Chapter 16: Hungover

~Byakuya's POV~ I regret this.

I gagged before I vomited more into the sink. I don't remember what happened last night at Hina's party, but apparently I drank more than originally planned...

I gagged again and vomited some more.

"See? What did I tell you? You went too far. Tsk, tsk, tsk." Naegi said as he stood outside the bathroom door.

I lifted my head up momentarily. "If you know what's good for you, Naegi, you'll shut your mouth right now..." Then I vomited again. My head pounded louder and louder.

I had woken up with an immediate splitting headache. It was obvious I was hungover.

"Byakuya? Are you okay? Do you need anything?" Naegi asked.

I gagged and vomited. "Do I sound like I'm okay?" I snapped. "Although, some Tylenol would be favorable..."

Naegi sighed. "Sure. But, Byakuya, you know last night I told you not to drink anymore after you chugged that entire first bottle."

I lifted my head from the sink slightly. "Really? I don't remember a thing from last night..."

"Of course you don't. You're hungover. I wouldn't remember anything either." Naegi said.

"I can't believe I drank... I never drink... Why did I even drink?" I mumbled.

"I think you just said something about June handling her alcohol intake better than you so you wanted to stand her up...," Naegi replied. "I tried to tell you it was a bad idea, but you wouldn't listen."

Of course I didn't listen... When it came to June, I rarely listened to anyone.

"Figures... I can't believe myself... I'm no better than she is...!" I grumbled.

Naegi sighed. "Hey, look on the bright side: you haven't puked in over a minute! I think it's getting bet--"

I cut him off suddenly as I gagged and vomited some more.

"And... nevermind." Naegi mumbled.

I sighed before I wiped my mouth with my sleeve. "I wonder how June is handling it..."

"I don't know; I'll call Kirigiri." Naegi said before I heard him dial on his phone. Someone picked up after three rings.

"Hello?" It was Kirigiri.

Naegi must have the conversation on speaker.

"Hey, Kyouko. It's Makoto. I was just wondering... How's June doing...?"

I suddenly heard gagging in the background. "I... I'M DYING!" More gagging.

It must be June.

"Does that answer your question?" Kyouko sighed.

Naegi sighed. "Yeah, pretty much. Byakuya isn't holding up too good either."

"When I get ahold of June, I'm gonna kill her...!" I said before I gagged and vomited. "This is all her fault!"

"Do shut up, Togami." Kyouko said.

Before I could respond, more bile rose up and I vomited again.

"What exactly happened last night?" Naegi asked.

"Well, June went kind of nuts after Ibuki showed her how wonderful alcohol is. June then proceeded to drink bottle after bottle after bottle until she was completely drunk out of her mind. I tried to convince her to stop, but she didn't listen. And now, here we are." Kyouko said.

I heard more gagging and vomiting on the other end of the phone. "KYOUKO! HELP MEEEEEE!!!" Even more gagging and vomiting.

"You know what would be real great right now, Naegi?" I grumbled.

"What?"

"MAYBE YOU GETTING ME THE GOD DAMN TYLENOL I ASKED FOR!!!" I gagged then vomited.

"Okay, Byakuya! Hold on," Naegi said. "Sorry, Kyouko, I've gotta go... I hope June feels better soon! Sorry!" Then I heard him hang up. "Okay, Byakuya, where's the Tylenol?"

"It's where it's always been: the God damn medicine cabinet! Where else?!" I shouted.

"Okay then... Byakuya, I'm coming in...!" Naegi said before I saw the bathroom door opening and Naegi coming in the bathroom.

Then, Naegi rummaged around in the medicine cabinet before he pulled out the little Tylenol box. "Found it!" he declared.

I lifted my head up from the sink. "Good for you..." I said sarcastically.

Eventually, I finally stopped gagging and vomiting and Naegi helped me to my bed. Then he gave me three Tylenol and got me a glass of water.

"Now rest. You're lucky it's the weekend." Naegi said.

I took the Tylenol and drank down the water. "Thank you." I mumbled.

Naegi sighed. "You're welcome. Now, get some rest. Take a nap. It'll help."

I nodded. "Sure... anything to make this pounding headache go away..." I groaned.

Naegi patted my shoulder. "Don't worry, the Tylenol should be kicking in soon. Get some sleep."

So, I did. I eventually fell into a deep sleep.

"Hurry!"

"I don't see what the problem is."

My eyes went wide at my idiot cousin, Takahiro Togami. "There's no problem, Takahiro! Well, NOT YET anyway..." I said as I ran around the house, trying to make everything look perfect.

"I don't get it. She's been here before, hasn't she? You told me yourself. I get that you're madly in love with the girl, but is she really worth all this trouble?" Takahiro said.

I whipped my head around to face him. "June is worth everything. She's the only friend I've ever had and I want you to look... somewhat presentable in front of her! Don't forget the fact that I've been in love with her since the fifth grade. If she's ever gonna notice me as more than a friend, she needs to see how nice we can make ourselves look. Especially since YOU'RE HERE..." I said.

I was in the sixth grade and Takahiro was in the seventh grade. He was a only a couple of months older than me. June was coming over soon, and she was going to meet him.

I just hope she doesn't decide to completely ditch our friendship after she has the pleasure of meeting my cousin.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. I jumped a bit. "She's here...!" I gasped. Then I turned to Takahiro. "Be NORMAL. Got it?" He nodded. "Good." I said.

I went and approached the doors. "Well, here goes nothing...!" Then I opened them, revealing June. She looked beautiful as always.

"Hey, Byakuya! Every time I forget how amazingly big your house is!" June said as she came in. Then, she spotted Takahiro. "This must be your cousin!" she said.

I nodded. "Yep. June, meet Takahiro Togami, my only cousin. Takahiro, meet June Takahashi, my best and only friend." I introduced them.

June smiled and shook Takahiro's hand. "It's nice to meet you, Takahiro! Byakuya's told me all about you." she said.

Takahiro smirked at June and looked her up and down. "Yes... and he's told me all about YOU... Let me just say, you're more beautiful than I imagined you being..." he said.

June blushed. "Thanks...," she mumbled. "And you say he's told you about me? All good things, I hope!"

Takahiro kept smirking. "Oh yes, great things... In fact, he's told me millions of times that he's madly in love with--"

I immediately cut him off. "Hey, June! If you're hungry, I set some snacks up in the kitchen!"

June smiled. "Oh, thanks, Byakuya! I'm actually pretty hungry!" she said before she skipped off into the kitchen.

I glared at Takahiro. "What do you think you're doing?!" I whisper shouted.

"Um, being your wingman, of course! What's the issue, cous'?" Takahiro said.

My eyes widened. "NO! Don't tell her a thing and, most definitely, DO NOT HELP ME! I'm not ready to tell her yet! I'm nowhere near ready!!!"

Takahiro sighed. "Gosh, four-eyes, you're no fun. Plus, I'm pretty sure she likes you too. I mean, WHO WOULDN'T??? You're good looking and rich. That's all girls LOOK FOR in a guy these days!" he said obviously. "If you ask me, SHE should be the one chasing after YOU. NOT the other way around."

I sighed. "Takahiro! Open your eyes! LOOK AT HER. She's BEAUTIFUL. I'm lucky to have her as a FRIEND. I mean, tell me she's NOT beautiful!" I said.

"She's pretty freaking hot." Takahiro admitted. I nodded.

"'Pretty freaking hot'. Um, YEAH, SHE IS." I said.

Takahiro sighed. "I'm just tryin' to help you, man."

"I appreciate it, I really do. But, PLEASE DON'T." I said.

Suddenly, June came back into the entrance hall holding two chocolate chip cookies in her hand. "Thanks for the snacks, Byakuya! They're great." she said before she bit into one of the cookies.

I smiled at her. "Good. I'm glad you like them." I said.

We all stood around for about five seconds before June spoke up. "So... what do you guys wanna do?" she asked.

"I dunno..." I said.

We stood in more seconds of silence before Takahiro suddenly asked, "Hey, June?"

"Yeah, Takahiro?" June replied.

"Byakuya thinks you're hot." Takahiro said.

Silence. Both June and I's eyes widened.

WHY THE HELL DID HE JUST SAY THAT?!?!

June turned completely red. "W-What?" she mumbled.

I stepped in. "Y-Yeah...! I think you're hot... hot on my tail, because we're playing tag, and you're it!" I said before I nudged June.

June snorted. "Byakuya! We're too old for tag. That's more of an elementary school thing. We're in middle school now. We've matured." she said.

I chuckled. "Oh! Is June Takahashi admitting that I, Byakuya Togami, am better than she is??? What a turn of events!" I said.

June gave me a look. "I never said that." she said.

"Yeah... you didn't SAY IT... but you were THINKIN' IT~!" I sang.

June glared at me. "Byakuya, you are NOT better than I am! Stop being so--"

"June Takahashi the CHICKEN~! Buck, buck, buck! B-Buck, BUCK!" I said, mimicking the sounds a chicken would make and flapping my arms like a chicken would flap their wings.

June growled at me. "That's it! You better run, Byakuya Togami, because I'm comin' to get ya'!" she said before she started at me.

I jumped a bit and immediately ran.

Takahiro ran after us. "Where are you guys going???"

June and I ran and ran until we couldn't run anymore. Eventually, we ended up outside my house and in my family's garden. We collapsed on the grass as we were consumed in mass fits of chuckles and snorts.

When we finally stopped laughing, we looked into each other's eyes.

June smiled and giggled at me.

That smile... her beautiful smile... I'd do anything just to keep that smile there.

I looked deeply into her beautiful, emerald green eyes. The most beautiful eyes I'd ever look into.

I must've blushed deep red.

I would never get tired of looking into those eyes. Not ever.

June blushed too, probably at how close our faces were.

I debated on whether I should kiss her or not. Most of the kids in our grade were already dating, and I've wanted to date June since the fifth grade.

But, if I kissed her and she didn't feel the same, it'd make it all awkward and would ruin our friendship.

But, I really wanted this.

I was just beginning to lean in when suddenly Takahiro landed on the grass next to us.

"Aha! Found you! And you two thought I couldn't keep up with you! Nice try!" he said before he laughed.

I wanted to slap him in the face.

"Yeah... you sure showed us..." I grumbled as June and I got up. Takahiro got up with us.

"So," he said as he brushed himself off. "what do you want to do now?"

My eyes snapped open and I sat up in bed.

I looked around and realized I was in my dorm room. I looked out the window to see it was late at night.

How long had I been asleep???

I heard Naegi snoring next to me in his own bed.

I sighed and rolled over. Another dream about June. Just great...

Why can't I stop dreaming about her??? I mean, it's not like she dreams about me! The whole thing is just stupid.

When, if ever, will these dreams stop?