"There's no doubt, Yuki and Kyo have both grown." Shigure said as they returned back from the villa.

"It's hard to tell oneself…" Yuki uttered.

"Maybe the two of you have shrunk." Kyo said bluntly.

"I've actually gotten taller." Minami said annoyed.

"What by a couple of centimeters?" Kyo joked and she blushed as Shigure opened the sliding door.

"Well, in any case it's good to be back. Ah, there's no place like home…" Shigure said.

"No doubt!" a familiar flamboyant voice said making the three teens pause as Ayame stood at the the dining room table with trash, bowls, empty cans, a bottle of alcohol and various other things that showed that he was here for who knows how long. "Hope you had a good return trip, my friends! Come, come! Don't mind me! Come in and make yourselves comfortable!"

"Aren't you the one who's comfortable." It wasn't a question that Minami asked more of a statement as she started to clean up.

"Yes yes, true true." Ayame said happily. "Minami have you grown over the summer break?"

"Wha- Yes I have!" She glowed and Ayame smiled knowingly, there was a moment of silence as she felt eyes on her and she covered her chest.

"Ayame!" She yelled embarrassed.

"You weirdo! Why would you even notice that?!" Kyo yelled as Yuki simply held his head in his hand and Shigure continued to smile.

"I'm supposed you didn't notice Kyo~" He said. "Hey Minami has the summer break given you the chance to become an adult?!" Minami chose that moment to escape to the kitchen, too embarrassed.

"Hang on a minute! How did you get in here?!" Kyo yelled.

"We only got home and now this…" Yuki said.

"Now, now Kyo. Nevermind the little things." Shigure said.

"Huh?" Kyo asked confused.

"Like breaking and entering?" Minami asked as she picked up the dishes and placed them into the sink.

"Aya took care of things for us while we were away." Shigure said.

"Shigure…" Yuki said.

"Actually I've only been here today." Ayame added.

"You… forgot to lock up didn't you…" Yuki continued.

"Urk. Clean hit." Shigure said.

"Talk about dangerous! What were you going to do if we came home to an empty shell?" Kyo yelled.

"That would've been a big deal. If it were burgled, they might've read Kyon-kichi's love poem diary." Ayame added.

"AS IF I'D WRITE SOMETHING LIKE THAT!" He yelled, though his entire face was red.

"Aya, why didn't you come down to the summer house?" Shigure asked ignoring Kyo's outrage.

"Summer is the season when men and women's romantic dreams take flight. Talk about being very busy. We ended up making fifty outfits!" Ayame said, also ignoring him.

"LISTEN TO ME, YOU!" Kyo yelled.

"Hmm? What do you also want a maid's uniform Kyon-kichi?" Ayame asked.

"NO!"

"No need to worry! I'll give you a student discount!"

Minami looked over at the lock and realized the time. She looked over at Shigure. "Mind if I use the phone?"

"Hmm? Go right ahead." Shigure said.

"Thanks." Minami said and paused looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"What?" He asked confused.

"I know you told Akito about us being at the villa." Minami said quietly and Shigure smile turned a little cold.

"Oh? And what of it?" He asked and she returned the smile.

"Oh nothing, just thought you might want to warn others before you do something so impudent." She told him and his smile dropped, Minami turned her back to him, realizing that she was pushing Shigure and that was dangerous.

As she went to make a phone call she felt a hand on her shoulders, she knew it was Shigure. "How long are you going to keep on pretending?" Shigure asked in a low voice, void of the usual playfulness, making her tense up and look at him, his face beside hers.

"What would I be pretending about?" She asked him.

"Hm, let's just say… I find it usual that I couldn't find your little 'story' of how you came to this country and the way you behave, more than just a little suspicious at the very least." He said. "I wonder, if everything you tell us is actually the truth and if you know more, then you let on. Don't you think, Mi-chan?"

They stared at each other, Minami unable to find a response.

"I'm just saying, if you don't want your little 'appearance' five years ago to be given more investigation, then I will given you some advice when dealing with me: 'A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.'." He paused noticing her tense she was and placed his back on the wall. "I'm not sure why you know things, or who you actually are, before you were Honda Minami. But for as much as you seem to suspiciously know about us, the curse and how it breaks… I'm sure you know enough about me and about people in general, that the world isn't simply black and white. So if you know the outcome of my… antics and you aren't fully opposed to them, then I suggest you let them be."

"At whose expenses?" Minami asked him and he paused for a moment.

"I can't expect you to truly understand, how we feel, but I could like you to imagine being like us for years. Although us older members don't discuss our… feelings as much towards our… predicament as loudly as the younger Zodiacs, know that it's always something that weighs on our mind. Although you're important, in how you're changings our lines, it's only a transient breath of fresh air. I am trying to make it permanent. If that means making others or even myself hurt in the process, I'm fine with that, because the end goal is for us to be free."

He places a hand on head and his frown fades and instead leaves a soft smile. "I'm sure you of all people can understand that." He said so softly that it was shocking to hear. "I'm not your enemy so don't make me be, I have a rather cooled temper but even I can feel upset and hurt by your implications." He bent down to her height so they were eye and eye. "If you can look me in the eyes and tell me that my deviousness doesn't have a positive outcome in the end, then I'll stop."

Minami looked into his eyes, feeling a mixture of emotions, she realized that it was the first time Shigure actually took her seriously, not like a child, and instead showed his true feelings. "I don't like how you do it…" Minami said. "But in the end, it does work."

He went up to his usual height and placed a hand on her shoulders and walked away. Minami called her relatives and found that her Grandfather was currency on a trip so she wouldn't be able to talk to him right now. But as she hung up the phone call, Minami couldn't help but wonder, if that time during the villa was also difficult for Shigure too. Maybe she would never know.

The new term started with Uo smacking Kyo in the forehead. "DAMNIT! WHAT'S WITH YOU! YOU GREW AGAIN DURING THE HOLIDAYS DIDN'T YOU! MUST BE NICE! GUYS GROW LIKE BLOODY WEEEDS!"

Minami knelt down towards Kyo and helped him up, feeling his angry energy. "There's not that much difference in growth between girls and guys.. Arisa, aren't you tall enough…?" Hana asked.

"IT'S MY DREAM TO REACH THE 180'S!" She yelled back.

"It seems like you didn't manage to become even a bit more feminine over the break.. Why don't you just give up being 'female'!" Kyo said angrily.

"Hmph. Fine.. I might just do that. If I couldn't make a single guy turn and look." She said agitatedly.

"Arisa… didn't manage to meet that guy from the convenience store again." Hana whispered. "Take a good look, Minami… that is the back of a woman in love."

"But… isn't she really upset….?" She whispered back.

"Yes…"

"Oh jeez, I didn't think she was the type for that sot of thing." Kyo said with a smirk on his face.

"My… how strange.. That you'd say something like that…" Hana said.

"Wha… What is…" There was a moment of silence and Minami and Kyo looked at each other .

"..."

"... heh." Hana said.

"DID YOU READ ME?! DID YOU READ MY HEART?! AND THEN THAT LAUGH!" He yelled at Hana who didn't even flinch.

"You can't use the 'waves' to read thoughts… I just remembered something and laugh…" Hana said. "... At least that's what we'll say and leave it at that…"

"WHICH IS IT?!"

"Hey, hey, hey." One of the students, a black haired boy who was a little taller than average, Ken called. "After school, anyone who wants to take part in the 'New School Term Party' The Bowling Tournament.' please write your name on the paper."

"Huh? Why's it today? I have to work?" Uo asked annoyed.

"I have something to do too." Minami added.

"Something to take care of? You mean a date?" Ken asked and Minami paused, blinked a few times.

"No." She took out her phone and showed Uo a photo of a certain someone. "Is this the guy?"

SILENCE

Uo's face went bright red and she snatched the phone out of Minami's hand. "YEAH! THAT'S HIM! WHERE DID YOU EVEN FIND THIS GUY?!"

"Who?" Kyo asked and looked at the phone. "Oh, it's Kureno."

Uo narrowed her eyes at him and then at Minami. "Now I'm even more confused…"

"Kureno's a Sohma." Minami explained. "I don't know if he's ready to see you yet, but I have his phone number." She passed her a piece of paper with Kureno's number on it and Uo just stared at it for a moment and looked up at Minami with the most beautiful smile she had ever seen on her face.

"Thanks Minami…" Uo said and Minami looked down at the ground, feeling embarrassed as she rubbed her head.

"What are friends for?" Uo lit up like a birthday cake and Hana watched on.

Minami sent the two of them a smile. Friends indeed.