Rose: Welcome to the revision of Love Means Pain.

Lily: Only this time it shall be called Passion Plays A Game Of Tag.

Rose: Hint of the title for more mature stuff.

Lily: BTW...I'm doing the updating so don't it might take a while to update since me and Rose aren't in the same town. I only see her every other week.

Disclaimer: We don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, Yoshihiro Togashi does. Rose mostly owns the fic but Lily shall take part and contribute creative juices.

Chapter 1

Whispers. . .they always were whispering. The sixteen year old knew who they were whispering about. Her. The quiet one. The antisocial one. She glanced up at the board which had posted up the exam scores from last week. Immediately she knew she was the one who topped all the girls in her grade. Of everyone, she was so close into tying with Shuichi Minamino. Hey, she at least took second place, beating Yuu Kaito by a point. Yet that wasn't good enough. At rare moments did she actually beat that number-one Shuichi. That was only because he had been out a lot during the first and second as well as a little of the third year now, but now he was in school every single day.

Her parents, especially her mother, didn't like when she was outscored by Shuichi. Of course, they would tell the relatives it was because he was about a year older. Yet when she did beat Shuichi's score, they would say that it was because of her advancement of a grade up that she was smarter. Her parents confused her half the time. 'Can't wait till they find out I'm beaten by Shuichi again. . .' she thought. Either way if she didn't tell, her mother would somehow find out and yell at her for not telling.

Hey, it wasn't her fault. It's not like she wanted to go to Meiou High…she rather go to an all-girl school like one of her rare friends. Keiko Yukimura. Yet if she did, then her mother would go and compare her with Keiko.

"So what if she's your friend," her mother had said. "You have to beat her and be number one."

Kami. . .Nyoko hated her mother especially when she spoke ill of Keiko.

"Such a nice girl but she'll ruin her life, spending time with that stupid boy," her mother had spoken.

'Yusuke's not stupid,' Nyoko had thought and bit her lower lip from speaking those words. She knew the consequences of what was to happen.

"You better not go and ruin your life," scowled her mother. "Just keep studying. You don't need friends. There's no such thing as friends. They're just people you know now but they won't be there when you're older."

'She's right. . .Keiko and I did stop talking,' Nyoko thought. 'It's been two years. . .' Her mother had stopped talking about Keiko after Nyoko managed to skip a grade higher.

"Congratulations, Shuichi," a girl blushed as she stood in front of Shuichi who had his nose in a book. Nyoko sighed as she took her seat and rested her chin on her crimson-clad arms.

'I don't care. . .' Nyoko lied to herself. Yet she did. . .she was like the rest of the girls. . .hopeless in love with Shuichi Minamino. Well, not really. . .Nyoko wasn't obsessive and she didn't stare or drool over him. 'I wish he didn't have a fan club. . .' Usually she would have been thinking about wishing that she had not fallen in love.

Why? It was bad especially if her parents knew. They had forbid her from liking or going out with a boy because they said that a boy would make her lose focus on her academic grades. Also, by her mother, that it would ruin her life. This was kind of true. She did see that some students in love tend to have grades lower than before because they couldn't stop thinking of the other person. The part from her mother, she did not believe. Crushing on Shuichi didn't lower her grades. In fact, she knew she had to keep top grades in order to be placed in classes with Shuichi.

"Thank you," Nyoko heard Shuichi replied.

'He can't be human. . .' thought Nyoko. Shuichi seemed so perfect. Perfect in every way. Hair. Eyes. Complexion. Good looks. Top grades. A gentleman. What more could a girl want. Yet. . .she came to a conclusion that he'll never have feelings for her. Shuichi could have any girl. . .any beautiful girl like the ones in his fan club. He wouldn't want the quiet, average-looking one. 'We're classes apart,' she thought. She was somewhere toward the bottom but not far while he was at the top despite his intelligence. Great. . .now she was putting herself down. She shouldn't put herself down. That was her mother's job.

'At least she lets me do kendo. . .' Nyoko opened her eyes and wondered why time was going by so slow. 'What happened to the bell?' Suddenly she felt a tap on her head.

"Once again, you are outwitted by Shuichi," spoke a female voice. Nyoko looked up to see a seventeen year old girl with long brown hair and blue eyes. This girl was quite pretty and none other than Cho Tanuka. . .Vice President of the Shuichi Minamino Fan Club.

'Cho's not so bad. . .she's my friend,' Nyoko thought, shaking her head. "I guess. . .I'll try harder next time."

"Yeah. . .you try," Cho suddenly had a dreamy expression, "but you can't beat him."

Nyoko chewed her lower lip, a habit of hers. She never told Cho that she had a crush on Shuichi. 'I don't want to have no friends here. . .' The truth was. . .Cho was the only one who came up to Nyoko, the new, younger girl, and befriended her. 'I shouldn't let a guy ruin friendship but what Cho is doing is wrong. . .' Nyoko didn't like that the girls in the Shuichi Fan Club treat Shuichi like an object yet she didn't want to be alone in school. Loneliness was hell for her. Sure, she could be the antisocial one but all she needed was just one friend with her.

"Shouldn't you get to your class?" questioned Nyoko, looking at the clock.

"Yes, mother," Cho grinned. "See ya later." She hurried off, casting one last glance at Shuichi. . . .

". . .and that class, concludes today's lesson," the teacher just stated right before the bell rang. Lunch was Nyoko's next period and she was quite glad. Lunch was alone time for her to think. Gathering up her books, she felt a presence next to her. Looking, she saw a timid, kind of short for a guy, a fellow sixteen year old.

"Kai?" she spoke softly as usual. Kai, of course, had told her to call her by his first name not his last name.

"Umm. . .I er. . ." she watched how flustered he was but waited patiently. Kai had transferred not long ago and she had been assigned to help him which made no sense, seeing that she wasn't social. Yet she did show him around and he, like a puppy, began to follow her around but only when Cho wasn't close. Nyoko knew that Kai was afraid of Cho. . .or maybe he was nervous around one of the popular girls. Looking at him, she admitted he wasn't suited for popularity. He, she hated to say, wasn't good-looking like Shuichi nor tall.

Nyoko inwardly smiled. Kai tried so hard. He even had his chestnut brown hair slicked back like a punk but the punks of the school wouldn't accept him. Kai even tried to join the kendo club, after he found out she was in it, but he wasn't kendo material. Not because of his appearance but how he held the shinai, bamboo practice sword, as well as his heart in the movements. Yet, secretly she hated to admit, Nyoko was glad that Kai had not joined.

"Congratulations on the exam," Kai finally managed out.

"Thanks. . ." she said in her soft tone. "Well. . .later." She walked out the door and into the hall.

"Wa-wait!" Kai cried out as he ran toward her. She stopped and turned.

"Yes?" Ok. . .so half the time she found Kai annoying but she was a patience person, hoping the guy would figure out she doesn't want to hang out with him.

"I-I never see you at lunch. Not in the lunch room or out in the picnic area," Kai said. "Where do you eat?"

Ok. . .how was she going to tell him. Half of her pitied the guy, the other half wanted her to tell him to leave her alone. She couldn't tell him where she ate lunch. That was her space to think and be by herself. Now what was she going to tell him? The truth? Lie? "I eat on the roof," Nyoko told the truth.

"Ok. . .can I go there too?" Kai asked. She, not wanting to, nodded. "Thank you!" Kai brightened as he followed her like a puppy.

'Great. . .' she thought sarcastically. "And here we ar—" she froze as she opened the door leading to the roof. He was there.

"Hello, Nyoko. . .Senaka," Shuichi greeted. She could have sworn she heard a hint of dislike when he said Kai's last name. And since when did she give Shuichi permission to call her by her first name?

"Minamino, what are you doing here?" Kai demanded. Nyoko could feel the tension and sweatdropped.

"To eat lunch," Shuichi stated plainly. "As well as I can see you are too by the bento in Nyoko's hands and yours."

'Oh great. . .' Nyoko thought, waiting for a hoard of Shuichi fans to come stampeding up the stairs onto the roof. Also, she hoped Cho wouldn't see her with Shuichi. 'I think living is better than getting killed over a boy.'

"Why don't you eat inside or outside instead?" Kai questioned with what she heard was a hint of displeasure. She inwardly sighed, knowing Kai should have rephrased his question.

"I am outside yet inside the school grounds," Shuichi smiled as he outsmarted his opponent. "Why all the questions? I should be asking 'why are you here?' It's only quite fair, isn't it, Nyoko?"

'Great. . .' Nyoko was going to lose time. "I've always been here ever since the beginning of high school," she stated in her soft toned voice.

"I know. . .Nyoko," Shuichi smiled at her. It was a smile that gave Nyoko a swooning sensation inside. Why did he have to have such an effect on her? And what the hell was he talking to her?!

"Nyoko invited me," went Kai, glaring at Shuichi. Since when did Nyoko give him permission to use her first name? "So. . .go."

"I'm sure Nyoko wouldn't mind if I eat here as well," Shuichi stated calmly.

"This isn't my property so anyone can sit up here," Nyoko sweatdropped. 'But I wouldn't mind if Shuichi stayed yet. . .it's the fangirls I'm worried about.'

Suffocated. . .she felt suffocated. . .between two boys. On her right was Shuichi while on her left was Kai. 'Dammit!' she thought. The reason she came up here was to feel free in the open air but instead she was now trapped between two guys. Yet she didn't mind that one of them was with her.

"Nyoko, don't you feel lonely eating up here?" Kai asked, pretending Shuichi wasn't there.

". . .no. . ." Nyoko spoke softly. 'I never feel alone here since I have Cho. . .to keep me company sometimes.' Cho would eat lunch with her up here but Nyoko had told her that Cho should eat with her other friends. . .the Shuichi Fan Club. Nyoko knew that Cho preferred that.

"Nyoko, you should eat," Shuichi looked at her untouched bento.

"I'm not hungry," Nyoko told him. She couldn't eat because her space was invaded. Really. Everyone's shoulders were touching. Dude, now Nyoko realized how small the wall was.

"Truly you must eat, Nyoko," Shuichi stated. "You shouldn't waste the bento."

'What are you? My mother?' Nyoko sweatdropped at the random thought that popped into her head. "I'll eat it after school."

Shuichi began to speak, "Nyoko, pl—"

"Quite bugging Nyoko," Kai piped up. "She doesn't feel like talking to you."

'Please let lunch be over,' Nyoko prayed, casting her brown eyes down at the untouched bento. 'Yusuke would have eaten it. . .'

Ignoring Kai, Shuichi asked, "Nyoko, are you alright?" He sounded so concerned for her. It made Nyoko feel bubbly inside.

"No, she isn't," snapped Kai. "You're bothering her." He obviously didn't see Nyoko having a small smile on her face due to the fact her head was down. This caused her shoulder-blade length black hair to curtain her face.

Shuichi, of course, ignored him. "Nyoko?"

Nyoko lifted her head up and her lips parted to say—

BRRIIINNNNGGGGG!

"Come on, Nyoko," Kai took her hand and practically dragged her to her next class.

"Kai?" Nyoko questioned looked at him oddly. 'Did he just. . .how. . .I'm confused. . .' How did he managed to drag her to class without tripping on the stairs?

"Um. . ."Kai turned red. "Sorry. . ."he ran off.

Nyoko stared at her hand. At the beginning Kai wasn't bold enough to get that close to her but—

'He's getting bolder. . .am I leading him on?'

"Nyoko?"

She turned to see Shuichi and sweatdropped. Almost. . .actually in every time he spoke to her, he kept saying her name. "Yes?" she said quietly.

"Nyoko. . ." Shuichi smiled as he pulled out. . .her bento. "You left this."

"Oh. . .thank you, Minamino," Nyoko took the bento back, sweatdropping at the fact what she was going to do with it. 'Oh, yeah. . .eat it later.' For some reason, her heart seemed to pound loud as she had assumed that Shuichi would have given something else. . .something that a girl would feel special if the guy she liked gave her a gift. Who was she kidding? Shuichi wasn't interested in her. . .maybe Kai was. 'Being in love kinda sucks. . .'

"Shuichi. . .call me Shuichi, Kokoro," Shuichi stated. "I hope you didn't feel offend when I called you by your first name."

"It's ok. . .Shuichi," Nyoko said timidly. How was she supposed to act? He was still talking to her. Then again, she hoped he would leave before anyone, like the Shuichi Fan Club, saw them.

"But," Shuichi pressed on, "may I call you Nyoko, Kokoro?" Shuichi locked eyes with hers. Nyoko found herself nodding and couldn't tear her chocolate eyes from his emerald orbs. Come on, he was saying her name in almost every sentence. Boy was she was a weakling for him. "Good. . .now before I've asked 'Are you alright?' I appreciate if I receive an answer from you than Senaka."

". . .yes . ." Nyoko half-lied. 'Please don't let anyone see us.'

"Are you quite sure, Nyoko?" Shuichi questioned as he stared deeply into her eyes.

"Well. . .not really," Nyoko couldn't help it. His enchanting green eyes were reaching into her brown ones. 'The windows to my soul. . . No it couldn't be. . .that would freak her out if he knew the real her.'

"Come on, Nyoko, you can tell me what's wrong," Shuichi looked softly down at her. Yes. . .Nyoko was vertically-challenged. She couldn't help but blushed once again under his eyes.

'Isn't he going to be late for his class whatever it is,' Nyoko thought. "Umm. . .you shouldn't worry about me."

"Why should I not worry about you, Nyoko?" Shuichi smiled. Ok. . .Nyoko's cheeks turned pink. "You are my classmate, are you not?"

"I guess. . ." Honestly Nyoko didn't know what to say to him.

". . .I'll see you later," Shuichi let out another smile and Nyoko could have sworn she saw a flash of gold in his eyes. She blinked. Shuichi's eyes were still the same dazzling green. Yet he had a weird gleam in them. With that he left her, standing there with the uneaten bento.

Rose: Er...not too much different.

Lily: I bet all of you can't wait for the LE-

Rose: QUIET! Anyway... R&R.