Hey out there. Sorry for such a long, long, long, long, long, long wait. There was school stuff, then graduation, then the transition from high school to college, and writer's block. I want to thank Karisan-Karisan for all her support. Hope you'll like this, Cari. There's some Preston/Miharu moments but bear with it for one or two more chaps please! Stevie will come in soon I promise!

For those who read the first chapter, please read it again because I've changed a few things on this update.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"What? A quadruple date?"

"Doesn't it sound interesting? You get to meet all my close friends. Well, with the exception of Christie of course."

"Sure do. Um…you said Sunday?"

"Yeah."

"Where are we going?"

"I believe a pub. You know Baker St.?"

"Yeah, been there with a few of my friends." Preston paused. "How old are the other guys?"

"All the other males are a bit older than you."

Preston made a face. "Is that so?"

"Don't get discouraged. Hwoarang and Jin are both twenty-eight—a year older, and Eddy is thirty-six."

"That means Christie married someone ten years older than her!"

"But they both love each other, so…"

"Yeah, you're right. As long as they're okay with it, it won't be a big deal."

"You've met their daughter right?"

"No, I haven't."

"Huh." Miharu grabbed her purse, dug into it, and pulled out a small photo. "Here."

Preston placed the tea cup he was drinking from down on the table and took the picture. Miharu watched him smile as he looked at it. "She's adorable." He said.

"I know. Isn't she cute?"

"I heard she's…what, four years old?"

"Yeah. Chris was a bit young to have a child but…it's alright I guess…" Preston gave the photo back to Miharu and she placed it back into her wallet. "…I wonder what it's like to be a mother…"

Preston paused when he heard those words. He looked at her wondering face and tried to pretend he had the power of a mind reader. So far he had no luck. He knew his girlfriend wasn't completely ready for children but he was thinking of an engagement a few weeks from now. Maybe it will be shortened down to just days. This was only their second date but he felt Miharu was the perfect woman for him. Her beautiful long auburn hair, her skin soft and smooth to the touch, her honey eyes, and her wonderful figure, all of these features she possesses he loved. Before he knew it he was staring at her lips, for it was one of the things he haven't experienced.

"Preston? Are you alright?"

After snapping back to reality he looked at her with a dumbfound expression. "Huh? Yes?"

"You were staring at me weirdly…was there something wrong with my face?"

He shook his head slowly, still flabbergasted. "N-no. Nothing was wrong. It's just that…you're really beautiful."

Miharu's cheeks reddened. "Oh…thank you…I guess…" She looked down to avoid his stare.

She then felt his hands take hold of hers.

"Come here." He said, pulling her closer.

Now it was her turn to be rendered speechless. He could lean toward her easily from the smallness of their round coffee table. Preston's eyes were half-closed as were hers. Before she could even respond their lips had already met in a sweet kiss. Preston hoped she would get what he was trying to tell her through his act. Men are less talkative when it comes to love, unlike women. They are action-driven. What they do is more important than what they say. At least that was what Miharu read in a book she borrowed from Xiaoyu: Over 100 Things Women Should Know about Men. Julia and Christie even fought the Chinese woman for it sometimes whenever they thought Hwoarang or Eddy was acting bizarre.

A minute passed and they parted. Weird feelings swept over Miharu as she reopened her eyes to look at the man in front of her. He had the look of…what, compassion? No…satisfaction? Desire? Well, whatever it was, Miharu was certain she felt it too, for she and Preston kissed each other again, only more feverishly and with more passion.

"Easy, young lovebirds." The couple broke apart with slight embarrassment when they saw the elderly waiter who waited their table standing there amused by their infatuation. "Would you two like anything else?"

Preston cleared his throat. "Erm…no, we're fine. May we have the check, please?"

"Certainlly."

Miharu could sense other customers' stare, and eventually returned to their own conversations while the waiter left.

"I'm sorry," she heard her companion say. "I got a bit carried away."

"Hey, stop putting all the blame on yourself. I slipped as well."

It seemed like hours while the two waited for the check. They stayed silent as they drew their attention to everything except to each other. Each was at a loss of what their partner was thinking about that brushing of the lips, the sensation of that moment. Do they feel the same way about each other?

"Sir, here's your check."

Preston was quiet while he paid for their drinks. Miharu watched him thank the waiter wordlessly.

Then, unexpected to her, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of Serenitea.

"Wha-!" she started.

They came only in Preston's car. Miharu wondered why he isn't speaking to her. The two got in the vehicle. He started the engine.

"Where are we going?"

"My house; where we wouldn't be bothered."

Her expression brought up his next response.

"No, not like that. I just need to talk with you about something."

Miharu was careful not to let her mind wonder off to far about the upcoming conversation at her boyfriend's residence. She knew, however, what he might speak to her about.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Here's the living room. You can wait here while I return my call. K'?"

"Sure."

Miharu walked over to Preston's L-shaped couch and sat down, admiring his huge house. No, it's more like a custom home, in the neighborhood of Sweetwater right across from Woodstream. Someone 'conveniently' paged Preston which let the suspense hang a bit longer, making her linger. Part of her wanted to hear what he has to say now, but the other, well, nervous. Do I want a companion right now? Am I ready to welcome Preston into my life? Will this relationship fall apart like the others?

Miharu buried her head into her hands with an exasperated sigh. Well, it's too early now, she thought. She needed to know him better. She could never just jump in and marry him just because she likes him. Wait, I like him? She laughed silently to herself. Yeah, he's a nice guy. I like him a lot. Not to mention the way they kissed at Serenitea. That will remain in her head for sure. She read his profile in a magazine she dug out of her bathroom basket full of reading junk a few days after she first met him. He went to college, which is a good thing. Had a degree…yeah, a good thing. There are some other eye-catching things too, for example he donated money to a charity program she barely heard of. So he cares for the poor.

"Well, now that's taken care of…" Preston's low voice sounded from the hallway.

He walked toward her and paused right next to her. When he didn't sit down she looked up at him. He had one hand on the side of his waist, and the other covering his chin and mouth. His eyes looked past her at the book shelf behind her.

Miharu decided to start it up. "Um…you have something you want to-"

Preston cut her off with an index finger. "Yes."

He finally sat down next to her. She could smell his cologne. He held her hand.

"What do you think of me?"

She hesitated. "I…um…"

Miharu didn't want to look at him while she thought of the answer.

"It's okay." She heard him say. His hand started to caress hers. "You don't have to reply right away…but listen to what I think of you."

He took a deep breath, while her breathing seemed to stop.

"I don't know how…or why…I feel different with you than with the other women I've dated. It's too complicated to put into words. But I'm glad Christie introduced you to me. I know that we've only known each other for a short time but…these new feelings started to develop during those times and I found myself thinking about you most almost everyday. It wouldn't stop and it's bothering me too much…when I looked at you again at the teahouse today…the most beautiful woman on Earth…I knew my answer…"

He turned her face to look at his green eyes. "Miharu…I…"

With her mouth slightly agape, she listened intently for his upcoming words. The words she failed to hear during those unsuccessful relationships of the past.

"I think I'm in love with you."

Miharu gasped silently, hand covering her mouth. "Oh Preston…I…"

He gently peeled her hand from her face. Before she could continue she was cut off by his lips.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Christie put little Charlotte into the young girl's room for a nap and walked into the living room with the couch currently occupied by Eddy, whose attention was glued to the football game on TV.

"I wondered how their date went…" She wondered out loud.

"Who's date?" Eddy asked by reflex.

Christie sighed. Eddy felt his giggling wife's hands massage his shoulders. "You know…" She continued. "Mi and Preston's date."

"Oh…yeah…them…" After hearing his careless response she pinched Eddy's cheeks getting his attention. "Ah!"

She laughed wholeheartedly and Eddy chuckled along.

"Come sit by me hon." He patted the space beside him and she gladly obliged while the television switched to commercial break.

They snuggled onto each other's bodies comfortably.

"Hey, that's Preston on the TV." Christie pointed out.

"That's him?"

"Yeah…"

What Eddy saw next on the screen made his brows narrow in disgust. "What's he doing with those women?"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Miharu got out from Preston's car and closed the vehicle door behind her.

"So I'll pick you up at three-thirty?" He called from the driver's seat.

"Yeah." She smiled. "Thank you Preston."

"Hey, no problem. Can't wait to meet your friends." He paused when he saw her irresolute expression. "Take your time. Don't worry about what I said too much. It's up to you if you want us to continue."

"Thank you." She leaned in from the open window and kissed him again. "Rest well, 'kay?"

"Sure. You too…well, bye."

"Bye."

He flashed another warm smile and drove away under the setting sun. She waited until his car was no longer visible and slowly walked to her door. She unlocked it and went into her home she shared with Ling. It's not as big as Preston's. It doesn't have a gateway either, but she's satisfied with it. It does not have a second story. The small stair steps only lead to a higher part of her house which is the entertainment area. She turned it into an office because it has windows with the lake view which she oh so loved. It provided a special remedy whenever she's stressed while doing her work in front of her computer. Same goes with Ling.

In Texas, weather could be very unpredictable or awkward. It's wintertime but it's around eighty degrees outside. She tied her long auburn hair into a ponytail to relieve the heat around her neck and walked to her answering machine. Ling owns a separate phone with a different number so it would cause less disorder. Miharu pressed the messages button.

'You have four messages.'

She listened to them all quickly. There was one from her father in Japan checking up on her, a crappy infomercial, one from Xiaoyu saying she had to stay at work to finish something, and the last was from Christie asking about the status of Miharu's relationship with Preston.

Miharu made a note to reply her father and Christie and went into her room to change into her casual wear: a large T-shirt and a baggy PJ pants. It had become her habit over the years. She just had to get out of her job formalwear or any kind of dress-up wear and get comfortable whenever she gets home.

Miharu decided it was time for some Pilates and Yoga. So she turned on the stereo at the corner and placed a CD inside. It's a Lifescapes soundtrack full of music concerning nature, harmony, and peace. She skipped to a piano piece and got into her position.

Throughout her exercises she thought about her response for Preston. They made out for a bit after he claimed he loved her. No clothing came off, which was a relief for her. She didn't want to go too fast with the relationship. Heck, she never even meet Preston's parents. She only saw Preston two times and those are the dates. Only two dates, and he already feels for her. It was the fastest relationship she ever got herself into. But the weird thing is, she feels for him too. He's different from the other guys. Like he said earlier, this 'difference' couldn't be put into words. Now, the next big question would be: is it love?

Just then, her lower body began to feel numb.

That's weird, she thought. I know these Pilates moves and it never bothered me before. She felt her legs. Everything seemed right. Her eyes wondered off in deep thought. But wait…this had happened before. That weird sudden numbness. A few times at work, hanging out with her friends, even during sleep it happened.

She glanced back at her legs. What she saw shocked her. A faint blue light glowed on her lower body, and her legs seemed to become slightly transparent. Cold sweat began to flow down the sides of her face as she reached a shaking hand to touch her right leg.

Her hand went right through.

Miharu began to panic. She was confused at the sight. No doctors or physicians faced this type of…'situation' before. But she had to try to tell them even though the chances of them understanding this would be a miracle. Just before she thought the circumstances would become worse, her legs returned to normal. The feelings returned to them. She could feel the soft carpet floors again.

Miharu quickly touched them one more time just to make sure her eyes aren't playing tricks, then got up, walked slowly toward her phone. She thought of who to call at the time. Ling would probably be busy. Julia and Jin work late all the time, so no use there. Hwoarang might be home or on his way home by now she wasn't sure. Eddy's classes at '24hr Fitness' were over a long time ago, and she never knew Christie's schedule with its constant changes. Miharu guessed the woman was home due to the fact that the Brazilian left a message earlier.

Even though it might help telling one of her close friends about her problem, but it also meant putting extra burden on them. Having thought of that, she put down the phone and lay down on the sofa, falling into a deep nap.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

I should've written more but I'm still concerned about the plotlines. New ideas kept popping up like…popcorn. And I have to trash some of the old ones. That was why I made changes on the first chapter.

Next chap will be the 'quadruple' date and hopefully Miharu's reply to Preston. Miharu's 'problem' will worsen too. Just cross my fingers and hope I'll continue this.

Thanks to the ones who're reading this. I appreciate it greatly.