"So how did your first day together with that cute high school girl went?" asked the novelist, grinning from ear-to-ear.

Yuki shrugged. "Not too bad."

"Really?" asked the writer excitedly.

"She's my girlfriend already."

Shigure blinked.

"Satisfied?"

The writer waved his hand. "Sure, Yuki! And Hatori promised to go to the massage salon with me this afternoon."

"This afternoon?" The lad cocked an eyebrow inquiringly. "What about your own date with your girlfriend?"

"Which girlfriend? I got plenty of them you know."

"The one outside our window now," said Yuki, looking outside pointedly.

"Gawd!" cursed Shigure under his breath when he saw who his visitor was, kneeling outside his window. He looked out of the window and pasted a smile on his face. "Mit-chan, what are you doing there outside? Come in!"

"Shigure!!! Please! I need the manuscripts already, for the love of Christ!" cried the poor editor.

"I'll deal with ya later, dear Mit-chan!" called Shigure before turning back to Yuki. "Oi, Yuki-kun, you're changing the topic! Ohohoho! So what did you do to her after you officially became a couple? Did you press her against the wall again-" He blinked. No Yuki was sitting in front of him.

He rubbed his cheek. "His ninja stealth strikes again, that nezumi. Oh well, this day won't end until I've finished my interrogation."

"Shigure-san!!! The manus-"

"Coming, dah-ling!" called Shigure back. "Man, she WANTS me!"

"So how was your day, Honda-chan?" asked Ayame eagerly when Tohru finally sat down the sofa with him. She was about to protest when he held a hand up.

"Tohru-kun, dear princess, I allowed you to rest first before you tell me about your day, although curiosity is slowly killing me. I allowed you to do your assignments first, and to prepare dinner for us when it's Mine's job. I allowed those slight delays, but you cannot put off the narration forever," said Aya.

She sighed. "Y-You're right, Aya-san." She looked down at her lap. "Well, you see…he's my boyfriend already."

"A what?!!"

She looked up, alarmed. "Do you not want that, Aya-san? If so, just say the word and I will immediately call him up-"

"You're kidding, Tohru-kun!" He grasped her hands tightly, teary-eyed. "Finally! My brother has a girlfriend! And of all women…oh, I'm so happy!"

"Aya-san, calm down!" she cried.

"How did it happen? Was it love at first sight? Huh? Huh?" asked Aya excitedly.

"Eh, actually, it's like this-"

"No matter!" said Ayame, his hair bouncing happily with his head. "Ah! I'm glad that my brother can now experience what makes a man's life truly worth it…loving and protecting a woman he loves. Oh Jove! Thank you!"

She felt a pang of guilt. Aya-san really looks happy. Am I doing the right thing by agreeing to Yuki-san's plan?

"That is why you must learn to make yourself pretty!" said Ayame, suddenly finding the energy to make aesthetic magic…on her. "Not that you're not pretty – you are very lovely, Tohru-kun! Dakedo, my brother has a lot of admirers-"

"You can say that again," thought Tohru.

"And so, you must show to them that you are rightfully his girlfriend." Ayame placed an arm around her shoulders. "You will promise to me that you'll give all my love to him too, right?"

What else should she say? "Yes, Aya-san."

Yuki blinked the next morning when he saw his girlfriend walk down the stairs, her usually knotted hair let down, with ribbons pulling some of her hair at the back of her head. There was a light touch of powder on her face, and even little lip gloss.

He saw that she noticed his gaze already. She shyly looked away.

"She's prettier than I thought," he murmured under his breath, unaware of Aya and Mine smiling cheerily in the background.

"An angel sent from up above, eh? Coming down on earth, bringing all the glory and rays of heaven to us lonely male mortals." said Shigure, who's present in Aya's shop too.

But then, Tohru slipped on the carpet and crashed down the stairs.

"Make that crashing down on earth," amended the novelist.

"Honda-san!" Yuki quickly rushed to her. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah…I mean, my bones are still complete, I think," she said , still wincing in pain.

She had to stifle a gasp when Yuki put his bag down and began to massage her ankle.

"Ah…" She stopped when Yuki looked at her meaningfully. Act sweet.

Aya was jumping up and down. "Oh Gure, look at the two lovebirds! Oh my, I'm going to melt in the warmth of their love!"

Shigure sighed. "Lucky bastard! I wish I'm Tohru-kun's boyfriend too. I took up massage and aromatheraphy too."

"You can massage me, Gure!" said Ayame.

"No offense, dear cousin, but those varicose veins are kinda nasty to look at," joked the dog.

"What varicose veins?" cried the snake, looking down at his legs to check while everyone but Tohru rolled their eyes.

"We completely fooled them, didn't we?" asked Yuki, smiling as the two of them walked to school. "And what's with the make up?"

Her face flamed. "Ah…this. Aya-san…"

"OK," he said curtly.

Silence.

"You don't…like it?" she asked softly.

Yuki looked at her. Is she asking my opinion whether I want her to cling to my brother too much?

"If you don't like the make-up then…"

Silence again.

"I like it…very much," he said finally. He gazed at her and smiled. "You are cute though, face made up or not."

"Ah!" She looked away.

"You're not used to compliments?"

"Only Aya-san thinks I'm pretty."

"He does?" he asked.

She nodded. "He told me that if I am his biggest fan, he is my most ardent admirer."

"Him and me," said Yuki, correcting her.

"Ah, no need to say those things. Aya and Shigure-san are not watching us anymore," she said, laughing shyly.

"I know," he said simply.

She looked at him blankly, but he was already hastening his pace, and was avoiding eye contact.

What did he mean by that?

"Honda Tohru. Nice to meet you," said Tohru as she bowed to her classmates.

"Wow! Another pretty classmate!" hooted the boys. "It's a welcome change to these poor excuses for ladies."

The female population of the class was enraged. "Perverts!"

Tohru then noticed that aside from Yuki who looked grim, one boy wasn't joining in the fun. She recognized the orange head as Yuki's cousin, the soon-to-be-groom, Sohma Kyo.

I wonder…is he aloof like Yuki-san too?

I wonder what my brother put in the cereals awhile ago. Why do I have this sudden urge to beat up those perverts making fun of Honda-san?

Yuki looked away. It's her fault. She didn't have to make herself so pretty. Now, almost all my male classmates are interested in her already! Is she flirting in purpose?

Minutes later, he's looking at Tohru again, who's seated in front of him.

Hold it, Sohma. You're just getting carried away with her new look. Remember, you hate her because she is seducing your brother. That all of this is an act. That I'm just using Shigure's stupid plan as an excuse to make my plans easier to carry out.

I must not feel sympathy or concern for her. Including emotions in this game can be very dangerous.

tsuzuku