Chapter 15: Hina's Halloween bash

~Byakuya's POV~ "You're going."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"I'm really NOT."

"You really ARE."

Naegi and I argued back and forth like a mother and her teenage daughter; it's ridiculous, I know.

Aoi Asahina is having a "Halloween bash" and invited both Naegi and myself.

Here's the difference though: Naegi wants to go, I don't.

I really DON'T. I hate parties.

This is a fact that hasn't seemed to cross Naegi's mind yet.

"You're not my mother. You can't make me go, Naegi." I stated bluntly.

"Oh, I think I can." Naegi said. I gave him a look.

"Oh really? Try me." I said.

"Okay then; if you don't go to the party I'll tell everyone about how you used to like June." Naegi said.

"Blackmail, huh? Impressive, especially for someone like you, Naegi," I said. "Why are you so hellbent on me going to this stupid party?"

"Because, parties are fun." Naegi said.

"I don't do fun." I said.

"Obviously not...," Naegi mumbled. "I'll still tell everyone your secret."

I groaned. "Uck. Whatever. I'll go. Happy?" I snapped.

Naegi smiled. "Yes. Very."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm only doing this because you're blackmailing me; if June found out I used to... Ahem... Like her, it'd give her the upper hand. That can't happen. I'm a Togami after all, and Togamis always have the upper hand." I said.

"Uh huh, sure. Good for you, Byakuya," Naegi said. "I'm just glad you're going to the party."

"Whatever. You better take advantage of this, because I'll never be going to another party ever again." I said.

"I don't doubt it." Naegi said.

"Good." I said.

"Oh, I almost forgot... We have to come in costume..." Naegi said with a nervous laugh.

I arched one of my eyebrows. "No way I'm doing that."

"You have too. Hina said so." Naegi said.

"Well, I don't play by Hina's rules. I play by my own. You're lucky I'm even GOING to the party. I'm NOT dressing for it; therefore I'm not going to be in a ridiculous costume. It's a waste of time and energy just to go out and buy one." I said.

Naegi rolled his eyes and sighed. "Yeah... I thought that one was a bit of a stretch..."

~~~~~~~~~~~

I laid on my bed in my dorm room, staring at the ceiling.

I was going to have to go to some party I wasn't even interested in going to.

And all because Naegi got too damn close to the truth about June and me.

Why couldn't he have minded his own God damn business like any other decent person???

I was alone in my dorm room because Naegi was out with some friends.

Thank goodness too; I needed some time alone.

I suddenly heard my phone ring.

I pulled it out of my pocket and answered it.

"Hey there, four-eyes!"

I immediately recognized the voice.

I groaned. "Hello, Takahiro."

Takahiro Togami, my very annoying cousin.

"Hey, cous'! How's it goin' at that fancy prep school of yours?" Takahiro said.

"Why are you calling me? You never call me." I said.

"What? A guy can't call every once in awhile to check up on his favorite cousin?"

"I'm your only cousin." I pointed out.

He laughed. "Yeah, okay, fine; Mom made me call you."

"You mean aunt Yuki?" I asked.

"No, I mean Ronald McDonald...," Takahiro said sarcastically. "Of course I mean Yuki! Who else???"

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. Why did she make you call me?"

"She said we haven't talked in awhile and we should."

"Why now?"

"Who knows?"

"You know, I really wish you would stop calling me by that atrocious nickname."

"What? You mean four-eyes? I can't stop calling you by that name! I've called you that ever since we were both elementary school students! Besides, traditions can't be broken."

"I hate you."

"I'm aware. Speaking of hatred, do you still hate that one girl...? Oh... what was her name...?"

"Uh, June...?"

"Yeah! June! Do you still hate her? Does she still hate you? What's the status update on that???"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because, you two used to be real close. Also, you told me you used to be in love with her."

"I... I was NOT in love with her...! It was just a minor attraction, I swear."

"Uh huh, sure, minor attraction my ass! You were madly in love with her! I remember you telling me that your dream was that you'd marry her, take over the entire Togami corp., and make love to her until she cried out for for mercy."

"I never said any of that. Stop making stuff up. And, that's disgusting. Be mature, would you? You're four months older than I am."

"And don't you forget it, four eyes!"

"Don't call me that."

"Anywho, do you still hate her or not? Does she still hate you? Because I honestly think you two should get the hell over your differences and just go out already. I mean, how could you let someone like her get away? I remember her; she was hot."

I rolled my eyes. "You know perfectly well why June and I aren't on speaking terms. It's her fault anyway."

"You're being over dramatic. It wasn't just her fault. It was actually kind of yours."

"You don't know anything about that. It was her fault. End of discussion."

"Alright, alright. I'm just sayin' you should hurry up and snatch her up while you've got the chance; some other guy may decide she's just the right amount of hot for him and scoop her up before you have the chance. And it'll be all your fault. These are just the facts."

"Shut up, Takahiro."

"I love you too, cous'."

"I'm going to hang up now."

"Okay, fine. Just think about what I said. After all, you don't realize what you have until it's gone."

"Where'd you get that quote? A greeting card?"

"... Maybe I did. Does it matter? It's true."

"Uh huh. Sure. Whatever you say. Bye now."

"Later, four eyes."

"Don't call me that." I hung up.

What an idiot of a cousin...

Don't even ASK how I put up with that for my entire childhood, I don't even KNOW.

Somehow, I did.

And, as much as it pains me to admit it, he's right; I did indeed have feelings for June, just as Naegi found out.

And I'm sure as hell going to keep that little fact hidden, even if it results in the death of me.

Even if it was one-sided and even if it was a long time ago, I'll (unfortunately) never forget how I felt about her...

"Byakuya!"

I turned to see June running up to me, her beautiful, long red hair flowing behind her.

We were in the fifth grade.

And it was White Day, and I had got June something special.

"H-Hey, Junie...," I mumbled nervously. I had started developing a crush on June since the beginning of our fifth grade school year. At first I thought it was just a minor attraction and I would eventually get over it, but, of course, I was definitely wrong. "H-Here... Happy White Day...!" I handed June her gift.

June tore away the wrapping paper and opened up her gift. She gasped and immediately smiled when she saw it.

She took it out of its box. It was a framed picture of her and me; I had an arm over June's shoulders and she was hugging me from the side as we both smiled happily into the camera.

June smiled at it. "Oh, Byakuya, I LOVE IT!" she said.

I smiled. "Turn it around."

She did. There was a card on the back.

She cleared her throat and read it out loud. "'It's good to have lots of money, because money can buy a lot of things. But it can't buy what we have and how special you are to me.'" She smiled. "Aw, Byakuya, thank you! I value our friendship too!" Then she hugged me.

"Yeah... Our friendship... That's definitely what the poem was about..." I said as we hugged.

Then, we separated. "I love it, Byakuya. I'm so lucky to have a friend like you." June said.

I smiled. "Actually, it's ME who's the lucky one. I'll never understand how someone like me could end up so lucky with someone like you. I wouldn't trade our friendship for anything, not even all my money and my family business." I said honestly. June blushed.

I love it when she does that, it makes her look extra beautiful. And I thought she couldn't get more beautiful, well, I was apparently wrong.

"Thank you, Byakuya, I wouldn't trade you for anything either." June said. Then we hugged.

I rolled my eyes at the memory. Ridiculous, I can't believe I used to feel that way about her... Then again, I was just a stupid boy.

A stupid boy that had no idea in the slightest what the definition of love really was.

I'll never understand how I liked June.

Besides the fact that she was nice... and incredibly good-looking... and talented... and caring... and generous...

... But that's besides the point I'm making! I was stupid and young. And it won't happen again.

Now I know where having feelings for someone can get you: absolutely NOWHERE.

I wish I had known that back then so I didn't spend all my time trying in vain to get June to consider dating me.

I mean... it's not like I actually cared that much, anyway... Like I said before: I was young and stupid.

Well, I wouldn't make that mistake again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

~June's POV~ "Take me back to my dorm room, please. I don't wanna go."

"Come on, sis, cheer up! This'll be fun! All parties are! Besides, parties are the number one place people hook up...," Erin said before she wiggled her eyebrows. "Maybe you should--"

"I'm just gonna stop you right there; no way in hell." I said bluntly. Erin pouted.

"Come on, now! You're beautiful, witty, and talented! What guy wouldn't have you???"

Kyouko sighed. "Erin, leave June alone. If she doesn't want to, we can't force her. She'll decide to if she wants to."

Erin rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, cous'! That'll NEVER happen!" she whined.

"This is true." I admitted. Erin groaned.

"It's her choice." Kyouko pointed out.

"Both of you are no fun whatsoever." Erin stated.

After Kyouko knocked on Hina's dorm room door, it opened immediately. Hina greeted us. Her room was already almost full of people.

One of them I immediately noticed was Byakuya.

I groaned.

Erin must've seen him too. "Seriously? This guy? Why the hell did you invite him, Hina?"

"I invited everyone." Hina explained.

"Why is he even here? Byakuya hates social events, especially parties like this one." I said.

It was true; Byakuya HATED anything that had to do with parties and stuff like that.

"Makoto probably forced him to go, just like he does all the time." Kyouko said.

"Whatever! It doesn't matter! Just ignore him and come on in and party!" Hina said before she pulled all three of us into her dorm room.

The very first thing I noticed was that most everyone was either drunk, dancing, making out, or all three.

I sighed.

This is why I don't go to parties!

I'll never understand why everyone else likes them.

Erin pumped her fist into the air. "Yeah, LET'S PARTY, BITCHES!" she shouted.

Everyone cheered and a crowd of people came up to talk to her.

Then, I suddenly noticed Byakuya was walking up to me.

I tried to find a place to retreat to, but sadly, nothing.

"Hello, June. Why are you here?" he said, irritated.

"Erin made me. Why are you here?"

"Naegi made me."

Oh, that makes sense.

"Uh, sorry to hear that..." I mumbled.

"Whatever."

We just stood there in awkward silence.

Then, I suddenly just blurted out, "Hey, remember when we were young, when we were forced to go to parties and whenever we went we would always find some sort of closet to hide in and plot ways to possibly escape?"

To my surprise, Byakuya chuckled. "Oh, yes, I do remember that... You'd always hide behind me and beg to go home where there were no people... It was quite amusing, actually. Even then you were incredibly shy, like you are now."

"Uh huh..." I said.

More awkward silence.

Suddenly, Ibuki barreled up to me. "H-Hey, June...! You-You wanna get wasted...?" She slurred her words.

Oh boy, she must be drunk.

What was your first clue, Einstein?

I waved my hand in front of Ibuki's face. "Hello...? Anyone home...? Earth to Ibuki...!"

Ibuki just blinked and me and began giggling non-stop.

"What's so funny?" Byakuya asked.

"Your face." Ibuki snorted.

Byakuya rolled his eyes. "Drunk people..."

I held up two fingers in front of Ibuki's face. "Okay, Ibuki, how many fingers am I holding up?"

Ibuki squinted at my fingers. "Hm... Eleventy-seven!" she giggled, then hiccuped.

Oh boy...

"And 'eleventy-seven' isn't even an actual number," Byakuya sighed. "She's way drunk..."

"And this is why I try to avoid parties!" I grumbled.

Ibuki suddenly jumped up and down. "Come on, June! Let's get drunk!" she said hyperly.

"Um... how about let's NOT..." I said.

Ibuki pouted. "June! Why not? Why you no like meh??? You're such a square, June!" Then she threw her arms up in the air. "Hey, everybody! June Takahashi is a square! Ha!"

"We all already knew this." Byakuya said. I glared at him.

"Shut it, Togami," I snapped. "Besides, I've gotten through life perfectly fine with being a 'square'..."

"Obviously." Byakuya coughed. I glared at him.

Ibuki put her arm around me. "Hey, Byakuya, I hope you don't mind, but I'm gonna take your girlfriend for awhile to have some fun...!" she said drunkly.

Byakuya shrugged and smirked. "Be my guest."

I turned red. "I... I am NOT his girlfriend! In fact, I'm FAR FROM IT...!"

Ibuki just shrugged. "That's what they all say...!" Then she handed me a beer. "Come on! Drink up, live a little!"

I just stared at the beer in my hand. "Um... Ibuki? This is empty..." I pointed out.

Ibuki took the empty beer bottle from my hand and giggled drunkly. "Hehehehe, oops...! I must've drank that one... Hehehehe...!" she snorted.

Drunk Ibuki is gettin' old real fast...

Ibuki suddenly handed me another beer. This one full. "Here! Here's your bear-- I mean, beer! Hehe...!" she hiccuped.

Byakuya face palmed. "Dear God..."

I turned the beer over in my hands. Since I'm sixteen (which is underage, by the way), I've never had a beer. I've wondered how they tasted, but I never considered trying one. Alcohol ruins lives, DUH.

And right now I'm a gymnastics prodigy going to a fancy private school for rich people who has a chance at her dream of someday being in the Olympics, so I'd rather NOT ruin my life right now...

I may be a little over dramatic, but I don't want to take any chances.

"I'll pass." I said before I handed back the beer.

Ibuki frowned. "Come on, Junie-June-June~! Let's have some FUN! Shake this place up a bit!"

"Uh, the headmaster might complain if we do that..." I said.

"The headmaster's your uncle! He'll understand!" Ibuki said. "Jeez, do you EVER have any fun?"

"Well, I--"

"I'll take that as a big, fat NO."

I sighed. "Fine. If I take ONE SIP of the dumb beer, will you leave me alone?"

Ibuki smiled a lopsided smile. "Right on, June!"

I sighed again before I opened the beer and lifted it to my lips...

"I strongly advice against you doing this. This is underage drinking, another reason I typically avoid social events." Byakuya said.

I gave him a look. "Number one, you're not my father. Number two, it's NONE of your business what I do and do not do." Then I lifted the beer to my lips once more before I took a sip.

My eyes widened.

The beer actually wasn't half bad... In fact, it was kinda great...

"This is... This is actually good..." I said before I drank some more.

I waited for some comment from Byakuya, but there was none.

He was suddenly gone.

I shrugged and kept drinking my beer.

"See? What did I tell you...? Beer is delicious...! Ain't it...?" Ibuki slurred.

I nodded. "Yeah, actually it is... Wait, how much did you have to drink?"

Ibuki thought for a second. "Hm... seven or eight... bottles." she said naturally.

My eyes widened again. "Seven or eight BOTTLES??? Well, jeez, I'll make sure I don't drink nearly that much," I said. Then I finished my beer. "Get me another."

~Byakuya's POV~ Naegi approached me. "Hey, Byakuya, how's the party so far?"

"Just as boring and terrible as I predicted," I said. "Also, Ibuki is more than slightly drunk."

Naegi nodded. "Oh yeah... Earlier I saw her having an argument with a chair... She said something about it stealing her cupcakes or something else weird..." he mumbled.

A chair? Cupcakes? Seriously?

I rolled my eyes. "Some times, people are so stupid, it's hardly believable." I said.

Naegi suddenly took out a bear bottle, opened it, and swigged some.

I raised my eyebrows. "Naegi, you're drinking? I didn't know you ever drank. Ever."

Naegi shrugged. "Just a few sips. There's really nothing else to drink here. And it's not like I drink often. Besides, I'm underage anyway." he said.

I nodded before I suddenly said with out thinking, "May I have some?"

Why did I just say that?

Naegi shrugged again before he took a napkin, wiped off the top of the bottle, and gave it to me. "Sure." he said.

I snatched the bottle out of his hand and drank the whole thing down.

When I finished, Naegi was looking at me, wide eyed. "Woah... I thought you said 'May I have some'..." he muttered.

I wiped my mouth and handed the now empty bottle back. "It's fine, Naegi. Don't wet your pants. I can handle one little bottle."

"Why are you suddenly interested in underage drinking...?" Naegi questioned.

"I'm not. It's just little June thinks she can handle her alcohol intake, so just to spite me, she drank a whole bottle, right in front of me. Now I did too. We'll see who can handle it better now." I said.

Naegi just stared at me. "Jeez, is EVERYTHING a constant competition between you two???" he said, irritated. "One day, you two are gonna go too far."

Little did he know, we already had.

And it resulted in the end of our friendship, all those years ago.

But, like I said before, I regret NOTHING.