Since my birthday is coming, and I feel I haven't been making much progress as a writer so far, I decided to wipe the slate clean and delete all my stories. Well, except for the most recent one although I really feel like deleting it because it is not getting me anyway. One shot on Rui.

Disclaimer applies as usual. No Rui, no Tsukushi, no F4 or any part of HYD belongs to me.

Rain.

It started to rain. It was a rain that was not heavy, yet not really light. The kind of rain where one could only stare uncertainly out of the window, wondering if one should go out.

Rui sat on the floor, flicking through the various television channels. Finally, he gave up and tossed the remote control to one side and glanced at the wall clock. Ten am. By Rui's standards, ten was not a good time to be watching television, and certainly not awake.

He just had to wake up early today. It was one of those funny feelings one gets. Butterflies in your stomach, your eyes open when they should be closed, your mind drifting not to slumberland but doing some active work like thinking.

Rui had thought a lot the night before, tossing and turning in his bed. He had thought of the F4. Literally brothers sworn to loyalty, he could not imagine how life would be without them. For one, life would be much more peaceful without them. No more worrying about Tsukasa getting into another fight, no more nonsense from Soujirou and Akira flirting around, no more late nights spent clubbing.

And no more fun too.

Rui sighed and settled back into his sofa. Well more like a pile of cushions. After consistent nagging from Tsukushi to get something to at least spruce up his almost Spartan room which proved to fall on deaf ears, Tsukushi had arrived at his doorstep one day armed with a load of cushions and dumped them onto his bedroom floor.

"There, that will help!" She busied herself arranging them and finally smiled; satisfied that she had played a part in the makeover effort for his room.

Ah yes, Tsukushi was always like that. And that was exactly why he sat up to take notice of her from the very first time they met. She had been strong headed and one could say she had pushed her way into the F4's lives, unintentionally. Which was the very beauty of it.

She had somehow penetrated into his comfort zone, but he did not mind at all. Not one bit. Simply because she was Tsukushi.

Or rather, he had been pushing down the very fact that he did have feelings for her. Rui chuckled and stared out of the window again. The rain continued to fall, gently now. Its pattering on the window seemed more of little bells tinkling. It somehow brought life to the dry, hard earth by watering it, giving it the much-needed moisture.

Tsukushi had always liked it when it was raining. Apart from the fact that she could get good buys at the market because no one shopped when it was raining, she liked the feeling of the sun shining again after the rain stopped.

"It warms your heart and body!" She had proudly declared to him. He had merely smiled.

And perhaps that was why Tsukushi had always been special. Just then, the vibration of his hand phone snapped Rui out of his thoughts. A reminder for a breakfast appointment with Tsukushi today at 10:30am. Tsukushi must have set it for him.

No wonder he could not sleep well. He just knew he had something on. The doorbell rang on cue and Rui could hear Tsukushi's cheery voice greeting the housekeeper. 20 more seconds and she would be knocking on his door.

"Rui! HANAZAWA..." Before she could finish her sentence, he opened it.

"Good morning Tsukushi." Tsukushi stared at him, momentarily shocked.

"You are up early today!"

"All thanks to your reminder." He held up his phone and she laughed.

"Let's go then!" They walked out together and he listened as she babbled on about how she had managed to kick Tsukasa again for being an asshole on their date the day before, how she managed to get yet another good buy at the market and so on.

The rain stopped and the sun peeked out from the overhead clouds.

"Rui! Isn't it just great to feel the sun shining again?" Tsukushi grinned widely. Rui looked up at the sky and smiled.

"Yeah, it is."

And he yawned.

End

I am tired! I am tired! Okay, ignore this insane person here trying to act cute when she really isn't. Would appreciate it if you could review it! Your reviews keep me writing on! Arigato!