The next day, Yuki and Ren took Momiji and Rini with them to get supplies for Yumi's surprise birthday party. Keiko had explained to Yuki and Momiji that they celebrated each girl's birthday separately. There was too much arguing and fighting when celebrations had been for both girls at the same time. Since Yumi would be going with Kyo to see Shishou next week, Keiko had decided they'd do Yumi's birthday first this year. Yuki had talked to her about planning a party for Ren while Yumi and Kyo were gone and Keiko had loved the idea.

"Well, we've got everything but the cake," Rini stated looking at the list Keiko had given them.

Momiji ran up to a store, stopped, and pointed at the sign.

"Let's go in there and get ice cream!"

Yuki and Ren weren't really interested in getting ice cream, so they decided to meet up in the café across from the ice cream shop after Ren found the right cake for Yumi. After splitting up, it took Ren only five minutes to find a good cake. She and Yuki then went and waited at the café. They could see through the window that Momiji and Rini were deep in conversation outside the ice cream shop. Seeing that the two didn't plan on moving anytime soon, Yuki ordered some drinks.

"It's nice of you to get your sister's party stuff even though you both argue so much," Yuki told Ren when they got their drinks.

"Well, family is family. No matter how annoying they may be."

Yuki nodded.

"You reminded me of my own sibling with those words."

Ren smiled at the small grin on Yuki's face. He stood up slowly.

"Excuse me, but I need to use the restroom. I'll be right back."

"Alright."

Yuki gave her a slight wave and went off toward where the restroom sign pointed. Ren stared out the window, watching Momiji and Rini laughing, while sipping her tea. She was startled as a girl about her age, flanked by two other girls, slammed her hands on the table. She only had time to register that they were from the Prince Yuki Fan Club before she was grabbed by the arm.

"H-Hang on," she stuttered out, her tea taken from her hand and placed on the table.

The few people stared at the girls as they pulled Ren outside via the back exit. She was marched into the alley out back and swung around to face her kidnappers.

"Why were you having tea with Prince Yuki? He is off limits to all girls, including you!"

The lead girl had gold-brown hair with a couple strands falling in front of her face. The girls behind her were glaring. One had shoulder-length red hair and the other curled black hair.

"This whole year you've been hanging around the Prince, but its time for you to be put in your place."

Ren stood her ground and just watched the girls.

"Why does it matter who I choose to spend time with?"

"It doesn't. Prince Yuki is the only exception. No one can have him."

The brown haired leader grinned and whistled. Two guys came around the corner, smirking at Ren. Her eyes narrowed.

"These gentlemen will make sure that you never dare to spend time around Prince Yuki anymore."

The three girls laughed creepily and left the alley. Ren dashed over to the café's back door only to find it locked. Before she could turn to run down the way the girls had gone, she was grabbed by the arm and thrown to the other side of the alley. Her back hit the wall. Looking up, she saw the two men were in their middle to late twenties, muscular, and had a striking resemblance to the red headed club member.

"Good to know family ties are strong," Ren muttered.

She tried to escape the alley, but was stopped by the same man who had grabbed her.

"Don't worry, we're just supposed to scare you, sweetie."

The other man laughed as the one who had a grip on Ren brought her arms behind her back.

"But she's pretty. This could be a bit more entertaining."

The guy's hand moved toward Ren's blue blouse. He was about an inch away from touching her when he was knocked to the ground from behind. He hit the ground, covering the side of his face, which had been roundhouse kicked. Yuki stood with his hands in fists and looking angrier than Ren had ever seen him. The guy holding Ren threw her into the wall and, as she slumped to the ground, he took a swing at Yuki. Yuki just dodged and punched the guy in face, following up the punch with a kick to the stomach. The guy fell to the ground, dazed and in pain.

Yuki glared as they scrambled to their feet.

"If you or anyone else touches her every again, you'll be leaving with broken limbs," he told them darkly.

"It was our sister's idea. Sorry!" one responded, turning tail and running.

The other followed quickly behind. When they had rounded the corner, Yuki turned and walked over to Ren. He knelt down in front of her. She looked up at him in awe.

"Did they hurt you?" he asked, looking her over quickly.

"I'm fine."

Ren stood up. Yuki looked up at her, an eyebrow cocked, before standing up and taking her hands.

"You're fine?"

The two watched each other for a moment, until tears leaked from Ren's eyes. She buried her face in his shoulder and he just wrapped his arms around her and held her.

"I was scared, Yuki. I didn't know what would happen."

"I know. You had every right to be."

It was then that Momiji and Rini came bursting through the café's backdoor. Yuki turned and Ren looked up, wiping her eyes. Momiji ran up to Ren and grabbed her hands, practically knocking Yuki out of the way.

"Ren! Are you okay? We got worried when we saw the two of you didn't go back to your seats. I'm sorry we didn't notice you get up, but we panicked when we saw that neither of you were in the café! What happened?"

Ren smiled down at Momiji and shook her head.

"Don't worry, I'm alright. Yuki took good care of me, so I'm okay."

Yuki smiled at her, blushing slightly. Rini gave him a huge pat on the back, knocking him forward a bit.

"Good job, Yuki! Keep it up and you'll make an awesomely protective husband and father one day!"

"F-Father?"

Ren and Yuki locked eyes for a moment before looking away in embarrassment. Momiji and Rini just laughed loudly in unison.

"Well, if you're okay, Ren, let's go get the rest of the party stuff and head home!" Rini said, taking her cousin's arm and dragging her out of the alley. Momiji urged Yuki in the same direction. For the rest of the day, Yuki didn't let Ren out of his sight for anything.

-With Kyo and Yumi:-

"Kyo, we've been at this for two hours," Yumi complained, panting on the ground," When I asked to learn, I didn't mean for you to be so hard core about it."

Kyo blushed, feeling guilty that this was the only idea he had to keep her out of the house while everyone set up for the party.

"Sorry, I just get so into it when I'm fighting."

"I guess that's fine, but let's not do this for two hours ever again. I need a shower."

Kyo panicked as Yumi made her way into the house. Looking around desperately, he picked up the only thing he could find.

"KYO SOHMA!"

Yumi glared at him completely soaked with cold water from the garden hose being held in Kyo's hands. He dropped it as she started marching toward him.

"Well, now you don't need a shower…"

"How is that a shower? I can handle water better than you can, but I do NOT like cold water being dumped on me by surprise. COME HERE!"

She picked the hose off the ground and sprayed him with it. Soon the two were fighting over the hose and they were completely drenched. They didn't notice when Haru stepped out of the house and they ended up hosing him down as well. Amaya, who had jumped back into the house upon seeing the water coming, laughed really hard as Haru stared at them blankly.

"Ah, that was refreshing," Haru said, shaking his wet hair.

The two cats stood grinning at Haru as he turned and walked back into the house, passing the still laughing Amaya on the way. She eventually stopped and looked at the two drenched teenagers.

"Dinner is almost ready, so go and change into decent clothes."

The two went upstairs, Amaya blocking them from going into the dining room area, and got changed. When they came back down and went to the dining room, everyone was there and the whole place was decorated. A huge sign read "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, YUMI!". Yumi smiled and turned to Kyo, punching him in the arm.

"You made me work for this birthday party!"

Kyo smirked at her as everyone wished her another good year of life. The party was fun and Ren and Yumi did their best to keep away from each other so they wouldn't cause an argument. Kyo's present was the talk of the party, which embarrassed him, as it was a beautiful bracelet with a little yellow cat charm that looked strikingly like Yumi when she was a cat. It was the most fun at a birthday party that Yumi had ever had because she had made so many new friends out of the Sohma family.