a/n: my review replies (please don't tell this)

shenhui: here's the update!

Joy phoenix dragon: ouch! That hurts! But the partner's got to be there somehow someday, sometime later…

Aznanimelover91: (blushes) oh, I think there are better stories than my stories. Especially my idol here…

Anon: it's supposed to be, "Everything you're thinking about is really nothing to me." That's the meaning of the sentence.

CHAPTER 4:

"Don't make me hit you, Tokiya," Mametsuki threatened when she saw that he was reluctant to hold Fuuko's hand. She impatiently dragged his hand to hold Fuuko's and showed a face.

"You're as impatient as ever, Mametsuki," Tokiya icily remarked. "But I think I will quit," he said.

"You will quit?" the woman repeated. "Why?"

Fuuko stared with disbelief. What happened that made Tokiya back out in this project?

Mametsuki stared at Fuuko for a while. Fuuko was fuming about his statement and she balled her hands to fists and opened her mouth to speak. Mametsuki, however, stopped her and gave her a look as if to say that she'll handle this problem. However, as she opened her mouth to speak, Tokiya stopped her. "Mametsuki, I am not here to expose my skills with an amateur," he said in the most tactless way he can muster. "I don't like her to be my partner."
Mametsuki narrowed her eyes. "Amateur?" she repeated the damnable word. She breathed deeply, words aching to go out of her mouth. However, instead of stomping and shouting, tearing things apart when she was angry, as the two other people expected, she just ran away from the room, slamming the door shut, making its impact ring around the room.

Fuuko slowly turned her head to Tokiya, who stood there, staring at the door. She was about to scold him about it when he ran to the door, his hair flying behind him. Fuuko had no choice but to follow him.

Fuuko wanted to burst outside to interrupt but there was something that told her not to. She just hid behind a heap of bushes to listen to their conversation.

"Mametsuki," Tokiya started. The woman was staring at a growth of flowers at a small garden. However, as she heard his voice, she looked around.

"I did not know that you do not dance with amateurs," she said in a sarcastic voice, though there was a slight difference.

Fuuko took about a minute to realize that Tokiya was apologizing to Mametsuki. "I did not…"

"Again, you did not mean it?" Mametsuki finished the sentence for him. "I've heard that about a thousand times from you but you keep on being like that."

"But it's not you I'm talking about…" he tried to reason out.

"Oh yes. It's not me. But now, you're telling me the reason why you never came that day. I'm an amateur!" she replied bitterly.

"No. it's just because…"

"Now, you're trying to explain. What happened to your pride-stiffened tongue?" Mametsuki said back I her sarcastic tone. "Anyway, there's no use for explanation. That is finished and I won't do anything to rewind the song all over again." She passed him and Tokiya felt as though he was electrified by her body heat so he jerked a little. Mametsuki slammed the door closed.

Tokiya gave a sigh before saying loudly, causing Fuuko to gasp, "Don't worry, Mametsuki. I'll return tomorrow, not unless the monkey here starts to be a newsman." Fuuko saw him smirk, a cold smirk rather, before going inside the hall once again.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next few days became a silent routine. Mametsuki holds the remote, she plays the sound, she steers the pair, and she sits down the couch, looking as though she was witnessing disrespect for dances.

"I think it's getting dark and you two have to go home," Mametsuki suggested. The two both scowled, seeing that it's not only dark, it's an hour before midnight.

Tokiya went near the door to go first. "Wait," Mametsuki said, making him stop on his tracks. "It's midnight."

"So?" Tokiya said. "I won't change my human form if it is midnight," he said simply.

"Oh, Tokiya, your cold humor is chilling my spine again," Mametsuki replied. "I just want you to take Fuuko home, that's all."

"Mame-san," Fuuko retorted, "I won't have him take me home. I would rather face scavengers and drunkards on the way." However, she secretly smiled on this.

"That is stupid, Fuuko. He's a scavenger himself. Now go before I kick the both of you out of here," Mametsuki replied, pushing her to the door. To be sure that Tokiya will really take Fuuko home and not drop her on the road, she followed them to the parking lot.

"Mametsuki, I'll kill you tomorrow," Tokiya muttered under his breath, though the girl could hear him.

"What again, Mikagami? Don't react like that, it's too noticeable. Anyway, make sure that you'll return here tomorrow as two whole people," Mametsuki greeted, smiling. "Bye."

"Bye," Fuuko replied, trying to paint a miserable face. She stole a glance at Tokiya who raised an eyebrow at her.

"My apartment is just around the corner," she said, pointing to the road.

"What corner?" Tokiya asked, looking at the road.

"I'm not saying that corner, Mi-chan," Fuuko replied. "I'm saying it's by a corner." She slumped her back to the seat and whispered to herself, "Can't you get a little stupider?"

"Whatever, monkey. If you're telling someone directions, don't go that advice. That's idiocy, don't you know that?" Tokiya spat, totally annoyed with Fuuko's words.

"Whatever you say," Fuuko said, looking at the window. "I should have gone home alone," she muttered. "This won't work out."

"Are monkeys capable of murmuring? Maybe you're doing voodoo here," Tokiya said, a vein popping on his temple. "I never drive with a nasty sound ringing in my ears. What more about sounds coming from you?"

"Do I really annoy you like that?" Fuuko asked, tilting the seat backward and within seconds, knocked out to sleep.

"Hey, don't sleep here, I could get fleas!" Tokiya said in an exasperated tone. He placed his phone in his car handset and dialed Mametsuki's number.

"What is it? Did you throw Fuuko to the creek?" Mametsuki said groggily.

Tokiya sighed. "You know I would never do that. I'm not that cruel."

"Not that cruel… maybe that's in front of me," Mametsuki replied, now livelier. "What is it?"

"This monkey fell asleep. I don't know where she lives."

"Simple answer for a simple problem, duckhead," Mametsuki said. "Take her home."

"I said…" Tokiya started.

"No, I don't mean take her to her apartment," Mametsuki explained slowly as though she was teaching a three-year-old. "I'm talking about taking her to your flat."

"Oh," Tokiya said, not concentrating on the answer. "My… my flat? Are you crazy!" he shouted in realization.

"I think you have to be quiet, I'm trying to rest here," Mametsuki said. "You're right for once, Tokiya. Anyway, you're wasting gasoline and crude is rare these days…"

"I'm using Hydro car now," Tokiya grunted.

"… and Fuuko left her keys in the hall so I think you really have to take her to your house. Good luck and good night," Mametsuki concluded, breaking the line.

"I'll really kill that woman tomorrow," Tokiya murmured. "I should have thrown her to the creek." Nevertheless, he drove his way home, taking the sleeping Fuuko there with him.

a/n: (nasty smile) so, what's next? Just review, that's all. If I'm pleased with the results, I might as well update soon and do my other fanfiction soon (but I think that other story is better than this).