Note to Readers: We apologize profusely for not updating in like a year!! Getting back into the rhythm of school is totally time consuming! And now that summer has kicked in, it's still been a little busy! This chapter seems a little short, but in the next one things will get kicking again! We still hope that there are readers out there still willing to read our story! Again, hontou ni gomen nasai!!

TRANSLATIONS

Ano- um or huh(hesitation)

Iie- no

Hai- Yes

Arigatou- Thank you

Ma- Well

Nezumi- Rat/Mouse

Kimochiwarui- disgusting

Kuso- Damn

Neko- Cat

Hentai- Pervert

Baka- Idiot

Ittekimasu- I'm leaving(said from someone leaving)

Itterasshai- Take care(said to someone leaving)

Kawaii- Cute

Konnichiwa- Hello

Oi- Hey

Onna- woman

Inu- dog

Sumimasen- I'm sorry/excuse me

Gomen/Gomen nasai- I'm sorry

Hime-sama- Princess

Oujii-sama- Prince

Jyuunishi- Zodiac

Mononoke- Monster/Demon

Daijoubu ka- Are you okay?

Usagi- Bunny/Rabbit

Onigiri- Rice ball

Tatsu- Dragon

Nani- What?

Sou ka- I see

Sugoi- Wow

Genkan- a small place where you remove and keep your shoes

Futari tomo- you two

Wilted Flower: Chapter 6 -Ophthalmophobia

"The fear of being stared at."

Yuki sighed as he gazed around at all the people in the supermarket, either staring at him or at Tohru or at both of them as a whole. He thought he even saw some of those Fan Club Girls down one aisle. "Yuki-kun?" The quiet voice of Tohru interrupted his thoughts.

"Huh? Ah, sumimasen Tohru. What was that?" he politely reconnected. Tohru blushed a little and paused in the middle of the aisle.

"Daijoubu ka?"

"Oh, it's nothing." Yuki decided with a soft smile. No need to make Tohru more self conscious than she already is. Plus what should it matter to me what others think. Tohru taught me that, he thought fondly.

He leaned down and gently brushed his lips against hers, eliciting a blush and an awkward but affectionate smile from Tohru, catcalls or romantic sighs from others, and shouts of dismay and some glares from the rest. Yuki smiled at her, and they continued their shopping.

OOOOO

Shigure stayed in his study for a long time after Hatori had left. It was mostly because of his manuscript, but he got sidetracked and was immersed in personal thoughts at the moment. He tapped his pen against the manuscript he was supposed to be working on absent mindedly. His eyes were focused into a dark, formidable gaze. "Things are definitely going to change very soon," he murmured huskily, voicing his thoughts out loud.

The pawns in the game will change their course, their motivation will change. How thrilling. How completely raw and exhilarating. Shigure didn't really care for surprises, but this one he wouldn't mind. Even if the opposing 'queen' gets knocked off the board, even if my little flower is hurt, it'll all pay off in the end. The game must go on. All the puzzle pieces will have to join eventually.

It's all just game...

After a pause, the smirking Shigure rearranged his demeanor into a more cheerful one as he stood. The gleeful glint returned to his eye and he pranced out of the room with a, "I think I'll take a break and go see what Kyon-Kyon is up to!" He suddenly stopped for a moment. "Ara…where did Kagura-chan go off to?" he shrugged it off. I'll go find her after I antagonize Kyo!

Shigure made his way up the stairs and down the hall a ways into Kyo's room. It always managed to surprise him at how neat and organized the feisty, orange haired neko's room always was. Nothing was ever out of place. It was so unlike Kyo's personality and lifestyle. Then again, Kyo did spend a lot of his time out of the room.

"Kyoooo-kuuun!!" he began in a sugary sweet tone. "Nan-" he began, but suddenly broke off when he saw the scene in Kyo's room.

"So that's where Kagura-chan went to," he muttered softly. A soft smile was forming itself on Shigure's face as he observed the two inhabitants of the room sleeping for awhile longer before sighing and turning his gaze into something more melancholy.

"I'm sorry," he muttered cryptically to himself more than anyone else.

After a moment, he shook his head as if to rid himself of such thoughts and smirked when he pulled out a digital camera seemingly out of nowhere. He giggled evilly. "Blackmail Kyo-kuun!!" he said with glee and snapped a few pictures. Suddenly, Kagura began shifting restlessly, and Shigure left the room in fear of being caught and beaten by the two.

OOOOO

Kagura blinked in confusion as she woke up in an unfamiliar area. Where am I? she thought groggily. A sleepy haze lingered in her gaze as she stretched out over whatever she was laying on. It was warm, and admittedly bony, but strangely comforting. She finally shifted her head to look at what it was and she gasped and blushed to find herself stretched luxuriously over Kyo before remembering their previous conversation.

The young teen had also fallen asleep after pointlessly chasing antagonizing thoughts around in his head. He's beautiful. Kagura thought, gazing at him with fond eyes.

In sleep, Kyo lost the fierce, defensive scowl he usually hid himself behind during waking hours. His face was peaceful, bordering on angelic, as the content boy his childhood suppressed, shone through the lowered barriers. One hand was splayed across his chest and the other had weaved itself around Kagura's back in a comforting embrace.

Kagura leaned up a little and brushed some hair out of Kyo's face. She quickly drew back however, when her innocent gesture disturbed the calm and Kyo wearily opened his eyes. "K-Kagura?" he muttered offhandedly, sleep still apparent in his eyes. Kagura held her breath, afraid to say anything to ruin the peaceful moment. Kyo removed his arm from around her and rubbed his face wearily.

"What time is it?" he asked her.

"I'm not sure," she replied softly. "I just woke up," she added with a blush. Kyo gazed at her, then blushed and looked away awkwardly. Kagura quickly moved to remove herself from atop of Kyo and sat on the edge of his bed. She felt him shift behind her as he also sat up.

Kagura's fingers messed with the hem of her shirt nervously. The silence was killing her…it was too awkward, too emotionally open.

"I'm going to go downstairs and start dinner," she suddenly stated, breaking the tense silence.

"Yeah, okay." Kyo mumbled. Kagura sighed and got up, moving towards the doorway.

"Kagura?" Kyo suddenly called out.

Kagura's heart pounded as she heard her name being called and she stopped, an anxious look on her face. "Hai?" A pause.

"…Nevermind."

Kagura masked her disappointment with a small, sweet smile. "Mmkay..."

Kyo stared after the older girl as the last bits of her dark hair floated out of the doorway. "What am I going to do?" he muttered to himself once again.

OOOOO

Soon after all this. Yuki and Tohru returned from their shopping. "Tadaima!" they called out, removing their shoes in the genkan and moving into the kitchen to put up their groceries. Shigure's head peeped out of a corner, "Okaeri futari tomo! Kagura-chan is already starting dinner."

Upon hearing this, Tohru spazzed. "Oh no!! I knew we should have hurried! Poor Kagura-chan!" she worried. Yuki just smiled as he followed his love interest into the kitchen.

Shigure smiled at the both of them. "Ah, young love!" he said dreamily.

"What are you going on about now, hentai inu?!" Kyo growled out, having come downstairs when Yuki and Tohru arrived. Shigure put on a hurt face and pouted.

"Kyon-kun! How could you say such hurtful things?" he proclaimed, dramatically placing a hand over his heart. Kyo rolled his eyes. "Besides, you should watch yourself now that I have blackmail over you!" Shigure taunted warningly.

"N-nani??! What the hell are you talking about weirdo?" Kyo snapped, immediately getting flustered. Shigure waved the camera he had in front of Kyo's face and Kyo immediately paled.

"I have the evidence of the little sleepy romantic moment you had with Kagura-chan!! Or maybe, did you guys go a little farther and I just got the after shot?" he said in an overly pleased tone of voice. He dangled the camera in front of Kyo's nose. "Hm?"

Kyo blushed as bright as Tohru would and lunged for the camera which Shigure promptly moved out of the way.

"Give it here you kuso hentai!!"

"Nu uhhhh!!!" Shigure sang as he ducked out of Kyo's grasp. His eyes widened though his face showed juvenile glee as he began running away from the raging Kyo.

The sounds of their childish squabbling echoed throughout the house as additional crashes were heard. Minutes later, a very irritated Kyo stomped into the kitchen tightly clutching a camera with Shigure chasing after him. "Nuuuuu give it back!!" the man whined pathetically, arms flailing out in front of him.

"HELL NO. Just DIE!!" was his answer as Kyo ran upstairs with the incriminating evidence. Shigure sighed and flopped down on the kitchen floor, propping his chin up on his hands.

"Shigure-san?" "Shii-chan?" came the two girls' concerned voices. Shigures dark eyes looked up and he gave them a goofy grin.

"What luck, to have such strikingly beautiful girls fawn over me!!" He reached up. "Come here and give Shigure a-"

BAM! Yuki's fist connected with Shigure's head.

"Want more?" was the all too eager threat as the handsome nezumi stood in front of the fallen inu. A whimper was his answer as Shigure miserably crawled out of the room. The girls giggled weakly and dinner preparations commenced once more, no one aware of the shocking news Shigure would dish out to them after dinner. News, which would impact their lives like no other. News which would later lead to wounds, possibly too deep to ever heal.

OOOOO

Silver: And on that slightly depressing yet cheerful note, we leave you once again!!

3xThreat: Hai! And don't forget to review::tugs Yuki-kun into view::

Yuki: :annoyed/miserably: Cookies to everyone who reviews…..

Silver/3xThreat: And possibly a kiss from our Yuki-kun!! SQUUEE