I'm kind of shocked how well people are taking to this story and so fast. I was worried when I first started to write this story, considering the context, that people may not take well to it. So thank you for being so receptive guys. :)

~Trisana

The following day, just as I said I would, I showed up around three. I get off of work at two but since Shuichi lives around the school it takes about an hour just to get there by train.

I pull out a price of paper containing his address. I knew the relative location after looking up directions at the library.

"103, 104, ah 105," I walk up to the door and knock. The house was quite beautiful, if not feminine much like Shuichi. I'm not calling him girly, but rather well groomed? It is a welcoming changed from the messiness of most male counterparts I ran across.

All around me I saw different types of flowers and trees with some that I did not even recognize. All I could think of as I stared was 'a fairytale book'.

"Does house strike your interest," Shuichi chuckles at my fascination towards his house.

"It's just very beautiful and reflects much of yourself."

"How do you figure," he asks again amused by my reactions.

"Well groomed, almost exotic, beautiful in their own right, and quite elaborately mysterious," I explain biting my lip in thought. How was I supposed to describe a man like Shuichi without insulting him or coming off as hitting on him either?

"So you find me mysterious, exotic, and beautiful?" I blach. This was so not going well for me and as far as I can tell Shuichi was enjoying it.

"Well, I mean, yeah. You have such long gorgeous red hair, a sculpted elegant face and I swear you're so beautiful that you could be mistaken as a female. Ah, not to say that you look like a girl or anything!" I sigh as he begins to laugh at me.

"Can we just go inside and work on the project," I ask quite dejected. I normally seem quite well mannered and put together but with guys that I don't know very well I'm a fumbling buffoon that doesn't know when to shut up the moment I lose my calm.

"Do not worry, I have been mistaken as a female or gay many times." I note he's trying to make me feel better, but once he says he's not gay my mind is stuck and before I could filter my words I blurt out;

"So you're not gay?"

"Certainly not." He seemed almost offended by words.

"It's just you seen put off by most females and I've never heard of you sleeping with anyone so it's easy to wonder if perhaps you were gay, not that there's anything wrong with it considering my roommate is lesbian. And I really need to stop talking." Shuichi seems quite amused by my rambling. I'm not certain if it's my talking or that it's obvious that I'm nervous.

"I had mistaken you for the quiet yet passionate type, but it seems I was very wrong about you."

"I normally am, but whenever I get nervous or start going into overdrive I can't seem to stop talking."

"Well, why don't we work on the project so that we can give your stressed mind a break?" I nod my head and follow him into the house after first taking my shoes off.

We enter the living room where I pull out my laptop, notebook, and my assortments of colored highlighters, pens, and sticky tabs. As I do this Shuichi makes tea for the both of us.

"I hope you don't mind green tea, it's all we have at the moment."

"Green tea is fine." I smile up at him. I was back in my own environment: facts, organized systems, and where there weren't excessive complications. I am at peace again.

"So what topic did you pick?" Shuichi sits down beside me and looks at all the material I brought with me, neatly organized in a perfect system.

"Stem cells, it's really controversial but I think it's something worth doing our paper on. The possibilities are endless and-"

"I've heard of this before. Some claim it's embryo cells that they use-"

"That's not true!" I shout cutting him off like he had before. "Animals and humans make them naturally!"

"I wasn't saying that it was bad, I see a lot of the possible benefits in it. Won't Mr. Smith possibly mark us down though if he sides against stem cells?" I shake my head.

"I asked him about it before starting the project. He loved the ballsy idea."

"Good, so what have you found so far then?" I delve in with Shuichi about all the research I've done and new possibilities that I hadn't thought of, but with the help of Shuichi we reached conclusions and theories I never would have considered.

"It's getting late, are you hungry, " Shuichi asks pulling my attention from the section I had been typing.

"Not really but I know I should eat something." Shuichi narrows his eyes slightly at me. I can't say for sure but I'm certain he was upset with me or is on to me.

"Chiyo, I may be stepping over my bounds but do you not eat? Is there not enough food in your house or something?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that, it's just I'm always busy so my body doesn't get hungry is all." I laugh the matter off yet the frown upon his face deepens will distress or suspicion. It's hard to tell with him.

"You've at least eaten something today before work correct?" I nod my head.

"I had a granola bar on the train and a Frappuccino with extra shots of caffeine and protein at work." Shuichi's face becomes very unhappy with me despite my bright smile. I don't understand why he is so mad. I for one am quite proud with myself because I kept it all down and made sure to not just have a granola bar and tea which is typical of me. Besides what I eat shouldn't be a concern of his. We hardly know each other despite having many of our classes together, something common for people pursuing the same degree.

"I'm cooking dinner, I expect you to eat all that I give you. For you to think that was a standard intake you are wrong. Your roommate is a nutritionist, how can she allow you to do this to yourself?" I look up at his standing position quite confused.

"How did you know that Ana was certified? I never once told you that." His eyes grow a fraction of a millimeter larger for just a moment.

"You mentioned it in class once."

"How would you remember such a fact?"

"I remember a lot of little things you mention in class. You are such an inelegant woman I can't help but listen to you as you speak."

"I don't believe you and flattery does not work with me."

"I have no reason to lie to you Chiyo. We have barely talked to each other as actual human beings, but the debates and discussions in class are frequent. Don't you believe it highly possible that you've mentioned your friend's certification?" I bite my lip as I make a slight face at him. What he says is true but I also think I would know if I talked about Ana in a class before.

"I guess," I answer still uncertain.

"Well, I should be getting started on dinner." Shuichi gets up and heads to the kitchen to begin dinner while leaving me to my own accord.

I lean back on my elbows and stare up at the ceiling in thought. His place was quite nice, but way too big to live in by himself. I'd very quickly get lonely if I lived here.

"Chiyo, may I ask you something serious?"

"Depends what it is," I answer looking back at his head sticking out from around the corner.

"I've noticed you have some hesitance and almost an illness towards the idea of food."

"That's not true at all. I love food I'm just picky and don't eat much do to a busy schedule." Shuichi nods his head as if in thought about my answer.

"Well, I know we aren't very close, but if you ever want to discuss something I'm more than willing to help. We don't want you fainting during our presentation or getting hospitalized now do we?" He smiles that smile again, the one that isn't real and means he's hiding something. He knows I have problem!