Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.

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CHAPTER NINE: Everywhere

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Tsukushi stopped on her tracks toward the stairs when she noticed Umi and Tsukasa sitting on a couch in the living room. Her cousin was practically straddling Tsukasa. She couldn't understand why she even felt a twinge of jealousy…not that she cared….right? She shook her head and was about to start walking again when Umi saw her and called, a seductive smile on her face.

"Hey cousin…" Umi greeted.

Tsukasa poke his head around to look at Tsukushi before he stood up, practically dropping Umi out of his lap, his eyes was sending apologies to his 'mate'. On the other hand, Umi pouted as she straightened her mini dress. In turn, Tsukushi just raised her brow to the 'couple' on her parents' sofa.

"Hi Tsukushi…" Tsukasa greeted as he walked toward her. "I came here to talk to you about…"

"Hi Tsukasa," she said cutting Tsukasa's words then she started to walk to the stairs. "Please don't mind me, I know my cousin, no need for you to feel uncomfortable or anything I'll be leaving again in a sec anyway."

Tsukasa frowned as he followed Tsukushi up the stairs and to her bedroom, not even noticing that he followed her, not even noticing when he close the door behind him and rest his back on it.

Tsukushi jumped as she heard her door clicked and looked about and saw Tsukasa getting comfortable on her door. She suddenly felt her heart beat faster as she eyed the imposing man and then to her door handle where his long fingers was still attached to it. She couldn't help but to feel nervous. Really, she was not claustrophobic but now she felt like fainting. Tsukushi sighed before she turned again and started looking at her stuff. 'What's this guy doing in MY room anyway?' she thought as her hands shuffled some things.

"Going anywhere?" Tsukasa asked, eyeing Tsukushi's shapely rear with deep interest as she bent down still shuffling at her stuff.

Tsukushi looked at her unwelcome visitor through her bending position, that only entertain Tsukasa more as he found it attractive and seductive as if she was inviting him to come to her, especially with those big brown eyes staring at him.

"Yeah, I'm just looking for something I forgot then I'll meet my friends. We have practice…" Tsukushi said as she frowned, she swore she saw Tsukasa's eyes glinted with hunger for awhile.

"I see…"

"U-huh…" then after awhile, Tsukushi straightened up as she said in an almost loud and happy voice as if she just found a treasure. "Gotcha!"

Tsukasa looked at a piece of disheveled few pieces of papers. "What's that?"

"Lyrics." Tsukushi said as she turned to him. "Anyway," she looked straight at Tsukasa's eyes. "Why did you follow me here?"

"I have no idea, actually I was just going to ask about my questions a while ago." He shrugged as he started to look around Tsukushi's not-so-neat room since strewn of papers and things scattered here and there.

"Okay, since you already asked your questions maybe you should go back to Umi now."

"Why should I?" Tsukasa's brow furrowed, he didn't even noticed when the door locked as he gripped on it.

Tsukushi looked at Tsukasa warily as she started to move toward her terrace to ease her feel of suffocation. Mission accomplished, she breathe a load full of fresh air. "You both like each other, ne?" she answered after a while. "I even saw the two of you kissing on the couch." She shrugged.

"Correction, I have no liking to your cousin," Tsukasa said as he moved toward the terrace and stood next to Tsukushi. "And we're not kissing." He explained.

"Fool me." Tsukushi said with sarcasm as she reached at the side of Tsukasa's lips and wiped the remaining smear of her cousin's lipstick, then she raised her index finger at Tsukasa. "Don't tell me you're also wearing a lipstick, hmmm…"

"She kissed me first…" he explained.

Tsukushi just nodded. "Yeah, that's what you all guys said when another girl sees you, putting all the blame on the girl you're making out with. What does it matter whom kissed whom first, the point is you still kissed, you let her and I won't believe it if you guys didn't enjoyed it too even though you claimed innocence."

"Are you jealous?" Tsukasa raised his brow.

Tsukushi just laughed with carelessness, "I told you, I know my cousin, and I don't care, her business is hers alone. And I'm not jealous…heck…why would I be? I'm merely stating a fact." Then she shrugged.

"Well," Tsukasa looked at her intently. "Your cousin suddenly kissed me a second before you entered, I was surprised that I didn't have a mind to push her away fast. And that's the truth. I don't like her." His face turned serious as his eyes glinted once again. Tsukushi shivered. "Actually, I want someone else." He looked at her directly. "And I swear I'll have her soon…"

"Want?" Tsukushi gulped as she tried to relax her nerves and laughed as carefree as before. She could tell that there was meaning under Tsukasa's words. She clutched her hands together to stop them from trembling with unease. "That sounds possessive."

Tsukasa leaned closer to her, "I'm a very possessive guy. What's mine is only mine." Tsukushi's eyes widened as she saw Tsukasa's head slowly bending toward her bitten neck and she gasped as she felt him licked her wound that almost a scar with his tongue before kissing and sucking on it.

"Ohhh….Tsuka…sa…" Tsukushi babbled on as she tried to forget the wonderful sensations she was feeling. "What d-do you think you're doing?"

She felt Tsukasa smirked thru her shoulder blades, before he straightened himself, he brushed his lips lightly to hers. "Kissing you, of course."

Tsukushi narrowed her eyes, "You know what I mean." She walked back inside her room.

"I can't help myself when it comes to you." He shrugged as he followed her, a playful smile on his lips.

Tsukushi reddened but tried to look serious. "You can't kiss me like that anytime you please. I mean, what's the deal with telling your sister we're together when we're not. Gosh, I don't even know you at all, you're still a stranger, I only happen to be talking to you now because two of my friends are dating with two of your brothers but besides that nothing!" she said with a bit of frustration.

"I didn't tell Tsubaki anything about 'us', she figures it out herself."

"Why shouldn't she when all you always do is kissed me when you got the chance."

"I can't help myself." Tsukasa explained. "The moment I bit---I mean, I like you. I want you." He said boldly, his eyes now glinting with pure possessiveness.

Tsukushi gaped at him for a while. 'I can't believe that I'm the girl he wants! I mean of course I already guess that he likes me but still I thought that it's only some kind of adoration and nothing serious, but now, after hearing about his possessive declaration…it's kind of distracting.' She thought. "But technically, you're still a stranger to me and…and…I'm still a bit confused…"

Tsukasa move toward her, he encircled her waist with his arms. "Do you really want to know EVERYTHING about me?"

"What do you mean?" she frowned, not even bothering to take Tsukasa's arms off her 'coz she knew she couldn't and not to mention that she kinda like the feeling he was making her feel.

"Anyway, whether I tell you now or later, it'll still end the same, you being with me."

"You're really puzzling me. You talk as if I have no choice."

"You don't." he said seriously as he looked down at her meeting her eyes.

Tsukushi could feel the pressure and anxiety enveloping her. She gaped at him for some seconds. She could feel fear and excitement together with a shiver running down her spine. 'How could this guy say something about my fate as if it's as simple as that. I don't have a choice. My life is already decided, is that it?' her mind raced for a lot of questions and answers. "You're serious?"

"I won't kid with this kind of subject."

Tsukushi just nodded dazedly. She looked calm and collected but her insides were all in a jumble. She needed to get out and go somewhere else where she could think without being bothered with Tsukasa's presence. Being near him was confusing her more because she couldn't think straight. She freed herself, which Tsukasa allowed her, then grabbed her jacket. She faced him, "You know what, I'm confused, I don't think I'm ready for your explanations. I want some time alone." She whispered. "It's all so crazy, I mean, we just met a few weeks ago and then you're telling about my life being planned out."

Tsukasa sighed then shrugged. "I understand." With that, Tsukushi left him alone on her room. Tsukasa stayed for a while to look through the pictures. He smiled as he saw Tsukushi's snap shots, she looked like she was in deep thought, her hair was being swept by the wind softly, she looked so serene and innocent. He took the picture and put it in his wallet before he left.

Tsukushi just exited the house and hopped at Sakurako's car. 'I can't believe what's happening to me. I mean this is all going too fast and I'm scared that I would not be able to cope. And not to mention about that guy who bit me. Oh man, I'm sooo confused! Should I tell the girls?'

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Eitoku parking lot…

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"I thought we're going to practice at Saku's place?" Tsukushi asked with a frown, putting aside her personal problem with Tsukasa for a while.

"That's right," Yuki said from the driver's seat while Shigeru and Sakurako were getting their gym bags. "But first, we'll wait for Shigeru and Saku till they finish their cheerleading practice."

Tsukushi nodded before she leaned comfortably on her seat. "Almost forgot two of our friends were pompom girls…"

Shigeru snorted, "You made it sound so disgusting…"

"Maybe because Asai and her gang are there too." Sakurako smirked.

Yuki looked pensive, "Speaking of Asai, it's a wonder how they didn't bother us for some time now? A mystery!"

"Of course not," Tsukushi started munching on one of the chips they bought on the way. "They just got a little scared about the incident at Bo, not to mention that someone started a rumor that the maniac-on-the-lose was after obnoxious-slutty-ladies…"

"Haha…it's all thanks to me!" Sakurako smirked. The three girls looked at her with amusement.

"That's why they started to lie-low for a while…" Tsukushi ended.

"And speaking of Bo, never got a chance to see the guy again…" Shigeru pointed out.

"He's still around, we're just so damn busy we can't cope with our social lives…" Sakurako answered. "Anyway, quit pigging out Kushi, let's get going and get over this with."

Tsukushi scowled as she let the chips go, "I'm not pigging out!" she followed her friends who just chuckled.

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Inside the gymnasium…

Yuki and Tsukushi sat on the bleachers near the cheerers while Shigeru and Sakurako did their moves with the other girls.

The two girls looked up when Shigeru suddenly walked to them with squinting-suspicious eyes. "Is it me or that Rui-guy was here watching the practice? I mean I swear, never saw the guy watch a single practice before. I swear he's jinxing me again!" she muttered.

Tsukushi and Yuki exchanged glances before they burst out laughing.

"Really guys, this isn't funny! He's stalking me! I swear I saw him earlier at the library too! If it's possible he'll even follow me at the ladies CR and locker room…"

"That's called stress dear friend," Yuki stated with a wide smile. "You're pushing yourself too hard you're starting to imagine things, maybe you just happen to be at the same place at the same time but not intentionally."

Shigeru huffed, "I thought so too, but seeing him here at the gym is really suspicious!"

"Who knows," Tsukushi shrugged as she comforted her friend. "Maybe he's interested with one of the girls here."

Shigeru just nodded with a pout.

"Yo Shigeru, get your butt in here!" Sakurako yelled.

After a while, Shigeru started having so many mistakes with her moves, she was now gritting her teeth with annoyance as she glared once in a while at the passive looking Rui sitting five pew away from her friends. It never occurred to the bubbly girl that maybe she was distracted because of him rather than being jinx.

"What's happening to you girl?" Sakurako asked silently after their routine.

"Someone's here to jinx me!"

"Oh…" Sakurako then noticed Rui.

Before their coach let them go, Shigeru got a lot of reminders. As the others started to leave except for those girls who eyed the silent Rui for a while before they also leave. Shigeru made her way to the oblivious looking boy.

"What are you doing here! Trying to jinx me, are you!" she tirade once she reached Rui.

Rui looked up slowly with those innocent eyes of his, "What? I never thought that no one's allowed to sit here."

"Sit here! You never sit here, I mean you always disappeared after classes who-knows-where you're going." Shigeru continued as her left foot started tapping on the floor.

"What's the big deal of me sitting here anyway?" Rui frowned, his gaze intent on Shigeru.

Shigeru took a sharp breath as she noticed how intense Rui's gaze at her before she said, "If you forgot already, I'll kindly remind you that you're my bad luck! And not to mention that I have this feeling that you're following me since this morning everywhere I go, what can you say about that!"

Rui smirked, "You flatter yourself too much, woman." Though in truth, he was really following her everywhere the moment he actually marked her.

"Hmp!" Shigeru's face was very red with embarrassment because of Rui's last remark not to mention that she was getting annoyed at him. Before she could walk out on him, Rui grabbed her hands, when she once again looked at him, he winked at her that sent her getting even redder.

"I'm sorry if you got distracted because of me, but I assure, you're the best from them all."

Shigeru rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like a sore thumb in the middle of the dance floor! Flattery will get you nowhere and excuse me, I didn't get distracted by YOU, you know! I lack practice." She stated before she walked out on him.

'Lively and Fiery…hmmm…I like that..' Rui thought as he followed her with his gaze. He lazily got up from his seat and headed out of the gym to meet his brothers.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Back at the parking lot…

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"Now, where to?" Shigeru asked as she was now behind the wheel.

"I'm kinda hungry." Yuki muttered. "You know how we can't concentrate on our practice if we're hungry."

"Point taken." Shigeru agreed.

"How about some pizza and pasta…" Tsukushi suggested as she relaxed herself at the back seat together with Sakurako.

Shigeru started the engine, "Here we go."

Awhile later….they entered a pizza parlor. They chose a table far away from the others near the back. They were still getting comfortable and waiting for their order when they saw a loud Umi entered the restaurant with the F4 and Seinosuke.

"Here I thought Shigeru has the loudest mouth in Tokyo." Sakurako frowned thoughtfully.

Shigeru scowled at her friend, while Yuki and Tsukushi laughed.

Sakurako ignored her glare as she shrugged, "Oh, well, I guess that'll be change."

Their teasing stopped as the new comers stopped at their table. "Hi girls!" Soujirou greeted with a smile.

"Hi, Jiro!" Yuki greeted with a flushed face while the three girls snickered after smiling back in greetings.

"Now what? I wouldn't be surprise if something bad happened to me while I eat…" Shigeru commented without looking at Rui.

Rui just raised his brow as they waited at Tsukasa, who practically scared the three guys sitting at the nearest table to find some other seats and dragged the emptied tables to connect with the Hana's table as Akira grabbed the chairs. Akira sat beside Sakurako before they kissed. Soujirou beside Yuki. Shigeru glowered as Rui sat next to her especially when the silent boy intently slid his chair nearer hers, their arms almost touching not to mention their sides, but she didn't protest not wanting to make a scene. Tsukasa sat next to Tsukushi and kissed her too, but for today he settled for her cheek, as if kissing her is a customary routine for him. Umi was sitting obviously beside Seinosuke.

Tsukushi didn't say a word or a single protest, but she didn't dare look at Tsukasa. Their conversation earlier was still fresh to her mind.

"I thought you girls have practice?" Tsukasa asked suspiciously.

Tsukushi frowned, 'since when did he got the right to question about our-my activities?' she thought.

"We have but Shigeru and I had a cheering practice a while ago then we decided to eat first before we head for home." Sakurako answered.

"Your annoying brother was even there." Shigeru added.

Tsukasa narrowed his eyes before he looked at Tsukushi, "You really got a loyal friends to lie for you. My annoying brother? Ha!" he held Tsukushi's wrist tightly. "How could Akira be there when he's with me and Soujirou?"

Tsukushi was really shock and a bit scared now that Tsukasa was obviously being possessive, one doesn't need to be a genius to figure out the way he was acting. Her friends even noticed the way Tsukasa acted when it concerned her. 'What's wrong with him when he's not like this the first time?' she thought in puzzlement. 'Okay, so maybe he's noticing me after a few days they arrive but he never showed this kind of emotion before? What's happening?' (A/N: It's one of the effect of being mark as their mate-to-be, possessiveness )

Her train of thoughts was broken when she heard Akira snorted, "Since when did I become annoying!" he protested. "I'm more on a charming side, brother!"

Shigeru rolled her eyes, "It's not Akira, but Rui, baka!"

Tsukasa suddenly looked at his silent brother, "Oh, I forgot how Rui could be very annoying at times…" he agreed. "Started guarding, eh." He smirked.

Rui just looked on.

"Anyway," Yuki said, her hands intertwined with Soujirou's. "How odd that you guys seems always around. I mean, earlier there's Rui then now there's all of you here. It seems like you're everywhere."

'Not to mention that Tsukasa was in my room earlier.' Tsukushi thought to herself.

"Small world, isn't it?" Akira grinned.

"Actually," Soujirou explained. "Seinosuke was about to go out alone with Umi but I can't remember how did he manage to drag us with him."

Not long after, their different kinds of pizza's and pasta's arrived with their pitcher's of pepsi.

Shigeru grabbed a slice of pizza and lifted it up to blew on it. She just looked at Tsukushi for a while to answer her question, then her eyes widened when she saw Rui ate at her pizza. Her eyes squinted to Rui, but he didn't seem to care as he kept on eating at the pizza Shigeru held.

"Think you're being funny, do you!" she hissed silently, making sure that they're the only two hearing their conversation.

Rui looked at her with mischief in his eyes as he grabbed a slice of pizza and brought it near Shigeru's mouth. Waiting for her to open her mouth.

Shigeru's face reddened especially when her friends looking at the two of them with amusement. Sakurako urging Shigeru to open her mouth and let Rui feed her.

Before she could decide, she felt Rui's free hands went to her jaw to open her mouth then put a small portion in. Shigeru ate some as she glared at the amused Rui. She has a feeling that whether she liked to or not she would be fed by him.

The two other couples were contented feeding each other. While Umi was the one trying very hard to feed the reluctant Seinosuke, really, he's had enough with Tsukushi's annoying cousin, but being a gentlemen and not to mention having a noble blood like him gave him the pain of being polite. With the exception of Tsukasa, he thought, since Tsukasa do anything he wanted, and it seemed politeness was the last thing on his list.

While Tsukushi ate silently, she was nervous about thinking whether Tsukasa was going to pull a stunt like what the others were doing. She took a fries and put it in her mouth, half of it was still visible to her lips, she was about to push it in with her index finger when Tsukasa called her. She looked up with a questioning look but her eyes widened when suddenly Tsukasa's face was almost touching hers as he bit the visible fries on her mouth making their lips touch. She shivered as she felt some current ran down her spine with their contact. Tsukasa's lips lingered for a while to hers as he nipped her lip.

She was still wide eyed when they parted, Tsukasa's eyes was full of mirth as he looked at her swollen lips.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo