The sound of the fluttering curtains disturbs her sleep. Sakura slowly opened her eyes and sat up from her bed. She rubs her eyes in confusion. She was certain she had closed the balcony door before she went to sleep. The alarm clock next to her bed said it was only 9 PM. She had fallen asleep early because it was a tiring last day of school. The room was dark; no light was on in the entire house. Outside the balcony, the darkness was lighted by the moon. Sakura slipped out of bed and walks toward the doors. However, she stopped midway because she felt the present of another in the room.

From the darkness of her room, a pair of arms reaches out behind her. Grabbing the one of the arm, Sakura step forward and did a 360 spin kick. The dark figure freed his arm from Sakura's grip and dodges her kick by swiftly moving toward the balcony. "Heh. You've grown."

"Who are you? What do you want?" Sakura asked while keeping up her guard.

"Awww, have you forgotten me already? You're so cruel, Sakura." The voice sounded genuinely hurt. The figure step slowly toward the balcony and the light of the moon revealed his identity.

"Ikuto." Sakura barely managed to whisper due to her surprise.

"Yo." Ikuto said coolly with his signature smirk.

Sakura also walk toward the moonlight and stood beside Ikuto. His midnight blue hair was the same length as when he left. A little taller. He looked a little older and more mature than when he left, but the mischiefs and shine in his eyes remain. "What brings you back to Japan?"

Ikuto didn't answer her question, he simply looked at her. His smirk changed to a gentle smile. She has grown from the elementary kid he knew. Her eyes shined even brighter now. Her cheeks and lips more defined. Soft skin. Not beautiful yet but still cute. That's good; he didn't want her to grow up to soon. He brought his hand up to her cheek and caresses her. "You."

At the response, Sakura burns red from ear to ear. For a moment, there was only silence and Sakura hopes he can't hear her heart beating or see her cheeks.

"Hehehehe." Ikuto move his hand to cover his month. Sakura's face grew even redder. He was teasing her again.

"Stupid cat!" Sakura turned her back to him and started to walk back to her room.

Ikuto grab her upper arm and pull her back into his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her waist and rests his chin on her shoulder. "Don't be mad."

His whisper send chill up her spin and her pink cheeks was definitely visible now. "Let go, you perverted cat."

"No, don't wanna."

"You're still a kid as always. Grow up already. You're not in high school anymore."

"Don't wanna."

Sakura grumbled and even though she wants to get out of his hug, he was too strong for her. "Seriously, what brings you home? Did you find him? Your father."

"I did."

"And?"

"He's in America. Living his dream as a musician. He was waiting for the right time to get settle and he planned to bring us there once his career is established. My mother had fly over there the moment I told her the news. They're living together now."

"They must be so happy."

"They are."

"What about you? Shouldn't you be there with them?"

"I should but…"

"But?"

"Do you remember? What I promised you before I left?"

"Promise?" Sakura was thinking back to the day at the airport but it was a really long time ago.

Ikuto signed. "I loved you."

Just when Sakura thought she couldn't get any redder. The memories from the day at the airport flashed before her eyes. It was noisy and Ikuto was standing in from of her. He said, "I loved you. I'm going to make you fall in love with me, so prepare yourself." Her mind went blank and she had no idea what to say. Then Ikuto broke the silence again with his snickering. He was teasing her again. Sakura gripped her fists and stomped on his foot. The pain made him release her. "Like I'll ever fall in love with a pervert like you!" Before he could say anything and without turning to look at him, Sakura slammed the balcony doors close and locked it.

Since she didn't turn to look at him, Sakura didn't notice the smirk on his face before he flips backward off the balcony.

"'Stupid stray cat."' Sakura thought as she slid against the door to the floor. It was good to see that he was well but his personality is still annoying. For some reason, she was still very tired. She had to gather all her strength to stand up. Sakura intends to shower and eat something light before going back to bed.

Sakura hums as she blow dried her hair. Her stomach growled to let her know of its hunger, guess it won't be something light that she's going to eat after all. She ran downstairs and started on making spaghetti. Half-way through, the bell rings. "'That must be the new renter."' Fujitaka had told her that he was letting someone rent the extra room in the house. Tori and Julian was at a university now and they were living together in a dorm room. Her dad was off on another one of his architectural dig. It was becoming more and more common. Sometimes he would be gone for months at a time. Even though, Sakura was mature enough to take care of herself, her dad still hesitated to leave Sakura home alone. Before he left for his latest dig, Sakura was told that there would be a person coming to live in the house. This way Fujitaka won't worry so much about leaving Sakura alone. He assured her that it was someone that he could trust but he wouldn't tell her who it is.

Running out of the kitchen, Sakura unlocked the front door to welcome the new guest. "Hey, I'm the new renter." Upon seeing who it is, all the blood drained from Sakura's face. The person standing in front of her was Ikuto. Without saying a word. She slammed the door closed and rushed to the door. Ikuto just stood outside with a smile on his face. He could hear Sakura yelling in the house, probably into the phone and the person on the other end was, no doubt, her father. There was yelling, then silence. The front door creaked open slightly.

With an irritating and annoying look on her face, Sakura helped bring Ikuto's belongings to his new room. He smiled innocently at her and she glared deadly at him. The only reason she let him in was because her dad guilt trip her by saying that he probably have nowhere else to go. "Shower?" Ikuto asked her with a smile and the response he got was another slammed door.

Sakura went downstairs and continued with making the spaghetti. By the time Ikuto finished showering and goes downstairs, Sakura was almost finish with the food. He walked into the kitchen with a towel around his shoulders and his hair still dripping wet. Sakura glanced at him but pay him no other attention. Ikuto sat down at the table and watch Sakura at work. He laid his head on his arms on the table and his vision of Sakura blurred.

After the final touch on the plate of food, Sakura brought it to the table. She made one for Ikuto too since she figures he would be hungry after his long plane ride. He has fallen asleep on the table. "' What a little kid. Doesn't he knows that he'll get sick if he fall asleep with his hair still wet?"' She observed him for a while longer. His sleeping face still looks so innocent and harmless, like a child. He looked almost fragile. Sakura poked him. "Ikuto, wake up. You're going to get sick."

Ikuto shift his position but he didn't wake up. "No. Five more minutes." Sakura was surprised at how child-like he just sounded right now.

"Wake up. Your hair is still wet. You're going to catch a cold." Sakura gave him an even harder nudge.

"No. I'm tired. You do it."

"…" Her mood just gotten times worst, but she has no choice. It would only cause more trouble if she leaves him to get sick. Taking the towel from his shoulder, she begins to dry his hair. It was soft and silky, like much fined thread.

Once he noticed that his hair was almost dry and Sakura was about to leave, Ikuto took the chance to wrap his arms around Sakura's waist tightly pretending that he was moving in his sleep. Sakura became annoyed again. She made her hand into a fist and hit his head. "Let go, pervert."

~ N ~ N ~

After dinner was eaten and the dishes were washed, Sakura turned off the light to her room and climbed into bed. It was annoying to just eat with Ikuto. He took every chance he had to tease her. Most of her friends had realized their feeling and become couples with each others: Nagi with Rima, Sometimes, she felt alone and left behind. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have him around, even if he is annoying and is a pervert. With that as her last thought, Sakura drifted off to sleep.

The full moon shined brightly in the sky with no obstruction. Sakura traced the trail of cherry blossom petals to behind her. Everything around her was dark and empty. She followed the petals which lead to a huge cherry blossom tree. It gave off an eerie glow. It felt evil and cold. Entwined in the branches of the tree: a white angel, another in magenta, a golden beast and a black panther. They looked injured and in pain, especially the white angel. Sakura tried to call out to them but her voice wouldn't come out. Then they started to fade away into the darkness. Sakura tried to run to them but she could not catch up to them. Tears flow from her eyes and she called out, one last time, with her soundless voice before waking up abruptly.

Sakura opened her eyes to find herself in her dark room, sweating and breathing hard. She was on the verge of tears. When her mind focused, she noticed something heavy on her stomach and she looked to find Ikuto. "What do you think you're doing?" Again, she hit him on his head.

"I'm not used to sleeping in an unfamiliar bed." he mumbled.

"And my bed is familiar?"

"Yes."

"Go back to your room."

"Don't wanna."

"Stop being such a kid!" Sakura tried to get him off of her but he was heavy. She tried kicking her legs but that didn't work either. She started to fling her arms around and hitting. "Off now, you perverted cat."

"Oww." Ikuto whined before he climbed into the bed completely and put his upper weight on Sakura by putting his arm on her body. Despite the fact that both of them had grown, they both still fit in the bed. If you didn't know better, you figure Sakura was sick considering the amount of time her face turned red just this evening. Even though her spirit was willing, she was too tired to fight Ikuto to get him off of her, so the two remained there.

"You're such a kid."

"Then spoil me." Ikuto snuggled Sakura like a teddy bear.

Sakura was too tired to argue and she soon returned to sleep. Ikuto lay beside her; his embrace tightened. He had returned to Japan, after finding his father, because of a feeling. He felt that something was wrong; a feeling that usually appear when Sakura was in danger. This feeling that had appeared right after he found his father and even now, it still lingered. But now that he was by her side again, he will focus all his attention on making up to her for leaving her alone and on protecting her. A while later, he, too, drifted off to sleep.