A/N: You'll notice updates are coming somewhat slower now. This is because I had nothing to do for many hours a day but write and write and write. Now that my new job training is over and I actually do work for many many hours a day, and then feel tired and uninspired after work, writing is slower going.

So although the chapters may eventually slow to a trickle, a trickle is still water, ne?

Kyoya fiddled with his fork, resisting the urge to stab something with it. Everything had been going so well so far. Why was it all backwards now?

The beginning of the date had been perfect. He'd worn attire that had complemented hers well – which he'd been assured of after checking Ayumi's online diary to see what the girls had bought. The shirt and pants had been expertly tailored, and he'd chosen purple, knowing it complimented his complexion and was one of Kagome's favorite colors as well. Kagome had liked him in his outfit, he was positive – he could see her appreciation in her eyes. She kept subtly checking him out, when she thought he wasn't looking. It was rather flattering, actually – and it wasn't like Kyoya could object when he'd been doing the same thing for weeks, let alone today.

Kagome had agreed to go on the roller coasters first as well, which helped ensure a successful date. Kyoya had read papers on the topic – it was scientifically proven that couples that went on dates that caused adrenaline rushes felt more fondly toward one another than couples who had been on more benign dates. It was theorized that the adrenaline rush also caused a release of happy-feeling hormones like dopamine and oxytocin, which were also involved in creating the feeling of falling in love, so going on thrilling roller coasters had been ideal.

They'd teased each other, which was the part Kyoya liked best – it wasn't often somebody else had the intelligence and courage to clash wits with him. Bantering with Kagome about whose hair was messier or what ride was better was engaging and fun, and it wasn't often Kyoya had fun, really. The effortless flirtation they shared always made him smile, and Kagome had even shoved him, showing that even subconsciously, she favored him enough to risk touching him – she'd mentioned before that sometimes she couldn't even touch people through clothing, but she'd risked it for him.

But lunch…

Lunch, Kyoya had to admit to himself, wasn't going well. Kyoya had frozen upon Kagome's realization of how far he'd gone to find out information on her. She was supposed to just dismiss his ordering for her as romantic and thoughtful, and chalk his actions up to him paying attention to her because he was fond of her and polite. He hadn't calculated her realizing he'd researched the matter. He was lucky she seemed flattered, but Kyoya knew he needed to be careful. One wrong move, and all the careful planning could easily be seen as creepy or stalking.

Not, of course, that her mind was on him anymore…

Kyoya scowled. That stupid waiter was obnoxious, rude, and grossly inappropriate. Kyoya had every intention of contacting the owner of the restaurant and having him fired. He'd ruined every attempt at creating a romantic atmosphere either of them had made. And he'd almost touched Kagome-! One of Kagome's reactions to being touched seemed to be extreme weakness, which could have very effectively put an end to the date. If he had managed to touch her…

Just the thought made Kyoya see red.

He wondered at his reaction. It was very unlike him to want to punch someone.

Kagome returned, her sweater completely dry and offering him a smile, and Kyoya slowly calmed himself down. She seemed a bit unsteady, but that was only to be expected – she'd just had a close call.

"Everything okay?" Kyoya asked her.

"Yep!" Kagome smiled, then looked furtive. "Though, my sweater was a lot more soaked than I thought. I had to take it off and dry it under the hand dryer."

The image of Kagome topless in the bathroom, drying her sweater while clad only in a bra, effectively short-circuited Kyoya's brain.

"You- what if someone had come in?" Kyoya asked. His voice sounded odd, and he hoped Kagome didn't notice.

"If it was a girl, she'd probably understand the situation without me saying anything," Kagome shrugged. "If it was a boy…" She looked devious. "…kicked him in the head and run out."

Kyoya chuckled.

"But then you'd be out here, still topless," he said. "What would you do then?"

"Hide under the table cloth and rely on you to distract anyone while I got my top back on," she said promptly. Her eyes sparkled. "Possibly by threatening them with your secret police force."

Kyoya smirked.

"An excellent use of the Ootori Secret Police, threatening unaware bystanders," Kyoya agreed. "Possibly the most important job they'd ever do."

"Naturally," Kagome agreed, her eyes dancing. "You're on a date with me. It's your duty to protect my honor."

They bantered back and forth, their suggestions of how to protect her honor getting more and more ridiculous as they went until they were both laughing, and the waiter reappeared with their food.

"Here is your chicken," he said, setting a plate in front of Kyoya. He turned to Kagome, flashing her a smile. "And here is your udon. Be careful – it's very, very hot."

His inflection implied he wasn't talking about just the food being hot. Kyoya felt his anger rise, but Kagome looked the waiter flat in the eyes and raised an eyebrow.

"If you don't stop flirting with me and leave me alone," she said, "I will tell Maiko about what happened with you and Kaori."

The waiter's face went sheet white, and his entire body tensed.

"How…?" he whispered. "How did you…?"

Kagome smiled at him sweetly.

"That's all for now," she told him. "Be sure to come back and get us more drinks later."

The waiter hurried off, casting suspicious glances at them over his shoulder as he vanished into the kitchen. Kyoya turned to Kagome, raising an eyebrow.

"That was interesting," he said flatly.

"Was it?" Kagome was trying her udon. "I wasn't aware."

Kyoya folded his arms.

"How did you do that?" he asked. "How did you scare him off?"

"I found out his secrets," Kagome said. She looked up at Kyoya, and, seeing his direct, determined expression, sat back in her chair with a wry expression.

"He's sweet on Maiko, the hostess," Kagome said. "It was in how he interacted with us and her. He's flirting with me to make her jealous. And Kaori is his ex-girlfriend." She paused, her smile fading. "There was a recent text in his cell phone from her, asking what time he was taking her to the clinic."

Kyoya's eyes widened.

"I presume you're using 'clinic' as a euphemism?" he asked.

"Well, we are eating," Kagome said, looking at him from behind her bangs. "It's not exactly a polite thing to talk about at the table."

Kyoya acknowledged that this was true.

"How'd you find his cell phone?" Kyoya asked her. "How did you decide-"

Kagome made a face.

"Well, he was ruining our date, wasn't he?" she said crossly. "I couldn't have that. So I watched him when I went back to the bathroom, and then I picked the lock to his locker, read his texts, searched his backpack, and snooped around to see if there was anything there that we could use to get a hold on him."

Kyoya's mind was spinning. Had she really…?

"Let me get this straight," he said, looking at her directly. "You broke into his locker to look for blackmail material so you could force him to leave us alone so we could enjoy our date?"

Kagome looked uncomfortable.

"It was more picking the lock than breaking in," she equivocated. "No one will be able to tell I was inside…"

"But you did break in?"

Kagome bit her lip. "…yes."

Kyoya let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His heart seemed to have lodged itself in his throat, and he took a moment to collect himself before catching her eyes, her dark blue eyes meeting his.

"Kagome," Kyoya told her, his voice low, raw. "That is one of the most attractive things a girl has done that I have ever seen."

Kagome blinked. She looked incredulous.

"…really?" she asked.

"Really," Kyoya affirmed. His eyes held hers, glittering. "Kagome, I seek out information on everyone, not always through completely clean means."

Kagome snorted at that incredible understatement. Kyoya smiled and continued.

"Information is power, and I seek to use that to my advantage. For you to seek out information to blackmail our waiter on our date…" He shook his head, but he was smiling. "I have never been more flattered or enchanted with someone in my life."

A slow smile started to creep up on her face.

"Only you would be flattered by blackmail on your behalf," she said, shaking her head in amusement. "It figures…"

"It's also the fact that you acted instantly and accurately to save the date," Kyoya said, smiling. "And for you to think a meal worth blackmail…"

Kagome blushed.

"Well, it's a meal with you, isn't it?" she shot back. "I hardly get to do that every day."

She bent to eat her udon, exclaiming over how good it was, while Kyoya took advantage of bending to eat his chicken teriyaki to hide the flush of his face.

It was all too easy for him to imagine eating every meal with Kagome for the rest of his life.

Oh, hey. That chapter was a lot shorter than I thought it was. If I get a decent amount of reviews to know people had time to read it, I'll put the next bit up on Sunday instead of Tuesday.

Anyway, please review! I love reading what people think! :)