3) Women feel elated when you compliment. It may even a small earring, which you may admire on her and compliment her. This makes her happy and contented of what she has.

"Um…" she whispered. "Is Sohma-kun still in his room?"

"Yes, Tohru-kun." Kagura, her maidservant smiled at her. "He never let anyone in since you came home from Aya-san's house."

"I see…"

"Did something happen?"

"N-nothing!" Tohru said. "It's just I'm a bit worried…"

"Worried about Yuki? Mistress, Yuki is a very independent person. Even so, he never does something that can kill him or can get him to trouble." She assured. "Instead of worrying about him, try to rest, okay?"

Suddenly the door opened and the merchant came in. He quickly went to the edge of the bed and held her hand. "Are you okay? Gure called and told me about---"

"I'm okay, father." She whispered.

"I see. I guess also having a bodyguard is a bad idea."

"He protected me, dad." She explained.

"Really?" he glared at her. "IN the dressing room?"

"Huh? No, I mean…. Yes but, he didn't see anything!" she said quickly.

"ANYTHING~?"

"Father!"

"Just assuring." He laughed. "I knew that he wouldn't let me down."

"Can I talk to you, father, alone?" she asked. Kagura bowed and left the room.

"What is it?"

"Why are they after you?"

He smiled. "Angel, I told you thousands of times before that they're after our wealth!"

"And I also told you a thousand of time after that there are many more people who are richer than us." She explained. "There must be something that we just did to make those assassins mad!"

"You may be right but still, they are after our wealth." He looked at her sincerely. "From now on, you are not allowed to go out of the house unless I told you so."

"But--"

"No buts, Honda Tohru!" he said as he stood up and walked out of the room. She buried her face on her pillow and cried.

This is so lame! Why should I live in this kind of life?!

Okaa-san, why did you leave me here?

If you were here, I would be taking a normal education and living in a normal life like everybody else!

Now, I'm being imprisoned in my own house!

"Crying doesn't solve everything." A voice came. She looked up and Yuki looked down on her. "If you don't like your life then you should talk this over to your father. He's the closest relative you've got."

"No he isn't."

"He isn't?" he asked. "Then who?"

"Gure-san…"

"Shigure… but how…"

"He was the first one who found me. He took care of he until he couldn't feed me anymore. That's when," she explained. "this merchant came along."

"I see, but why is Shigure here?" Yuki asked.

"That's one thing……I don't know…" she sat up. "Um, I have something to tell you."

"Go ahead." He looked calmly at her.

"I'm sorry….I broke a rule." She said shyly. Yuki let out a brief laugh. "What's so…"

"I'm sorry mistress. It's just that you are really," he looked at her. "a bird that couldn't fly."

"Huh?" she asked.

"Mistress, sometimes you have to learn to take a risk. You have to break the rules once in a while." He explained. "It may end in a terrible defeat but you wouldn't repeat the same mistake twice, right?"

"Yes you're right." She smiled. "Then, if you need to break the rules, you can call me my name then?"

"That mistress is something that I wouldn't do." He stood up. "I may have a big mouth but I'm not a risk taker like baka neko."

"Oh…" That was so close but he dodged the bullet. At least he's not as cold as before.

"Mistress!" Shigure danced at the door happily. "It's time to try out the dress!"

"I should leave you now…" Yuki bowed low and left.

Tohru got up from her bed and took the dress from Shigure. "Um, I think you too should wait downstairs, Gure-san." She giggled.

"Oh yes, gomen, see you later!" he smiled as he closed the door.

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

"Do you think somebody's going to assassinate her now?" Hiro asked.

"That can't happen." Kisa said.

"And somebody might go up there and witness her being naked---" he stopped as he felt Yuki's hand on his head.

"What did you say?" Yuki asked as he raised his sword.

"Nothing…" he sang. "Hey, it's already modern times. How come you still have a sword?"

"What's your problem anyway?" he asked coldly.

"Nothing…" he whispered.

The opened and Haru came in panting. All of them stared at him. "I… have… a… message… for… Tohru-kun… from… Aya-san…"

"Ne what is it?" Kagura asked. "Is it about the dress? Is there something wrong on the dress?"

"Well… Aya-san said… that… the dress is not yet finished."

"But Tohru has the dress right now!" Gure said.

"But… the dress is really not yet finished!'" Haru argued. "The dress is still with him 7 hours ago!"

All of them sweatdropped. "Okay, okay…" Haru sighed. "Maybe I'm not fitted for a messenger."

"You figured that out already?" Hiro asked insultingly. "We just told you that ever since master gave you the job!"

"Where is she, by the way?" Haru asked, changing the subject.

"She's in her room, dressing up." Yuki asked.

"And you knew?"

"I was here when she said, 'I'm going to try it out'." Yuki glared.

"Or, you were there when she tried to dress up!" the cow concluded.

"This is wrong." The nezumi said. "You should be arguing with baka neko!"

"I don't have time to argue with him." he explained. "SO how was she? Is she hot? Good for the bed?"

"Don't push it." He warned. "Anyone who insults her will be picking on me. Remember, I won't handle you lightly."

"Is that part of the order, or you just plainly care for her?" Haru asked.

"Or you LOVE her!" Kagura dreamed. "Finally, a Sohma can be rich!!!"

"No, I wasn't allowed to love, right?" Yuki reminded.

"But if you WERE allowed, you would love her, right?" Kisa asked.

Yuki looked away and remained silent.

They're trying to make me confess. I don't love her… because who am I to love her anyway?

But that was something I didn't think about.

What if I was allowed to love her?

What am I  after anyway?

"Money…" he murmured.

"What?"

"We know why we are here." He reminded.

"DO we still have to do that?" Hiro complained.

"It's against our will but Akito wants us to do it." He whispered.

"I'm finished!" Tohru yelled. All of them saw Tohru walked down the stairs and twirled around her new dress. It was a long white silk dress.

"Mistress, do you think it's a bit… simple?" Kagura asked.

"I like it being simple. I'm not as rich as everyone else." She smiled. "Did you see father?"

"He left after I got up to your room. He said that it's an emergency." Gure explained.

"Oh… He did not even called me and say goodbye." She whispered sadly.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon." Kisa said. Then the phone rang. Hiro reached out and answered it.

"Hello… yes… we're alright, sir…" he said. "Uh… okay… I'll tell her…Good day sir…" then he hung up.

"Who's that?" Yuki asked.

"That was your father, Tohru-kun." He replied sadly. "He'll… be late tonight."

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

"Hey," Yuki went in Tohru's room and sat beside her. "You didn't eat your dinner."

"I won't eat unless my father's here." She whispered.

"He doesn't want you to be like this."

"I don't want him to suffer because of his work." She explained. "I kept on telling him that he shouldn't work so hard."

"He's working because he has a special mouth to feed." He smiled.

She smiled. "You know I think you're beginning to blend in."

"Maybe. I'm just sick of having a cold attitude." He replied.

"It's because of my father, right?"

"Maybe." It's not really him.

"Thank you… for cheering me up." She looked at him sweetly.

"I just talked to you."

"Seeing someone smile makes me happy." She explained. "I wish I could make you happy too."

"You don't have to." He said. "You don't have to push yourself too hard."

"You think so?"

"I'll do anything to keep you alive."

"Am I going to die?" she asked and Yuki laughed.

"Forget it. Just try not to put yourself in tiring circumstances." He smiled. "Please promise me that."

"Of course…"

"Thank you." He was about to leave the room when he turned around. "By the way, even if it's very simple and my sick brother made it, you look beautiful in that dress."

"Really?"

"May I ask what was that for?"

"Oh, it's my birthday next week." She smiled. "There'll be a celebration here, I think."

"Really?" he smiled. "Happy birthday, then."

"Thank you."

Yuki closed the door behind him.

Now this is another problem. This must be some kind of a diversion.

If there's a celebration, there will be spies everywhere. He clenched his fist. "They might kill her on her birthday. I must warn them."

Tohru looked out of her bedroom window. He smiled……, she thought. I knew it. He still has hope. He can blend in. He can change to be a better person.

I hope that's something I can accomplish before those people kill me.