AUTHOR'S NOTE: And another one…

DISCLAIMER: Last time I checked, MKR still belongs to CLAMP…what do you think?

Chapter 8: MEMORIES THAT HAUNT

Hikaru looked up from her desk early Monday morning when she heard the door of the Faculty Room open. Her eyes instantly lit up when she saw Lantis enter the room, followed by Umi, Fuu, Ferio and Ascot. She stood up from her chair and approached Lantis as he settled down on his own chair.

"Ohayou gozaimasou, Lantis-chan!" she greeted joyfully.

Lantis looked up, and before her very eyes, he grinned at her that showed off his set of pearly white teeth. "Oh, ohayou too, Hikaru-chan! I see that you're well now. Has Lafarga given you any medications or specifications that you should rest?"

Hikaru blinked. This is the first time that Lantis has grinned at her, let alone finish a long sentence for just a simple 'good morning' greeting. "Oh! Yeah! Lafarga-san! He said I'm okay, no need to worry. I let him run some tests with my brain and he found nothing that would alarm me. Only a case of migraine at its gravest form. Hehe. Arigatou for asking!" she finally answered.

Lantis' smile stayed on his face as he skimmed her face with so much tenderness that only now has she seen from this unemotional man. "That's good. It would be a shame if we found out that you've got a severe illness," he said.

She just nodded. She didn't know what to say anymore! And then, as if on cue, her purpose on approaching Lantis early this morning came back to her, and the confusion written on her eyes instantly vanished, replaced by one of affection. "Anou, Lantis-chan, I wanted to thank you for bringing me over to that clinic last Thursday. If you weren't there at the parking lot when my migraine attacked, I would have passed out cold there, all alone, and God knows what could have happened to me. So, Lantis-chan, arigatou again for bringing me to the clinic, and for being there on time," she smiled softly, looking Lantis directly in the eyes.

As if his smile wasn't big enough, Hikaru saw that his lips twitched up for an even bigger grin, and the lines on the side of his eyes crinkled, "Do itashimashite, Hikaru. And given the chance, I'd do it again for you. It would always be my pleasure to help you in any way I can. I'm glad to be of service to you," my love… he added silently.

Hikaru nodded again, lost at words. She noticed that Lantis called her just plain 'Hikaru', and the way he spoke her name gave her an unfamiliar tingling sensation. She felt her heart swell a bit when he just called her 'Hikaru' and not with the '–chan' suffix. It was very weird and all too new for her, but she remembered that she also felt that way during the time that they ate together at the restaurant on Ikuta Green Park and when they ate together at the ice cream parlor. But then…

She doesn't feel this way whenever she's with Rei…

To keep herself from thinking of things, she bowed down in front of Lantis in a gesture of goodbye. "See you later Lantis-chan and thank you again," she said, then turned her back on him and went back to her desk.

As soon as her rear touched the chair, she let her mind drift back to her 'odd feelings' whenever she's with Lantis.

The tingling sensation that course up and down her spine; her excitement, happiness, and sense of fulfillment; and lastly, the contentment and peace of mind, that never in her life had she ever felt, not even when she's with Rei.

She looked down at her open palms and sighed. Why does she have to feel like this? For a friend? But then…if she searched her heart…it's as if it already knew Lantis from before even if her mind screamed that she only met him today, at this college, in Kawasaki. Her heart, her instinct, and her gut feeling…all these tell her that somewhere in the past; she already met him, along with Ryuuzaki Umi and Hououji Fuu. Even Ferio and Ascot's faces seemed familiar.

She could still remember that tug in her heart she felt when she first met those five. Her gut feeling told her that they were familiar, that she already saw them somewhere before, and even were close to them, but she pushed that thought out of her mind and instead just concentrated on her work. She just let destiny and fate run its course. And then pretty soon she became friends with Umi-chan and Fuu-chan, and even with the snobbish Lantis-kun, who was known around the school for being picky on whom to speak with and be friends with.

She didn't expected to be this close with Lantis, but it just happened. There even came a time that she forgot all about Rei and her relationship with him just because she's with Lantis and having fun. All the things that Rei didn't gave her, like attention, care and humor, she found in Lantis.

Plus that very disturbing contented feeling she felt whenever she's with him. She never felt that way towards Rei, and that's making her guilty as hell because even if she did nothing wrong, it was still unusual to find that feeling in somebody else and not on your boyfriend or husband. Maybe that's the reason why many husbands and wives file for a separation, because they couldn't find the contentment and happiness they're looking in their spouses. Some even resorted to having mistresses--

Her thoughts stopped in their tracks as her mind processed the word.

Mistress…

A blurry image of two women and two men, talking inside a room, flashed through her mind. She squinted her eyes and looked hard on her palm, trying to draw more pictures. And her mind did not disappoint her. She saw a spacious room, with sky blue rice paper doors in two opposite corners, and a few paintings and scrolls hanging on the walls. In the middle of the room sat two men and two women, their faces blurred and indistinct, seemingly in the middle of a heated discussion. She saw the biggest man in the room raise his fist in the air to silence everybody. The woman opposite him was crying, she guessed, because the woman's shoulders were shaking incessantly. The younger man, she guessed again, who was beside the distressed woman, seemed to be comforting the crying woman, for he placed a hand on the woman's shoulder to calm her down. When the older man spoke again, everybody fell silent. Then the paper doors opened, and in came a--

That was the end. Hikaru found herself breathing hard and sweating, as if she came from a long walk. She took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart, but blood still pumped heavily on her head.

What was that all about! Her mind screeched. For the record, that was the longest 'flash' she had in her entire life, and the most disturbing of all. Her heart was still accelerating in her chest, but she felt calmer now than a few moments ago. She leaned back on her chair and closed her eyes, hoping for a few minutes of relaxation. Just then, her cell phone alarm vibrated, and she quickly switched off her phone and placed it inside her bag, before grabbing her things on top of her desk to go to her class.

The thinking would have to wait until this evening…

Umi and Fuu were about to board the latter's car when they saw Hikaru enter the parking lot. Fuu immediately waved at the redhead and called out.

"Hikaru-chan!"

Hikaru looked up, and when she saw the two, a small smile crossed her anxious face as her pace quickened.

"Hey guys. I wasn't expecting to see you," she commented, her face having the expression as if her mind was contemplating whether to be happy that she saw Umi or Fuu or feel the opposite.

Umi and Fuu smiled uncertainly, suddenly hesitant when they saw the queer expression on Hikaru's face. "Yeah. We were just on our way to Fuu's ophthalmologist to have a series of check-ups on her eyes. What about you? You…seemed preoccupied just a while ago," Umi answered, seeing that Fuu still held that hesitant face.

Hikaru reddened a bit, and she cast her eyes downward much to the surprise of the two. "Uhm…anou…I was just…thinking…" she silently answered. Then she raised her head up and smiled weakly at the two women. "Gomen for being rude, but I have to go. It was nice seeing you two here, though, but I really need to go. I would love to accompany you Fuu-chan to your check-up but…"

Fuu nodded knowingly, and she smiled a little more pleasantly at the flustered redhead. "It's okay Hikaru-chan, I understand. We must get going though, because we might be late for my appointment," she said.

Hikaru smiled once again, and then waved at them before she went away. The two, on the other hand, looked at each other first before going inside the car.

"Is she okay?" Umi asked, following Hikaru with her eyes as Fuu started the car and drove near the preoccupied redhead.

Fuu shrugged. "Beats me, Umi-san. All I know is that she's been acting weird all day long. Whenever she's inside the Faculty Room she was spaced out, as if thinking of something very deeply. But when I passed on one of her classes this afternoon, I saw that she was lively and in fact delivered her lesson very well, and her class enjoyed her lecture," she answered.

Umi frowned. They stopped at a red light and they faced each other with questions in their eyes. "So what could be her problem? Rei maybe?"

Fu shrugged again. The light has turned to green, and Fuu stepped on the gas to get the car going. "Maybe. Or it could concern other things, like her family, for instance," Fuu suggested.

"Impossible. We just talked to her mother and father this weekend, right? And there seems to be no problem at all," Umi countered.

Once again, Fuu just shrugged. "What else?"

Umi looked out the window and sighed. Her eyes roamed the stores lined up on the streets, with people coming in and out of different stores. "Her 'flashes' maybe?" she quietly asked, now turning her face to Fuu.

Fuu suddenly kept quiet. Her gaze stayed fixed on the road, but Umi noticed that her hands trembled a little bit. "Could be…do you think she's confused with all of this? You know…a part of her telling that she already knows us but another part telling her no…do you think she's starting to think that she's going nuts or something…?"

It was now Umi's time to shrug. "Maybe,"

Then silence. It was Umi who broke it, just as they were nearing Fuu's doctor's clinic. "I just wish…that I'm there when she feels confused, you know, to comfort her and somehow help her remember things from the past…"

"You and me both, Umi-san…you and me both…"

Hikaru's garage door instantly closed the moment she parked her car inside. She got out of the car and using the back door, she entered her split-level apartment. Dropping her keys on the countertop, she made her way towards the refrigerator. In one swift motion, she got a glass from her dishwasher and a pitcher of water out of the ref. Filling the glass with water, she gulped it down in one drink and placed the glass on the sink. Then she started undoing the buttons on her shirt as she headed towards her room. She plopped down her bed and sighed. Closing her eyes, she mused again on the events that took place that day.

It all started out fine. She even waited for Lantis to come so she can thank him personally for bringing her over to Ooganti Clinic. And because of that she was saved from further injury that might occur if she passed out alone on the school's new parking lot. But the moment Lantis smiled at her, she turned into a nutcase and looked like a fool in front of him.

And what were those comparisons and the likes that I have been doing over the past days? What the heck was the meaning of all these! She thought.

But as her mind worked again, she felt her eyes fell, and soon, she was drawn into the blackness and the world of the dreams…

She found herself, young as a junior high school, standing face front on a glass window at the observatory deck of Tokyo Tower. She was dressed in white long-sleeved, fluffy blouse, with a red jacket on top and an oversized white bow in front, and a gray skirt that reached halfway her thighs. She had on a pair red, knee-length socks and black shoes.

A girl called her and asked her something, and based on the girl's face, the girl was expecting her to agree, but she just smiled and replied happily, much to the disappointment of the girls. Then the binoculars she was holding on suddenly rang, and she realized that she was out of time. When she rummaged to look for another hundred yens, a hand suddenly appeared beside her, and she saw a brunette, bespectacled girl, about the same age as she, giving her some money. When she accepted it, the brunette suddenly turned away, and she was left staring at the brunette. Then she marched up to thank the girl, but was suddenly trapped between walking students. Just then, her eyes met blue-ones, and the brunette turned her head to their direction, and all three of them locked gazes before an intense, blinding light surrounded them and a beautiful young lady appeared before them, tears streaming down her cheeks, her hands clasped as if in eternal prayer, and before her very eyes, she, the brunette and the blue-eyed girl were transported to another world.

She saw a volcano, a huge mountain, and glorious mountains floating in the sky. The three of them were falling down fast from the sky then out of nowhere a flying fish caught them. It transported them to a plateau where she introduced her self and the two girls introduced themselves as well.

Then a short man in strange clothing walked out of the tree, and she was introduced to a mage. The mage gave them armors, and they continued on to their first journey. But before they could go any further, a middle-aged woman dressed in black blocked their way. She attacked the griffin they were on and were threatening to kill them three, when she stepped up and fired a spell at the woman.

The rest came out as a blur. She now saw them inside an armory, where a beautiful woman on orange armor was talking to them. Then she saw the three of them inside a monster-infested forest, when a green-haired man helped them. Next were battles with monsters from a brown-haired kid dressed in green and white garments, then two encounters with a pink-haired illusionist.

In one of those battles, she saw herself and her blue-haired companion attacking the brunette, and she seemed to be in a trance. Then the brunette defeated the illusionist, and she and the cerulean-eyed girl were freed.

After that was a clash with a strong magic swordsman, where she was bruised badly and her companions trapped in boulders of rocks. But she never gave up, and in the end she succeeded in saving her friends and the magic swordsman also, who was under the spell of the sol of the land.

Then she saw the three of them, each standing before an enormous mashin, before they go into another battle this time with the sol. After a long and hard battle they were finally able to defeat him and they proceeded inside a palace surrounded by ice. After breaking through the barrier, they came in, only to be greeted by a woman who attacked them.

After several talks, with tears in their eyes, they killed the woman and they came back again in Tokyo Tower, tears running down their cheeks as they drew each other tighter inside the hug.

Bit by bit, those recurring flashes that she had ever since high school came back again.

The white-haired man inside a battleship, a raven-haired man that looks so much like the former sol of Cephiro, a big guy in green clothing and small guy in almost similar clothing…

The battles with a huge robot, dragon and djiins…the reappearance of the middle aged woman dressed in black, a sinister looking woman, and a pink-haired woman who looks so much like her self.

Then, in the end, she saw herself floating in the sky, sword in hand, then before her very eyes she saw the barren land transform into a healthy, beautiful place as soon as light touched the land. Then, in one instant, she was transported back to the Tokyo Tower, the two girls beside her.

But this time, they were not crying or what. Just contented smiles and looks as they once again fell into a deep and comforting group hug…

Hikaru woke up with a start. Her heart was beating furiously in her chest as she gasped for air. Beads of perspiration were already traveling down on the sides of her face. She rubbed her brow with the back of her hand and found that her hair was damp and felt that her blouse clung tightly at her back, wet from sweat.

She shakily stood up from her desk. Her feet tracked down the way towards the living room, and she sat at the sofa with a loud 'thump'.

What was that dream all about? What does that mean? She asked her self. It was very different from all that flashes she had encountered from before, plus the appearance of Umi, Fuu, Lantis, Ferio and Ascot disturbed her very much.

Again, why would they be appearing in my dream if I only met them this time? And from the looks of it, I'm sure that that dream sequence was from my junior high time or something. But when I think about my past…

I can't remember anything at all…

Umi and Fuu stood outside the door of Hikaru's apartment. They've been there for more than ten minutes already, but still they hadn't ringed the doorbell or knocked on the door. They were sure that Hikaru was already inside because of the faint trail of tire tracks on the asphalt. Umi hovered near the door, while Fuu stood beside a plant, a few meters away from Umi.

"I really think you should ring the bell, Umi-san. Hikaru-chan won't be coming out of her apartment just all of a sudden, anyway," Fuu finally broke the silence between them.

Umi nodded and she raised her hand towards the doorbell. But Fuu caught sight of Umi's hand trembling a little bit.

Ding-dong.

They heard the shrill sound of the doorbell echo inside the house. The two women flinched, and then the door flew open, revealing Hikaru.

"Guys! This is a nice surprise! Oh, please come in! Where are my manners?" Hikaru greeted, making way for the two to some inside her house.

She ushered them on the sofa and quickly went to the kitchen to prepare them something to eat.

"Wasn't that a phrase that her mother used on us when we visited the folks last Saturday?" Umi wondered aloud.

Fuu nodded, stealing a glance at the kitchen door for any sign of the redhead before answering. "Hai. And it was quite uncanny that Hikaru-chan and her mother really are the same in so many things,"

Umi smiled. Just then Hikaru came back in the living room, a tray of food in her arms.

"Here you go, guys! Gomen for the soup and the hot chocolate, you should have warned me before hand that you two will attack me here in my house today!" she exclaimed, setting the tray at the coffee table in front of the two women.

Umi just grinned as she reached out for her chocolate, "Oh, we don't mind the food at all, Hikaru-chan. We just thought of visiting you here, so here we are!" Fuu answered, a wide grin on her face.

Hikaru shook her head as she reached out for her own cup of chocolate. "Okay. Whatever you two say,"

And the two ate their food in silence. Hikaru, on the other hand, has a thought in her mind.

Should I tell them about my flashes? About my dream this afternoon? Should I tell them I've been dreaming about them way before I met them? Should I?

She was pulled out of her reverie when Umi cleared her throat. She looked straight at Umi and found the blue-haired woman looking straight at her as well.

"What is it, Umi-chan? Do you want more chocolate?" she asked, preparing to stand up. Umi's hands shot out, and she grasped Hikaru's hands to keep the redhead from going.

Before Umi could utter a single word, Hikaru was drawn again in a familiar black surrounding--

--Where she saw herself looking into Umi and Fuu's worried eyes, her whole body screaming in pain but her heart was, strangely, happy. She saw herself, Umi and Fuu in battle armor similar to the armor she'd seen when they were under the spell of the illusionist. --

She tottered to her side, and Umi and Fuu caught her just in time before her head hit the floor.

"Hikaru! Daijobou desu ka!" Umi exclaimed. She and Fuu led Hikaru down on the sofa and they started fanning Hikaru's face with the magazine they found on top of the table. Sweat suddenly appeared on the redhead's brow, and although she wasn't trembling, she was visibly pale and shaken from her unknown ordeal.

Fuu sent Umi an unspoken message. The flashes, Fuu's eyes seemed to convey. Umi just nodded, and together they focused their attention back on the redhead.

"Doushita, Hikaru-chan? What happened just then?" was Fuu's milder inquiry. Hikaru shook her head and looked up at the two, attempting to smile.

"Nandemo nai, Fuu-chan, Umi-chan, hontou. I'm fine. Don't…worry about me…"

Umi shook her head. "Nothing's more unreliable as one of your 'I'm fines', Hikaru!" she retorted.

Hikaru shut her eyes tight. I've heard that somewhere before! I'm sure of it! Her mind screeched. She gripped her pants tightly, feeling the soft fabric of her jeans in her clenched hands. Iie! This can't be! I'm sure I've heard that from Umi-chan too! What the hell's going on here! Then the flashes…they really mean something from my past? From the past that I can't remember too well…? Her mind continued to cry.

Meanwhile, Umi and Fuu were watching as different emotions passed through Hikaru's face. They exchanged another look before Fuu reached out and squeezed Hikaru's tensed hands. "Hikaru-chan…doushita? Don't you want to tell Umi-san and I what has been bothering your mind? Don't you want us to share your problems?" she asked quietly.

Hikaru stayed stiff even under Fuu's gentle hands. Finally, after a few anxious moments, Fuu felt Hikaru's hands loosened up a bit, and the redhead even turned her palm up so she was holding Fuu's hands.

The redhead uttered a deep sigh before slowly opening her eyes. Even though the tension was out of her body, Umi and Fuu still noticed that her eyes were clouded from heavy thinking. The hand that clasped Fuu's hand was slightly trembling, and Fuu gave Hikaru's hand another squeeze of reassurance.

"Guys…as much as I wanted to tell you everything…I can't. I…first and foremost, I should be the one to solve my problems first. And second…" she turned her head to the side to avoid looking at Umi and Fuu's face. "I don't want to drag you two, my precious friends, in a mess like this," she finished.

Umi and Fuu both stood up and enveloped Hikaru in a tight hug, as they heard the redhead sniffle a few times to keep her tears from flowing. Then Hikaru pulled from the hug and looked deep into Umi and Fuu's eyes.

"Gomen nasai for the bother I've caused you two, Umi-chan, Fuu-chan, demo daijoubu. You two don't have to worry about me at all," she said.

Umi and Fuu nodded albeit reluctantly. "If you need any help, don't hesitate to call us, okay? We're staying at a condominium near the college, near Lantis' house and just a few streets away from Ferio and Ascot's pad, so you can be sure that there will be back-ups in case you're in deep trouble. You got that?" Umi stated, looking mischievously at the redhead.

A small smile crept on Hikaru's mouth and before long; her face was turned up on a big grin. "Oh, sure, I got that, Umi-sama. So if the police suddenly just came on your condominium unit, looking for you two, don't be too shocked because that was all my doing. After all, you insisted on helping me out if I'm in deep trouble, 'ne?" she answered back, a glint in her ruby eyes.

Umi lunged at her and tickled her on her sides, causing her to erupt in happy giggles that echoed throughout her apartment.

"Oh! Umi-chan! I was just joking!" she ducked under a pillow as Umi lunged for another tickle. "Stop it Umi-chan! I get tickled quite easily! Stop that! Fuu-chan, make her stop! Oh, please, make her stop!" Hikaru shrieked as she burst into laughter again.

Fuu just laughed at one corner of the sofa. She watched as Umi pounced on Hikaru with a throw pillow she grabbed on the one-sitter sofa. Hikaru's face was very flushed, and she was still laughing her heart out as Umi continued to tickle her at her sides.

No. Fuu made no move to stop Umi as the blue-haired woman assaulted the redhead with a pillow and a few tickles. She was having so much fun watching the two to stop them!

Finally, after Umi took notice that Hikaru seemed to be out of breath, she stopped her attack and just settled beside the still laughing Hikaru. She took a deep breath and looked at the redhead, who was slowly getting up from the depths of her sofa to arrange her disarrayed hair and ruined shirt.

"Umi-chan! That was very naughty of you! What would you do if I run out of breath! I thought I was going to die laughing back there!" Hikaru scolded, but her eyes where still dancing in laughter.

Then she turned to a grinning brunette and scolded her bespectacled friend as well, "And what about you, Fuu-chan? You didn't try anything to stop Umi-chan! If choked back there, it will be your fault too!"

Fuu widened her eyes as a sign of fake innocence, "Who, me? That's absurd, Hikaru-chan! I saw just a few moments ago how happy you are, so I made no move to stop Umi-san. I though you were enjoying it!"

Hikaru pouted, and threw a pillow at Fuu, which hit the latter square on the face, "Serves you right," she muttered, and before Umi could react, she was already grabbing the nearest pillow and threw it right at Umi's face as well, "And this is for you, my dear Umi-chan!"

The two stood up, and looking murderously at Hikaru, they both lunged at the terrified redhead.

"You'll pay for that big time, Hikaru-chan!" Fuu threatened, and they both aimed at Hikaru's waist and started tickling her once again. Her apartment was once again filled with her twinkling laughter followed by Umi and Fuu's giggles.

"Guys, this time, I know you're going to kill me!"

Another school hour passed, and Lantis was walking slowly towards where his Harley-Davidson was parked. He was even whistling lightly as his hair was tossed from side to side by the gentle wind. When he reached his prized possession, he swung his long legs across the machine and gunned the engine. Slipping his head on his black helmet, he revved his motor and quickly sped away towards his apartment.

Upon reaching his house, he quickly parked his motorcycle beside his Honda Civic, and entered the house. He made a dash towards his room to change into his gym clothes before going down on the basement, where he had an assortment of all types of workout machines. He also had a complete set of dumbbells, ranging from 1 kilogram to 15 kilograms. He also had a table tennis court, and a billiards set. All in all, he was like living in a mini gymnasium. The only thing left was a basketball court, a lawn tennis court, and a bowling court.

He was down on his last exercise; his whole body covered in sweat, when he heard the doorbell rang. Glancing at the wall clock at the side of the table tennis court while reaching for his towel, he took note of the time: 6:15

Who would visit me at this time of the day? Zagato-niisama? Or maybe some of my friends, he wondered as he made his way towards the door. When he opened it, he was taken aback to see who was standing outside.

"Anou, Lantis-chan, I hope I'm not being a bother to you but…" Hikaru started, but she trailed off and looked down at the pavement, her cheeks coloring.

Lantis opened the door wider to let Hikaru in. "Of course not. I'm just a little bit surprised that you would visit me here, considering that I haven't shown you my house. Please come in,"

Hikaru followed him inside, and continued to follow him as he proceeded towards the kitchen to fix something for her.

"Anou, you could wait for me at the living room while I prepare you something," he suggested uncertainly.

Hikaru smiled back, "Oh, I'm fine here, Lantis-chan. Besides, I didn't come here to have myself treated as a guest. For all I know, I'm disturbing you on something you're doing,"

Lantis chuckled as he poured coffee on his mug and tea on a glass, and then handed the glass to Hikaru as he made his way back to the basement. Hikaru followed him.

"I'm just on a daily exercise routine, that's all," Lantis answered, picking up a dumbbell and started his last round of exercise.

Hikaru smiled, and looked around the basement. When she spotted the table tennis court, she let a little squeal of delight and rushed towards it. This caught Lantis' attention and he turned his head to where the redhead was rushing, and a small smile crept again on his face.

She really is something. At the age of 25, she still acts as a child sometimes, he mused over.

"You wanted to play?" he offered, standing up from the bench and setting his dumbbell down. Hikaru glanced up, and her face blushed. But thanks to the subtle light in the basement, Lantis didn't notice this.

Oh. My. God. Would you look at that muscle? My, he's got firm biceps and thighs! Much firmer than Rei's! I wonder…

What would I feel if I'm in his arms…?

She shook her head to clear those thoughts, and smiled at Lantis. "Sure! That would be great!" she answered.

She was expecting Lantis to go get the paddle and table tennis ball, but he just continued walking towards her and stopped when he was just an arm's length away. Hikaru sucked in her breath, as she looked deep in Lantis' eyes.

It's bad enough that I'm fantasizing him even though we're miles apart, and its worse that I wanted him to kiss me now to satisfy this hunger he awoke in my being! And God! Why is he looking at me like that! Hikaru silently wailed.

Lantis looked down at the redhead beauty in front of him: he took in the wide, innocent eyes, the small nose and the thin, seductive red lips. He felt his throat tighten as he fought for self-control. Goodness! For over a month now, I've tried to conceal my feelings for her and be a good friend. But now…now that she's looking at me like that, the raw hunger and need in her eyes, I cannot ignore what I feel anymore, he thought, as he took one step closer to Hikaru and reached out for her.

His strong arms went down on her waist, and instead of pulling back, he felt Hikaru push herself closer to him. He closed his eyes, God! This is what I wanted to do from the very start that I saw her again!

He opened his eyes again and gazed on Hikaru's sienna eyes, and found that there was a mysterious glint in his redhead's eyes. "I'm going to kiss you Hikaru, so please stop me will you still can, because I can't hold back now," he whispered huskily, grazing his lips on her forehead.

Hikaru sighed, and she closed her eyes. Instead of answering, she tipped her head up and caught Lantis' lips with her own. She heard Lantis groan before he answered the kiss. The touch of his lips against hers was enlightening and truly magical. She felt her world burst with colorful colors. His lips were warm and soft, and he was kissing her in a very tender manner that even her soul was touched. She felt his tongue trace the outline of her lips, before it pressed on her upper and lower lip. When she opened her mouth, he instantly plunged his tongue inside and explored the recesses of her mouth.

It was now her time to groan.

When Lantis heard Hikaru groan, he tightened his arms on her waist, pulling her closer to him for an even intimate hug. His one hand ran up and down her back. He felt her hands tighten on his neck, and he felt her tongue encircling his, which caused him to moan a little.

Then, Hikaru saw herself again, dressed in a robe, flying in the sky. People swarmed on a nearby castle, but she had her eyes focused on Lantis who was at the middle of the group. He was reaching one hand towards her, there was that kind, gentle smile on his face, and his eyes radiated overflowing love for her.

And then the pieces of her memory came back on her. The trip to Tokyo Tower, she, Umi and Fuu being summoned to Cephiro, they defeating their enemies and granting Princess Emeraude's wish, and then the three of them being transported back to Cephiro, their fight with the three invading countries, and finally…

Her meeting with Lantis, the first man that stole her heart, the heart that she carelessly left in Cephiro.

Tears sprung from her eyes so she shut her eyes tightly. I remember them again! The flashes and images from before…they all made sense to me now! Her mind screamed.

Gradually, their kiss lightened, until they pulled away slowly to gasp for air. But still, their foreheads were on on each other, and they had their eyes closed, savoring this very first intimacy that occurred between them.

Lantis sighed, and he opened his eyes. He still has his arms around Hikaru's waist, but it was already loose enough for them to look in each other's face closely. But when Hikaru opened her eyes, Lantis saw an emotion that never had he seen from her.

"Hikaru…"

Hikaru silenced him by pressing her lips again on his, pushing the words down on his chest. After that, she looked up on him again and this time, she was unable to hold back her tears.

"Oh Lantis…I feel so horrible…" she started, but Lantis cut her off.

"Don't be, Hikaru. This feeling that we feel for each other, there is no way that we could suppress our feelings. Please, don't tell me that you're already regretting that we kissed," he said, wiping the tears that fell from her ruby eyes.

Hikaru smiled a little, "That's not what I'm talking about, you baka! Oh well, how can I say that I already remember everything! As in everything and anything about Cephiro, about Umi, Fuu, Ferio, Ascot, Caldina, Lafarga, Clef, Presea, Mokona, Princess Emeraude, High Priest Zagato and you, everything and anything there is to remember about you all my friends and beloved from Cephiro," she answered, a shine on her eyes.

Lantis looked down at her, agape, "B-but…how?" he sputtered.

Hikaru shrugged and then pulled Lantis to her for another hug, "I don't care, and I don't want to know. All I know is that I remember you again, and that's it,"

Lantis hugged her back, tighter, and whispered in her ear, "I'm just glad that you've got your memory back again, my Hikaru. I don't think I will stand another day without you in my arms like this,"

Hikaru nodded. "But what about Rei?" she asked hesitantly.

Lantis kissed the top of her head before replying. "We'll tell him together. We'll explain everything to him and let him understand that it is truly us that exist. That our love came when you were still in your junior high school year, that your memory being washed away, was the reason we got separated. We'll explain everything to him, and hope that he understands us,"

Once again, Hikaru nodded. "I have to face 'Tousan and Okaasan too, to let them know that--" then her eyes clouded and her body tensed.

Lantis felt it, and he pulled back to look Hikaru at the eyes, "Doushita, Hikaru? You're suddenly all tensed up,"

""Tousan…"

"What…?"

"I'm going to face him now,"