It's been a couple of weeks since I wrote anything Huniepop. However – I'm happy to finally share this little side project with all of you. Many of you asked for Kyanna, so here she is. For once let's rewind the 'Problems Series' and go back to the beginning where it all began.

I'm also going to open a new poll on my profile to see what people think of Kyanna and Mike so far. Please enjoy! Special thanks go to Sayuri Tsukihime for her cover art of Kyanna.

IMPORTANT - For those of you who are new to this series, I'd recommend you read a little bit of Relationship Problems to gain a some insight into Mike and his exploits as a character.

Hairdresser

Moonlight bathed the darkened beach in a glow of tranquillity. It served to calm the nerves and soothe the soul for whatever waited upon the road ahead. After all – it was very strange a request - to be called out here so late in the evening. Then again, given whom the invite came from, it was too hard to refuse outright.

'Yo dude. If you're not busy tonight how about you meet me at the beach just past nine? Don't you worry about a single thing. I'll explain everything when I get there okay? You have a great day, and be sure you turn up, you hear?'

Mike Winters breathed a shallow, tired sigh as his eyes met the faint flickering of the stars in the night sky. He'd been in Glenberry a little over six months now, and to say he was 'living the dream he envisioned' was far from the truth. Living alone was hard – harder than his half-baked 'adult life' kicking around the dorms when he attended college.

"I can't imagine why Kyanna wanted me to meet her this late. Was kinda weird how she grabbed my hand so suddenly on the way out of the salon, too."

Kyanna Delrio – his hair stylist since he'd moved to this bustling town to pursue his music career. She was kind – forthcoming and very warm of heart. Word on the local rumour had it that she was a mother, too.

"Hard to believe – a girl as bright and beautiful as she is with a kid at her hip. Then again, stranger things have happened in life. Wonder if those little whispers going around Lusties are true?"

He tore his thoughts away and looked back to the sky with longing, "Half a year since college finished. I'm a graduate – got my own apartment, screaming Metal with my band almost weekly, and yet we're still struggling to make a name for ourselves… or make any money for that matter."

Another sigh – his expectations so far had been all but dashed, "More fool me for thinking it'd be simple as moving out here, throwing my savings into this and flicking the 'On' switch. Not to mention Mark wants to meet to discuss our finances. I've have a looming feeling that'll be nothing but doom and gloom."

"Still," it was in the young man's nature to find a silver lining, no matter how small it was, "I can't go giving up just yet."

Running his fingers through his locks was all the comfort he needed – silky smooth and a bright, whitish blond, his straight strands pooled a little past his shoulders. Nice, long, and natural, just the way he liked it. In his mind it suited his usual attire too, a baggy pair of jeans and a vibrant movie homage t-shirt complete with some Velcro casual shoes.

"Awesome! I knew you'd show after all." The familiar tone of an equally familiar young lady gave Mike cause to smile. His bright green eyes squinted in the low light, slowly shifting their way across to Kyanna as she came closer.

He liked her simple attire in all of its modesty. A striped vest top, some shorts and matching sneakers - the whole look topped off with that cute headband for her dark, luxurious hair.

Damn was she good looking – a gorgeous, curvy Hispanic that should've been doing far more with her life than cutting hair a few days of the week.

"Man, I'm beat," Miss Delrio exhaled softly as she stretched her arms and sat down, letting out an upbeat little chuckle, "I jogged all the way here. Hope you don't mind if I lean against you for a sec while I catch my breath."

"Not at all," the budding musician didn't even have to think about his response. It came naturally as she smile he flashed in return. "Take as long as you need."

"Thanks," and just like that, Kyanna seemed to be snuggling just the slightest bit closer, half the weight of her hourglass figure pressing up against Mike as she closed her deep violet eyes with a contented sigh. "It was really nice of you to take some time and chill with me tonight. I bet you're busy, with your music and all."

"Stuff isn't as hectic as you'd think, Kyanna."

It was a truth Mike couldn't bring himself to hide right now. Life felt like quite the drag lately. However, something about this moment, two friends sat side by side on the golden sands with a soft evening breeze; it brought a feeling of welcome relaxation.

"Oh, now I know you're lying, Mike," the lady's features curved into a disarming smile as she rested her head against his shoulder. "I've seen you on my way home from work. You're always crowded in Luis' Bar, with your band buddies until the mall closes. You have so much freedom…."

"Freedom?" A raised brow – such a statement was the last thing the young man expected to hear. After all, Kyanna was always so cheerful.

"Hey bro…. Let me ask you something." The look Miss Delrio held was so very serious in contrast to her average cheerfulness.

The young singer nodded, a nervous jolt twisting his stomach for a moment. "Go on... I'm listening. What do you want to know?"

Kyanna froze in her tracks and took a deep breath. "Would you see me any differently if I told you I have a little boy?"

Was she afraid? Mike could only wonder, because she was looking away, her usually powerful eyes hidden behind wisps of dark hair. "Heck... I shouldn't have been so nervous," she admitted with shaky hands. "But… you'd be surprised how many guys stop spending time with a girl when they find out she has a kid. I mean, yeah... we're great friends so... I think it's only right I tell you. After all... I feel like we're gettin' closer by the day, ya know?"

There was no doubt in mind. Winters didn't take a second search his heart for the answer.

"Not a chance in Hell. You being a mom doesn't change a thing in my book. I mean, why should it? You style my hair, we workout at the gym with Mark, and not to mention meeting you after work like this is good for me. If I'm being totally honest... shit hasn't been all rainbows since I moved to Glenberry... and being able to talk so openly like we do is a real help to me."

"Life never turns out the way you expect it to, dude." Kyanna's voice softened as she brought her gaze to meet with Mikey's glimmer. Her expression – it seemed so sad all of the sudden.

"My ex-boyfriend, Dario…. Let's just say I would've moved the world for him. Nice smile… and he seemed caring enough. We'd reached a year together and things felt like they were going somewhere."

Kyanna placed a hand on her tummy and smiled sadly, "I was carrying his baby inside me, and then bang!"

Her expression twisted into a disheartened frown, "Just like that I find out I wasn't the only girl he's was seeing... I was one of three, and before I can so much as blink... the truth comes pouring out. He was part of a local gang and it turned out I was just his girl on the side. Mierda... Still makes me feel stupid sometimes."

The Hispanic beauty shook her head. All Mike could do was act on instinct, and place a hand upon her shoulder to offer some comfort. Compared to hearing terrible news like that, his own lot in life didn't seem so bad.

"I'm so sorry Kyanna," It was all he could salvage on such short notice, a shred of empathy to at least try and show he was there for her. "I'm not very well versed in this kind of thing, but I hope you realize that I've got your back. I owe you so much for looking out for me since I came out here from Greenville."

The girl's unhappy face changed all but momentarily, and though weaker than usual, she looked to be flashing her same gentle smile again, "It means a lot to hear you say that, Mike, and you don't owe me anything. Guess I should say sorry too… sorry I let it all slip out so suddenly. Sometimes I find it hard to keep on smiling… life on my own isn't easy…. I've got no one but my little Philly…."

No, that wasn't true. Not in the slightest. Now seemed as good a time as ever to show some support. "You have me, Kyanna... I'll always be around if you need me."

Yet, at the same time, it was hard not to get lost in thought. Mike frowned softly.

"After all... I can relate to that. The whole 'life not being easy' part." Kyanna broke through, shuffling closer and closer. At this point they had something of a mutual embrace going on as the lady hugged against his middle. She was so close, her aura in a place between quiet sadness and a flickering warmth.

Allowing his earlier thoughts to take over once more, Mikey continued, "I came to this town with a dream. Me, Mark, my two friends Neil and Steve, and our buddy Jamie… we wanted to share our creative dream with the world…. Turns out trying to chase, a rainbow isn't as easy as they make it out to be in the movies. The fans are tired of our Metal sound, and we're getting less people turning up to the shows with every couple of weeks….."

"You should try ballads, or something smoother, like Rock songs," Kyanna suggested with a beaming aura to slice though his pessimism, "Trust me on this…. I'm a girl whose been in a few local commercials. A voice as soft as yours... it isn't made for screaming. It doesn't suit you."

"Smoother songs, huh?" Mikey pondered the idea for more than a couple of moments before his clouds of unease swept away under a curious wisp. "I suppose we could give it a try. You're not the first person to tell me that, after all."

"I'm always right, " Kyanna chuckled happily and gave a playful wink as she flipped back the long, dark strands of soft hair, "Women's intuition. It hasn't steered me wrong since the day I became a momma."

The gentleness of a butterfly with elegant fluttering wings – it danced around within the young man's stomach, its rapid beats proving enough to give him a shy flush upon his cheeks. "I owe you for this – so if there's anything I can do to return the favor, just let me know, Miss Delrio. Just name it and I'll help out as best I can."

"Well... something comes to mind. In fact," the hairdresser reached over to clasp one of Mike's hands, using her initiative to pull him into a full-blown cuddle. There she kept him, held him, nestled against his warmth and didn't let him go for a second, "This'll do nicely…. Hehe... you can call us even now. Kinda sad when I think about it... I haven't hugged a guy like this in so long."

Mike surrendered to the sensation of closeness – the intensity of the powerful emotions inside his heart acting as his calling card. The softness of Kyanna's skin, her delicate breathing against the side of his neck as they embraced so fondly, and more importantly, the thumping of his beating heart and hers in unison.

"That's what friends are for, Kyanna," he didn't try to escape - he didn't want to. "Not to mention you're really warm... It's kinda nice."

"Haha. You too man, you too. This is almost perfect," Kyanna breathed a contented sigh of relief as she backed away.

"Almost?" Winters smirked. Was there really such a thing as an 'almost' perfect hug?

"Almost…." Just like that, Kyanna slowly leaned in with a caring little smile, a delicate pink hue darkening her wonderful complexion beneath the glow of the moon, and she placed a slightly damp but affectionate kiss upon Mike's cheek, not sparing anything in the single fleeting instant. "Thanks for listening to me tonight... I won't forget how kind you've been."

A bright stoplight shade burned through the young blond's cheeks as he felt the welcoming brush of Kyanna's affection's against him. Such a feeling brought warmth to his heart, and just as suddenly as she'd kissed him, he found his arms sweeping her up for a second embrace.

"You've been a dear friend all this time," he admitted whole-heartedly between a little rasp of breath. "It's the least I can do. Besides, who needs a guardian angel when I have you around?"

"Don't be silly, dude," the Mexican beauty shot back with a chuckle to match his sentiment. "I'm just the girl who styles your hair every other Friday. There's nothing magical about me." She squeezed his hand just a little bit tighter, pressing herself so close that her womanly assets almost bulged from her vest, "Gonna be straight with you though…. It's great spending my night's with you like this. Makes all the money I spend hiring a babysitter totally worth it!"

A smile curved Mike's lips as they entwined most lovingly in another cuddle, "We should meet like this more often," he whispered with glee as he felt Kyanna rest her head against his chest. He watched the angel close her eyes one last time, "Although it does kind of feel more like a date than anything else..."

"God," Kyanna giggled - leaning in to give Mike a playful flick against the forehead, "Dummy... This was so totally a date! Not that I planned it this way, but... Real talk for a second. You're innocent, sweet, and not to mention dependable. I like those traits in a guy... they're kinda rare."

"Erm... thanks." Inching closer in a wave of boldness, Mister Winters caringly placed his lips upon Kyanna's forehead.

"You're blushing," she hugged him even tighter - an almost motherly gentleness to her playful little squeeze. "Maybe a little too innocent, dude."

It was time for the confession - one he'd held back for the longest time. After all - women had never been his strong point.

"I haven't dated much... well... ever... I suppose you could say I was always a little slow on the uptake. That, and with my music and everything I-"

"Stop being so nervous and hold me, you silly goose," The lady cut him off before he could stammer out the rest, her compassionate eyes melting his heart, caressing his feelings, "I wouldn't care if you were an alien, or a girl in disguise. You mean a lot to me, Mike. As long as you don't change who you are... I'll always think you're swell..."

"Don't change who I am, huh?" To say such a thought hadn't crossed his mind at brief intervals in the past would've been a dishonesty. After all - he was always one of those guys that took things partway. Not to mention he lacked self-confidence, and so many people had flagged up the dire need for a wardrobe renewal. He wasn't exactly what most people would call a 'focused' young man.

"Yeah... I like you just as you are." Yet his female companion seemed to be doing anything but complaining right now. There was something about the way she looked at him. It made the little red core in his chest quicken in pace. "I see the look in your eyes... you think I'm nuts. Truth is... you might be right... but I'm being serious."

"You need not worry." A single look toward the stars in the night sky was all the confirmation the golden blond needed, "I can't imagine myself changing anyway. Me? Smooth? Suave? Overconfident? It isn't going to happen."

The curvy goddess gazed upwards with her dearest friend and laughed to herself, "If you ever become like that I have free reign to punch you... Deal?"

"Deal."

Two young people in the midst of night. The closest of friends - now entering into a new stage as their bond continued to grow. Yet for some reason the lovely lady looked as though she was away in deep thought.

"You feeling okay?"

"Yep," she nodded with another soft peck against Mike's cheek. "I'm great!"

Just like that - Kyanna was back on form again - her lips turned upward in a smile bright enough to cut a hole through the darkness of night. "Happy as can be."

Mike sighed contentedly as he ran a hand through her soft locks - looking out the the calm ripples of water off the shore. The pale light danced upon its surface magically. "How about we come back here sometime soon?"

Kyanna giggled most playfully, "That'd be nice!"

With that, the singer closed his eyes as his thoughts wandered.

'Tonight's been great. Yet, I can't help but think back to the stuff Kyanna mentioned. Me, changing myself? A snowball has a better chance in Hell. It won't happen... Something like that takes a guardian angel. Wishful thinking - but we unfortunately don't live in a dream world. Whatever happens... I won't lose sight of myself... Kyanna wouldn't want that. Although... it does make me wonder. What will the future bring?'

To be continued?

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this. I hope you liked the story even though it was short. Please feel free to leave me some feedback if you like. All of your thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated. As always, I'll see you in the next instalment. Please keep on supporting the official releases of Huniepop and Huniecam Studio!