The next morning Riku woke up smiling. In just one hour, he would meet up with Sora and the rest.

(he woke up an hour before noon because he couldn't sleep the night before, thinking of Soooraaa ;p)

He quickly dressed in baggy purpleish-blue pants and a regular white t-shirt. Trying to brush his teeth, hair, and put on his socks while running down the stairs seems impossible to any normal person, but not for our pale-haired bishie. By the time Riku reached the end of the staircase, all of the above had been completed, leaving only toothpaste splatters in various places on the stairs.

He hurried into the kitchen, grabbed a piece of toast, and looked at the clock. It was only 11:20.

What to do for fourty minutes?

Riku really did have nothing to do, so he went outside, perhaps explore the neighborhood. He started by strolling down one of the town's many dirt roads, then another. Suddenly he realized/Isn't this the way Sora went home yesterday/

Instantly excited he might run into Sora before noon, Riku starts to skip merrily (a/n: o.O) down the road, while trying to recall exactly what fraction of an inch direction did he go in.

Getting close to a more densely populated residential area (a/n: big words!) he heard a voice call out, "Riku-san!"

But it wasn't the voice he was hoping for.

"Oh, hi Ansem-kun."

Ansem was looking around excitedly for something to talk to the older about (a/n: ansem's very ooc ne?). "Um, do you live around here? 'Cause I thought I saw you...go..." He trailed off as Riku shook his pretty little head. "No, I'm just...walking."

"Oh...but, would you like me to show you around? Because, I--"

"No, thanks, that's not necessary...what time is it?"

Ansem fiddled around for a watch. "Uh...11:45."

"? Are you serious? I gotta get going!" Riku exclaimed, running back the way he came. He certainly under no circumstance could be late for his first group get-together thingy with Sora-kun!

"But...!" The wind carried Ansem's voice as Riku ran farther from him, he could hear the other's footfalls trying to catch up but quickly fade from earshot. Riku dodged through the trees, shrubs, and assorted tall grass as a quicker way than the winding dirt road. Turning a sharp corner, the boy found himself on a specific road lined with houses. It was here he saw Tidus knocking on the door of the house closest to him.

And who else but Sora emerged from the house.

Riku had to repress a squeal of delight at the sight of the younger. He was about to approach the two when one simple action stopped him in his tracks.

Tidus, smiling warmly, leaned over and...kissed Sora, on the lips.

Riku froze in pure shock.

"Riku-san, I--" Ansem panted, finally catching up to him. He stopped dead when he saw the scene and realization hit him full blast. "...oh, Riku..."

Riku took off running back into the woods, tears streaming down his cheeks. Ansem hurried after him. "Riku, wait!"

Despite them being the same height, Riku was a much faster runner and could quite easily get away from the amber-eyed boy. Until, that is, he tripped on a tree root and was grounded. There he stay, though, eyes red and dry from too much crying, eventually pulling himself up to a sitting position. /This is so stupid/ he thought/I just barely met him yesterday, why am I so upset/

"Riku-san..." the forementioned turned slightly and looked up at Ansem, aqua eyes filling once again with fresh tears, fixed on him were amber eyes full of concern, sympathy, and...something else.

"Riku-san..." he started again, kneeling down to look him straight in the eye. "I know what happened. It's not that...uncommon, really. Everyone falls in love with Sora at first..." he continued, with a faraway look in his prettyful eyes. Riku moved his gaze to the ground and flushed slightly.

"But, you'll soon see...it's best to move past it, forget it..." he leaned in closer so that Riku could feel his breath on his face. He had that look again.

"Riku, I..." he trailed off, hesitated. Riku, slightly worried and confused, could only stare back. What happened next surprised him the most of all.

Ansem pressed his lips against the older's in a sweet kiss, Riku's dry eyes wide with shock as he sat nonrespondingly (a/n: is that a word?). Breaking it short and taking a pale hand in his own, Ansem stared into his uber aqua-colored eyes and told him, "I...I think I love you."