CHAPTER 4: EVERY TIME YOU THINK IT'S GONNA HAPPEN...

"OOOHHHH! This is soooo romantic," Yayoi cried, eyes wide and shiny, clutching her hands in delight. "Finally, the brave knight gives in to the princess' charm! Shyly, they look at each other, not sure if they should risk it! And then, he kisses her-,"

"Um, riiight," Himeno said, giving her friend a sarcastic look. She knew it was a mistake to tell the romance novel obsessed girl about her date...well, sort of date. And it was creepy how Yayoi guessed so close to the truth. About Hayate being a knight, that is. Her friend still didn't know the secret.

"And the princess is soooo over come with emotion, she faints! Right into his arms!"

"Yayoi, it's not like that! And if you're gonna babble on about it I'm not gonna let you pick out an outfit."

"But, Himeno, this is just like that novel I finished reading," Yayoi protested. "A Kiss At Midnight! Ohh, so romantic!"

Himeno gritted her teeth and went through the rack of clothing in the department store, trying to ignore Yayoi's ranting and raving. Really, it wasn't THAT big a deal! It wasn't even a real date anyway. In fact, for all she knew, Hayate was just gonna talk to her about...stuff.

Okay, so she didn't REALLY think that was it! Why else go shopping for a new outfit? She pulled out a cute green t-shirt that said 'Love Your Monkey' and had a cartoon monkey on the front. That was kinda-

"NOO! Not that," Yayoi cried. "That's not at all romantic! You need something...something like this!"

Himeno grimaced at the teeny little shirt with bows all over it. Eck! "That's nice, Yayoi, but I don't think it's really me..."

Mawata saved her then. She held out a dark pink tunic shirt with one of those little shrug sweaters. "This is nice, Himeno. And you can wear it with jeans," she said. Mawata and Himeno had become very close friends after the whole Puppet of Disaster incident. She still wasn't smiling all the time and tended to disappear if Sasame happened to be around. But, at least she wasn't depressed anymore.

Himeno grabbed the shirt and shrug and held them in front of her. "Hey, this looks great, Mawata! Okay, this is it!"

"Ohhh, it's sooo dreamy! It flows just like the princess' dress did when the knight slowly lowered it off her shoulders, exposing her creamy white- Mmph!"

Himeno laughed nervously and kept her hand pressed over Yayoi's mouth. People were staring at them. Mawata's eyes got big when she realized what Yayoi was about to say in public. "Oh...I think I should go. Homework, you know. Bye, Himeno!" She left them, still a brilliant shade of red.

"Bye, Mawata!" Himeno stood in line, pulling the credit card Natsue had given to her from her pocket. Once the purchase was done, Yayoi went back to the mansion with her, rattling on and on about how the moon would be full and the stars shimmering like diamonds in a velvet sky. And still kept on when Himeno went into her room and began to get ready. It was already five. One hour and then...

"And then his hand touches hers and their fingers twine and, oh! But she's so afraid to take it further..."

Hmm...She was starting to get a little nervous. What if it WASN'T a real date? What if he just wanted to talk about what was going on, or some new training plan or something? Granted, they weren't really in danger anymore, but Hayate had hinted before that there were still plenty of dangers in the world that would require the Leafe Knights and the Pretear...

"And she touches his face, tracing the cheek and eyes of the one she loves. But, wait, he's crying! He doesn't want to hurt her with the power of his love..."

But what if this WAS a date? How was this going to change things? She and Hayate fought all the time with each other. He couldn't really like (love) her, could he? And if he did, how was this gonna effect the other Knights? What about...what about before? What if he did admit he liked (loved) her and then they broke up? Would she turn into the next Princess of Disaster?

"But the princess is certain of her feelings! It's her resolve that pushes them further and his arms go around her waist and her eyes close..."

No, she couldn't think like that! She WOULDN'T think like that! She wasn't like Takako, she was stronger than that. And who knew, maybe it would be alright in the end? Maybe things wouldn't change too much? Maybe...

The door opened and Natsue poked her head in. "Why, Himeno, you look so pretty!"

Himeno blushed and checked herself in the mirror. She didn't look half bad! "Thanks, mom!"

"I just wanted to let you know your gentleman friend is here. Hello, Yayoi. Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"WOULD I?" Yayoi beamed, looking as if her greatest dream had come true. And it had, in a way. Kaoru Awayuki, Himeno's dad, was the current Best Selling romance author...Yayoi's idol. "Oh, Mrs. Awayuki, thank you soooo much! Why, this is just such an occassion I've been waiting for. Mr. Awayuki's my most beloved and favorite..." Her voice trailed off as they went in a separate direction of the main entrance.

Himeno took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Okay, stay calm, stay calm. It wasn't that nerve wracking...was it? She pushed the door open and froze halfway through. God, he looked so dreamy! Dark jeans, deep blue shirt almost as blue as his eyes, black leather coat. Wow...she was going on a date with THAT? She suddenly felt very plain next to him.

Hayate looked very uncomfortable (nervous) as he stood wating for her by the door. "Well?" he asked when she still hadn't moved.

"Oh, ahaha! Sorry!" Himeno walked toward him...and tripped over her own feet.

Hayate was there faster than she could follow, catching her before she hit the ground. And it put her right into his arms. It was waaaayyy too hot in here! She blushed, smiling. "Oops!"

"Are you okay?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned. No shouting and calling her an idiot? Maybe this dating thing would change things for the better.

Himeno stood up quickly. "Yep, just fine! Okay, let's go."

"Um, actually...I have something for you."

"Huh?"

Hayate, still looking a little uncomfortable, picked up the flowers sitting on the table. Daisies and...TULIPS! That...that...actually, it was kinda funny.

Himeno laughed and handed them to the servant who came up. "Thanks! You know, cut tulips can grow if you plant them again."

"Really?" he asked, opening the door for her.

"Yeah, and if Shin can..." Oh, yeah. She didn't finish it.

Hayate ignored her slip up. "I forgot to ask. Is Italian okay?"

"Huh?"

He arched a brow. "Italian? As in food?"

"Oh, fine! It's...fine."

"If it isn't-,"

"No, it's great. I love Italian."

They didn't say a word. A cab was waiting outside the gate. Himeno stopped. "Hey, if you want, we can take the limo-,"

Hayate opened the door to the cab. "This is fine...unless you WANT to take the limo."

Actually, she was relieved they weren't. This was more normal. More her. She still wasn't used to the whole wealthy lifestyle. She got in and slid over. Hayate got in, shut the door and said, "Cafe Bellisimo."

The driver took off without a word.

After about ten minutes of not talking, Himeno bit her lower lip. Why was this so awkward? She'd never had a problem talking to Hayate before. Finally, she asked, "So, this place...is it any good?"

"I don't know. Kei recommended it," Hayate answered.

Oh. "Well, it'll be an adventure then, won't it?" she laughed. God...

Hayate didn't say anything. This was really weird!

"Hey, if this is too-,"

"Maybe this was-,"

They both blushed and looked away. After a bit, Hayate said, "Driver, change of plans. Garden Square."

Himeno looked at his profile staring out the window. "Hayate, what-,"

He shifted in the seat so he could turn and face her. "Look, this is awkward. It'll get even worse over dinner at a restaurant neither of us have been to. So, I thought it might be better to just get something to go and walk around a bit. Or did you want to go to dinner?"

Letting her breath out, Himeno gave him a relieved smile. "That sounds fun!"

"Good." He even smiled a little.

Maybe this wouldn't be too bad then.

The cab pulled over at Garden Square, which was just that. A big square that held a garden. But around that square were shops and restaurants and all kinds of other places. The only lights in the garden came from all the neon signs of the shops, but it was pretty. A little slice of tranquility in a busy city. "Okay, so where to first?" she asked.

Hayate scanned the area quickly. Then, he pointed off to the right. "There. I promised you dinner, and they've got the best Chinese food ever."

Himeno followed his finger and gaped in surprise. "THERE? I didn't know you liked Suki Hana!"

He looked at her, surprised. "You know it?"

"They've got the best fried noodles!"

He smiled. "Okay then. Suki Hana it is." He took her hand, and it made her heart pound away even harder.

Suki Hana wasn't a real restaurant. it was more of a little stand in a building that cooked everything to go. But it was yummy, and she was still surprised someone like Hayate would like it. Goh, maybe, but Hayate...he was really surprising her tonight.

He got their food and they walked on down with the to go boxes full of Lo Mein. Himeno tore into hers, trying to not slurp the noodles, but it was a little tricky to do. "Mmm...thanks!"

"Sure, no problem," he answered around a mouthful of noodles.

Himeno laughed to herself, looking up at him as they walked. "You know, I never would have pegged you for a fast food guy."

"This doesn't count as fast food."

"It does so!"

"Does not! Fast food is McDonald's. Suki Hana actually cooks it all fresh for you."

"Suki Hana is fast food cuz it's fast and it's food," Himeno insisted.

Hayate shook his head. "We had to wait ten minutes for our noodles. It wasn't fast. AND it wasn't microwaved, either."

Himeno dropped it. This was gonna turn into an argument. Her eyes went wide when she spotted something and she grabbed his arm. Hayate barely got the fork into his mouth before she dragged him over to the arcade. "What the hell?" he exclaimed.

"Come on! I love air hockey! Himeno pulled out her thin wallet from her pocket. It was actually a guy's wallet, but it held everything she needed. Her id, a credit card, some cash. That's all she needed.

"Here, I've got it," Hayate said, setting his Lo Mein down to get quarters.

"No, my treat! You bought dinner, I'll get the arcade. Besides, it's only fair since I'm gonna kick your ass!"

Hayate raised a brow dubiously. "Is that so?"

They found a free table and Himeno dropped in the tokens needed and grabbed a paddle. "Be prepared to lose, Hayate!" She hit the disk down to his end.

Hayate, giving her a wicked smile, didn't even touch his paddle. The disk stopped on it's own before it went sailing down to her end. And into the goal.

"THAT'S CHEATING! YOU CAN'T DO THAT," She shouted. He'd used some leafe to control the air flow.

"Who said?" he challenged.

"Damn it, that's not fair!"

"Doesn't say so in the rules."

"Well, not everyone can do THAT! If they could, it would be illegal!"

He was making fun of her, she realized when he gave her a full out smile. As in one that showed his teeth. She was momentarily caught off guard by how innocent it made him look before she shook her head, grabbed the puck and shot it down to his end.

This time he played fair and used the paddle.

Four games later and her fingers were cramped. But she'd won. Hayate wasn't too thrilled with it.

"You complained about me cheating! What was all that about grabbing the puck with your other hand?" he complained.

"It was gonna go off the table anyway," Himeno fired back.

"Yes, into your goal!"

"You're just jealous because I got a shut out on the last game."

"Because you kept GRABBING THE STUPID PUCK!"

Himeno pretended not to hear him. "Anyway, since I am your date, anything I say goes."

"What! Since when?" he exclaimed.

"Since you asked me and I said yes."

"I...well, you...never mind!"

Himeno laughed and wrapped her arms around his arm, grinning triumphantly. There was a twitch of lips that told her he was trying not to smile. "Okay, your turn. What do you wanna do?"

Hayate looked around again and nodded off toward the Square. "It looks like they've got a street performer." They crossed the street, his arm around her shoulders. Himeno snuggled in closer to him, the night air getting a little chill.

"Here." He took his coat off and wrapped it around her. Without the black to tone the blue down, it made his eyes almost explode with color. She hadn't noticed that there were tiny paler blue specks to them before.

"What?" he asked when he noticed her still staring.

"Oh, uh, nothing. Hey, it's a magician! How cool!"

They found seats in the back of the built in open-air theater. The magician was a combination of that and a comedian. During the performance sometime, his hand had found hers, his thumb rubbing little circles into her hand. Himeno found it very difficult to pay attention to the show after that.

When it was over, they still sat at their bench, unable to look at each other. It was Himeno who broke the silence again. "So...there was something you wanted to say?"

"Uh...yes, there was..." He turned around so that one leg was on either side of the bench. Himeno looked up when his hand brushed her cheek gently. "That day...back when Sasame and I were fighting..."

"Yes?" She could barely breath.

"Well, I...I just wanted to..." His lips were coming closer to hers, eyes drifting close.

God, yes! Himeno closed her eyes. So close now. His breath touched her lips. "Yes," she said, this time it wasn't really a question.

"I wanted to say that I-,"

"Hayate, Himeno! Hajime's been hurt," Kei's voice said.

Hayate drew back, biting his lower lip and looking decidedly pissed off. "What?" he demanded, turning to Kei.

Himeno was gonna kill the man!

Kei gave them both a very cold glare. "Sorry I interupted the make-out fest, but Hajime almost drowned in the bath tonight. The water wouldn't let him up. So, unless you two don't give a damn about him, go ahead and play tonsil hockey! I'm going to try and get that water under control!" He disappeared in a flash of light.

They sat there for a split second after the Knight of Light left before Hayate stood up and gave her his hand. "Come on, they're gonna need us."

Himeno nodded and took his hand, holding on as he found a spot behind the stage where no one could see them (unlike Kei's unsafe popping in and out in a public area) and winked them over to the safe house.

They were greeted by absolute chaos. Just as they were about to go through the door, the window was smashed as Sasame was flung through it. He pushed himself up weakly, glass cutting into his palms. "G-get in there," he choked out, eyes full of pain. Bruises were already forming down his shoulders and arms.

Hayate slammed the door open and they ran to the bathroom where the shouting was coming from. Goh and Kei were shooting fireballs and lightning bolts at a HUGE watery shape that was about to slam Mannan into the ground.

"Himeno," Goh shouted. reaching for her hand.

Himeno took his hand and preted with him. The world was suddenly tinted as if seeing it through fire. She had to duck when Kei was flung through the doorway and into Hayate, slamming them both into the wall.

Himeno turned her attention back to the water monster, searching for a core. Nothing again! What the hell.

"Hey, there's no core," Goh said in her head.

"I said that the first time, too," Himeno snapped, flying in the limited space out of the way of a great whip of water. It cracked a big hole into the wall. And she looked up in horror as another flail came flying right down toward her and Goh.

"Himeno, duck!" Himeno dropped down at Takako's shout. A great burst of sound ripped through the room, tearing the tiles off the wall and bursting the water apart. But how...

She looked up and saw Takako...only it wasn't just Takako. She and Sasame had preted? But, it was too dangerous for them both!

"Takako, Sasame, what are you doing?" Himeno shouted.

"Look out," Goh hollered. Just in time, too. Himeno rolled out of the way of a water whip and called on the power of fire.

"Get out of here, Takako!" Takako got out of the room just as the flames roared to life, evaporating the water in the inferno.

Once she was sure the water was gone, Himeno stopped channeling the fire and slumped to her knees. That had taken a lot out of her and Goh. She could feel Goh was wiped out completely. They unpreted and Goh dropped onto his back, panting.

"Holy shit," he gasped, eyes closed.

Himeno looked up when someone touched her back. Hayate looked concerned. "Are you hurt?"

"No, just tired. Haven't had to sustain a long burst of leafe like that in a while," she answered.

They were both startled apart by the gasp of pain. Sasame was on his hands and knees, body shaking. Takako was kneeling over him, eyes full of tears. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! We shouldn't have...why did you...Sasame..."

Sasame leaned back onto his knees. It was then that Himeno noticed he looked a little...transparent? "It's alright...really, Takako. I...I wanted to...to pret..." His voice broke in a hiss of pain, arms wrapping around his stomach.

"Wh-what happened?" Himeno asked.

"It's what happens if we pret with anyone but the ruling Pretear," Hayate answered, still staring at the two. "Takako isn't the Pretear. It was foolish, Sasame."

Sasame gave him a cold look. "It was necessary. It save Himeno and Goh."

"Hey, Hajime...how is he?" Goh asked worriedly. Kei was helping him sit up.

"He's not breathing," Mannan said, voice cracking. "Hayate, he isn't breathing!"