I am really slacking in updates.....and I am sorry for the long wait...again...but I jsut can't help it if my muse decided to take a break....but anyways, here I am at last....

And I still do want to thank all my readers and reviewers.....without you guys, i don't think this story would have come this far....

And of course, all thanks to VRSanime200009 for giving me that extra little push to finish this chapter up....hehehe...if it weren't for her, I would still have let you guys hanging....so thanks, love, for reminding me to hurry it up again!!!!....I think you should presonally become my update alarm...*wink*

so here i present ch.10...and i promise you this one is full of juciy stuff!!!!

Chapter 10: "An unbidden tear slowly fell from her amber eyes"

It was mid-day in Orb. The sun was at its brightest moments. No cloud was in sight, all one can see is the never-ending clear blue sky. A small breeze will now again pick up then died down. The streets were busy, traffic was bad. There were crowds almost everywhere; everyone minding their own business. And in a small restaurant, a man sat alone in the garden, oblivious to the busy day.

Kenji Kyoshiro, prince of Scandinavia, sat alone at a table outside of the restaurant. Inside was too crowded and too noisy for him. So there he sat, just staring at his cup of wine; replaying the last two months of his time spent with her. He was lost to memories that he swore he will always cherish to his undying breath. In his memories, he sees the girl who has unintentionally stolen his jaded heart.

"Hey, Ken, what are you doing? Hurry up before I leave without you" she shouted to Ken, who was lagging behind, lost to her radiant smile. Ken soon realized that she was true to her words. She was beginning to be farther away from him. Ken suddenly laughed at her behavior. With any other woman, they would have come back already once they knew he's not behind them. But not her. Not his golden goddess, Cagalli. So Ken quickly ran up to her and without even pausing, grabbed her hands as he took off with an outrage Cagalli.

Then another memory came to his mind, making him want to laugh out loud.

"What are you staring at?" Cagalli asked Ken.

"I never knew that you were a messy eater," Ken teased her as the ice-cream dripped on Cagalli's hands. "No wonder you always declining my lunch invitation."

Cagalli looked down and noticed the ice-cream melting. She was so busy looking at the animals that she forgot to eat her ice-cream. Cagalli looked at Ken, who was still smiling. Cagalli glared at him before she realized something. Suddenly her glare became a smile. Ken saw her quick change of attitude and knew whatever she has plan will not be good, especially for him. "If you call this messy, wait until you see what I would do next," saying so, Cagalli innocently leaned closer to Ken. Ken suspiciously looked at her. But before he even comprehend what she will do, her hands rose and smashed the ice-cream into his shocked face. "Now that is what I call messy."

Ken shook his head at that memory. He looked up and smiled as he recalled yesterday's event.

Ken was sitting alone, lost to his own troubled thoughts when he felt something cold touched his cheeks. He quickly turned to his side and was surprised to see her there, smiling. "Cagalli…" Ken softly said.

"Here, drink it," Cagalli said as she holds out the drink to him. He noticed that she also has another drink in her other hand. Ken slowly took it from her. Cagalli then opened her own drink. She took a long gulp.

He looked at the drink in his hands; it was a cold fruit drink. He raises one of his eyebrows at Cagalli. "I thought you don't drink these, but hot brew coffee only."

Cagalli turned to look at him then shrugged her shoulder. "Someone told me that after a long tiring day, you shouldn't drink coffee, but a nice cold fruit drink instead because it will refresh you. And so as I was passing by, I notice you here. You look tired and worn out, so I thought I should pass along the advice."

Ken looked down at the drink again. He opened it and took a gulp. It was indeed refreshing like the first snow falling. He took another swallow as he closed his eyes, savoring the cool liquid. This fruit drink was quite different than any other he drunk before. It was sweet and yet at the same time bitter; it was a perfect combination. Then he heard someone laughing. He opened his eyes and looked at Cagalli, who was still laughing. "What's so funny? Do I have something on my face?"

She shook her head. "No…it's just that…ha ha ha.."

"What?" he asked.

"You look exactly how I must have looked when I first drink this."

"And that's funny?

She only nodded her head yes, trying to stop laughing. Ken looked at Cagalli. He never saw Cagalli laughed so carefree before. She does seem relaxed and more comfortable with him. He never once thought that Cagalli will sit with him and laughed with such abandon like she is doing now. He looked at the drink in his hands and then at Cagalli. Ken couldn't help but smiled at her and soon his laughter joined hers.

"I'm glad…" she said as soon as their laughter faded away.

"Glad?"

"I'm glad that you're laughing and smiling again."

"You are?" Ken asked, shocked to hear that.

"Someone told me that instead of worrying and stressing yourself to death, laugh and smile a bit more. Then you can feel a bit of the tension leaving. I know that I have been a bit hard on you," Ken raises one of his eyebrows at her, "Okay…I was more than a bit hard on you, but I really respect you. I like your attitude, a care-free kind of guy, despite the fact that you're carrying your country on your shoulder."

"Really? I could have sworn you don't like me at all." Ken said even though he was happy to know that she doesn't dislike him that much as he was led to believe. Cagalli never acted like she like anything about him. She always put up her shield in place when he tries to befriend her. But once in a while, her shield will drop, and it is then that he glimpsed of the girl he knew she use to be. And that was the girl who captured his heart so easily.

"I just don't like your flirtatious side. That just rubs me the wrong way."

"Jealous?" he teased.

Cagalli gave him a death glare. "Jealous of those women? If you think so I suggest you see a doctor right away. I fear there might be something wrong with your brain."

Ken smiled at Cagalli. This was the typical response Cagalli always gave him. This side of Cagalli also pulls his heart strings. He wasn't sure which side he fell in love with first; the strong independent woman or the girl she hides so well from the world. "I knew it! You do care for my well being," Ken said, not giving away his thoughts about her.

"Of course I do, I can't have you hurt in Orb's territory. What would everyone think if Prince of Scandinavia was injured? That's bad publicity for Orb. And we don't want that, now do we? So I need you to be nice and fit," Cagalli said as she smiled evilly at Ken.

Ken raised his hands to his heart. "You wound me. And here I though I finally made you care for me."

"Life is hard. Get use to it," Cagalli said as she stood up. "Talking about life, I should be in my office now. I have tons of paperwork waiting for me to look at. So I see you around," Cagalli said as she smiled at Ken then turned and left. She was a couple steps away when she turned around and looked back at Ken, who was starting at her. "I mean it. I really do. You are someone special to me," Cagalli said to a shock Ken. Cagalli smiled at his expression then she turned around and left.

Ken suddenly ran up to her and grabbed her hands to stop her. Cagalli looked up at Ken, surprised. "Cagalli…I…can you meet me tomorrow for lunch? I have something important to discuss with you," Ken said.

Cagalli looked at Ken's anxious face. "Sure, I guess. But you don't have to grab my hands just to ask," Cagalli said just as Ken quickly let go of her hands. "So see you tomorrow then." And for the third time that day, Cagalli walked away from Ken; this time she didn't look back.

Ken just watched her go.

Ken suddenly shook his head, trying to chase away the image of Cagalli walking away from his memory.

"Ken!" someone shouted his name. Ken quickly looked up and his blue eyes met amber ones. Cagalli's face was just a couple of inches away from his. Ken tried his best not to blush like a school boy on his first date.

"What?" Ken asked as a few seconds has ticked by.

Cagalli was still in the same position; she was staring intently at him, who was tempted to squirm in his seat. Just as Ken decided to get up Cagalli suddenly pulled back and sat down across from him. Ken looked at Cagalli, who was muttering something under her breath. Ken was puzzled by her strange behavior.

"You know, I have been calling for your attention some minutes now. I was beginning to despair that I have to call the doctor after all," Cagalli said as if a minute ago she wasn't so close to him, looking so intently at him as if she's searching for something or someone in him.

Ken looked stupidly at Cagalli, not sure what to say to her. "Me? I should call the doctor for you. What was that all about?" sputtered Ken as he finally found his voice.

"What is what all about?"

"You…you were…never mind," Ken muttered when Cagalli gave him a bland look.

"Did you order anything yet?" asked Cagalli when Ken didn't continue. Cagalli, of course, knows what he was asking about. But she felt that he doesn't need to know why. She couldn't even believe herself that she did that, let alone Ken.

"Yes. I order the special today. It should be coming," Ken said even as he remember the last time he didn't bother to order because he was waiting for her to show up. And when she finally did show up, 15 minutes late, she gave him a lectured about him being rude because he hasn't order yet; and now they have to wait another 15 minutes for them to cook their food. Ken still grimaced each time he thinks about that little incident. He never ever wants to repeat that again because for one whole week Cagalli refused to eat lunch with him. So when he gets to the restaurant, he will not wait for Cagalli and order first.

Cagalli, not knowing what is going through his mind, just nodded. And true to his word the food arrived. Ken and Cagalli just ate in a comfortable silence. Ken was lost in his own thoughts about their upcoming discussion. Cagalli was remembering what happened earlier that day.

-Flashback -

Cagalli just got out of her office, running 5 minutes late for Ken's lunch date. She quickly walked toward the front door. Once in a while, someone will stop her in her tracks and ask a few questions or a simple hello. Cagalli smiled and answered their questions and return their greetings.

Cagalli was just done talking with someone and about to make her escape, when she turned a tad too quickly and hit into someone. That someone grabbed a hold of Cagalli's arms to steady her. She looked up and saw deep green eyes.

"Athrun," she said.

Athrun let go of Cagalli and step back. "Cagalli," he said.

Cagalli nervously laughed. "Sorry, I didn't realize you were behind me."

Athrun just nodded his head. "I could see that. But it's not entirely your fault, I was in a hurry."

Cagalli raises one of her eyebrows at Athrun. "You? Running late? That is impossible."

Athrun gave her a small smile. "Unfortunately, it is possible today. Dearka accidentally forgot to tell me that Yzak wants to meet me for lunch."

"Ahh...I see now," Cagalli nodded her head understanding Athrun's plight.

"And you? Lunch with Kyoshiro?" Athrun asked but it was more of a statement than a question.

Cagalli doesn't know why, but she can feel her cheeks warming up. "Yeah. He said he has something to discuss with me."

Athrun only nodded his head, his face giving nothing away about his thought of Cagalli and Ken. A few tense seconds passed before Athrun finally bid his goodbye to Cagalli. Cagalli only stood there, watching Athrun walked away, forgetting about her lunch date with Ken.

As she was standing there, lost to her thoughts, two women stopped close to her, oblivious of Cagalli's presence and started talking. Cagalli was about to leave when she heard Athrun's name. Cagalli ears perked up.

"Did you saw Athrun?" asked the brown hair woman to her companion.

"I did. And oh my goodness, he looks good enough to eat. I guess they didn't exaggerate his good looks. I mean look at those gorgeous hair of his. I would love to run my fingers through his hair. And those deep green eyes. I could easily loose myself in them. I do wonder though…if he has a girl back in Plants."

Cagalli was shock to hear them talking about Athrun in such a close intimate way.

"Him? Are you kidding? Haven't you heard he has so many women? It's amazing they don't fight each other for his attention."

Cagalli rolled her amber eyes at that statement. A tiny part of her was jealous but she just ignored it.

"Pooh…I was hoping I could turn his head."

"If you want to turn someone's head, try Kenji Prince of Scandinavia."

Cagalli was about to leave, deeply aggravated by their discussion when Ken's name stopped her in her tracks.

"I heard that any woman will do for him. He's not a picker, unlike Athrun," continued the brown hair woman.

"Hmmm…is he hot as Athrun?" asked the other woman.

"Everyone thinks so. They said that Athrun and Ken is a stunner together. They have the same build; they are the same age; and their eyes are to die for. Ken's baby blue eyes contrast with Athrun's deep green ones. Their hair color is also a dark shade. They could be brothers if one's looking at their back."

"Really? I never knew that."

Yeah, me too Cagalli thought, trying to put Athrun and Ken's image together.

"I know. Most people don't realize that until they are in the same room. But if I get to choose I'll definitely go with Athrun. He's totally my…" her voice drifted away as they walked from where Cagalli was standing.

Cagalli shook her head as she walked toward the door.

- End of flashback -

Cagalli could feel her cheeks turning red as she suddenly remember why she was staring intently at Ken a few minutes ago. I can't believe that I was looking for Athrun in him. They don't even look alike. Sure they have the same build and dark hair coloring, but Athrun is much more handso- Cagalli stopped her train of thought. I did not just think that Cagalli thought as she shook her head.

Ken looked up and realized that Cagalli was frowning at her plate of food. "Cagalli is the food not to your liking?" asked Ken.

Cagalli quickly looked up at Ken. "No, it's not that. I…I was just remembering a discussion I heard."

"Really? It must not be what you want to hear because your looks could scare off a robber."

Cagalli glared at Ken's sense of humor. "You turn my head with all your flattering," Cagalli sarcastically replied.

"Yeah, that is what all the ladies say about me."

Cagalli sadly shook her head at Ken. "I really should tell my secretary to give you a doctor's phone number. I'm afraid that one day your head might explode," Cagalli said. "By the way, is it hard to think with all that air circulating in your brain?" she innocently asked.

Ken burst out laughing, making some people turn their heads to look at him. "Cagalli, I'm not sure if I want to kiss you or just kiss you again."

Cagalli pulled a weird face at Ken. "If there is a choice, I rather you not do anything. I hate to rearrange your face since that is the only thing that will lure woman to you."

Ken's smiled cheekily at her; not bothered by her reply at all. He pulled out his wallet and left some bills on the table; it was more than enough but he didn't care about it. He stood up and walked to Cagalli. Cagalli warily watched him as he stop by her side. He held out his hands to her. "Come, I want to discuss something important with you," Ken said as he waited for Cagalli to make up her mind.

Cagalli suspiciously look down at his hands then up at him. His face was serious, an expression he never wore, except that one time. Cagalli suddenly have a déjà vu feeling. Cagalli was about to decline when he suddenly grabbed her hands and led her into the garden. Cagalli opened her mouth to protest but when she looked at his face, it stopped her from uttering one. He was tensed and determined to get whatever he wants to be done. Cagalli hoped it was nothing like the last time.

Ken led them deeper into the garden. Less people were there despite the busy time of the day. He stopped in front of a bench and abruptly let go of her hands. Cagalli watched him paced in front of her. She was about to say something when Ken unexpectedly turned to look at Cagalli. Cagalli didn't like the look he has now. It was the same look he had when he proposed to her. And if memory serves her right, this place was hauntingly similar to the place where he bended down on his knee and asked her to marry him.

Ken slowly walked toward her. Ken took a deep breath and then let it out. "Yesterday, I received a call from my mother. She told me father is not doing well."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Cagalli quickly said even though a part of her was relieved that he was not planning to propose to her. "But will he be alright? Is it serious?"

Ken shook her head. "I don't know. Mother didn't say anything else but to bid me home as soon as I can."

"Then what are you doing here? You should be leaving now instead of being here."

"I am leaving after I talked with you first. And before you say anything else, please listen to me," Ken said as he pleading looked at Cagalli, seeking for her promise before he dare to continue. Cagalli slowly nodded her head yes. "I know what I'm going to say next, will probably upset you, but I have to say it one more time before I leave. And I want you to think about it very carefully before you answered. Okay?" Cagalli warily nodded her head, not liking it one bit.

"I know that last year, I was being an arrogant jerk and insensitive to your feelings. I blew my chances of ever being with you. But these two months just proven to me that you are the girl I have always been waiting for."

Cagalli eyes widen as she suddenly realized where this is going. She wanted to stop him before he said anything else. But she promised him that she will hear him out. And she will never go back on a promise. So she clenched her hands at her side as she forced herself to listen to him.

Ken saw that Cagalli finally understood where this is going. He knew that she doesn't like it one bit but he couldn't stop himself from asking her again. "I know that right now you want to turn around and walk away. But just listen to me. I know that some jerk has hurt you very badly and you think that I am just like him. But I am not him. I won't ever hurt you. If you would stop being stubborn," Cagalli raised one of her eyebrows at him, "you would have realized that you deeply care for me more than just friends."

Cagalli didn't say anything to that statement. She just stared at Ken, who has now taken her hands into his.

"Cagalli, I…somehow before I knew it…you became more than a colleague, a friend…you became someone very dear to me. So I want you to think about this carefully before you answer me. I know you know what I am asking here. Please just think about it and remember those times we spent together. They are the keys to your answer. And let me warn you, this will be the last time I ask you. A man can't take more than two rejections from the same girl or else he'll break. And that is not a pretty sight," Ken jokingly said as he smiled at Cagalli. Cagalli gave him a tiny smile that does not reach her golden eyes. Ken felt his heart torn to pieces by her grim expression. He was very tempted to just give up then and there but then he remembered those times spent with her and it only showed how much he wants her to stay with him.

Ken suddenly leaned closer to Cagalli. Cagalli saw him but didn't move away. Ken gently kissed her forehead, despite the urge to kiss her lips. "I give you one week to decide. I will come back just to hear your answer," Ken said as he stepped away from Cagalli, letting go of her hands. Ken looked at Cagalli, her face was flushed but her breathing was steady. He couldn't tell what was going through her head. How he wish he could read mind. Ken raised his hand and gently brushed against her redden cheeks. He dropped his hands to his side. He took one more look at Cagalli, imprinting her image to his memory, before he turned and left.

Cagalli stood still as she watched Ken walked away. Her heart was hammering against her chest. An unbidden tear slowly fell from her amber eyes.

Litte Behan's cafe corner:

well...I hope you guys enjoy this chapter....hehehe...I bet you guys weren't expecting that...*silence*....okay, okay, you guys were expecting something like that...I admit I don't have the creativity to shock you...

and I am sorry I did not list all my reviewers this time....I got lazy....but that does not mean that I don't apperciate and love you....because I truly deeply do....sooooo...feel free to leave more of your lovely comments....

yes, I am still into DBSK....if you guys were wondering....hehehe...as you can see here I am sooo totally promoting DBSK here...*wink*

lots of love,

Behan