A/N: Hello! I'm here again. Actually, I'm being screwed up about Rei's feelings because I know in the series Aya only said I like you. Even in the 22nd episode she didn't say that she does love him. All she said was that she liked him. And he dumped—okay he accepted but still he dumped—her. He was cold and he told her he's not ready. So I thought of making it the first time she ever said 'I love you' to Rei. If anyone doesn't mind...

Ex78

Disclaimer:

Ex78: --opens fan and lets the wind blow her hair to the right-- Whew! --checks her nails-- How long shall I wait for my servant to bring my juice? Fuji! My juice! Now!

Fuji: --who wears clothes of a slave-- Yes, ma'am...

Ex78: Hurry moderators: --presses doorbell to my house—no, I mean, my mansion...--

Ex78: Open the door, servant Fuji! --laughs hysterically--

Fuji: Yes,ma'am. --opens the moderators: --comes in and sees me-- Hey you! Say sorry to Fuji-sama!

Ex78: --runs away-- Again!?! : No escape now!

WHACKKKK!! (oO)

XD And the rest is history....

--Note: The disclaimer portion is true. And for all those who believe in this, I'm saying this is just a fictional story by me. And for those who don't believe, again...this is true. Believe it or not!! ; ()--

Chapter III: Not all policemen are serious

Legend:

"..." characters talking

--...-- characters thinking

... me speaking

That night, Ran cried all she could and glad she was the very next day. She woke up with a smile, no worries, heartaches, anything. Even when she thought of her boyfriend, Tatsuki, she can't seem to shed a tear. She thanked God for the nice feeling.

"I need to go to the precinct. Maybe I could visit Tatsuki today. Or help him go out. Who knows? He might be innocent." She talked to herself. Half surprised of her own decision. Still, it seemed she doesn't care that much at all. As if Tatsuki wasn't the person he was in Ran's heart. I'm telling you guys if you cry one time, try to reminisce those times you haven't cried when you felt pain, and you'll realize that beyond the clouds, there is a silver lining. --sniff----sniff--

She went downstairs and found her brother there, sipping coffee.

"Up so early huh?" she asked him.

"I'm supposed to be the one asking you that. I have a job, you don't." he said, not even managing a smile.

Ran didn't seem to notice the seriousness of her brother and she responded gleefully, "I have a class, and you don't."

"Since when did you wake up early for class?"

"Since today." Ran answered brightly.

"Ran..." Yamato said.

"Hmm?"

"Why are you so happy today?" he said, grabbing a slice of bread and biting it.

"Why? Don't you want me to be happy?" Ran asked, kind of confused. But she still smiled.

"Of course I do, but...you have problems right now, don't you?"

"Everyone does have prob—"

Yamato slammed his palms on the table and stood up. "Quit fooling around, Ran! You know as well as I do that your boyfriend Tatsuki Kuroi is in prison!!"

Ran fell silent.Then she looked at her own empty cup. She felt a bit of pain striking her heart, but because of her night-long cry, she can't find the urge to shed a tear. All she could do is smile gently and talk calmly.

Ran's voice escaped from silence's walls. "Brother, I know. And I wanted, in fact, to visit him today. I was even wondering if you could help me."

Yamato had his own turn to fall in stillness. "Ran, he needs you."

Ran sighed. She stood up and left the table. "I know that, Onisan. I know that for a long time."

"Ran...you don't have class today, do you?" he asked, remembering that it was Saturday and thought Ran had been joking awhile ago.

"I have my class today. Today is my practice for my dance steps that I'll be presenting on the day of my school's festival. Don't worry, I'd make sure I'd be there at the station to visit him.", were Ran's last words before she went upstairs and dressed up after her bath.

Yamato, who was left in the kitchen, finished his breakfast and wondered why his sister lost her appetite though she had been smiling all the time.

--I hope she chooses the path for herself correctly.-- he thought, anxious that Ran might be taking the wrong road to her prospect.

Please forgive me if I'm redundant at times

----------

KRRIINNGG!!!!

Aya bolted upright when her phone rang. It was too early to have a caller. She rubbed her eyes for some seconds and reached for the receiver. She laid herself back down on her bed and placed the phone to her ear.

"Hello, Hoshino residence." Aya said.

"You don't have to be so formal in this early morning, tenshi."

--Don't have to be so formal? Tenshi?-- she thought a while, then recognized the voice and the way the caller spoke.

"Ohayou gozaimasu, Katase. Why are you up so early?" She said, smiling to herself and blushing.

"Nothing, I just want to hear your voice first thing in the morning."

Aya blushed again. "I-is..Is that..all?"

"Erm...well..I would also like to ask if you don't mind if I fetch you there and get you to your class?"

Aya giggled. "It's Saturday, silly."

She heard him laugh at the other line. "Oh, yeah I forgot. Well, actually I just want to hear you giggle too."

"Oh great, now what else?"

"Okay, I'm gonna tell you. I called to ask you out for a date. Today. Period."

Aya blushed more and kept quiet. --Him, asking me out? For a date?-- she thought. "But Katase, we just went out yesterday!"

"So you mean you don't want to go with me?" he said temptingly. "If that is so, then maybe I should hang up—"

She imagined Rei being Katase, and asking her to date with him. Then she shook her head. --I have to forget Rei. He'd hurt me too many times already.-- she thought pessimistically. "Wait! Don't...well..."

"Okay, let's do it this way. I'm gonna decide when. You gonna decide where, okay? That's a deal, talk to ya later." –click-

"But..." before any objections, Katase hung up. "Now what do I do? I don't even know his number. And if he calls me afterwards and I say I haven't planned anything yet, he might get disappointed."

Aya decided to dress herself up.

In less than 15 minutes, she had chosen what to wear. She wore a violet bandanna on her head, letting the left-over corners hang beneath her ears and around her neck. She wore large round silver earrings. Then wore a three-fourth sleeved dark pink top and a purple leather skirt. As footwear she wore a reddish-purple high-heel. Her bag is silver, which could be easily hung by the shoulder.

She looked absolutely greatshe always does. She wondered why she had come up with the idea of dressing like this when she would only bring Katase to Lavender's Café.

--If I fought Rei there, maybe he won't come back to that place. That's the perfect place. Yes indeed.-- she thought. Then she shook her head. --Ooh, what the heck am I thinking about? He dumped me, I have to forget him, that means..I shouldn't care about him whether I see him or not.--

The phone rang again.

"Hello?" Aya answered while arranging the strap of her sandals.

"Hey, Aya! Wanna go out with us?" a female voice said through the phone.

"Oh, Miyu." Aya recognized. --Why can't everyone just tell who they are before they talk with me? They all leave me here puzzled of who's calling.-- she grumbled in her thoughts. "Who's going?"

"You're the second one I called. I called Ran over before you and she said she'll be thinking about it first. Well, you? Are you going?"

"I dunno...who else would you be inviting?"

"Let's see, you, Ran, Yamato, Yuuhi and Rei!"

Aya felt stabbed by a knife a hundred times. "No, I'm not going!!!" then she slammed the phone.

She breathed hard, "No, I'm not ever going with him again!"

The phone rang again.

Aya thought it was Miyu calling back. She picked up the receiver and shouted, "You're not getting me to come with you if Rei's there coz I'm going out with Katase you hear?!?!"

"Whoa! Aya? Some minutes ago you were so happy! I didn't even know what I did wrong!"

Aya blushed red hotchili peppers!. She had just shouted at the man she was going out with today! "I'm so sorry, Katase, I...I didn't know—it's just because—"

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.

Aya can't take the pressure. She slammed the phone and threw the whole away.

It gave a loud crash. Good thing Aya's parents were out for work.

Bad thing no one's there to comfort her.

----------

"Going where?"

"To Lavender's Café! Y'know, just to talk awhile and eat, then shop!" said Miyu on the other line.

--But that was where I fought with Aya.--he thought resistantly. "I don't think I'm going."

"Aww, please? For Ran."

With the deceiving voice of Miyu, Rei had no more choice but to say "Fine then, what time?"

----------

Flashback

--Her eyes darted in my direction and met mine."What's going on Tatsuki?" she asked.

I struggled, tried to get their hands off me shirt, my arms. When I got free, I never let the opprtunity pass away. I immediately knelt in front of Ran and begged for her help. But she just stared at me like I was an ignorant wandering animal—fine, a monkey if anyone calls me—and she didn't move.

The police began pulling me up and pushed me roughly to the wall, wherein my chin had hit and was bruised. They handcuffed my hands struggling at my back.

I shouted for Ran's help. I took a glimpse of her and I saw her eyes full of fear. What was that? Fear because I would be imprisoned or fear because if she tried to save me from them she might be involved?

End of Flashback but still thinking

Now that I'm here in this jail, would she ever visit me, or at least send a message?

Is she also thinking of me right now? Did she even cry before I got in here?

My life is so miserable now...three losses...Loss of my ParaPara King titleI do hope I got that right..uh..the title he got for the best dancer, Loss of my reputation and..loss of Ran...

I hope she does—--

"Kuroi, you got a visitor."

Tatsuki got up immediately and his ears clapped as he heard the news. --I don't care who it is! As long as I got a sightseer, I'm long fine!--

He didn't ask who it is, didn't care whether his handcuffs be removed, and just went on.

Much pleasure was brought to his eyes when he saw Ran seated on one of the seats.

He was about to run to her table but he stopped when an unknown man sat across her and greeted her. The guy was handsome but was also here in prison. He haven't seen the man yet, so he might be a new prisoner here. Tatsuki felt exploding. Did Ran really visit that man rather than him? If only Ran knew how long he would stay in that stinking jail...

"Tatsuki, how long will you be staring at her?" a female voice called him.

He turned, and saw an unexpected lady. A beautiful, sexy and intimidating creature.

"But—"he turned around again, and rubbed his eyes, it can't be! Two of them?

"Am I dreaming?" he asked, facing the female who called him.

Ran laughed. "I look like the girl you were staring at, don't I?"

"R-ran, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...hurt your—"

"Sit down." She calmly said.

Tatsuki did so, but didn't dare continue what he was saying. So Ran started.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked flatly, staring blankly at Tatsuki.

He blushed slightly. "Y-yes. I think so."

"Liar. They said you were grumbling all night because of the hard mattress."

"..."

"Are you hungry?"

"No. The food is well served here."

"I know that the food is well-served here.But you didn't eat last night, did you?"

Tatsuki knew there was no use in lying. "I didn't eat, because I don't want to share food with my inmates."

"Don't be so boastful. Remember, you're like them now. So you do what they do, and pay for what you did."

"I'm not used to—"

"You must know that! So what are you gonna do, let yourself starve here and die? Oh great, just great!"

"You don't understand! I'd rather die here than live without seeing you! Well if you're finished you may leave now!!"

Ran fell speechless. She closed her eyes awhile, gulped, and opened them. She stood from her seat.

"I know everything that happened from your investigation to the time you shall be set free. I know you're innocent. And there's one thing—just one more before I leave—left to say, no matter what, I still love you." After that, she was led out by the guard, and Tatsuki, flabbergasted, was pulled back to his room.

--She still loved me, and I do too. But I sent her out, shouted at her! TATSUKI!! YOU"RE SO STUPID TATSUKI!-- His heart wanted to burn, to blast, blow up like hell...

----------

"Don't you even want to go? I just want everyone to meet so we could share the problems we are having." Miyu pleaded. "Come...please?"

She heard Yamato heave a sigh which seemed to be loud enough for her to hear. "Miyu, I told you, some other time, I need to focus on freeing this Kuroi Tatsuki because he's my imouto's boyfriend!"

"I know that but—"

"Please Miyu, I'm really busy. Now Sergeant is calling me, I gotta go,okay? Bye honey." –click-

Miyu put the phone down. --Yamato had been so busy the past few days even before Tatsuki was put to jail. He doesn't even had enough time for me for me anymore.-- Miyu thought.--But not all policemen are serious with their job, why does he have to be somber in his occupation? Can't he even tell his boss that I need him for awhile? If he only knew what my problem is, and that anytime soon..I might be gone?"

End of Chapter 3

A/N: Miyu isn't dying! She's just kinda leaving, sort of family problem. And about Aya, she is caught between the two guys. Actually, this story is supposed to focus more on Katase/Aya/Rei plots, but this scene on Ran and Tatsuki is really keeping me typing on it. But don't worry, I'll try harder to focus on the love triangle. By the way, don't mind if I have typographical errors on Yuuhi's name(s). Sometimes, I might type Youya, coz that's his name here in my country when the show is aired. These are some of the versions of his name that I know: Yuuhi Asuo, Youya, Asuoh, Yuuya Asoh(hehe funny name), Yuya and Youhi Asue. Too many huh? Anyways, I'd rather focus on Yuuhi Asuo. In any case you may expect me typing incorrectly.