2) Give her undivided attention.  She deserves all the attention from you.  This makes her feel more secure and won't come to her senses that she's alone.

"Mistess, Kyou-san is waiting outside."  Gure smiled.

"Hai." She said as she stood up and walked out of the door.  She was surprised to see that Yuki was there outside with the coachman… and um; they're not really getting along with each other.

"Nezumi?! What are you doing here?!" Kyou asked angrily.

"I was hired to be the protector of the mistress." He stared at his cousin. "What about you? A driver?" he smirked. "You looked stupid as you are, baka neko."

"That's it! I'm tired of talking!" he took of his coat and waved his fist. "Let's get this over with!"

"Ladies first, neko-san." His cousin grinned. Kyou charged towards the nezumi and was about to punch him hard in the face but…

"Hmph. Your moves never change." He said coldly as he stared as his cousin wincing in pain.

"How…how did you move that fast?" he asked.

Yuki laughed. "But that what happens everyday, right? You challenge me into a fight and in the end, you're the one kneeling down before me."

Tohru went towards them. "Please," she begged. "No fighting in my father's courtyard."

Kyou stood up and bowed. "I'm sorry, mistress."

Yuki just looked at her coldly.

If I had a chance, I would kill her right now.

She's just a girl, naïve and defenseless.

Now she's commanding us around.

Who is she to command the Sohma clan? She's nothing but an orphan of a rich merchant!

"Shall we get going?" Kyou asked.

"Yes." Tohru agreed as she got inside the car. Kyou closed the door and Yuki glared at him.

"No rats are allowed inside." Kyou bickered.

Tohru opened the car door and looked at her driver. "Kyou-kun, Sohma-kun will be joining with us."

"What?"

"I cannot disobey my father's orders." She explained. Kyou sighed as he opened the door fully for his cousin to enter.

"Enjoy your happy life, kuso nezumi." He whispered. "I'll deal with you later."

"Later it is, baka neko." He grinned.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Ano…"

"Huh?" Yuki looked at her. She bit her lip.

"Why are you acting like this?"

"What do you mean, mistress?" he asked calmly but coldly.

"The other Sohmas were…fine and happy. But you," she said. "look people in a very different perspective, like they are pitiful."

"How can you say that?"

"Your eyes tell everything, Yuk---" she stopped and corrected herself. "Sohma-kun."

He stared outside, knowing that she already knew about his dark side. "Do you want me to change?"

"No, I mean…"

"If your asking me to 'blend in'," he looked at her sternly. "that's one thing I can't do. I do and always work independently, not like them."

"I see." She replied. "But if you really can't take it anymore, you can just quit this job if you want. I know that soon, my time will come and---"

"I already gave my word." He answered. "I won't leave your side, mistress, until you don't need me anymore."

"Thank you very much." She smiled.

What a silly smile. She didn't know why I really took the job.

I hope I'm doing the right thing, Akito-san, as you wanted me to do.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"There's my princess!!!" A Sohma shouted. Kyou sweatdropped and Yuki felt a twitch at the back of his head. I must be dreaming. He said to himself. How foolish for me to know that he is also here!!!

"Ayame-san!" Tohru yelled as she embraced her wardrobe stylist.

"Ahh, you still look as magnificent as ever and, what as surprise!" he looked at Yuki. "You even brought my little brother along!"

"Little brother?" she asked as she looked at Yuki. Amazing, Aya-san has a brother like that but they don't really act the same.

"You still look silly, Aya-san." He grinned. "It has been a long time."

"Certainly, it is!" the older one smiled happily. "I can't believe that my younger brother has a fiancée like Tohru!"

"Fiancée?

"Aya-san, he's my bodyguard." She explained. "My father hired him."

"I see, I see. After escaping 5 assassination attempts, the old man decided to hire somebody to guard our little princess!"

"Aya-san, you shouldn't call me that when I'm in public!" she blushed as she heard the "p" word.

"No, Tohru-kun. A person like you deserves to be called that way. You shouldn't be ashamed because you are a replica of a goddess!" he praised.

"Aya-san!"

"That's it! Stop acting!" Kyou demanded. "We came here for the dress, remember?"

"Yes, but…"

"But what?" she asked.

"I haven't finished it yet." He smiled.

"WHAT?!"

"What do you expect? An old man like me should weave a dress carefully, not letting the silk strands break like Lachesis, one of the three fates that---"

"Alright, alright. Is it nearly done, then?' Kyou asked.

"Nearly, yes. Maybe it will be done by the end of the day." He wondered.

"Then I'll wait for it." Tohru said.

"But, mistress." Aya looked at her worriedly. "Assassins can be everywhere. You should be at home!"

"Please, Aya-san, I don't want to go home yet." She pleaded.

"But mistress---"

"She can stay if wants to." Yuki blurted out. The three of them stared at him. What did he just said?

"Yuki…" Aya wondered.

"She's the mistress, right? She's higher than anyone of us." He explained. "Whatever she said should be followed." He looked at Tohru. "You wanted to stay, right?"

"Y-yes.." she stuttered.

"If she wanted to, then we don't have a choice." He glared at his brother. "Or do you?"

"Of course not! Mistress' orders are completely for her own will. Then if you would like to stay," Aya looked at her. "You're welcomed in my house, mistress."

"Thank you, Aya-san." She looked at Yuki. "Thank you Sohma-kun."

He smiled at her and she was happy. For the first time, Yuki smiled at her, but still, it has no certain expression of friendship. At least he showed kindness to me.

"I'll wait here." He said as he leaned against the car.

"What do you---"

"I would rather enter the gates of hell than to enter this forbidden house." He said coldly.

"Mistress!" Aya cried.

"Sohma-kun, please come with us inside." She asked. "It's a bit chilly out here and I don't want someone to catch cold for my protection." She looked at Kyou. "You too, Kyou-kun."

"If that's what you want then…" Kyou entered the house. "Oe, nezumi, you just said earlier that her orders should be followed, right?"

Yuki silently went inside the house, following Tohru.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"It's done, master." A servant knelt in front of his master. "They are now waiting for your orders."

"Is he also there?"

"Yes, Yuki is also there."

"A forbidden place to enter…" the stranger smiled. "Good. Tell them to act quickly before Yuki kills them."

"Yes sir." Then the servant disappeared.

"Honda Tohru…" the stranger whispered evilly. "You're nothing but a thorn in my side."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"It's done!" Aya shouted happily as he showed the dress to everyone.

"It's so wonderful!!!" Tohru clapped her hands happily.

"You'll look good on that." Kyou assured.

"Of course, it's my work!" Aya posed. "Mistress, you can try it out of you want to."

"Yes, of course." She reached out for the dress and looked around. "Ano…"

"What is it? The dressing room is just in front of you!"

"No… it's just that Sohma-kun was here a while ago." She wondered.

"Don't worry about him. He just said that he wanted to be anywhere but here." Kyou grinned. "He can handle himself."

"Yes." She nodded as she entered the room and closed the door behind her. "He can handle himself… anything but women."

She started to get undressed when she heard a crack on the cabinet behind her. She looked around but no one's there. "Must be Ayame-san. He looked so happy that he could shake the house when he's jumping." She giggled. "They looked so happy and excited when they saw me holding the dress."

She remembered Yuki smiling at her. "I hope he's happy for me too."

"Master Yuki will never be happy." A voice came. She stood up and grabbed a white sheet to cover her naked body.

"Who's there?" she cried. "Who are you?!"

"Your death." They grinned. After a few seconds, she was pinned down on the floor and was surrounded my men whom she didn't know.

"Who sent you?!" she asked.

"Shut up! We won't answer your question!" one said. Somebody covered her mouth tightly with a cloth and pulled away the cloth. All of them stared at her as she struggled helplessly from her embarrassed position.

"Master's right. You are too precious to kill." They smiled evilly. "Maybe we should play with you for a while, ne?" He was about to hold her when---

"Don't even try to touch her."

"Who's there!" After a few swift kicks, all of the thugs were down and Tohru curled up like a ball on the corner. Then she felt a cloth covering her. "Are you okay?" a voice came.

She looked up and saw Yuki kneeling beside her. She didn't care if she's naked. She just stared at him. He was smiling… and it has a meaning.

"I'm happy." He began. "That I came on time, mistress."

Tohru felt tears on her eyes. Without knowing, she reached out to him. "Yuki-kun!" then she hugged him.

Huh? He smiled. Stupid girl… but it makes me happy when I'm near you…when I'm this close…

POOF!