AN: Sorry for the long wait! 's was experiencing some technical difficulties! I decided to get on with the climax (I debated with myself that it's moving too fast, but since I already written it and finished it, what the heck! It's not bad, I just thought I could slow it down, but I was already going slow in the beginning). I hope you all like it!

I do not own the song, "You Light Up My Life". I really thought this song really describes both Yuki and Machi well.

CHAPTER 5

"You Light Up My Life"

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The sky was clouded with gray and charcoal over as the ball of light tried to break through it. Its dark cover brought a bluish-grayish light in the hours of dawn. The darken room urged its sleeping inhabitant to continue his journey in the world of dreams. He comfortably slept in the fluffiness of his pillow and soft covers of his bed. His shifting movements made a book fall from his chest. He awoken when the it hit the ground. "Ehhhh?" he moaned. The source of his awakening was found laying on the ground, with the front cover facing up. He rubbed his left eye as he looked over at the source, yawned and went back to his slumber.

In another room down the hall from his was her room. Her body was up and moving around but her mind was still in sleep mode. She walked like a zombie to the bathroom. In the bathroom, she rustle through the counter, looking for her toothbrush. When she found it, she sloppily put the toothpaste on the bristles. With rapid strokes, she moved them from left to right and up and down around her teeth. Afterwards, she washed her face with water droplets splashed around the counter and on the floor. The mess was ignored as she dried her face and walked out.

Back in the other room, its inhabitant gradually opened his eyes to see a grayish atmosphere in his room.

What a dark day…is it going to rain?

He slid off his bed and looked out of the window. Through it, an ominous sky loomed over the horizon, making day into night. The boy sighed as he walked to the bathroom to prepare for the long, dreary day.

In the kitchen, she aided her colleague with the morning meal. She set the table for everyone and set out dishes one by one. While she was doing this, he came down with a tired look plastered on his face. They exchanged looks as they noticed one another.

"Ohayo, Machi. Nice….Haaa… nice day, huh?" the boy said while yawning. He sat at the table with a dull expression. The girl nodded her head in response.

"What an awful day!" Kimi said as she brought the last of the dishes. "It's one of those days, when Kimi doesn't want to get up!"

"I know what you mean," Yuki said resignedly. "I want to go back to sleep." The boy got up and got pushed back down by the other girl. Her actions surprised him so effectively, that he awaken more.

"M-Machi?!" His eyes shot open.

"Stay," she said. "Or do you want to starve?"

"Alright, alright…heh, heh." Yuki grinned at her blushed reaction.

"OLD MAN TIMER! FREAK!" yelled a certain unhappy brother. The other boy just crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he quietly fumed his annoyance. "Still a pervert in the closet, eh?"

"Why do you say that every time I speak to Machi? If you have a problem, just say it!" Yuki couldn't hold back his anger.

"I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOUR MOLESTER, LOLITA-LOVING SELF!" the other boy argued.

"Lolita? She's only a several months younger than me, baka! AND I AM NOT WHAT YOU SAID I WAS!" Yuki yelled in the other boy's face.

"Hey! Hey! Kimi don't allow fighting between friends! Why you two always talk about perverted things behind Kimi's back? Kimi wants to know too!"

"There's nothing you need to know," Yuki calmly said, still angry. The other boy stayed quiet as he sat at the table. His sister gave him a "shame-on-you" glare as she served the dishes on the table. She and Kimi sat next to each other across from the two boys and had a gloomily, but peaceful breakfast.

In the next hour, two of the four started working on their summer homework in the living room. Yuki sat next to the two on the floor, to aid them in their studies. Kimi asked him a few questions in math, which he easily tutored her in. Manabe, however, slacked off on his math assignment, leaving Yuki with his homework.

"Hey! I am suppose to help you out, so you could do it yourself!" Yuki nudged the boy who recently decided to take a nap in the middle of his studies. "I thought you know this stuff!"

"He does…he just doesn't want to do it," said a solemn voice aside from Yuki. "Just leave it alone, he'll get to it."

Yuki glanced the side and saw the girl looking impassively at her dozing brother. He moved closer to her. "Okay…Machi." He brushed his hand along her arm as he got up from the spot he was sitting. His hand grasped her shoulder after he stood on his feet. Astonishment settled across her face. Kimi harbored the same look on her face, but turned away immediately. The boy looked back at the object of his affections and gently smiled. He walked away with the same smile highlighting his features on his face.

After his departure, Kimi quickly finished her last math question and closed her book. "Kimi saw that!" she said with a glee in her voice. "He was flirting with you!"

The other girl rose up as her face heated. She walked away without saying anything to her enthused friend and retreated to her room.

What was that all about? Why did he do that? Was he being flirtatious? It can't be…that's not his personality…and yet, his persona has changed the past few days since he came here. I can't quite put my finger on it.

Droplets of water started to hit lightly against the window pane as she viewed the spectacle of nature. It started to pour from the darken sky above, distorting the view of the mountain across the lake.

Am I denying to myself that it might be possible that he…no. It can't be. Out of all the girls he could chose from, why me? This is so stupid.

Machi opened her door carefully and peeked out to make sure no one's around. When the coast was confirmed clear, she walked out and stepped down the stairs. She walked around the quiet house to rid her mind of a certain someone… that someone who was there standing and watching the raindrops tapping against the window in the living room. He turned from his place to spot her looking him from behind. A soft smile greeted her as she stared.

"Come and watch with me…the rain, I mean. On days like these…it's all we could do."

"Why me?"

"Because I don't want Machi to sit alone in the dark." A hand reach for her own.His fingers curled around hers to feel the nervousness from her sweated skin of those fingers. Those finger were lifted to feel the softness of his lips. His eyes were closed as he touched those finger with his lips.

"Please stay with me, Machi." His voice was only audible enough for her to hear. "I want to be near you." In her eyes, she was lost in the sensation of his actions. Her body wouldn't move closer or away, only stunned.

It's true.

She felt a surge of blood rushed through her body when she felt those same lips on her forehead. "Yuki?" his name escaped her own lips as she searched for the answer of what of his reason for doing these things.

"Yes. It's true." His hands were placed on her shoulders as he leaned in closer. "It's you that I…" the last of his words were caught up by her lips. His eyes enlarged at the surprising touch and gradually closed as immerse himself in the new found feeling.

It's you that I love.

So many nights

I sit by my window,

waiting for someone to sing me his song…

So many dreams

I can't keep inside me

Alone in the dark

Now you come along

He returned her touch with his own. The gentle caress of his lips massaged a little more forcefully than hers. One of his hands was on her right shoulder, while the other held her hand. The distance between them was only a gap of an inch. She pulled away as soon as his touch has become too deep."It felt like a sakura petal. Your lips are like sakura petals," he whispered as he held ends of her hair and ran his finger through it. Her hair flowed softly through the gaps of his fingers with every stroke.

And you light up my life

You give me hope

To carry on

You light up my days

And filled my nights…

With song

"I was so stupid for not noticing and running away," she spoke softly with a slight blush on her face. He held her as close as he could and kissed her again.

"I was dense about these things, also. We were so caught up with our despair, that we forgotten about what's here." His head rested against hers as he whispered to her, "You made me really happy Machi. You always had."

"What about her? That girl you are always seen with at school?" An image of a brown-haired girl appeared in her mind. "You two were close."

Yuki frowned a little at the thought of that girl at a time like this. "Our relationship was not like that. It was more familial based. She's more like family, than any other. Her love was the missing one I never had from childhood. Because of her…I could love you. "

Rollin' at sea, adrift on the waters

Could it be finally, I am turning for home

Finding a chance to say "Hey, I love you"

Never again to be all alone.

Silence encircled the youths in the dimmed room, with the window as their only source of light. With their heads rested on one another, fingers locked together, and their eyes closed, the truth of their love settled in their hearts with no more doubts. Only light.

And you light up my life,
You give me hope, to carry on.
You light up my days
And fill my nights with song.

You, you light up my life
You give me hope to carry on
You light up my days
And fill my nights with song
It can't be wrong, when it feels so right
'cause you, you light up my life.

Their fifteen minutes together was disturbed by the other two houseguest from the kitchen, preparing lunch. The two looked at each other at lost on how to approach the other two with their newfound relationship. "Let's keep it quiet for now. I don't think he's ready to hear it," The boy suggested. The girl responded with a nod. He held his love's hand tightly and let go as they headed over to the kitchen.

Kimi was the first to greet them. "Hey you two! Kimi was wondering where you both were! Kimi was getting ready to go find you two." On cue, Manabe turned and glared at Yuki, standing by the stove. He was wearing a green apron over his dark blue polo shirt. He turned back without saying anything. Yuki sat at the table with Machi and smiled her slightly, then faded as he looked over at the other boy.

I knew it. He's definitely not ready to hear it. He was saying strange things every time when I am near her or saying something to her. Maybe he's being the overprotective older brother to his little sister? Or maybe he doesn't like…

"This time EAT without SAYING anything!" the boy's voice interrupted Yuki's train of thought. He firmly set the dishes on the table, without breaking them. "No WHINING! Just EAT!" He tensed his words to showed the gray-haired boy that he meant business.

"Manabe-kun, Kimi don't think you should be mean to Yun-Yun! Yun-Yun has not say anything about OUR cooking yet!" she tensed her words to get her point across. The other cook pulled off the apron over his head and sulked as he seated himself across from the other boy. Yuki quietly served his food on his plate after Kimi set his plate on the table. He thought of the other's boy's strange behavior.

Why is he this way all of the sudden? Did he found out about us on his own? Or did he see us a little awhile ago?

The girl beside him remained silent as a mixture of thoughts of the recently confessed love and how quick he was about it.

It was like a strange alternate universe. He was prompt about his feelings and acted quickly upon it. Before, we were just friends in the student council. Now, what is he to me? My boyfriend? My…lover?

She quickly shook her head of the unwanted thought and blushed when she realized that she was watched by her friends. "Is there something wrong, Machi?" Kimi asked as she lifted several soba noodles to her mouth.

"Betsuni," she assured the other girl. After ameal of quiettenseness,an look of unapproval took over her brother's face.

"Machi," he called sternly. The girl looked up at him. "Just watch out for yourself, ne?" He gave Yuki another glare as he got up from his seat. His dishes were put in the sink and his presence left the kitchen.

The instructed girl, sadly gazed at the space where he was sitting and lowered her head. A hand touched her shoulder with an voice of comfort. "It'll be alright. He's probably a little moody today. It'll get better tomorrow."

Another lighter voice attempted to comfort her also, "Kimi knows about how you two feel about one another. Kimi accepts, but Manabe-kun has a little difficulty accepting. That shows how much he cares about Machi."

The girl's head solemnly nodded. Kimi patted her back and set off to the kitchen sink to start cleaning the dishes. "At least she understands. She accepted us without question. That, we should be grateful for."

Her head lifted to face the young man sitting next to her. "Stop being so mushy all the time. It's annoying."

"I couldn't help myself. It would be something you'll have to get used to. Forgive me." He grinned and nudged her at her cheek as he lifted himself from his seat and took his dish to Kimi at the sink. He also helped her dried the dishes. The girl smiled at him for the reason, not only that he was helping, but that he finally confessed his love. She was a sap for these kinds of "love stories".

Meanwhile, the other girl left the kitchen in search for her incensed brother. She found him sitting at their father's desk in the study. He was reading one of his favorite mangas.

"Manabe." The boy turned at the sound of his name and smiled lightly at the caller.

"You rang?" he said, in a lighter mood. Strangely, his mood started to clear up a little more.

"You are angry, aren't you? You knew it was coming, ne?" she asked, a little angry herself.

He put his hands behind his head and leaned back into the cushioned chair. "Angry? I never said I was angry and yes, I knew that he'll say it someday. I just wasn't expecting it so soon…that moment in the living room was something I could never imagine he would do. Quite a romantic, isn't he?" The girl's eyes widen when his comment was made.

He saw it.

"Machi, I was most surprised with you. You actually made the first move to kiss him. Now, that I have give you credit for!" He smiled widely. A scowl crawled across her face as it reddened.

"What was all that nonsense earlier?! It's like you were never angry!" she snapped.

"I told you I was not angry. I was just a little envious, that's all."

"What?"

"It's nothing to dwell on, Machi. Just drop it."

"Not if you continue this charade of yours!"

"Alright. I'll give your boyfriend a little break. Just remember he was my friend before your boyfriend and you were my half-sister before his girlfriend. He was our council member before any of the other relation."

She blanked out for a moment and left the study without any last words. She stopped in her tracks and frowned.

I know you accepted us, but you refused to believe it yourself, why?

The dark clouds in the sky faded away into the warm glow of the sunset. Viewing nature's masterpiece was the two youths with their hands clasped on one another. Deep in their thoughts was the unbelievably of their being here and in love with one another. The gray-haired boy glanced over at the love next to him and smile serenely.

It's still hard to believe that I am here with her, here right now with no worries. Although, it would be hard to hide this from my family. Kyo, Honda-san, Haru and Momiji. They go to school with us…so we'll have to restrain ourselves until a good time comes to tell. Now, we could only hope that a certain guy would cool down and just accept the fact that we love each other.

"Thank you for not rejecting me," Yuki said looking at the girl with both of his hands enclosed with hers. "I was afraid that I was being to careless and rash of how you felt."

"I am glad you told me," Machi looked over at the lake by their side. "Or else I would always be watching you from a distance." She was pulled closer to be kissed deeply. Her kisser neared her closely after the finished kiss. His breath could be felt as he spoke to her.

"I want to hold you, but I can't. There are some things you still don't know about me that I wanted to tell so badly. Tonight, before we go to bed…I want to show you." The look on her face was bewildered.

What? Show me what? Oh no…

"Yuki…I think that is too…you know…'fast'" she frowned and sweated with a cheery red face.

"I-It's n-nothing like that," he nerved once he figured out what she was thinking. "I have to show you, if we are to have a relationship. A secret I have been keeping all my life. Honda-san knows about it, that's why we were close. I want to tell you my secret…my 'curse'."

"Curse?" she questioned with her eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes. I trust that you won't tell anyone once I show you."

"Hai." She looked down at her feet.

"Okay. Meet me in my room at ten."

"Alright." He put hand on her head and kissed her forehead.

"Arigato."

During dinnertime, everyone ate Kimi's lightly prepared dinner of stir-fry. The table was absent of conversation as everyone ate their meal. However, Manabe stopped glaring at Yuki and not say a word to him about his earlier behavior. After the meal, he and Kimi washed the dishes while the couple read in the study.

"Hey Machi, what do you want to do tomorrow?" asked Yuki, holding his reading book.

"I don't know. Whatever you want to do," she said while reading her book.

"Do you want to take a walk to the meadows?"

"Meadows…the one farther down from where we're at?" Her book was at her lap to view his face.

"Yeah, I wanted to go down there to see flower field. That's if you want to."

"Then, we'll go tomorrow."

"It's a date." The boy smiled and returned to his book. A blushing girl looked over at him from her book.

A date. I never been on one of those. My first date with my first love.

Soon, everyone retired to their rooms for the evening. Yuki took a bath and slipped into a fresh pair of pajamas. He sat at the edge of his bed, waiting for his appointment to come. Thoughts of the past took over his memory as he remembered letting someone go long ago.

"I am happy."

"Then why are you crying?"

Because you were like the sky…

She was like the sky unable to be reached. I couldn't provide for her, care for her or be fair to her. I was weak and she made me strong. She was the only one caring and providing. But…I can not love her like he does. It was like a barrier between me and her. That's why I must let her go long ago…but because I let go, I found my true love.

A light knock came upon his door. He walked over to it and sighed heavily as he opened. A girl in a light blue robe appeared in front of him. He quickly let her in and shut the door. He stood still for a moment and motioned the girl to come closer.

"You know I never hugged any girl outside my family, except a few 'accidents' with Honda-san. Well, the reason is this…" he took her by the shoulders and held her to his chest.

POOF!

A cloud of smoke blurred the girl's vision as she searched for her missing beau. As it cleared, she could see his pajamas lying one the floor. She rummaged through them in her search. "Machi!" a familiar voice called out to her.

"Yuki? Where are you? This is no time to be playing magician with me!" she frustrated.

"Here!" Machi felt something tapping at her knee. There stands a small, gray mouse with its hands on her knee. "I am the mouse."

"Ahhh…" she was stunned with disbelief.

A talking mouse…in Yuki's voice? Is this the curse?

"This is the reason why I couldn't hug anybody, but the other twelve cursed members. It's a family curse from several hundred years ago. We turned into the animals of the zodiac, plus a cat. I am the rat. The reason of our being cursed is not known. "

Machi lifted the rat from his place and held it at her eye level. "It make sense why you were so distant from everyone. This handicap kept you from having a normal relationship."

"Do you find it disturbing?" he frowned.

"I have to admit, it's a bit unbelievable, but not disturbing. You still yourself…just… different looking." She placed the rat down and gave him a brighten look in her eyes, but no smile.

"Oh yeah! P-Please turn around quickly and don't look!" Yuki warned as he almost forgotten about changing back. As Machi turned, another cloud of smoke appeared.

POOF!

The bare boy grabbed his clothing and quickly slipped them back on. "Alright, you could turn aroundnow," he informed the girl. She turned around to see the familiar face and moved towards him.

"I won't tell no one, not only because you told me to…but because I love you." She touched his face and stared into his large, gray eyes. He put his hand over the one touching his cheek and smiled.

"Thank you, my love."

The night ended with a prolonged kiss and dreams to satisfy the rest of their lives.

AN: How was it? Was it too fast? In my mind, they always had liked each other from the very beginning (starting from the time Yuki started to care about Machi in the manga. CH 94 really shows that. CH 100 shows that she cared for him.). Therefore, it was not too fast. However, storywise, I thought it was too quick. What do you all, the readers think?