A/N: This one has been sitting propped on the desk for a very long time on the verge of being tossed or debuted. Pleased to say it's debuting so do insert a review of your thoughts on it.

It's my 7th anniversary! I can't believe it's been this long already but it has :)

I'm happy to have come all this way with all of you faithful reviewers who stuck through the thick and thin with me. This mass update is for all of you as a thank you.

Thank you again and Read/Review for me as usual!

Because Of You

Rated: M

Summary: When Ryoma declares war on playboy Syuusuke who claims his sister as his prey, he might just find out his life isn't all it seems to be.

Ch I: New Target

Tokyo, Japan

Minato City

Nakahara Residence

"You got what you wanted didn't you?"

"But I wanted-"

"That's all that was agreed upon; I owe you nothing else!"

"Okaa-san?"

Golden eyes snapped open as the woman lying on the bed sat up suddenly.

"Okaa-san?" the voice inquired again.

"Hazuki?" Another voice joined the first.

The woman turned slightly and saw the teenage girl sitting on the bed. Her gray eyes shone with slight worry and the man behind her had a similar expression on his face.

"I'm sorry… it was just a nightmare." Hazuki said with a small smile for both their sakes.

"It's okay mom," The girl said with a smile. "Just wanted to tell you good morning and that Ryoma and I are heading out."

"Be careful Mayumi," Hazuki called out as she climbed out of bed pulling on her robe that hung on the slim coat rack next to her bed. She peeked out the bedroom door and saw her son and daughter leave for school.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I am," Hazuki nodded before turning to face the man. Genuine worry shone through as always and though she was thankful he was still by her side after everything she sometimes wished he didn't love her quite so much.

"Hazuki…"

"Taku… I'm really okay… it's just that some things don't change." Hazuki said softly as she returned to the bed and sat down. Sometimes she wondered why she couldn't just fall helplessly in love with Takumi and live happily… why did her heart have to be so disagreeable and label him friend and not mate?

"I told you many times that you didn't have to work. I would support the children and you."

"Taku…" Hazuki said in a soft yet commanding voice. "You've done more than enough for a woman like me."

He didn't argue anymore. He merely nodded as he eyed the worn woman in front of him. She didn't always use to look like this… dressed in a cheap nightgown and robe, sleep-tangled black hair and worn gold eyes. But she had insisted on this… insisted they do this instead of hurting the bastard and her family.

"Taku?"

"Yes?" He answered looking up at her.

"They've been gone for a year marking today…" Hazuki said looking out the window. She still felt the guilt that she hadn't been there with them… but she knew for herself she had needed to leave, she had needed to get out of her safety zone and move away from all the pain she had experienced.

"Yes… you're parents and brother death was today last year."

"Do you think I should've returned? Do you think I was wrong to hide for eighteen years?" Hazuki asked as a lone tear escaped the corner of her eyes and down her cheek.

"You did what you thought was best," Takumi said reaching out to embrace her only to stop as he remembered what he was to her. He was nothing but the protector; nothing but the man she was forced to rely on… no more, no less.

She didn't say anything as she continued looking out the window. It had been a while since she had a dream concerning him… could it mean something bad?

"Are you regretting moving near the heart of Tokyo?" Takumi asked noting her expression reflected off the glass.

"But the children wanted to attend these schools… what more can a mother hope for when her children are enthusiastic about certain schools."

"But they are attending Seigaku?"

"Hyoutei might give them a harder time since a lot of elites go there and recognition is something I don't want to afford." Hazuki said turning to face Takumi with a soft smile. "I'll get changed and start on some breakfast."

Takumi nodded and turned to leave her bedroom.

Hazuki sighed slightly. She was aware that Takumi rarely challenged her and bowed to her will most of the time but sometimes she wished he'd scold her if it wasn't the best decision, yell at her if she was in the wrong… but he never did that, he silently and supported her in every decision she undertook..

Her daughter didn't completely resemble her but one mistake and it could have people questioning and bringing up things that were supposed to be long dead. She only hoped her curious daughter would stick to her brother's side and be good.

xXx

Seigaku High

"Wahhh!" Mayumi breathed out as twirled pass the lane of cherry blossoms in high hopes. 'It's beautiful ne Ryoma?"

"Hn…" Ryoma merely said as he walked a bit behind his sister. His jacket was unbuttoned but his white shirt was tucked in formally since Takumi had insisted they be proper on their first day and not cause stress for their mother. He said he'd try but his bedraggled hair never changed even if he had dropped his habit of sleeping in late, his style of not following everything to the rule was still in him as well. Then again his mother had told him that she didn't mind his rebellious behavior at all since it made him who he was.

"Too bad we couldn't get into a private school ne Onii?" Mayumi said stopping to wait for her brother.

"We can't expect mom to pay for that." Ryoma said with a shrug. "Mom already feels bad enough that we have to rely on Takumi-san for daily expense."

"I know," Mayumi said with a small sigh. "There's only three more years till we graduate and we could get jobs this winter when we turn sixteen-"

"Jobs are prohibited at Seigaku," Ryoma said with a sigh.

"But that doesn't mean we won't try anyways…" Mayumi said with a slight smile to her brother.

Ryoma returned her smile. They were known to get what they wanted even if they had to bend the rules a little. It was times like these that Ryoma could see his mother in his sister. The gentle, mischievous smile was something he remembered briefly on their mother's face when she wasn't worrying over how to make ends meet. But Ryoma was determined to help out his mother and Takumi. He'd use his good looks that his mother and sister praised to his advantage if he had too.

"Onii!" Mayumi said excitedly stopping in front of the school gates where every other student was entering as if it was just another day.

"What?" Ryoma asked stopping beside her.

"Can you believe it… this is it." Mayumi said with a bright smile. "It's a lot better than Shinagawa."

Ryoma nodded. That was where they had originally lived in Tokyo's mass Metropolis but going to Seigaku meant having to move closer so they upped a city to Minato. It was the ward where there were many famous companies and had Tokyo tower as opposed to where they lived before with nothing much to look at but hotels.

"Let's go," Ryoma said with a sigh. It was a pain sometimes to pull his sister out of everything but she was still excited though they had come with their mother not too long ago to register and settle transfer. Ryoma only really cared that living here meant a shorter distance to Roppongi and Shibuya where it'd be easier to track jobs for his mom and himself.

xXx

Hyoutei High

Fuji sighed as he listened to Atobe go off about how some people in his prestigious tennis team still lost to Tezuka's second rate team from the public school, Seigaku. Despite all of Atobe rants and so forth, Fuji knew that the diva oujisama of Hyoutei was impressed to be running his mouth so much about one "unknown" tennis team.

With Fuji's schedule lately, he hadn't had time to go play with anyone but with Atobe telling him about the interesting plebeians that could be found at Seigaku recently, maybe he should head on over with Atobe. It had been awhile since he's dated anyone from Seigaku anyways….

"You want to come along and see how Ore-sama wins his match confidently in this "friendly" tennis match or not Fuji?"

"Why not?" Fuji said with a widening smile as he sat back into the leather chair he had been sitting on. "it might prove to be more productive then wandering the school for a prey to make my day interesting."

"Che!" Atobe scoffed with wave. "You're WAY better off following Ore-sama and putting that better than average tennis skill behind me rather than traipsing around here where you've already dated more than half of the students and tortured the rest."

"I'm not that much of a busybody," Fuji said with a smile as he looked out the window. "Do you plan to head to Seigaku for just a quick match during lunch?"

"Of course, there's no need to take anyone but the regulars since that guarantees us a quick win." Atobe said picking up his tea as Kabaji poured it obediently for him.

"I might as well go and assess them as well then." Fuji agreed with a smile. It'd been a while since he had any time to himself.

xXx

Seigaku High

Lunch

"Ryoma… Isn't it such a good day so far?" Mayumi asked whispering it over while her new found friends walked beside them chatting.

Ryoma merely shrugged and found it no big surprise that Mayumi had already made friends. She was a talkative girl, attractive and knew who to talk to people, whereas he preferred to be left alone so he could do his own thing. He had already scouted the place and found that they had a kendo club that he may join since Takumi-san had been teaching him Kendo techniques since he was young as a form of protection.

"Whaaa Mayumi…." One of her friends said turning to her excitedly. "It's Hyoutei's tennis team. They're full of bishies!"

"Really?" Mayumi said and turned to scout the tennis team that was currently playing in the court with her friends. She noted that all of them were good looking and carried themselves above all others but none in particular caught her on a personal level till towards the end. He didn't seem to have that superiority feel in his walk and looked more approachable with an easy smile as he talked to a guy beside him. Mayumi felt her breath catch as her eyes and head followed him… She was crushing already.

"Get your head out of the clouds…" Ryoma muttered as he poked Mayumi lightly. "What makes you think a nerd like you has a chance with mister high-born?"

Mayumi frowned at her brother but somewhere she also wondered as well if he would even glance at her. Most boys looked at how pretty and talkative she was and naturally assumed she was out-going, and easy. The truth was instead that she loved reading; she was good at studying and was no good at being fun.

"Atobe-sama is so handsome!" One of her friends gushed.

"I prefer Shin-sama." Another echoed.

"Whose that in the back?" Mayumi asked instead.

"Mayumi-chan! You should avoid that devil!" one of her friends gasped out. "He's Fuji Syuusuke."

"I heard he's the devil incarnate in the form of a handsome man."

"He's a player who dates only those who catches his eyes and when he's done, he tosses them away."

"But his dark eyes don't look like the player type…" Mayumi uttered.

"Dark? OH! You mean Fujiwaru-kun."

"Fujiwaru?" Mayumi questioned.

"Aa, Fujiwaru Minato's a nice man." Her friend said. "He's rich too, they own those chain restaurants."

"Hn…" Mayumi said and started to walk only to bump into Fuji and Fujiwaru who were carrying racquets and heading across the walkway to the next court. "Aa, gomen!"

"Its fine," Fujiwaru said with a quick smile her way but Fuji stopped completely. He hadn't remembered seeing a pretty girl like this at Seigaku before and to make it more interesting, she had bumped into both of them but were all eyes on Minato.

"What's your name?" Fuji asked viewing her with slight interest.

"Ah..eh, Nakahara Mayumi…"

"Hnnnn…Target… you," Fuji whispered as he leaned over to view her fully with his sapphire eyes. He smiled as her eyes widened and he tilted his head going in for the kill when a flash of green caught his eyes and made him lean back in alert.

Looking to see a tennis ball bounce from the wall on the other side of him and Mayumi, he turned his head the other way to see a pair of angry, dark golden eyes staring at him in disapproval.

"Get away from my Mayumi," Ryoma stated bluntly as he caught the tennis ball easily with the racquet he had borrowed from another tennis player.

"Ryoma…"

"Ryoma…ne…" Fuji said with a smile though his eyes were wide open.

A/N: We start Thrill immediately in this story XD Do send a review :3