Disclaimer: I don't own Flame of Recca…

Synemyoa: To those who reviewed the prologue, thank you very much! Hehe! I hope you'll continue reading (and hopefully reviewing too). Take care everyone… -smiles-

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CHAPTER ONE:

"Please remember, Fuuko-san… The only way for you to go back is a kiss." A soothing voice said.

"Wait! What do you mean? Kiss? Who do I have to kiss? And where do I even need to go back to?" Fuuko asked, running towards where the voice came from.

"Just remember that. You'll embark on a journey. Something you never even dreamed of…" The voice said. No matter what she did, the voice continued going away… Far away… Until it faded, engulfed in the darkness…

"Huh?!" Fuuko gasped and opened her eyes.

"It was a dream… Just a dream… Nothing to be nervous about." She told herself and breathed deeply. She glanced at the clock in her bedside table and hurriedly went to the bathroom.

'Gosh! What a way to start my new year! A freaky voice in my dreams always visiting me ever since meeting Rei at the shrine… And now, late for first day of school after the break!' Fuuko thought, feeling annoyed.

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January 14…

"Ohayou, minna!" Fuuko greeted happily. After that break, she can't believe it but she absolutely missed her classmates. She sat on her chair right away and some girls approached her asking how her New Year went. Some even asked about what she was doing with everyone's beloved Mikagami Tokiya. Unfortunately, someone saw them together while going to the shrine to meet the others…

"Are you and Mikagami-senpai dating just like what the rumors say?" Ayasegawa asked.

'Great! What a start for my new year… Gossips!' she thought sarcastically.

"Kia-chan, whoever spread such rumors is stupid. Do you honestly believe your beloved Mii-cha… I mean, Mikagami-senpai would even lay his eyes on me? And about the shrine… We just happen to encounter each other on the way." Fuuko explained and continued on and on with her ramblings to convince them. But it seems this year was really bad luck for her because…

"Excuse me, I'm looking for a certain monkey named Kirisawa Fuuko. Is she in here?" the object of everyone's affection was now standing outside their classroom and asking some random person nearby.

'Oh shit! Mii-chan, of all the times for you to come here…' she thought, bracing herself for the death glares the girls will send her way. Yet surprisingly…

"Mikagami-senpai! She's here!" Imai shouted cheerfully and smiled at Fuuko.

'Huh? Why are they not mad at me?' Fuuko thought, as her gaze wondered around the girls in front of her.

"Fuuko-san, you don't really need to hide your relationship with him to us. We accept you for him rather than that upperclassman flirt who always clings to him when he passes by…" Ayasegawa whispered.

"Eee! Chotto matte!" she shouted and suddenly stood up. Those around were startled at her unexpected outburst. Even Mikagami raised his brow while looking at her direction.

"Haa…What do you want now, iceberg…?" she said in a tired voice, hoping the name she just called him by, would make it clear to the girls that they weren't in any romantic relationship.

Tokiya didn't like it though and didn't hesitate to blast her with an insult as well. "Monkey, I didn't come here to be insulted. Yanagi-san just kindly asked me to fetch her favorite pet. So, if you understood what I said just now using the human language, come and follow me." he said coolly and went straight outside.

She let out a growl and walked towards the door to follow him. But before she completely left the room she heard the whispers of the girls saying… "That was so sweet!"… "Yeah! What a unique endearment!"… "I bet they particularly came up with that so no one would ever have the same!"…

'Oh my gosh! These girls are out of their minds!' she thought and left.

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"Yanagi-chan! Why did you have to ask Mikagami to fetch my Fuuko? I could have done it instead." Domon said while moping.

"Hey! I thought you were over Fuuko?" Recca asked.

"Yeah, I am! Haha! Just wanted to act!" Domon said and started laughing all by himself. The other two just stood there with an anime-like dumfounded expression on their faces.

"Eh? Mikagami-senpai, where's Fuuko-chan?" Yanagi asked, seeing Tokiya approaching with no Fuuko around.

"She was too slow so I went on ahead." He replied.

"Mikagami… How could you treat a lady like that?" Recca said.

"Are you seriously asking me that question, sea monkey? Can she really be considered a lady?" Mikagami asked him coolly.

"You're right, I guess…" Recca said in a low voice.

Out of nowhere, a flying kick hit Tokiya. Recca and Domon laughed at him. But then, Recca received a hit on the head as well by a really large paper fan.

"What was that for, monkey?" Mikagami growled at her.

"Yeah. Why'd you hit me too? Mikagami's the one insulting you." Recca mumbled while rubbing his head.

"Baka! That's for insulting me!" Fuuko said pointing at Tokiya. She then turned to Recca… "And you, don't even think I didn't hear you whispering in agreement to this ice block!" Fuuko said to Recca.

"Hai… Hai… Little children. Enough with the fights." Yanagi said while smiling.

"So, what's with calling everyone?" Fuuko asked after calming down.

"Nothing really…" Yanagi said but it was obvious it really was nothing.

"Oh, Yan-chan! Spit it out will you? What's wrong?" Fuuko asked.

"Well…" she turned to Domon. "You say it, Domon." She ordered the big guy.

"Eee! Why me? Recca should do it!" Domon said in panic and pointed at Recca.

"Why me?! You should do it since Hime asked you first."

"No, yo should do it 'cause she's your Hime!"

"No, you do it."

"No, you!"

"You!"

"No way, you do it!"

"Enough! I didn't come here to listen to you monkeys!" Mikagami shouted impatiently.

"Yan-chan, it's better if you're the one to tell us what the big deal is…" Fuuko said trying to sound calm.

"Well, is it true?" Yanagi started timidly…

"Huh? What do you mean?" Fuuko asked.

"Is it… Is it… Isittrueyouandsenpaiaredating?!" she asked and said it really fast.

"What?! Who told you that?! That's just stupid Yan-chan!" Fuuko shouted.

"Because… It's the latest new year gossip…" Yan-chan said.

"Haa…" Fuuko sighed. "I can't believe this… My classmates said the same thing…" she added in a low voice.

"So that's the reason for your sudden outburst back there." Mikagami said and switch to his thinking pose. She was expecting him to come up with a plan to stop the gossips but it surprised her when he just said…

"Hmm, there's nothing we could do about that. So, let's just leave it be." He said.

"What?! Mii-chan?! Are you mad?! How can you be fine with that?!" she shouted at his face. And received a cold glare from him.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that! And besides, I don't care about the gossips! It's not and will never be true anyway!" he shouted right back at her.

"Hmph! If I didn't know any better I'd say you like what's happening because you simply adore me, the great Fuuko-chan!" she said.

"As if monkey! I'd say you're the one who started the gossip anyway because you have a hidden crush on me!" he retorted.

Unexpectedly, she blushed but nobody saw it except for the sharp best friend… Yanagi. "What?! I did not! And will never spread such an embarrassing rumor! Plus, I don't have a crush on you! You're nothing but a refrigerator!" Fuuko shouted again.

"You, denying it like that make it even more suspiscious." Tokiya said and grinned, seeing her annoyed face.

"Whatever! I'm going!" Fuuko snapped and walked off without looking back.

"Uh oh. Mii-chan… Look what you did… She's mad." Recca and Domon said teasingly, seeing that their friend's grand exit seemed to bother the supposed to be iceman. Tokiya didn't say anything but gave them a glare before walking away too.

'Those two… I knew there was something different about them…' Yanagi thought and her inner self smiled evilly.

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