Author's note: I took my laptop to a local cafe and sat outside for a couple hours at a shady circular marble table, sipping sparkling lemon water as I finished off this chapter that I began a few days ago.

Enjoy :)

Monday morning...

Kahoko sidestepped the luggage by the door to go kiss her mother and sister. "Bye, I hope you have a nice time. Give Auntie my love."

And then she was out the door, rushing to meet the wild-haired boy at the corner. "I'm sorry, Kiriya. I'm late again." She ran into his embrace, which she had become addicted to these past several days. A Kiriya hug was deeply soulful and nourishing; the perfect way to start the day. He burrowed his face in her neck. "I don't mind you being late. Just as long as you show up eventually." His eyes were soft on her as she stepped back. He reached for her bag and then her hand, and they headed toward the school. "Don't worry" he said. I'll drop your hand if anyone sees us." His expression was both understanding and resigned.

"You're very kind, Kiriya." She tugged at his hand to stop him and she stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. Never in a million years would he ever use the word 'kind' to describe himself. He blushed, but his eyes twinkled for the rest of the journey.

As Kahoko was putting stuff into her locker, Aoi's mellow voice greeted her behind her left shoulder. "Good Morning, Hino-san." The unique timbre of his voice so close to her made her blush happily in remembering the intimacies they shared two days previous.

"Good Morning, Kaji-kun."

He waited for her and they walked into home room together. As the teacher made some notes on the blackboard, Aoi sat at his desk and drifted into thought world. His brain had been doing overtime ever since Hino-san's surprising revelation. He hadn't intended to obsess on the subject. After all, he truly wanted her happiness even if she found it with someone else, so ultimately it was good for her to have more men to choose from. But his mind had another agenda. It had been churning through various scenarios, intent in getting to the logical conclusion of all aspects that could be affected by the new information.

As he pondered the identity of his likely competitors he began to notice a pattern. Aoi was especially perceptive about people and last week he noticed a change in Tsukimori. That boy was going through something major. He was softer somehow, which was a seismic shift for the Ice Prince. Just seeing him walk down the hall, one could see that he was missing that stern, rushed quality that he used to have. If Len had somehow gotten himself to the point of actually kissing her, then that would have a huge impact on him. That guy was so tightly wound and cerebral that any physical contact, let alone with a special young woman like her, would have an enormous effect on him.

He noticed changes in other guys too. Tsuchiura was happier and yet somewhat troubled, Hihara seemed both dreamy and sad. Their moods had persisted over the course of several days, which made Aoi think that a date with her had something to do with it.

Azuma would have to be one of the candidates because Aoi suspected long ago that the guy liked Kahoko. A man from such an influential family would stop at nothing to get his way, although Aoi hadn't seen any recent difference in him...Etou had been walking Kahoko to school in the mornings and he seemed so attentive to her, the way his head was always inclined toward her as if not wanting to miss anything of what she said. It seemed so out-of-character for such a brash guy.

He considered other boys that Kahoko had contact with, but found no reason to second-guess his original conclusions. These were his 5 competitors; he was almost positive. But was he going to do anything about it? Or was he going to have to endure the torture of watching how in love the other boys were with his girl?

Ryo badly wanted to text her to ask how soon she wanted to get together to rehearse. But he was going to play it cool as long as he could. Instead, he texted "Good Morning, Beautiful." Her reply was "G M :) " It put a smile on his face and he was able to endure the droning of his boring English teacher.

She was in practice room 12, warming up with A minor harmonic scale, 3 octaves. Over and over and over. That upper octave was challenging but she would get it if it killed her! She wanted him to be proud of her. She was looking forward to his smile. His smiles were so sweet.

When he came in the door, though, he wasn't smiling. He seemed troubled. He held her hand as he kissed her cheek, but he was preoccupied with some inner thought. "Is everything all right, Tsukimori-kun?"

"Mm" he replied, impatient with his own mood. "I'm fine. How is the Bach coming?"

He was attentive to her as they worked for a few minutes together, and she was again mindful of how precious this time with him was. But he truly seemed unhappy. "Are you sure that you're OK?" she asked.

He regarded her for the longest time and she could see indecision in his eyes. She touched his hand gently.

Her touch was the catalyst that opened his mouth. "I've been thinking about Europe" he said softly.

"Europe?"

"Europe, about whether I want to go."

"W-what? But you...why?...I don't understand."

His eyes became deeper in color as they gathered emotion. "I don't have to go right away. I can wait 6 months, or a year."

She was really confused. "Why wouldn't you go now as you planned? Why would you wait?"

He could spell it out for her, but she hadn't yet made her decision. As close as she and he had become, she had never given any indication that she favored him over her other suitors. Just because he now recognized the depth of what he felt for her, didn't mean that he had any right to pressure her. "I just want you to know. I don't have to go now. I can wait."

What was he trying to say? Why would he discuss Europe with her at all? He didn't offer any more on the subject and she didn't press him further, although she was very concerned. Wouldn't he be jeopardizing his career if he waited?...Was he nervous about going? It didn't seem like him to worry. He had grown up performing, and surely nervousness was foreign to him. She studied his face and resolved to ask him about it again soon. He was a friend in need and she wanted to support him.

They went on to work on the Mozart and then called it a day. She felt that he was watching her and waiting for something, although that could be her overactive imagination. It was an uncomfortable sensation to be feeling his pain and not being able to do anything about it.

So preoccupied was she that she didn't notice her phone ringing as she negotiated the crowded hallway on her way to her locker to put her violin away. Eventually she clued in that the seemingly faint chime in the background of her consciousness did require action on her part. "Hello?"

"Hi Kaho-chan! Do you have time after school? I was thinking that we could go get a bite to eat."

"Oh Kazuki! I'm sorry that I can't today." Azuma would never forgive her if she bowed out on the first ride home in several days. "Maybe...do you want to eat lunch together tomorrow? I have a 3rd period lunch if that works for you."

"OK...sure, that would be great. Tell you what. I'll bring lunch for both of us. Is that all right?"

"Yes, thank you. I would like that. Should I bring something too? Maybe dessert?"

"Not this time. I have something in mind...Let's meet on the roof for 3rd period, then."

"Great! See you then."

His voice softened. "Have a good day, Kaho-chan."

"Thanks, Kazuki. You too. Bye."

"Bye."

Then she mused about how this was supposed to be a quiet week of reflection for her, away from the boys that she was making decisions about. And yet she would be walking with Etou, riding with Azuma, rehearsing with Ryo and going to meet his family, worrying about Len's disturbing new mood and now having lunch with Kazuki. She wished she could skip school and sleep for a whole day. But there would be major catching up to do if she missed...sigh...At least by the weekend she would have made her decision and this would all be over with.

Except that it wouldn't be, would it? She would be dating a wonderful guy but there would be 5 others that would either hate her or be depressed.

If she didn't pick any of them, would they hate her less?...Maybe that wasn't really an option. She would have pissed them off for nothing.

She really was allowing herself to begin thinking about this now, wasn't she? 'I need some kind of plan' she thought. The walk to Social Sciences class solidified the notion, and under her desk she quickly texted Nami. "Can we get tog soon? I need help."

It was also time to avail herself of Nao's wisdom. Kaho had been keeping her in the loop, just barely, and her friend had been understanding about the violinist's recent lack of time to talk. So she would appreciate getting the full rundown and being able to weigh in on Kaho's options.

His limo was waiting outside the gate and her heart leaped with anticipation. "What's with you?" he asked when he saw the liquid smile in her eyes. She suddenly felt shy and looked down at her hands. "I'm happy to see you" she confessed quietly.

"Come here" he said, enclosing her in his arms. "You sweet girl" he whispered into her hair. They held onto each other for several moments, feeling that it had been a long time. She had seen him as recently as Friday morning so she was surprised at how much she has missed being this close to him. She turned her face up to him and he settled blissfully into kissing her.

Yes, this was what he felt like. Different from the others. There was something special about him...his touch, the emotional tenderness so poignant because of the masks that hid it. She wanted to say 'I love you' because it was what she felt in this sweet moment, but instead she pressed closer to him and sank into his heat.

He disengaged rather abruptly. "So you're alone in the house this week?"

"Yes...why?"

"I want to come over."

"Uh, that's not a good idea."

"Why?"

"I have lots of homework to do...and I'm looking forward to having some time alone for a change." She stuck her chin out defiantly.

"Well, I never thought that you would callously hurt my feelings like this, Kahoko."

"What? Your feelings aren't hurt!...are they?..."

"Never mind." He slid his hand into her hair and pulled her closer. Rubbing his cheek gently along hers, he spoke softly in her ear. "You feel so good..." He lapped at the delicate skin just below her earlobe and she mewed softly. "I know what gives you pleasure, Kahoko. I know your secret places...That makes you mine." She couldn't really argue with him right now as he segued to another erogenous zone beneath her jaw. He made his point again when he tickled her thigh, causing her to shiver deliciously.

Just as she was beginning to wish they were on a bed, he released her with a smile. "We're here. See you soon" he promised softly with a kiss to her cheek before reaching across her to open the door.

"Uh...Bye." she replied in a daze as she slid out. "See you tomorrow."

He merely smiled before closing the door.

With the front door locked behind her she breathed a deep sigh of relief. It was so nice to have the house to herself, and to know that it would be like this for 3 days and nights. Little did her Mom and sister know how much she was glad that they were gone. She wasn't going to have the complete break from the boys that she hoped for, but being in an empty house for several hours was the next best thing.

She read the cheery note that Mother had left on the kitchen island. "Take care of yourself, K-chan. Don't stay up too late. Don't hesitate to call us or Uncle Shinichi at any time. We'll leave our phones on. We're out late for dinner tonight with Auntie Chika, but we'll call you tomorrow morning to make sure you get out of bed in time. Love, Mother."

Kahoko felt fine on her own. As long as she had certain security measures in place, she could relax. Knowing that Uncle Shinichi was only a few blocks away really helped. He was young enough not to fuss over her and get in the way, but he would be at the door in two minutes if she called him. She plugged the kettle in, climbed up the stairs to her bedroom, pulled off her uniform and got into her pajamas. Back down in the kitchen she pulled out green onions, a bell pepper, and some frozen peas. Dicing the pepper, she put it in a bowl and opened up a package of ramen noodles to dump on top. Scissors to slice the green onion, and a few frozen peas. Oh yes...she grabbed some tofu and cubed it. Pouring boiling water over the whole collection, she put the bowl on a tray with some tea and...what else? A cookie and a mini-mandarin orange for dessert. Carrying the tray to the dining room table, she unpacked her school bag and sat down.

The phone rang before she could open the first page. Popping out of her chair, she went to where she always put her phone on the stair banister. Walking back to the table with it, she pressed 'Talk' and prepared to multi-task by talking and eating at the same time...

"Hi Nao. You got my message?...Yes, I would love to tell you all about it. It's been so crazy and I need to see my Nao...Yeah...Yep...I know, I am so looking forward to sharing it with you and hearing what you think...I know... Yes, I know it's my decision, but I know that you know that." She smiled. Her friend was so cool. "You know what it's like; sometimes you get what you need by just telling someone about it...Yeah...Don't act coy, Nao. I know you'll say just the right things to help me, to at least figure out the next step...Yes: ramen...Ha, I know it's rude, but I'm famished!...You forgive me? Thanks. Then I forgive you for calling during dinner...OK, well it's too bad about your family thing tonight. Can you do tomorrow night?...Yes?...Oooh, that's a great idea! Yaay! Will you call Mio?...Great. I hope it works out...No, that's not necessary. I don't mind Mio hearing what you have to say. I don't think there's anything I can't say in front of her. I mean, she'll be typical Mio but that's what we love about her, right?...Yeah...OK, I'll wait for your text...Bye!"

Yay. It would be great if the girls could come over for a sleepover. They hadn't done that in months, since Christmas holiday. And she would be able to talk this problem to death and get their view on it. Like girls do. She smiled. You had to pity guys for not being able to bounce stuff off their friends in the same way. They were more likely to keep it all inside.

A little over an hour and a half later she stretched her arms high above her head and packed her books into her school bag. She looked over at the clock. Nine-fifty-two. Wandering wearily around the house, she double-checked the door locks and outside lights, and shut off the others before grabbing her phone on the way upstairs. After brushing her teeth she pulled some clothes out of her closet for the next day and hung them on her chair. Turning off the overhead light, she switched on the lamp on her night table, crawled into bed and picked up her book. It had been so long since she had read any of it, she wasn't sure if she remembered what had transpired in the story previous to where she had placed her bookmark...It probably didn't matter. She would be asleep before she got very far...

She nearly jumped out of her skin when her cell rang. Squinting in the low light, she was shocked to see the identity of her caller.

"H-hello, Azuma? Why..."

She could hear the smile in his sensual voice. "Is that any way to greet your protector?"

"Protector?"

"Of course. You didn't think that I would allow you to spend the night by yourself in an empty house, did you?"

"Whaat? What do you mean?"

"I'm at your front door. Let me in, please. I'm staying with you tonight."

Author's Note: A-Z-U-M-A ! OMG, how bold of you to show up on her doorstep to spend the night! I wonder what's going to happen ('cause I haven't written it yet). Where is he going to sleep? Do you think he'll behave himself?

I can hardly wait for the girls' sleepover! I want one!

I like to think that Kaho is a pretty good cook, but that she's eating instant ramen because she's tired. Do any of you cook? I'm quite decent. I'm a creative cook, as opposed to a follow-the-recipe kind of person. I just kind of imagine what ingredients would taste good and through them in together. What about you?

What kind of advice do you think Amou will give? She's so opposite of Kaho, I wonder how helpful she'll be.

*sob* ...I get all choked up when I think about Len's conclusion that she is important enough to him for him to delay his trip, that he would at all consider risking the trajectory of his career for her. And she hasn't clued in! Oh the angst!

Ryo knows perfectly well that Kaho will want to rehearse with him. She would be too nervous to play otherwise, even though they performed the Chopin before. So he can afford to hang back and let her feel that it's her initiative to rehearse with him.

I can identify with Aoi's struggle to do the right thing. I think that this is one of life's largest questions; do I let go and trust that everything is working out for the best? Or is action needed from me in order to get the right result? Basically, it's Accept or Act.

It occurs to me that in spite of Etou's sometimes unpleasant outer behavior toward other people, he is so very REAL with her. I find it amazing that someone who has built up such effective emotional defenses, can so completely make himself vulnerable with someone he trusts. That's real courage, I think.

I'm always amazed when I finish a chapter. I never wrote before doing LCD fan fiction, so I'm not really sure what my process is. Sometimes it seems impossible that I would ever get my head in the right space to write a new chapter, and I don't know how to get there. So then I go read your comments, because they give me new perspective and even some story ideas that hadn't occurred to me. And then suddenly my fingers are flying across the keyboard and I'm in the zone. Amazing. What do you do to get yourself in a writing frame of mind? Any tips you can share with me?

Next Chapter: I haven't written it yet, but after we see how much text I devote to Azuma's sleepover, I may get to the following; Kahoko has a realization...lunch with Kazuki...Amou's advice.