That very next day, Hatori was busily fixing his documents when he heard a knock at his door. It opened and a head of a child poked inside. "Hatori-san?" Kisa called.

"Kisa… come in." he called back.

Kisa helped herself with the biscuits she found on his desk. "Who made these?"

"Kagura. She's planning to give Kyou some today." He murmured. "I haven't touched those since… you know, something might happen to me."

"But they're good…" she whispered and handed him some. He then took one and ate it. "Have you seen ne-san?"

"Tohru?" he repeated. "I don't know… must have been spending some time with Yuki as usual."

"What do you mean "as usual"?" she laughed. "A day has passed and nothing happened."

"Nothing? How would you explain Yuki accompanying Tohru to his room?" Hatori grinned at the child. Suddenly, Kisa's smiled faded.

"You're joking…"

"I saw them before they went to bed."

Kisa ran out of the room quickly and Hatori chuckled. "I guess she couldn't take that joke."

Tohru was happily humming while she was fixing her things in her OWN cabinet. Yes, she has moved to Momiji's house as requested by Yuki himself. At that very day, her things were brought by his servants to Momiji's house and Momiji happily welcomed Tohru in.

Tohru stared at the roses that Yuki gave to her when they were at the balcony that night. He smiled at her warmly as he gave it to her.

She remembered that feeling. It was so romantic!!! Under the moonlight, during a ball and alone with a bouquet of flowers in his hand! Okaa-san, I was about to faint at that time but… he kept on telling me that I shouldn't be nervous! She smiled at herself. We were friends, Okaa-san, but now he is trying to tell me how much he… No, I just can't guess.

This was the most romantic night ever. I have never felt so—

"Tohru?"

Tohru got up from the bed and looked at the door. "Kagura-san!"

The boar came in with a plate of cookies. "HELLO, dear relative!" she sat near Tohru.

"Relative?" she asked innocently.

Kagura stared at her. "Don't tell me he hasn't proposed yet."

This panicked Tohru for a while. "Pr-propose? Kagura! What are you thinking???"

"The same thing the other Sohmas thinks." She smiled. "Momiji thought that Yuki proposed already and that's the reason why he welcomed you in because you are his future wife!"

"W-What?!" okaa-san, where did they get this idea???

"If I know, you like that kind of idea." She snarled.

Tohru got up and stared at her. "What are you talking about? We're just friends! I mean… I was asked to dance with him and… spend a little private time together, but that doesn't mean we're… you know!"

"But that's the idea, Tohru-kun, that is it!" Kagura raised her hands and lowered her voice. "Yuki has never, I mean NEVER, been like this before! We are cousins and in sixteen years, Tohru, I observed him and I have never seen him like this!"

"Tohru, even though you know that you did nothing, well you just did." The boar smiled. "You changed his life."

"I-I did…?" she questioned.

"Yes, you did." Kagura grinned. "And it shouldn't be put to waste!"

Nani?

"Go and propose to him!"

"Nani???"

"Propose to her?"

Yuki lifted his head up to look at Haru who was sitting on a tree branch. He had been working in his garden for an hour and finally, Haru shoved that topic to his face. "Are you sure this is the right time?"

"Of course it is! Look, you've already gave her the vibe and all you have to do is to tell her how you feel!" Haru winked. "If you can speak publicly as the future mayor, you can also speak in front of a woman, right?"

"Yes but…" he paused for a moment as he picked the best tomatoes and placed it in his basket. "This is… Tohru…"

"So what? She like everybody else---"

"No." he answered firmly. "No, she's not. She's different and…"

"Yuki, between the two of you, you should make the first move!" Haru encouraged him. "Believe me, she also wanted you to do it."

"To do what?"

"Propose?" Tohru questioned her again. "I should do it?"

"Oh, you know Yuki." Kagura giggled. "He's a bit shy… and that's one thing that Akito doesn't want from him as the future mayor."

"I don't know… I haven't done this before…"

"That's ok!" Kagura slapped her from the back. "First timers end well!"

"Well?" Yuki stared at his cousin.

"Why? Don't you believe me?" Haru asked. "I've heard this from Kagura. First timers end well. And they can live happily ever after!"

"You sounded like those people on those books." The nezumi grinned. "Are you reading those books?"

"ME?! NO!" Sheesh, this guy is hard to convince. "Just propose to her, will you?" Haru mumbled.

Sheesh, she's hard to convince. "Just try to be there for him, ok?"

"But what if it happens?" Tohru asked suddenly.

"Then tell him what you feel." Kagura stopped and snuggled closer to Tohru. "Hey, what do you feel about my cousin anyway?"

Tohru thought for a while and smiled. "Okaa-san once said that if one is isn't sure, one should not jump to conclusions."

"Which means…?"

"I don't know yet." Tohru ended the conversation. She stood up and went towards the door. "I have to meet my friends. Do you want to see them?"

"No…" Kagura shook her head. "I'll see you later then."

Tohru then left the room.

"Yes, yes I understand." Hatori hung up the phone as Haru came in. "SO, any luck?"

"This guy is hard to convince." Haru sat on the guest chair lazily. "Are you sure this is what you did next to Kana?"

"Yes… maybe no…" Hatori thought. "I'm sure I proposed to her because of the ball…" The phone suddenly rang and Hatori got it. "Yes, Sohma residence."

"Are you sure you proposed to her after?" a voice rang on the other end.

"I'm sorry, I'm not so sure." The doctor replied calmly. "What happened Kagura?"

"She's HARD to convince." Kagura called out. "I mean, is Kana like this?"

"I think so. It also took me a lot time to make her love me…"

Haru stared at the doctor. "You are persuasive sometimes…"

"Thank you, and that is because I'm a doctor." Hatori grinned.

"What should we do now, Hatori-san?" Kagura asked him.

"I can't believe that I'm saying this but… we have to ask somebody else to convince him." Hatori wondered. "Sombody who knows better than us."

"That gave me an idea… but don't tell me it's them?!" Kagura yelled on the phone.

"Oh, you're back!" Uo hugged her friend tightly. "Finally, you came back and stepped inside!"

"Yeah, I sure did." Tohru smiled. "So, how did it go?"

"I think Hanajima is doing well will that seer thing so she put up a shop near the marketplace. DO you want to see?" Uo asked.

"Of course I want to."

"Yes… Yes I will inform him." Momiji seriously placed the handset back. That's odd. I've heard that voice before. Maybe it's… no, it can't be. I must really inform Hatori because of this. He then stopped and sniffed.  "Smells good…"

Kagura got out from the kitchen with 5 boxes. "I made cookies for everybody!"

"…but that's 5 boxes!"

"I can only carry 5, dummy!" Kagura snorted. "Anyway, who called?"

"Some guy whose name is Meiko." Momiji explained. "Long distance from Japan. He's looking for the Hatori. I told him that I will inform Hatori about his call."

"Oh… but why can't you just give him the number of the mansion?"

"I… can't. Don't worry, he understood me anyway…" Momiji smiled suspiciously.

After a few moments, Kagura left him alone. He then dialed the number of the mansion. "Hatori?"

"Momiji." Hatori's coarse voice came. "What is it?"

"Have you gotten a call from a person name Meiko?"

Hatori thought for a moment. "No, I don't think so. Why?"

"Hatori, I think this Meiko is someone we know." Momiji whispered. "His voice sounded familiar, really."

"Tell me what you mean."

Momiji paused. "Has Akito informed you when he'll get back?"

"Ooh, this is a cool store!" Tohru cheered happily as she stared at the Hana's stall.

"You think so? I still think it's all do purply-ly." Uo sighed. "Oh what the heck! Let's go in!"

"No, there might be customers!" she withdrew her friend.

"Customers, bustomers!" Uo snarled. "We're VIP's! We're free to go in and out!!

Uotani shoved her in and found one customer in front of Hanajima.

"Tohru…" Hana chanted. "I sensed your arrival. Welcome to my sanctuary!"

"Uh…yeah, right." Uo snarled.

The customer looked around and stared mysteriously at Tohru. He shrugged back his short silvery hair and his dark but pale eyes rested on hers. His lips for a grin, and opened for a short greeting. "Hello…" he said.

Tohru felt the shivers but, as usual, she smiled with ease. "Ohayo, I'm Honda Tohru."

"Honda… Tohru-san?" his face became dim and smiled again. "Please to meet you."

He paused for a moment and grinned, "I'm Meiko."

At LAST, I updated! So much for the work in school. I still have to do things over the Christmas vacation. Sheesh, is this really life? Anyway, thank you all for waiting for this next chapter! I myself wanted to update this story...