Kanagawa City

Once the ice was broken, Shio and Kiriko kept on talking during the past three days. They talked about many things. Well, Kiriko talked more than he did. When she got into a discussion about friends, Shio became very quiet and took note on how she talked about her 'so called' best friend Saganno. She brought him up many times during their past conversations. Shio could see she had deep feelings for him. It was kind of hard to believe that Saganno was just her friend. Kiriko had asked him a question but he didn't hear her. His thoughts were considering her relationship with this Saganno.

"Did you hear me?" Kiriko poked him in the arm. "Hey, don't start going Mister Quiet Guy on me again."

He didn't say anything at first then he finally spoke up. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Kiriko started laughing. "Who! Saganno! Yeah right!"

"Well….it's just the way you talk about him. He sounds like your boyfriend more than your friend." Shio said matter-of-factly.

Kiriko stopped laughing. "The way I talk about him? What do you mean?"

Shio kept his eyes on the path as he spoke; "You talk about him as though you are in love with him. You said that you two have known each other since childhood. I'm positive some feelings have developed over the years."

"Yes I love him like the brother I should have had instead of the ones I do have. But I'm not in love with him. I just don't see him like that."

"Do you think he has stronger feelings for you?"

Kiriko thought about his question for a moment. "Nah, I mean….we're practically family."

Shio looked at her. "Yeah…the key word here is practically not completely. I'm guessing that he's glad he's not your brother or cousin because then it would be wrong to have feelings for you. On the other hand, he family in the technical sense therefore he has the freedom to be more then just your 'friend' if you wanted him to be."

Kiriko looked up at Shio. Their eyes met for a brief minute. Finally, he turned his away from her. Kiriko had the strangest feeling that he was jealous. However, she wasn't sure if he was jealous of Saganno or the fact that she had a best friend.

"Well, tell me about your friends."

"I don't have any." He answered curtly.

Kiriko found this hard to believe. "You mean you have absolutely no friends what so ever?"

He didn't answer her.

"Oh come on Shio, you're pullin my leg. That can't be…" The look that he gave her told her that he was dead serious and that he didn't want to talk about it anymore. She got the point. They were quiet for a moment but it didn't last. This no friends thing was really bothering her. So she asked him a more personal question.

"Well, I know you have a girlfriend?"

"I haven't found a woman worthy enough for me." He stated very arrogantly.

Kiriko burst out laughing; "What! Worthy enough for YOU! Oh give me a brake. You are NOT all that."

"Are you kidding? Kiriko, I am fine and you know it."

She laughed some more. "Oh please! You wish!" She was lying through her teeth because Shio was beyond handsome. He was almost God-like.

Shio looked at her with a cocky grin on his face. "You know you shouldn't lie. Just admit it. I'm the finest thing your little virgin eyes have ever seen."

She laughed harder. "HA! HA! Why don't you just get over yourself! You know your nothing but a scruffy-peeping-" She gasped.

Shio grab her arm and lifted her up into a bear hug until she was mere inches away from his lips. "Then why do you look at me the way you do?" He whispered with a naughty smirk on his face.

Kiriko stared at him wide eyed. He held her in his bear hug a longer than she expected. He knew she wouldn't answer but he still wanted to see that cute blush etch its way across her face. She wiggled out of his grasp just as her face was turning its famous shade of cherry. Once she was free, she turned her head. "W-what d-do you m-mean by t-that?" Do I look at him a curtain way?

Shio didn't say anything. He only snickered and continued to walk. Kiriko desperately tried to calm herself. Her face was severely flushed. Once she got herself under control, she caught up with him. This time it was her turn to be the quiet one.

"You're not going quiet on me are you?" He looked down at her. Shio was trying hard to remove the grin off his face.

"No." She answered sheepishly. What does he mean? Have I been staring at him like some googly eyed pre-teen?

"Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

Shio chuckled. "There no need for you to be so quiet. It's okay for you to admit that you have a crush on me."

Kiriko almost choked on her own spit. "WHAT! You have GOT to be kidding! I can't STAND your ass!" Kiriko yelled.

Shio laughed harder. "Yeah, you really sound convincing."

This made Kiriko angry. She grabbed his arm and spun him around so that he was facing her. She did it so fast that it knocked the laughter out of him. He looked at her with wide eyes as she spoke directly into his face. "First of all, I don't look at you a certain way! You just WISH I would look at you a certain way! Your huge ego just can't get over the fact that your little sexy red eyes and smile isn't making me melt in your presence the way it must do other females! You need to get over yourself! Because the truth is that the only person around here that likes you …is… YOU!"

Shio stared at her with a slightly shocked expression on his face.

Kiriko folded her arms over her chest. I sure told him off, she thought with a smirk.

"So…" A small smile formed on his lip, "…you think my eyes are sexy?"

Kiriko's arms dropped to her sides and her face went bright scarlet.

Shio burst into hysterical laughter.

She turned around and stomped away from him.

"Kiriko, you like me soooo much."

She turned around to say something else but then stopped when she remembered Kenji used to say that to Meya all the time. I know how Kenji feels about Meya……….maybe Shio feels that way about me. Cause he sure does tease me a lot just like Kenji does to Meya. The thought made her smile.

Shio laughter faded when he saw the little smile on her face. "What? Why are you smiling like that?"

"Oh I was just thinking…..um never mind. Look there's a good place to camp tonight" Kiriko ran towards an opening amongst the trees.

Shio leaned against a tree watching her prepare some dinner. He didn't bring up the fact that she totally dismissed their earlier conversation. In a way, he was kind of glad. It was getting too personal.

Ever since they left the cave three days ago, he got a feeling that she had a little crush on him, but after her little speech, he wasn't too sure. He could have sworn that he caught her staring or blushing at him a couple of times but maybe it was wishful thinking.

Shio turned his gaze from Kiriko then he looked up at the stars, as his mind kept remembering this feeling he got after they rolled off the hillside.

When she didn't move, he became very worried that she might be unconscious. However, when she woke up and stared into his eyes the way she did, he couldn't move. Beside the fact that she was on top of him, her eyes had literally kept him pinned to the ground. He could still feel her smooth skin in his palm and her warm breath on his lips. Her intense stare made his heart race. Part of his mind kept screaming for her to get off him before he did something he would regret. On the other hand, another part of his mind was begging for her not to move. This part of his subconscious wanted to taste her lips, hold her tightly in his arms and kiss her forever. Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately), she had sat up breaking the hold that was on him. Once it was broken, he had wanted her off him immediately because a blush was starting to creep into his own cheeks and he really didn't want her to see that.