I'm glad to say that I'm re-writing Stolen Kisses. Enjoy

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Chapter 1

It occurred to him that sometimes he believed the saying "think before you act", especially when it hung around his neck like a scarlet letter. The once confident young man, who looked like a teenage Indian Jones with his daredevil eyes and smirks, was slouch with his hands in his pockets looking like his mother gave him a grueling reprimand. It was ironic since his mother passed away a long time ago and the only person who could give him any sort of a 'reprimand' was a little eight year old girl. But he was sixteen years old! That in itself was a certified excuse for his rash actions. A guy who wanted to screw the rules and society, just run free like the wild bucking deer.

And Ryuho or better yet Cougar would be the wild fearsome lion who would hunt the wild bucking deer. He could imagine the lion dragging the still corpse of the deer under a shaded tree, his teeth already sunk deep into his flesh. If his back could get any more bent, if it wasn't already, then he'd probably die of a broken spinal cord. He felt so guilty and stupid, mostly stupid for acting like a child. If he believed in society he would be generally still be a child but he was old enough to know better. Kazuma was a man old enough to earn himself a living, to stand up for what he believed in, and to see people for what they truly were.

He was an idiot, a true idiot; he wondered why Cougar didn't come out under a rock just to smite his ass. He kissed Cougar's girl. Not necessarily Cougar's girl but more like he kissed Cougar's crush. Which was much worse in his opinion, throughout his whole life as a rebel against HOLY, kissing someone's girl was a big no-no. Kissing a friend's girl was worse. It felt like betrayal even more so when kissing his friend's girl felt very damn good.

Kazuma could still taste her. He could still feel the softness of her hair and her lips see the surprise in her warm chocolate eyes and he could hear Cougar's laughter ringing in his ears. He felt cheated and humiliated that he quickly excused himself and left the girl standing flummoxed under a full moon.

Kazuma was just as confused as the girl he left standing in the balcony. What seemed liked a good prank a minute ago turned out to be such an outright failure that turned the tables against him. Breathing a sigh of relief, he kicked a random pebble out of distraction, Kazuma was happy that he was out of HOLY, for good.

It didn't matter now.

The kiss. Mimori. Cougar's stupid smile. The way HOLY tried to manipulate Kazuma into converting into one of them. And how close Kazuma came to forgetting his friends and his purpose. It didn't matter now because all that matter was getting back at HOLY and maybe get a girlfriend at the side. That was the root of the problem, Kazuma ran tired hands trough his unkempt hair, hormones that haven't seen a female for quite awhile. Kazuma's next kick was a little too hard that the pebble smashed right through a window, he quickly retraced his steps as a plump woman came out of the same house and chased him around with her broom.

"You little hooligan! Come back here so I can whack you good!" The woman had no qualms in screeching her lungs off.

"Look lady, I said I was sorry," Kazuma dodge another blow to his head. Admitting that he was surrounded by females but they were either too young, too old, or psycho crazy ninnies who use a broom as another form of alter.

Kazuma ran passed the village kids, the tiny houses that seemed to blur, the cows that grazed near a green patch of grass, everything seemed to blur when the broom connected with his head.

When he opened his eyes bright colored lights greeted him. Kazuma rubbed his eyes, blinked, and felt dizzy all over again. His hand touched the cold ground, he frowned, he didn't feel the soft earth between his fingers. Wasn't he back in his village?

"Kazuma!"

"Kazuma-san are you okay?"

He knew those voices. Rash and loud before a soft and feminine more overly concerned female tone which he knew the face from.

"Still a teeny babe I see," Kazuma's eyes cleared up enough to see an orange blur laugh, "Can't even handle a bit of sake." The man reached for him, Kazuma grasp one of the orange blur's extended hands with a firm grip.

"Doesn't mean I'm no good in other things," he heard himself respond automatically, flinched as he saw white spots explode in his head.

The orange blur laughed. "Fuck you Cougar", Kazuma had a strong desire to punch the man.

"Okay maybe when you're all feeling better." Cougar answered in a suggestive tone.

Kazuma threw up a little, swallowed it back down, "You're sick man," and he laughed. He missed this. He missed this easy camaraderie, this fucking friendship that somehow got fucked up by all the wrong reasons. His vision adjusted enabling Kazuma to see around the room.

The room was white, with fancy oval tables placed around in an orderly fashion with its folded napkins next to expensive dishes and silverware. Chairs where an emerald green which seemed to have petted upholstery, people were in separate groups, drinking from their wineglass casting strange looks at him.

"I've missed the party?" Kazuma glared back and the whole group glanced elsewhere.

Cougar looked more amused, "Nope. You were the party." Cougar patted his back, straightened his shoulders, "You made such a ruckus I thought even dear sweet Mimori would have a whack at you."

"I guess I can't handle my alcohol." Kazuma gripped Cougar's arm, he couldn't stand right. He couldn't remember what he did, just the dizzy feeling after you've been drinking a few tequilas.

A waiter passed by holding a tray of more intoxicating drinks inside the fancy glasses that looked handmade, Cougar grabbed a drink randomly off the tray while watching Kazuma.

Kazuma's head hurt, he pressed his fingers against his temple, gripping his fingers tighter around Cougar's arm.

"You kissed her."

Kazuma was too tired to think. "Who?"

"Who else could it be but our dear dear Mimori. Lucky Ryu wasn't here or he would have pummeled you to another dimension but that's you, isn't it? Always lucky, even when we were kids, I would get the scrap from the old ladies while you hid behind the shrubs -"

"You." Kazuma interrupted.

Cougar looked at him. "Eh?"

"I did it to get back at you." Kazuma replied, releasing his grip on Cougar's arm, "To make you jealous." Kazuma started down the long corridor, with the wide windows that reflected the moon, "I'm guessing it didn't work."

"Of course it didn't work." Cougar chuckled, instead of following Kazuma he stayed right where he was, "Especially with that deer in headlights you were sportin'"

Kazuma kept walking in a slow pace, wobbling a bit, he turned back to Cougar, "It was…amazing…I didn't…know…it was going to feel…like that."

Cougar stopped midway from downing his drink in one shot and gave Kazuma a calculating look, "She's an amazing woman." Kazuma made no comment.

A moment of silence drifted between the two men. The quiet conversations behind them slowly died out until it was only the two of them.

"You left!" …me. Kazuma wanted to say the last bit but couldn't. Too many years fighting for himself left him close guarded over his emotions even to Kanami. "You left and never came back, never once looked back at what we had," he shouted and cursed the liquor for making his tongue loose.

"What we had? You mean poverty…or maybe how everyday we had to fight and work our asses off for a bit of food? Is that what we had? All I wanted was a better life for the both of us that's why I thought…HOLY…would…"

"HOLY," Kazuma said the word, vibrating through his body up and down in silent rage, "HOLY stole our freedom! I can't believe you still think they're doing good when all they're accomplishing is ripping our pride and souls out! They USED me! And you…you let that happen!"

"I didn't –" Cougar tried to explain.

"You fucking knew! You knew they were using other people too. Alter users and normal people, HOLY has fucked them over so many times! How can you not know?" Kazuma turned toward the windows that went out to the balcony overseeing the estate, and the full moon that flooded the corridor, casting odd shadows on the white walls. He refused to cry in front of Cougar especially when he looked as broken down as he did.

Cougar was facing Kazuma, even took several steps towards him but stopped. Instead he turned towards the windows, touching the glass with his fingertips, resting his forehead along the cold stained glass as he watched the moon. He sighed. "I'm sorry. Stop! I know what you're going to say and I know that I have made wrong decisions and bad judgments," Cougar gave Kazuma a slight smile, "but I like to think…there's a way to fix it."

"How?"

"I'll give you the moon." Cougar said it so matter-of-fact that Kazuma snorted in disbelief.

Cougar leaned away from the window to face Kazuma fully, one arm was behind his head, and the only visible color in the stark white corridor was his bright orange hair. "Don't they have a saying that guys get along so well because they butt heads all the time? Like an ox and a goat. Of course I'll be the ox and naturally you'll be the goat."

Kazuma laughed. "Asshole."

Mister?

Both men turned towards the voice. "Cougar, did you hear that? That sounded like –ow-" Kazuma suddenly slouched against the window, his hand clutching his head. "My head…it hurts," His vision was blurry, Cougar's face fazing in and out, "Cougar?"

"I'm sorry. If I could change back time I would go back and fight alongside with you." Cougar's voice sounded so far away, distant.

Mister wake up…

Clutching his head, Kazuma reached for Cougar, "You still can!"

Cougar's laughter bounced off the walls, "Maybe but I don't think I'll be alongside with you when it happens…"

Wake up…

Kazuma-san are you okay?

That voice, he heard it before, it was that girl. What was her name?

"Please take care of my precious gift. You see I'm not in the right state of mind for what man can willingly give away the moon? Only to my best friend…Kazuma…you deserve it."

Why was he crying, tears leaking from his eyes practically blind for all he can see is blurs of nothingness. The room felt like it was winding and expanding like a dimension being ripped apart. Why did it seem so final?

Why did it seem like he was never going to see Cougar again?

Wake up…

Wake up…

WAKE UP!

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Jerk! That was the word she was looking for. Kazuma was a downright egotistical raving jerk. He kissed her and his breath smelled like sake. Not one apologetic look or even a 'sorry' as he took his leave. He left like a cat having it's tale on fire.

Was she…bad? In kissing? No! No girl in her right mind would think she was bad at…kissing. Even if that was her first kiss and she knew she might be a bit inexperienced but she read enough romance novels to know how it works…and how it should feel. Like your body was melting and he was holding your face and only looked at you and only you.

If this jerk thought she was bad kisser, what would Ryuho think?

It was bad enough that Ryuho was a cold bastard but if it turned out that she was a bad kisser? He would drop her cold.

Mimori was sitting ram-rod straight, her arms bent, and fingers resting on the key pads. She frowned at the computer screen, her lips forming a pout.

She hadn't imagined that he would leave so abruptly. She remembered their time at the carnival and around the city, how both of them enjoyed their time together. Mimori thought they were getting to be friends. That Kazuma finally trusted them instead of rebelling against them.

Did that kiss really startled him that bad? Or was it something else that she wasn't aware of?

What was she doing here? No one told her anything. Sure they let her supervise a couple of medical programs or other media but they kept their true motives locked tight. They wouldn't let her get any closer than she was and no influence from her family could change that. She even doubted Ryuho sometimes. Wondered if he knew exactly was going on with HOLY or if he was left in the dark dangling from the strings HOLY created.

She wondered…?

She wondered if Kazuma knew what was really going on.

Unaware of a shadow leaning towards her, Mimori jumped when a deep voice snapped her out of her theories. Her fingers spasm against the keyboard, she felt a cold sweat drip down her back.

"Are you quite alright Miss Mimori?"

Ryuho…her heart felt like flying.

"Oi!"

Scheris…and her heart crashed straight into a brick wall.

Mimori mustered enough will power to act indifferent even if her heart felt like she ran a marathon. "I'm alright." She replied pleasantly.

Scheris snorted her hands on both her slim hips, cocking her head she smiled, "You look like shit."

"What Scheris means," Ryuho gave her a warning look, "is that you look a bit ill?"

Mimori's body stilled, her hands on her lap (tight-gripped), she forced herself to smile. "I didn't notice," she stood up from her chair, face set in stone, "I'm sorry to worry you Ryuho. Good day to both of you." Mimori bowed and stiffly walked away.

As soon as Mimori was out of sight, Scheris huffed in annoyance. "What's her problem?" When she received no answer, she turned to glance at Ryuho who seemed preoccupied staring at the computer Mimori just recently occupied. "Hey, what's wrong?" She asked again. The screen was black meaning it hadn't been turned on.

"Hmm…" something's bothering her, Ryuho thought lightly. But then again a woman having problems was always common. The real tough part is figuring out what was the cause.

"Earth to Ryuho, we have a meeting remember?"

Ryuho's eyes narrowed slightly as he nodded to Scheris and followed her out the computer room.

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"Momo-san!" Cougar yelled after Mimori, dodging random people with piles of work up to their necks, office desks mounted with papers that flew everywhere as he ran past it. Their glares of agitation went unnoticed by Cougar.

Mimori was standing with her clipboard scribbling random notes and reminders as she was talking to a co-worker about some medical nonsense that Cougar had no interest in. She automatically looked up to correct him. "Mimori! My name is Mimori." The man beside her looked unhappy that Mimori's attention went elsewhere.

"M-I-M-" She slowly enunciated each letter.

Cougar took her by her shoulders and led her out of the busy office room. "Yes? O-R-I," he followed her example. He winked at her distraught forgotten co-worker with his glasses slipping down his nose, and tie severely askew, "Sorry dude, but there's a pretty lady whose teaching me how to spell." And he led the still unawares Mimori out of the room.

"Cougar-san!" Mimori accused as soon as they were out of ear shot from the office.

Cougar grinned while still holding on to Mimori's shoulders. He would rather much like to hold her hand instead. "Now. Now. You know you wanted a little break I was just simply accommodating you."

"Hmm…now you read minds how exhilarating." She retorted deadpan.

If it wasn't for how her shoulders shook underneath his hands, he would think she was serious. Instead she looked like she was trying not to laugh. He reluctantly let go of her shoulders.

"I have just acquired this marvelous gift," he placed his pointing fingers on each side of his temple, his eyes closed as he was concentrating hard, "Yes. I'm reading it now. Mamoru-san –"

"Mimori!" she corrected him again.

"My apologies Maru-san," Cougar scrunched his eyebrows, looking intense, "Oh yes. It seems you have a crush on someone. Someone who just recently pissed you off today…"

Mimori stilled.

"My signals are telling me that you think of this someone a lot lately…"

She blushed. Did he know? Kazuma?

"Oh my," he opened his eyes a bit, gave Mimori a slanted glance, she saw the twitch of his lips, "he's a very handsome fellow. Orange hair, all the synonyms for the word hot, there's more…you want to ask him for a date? Oh my goodness, it's me!" He said dramatically. Mimori used her clipboard to swat him on his arm, repetitively.

"Idiot." Mimori continued to attack him, Cougar half-heartily trying to protect himself as he hid behind his arms, laughing.

Then he stopped laughing and so did Mimori. How could she not when Cougar stared at her like that. His eyes turned intense and thoughtful, thinking if he should say something whether or not she'd take it well. "I really want to go out with you."

Her grip on her clipboard went slack. "Huh?"

"Not in that sense of 'going out' but rather like going out as good friends. Not like a lovey-dovey couple. Ha ha that's pretty maddening but you've been working pretty hard lately and we don't hang out as often. I was just wondering if you were available. I really want to talk to you but don't take it the wrong way. Ha ha." Cougar felt like he dug his own hole. His eyes went bright and the intense look vanished like it never been there in the first place. And he was rambling like one those stupid girls in those anime shows he didn't watch.

Mimori was stunned to say the least. The room felt stuffy, she realized, as a copy machine was on one side of the room and the filing cabinets were on the other side of the room. The walls were white like every other wall in HOLY and the tile floor seemed bland and unadorned. It vaguely registered in her head that this room was the less private places in this department and that any second someone might come in. But then again the orange head man with his charismatic attitude and bright personality made stuffy office people repel from him, less so get in his way. But then again stuffy office people thrived gossip and she could imagine them standing behind the door, their ears pressed tightly against the entryway. If she said yes, her co-workers would think there was something up and it'll probably reach Ryuho in a matter of days. But it wasn't if the news would get any emotion out of Ryuho and she shouldn't care so much either. Cougar was her friend.

"Sure why not." Mimori tilted her head and smiled sweetly.

Behind them they heard two bumps and excited mumbling. Then the quick spatter of feet, legs, and rustling paper.

Gossipmongers…

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"Mister we thought you were dead." A boy with a pudgy face, dirty blonde hair, holding a stick said.

Kazuma eyed the stick disdainfully. "Yeah…I guess that broom really knocked me out cold." He caressed his sore cheek. Kazuma was sitting up, grabbing his head in pain, his leg propped up for support for his arm.

Another boy who looked much older, "We poked you so you would wake up but you wouldn't so we poked you harder," he was also holding a wooden stick.

"That's one way to save a guy's life, I guess." Both his cheeks felt sore.

The kid with the blonde hair reached into his pockets, retrieving a folded piece of paper, "The lady gave me this to give to you, mister. I think it's a bill because it's got all these big numbers written on it." Kazuma accepted the folded paper, unfolded it, read it, and then he groaned in despair.

Kanami was going to grill him to death and then lecture him about the good will about being a responsible adult. He wasn't looking forward to that at all.

Kazuma collapsed again, the wisp of paper slowly floating down the dirt infested air, it landed on his face.

The pudgy faced kid poked his side, he twitched.

He poked again.

God kill him now…

Poke.