BISHLOV:  *Sigh* I can't make this as dramatic as Hikaru's Story.  Too much chocolate I guess...

DISCLAIMER:  I do not own MKR or any of its characters.  CLAMP does.  This plot is a product of my imagination.  Any similarities to other fan fictions are unintentional.

FUU'S STORY

By bishounen lovah

Chapter 5

It was a pretty little place.  The ambience was cozy and from what she could smell, the caffeine's bound to be delicious as well.  The new cafe was a hit.  It was full of college students and young professionals who were taking a break from their hectic schedules.  Fuu's mocchacino was placed beside her tiramisu.  One sip of her drink almost made her forget her disappointment.  Almost but not quite.

She had rushed around her lab class earlier that afternoon just so she could leave early and meet Sayuri but her teacher wouldn't allow it.  The guy wanted her to help out those having problems with their, uh, problems thus she almost didn't make it with her rendezvous.  Fortunately, their psych professor used the same room for all of his classes so she knew where to go.

Sayuri was already there.  Unfortunately, Alma Perdida wasn't.  At least that was what Sayuri said when they peeked through the window of the door like a pair of awestruck high school students.  They could have waited for him but Umi showed up and Fuu didn't know how to explain to her that she was using a stranger to try to forget Ferio.

She didn't know what disappointed her more, missing Alma Perdida or missing Ferio.

Why can't my love life be normal like the rest of the world's?

Speaking of love life...

"Is Hikaru seeing someone?'

Umi's immediate response was choking on her espresso when the black liquid went down the wrong pipe.  "What did you say?"

"Is Hikaru seeing someone?"  Fuu calmly reiterated her question.  What's wrong with her friend anyway?  Why was she all-flustered like that?

"Er, what makes you think she's seeing someone?"

Something's up, Fuu's glasses turned opaque in suspicion.  Umi was being evasive, not to mention she just downed a very strong, very hot dose of coffee and was ordering another with a shaky hand.  She was looking at everywhere and everyone but Fuu.

Why was she acting so weird just because of one harmless question?

Did she think she'd damn Hikaru because she broke off their unspoken vow of spinsterhood?

Argh!  How pathetic she and her friends could be?

"I'm just asking, Umi.  No need to be defensive.  I just noticed that she seems happier lately and she's been going out more frequently.  There's nothing wrong if she's dating.  In fact, I quite envy her."

"You do?"  Umi calmed down enough to take a sip of her new batch of caffeine.

"Yeah.  It means she finally put Lantis to rest and she's moving on with her life."  Umi coughed again but this time Fuu didn't notice.  Her tone took on a wistful note when she spoke again.  "I envy her because she found the strength to move on.  But then again, she had always been the strongest among us."

"You're pretty strong too, Fuu."  Umi reached out to squeeze her hand.

"At least I'm trying to be.  What about you?  Don't you want to move on?"

"Sometimes...sometimes we don't have to.  Sometimes Destiny just throws things at us.  It's all just a matter of opening our eyes and catching the right opportunity."

"Eh?"

"Oops.  Did I just say that crappy thing?  Ohohohohoho.  I think I had too much coffee.  Eherm.  Waiter, can I have an éclair please."

Fuu shook her head in amusement at her friend.  Umi always passed herself off as an airhead but she knew more than anyone else in this world that she was anything but.  At that exact moment she saw a flash of red hair being ushered out by a tall, dark guy.  "Hey, isn't that Hikaru?  Is that the guy she's been dating?"

Fuu craned her neck to take a better look but Umi's arm kept on getting in the way.  "Yoo-hoo, waiter, I think my friend needs another tiramisu and get me another cup of espresso.  Ooh, that chocolate thingy looks absolutely sinful.  Give me three of those."

"Umi, what has gotten into you?  It's as if you didn't want me to see Hikaru with that guy."

"Aw, come on, don't be too paranoid.  Here, have a bonbon."

"I'm sure it's delicious but I have to get going.  I got to do some research."  Fuu laid some money on the table then gathered her things.  She wasn't put off by Umi's stunt but it made her curious.

"But they haven't gone far yet...I mean...eeto..."

"Don't worry.  I won't follow them.  I can't say I won't bump into them but I won't follow them."

"Demo..."

"Relax.  I was just kidding," Fuu laughed at her friend's affronted face.  "But I really do have to get going.  I'll see you at dinner, okay?  Ja!"  With a wave, she strode out of the cafe.  As she walked towards the library, she thought about Umi's odd behavior for the nth time.

What was she trying to hide?  Why was she hiding it, whatever it was?  That guy kind of reminds me of Lantis.  No.  It couldn't be...could it?

"Anou...sumimasen..."

Fuu stopped walking and turned to face the person behind her.  She raised a hand to block the sun from her eyes.  She could barely make out a silhouette of a man sprinkled with fairy dust.  The sun could really play tricks to the eyes.  She shook her head at the silly picture in her mind and allowed her vision to adjust to the light.

She started looking at him from the feet up. She wasn't checking him out, really she wasn't.  But it wasn't her fault if she noticed his muscular legs, trim waist, lean form and...Green hair?

Ferio?  It couldn't be!

But then he was there.  He was really standing there.  Green hair, scars, cheeky grin and all!

So she just stood there in disbelief.  She stood there even when he asked her if she was all right.  Even when her books fell when she heard his voice.  Even when he rushed to pick them up.  Even when their hands brushed when he placed them back in her arms.

She just stood there when he paled beneath his tan, when he muttered something about a migraine, and when he all but broke into a run away from her.

Still she stood there.  She would have talked to him, would have followed him had it not been for the shock that rendered her weak and speechless.  After a while her mind started functioning again.  This was no coincidence.  She started piecing everything together.  Her dreams, Umi's weird behavior, Hikaru and that Lantis-look-alike...

They were all tied together.

And now she just saw Ferio.

In her dazedness, she didn't notice where he ran off to but she knew where she could find answers.  Fuu rarely got mad.  Scratch that.  Fuu never gets mad but there was always a first time for everything.  She started working herself up as she brisk walked home.

How dare they keep something as important as this was from me!  Lantis and Ferio...here in Tokyo!  And they didn't saw it fit to tell me!

Never before had she been able to open their front door at such a record time.  Once inside she noticed Umi shove something red, blue and black in the tall but crowded utility closet.  The blue-haired imp tried to block her from opening it but Fuu had just about enough.

"Damn it, Lantis, I know you're in there!"

And then there was absolute silence.  Yes, that was a very angry Hououji Fuu who cursed.  Chibi Umi had a very fat sweatdrop hanging over her head.  The closet door promptly swung open and showed a chibi Hikaru and chibi Lantis with their jaws beyond low.  And to make the scene all the more ridiculous, there was a cute little mouse at their feet blinking and wondering why two humans barged in his home.

Umi, since Hikaru was prodding her into action with a garden rake no less (even though they didn't have a garden in the first place), was the first to speak up.  "Ehehehe.  Fuu!  What a surprise!  What are you doing here?  My, what a lovely day for a walk.  Care to join me?"

"Quit it, Umi, I'm not amused.  You two, get the heck over here.  You've got some explaining to do."  Fuu tapped a foot as she waited for the three to take a seat in the living room.  Umi and Hikaru were giving Lantis the look and Lantis, being Lantis, had on his usual poker face.

"Well, what have you got to say for yourselves?  Really!  Going behind my back and keeping secrets.  Why, if I hadn't seen Ferio today with my own two eyes I still wouldn't know anything."

The others' faces brightened.  "Ferio?  You've seen Ferio?  That's good!"

"No, it's not good!"

"It's not?"  Question marks popped out of Hikaru's head.

"No.  I froze up.  He was there and I froze like a complete idiot."  Fuu sighed and tiredly sat opposite them.  "You should have told me."

"They couldn't, Fuu-san.  If they told you, it would have compromised the contract," Lantis finally spoke up.  He explained about what happened when they left Cephiro, about the contract, about what could happen if she knew before she met Ferio.  Just one look at Umi's downcast face and Fuu knew she had no right to be angry.

"But why did he run away?  He followed me then he ran away.  It doesn't make any sense."

"What did he look like when you saw him," Umi asked.

"He looked fine at first but then he looked like he'd seen a ghost."

"Perhaps he was getting his memory back."

"I could check up on him if you want," Lantis stood to leave.  "He's probably at his apartment right now."

"No, I'd rather you leave him alone.  I don't want his memories compromised.  Thank you for the offer though."

"I guess I'd better get going anyways."

"I'll walk you to the elevator," Hikaru stood too.  Umi stayed behind and watched as her friend stared out of the window.  She gave her a brief hug then gave her the space that she needed.

Fuu looked outside for a few minutes and watched the lights of Tokyo turn on one by one.  Somewhere in this same city was Ferio.

Her Ferio.

He came for her.

The question was would he remember?

TBC...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!  MAY YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES HAVE A PEACEFUL, BLESSED AND PROSPEROUS 2003!!!