Mischievous

Irritating often

Katakura like family

Intelligent (You never know what goes on in her mind)

Now his expression went to concern. Shoot, he noticed.

"Kubota-san, you-" Satsuki began but was quickly cut off by her response.

She waved a hand as if to magically toss the original topic away. "I-It's nothing, I'm just tired and you know how school is like lately with all these events going on."

Satsuki slowly took grasp of her hand and stared straight at her eyes. "Ayumi," he said with a more serious tone, making the girl nervous.

What was she supposed to say in a situation like this!

"Ayumi."

She glanced up, only except he wasn't talking. "Did he just say my name again?"

"Ayumi?"

"Huh?", now she was hearing things because that for sure, wasn't his voice.

"Ayumi, wake up!"

Suddenly the girl opened her eyes to realize that she was just dreaming. "I'm awake…"

"Good, for a moment there I thought you were a goner." Kokoro chuckled holding the alarm clock in front of the girl's face. "This woke me up thank you."

"Ah!" Ayumi quickly sat up from her soft bed and took the green alarm into her hands. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize it went off."

Kokoro didn't say anything at first as she got out of her own bed. A small smile appeared

on her lips while putting the covers away. "Hm, sorry for not waking up on time? Or sorry that your dream with Satsuki wasn't real?"

A flush of pink appeared on the preteen's expression. "D-Did you hear everything?"

"Kind of, but I tried not to."

Her head went low, her bangs covering her blushing face in shame, "I'm so sorry…"

The older girl stared at her. "I don't see why you should be sorry. It's perfectly normal. Besides," as she now pulled out her high school uniform from the closet, "isn't it what you guys would call teenage love?" She paused for a moment. "Well, I guess "preteen love."

"I'll be thirteen soon." Ayumi pouted.

"Have fun with that when that time comes. Once you become a teen, all these problems come at you like a tidal wave."

"Eh?"

"Think of it as my version of figurative language. But it is true." As she buttoned her last uniform button and gave her friend a questioning look.

The younger girl only tilted her head in confusion. "Nani?"

"Nothing really, it's just that," Kokoro trailed off as she took a quick glance at her wristwatch, "you'll be late to school if you don't hurry up."

"I'll be late?" Ayumi repeated. Her eyes gazed over at the clock in her hands. "Ah! Why didn't you warn me sooner?!" Insert a thrown pillow

"At least I warned you now!" Kokoro shot back, dodging the soft marshmallow like pillow. They both glared at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. Of course, they had to stop when they heard a small child's voice from downstairs.

"Kippei onii-chan! Are you okay?"

"Yeah…I'll be alri-!"

"Stop talking! You'll give Yuzu-chan your cold!" They heard another voice command. Mostly likely Reiko who was probably starting a lecture. It took a couple minutes of them arguing before one of them gave up.

"Alright…." Kippei sighed as he began to walk back upstairs to his room.

"That baka." Kokoro murmured.

Ayumi finally dressed up, glanced over in confusion. "Eh?"

"I told him he should've brought an umbrella yesterday. But he was stubborn enough not to and look at him now." She pointed to the door down the hall. "Now he's sick in bed which means I have to do even more work by getting all of his homework. Hm…might as well record Sensei's lecture to him too…"

Ayumi giggled softly knowing that last comment she said was just sarcasm.

Downstairs….

"Hm…."

Reiko, who finished giving her many lectures to Kippei, now turned to see her other brother in the kitchen looking for something. Or was it someone? "What are you looking for?"

"Ah…do you know where mom is?" Satsuki questioned.

"She's doing her crossing guard duties," his older sister answered simply, but she suddenly frowned remembering the thought, "which isn't good…Kippei's sick and Kokoro has to be at school early to finish a group project, dad is at work, Ayumi doesn't know where Yuzu's school is, and I can't be late to work which leaves you…" as she trailed off.

"Me?" Satsuki repeated, wondering what his older sister meant by that.

She clapped her hands together with a happy grin. "Really? Satsuki? You can drop Yuzu off to school? I didn't think you were good with kids! Thanks! Ja ne!" as she quickly ran off leaving him behind with "her" responsibilities.

"That kinda sounds like a threat…" He sighed. But he should've expected that, his sister was always like that. Responsible in a weird way. From the corner of his eye, he noticed slight movement in the kitchen as if someone were trying to sneak away. "You can come out Ayumi."

Apparently, the girl who was hiding in the kitchen slowly appeared beside him. "Gomen, I didn't want to bother… what you and your sister were talking about."

"Actually it's no bother, you can do me a favor."

She glanced at him. "A favor?"

Satsuki began lacing up his shoes. "Tell sensei that I'll come late to school because I need to drop Yuzuyu off to preschool." Now that wasn't really him asking a favor, it was more like an order, but that's his way it seems.

Ayumi smiled. "Of course."

Yuzuyu who had been downstairs ready with her uniform and lunch, grinned while grabbing onto Satsuki's hand. Or more like his pinky finger because he wasn't the type to hold hands, plus the fact that Yuzuyu was a preschool child so her hands were too small for anyone older than her to hold onto. "Bye bye, Ayu onee-chan!"

"A-Ayu?" Ayumi repeated in confusion. That was a new one. She shook her head to forget about it since there was no time to think about names.

……………….

"Ayumi!" Mitsuki waved in excitement once she saw her friend slide the door open to the classroom.

"Mitsuki…." She smiled back, walking towards her. "Wow, I don't believe it, you're finally here after so long."

"Of course!" The dark haired girl announced in triumph as it changed to a sly smile. "Why…did you miss me THAT much?"

That deserved a small hit on the head. "Of course dummy."

Mitsuki laughed slightly before calming down. "Um…I kind of heard a little bit of what was going on while I was gone. So Madoka is giving you a hard time?"

"Well…it seems like each day, she recruits another person to give me a hard time. At first I was okay with it because it was just her and a couple of girls, then the rest of the girls in my class, and …ah, I don't know, math wasn't my best subject!" Ayumi explained and smiled at her last comment. "But as long as you're here, everything will be alright."

"Awww, Ayu-chan!" Her friend grinned. (Once again with the odd nickname) "You mean a lot to me too!"

Ayumi gave her a smile and rolled her eyes at where this conversation was going. It was starting to sound like a confession of love to each other. Mitsuki of course should've noticed that too.

As if she was reading her mind at the moment, she whispered. "How's your dad by the way?"

Out of all the people, Mitsuki was the only friend that knew about Ayumi's situation with her father. "He's….," she began while trying to conjure up a way to say this. "On the "ok" level so far."

"Just know that, I'll be here if you need me. Unless if I'm working then leave a message on my cell phone and I will positively, absolutely, one hundred percent call you back."

"Uh…you're putting too much thought in there, Mitsuki."

"Oh right!" Mitsuki laughed. "But for sure, I "will" call back."

Before Ayumi could respond back to that, a squeal of girls began to stare at the person who was just coming in at the doorway. Who would've known? Satsuki of course. "Did you already drop Yuzu-chan off to preschool? You're still here," and checked the clock, "on time."

He sat down in his seat beside her. "Yeah, her school isn't that far away. I don't see why Kippei always complains about being late all the time. Personally, I think he just gets distracted."

"Kya, Satsuki is a father!" Mitsuki joked before she and Ayumi would burst into giggles.

As for Madoka who was sitting not too far away with her "friends", could only glare at the two girls who were talking to Satsuki. "I don't see how Satsuki would confide in girls like them."

"You're right, we're the ones that are always talking to him", one of the girls emphasized.

The second fan girl nodded in agreement. "Should we keep up with the silent treatment as planned?"

"No, it's getting boring now." The third fan girl objected. "We should do something exciting while we still have a chance."

"We don't want to be found out though." Madoka added, and paused. "But…they always say less is more. We just need to push this girl to the point where she'll give up."

"Hm…" the three girls nodded.

"And I have just the perfect plan," The maroon haired girl smirked as she took out a small box from her desk. "First thing: Pushpins."

Afterschool

"Hm…I don't know, I'll have to check my schedule." Ayumi murmured as they were changing their shoes.

"Please?" Mitsuki pleaded even giving her the puppy eyed look.

"I told you I have to-" But before she could finish her sentence, she gave a small shriek and fell backwards.

"Is this a habit of yours? Tripping and falling out of nothing?"

She quickly opened her eyes to see Satsuki, once again to her rescue. "Ah…I'm clumsy that way…" she nervously laughed and stood up with his help. "Thanks."

"Eh? There are pushpins in your shoes!" Mitsuki stared in surprise, holding up one of Ayumi's shoes. "No wonder you fell over."

Ayumi noticed Satsuki's concern and had to think fast. "Uh, I think I put them there because I was going to uh…bring them to Kokoro for her group project because she forgot them, but she left the house early so I couldn't give it to her… so I left them in my shoes and forgot."

Though it may have convinced Mitsuki, Satsuki's reaction was the opposite. But if she didn't want to tell him, he might as well let it go. There's no use in making her talk about something she wasn't comfortable with.

He stared at his watch. Yuzuyu's school would be let out soon, so he might as well head on over there if he wanted to be there on time. "I better go pick up Yuzuyu, see you at home."

"Yeah…" Ayumi waved before he disappeared after the school doors.

"Ayu, can I borrow your mirror?" Mitsuki asked out of nowhere, reaching for the mirror hanging in her locker.

"Yeah, of course, here." She nodded and was about to hand it to her but accidentally let it slip from her hands, causing it to break into pieces on the floor.

They both stood there in surprise. "I'm sorry!" They said to each other in unison, before smiling.

"I really am sorry though, about your mirror." Mitsuki added, helping her friend pick up the broken pieces to the trash.

"Don't worry, I can always buy another one. Besides, it was partly my fault for being clumsy me."

Her friend nodded dropping the last piece in the garbage. "Ayumi? Do you believe in the superstitious belief that if you break a mirror…you get bad luck? I mean…SEVEN years of bad luck?"

Ayumi stared at her, unsure of how to answer. Sure, she was superstitious, but she never thought about it if the situation was real. "Well, I know breaking a mirror brings you bad luck…but I don't really think it would last seven years." she admitted.

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" Mitsuki laughed nervously.

Awkward silence…

"So…see you tomorrow?"

Ayumi nodded. "Yeah, see you."

They both began to go their own ways. But deep down inside, they were both wishing that they knew the real answer. If only they knew the oncoming events that were about to occur.

"It seems pushpins don't work in this situation…" Madoka mumbled as she and the other girls came out of hiding.

"We should think of a different idea." The first fan girl declared, but it was obvious that they were doing that right now.

Madoka sighed. "We'll think of more ideas tomorrow, see you."

"Wait! Madoka!" The second fan girl called out, causing her to turn back. "Would you happen to know about Satsuki's relationship?"

"Eh? What do you mean?"

The third fan girl spoke up. "Well, earlier today we heard Mitsuki saying how Satsuki is a father, and he was talking about a girl he was dropping off and picking up from preschool this morning and afternoon."

Madoka gave them an odd glance, tapping her foot impatiently. "Your point?"

"Well…" the three fan girls began, as they looked at each other and nodded. "Does that mean that Ayumi was pregnant and that was…her kid?

A/N: Uwah! I updated finally ne? :D I'm sorry for the very long wait! Hoped you liked this chapter, and thank you so much to the following reviewers from Chapter 9!:

younggem - yes I agree, those girls are...well let's not say it here..lol, kabelly - fortunately, Satsuki is starting to appear into the story more, but I'm not sure what he can do to help her at the moment, he's not exactly like his brother Kippei, :D, Apple Bubblegum - Yay I updated! Yay you reviewed! Are you going to review again? lol, imuzuok - Yep! I agree, I updated even though it "was" short, but hey, it's an update! Sigh, aren't most fangirls like that? Haha, but I'm waiting for you to update your story!, cindyyylam - Madoka really is the worst! In fact why did I even put her in the story? lol, ATOMIC ORANGE - O.o Okies, you're going a little to far there with that comment, haha, Ramen and Chopsticks - Yes, another update, another set of drama, Pokkin Choco - Hooray for me! I updated ne? Well if you want to figure out what happens to Ayumi, read this chapter okies? 0, Automatic Code Red 123 - Sigh, of course in every fanclub, there's always the ringleader, Spell it out! - Yes, isn't that awesome? :D, First Day High - Hm, we'll probably see that a little later in the story, Gogglelicious - Haha! Woah, don't get TOO angry just yet...dances along with the elevator music, Pandapple - Ha! Nice, yes I believe I am a fangirl too, but hopefully not an obssessed figure like these girls here..., Blossomskya!:D - Thanks for reviewing and I updated now!, neguam-tenshi - I hurried and updated! Fine...so I didn't exactly hurry, but I updated, that works the same way. ;, XxblackwingsxX - Yes, I agree, I think I'm starting to get most of my readers to hate fangirls, sorry for the long wait, but thanks for reviewing!, and hexgurl001 - I appreciate your message! I'm glad to know that there are others out there who enjoy reading my stories.

I also have a new story up! It's called My Girl, so please read and review if you're interested in reading more of AyumiXSatsuki stories! I'll update the next chapter soon if you do! haha.

Oh, just a little f.y.i.: If you reviewed me and I don't reply, it's not that I don't like you or anything! (don't make assumptions like how these fangirls do in the story) It's usually easier for me to reply this way all together. Of course if it's a PM, then I'll reply back that way also.