A/N: Yo! sorry if it took me a while, but I kinda didn't have time. After all, even geeks like me need a semblance of a social life! Anyhow, for this chapter, I want to make sure you guys know what a Hachimaki is. It's a kind of bandana that you see in anime/manga alot, so I hope you guys would know what it is. It's generally used to show how determined you are and as a kind of inspirational thing. It's seen alot when characters have a test they're studying for or for festivals. Anyhow, I don't have much else to day 'cept for thanks to everyone who reviewed and all that. Please review more! I am working on Ch. 4 and it should be finished any day now! W/O furthur adeu, Here is your story.

Himeko's POV

I looked around our special place. I ticked off each item in my mental list. Only thing missing was the food. And chikane of course

Okay. Off to get Chikane-Chan, then.

Back at the house, I find Chikane putting the last of our food into a basket. She stepped back and put her hands on her hips. She leaned back and cracked her back. Straightening again, she took a deep breath. When she exhaled, I heard her say "yoshi" to herself. She looked over at me as I was leaning on the wall. She smiled at me. I smiled back, walking toward her. I stop an arm's length away for her.

"I'm not sure you need this anymore," she said, poking the center of the circle on my hachimaki. I blushed having forgotten I was wearing it in the first place. Taking it off, I reread what it said. "Good Memory." It seems like it has done its job so far.

"Actually, we will need it" I said. She just smiled and said okay. Chikane took the basket and I still carried the hachimaki in my hand. At the designated point, I stopped Chikane, tying the hachimaki over her eyes as a blindfold. Taking the basket from her hands, I led her down a long and confusing path. She seemed happy to play along and continued to be "confused" at where we were going, even though we always took our picnics at the same place.

Chikane-Chan looks so happy and she trusts me utterly and completely. That makes me happy.

Taking the last turn, we walk down a decently long path to our destination. As we walk Chikane winds her fingers in between mine and butterflies suddenly took flight inside my stomach.

Chikane's POV

Himeko put her hachimaki over my eyes and led me around the property. At first, I knew exactly where we were and which direction we were headed. We just passed our hummingbird feeder.

I should remember to refill that later…

But after a while, I just decided to trust Himeko. With anyone else, they wouldn't have gotten as far as even covering my eyes. I started smiling; Himeko's mood was getting to me.

After just trusting her, I started to giggle quietly with her. We walked fast at times, but I just continued to trust her. We walked slow or stopped at time, but I still continued to trust her. She almost ran me into a tree a couple of time, but I still continued to trust my Himeko. She was holding my hand, but our fingers weren't interlaced.

This fact was bugging me, so I fixed it. We had taken a turn and were walking in a straight line. However, I knew this ground better that I did any other part of my land.

This path was special to us. I squeezed her hand gently as she led me towards our place. She stopped me and I stand for a minute.

I heard rustles, silence, rustles again and then felt Himeko's arms around me in an embrace. I smile wider and she guides me into our rose garden.

It was another thing I knew about our place. I could smell the blooms 20 yards off. Inside the simple barrier, the smell of roses was intoxicating.

"Wait just a minute Chikane, I'm almost all set."

"Okay, Himeko," I reply. I waited impatiently for something, though I knew not why or what. I hear the click of Himeko's camera. I smile again seeing as it had faded a little. She took another picture from a different angle.

"Okay, Chikane. Go ahead and remove your blinder." I comply eagerly.

Opening my eyes, they quickly adapt to the light inside the barrier. The scene before me was beautiful and well thought out. Himeko had put so much effort into it.

I hear several more clicks then she set the camera down to opt for the real thing. She grabbed my hand and made me sit down next to her. I felt at home here.

When we first moved here, there was a medium oak growing all on its own in the middle of a meadow. Himeko and I had planted our favorite roses in a perfect circle around the tree, leaving a small gap to get through.

It was a solid barrier otherwise.

One and a half years later and the roses were practically uncontrollable; blossoming nearly year round. Only the inside and passage in and out remained tame. We didn't need to tend to it at all; we just left it to grow. There was a blanket set out with the basket to the side.

Candles were stuck in the ground a little ways from the blanket, making a kind of perimeter. I looked at Himeko sitting next to me. She watched me, her face glowing.

I smiled gently.

"Shall we eat, Himeko?"

"Yeah!" she replied.

She quickly brought the basket over to the middle of the blanket. I started to unpack our lunch. I pulled out a thermos that held our rose-mint tea. Setting it out just so, we started to eat.

Our dinner would have tea that was best served lukewarm so I didn't have to worry about that. We sat in silence, eating our fruit, rice balls, and chocolate.

Sure, it was simple, but I didn't have time to cook both an elaborate dinner and lunch.

So I cooked dinner and made lunch rather simple. Himeko put a piece of melon into her mouth. Juice slipped just between her lips. I quickly looked down at my tea, forcing my mind out of fantasy. I placed a piece of cantaloupe into my mouth, chewing slowly and savoring the flavor.

"So, Himeko," I said. I took another bite of fruit. She looked at me. Her face was completely vulnerable and I wondered what though I had interrupted.

"Yes, Chikane-Chan?" she asked.

I looked down to my tea, hiding the mischievous look in my eyes.

"What were you planning to do until dinner? We won't be eating until a good 5 hours, you know."

I stole a look at her and she was looking down, blushing. I smiled and looked at her, slightly teasing.

"I'm not sure," was the reply. "I thought we could just hang out or something. Perhaps go for a walk around our property."

Just hang out? Those candles aren't there just for decoration, love.

Earlier I had snuck a quick brush lower than usual. Even though we kissed and bathed and slept together, we still haven't gotten past 2nd base. I wonder if she wants to be up to bat right now.

I suppose she already is; she's got me thinking like this, after all.

I started to put my food away. Taking a last piece of chocolate and fruit, she hands me back the food. Thanking her, I put the food into the basket and set it aside.

Himeko watched me, a smile painted faintly on her lips. I smile back at her, amazed by her beauty. A pink tinge colored her cheeks I knew to be soft. Golden hair was pulled back in a half ponytail, kept together by a big red bow. Her amethyst eyes stared back at me with the same intensity as she had this morning.

I felt my face warm up a touch. Moving around just a little, I sat up against the tree. She took her fruit into her mouth and I found myself wishing to be in its place for a moment.

"Himeko, come join me," I said, patting the ground to my right.

She eagerly came and sat down next to me. Immediately, my arm found its way around her shoulders. After what seemed to be ages of silence, I moved my lips to her ear.

"You're sure all you want to do is… hang out?" I asked, lips moving against her ear. She shivered gently in my arms and I knew it wasn't from cold. I smiled and took her earlobe into my mouth, playing with it as she tried to control her breathing.

She failed miserably.

After pleasing her for a bit, I sucked her ear dry of my saliva that had gathered there. My arm was getting tired, so I quickly came up with a solution. Himeko was blushing and still recovering from my kisses. I watched her flushed face.

She was still breathing heavily and I abided my time for when it was appropriate to implement my move.

I also just wanted to watch her face in the sunlight. Her pure amethyst eyes looked to the sky, begging for control. Her golden hair was a little tangled from where I had rubber her hair with my arm.

She finally brought her tomato red face to a light pink. Her hear, on the other hand, remained as red as her bow.

When she realized I was staring, her face turned a darker shade of pink. My own cheeks began to feel warmer as well. Tanzanite eyes stared into my own sapphire eyes. She gave me a quick peck on my already warm cheeks, resulting in a deeper flush on my part. I took her and moved her in between my legs.

I pull her so that her back was pressed into my front. I rested my head in the niche that I had occupied this morning.

I inhaled her scent. It was one that was layered with an undertone that only I got close enough to detect. I closed my eyes and nuzzled further into her neck. Himeko's soft fingers played over my calloused hands which were wrapped around her waist.

I started to doze off.

Himeko's warmth spread into me. I was cozy in our embrace and tired from finishing an order late last night.

I had finished the last blank at around midnight.

After about an hour of clean-up, I went to bed, finding that Himeko had set out my pajamas and a cup of relaxing tea, waiting for hot water. After drinking my tea and zoning out for about a half hour, I changed into my night wear.

The moon had lit up the room in a silver tinge and Himeko, though most beautiful at day, was shockingly alluring. She had had the beginning of her nightmare while I was working and had moved onto my side of the futon, clutching my pillow.

Tears were staining her face, so I quickly climbed in and pulled her into an embrace. She had wrapped her arms around me and buried her face into my bosom.

Crying silently, she clutched at my shirt and I held her ever tighter. My heart ached for her. I would give anything to have prevented that dreadful pain she was dealing with.

I hugged Himeko tighter, tears coming into my eyes at last night's memory. She reached up and stroked my hair, showing me she was okay. I recovered soon enough to keep my tears from spilling out.

Eventually, weariness and warmth got the best of me and I fell asleep on Himeko's shoulder, her body barraging my senses.