Juliena Duris was fed up. She'd flown all the way to Japan- an agonizing sixteen-hour flight- with her agency for this modeling gig in Japan. They had promised her as much tasty authentic Japanese food as she could eat as part of the deal, but what had they delivered instead? Rabbit food.

The model's gorgeous blonde locks sparkled in the light as she turned to her peer, Keiko. "Do I look like a rabbit?" she asked, nudging various bits of spinach, kale, and arugula around the plastic bowl with a fork.

The other model remained silent, her raised brow the only indication of emotion on an otherwise carefully neutral face.

"On second thought, don't answer that." Her friend smiled sweetly and continued nibbling on the salad like a good little bunny.

To hell with this. Juliena pushed her chair back violently, causing an ear-splitting screech that made the entire scrambling staff wince. Snatching two jackets from their respective chairs, she latched on to Keiko's arm, hoisting her to her feet.

"Has any one ever told you that you are freakishly strong?" the Japanese model asked after gulping down the bite of greens she popped into her mouth just prior to being nabbed.

"Once or twice." Well, more like a baker's dozen really. She'd always been tall and opinionated, with a strong sense of justice, the latter of which had led to more than one confrontation (often including fists) with girls and boys. "I need real food and since you can communicate in Japanese, you're coming with me. My treat."

Keiko gave in with a soft sigh. She really didn't mind leaving the shoot for a while. They stepped out into the gentle warmth of a Kyoto spring, which was really quite pleasant. At least until a sakura pedal flies into your eye.

Blinking furiously to rid herself of the unwanted treat from nature, Keiko asked what Juliena would like to eat with some trepidation. It was a dangerous question. One that had gotten them banned from some of Keiko's favorite restaurants back home, which is precisely why Keiko planned to merely act as a translator instead of guide.

"I want something cheaper yet delicious," she spoke confidently as they rounded the corner. She stopped abruptly, sniffing the air. The tall woman inhaled deeply, breathing in scents that made her mouth water and aching stomach protest loudly.

Following her nose and towing her friend behind her, Juliena arrived in front of a quaint little hole in the wall of a place that offered most of the seating at a bar aside from a few scattered round tables.

"This smells heavenly," she breathed deeply once more. "What are they serving?"

"Ramen."

"Oooh," her eyes grew wide and she continued her purposeful march into the restaurant, dragging poor Keiko in her wake like boat whose crew failed to weigh anchor.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of the seating was taken, but the gorgeous model spotted two open seats at the bar. Knowing her colleague would prefer to sit next to a woman, Juliena plopped herself down aside an attractive brunette male.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, realizing she'd sold him short with her earlier impression. He was all dark features and clearly at least partially Japanese, though with a stronger jawline that hinted at a blending of heritage. And he was stacked, the outline of well-defined shoulders and arms visible through the smooth fabric of his shirt.

"Hi," he said in accented English, causing her to startle and blush. She hadn't realized she'd been staring.

"E-excuse me," she stammered, turning to Keiko.

An amused smile had manifested on the other models face. "You're not usually flustered by any guys," she observed.

"Shhh," she hissed. "But you're right. I don't know what my problem is right now."

"I'd say it's a lack of boyfriend for the last six months, but," she peeked around Juliena's frame for a better view, meeting the male's small as she did," I think he's just down right hot too."

Juliena giggled a little, hiding her face in the menu as she kept her body angled away from the dreamy Romeo on her right.

"Spicy chicken ramen sound good?" Juliena signaled yes. "Mmk, I'll order for us both. You should talk to him."

Friend's blessing acquired, Juliena turned back to the dashing young man next to her. "Sorry, I was a bit rude earlier, Hi." She flashed him a dazzling grin. "I'm Juliena."

"Kuu," he replied warmly, giving her an excellent view of his own perfect pearly whites. He cocked his head little as though studying her and she found herself fidgeting under his rich, chocolatey gaze. What's wrong with me? She'd never reacted to a guy like this before.

"Did it hurt?"

Juliena blinked. "Huh?"

"When you fell from heaven?" he asked.

She blinked a few more times in quick succession before her face broke into a grin which then turned into side-splitting laughter. He quickly followed suit and soon the two strangers were shaking with amusement in the comfortable atmosphere until Juliena's stomach let out a rumble rivaling a lion's roar.

"Better get that taken care of," he winked, nodding at the countertop to where a steamy bowl of noodles, chicken breast, bean sprouts, and some greens rested in a gloriously rich-looking broth.

"See, now this is the way to eat your veggies," she mumbled, eliciting a sharp laugh from Kuu.

"I agree." He pointed down to the empty bowl atop his counterspace. "I'm on my second helping myself and I'll likely have a few more."

Juliena gaped. "You can really eat that much?"

He patted his stomach like a proud grandfather introducing his grandson for the first time. "I have a rather large and unusual appetite."

"Hmm, people say the same about me," she admitted, knowing Kuu would likely not believe her with her model figure.

He took it in stride, however, merely pursing his lips in thought. "How about a wager? If I can eat more than you, you'll go on a date with me."

Ha. "Are you certain that's wise?" she arched a brow.

"I'm willing to risk it." Something in his intense gaze was making her stomach do flips and her ears felt hot.

"And what if I win?"

"Whatever the lady desires."

She grinned. "You're on."

After a whopping eight bowls of ramen each, the bout was declared a tie and Juliena reluctantly informed her would-be suitor that she had to return to work. She grabbed her friend and fled briskly back to the shoot where she endured five minutes of scathing lecture for arriving twenty minutes late.

For two weeks Juliena returned to that ramen shop during lunch and was met with the sexy smile of Kuu Hizuri and though they held several rematches, neither could out-do the other.

Eventually the well-matched pair came to be referred to by the locals as the gluttonous angel and the voracious yankee. The owner of the shop even took their picture and framed them on the wall.

"You see," Kuu said, nodding towards their picture the day after it was placed. "Now you have to date me."

"Isn't that what I've been doing?" she batted her eyelashes at him.

"By then we were already madly in love," Juliena finished telling Kyoko.

Kuu gazed starry-eyed at his beloved. "She's always possessed a certain je ne sais quoi."

The young woman smiled shyly. "That's a lovely story."

"Thank you," Juliena beamed. "Now I want to hear about how you two first met."

Kuon groaned and Kyoko laughed.

"Serves you right," she teased. "When I first met him as Ren Tsuruga, he threw me out of LME."

Kuu and Juliena were silent a moment, shock evident on their faces before they shouted, "He WHAT!?" in unison.

Kuon sank down in his chair, fervently wishing for an escape, but knowing there was none, he resigned himself to his fate.