My eyelids fluttered open, and I could make out a soft light. Am I dead? I thought. I sat up slowly, and noticed that I was on a soft bed. I also saw that I was clad in a t-shirt and some shorts that were way too big on me. I looked around the room I was in, and knew it wasn't a hospital room at once. There was a small television, a nightstand with a lamp, a mahogany desk with a large computer, and a polished wooden floor. There was no one else in the room, apparently, but a stack of papers sat on the desk, unorganized and in weird positions. I felt a sting in my leg, but it was nothing compared to yesterday's pain. I looked under the covers, and saw that my calf had been bandaged. The person who "saved" me had apparently put some sort of herbal medicine on the wound, because the scent of it still lingered in the air. I looked over at the clock on the wall, and it read 9:30 AM. I've been out for only about twelve hours? Wow... I got up and out of the bed, and my leg felt pretty stable. I started walking around the room, looking for the person who took me in. I also started looking at the unusual things. There was a small glass statue in the shape of a dove, and a black top hat on top of the nightstand. I guess the person who brought me here must be a magician, or in some area of entertainment...

I was still browsing the room when the door opened, and someone walked in. I turned to see an old man with large round glasses and long gray hair. He had a warm smile on his face, but I knew that behind that smile was concern and worry. He was holding a tray with some steamed rice. There was also a small bowl of miso soup.

"Oh, so you're awake shojo-san!" the old man welcomed me. He walked over to me and bowed. "I made you some okayu and miso soup for breakfast." He went over to a small table I didn't notice and set the tray down.

"Arigatou..." I said happily, and bowed.

"Doitashimashite, shoujo-san. Now sit down and enjoy your breakfast, while we chat about last night's... incident..." he returned. I sat down on the bed while he pulled up a stool. I put the tray on my lap and took a sip of the miso soup- lightly salted with extra tofu- just the way I liked it. It helped warm me up a bit.

"Let's start with some introductions. So, shoujo-san, what might be your name?" the old man asked.

"Katsumi, Curoha Katsumi." I answered. A look of realization and rememberence crossed the man's face, but it disappeared after a second. I had no idea what that was about...

"Katsumi? That's a fitting name for a young miss like you." he complimented. "So does your leg feel better after yesterday?"

"Yes, a lot better, thank you. Were you the one who carried me in from the storm, sir?" I inquired.

"Oh! I just helped with the wound and the ointment. Young Master Kaito was the one who noticed you and carried you in. He was also the one who suggested that you spend the night here in the guest room." the elder explained. "Well, I should introduce myself. My name is Konosuke Jii, I am Kaito's current caretaker and a close Kuroba family friend. I live in this house with Kaito, while his mother, Kuroba Chikage, travel abroad."

"And Kaito's father?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, Kuroba Toichi passed away eight years ago, in a magic show... accident." Jii said with his eyes closed.

Toichi? But that's the name of my oji-san! I thought. And Kuroba? That sounds just like...

"Curoha-san? Is there something wrong?" Jii pressed.

"Iie, nanimonai, Konosuke-san. I'm just thinking..." I answered.

"Curoha-san, would you mind telling me what happened yesterday?" Jii asked with a wrinkled forehead.

"Okay... I was on a trip to with my caretaker Housagi Furibu, who adopted me from an orphanage in Nagasaki. I tripped, got the nasty cut on my knee and I dropped her backpack and her bags she made me carry, causing her to get in a fit. She slapped me and pushed me down the trail we had come up on..." I paused.

"Pushed you down the trail! Were there any witnesses?" Jii asked, startled.

"Yes, there was one- Furibu's boyfriend, Hidoemu Kentai. But he just watched me tumble down the trail. He was probably afraid that Furibu would call of their relationship, and Furibu does have a large amount of wealth..." I explained.

"Well! Hidoemu-san should have stood up for you! Did anything else happen? How did you get here?" Jii said.

"After I stopped rolling down the trail, I waited for a train. When the train came, people pushed me in, and I ended up in a storage compartment." I told Jii. "I decided to get off at the Beika City and Ekoda stop, so as soon as the train stopped, I ran to this city. I became so tired that I collapsed in front of your house when it started to rain."

"It was a good thing Young Master Kaito noticed you!" Jii sighed. "For all Furibu-san has done to you, we should call the police." He started to rise.

"No! Please don't! I'm an orphan! I don't want to go back to that orphanage in Nagasaki!" I exclaimed.

Jii sat there, taken aback by my sudden outburst. He sighed,

"Then, we shall figure out a way that you can be away from Furibu-san and the orphanage when Young Master Kaito returns from school. What school did you attend before, Curoha-san?"

"Asuka High School. And please call me Katsumi-chan, you don't have to be so formal." I answered.

"Okay, I will call the school to tell them why you weren't able to attend today. I won't mention Furibu-san, don't worry. And whatever you wish for, Katsumi-chan. And you may call me Jii, or whatever fits your preference..."

"Arigatou, Jii-san." I bowed as he moved out of the room.

After hours of browsing the house, I changed out of the baggy clothes, and into Kuroba Chikage's old clothes Jii found in Chikage's room. I was now dressed in a short pink sailor skirt, a white ruffle top, and panda slippers. My hair was neatly combed, with a small pink bow clipped to it. I felt much more refreshed after taking a shower and washing up.

As I was finishing up slurping my fresh udon noodles I bought from a nearby cafe, the door opened and a messy haired teenage boy walked in with his indigo eyes shining and a smile on his face. His schoolbag was slung over the shoulder of his dark uniform. He paused when he saw me and his face full of pride turned into curiosity as he tilted his head.

"You're the girl from last night, right? The one who fell in the rain?" he asked. I nodded.

"Hai, Curoha Katsumi. Hajimemashite!" I said as I stood up, bowed, and stuck out my hand for him to shake. Instead of shaking it, he got down and took my hand in his. He bent down and kissed it gently. He stared into my eyes and said,

"Kuroba Kaito. Hajimemashite, Katsumi-chan."

I blushed faintly and giggled at the teenager in front of me.

"Arigatou for saving me, Kuroba-san." I acknowledged him. Kaito's mischievous smile returned as he rubbed his hands together. A yellow rose appeared in his hands as he handed it to me. I knew a yellow rose meant friendship, so I accepted it.

"Let's go to my room and get to know each other a little bit, Katsumi-chan!" he requested playfully.

I threw away my finished udon noodle bowl and followed Kaito to his room. He went in and plopped down on the bed. I pulled up a chair and settled in.

"So, Katsumi-chan, I bet Jii-chan will tell me everything you told him, so how about tell me something you haven't told Jii-chan?" Kaito started the conversation.

"Okay, I'm 15 years old, I was born on Februrary 17th, and I'm an only child. I live with my caretaker Housagi Furibu, and she adopted me from a orphanage in Nagasaki." I started.

"Adopted? What about your parents?" Kaito asked.

"My parents both died when I was little. My mother passed away nine years ago from a rare disease. My dad disappeared when he went to a movie crew meeting one night, eight years ago. You see, my father was a movie director, and magic was one of his part-time hobbies. What I thought was weird was that my dad disappeared the day right after my uncle disappeared..."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Kaito said.

"No, really, it's alright!" I replied with a smile.

"So, what do you like to do?" Kaito asked.

I paused and thought for a second. "I like to do gymnastics and acrobatics! And I have been practicing magic for a while." I answered cheerfully.

"Really?! Well I just happen to be a celebrated magician myself! Want to see a trick?" he suggested. I nodded as he rubbed his hands together once more. Then he clapped, and the room filled with pink smoke. When it cleared, there were two doves and some confetti on me. I made one of the doves perch on my finger as I stared, awed, at Kaito.

"Say hello to my doves, Katsumi-chan!" Kaito grinned.

"They're so cute!" I cooed. "It must've taken you years to learn this!"

"Well, my oto-san, Kuroba Toichi, used to teach me." Kaito explained as he gestured toward the picture on the wall. "Now, let me go ask Jii-chan what the rest of your dilemma is, then we can figure out what to do, okay?" He started to get off of the bed and walk towards the door. "There's some mochi in the fridge, so maybe you would like one." he added as he walked out the door.

I left his room to go to the kitchen, but then I noticed the picture of Kaito's father on the wall, smiling in his magician's outfit. There was something about him- something...familiar... I shook off that thought and strolled to the kitchen.

I was munching on a delicious rice mochi as Kaito and Jii came into the room, both with smiles on their faces.

"Good news, Katsumi-chan!" Kaito announced. "We have found a solution to your problem!"

"Hountou ni?! What is it?" I exclaimed.

"We were thinking that you could transfer to Ekoda High, and stay here!" Jii explained.

A smile came across my face as I bounded over to Kaito and Jii, and hugged them.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Kaito- nii chan and Jii-san!" I thanked. I was so desperate for help after the incident, that these nice people took me in and helped me in my time of need. I was the happiest shoujo-san in Japan!