Disclaimer: MKR and its chapters belong to CLAMP.

Notes: I'm terribly sorry to be late, but uni is killing me T_T !!!


That night she couldn't sleep, tears kept running down her cheek while blurred imagines of that moment in the study occupied her mind. What she had done? She had rejected him. The man she loved. And why? Just to prove she was strong, that he wasn't irreplaceable. But who did she want to tease? That one single moment in Clef's study gave her emotions thousand times stronger than three whole days with Arashi.

She lazily turned in her bed and watched out of the window: the sun was slowly taking the place the moon had left empty.

Umi bitterly smiled between the tears, it was so unfair, she loved him, it was useless keeping denying it, but he couldn't treat her that way. He knew that it was late, that now there was someone else in her life –or at least she was trying to find someone else- so why the hell did he ruined everything for the second time? She thought of his words about Arashi, that he was using her to conquer Cephiro. It was ridiculous, it was a low trick from him!


While she was lost in her own thought and considerations, the castle slowly got awake and Hikaru and Fuu were very excited for the ball. They dreamed of a wonderful night: couples dancing, long, fairytales dresses, shining lights, love all around.

They had spend all the night together talking of Ferio and Lantis and, obviously, of Umi and Clef.

Hikaru was sure that Caldina's plan would have work, that one of them would have take the first step erasing all the problems they had to do with, Fuu, on the other hand, was skeptic but she hoped with all her heart that things would have work out soon. In the end there always was hope, according to her.

Someone knocked to the Wind Knight door

"yes?" she asked

"Fuu, that's me" Ferio's voice answered

"did I disturbed you?" he asked

"no, of course, step in" she said, so the King obeyed, he smiled to his lover and made a sign to Hikaru

"'morning" he said, while Fuu lightly kissed him, Hikaru giggled and waved to him

"is it my impression or someone is missing?" he asked, obviously referring to Umi

"yes, she was kinda freaked out yesterday, so we thought she'd prefer to stay alone" the Fire Knight explained, Ferio nodded

"I see…anyway, I'm going to check the ballroom for this night, would you like to come too? You know, a female opinion is better for this kind of things…" Fuu giggled

"sure, let us get decent, then we'll go to Umi and bring her too…"

"perfect, see you in the ballroom later then" he answered exiting the room


He was still in his study, he didn't take a step out of there after what had happened. He felt stupid. why in the world did he decided to let his feelings to overwhelm him? Umi had find another, he had to accept it. he was sure she was hating him now, and the thought made him sick. He sighed looking outside his window.

"may I?" Lantis' low voice echoed in the study

"yes, good morning Lantis" he answered

"it doesn't seem so good…"

"huh?"

"your voice is…"

"…tired" the Mage completed for him

"I see…" the swordsman skeptically answered

"did you need something?" the Madoshi asked

"yes, you know the party…"

"yes, but I don't think I'm going to…"

"Master Mage, it's an official celebration, I hate it too but I will go…"

"of course, Hikaru would kill you…" Clef teased him, Lantis glared to him

"that's not the point" he snapped

"the point is that we have an official role here and we have to do what others expect us to do" the soldier completed, the Supreme Yil raised an eyebrow

"and when did it happen that you became so stuck and devoted to your task?"

"I've always been" Lantis answered shrugging, Clef sighed

"on the contrary I could ask you when did you decided to leave your official tasks behind…"

"I'm the Master Mage, not the responsible to the public relation…" the Madoshi answered, resting his back against the seat

"anyway" the swordsman said

"we need your help with the organization…"

"I thought Caldina was taking care of it"

"yes, but Ferio wants for you to check the whole thing" the soldier explained, Clef sighed

"fine, give me a pair of minutes"

"perfect, I'll wait for you outside here" Lantis replied walking out of the room.


"Umi! Umi, open this door!" Hikaru exclaimed knocking, the Water Knight sighed, she really didn't feel like going out and meeting people , but she knew she couldn't deny to her friends to see her, especially with the ball coming and the whole thing.

She sighed and walked to the door opening it

"Umi I…what happned?" Fuu asked looking at her friend

"huh? Nothing, why?" she didn't mean to lie to them but there were things that she had to keep to herself

"you look terrible, no offence" Hikaru pointed out, brushing a finger on Umi's eye sockets, the bluette giggled

"I know, I had another sleepless night…anyway, what's up?" she said waving off the topic

"we are going to check the ballroom, what about coming with us?" Fuu answered, the Water Knight sighed. Maybe some distraction was what she truly needed, in the end staying in her room, mulling over the last events surely wasn't healthy. She sighed inwardly but nodded

"sure…" she accepted grabbing her clothes

"I'll be ready in a few, wait here" then added disappearing in the bathroom

"her mood is too bright today…" Fuu commented

"don't you think she's hiding something?" the Wind Knight added, Hikaru shrugged

"I don't know, but as long as I see her fine it's ok…"

"here I am!" the bluette exclaimed getting out of the bathroom and tiding up her hairs in a ponytail

"perfect, let's go…"

Once there the three Knights gasped, the room was amazing: crystal chandeliers were hanging down from the roof, a long golden table had been settled in front of a wall covered by a huge, shining mirror, the stares that would have took them to that room had been covered with a soft red carpet and the room was full of flowers

"wow" Umi whispered amazed, Fuu smiled and approached a posy of flowers next to the balcony door

"they seems daisies" Hikaru commented following her friend, while the Wind Knight gently picked one in her hand, her eyes widened

"look Hikaru, they aren't white…"

"impossible" Umi said picking another one and exposing it to the sunlight, the flower took a light shade of green

"hey! You were right! it's…green"

"oh, green flowers don't exist!" Hikaru exclaimed taking it from Umi's hands and changing the flower position, it took a light shade of azure

"see? It's almost azure…" Fuu smiled

"Mine is pink…"

"how the hell is it possible?" Umi asked taking one in her hands and examining it

"I don't know, maybe we could ask to Guru Clef…" Hikaru suggested, Umi swallowed, seeing Clef was the last person she needed now.

"oh, I think that it would be annoying to him getting disturbed for a flower…"

"there's no need to disturb him" Fuu said in a sweet smile

"Huh?"

"he's right there with Lantis and Ferio" the Fire Knight exclaimed

"shit!" the bluette cursed in a whisper

"huh? Did you say something, Umi chan?" the red haired girl asked

"no, no, no…" she quickly answered, Hikaru shrugged

"Lantis!" she called out, the swordsman smiled and approached him followed by Ferio, Umi thanked Selece when she saw Clef stayed at the door, intent to examinee the room, his eyes wandering on everything that wasn't the trio.

"good morning" Ferio said kissing Fuu's forehead, the Wind Knight giggled while Hikaru stood on her tiptoes to get Lantis' good morning kiss, then the men turned to Umi that was focused on the flower

"Ryuuzaki!" Ferio exclaimed slapping her back, she glared at him

"I still can't understand how a baka like you can be a King!" she exclaimed, everyone laughed, Ferio sighed

"oh sorry, I guess that your King will surely be much kinder than me, right?" he teased her, Umi fulminated him with her glare

"it's nothing of your busines, you idiot!"

"stop!" Fuu exclaimed avoiding what would surely turned in an epic fight

"yes, we're not here to argue" Hikaru added, then she showed the flower to Lantis

"what's this?" the swordsman looked at the plant then cleared his throat and turned to the Guru who was still wandering in the room, far away from them

"Guru Clef, come here please" he called, Clef sighed. Great, he had to face her now. Oh well, he hadn't alternatives, so he slowly approached the group

"good morning" he greeted everyone, his eyes avoided Umi

"'morning" everyone answered, Umi tried to be as cheerful as possible.

"Guru Clef, what these?" the Water Knight took the courage to face him, the Madoshi turned surprised at her, he smiled seeing the flower she had in her hands

"may I?" he asked taking it, his fingers quickly brushed hers, her heart speeded up.

Clef smiled at the plant in his hands

"it's a hanakari" he said after a few giving it back to the bluette

"hanakari?" Umi asked

"yes, it changes its color according as its position with light…" he explained

"wow" Hikaru answered taking the petals close to her nose

"it even smells good, I definitely love its scent" she commented, the others laughed.

Suddenly Ferio pocked Lantis, the swordsman rolled his eyes but nodded

"Hikaru, Fuu…you see…Ferio and I have something to…to show you…would you like to come with us?" he asked, the two Knights looked at each other confused, but nodded and walked out of the room.


Ferio took Fuu in the throne room, once there the blond girl gently let herself fall on the throne, Ferio laughed

"you know, that place fits you…you'd be a perfect Queen…" she giggled

"anyway" the greed haired King said

"I have something for you…" he added, his cheek flushing

"what?" Fuu asked curious, he smiled and walked to a cupboard, Fuu looked suspiciously at him but smiled seeing a velvet dark green gift box in his hands

"what's this?" she asked

"open it" Ferio answered, a wide smile on his lips

The blonde girl hesitantly opened it and gasped: a thin tiara with small emerald stones placed on it was shining inside the box

"Ferio, are you mad? I can't accept this…it's very expansive…it's…"

"made for a Queen, Fuu" he finished for her, her mouth hung open

"and you know you are my queen, don't you?" the Wind Knight smiled widely and throw herself in his arms

"you are mad, Ferio!" she laughed kissing him, the King smirked under the kiss

"glad you liked it…will you wear it tonight at the party?"

"I'd be crazy not to" she whispered, the King nodded and kissed her again


Lantis and Hikaru were strolling in the garden, the swordsman didn't know what to say. It was all one of Ferio's ideas, and he accepted because, of course, he loved the Fire Knight, but he really wasn't the kind of man able to express his feelings

"Lantis, I love this place…" Hikaru commented sitting on the edge of the fountain and letting the warm, Cephrian sun to caress her face, he smiled

"I know, it's beautiful…" he answered. Silent fell between them, he cleared his throat to break it so Hikaru turned to him

"so, is there really something to show me or it was just a way to leave Umi and Clef alone to work their problems out?" she asked

"both" Lantis answered

"you see I…I have a thing for you…" he added snapping his fingers, a small velvet red box appeared in his palm, Hikaru laughed

"Clef is right when he says you are good at magic…" the soldier smirked

"I learned a lot from him…anyway open it" he said giving her the box, she slowly opened it and let go a squeak

"Lantis this is amazing! For Rayearth's sake! What's it for?" she asked looking at the ring with a shining ruby stone on it

"it's just because…you see…I wanted to show that I…oh you know what I mean…" he said embarrassed, Hikaru laughed, she knew he wasn't the kind of man that easily put his feelings in words and she appreciated the attempt very much

"c'mon it's not so difficult, they are just three words…"

"it's the one in the middle that I find quite hard to spell…" the swordsman teased, she laughed again

"ok, let's try then…repeat with me: I love you"

"oh no Hikaru, please…"

"Lantis…" the Fire Knight tapped nervously her foot, he chuckled

"ok, ok…I. Love. You." The red haired girl squeaked again launching herself in his arms

"I love you too!" she exclaimed kissing him.


In the ballroom the silence had started to get heavy: Umi seemed to be very interested in those flowers, while Clef kept looking nervously around him. A sigh escaped him, Umi turned

"hem…are you ok?" she asked

"yes…I suppose" he answered. The silence spread again, it was so awkward! Umi turned to peek at the Mage, her heart popped in her chest seeing he was looking at her

"Umi…" he started

"I wanted to…to apologize for what happened…" he coyly said, she smiled, a true smile.

"Clef, there's nothing to apologize for, really…"

"no, on the contrary there's so much…I don't know where to start from…if from the argument when I told you were immature, or the other one about your trip or…" his throat became dry, he swallowed

"…or from the terrible incident of the last night" he completed looking down. Umi's heart sank. That wasn't an incident, that was one of the best moment in her whole life. But of course she couldn't tell him after she had rejected him. It was all so confusing!

"Clef…" she slowly started

"you see…I forgave you for everything, I am unable to be mad at you for long…and anyway, I guess it's even my fault…I'm always so claiming, so egocentric, so…"

"No!" he exclaimed, he was blushing

"you aren't. You are…perfect. Forgive me for what I've done, really…yelling at you, spying you…I don't know what crossed my mind…" she smiled

"it's ok…just….I don't understand why you told me all that terrible things about Arashi…I know, he seems terrible at first sight, but really he has a huge heart, I learned to know him while I was there…he's a good king, he cares of his people, he wants the best for them…and he treats me as a queen, he gives me so much attentions that sometimes I get embarrassed…"

Clef swallowed, if only she'd know the truth…could he tell her that all that flattering acts were just away to have Cephiro. But she'd surely refused to believe him, and moreover she'd got hurt. Again. He wouldn't see her crashing in pieces again, she deserved a little happiness. No, she deserved all the happiness life could give her, she had grown up too fast and it was all their fault, he knew it. She was only 14 when she clasped Selece's sword for the first time, killing two innocent people and giving her innocence to that kingdom. And he felt responsible for that, his lies allowed all this. He wanted for her to be happy, to forget her gloomy days. His only regret was just that he couldn't be the man to give her happiness. He sighed

"I don't know…I think I was just…worried…worried for you, of course" he lied.

Umi smiled, a pink line crossed her face

"thank you, Clef" she whispered kissing his cheek, the Mage's heart almost popped out of his chest, he couldn't know that Umi's one was doing the same.

This was the scene that the others saw when they got back, Fuu smiled sweetly, while Hikaru rushed to them

"did I miss something?" she asked excited, Umi and Clef shook their head chuckling, Lantis sighed and pulled her away

"Hikaru, stop it" he said, everyone laughed, Clef shook his head

"you'll excuse me, but I have to work now…" he said

"yes" Fuu said

"see you later Clef" he nodded, then he turned to Umi

"will I meet you at the ball tonight?" she nodded

"perfect, see you tonight then" he said walking away.

She inwardly let go a sigh, but her dreamy stare didn't passed unnoticed to her friends: Fuu placed a hand on her shoulder and Hikaru winked at her. The Water Knight just closed her eyes and smiled shaking her head, but suddenly a thought hit her as hard as a stone: only in that moment Umi realized what she had done the last night, and she was totally regretting it. She hoped that Arashi wouldn't show himself to the ball, or everything with Clef would be ruined again.