"I'd like to make a deal with you, Commander."

Kuri woke on her desk in class, Dark's voice from the fight the night before echoing in her thoughts.

What was he thinking making deals with Satoshi?

"Kuri?" Daisuke said. "You asked me to meet you for lunch."

"Oh that's right." Kuri said. "To apologize I brought you a gift."

Daisuke steeled himself. Her gifts usually got him into trouble. But still he liked her so what could he do. He sat beside her.

"What is it?" Daisuke asked.

"Well. I made you lunch." Kuri handed him a boxed lunch.

He ate it and seemed to like it.

"You suck." Reiko said. "You know Daisuke just does it because he likes you, ingrate."

"I'm not an—" Kuri sighed. "I was trying to thank him..."

"With an awful tummy ache? Stick to pies and brownies, sis." Reiko said. "Here Daisuke."

She handed him the most beautiful delicious bento he'd ever seen.

"I can have this?!" Daisuke said.

"Yeah I always make an extra so that idiot doesn't end up eating onigiri for every meal." Reiko laughed.

The two sat and ate for a while, then began carrying boxes down the stairs.

"Hey you know...Kuri isn't the only one you can talk to about Dark." Reiko said. "If you want, I'm available to—"

Daisuke tripped and fell, and Satoshi caught him.

"Don't pretend to be clumsy at your own risk." Satoshi said and stood up.

"Daisuke are you hurt?" Reiko ran over and bandaged his cut.

Xxx

As Daisuke headed home he was cut off by Satoshi.

"I have a bet with Dark. That he can steal the Yufilia's Night Scene, and if he does I don't touch a 'certain person.'" Satoshi said. "Now who do you think that could be?"

He pinned Daisuke to the wall threateningly.

"Brother!" Kuri stood there, panting, glaring at him.

A look passed between the pair.

"You...forgot your medicine." Kuri said. "Now come on home. Father has been calling you for an hour."

"Ah...yes." Satoshi said.

Daisuke was already gone.

Xxx

"Why did you interfere?!" Satoshi shouted.

"Father wants us to protect a forgery. We both know Dark's true intention is not that mockery of a painting!" Kuri said.

"Father wants me to protect it. That man did not adopt you and Reiko. I don't want you anywhere near him!" Satoshi said.

"I'm not going to stand back and watch you destroy yourself in the name of the Hikari!" Kuri shouted.

Satoshi turned. "It's Dark!"

He ran after him, chasing him down a tunnel out to the balcony. He tackled him and fell.

"Brother!" Kuri said.

Dark grabbed him. "This makes us even for earlier. As for the bet, I win."

He gripped Kuri and flew her down to the ground.

"So the Commander is the one you want to protect so fiercely?" Dark said. "I'm supposed to protect a Hikari...and you want me to break the Hikari Curse—my own curse!"

"If it was easy I would do it alone." Kuri said. "But in the end it doesn't matter. Because I love him, so what am I supposed to do?"

Dark looked at her face, the pain and tortured expression he often saw when he looked in the mirror.

"You do believe in love." Dark said.