DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN BLAH BLAH BLAH!

School went on as usual for the seahorse, Kyetsu and Miru. Kyetsu read the note given to him during his second hour class, which happened to be language arts. In this class they were reading a novel and Kyetsu really wasn't interested in it so decided to read the paper that Hatori had given to him.

It read:

'Hey Kyetsu! I was just wondering if today would be a good day for you to go on that date! I'm off today so it's a good day for me! I have to do something after school though, so if it's okay with you, I can meet you in front of the cemetery around 5:00. Kay? Um… if you can't, just tell Tori-san. No wait. Call me, I'm not sure if Hatori would want to relay the message… I think he's going to a little sore with me… oh well here's my number and I'll stop by my house before going to the cemetery!

321-579-6547

That's it! I think… well see you later I hope!

Hugs and kisses

Miru Managa'

"He-he" he chuckled softly so the teacher wouldn't hear. Coincidentally his teacher for this class was the same one that had caught Miru and himself the day before. The name of this teacher was Coach Tanimoto, and though he was a coach, (of the boys track team) he had softness about him; it was this that made him a favorite among students but the other teachers didn't like him for this very same reason. (That and the students didn't listen to the other teachers but always did the assignments he asked of them.) He's got to be in his forties at least. If he met his wife during high school, then they must have been together for a long time. Kyetsu thought to himself tapping the folded paper on the desk lightly.

"Coach." He decided to ask raising his hand in the air.

"Yes?" He asked not looking up from his computer.

"Yesterday you said that you had met you wife in high school." This got the class' attention. They always loved hearing about the old man's life and many thought of him as a second or third grandfather.

"Yes?" He looked up from his computer to stare at the blue and red eyed boy.

"I was wondering if you were still together?" He asked.

"When did Tanimoto-jii-san say that?" A boy in the back questioned.

"When I caught young Zikon-san trying to sneak his pretty young lady out of the school during lunch yesterday." The teacher answered the girl's question.

"Go Zikon!" A boy yelled from one side of the class.

"What's her name?" Said someone from another side. Soon the whole class was buzzing with excitement.

"Trying to change the subject?" Kyetsu asked over the noise.

"Okay everyone settle down! I believe I have another question to answer." He quieted the class. "Yes, I met my wife during my high school days and no, I lost my wife in a car accident about ten years ago."

Everyone was silent.

"Did you ever remarry?" Kyetsu asked.

"What happened?" The boy in the back asked.

"No I didn't remarry and she was a diabetic and passed out on her way home from work. She was killed instantly."

"I'm sorry." Kyetsu apologized putting his head down.

"That's perfectly fine." He said. "I happen to know that your little lady isn't a diabetic."

"Huh? How?" Kyetsu's eyes widened at the information that Tanimoto-sensei was sharing.

"I knew her parents. Her mother was a friend of my wife and so I became friends with her father and mother." The chubby teacher explained. "Treat her right Kyetsu. I control your grades… remember that."

"Oh man." He slumped in his chair. "I can really pick 'em can't I?"

"Ha, ha." A boy put his arm over Kyetsu's shoulders as they walked through the halls of the school later that day. "I can believe you got a date and I didn't know about it. And the worst part is coach knows her parents! You were right 'tsu-kun, you really can pick 'em."

"That's not the just of it." He sighed.

"Hey." A voice called from down the hall. Both boys turned around to see Hatori. "Zikon, come with me." He said walking past them.

"Yes sir." He followed Hatori down the hall.

"What the?" His friend trailed behind the two until he caught up with Kyetsu. "What are taking orders from Sohma-kun for?" He asked.

"Hatori-san." Kyetsu ignored his friend's question.

"What?" Hatori replied.

"Did you know that Tanimoto-sensei knows Miru's parents?"

"Knew." Hatori said.

"Huh?" Kyetsu questioned.

"Knew. He can't know them anymore; and no I didn't. How do you know?"

Kyetsu sweat dropped. If Hatori were to find out that he had been caught… "He saw Miru and I yesterday and commented about it today." He said.

"So you were caught." Hatori stated.

"Well, yes but he…" Hatori stopped and turned to face the stuttering young man.

"If it had been any other teacher she would have been in serious trouble. That's one more mark against you."

"Jeez what are you so up tight about Hatori!" Kyetsu's friend questioned not knowing about Miru's connection with the trio.

"Shut up Tasuki!" Kyetsu said through clenched teeth.

"No. What right does he have…" Hatori cut him off.

"I have every right to protect those I care about and he happens to be threatening ¾ of them."

"Three? And threatening is such strong word. People might get the wrong idea." Kyetsu sounded like he was pleading.

"Yes three. Miru-san, Shigure, and Ayame." Hatori explained to the two boys.

"How am I affecting President Ayame?" He asked.

"Ayame is extremely close to Shigure. If Shigure's sick Ayame won't leave his side even if it means he gets sick as well."

"Wow." Kyetsu said. "Must be nice to have family like that." He said looking at Hatori, a light but sad smile playing on his features.

"Yes well you get to go see them." Hatori said handing Kyetsu a stack of paper and a few books.

"Huh?" Kyetsu took the stack confused.

"You say 'huh?' a lot." Hatori told the shorter boy. "I want you to take these to Ayame and Shigure for me."

"Huh?" His eyes widened. "I-I mean what?"

"Here, this is a pass out of school. I have to take over for Ayame today so you get to go and deliver these." He put a little yellow slip of paper on top of the stack and walked away.

"Damn." Kyetsu cursed walking down the road to the Sohma main house. "He didn't even tell me which house…" he said walking through the front gate. There he saw Ayame walking around one of the outside porch/hall things… "President Ayame!" He called almost loosing balance of the stack.

Ayame looked up and saw Kyetsu. Immediately he frowned and looked away. "What do you want?"

"I came to give you and Shigure-san the work you missed. Well Hatori-san sent me actually…" he said walking up to the silver haired Sohma.

"Why would Tori-san send you?" He looked at Kyetsu. "This is your fault in the first place."

"That's probably why…" he answered looking to the side. "I just need to set these down then I'll leave, no harm done…"

"No harm done? Do you know what Shigure's doing right now?" Ayame asked enraged.

"Um, no."

"…" Ayame looked at the floor.

"What?"

"Why would I tell you? You don't care, do you?" he looked at Kyetsu with anger flaming in his eyes.

"Telling me wouldn't do that much would it?" Kyetsu quirked an eyebrow at the silver haired youth.

"He's falling into a depression. No matter what I say his face stays the same… when he smiles it looks so fake… like he's trying not to cry or something. I've never seen him like this…" Ayame looked to one side.

"Which room is he in?"

"Why?"

"President Ayame! Tell me which room Shigure-san's in!"

"Down the hall, up the stairs, second door on the right." Ayame told the blue and red eyed boy as he dashed down the hall to get to Shigure.

"Second door on the right." He repeated Ayame's words as he knocked on the door.

"Ayame you don't have to knock every time." Shigure opened the door to see not Ayame but the very person he loathed. Kyetsu was probably the only person in the world Shigure wanted dead right now and here he was, in his bedroom doorway.

"Um… hello Shigure-san." He stammered. The door was slammed in his face.

"Go away." Shigure stated coldly. "Why the hell are you even here?"

"Well… Hatori-san said he had to take over for President Ayame so he sent me to bring you your work for today…then I saw Ayame and he said you were feeling kinda depressed…" he told the door. "And this is for you…it's from Miru…" the door slid open and Kyetsu walked in and gave Shigure his note.

"How do you know it's from her?" Knowing he couldn't have seen her today, not yet at least.

"The hand writing. She gave me one too." He said setting the pile down on Shigure's desk. "She loves you, you know." He said looking at Shigure.

"Then why would she be going out with you."

"To make you jealous… to show you she's not going to wait forever for you to ask… shall go on?"

"No." Shigure opened the note and read it carefully. "Well…" he said crumpling the paper up. "Best of wishes, and you were right…"

"Right about what?"

"Everything. She said she loved me, that she couldn't wait anymore and you are making me jealous."

"Oh. She said I was making you jealous?"

"No. But you are."

"Oh."

"Now is that all you came here for?"

"Actually, I wanted to tell you to cheer up. I doubt she'll go out with me for long… considering she's already in love with you." Kyetsu looked down.

"Why go out with her then?"

"To help her realize how much she loves you… some people need a little help realizing it."

"What about you? How can you be sure you won't fall in love with her?"

"Simple, I don't get close to anyone anymore…" Kyetsu smirked holding one arm. "I just can't…"

"Haa-san should be home anytime now. It's almost 5:00."

"What! Crap!" Kyetsu ran out the door, down the stairs, and was out of the main house gate before he knew different. He ran to the nearest payphone and dialed the number of Miru's house and then waited while the phone rang.

"Moshi-moshi?"

"Miru?" He asked.

"Kyetsu?" The voice on the other line questioned.

"Yeah! Um sorry if I'm calling a little late… I got held up…"

"Doing…?"

"Um…I-I was talking to Shigure."

"He didn't give you a hard time did he?"

"No. But I think I kinda deserve the hard time Hatori's giving me…"

"I'm sorry."

"No! No! You have nothing to be sorry for! He's actually not that bad and I can see why he does it."

"Really? Why?"

"He's like a protective older brother. When it comes to you and his cousins he has to be protective to ensure their happiness." Kyetsu explained over the telephone. "It's totally justified."

"They still shouldn't give you such a hard time though. So where are you? I already did my little job I had to do. I just came home to change."

"So, he, he." Kyetsu chuckled in the receiver. "What are you wearing now?" He joked.

"What…"

"I'm just joking!" He laughed leaning against the telephone booth. "No but seriously, I don't actually know my exact location at this time…. I just ran to the nearest payphone. If you give me your address I'll go change then pick you up." He said.

"Okay." She said and proceeded to give her address to her new boyfriend. "You got that?"

"Yep." He said looking over what he just wrote down. "Hey, um do you mind if I just go over to your place and change? Tasuki's place is a bit out of the way and I'm living with him at the moment." He said not really realizing what he just said. (You'll find out why this is a bad thing later.)

"Oh! Hey I have an idea! Why don't you just come over and we'll order pizza and watch some movies? I'll pay for the pizza and you for the movies!" She proposed.

"That sounds great!" He said "you would actually let go over and stay at your house for a first date?"

"Well I figure if you had gone through all that with Tori-kun and Gure-Gure, and still calling to go out with me then you must be a pretty good guy and trust worthy at that."

"Cool. Well sounds great! See ya in a little while I guess."

"What kind of pizza do you like? I'll order now so it gets here by the time we come back."

"From where?"

"The movie store you goob." She teased.

"Right. Um.. I like pepperoni okay? Be there in a minute. Ja matte ne."

"Right." They hung up and set off to do their respective duties.

Kyetsu walked down the street looking for her apartment complex. Once there he walked to the door Miru had told him to go to. He knocked on the door and waited for her to answer. The door opened revealing Miru in jeans and a loose shirt.

"Hey." He said looking at her.

"Hey." She replied also looking at him.

"So can I come in?" He asked.

"Oh right." She moved out of the way and let the boy in. He took off his backpack and began to rummage through it he pulled out some clothes and turned to Miru.

"Where's your bathroom?" He asked.

"Right down there." She pointed down a little hall. "On the left."

"I'll be out in a minute." He came out of the bathroom wearing black pants, unlike his uniform, these fit comfortably around him. His shirt was a dark-red, long-sleeve, button-up shirt. The cuffs on the sleeves were unbuttoned, his shirt wasn't buttoned all the way at the top, and revealed some of his chest.

"You got pretty dressed up." Miru smiled.

"To me a three piece is dressing up. This is comfortable. I like it."

"I feel like I under dressed." She giggled.

"I think you look great." Miru blushed.

They left the house and set off for the movie store. When they got there they began to browse through the new movies trying to find something to watch.

"Do you like horror movies?" Kyetsu asked looking at some of the newer flicks.

"No. They just remind me of--" she stopped herself. "Never mind. But I don't like horror movies. Never have never will."

"Heh. Frankly I never did either, but Tasuki said something about seeing this horror/comedy movie. He said it was more comedy than anything but it had some gruesome parts to it."

"I wouldn't be able to sit through it. Especially whilst eating." She looked through more of the movies and saw one that she liked. "Hey it's Superman!" She lifted the movie to show Kyetsu.

"You like Superman?"

"Nope hate his guts!" She said cheerfully, with a smile. "I love watching him get beat up though."

"So you want to get?" He asked examining the movie.

"Have you seen the first one?" She noticed the odd look on his face.

"Nope." He looked at Miru and handed the movie back to her. "I never believed in super heroes."

"Oh come on. You had to have had a hero when you were younger." She said looking for the first superman movie.

"No." He answered simply. "I really didn't have anyone to look up to."

"How so? Does it have something to do with why you live with that Tasuki guy?"

"Yeah. My parents are drunks; that's why I don't live with them. I don't really remember them anymore… just little bits and pieces of them getting mad at me, then hitting me…" he turned his head away from her.

"Oh. Um sorry I guess. But then, I shouldn't apologize for something you're parents did." She smiled at him and she went back to looking for the movie. "AHA!" She yelled as she picked up a movie entitled Superman.

"What about you? Did you have a hero growing up?"

"I had two actually… mom and dad." She turned to go to the register and pay to rent the movies.

"Not anymore?" He asked as they reached the counter.

"No," she sighed. "They died along time ago. But I still hope I can be like them; they defended me till the end." She found it a little easier to talk about it now that she already told the trio.

"Oh." He paid for the movies.

"No need to worry about it!" She smiled brightly at the dark haired boy now holding her hand as they walked out of the movie store.

Kyetsu looked at his watch. It was now 5:43 p.m. "Do you think the pizza guy came and left yet?"

"I guess we'll find out, won't we?" They were now crossing the street and car was heading straight for them. It didn't look like they would stop. Miru looked at the car, stopped and stood right in front of its path. Letting go of Kyetsu's hand she crossed her arms, tilted her head and glared at the person in the driver's seat who was looking right at her.

"Um. Miru…Get out of the way." He tugged on her shirt. "Miru!" Kyetsu, knowing he didn't have time to push her out of the way got in front of her and rapped his arms around her.

A/n: ha, ha, ha, ha! Evil cliff hangers I'll write more soon… I hope.

Hugs kisses and ale all 'round

Gure's lil inu