Thank you so much for the good reviews I've been getting in this story. Thanks for appreciating the last chappie. I didn't know what came to me when I wrote the last scene but I hope you liked it. Anyway, for those who are wondering, I'm actually following what Ayriel told me, to just let the characters move the story. (Oh, I hope they still end up together.)

Thanks Lady Yui and I've been trying so hard to keep Yui's affairs close to real life. As you know, I don't have the Shin Jin Ten Sho as a background in this piece. I think the story's been too complicated and it's almost impossible for Yui/Ami. Unfortunately, this chapter won't build up the initial premise but I do hope it will bring things back to normal. Hope you like this one too! :)

Thanks to Starlina Hime too. I'm glad you appreciate all the efforts that I've been putting in this story and in Serendipity. You see, I've been deviating inspirations from everything around me. I want the story to be closer to reality. I'm glad you liked the characters! And I'm so glad we like to pair Yui with different Seis. Hehe. Thanks for entertaining a Yui/Tomo and a Yui/Nakago pairing. Let's see what will happen.

Thank you to Princess-of-doctors too for giving a review. I haven't heard from you for a long time! I know everything's complicated and it's almost impossible for a Yui-Ami. Believe me, I am more than tempted to have her end up with Nakago. And yes, Tomo's so sweet, ne? He's always been the bad guy and I want to give that a break. This fic actually made me entertain a Yui-Tomo fic, but that would be too dark, anyway.

And hi, Pinkmartini! :) Thanks for leaving a review. I agree, it's been awfully confusing. Don't you experience loving someone and then getting infatuated with someone else? It might sound crazy, but that's what Yui's been undergoing too. Hehe. I just want everyone to get their own spotlights before the main one.

Disclaimer: FY is not mine. Just borrowing the characters. :) Oh, and don't forget to leave a review.

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Exchanges

By Slavedriver2008

Ten o' clock. Yui's watch said it's already past her usual bedtime. And it's way past Gi's curfew. But what could he possibly do to her? As far as she's concerned, it was her place. She should be giving the curfew, not the other way around. The night had been anything but predictable. She doesn't think she could sleep soundly after what happened.

Tomo loves her.

And it was not a selfish type of love. It was the ideal type that she never thought existed, the type that anyone would wish upon themselves. The type of love that were always in the movies, in romance novels, it was the love that never happened in real life, a love made in dreams. It was not real. But tonight, it was. All her delusions of love as a damned emotion seemed to have given way to Tomo's. How can he do such a thing? Love her and not ask for anything in return? Why can't she love him back? It was easy, considering how broken she currently was from Kaika's denseness.

If I want to love Tomo, I'll make sure I don't love Kaika anymore. I don't want to love Tomo because I need him. I want to love him because I love him… I want to give back the selfless love he's giving me. And maybe…one day I could…

As she walked to her apartment, she realized that if there was one person she'd gladly love after she's moved on with Kaika, it would be Tomo. He had insisted to walk her to her apartment but she said no. Yui told him that they arrived beyond Gi's curfew and he might tease them endlessly again. She remembered telling him that she could not take another pathetic exchange after…well, after everything that happened. Tomo looked away sadly when she said that but she reassured her that tonight was a very special night and she'd think about what he said and she'd like to sleep with Tomo in her thoughts, instead of…well, Kaika.

He seemed to take these reasons and nodded. And in the last fifteen minutes, Yui was indeed thinking of him as she walked back to her apartment. Thinking of possible solutions to her problems. She pressed the doorbell and waited for Gi to answer. She had forgotten her key and her phone, to her annoyance. And now she was completely dependent on him in opening the door of her own house.

Footsteps were heard from across the door and she braced herself for an angry Gi. But she doesn't care. Who was he anyway? He's just a homeless guy whom her grandfather was very much fascinated of. True enough, he was gnashing his teeth when he opened the door. Yui suddenly felt how small she was compared to him.

"What took you so long?" He asked. Yui blinked at him and opened her mouth to explain when he cut her again. "And what happened to you? Geez, don't tell me you did a quickie with Tomo." She blushed and used her pouch to slap him.

"I did not! I would never do that!" She answered.

"Yeah right. You have a visitor. He's been waiting since seven." He hissed and opened the door for her.

Yui was dumbstruck when Kaika's form filled her gaze. He was sitting on the couch, bottles of beer were on the table. He stood up when he saw her enter the apartment. She looked at him and bit her lip. The wound from Tomo's punch was still swollen, as a matter of fact, there was band aid plastered on it.

"I'll head back to my room. Just call if you need me." Gi tapped her shoulder and Yui returned to the reality that she was to talk to Kaika right this instant. Silence filled them after Gi went to his room.

"How many bottles have you had?" She asked, not knowing what to say.

"Three. Just three." He told her.

"Are you…?"

"Sober? Yes, yes." Kaika answered. "You were out tonight?"

Yui nodded. "It was Miaka's wedding. I had to attend. Sit down, do you need anything?" She asked and Kaika shook his head as he sat back on the couch.

"With Chuuin?" He asked and Yui slowly nodded. "I see…Do you…"

"Always go out? Yes, when we can. Is there something wrong with that?" Yui answered sarcastically. She knew where this conversation was heading. But she desperately wanted Kaika to leave. She was not ready for any confrontations.

Kaika didn't say anything. He looked at the empty bottles of beer on the table. Yui sighed. "Kaika, I'm sorry you have to wait. But it's late…I have classes tomorrow." She said finally. Yui was tired. Very tired.

"Yui, we need to talk." Kaika looked up at her, eyes begging.

"Do you realize how many times you've told me that for the last 48 hours?" She said suddenly. Yui felt frustrated all of a sudden. Why do they have to talk now? Why can't they do it tomorrow? Or the day after? Why now?

"I know you're mad at me, about last night, I mean with what happened last Friday." He started, standing up from the couch. He realized she was becoming defensive.

"I'm not mad…anymore. I don't have any right to begin with." She rolled her eyes and tried her best to look somewhere else other than him.

"It's nothing." He said slowly.

Yui turned her gaze to him. "What's nothing?"

"The kiss…with Kaen. It was nothing."

She breathed out. "How can it be nothing?" Her eyes were intently looking at him.

"I was drunk and I mistook her for you."

That's it. Talking to him was a wrong decision. "God, Kaika. Do I look like her? I'm not a bitch!" She was suddenly mad, her teeth gritting from repressed anger. Why does he have to bring everything back and be totally defensive? Why can't he just say "I'm sorry Yui. I love you. I always have. Please believe me."?

"I was drunk—"

"Men always blame alcohol when they can't blame themselves!" Her body was trembling. "You kissed her and I saw the two of you. That's it."

Kaika turned to her, suddenly defensive. "Why is it so hard for you to forgive me?"

"Forgive you? You're not even asking for it!" He was obviously saying the wrong things at the wrong time. Oh God, why did she ever fell for someone like him? She turned away. "Go home."

"You're driving me crazy, Yui. And you're not even my girlfriend!" He told her and she turned to him.

"God, you knew very well what we are! Why can't you just stop? I can't understand why I'm wasting my time talking to you. We obviously don't understand each other here. I don't understand you. And I don't want to understand you anymore." She lashed out, her insides were trembling.

"I love you, Yui." Everything stopped for awhile. And if he had kissed her, she would have forgiven him. But instead, he said "I told you so that night." Tears started to form in her eyes but she tried to keep it from falling.

"You never told me anything, Kaika." She said slowly. It was the truth. He never told her anything. "You must have told someone else…"

"Well I'm saying it now. Yui—"

"I don't want to hear it!" She screamed and Kaika stopped. "Kaen deserves it, I guess." She bit her lip. Please don't fall, please. "You're in the wrong house." She swallowed hard and Kaika walked toward her. The tears fell just as he was in front of her. She looked away.

"What would I do to make you stop crying?" He asked, softly. Kaika raised his hand to wipe her tears but she moved her head away.

"Leave." She said, sadly. He sighed and then with heavy steps, walked out of her apartment. She stood there for awhile, crying, until her knees felt like jelly and she walked toward the couch, burying her tear-stained face in the pillow.

When did it happen? Them not understanding each other? A week ago they were conversing on a higher plane, a deeper level of existence. Now, they don't know each other at all. It's as if they're both speaking a different language. No one makes a way, no one listens.

"That one hurts, big time." Yui dried her tears and turned to the direction of the voice. It was Gi's obviously. He was beginning to comfortably sit on the couch beside her. He held out a beer out to her and she took it. Damn, she felt so terrible.

She took a sip of the liquor and she made a face. Gi laughed at her reactions. She gave the bottle back to him. "God, how can you drink that stuff? It tastes awful." She suddenly remembered something. "You were eavesdropping again."

"Well, not intentionally. The two of you were shouting. Your voices were freely entering my room." He explained. That was a good point.

"Whatever. Eavesdropping is eavesdropping. Gods, I can't believe you know how pathetic my situation is. Are you telling my grandfather?" Yui asked out of the blue. Yes, she was ashamed of what she said earlier. Did he hear all of it? He must have been thinking how immature and childish she was.

"Why should I do that?" She turned to him, unbelieving.

"Wait. You're not spying for my grandfather?" She asked curiously. So she had it all wrong? He was not there according to his biddings?

"Are you worthy of spying into?" Gi rolled his eyes and smirked at her. Yui blushed at his comment and looked away. "How long have you known him?"

"A week or so, I think. Why?" She answered without thinking. She suddenly felt the need to talk to someone. Even if it was someone as unlikely as Gi. Talking was…well, better than brooding alone.

"A week." He took another gulp from the bottle. "And how many times have you talked?"

Yui leaned on the couch. Her back hurts. "I don't know. One time everything was going well for us, and then suddenly we don't talk anymore. We sort of, started doing things that annoy each other. Why?" She looked at him, waiting for his usual teasing.

"Are you in a relationship or exclusively dating?" He asked again, seriously.

"No to both. I thought you heard us. Why do you keep on asking?" She was quite disappointed he did not tease them about it. She looked away, discreetly waiting for his response.

"Nothing." She smirked and looked intently at him. There has to be a comment somewhere. Gi looked back at her and must have read her thoughts. "Well, I was thinking maybe you couldn't understand him because you don't know him enough."

"What do you mean?" She was taken aback by what he said.

"You've only met for a week. What do you expect each other to be? Soulmates? Even soulmates talk decently than the two of you." He said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow.

Yui frowned. He was right. Kaika and her, they never really talked. "Is that so bad?"

"No. It's not. You just have expectations from him and he had expectations from you." He explained while looking at the bottle of beer.

"He kissed me. How can I not expect…?" She reasoned out but he cut her.

"That's the thing. It's just a kiss." He took another gulp of beer.

Yui rolled her eyes. She can't believe she was actually listening to him. "It's not just a kiss. It's our first kiss!"

"When you're at my age, you'll know that a kiss is just what it is, nothing more, nothing less." He explained and Yui looked at him. "I'm only 28, so stop looking at me like I'm in my forties."

Yui let out a laugh. She has to admit, it was fun talking to someone mature like him. He continued, "What I'm saying is that the two of you are rushing a relationship. Both of you don't realize that you don't have anything to begin with. Do you even know what's on his mind or what he does during his spare time? Or his favorite color or what he likes to eat? I don't think so."

She didn't say anything. Yui sighed after a while. "I love him." She said softly.

"You've only met him for a week." He quickly pointed out.

"Is that highly impossible?" She turned to him and saw him finishing the bottle of disgusting liquor. He put the bottle down and faced her.

"Love takes time. It's not something you feel on a whim." He said seriously. "Hey, I saw a really cute guy today and he makes me feel wonderful. I'm in love with him." She laughed as he mimicked a girl's voice.

"You're not making me feel better." She was trying not to laugh. Yui looked away instead.

He smirked. "Who told you I'm supposed to?"

"Then why are you here?" She raised her voice and looked at him. God, was he there to annoy her again?

"I don't know. You look cute when you're angry." He quipped and Yui sniffed. "Oh Jesus, don't cry." But it was too late, she was already crying again.

She buried her face in her hands. "I just don't know what to do…I just wanted to stop feeling this way. It's pathetic…" To her surprise, Gi pulled her and placed her on his chest. Yui made a sound when their bodies met. Instead of pulling away, she leaned down to him.

"You know what I think?" He said slowly, brushing her hair with his fingers. "You're just attracted to the fact that he represents a part of your life that you can't live."

"What?" She said in a muffled voice.

"We're always attracted to that other option, other road, other possibility. We always love what we cannot have. We try to grasp it and the more we can't, the more we wanted it." Gi said and Yui felt the seriousness in his voice. She thought she heard pain in them. What? The great Gi Stevens was in pain?

"And I'm mistaking it for love?" Yui closed her eyes.

Gi shrugged. "There are a thousand ways to look at it. That's just one of the possibilities." He kept quiet and Yui dried her tears. "That guy who came earlier…"

"Tomo…?" She whispered his name.

Gi placed his chin on her head. "What do you think of him?"

"I don't know." She said passively.

He smirked. "What does he think of you?"

"He…" She bit her lip and pulled away from his chest. "I used to have a huge crush on him and it went away when he told me I'm like a sister to him." Gi looked at her, his fingers still brushing her hair. "But tonight…"

"He proposed to you…" Gi finished her sentence and she nodded. "And you're confused?"

"How can I not be confused?" Yui said frustratingly. "He was always there for me, comforting me when I'm hurt. I don't know if I want to be with him because I love him or because I need him." She said easily. Yui never thought she was capable of telling another person her feelings. She can't even tell Miaka everything!

"Put it this way, Yui. We don't marry the one we love the most, we marry the one who stays." He said, he was still serious. "Didn't you realized that when you attended the wedding?"

"What? How can you say that? Miaka and Taka love each other so much they can't wait to settle down and have a family." She said defensively.

"It's because Taka stayed with Miaka. And Miaka stayed with him. Don't you think they have someone else before they met? Someone they promised to share the rest of their lives with but cannot?" He said these with a dash of anger and Yui was surprised to figure out that he was hurting too.

"Tell me about her." She said and Gi was surprised. He looked at her intently and Yui saw him gnash his teeth.

"Go to sleep. You have classes tomorrow." He commanded in a stoic manner.

"I want to hear it." She said and their eyes stared at each other for a long time.

"You shouldn't cry when you have too much on your face." He stated and Yui blushed.

"What are you driving at?" She asked but he knew perfectly well what he was saying. Her make-up was all over the place.

He sniggered. "Nothing. Wash your face."

"God, I can't believe I'm listening to you." She blurted out as she stood up and walked toward her room.

"You love talking to me. Admit it." He told her and she turned to see him standing, smiling seductively at her.

"Never." She was blushing like hell. God, if there's a guy who was absolutely overflowing with sex appeal, it has to be Gi. Yui briefly wondered what happened to him and his girlfriend. She suddenly felt curious about his life. She was about to close the door when he spoke again.

"You play well." He smiled at her.

Yui raised an eyebrow. "Hmmm…?"

"I said you play well…this morning. You even do it better than Audrey Hepburn and her guitar." He winked and Yui reddened again.

"Shut up." She said, half-laughing. Audrey Hepburn didn't really do any playing that much. Duh.

"Good night." He said softly. She nodded.

"Good night." She closed the door and stood there for awhile, her heart hammering hard.

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A/N: I thought I'd add this soon. You see this goes with the initial chapter seven but I thought the previous chapter ended perfectly with the Tomo and Yui scene. I'm sorry you have to hate Kaika here. Oh well, please review! :)