One Week Later

Mitsune hummed as she was dressing to meet Keitaro again. She was hoping to meet his whole family this visit. She was finishing her hair when Naru came in.

"Kitsune-Sempai you're heading out again tonight?"

"I'm going with Haruka downtown. Why?"

"Is it because of that guy you've been seeing?"

"Yes me and my boyfriend are going out again. You're asking a lot of questions." Naru only raised an eyebrow as she took a seat on her bed.

"Just curious, I never seen you this hung up on a guy. I mean you spent every day with him so far."

"You do the same with Seta." Kitsune said as she finished.

"I-I'm studying with him! I'm just curious how long you're going to see this one."

"What do you mean?"

"The longest you've ever been with a guy has been a week. He's a little past that mark."

"Were you planning on moving in on him?" Mitsune teased as she grabbed her purse.

"Ew on this guy?" Naru shot back holding the picture of Mitsune and Keitaro from the night he was drunk.

"Put that down! Besides I have a better picture now." She said holding up the one from there first date.

"He still looks like a dork!"

Mitsune didn't wait to press on with Naru. She was already warned if she wasn't down at the tea house by noon she was going to be left behind.

The twelve year old Kanako Urashima waited outside her step brother's room. She knew soon or a later a girl was going to enter his life. She didn't like the fact it was while she was gone. Now with most families, the older brother is protective of his younger sister. In the Urashima family however, it's the other way around.

"Oniisan... am I going to meet this girl?"

"She's coming over with Aunt Haruka. You can meet her then."

"You mind me asking how far you two have gone."

"KANAKO! Do you even know what you're asking?"

"Sorry Oniisan... it's just by the picture she looks...easy."

"Hey!" Keitaro's door open as he stood in a t-shirt and boxers. "That's uncalled for, and what have I told you about going through my things!" It soon hit him how under dressed he was as his adopted sister blushed. Still he made a grab for the picture only to have her pull it out of his reach.

Down the hall the two's father was answering the phone. "Hello? Oh hey sis, are you on your way? I'll have Keitaro get the order ready. How are things here?" He looked up just in time to see Kanako run by holding something in her hand. Keitaro followed right behind her, still without pants screaming for her to drop whatever it was. "Oh as normal as it can get. No she's going to be out of the country for a bit. Yeah she's seeing family in the states still. Oh she was? She must really like my son to want to meet the both of us. Well Kanako is here so she can meet her... Yeah I'm a little worried how that's going to go down too. See you when you get here then bye."

Mitsune was slow coming out of the car as she headed into the sweet shop. She had what Naru said on her mind. "Can she be right? I mean I could be tricking myself." Just as she finished her thought Keitaro came out in a apron with boxes of cookies in his arms.

"Hey Kitsune!" He greeted. The young foxes heart started to race as she blushed just looking at him. "Um... Kitsune?"

"Hmm? Oh sorry let me help." She quickly took the top boxes as they walked to the car.

"I heard your mother's not here."

"She's staying with her sister in the United States. I guess they had some catching up to do."

Mitsune looked to make sure Haruka was gone before she started at her favorite new pastimes... making Keitaro blush. She leaned against the car as she pulled him to her.

"Kitsune..." Success, his cheeks glowed a hot red with no work at all.

"Is your dad going to let you off soon? I wanted to hit the town tonight instead of hanging around his shop."

"Sorry... he needs me to cover the last few hours." Mitsune made a pouting face as she put her arms around his neck. "I-I'll get off before anything closes. I promise." She let go of him before pushing herself off the car.

"I'm going to walk around town till then. As much as I love watching you make candies and muffins. I'm in need of some fresh air."

"I'll be off at three!" He called out to her as she turned to blow him a kiss. Instead she found herself bumping into a little girl whose hair covered her eyes. She wore a school uniform with a black vest over a white long sleeve shirt, and a green and blue skirt.

"Sorry about that..." She apologized only to have the girl snort at her as she ran to Keitaro and hugged him.

"Kanako be nice! Sorry about her. Meet my little sister who came home from America." Mitsune gave a smile as she waved to the young girl. Kanako again only hugged Keitaro as she hid her face in him. "I guess she's shy..."

Mitsune only chuckled as she started back down the streets. "I'll be back later Keit!" She started taking alleys that lead her close to the shops. She started to look around some of the stores, wondering what gifts Keitaro would like. She looked at some art supplies on one of the tables. The store next to it sold tennis equipment. As she started to leave she could hear someone calling her. She felt someone grab her arm. Yanking away she looked back to find one of the men she usually suckered into buying liquor and cigarettes for her.

"Hey good lookin! Looking to score some booze?" He asked holding up a bottle of Sake.

Mitsune looked at it for a bit before making a grab for it. He started to pull it away. "You know the deal little fox." He said putting his arm around her as he set the bottle down. Mitsune started to pull away before he tried to kiss her.

"Stop it! I-I don't do that anymore..." she said as she hugged herself. She started to walk away before he ran back up to her.

"Come on! You know you want it, right?" Again she looked at the bottle. Digging into her pocket she threw some yen at him as she took the bottle. The older man waited as she started to pass an alley before pushing her into it. He pinned her to the wall as he whispered in her ear. "Don't be like that... I thought we had something good going." His hand started up her shirt. She slapped it away only to be pushed into the wall again.

"STOP IT!" She screamed as she swung the bottle into his jaw. The man tumbled to the ground as she ran for the bakery. She slammed the door open, scaring Keitaro as he dropped a tray of rolls.

"Mitsune what's wrong?" She ran over to him, burying her face in his chest as he hugged her.

Mitsune sat in Keitaro's home as he made tea for them. She didn't tell him what had happened on her walk. When he came back with the tea, her gaze kept to the floor. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to..." Mitsune took her cup as she sipped from it. Both sat silently drinking their tea. Mitsune finished her tea and sat the cup down. She remembered how the older man grabbed at her. Usually letting him get a feel of her breast or steal a kiss in exchange for smokes and alcohol felt harmless. This time however the second his hands touched her she thought of Keitaro, and how hurt he would be if he found out about such actions.

Mitsune snuggled herself into Keitaro again, forcing him down on the couch. At first he only blushed, till he noticed how she wasn't giving her trademark grin. He held her again as she pinned him down. After she let him back up she let out a deep sigh.

"Keitaro... i-if I told you something about myself... you promise not to hate me?"

Keitaro was silent as he sat back on the couch. "W-what is it?"

"I've got a bad reputation... a very questionable one. I had this guy who I'd let cop a feel so I can get whatever I wanted." She paused to look at him. She couldn't tell what he was feeling as he stared at the cups of tea. "H-he tried to earlier... but I didn't let him." He just looked at her briefly before looking back at the table. "I didn't let him because all I could think about was you. I knew hearing this would hurt you but... I'd rather it come from me than you finding out from someone else." She moved herself closer to him. He kept looking away; this hurt her more than anything as she nuzzled her head under his chin. "What I'm getting at is you're the only one I want touching me..." She pulled away as the two looked at each other.

"So what am I to you exactly?" He asked, earning him a grin as she pulled him on top of her. "K-Kitsune?"

"You're my boyfriend... actually the only serious one I've had. I've never felt this way about someone like I do when I think of you." She took his hand and led it to her heart. Keitaro blushed even harder as he felt her breast.

"This is yours..." She noticed how he was blushing as she giggled. "You believe me?"

Keitaro didn't say a word. Instead he kissed her, making her blush this time as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Suddenly the two screamed as ice cold water splashed on them. Both jumped from the couch as Kanako stood holding a bucket behind her back. "Sorry I must have tripped..."

"What the heck is with the bucket?" Keitaro questioned as he dried his glasses.

"I-it was my... drink..."

"Kanako!"