His eyes are so mysterious and full of secrets.

His skin is tan with no blemishes to falter it in any type of way.

His smile is so rare. Every time I see it, it makes my heart flutter.

Then there was his laugh. It resonated deep within his chest, and made its way out though slightly parted lips, making my face flush for no apparent reason. What was it about his laugh that I adored so much? Was it because I almost never get to hear it. Or because when I do, its baritone sound drowns out all thoughts in my head. I don't know how to explain it, but I loved it. Just like I loved him.

I was laying in my bed, green eyes staring at the drab white ceiling above while waiting for my alarm clock to strike 11:00, the time in which I would go to Karasumori. The time where I would go to see my bestfriends and crush. I glanced over to the clock and its large red numbers read 10:50 pm.

"Guess I better start getting ready."

I got up from my bed and started to put on my regular outfit. It was the same as Tokines; she had kindly lent me one of hers. Once everything was where it should be I pulled my hair up so it would get in my way and began to short walk to the sight in which I helped protect.

I jumped over the slightly high gate and landed gracefully on the other side immediatly seeing a smiling Tokine, a sleepy Yoshimori, and a slightly annoyed Gen. Not to mention Madarao and Hakubi sitting comfortably on the ground.

"Kashaku, I'm glad you're finally here. We've been sensing a strange energy, but every time we get close to it, it suddenly disappears."

A slender eyebrow cocked at this statement. It could be the Kokoburo could it? Them in their human skin? "Do you think that it's the Kokoburo wearing the skin?"

"I don't think so. It's been awhile since they came here and it's likely they aren't coming back anytime soon. This energy is different than theirs." A deep voice said.

All three of us looked to the usually silent Gen. His gaze was directed in front of him, at me, while his arms were crossed in front of his broad chest.

"I sense the energy again!" Came Hakubis voice from his position on the ground.

"And I smell the Ayekashi! It's by the pool!" Madarao responded, his nose in the air sniffing furiously.

We all four took off in search of the mysterious energy that was able to get around Tokine and Gens sharp senses. As we rounded the corner to the gate of the pool, it disappeared, like Tokine said it would.

"It's gone." I mumbled to myself while glaring at the pool in front of me, inwardly hoping the Ayekashi would come back.

"Ugh! Dang it! It's been like this ever since we got here! We sense it, we try to find it and it's gone! It's like it knows." Yoshimori shouted angrily.

"Calm down. We'll catch it eventually." Tokine reassured him while holding her staff at her side.

"We could split into two teams, we'd cover more ground that way rather than just staying on one big group." I suggested white twiddling a piece of my crimson hair around my finger.

"Yeah, ok! Let's do it! I swear I'm going to get that stupid thing if it kills me! Come on Tokine!"

Yoshimori took off across the fence and to goodness knows where around this place, leaving me and Gen by the pool.

"Well I guess you and me are a team now." Gen said.

"Yea, I guess so." I mumbled back.

We stood in an awkward silence for a good five minutes before our thoughts were snapped by that energy again, and this time it was close. So close in fact, it felt as if it was right next to us, in the pool.

Suddenly the water started to ripple ever so slightly and something shot out scratching me slightly on the cheek before zipping back into the water just as fast as it had emerged.

I brought my finger up the scratch and winced slightly, I mean it's just a scratch, not like it'll kill me or anything.

"You ok?"

I glanced to the side only to notice Gen seemed very...concerned? Is that what I saw in his eyes? The eyes that held so many mysteries? He slowly walked over while pulling something out of his pocket, and before I could object, a light tan band-aid was placed ever so gently upon my cheek where the small scratch was.

I felt my face flush as red as my crimson hair and quickly I lowered my gaze while mumbling a small thank you. Without me noticing he gave me a small, rare smile before his eyes widened and he turned his hand to his Ayekashi form grabbing something from the air before it could reach me.

I on the other hand was shocked. The thing that had cut my cheek had come from the water again and was now in Gens firm grasp. And let me tell you something, it was an ugly little thing. It was an awful shade of green and had huge yellow bug eyes with red slanted pupils. Its mouth was open slightly and full of yellow razor sharp teeth that practically dripped with some weird clear liquid. Maybe it was just its spit or if we're unlucky its poison.

Gen killed it with ease now that he had caught it and I glared with all my might as I happily watched it die. Stupid thing for cutting my cheek. Speaking of that, it really hurts now, I mean it really hurts! Like it's burning or something.

I began to wobble as my legs turned numb, making me unable to stand on my own. I would've hit the ground if not for Gens sharp reflexes; he saved me from a sore behind.

"Gahh, this hurts!" I almost screamed as the burning sensation spread quickly from my cheek to my lower neck and eventually to the rest of my body. Now normally I was a quiet person, but I was prepared to scream my head off because this really, REALLY hurts.

"Kashaku! What's wrong?" Gen asked in a hurried manner.

Finally Yoshimori and Tokine decided to appear after a long absence and Tokine gasped as she saw me on the ground, my cheek now appearently taking the shade of a light purple.

"Gen, you need to get her to a hospital now! You're faster than we are!" Yoshimori screamed.

"We can't take her to a hospital! They don't know how to treat things from Ayekashi! The best thing to do is to take her to Grandma or your grandfather." Tokine replied in a calm manner, but I could tell she was very worried, whether she showed it or not.

"Uhhh, right." Gen said.

He gentle picked me up, and once he touched me I groaned in pain. It's like now everything that touches me makes the burning sensation even worse than it already is.

"Come on, I'm going to get you some help. Can you two handle it for the night?" Gen said as he held the now unconscious me.

"Just go Gen!" Tokine screamed at him while pointed a finger in the direction of their houses.

Gen quickly and swiftly jumped from rooftop to rooftop, careful not to be seen and soon landed in front of Yoshimoris door. Not even bothering to knock he slid it open with his bare foot and barged in, nearly knocking a poor Shuji over.

"Gen what is the-is that Kashaku? Oh my goodness I'll go get dad!" He replied quickly after taking in the full effect of what had happen.

Before he could blink, the elderly old man was motioning for Gen to bring Kashaku into a bedroom so he could get a better look at her and see what's wrong.

Gen laid her down on the soft bed and pushed a few strands of hair from her face and purple cheek.

"I want you to tell me what happen Gen."

Gen sat down Indian style and watched as Shige opened many drawers and pulled out various items.

"We were looking for an Ayekashi and it cut her on the cheek."

"Do you remember what it looked like?"

Gen pondered for a moment before replying, "It was green, with yellow eyes and red pupils. It was small, small enough to hold in the palm of my hand."

Shige took out a needle and pressed it into the open wound of Kashakus cheek taking out some blood and hopefully poison.

"You have encountered a Ayekashi called Migurushi. It's speciality is poison, even the slightest scratch can be fatal, as you can see. But if you can treat it quickly than there is a large chance you will survive. It's good you got her to me in time Gen, otherwise she wouldn't have made it."

"So you can help her right? I mean, she's going to be ok." Gen whispered.

"Yes, but the neutralization process isn't a very pleasant one. To get rid of this poison you much literally kill it."

"What do you mean kill it?" Gen asked, a little scared of the answer he was about to receive.

"I mean that once I inject this she will feel as if every blood vessel in her body is bursting. Every muscle is tearing and her skin will feel as if it's burning even more than it was before. I'm going to need you here to comfort her Gen." Shige said in a tone that held nothing but utter seriousness.

"Ok."

Shige found a vein in her arms and quickly inject the serum. He had been able to make an antidote quickly from the poison he drew earlier from her cheek.

After a few seconds Kashaku bolted up from her position on the floor and screamed to the top of her lungs.

"Gaaaaaah! It hurts! It burns! Make it stop!" I screamed loudly. What was happening to me!

I had been asleep and away from the burning sensation, though it was still slightly there, but it was more of a numbing feeling now. Then a felt something prick my arm and the next thing I knew I was feeling the most unbearable pain that I believe mankind can ever experience.

I felt multiple hands on my legs, my arms and my stomach, and every time they would touch me the area in which they did grew stronger with pain.

It must have only been about five minutes it lasted but to me it felt like an eternity of years. The pain stopped and feeling began to creep its way back into me. Also the hands that held me down were now disappearing as well.

Opening my eyes I saw three heads looking down at me with smiles. Shige, Shinji, and Gen.

"Well, that went well." I heard Yoshimori grandfather say.

I felt something cold a wet being dabbed across my forehead and saw Gen trying to cool me down with a washcloth. I was grateful for that, I felt like I was on fire.

"I guess we'll leave you guys alone. Gen, I'm sure you can take care of her for the night. You are both welcome to stay." Shuji said kindly. Both he and Shige then left the room, only leaving me and Gen.

Once the door closed, Gen immediatly asked, "How are you feeling."

I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the soft bed beneath me, the worst may have been over, but I'm starting to feel the sore after effects. Not very pleasant.

"I'm fine Gen. Shige was able to help me out a lot. I feel a lot better." I said with a smile, my eyes now open once again.

Something soft, but rough grasped my hand tightly. At the same time I felt a slight pressure on my stomach, only to realize Gen had his forehead against it while his hand griped mine. He was sitting on his knees bent over, almost like he was bowing.

"This should have never happen though. If only I was quicker, you'd be fine." He said.

"Oh Gen." I placed and free, gentle hand upon the back of his head, trying to soothe him in some way. "What happened isn't your fault. We're protectors of Karasumori. It's an occupational hazard to us, just like it is to Tokine and Yoshimori."

Then it happen. The baritone melody erupted slightly from his mouth, and I swear my insides melted into a giant puddle of goo. He laughed, and I loved it. It wasn't a roll on the floor laugh, it was more of an amused chuckle, but it still counts.

"Of course you would make me laugh in a situation like this." He said with a small fraction of a smile, his head still resting on my flat stomach.

Seeing him smile and hearing him laugh made my face flush to an incinerating red. "Yea, I guess so."

I managed to get my hand back from him and was now in the painful process of doing one of the simplest things in the world. Sitting up.

Thankfully Gen helped me out so it wasn't as bad as I had expected to be. I sat up straight and a sharp sting shot up my side making me fall into Gen who caught me.

"I-I'm sorry. It still kind of hurts." I mumbled into his shirt.

Suddenly arms circled around my waist and pulled me close, to the point where I was practically sitting on his lap.

"Gen, w-what are you doing?" I managed to squeak out.

"I'm sorry. I just want to...hold you. Maybe make you feel better."

A small smile graced my lips at how thoughtful he was being right now and with a newfound bravery I lifted on of my hands, cupping his cheek gently and kissed his other one. I felt him instantly heat up under my hand.

As I was about to retract my hand from his now hot cheek, he placed his large on overtop of it and held it in place. I was at a loss for words and didn't quite know how to react to this even more awkward situation.

"Kashaku, close your eyes."

Without thinking, I automatically did as I was told, and was rewarded with a very pleasurable feeling upon my tender lips. It only lasted for a moment but to me, it was far longer than that.

There was a comfortable silence between us as I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his chest, hearing the erratic beating of his heart. Not a word was said, but in the silence we knew that from this moment forward, we would be happy. Together.

"Thank you Gen."