"KOSUKE...!"

Kosuke's younger sister screamed at him with anger in her eyes. While Kosuke made mouths at her and disturbed her more, she died to catch him with both her hands and beat him up, but she shouted, "MOM, KOSUKE STOLE MY MELONS!"

Poor Kosuke. He got a sharp whack on the head by his mother, causing a swollen potato as he touched it and cried, "Ow...!"

"That's what you get for eating your sister's melon." Said his mother, while his sister, Yumiko, chuckled to herself.

Kosuke himself had a quiet family of three members: himself, his mother and his younger sister, Yumiko, or else known as Yumi chan. His father and Yusuke's father both were best of friends, but due to difficult circumstances, both of them were dead now.

Kosuke looked dead at his sister who looked back dead at him because she knew, if he beat her, mother would be there to protect her. Their mother, Lady Satake, was the master of martial arts of Rokoro, and was deadly when it came to fighting or punishing, the reason why Kosuke was darn afraid of her. She was also the master of Yusuke.

"Listen, Kosuke and Yumi, go to the bank of the waterfall, where fresh herbs are found. Lady Nobu, Yusuke's mother, asked for some fresh herbs because a guest is in there house. I want you both to go together and fetch some." Said their mother.

"Why together? Send Yumi, she has more knowledge of herbs than I have. Moreover I am going to Yusuke's house." Said Kosuke with an irritated face.

"Fine, if you don't want to go. I don't have the slightest bit of a problem, it will be easier for me. I don't have to cook the dinner of one person today."

Kosuke grumbled. His sister held a basket and walked ahead of him. Yumi was a decent and beautiful woman, someone in the prime of her youth. She was 19 years old, only a year younger than her brother. She loved her mother and respected her brother, though they fought often. Her brother also loved her but hated to accept this.

"Have you seen this guest at Aunt Sakura's house?" She asked her brother.

"Yes I have."

"Who is it?"

"A woman, and a darn cute one."

"Oh, I see."

When they finally reached near the waterfall, Yumiko gave the basket to her brother to hold and started picking up the herbs. Bored with nothing to do, Kosuke wandered here and there.

Suddenly Yumiko's eyes fell on a body near the rocks, at the foot of the waterfall. She stared at it for sometime, then suddenly screamed loudly. Kosuke came running and enquired about what happened, when she pointed towards the body. When Kosuke looked, he stiffened.

After thinking for sometime, he asked her to quickly collect some herbs, while he went near the body, picked it up and brought it to fresh ground. Surprisingly, it was a handsome young man with silver hair.

Lady Satake tried to put the thread in the needle, but couldn't. She had to, since she was a martial arts teacher and she knew, if she can't, its shameful for her herself. She tried again and again, but alas. Suddenly she heard a loud knock on the front door. Picking herself up, she went to open the door. There she saw Yumiko standing and panting.

"Yumi, what's the matter? You…"

"Mom, please go inside fast, before someone sees us."

"Why? Did your brother do something again?"

Before she could complete her sentence, Kosuke ran towards them with a panting face. He had a body on his back. He stopped in front of his mother and said, "Mom, we have a patient."

Lady Satake looked at the silver haired boy in a thoughtful way and then checked his pulse. "He's alive, that's for sure. But he's exhausted and that's why has fainted." She remarked.

"Thank goodness. I thought he had died." Said Yumiko with a broken voice.

"Phew..." Kosuke sat down in front of his mother and looked at the boy. Suddenly he felt the victim said something. Kosuke looked intently at the boy. "Did you hear him? He said something."

"No he didn't." Said Yumiko. "He isn't in a position to say anything."

"Maybe you are right." Said Kosuke.

The day passed very listlessly. No one felt like doing anything. Kosuke had gone to Yusuke's house. His mother has forbidden him to say anything about the boy till she makes sure he isn't an enemy. Meanwhile, Yumiko took care of him. She sat by the victim's side all day. Suddenly she noticed the deep scar on his palms. "He must have been scratched by some sharp thing. Poor guy." She mumbled as she got some bandages out of the first aid kit.

Meanwhile...

"Its so dark in here. Where am I?" Said Zen.

"Zen..."

"I miss Shirayuki. How I wish I could see her."

"Zen I am here."

He turned around, as his eyes filled with tears. "Shirayuki!"

Shirayuki smiled a kind smile, but that smile had a pain hindden in it.

"You have come to me at last, Shirayuki!"

"Yes Zen."

"I love you, Shirayuki. I promise, I won't leave you anymore."

"I love you too, Zen, but we have to part ways. We cannot be together. We are not destined to be. You are a prince, I am a slave. We are both different from one another. We cannot be together anymore."

"No, Shirayuki, don't say so..."

"Farewell Zen. I hope you marry a nice girl and live happily."

"No, Shirayuki. NO DON'T LEAVE, SHIRAYUKI!"

Bandaging his hands, Yumiko, noticed a tear trickle down his cheek as he lay on his futon. "No way, he is crying!" She quickly tried to wake him up, and when she did, she noticed he constantly said a name, Shirayuki. Suddenly Zen, woke up from his nightmare with a loud ''NO''.

Huffing and his eyes enlarged at the dream he saw, he was quite unsteady. Then his eyes fell on a shocked maiden sitting beside him.

"A...are you ok...?" Yumiko asked him.

"I, who are you? Where's Shirayuki?"

"Who's Shirayuki?"

"She's..."

Zen stopped. Where was he? He was at the waterfall. How did he come here? Then he looked at his scratched palm. It was neatly bandaged.

"You were hurt, so I bandaged it for you."

"Um thank you." Zen said in a confused manner.

It didn't take Yumiko very long to explain him that she and his brother had found him at the waterfall and brought him at home to cure him. When Zen understood, he seemed very grateful.

"Thank you so much for saving me. I owe my life to you." Said Zen.

At the phrase, 'owe my life to you', Yumiko blushed but then she said, "It was our duty." She smiled at him, seeing that he smiled at her.

"Why are you here though?" She asked.

"I am searching for someone."

"Whom are you searhing for?" Asked Yumiko.

At that, Zen smiled. He looked at the trees outside the window and said, with a contented and satisfied smile, "I am searching for the one, who is a part of my life."