'Promise you'll never say a word?

Yeah, they wouldn't like this'

To Takato's surprise Ruki ended up staying for quite a while, enjoying herself as she ate and watched a mystery movie. But he was happy, especially since she sat beside him. About half way through the film, Jen's snores started to get a little too loud.

"Hey, I think he's out…" Ruki elbowed Takato gently at the ribs. His legs still sleeping, he pushed himself up, regained balance, and then started poking Jen on the head.

"Hey…Jen…C'mon…Turn off your cell phone!…"

"Wha..?"

"Go to bed man!" pulling Jen up by his shirt, Takato dragged him as fast as he could to his room and dropped him on the edge of the bed. Jen's arms and torso the only things keeping him from falling off.

"There ya go," Takato said as he plopped himself right beside Ruki. Minutes went on as he tried several times to strike up conversation, but he was at a complete loss. All he could do was look at her through the side of his eye.

'I don't get it, I've broken the ice…But why am I still scared to talk to her?' annoyed, he scratched his head and looked back to the TV. The movie had been growing steadily in suspense, the hero alone in his room, was making his soliloquy. Takato being a little out of focus, picked up just a few sentences…

'They don't know, they don't even realize…They can't understand…Why did he do that? Why did he kill him for me?… Either way I end this one of us will die… God! And she used me!! That night…ARGH!!!' Takato looked up to see him tearing? The hero began to whimper 'I don't get it… I-I did everything for her, and she still uses me like this…'

"Ah man…" Takato turned away, the movie reminding him too much of his personal life… But it did end up getting him what he wanted…

"Are you getting emotional on me?" Ruki asked.

"No I…" his voice becoming too choked to continue. So that nothing could seep out he shut his eyes tightly and moved his face away. He laughed a bit to appear unhindered, but then Ruki turned off the TV. His senses just a little clear, he asked, puzzled. "Sorry, ah- You don't want to watch the rest??"

She didn't answer, making him even more perplexed. So finally, knowing that his eyes were dry enough, he turned to face her again. She was looking at him very attentively, letting her eyes bare into him. Yes he was scared, but even more to turn away.

But she didn't move, she just stared at him. Was she expecting him to do something? Was he supposed to say something so profound and perfect for the moment? Could he even do that??? Takato's mouth became dry as he constantly kept swallowing something down. Fear perhaps?

"Are you, crying?" With her last question, Takato didn't know either to be relieved or ashamed. Takato babbled, completely unaware he was doing it. Then she asked, quite slowly, as if it was the first time she had ever, "Are you okay?"

He looked at her again. Her face and eyes wore a sympathetic expression. It's been a long time since he'd had seen this kind of face, and although a bit awkward, he confided.

"Sorry, it's just, what that guy said, about how he was used…" he exhaled hoarsely. "It reminds me too much… of my girlfriend."

"I know, how you feel." She lowered her eyes, "But there's no use crying over it… I mean, you should be feeling angry."

He sulked, "This is different, I still…" but then something made him stop. She had put her hand on his shoulder.

"It's all the same in some way," she clenched her jaw as she tried to continue. "When people take advantage of you, they do, and is whatever you feel worth all that pain?"

"I thought it was, but now…" he paused to think. "…I want to move on, but I'm still worried about her, we've been through so much… and I can't see it, just end."

He watched her get up from her seat as he waited for any sort of comment. Any sort. But she didn't seem to want to continue. Feeling like he may have asked for too much, he followed her to the door to say goodbye. They had just reached it when he felt something-warm touch his face. His eyes widened as he realized. She was kissing him on the cheek. He blushed furiously, but also trying to listen to her words.

"There's no point holding on when there's nothing to hold onto…" She moved closer to his ear. "Don't let yourself be a slave, summoned to their bidding and doing it because you think there is no one else…"

"But is there…" He whispered, taking in her scent. "…someone else?"

She didn't answer. But he did feel like, for the first time, he was allowed to look into her eyes. His heart raced… 'Take a chance.'

So he kissed her, on the lips...

He took it in, it was gentle, slow, so unlike most adult tactics. It was almost adolescent, but he knew why. He wanted to take it, little by little…

'Ha, they're just jealous

Because they can't hear our music'

Takato stretched out with all his flexibility as he woke up for the first time in a long time, in complete and utter happiness. In some way, it almost seemed wrong.

"Yo Takato! C'mon and eat or else I'm going to take it all for lunch!!" Jen's warnings came through the door but Takato seemed completely unaffected when he came bouncing along into the little living room. Confused, "What's with you? Did something happen last night?"

"Aww…nothing" he smiled.

"….Aw nothing??" Jen threw his chopsticks at him. One for causing the pain in his back for leaving him on the edge of the bed and the other for his goofy behavior.

Takato burst like a child full of pent up energy, "I kissed her! I mean, she kissed me! I mean, ah! She's so beautiful…."

"Oh. Finally some good news to hear. So is that all or is there more?"

Against his will Takato blushed furiously, but he was happy to say that nothing really did happened after…

"Damn, and here I was hoping for nothing!" At that, Jen threw a chicken bone at him, hitting him right between the eyes.

Takato skipped merrily along the sidewalk, kicking brown slushy snow here and there. Ignoring the squishy wet sounds his shoes made each step. With a new found hope in his heart and some money in his pocket, he wouldn't let anything, no matter how big or small, ruin this very moment. And at that, he hopped right in to a flower shop.

"Hey, is it me or someone actually happy around here." The bartender greeted him as he stepping inside.

"Naw…well, you could say that…" Takato laughed as he let the one flower spin between his fingers.

"So, is that for me, or the singer who you've been gawking at for the past couple of months." The bartender smiled, revealing a lovable grin, explaining why so many could be found at such a small little café. It felt like a home that one could only dream of.

"Oh sorry man, my bad." Takato laughed. "Hey I won't forget you next time."

"Yeah whatever," The bartender smirked, "Get out of here and go give it to her already, she's backstage setting up."

"Haha, hey, thanks Hirokazu."

"Yeah, whatever." He chuckled.

He slowly made his way through he curtains, aiming to surprise her. But what he heard surprised him more then he ever thought could.

"Don't give that to me. I know when you're lying. Heck, it's like we're married." Takato hid within the shadows, trying hard to hold onto his breath. It was then that he heard the voice he wished was never there.

"Shut up Ryo, it's bad enough you act like this in public."

"Oh Ruki, if you just tell me why you weren't at the conference you were supposed to be at, then maybe I'd give you a break…"

"A conference is not what you call a sex party." Takato's eyes bulged at the thought. But was even more alarmed when he heard a bang. He peeked to find that Ryo had pushed her against the wall, trapping her in his grip. Takato had to strain his ears to pick up on Ryo's hushed words.

"Sometimes I wonder why I even ask. I know where you were. You were with Takato weren't you?"

"Oh yeah? You, sending out a private spy? Could someone be jealous?"

"Of course not, I mean, you didn't do anything…" It was quiet. Takato couldn't take it anymore. He turned, only to find that Ruki was, blushing… Ryo's voice seemed weakened.

"He touched you?"

A pause.

"Holy f-ah I'm going to-to ARG!" he stormed across the room, pushing the curtains out of his way, just narrowly missing Takato himself.

Taking a second to recollect his composure, he slowly made his way to Ruki, who was sitting against the wall, head down upon her knees. Looking at her now, he was completely unsure of what to do. He was never usually the one to make the first move.

"Ah, Ruki?" he kneeled down in front of her, but she didn't look up. So he shook her by the arm, still nothing. He looked at his watch, it was almost time for her to perform. "Ruki? Are you going to sing tonight?"

She curled within herself even more this time. It was as if he wasn't there at all, but he was used to that. School prepared you for a lot of things.

"Just leave me alone…" Her voice came out soft, but to him it sounded weakened. Maybe it was just because he himself had said that so many times before, and never was it truthful… Since the first, he had hated this lie, whether spoken by him or another child, but it was the only way to prove who was truly there for you. Thinking back again his inner thoughts whispered, a change in their usual tone, 'She came to you like this remember? But now she's useless… Will you be like that to her?'

His eyes watered in fear and sorrow, and without doubt he embraced Ruki with all his might. The flower still held even more somberly then before.

"Ta-Takato?" He looked at her and saw her surprised expression. Before she could ask he interrupted her. The white rose appearing to symbolize hope she had never dreamed of.

He requested, his eyes shinning with innocence.

"Sing for me."