Note from Author: Now, I've received several reviews that were… less than happy with the way that the last chapter ended. So, I decided to type up next week's chapter this week to give you guys a bit of a break. BUT, because of school work I won't be ABLE to update until next week. So… Being the evil one that I am, I bid you a fair read and hope not to get murdered in my sleep by you lovely readers. Thank you for your patience :D -ROSEY

Chapter 10

Kuronue let go of her arm, watching her with a frown. He had spent the last week thinking that she was angry at him for embarrassing her on Tuesday evening. "Well, I guess that leaves just one thing to do," Kuronue said, tilting his head to the side as he considered her. He had spent the week being shunned by the very girl that he had been excited to meet this afternoon. Anger rose momentarily until he saw her bow her head as if afraid of what he was going to say.

"And that would be?" She asked in one of the meekest voices he had ever heard and his anger shattered.

Kuronue took a steadying breath as he waited, looking away from her at the sky that was bright and blue—a perfect day for something extraordinary to happen. He knew that he was causing her more discomfort with his prolonged silence as he bowed his own head and folded the piece of paper that had held the proof that she was his Mistress Night.

"Well, actually there are a few things we could do now. But the one I think we should do is to just—" Kuronue said, hesitating to give himself more time to think about if he really wanted to go down this road with the girl.

"Just go our separate ways?" She put in.

"No." Kuronue said with a heavy sigh. "No, I think that we should put aside our… school history and try this out. Hell, we get along perfectly online. I think—Hey where are you going?" he asked as the young woman stumbled away from him, heading back towards the school.

This was turning into a disaster. But Kuronue wasn't about to let her just go. By the time she had taken ten steps to leave, he had caught up with her and taken her shoulder in his hand again.

"Now will you stop that? I thought you were spunky, not some delicate flower ready to be crushed!" he demanded, frowning down at her. "Will you hear me out? I think it would be better if we just relaxed a bit and went on with the date and try and have a good time. If by the time you want to go home, you don't find me as interesting in person as Batz, and then I'll let you go on keeping the two separate."

Naomi had kept her back to him as he spoke. She had been so afraid that he'd say that it would be better to act as if they had never known each other online. She turned eyes up to him that asked him what was wrong with him before covering all her emotions.

"Batz would know that a girl can be both spunky and a delicate flower." She pointed out as her own head tilted to the side as she considered him.

Kuronue couldn't help but let a small smile appear on his face. "I suppose Batz would," he conceded before letting go of her shoulder and motioning towards the fair entrance. "Come, let's go join the fun. If you want, we can meet up with Kurama and Miyumi and make this a little less… uncomfortable."

Naomi had started to walk towards the fair before pausing. Did she want to be left alone with Kuronue or join up with the other two, who she was sure would ignore her or annoy her constantly?

"I'm not uncomfortable Kuronue. But if you are, then that's all right with me. I understand I'm not necessarily your type," she told him, looking at the Ferris wheel that was going somewhere in the middle of the fair. She'd never been on one, she realized.

"Now, are you talking about Kuronue, school boy, or Batz in that statement?" Kuronue asked as he stopped next to her and followed her gaze. Well he knew he'd have to take her on that this afternoon.

Naomi laughed softly, a little of her anxiety rolling away. "I suppose school mate, bad boy Kuronue is who I'm talking about." She told him and started to walk forward, getting in line for admission.

"What do you want to do first?" He asked gently as he stood behind her. As they were allowed into the fair, he decided that there was nothing wrong with taking on the attitude that he took on when he was online—the one that Naomi knew as Bat. He held up his arm like a gentleman and gave her a wicked smile that promised to make the afternoon the time she would never forget. "Mistress Night."

Naomi couldn't help but grinning brightly up at him. She wrapped a hand gently around his arm and they were off. While she couldn't really forget that this was the man that had been said to have slept with half the good looking girls in the school, she did manage to relax into hanging out with him. They got popcorn, laughed at clowns, rode the Merry-Go-Round, and ate cotton candy. Naomi enjoyed every moment of it. Kuronue made sure that they stayed out of sight of most of their classmates—even his friend Kurama.

An hour flew by, as did a second and a third. They rode the bumper cars; Kuronue chasing her with his car, like a child intent on winning an unwinnable game. Kuronue convinced her to go on a ride that was like a giant swing in the shape of a ship that swung back and forth, threatening to do a full 360 degree spin a few times—or so it seemed to the young woman, who unconsciously gripped Kuronue's hand with a bone breaking grip until she was on the firm ground and Kuronue was chuckling at her.

A tilt-a-whirl was next and then finally, Kuronue led her to the Ferris wheel. As they neared, she gaped up at the structure. What had seemed so small from outside the fair was gigantic to the young woman.

"Wait here; I'll go get us some drinks." Kuronue said before turning and taking off towards the nearest concession stand. She looked around the people in front of her and saw why Kuronue could easily get the drinks and get back for the ride. There were easily twenty people in front of her waiting to ride.

"Naomi, it's a pleasure to see you again. How has your day been?" came Kurama's voice from behind her. She turned and saw that he and Miyumi had joined the line right behind her.

"Oh, hello Kurama." She said softly, the joy from the earlier excitement turning into worry. She had noticed how Kuronue led them in opposite directions of Kurama whenever they became visible. "My day has gone great, how about yours? Are you enjoying the fair?" She looked over Kurama's shoulder and noticed Kuronue watching them carefully.

"Yes," Miyumi and Kurama responded together with a shared smile.

"Say, didn't you say you were meeting up with someone?" Kurama asked as Kuronue started to near them from behind Kurama.

"I was supposed to, but—"Naomi started before Kuronue joined them and she fell silent. She would let him decide if he wanted to tell.

"But my date didn't show up either, so I decided to take Miss Daiki here around for a little while." Kuronue lied easily, handing her a soda. He had seen the nervousness that she had shown when they had mentioned meeting up with someone. If he really was going to be his online personality, he would have to treat her shyness in turn.

"Do you two want to join us after you ride the Wheel?" Miyumi asked, obviously more interested in Kuronue than the other two.

Naomi looked at Miyumi and then at the line as it shortened a bit. She took a step away from them and smiled. She could at least be civil to the girl. Or she could be like Night. She looked at Miyumi and tilted her head to the side.

"Do you want us to join because you obviously want to jump Kuronue right where he stands?" she asked with a small, cold smile before turning to face the right way in line. She didn't miss the indignation on Miyumi's face, the amazement on Kurama's, and the laughter that Kuronue was trying hard to hide by taking a drink from his soda. Naomi smiled in satisfaction. Yes, she could be a bitch when she felt like it. And right now, she didn't want to deal with the girl.

Kuronue joined her a second later and handed Naomi her soda. "Nice performance Night." He teased as he glanced over at the infuriated and embarrassed Miyumi who was stalking away. "I don't think we'll have to worry about them interfering with us again today." He had sent Kurama off after the girl with a look that told him that he wanted to be alone with the girl.

Naomi took the soda and took a long gulp before taking another step forward as another pair got onto the Ferris wheel. "I'm glad I entertained you." She told him before looking up at the wheel that began to turn.

"Have you ever been on one?" he asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"No. Ma was always worried we'd fall out and Dad is afraid of heights." She said, smiling softly. "That and they are always too busy to go to fairs. This is the first time I've ever been to one without them. I'm sure if they knew I was here they'd flip their lids."

"No doubt. Well, if I keep you here too late, I'll come home with you and tell them I kept you at the school or wherever to work on our project or something." Kuronue said with a smile at the girl who was still staring up at the ride. Ten minutes later they were shutting the door behind them, enclosing themselves in the small box.

They sat side by side, looking out at the scene that splayed out before them as they started to rise. When they paused to let the next cart over to get filled, she clutched his arm as the box swung a little before settling.

Kuronue couldn't help but chuckle. "Relax. We are perfectly safe up here." Kuronue told her brining her attention to the fact she clutched his arm by patting it gently—soothingly. She looked over at him and blinked, realizing that she was clutching to him like a fearful kitten. Their eyes locked for that moment and he was about to say something else when her phone began to ring.

She tore her hand away and went diving for her back, dragging her cell phone out. A look of horror crossed her face as she read the caller id. Nibbling her lower lip, she answered the phone.

"Hi Mom!" She said, trying to copy her normal voice and not let her voice squeak with fear. If she got caught she'd be doomed for life.

"No, I'm studying at the library why?... Oh sure I'll pack up right now and head home. Why didn't you tell me we were expecting a guest this evening? I was planning on staying late at the library and work on my project with Kuronue… Sure I'll ask him. I'll call you right after he returns with a book… Yes I'll make sure to come home right away. I'll talk to you in a little bit mother."

Naomi shut off her phone and looked around as they rose higher in the sky.

"What was that about?" Kuronue asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

"Do you have anything else planned for tonight?" Naomi asked, looking over at him with a blank expression. She would not let what she thought influence him.

"No, not really. I was going to see if you wanted to go to dinner after hanging out here for a while at the diner near here but it seems that you have to go." Kuronue answered, though he'd had much more planned out for Night4Daiki than that.

"Well, how about having dinner at my house? Mom invited the head of her department to dinner and when she found out we were 'studying' together, she invited you too. Dad is cooking." Naomi said with a smile as the carriage rocked back and forth and she winced. Despite his previous calming words, all her calm had gone right out the window when her Mother had called. The library was a good ten minutes walk from the house. The fair was an easy half hour. There was no way that she'd be able to pull off that she had been at the library if her parents questioned her.

"That sounds like a good idea. Your father makes amazing food." Kuronue said with a smile. The rest of the time they were in the Ferris wheel he tried to calm her down but to no avail. Even when they were off, she was practically running through the park. That was when it happened.

She was crossing the street that would lead to her house twenty minutes later, out of breath and wanting nothing more than to not get into trouble. She didn't see the car that came screeching around onto the street at first. Kuronue saw what she didn't and darted out to push her out of the way…