(Chapter Three: Ayame's Idea)

That evening Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki waited for the perfect opportunity to talk to Shigure. They were all silent at dinner and Shigure watched their worried expressions with much concern himself. He placed his rice bowl down and cleared his throat.

"I don't want to be nosy or anything" he replied, "But what's on your minds?"

"What do you mean Shigure?" Yuki asked as Tohru and Kyo looked at one another.

"Well the three of you, if you don't mind me saying for the past few days have looked so down. I was just wondering if there was something wrong."

"Actually" Tohru spoke up, "There is something."

"Um yea" Kyo nodded, "Something we wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh. What is it?" Shigure asked his interest now piqued.

"Well in order to tell you, we have to tell you something else" Kyo started, "But you have to promise, and seriously promise not to tell anyone in the family."

"All right. I promise."

"Not even Akito" Kyo replied seriously.

"My this must be some secret. All right Kyo I solemnly swear that nothing you say in this room tonight shall leave it. Is that fair enough?"

"Okay. Well for starters. Up at the summer house, Tohru and I we finally told each other that we love one another."

"Oh?" Shigure raised his eyebrow quite convincingly.

"Yea. But hardly anyone else in the family knows."

"I gather that Yuki knows" Shigure said.

"Yes I know. I've known for quite some time" Yuki replied.

"Oh I see."

"We wanted to tell you Shigure" Tohru said, "Just we weren't really sure how you would react."

Shigure smiled and took her hand.

"Tohru. Kyo. I can keep this a secret if it is what you really want. After all I kept Hatori and Kana's secret for so long. I can't be biased now can I?"

"You kept it a secret?" Yuki replied, "I thought Akito knew about it?"

"No actually he didn't. No one did, except for Aya and me. And we swore that we would keep the secret until he was ready to tell. I will the do the same for both of you."

"Thank you Shigure" Tohru replied with a smile.

"Yes thanks" Kyo added a bit relieved.

"My pleasure" Shigure grinned, "Now was there a second of all?"

"Yea. Now that you know this" Kyo began again, "We can tell you what is bothering us. Where to begin? Well, it started Monday. Tohru and I decided that making it official at school that we're a couple wasn't such a bad idea, so we did. Only it didn't turn out to be such a good idea after all" Kyo frowned on the last sentence.

"What do you mean?" Shigure asked leaning forward a little.

"Well" Yuki replied, "A rumor started around a school. One that involves myself, Miss Honda, and Kyo."

"A rumor? What did the rumor say?"

"That Miss Honda had dumped me for Kyo" Yuki continued as Shigure leaned back interested and with a perspective grin on his face, "And now the whole school either hates Miss Honda or Kyo, or are trying to date them. And as for me, I'm getting sympathy from left and right."

"I see" Shigure said, "Well that is quite a predicament."

"We want to know, well Haru suggested that we talk to you" Kyo replied, "Do you think you can help us?"

"By giving you" Shigure began, "I mean, help how? How do you want me to help you?"

"Well" Tohru said, "How can we convince the school that the rumor that's going around is false? That it's not true, and that Kyo and Yuki are not upset by the fact that I am with him."

"Hmm?" Shigure stood up, "You know what" he replied turning to look at all three of them, "The best person to help you with this particular problem, would be Aya."

"Are you serious?" Kyo asked angrily as Yuki lowered his eyes.

"How can Ayame help us?" Tohru replied.

"Aya knows a lot about rumors" Shigure sat back down, "First hand in fact. And the truth is he comes up with the best ideas as far as this sort of situation requires. If you want my advice, that's the best I can give you. You should go see Ayame. In fact I can call him up right now, and tell him that you'll be there tomorrow afternoon."

"Actually" Kyo said, "I don't know if we can do that, I mean Tohru's got to work."

"So why don't you and Yuki go and talk to him then?"

"I guess that's an idea" Yuki replied, "We could do that, if he really is the best person to speak to" he said with a bit of doubt in his words.

"I assure you Aya is the best. He can help you with your problem."

"I'm gonna go with you" Tohru replied as Shigure got up to make the phone call.

"What?" Kyo looked at her confused.

"I'm gonna go with you" she repeated, "I can always switch days. In fact I'm not really supposed to be going back tomorrow. I just chose to. They have a lot of workers tomorrow night, so I can easily call and say I'm not coming in. I don't want you guys to do this alone."

"Are you sure?" Kyo asked as Yuki nodded his head.

"Mhm. I'm sure. Besides it will be nice to see Ayame's shop again."

"Yea" Yuki agreed still doubting as Shigure came back into the room.

"All right" he replied as he sat back down, "It's all settled. He'll meet you at the store tomorrow."

"Okay" Kyo nodded still a bit wary.

"Okay" Tohru said with a grin.

"Great" Yuki replied with a deep sense of dread.

(Next Scene)

The next afternoon, as had been the custom the whole week, Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki remained after school till everyone had left. The day had been particularly difficult so they all sighed heavily as once more Hatsuharu and Momiji were their lookouts.

"Coast is clear!" Momiji said.

Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki came out of the bushes that they had been hiding in.

"So did you guys figure out something to do?" Hatsuharu asked, "I mean did you talk to Shigure?"

"Yea we talked to him," Kyo grumbled.

"Well what did he say?"

"He told us the best person to solve our problem" Kyo replied, "Was Ayame."

"Aya? Really?" Momiji said astonished.

"Yes" Yuki said, "We're on our way to his shop right now."

"Well good luck to you" Haru replied.

"Thanks you guys" Tohru said, "And thank you for your help again."

"Don't mention it Tohru" Momiji replied, "We'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Yea maybe by that time, you guys will figure something out, and you won't have to do this anymore" Haru added.

"Let's hope" Kyo said, "Well you damn rat, lead the way."

Yuki sighed and then walked towards the exit with Tohru right behind him, and Kyo following at a slow pace in the rear.

(Next Scene)

They arrived downtown and Kyo stared at the front of the store with a horrified frown on his face.

"Oh" Tohru exclaimed, "It looks like he changed the front a little bit."

"You have got to be kidding me?" Kyo replied.

"I wish I was" Yuki said, "Come on."

He led the way inside and Kyo gazed around the room. He frowned again and stared at the place confused.

"I thought" he began, "This is a fabric store?"

"I'm sorry but we're closed today" a young woman appeared.

She was dressed in a cute little nurse uniform, which was pale pink in color. Her glasses shone as she appeared and she smiled widely.

"Oh it's you little brother" Mine said with a smile, "I should have known."

"Hello again Miss Kurami" he replied politely.

"And Tohru you have come to visit us as well" Mine walked over and took her hand, "Ayame will be so happy. I don't believe that I have met this fellow" she looked at Kyo's confused face.

"Uh that is my cousin Kyo" Yuki replied, "Miss Kurami is my brother in?"

"Oh yes of course. He's in the back. Won't you come with me? He had the shop closed up just for this occasion" they walked to the back where they saw two couches and some tea waiting."

"Occasion?" Kyo raised an eyebrow.

"Of course it's always an important occasion when Ayame's younger brother comes to visit. Please sit and I'll get him for you."

"Thank you" Tohru said as they sat down.

Kyo nodded and then turned to the other two as she left the room.

"Who is that?"

"Oh that's Mine Kurami" Tohru explained, "She's Ayame's personal assistant."

"Oh. What is she wearing?"

"Her uniform" Yuki said.

"Oh. Funny it looked like a nurses uniform to me."

"It is a nurses uniform" Tohru replied.

"What kind of a store is this?"

"How nice of you to ask Lucky Kyo" Ayame appeared in the room, "I always adore it when people take an interest in my little store."

"Don't call me that" Kyo seethed as Ayame walked over and sat dramatically down.

"Oh Yuki I can't tell you how excited I was when Shigure said that you were coming to see me. I about burst with happiness. Oh and Princess Tohru you too. So glad that you could come."

"Thank you Ayame" Tohru nodded.

Kyo cleared his throat angrily to get his attention.

"Ahem!"

"Of course" Ayame winced a little as he picked up his cup and saucer, "Now what is so important that you simply had no choice to come to dear little old me for advice."

"Uh" Yuki started to say his head spinning already, "Brother it is important as you put it, but please do not make a big deal about it."

"All right. What is it? Anything you need to know from me brother I will gladly be of any service."

"Kyo" Yuki looked at his cousin.

"Right" Kyo frowned a little as he spoke up and cleared his throat; "Well for starters, we have to tell you something in order to ask for your help."

"Yes" Ayame waved his hand dramatically encouraging him to go on.

"Um we already told Shigure and a few others in the family know, but if we tell you, you have to swear that you will never tell anyone else."

"Ooh a juicy secret" Ayame rubbed his hands together, "I like that."

"Uh" Yuki thought disgustedly, "He's making a big deal already."

"Go on, Kyo" Ayame was careful with the name.

"Thank you" Kyo said a bit stunned but continued, "Well when we were up at the summer house Tohru and I" he replied taking her hand, "We told each other that we loved one another."

"Is this true?" Ayame held a hand to his chest and looked at Tohru surprised.

"Yes Ayame" Tohru nodded while Yuki smiled slightly, "It's true. Kyo and I love each other."

"Wow. I mean wow. That's amazing. You and Kyo I never would have thought."

"Hence the reason we're here," Kyo said angrily.

"I beg your pardon?"

"What he means brother is our problem has to do with the fact that Miss Honda and Kyo have admitted how they feel" Yuki replied.

"All right" Ayame said taking a sip of tea, "Tell me more."

"To make a long story short" Yuki continued, "A rumor started at school that Miss Honda dumped me for Kyo. And now Kyo and Miss Honda are dealing with people who are either interested in them, or people who are hating them a great deal."

"Oh but this involves you too doesn't it?"

"Uh huh I'm getting to that. I on the other hand am getting sympathetic gestures, letters. It's gotten so bad we can't leave the school when everyone else does."

"It's pure pandemonium" Kyo replied, "Crowds of people. It's crazy."

"Now what do you think makes these people think that Yuki needs sympathy? What on earth would give them the notion that Yuki isn't happy for the both of you?"

"I don't know" Kyo shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe because Kyo and I don't get along" Yuki suggested, "And it's quite obvious."

"Huh? Well. The solution to your problem is simple then."

"It is?" Kyo said.

"Absolutely. You and Yuki have to find a way to convince your fellow students that you're friends."

Kyo and Yuki paused for a moment as Tohru looked on. Kyo was the first to speak up.

"Say that again?"

"They think that you hate each other right? So they obviously could easily start a rumor like this" Ayame stood up, "However if the two of you could somehow convince the other students that you're friends and that you brother really are okay with the relationship, then the rumor will be no more. You see. It's simple."

"So all that Yuki and Kyo have to do" Tohru replied, "Is pretend to like one another for a day?"

"Precisely" Ayame folded his arms, "What do you two think of that?"

Yuki and Kyo looked at each other with confused expressions on their faces and the same thought in their head.

"Me? Pretend to like him? Never in a million years!"

(To Be Continued...)

Authors Note: Hey guys! I know these chapters are late, but I will get both of them done. Whenever you see a "To be continued.." in parenthesis this means that the chapter has more parts to it. This chapter will continue in the next part. But don't worry you will get two chapters today just the same! Hope you enjoyed it!

Next Chapter: Part Two

Now that Kyo and Yuki have received the advice from Ayame will they actually go through with it?