"I'm afraid not," she said, still smiling. "But I heard my husband is studying here; he may beat you up. He's slightly possessive of me since we're young."

And the next thing he knew is his teacher shouting after him.

"Mister Len Tsukimori, get back in here! It will appear in your permanent record! If you want to skip class today, do not include Hino-san!"

But he didn't care. That teacher didn't wait for 10 years just to see his wife. He didn't reject a thousand confessions since middle school just to remain faithful to her. He didn't long for his wife since she's always on his side. But him, this is the first time he ever laid his eyes on her within those 10 years…can't they understand?

She remained quiet for the rest of the walk. 'Didn't she remember me? But she mentioned me a while ago…wait. Is she really referring to me or someone else? Oh GOD. If she does, I'm doomed…completely doomed.' They stopped at a nearby lake and sat on the green grass… so peaceful. Just right for the two of them that lacked communication for the past years. Len thought it would be best if he'll be the one to break the silence but he noticed she's already staring at him. As he turned away, she smiled at the boy and said,

"It was cold today, isn't it?"

Whereat he flashed back, "It was, till you came."

Silence.

"Why did you leave me-I mean the town? And all your friends there?" She replied calmly, "My mom died," and hung her head low. "Dad decided to keep it as a secret to everyone and leave Pink Palace. To move on with another stage of our life without mom." He knew she was trying to stop her tears but he felt the urge to know everything he didn't know about her. "Is it okay for you to leave your friends? For me, it's really hard to make new friends. You know me."

She looked at him and smiled. "It was easy for me to forget my old friends and make new ones," He's stabbed on the front; he never knew what Kahoko is feeling towards him so he didn't expect that kind of straightforward answer. His eyes suddenly saddened…she had easily forgotten him…

"But it is actually my husband who made moving harder than I thought."

He snuggled close to her and hugger her from behind. He let his face be buried on her neck and whispered something so low, allowing only himself to hear it. He whispered 'I missed you' on the air, but she replied.

"I missed you too before…but now, no need to miss me. I'm with you."

"Tell me Kaho-chii, how many confessions did you reject?"

"How about you, Mister Good-Looking?" She poked his nose.

"Almost a thousand."

"Too boastful for a young man. Hn."

"How about you Mrs. Tsukimori?"

"Lemme think…"

He patiently waited for her answer… But every minute seemed like a decade to Len. 'What takes her so long? Could it be that…'

"In my first year in Mizugaki High, there's this cute boy who asked me out on a date…"

After hearing the word 'cute', Tsukimori almost bursted out of anger…err, I mean jealousy. But he thought he needed to finish her story…

So he can hunt that boy down and turn him to ashes.

"On his first try, I rejected him. But he was so persistent. He gives me a box of chocolates and a bunch of flowers everyday…"

'Everyday? I could give her that every hour!'

"Announced to the whole school that he loves me…"

'Whole school? I can do that to the whole world!'

"And kissed me on the cheek."

'I can do better than that!'

He stood up, face red because of anger but more like jealousy and if you have a wild imagination like me you could see smoke coming out of his ears. 'Too jealous. I shouldn't have told him that.'

He held her hand and pulled her closer to him, and kissed her. Yes, on the lips. She pulled away first, and smiled naughtily.

"Now, that wasn't so hard, isn't it?"

"Seriously Kaho-chii, did that boy really kiss you?" She narrowed her eyes and a naughty smile played on her lips. "No." He sighed. "Good. That was close." She looked at him saying, "I'm the one who kissed him."

"You're unfair!"

"Am not."

"Why that guy did got kissed by just giving you chocolates and flowers but me, you haven't seen for ten years, I'm even the one who initiated the kiss!"

"You got your kiss ten years back."

He blushed; at that time he hated their kiss. Hate it not because he didn't like it but hate it because he wasn't prepared for one. He stared at her carefully. She's still that sweet girl he met 10 years ago, but something just isn't right. Something was wrong with her… Something… I'm sensing something was wrong…something she couldn't tell me.

"Kaho-chii, I never knew you liked wearing long socks."

She didn't answer back for a minute and avoided his eyes. But she gained back herself and smiled.

"You're really an idiot, aren't you? You always want to embarrass me!" She laughed nervously and continued. "It makes my legs look slimmer… I'm getting fat these days."

"Oh."

Silence again.

'She's really here…I wonder what she's hiding from me? But I couldn't force her to tell me…'

"Len, I have to go home now."

They will be separated again… Len sighed. He was the first one to stand up and offered his hand to help Kahoko.

"Bye, my dearest Len-chii."

"Bye, my sweetest Kaho-chii." And kissed her like when they were still little kids.

She was about to leave when a hand stopped her and held her closed to his chest…to his heart.

"I'll miss you, Kaho-chii. Won't you stay a little longer? Please?"

She freed herself from Len's hold. "Sorry Len, I can't."

"At least give me your address." She took out a strip of paper from her bag and wrote her address in it. "Here." And she left, but still waving from afar.

Tsukimori's mansion, 7:00 pm.

"Master Len, dinner is served."

'I can't believe I met her!'

"Master Len?"

"Coming!"

'Kaho-chii…and she's still mine…and… and I kissed her!' Lost in his thoughts, he absentmindedly touched his lips.

"What's with that idiot look and touching-lips scene?"

He didn't know he already reached the dining room. There, Misa (yes, no Hamai please) Tsukimori, was already eating her dinner.

"Nothing, Mother. As I can see, you didn't even bother to wait for me." She stopped eating and answered him sarcastically. "Why should I? Only faithful and loving mothers do that. But sorry, I'm not included in their club. Eat, or get skinny than you are now." Reluctantly, he sat on one of those chairs. If he didn't eat and get sick, Kahoko would probably notice it the other day. "Mother, do you remember Kaho-chii? The cute girl who gave me this ring?" He showed her a blue plastic ring hanging on a simple string; yes, he kept it as fresh as the first time Kahoko gave it to him. "Hn, that redhead. Oh yes. When you were still in your younger years I couldn't stop you from blabbering nonsense things about her. What's the sudden brought up of this topic? She died and you'll forget about her from now on?" Len almost spitted out his food. Well, the surprise didn't last for long. He's already used to his mother's attitude. Ever since his dad's business boomed out in the market, and made them line up with the richest people in Japan, she became colder than before. "No! It's not that! Actually, I've met her today." He said smiling, trying to change the aura in the room.

"Is she rich?" Confused with the question he thought had no connect with the topic, he answered. "No, she isn't. But she's beautiful and kind too. All I can say is I'm lucky to have her-"

"Leave her and never see her again. That's an order."

"But why?"

"Reporters might see you talking with a… how do I put this in such proper manner… not so rich girl. It might ruin our nice reputation in business."

"Mother, have you ever cared for my feelings? Let me do what I want! Let me live a real life… a normal life…"

"We are extra special, and if you don't want to be included, then don't. I'm not forcing you."

"If I leave, would you care?"

"Then leave. It's not my loss."

Sorry, it took me so long to review. Review? Thanks. Sorry again for Hamai Misa's personality… Well it's an AU anyway. haha. lovelots, me.