Sarutobi P.O.V

I didn't believe in love.

Well, I didn't think such a thing existed. That feeling of warmth that spreads beneath your skin when you see that certain person, that feeling for protectiveness and possessiveness that you must protect that person. I didn't believe in any of that, maybe it was because of the relationship I had with my parents. Or maybe because I've never found someone to feel that way towards. Sure, I've dated plenty of girls, but I never felt any 'love' towards them.

Then I met you.

It was just another dull day in class, screwing around with my friends, talking about stupid, unimportant shit and cracking jokes at the teacher.

Then, the door to the classroom swung open, and in stepped our principal, Ms. Fujioka. Following her, was you.

The first thing I noticed about you was your eyes, they were such a startling green. I've always liked the color green actually, I wished that I had green eyes, despite my already sparkling blue ones.

There was something else I've noticed in those gorgeous eyes of yours, sadness. You looked incredibly sad for some reason, so sad that I was tempted to get up and just crush you in a comforting hug. Like you've been betrayed or hurt so bad by someone.

The second thing I noticed about you was your hair, it was such a shiny dark brown. I've never seen such silky smooth hair, not even on girls. You looked feminine like a girl as well, but it was obvious that you were a boy.

"This class, is Onodera Ritsu," Ms. Fujioka introduced you, smiling towards the class as she continued, "He'll be your new classmate for the rest of the year, be sure to show him the ropes."

The teacher sent you to sit in the seat in front of mine. I stared at you as you nervously walked down the aisle and sat down quietly.

"Sarutobi, be sure to help him if he needs it," the teacher says as Ms. Fujioka bowed and left the room.

I nod, hesitatingly, I reach forward and tapped him on the back, "Hey," I say as he turns around and meets my eyes with those startlingly green ones, "I'm Sarutobi Imane, it's nice to meet you."

He's quiet for a moment, he seems to be observing me curiously. I almost thought that he wasn't even going to say anything until he nods his head, "Likewise, Sarutobi," he took my offered hand and shook it.

I wasn't expecting to just fall for him. Heck, he was a guy for christsakes! I'm straight! Well, that's what I thought until I really got to know him.

It took awhile to really befriend him though, he was so a bit unfriendly at first. He seemed hesitant to even talk to anyone. People pegged him as weird and ignored him mostly, but I didn't. I found him fascinating, and cute, in a way. So I made sure to talk or hang out with him any chance I got. We shared a love for books, so I'd see him in the library most of the time. Sometimes he'd be standing in the aisle in some sort of daze, staring at the books on the shelves as if he was remembering something, something that made him teary eyed at times.

I wondered if it had something to do with the sadness in his eyes. I'd find myself laying in bed at night and just thinking of him, thinking of what could hurt him so bad that he couldn't trust those around him anymore.

It was another day in biology when we were working on some sort of chemical mixture. I was working with a guy named Dante, we were mostly just fooling around and pouring random chemicals into the tube, wanting it to explode or do something cooler then smoking up.

Ritsu was sitting in front of me, working with an American exchange student named Jack. Jack looked as if he didn't know what the hell he was doing, while Ritsu was reading the instructions over and over again on the board. I couldn't help but watch curiously as they worked on their mixture.

Jack picked up a red chemical and lifted it to pour into the vial.

Ritsu saw what he was doing and gasped, "No! Don't do that! That'll cause a-"

But it was too late, Jack was already pouring the whole thing in there. Jack jumped out of his seat and got back just in time for it to explode everywhere, but Ritsu wasn't as lucky, it blew up right in his face and got all over his clothes. Students jumped as it exploded, staring wide-eyed at the scene as an embarrassed and blushing Ritsu collapsed to the floor. Seeming to have gotten weak kneed all of a sudden.

"That was awesome!" Dante exclaimed as the rest of the class started laughing right at Ritsu. I wasn't so amused and frowned at my friend for laughing at him.

The teacher didn't look so pleased, he glared in the direction of Ritsu's seat and said, "Sarutobi, please take Ritsu up to the office to get a change of clothes."

"Yes sir," I say as I get out of my seat and circle around the desk to help Ritsu up. He was in a puddle of the chemicals that just blew up thanks to Jack.

He had his head down, but I could see his burning cheeks through his bangs. I offered him my hand, he ignored it for a moment before he gave in and took it. I pulled him up and helped him out the classroom, where the excitement was dying down.

"Are you okay?" I asked him softly as we walk down the hall slowly, towards the office.

"I'm fine," he merely mumbled, trailing a bit behind me as he added beneath his breath, something he though I didn't hear but I did, "I've been hurt worse before…"

That only made my curiosity for what hurt him so bad in the past. Did he mean emotionally or physically? Did some stupid girl dump him for no reason?

A few days pass by after that, and I still make sure to talk to him as much as I could.

I cornered him in the library one day, "Why don't we hang out?"

"Huh?" he looked up at me in confusion.

I cleared my throat and tried to arrange the words in my head carefully, "Well, since you're still new to town, I bet you haven't really gone out or done anything fun right? Well, I was wondering if you would want to see a movie or something?"

Ritsu hesitated, "I don't know…" he murmured unsurely.

I smiled comfortingly at him, "It wouldn't kill you to have some fun you know?"

Ritsu sighed, "Fine…"

After just one night of going out and having some fun, we instantly clicked. He told me a bit about his parents and how strict they are. I could never live with such parents, since mine didn't really give a crap about what I did. I was still curious as to what hurt him in the past, but I didn't push it. Yet.

It actually took me about a year and getting him drunk to make him fess up. He told me about Saga-sempai, and how he broke his heart and such. About how when Ritsu told him he loved him, that he merely chuckled. That was really fucked up, to me at least. By then, we knew practically everything about each other. And now, I felt something more than friendship for Ritsu. I accepted it and didn't even try to deny it when I realized how I truly felt for him.

Is this what they call love?

He made me feel so alive, I would find myself laying in bed and just thinking about him. His voice, his face… Those green eyes of his. I would do anything to make him mine, I would kill to hold him in my arms and confess to him how I truly felt for him. But I was hesitant. He got out a relationship with a guy that broke his heart, was he ready for another one? And what are guys supposed to do when they date anyways? Does that include that sexual stuff?

Despite all this confusion, all these questions, there was one thing I knew for sure.

Love was definitely real.

My love for Ritsu is real.

Sarutobi P.O.V (Present)

I sigh and look out the window, it was pouring rain outside. It still felt so surreal to be sitting here, remembering the first time I met Ritsu. Remembering how I fell for him just like that. It almost felt nostalgic, laying here in bed, unable to sleep because I'm continually thinking about him, the rain pounding and thrumming on my bedroom window...

I sit up, my long blond hair falling down my bareback in gentle waves, the black roots nearly invisible in the dark. I push the bangs out my eyes and rest my face in my hands, my headache only getting worse.

"Agh... Ritsu..."

I try my best not to remember the first time we had sex, but the memories come anyways, flooding my mind.

"Ah..."

"S- Saga-sempai!"

These memories are the worst, they hurt the worst. I can still clearly see the look on Ritsu's face, as if I wasn't there. As if he wasn't really looking at me. I wish I could forget about that horrific moment. Ritsu screaming out someone else's name in the throes of passion...

Just thinking about it saddened me deeply.

It also pissed me off.

'Why do people even bother falling in love?' I wonder inwardly and looked out the window, seeing the rain still falling heavily, 'All it does is bring heartbreak...'

"God... What has he done to me?" I find myself mumbling as I push myself up and pad over to my bathroom to get a Tylenol.

Ritsu P.O.V

Ritsu was sitting on the couch next to Takano, Takano was just sort of sitting there for a while, observing Ritsu closely. Ritsu didn't say a word to him when he showed up, instead keeping quiet and avoiding eye contact at all times. Takano was actually about to say something when he suddenly slumped over, falling lightly right onto his shoulder, fast asleep.

Takano couldn't help but smile at his peaceful expression as he scooped him up and carried him into his room, 'I wonder why he was so quiet today...' he thought to himself as he laid him down on the bed and pulled the covers onto him, 'He hardly said a word to me the whole time I was here...' he shrugged to himself and shut off the lights, 'Eh, maybe he was just tired or something...'

This is in favor of the new chapter that just came out, next chapter will be a Christmas special maybe. I promise to update a whole lot more now that my schedule has cleared up. I will be updating my other stories so watch out for those. Keep those reviews coming!

And thanks for the 150 reviews! It means a lot!