After a short while, Hatori and Yukina had reached their home, which they had not seen for quite a long time. They went into the house and Hatori smiled warmly at Yukina, "It had been over a week since I came back here, Yukina."

She smiled back, "I…I miss home too…" and she was startled as Hatori cupped her face in his hands.

"Does your 'home' mean here, or it's another one you are talking about, Yukina?" he whispered into her ear.

Yukina's mind went a total blank, and she was temporarily incapable of thinking. "Here…I guess…"

Hatori was unsatisfied, and kissed her directly on the lips passionately but briefly.

"I want you…to give me a definite answer," and looked at her expectantly.

"I…I can't…please don't force me, Hatori…" Yukina said, tears running down her face.

"I'm sorry, Yukina…please don't cry," Hatori wiped away her tears and kissed her again, starting gently and turning into a fiery, passionate one, making them heat up despite the cold weather. Hatori gazed at the quivering girl in front of him, and his heart was filled with intense love and passion.

"You are the only thing I desire, and I don't care what people think or feel…" Hatori pulled Yukina forcefully close to him. She lost her balance and fell against his body, resulting in both of them tumbling onto the couch, with Yukina on top of Hatori.

Hatori groaned and stared at Yukina, whose face was scarlet. Their breath was ragged and their minds were clouded with the love they felt for each other.

"Yukina…if you are unprepared to do this, tell me now…or I will be unable to control myself…" he said, all the while fingers brushing against the nape of her neck caressingly.

To his surprise, Yukina just smiled at him from top of him, and relaxed so that her body was all but attached to his. She kissed him shyly and hesitatingly, while her eyes burned with ardour, heart thumping wildly.

Aggressively, Hatori seized her and rolled on top of her, and kissed her with all his soul. Only then he realised that they were still in his living room, and the couch was too small for the both of them.

It was a miracle that both of them ever made it to the bedroom, as Hatori could not refrain from taking possession of her lips, while his hands roamed over her body, which was small in comparison to his. Before they reached the bedroom, Hatori pinned Yukina against the wall and ran his fingers sensually up and down her body, causing a soft moan to escape from her mouth.

In truth, Hatori was having a strong conflict within himself. The impulsive side of him told him to take possession of Yukina immediately, while the rational side told him to calm down and let go of Yukina, for she was only sixteen years old. Naturally, the impulsive part of him won the fight, and he carried Yukina into the bedroom to lay her down on the bed.

On the bed, olive green eyes clashed with hazel orbs as Hatori tore away her clothes impatiently. After she came out of her shock, she too started to undo the buttons on Hatori's shirt, and finally, his pants.

At last, all of their clothes were strewn on the floor, and their bodies entwined and united with each other, while their hands and lips were all over each other, the silent music of which only lovers could hear playing in their minds, and finally, the great long sigh as it all ended, with both of them sharing the night together with only the blankets as cover from the wind brought by the turning fan, which wordlessly witnessed everything that had happened in this room. If it had feelings, it would be happy for Hatori, who had finally found somebody he could be happy with, regardless of how short the time might be for both of them to be together.

The next day, Hatori woke up before Yukina, and he took time to admire her sleeping form, which was bare underneath the covers. Her hair was slightly dishevelled, and her arms were wrapped around his neck, while her legs entangled with his. To his interest, he noticed a mark on her back, which resembled nothing that he had seen before. It was a circular mark, with an intricate and complicated design, black in colour and contrasting with her fair, smooth skin.

Then, his eyes travelled lower to find a small red stain on the bed sheet, and he gasped, guessing that Yukina must still be a virgin before he had the intimate relationship with her the night before. Slowly and gently, he reached to hold her chin, and bent his head forward to kiss her.

Right away, her eyes opened, and she gasped softly as she remembered the actions she had shared with Hatori the previous night. Timidly, she reached out a hand to touch his face.

"Hatori…"

"Good morning, Yukina," Hatori smirked at the blushing girl, his hand still on her flushed face.

Yukina did not reply, but just closed her eyes and laid her head on his chest, loving every minute she spent together with Hatori. Hatori patted her back and asked, "Yukina, do you know that you have a mark on your back?"

Surprised, Yukina opened her eyes and shook her head, looking at him curiously. Then, Hatori got up from the bed; an act that made Yukina blushed deeper, if it was possible, for he was not wearing anything underneath.

Calmly and deliberately, as though as he knew that Yukina was watching him, he rummaged around his closet and put on a pair of boxers. After that, he turned to Yukina and smirked again.

"Is it better this way, Yukina?"

Not waiting for a reply, he went to take a small mirror and walked over to the bed. He got on it and placed the mirror so that it reflected the mark on Yukina's back. Yukina felt a shock run through her body as she saw the mark, which seemed familiar and foreign at the same time.

Hatori watched her intently, observing the train of emotions that ran through her face. Finally, Yukina sat up, holding the blankets close to cover her exposed body. With a mischievous smile, Hatori tried to yank the covers from her, which she defended as though it was her life.

Seeing that he could not remove the covers from Yukina, Hatori simply pulled the whole bundle – Yukina and blankets, into his arms. A little embarrassed, Yukina pouted at him, but her traitorous body ached for his touch, his kiss, his everything…and she gave in to his demanding caresses and strokes.

It ended with both of them panting after a moment full of exhilarating movements and touches. Hatori then looked so tenderly at the breathless Yukina in front of him that it almost made her shiver.

"There is no way I can talk you out of doing it, right?" he asked quietly.

Yukina understood the vague question and traced a finger down his chest gently.

"That is the only way I can repay the Soumas for taking care of me for almost a hundred years…"

"What if…what if you die in the process?" he looked sadly at her determined expression.

Yukina smiled, but her heart was aching inside, "I won't die, for I know that you are still here waiting for me…" In reality, she knew that the possibility of her dying was high, because the action would need more energy than she had, but she could not possibly tell that to Hatori, for he would try to prevent her from using her powers.

"Then…promise me…that you would come back to me, no matter what happens…" Hatori ran a long, cold finger down her cheek.

Yukina nodded silently, biting back the tears that threatened to run out of her eyes. She treasured every moment that she could have together with Hatori, for she had an instinct that they might not be able to see each other again after the curse-lifting ritual.