Dear Readers,

I came across Peacemaker Kurogane couple of days ago and you wouldn't imagine how many people at my school actually enjoyed listening to "Hey Jimmy" over and over again! That's funny and weird at the same time…

Love,

Wolf Princess Aya

Lasting Memories

Yusuke closed the door behind him with a quiet sigh of relief before quickly scurrying away from the house. He smirked as he remembered Maya's undeniably stumped face of stupidity.

What to do now? He could wander around aimlessly, but what if Maya or Sayo went to look for him? They would go to Keiko's house, and then he would be questioned on why he wasn't there. He should go over, even if it was just to make sure the others knew where he was.

But, of course, it WASN'T just that.

He really did want to see her again. He wanted to see her face, to see her smile, even if that meant getting hurt in the process, but of course, he had been in thousands of brawls himself.

So he walked casually over and knocked on the door.

"One moment!" called a sweet voice from inside.

Keiko.

Yusuke smirked a large and slightly disturbing grin.

"Hel-" Keiko began to say with a smile as she opened the door, but as soon as she saw who it was her eyes widened, then narrowed into a glare before she slammed the door shut on him.

"Hey!" Yusuke cried pathetically, "don't you at least want to say hi?"

"NO," she replied through the door.

"I swear. I touched you on accident last time!"

"Like hell. GO."

"But-!" Keiko opened the door again and glared at him.

"What don't you GET!"

"Why you won't talk to me!" Yusuke replied honestly, a bit boyishly. Keiko looked to the sky and sighed deeply.

"You're not going to leave me alone, are you?" Yusuke shrugged his shoulders, putting his hands into his pockets. Keiko threw her hands in the air in a sign of defeat and turned her back to him, walking inside.

She simply left the door open. Yusuke took this as an invitation to follow. As he walked in after her and closed the door, he looked around curiously.

It was a small, quaint house, made of dark red brown wood that glowed warmly in the light of the candles. Bright quilts decorated the walls, and Yusuke found himself in a cozy kitchen and sitting room when he walked down the hall.

Keiko stood washing dishes furiously at the sink while a boy; it looked like her brother, played a little tune on his guitar-like instrument.

"This is a lovely house, Lady Keiko," Yusuke said approvingly. Keiko said nothing, but scrubbed harder. He sat himself down at the table and watched her lovingly.

Keiko glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, and then looked back at the dishes. After a moment she glanced back, then at the dishes again.

Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore. She threw down the rag and glared at Yusuke. "What are you staring at me for!"

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Yusuke smirked that same smirk at her.

Keiko looked at him wryly and then laughed dryly. "No. I've loved enough to know that 'love at first sight' and 'true love' does not exist. Maybe for others, like my friend . . . but not for me." With that, she turned back to her dishes. Yusuke stood up and walked behind her, sitting on the counter.

"What friend?" Keiko said nothing.

"And why do you feel like that anyway? How many guys have you had?" Keiko's eyes looked blankly at him for a moment, and he could see pain through them. He wished instantly he hadn't asked. She quickly regained her dignity, however. She was stronger than that.

"That is none of your business."

"Well," Yusuke smiled at her, despite her glare, "forget about him! Or them. Or whatever those jerks were. I'm different!" Keiko laughed joylessly again.

"Different! In men, there is no such thing." She picked up a basket of laundry and began to walk away with it, but Yusuke followed.

"I suppose you've loved enough to know that as well?" Keiko nodded and continued to try and walk away, but Yusuke blocked her.

"Well, no matter what you say," He said rather proudly, "I believe in love at first sight, and I believe that I love you." He looked seriously at her.

She burst out laughing.

"You're ruining the moment," Yusuke pouted as Keiko dropped her laundry basket.

"Please! You think you're so different and wonderful." Keiko laughed joylessly again and began to sing. "I hear what you're telling me but that don't make it so

Two timing talking sweet from the time your feet hit the floor

My heart is telling me it's time for you to go

Oh baby, just go..."

"But," Yusuke protested while she sang, "you haven't even given me a chance! I AM different! I-!"

Keiko rolled her eyes and continued to sing. "I've loved enough to know!

Heartache when I see one coming!

Been down this road before!

I've loved enough to know!"

Keiko began to push him towards the door, but he moved out of the way. "You really think you know me, don't you?"

"Think? I do!" Keiko glared and continued to sing.

"Every night out with the boy you'll think I'm so naïve.

But I'll know exactly where you're going every time you leave!

I see every little something up your sleeve.

Oh baby

I can see.

I've loved enough to know!

A heartache when I see one coming.

Been down this road before!

I've loved enough to know!"

"These "loves" you've had must not have really been loves, Keiko, if they made you feel like this!" Yusuke frowned, grabbing her hands when she raised them to try and push him out again. Keiko made an exasperated noise as she wrenched her hands from his and continued to push him towards the door, still singing.

"I've loved enough to know.

A heartache when I see one coming!

Been down this road before!

I've loved enough to know!

I've loved enough to know!

A heartache when I see one coming!

Been down this road before!"

"But-!" Yusuke protested as they reached the door and Keiko opened it, pointing for him to leave.

Keiko shook her head and sang, "I've loved enough to know!

A heartache when I see one!

And I see one coming!"

"No you-!" he began as she began to push him out by force.

"A heartache when I see one!

And I see one coming!"

"No you don't!" he yelled as she rolled her eyes and shut the door on him, singing as she walked back into the kitchen (but not before locking the door again).

"I see one, I see one coming!"

"Keiko!" Yusuke cried from outside.

"I see one, I see one coming!"

"At least give me a CHANCE-!"

"I see one, I see one coming!" And after that, her voice disappeared and she refused to answer when he called or banged on the door. With a sigh, he turned around and went 'home', but not before silently making a vow.

'Keiko,' he thought as he began to trudge back to Maya and her cards, 'I will show you that you haven't felt real love. You haven't 'loved' enough to know that feeling. I've loved enough to know that.'

Yeah, that was kind of out of the blue for Yusuke but I thought he would act like that for Keiko…

Aya-chan