Chapter 48: Heartbreaker

~June's POV~ "Really? Seriously?" I said, my eyebrows raised in surprise. "Like, for real???"

Byakuya nodded. He and I were sitting at a small café having lunch and a cup of coffee together.

And Byakuya had just told me that he and Makoto had literally walked in on LEON and SAYAKA making out.

In a janitor's closet.

Apparently, according to Byakuya, the two had been secretly dating ever since the Spring Fling and hadn't told us because Leon wasn't comfortable revealing he had a girlfriend.

"Yes, for real. Naegi and I saw it, and they both flat-out told us." Byakuya said before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Wow... I can't believe we never noticed how they felt about each other before... I guess they were just really good at hiding it..." I mumbled.

"You're probably right," Byakuya said, agreeing with me. "Although, I'll never understand why anyone would ever want to keep their relationship a secret--I mean, after you and I kissed for the first time, I was about ready to shout to the entire world that you and I were together, because it was a dream come true for me just being with you." He smiled at me heartwarmingly.

"Byakuya... you're literally the sweetest thing ever..." I sighed, feeling a warm pleasant feeling in my chest, one that I was getting used to whenever I was around Byakuya.

Byakuya chuckled. "Well, I don't think everyone thinks that about me." he said.

I reached across the table and held one of his hands in one of mine. "Yeah, well that's because they don't know you like I know you." I whispered, a smile finding its way on to my face. Byakuya smiled back.

"I'm so lucky to have you." he hummed.

"I'm luckier to have you." I said.

"I have to strongly disagree, Miss Takahashi; I'm the luckiest one here because I have you." Byakuya said back, and I laughed.

"Okay, okay! How about let's both be the lucky one," I said. "How about that?"

Byakuya smiled again. "I like that idea."

"So do I." I agreed, and we both leaned forward and shared a brief, but meaningful kiss.

We barely pulled away from each other; I could still feel Byakuya's breath against my lips. "I love you." he whispered, causing that warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest to grow.

"I love you too." I whispered back before we both separated completely and leaned back in our seats, taking bites of our lunch and drinks of our coffee.

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

Days went by quickly, school days for some reason even quicker, and eventually we had blazed through two more weeks and it was getting hotter outside, the sun shining brighter.

Spring was soon coming to a close, inviting some of the summer weather in.

Studying for final exams increased, the time before the end of the year shortening.

So far, everything was going great--Byakuya and I, after many years of loving each other, were finally a couple; Kyouko and Makoto were together, Erin and Ishimaru were obviously obsessed with each other, and now Sayaka and Leon were a couple, which made the rest of us happy that Leon had finally found someone and was comfortable admitting it.

If you think about it, it's been a big year for me...

And right now, I'm the happiest I've ever been.

I found myself sighing happily as Erin and I approached the doorstep of our house. Erin used her key to unlock the door and let us both in before closing the door behind us.

Today was Jesse's birthday, and Erin and I came home after school to celebrate it with him and Dad.

Jesse said he didn't want to go anywhere for his birthday--he just wanted to relax at home after school with his family and watch one of his favorite movies and probably pig out on junk food.

Jesse smiled when he noticed Erin and I arrived. "Junebug! Erin! Finally you two arrive! You're both incredibly slow." he said.

"Hey, cut us come slack, will ya'? School literally just got out forty-five minutes ago." Erin said before Jesse hugged us both and retreated into the kitchen where Dad was, cutting a cake that I presume he bought for Jesse.

Dad immediately stopped cutting the cake and approached the both of us. "My girls! I missed you!" he exclaimed before he threw both his arms around us and hugged us tightly.

"Um... Dad? We literally saw you last Sunday..." Erin pointed out.

"I can't... really breathe..." I muttered as Dad kept squeezing us.

Dad let go of us after I said that. "I'm sorry! Am I not allowed to miss my own children?"

I smiled. "Dad, of course you're allowed to miss us." I said, putting a hand on his arm.

He smiled back at me. "Thank you," he said. "Oh, and, June, can I talk to you for a second? Dad to daughter?"

I snorted. "Sure."

Dad motioned for me to follow him into the hallway just as I caught a glimpse of Jesse and Erin looking longingly at the cake, probably dying to scarf it down.

"What's up?" I asked after Dad had pulled me to the side.

"June, I've noticed that you've been... unusually happy for weeks now... Why is that?"

I blinked. "What? Is being happy suddenly a new concept around here?"

"No, it's just I've noticed you've been extra happy lately, and I'm wondering why; that's all." Dad replied.

Huh.

I shuffled around a bit. "I mean... I guess I've been happy... I didn't think it was important..."

I've been extra happy since Byakuya and I became a couple, I know that for a fact.

"Any reason why?" Dad asked.

"Hm... I don't think so..." I said.

Okay, so maybe I haven't exactly told Dad about Byakuya and I, yet... And maybe I also haven't told Jesse about Byakuya and I, either...

It's just, ever since what happened with Leo, Dad and Jesse have been really reluctant towards the idea of me dating ever again.

However, they know about Erin's relationship with Ishimaru, mainly because about a week ago Erin finally introduced Ishimaru to Dad and Jesse at an open house event, and both Dad and Jesse immediately liked Ishimaru because he was a "polite and respectful gentleman", they said, because he really was.

I've been reluctant towards telling Dad and Jesse about my relationship with Byakuya, mainly because they already dislike him because he was the "boy who broke my heart", even though I made it clear to them that we made up and had become friends again.

And, while Jesse teases me constantly about being in love with Byakuya, he's made it clear he is just teasing me and still dislikes him.

Guys are so confusing some times...

"June, don't lie to me; I'm your father, and I know when you're not being honest with me." Dad said, breaking my train of thought.

I sighed. Dad is clearly smarter than I thought...

"You've been having this faraway, dreamy look in your eyes some times when I look at you...," Dad said, looking deep in thought. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "It's a guy, isn't it? I know it is! Who is he?"

Oh great.

I swallowed. "What? Please, Dad! You know that ever since the thing with Leo, I've been DONE with dating...!"

Dad's eyes narrowed. "June."

"Dad."

Dad sighed. "Seriously, June, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

I slowly nodded. "Yeah..."

Dad clasped a hand on my shoulder. "Then tell me," he said gently before he grew serious. "Now, I know there's a guy, June; tell me who he is."

"O-Okay..." I mumbled.

Here it goes...

I looked down at my feet before I muttered, "It's... Byakuya."

Dad leaned in. "What? I didn't hear you. Can you say it again?"

I swallowed again. "It's... it's Byakuya!" I let it out. Dad's eyes widened.

Here we go...

"What? As in Byakuya Togami?" he sputtered. "As in the boy who broke your heart???"

"As in the boy I made up with," I immediately said. "You know that he and I made up and everything's cool between us now... Well, actually, things are more than cool between us..."

I watched as Dad's face paled over as his eyes widened. "You... you and Byakuya..."

"Are dating, yes. We are. And we're very happy."

Dad just shook his head. "June... I don't... I don't like this..."

"Yeah, well, I do." I pressed.

"June, after what happened with that Leo guy," Dad spat Leo's name out harshly. "please understand that my trust in the guys you pick out is limited."

I took a step back. "Oh, so what you're saying is you don't trust me enough to choose the right guy, now?"

Dad shook his head. "No, June! That's not it at all! It's not you I don't trust--it's the guys out there I don't trust. I mean, one of them hurt one of my little girls."

I sighed. "I know what you mean, Dad... But I also know Byakuya is different and that he's changed; he's proved it to me. He's a good guy, Dad. Believe me, he is." I said, insistent on getting Dad to believe me.

But Dad just crossed his arms and looked at me.

I did the same thing and stared him down.

Eventually, Dad sighed and uncrossed his arms. "You know what? Fine. I'll make you a deal--you and Byakuya are coming over for dinner tomorrow night so I can meet him as your... boyfriend and see exactly how 'changed' he is. How about that?"

I gave him a firm nod. "Deal. But, you have to give him a fair shot. Got it, Dad? No intimidating him, no dogging on him, NOTHING like that."

Dad just stood there for a second before he reluctantly nodded. "Okay. It's a deal."

I smiled. "Good," I said. "Now, let's get back into the kitchen; we have a cake to eat."