Hotaru: ...I was so glad to have finished 'For Once, Then, Something'. Honestly, I don't know what drove me to do this.

Cain: ((clearly amused)) Really...

Hotaru: ...Erm... ((sweatdrops)) Yes. Because I have some difficulties writing lemon.

Cain: All the more reason to practice. ((practically purring))

Hotaru: But—

Cain: And since you don't own any of this, you will be sued for copyright infringement...if you don't do this right. ((smiles))

Hotaru: ((grumbling)) You just want to—

Cain: Yes? ((menacing aura))

Hotaru: ((eeps)) Nothing!

Cain: Then begin already! I want to meet my darling Shidou again.

Shidou: ((whimpers))

Hotaru: ((whimpers))

Both: Someone...HELP!!!!

Hotaru: Any R&R will help the story as well as me getting on with it. CC is appreciated. (And no, I don't know how to correct that weird spacing...yet.) Flames will be used to light that fire-place with an icebear-rug in front of it in Cain's mansion.

Cain: ((starts imagining...things))

Shidou: Noooooo.........!!!!!!!!!!!

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Midori no Rakuen

by Hotaru Muraki

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Chapter 1: The New Beginning Of An Old, Old Story...

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"No."

"Aww... Come on, Shidou..." Guni wheedled for the umpteenth time this evening. The little green urban fairy was nothing if not persistent, especially when she wanted something. But something as...outrageous as that...

"No!" I interrupted her. It was better to at least try to stop her before she could launch into yet another tirade. As I knew only too well, once she got started she was about as easily stoppable as an avalanche. "Guni, what part of 'No!' don't you understand!?"

"But Shidou-san, Guni is right," Rihou chimed in.

I all but buried my head in my hands. Not you, too!

"You have taken up so many cases these last few weeks... Really, you need to take a little time off." The brunette sounded really worried. "You're starting to look awfully pale..." And, judging from the way she was wringing her hands, she was either trying to twist off her fingers at their base or unconsciously conveying her anxiety concerning my state of health – or lack thereof. "Shidou-san, the way you've been burying yourself in your work—"

"—it's really not healthy, you know," the third of the females ganging up on me said. "I know there have been some tough cases lately. And don't think that I don't appreciate your help – because I do! – but," Yayoi sat on my desk, leaning forward. Today she wore a black, lacy silk-bra stitched with some tiny, white-pinkish flowers. "...even a man such as you, sturdy and tough almost to the point of being a tight-ass needs a vacation every now and then."

For some reason, her last remark made me fight hard to keep from blushing. Damn! What was wrong with me!?

"After all, we can't have you getting paler, ne?" Yayoi winked, then suddenly turned serious. "Shidou, you should really try to relax from time to time instead of driving yourself

so hard. If you continue like this, you'll break down sooner rather than later. We—"A sweep of her hand included Riho and Guni. "—don't want that to happen. And that's why the three of us decided that you should take a vacation. You are to accompany us to that hot springs resort we spoke of."

Why didn't those three ever listen to me? Or...didn't they take me seriously? "I appreciate your concern – however misdirected it might be. Although you don't seem to believe me, I really meant what I said. My 'No' is still valid!" I crossed my arms. There, that should take care of this idiocy.

Or so I thought.

Three pairs of eyes were fixed on me, their owners seeming quite determined. I nearly groaned aloud. Why wasn't there ever a Nightbreed around when you needed one? Sighing, I settled back into the chair I could not remember having risen from. Those three would make me sit through this...business, wouldn't they.

"Shidou, really. Do you think we haven't noticed that you seem to be tired a lot lately?" Yayoi must be earnestly worried if she desisted from her usual flirtatious manner, foregoing our accustomed bantering like this. "Apart from the fact that the place is already booked and paid for, and that all of us are going, it's mainly for your benefit, Shidou."

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow. Something was fishy here. Ever since those three had been on that weekend get-away, Guni, Riho and Yayoi seemed to want to make me go there, too. I wondered why. What was so special about some remote place like that anyway? Hm... Maybe—"Are you sure it's not just because you want to return to that location for some reason..."

The immediately following hail of protest made it difficult for me to keep a straight face but did not manage to convince me otherwise. Not quite, anyway. Maybe I was being overly suspicious but as the saying goes 'Once burned, twice shy'.

"It's for your benefit, Shidou-san!!"

"Shidou, really. Are you accusing us of conspiring against you? I'm wounded..."

Well, if the shoe fits...

"Ya need to relax. Relax, Shidou!"

NO!! I remembered only too clearly what had happened the last time I tried to truly relax. If not for my excellent composure, I certainly would be putting a tomato to shame by now. I did not need a repetition of that! Nope. Not. At. All. No way! Never again.

)-( )-( )-( ) -(-)- ( )-( )-( )-(

Somewhere else, an unseen mouth smiled, full lips pulling back over white, even teeth. "Never say never, my darling Shidou." Moonlight flashed on unusually prominent canines. "After all, 'never' is such a long, long time..."

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to be continued...

AN: Well, that's it – for now. Never thought I'd actually be writing a sequel. mutters But Someone was really...persuasive about it. Oh and in case you were wondering: the title 'midori no rakuen' means something like 'green paradise'. I wonder whether that will come true – and for whom. ((VBEG)) Poor, poor Shidou!