Disclaimer: I do not own Hana Yori Dango...wish I do but I really don't!

"You have to apologize to Tsukushi, what you said was mean. Girls aren't to be told they're ugly." Jiro, the gentleman among the four, told Tsukasa. The four were sitting on the couch in Tsukasa's mansion. They were talking about the event last week. It was a Saturday afternoon, and they went to the park only to find no sign of Tsukushi. So they headed straight to Tsukasa's house instead.

"Why would I? It was really her fault, wasn't it? She was so clumsy I'll guess she already tripped a thousand times before."

"But you should've seen the look on her face, she looked like she was going to cry." Akira said, remembering the look on Tsukushi's face after she struck Tsukasa.

"Well, did she cry? Maybe she did, she looks like a crybaby after all." Tsukasa said flatly, though he knew deep inside of him he really missed her, and he wants to see her...badly.

"She was fun. She's friendly too, you know." Three pairs of eyes darted to Rui as he said this. Who wouldn't be surprised? He doesn't talk like this. Normally he would just stare and observe a person, hiding what he thinks all to himself.

"Whoa! Rui don't tell us you like her too, just like Tsuka—"

"I don't like that girl! Why do you keep on insisting I like her?!" Tsukasa asked Akira, this time he's annoyed.

"Oh yeah? If you don't like her then why did you blush when Jiro said we'd be seeing her again???" Akira asked challengingly, with brows raising so high they can disappear into thin air.

"I...I...I wasn't blushing! It's hot in here and you know I have rosy cheeks!" Tsukasa tried to defend himself, but he can't deny the fact that he was smitten to Tsukushi. He had been unusually nice from the past week, laughing at Akira and Jiro's not-so-funny jokes, and he was caught smiling to himself several times.

"Tsukasa my man, you're such a bad liar!" Akira commented, putting his arm around Tsukasa's shoulder.

"Why don't you just say it...that you like her...then say sorry. You wouldn't know, maybe she likes you too. What do you think, huh...huh?" Akira's brows were moving up and down, and his infamous smile was flashing on his face.

"I won't say sorry to that girl. Not if she apologizes first!"

Yep, this was Tsukasa alright. Besides his good looks, it's his pride that was, well...so high. In his young age of eight he already has an established pride. Nothing and no one can get on his way, except for his sister, Domyouji Tsubaki. There was even a rule in his house: When Tsukasa said it, it shall be done. This rule was made when Tsukasa turned five. He was the only son and the heir to the whole Domyouji Empire. Letting him have what he wants was the way his parents show their love for him.

Years passed and their empire grew bigger than ever. His parents left for Switzerland to expand their business there. So he was left with Tsubaki instead. Now Tsubaki was a different issue. She's a tough girl with a hint of violence everytime she beats Tsukasa and shapes his personality. Well, let's just say that this was her 'unique' way of showing her love for her little brother.

"Tsukasa, stop being a snoop and say sorry to Tsukushi. So we can play again just what we did last time." Jiro pleaded to his friend. Surely all three of them wants to play with Tsukushi, she's really nice, just like Rui had described her.

"I'll say sorry if Rui will be on your side, which I doubt because he's clearly on my side!" Tsukasa boasted, just to be surprised by Rui's answer.

"Say sorry, Tsukasa. We're three against one, you lose." Rui told Tsukasa flatly, as though that settled the matter.

"Oh, even you Rui?! Sometimes I'm wondering why did you become my friends, you won't even back me up." Tsukasa said, pouting, realizing he had lost.

"Enough of that, you're making as cry. Waaaah!" Akira said, faking a cry before laughing really hard followed by Jiro who continued the teasing.

"Huhuhu...stop Tsukasa, you're saying as if we're not good friends!" Jiro acted then screeched in laughter, making Tsukasa smile and agree that they'd look for Tsukushi and say sorry. They're really F4, brothers 'til the end.

Tsukasa was quiet through out the ride; he was nervous about seeing Tsukushi and apologizing for mocking her. He didn't even notice that they had reached the park until Akira waved a hand in front him, bringing him back to reality.

"Hey bro. We're here, time to see princess!" Akira called to Tsukasa in a gleeful tone.

"Shut up, Aki." But Akira was right, it was time to see Tsukushi again. It was time to meet his princess. They walked their way to the park and saw a girl sitting on the ground. She had her head bent low so they couldn't see who she was. They walked faster and approached the girl.

"Is that you, Kushi?" Jiro asked.

Tsukushi looked up, and saw the four boys staring intently at her. The smile on her face appeared and she stood up to greet them.

"I thought you're not coming. I thought you're not going to play with me anymore when last time you said we're gonna see each other again." Tsukushi said accusingly, as if telling the boys that they weren't true to their promise. Then she noticed Tsukasa's presence, and met his eyes. For one fleeting moment they stopped and just stood there looking at each other. It was obvious in her eyes that she had come to see Tsukasa, but then again there was still the pain he caused her of telling her she's ugly. She's still a girl, she can be hurt though she had proven to many others that she was tough.

"Tsukasa came to tell you something." Akira said, breaking the tension building up in the air. He nudged Tsukasa and urged him to say sorry.

"Right. I came here not to see you but just to say sorry for what I said last time." Tsukasa held his head high, not wanting Tsukushi to sense that apologizing was just one of the reasons why he came. What Tsukasa had said didn't make any sense to the three boys, knowing that Tsukasa wanted to see Tsukushi as much as they do. But Tsukushi already squealed and threw himself at Tsukasa.

"Silly! I'm still a girl, and a boy should respect a girl, and boys are the ones who should apologize first. I'm sorry for calling you a stupid octopus. " Tsukushi whispered, hugging Tsukasa real hard. She was so happy because her friends were back, and she herself knew she likes Tsukasa. Tsukasa was dumbfounded, but he simply hugged her back.

What's with this girl? She had worn out my pride, and made me say the word I thought I wouldn't say in my whole life. Tsukasa thought to himself, while an unreadable smile crossed his face and made his cheeks red from blushing.

There was a little background on how Tsukasa lives his life as an eight- year-old kid...hope you like it! The next chapter will be the last one about their childhood and the real story will then unfold...