Willow: Dang it, you people, REVIEW! OK, here's chapter #4!!

Sayuri's POV

I decided to take the day off. I still felt numb. My chara-nari had finally worn off, and Chie was floating drunkenly around the room. They had used too much anesthetic.

I got up and put on some tight black pants and boots, and a lime green hooded sweater. It was Friday; I wouldn't really miss anything. I check my IM. Obviously, Yoko and the it were think along the same lines.

Yokosocean: Hey, Sayuri, wanna come over?

Izanagi: to who's house?

lillywolf has logged on

lillywolf: sure, i'll come over... not. Yoko, can you chara nari?

Izanagi: we were working on that last night.

lillywolf: last night?

Yokosocean: um... he stayed at my place... my parents were out...

lillywolf: O.O what?

Izanagi: hehe

lillywolf: yoko, please, promise me you are still a virgin at age ten!

Izanagi: O.O

lillywolf: don't act like you weren't thinking it, it.

Izanagi has logged off

Yokosocean: hey, hey, sayuri, guess what?

lillywolf: oh, can't wait to hear.

Yokosocean: he kissed me!

lillywolf: you kissed the it? ew!( I think I threw up in my mouth while I was typing, but I didn't tell her)

Yokosocean: of course, i wouldn't have minded sharing it with that hot guy you're working w/ but...

lillywolf: u sick, sick, 2 timing person.

I thought about what had happened last night, but I knew that I probably shouldn't tell her.

Yokosocean: wanna come over?

lillywolf: yoko, u know we can't be friends anymore.

Yokosocean: oh, yeah, right...

lillywolf: did it need to sleep over, or did u offer?

Yokosocean: offered.

lillywolf: guys shouldn't at ur age unless they need 2, stupid.

Yokosocean: what ev.

Yokosocean has logged off

lillywolf has logged off

Yoko was such an idiot. Having boys over at her age? Well, I had Yukio over, but not to freaking stay the night! I went downstairs, and got the grocery list off of the fridge. Mum had written:

-leeks

-fish

-milk

-rice

-curry powder

-octopus

Dad had eaten all of our seafood and milk. Again. I stepped out the door with the list and some money from mums wallet. Even though I skip school, I don't spend mum's money unless it's on groceries, just so you know. She has two wallets. One at the house, and one she carries with her.

I came out of the store laden with bags, as mum had written the list days ago, and we now needed much more. I had three heavy bags full of food, and I needed to get home before the ice cream melted. I trudged outside. It had started to rain...

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Yukio's POV

Ho-hum.

It had started to rain right after I got far, far away from my house. I was near the grocery store, and my house was at least a mile away, now. I was about to go find shelter when I saw a girl in a neon-green sweater standing out side. Her arms laden with bags. She was just... standing there, looking up at the rain.

I walked over to her, only to see that it was Sayuri. She was smiling up at the sky. "Um... yo." I said, waving slightly. She jumped slightly and turned my way. When she saw me, she blushed deep red, and began to stutter the way that she normally did. "Y-Y-Yuki. Um... h-h-h-h-hello." she said, looking down. "Why are you out in the rain, Sayuri. One, shouldn't you be at school, and two, why are you smiling about rain?" I asked.

"Well, I ditched, and so did you." I smirked. She got me. "And I love rain. It's really... pretty. It's crystal clear, and if you listen really hard, you can hear the sound of it, and it's calming." she told me. I looked just above the place where her sweater stop. I could faintly see her mark with her name and code on it. And I could also see the mark on her hand. Suddenly, Amaya's words popped into my head:

"You have told her about the complications of being a partner, I take it?"

I looked down at Sayuri, who was looking happily up at the sky. I hadn't noticed, but we were walking. We had made it to the park. "Sayuri," I began. She came out of her daze, and looked up at me. "Look at your left hand." I told her. She set her parcels on a bench, and looked at the back of her left hand. "It's a rose. What of it?" she asked me. I bent down to her level, and pulled away the collar of my shirt. There was a bigger rose, there. It matched hers perfectly.

She reached up and stroked it gently, her eyes wide, but not in surprise. I didn't know what that emotion was. I took her left hand, and put it up to the mark. The hand mark glowed red. She stared in awe and wonder.

"You're the battler. You're the one who does the fighting." I told her. "That's why your symbol glows red. You're taking some of my conscience into you." I told her. "So that I can help you even if I'm miles away." I told her. She nodded, meeting my eyes. I reached up to her face, but she flinched back. She was still going with her 'Too young argument'. "But being partners, it means that we may be together forever, regardless wether or not one likes the other. Do you... like me?" I asked bluntly. This was embarrassing.

She turned her head quickly, heading to get her bags. Well, I'd just have to test it. I grabbed her arm, and pushed her against a tree. Her eyes were wide with fear, but I needed to know. Amaya's words echoed in my mind, and I couldn't shake it off until I knew. I leaned closer. Closer. She shut her eyes tight, then our lips met.

She didn't respond. Then, slowly, her hands knotted into my hair. She didn't do much more, but that was enough for me. I pulled away. Her eyes were once again wide with surprise and fear. "Sorry," I told her. But she just walked past me, and got her bags. Then she was gone.