Authors' Notes: We're very sorry for the delay in coming out with this chapter. This fic of ours totally deviates from the Hana Yori Dango timeline (hopefully still keeping in character), but we hope that you'll still keep on reading! Standard disclaimers apply.

The Way You Look Tonight

Ch. III: In Which Doumyouji Kaede Interferes

by dementedchris and Dora-chan

@----

I want you to want me

I need you to need me...

Her eyes remained closed, though she was beginning to slip into hazy consciousness once more. The lukewarm sunlight gently seeped in through the drawn curtains and rested lightly on her thick lashes, casting soft shadows on her pale, sleeping face. She sighed inaudibly, smiling at her blissful comfort and at her uncommonly warm surroundings.

Her first coherent thought was, How odd. I can't hear Papa snoring.

Did Mama kick him out of the house for the night or something?

She shrugged and snuggled contently in the fluffy softness that engulfed her.

I don't remember my futon being this soft.

Or this warm. I must be more tired than I thought.

Wow, this almost feels like a nice, comfy bed.

She froze.

Wait.....this IS a bed.

She drew her dark brows together in confusion. Tilting her sleeping face slightly to the left to shy away from the ray of sunlight flowing in the window, she breifly reviewed last night's even in her mind.

Mama half-forced Rui to stay at our house for tea, then Rui left his wallet at our house and Mama made me ride a bike all the way to his mansion to give it back. It was dark and cold and raining, I was soaked to the bones, it took forever to get there, then.....

Then there was Rui....very scrumdelicious in his pa--ACK, I mean, he took his wallet back. We started talking, and....

Tsukushi paled, her memory becoming clearer.

I....gave him his wallet, then I went home....didn't I? Yes, yes I did. I went home. I AM home.

She carefully kept her eyelids closed; ignorance is bliss, after all. Maybe if she kept them shut long enough, then she'll eventually find herself nestled neatly inside her faded futon back at home. Home.....of course she must be at home, where else could she be? Surely she couldn't have spent the night at--

"Are you awake? Or do you just like to make faces at yourself when you dream?"

Her chestnut-brown eyes snapped open and a boyish face filled her vision.

"How long--!" her voice, unaccustomed to articulation, squeaked. Tsukushi cleared her throat and repeated, "How long have you been sitting there?"

Rui shrugged in his usual deadpan manner.

"You're an odd one," Rui said, waving her question away. "You make strange faces even when you sleep."

"You're the strange one here," she retorted. She found herself blushing for some unknown reason. "You just sit there and stare at people when they sleep!"

"I just came in here about ten minutes ago to make sure you're doing well," he paused, his marble blue eyes perusing her profile.

"Oh."

Her discomfort increased under his scrutiny. She sat up slightly, pulling the heavy sheets up to her chin, trying to hide as much of herself from his gaze as possibly.

"Are you?"

"What?"

"Are you well?"

Tsukushi felt her forehead, looking signs of the prevailing headache from the previous night. Her head throbbed and her visions blurred slightly.

"Yes, I'm much better."

An odd little silence fell between the two, and with each passing moment Tuskushi realized jus how inappropriate it was for her to be there...to fall ill at someone else's house in such an embarrassing fashion. And in front of Hanazawa Rui too!

"Rui?"

He simply looked at her, his eyes answering with a quiet, Yes?

"I'm sorry about last night," she said awkwardly, her slender fingers playing with the hem of her blanket. "I made such a mess and imposed on your family and everything...."

"Well, you did make a mess and snored pretty loudly during the night......"

"Kidding, kidding!" Rui added hastily, when he saw the horror and self-reproach in her eyes.

"I'm just ashamed to impose on someone else like this. I really am sorry."

"You don't have to consider me as 'someone else.' You don't actually think I would mind, do you? If you really feel that bad, I'll just keep your brother's wallet and his money to make up for it."

Tuskushi smiled and was about to thank Rui again when her face suddenly darkened and a vein popped up in her forehead. She glared at the innocent looking boy in front of her.

"The wallet......my brother's........what?"

"It didn't occur to you to check the name sewn on the wallet before you came all this way to hand it to me?" Rui asked, amused. He took out the wallet from his pant pocket and allowed Tsukushi a glimpse at the small, round Japanese characters that read: MAKINO SUSUMU

"ARGGH!" Tsukushi, feeling the sudden need to severely damage someone or something, flew out of bed and lunged for the wallet. "I'm going to kill that boy! He saw my mother making me ride his bike to your house and he never said a word that this is his stupid wallet all along!"

Then suddenly everything went black.

Somewhere between flying out of bed and grabbing her brother's wallet, Tsukushi felt a surge of pain in her head and a flash of blackness in her eyes. She fell limply forward, momentarily unconscious.

Rui, with catlike speed and grace, caught her in his arms. He fell backwards along with her and, with one protective arm firmly around her waist, moved her on top of him to break and cushion her fall.

Her lids fluttered open, and she found herself in a tangled mess on the ground....better yet, she was sprawled (though very comfortably) on top of Hanazawa Rui and was presently staring into a pair of marble blue eyes. Wow, Tsukushi breathed, his eyes are beautiful. She felt his arms around her and was keenly aware that his lean muscles were pressed against her curves and that her slender legs were straddling his....

Hentai alert! Hentai alert! her brain screamed. Get your mind outta the gutter! Honestly, woman, this is the second code red in two days!

"I really should get ready for school!" Blood flushed to Tsukushi's flaming cheeks as she pushed herself off Hanazawa Rui and quickly gathered her wits together. "I suppose I have to get home and change into my uniforms. Honestly, I have never known parents who are so dense! You should have heard my mother last night when she insisted that I come here despite all that rain. I think I should pretend to be deathly ill just to scare the crap out of my nutcase of a mother. Ah well, after school today--"

Rui pulled Tsukushi up and pushed her back into the bed. "Tsukushi, shut up."

"Rui, I'm fine! Let go of--"

"Bed. Sleep. Now."

"I need to get to school."

I need to get away from YOU.

He pulled the sheets over her and nearly smothered her with it.

"I...I need to take notes in chemistry," she said weakly, her head finally emerging from beneath the covers. She sought desperately for another excuse. Any excuse. "I can't miss any more classes, or I'll fail this semester. Rui, please..."

Please....let me go. Let me get my mind away from your voice, your smile, your memories....I went through hell for you once. I don't want to get caught in it again. Please....

Tsukushi started to rise, slowly, from bed. "Don't worry about me, Rui, I promise I'll take care of myself at school Besides, I need to take notes and start studying for finals..."

Rui pushed her back down on the bed gently. She looked up and met his baby-blue eyes.

He smiled. Simple, reassuring, eloquent.

Tsukushi didn't have a chance. She could never let go now.

@----

Tsukasa was confused.

Of course, being Tsukasa, he often was. But he was never as curious about his bewilderment as he was now.

"Rui is going to class?"

Soujiro and Akira nodded, their faces just as incredulous as Tsukasa's.

Tsukasa paused. It can't be -- it just doesn't make sense. Clearly either Rui has gone mad, or someone is forcing the boy to attend class against his will. "Rui is going to class?"

"For the eighth time, Tsukasa, YES, he is!" Soujiro snapped.

Tsukasa can only stare. "Why?"

Akira shrugged. "Although the chemistry teacher is pretty cute...."

"Akira, she just got married last month."

"Marriage cannot hinder true love," Akira replied loftily. Soujiro rolled his eyes.

"But....chemistry is not even on Rui's schedule!" Tsukasa exclaimed, ignoring Akira and Soujiro's banters. The F4 had already taken that class the previous year. Granted, they never went to class, but they all passed with excellent marks.

"We just passed by that classroom five minutes ago," Soujiro explained, seeing that Tsukasa was perpetually puzzled. "We peeked in to take a look....and -- can you believe it -- Rui was actually paying rapt attention to the lecture!"

"Yeah," Akira nodded. "He was taking notes and everything."

"Maybe he does have a thing for the teacher," said Tsukasa.

"Dammit," Akira muttered. "I was going to make a move on her first."

In light of this shocking news, Tsukasa had fleetingly forgotten his recent irritation for Rui and Tsukushi. But thoughts of Tsukushi are never far from his mind. As Soujiro and Akira spoke of their flamboyant sex life and their women-of-the-week, Tsukasa's thoughts wandered -- once again -- back to Tsukushi. Why wasn't she at school today? Is she okay? What happened since we last spoke? Has she been with Rui?

Tsukasa at times despised the romping of his thoughts. Great men like himself do not stoop down to pursue poor peasant girls with such embarrassing heritage! She should be begging him to take her. He deigned to offer her a relationship...and she cast him aside. Fine. Her loss. Hundreds and thousands of women would gladly take her place beside him anyway!

But his mind never worked out like that. When she is angry at him he can only return the anger for so long, before he caves and does everything within his power to appease her and regain her approval. When she cries he feels painfully helpless that he could not dry her tears. When she smiles at him he would give up the world to keep the luster in her eyes. And when she leaves him his soul is clawed open and his whole life falls apart.

"Tsukasa," Soujiro's voice seeped into his thoughts. Tsukasa focused his eyes and looked up at Soujiro.

"Hmm?"

"The bell just rang," Soujiro said, nodding towards the students streaming out of the classrooms. "Want to ambush Rui and see if he's still sane?"

Tsukasa thought of Tsukushi and their last conversation together.

"No. I don't really care." Tsukasa turned and started to walk away. "I have to go home now. My mother is back from New York."

@----

Doumyouji Kaede was one busy woman. She had matters to attend to right away, and as her sleek limousine pulled up the Hanazawas' driveway, she drummed her fingers impatiently against the briefcase. But when the vehicle came to a complete stop, she took her time in getting out of the car, assisted of course by her chauffer. Time waits for no man, or so they said.

But it did for a woman -- especially if she was Doumyouji Kaede.

The Hanazawas' servants lined up to welcome her, as if she was marching inside her own household. She barely glanced at them, heading straight for the charming woman who smiled at her.

"Ah, Kaede-san, this certainly is a surprise!" Hanazawa Michiko greeted her warmly. "I had heard that you were coming back tomorrow."

"The earlier I can get started on my work, the better," she replied. "I needed something from Hanazawa-san. I called his office when I arrived and they said he might still be home. I tried reaching him on his mobile but I didn't get any reply." She resolved to keep the irritation from her voice. She wasn't used to running after people like this.

Michiko shook her head regretfully. "You just missed him!"

Kaede clicked her tongue. "Well, then. I guess I'd better leave."

"Why don't you stay for a little tea first, Kaede-san?" Michiko offered graciously. "You are our guest; I'd never forgive myself if I let you go without anything."

Kaede looked at her assistant from the corner of her eye. "What time is my next meeting?"

"Not until an hour, madam," the man replied.

"Very well, Michiko-san," she answered. "I'd appreciate some tea." She followed the woman to the next room, where servants quickly rushed to arrange their tea.

Michiko stopped just before she reached out to serve the tea. "I almost forgot! We have another guest here, Kaede-san. You wouldn't mind if we included her, would you?"

But before Kaede could reply, she was already instructing one of her servants to call the guest in. "Please tell young master Rui's guest to join us for tea." As the servant left, the other woman turned to Kaede. "One of Rui's friends had to spend the night after coming down with a slight fever. I don't think they suspected that I know she's here!" She laughed. "Kids these days. Do they think I don't know what goes on in my own household? But I like this friend of Rui's so I don't mind her staying over."

Doumyouji Kaede nodded perfunctorily during the brief speech. She couldn't care less who this friend of Rui's was, but as a guest she knew she had to show some polite interest. Normally, she wouldn't even bother, but Hanazawa Michiko was too polite and well-mannered to ignore.

A few minutes after, a polite shuffling interrupted their small talk. The paper door slid open and Doumyouji Kaede stared at the familiar figure that walked in: Makino Tsukushi.

@----

Tsukushi's eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw Tsukasa's mother sitting there across from Mrs. Hanazawa. The last thing she expected was her worst nightmare here in this household.

The woman minced no words as she stood up abruptly. "I knew my son was crazy enough to run after a common girl like you. When you knew he was out of your league, you went after the nearest available rich boy. You're a scheming little gold digger, and it's high time that the Hanazawa's knew what kind of girl they have for a guest."

"Kaede-san, Kaede-san," Rui's mother tried to appease the other woman.

But Tsukushi was not going to let someone else fight her battles for her. Flushed with anger, she retorted. "How dare you insinuate that? I came here to return something to Hanazawa Rui. I got sick and he insisted that I stay until I got better --"

"Excuses, excuses," Kaede interrupted. "You've destroyed my son's future long enough. You'll see what happens when you cross a Doumyouji!" She turned to leave despite Mrs. Hanazawa's pleas and protests.

But before she reached the front door, Tsukasa came barging in. "They said I'd find you here. What's the big…"

His voice trailed off when he saw Tsukushi standing behind his mother and Mrs. Hanazawa. "Ma-- Makino? What are you doing here?"

Tsukushi blushed a little at the strangeness of her situation. "You see, I --"

Kaede interrupted accusingly. "This girl you're so crazy over just spent the entire night here. She's been playing you for a fool."

"That's not exactly what happened!" Tsukushi defended.

Doumyouji's mother whirled to face her. "Are you denying what I said?"

"It's true that I spent the night here," she replied, flushed and defiant, "but it wasn't because I wanted to."

"You see!" Kaede crowed. "Do you now see what kind of a woman this girl is?"

"Why don't we all sit down and discuss this calmly?" Mrs. Hanazawa broke in, trying to appease each one.

But Tsukasa only had eyes for Tsukushi. "Did you really spend the night here?"

Tsukushi tried to explain one more time, raising her voice above all the other voices. She didn't know why, but she really felt that it was important to tell Tsukasa the truth. No matter how many times they had fought and disappointed each other, she still couldn't bear to see the hurt look in his eyes. "I just returned Rui's wallet to him. But it was raining so hard, and I felt sick, and he insisted that I rest up."

"The girl's feeding you a pack of lies!" Kaede said to her son.

"You decide whether to believe me or not," Tsukushi told Tsukasa levelly. "But I'm telling you the truth."

Tsukasa took one long look at the scene -- the worried Mrs. Hanazawa, his irate mother, and Tsukushi's unwavering stance. He held out his hand to her. "Come on, Makino. Let's get out of here."

@----

"You have a habit of rescuing me from your mother," Tsukushi said, a little gratefully, once they had flagged down a taxi. Tsukasa had pushed her inside just before his mother's SP's could reach them. Although Tsukushi didn't back down from Doumyouji Kaede, she still felt a little better knowing that Tsukasa was on her side.

But he had been strangely quiet all of a sudden. Tsukushi frowned. What is he thinking of? Did he really think I was with Hanazawa Rui the entire time? Of course, the circimstances pointed that way, but she thought that Tsukasa should know better. "Hey," she say, poking his arm.

"He went to class for you," Tsukasa said distantly.

For a moment, Tsukushi blanked. She didn't know who the 'he' Tsukasa was talking about. "Hanazawa Rui?" she guessed.

"Who else?" Tsukasa growled. "I was worried about you the whole day and it turns out you spent the night with my best friend!"

Tsukushi felt a wave of anger rush through her. "I was not with him! I thought I had made that clear."

"I know you've always liked him," he muttered. Tsukasa was thinking back on all his fears. She kept running away from him, straight to Rui's arms. He tried everything, but he couldn't seem to get through to her. "What was I to think?"

"What has that have to do with anything? Nothing happened!" Tsukushi retorted, throwing her hands in the air in frustration. "I did not run away from your mother's accusations only to listen to yours."

Tsukasa motioned the cab driver to slow down. "Then maybe I should stop the taxi so you can get off."

"Maybe you should," Tsukushi replied.

Tsukasa looked at her, then tapped the driver's shoulder and urged him to go on. "Naaah."

Tsukushi let a long irritated breath. "Drop me off on the next corner. I can walk to my house from there."

"I'm not taking you home," he told her.

"So where are we going? Your mansion?"

"I'm not stupid, you know."

"Could have fooled me," Tsukushi murmured under her breath. "So where are you taking me?" she demanded loudly. "This is kidnapping, you know."

"It's not your first," he said impishly. Tsukushi caught the mischievous glint in Tsukasa's eye and just gave up. She knew better when not to argue with him.

He took her to a small hill that overlooked Tokyo. The cab driver let them off at the foot of the hill, and they climbed the rest of the way up. It was nearly sunset, and the place was bathed in warm afternoon colors of gold and orange. Tsukushi felt that all of her problems were worlds away, and a peacefully feeling settled on her when she reached the top.

"This is a beautiful place, Doumyouji," Tsukushi breathed.

"And for once, I didn't even have to pay for the view," Tsukasa joked.

Tehy were silent for a while, giving Tsukushi enough time to think over the past few days. It had certainly been some roller-coaster ride for her. Hanazawa Rui is just like a guardian angel, she ghouth. And he really makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. But Doumyouji...he's loud and he's arrogant and he's irritating... Her thoughts trailed off. No matter how many negative things she had to say about Doumyouji, she couldn't deny the weird attraction between them, something that she couldn't really define.

"Makino," he said suddenly.

"What?" she answered, trying to hide the blush that came so easily to her cheeks. What if he knew what she had been thinking of? She might just die of embarrassment.

When he looked at her, his eyes were serious and intense. "I know that you like Rui. I don't know why, but I know that I can never be that kind of a guy." Tsukushi noticed the faint line of sweat that trickled down one side of his face. Was he nervous? Why? "But I also know that I'm not going to give you up without a fight."

Tsukushi's mouth dropped open. Was he saying what she thought he was saying?

"Makino, I lo--"

"Hey, that man over there just took his clothes off!" she cried out, pointing to the distance to distract him. "Did you see that?"

"What?"

"There! By the trees… he's heading for the park… oops, he's gone now. You just missed him," she fibbed.

"I don't see anyone," Tsukasa frowned.

"That's because you don't have the Makino Tsukushi High Powered Vision!" she exclaimed, raising her hand triumphantly as if to emphasize a point. She smiled at him. "Let's go home, Doumyouji."

Minutes later, another cab stopped in front of their apartment, and Tsukasa helped Tsukushi get off. "You better be in school tomorrow," he scolded her, all hints of his serious conversation earlier seemingly vanished. "Or else I'll be spending another fortune in cab rides."

"I'm not a delinquent," she retorted. "Your mother will probably kill you when you get home."

He waved her comment off as he got back into the taxi. "Yeah, yeah."

Tsukushi tried to hide a grin as she went back to her house. He was really so full of himself! Which was why she wondered why she thought of him every now and then. As she turned the knob of her door, she heard a movement behind her. Turning, she saw Hanazawa Rui standing there, an unreadable expression on his face.

...to be continued.

@----