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Date:  part one
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Sakuno gazed through the windows of the jewellery store and smiled to herself. 

'That one looks perfect' she thought.  She stood in front of the store with her hands crossed delicately behind her back and continued observing the dainty chains in the display window.  Just as she spotted Tezuka in the glass reflection she felt his fingertips brush hers.

"Did you wait long?" he asked looking into her eyes through the reflections of glass.  She shook her head.

Only a few days ago, he had suggested they spend a day in the city together.  They've been on dates before, but recently they've both been terribly busy with school work and hadn't been able to squeeze in a special day, but now that chance had come up.

Originally they were going to go together, but early that morning Sakuno had called him up to tell him she'd meet him in the city at noon.

"How long?" he asked as she turned to face him.

"hmmm….ni-ju-pun gurai." She answered.

"Twenty minutes??"

"It wasn't that long really." She laughed.  He sighed and let his eyes wander over her.  Today she had chosen a red thick-strap singlet, and a white knee-length skirt, her hair high up.  She was like a breath of fresh air, and with that smile always on her face, Tezuka couldn't think of anyone or anything more beautiful.

"What were you doing out here so early?" he asked as they began walking.

"Grandma wanted to buy a present for my cousin's upcoming birthday.  So she took me out here bright and early afraid someone might get to whatever she wanted before her." She explained while casually swinging their entwined hands slightly back and forth.

"Did she say anything when you said you'd be staying out here?"

She stopped, halting him as well.

"Nani ka?" She laughed.

"She shook her head and said 'You go on and have fun, but don't take up all of Tezuka's time.  He's a very busy young man.'" She said imitating her grandma slightly.  "It's just like her to say something like that…mou…I guess I'll have to go home early, so she doesn't ask me how I wasted your time."

"We're spending all day together," he told her pulling her a little closer. "And if she asks, I'll call her and tell her the very reason why." 

"She already knows Tezuka.." Sakuno said smiling him, silently reminding him of the day her grandma found out.

The truth is, her grandma was absolutely fine with it.  She was rather surprised as well as shocked, was relatively happy but had put on an act chastising them both.

"Not today's reason though."

"Today's? What is it?" he tugged on her hand and pulled her along the pathway.  "neh! Tezuka!! What is it today?" he stayed silent and kept walking pulling her along.  She slapped his hands softly and laughing.  "Neh tell me!"

Finally she just speeded up and stood in front of him, stopping him. 

"You'll see later." He said with a devilish glint in his eyes.  She bit her lip and narrowed her eyes in mock anger.  "I'm not going to forgive you." 

But how could she not, when he looked handsome and elegant?  How could she not, when he does things out of the ordinary for her?  She gazed up at his attractive face and felt her heart flutter yet again.

'How did I ever end up with someone as good as him?' she asked herself for the thousandth time since they dated.  His long brown hair swayed softly in the wind as he stood with his eyes glued on hers.  He wore a simple thin white and navy blue v-neck sweater, that showed the curve of his neck elegantly, and baggy white pants.

"I'll see to it that you will." He smiled.

'I can't seem to control myself around her.  Smiles and laughs just seem to appear all the time. There's just something about her, I can't explain it.  She completes me in a way I never knew I was ever incomplete.  She's standing there trying to be angry at me, and I all I can think about, is how much I feel for her.'

"Mou…" she pouted a little when she saw he really wasn't going to tell her.  She gave it one last go.  "Tell me or I'm going to kiss you until you tell me!" she demanded.

'No matter how much she means to demand, it doesn't sound like she's demanding.  She's too soft for that'

"You can try, but I won't give in to something I like doing so much."  She appeared startled for a second that he was so honest.  He chuckled slightly, and reached out and stroked her cheek tenderly.

"Later. I promise."

"Yakusoku suru. Kunimitsu-kun." She finally smiled.  No one besides his parents and grandfather ever called him by anything but Tezuka, but every now and then she liked to call him by his name.  Except for Eiji, who always got away with calling him Mitsu-chan.

They began walking again, Tezuka feeling warmth in his chest at her sudden possessive reference. 

As they walked past a row of small shops, ranging from accessories, stationery, arcade games, toys and more, Sakuno was particularly interested in one.  The photoshop.  She looked wistfully in its direction as they drew closer to it.

"Neh Tezuka…" she began.

"How about a photo?" he suggested. 

"HONTOU?!" she thought it was going to take some work to get him to stand in something so girly and childish, but she had always thought about taking just one set of fun photos with him.

As they stood in front of the machine, the top half of their bodies were hidden under the piece of material used to block out the outside background.  He had rarely taken photos, but this was a new experience to him and was quite unsure what to do.  As he waited for her to make the selections, he stood tall enough to lean on the top of the machine with his arm and rested his forehead against it, while his other arm was around her, but his hand rested on the panel.

"You seem to be an expert at this."

"Mmm…not really. Tomo-chan always takes me in here." She answered.  "Dekita! Hora Tezuka."  The chirpy voice belonging to a little anime character in the machine began counting down.  Sakuno smiled as the first shot was taken.  She slipped her arm around his waist and pulled him forward towards the screen.  They stood so close that he nose brushed his jaw when she looked straight up at him.  He was looking intently in the screen, and she smiled to herself. 

"Tezuka…"she whispered softly.  He turned his face down to her.  She quickly stood up on her toes and planted a kiss on his lips.  He could taste her strawberry lip gloss.  "Just relax.  Be yourself.  Just as long as you're in it is enough Tezuka.  You don't need to strain yourself."

'Your voice alone comforts me.  Your words of comfort and understanding floods through me like it's unstoppable.'

He wrapped his arms around her waist and felt her lean back against his chest and for the remaining shots they had left, neither paid attention to smiling prettily, they just did what came natural to them.

tbc