Told you I'll be back as soon as I can! Haha! Well, thanks for your reviews, guys. I'll work hard!!! I guess I am settling down fast… Although I'm still slightly unstable, I know I can manage! Glad to see that some of you haven't forgotten about me! Heh! I have an English exam to sit for tomorrow and a Chinese paper on Friday, so I will be home early. Chapter three will be up by next Monday, I promise! Now, on to chapter two!

Chapter 2: First Impressions

Tao Ren sat down on the sofa without being told to, and glanced around, his narrowed eyes taking in everything about the big, traditional Japanese house in a sweeping glance. Everything was neat and tidy, and there wasn't a single trace of dirt or dust, even in the tiniest edge of the house, he realized.

He turned to gaze at the parents of Ueto Su. They were sensibly dressed, he noted, the woman in a traditional kimono, the man too, in traditional garb, and he couldn't help but smirk. These adults were too easy to predict. Even though they all try their hardest to look and feel at ease in their formal clothing, their eyes were a big giveaway.

Kaela kept her eyes plastered on Ren, surveying him from head to toe with satisfaction, and Ren could almost read her thoughts: "This is it. We've chosen the correct candidate for our daughter!"

Takaaki, on the other hand, kept stealing glances at a closed door when he thought Ren wasn't looking. That, Ren thought, must be where their daughter is right now, probably standing by the door, red in the face, wondering if she should make an appearance now.

He shook his head and leant back, careful not to crease his own clothing as he shifted into a more comfortable position. His mother had told him how sweet the two girls were, and how exceptionally lively his fiancée is, but Ren wasn't interested. Sweet or not, he didn't want to be tied down. Not yet, anyway, especially if Su was a crazy bimbo dying to get married. If she was decent, it would be nice to make a friend, Ren reasoned to himself, crossing his arms and staring at his lap, and then progress from there. It didn't occur to him that right now, Su was scowling angrily into the mirror and brushing her mane of black hair with so much force that Lulu was afraid that her sister's hair would all drop off.

"Are you feeling all right?" Lulu asked, straightening her own t-shirt and three-quarters while throwing Su a hesitant glance, "Ready to go out?"

"Ready?" Su growled, slamming her brush onto the table and glaring at Lulu through the mirror, "I'm dying to go out there. Not."

Lulu couldn't help but giggle as she bundled her hair into a loose ponytail and patted Su encouragingly on the arm. "Mum's so going to regret ever suggesting that Su should get married to this lad," She thought, "And I really pity that Ren boy too… God knows what Su will do once she steps out of this room… Maybe all hell will break loose…"

"Let's go," Su grumbled, and Lulu snapped out of her thoughts, "Mum will throw a fit if we don't go out soon."

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There was a soft click as the room door slowly opened. Ren turned his head a little and saw, from the corner of his eyes, two girls, with identical hair, features and height coming out together, and he blinked.

Twins, he thought dryly, so he was supposed to identify which was his fiancée on his own. Just great.

He got up from his seat and turned to face them, trying not to show his displeasure, but when he saw defiance and anger artistically mixed on one of the girls' face; the one wearing that nice, white angelic dress, he felt his anger rise.

Kaela cleared her throat and laughed while glaring furiously at Su behind Ren's back. Takaaki rubbed his nose and looked away, amused. Something big and bad was going to happen between the stubborn mother and her equally stubborn daughter, but he didn't want to stop it. Let nature take its course, he thought, and if this lad doesn't like what he sees, then we won't force them.

"Su, Lulu, this is Tao Ren," Kaela said with gritted teeth while keeping her smile plastered on her face, "Ren, meet my daughters, Lulu and Su."

When neither Su nor Ren made an effort to say anything, Lulu broke the ice with a grin and small wave, and said, with forced cheerfulness, "Hi! I'm Lulu! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Then, she nudged Su. "Say something! It's really awkward!" she whispered urgently when Kaela shot them another one of her death glares, and Su pouted.

"I'm Su," she said dully, extending her hand out to Ren. Friends, she thought while glaring at Ren, who was staring at her with a stern look on his face, I'm doing this because I want to befriend him, not be engaged to him!

Ren grunted, and feebly slapped her hand in return before sitting down again. Su blinked in disgust. What a rude guy. She pulled Lulu by her hand, and they sat down on the armchairs opposite Ren. Takaaki and Kaela too, sat back down.

An awkward silence followed. Ren kept his arms folded, and stared at the wooden table in front of him. Takaaki watched Su and Ren with mild interest, while Kaela kept mouthing the words, "Say something!" to Su, who pointedly ignored her mother and stared determinedly at her hands. Lulu felt trapped. She didn't know what to do or say, so, like Takaaki, she observed Ren and Su silently, only, after a while, she realized how good Ren actually looked, and felt her face growing hot.

"What the hell?" She thought in disgust, bowing her head and sticking her tongue out in embarrassment, "What's wrong with me?"

"Err," She began after calming herself down, "Would you like something to drink, Ren? You know, Su's really good at making smoothies…"

"Lulu!" Su whispered furiously, nudging her sister, "Don't say funny things like that!"

"Yes, that's right!" Kaela piped up, clapping her hand together in delight, "Su's really good… The weather's really warm anyway…"

"Mum!" Su protested, not bothering to keep her voice down any longer. Kaela glared, and Su winced in disgust. Takaaki hid a grin when he saw Ren raise an eyebrow and say curtly, "No thanks, I don't like things that are too cold and too sweet."

Su stuck her tongue out at her mother triumphantly, and leant back onto her chair in satisfaction. No way was she going to make anything for this snob, she thought haughtily, if he wants anything, he would have to get it himself. No one in this house will serve him as if they were his maid.

Another long silence followed, and Lulu continued to steal glances at Ren. "Stop it," she told herself sternly after the fifth sneak peek, "He's your sister's fiancé. He's out of bounds. But…"

Lulu bit her lip. How can Su remain so cold and haughty in front of someone like Ren? Sure, he certainly was a little unfriendly, but given Su's nature, they could have became friends instantly. Why did Su choose to hate Ren?

She stole a glance at Su, and knew instantly, from the annoyed look on her face, that if this silence carried on further, Su would definitely go nuts and do something to irritate their mother.

True enough, after another five minutes passed, Su stood up, banging her hands forcefully on the armrests attached to her chair. Everyone stared at her, and Lulu felt her heart sinking when Kaela half stood up from her own seat, looking murderous.

"I'm going out," Su said loudly, and Kaela shook her head warningly, "To the fields. This is too boring, and it's a waste of my time. Lulu, come get me when lunch is ready, ok?"

"You're not going anywhere, Su," Kaela growled as Su slipped on her shoes. Lulu and Takaaki have stood up as well, and Ren was watching Su with mild interest.

"I am going to the fields," Su repeated stoutly, glaring at Kaela, who looked like a bomb ready to explode anytime just then, "If you want Ren and I to talk, then send him there. I'm not staying in this stuffy room any longer."

And when Su jumped over the open window and darted nimbly towards the fields again, Kaela felt her patience give way. She opened her mouth to yell, but Lulu stopped her.

"WAIT!!" She shrieked, and everyone turned to look at her, "Mum, DON'T yell! I'll get her back right now… I swear I will… Just give me a minute!"

Hastily, Lulu jumped over the gap between her chair and the sofa Ren was sitting on, and bent down to retrieve her slippers, which had dropped from the shoe rack beside the main door.

"NO!" Kaela roared, and Lulu jumped in fright and dropped a slipper she was gripping on to, "Don't think I don't know what you're up to! You and Su will do a twin switch once you're in that shack nearby the fields! Don't take me for a fool, Lulu!"

"But we're not!" Lulu protested heatedly, "I'm just going to get her back! Really!"

Takaaki stood behind Kaela, and watched Ren, who was staring at Lulu with raised eyebrows, without a whit of emotion on his face. And then, to everyone's surprise, he stood up. Lulu and Kaela stopped shouting at each other, and turned to face Ren.

"I…err," Ren said, taken aback by the sudden attention showered on him by the quarreling women, "would like to take a walk outside on my own."

Kaela's red face lit up, and Lulu's jaw dropped as Ren walked towards her slowly and slipped on his own shoes. Without another word, or even a backward glance, Ren stepped out of the house, and disappeared round the corner. Peering out of the window and not catching a single soul around the area, Takaaki said sullenly, "He's gone."

"Aha!" Kaela shouted triumphantly, and Lulu gaped at her in disbelief, "I didn't send him anywhere, but he went out to find Su on his own! I knew I was right about this boy!"

"He didn't go out to find Su," Lulu argued, dimly aware that she was growing angry, and that there was a tingling feeling that felt unknown to her, "It was more like he was chased out because you rose your voice! Anyway, Su hates him and I don't think they'll ever be happy together…!!"

Abruptly, Lulu stopped, and clasped her hands on her mouth in horror. What was she saying? She was sure Su didn't hate him; she was only angry at the fact that their parents didn't ask for her opinions! What made her say all that?

"Err, I mean," Lulu stammered uncertainly, stealing frightened glances at her parents, who were both staring at her, surprise written all over their faces, "I… just… think that they're better off as friends now, that's all" she finished lamely, coloring in embarrassment at her outburst.

For a moment, Kaela just stood there, mouthing wordlessly to herself, then, regaining her composure, she glared and said, harshly, "Don't you go putting any funny ideas in your sister's head, you hear? If things don't work out between them I'll hold you responsible!"

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Su skipped down the narrow path, feeling happy and carefree again the moment she saw the vast, green land and the many horses, both wild and tamed, lazing on the huge land.

This was more like it, she thought in satisfaction, stretching happily and breaking into a run when she saw herself nearing the plot of empty land she was lazing on earlier today, this freedom, rather than being stuck in that house with a crazy mother, awkward sister and a fiancé she had no feelings for.

Unaware that a certain boy was watching from afar, she flung herself eagerly onto the soft grass, falling, with a loud thump, onto the ground. Rolling onto her back, she spread her hands and legs wide open, not bothering about whether her dress would flare up when the wind blows, or whether the fresh white would be stained by the dirt brown of the mud as she lay there, enjoying the warmth of the sun, and presence of the little insects hidden amongst the greens.

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Ren stood, his arms crossed, as he walked slowly down the grassy path, his eyes fixed on Su, who was lying on the ground. How child-like, he mused. Besides the type of girls who are dying to get married, this was another type of girl he'd not want for a fiancée.

Besides, he thought with a scowl, from her attitude earlier, he could tell that she was against this arrangement. Very much against, actually. Ren wasn't stupid; she looked so irritated at having to greet him, and she couldn't be bothered to even start a conversation.

"Fine by me," he thought irritably, "I don't want to be engaged at such a young age either. I should go back and tell them that I want to cancel this engagement and return to Tokyo right away. I don't care about all this nonsense, anyway. Jun will be disappointed too, but whatever. It's better than playing along with the adults."

Ren looked up, and, having made up his mind, he turned, and without another glance at Su, he walked back slowly to the main house.

Yes!! I'm done here! Is it too short? Sorry! Haha! I have to admit, I was distracted when I was typing the last few paragraphs, because I was watching television… Heh. Well, like I mentioned, Chapter 3 will be up by the following Monday! So remember to check back! Haha!

Review please! Thanks!