Author's note: Oh yes before I forget, please forgive any OOC'ness… I assure you it was entirely inadvertent.



The Leafe gardens were beautiful, of that there was no doubt. A place of infinite calm and contentment. Well that was Kei's assessment as he lay back on the grass. As the Knight of Light, he was prone to taking breaks in the sun, enjoying himself immensely as the warm rays tanned his perfect body evenly. Kei was a narcissist, although you would never hear him admit it. His other teammates didn't dare, considering teasing him wasn't satisfying enough to warrant a light attack in return.

But then Kei was beautiful. Silky, wavy gold blond hair tied in a topknot, so that it cascaded down the side of his face gave him an extremely feminine look. Together with the almost delicate, flowing lines of his body, he could stop traffic, prompting a lot of 'is that a she…or a he?' His proof of knighthood was in the form of a ring that fit perfectly on one slender finger. However Kei was more than just a pretty face, he was probably the most honest of the bunch of them. Blunt, would have been a better word, which matched his calm, cool, collected mind.

'Isn't Hayate going to give you a hard time for slacking off Kei?'

Kei opened one eyelid just in time to see Sasame, Knight of Sound sit right down next to him.

'Hayate can go screw himself,' Kei remarked propping himself up on his elbows. Sasame laughed, a laugh that always sounded like a mix of a running stream and wind chimes. Of all the knights, Sasame was the only one that Kei considered almost (with emphasis on almost) as good-looking as him. As Sasame's gray, white and pale violet garments flowed around him, Kei noted the serious expression on his comrade's face.

'Something bothering you Sasame?' Kei asked idly plucking a blade of grass.

'I think I found a Pretear..'

'What!!' Kei exclaimed and sat up fully. A rush of blood to his head immediately made him dizzy and he crashed straight back down.

'Kei!'

'I'm fine, I'm fine,' Kei waved away Sasame's helping hand. Getting up slower this time, he turned around to face Sasame.

'Now, what did you say? You found a Pretear?' Sasame nodded his head.

'So what Sasame, we don't need one at the moment. Life is in balance the way it should be.'

'Yes but,' Sasame chewed his bottom lip, 'its like all this is too good to last. I am just wondering if it would be better to show ourselves to her and prepare her.'

'For what might never be? Isn't that a bit much to spring on a girl.'

'She isn't delicate Kei, she's…spunky for lack of a better world. When I was with her I got the feeling that she already carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.'

'Hmm..' Kei mused, 'You'd better tell Hayate about this.'

'I was going to, but I saw you first,' Sasame brushed a stray hair out of his eyes, 'I will tell Hayate..'

'Tell me what?'

Both of them jumped slightly at the sound of their de-facto leader's voice. Hayate, the Knight of Wind was leaning against a tree, his long hair flapping in the wind. Hayate, handsome Hayate dressed from top to toe in deep blue the exact shade of his eyes and the exact color of his hair. The only thing keeping that long hair in check was an ornate silver band, his proof of knighthood.

'Tell me what?' he echoed sitting down next to Kei. He momentarily frowned at Kei.

'Aren't you supposed to be working?'

'I think I've found a Pretear Hayate,' Sasame said quickly before an argument escalated. Hayate stared at him.

'Really?'

'I know we aren't looking for one, but I was telling Kei if it would be better to tell her, prepare her. If worst comes to worst…well lets say at least she will be better informed.'

Hayate leaned on his hand, contemplating the Knight of Sound's suggestion. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm.

'Your point has merit Sasame, but I think we should meet her before anything is decided.'

Sasame nodded his head, accepting Hayate's fair reply.

'I'm having lunch with her tomorrow, you can come along.'

'I'll come to,' Kei interrupted, 'she sounds interesting.'

'That's decided,' Sasame got up to leave.

'Sasame..'

He turned at the sound of Hayate's voice.

'How did you meet her?'

Kei could have sworn he saw a fleeting blush cross Sasame's cheeks. He shook his head; Sasame wasn't the type of person to blush.

'I ran into her in the park.'

That was all he would say as he proceeded to walk back to his house. Kei lifted one perfect eyebrow.

'This is going to prove VERY interesting…'

***

'Oh man, I am going to get stood up I know it.'

Celena sighed and glanced at her watch for the umpteenth time. No matter how many times she looked at it, it still read 10 past 1.

'That's it Celena, no more listening to strange guys no matter how nice they are, or how many ice creams they buy you, or how devastatingly handsome they are…'

She sighed again. It had been more than just looks; it had been the first real connection she had felt in years. There was something about him that told her that there was more to him than good looks and a gentle nature.

'Celena!'

A familiar voice broke her reverie. There walking up the street was Sasame. But he wasn't alone. No, far from it. For walking behind him was a stylishly dressed blond along with a more sedately dressed dark haired man.

'Sumimasen were late, someone had to….errr…do his hair,' Sasame gave a backward glance at his friends.

'Celena please let me introduce you to some of my friends. This is Kei..'

'Charmed,' Kei, who turned out to be the blond, said kissing her hand.

'And this is Hayate.'

Celena looked up and was instantly drawn.

'Hello,' she said, her voice a touch softer than it had been. Something that didn't go unnoticed by Sasame. He WAS the Knight of Sound after all. What he didn't expect was the slight tightening feeling in his chest.

'Hello,' he replied, his voice also slightly different.

'He didn't tell me she was ….beautiful,' Hayate thought to himself.

'You don't mind if they join us for lunch do you?' Sasame asked.

'Of course not,' Celena smiled at them, 'any place in particular you want to go?'

The 'any place in particular' turned out to be small restaurant that was popular with the university students due to its relatively cheap prices and not bad food. After they ordered, Sasame turned to Celena.

'So..,' he rested his head on his hands, 'tell us about your course.'

The conversation flowed easily enough, mediating between Celena's course and the various jobs they all held. Kei worked in electronics, and for some reason that didn't surprise her. Hayate's job as a landscaper though caught her a little off guard. The handsome man looked too regal for that sort of work. Yet throughout the conversation, she got the distinct feeling that they were watching her, observing her. It was disconcerting, but she didn't want to say anything that might destroy the mood. It was only when they were finished that she had the courage to talk.

'What is it you want with me?'

'Oh shit,' she thought mentally slapping a hand over her mouth, 'I didn't mean for it to come out that way.'

'What do you mean?' Hayate asked carefully.

'What I meant is…. I thought that… never mind, excuse me,' she got up from the table and made her way to the restroom.

'She knows,' Kei remarked once she was out of earshot.

'About us?' Hayate said. Kei shook his head.

'Not necessarily, but she knows something's up. She has great perception that one.'

'I felt that to,' Sasame threw a glance over her shoulder, 'well, should we tell her?'

'I think we should tell her something, I think she's a psychic,' Kei said, 'there were times, when we were talking that she answered questions that I was sure were only in my head.'

Hayate said nothing at first, intent on staring at his glass.

'I think we should tell her,' came his reply, 'but not here.'

Both Kei and Sasame nodded. A minute later Celena came back to the table cheeks lightly flushed. She opened her mouth to speak but Hayate beat her to it.

'We will answer your question,' his voice was lovely, deep and velvety, 'but not here, later.'

Celena, to her credit wasn't fazed. If the feeling she got from Sasame yesterday was faint, today surrounded by the three of them it was undoubtedly stronger. She knew something was up, it was just going to depend on them to tell her.

***

'Run that by me again?'

They were in the park, well a small hidden away corner of the park where the trees grew almost in a close circle hiding from view the pond and stone benches that were there. It was here they brought her, and here where they decided to tell her.

'So you think I'm a ….Pretear is that right?' Celena crossed her legs.

'Yes, some people are just born Pretear's and it's our duty to seek them out in times of need.'

'Do you need me now,' Celena's voice didn't change but the double meaning of those words didn't go unnoticed by Hayate whether she meant it that way or not.

'No, not really, its just we wondered if it was wise to take precautionary measures. You know, sort of a safety net,' Hayate finished gamely. There was a brief silence as she let it all sink in.

'I do understand, but let me think about it,' she said seriously, sensing that this was important to them.

'If you agree come back here at 3, one of us will be waiting,' Hayate waved his hand at his comrades.

'When?' she asked not liking the feeling of being boxed. Hayate's sapphire eyes softened.

'Everyday until a week from now, after that we won't bother you again.'

Could anyone sound gentler, more sincere? Almost against her will, her heart melted. She stood up to go. She bit her lip hesitantly.

'Ja then,' she finally said and ran out of the park as if a pack of wild dogs were after her.

'Ja,' Sasame thought, 'isn't goodbye.'

For the life of him he couldn't figure out why that made him so happy.