Yuki ran a hand against his hair as he stepped out of the house, gazing up towards the bright sunny sky with a quiet smile. "A beautiful day, isn't it Honda-san?" He asked of the girl beside him.

  Tohru's bright smile could have rivaled the glow of the sun. "It's really beautiful! Mother must be happy desu!" She agreed. "Uo-chan and Hana-chan must be waiting for us at the radio station desu. Let's hurry, ne?"

  Yuki smiled and nodded to the girl, "Of course." It was a marked blessing that the bakaneko didn't show up once all day – no doubt sulking on the roof again. The day was even more blessed when he realized Shigure was nowhere to be seen – so he was probably hiding from Mit-chan. It should make for a peaceful walk.

  Tohru chattered amiably about random topics as they set off for the station, her conversation ranging from her dear friends, to dinner, then the school project, wherein she mentioned getting help from Momiji, and then, as it always did, to Kyo. Yuki could feel the tension in his shoulders as Tohru made the innocent remark, "I hope Kyo-kun is doing all right. I wish he'd come with us to the radio station."

  Sighing quietly, Yuki was barely able to resist turning to Tohru and shaking her gently. Wasn't he enough company for her? Why did she need to always turn the conversation to that damn fool, Kyo? His eyes turned downward, a frown puckering his brow. That wasn't being fair to her. He, just like Kyo, knew very well why she would bring up Kyo or himself if the other was absent. It was silly to get so worked up and jealous – especially knowing how Akito hated her.

  "Yuki-kun?"

  Yuki jerked his head up as he realized Tohru had stopped talking, and was now watching him with concern mirrored in her blue-green eyes. Guilt gnawed at the pit of his stomach as he realized she must have asked him something, and his silence had caused her to worry.  Shaking off his thoughts, he graced her with his best smile, "Yes, Honda-san?"

  "Are you not feeling well, Yuki-kun? The wind is a bit chilly today. Do you want to borrow my jacket?"

Amusement played across Yuki's face at the girl's offer. "No no, Honda-san. I'm fine, I was just thinking about the project." A small lie to be sure – but it wasn't completely false. He had been thinking about the project.. till she mentioned Kyo. "Besides, I believe your jacket is a bit too small for me." And he didn't want anyone to catch him wearing a pink jacket with a koala pin on the pocket. He smothered a short chuckle behind his hand.

"A..ano! Yuki-kun! Was that a cough?" Tohru asked anxiously.

Yuki shook his head, "No, no, I.." He paused. How could he tell Tohru what he'd just thought? It was a bit embarassing. He shook his head with a smile, his hand reaching to gently touch Tohru's chin. "I'm fine." His eyes sparkled with pleasure as he saw her cheeks turn the faintest hint of pink, and he dropped his hand from her chin, this time taking her hand. "Let's go meet Uotani-san, and Hanajima-san."

By the time the radio station came in sight, Yuki had (somewhat reluctantly) released Tohru's hand. Tohru didn't seem to notice, as she spied her friends waiting patiently. Or rather, Hanajima was waiting, and Uotani was talking (i.e. arguing and threatening) with several boys from their audio-visual club.

"Uo-chan! Hana-chan!" Tohru called happily, waving her hand in greeting.

Where Tohru's greeting was more exuberant, Yuki's was a good deal more subdued, but still sincere. Hanajima simply moved her head and looked at Yuki for a very long time. Long enough to make the Jyunishi boy very nervous, until Hanajima finally straightened from where she was leaning against the wall. "…welcome, Souma Yuki."

"Oi! Prince! Toh-chan! Glad you made it! Have any trouble?" Uotani called.

Yuki twitched, pulling his gaze from the denpa girl, looking to Uotani instead. Not that much safer, but certainly less creepy. "Ah, no, your directions were very straightforward."

  Tohru hugged her two friends tightly, as if she hadn't seen them in years, rather than just the other day. She did, however, pick up on Hanajima's apparent distraction. She wasn't –completely- unobservant, after all. "Hana-chan, is something wrong? How's Megumi-kun?"

  Hanajima looked to her friend and smiled, "Megumi is fine, Tohru-chan."

  Tohru then exhaled as Uotani snagged her in a one-armed bear-hug, "Aus! These guys managed to pull some strings with the station, and they agreed to let us use it if we use their promotional commercials in the taping. Sounded fair enough anyway."

  "Glrk." Tohru uttered.

  "I thought so too!" Uotani grinned, "We're short a few people, but we'll make do, right Toh-chan?"

  "*wheeze*" Tohru answered.

  "Right!" Uotani laughed, then glanced at Yuki, "Oi, what's with you, Prince? You look in shock."

  "Uh.. Uotani-san.." Yuki ventured after a moment, raising a hand and pointing at Tohru.

  "Hm?" Uotani looked down to her friend, "Hey Toh-chan, you're awfully quiet. That blue really isn't your color; too much makeup?"

  "Arisa." Hanajima interrupted, "Perhaps you ought to let Tohru-chan breathe."

  Uotani erked, promptly releasing the girl, who doubled over, wheezing. "Ah – sorry about that Toh-chan! I got so caught up in the moment, I just completely forgot myself."

  "It's.. *cough* okay *wheeze* Uo *gasp* -chan." Tohru managed between great gulps of air, until she straightened. "I'm all right, really!"

  "Are you sure, Honda-san?" Yuki asked, worried.

  Tohru nodded enthusiastically, "Ne! Let's all go inside now and have fun!"

  Uotani laughed, "That's the spirit Toh-chan! Onward!" She punched a fist into the air, and led her merry group into the station.

  Hanajima narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked around again, then turned around and followed after the others.

*

  From their vantage point in an alley, the trio that made up only a small part of the LOVE ME YUKI! Fanclub shuddered to themselves. "Did you see that?" Ichigo hissed to the other two. "That creepy denpa girl almost saw us!"

  "Let's go back you guys!" Sango whined, clutching Nigo's sleeve, "The last time we got hit by one of her electric shocks, we were lighting up the room for weeks. Literally!"

  Nigo tugged on her sleeve, ignoring Sango, "Ichigo, what do you think that witch and her friends are going to do to our Yuki-kun?" She asked breathlessly. "Moreover, how did she manage to get those geeks to help THEM and not US!?"

  "I couldn't sleep for weeks. I kept seeing her face in my nightmare.. taunting, laughing at me with those ungodly glowing eyes, and I screamed and screamed and screamed-"

  "SHUT UP Sango!" Ichigo snapped. "And pull yourself together!" She looked at Nigo, "I don't know, and I don't want to think about it, quite frankly." She clasped her hands together, "Aa, poor Yuki-kun, trapped in such an unsanitary place, with those horrible women!"

  Nigo bit on a hankerchief she drew from her pocket, "Yuki-kuuuuuun!" She wailed, until Ichigo clapped a hand over her mouth to silence her.

  Sango decided to pipe up, and make things a heck of a lot worse. "You know, I was watching the news the other day, and there was this clip about some children who were brainwashed but subliminal messages put in radio waves." She giggled, "Wouldn't it be funny if that's what they were doing in the radio station right now?" She proceeded to laugh uproariously until she realized that her two friends had gone pale, and were most certainly NOT laughing. By the time the impact of her words, though said in jest, hit her, Ichigo and Nigo were already fighting to get in the doorway. Sango scrambled after them, "Wait for me!!"

  "Quit pushing!" Ichigo snapped, "I'm the vice president so I should go first!"

  "Don't worry Yuki-kun! We'll save you!" Nigo blurted out.

  "What the hell are you doing?" Said a fourth voice; one which was most assuredly male.

  As one, the trio pivoted, to find themselves looking right into the very annoyed eyes of one Souma Kyo. "Aren't you-" Sango began.

  Kyo cut her off with a wave of his hand, "Out of my way, I'm going inside!"  He growled.

  Meekly, the trio stepped back, staring at Kyo with a mix of awe and fear. The cursed cat glared at them. "And quit starin' at me!"   He added, passing through the doorway into the radio station.

  Several minutes after the door closed, Ichigo blinked, and slapped her head ."WHY did we let him inside!? Doesn't he know what fiendish plans that Honda is up to in there?"

  "Now we have to rescue Yuki-kun –and- his cousin!" Nigo put in.

  "Me first!" Sango chimed, darting into the doorway.

  Before Nigo and Ichigo could follow, there was an ear splitting shriek and Sango shot back out the door and down the block, with only a smoke trail to mark her passage. A few minutes later, they found out why. Inside the lobby of the radio station, as they peeked into the room, they saw Kyo talking to Hanajima. Hanajima nodded mutely, and turned to point towards the stairs. Kyo started to head in that direction, when Hanajima turned her head towards the doorway, almost ominously.

  Ichigo and Nigo were next to go screaming down the block after Sango.

  Kyo shook his head, and eyed Hanajima. "Do they always do that?"

  Hanajima simply smiled. "Teehee."

   Kyo shuddered slightly at the utter creepiness and inherent wrongness of a 'teehee' coming from the gloomy girl's lips, and followed Hanajima upstairs to where the others were waiting.