Disclaimer: As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers. However, I do own Neko, my OC. (Yay! I own something! Mine! Don't touch!) It's still not worth suing me; I am but a humble fan.

Thank you, Kamio-sensei!

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AN: This is completely AU. Not canon! Things are different--deal with it! Don't like, don't read!

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Tea and Saké

A Hana Yori Dango FanFic

By Janice Rips

Chapter 1: What you see is not always what you get

The hallways of Eitoku were abuzz. Rumors were flying about a new transfer student from America. Asai and her hens huddled together clucking. "I wonder if the new student is a boy or girl?" "Oh, I hope it's a cute guy!" "I don't know, do you really think a gaijin would be that cute?" "I hear they own a big winery." "I wonder where their vineyards are located?" "Probably Sonoma or Napa." "Unless it's Upstate New York." "Or somewhere in France or Italy." And on and on it went, all of them talking at once, tons of speculation, but no one had any concrete facts.

"I hear they've only been in business for about ten years. Seems they won all their start-up funds in a lottery. Have you ever heard of anything so gauche?"

The girls turned at the unfamiliar voice, then stood there, agape. Lounging against the lockers was a tall bishounen, a luxuriant tumble of copper curls obscuring his eyes, but an unmistakable sneer of disdain curling his lip.

"We may be a winery, but we don't have any vineyards," he continued in the same contemptuous tone as he pushed away from the wall. "Now that you've finished discussing my family's business, perhaps you should mind your own," he threw over his shoulder as he glided away.

"Gawd, how rude!" "But totally hot!!!" "But can you have a winery without vineyards?" "Have you ever seen hair like that?" The moment he was out of earshot, the rumor mill started grinding again.

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Tsukushi and Kazuya were sitting in the cafeteria, eating their bento and chatting, when the tall redhead approached their table. "Um, excuse me, do you mind if I join you?"

They looked at each other, then back at the stranger. "No, I guess not," Tsukushi said with a shrug.

"It's okay by me," added Kazuya, "but if you don't mind my asking, why us?"

"It was a process of elimination," the foreigner grinned, taking a seat across from them. "First, I looked around for some people who seemed to be genuinely enjoying their conversation. Then I moved closer, and found out that you weren't busy bragging about what you bought, where you traveled, or who you slept with. But the real clincher," said the redhead, putting a box on the table, "was that you brought your lunches instead of buying. Actually, this girl, Ayuhara I think it was, invited me to sit with her and Asai and their crew, but I think that they're under the mistaken impression that I'm a guy."

"You're not?!" Kazuya goggled.

"I think it's because you're wearing the boys' uniform," Tsukushi pointed out.

"Oh! I forgot!" the new girl blushed. "The girls' uniform is indecently short on me. I'm 180 cm in bare feet. By the way, I'm Neko Cross. Oops! I mean Cross Neko," she said, offering her hand.

"I'm Makino Tsukushi, and this is Aoike Kazuya," Tsukushi replied, shaking her hand, "but tell me, is your name really Neko?"

It's Nicollette, but no one around here can pronounce it easily, so it's Neko for short."

"So, you brought a bento, too? What's in yours?" Kazuya asked, curious.

"Hmm, I don't know, but I'm hoping..." Neko opened the lid. "Yes! Chef remembered! Happy Cinco de Mayo!"

"What is that?" Tsukushi and Kazuya asked, staring at their new friend's lunch.

"Let's see... The red stuff is gazpacho, cold tomato soup. The green is guacamole, not wasabi. It's mashed avocado and spices. Careful of the pineapple-mango-habañero salsa, it's sweet and hot. This is ceviche, raw scallops in limejuice and salt. In the warm food side is arroz con pollo, chicken and rice. The pastries are empanadas, stuffed with seasoned ground beef. This one is black beans with cotija cheese, and this packet is tortillas. And this," she said, opening a thermos and breathing in the steam deeply, "is black gold. Mexican coffee. Dig in, there's plenty to share."

The three were happily sharing their lunches, Tsukushi exclaiming over the exotic dishes, when a shadow fell across the table. There stood Tsukasa, with the rest of the F4 behind him. "Makino, what's going on? Who is this gaijin, and why are you hanging all over him?" he scowled.

"Doumyouji, you've got it wrong," Tsukushi began, but Neko held up a hand and cut her short.

Her curls obscuring her face again, she said quietly, "Your girlfriend's virtue is in no danger from me."

"I'll be the judge of that, you freak," Tsukasa growled, then threw a punch at the foreigner.

The redhead ducked and jabbed a knife-hand into his solar plexus, knocking him back into the other guys. "You want to play rough? Fine," she said, "just let me take off my shoes first."

Tsukasa struggled in the grip of the other three. "Why do you have to take off your shoes?" he rasped.

"One, it's easier to keep my balance without them. Two, I don't want to permanently damage your pretty face when I kick you in it. I don't think Tsukushi-chan would appreciate that. And three," she said, holding up a pair of strappy high heels and shaking the curls out of her violet-and-sable-rimmed green eyes, "if I break a heel off my new Jimmy Choo's my dad just sent me, I'm going to be really pissed."

The F4 went stock still, then Akira stated the obvious. "Tsukasa, you just took a swing at a girl."

"That's what I was trying to tell you," Tsukushi muttered.

"But how was I supposed to know? What kind of girl wears a guy's suit?!" Tsukasa exclaimed.

"A really tall one," Neko replied. "As I said, your woman is safe with me. I don't swing that way. But if you still want to have a go at me," she glared at him, "I'll be glad to kick your ass."

Tsukasa stared at her incredulously, then burst into mocking laughter. "Do you have any idea just to whom you're talking?"

"A big fish in a little pond," she answered. Suddenly she was upside down and spinning, one foot landing smack in his face. Then she was crouched , ready to spring again.

"What was that move?" an amazed Soujiro asked.

"Capoeira," answered Rui. "Brazilian martial arts, right?"

Neko nodded, watching warily. "Right. Any other comers, or can I finish my lunch? Oh, and you," she said pointedly to Tsukasa, "if you ever try to hit me again, I'll break your neck. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," he answered, regarding her with newfound respect.

"Neko, allow me to make introductions," Tsukushi offered, now that tensions have been diffused. "Cross Neko, this big idiot is my overprotective boyfriend, Doumyouji Tsukasa."

Neko offered her hand. "No hard feelings, Doumyouji-san."

He shook her hand. "None here, either. That was impressive. Not many people can get a hit in on me."

Tsukushi continued. "This is Mimasaka Akira," Neko and Akira nod to each other, "the smart one is Hanazawa Rui," he smiled and waved, "and this is Nishsikado Soujiro. Watch out for him, he's a real womanizer," she added.

Neko started to bow, then looked up sharply. "Nishikado? Wait, are you any relation to Nishikado Suiichi?"

Soujiro was startled. "That's my grandfather. How do you know of him?"

Neko laughed. "What a small world! My grandfather has been corresponding with yours for the past three decades!"

"Really? What's your grandfather's name? I might have heard of him."

"You might, indeed. My grandfather is Yanagi Chihiro."

Soujiro's eyes widened. "No way! I thought the Yanagi line died out!"

"Not the line, just the name. Two generations of only daughters will do that," she replied with a chuckle.

Akira turned to Soujiro. "Who are the Yanagis?"

"Have you heard of Willow Saké? That's who the Yanagis are," he explained.

Akira gaped in astonishment. "You mean the Saké masters of Kumamoto?"

"The very same," Soujiro answered. "Cross-san, I'm honored to make your acquaintance."

"You mean you've never had a croissant before?" Neko quipped with a grin. She locked eyes with Rui. "PFFT!!!" They both burst into laughter. Everyone else stared at them, baffled.

When she could speak, Neko said, "I know we just met, but please, call me Neko. When you call me 'Cross-san,' I sound like a French pastry," she grinned.

Awareness dawned on the others as Rui sputtered, "Croissant, hahaha!!!" and suddenly the whole group was laughing. Room was made at the table, and the F4 joined the other three, Tsukasa placing a protective arm around Tsukushi's shoulder, much to her annoyance. The others peppered Neko with questions, Rui bravely tried the ceviche and salsa and declared them good, and Kazuya ran to get spare cups when Neko offered to share her coffee.

"Say, this school has a bulletin board, right?" Receiving an affirmative nod, Neko continued, "So, if I were to put up an invitation for a party at my place tonight, do you think anyone would show up?"

Tsukushi snorted derisively. "Let's see, free food, free booze, no chaperones, and insatiable nosiness? I think the whole school will probably show up," she said.

"Would you like us to spread the word?" Rui offered.

"You guys would do that?" Neko asked, astonished. "But we only just met."

"Don't say that, " Akira laughed, "you're an old friend of the family. Right, Soujiro?"

"Absolutely. Post the invite, we'll be there," Soujiro agreed. "By the way, what dress code are we talking?"

"Fairly laid-back. It's a fiesta--Mexican Day of Independence," Neko answered.

"Okay, we'll see you tonight." The F4 got up to go.

"Alright, hasta la vista!" Neko called after them.

"Hosta what?" Tsukasa looked back, puzzled.

"Never mind. See ya!" Soujiro called, and they left.

Tsukushi leaned across the table to whisper to Neko, "Looks like you'll do okay here. Welcome to Eitoku Gakuen."

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AN: I am not promising any schedule for updates--cope! The problem is that other fics demand to be written, and sometimes I obey, instead of finishing the big projects first.

I'm amazed I get anything written with all the noise in my head --grins-- (Tsukasa & Tsukushi, quit bickering! Tsukasa, kiss the girl, already! Akira, Soujiro, you two stop making fun of them! Shigeru, speak Japanese, you're as bad as Tsukasa! Neko, shut up, you're not in this one! Rui, wake up! Kazuya, quit whining! Sakurako, back off, I mean it! Leon, D, go do that elsewhere, you're embarrassing Tsukushi! Mizuki, Izumi, Shuichi, what are you doing here, aren't you supposed to be in school? No, Hokotu, you can't join Leon and D, besides I thought I told them to take it elsewhere? Yuki, Shigeru and...Shuichi? Stop hollering 'Ganbatte!' every five minutes and start straightening out this mess! No, Rei, you cannot park your motorcycle here! I don't care if Soujiro thinks it's cool! No, D, Shippo is not for sale, even if he and Ten-chan would make a matched set!)

(This fantasy sequence brought to you by Hana Yori Dango, Pet Shop of Horrors, Hana-Kimi, Mars, and InuYasha. Apologies to Boys Be, Chobits, and various others for being excluded this time around. Too much noise, already!)

Special thanks to SarahNThatcher, who helps me keep my head on straight! Luvya!