Hello minna!

Feel free to start reading of you don't want to read my rambling. I would like to apologise for my absense the past months. The reason behind was that since January I had major family issues that I'm not going to get into. But, due to that, I wasn't in any kind of mood to write and as of inspiration... that went out of the window pretty fast. I'm better now though and working on some ideas for future chapters. So read on, and I will continue my rambling at the end where I will say a few things on what to expect soon.

Rin didn't stay long. I could tell in his eyes he wanted some time alone. I sent him home, hoping he would deal with this matter seriously. I waved goodbye at him, watching his form walking away and leaned to the frame of the door sighing.

I know he must have expected have the stuff I told him, but I don't think he could have guessed the seriousness of the situation. It was my duty to tell him and warn him. I gazed at the darkness surrounding the house and felt myself shiver. It was a rather cold night, but I have to admit I was pretty tired. These past years and especially since the summer I did nothing but train and study. The times I had actually relaxed was only because of…

"Mephisto.''

I felt myself smile at the thought of that principal. Sly, funny, manipulative, classy, cheap. He was… one of a kind. I guess that's what I liked about him. I started heading back to the room, picking up the tray with the pot of tea and the two cups when a thought crossed my mind. Didn't Rin also have a key which allowed him to access his dorms at any moment, simply by using it on a normal door? Yet he vanished into the darkness, without thinking about it.

I raised an eyebrow at the pot as if to blame it for Rin's forgetfulness.

"I guess he was absorbed in thought for once. Doesn't happen often."

My eyes fell on the clock and a gasp escaped my lips upon realization of the time. I looked at my phone which was blinking a blue light. Did I have a text?

While talking with Rin I had heard my phone vibrating but I chose to ignore it. Turning it on I saw it was from Mephisto.

Of course.

As soon as I read the text a grunt escaped my mouth.

'Please wear a yukata~ '

"That clown has weird fetishes…" I sighed and started searching my closet for a yukata. I was kind of scared as to why he had that specific request, but from the time I've spent with him and I had learnt that it was easier just to go with it. With the corner of my eye I saw a half opened box to the end of my closet and pulled it closer. I hadn't worn a yukata in years. The only one I had, which was in this box, was a present from Shiro which he had intended to give me on my 18th birthday. Yukio had given it to me a few days ago, saying that the monks had found it in a box, under some debris and sent it to him. It was in perfect condition and I could feel Shiro's protection encircling me every time I touched it. It was a beautiful light blue yukata, decorated with cherry blossoms; the fabric was soft and delicate.

Removing my clothing and wearing a simple white dress on the inside I took the yukata carefully out of the box and wore it. The fabric fell elegantly on my shoulders and I looked myself at the mirror only to see that some of the fabric was curled rather untastefully to the floor.

"That doesn't seem right…" I raised an eyebrow. In movies the girls looked rather elegant when wearing one of those. Perhaps it needed more work. Wasn't I supposed to use a sash of some sort? I looked at the box to see two sashes and one obi belt.

"This is going to get unnecessarily complicated…" I murmured looking each of them, trying to guess how to use them.

Pondering my decisions I started playing with one of the sashes, wondering how the hell I was going to use three belt thingies on the same yukata. The way I saw it, I had two options. Option one… Call the only female who would be available at this hour and I would feel comfortable helping me with this. Shura.

Grabbing my phone I was ready to dial her number when a thought popped to my mind. Shura would ask lots of questions… and that's not what I needed right now. And if she found out that I was going to go out with Mephisto…

"She will make fun of me, won't she?" I asked the empty room feeling a bit embarrassed. She might even punch me…

I rejected the idea and decided to go with my second option: Watching from a video online. It would be much safer. Wearing a yukata was very complicated and it made me wonder why Japanese girls didn't simply wear normal dresses which didn't feel like trying to tie a mummy.

Finally, I managed to make it look decent on me and I brushed my hair and let them fall on my shoulders. Normally, girls would tie their hair in a bun, but I didn't like doing it. Having my hair up felt like I was exposed, so I let them stay as they were. I made myself ready wearing the geta, the shoes that were accompanying the yukata, and I checked myself in the mirror really quickly.

I didn't look half bad. I looked tired and my posture needed work but apart from that I looked alright. Exiting the dorms I rushed to the meeting place five minutes before our agreed time. I recognized the limousine immediately due to the contrast between the darkness of the night and the bright pink of the car.

Mephisto's figure was leaning against the car, his emerald eyes boring into the midnight blue sky and a small smile was placed on his lips. I wasn't sure if he heard my footsteps or just sensed my presence, but the next second his eyes were on my approaching figure.

"Ayame~" He greeted as I fastened my pace and soon reached him.

"Sorry... Am I late?" I asked checking my wristwatch.

"Not at all!" He said taking my hand in his. "But, it is a gentleman's job to arrive early as not to make his date wait…" His lips brushed lightly against the back of my hand and leaving a small kiss, he leered at me. "… isn't it?"

I thanked him in a manner that I hoped didn't show how much this little gesture had affected me. Opening the door for me he waited until I went inside and followed after me. His driver apparently knew our destination, because he started almost immediately.

Unsure of how to take the silence that had spread between us I opened my mouth to say something, but Mephisto beat me to it.

"I'm glad you took my suggestion."

I raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"About the yukata." He explained. "You look stunning."

I felt my face heat up and once again thank him. "You look really good… too."

I eyed his midnight blue yukata, decorated with white stripes.

"Why, thank you!" He responded with a smile.

"I am also kind of relieved…"

"Hm~?"

"When you mentioned the yukuta, I was afraid you were going to appear wearing that pink Puri-Puri of yours." I responded remembering that pink atrocity that his brother had queued to buy.

"My Honey-Honey sisters, yukata is to be worn only during special occasions taking place indoors." He claimed, crossing his arms and puffing his cheeks like a child.

"I hope I will never get invited in one of those..."

"What was that?" He asked turning to look at me.

I raised my hands defensively and gave him my most innocent smile, "Nothing, nothing. More importantly… Mehpisto you shouldn't leave important details such as what to wear for the last minute. I was lucky that I happened to have one. Otherwise I would have trouble finding one on the same day."

"Very lucky of you, then…" He said with a smirk.

A thought crossed my mind and I looked at him carefully. "Wait a minute…Did you know of this?"

"Did I know what, my dear?"

"That I already owned a yukata?"

"Did I?"

"That's what I'm asking."

"Hm…I wonder~"

"But, how could you know? Unless… Did Yukio tell you?" I asked.

"Perhaps…"

I raised an eyebrow at him, but decided to not talk about it any longer as I didn't wish to know the extent of their conversation.

"So… where are we going?" I decided to ask.

"Well, I thought that since you hadn't had the chance all this years, we would go to a festival."

"A festival?" I asked and mentally slapped myself for not putting two and two together. Japanese wore yukatas during festivals so it just made sense for Mephisto to make that particular request.

"And since it just happens to be that time of the year, I thought I could take the chance to introduce you to one of the three biggest float festivals, here in Japan The Chichibu Yomatsuri.'

Not as long as I would love it to be, but it would take much longer for me to finish otherwise and I hated to keep you waiting any longer. I seriously feel guilty every passing day when I keep you waiting. Anyway, I have a few ideas of the stuff that is going to happen next.

Next chapter: The festival

What to expect: A few references from anime series and movies -because I saw the chance-, Mephisto being a pervert and much more... I don't want to spoil anything crucial.

In the next chapters you will also find out about the 'boss' Ayame has mentioned, his relationship with her and what's happening with Rin. Many other things will follow, of course.

If you would like anything else covered such as: more jealousy, characters interacting or any specials that you would like me to write, please mention it in the comments as I always read them.