AN: Okay guys! This story has been completely revamped! I reread it last week, intent on catching up so I could write the latest chapter, but saw that the writing was terrible. There are several changes from the original plot but if you've read to first version of this story it shouldn't be too hard to follow. To clear things up, I am NOT new to the fandom and I wasn't new when I first wrote this story. I am fully aware that they are second cousins but I also don't really care.

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Chapter One

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When something is given to you, found by you, treasured by you, and then taken away from you it leaves emptiness in the heart. A whole filled with a seemingly endless blackness and silence where color and sound used to reside. Raimei was someone who exuded color and the very vitality of life ran marathons through her veins. But this emptiness resides in everyone and it takes courage and bravery beyond the measures of legends to find the strength to fill those gaping wholes once again. It was only fortunate for Raimei that she did posses such strength and courage. It took some time but she was able to fill the gap left in her when her family died out, she was able to bare the embarrassment of her misunderstanding in stride, she was able to bid Kouichi farewell despite the longing in her heart. But the reach of the dark silence cannot always be stayed.

Snow danced in decent while some found their way to Raimei's window and lovingly caressed the panes as it turned into droplets of water and frosted over. Time was something no man could truly control. It could pass by slowly while keeping all in its wake all too aware of every second that passed. It could pass by quickly while slipping through the minds of all those living in the moment. Another year had gone by and nothing felt like it moved at all from when they began, but, at the same time, it felt like everything had changed. Raimei supposed that was what human nature really was, forever moving but staying in the same place. Not one thing or another but everything at once while at the same time nothing at all. Human nature cannot be defined as "humans are greedy," but as "greed is apart of human nature as is generosity." The human capacity for characteristics exceeded any cause to label it under one adjective and one adjective only. Contemplating things so universal and broad such as human nature was not her typical past time but became more frequent with her desire to understand others before judging them. She found herself staring at the ceiling above her with indifferent eyes that seemed so misplaced on her features scouring through the dark recesses of her mind that she assumed was always there. Always there, always wondering, always contemplating, always curious. It was in this place where she felt she could solve every problem in the world if she spent enough time there. But she knew she couldn't. Although, this brought on whole new perspective; was this what it was like to be Miharu? The only difference was that she knew that if he did stay in the dark recesses of his mind, he could have infinite knowledge of everything.

There were certain triggers that made her stop and think far too long and far too deep. Usually it was something very simple such as she was bored and she was alone, two things that would accurately describe her position at the current moment. And what a time to be alone again, she thought. The powdery snow, the sugared rooftops, the smell or baking pastries that lingered on clothes and the abundance of those wonderful tree lots could only mean one thing. Christmas was coming–right around the corner actually. From outside her window where snowflakes danced like sugarplum fairies she could hear people greeting each other with blessings and wishes of the best kind. Tinkling cradle bells, melodious cheers, and the merry sounds of the people below were the instruments used to create the symphony Raimei recognized to the be the songs of an ever impending Christmas. Indeed, what a time to be alone.

Miharu woke up to his normal routine: wake up, take a shower, eat, and help out with whatever needed to be done. Although, it was typically during this season when his routine got a little disturbed. His auntie always asking him what he wanted for Christmas, customers always wishing him a happy Christmas, his family fretting over Christmas presents. But now even he was a little worried about what to get his friends for Christmas. He was sure Hanabu-san would be happy with almost anything and he could just be turn in all his missing assignments to Thobari-sensei since he's been pestering him about his grades. He could just find some strange looking clothing and Raikou would be pleased and Gau was a humble person who would be happy with receiving anything. He was sure he had everyone figured out except for Raimei. She was tricky. She's never shown much interest in material things and he couldn't recall her asking anyone for anything other than that he himself come out smiling in the end. Miharu was positive Raimei would be happy he even thought of getting her anything. She'd been there from the very beginning. She had entered his life uninvited (but since when did he invite anyone into his life?) the second she mistakenly attacked Kouichi. It wouldn't be fair if he didn't get anything to prove to her and himself that they were friends. What bothered him was that he had no clue as to why he was thinking about it so much. It was a mystery even to him.

"Miharu!" His auntie working in the kitchen called him out of his thoughts.

"Coming!" Inside he was asked numerous questions ranging from the practical to the outlandish about his Christmas arrangements.

"So you're staying at your teachers', Thobari-san's, house?" She asked. Miharu couldn't call his auntie overprotective and worrisome. The fact that he was staying over at a teachers' house enough cause for worry.

"Yeah. All this month starting Monday to continue training."

"What! Monday? But that's tomorrow!" She complained. She didn't want her nephew leaving his family for Christmas but since he was starting to show signs of becoming a happier teen she decided not to stand in the way…too much.

"And?"

"Isn't that Raimei girl supposed to be staying with you while you're there as well?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Oh my, oh my." She mumbled pacing the room with a perturbed. Miharu already had an idea of what was turning over the thoughts of his auntie but he wanted to ask anyway.

"What's wrong auntie?" There was a untrustworthy tone in his voice but his auntie had never grown to learn to be wary of her nephew.

"You see Miharu, sometimes things happen between a girl and a boy when their staying together and–" Miharu looked up at his auntie from beneath his bangs with teary eyes. His pouty, innocent, and defeated face unleashed a merciless attack on his auntie's conscience.

"I know what you're trying to say; you don't trust me do you? Even though I have no idea what you're talking about." His graze made its way to the floor beneath them with a carefully crafted expression of angry, sad, and disappointment.

The next day Miharu left for Thobari's house early.

The walk to Thobari's house was silent but he found a peace he had never experience before. There was no worry that he'd be found and attacked and there was no silent loneliness. The only thing that followed him was the sound of his feet walking and the feeling of the wind against the nape of his neck. When he had finally arrived at the familiar two-story complex he walked in silently and took his shoes off.

"Who's there?" Hanabu's voice reached his ears and he saw her sticking her head out of the room just down the hall. She seemed surprised to see him standing at her entryway but wasn't in the least bit angry that he didn't knock. She had told him long ago that he was welcome whenever and such privilege didn't require that he knock before entering.

"Miharu! You're here already? I wasn't expecting you until later in the afternoon. How are you?" She asked while greeting him with a hug. Miharu slowly but sincerely returned the embrace, secretly smiling behind the folds of her clothes.

"I'm fine. I left my house early." Hanabu nodded appreciatively before leading Miharu into the other room. Thobari was already sitting on the couch looking like he was struggling to read the kanji in the book in front of him. Hanabu coughed loudly into her first to alert Thobari of her and Miharu's presence.

"Yes? Is there something you–oh! Roukujo you're here already?" He asked setting his book down. He had a smile on his face as he stood to greet them.

"What do you mean? Did you not want me here?" Thobari, being the person he was, began to panic when Miharu began ignoring him in favor of looking at the ground.

"No, no! That's not what I–"

"You're mean…" Miharu's eyes began to mist over as he clenched his hands on his chest, still refusing to look up at his teacher. Hanabu laughed as the person of her affection slumped over the coffee table looking lifeless with drool crawling out of the corner of his mouth.

"Now, now Miharu. Can't you try and be a little nicer to him?" Hanabu asked him. Miharu shrugged and picked up his luggage, intending to bring it to his room.

"That can wait till Christmas."