Prologue

Once upon a time, very recently, there was a great happening, something that always changed everybody's life, and was actually very mysterious. And here is how it goes- well, the beginning, the start.

3 very young men went into the Strawberry Cafe. They sat down at a table, and was greeted by a waitress- beautiful and sweet, yet charming enough to make men drop on the floor and grovel.

The first man, named Makoto Kashino, blond hair and with a grim face, ordered a Suisse mocha.

The second, named Sennosuke Andoh, purple hair and with glasses, ordered a caramel frappe.

The third, named Satsuki Hanabusa, green hair and with a very special beauty mark, could not find what he was looking for. He did not order a single thing.

And so the days passed by, the same as always, the same table, same people, same waitress, same time, day after day, until...

Chapter 1

Bara swept into Strawberry Cafe, and immediately went over to the front counter's lady, her friend, Amano Ichigo. They greeted each other- they hadn't seen each other for 3 years. Ichigo gave Bara a mysterious cup of something, and she immediately accepted it, went to the darkest corner, put on a deep, black coat, and took a sip.

Soon after came those 3 very young men we recently heard about. They sat at the same table as the day before and ordered the same things. Ichigo though, secretly slipped in a piece of chocolate on the Suisse mocha's plate and her friend, Kana put 3 sweet red beans on the caramel frappe's plate.

And while they secretly did that, Satsuki smelled a sweet smell. He stood up from the table and followed that scent to the back corner. He looked down and saw the small hood of a black cloak. He smiled a bit and was about to uncover it when-

"Stay away, beauty-mark boy."

He froze. Never in his life had he been name-called, he was far too charming for that. So this came as a shock to him, and he put his hand down. "I have a name, madam," he said.

"Ain't that great- hey guess what, I have one too." Came his answer.

Satsuki, taken aback, looked into Bara's cup. "Rose tea," he noted thoughtfully.

"Got a problem with it?"

Satsuki backed away and went to Ichigo at the front counter. "May I ask, who is that in the far corner wearing the black cloak?"

"Seriously?" Makoto asked. "You seriously need to know? Mind your own business." He said it extra loud, as to refrain from 'Satsuki embarrassment'.

Ichigo immediately replied, "Oh, she's my friend! Her name is-"

"I-CHI-GO." Interrupted her.

She got the idea. "Oh, I'm sorry, but I am not allowed to tell you."

-The next day-

Kashino sadly went along with Hanabusa to the strange girl's table. "Alright, just tell us your name!"

Bara rose up and merely fled from the room. The boys noted that there were to drops of salt-water.

"tears." Satsuki said. Then he ran out of the cafe and followed the girl.

Bara's POV

Couldn't those boys just leave me alone? I've heard of that flirt and amazingly, he's annoying! Man, just go away. I leave the room and race across the sidewalk to my field to just cry. Sure I'm with Ichigo, but can't she defend me?

I make sure that nobody's following me, and then slip in underneath a fence post. There's my field, big and beautiful as always. I smile and soak up as much sun as possible after throwing my cloak off. I retrieve my ballet slippers from the box and dance. Dance like there's no tomorrow. I wish there wasn't any tomorrow.

"Ah, you're a dancer."

Okay, so first he annoys me, then tries to figure me out, and now he's stalking me? I swear, how annoying can he be?

I quit dancing and just fume, staring at him. "Go play around with your own crowd."

I plop down on the grass and epically fail trying to throw it at him. How did he get underneath the fence? Tears stream down my face. My private life is gone. ARGH!

"ARGH!"

I squeeze my eyes shut and lay back onto the grass. "Bara-san, honestly, he just wants to know your name! Be polite, be yourself would you!"

Ichigo's voice yells inside my head. I wake up and stare straight at the boy. "My name is Onigori Bara."

I turn my head, but Ichigo isn't there, like I expected her to be.

"I'm Satsuki Hanabusa."

He walks over to me and sets down a basket. He sits, making me very uncomfortable. "You have a beautiful name- a lucky one. Rose. Bara."

"Y-yeah."

He opens up the basket and takes out china, a teapot, and teacups. "Rose tea?"

I nod silently. "Wait here."

I run over to a secret passage and retrieve a rose. I pick the thorns off, making myself bleed. Oh well.

I return to the field and hand it to him He smiles, then looks worried. "You're bleeding."

Before I can think twice, my hand is in his and he's cleaning the wounds. "Oh-you don't have to-"

"It's fine."

We spent the rest of the day like that- talking and sipping rose tea. He walked me to Ichigo's house for me to spend the night since I'll be staying with her. I thanked him for all the tea and he watched me go. And just before I left, he kissed me on the forehead and wished me sweet dreams.

-In Bed with Ichigo-

"You know you like him," Ichigo whispered in my ear.

I blushed. "Kind of. You like Kashino though- it's obvious."

I can see her flush even though it's dark. "I can tell why he likes you, I mean, your hair and eyes are really pretty."

"Yours are too."

She scoffs, then drifts off to sleep.

Hanabusa's POV

Ugh, no I can't believe that I did that... Did I seriously just kiss her on the forehead 15 minutes ago? Did I seriously wish her sweet dreams? Oh no no, this CANNOT be happening... Cafe- that sweet spirit, he's now telling me that I should lay it off, yeah he's right.

I think.