AU- Hey readers, I am extremely sorry that I am updating the story after more than a year, I am really sorry guys. But I had a MAJOR writer's block and got stuck in various other tasks.. still I'll try to make up for it.. Read on..

Miyu was smiling secretly to herself, and humming a happy tune, as she and Kanata walked back to Saionji temple. She was extremely excited as she was in the finals for Japan's Singing Star Talent Hunt. After all, anyone would go weak in the knees just hearing the name of Reiko. What a voice she had! Miyu had a major girl crush on her.

She was getting lost in her dreams, when suddenly a voice cut her off, "Ohayo Miyu chan!"

Miyu and Kanata turned back to see who it was. It was Takahiro Otake, Miyu's competitor in the finals. Miyu smiled and waved back, "Ohayo Otake san! How are you?"

Otake blushed suddenly as Miyu waved sweetly to him, then again regained his composure, and walked over to where Miyu and Kanata stood. He extended his hand forward to Kanata, "Hello I am Takahiro Otake, Miyu chan's competitor. And you are?" Kanata was taken aback at the boy's addressing of Miyu as "Miyu chan", as he wasn't a close friend of Miyu. However, his doubts were cleared by Miyu. "Kanata, meet Otake san, he is from Tomoeda, and his dad is a colleague of my Mom and Dad, so I kinda knew him from childhood. We were sort of left in the same playschool when our parents went to work. Do you know? He has a girlfriend who lives just around the corner from Saionji temple. I bet you were going to meet her now, ne, Otake san? " Miyu said.

Kanata heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that Otake had a girlfriend, and was not going to be his competition, when it came to Miyu. His behavior towards Otake instantly became more cordial, and he shook the boy's hand with a smile and said "I am Kanata. A friend of Miyu. She is currently living in my house, Saionji temple. Why don't you come in?"

Otake shook his head and said, "I am sorry but I'll come over some other time. My lady awaits me," he winked at them and walked off, waving a goodbye.

As Otake walked off, Miyu suddenly looked into the distance with a dreamy look, and said," having a boyfriend must be soo nice. I really envy any girl who has a boyfriend."

Kanata spoke up, "Aw shucks it's not that special at all. It's like having someone to boss you and nag you around. Relationships destroy everything. As if I don't already have you to nag at me all day", looking nonchalantly at a tree on the other side of the road, trying his best to hide the real feelings within him.

"Haha! As if you would know about relationships. You have a hundred fangirls, but all they like in you is your assumed "good looks". If they got to know the jerk you, then they woudn't just bother. " Miyu spat back.

"As if any guy would fall in love with a stupid clumsy boyish girl like you, " Kanata was quick to retort.

"You are a jerk, Kanata! And a stupid jerk at that. " Miyu started walking away angrily, cursing herself for bringing up such a topic in front of Kanata again. He would never understand, would he? Why was she trying anyway. He was a jerk with a big mouth, and at the same time, her best friend. No wonder she had been unable to speak up her mind to him since she realized her feelings for him. But he would never realize how important it was to her, and pass it off as "stupid". Heck, if he ever tried even a teeny bit to understand the importance of a relationship, she'd let her heart out to him. But he woudn't. And she would try every day. This was getting frustrating. Aargh! She mentally cried out.

Meanwhile, Kanata was in a dilemma himself. This was getting ridiculous. Try as hard as he might, he would end up hurting Miyu just by opening his big mouth. He mentally cursed himself. His and Miyu's regular bickering had reached heights recently, and although they made up quickly after the fights, each was getting hurt every time. It was as if it wasn't bickering anymore, but a quarrel. Something needed to be done.

Kanata ran to catch up with the fuming Miyu, and keeping pace with her, said" When we get home, I'm cooking. You've got practice in the evening, so take rest. And remember, not a word anymore, because this offer is for a limited time only." Winking at her, he raced ahead, up the stairs to Saionji temple, straight into the kitchen, where he began with his self imposed task.

Miyu, reaching her room, fell onto the bed and took a deep breath. She was having such a lovely day, and Kanata just HAD to spoil her mood. No, she woudn't let the boy control her moods, she thought, as she changed and freshened up. However, she had made up her mind, that she would do the needful to change the boy's opinion, and make him fall in love with her. He had challenged her, saying no one could fall in love with her. It just wasn't fair that she loved him and he didn't. Little did she know that the boy she thought of, stood in the kitchen, and and had the same thought running through his mind. He would make Miyu fall in love with him.

NOTE: You might have seen the Tomoeda reference here. That's because I'm a big CCS fan.

Please read and review, people. And I'll try to update quicker, I promise.