Happy New Year to all of you! First of all, I'm very sorry for the extremely late update. I have the same stupid excuse as always. School. Those people at school sure love to torture us! There are exams, projects, the sports day is coming up and so is the annual day so I was super busy. I finally managed to take time to type this chappy. It had been in my mind for some time now but I just didn't have time to type it out! Now it's finally done!

I'm speechless. Soooo many reviews! This story crossed a hundred reviews and I'm extremely happy*jumps up and down in joy*! I can't tell you guys how much your reviews have inspired me! All my other stories are on hold just so I can concentrate on this one.

I would like to thank all those who have reviewed and followed/favorited my story. I mean 18 reviews for chapter 9? What more could any author ask? I'm not begging for reviews (I never have and never will) but it makes me really happy that u guys have taken time out to review to this story. I spent about 3 or 4 hours typing this chapter and another 2 hours just thinking about the dialogues and the plot line.

I would specially like to thank all the reviewers- Roonie K, glitterblackkitty, kazenostigmalover, bf142128, realitychq, SapphiRubyCrys, christina01t, KMaaz, boogle, Sera, Carcar, Koko, Hikari Reizumi, ayano, sarah and all the guest reviewers who've not left a name.

Replies to all the guest reviews are written at the end of the chapter so please don't forget to read them. I've given a little background info on my made up characters below and I've also solved a doubt about the story so please read that too. It'll help u understand the story better.

Disclaimer: Do I really have to say this each and every time!? No people I don't own Kaze No Stigma!

As they stood in front of each other, Ayano didn't know what to do or how to react. She just looked downwards, her body stiff and mind blank. Her husband to be was talking to him.

Her world shattered. She listened as Katsu talked and looked up just slightly to see his expression. She saw as his eyes widened and as he took a deep breath. She looked into those familiar lovely dark colored eyes and she saw…..surprise, shock and maybe….. betrayal? But the expression was gone as soon as it appeared as he resumed his unreadable mask back on his handsome face.

To say that she didn't know what to do or how to react was the understatement of the century. She had never felt so torn before. She heard as Katsu talked to her ex boyfriend. Even saying that in her mind pained her after all these years.

"We're getting engaged in a few days. I'm glad that I finally got to meet you after all the things that I've heard about you. But I'm afraid that we don't have time to chat right now. I've got to go attend an important meeting." He gave Kazuma a regretful look. "But I'll be sure to send you a formal invitation to the engagement. Please attend it, would you? It'll mean a lot to Ayano. " At this, he looked at her for emphasis and she could do nothing than meekly nod her head.

Just why did he have to say that!? Of course she wouldn't be happy to see him there! Which girl would like her ex boyfriend, whom she still loved, to attend her engagement! Certainly not her!

She turned to see Kazuma's expression but that mask was still there as he nodded his head slightly, the only indication that he was listening.

Katsu then turned towards Mr. Makimura. "We'll be leaving now Uncle. I'll see you at the engagement?"

Mr. Makimura nodded, smiling at his friend's son. "How could I miss it?"

With that Katsu started walking towards the front gate, smiling once at Kazuma as he walked by. She had no choice but to follow after him.

As she started walking, she felt the winds shift a little. She tried to walk normally even with her wobbly legs but as she neared him, she smelt his strong cologne. The same cologne that she had hated the smell of at first but had slowly come to like the smell just because he wore it. She ignored the feeling of wanting to hug him as she walked forward, her face set determinedly. She was going to live through this!

She walked to the car, Katsu leading the way. She watched as he opened the car door for her as she sat down in the front passenger seat and watched as he got into the driver's seat and started the car.

Her life had just become a whole lot more complicated.

He had stood there listening to Katsu, his reliable poker face still intact.

Engaged!?In a few days!?

He couldn't believe it. Just a few more days and she would no longer be single. Just a little time before she became his! He felt suddenly jealous and the feeling of hate filled his heart as looked at Katsu. He would have the pleasure of being with Ayano! Somehow, he just couldn't imagine Ayano with this guy. He looked at crimson haired beauty and saw that she was looking at him too, gauging his expression. So he kept his solid mask and even nodded when invited to their engagement. Even thinking about it made him feel bitter.

He watched as Katsu started leaving. He didn't bother to return the smile that he gave him before he left. She started following him after smiling a watery smile and nodding goodbye to Mr. Makimura. As she neared him, his heart started beating faster and he felt the winds shift a little due to his nervousness. She didn't glance at him as she walked, but he smelled her strong strawberry shampoo…..the smell of the hair that he had buried his face in many times.

After she had gone, Mr. Makimura looked at me opening his mouth to probably tell me about the job which I had come for, but I beat him to it.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Makimura. I'm not feeling really well. I need some rest." He watched as the said man nodded his head.

With that being said, he turned and used his wind to disappear. His life was hell!

She watched Katsu's face from the corner of her eye as he drove the car, his gaze fixed ahead. She wondered if he would ask her any questions and if he had noticed her strange behavior because if he had, he wasn't showing any indication of noticing it.

So she just looked at the passing scenery, not knowing what to say or do because starting a conversation would lead to her telling him the reason of her strange behavior which she obviously didn't want to do. He was unusually quiet and she just wondered for a tiny second whether he knew about her past.

She was brought out of her thoughts when the car stopped in front of her hotel. Katsu looked at her, giving her a kind smile. "We're here. I'll see you tomorrow?" She just nodded absentmindedly, looking at his handsome face and loving smile and knowing that she could never love him back. Getting out of the car, she watched as the car sped along before turning and entering the hotel.

After reaching her room, she shut the door with a bang, heading towards the bedroom. She threw her bag on the leather couch and removed her shoes. She just fell face down on the bed, her face buried in the sheets as she slowly brought a pillow close and hugged it, the dam behind her eyes finally breaking. The tears flowed down her cheeks freely, there being no one else nearby.

Why!? Why did she have to see him today of all days? Why did fate have to be so cruel to her? Was she that bad a person to deserve such agony!? Just as she had made up her mind to completely forget about him, to move on and start a new chapter in her stinking life, he just had to show his god damn face! Why didn't he just appear a few days earlier before she had agreed to the marriage? Now things were even more complicated than before. Now there were three lives at stake….her's, Kazuma's and Katsu's.

As she thought of her husband to be, more tears flowed down her cheeks, wetting the poor innocent pillow. She knew that Katsu was a nice guy. She knew that he loved her. She saw that in his eyes every time he looked at her. But she also knew that she could never love him the way that he loved her.

She wondered if he would still feel the same way about her if he knew about her past. If she told him, how would he react? Would he still love her? Or would he hate her? She knew that she never would have the courage to tell him about Kazuma and herself. She barely had the courage to talk to herself about it, let alone telling him. She knew that she was being a coward but there was nothing that she could do about it. She wanted to love Katsu the way that he seemed to love her but she just couldn't. Every time she tried to think about loving him, Kazuma's face came to mind and all those beautiful moments that she spent with him flashed before her eyes, haunting her. She had chosen him only because he looked like Kazuma. He had the same dark brown hair and the same blue eyes like Kazuma had when he activated his contract. She knew that it was not healthy for her to do that and that she would only think more about Kazuma due to the resemblance. She also always found herself comparing Kazuma and Katsu. Even though they looked almost alike, their personalities were very different. Kazuma was calm, collected, arrogant and sometimes a jerk. Katsu on the other hand was more cheerful and lived with the times and she felt really bad doing this to him. It seemed to her as if she was using him. And she didn't like that feeling.

She really really wanted to love Katsu but she just….couldn't. His personality was very sweet and she knew that it wouldn't be too hard to fall for him but the thoughts of Kazuma kept her back.

She buried her face deeper into the pillow before finally sitting up and removing her phone from her bag which was on the couch. After fishing out her phone, she texted the one person who was nearby and who could understand and listen to her terrible love life.

'I want to meet u. Big Prob. Meet me at the usual place at 5:30. Urgent.'

She stood there, waiting for the reply text. Her phone buzzed and she opened it to find a prompt reply from her trustworthy friend.

'Will be there. TTYL.'

Maybe talking to someone would help clear her clouded mind.

Katsu Yamamoto was no fool. Even though he appeared cheerful and carefree on the outside, his mind certainly wasn't slow. He had loved Ayano the moment he laid eyes on her. And after a small chat with the gorgeous woman, he had fallen too deeply in love with her.

As much as he knew that he loved her, he also knew that she didn't. He saw her expressions during their talks. She talked to him but it was more like she was talking to a friend, not to a lover. At first he thought that it was just because she didn't know him and didn't love him yet. So he gave her adequate time. But she never looked at him the way that he wanted her to. He finally realized that she didn't love him. Every time he tried to get close to her, her eyes took on a glazed look and it looked that she wasn't really with him at all. The small dates that he had taken her to didn't make her smile. It seemed that she didn't see him but saw someone else instead. But he didn't know who that person was and it didn't feel appropriate to ask her about it. He finally knew that it wasn't him who was at fault. It was someone else. Someone who she loved so dearly that she wouldn't even bother trying to love him.

So when he saw the way that she looked at that guy…..he knew. She loved him. And not the way someone loves their cousin. He felt the awkward air. He felt her nervousness. And he saw her love…

It made him feel bitter. Why did she love a man who didn't seem to love her back? After what he saw that day, Kazuma Yagami didn't seem to mind the fact that she was getting married soon. Then why did she continue to love him? Wasn't it him, Katsu who loved her more and tried to make her forget and move on? Then why didn't she look at him the way he looked at him? His heart pained. He wanted her to love him but knew that she couldn't. As long as that guy was around.

Katsu looked at the ceiling blankly, as if it would give him the answers to his questions. Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Joe walked in, coming close to his cousin. He looked around, noticing the drawn curtains and the closed lights. The room was dark and he wondered why.

"You called?"

Katsu nodded looked at the brown haired, blue eyed guy in front of him.

"I have a job for you." Joe nodded and he continued.

"I want you to find me some info on a certain person."

"Who?" Joe looked at him, curious. It was not every day that his cousin asked for such favors.

"A man by the name of Kazuma Yagami. Find everything that you can about him. And I want it ASAP." Joe looked at Katsu's serious blue eyes that were filled with…hatred? He couldn't be sure. But that expression was not one that he was familiar with. His cousin always had a friendly expression on his face. Then why did he seem so…..different today? Again, Joe didn't know the answer. So he merely nodded his head, accepting to do the job and quietly left the room, knowing better than to ask any questions.

Katsu looked on as the door closed behind Joe.

"Kazuma Yagami." His voice was blank as he slowly opened his closed eyes.

"I'll never forgive you."

Ok! The 10th chapter is done! I hope u guys enjoyed it! Now the feelings of all the characters that I've introduced are very clear. And when Katsu told Kazuma that he had a meeting and they had to go, he was probably lying or maybe he cancelled the meeting. Anyways, he didn't go to any meeting. At least not then.

I'd also like to answer a question that one of the reviewers asked me in chapter 6. It's about the kerosene barrels that were stored in the alley of the shopping district. Well, to be honest, it wasn't me who came up with an answer. A fellow author, Ronnie K, gave me the answer. Kerosene is used in some types of heaters and perhaps one or two of the shops might use that as a source of heat for their stores. Maybe that's why they were kept in that alley. Hope I solved that doubt!

About the characters:-

Yes, Joe, the character who picked Ayano up in chapter 5 is Katsu's cousin. I would like to tell u guys a little more about Katsu. First of all…..no, he's not a bad guy. He just loves Ayano very much and is very hurt and sad that she doesn't love him back. And so he blames Kazuma, of course. Katsu is the son of the owner of one of the leading companies of the world. He has fire magic too which he inherited from his mother who was the daughter of a member of a fire magic clan. His magic is not as good as Ayano's and certainly not as good as Kazuma's. He's an only child and his father is Japanese. That's why he has a Japanese name while his cousin Joe has an American name. His engagement with Ayano is taking place in America and his father's important clients will be invited along with family members. The marriage on the other hand will be held in Japan.

Replys to some guest reviews:-

Koko- Well, I'm sorry if u were a little disappointed in me due to the last chapter, but u see, I've never really written a romantic scene before. This was the first time so I hope u'll overlook it just for once yeah, I did like it when Kazuma said to Ayano 'Be ready I am selfish and I have strong desires.' I try my best to live up to ur expectations. Thanx for reading and I hope that u liked this chapter!

KMaaz- Yeah, it's gonna be a happy ending as I've said many times before.

Well before I shut up for some time, I'd like to announce a kind of contest. I want u guys to guess who Ayano's friend is. Whether he/she is an OC or a character in the anime/manga. It shouldn't be too hard for u to guess:P The first reviewer who guesses the right thing may have the next chapter dedicated to him/her. I'll also like the guests to leave a name. If u guys don't do that then even if you have given the right answer, I'll not be able to dedicate the next chappy to you! So please please leave a name!

I'll try my best to update soon but I'm not promising anything. School's taking it's toll on me! I know I babble too much so I'll just shut up after saying this one last thing….

Please review! Thank you!~

Until Next Time!