So yeah, the pairing will come as a big surprise. Please, guess away! xDDD You might be surprised and you might not be...

But just keep in mind that there aren't many characters in Basara with... platinum hair.

Chapter 1: Stranger.

It was a day like any other day for me. The sun fighting to trickle in under the blinds, the songbirds outside in the tree singing the same song they sang every morning. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling for a while, pondering on the cracks that were there. There were the same amount of cracks in the ceiling as there had always been.

I heard my mother call my name, wearily. I frowned. She didn't sleep that much anymore, not with father gone. I didn't expect him to ever come back – he never called, never emailed, never did anything that a father should do. Never even spent proper time with me.

I kicked off my blankets and got out of bed, walking over to my wardrobe. I never wore a shirt to bed, and usually never wore a shirt ever. I always wore a baggy hoody, whether it be a zip up hoody or not. I pulled out my favorite one, the one with a gold star right in the middle. I pulled it on over my head and slipped off my pants. On came a pair of faded jeans, and a belt to cinch them around my waist. I walked out of my room, running a hand through my short blonde hair.

"Good morning, mom."

She frowned at my choice of clothing but gave me a smile, "morning, dearest."

She never questioned me about why I wore the clothes I did, but I knew that she wasn't impressed by it. I knew she didn't like it, but I couldn't help it! I didn't really want people to notice me when I went outside.

I went into the kitchen where a plate of food was waiting for me: one egg, a piece of toast and some bacon. I looked over my shoulder at mom; she shrugged, her smiling broadening before she took a sip of her coffee. I poured myself a cup, dropped in two lumps of sugar, and walked back to the table with my plate and coffee. I sat down across from her.

"I will never understand why you dress like that."

"It's okay, I don't expect you to."

She rolled her eyes and I snickered. Of course I was just teasing her – she knew it too. And she had an idea as to why I dressed the way I did, but like I said, she never questioned me about it. She got up from the table to put her cup in the sink.

"What are you doing today?" she asked as she slowly walked out of the kitchen and towards her room at the end of the hall. She was waiting for my response so I quickly swallowed the egg I was chewing.

"I'll be going to the Internet café today, and then I'll probably go draw in the park."

"Okay. Just be home in time for supper."

"I will be."

"And take your phone with you, all right?" she called as her door closed. I finished off my toast and the last piece of bacon and stared at my empty plate. It was like this all the time. My mother taught at a nearby school and I always went to the Internet café. I would stay out all night if I knew she wasn't going to be home – she had another part time job, as a waitress at a high-class restaurant.

We lived in a basic apartment flat. It wasn't that plain: paintings were hung all over the walls, there were paintings in my room, paintings everywhere. Some paintings were mine. I had asked my parents why they didn't want to live in a fancier apartment building, with a better pool, gym and other facilities. My parents response was that they didn't want to spend the money renting an expensive apartment. Plus, this place was pretty decent.

We're actually quite rich; ever since father left mom liked to keep herself busy. Her pay from the restaurant and teaching was very good, despite the fact that she only worked part-time at the restaurant. Because of how much she worked she insisted that I didn't need to get a job, and that should I ever want to go shopping for new clothes she had filled my bank account with about twenty-thousand dollars for me to spend on a new wardrobe.

I shook my head, 'I don't think I'll ever be wanting a new wardrobe... but most likely, in the future...' I sighed and got up from the table, going to the kitchen. I washed the few dishes that were in the sink, thinking.

'But even so, with mom working two jobs, I feel like we have too much money for two people... maybe dad's keeping in touch after all?'

My dad wasn't a horrible guy; actually, he was a great father. He left eight months ago, three weeks after I started dressing in such baggy clothes and the like, and going to sleep shirtless. He promised that he would come back as soon as his job permitted him to return to Japan. Even I didn't know what his job was. Not even mom knew. I figured it was a government job.

The dishes were done now, and I could hear the shower in my mom's room going. So I walked into my own bathroom an looked at myself in the mirror. I disappointed myself with my appearance.

See, I was trying to grow out my hair, but it wasn't growing the way I wanted it to. My bangs were the only thing about my short hair that I liked.

"Darlin'?" my mom called. I switched off the bathroom light and walked out.

"Yeah, mom?"

"I'll be leaving soon. And don't forget your phone."

I smiled at her and rolled my eyes, "of course I won't forget my phone mom."

She peeked out her door, her eyes dancing. She disappeared inside again, I assumed to finish getting dressed. I walked back into the living room and lay down on the couch. I'd go to the café today at around noon. It's only eight in the morning right now, so I think I'll just rest here for a bit.

A few minutes later and I feel my mother press her soft lips to my forehead. I drift off into a dreamless sleep.

I'm awoken by more powerful sunlight shining on me and I reluctantly open my eyes. It's eleven-fifty, about time I should be leaving to go to the café. I smile to myself.

'I always manage to wake up when I want to.'

This fact has always pleased me to no end, and I quickly get up off the couch and make my way back to my room to get my phone.

I've got my own computer, but I don't really like to use it. Unless I'm asleep I don't like being home alone. I'll never be telling this to my mom, because she'll quit her jobs straight up and stay at home with me. I have all her shifts timed perfectly, and thankfully she always tells me if she gets off work early twenty minuted before she... well... gets off work early.

I grab my phone, unadorned, and stick it in my left front pocket. My wallet goes into my other pocket; a plain, black wallet. Nothing special about anything I have.

I pass by the bathroom and squint at the mirror, fixing my bangs. My reflection isn't that noticeable, but I believe my bangs look better the way they now sit and I make my way to the door, grabbing one of the five sets of keys on the hooks near the door. Why we had so many sets of keys I'll never know, but I didn't really care.

Ten minutes later and I'm already at the Internet café. There's hardly anyone there, especially at this hour. In the middle of the afternoon girls are always out shopping and guys are always playing basketball in the courts. Or they're at school, eating their lunches. It's almost the end of the school year... I'll probably stop coming here when that happens. I don't like being around people because they usually stare at me like I'm a weirdo.

I walk slowly over to the computer I always use, giving Raphael - the young man behind the counter - a small wave. He smiles at me, like he always does. He never used to, but when I started coming in regularly he would say hi and talk to me sometimes. Right now he's on the phone.

If there's a day or two that I don't come he asks me where I was those past few days, like he's a teacher of some sort and I'm his student. I just laugh at him and tell him I was tired so I slept the day away. He would laugh along with me.

I turn on the computer and wait for it to load, then I go to gmail to check my mail. There's an email from Itsuki, who's in Canada right now, studying, and one from Yukimura. Gods, I missed that brunette fluff-ball. I read his email first.

It's a silly email as usual. He always thinks he needs to tell me all about his day; I appreciate this. It's really cute and sweet of him, to tell me everything that happens with his life. And he's so honest about everything too, even when he admitted that for a while he had had this little crush on me. He was cute beyond words when he actually told me.

He's doing good in school, his teachers adore him (because he's an idiot, he's typed in small text), and he has a lot of friends. His next sentence is all squished together followed by the typed version of a blushing face. I decipher the sentence to read "I know this is going to sound so weird but I have a girlfriend now and her name's Akihime". My eyes widen in delight at this sentence. So the fluff-ball has finally gotten himself a girlfriend.

'It's about time!' I quickly start typing up my reply. It takes me about thirty minutes to finish my reply, responding to everyone of his questions and demanding to know more about this girlfriend of his. I'm about to send it when I remember that I don't know what she looks like. Quickly, I add a PS demanding that he send me a photo of the two of them together. And also a few of him and his new friends. I send the email, grinning to myself, and move onto Itsuki's.

Compared to Yukimura she's not doing so well. Her exams are coming up and her relationship with some kid called Ranmaru just got complicated – they were never dating, but something happened and she refuses to tell me unless I call her. I'm immediately fearing the worst.

'Calm down, calm down. The worst could have happened by that doesn't mean it did,' I read on and find out that she thinks that the guy she likes knows that he likes her. I immediately think of Masamune, one of the seniors at her school; he's the guy that she likes. She'd sent me a picture of him and her and I have to admit, the guy is hot. The fact that he wears an eye patch over his right eye adds to his already handsome features.

'So she's having guy problems, because whatever's happened between Itsuki and Ranmaru is making Masamune quite hostile towards the younger boy... right, I forgot that Itsuki and Masamune are pretty close... ugh, complicated, complicated...'

I take some time to try and help her sort out her guy problems. In my opinion she should just confess to Masamune that she likes him; after all, he's a senior and she's a freshman, so next year he'll be gone off to university and she'll probably never get the chance to see him again. She should confess while she can.

I tell her that in order for me to help her with this Ranmaru problem that's arisen she needs to tell me what happened, or else I'm never gonna' be able to help and I'll just be left here thinking of all the worst possible things that he could've done to her. Or she could have done to him. Whichever.

As I'm answering some of her questions Raphael greets someone who's walked in. I look up in curiosity, wondering who it is that Raphael is so happy to see. My eyes widen and my hands still on the keyboard.

The boy that's walked in – well, no, that's wrong, there's no way he's a boy – is tall and handsome. Very, very handsome. He has dark brown hair that he's slicked back, though there are a few stray strands resting against his forehead. I'm disappointed that the dim lighting in the café doesn't allow me to see his eye color. They look to be gray in color. He and Raphael are talking about something that has to do with university.

'University...' I suppress my sigh. University is somewhere I should be already, studying about law or something. But no, I decided that I wanted to stay cooped up in Japan, doing nothing with my life. Mom said I just needed time. Since she went to uni at the same time all her friends did, she doesn't know how it feels when all your friends are at university making something out of their lives while you're sitting at home doing nothing with yours. It's not a very good feeling to have. I look back at my email, trying to focus when I feel eyes on me. I look up.

The boy and Raphael are looking at me, and I notice that there's a scar present on the boy's left cheek. How I hadn't noticed that before I blame on the horrible lighting; now that the light's hitting it I can see it shimmer a little, like all scars do. It looks nice.

He looks back at Raphael and asks him something; Raphael smiles at me and then responds to the boy. I quickly shake my head and return to the email. It's hard for me to focus now that I've been distracted. I bite my lip.

'I come here in the hopes of not getting distracted! Of all the days for that boy to show up...' I peek up to see if he's still at the counter. He's not and I find myself searching for him. He's sitting at a computer, his back to me. I take the time to observe him a little more.

His shoulders are broad and he looks like he has big arms. Arms that are good at hugging. He's dressed in clothes similar to mine but his are more form fitting, even his jeans. He straightens slightly from his relaxed position and turns his head a little. I blush and quickly fix my eyes back on the computer screen. I can't believe I let myself get caught staring. After a tense moment I return to typing my email back to Itsuki.

I get stuck on one of Itsuki's questions: "what will you be doing this summer?"

I know I can't tell her that I don't know. She won't be very happy with that, and she always scolds me about it too. I should know what I'm doing, she'll tell me.

'I guess I can tell her I'm staying in Japan... although mom wants to go to Canada, so I'll say that me staying in Japan isn't set in stone yet and that I might be coming to Canada. Yeah, that's what I can tell her. She won't get mad at me about that.'

I smile to myself and start typing that up. It's then that I hear the sounds of the chair next to me being pulled out and when I look I see that boy is sitting in it, leaning against the desk that the computers are lined up on, looking at me very curiously. I stare at him in surprise, my hands stilling on the keyboard.

'No man has ever approached me before. Ever. Raphael is an exception, because I talked to him first,' I'm afraid that I might start sweating if he stares at me any longer. His eyes are a very, very, very beautiful green. Like emeralds. I try to focus on my email reply to Itsuki again; Raphael sets down the phone he's been speaking into and makes his way into the back room to do something.

'I wish he would stop staring at me! It's making me self-conscious,' I can't stop myself from reaching up and tucking some of my hair behind my ear. I really wish he would stop staring. I look at him again and try to tell him to please stop staring when he speaks.

"You're pretty."

I blink at him, shocked.

'Did he just... compliment me? I think he did. I think he just complimented me.'

I can't believe this. No one has ever told me I'm pretty before – my mother, father and Yukimura don't count. That and no stranger has told me I'm pretty before. I can't manage to say anything; my mouth just hangs open a bit in shock. The small smile on his lips start to widen, and I finally find my voice.

"Th-thanks..." and it's back to trying to finish my email to Itsuki, while blushing and not focusing properly. He doesn't say anything in response but changes his positioning on the chair, so now he's straddling it and facing me, resting his chin on his arms, which he has crossed over the top of the chair.

He continues to stare at me.

His persistent staring is really preventing me from finishing my email to Itsuki. And... is that his breath I can feel on my neck?

I turn my head to figure out how in the world I can feel his breath on my neck. The only thought that passes through my mind before shutting down completely is, 'when the hell did he get so close?'

My eyes blink themselves rapidly. No man had ever gotten this close to me before. And by this close I mean almost kissing close. His eyes are so distracting; he has that look like he's wondering if he should do something or move away. Instead of moving away like I'm thinking he will, he moves his head closer and kisses me. It takes me a moment to close my eyes. I've never been kissed before.

Not by a man, anyway. The fact that girls are so attracted to me will bother me forever. It's been one of the reasons why I want to grow my hair longer... this boy... he has nice lips. Nice smooth lips.

He pulls back and I manage to open my eyes a little. He's gazing at me with those bright emerald eyes, then he raises his right hand and draws my mouth to his again. I clench my fingers when he slips his tongue past my lips. A deeper kiss – now this has definitely never happened to me before.

I find myself leaning towards him, kissing him back. He closes his lips and smiles, then separates from me. I can only stare at him as he strokes my face once and then stands. He starts walking away and looks over his shoulder at me, waving.

"You're such a tomboy. Really cute. See ya around."

He's leaving as Raphael is coming back out from the back room. They say bye to each other and I try to get a hold of myself. I force my eyes to focus on the screen in front of me.

That boy has made it so I can't even think to finish my email, and so I just type to Itsuki what's on my mind right now:

I'd type a more elaborate reply but I just got kissed by a total stranger. And he told me I was pretty.

I don't even have the mental capacity to add my name at the bottom; I just quickly press send and cover my burning cheeks with my hands. I lean back against the chair, staring blankly.

'... does he really find me pretty?' I ask myself, looking down at my hoody. It's so baggy that it hides even my largest assets. I tug on it, frowning.

'How can he find someone like me pretty?'

So? Who do you think they are? (the guy is totally a given haha)