Hey you guys. This will be the last chapter I'll post before the school holiday (In Malaysia) is over. Sorry for the late update, I was worrying myself for the PMR results I'd be getting…but it's all good (I scored all 8 A's!! Ya baby!!!) Anyway, happy new year! May your year will be filled with happiness! Thanks for the reviews! And please, I could do some more on this new year Enjoy! And those in Malaysia welcome back to school!

Oh and oh yeah. You guys must've heard about the terrible tsunami right? Isn't it just horrible? One of my friend lost a brother back in Indonesia...it's sad. Anyway, let's give all those people who were affected by the tsunami a great new year… let's donate ya'll!!

Very well, let's get back to the chapter. Enjoy and review please!!

Third Chapter- Getting Along

Second Flashback

"Oh, where could she be?" Mrs. Yoshida asked worriedly. Her husband tried his best to calm his scarred wife. Reiji and Aoko had gone out to look after the young model. They had been away for an hour, but still no sign of success from them.

Mrs. Rukawa realized that her youngest son had his face buried under his arms on the dining table. She knew that he was sleeping. "Kaede", she shook him, "wake up". Her son made no movement. Toshimi Rukawa was annoyed. Here she was, worrying about her friend's daughter, while her son was peacefully sleeping.

She moved his arms so she could see his face. Then she pinched his nose, hard. Kaede Rukawa moved his head. His mother moved her hand on him and waited for him to open his eyes. Kaede opened his eyes and met face to face with his mother's scary look.

Toshimi took a deep breath. She didn't want to lose her temper in front of her friends. In a whisper, though it felt like a threatening command, she told Kaede to get up and wash the drool stains from his face and come back to the living room afterwards or else. Kaede Rukawa did as he was told and went to the kitchen. "Where are you going?" Sakura asked him. "Wash my face" was his only replied.

He turned the tap and watched the water flowing down. He washed his face. The excess water hit his shirt, making it wet. Damn, he cursed. He was about to leave when he heard a sob from outside. He quietly opened the back door from the kitchen and peeked at the owner of the sob, there he found the red head, crying; her back was against the wall and she was hugging her knees. He switched on the back door's light before walking up to her.

The light was a clear sign to her that someone had found her hiding place. She looked up and saw her so called fiancé, staring down at her. "They're looking for you" he said. That was the first sentence he spoke to her. She looked at him, his face was wet and a few of his fringe were sticking to his forehead. The water from his face was dripping on his already wet shirt, making it visible to see his broad chest.

Under the dim light, she did found him attractive. Her inner side begins to protest with her, but she ignored it. She kept scanning the man that stood in front of her.

He was tall, at least about 20 cm more or less than her. For a 15 years old, he looked really tough, his body was well-built. His intense blue eyes, his sharp nose and his small lips; needless to say, his face was perfect, just like she imagined how her Mr. Perfect would've look. However she had never seen anyone so mysterious and cold just like him. She stared deep in his eyes. They were empty. It was likes she was staring at a total void.

He stared back at her, making her shiver a little. Those eyes can melt any girls. She thought. "I said, they're all looking for you", he repeated himself when the girl didn't answer him.

His sharp voice had snapped her back to reality. "Huh?" she asked, clueless. His words finally sank in her mind and she continued, "So? Who cares" she told him. Kaede Rukawa looked at her. He then extended his right hand.

"What?" the girl asked. She ignored him and didn't grab his hand. Rukawa decided he'd grab hers instead.

And he did. The girl was shocked, "W-what are you doing?" She tried to free herself, but his grip was stronger. He pulled her back to the kitchen. The girl felt her blood boiling. She stopped moving.

Rukawa turned to see her. She tried to free herself again, still no success. Finally she stepped on his foot, the pain made Rukawa to let go of her hand. He winced in pain. Tears started welling in her eyes as she looked at him angrily, "This is your fault. Leave me alone" she said in tears.

He doesn't like to talk, but he feels like he needed to talk. It's the only way to let her know it wasn't his fault like she had accused him. He neared her and cupped her face.

Akie stared into those icy eyes. She would've melt under his gaze, but her anger stopped her from doing so. "If I wanted to get married to you, I wouldn't pull you here. We're going to tell them it's off."

Akie pushed his hand away from her face, "but you were the one who agreed."

"I didn't. I was sleepy when father asked me. I didn't know what I said." Rukawa explained. He had talked to much. More than he had thought.

"Now come", he pulled her hand again. This time Akie didn't remonstrate.

They walked in the dining room. The parents turned in surprised, "Kaede where did you—"

Kaede cut off his mother's word, "We want to call it off". She looked at him surprised, but she knew her son was serious, judging by the look he gave her.

Toshimi sighed. She sat back on her chair. "We know we decided this without your say. Ok, you're free to speak your mind."

Akie pulled her hand away from Kaede and looked at her mom. "I don't want to be engaged." The parents looked at Kaede, who stared back and weakly nodded. Mrs. Rukawa rubbed her temples and sighed, thinking seriously.

Sakura came to the dining room, a second after. "I called Reiji. They'll be back soon" she told the group. A cry could be heard from upstairs; she excused herself and went to her daughter.

"Very well. The engagement is not off. But I have a proposition." Mrs. Rukawa suddenly said.

They listened intently. Mrs. Rukawa continued, "The two of you will befriend each other, get to know each other better. The engagement as I said; is not off. It will still continue until your graduation's day. Then you will decide whether to continue the engagement or not."

Mrs. Yoshida, smiled, understood what her friend was saying. "That means, in three years time, you two will have to get along with each other, no excuses, right Toshimi?" Mrs. Rukawa nodded, and continued. "On that day, you will tell us whether you still want to be engage or not. If you do, then all of us will be glad, but if you choose not to; you have to promise that your children will marry with the other and it will still continue until one of Rukawa is married to one of Yoshida, just like your grandfathers want."

Akie looked confused. "We're still engage? I thought that—"

"Akie, I think what your mom and Mrs. Rukawa meant is that you two will still be engage so that you can get to know each other better. But if you think it won't work out, then you can call it off." Mr. Yoshida explained.

Mrs. Yoshida nodded, "Yes, but you can only call it off when you've tried to be with each other's company. Understood?"

Akie nodded. The parents looked at Kaede. He was standing behind Akie, almost dozing off to sleep. Mr. Rukawa elbowed his son, "Kaede?"

Kaede, who listened to the conversation in a blur, opened his eyes and nodded. "Very well. This very moment, the two of you are friends and we want it to stay like this until your ready with your answer," Mr. Rukawa added.

"Okay then, it's settled." Mr. Yoshida clapped his hand, feeling relieved that they have solved their children's problem. A loud slam could be heard from the hall. A second after Reiji came running in, Aoko behind him, "so what did we miss?"

REIJI RUKAWA P.O.V.

The Yoshida are staying with us for two weeks before heading back to L.A. Mom had told me about the deal she had made with Kaede and Akie.

It's funny. I mean you don't just wake up one day and realized that your little brother is already engaged while you're still stuck being single. Not that I have a problem, but it's just annoying that Kaede gets to find his woman first. I don't dare to say to his face, knowing how strong he's become; I'd probably be in a hospital the next day.

At first it was awkward to have another family staying under the same roof, but we began to adapt to it. The first week, Kaede and Akie rarely spoke to each other unless needed.

So, that's how I was involved in this mess. Mom came to me and Sakura asking for our help to get them together. Seeing Mom in the miserable mess that her father, my grandfather had created, I agreed to help.

Sakura, Aoko and I planned to bring them to a theme park. Our excuse was that we're celebrating Akie's success in learning Japanese in a week. (It seem like a miracle to me that a girl like her now can speak, write and read Japanese, and she only learnt it in A WEEK. I guess with the right teacher (and the amount of money) it is possible).

Our plan was to secretly leave the two of them so they could talk. It did work, only a little. I sneaked out on them, only to see them talking while watching the sunset and them taking pictures together.

At the beginning of the second week, I was running out of ideas. I mean I'm kinda good in matchmaking my friends, but this is different. I've never met anyone so statue-like, like Kaede. THAT is the hard part.

I was ready to tell mom I'd quit when I saw them together at the mini basketball court, behind our house, which was created a year ago for Kaede.

I sneaked up on them again and began to eavesdrop. "So you've been playing this since you were small?" I heard Akie's voice. She was watching my brother practicing his skill. "Aa", Kaede said before shooting a three pointer.

"Don't you ever feel tired or bored?"

I watched as Kaede gave her his icy look, which she didn't notice. "No" he simply answered. "Oh". "Wow, I've never met anyone who's so into basketball. I bet you're gonna be a successful basketball player one day."

Kaede stopped on his track, looked at her, "Thank you". Whoa? Am I dreaming or did I just see Kaede's blush?! Nah must have been from the practice. I looked at Akie, she seem to be enjoying my brother's training.

I stood there, inside the fake bush. The bush was special, it's made only for hiding, like those you can see in cartoon. I saw it at a cartoon shop and bought it for fun, and it proved to be great for spying.

Anyway, I stood there waiting for whatever's gonna happen soon. I watched as Kaede's jump to make a dunk. The ball rolled near Akie. She picked it up and handed it to Kaede. Kaede took the ball, but instead of going back in his practice, he sat next to her.

Akie smiled and handed him a towel and a water bottle. She watched Kaede wiping his sweat and drinking his water. "What?" Kaede asked her, finally noticing Akie's gaze upon him.

Akie shook her head and hugged her knees. "My manager told me that I'm the most hardworking person when it comes to modeling, and I thought it was true, but that's before I see you in action"

"I want to be number one" Kaede simply answered her. Akie smiled. She grabbed the basketball, "May I?" Kaede just nodded. Akie stood in front of the hoop, aiming the ball and shoot.

The ball went over the hoop.

And hit my head.

KAEDE'S P.O.V.

THUMP

"Owww"

I looked at the direction where my ball had landed. "Did you hear that?" Akie asked me.

She went near the bush. That's strange. I've never seen the bush there before. She looked around the bush, scanning it. Finally she took my ball and walked back towards me.

"Here, I'm not good in basketball" she laughed. I took back the ball, my eyes still on the bush. Then it struck me. I've seen that bush before. Reiji-niisan.

"Huh, what?" Akie asked me. Did I say that out loud? I picked up my stuff, and told her we're leaving. She nodded and walked back in the house. I looked at the bush, kicked it hard and followed her.

"Reiji, what happened to you?" Sakura asked her brother. Aoko looked at Reiji carefully. "You have a bump on your head." Reiji looked at the two women before plopping down on the sofa. "Punishment from above" was his only reply.
AKIE'S P.O.V.

Two weeks passed by and it was time for me to go back. The Rukawa family was at the airport with my family. Everyone was there except for Kaede Rukawa. He had a basketball match and couldn't make it in time.

The whole two weeks weren't so bad I guess. I finally made a new friend that accepts me as me. I opened my wallet and looked at our sticker picture.

I was standing next to him, I pretended to pout and Kaede Rukawa looked blankly at the camera. There were words written above our heads, "K.R. and A.Y." and below us another word, "Friends" was written. There were small decorations like stars, hearts and bubbles on the picture, making the picture crowded.

The picture looked weird but to me, but it was the best picture of me I've ever seen. It was even better than all the magazines combined. It was a proof of a new friendship.

"Okay, we're ready to leave" my dad told my family, and I snapped from my thoughts and closed my wallet. I went up to Mr. and Mrs. Rukawa and bowed to them, "Thank you for the wonderful weeks" I said sincerely. They smiled at me and thanked me too. Then I went to Sakura and Reiji Rukawa, I bid my farewell to them and I hugged little Sayuri too.

Then Sakura Rukawa went to me and whispered in my ear, "You'll come back, right?" I looked at her, smiled and nodded. "Send my regards to your brother. I wish him good luck for his basketball matches." Sakura nodded, "I'm sure he wishes you the same for your model job"

That was it; I left the place where I was born and the family that I had met for two weeks. I know that I have to come back soon, whether I like it or not, because of the promise I made to my parents and Mr. and Mrs. Rukawa.

Rukawa…Kaede Rukawa. I stared into the space once I've settled in my seat in the plane. Sure, at first he looked like a mysterious, cold-hearted person to me. But from the second glance, he's not so bad after all.

Now..please review!!! Love ya'll! Happy new year!