The other day I was thinking… which I do on occasion (if by accident). What was the point of making the Suzaku Seven have such tragic pasts? Why is it that not ONE senshi got the pleasure of having a happily ever after? Would it really be so bad if one guy got his girl BESIDES Tamahome?

So, in honor of my favorite senshi Chichiri, I am changing the story slightly in order to insure that SOMEONE besides Miaka and Tamahome get their happily ever after.

You should be able to pick up what's going on, but in case you're wondering I am not even going to go into OVAs because I think the basic story was better without the add ons. Just a personal opinion. :)

Chapter One: Betrayal

It wasn't anything like she thought it would be.

Even when she had spoke kindly to rebuke him, he had barely listened at all, looking at her as a starving man looks at a piece of bread. When he'd came close to her she had automatically thought to turn and flee and yet resisted the urge. 'Why? This is Hikou! He's my friend, he would never do anything…'

Why had she not obeyed her inner warnings? Why?

He'd grabbed her and pulled her into his embrace, smashing his lips against her own. Her shriek of surprise was immediately silenced. She put her hands on his chest to push him away and found that he was too strong. Unfortunately he took that was an invitation and pulled her more tightly against him, his breath hot against her face. When he finally broke the kiss, his face lingered, mere inches away from her own, looking pleased, terrified, and shocked at his own nerve.

But she, dazed and horrified, looked past him to the man standing behind him.

"Houjun…" she gasped softly.

Hikou's face distorted. "Even now is he all you can-" he stopped abruptly, noticing her gaze. A look of shame and guilt flickered across his face for an instant before he turned, only to see his best friend watching him. Houjun was not capable of hiding his feelings as accurately as Hikou. Bewilderment… rage…they were there.

And hurt.

Yes… hurt was there most of all.

He had lessened his grip slightly and Kouran pushed him away and turned on her heels, running deep into the woods. She ran, jumping branches, sidestepping trees and bushes; she ran as far as she could- further than she ever had. When she collapsed upon the ground, she cried as thought she had been mortally wounded.

'Even now, all you can think of is…'

"Houjun!" She cried into the ground, clutching clumps of dirt in her fists, wishing the earth would swallow her up. "Forgive me…"

Whether he would forgive her, she could not say. She never asked forgiveness to his face. She didn't deserve it. She couldn't deserve it. Not after what she had done… Hikou may have initiated the kiss, but she had suspected it's coming and done nothing.

He had always been such a kind man… maybe he would have forgiven her.

But she'd never forgive herself.

As the two most important people in her life began fighting, the water in their small river village began to rise rapidly. She barely noticed it. Her entire world was ripping apart, why not the elements as well? She walked along the banks of the swollen river slowly, her eyes distant. When she lost her footing and began to fall, she didn't even try to save herself.

It took only fifteen minutes for the entire village and all the people in it to be swept away by the rapid current. For those people it was not swift and abrupt- they could see the water far off ahead of them and had no time to run. The most they could do was hold their heads up and try to die honorably as the water came, stealing their land, their families, and their lives. The river that had once sustained them- given them bountiful harvests and good clear water to drink- now showed them no love.

It took fifteen minutes for the entire village to be destroyed by the rapid current.

But it took merely seconds for an entire decade of friendship to draw it's close.

End Chapter One. Please Review