Kyoko walked into the love me room. She had left her notebook there and came back to get it after the last of her errands was completed.

She sighed 'I'm so tired. Glad today is over with. Huh, what's this?'

There was a strange lump inside her planner. She flipped open the small schedule book and spotted a cookie.

"What the heck is this doing in my notebook?" 'hmm. Well it looks sealed and everything. Hey, isn't this from that famous American bakery?' Her interest increased by ten fold. 'I've always wanted to try one of these!' and before she knew it she had taken a bite.


"Its delishous!" She mumbled out from between the cookie bits. "Ah, what a nice end-of-the-day surprise." she hummed a delighted tune on her way out the door.

'come to think of it, I hope I didn't steal anyones cookie. Especially after finding out the cost for just one of those delicious little bastards! Well, it must have been for me, why else would it have been in my … book'

She sat on the floor of her room.

It had been the end of another long day, she was sifting through her old worn out blue and white purse when she saw it. "Another cookie!"

White chocolate. Macadamia nuts. Cinnamon. It was amazing. She moaned a bit.

When the treat was all gone she looked at her hands and felt a chill down her spine.

'Once is a lucky mistake. Twice is getting dangerously close to a trend!' Someone was following her and slipping these devilishly sweet treats into her possessions. The cookie may have been sweet but it was starting to leave a bad taste in her mouth. It reminded her of a certain stalker. She wanted nothing more to do with stalkers!

Her throat constricted in anxiety. Not really knowing what to do. Thats when her phone rang.

She slowly shifted her eyes to the small cellphone panel lit aglow on her table top. She let out the breath she had been holding and sighed a warm "Hello" into the receiver.


"Hello, Mogami-san"

"Actually, I needed your help with something." He said.

"Of course I'll help. I'll do anything as long as I don't have to break any laws. Well not the important ones."

He chuckled. "That won't be necessary. But if you could spare some time tonight, I would be grateful."

And so she ended up in the passenger seat of his car. Just idling a few feet from her home.

She felt so much more relaxed here. He made her remember that she would be okay, without even saying a word. She breathes in a large gulp of air. '!?'

"Tsuruga san... Why does it smell like cookies in here?" She asked aggressively.

He was silent. But then feigned a guilty look. "I guess I've been caught." he smiled.

"So it was you! I was worried I-" She stopped.

"Sorry. I couldn't help myself and only realized after the fact that I might have frightened you... considering your past experience with stalkers."

"But... regardless... they were delicious. Thank you."

"How about these then?" He reached towards the back seat of his car and pulled out a small white box. He held out the box to her and she took it. "Its warm" "I wanted to get them to you as soon as possible. While they're still fresh. I tried baking these myself. With the help of a professional of course." He assured her. She was surprised. "You...baked. Not just cooked but baked?!" Her eyes were wide in disbelief. "I practiced a lot. And had some help but yeah... I really hope you like these. Its nowhere near enough but, thank you for everything. "

She opened the box and was greeted by the sight of small round biscuit cookies with the image of pure red roses painted on top. It wasn't just the design, the perfumed scent of roses lifted up from the box and she drank in the sweet aroma. She was so amazed that it was a good half minute before she realized, wait "How can I eat these. They're so lovely!" Her eyes showed him just how far gone into lala land she had become.

He smiled "I know I haven't given you any reason to have faith in my kitchen skills but... please have a taste."

Her breath hitched as she saw his mouth form those words. Then she jolted right awake, staring down the beautiful creation in her hand and eagerly taking her first bite.

"Mmmm. Its amazing. The taste is so sweet and there's some kick from other spices too. It reminds me of you. I'm in love..." Her voice remained happy and cheerful but her face burned up like a rekindling flame. Any other day she would keep that face from him and everyone, making sure they never see it. No one could ever know. 'But this moment... I feel... maybe foolishly... I feel like its an exception.'

"Love. Love. Love." She spoke it out quietly but definitively a few more times for good measure.

"Thank you." Silence filled the air. She saw her own breath expand as her heat diffused out into the cool air of the car and realized, she hadn't felt the crushing chill of late march at all. Even though it was almost eleven pm. She was burning up. Her cheeks were on fire, her eyes were burning and watering. She was embarassed. She lowered her head in thanks. "Please have a good night" She refused to look at him, trying to escape as quickly as possible. A soft imploring touch anchored her to the seat but she kept her head turned to the door ready to jump ship at any moment.

"Kyoko," Her heart raced.

"Happy white day. I'm sorry that I took so long, I just wanted to give you something special."

"Why not...else"

"Hmm" He couldn't make out her fast paced mumbling.

"You could have given me the same present you gave all of the others. It would have been less trouble" She said quietly and coldly.

"No. Of course I couldn't." Never before had he so desperately wanted to see the expression on her face. He knew it would belie all of the feelings she had just maybe possibly tried to sneak past him.

She took a deep breath and turned to him. Calmly, she stretched up to his face and right beside his breathless lips laid a kiss. Slowly she put a hair's breadth of distance between their skin and whispered.

"It was delicious. Sleep well... goodnight."

Suddenly the scent of roses seemed to suffocate him as well. Despite not having minded it all night long. She rested back in her seat "Ren" She said with jovially devious grin on her lips and a burning red blush on her cheeks. 'Thats revenge for valentines day'

A miracle. He had encountered a christmas miracle... in March. 'There's no way I can let this slip by' he thought. "Ah." he said with a stone face. 'No. not again.' "Yeah, goodnight. Sorry to keep you."

Her heart sank a little at how cold he was being. Not looking her in the eye, gripping the wheel like it had a death wish... Kyoko's eyes widened. She had found one of the rare expressions of Tsuruga Ren.

The stone face of shock 'or embarrassment.'

Before she knew it... one more... then another... and number four... She pecked at him, desperate to see more. Maybe it was morbid curiosity or just another selfish indulgence of her own feelings but...he still hadn't moved.

She pulled back again until his hand impeded and kept her still. He reached out to catch those sneaky lips with his own eager ones. Pulling away and pushing forward... once... twice... and again. Each time short, chaste, fearful but filled with longing. He sighed and pulled away getting out of the car. He walked around to open her door. She jumped at the sound of it being opened and walked out slowly. Thankful for the bitting cold air on her flushed skin. "Until tomorrow, Kyoko" She looked at him shyly and nodded. "Tomorrow" She ran past him and towards her door, wishing she could take a few more laps around the block.

As she slid the door shut they both sighed and took a deep breath only to be done in again by the scent of roses that now engulfed them both at every turn.