Warnings

Warnings: Shonen-ai

Spoilers: Aya-chan

Disclaimer: Weiß doesn't belong to me. Nuff said^^

Author's note: Okay so Christmas is not that near from us, but I just need to make this fic up. So far this is one fic that (for me) is so sweet and the happiest of all, no mission, no angst (okaaay so maybe a little) and it end a happy end! This fic was inspired from a song titled 'Yakusoku' sung by Horie Yui (seiyuu of Narusegawa Naru in Love Hina). I really enjoy writing this fic, I finished it just for a day! ^_^ Dedicate this fic to my friend, Omikun (tomodachi!!) and the cool people in Ranken ML. Hope you like it too! Comments onegai? ^__^

Maple No Yakusoku

(Maple Promise)

Kisaragi Yuu

It was 20th December of cold winter when Ken decided to open the flowershop at 8 AM in the morning. Ken yawned for awhile, tugging his leather jacket tighter to his body to warm himself up. It was so cold but still no snow was seen. He likes snow. He likes December, especially when it's the month of his born day.

Three days from now, he'll be celebrating his 20th birthday alone—again. He never expects any of his teammates to celebrate his birthday, as he knows that they are professional killers, and killers don't go celebrate birthdays right? And he doubted that they know about his birthday either, as much as the fact that he has no idea when are Yohji or Omi's birthday.

Except of a certain redhead.

A certain redhead that he loves most. Of course he knows everything about this redhead. All he doesn't know is did he remember his promise that he made last year.

He looked at a maple tree. It has no leave, as it was winter, but he felt warm when he saw this tree. He confessed to Ran last year, considering the fact that he did it in front of this very right spot, in front of this very right maple.

Ran didn't answer though. He said about he needs time to think about it, and of course Ken didn't push him to say anything, to Ran's gladness. He promised to Ken that he'll never took longer than a year most. This is, for Ran, a very big decision to take. If he made up with Ken, it means he has to confess to Aya about this fact. And Ken knows the very well how much Aya means to Ran. Ran promised will give something for Ken in the answer.

Needless to say, Ran told Ken that Ken also means something to him, but he needs time to think about the consequences, how Aya will react when he found out that she has a gay brother, and the assurance of his own feeling. So he carved a love shape of R and K on the tree, just making Ken to know that he means something to Ran.

'I will come to you and answer…'

He sighed at the memory.

/Guess I'll just have to wait/

Opening up the flowershop, he felt someone called him. He turned around to see Omi smiled widely at him. He smiled back at the younger boy and greeted him with the usual good morning.

"Ohayou Ken-kun." Omi smile grew bigger. Ken smirked as his put his jacket to the table and looked at Omi.

"You look very happy today Omi, anything nice happen?" Ken asked as he took his apron and tie it on.

"What happiness than to see you opening the shop, the sun shines just nicely and peaceful everywhere with no mission until next year?"

Ken chuckled at the demand as the blonde started to hum 'Silent Night' loudly and started to help him to take off his coat. Omi smiled at Ken more and thanked him just before he also tucked out his apron and tied it on.

"Ne Ken-kun, where's Aya-kun?"

"Ran, Omi. My name is Ran."

"Eh?" Omi looked back to the source of the deep low voice of Ran's. He smiled sheepishly at his redhead leader as Ken greeted Ran by throwing Ran's apron to the redhead.

"Ah yeah, Ran-kun. Ohayou Ran-kun." Omi smiled. Ran curved his lips at the younger blonde and got in quickly as he greeted Ken back by saying good morning.

"Ohayou Ran. What are you carrying?" Ken pointed on the plastic bag Ran was holding.

Ran tugged out his plastic bag and took out a hot canned Milo to Omi. "I bought some hot chocolate milk for you guys. Thought it would warm up this cold day." He tossed one of his Milo to the brunette as Ken caught it perfectly.

"Sugoii Ran-kun! Doumo!!"

Ken stared at the Milo just when Ran noticed him. He took out a Milo for himself as he drew himself closer to Ken.

"Nani? You don't like hot chocolate milk?"

"I-iie… it's just that, I never thought *you* like Milo and going to buy one for me…" Ken startled as he opened his own Milo and took a sip of it. "Ouch! It's hot!!"

"Baka," Ran took Ken's Milo and blew soft breath to the hot drink. "Drink it after you make sure it will not burn your tongue."

Ken stared at Ran sheepishly while Omi smiled at both of them. Of course Omi knew about how Ken and Ran feel to each other. Ken was always using Omi as his partner both in his mission job and in advisor, especially that involves love thingy with Ran. And Omi is a very good observer. With a glimpse of look, he already find out that Ran loves Ken back.

"Ran likes hot chocolate milk. I… forgot how myself loves chocolate milk, especially when it's hot. It's very nice to drink in a cold winter day like this. It will take time before I'm completely back to Ran though…" Ran admitted, giving Ken back his Milo as he opened one for himself and took a sip.

Ken took his Milo and thanked Ran.

"Demo Ran-kun, you are progressing very smoothly. You are totally different from the Ran-kun I've known nowadays. And actually we all enjoy it, right Ken-kun?" Omi's eyes brightened when he said that.

Ken smiled at Ran. "Yeah sure you do Ran. We like it this way."

"Really?" Ran curved his lips at both Ken and Omi. Omi smiled widely, comparing his big wide blue eyes. "See? You are smiling now! Ken-kun he's smiling!"

"Yeah, I think we have to portrait this, where's the camera?" Ken acted like he's searching for a camera. At this, Omi just had to laugh while Ran punched Ken on the stomach teasingly as he kept saying 'baka' to the brunette.

It was a very normal day in Weiß life (except of a certain playboy who hasn't wake up, that is), and they own wish in their hearts that nothing would spoil their mood in this December.

***

The next day on 21st December was seen Ken lazily moved his head on his pillow to change his position while asleep. Yesterday was perfect. Every normal things that happen to normal people were happening on them. Yohji woke up late, Ran scolded him, Yohji fought back and gave silly excuses, girls came in just to drool while Ran kept scowling at them… they were all just very normal. And Ken really enjoyed this times.

Today is Omi's shift to open up the shop. That means he can stay in his warm beloved bed for a couple of minutes. He was planning on sleeping in his den and bust off to dream realm about Ran again when he heard his door was knocked.

He glanced up lazily and dragged himself to the door. He opened the door.

And closed the door rapidly.

The door was knocked again. He glanced up and opened the door slowly, pinching himself to be fully waken up.

"What was that for?" Ran asked, a bit irritated for not being welcomed by his brunette friend. Ken gasped and smiled apologetically at his leader.

"Gomen… I thought I was having that kind of dreams that make you see hallucination."

"Well I'm certainly not a dream, Ken. You can try to touch my hand here." Ran shoved his hands to the brunette. Ken stared at the hands hard and slowly touched it. He felt warm. Ran's hands were very warm.

"Ah yeah…you are not a hallucination…" he smiled sheepishly at Ran and threw him a more apologetically look. Ran nodded.

"…So, are you going to let me stand here?" Ran asked calmly.

"Ah! G-gomen, Ran! Please come in!"

Ran stepped in while Ken closed the door behind. Ken let Ran to take a seat while he went to the toilet and changed to his casual white T-shirt and blue jeans. Ken joined Ran.

"Umm what is it Ran? It's not everyday you come inside my apartment…heck, you never come here anyway. So is that anything you want to talk about?"

Ran remained silent. Soon he tugged out something from his coat and handed it to Ken. Ken blinked.

"What's this?"

"An invitation."

"Invitation…? Invitation to what?" Ken asked as he took the invitation and take a look himself.

"Christmas party in the Koneko."

Ken blinked. "…Who's invited?" /He's celebrating Christmas and forget about my birthday…I should have known…/

And like reading his mind, Ran demanded, "For your information, I'm not the one who's celebrating it, it's Aya. She wants to see you guys. And of course she didn't invite anyone else except our team."

"Aa." Ken said, merely looking at Ran. He looked at the date. "…Why 23rd December? Isn't Christmas at 25th?"

"She has her own plan on 24 and 25. Can you come? I think we will need your help too."

Ken didn't reply in the first but soon, he nodded and smiled widely.

"Sure I'll come and help. When do you want me to come to Koneko?"

"Now."

"Now??"

"Yes now. We're in a hurry you know, the party will go next 2 days and we still haven't prepare anything yet. Before I came to your apartment I told Yohji and Omi to close the shop, so we can work there now."

"Ah…urgent eh? Ok, I'll take my coat now and let's go to the Koneko."

When Ken stood up to take his coat, Ran stopped him by gripping his hand gently. Ken gasped.

"Ken…thank you."

"For what…?"

"Everything."

Ran smiled at the soccer player who blushed and gone to take his coat.

***

They arrived at the Koneko when Aya was already there, all fully wake up and genki. She waved to them happily.

"Ah!! Hi, you must be Hidaka Ken, the one that Ran-niichan kept telling me about!" she smiled at Ken friendly and shoved her hands to meet Ken. Ken widened his eyes. /Ran tells story about me to Aya?/

Ken took her hands and shook it with smiles plastered on his face.

"Hi too, Aya-chan. We heard a lot about you."

"Yeah from ol' Ran-niichan right? I think what Ran-niichan would say about me is just 'Aya I will kill Takatori because that bastard made you in coma' or 'guess what Aya? I killed another Takatori today!' right?" she smiled teasingly at her brother and Ken. Ken chuckled.

Ran lowered his eye level as he opened the flowershop, Ken could see that he's embarrassed. He smirked at Ran. Aya smiled widely as she excitedly tugged Ken's arm and dragged him inside, keep telling him that it's just so cold outside she wanted to cry. Ken just had to smile in Aya's behavior. Sure she's all genki and hyper, but he never know that she also a type of a concern one.

When the three already in, Aya looked around.

"Waa…sugoii Ran-niichan! Ken-kun!" she bounced all over the place and made the other boys to smile. "Ne Ran-niichan? What's this beautiful shiroi flower?"

"That's Casablanca, Aya. When you were a little child you kept calling it shiroi sora [1] despite how many thousand times I told you it's Casablanca, remember?"

"Aa…sou desu ne…? I already forgot about that…Ran-niichan has the memory of a computer anyway…"

Ran put up a stern gaze to his sister that made the girl to even more be happy and smiley all the way. "Ken-kun, do you know Ran-niichan, despite he has a memory of a brilliant alien, also looks like an alien from Mars when he wakes up in the morning??" she teased, making a face of an alien that made Ran to hit her head gently.

"She teased more often than Yohji, Ken."

"Yohji? Kudou Yohji the playboy?? No way! I thought you teased me more than anyone in this world! Ran-niichan is a teaser!!"

"Why you little…" Ran tried to catch his sister who bounced more and more and smiled roundly. When he caught her, he tickled her mercilessly, sending peel of laughter of both Ken and Aya.

"Ken-kun!! Heeelp!!" Aya cried between her laughter.

"Coming Aya! I'll be Ran and Ran be Takatori! I'm saving you from Takatori!!" Ken jumped in and tickled Ran who gently laughed and tickled Aya even more.

"Kyaa!! Ran-kun!! Help Ran-kun, Takatori is *tickling* me!!"

"I will never let you go Aya. You are mine!" Ran tickled Aya more.

Ken posed a Kenshin pose and tickle Ran mercilessly. "Takatori!! Shiiine!!! Take my endless tickle of icicle leader!!"

Ran laughed when Ken tickled him even more roughly until he let Aya go. Aya laughed happily as she tickled Ken and made Ken to jump in laughter. The three kept tickling each other.

After more than thirty minutes passed, they sat on the floor, panting and smiling to each other.

"Ran-niichan was laughing quite loud just now." Aya smiled at her brother, who just smiled back.

"I never had that kind of laugh for years…"

Ken was opened his mouth in astonishment when he saw Ran laughed just now. He looks a lot, A LOT more beautiful when he laughed. Ken loves to see Ran laughed. And he wished he can made Ran laugh more. He smiled at his own thought.

"Ne minna, let's just all start working ne?" Ken offered, standing up and handed a hand for Aya. "May I, princess?"

Aya giggled as she took Ken's hand. "Of course my knight in shrine armor." Ran smiled at both of them.

The three started to work on the flowershop to turn it to a party ball.

***

It was 10 AM in the morning of 22nd December when Ken woke up from his dream realm and found himself late to the Koneko. Last night was pretty tiring. There are dozens of things Aya wants while Ran hasn't bought yet. And it left Ken to go to the department store and bought all the things they need, like drinks, snacks, and many, many ribbons.

He groaned lazily when he saw the clock. 10 AM. He's REAL late. He busted from his warm den and ran to the bathroom to have a quick bath.

Soon he was seen driving the bike in a high speed to the Koneko.

***

"You are late."

Ken smiled nervously at Ran who was glaring one of his deathglare at him. "Gomen Ran…I woke up late. I was exhausted from the work we did yesterday…"

"Hnn. Now start working, Aya will be here soon."

"Hai, haii~" Ken took off his jacket and started to make the drink settled up on the table. He also had ordered a Christmas cake, although silently for him, it's also his birthday cake. He glanced up to Ran when the cake was settled firmly just on the center of the table.

Tomorrow's going to be his birthday and he's itching to know does Ran remember about the promise he made or not. Ran was wrapping up Christmas presents. Ken glanced at the presents.

/Does he realize?/

Ken was too busy glancing at Ran until he didn't realize about the bottle of coke he was holding was slipping down from his hand. It fell down just right onto Ken's feet, making Ken to faintly cried in pain.

Ran glanced at Ken and hurried to him, bending down while Ken hissed in a painful state.

"Baka, what are you doing?"

Ken flushed as Ran took Ken's soccer shoes out of his feet and started to rub his feet gently. Ran rubbed more of Ken's feet, keep telling him to be more careful and he is a baka, but Ken didn't hear what Ran's grumbling about. He already swallowed in a realm of watching Ran's beautiful smooth face and smells Ran's scent of cinnamon and white jasmine.

It didn't take Ran so long to realize that Ken was watching him, without understanding what he's saying all this time long.

"Ken? Did you hear me?" Ran waved his hands in front of Ken, making him to gasp.

"A-ah! Gomen! Uh thanks for rubbing my feet, I'm ok now!" Ken stood up firmly to make Ran sure that he's already feel a lot better. Ran also stood up when Ken suddenly fell back down and clumsily landed on Ran's body. Ran, being a more careful man caught him and kept him to stand on the ground.

"Ken you are such a klutz." Ran demanded.

Ken blushed. He turned his looks away from Ran. Ran blinked and smiled warmly.

"A klutz that's so adorable…"

"Eh?" Ken glanced up to Ran, only to see the violet deep eyes stared down at him. "Ran…?"

"…Ken…"

It was suddenly the door flung open, making Ran and Ken to gasp while Aya rushed in. She brought many Christmas chronicles with her while smiling all genki smile and saw Ran holding Ken. Aya blushed.

"It's none of your thinking sister, he fell down and I was helping him to get up." Ran explained calmly.

Aya smiled genki again and helped Ken to stand on his own. "I know, I know, I'm just fooling around. Ken-kun is as clumsy as what Ran-niichan kept remembering me. He said you are such a klutz sometimes you even can make up a nuclear bomb out of cooking utensils."

She smiled at Ken who flushed and glared at Ran. "He did tell you that, didn't you?"

"Uhh, let's get back to work shall we?" Ran flustered as he started to wrap up the presents again. "Aya, help Ken in preparing the drinks and feasts please?"

"Aye, aye captain!" Aya posed as a sailor and helped Ken to prepare the dishes.

Ken chuckled more as Aya ran this way and there to prepare the drinks.

/No wonder Ran always look pale in the morning, he has to take care with such a hyper bomb like her… *giggle* but I think it's nice to have a sister like her…/

***

Ken was seen looking at himself on the mirror of the night of 23rd December. He was wearing a deep green turtleneck with black dark blue jeans and a brown jacket was hang out loose on his shoulder.

"Yosh'!" He smiled at himself while tugging in his jacket and made his way to the exit.

It was the night of his birthday, a night when he'll be facing the truth of how Ran really feels, a night where everything between Ran and him will be settled. This is the day of the start, or the day of the end. It's like a big gamble in Ken's mind, and he couldn't help his heart to not to race up rapidly.

He drove his bike to the Koneko, seeing Omi's bike, Yohji's boogie car and Ran's Porsche already parked neatly in front of the Koneko with a 'Closed Until Next Year' sign plastered in front of the main door. He parked his bike and took a look on his appearance on the bike's mirror. Satisfied of himself, he walked inside confidently.

"Merry Christmas everyone!!" Ken cried cheerily at his friends. His friends chorused on saying Merry Christmas back to the brunette.

"Merry Christmas Ken-kun! Wow, you look good!" Omi demanded as he approached Ken with a glass of coke on his hand to offer for Ken.

"Doumo Omi! You look great too!" Ken took the glass of coke and thanked Omi while observing Omi dressed up a white V-shirt neck with long sleeves and surprisingly long cream coloured, pants. Omi looked cute.

"Yo Kenken."

"Merry Christmas to you too Yohji." Ken smiled teasingly at Yohji who smiled back. Ken widened his eyes at the sight of Yohji wearing a tight dark purple turtleneck that reveals certain part of his smooth perfect body and tight reddish black leather pants. Yohji chuckled.

"What Ken? Too astonished until you can't close your own mouth?"

"No! I just couldn't believe you wear that…thing."

"Aya-chan is here, I need to make a 'sexy' appearance in front woman."

"Saa Yohji-kun! Go and flirt with her all you want! Ken-kun and I have a business to take care off!" Omi growled at Yohji and dragged Ken to meet Ran and Aya. Ken opened his mouth in awe to see Ran in a dark red shirt that reveals his smooth shoulder with black tight pants. Aya was wearing a navy blue dress with pink flowers all over it but Ken didn't notice her. His attention was drawn on Ran.

"Merry Christmas Ken-kun!" Aya smiled at Ken widely, making Ken to snap back on the reality and greeted the young lady back.

"Merry Christmas Ran." Ken said slowly, trying very hard to control his eyes on keep eyeing Ran all over.

Ran smiled. "Merry Christmas Ken."

"Let's starts the party since the members are all now complete!!!" Aya cried happily. "Your glass cute gentlemen!!"

The boys chuckled at Aya's demand as they all rose up their glass and toasted it. "Toast!"

They drank it all down. Aya smiled as he asked Omi to turn on the music. So the party begun.

***

Ken stood in front of the Koneko when the rest were all having a great feast and laughs were heard from inside. He stared at the maple tree where Ran made his promise with him, while just behind the maple there was the black sky with gleaming stars. Ken touched the carved tree with his own hand. R and K.

/Saa…he didn't answer…this day would end soon and he still hasn't answer…that means, I'm rejected./

He sighed again, remembering all the memory of Ran for one more time. Ran scowled at him, Ran smiled, Ran laughed, Ran cried, Ran silenced, Ran promised at him…

'I will come to you and answer…'

Tears slid down onto his cheek. He didn't realize the tears until it fell on his hand and wet it. He sobbed and threw his hand on his eyes to wipe up his own tears. He sighed while kept sobbing about Ran.

It's when Ran tapped his shoulder. Ken startled and looked back.

"R-Ran?"

"Ken." Ran noticed the tears on Ken's face and wiped it. "You were crying?"

"…Iie…" Ken tried not to doze off in Ran's warm palm that now is touching him on his cheek.

"What are you doing in front this maple tree?"

Ken glanced up to Ran, disappointed. /He forgot…/ "Nothing…just walking around…"

"Ken." Ran called softly with a tone that sent shiver down to Ken's spine. He looked up to meet a pair of burning deep violet eyes that stared back right straightly onto him. Ken gasped.

Ran handed a present that wrapped up neatly.

"Ran…? What's this?" Ken took the present and observed it as it's some kind of a dinosaur egg. Ran just smiled at him "Open it."

"Ran…you don't…" Ken was stopped by Ran's finger that placed gently on his lips. "Just open it ok?"

Ken stared at ran confusedly. Somehow, Ken regained his hope that nearly vanished and softly unwrapped the present.

Ken stared at the present. "Ran…"

"You like it…? I heard from Omi your favorite is hot Milo too…so I bought 4 cans for you…" Ran placed his hand behind his head and looked nervously at Ken.

"And what…present is this…?" Ken asked softly, almost whispering.

Ran smiled at Ken, he kissed Ken's forehead gently, making Ken to gasp and blush and startled all in the same time. Ken looked at Ran, blushing and don't know how to react, he waited for Ran's answer.

"It's the Christmas present I got for you…and for your birthday…" Ran moved closer to Ken and kissed him on his lips, it's not a lustful kiss, just a soft gently kiss on Ken's lips. But it felt warm, it felt good, it felt everything for Ken. Ken blushed at the redhead, making Ran to curve his lips more.

"…The present is me. I love you Ken."

Ken hugged Ran tightly as the tears of joy came strolling down his cheek. Ran smiled at the memory of angry Aya when Ran doubted about his feelings to Ken. Aya supported Ran to answer to Ken, no…it's more like she *insisted* on Ran telling the truth to poor Ken. Aya is a very understanding and the best sister Ran would love to has. He smiled at the thought once again.

Like giving the new lovers Heaven's blessing to be together, the black sky tore up and reveals small white feathers into the earth. Ran and Ken looked at the snowing sky. Ken smiled at the white snow.

"This night," Ken paused, tracing his hand on the carve of R and K on the maple tree, "Will never been forgotten by me, Ran."

Ran smiled at Ken. Ken looked so beautiful under the maple tree and snowing sky. He took two hot Milo from Ken's box and opened it.

He sat just in front the maple tree and soon was joined by Ken. He gave Ken the hot chocolate milk and kissed Ken gently on his cheek again, wishing him a happy birthday. Ken flushed happily and drank the chocolate milk slowly, remembering the experience he got from drinking it without being careful.

"I told you I will come to you and answer…" Ran gently smiled and took a sip of his own chocolate drink.

"Somehow I have hopes in you." Ken smiled.

The two lovers smiled at each other and finished their hot chocolate milk slowly while chatting general chat and gazed on the snowing sky and maple tree. After they finished drinking their Milo, Ran stood up and hand his lover a hand.

"It's getting cold, let's get in."

Eventhough Ran mentioned it, actually Ken didn't felt cold at all as his heart was all warm up in the warmness that Ran gave to him. The maple tree, the answer, the kiss, the hot chocolate Milo, the snowing sky… they are all just too good for Ken. He smiled happily and lovingly at his redhead lover and took his hand, strolling back into the Koneko.

Just when he made his way in the Koneko, the rest of his friends chorused on saying 'Happy Birthday Kenken!!' to him. He widened his eyes in surprise and looked at Ran confusedly who just smiled calmly as his reply.

"Heh, you thought we forgot your birthday Kenken? No way I'm going to miss the chance to start teasing you with Ran!!" Yohji teased, making Ken to blush.

"You guys know…?" Ken asked almost whispering.

"Of course!!" they all chorused one more time. Ran smiled at his friends and lover's behavior.

"Here's the present for Kenken!" Yohji handed a box to Ken. Ken smiled back to Yohji and take a peek inside it who soon blushed and glared at Yohji. "Yohji!! These are not…"

Yohji cut in. "You will need it sooner or later Ken!"

Omi and Aya preferred not to know about the present Yohji chose for Ken. Omi handed Ken a present too. Ken smiled at Omi as he unwrapped it.

"SUGOII OMI!!! New soccer cleats!! And a… WOW!! An autographed soccer ball by my favorite soccer player!! Thank you so much Omi!!" He hugged Omi as Omi smiled on the others.

"Now here's my present!" Aya got in and shoved Ken a present. Ken unwrapped it and smiled.

"Cool!! New soccer shoes that will fit perfectly on my new soccer cleats!! Ano, how do you know my shoe size?"

Aya glanced at her brother who turned away sheepishly and smiled. "I got a spy on you."

"Now let's have the party all over again!!! The drink is sake now!!" Yohji cried as he took out a few sake bottles which made him to catch a few deathglares from both the redhead and the brunette.

"Aya! Don't drink! You are not enough age!!" Ran cried.

"Aww just a sip!!" Aya wailed, as she took a sip of the sake. "Hey it tastes good!"

"Omi, you are strong enough for sake?" Ken asked.

"Mou Ken-kun! You have absolutely no idea what was Yohji kept teaching in our spare time don't you?" Omi replied teasingly while throwing a made up smile to Yohji.

"Haa, one of my best tuition!!" Yohji grinned. Ken glared at Yohji, Yohji chose not to see that glare.

All of the Weiß and the leader's imouto, were having a great happy party during the snowy night on 23rd December. Especially when a certain someone found his lover soul answered.

Ken never been so happy during his lifetime.

[1] White sky

~Owari^^~