It was a good thing Kurumu had gotten up so early this morning, as the simple task of making a meal for Aono had evolved into a huge ordeal. After having quite a heated argument with the apathetic staff at Kurai, Kurumu learned that while they would allow her to buy stock goods from them, they would not allow her to use their kitchen. Apparently all those students she had seen bringing boxed lunches either lived in the suites which had personal kitchens or they knew someone that did.

Kurumu had resisted the urge to give up at that point, mostly because this whole Aono thing confused her. It had not taken long into the walk yesterday for this inexplicable desire to rub against him to surface. With him barely conscious, there was no telling what she would have done if Akashiya had not been present.

It had been difficult to let go of him all throughout dinner. She had lots of good reasons to sit so close to him, pressed up against his side. He had needed the support. It had been easier to spoon feed him. Being glued to his side intensified the desire from the other boys. It also annoyed the hell out of Akashiya.

Despite all these good reasons, the truth of not wanting to let him go bothered her deeply. It frightened her that there was a part of her that genuinely wanted to be his girlfriend and not simply out of some sense of obligation over him saving her life or some fascination with him being her first experience with a witch. She had to speak with him. She had to know what exactly he wanted from her.

She knew he had stood up for her, protected her, and had expressed a desire for friendship. But these words had been spoken to the true form of a girl Kurumu had no doubts he cared for. He had not spoken with her since that altercation, so it could possibly have been only words to placate Akashiya. He had been so out of last night that she doubted he would remember anything he had said, though most of it had been groans and unintelligible mumbling.

They had probably carried on like idiots for the better part of an hour before some guy had stopped over to put an end to their squabble. He had introduced himself, though Kurumu could not recall his name as she had been thoroughly distracted at the time. She did remember him saying that he was on Aono's floor and would help the poor guy get back to his room before the two of them accidentally killed him. Akashiya had tried to protest but his remarks of them not really caring for Aono's welfare had quieted her.

He had been a very tall fellow with blue eyes as deep as the darkest recesses of the ocean. With ease, the young man had hauled Aono over his shoulder and walked out of the mess hall. Naturally, both of them had recovered from their shock to follow the guy and make sure that he at least did carry Aono to Chikara, the freshmen boys' dorm. Kurumu had waited another fifteen minutes with Akashiya before leaving the girl alone with those silly worries over Aono's safety. Surely the guy would have done something by that point if mischief had been his true intention.

Barely able to get any sleep at all last night, Kurumu had started the day with the sole purpose of defining her relationship with Aono. She clung to Aono's statement of having no relationship with Akashiya. He had not been under any charm and he had told her flat out that he was not seeing anyone. It was not the sort of thing a guy that was serious about being with a girl would say. While it was clear Akashiya felt otherwise, Kurumu doubted his feelings could have changed that quickly. So… maybe… if she was assertive enough she could convince him that she should be his girlfriend.

That was why making a meal for him was so important. Providing a meal for her man was the traditional expectation of a woman. All the media she had seen clearly supported this, though Kurumu had undergone heavy criticism when she had tried to do such things for Takada while under her charm. She had stopped her efforts, realizing their accusations were right to a degree.

But this time it would be different. She vowed not to charm him. This was not going to be some crappy relationship like her mother flaunted back at home where the men did all the housework. Even if it only ended up as a friendship, it would still be so much more than that selfish woman had ever bothered to show her.

Determined, Kurumu had purchased the goods from the troublesome workers at Kurai, figuring she could break into the home economics room if she had to. Thankfully such drastic measures had not been required. Ms. Hitori had already been working in the room and allowed Kurumu to do what she wanted provided she cleaned up anything she soiled. The teacher had even helped a little with the process under claims of damage control.

Kurumu glanced at the silver dial held to her wrist by a thin cord of black leather. It was nearly nine, but as it was Saturday, she hoped he had slept in else she would really be disappointed. If he had already slipped off to breakfast, she supposed she could store this meal in his room till the lunch hour rolled around.

Chikara had very little in common with Baratoge. Tiny slits of glass masqueraded as windows recessed in a dour, brown brick face. It was a taller building with open stairwells on both ends. There was a door at each level with a card swiper for entry instead of an overhead scanner. Though she had not seen it personally, Kurumu expected a central corridor connected the two stairwells with private rooms on either side.

Unlike Baratoge, the boys' mailboxes were built into a standalone shack several paces out from the center of the ground floor. There were no shoe lockers or even a main foyer as the ground floor was either locked up or open to the public. There was not even a door to the laundry room and she had seen some girls hanging out in the recreational room last night.

There did not appear to be any staff at Chikara to monitor the coming and going of guests. While this probably gave the boys more freedom, it certainly made it more difficult to find out where someone lived. Kurumu only knew that Aono was somewhere up on the fourth floor.

Kurumu took a deep breath. Firming her resolve, she started for the stairwell that guy had taken Aono up last night. She gripped tightly at the flat, wooden handle of the insulated container Ms. Hitori had allowed her to borrow. She was supposed to wash it up and bring it back on Monday since the home economics room would be locked up tomorrow.

It was a perfect day for a picnic with the sun already beating down so warmly upon the ground. The gentle breeze brushed across her skin, unable to stir up the pastel green tank top that clung tightly to her bosom. Unlike a normal tank top, the two straps of cloth that extended from the swell of her bust came together at the back of her neck. Once joined, the fabric stretched down the center of her back till it met the rest of the garment halfway down her torso.

Kurumu had really wanted to wear her shorts, but realized her modifications would be too obvious. She certainly did not want to walk around broadcasting that she had a tail. Yielding to reason, she had slipped into one of her school skirts, figuring it was cute enough to go with her top. Red or black certainly would have been so much better, but she had to work with what she had. She wished her color changing abilities extended to apparel.

She reached the stair, noting it was easily wide enough for three people to walk abreast. She touched the handrail, but quickly retracted her palm at the icky wetness now lovingly smeared across her hand. Grimacing, she wiped her palm across the top of the grainy cement wall.

Thinking how gross boys were, she walked up the first half flight of stairs. As she reached the first landing, she felt the approach of admirers. With a glance she confirmed that a pair of students were standing on the next landing, frozen by her charms.

If she had not been so focused, she might have enjoyed their attention as she walked up towards them. Already short, she imagined the two were getting quite the eyeful as she closed in on them. She smiled in their general direction before reaching their spot, turning tightly to start up the next half flight.

She shivered as she ascended, aware that the two were now eagerly attempting to see up her skirt. It felt great knowing that she must look awesome to stir up such a strong desire without even trying. The encounter was better than most of her experiences on the school grounds.

It was not long before she reached the fourth floor. Mounted on the frame of the glass door was the slot for the card that she had noticed last night from a distance. She frowned, realizing that was all there was. There was no button to buzz in or speak with an attendant. Sighing, she held her burden with both hands before her, regarding the door with a forlorn expression.

She had somewhat expected this to happen, but she figured if she waited long enough, a student would come out or return from the dining hall. With another sigh, she backed away from the door to lean against the half wall. Thankfully the landings did not have a railing, so there was no nasty surprises for her. The chill of the stone felt good against her back.

She liked this open concept. She closed her eyes, smiling as the breeze tickled across her cheeks, kicking her bangs all about. Her ribbon did not budge in the slightest, very securely tied about her ponytail. Pressing her rump firmly to the wall, she crossed her right leg over, toes gingerly touching the floor.

The door popped open with an audible click.

"What are you doing here?"

With the door being glass, Kurumu had expected to feel the approach of any boy. She was startled, awkwardly hopping to attention before regarded her unexpected companion. She frowned immediately, recognizing the guy as the one from the other night.

He regarded her through half lidded eyes, holding the door open with one hand while scratching behind his ear with the other. His hair was a wild tangled mess of inky black locks, betraying a recent awakening though his lack of apparel did him no favors. Topless, the guy was not all that impressive. The drawstrings of his navy blue sleep pants bobbed gently in the breeze.

"I came to see Aono."

The guy yawned grandly, stepping barefoot out of the hall and letting go of the door. The portal swung in to rest against his torso.

"What for?"

What was with the twenty questions? She stared at him, wanting to charm him out of her way, but his eyes were barely open and his attention was clearly upon the landing beneath them.

"Which room is he in?"

"Nineteen."

He waved towards the opening.

"Just try to keep it down. Some of us are still trying to sleep."

Kurumu scowled, shaking her head as she stepped past the tall guy. The first thing she noted was the rank stench in the air. It was so thick she could taste it in her mouth. Once the door shut behind her, the foulness quickly stagnated about her.

"Don't breathe in too deep. That's Gomitsuro. Can't keep his form while he sleeps. You get used to it after a while."

Her guide wandered off in front of her.

"Luckily he sleeps all the way at the other end of the hall. Nineteen is right here."

The boy gestured to a room on his right. He walked past two more doors before ducking into the open room on his left. The door slammed shut with quite dramatic finality.

It took much will to advance further into this cesspool. Almost feeling sick to her stomach, she noted the first door was twenty five. Taking a shallow breath, she held it in as she walked three doors down to her destination. Turning sharply, she knocked hard on the door. She worried it might have sounded a bit too frantic but getting out of this hall was urgent.

Kurumu was so happy to see Aono when he opened the door. She only glimpsed his white tee shirt before she dove into it, burying her face against his chest and breathing deeply of him. His scent was so much better than what the hallway had to offer.

"Kurumu!"

"Hey!"

The feminine protest startled her like that time she had discovered forks do not go inside the slots where the plugs for appliances normally go. She jumped so sharply that she winced from the impact of the top of her head crushing the bottom of his jaw. She only snapped out of her shock when he tried to pull away, causing her to grip firmly to his shirt.

"What are you doing here?"

Kurumu turned her head aside, finding the source of her agitation. Akashiya was getting to her feet across the room, her hands clenched in fists as she scowled at Kurumu. The vampire was dressed in the school uniform, which seemed quite a sad thing to do on a day of leisure. Knowing she easily looked more interesting than that, Kurumu stuck her tongue out.

"Kurumu… I, uh… what's this?"

It felt so good pressed up against him like this. He was so warm and she could hear the rapid beat of his heart. Even despite that horrid stink trickling through his open doorway, she could taste that welcome desire directed upon her body. It was far stronger than it had been yesterday, likely as wonderful as it had been on their first encounter.

"Hmmm? What's what?"

"That."

Kurumu nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder, loving the way it felt and it certainly did not hurt to see how agitated Akashiya became over such a small thing. She had no idea what he was confused about, considering she had hugged him before. Perhaps it was her awesome outfit that he was curious about. But she did not want to step away from him just so he could admire that. Not unless he wanted her to take it off.

Akashiya darted in and grabbed him by his arm.

"Let go of him!"

"Moka!"

The vampire tugged him so hard that all three of them went down in a heap. Kurumu did not mind so much as she fell squarely atop Aono, though the jarring impact to her hands did sting some. She could feel his inner thighs pressed to her hips which only made her want to wiggle and rub closer into him. It felt so good.

"Food?"

The breakfast! Kurumu snapped out of her trance, noting her luggage had bounced against the floor. The lid had fell open, letting the lovely aroma of the meal fill up the room. Thankfully very little had spilled across the floor. Kurumu picked herself up, her knee coming down.

"Aaaaahhhh!"

Kurumu quickly pushed off him, realizing immediately what she had done. She blushed deeply, regarding his black pants before tearing her gaze away. Doubting she could say anything that she would not immediately regret, Kurumu crawled over his twitching, upright knee to salvage the breakfast.

"Aw, Tsukune, are you okay? Show me where she hurt you."

Kurumu whirled about.

"You will not!"

Aono had rolled aside, curled up in a fetal position, holding those that were most precious to him. Akashiya was kneeling over him, shaking his shoulder as she continued to badger him about his injury.

Kurumu sighed, shaking her head as she righted the container. It was a good thing she was not that hungry as she suspected she would have to feed three.

Kurumu stretched her arms up over her head, pleased with the quality of her meal. The workers had been very stingy about what she could take in place of a swipe from her ID card. It would have been a stretch to feed two people with the couple eggs and bit of rice they had given her to work with. It was a good thing Ms. Hitori had not minded Kurumu taking some additional stock.

Under Ms. Hitori's encouragement, Kurumu had stuck with making the simplest of omelets and padding a few rice balls. Cooking up the meal proved easy enough, despite her worry of burning the eggs to the pan. Actually, now that she had done it once, she wondered how anyone could do such a thing since it was obvious that when the milk and fluids were mostly gone, the dish was ready to be served up. Forming the rice into presentable shapes had proved far more difficult.

After Aono had recovered from his unfortunate accident, they had evacuated the smelly premises. He had acted reluctant to join her, but she had persuaded Aono to not let her meal go to waste. It was no surprise that Akashiya refused to be left out.

Kurumu had overheard some of the girls gossiping in the lobby that there was a very beautiful place on an open cliff side overlooking the ocean. Figuring it would be an easy enough place to find, she had hoped to bring Aono there to have their private conversation after breakfast. However, with Akashiya around, Kurumu begrudgingly abandoned such romantic plans.

Without an idea, Kurumu suggested Akashiya to take them somewhere to eat. It had been cute watching the vampire worry over a suitable location, though a bit worrisome when Akashiya landed an idea that she was so happy about. Kurumu was still undecided if she was more disappointed or relieved that somehow this great place Akashiya thought was perfect for a picnic turned out to be the cemetery next to a small chapel.

Kurumu did not know much about the whole Christianity thing and thankfully neither did Aono. Akashiya knew enough to be confusing, eventually summarizing the whole thing as something she did because her guardian these past years was a priest so this was a familiar, comfortable place for her.

Kurumu groaned with contentment, letting herself fall back to the soft dirt that surrounded the warm, flat headstone she had been sitting on. She closed her eyes, breathing deep of the earthen scent of the freshly dug graves nearby. This lovely feeling was quickly accompanied by his simmering desire, no doubt instigated by how poorly her top covered up her lacy, white bra.

Quite intentionally, Kurumu folded her hands beneath the swell of her breast. With a soft smile, she cinched the fabric between her thumb and forefinger and tugged her top down ever so slightly. She felt so full in every way she had ever been before.

Akashiya cleared her throat. Kurumu lazily opened an eye, noting that the pink haired girl was walking over towards her. With no subtlety at all, Akashiya plopped herself down to block that lovely stare from Aono. Akashiya smiled brightly at her.

"That was a good meal, Kurumu."

Pouting, Kurumu lifted up on her hands back to a seated position.

"Thanks."

"So… now that we are done eating… what do we do?"

"I… uh… don't know."

Kurumu sighed.

"I thought you two were going to be my friends."

"Of course we are!"

"I'm sorry, Kurumu. I… uh…"

With how quickly they were protesting her remark, Kurumu smiled despite her disappointment.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to… talk. Is that fine by you two?"

"That sounds fantastic!"

"Uh… yea… okay."

Akashiya toyed absently with the hem of her skirt, apparently uncaring about her bare knees pressing to the dirt. The vampire kept quiet, smiling slightly while glancing over at Aono.

Kurumu uncrossed her legs, drawing her knees up. She lifted up to free the hem of her skirt so it would not pull when she sat back down on the headstone. Crossing her arms about her knees, she rested her head on her forearms.

Aono frowned, scratching the side of his head. The container sat next to his crossed legs, the lid at its side. He glanced to Akashiya and smiled for a moment, though the frown quickly returned once he looked away in thought.

Kurumu sighed, feeling very much unwanted.

"So what's with the outfit, Akashiya?"

"Huh? My outfit?"

"Yea."

Akashiya was visibly nervous about the subject. Aono was pointedly looking away.

"So… don't you own anything casual?"

"Of course I do!"

"So… what's the deal?"

"I… uh…"

Kurumu frowned as this was starting to sound very suspicious.

"Those aren't the clothes you wore from last night, are they?"

Akashiya cringed, bowing her head.

"What the hell! You weren't waiting out there all night, were you? How stupid can you be?"

"I'm not stupid! I was very worried!"

"Maybe you should run along back to the dorms and get freshened up. I promise to take good care of him while you are gone."

"I can't do that!"

Kurumu bristled at the remark.

"Why not? Is there some reason I can't be alone with him?"

Akashiya regarded the dirt, stricken with anxiety.

"I… I… uh… I…"

"Actually, what the hell were you doing in his room anyways? How did you get in? When did you get in?"

Akashiya was trembling and tears began to well up at the corner of her eye.

"Kurumu. Please stop."

Kurumu winced at the firm remark. Her heart twisted painfully, realizing he was going to side with the vampire. Clutching her breast, Kurumu staggered to her feet, angry with their lies.

"But that's not fair! Why do I have to stop? Did you two know each other before coming here?"

"Um… no… but…"

"Then why? Why is it okay for her to be alone with you but not me?"

"Because if you kiss him, he'll become your slave!"

Kurumu scowled, whirling about on her accuser. Akahiya's fists were clenched in her lap, but would not meet Kurumu's furious gaze. Short of Aono being a human, which was ridiculous, this claim was nothing but a sad attempt to scare Aono from having a relationship with her.

"You really are stupid, aren't you?! I've kissed a boy before and he didn't become my slave!"

Akashiya bowed her head.

"That's what she told me."

"I don't care what she told you! I'm sick of your lies! You never wanted to be my friend and now you are just making stuff up because you don't trust me! He doesn't even want you!"

"That's not true! Moka is very important to me. She is…"

"A parasite, using you for your blood! You said it yourself. The only reason she wants to be your friend is to suck your blood!"

"But you made me say that!"

Kurumu flinched, astonished by his treachery. She wanted so badly to look him in the eye to see for herself if he believed this falsehood, but she could tell by the tone of his voice that he truly believed she had planted those thoughts in him. He apparently could not be honest with himself.

"Liar."

"This has already been explained to me, Kurumu. You can charm a man by looking into his eyes and make him do anything you want him to do."

"Liar! I hit you with a strong suggestion of not wanting to talk to her! You came up with your own damn reasons to end the conversation!"

He faltered back a step, clearly uncertain.

"Just like you lied about wanting to be my friend! I should have known better than to expect anything else. Go ahead and be her blood bank, you asshole! I'm sorry I even tried!"

Kurumu turned on her heel and ran off, clutching at her chest. It hurt so much, but she dared not stop. She had to get away from their lies. She hated them. All that effort this morning only for them to turn around and treat her like a manipulative succubus, just like every other bastard she had ever known.

The pain was too much, causing a stagger to her pace. She collapsed on her knees, her stomach lurching from the intense pain in her core. She retched hard, her whole body shivering as it came up in three full gouts. It burned her throat and stung her nose, the sickening scent making her feel only worse. She coughed and sneezed, nasty chunks expelling from cavities they had no business being in.

Trembling, Kurumu crawled away from the mess, her body still wracked with pain. This building pressure of pain would not go away. She collapsed on her side, curling up into a ball with her eyes closed tight. Every muscle in her body tensed up beyond her control.

Why did it hurt so much? She could go several days without the direct attention of a male before the pain ever got to this level. She was losing focus, unable to think through this darkness threatening to swallow her up.

"Momma."

It felt so familiar. Gentle fingers moved pleasantly through her hair, tips brushing lovingly against her scalp. Her cheek pressed against a warm, soft surface. She could feel the warmth of the sun washing across her body while a gentle, familiar coolness swirled about her core, staving off the nagging hunger.

This calm feeling had happened before, so long ago. It had been a rare moment, one so hard to forget, when a mother actually acted like she had cared for once. So bittersweet a memory, tearing away and spitting out venomous words at a face that so seldom was caring and sincere. And despite how cruel she responded, the woman had remained kind and quiet, radiating with that strong feeling that quelled the pains of her lonely heart.

Kurumu nuzzled up against the pillow, grasping at the oddly shaped surface. Her eyes slowly opened, noting the smooth fabric her hand touched. She shifted her legs, realizing a heavy sheet had been draped over them. The slight rustle caused the cover to slip down her thigh, baring a small slice of skin below her short skirt.

"You're awake."

It was Aono. She was confused, as this did not look like the forest. As she lifted up on the elbow she had pinned beneath her, Kurumu realized they were out in an open field of dirt and grass. Looking out, there was nothing but sky and the distant horizon.

She squeezed her soft perch, glancing down with slight confusion. Why was she in his lap? She scooted back, rolling onto her knees as she held herself up on her palms pressed to the dirt next to his thigh. She turned her eyes to his face but quickly glanced aside.

"I'm sorry."

Her body felt flush as a surge of lust drenched her core. Her heart trembled with indecision. She wanted so much to hate him but every fiber of her being demanded her to reach out to him. Her fingers dug into the dirt as her body shook uncontrollably.

"Are… are you okay?"

Kurumu licked her lips.

"Where's Akashiya?"

"She went back to the dorms to change her clothes."

"It must have been hard for her."

"Huh?"

"To risk leaving you alone with a person like me."

"I… I'm sorry, Kurumu."

"Don't call me that. You don't really know me."

His hands gripped her shoulders, forcing her back on her knees. The cover drawn over her fell to the ground, Kurumu finally realizing it was Akashiya's school jacket. She clenched her small hands into fists, drawing them tightly to her abdomen as her only defense.

"Kurumu, please, I'm sorry. I truly am. I… this is all… I… I don't really understand things."

Kurumu clenched her teeth. It felt so good for him to touch her.

"Kurumu… I've never had a friend that was a girl before. I… I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"With me?"

"With either of you."

He sighed heavily.

"I woke up this morning and Moka was already in my room. I guess the guy that helped me to the room last night saw her lingering about and let her spend the night with me."

Kurumu's lower jaw quivered as she struggled to accept this.

"So that's it then."

"Nothing happened! I swear that nothing happened."

"That's not normal, Aono."

"Please, Kurumu. Please call me Tsukune."

"Why should I? We're not even friends."

He sighed again.

"You know, we both spent quite a bit of time looking for you after you ran off. And I'm sorry. I guess… I guess I was worried about Moka's interests in me. She is a vampire, you know."

"I wasn't lying."

"I know, I know. But… that day… Moka was very clear how she felt about me. So… I'm not worried anymore."

If Kurumu had anything left in her stomach and could vomit at will, she would have retched simply so he would know how disgusted she was with this remark. The thought that she had brought the two of them together was painful. She could already feel that pressure pain building within her core once again.

"Am I supposed to be happy that you two are a couple?"

"We're not a couple!"

The quick denial shocked her. She looked into his eyes, noting the genuine frustration before his gaze became subdued. She glanced away, moving one hand up to cover her mouth.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?"

She paused, having no idea if she had charmed him or not. She allowed several seconds to pass without comment.

"So… nothing happened last night."

"Nothing that I'm aware of. Though my neck is really sore. How many times did she bite me yesterday?"

Kurumu licked the tips of her fore and middle fingers. Timidly, she reached up and touched the side of his cheek. It was no real surprise that he quickly withdrew his hands, likely afraid of her. While disappointing, it guaranteed he was not under her charm.

"You still don't trust me."

"No, no, it's… I'm not sure…"

"Tsukune?"

"Yes."

"I've had a boyfriend before. Not a real one, I guess, since I used my charm to win him over. But yea… he was the only boy I have ever kissed."

"What happened?"

Kurumu shrugged.

"It wasn't real. Deep down, I knew a good part of why I did it was because all the girls hated me. Takada was the most popular boy in school so taking him was a way of getting back at them all. I wanted it to be more than just that, but I was only fooling myself."

"Moka doesn't hate you."

"How can you be sure of that? If you had not intervened, you know she would have killed me."

"I… uh…"

"Tsukune. I want a real boyfriend. I want you to be my first."

"I… can't."

"Because of her."

"Please understand, Kurumu. What were you thinking when you thought I was with Moka as a couple?"

"What do you mean?"

"Um… where did you see yourself in that?"

"In what?"

He sighed with exasperation.

"I'm saying that if we were a couple, where does that put Moka? Do you understand that?"

Impulsively, she did not give a damn where that put Akashiya. On further thought she did recognize his concerns. She had not seen the vampire hang out with any other students this week.

"Akashiya could be popular with the girls if she wanted to be. It's not like being a vampire would hurt her reputation."

"Moka does not have the same confidence you have about that. She's spent the last few years in the human world without any friends because they thought she was lying about being a vampire."

"… … … … … is she that much of an idiot?"

"I… uh… she is pretty naïve, I guess."

"In the right club she would make tons of friends."

She smirked at a thought.

"I bet she'd make an excellent cheerleader."

"But that's not what I want… er… though the thought… I… uh… she won't do it."

Kurumu giggled at his flustered delivery.

"I know, she probably won't. She's stuck to you like a tick."

"I guess… I don't know. I want us all to be friends. I am sure of that."

Kurumu smiled, thinking he was also very naïve to believe he could keep the two of them as friends.

"You realize I am a succubus?"

"Yea?"

"I am very aware of how much you want my body."

Simply saying it intensified his desire for her. She shivered with pleasure, resisting the urge to snatch him up in her arms.

"I… uh… well… you are… very pretty."

"And I could simply make you mine if I really wanted to. You know, I once charmed a whole bunch of boys at a pep rally just to see if I could do it."

"Kurumu."

His tone was a bit shaky. She smiled, though she could feel his desire for her faltering with his concern.

"I'm not going to, Tsukune. I really meant what I said. I want to be a real girlfriend to you."

"But… Moka."

"I'll be the best friend she has ever had if I have to. I'll do anything, if you'll say yes."

"But that's not what I want. I don't want you to pretend you are her friend."

Kurumu sighed.

"If she can't tell the difference, does it really matter?"

"It does to me."

Kurumu sighed again, glancing at his legs. She got back down on her palms and crawled towards him. He fell back on his butt, attempting to scoot away.

"Kurumu?"

"I'm not going to hurt you."

She grabbed him by the ankle as she neared. She could feel the heat swell in her body as she touched the inside of his knee, forcing his legs open. Her strong hold prevented his escape, though he tried to halt her approach with a palm to her shoulder.

She turned in his space, seizing his wrist and draping it over her shoulder as she snuggled her back up against his chest. This was so much better. She could relax her head on his shoulder, without constantly trying to keep her eyes averted.

"Kurumu."

She could feel the rapid beating of his heart against her. She slipped her hand from his wrist to his palm, trailing her fingertips against his skin. It felt so wonderful that she closed her eyes from the sheer contentment this washed over her body. She absently rubbed his knee with her free hand.

"Kurumu."

His breath was short and hot against her ear. She could feel the swell of his arousal in every sense of the meaning. She shuddered at the thought.

"Kurumu?"

Kurumu swallowed, her throat dry.

"Tsukune. Please… don't hate me."

"I… would never."

She licked her lips as she intertwined her fingers in his.

"Would you… touch me?"

His heart quickened, the desire pouring out of him causing her whole body to tremble with anticipation.

"Touch… you?"

She turned her hand about in his, tugging it up. She pressed his palm to her breast, squeezing the back of his hand. She breathed deeply, relishing the soft, timid response of his palm.

"Can you feel it?"

"Y-yes."

She pushed his hand down firmer against her breast.

"My heart is beating so fast."

"Y-yes."

She backed her feet in, bringing her knees up. This was so unreal. Her mind could not reconcile with the wants of her body. The more she tried to understand why he had such a strong pull upon her, the less she cared to fight against it.

"Tsukune. I am your girlfriend."

"Kurumu, I…"

He tried to pull his hand away, but she gripped tightly to it. Without her hold, he would have easily scooted out of this comfortable position.

"I can't help it. It's been like this since we first touched. You're… so very special."

"Please, Kurumu. This is… too sudden for me. It's… it's not right."

Kurumu shivered, taking a steadying breath. She was so confused. It felt so good but there was a part of her very much in line with his concerns screaming at her to stop. She thought of her mother and decided the best thing to do would be whatever that whore would not.

"Give me your other hand."

"I… uh…"

"Trust me."

Timidly his hand touched her side. With her free hand she seized his up and brought both of his to rest gently on her belly. Taking another deep breath, she rubbed her thumbs across the back of his hands.

"I know you want me."

"I…"

"And I really want you, Tsukune. I… I think I love you. But yea… this was not what I was thinking of when I started the day."

She laughed with a slight smile, ashamed of herself. Her whole body felt flush, embarrassed over her actions and her words. She was terrified that he would deny her feelings, wondering if it was possible for her to die in his arms from such a crushing disappointment.

"Kurumu, I think… we should go with Moka to church tomorrow."

Kurumu giggled with relief at the random off topic.

"What? Suddenly feel like talking to a priest about being bad? Or are you planning a wedding?"

"I… uh… wha…?"

Kurumu giggled again, having hardly understood half the things Akashiya had tried to explain about that odd religion. She smiled, squeezing the back of his hands.

"The answer is yes, if you are asking."

"Actually… I was thinking more of going so she would not feel alone."

"Oh."

Heavens help her if he had been thinking of Akashiya the whole damn time. She knew the desire certainly had been for her body, but it did not mean he could not think of another girl.

"Oh… I guess we can."

"If you don't want to go, I won't force you."

Kurumu huffed.

"I'm sorry that wasn't enthusiastic enough for you."

"That's not what I meant."

She sighed, relaxing up against him. She could no longer feel the sharp edge of his desire, though her body was still very reluctant to let go.

"It's okay, Tsukune. I think… it doesn't feel right to be mad at you."

"Huh?"

"Don't get me wrong. I'm frustrated as hell right now, but I know you don't want her to be lonely. So… I'm going to take real good care of her."

"I worry over the way you said that."

"I'm hurt that you would say such things."

"The truth hurts sometimes."

"Tsukune!"

Akashiya was standing off in the clearing, her eyes wide as she regarded them. The girl had clearly showered up as her hair was much more vibrant. The thin, pastel yellow sundress wagged in the breeze about her knees. Hanging only by two thin straps, her narrow shoulders were practically bare. The black collar about the vampire's throat was very notable. A silver chain was sewn into the leather band that came together at a series of links which held the cross pendent at her ample bosom.

Without the uniform, Kurumu could clearly tell with a glance that her body won out in every possible way.

However, his last snide remark could not go without punishment. Jerking in his grasp, Kurumu yanked his hands from her and sprung to her feet. Crying out, she darted across the open ground to hug up the taller girl in a trembling embrace. Arms closed about her protectively.

"What's going on?"

"I woke up, and he was molesting me!"

"I was not!"

Akashiya stiffened with anger.

"Tsukune!"

Kurumu did her best not to smile.