Yumi pranced gleefully into the dojo as Kyo was practicing with Kazuma. The two males looked at her as she came in. Kazuma nodded that Kyo's practice was over and smiled as he examined Yumi. He folded his arms and watched the fun unfold before his eyes.

"Kyo! Look! This little cutie came to visit me and he has no home. Can I keep him?"

Kyo, who had gone over to the side of the room to grab a towel and water, looked back over his shoulder and frowned at Yumi. In her hands she held a little white kitten. It meowed at him sweetly. The orange headed boy wiped sweat from his forehead and sighed.

"There is no doubt that you're getting married, yet you want to be one of those freaky cat ladies?" he asked.

Yumi pouted at him.

"No! I just want Fritzy!"

"Fritzy…?"

Yumi cuddled the kitty to her cheek and it licked her happily.

"That's what I named him. Can I please keep him?"

Kyo stared at the cat that looked back at him with a pleading look. Yumi raised the kitten to his face and it licked him as well. Kyo pulled away with narrowed eyes.

"You know, if that thing sees you turn into a cat enough times, it'll have mental problems."

"YAY!"

Yumi and the kitten jumped on Kyo in a hug. His face went bright red and he looked over at his foster father who was grinning.

"HEY! G-GET OFF ME!"

Yumi gave him a quick peck on the cheek and ran off to Kazuma's house, talking to the kitten in a baby voice as she went. Kyo rubbed his forehead in annoyance. He didn't notice Kazuma come up to him until he'd placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You had a hard time telling her no. Just wait until you have children asking you to keep things."

Kyo's face went volcanic red.

"There won't be any children!"

"So you're going to marry her and never have sex?"

"I AM NOT HAVING THIS CONVERSATION WITH YOU!"

Kyo ran away, heading toward Kazuma's house. The martial arts master chuckled to himself.

"My troublesome son…"

Later that night, Yumi had made dinner for Kazuma in appreciation for letting them stay over. They'd be leaving in the morning as Shigure and Mai were coming back then as well. Fritzy lay curled up in Kyo's lap. Though Kyo had protested to the cat's choice of seating, he'd let the kitten fall asleep and had fallen into a state of disregard. After dinner, Kazuma had retired to bed and left Kyo and Yumi watching television. Eventually, Yumi picked the kitten up and took him to her and Kyo's room. Following, Kyo found that she had made a little bed for the cat in the corner of the room using a pillow and a blanket. The kitten just went back to sleep on the pillow as Yumi put a blanket over it.

"I don't know why you wanted a kitten," Kyo told her, shaking his head.

He pulled off his shirt and tossed it on his messy pile of clothes. The pile of clothes sat on top of his bag. He refused to back properly before he had to. Yumi smiled as she watched him flop down onto the bed.

"Aw, don't be jealous. You're still my favorite kitty cat."

Kyo glared at her, making her giggle at him. Motioning him to turn around, she changed into her nightclothes and went over to the bed. She pet Kyo's orange mop of hair, teasingly. She was amused as he did nothing.

"You're so cute, Kyo."

"I'm not cute."

"Adorable?"

"Don't call me that!"

Yumi sighed and climbed over him into the bed.

"Fine. I won't say nice things about you anymore."

"Good."

They lay quiet for a few minutes before Yumi pulled herself to lie down on top of Kyo, just like she had when they first met. Kyo opened one eye and looked at her.

"What are you doing?"

"Do you remember the day we met, Kyo?"

He opened his other eye and instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist so she wouldn't roll off the bed accidentally.

"Yeah, why?"

"What do you remember the most about that day?"

Kyo rolled his eyes at her.

"What is this all of a sudden?"

Yumi's head collapsed into the pillow on the side of Kyo's head.

"I just want to know," he heard her mumbled into the pillow.

He sighed.

"I remember you flopping down on top of me even though you didn't know me. I was thinking "This girl is insane". I was correct."

Yumi looked up to see him smiling at her. She smiled back and moved so that her face was hovering over him once again.

"Do you know what I remember the most?"

"What?"

"I remember the feeling of excitement I got as I saw you for the first time just lying by yourself on the roof. I thought to myself "Now neither of us has to feel so alone anymore"."

Kyo froze slightly at her words and just examined her face, not knowing what to say. His hand reached up and came to rest on her hair. Yumi looked at him in concern, her face turning a bit red after saying what she had.

"Kyo? Are you okay?"

She was surprised when Kyo suddenly rolled her over so that he was hovering over her. Even more surprising was when he leaned down and claimed her lips with his own. He gently placed a hand in hers and their fingers interlaced as she kissed him back.

"I love you," Kyo whispered, pulling away to look in her eyes.

Yumi only just realized how long she'd been waiting for this. She finally felt loved. As if she was worth something to someone. And she felt something change. She didn't understand what, but it was as if she were free from the chains holding her and controlling her life. She thought back to what Megumi had said about the curse breaking when she'd kissed Kureno. Tears streamed down her face and Kyo's as well.

"We're free," she said, hugging him tightly," I love you, Kyo."

And it was true. Kazuma was shocked when Yumi hugged him goodbye the next day and didn't turn into a cat. He'd never felt happier for any couple he had ever known as he watched them leave. As Kyo, Yumi, and Fritzy made their way home, Kyo chuckled to himself. Yumi looked up at him with Fritzy peeking out of her jacket pocket.

"What's so funny?"

Kyo looked down at her with a love evident in his eyes.

"Now your new pet won't go mental."

The two laughed together as they walked home hand-in-hand.