The day started as many before it did, with Shirou rising to prepare breakfast while Illya lazily slept in until It was to consume the food her brother had taken such care to make for the two of them. Sitting around the dining room table, things played out much as they did the prior day, as Illya happily munched on eggs and toast while taking in the manic action of her favorite anime while Shirou did his best to tolerate the obnoxious nature of that same anime. The uneasy peace continued for a short while before a gentle knock came at the front door, causing Illya to jump up in surprise while her precious older brother, knowing full well what was going on, walked to the door and opened the front door to greet the day's guests. On the other side of the Emiya manor's front portal stood Rin Tohsaka and Sakura Matou, both clad in clad in casual dresses that did wonders to accentuate their lithe forms. With a smile on her face, Sakura was the first to greet her host.

"Good morning, Emiya-kun, are you well?" Sakura had always been a source of happiness and positive energy in the sometimes dreary Emiya household as long as Shirou could remember, and her gentle smile this day continued a trend that had extended for years upon end.

"Things are going well, all things considered." Shirou shrugged with a certain white-haired homunculus in mind. "But please come in, breakfast is on the table." After leading his classmates into his humble home, Shirou settled once more in front of his half finished breakfast. Rin and Sakura, in turn, did the same, offering thanks for the meal before beginning to eat. Seeing that she had company in the form of the two older girls, Illya leapt to her feet in anger and shouted aloud a protest to their presence.

"Shirou!," Illya yelled. "What are these two doing here? I thought you going to spend the entire weekend with me!" Before Shirou could get a word in edgewise, Rin quickly came to the rescue, offering an equally loud retort for Illya's outcry.

"I'm here because I today is the day that Shirou and I typically study for class. A better question would be why you are here, Illya-chan..." Rin's words were tinged with a vaguely sarcastic tone.

"I'm here because my Big Brother would be lonely without me!" Illya said with no attempt to stop her true feelings from flowing forth from her mouth.

"That is all well and good, but today is mine and Shirou's day together, we do not have time for the whims of a small child such as yourself." As Rin and Illya's shouting match reached a fevered pitch, Shirou couldn't help but step in before things got out of hand.

"Ok, settle down you two." Shirou said in a manner meant to calm both parties. "Illya, I promised I'd study with Tohsaka before we made plans to spend the weekend together and I can't break that promise now. Besides, we have all of tomorrow to hang out." Illya sat down with once more and, despite her pouting, accepted Shirou's offer as she didn't wish to upset her precious older brother. Rin, on the other hand, silently gloated as if Shirou's words were a small victory over her snow-haired rival.

In the wake of the argument Sakura offered her thoughts on the current circumstances."If you don't mind, I could take Illya out for the afternoon while you and Tohsaka-san study." Sakura had seen enough strife in her home life and often took it upon herself to help others and defuse any possible conflict that may arise in any given situation.

"That would be great, Sakura-chan." Shirou had finally finished his mean between mediating his friends' shouting match and mulling over what to do with the clingy little girl that his guardian had so graciously thrust upon him for the weekend. Sakura's offer was a wonderful solution that not only answered the question of what to do with Illya but also let him keep his promise to Rin. For the time being, Shirou happily thought, everything was going to work out for the best. With endless happiness in his heart, Shirou set to work moving and cleaning his and Illya's discarded silverware and plates. Meanwhile, back at dining room table, Illya, knowing that her heartfelt wish to be with Shirou had for the day were so harshly dashed upon the jagged rocks of Rin's previously made promise, turned to Sakura to plan their day together.

"Sakura-nee, what should we do together this afternoon?" Illya's eyes sparkled like small gems set in the porcelain frame that was her frame. She knew very well that the best way to get what she desired was to play the part of a cute, little, girl. She had found it was hard for other to resist such a persona and since then Illya had learned to milk her small size and child-like features for all they were worth. Sakura, completely charmed by Illya's act, responded in a kind manner.

"I thought we could go out for ice cream and gossip about boys." Sakura said with a smile. "I know a little place in the shopping district that has the best ice cream in town." Ever having the mentality of a small-child, Iliya couldn't resist the allure of free sweets and a chance to freely speak about her feelings for her older brother. With a hardy shake of her head in the positive, the pair's afternoon plans were finally etched in stone.

A few hours later, after a light lunch, Sakura and Illya left the Emiya manor with a pleasant wave good-bye, while Shirou and Rin retreated to the room in which Rin once stayed to "study"...

Sakura Side

Fukiyuki City's shopping district was the heart of the older-side of town, a place where one could buy any number of goods and services, as well as mingle with friends and strangers alike. For Iliya this place was important, not for any of the above reasons, but because this is where she had first met Shirou nearly six months ago. Since that fateful day the snow-haired maiden's life had changed drastically, she had found a new home, more then a few new friends, and, more recently, a deep seated love for a certain red-haired magus of swords. I was a peaceful, though a bit boring, existence that was a far cry from the days when she was being groomed by her grandfather to be the vessel in which the Holy Grail which manifest in the physical world. Free of her former destiny, lliya had found she would finally be able to take the reins of her own life and forge a new future for herself. At the moment that future consisted entirely winning the heart of Shirou.

As Sakura and her young companion finally entered the ice cream parlor Sakura has given such glowing praise, Iliya's heart was set aflutter at the sight of the multitude of colorful sugary treats staring back at her from the parlor's glass display case. Before Illya could salivate over the ice cream any more Sakura gently tugged at the young girl's collar and led her to the table where they both then set down. Soon after a waitress appeared before them to take their order.

"What would you two young ladies like today?" Said the teen girl with a pen and note pad in hand.

"I'll just have a chocolette sundae." Sakura uttered calmly.

"And I'll have the strawberry sundae!" Illya yelled in a tone that pierced the waitress' ear drums. As the pair waited for their frozen treats, Sakura was the first to strike up the beginnings of a conversation.

"So, Illya, I've heard from Rin that you have a crush on a boy. How about we talk about that?" Illya's face burned a as bright as the sun. Though she had often bragged that she would make Shirou her's, she had never talked about her little crush with anyone in a serious manner. Unable to actually speak, Illya nodded her head in agreement with Sakura's statement. "All right then, what's he like? I imagine that is a good place to start."

"Well... He's kind of bone-headed, he has trouble making up his mind, and you have to tell him everything three times before he remembers it! " Illya sighed. "But he is also very sweet and knows how to treat a girl..." As she began to speak about Shirou, Illya's former shyness had melted away and replaced with a warm feeling that radiated throughout her body whenever she was near her beloved older brother.

"He sounds like a great guy. Have you told him how you feel?" Sakura cut straight to the heart of the matter.

"No...Not yet, I was waiting for just the right moment." Illya muttered with a sense of dejection hanging on her every word.

"You'll have to hurry up then!" Sakura nearly yelled. "If he really is as good a guy as you described him, some girl may get to him before you can confess! As soon as you have the chance, I think you should tell him how you feel." Illya took those words to heart, she would hate to loose Shirou to anyone. And thus, in her mind, resolved to do just as Sakura had suggested. Her words on the matter, however, were far less bold.

"That sounds like a good idea, I'll try to tell him next time I see him..." Illya squeaked. As Illya's words melted into the open air around her, the pair's order finally arrived. As a small mountain of ice cream was placed before each girl, conversation gave way to a feeding frenzy as Illya descended upon the food like a ravenous beast. Sakura giggled lightly at the snowy-haired maiden's display.

"I hope things work out for you, Illya-chan." Sakura spoke softly before setting upon her own ice cream.

Thanks for the new reviews everyone! The next chapter will actually be a side story chronicling what Shirou and Rin were doing during Illya's little trip. After that is the big confession!

See you all next chapter!