council was a corrupted committee. Even if they still did all their work to perfection and publicly treated everyone around them with utmost manners, they were still flawed.

Flawed...

"Everyone makes mistakes. Some, more frequent than others, but that's expected since nobody is the same. Perfection cannot be achieved, and that's why people forgive. We all have our flaws. And Kasumi has hers as well."

Whether I wanted to ignore it or not, and even if I was thrown into such a negative alternative, I escaped expulsion because of those guys. They escaped getting disowned by their own parents by turning a less violent leaf in high school. They worked hard to keep their place of belonging.

"Hey, Kasumi."

Startled, I whipped up my head to find Shizuka leaning against the doorframe leading into the kitchen. I'd guess she'd seen right through my frown because she stepped forward and handed me a tiny sheet.

"I forgot the most important ingredient of the hot pot. Do you think you can go pick it up from the convenience store real quick?"

The sheet slipped between my fingers. "Right now?"

She patted my shoulder. "You look like you need some time to yourself."

I licked my dry lips and bobbed my head. "I'll hurry back."

"Don't get lost," she called after me.

I grabbed a sweater and beanie. "I'll try, Mommy."

She laughed, and after paying Dad a quick nod, I left out the front door. The cool evening air greeted me as I manoeuvred around our front gate and onto the vacant roads. All the stars were out, nestled into the sky in a pretty effect, and staring up into it caused me more relief than I could imagine. Gandering at the night sky was always so calming.

Returning my gaze to the sidewalk currently illuminated by the streetlights above, I ambled ahead, skipping over the cracks beneath each square. My fun was soon disrupted when I managed to bump headfirst into a stiff surface. I grimaced as I lurched away, clasping my hand over my nose. I stared at the streetlight I'd hit and glared at it.

Dammit. Who put one of those there?

"Yonamine?"

My heart stopped in my chest. My nerves suddenly constricted. No way...

As I rotated my head left it was to my astonishment to find myself staring at the distant face of my prince. He was dressed in a manner to retain heat; dark jeans, a sweater, and a bucket hat to shield his pale face from the cold. Even still, he was handsome. Enough to make my heart do insurmountable leaps in my chest.

"Upperclassman Anzai..."

He looked both ways. After seeing the walking person displayed on the street light, he jogged his way across the road until he was right before me.

Oh gosh. Oh my gosh. He was too, too close.

"What a coincidence," he said, his toothy smile sending my insides haywire. "What are you doing out here?"

"Not you— I-I mean, nothing important. I'm going shopping."

"This late?"

"It's a quick item."

"I'll accompany you then."

"No, it's fine! Even if I get jumped I'm sure I can beat my attacker senseless."

Junto produced a half-smile. "I'm sure you can. You're better at fighting than I am. But since I'm here I want to make sure you're safe."

Oh crap. We were walking side by side. His body was so close to mine. We could even hold hands...

I mentally slapped myself.

Get yourself together, me!

I inhaled and exhaled to calm myself. I was fine. Wait. I sniffed in. What was that scent? Was it Junto? I inhaled another whiff of the air. Was this what boys smelled like?

"The truth came out, huh?"

My heart stopped in my chest at once. My eyes widened and I quickly darted my head to the ground, soaking in embarrassment. He heard me?

"Th-that I like how you smell?" My cheeks burned more than before at the idea that I let my tongue slip. "Gosh! Did I say that out loud? I'm sorry!"

Colour reached Junto's cheeks at once, as if in newfound astonishment. Then, we both were blushing in silence before he managed to regain himself.

"U-um, not exactly," he stammered profusely. "You smell nice, too."

"D-do I? Th-thank you."

Cue more blushing and silence.

"I-I meant about Shuuhei," he spat.

"Oh!" I slapped my hands overtop of my cheeks. Of course he was! I was such an idiot. He so thought I was a complete creep! Well, I mean I was but he wasn't supposed to find that out so early! "Th-that doesn't smell too great," I sputtered.

I was just about ready to hop into a hole to die at my horrid joke when Junto produced a chuckle. "Yeah," he agreed, guiding me forward once again. "I know how much the Student Council meant to him. Or how important it was, at least."

I shook my head to snap myself to my senses. "Because he was a delinquent?" I asked.

"That came out too, huh?" Junto hummed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Well, Shuuhei wasn't that evil entity everyone proclaims. The Student Council was actually his goal to atone."

"Atone?"

He nodded. "Even before the SC, Shuuhei had that S&M fetish, but it's when he found the other members shared his passion he kind of went overboard."

"You're defending him," I realized, my eyelids rising.

"He is my best friend," Junto replied. "Shuuhei did go overboard, but I wish the truth didn't have to come out this way. That he didn't have to lose his one place at Rokura High this way."

"Are you trying to make me feel bad?"

He stiffened. "Not my intentions!" He dropped his gaze. "I know I'm mouthing off. Sorry."

I paused, pursing my lips. "I didn't want the SC to disband this way either. It was hell there, sure, but this kind of ending is unsatisfying, you know?"

"Unsatisfying?"

"It feels incomplete," I responded. "And I'm kinda pissed at Koga and Juuna for being two-faced jerks..."

A tiny smile crossed Junto's face. "Did you come to like the SC?"

"Hell no!" I stuck out my tongue, gagging. "Why would you ever assume that?"

"Oh, I was wrong?" He sheepishly sucked in a breath. "But... you didn't want things to end the way they did, right?"

I bobbed my head. "I want to do it over. The princes of the academy should remain the princes and not burning piles of garbage. The balance has been overthrown and I'm not really a fan of that." I came to a standstill, scuffing my feet. "And as much as I detest Shuuhei, that includes him, too."

Junto hesitated. "Do you hate him that much?"

"Of course I do," I said. "There's nothing about him to like. Now, you on the other hand—"

A wave of bashfulness swept over me like a blanket. Junto from ahead of me in this empty park wasn't any different.

"I-I write smut," he reminded me.

I darted my gaze, fiddling with my pockets. Even though it had been a cold evening minutes prior, the heat from my body was making me reconsider if it really was. "I know," I replied.

Junto continued to panic. "Shuuhei draws the smut I write too," he said. "Explicitly."

This time, disgust breached my features. "Oh, I know." I hesitated, shifting my gaze. "Even still, you're different, Upperclassman Anzai."

You've always been different.

Junto started playing with his front bangs and after a while of timidly losing and reconnecting gazes, he strode towards me. I didn't even receive the opportunity to question why because he'd already scooped me forward into his arms.

I was instantaneously hit with nerves, and my eyebrows shot up. My body was against his chest, his chin rested on the top of my head. My heartbeat picked up in a frenzied pace but when I'd tried to pull away, his grip was tight.

"Upperclassman A-Anzai?"

"You can call me Junto, Kasumi."

I swallowed, attempting to cease my near heart attack. It was rather difficult with his chin rested on my head-top, and his arms around my torso the way it was. He even said my first name.

Though I was a panicked, mouth-flopping mess, I was rescued when Junto retreated the slightest to catch my gaze. His sea blue eyes remained as entrancing as always, a warm concern swirling within them.

"Kasumi."

My voice was silenced, as well as my breathing. He unhanded me to gingerly ruffle my hair.

"I do know things may be backwards right now, but I'm sure things will get better."

"Junto..."

As his name slipped from my mouth, I noticed just how serious—and close—his face had become. His fingers cupped my left cheek, sifting strands of my hair. He gently lifted my chin as he leaned even further.

Why was he suddenly getting so close? His long lashes, beautiful eyes and lips were centimetres away—holy flipping shits.

I pressed my eyelids closed and sucked in my chin. "Wh-what are you doing?"

He stopped short of my mouth and an immediate blush overcame his complexion. "T-trying to, um, I-I mean..." He was red till the tips of his ears as he dropped his head. "You even said those misleading things... Are you teasing me, Kasumi?"

"Teasing you?"