"Rikou-sama!"

It was the early morning, with the fog still in the air. Birds were still sleeping and the rest of the neighborhood was slowly waking up for another day of their lives. The alarm clock rings in most of the bedrooms of teenagers and children alike. Except this particular boy, who is the next successor of the most powerful youkai gang in their region.

The girl who was calling for Rikou was named Tsurara. She would be his faithful servant, until the day she died. She had a blue-ish capped hair on top and black all the way down. Yellow orbs acted as her eyes, and it turned blue when she's in her human form. She doesn't admit it, but she has feelings for her master.

"Urgh..." Rikou groaned, he hated waking up. But why he wanted to go to school all the time puzzles his grandfather, Nurarihyon.

Tsurara groaned, and dragged her beloved master up. However, he was feeling extra lazy today and fell on top of Tsurara, who's strength couldn't hold up anymore. They collapsed with a giant thud and that seemed to get Rikou up. When he realized what position he was in, he quickly sat up and cleared his throat.

"Uh-hum. Right. School. Breakfast.. Tsurara, would you mind getting out? I need to change..."

"What? Oh, right! S-Sorry, master!" With her flushed face, she ran out of the room with thoughts swarming in her head. But only one stood out above the rest. Had she embarrassed herself to oblivion?

(Put line here)

Students were chatting to each other on the sidewalk to school. In the hallways, and in the classrooms. Rikou was the only one who was staring out the window. Something just didn't feel right with him. No, it wasn't any youkai at all. But something worse than that.

"Oh, sure." Tsurara's voice reached Rikou's ears and he turned around to find who she was talking to. It was Kuran of his class, an average boy who no one really notices. Except for Tsurara of course. She was just that kind to everyone, no matter what their status was.

But she disliked Kana for some reason;Rikou could never figure the reason why.

But the thing that was unsettling was that Tsurara was following Kuran to the backside of the school. Concerned for Kuran, who could get frozen if he said the wrong thing, Rikou followed him discreetly slightly curious of what they were going to be discussing.

Finally both Tsurara and Kuran stopped near the back of the school. Kuran was obviously nervous, he was switching his weight from right to left and was fiddling with his hands. He opened his mouth to speak and Tsurara was shocked.

"I've liked you for a year now, and...will you go out with me?"

Rikou felt like the world was frozen. Colder than Tsurara's breath. All he could do was stare in shock at Kuran and the stuttering Tsurara.

"I-I..I like..no I love someone else. I'm sorry, Kuran-kun", Tsurara smiled ruefully. She had never turned down a boy before in her life, and when she had experienced it.. Well, she wasn't exactly happy with it. It was almost heartbreaking to see Kuran and his sad smile. Blinking rapidly as if tears could appear any second, he muttered an apology and ran in Rikou's way. He hadn't noticed him, and Rikou hid out of site. His head still thumping of what he had heard. Tsurara loved some other guy? Who is it? When?

He stepped out of hiding to confront Tsurara. He didn't know why he was so shaken by this, especially what Tsurara had said.

"Tsurara?"

She gasped, and guiltily turned around to face her master.

"...I just rejected a boy. I don't like the feeling at all."

"I can't lie to you, Tsurara. I heard everything. I was walking here and overheard your conversation. And that you loved...another guy."

"Rikou-sama! I-I..."

"Whatever. I don't care."

"No! I do love someone, and I can't lie to master. He's you."

This isn't true, he thought repeatedly into his head.

"What? That's impossible. You...You've always liked me because I'm your Master! Never more than that. I'm sure of it!"

"Oh yeah?"

Suddenly, she leaned forward. Catching Rikou's lips by surprise, he gave up and deepened it. It felt like heaven to him. To finally kiss the girl he had loved ever since he was born. Was it possible to like someone for more than a decade?

And right now, he knew that it was.