Wai! Thanks for the reviews.. I'll try to update as early as possible. It's just that.. the past few days had been a hectic one.. And then tragic things happened to me.. from having my mp3 stolen to raging deadlines. I was so depressed at that time. To add more to that, I wasn't given a chance to update this. Sigh. Do hope you forgive me.. And beware of snatchers.. they will always get you unguarded.

Will Athrun and Cagalli finally know who's who? Well.. I don't know.. read on

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The art of love chapter 7

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Recap:

Suddenly, a voice distracted her from her star gazing. "Hey"

She looked up to see the blue-haired guy she was thinking about a while ago. 'Oookay, she was thinking of him?'

"Zala! What are you doing here?" She shot up in surprise. Athrun noted at how beautiful she looked with her simple mint green dress that clung perfectly to her figure. Athrun chuckled, "I'm eating here. What about you?"

"So am I.. hey, your tie's a bit well…" Cagalli raised an eyebrow. "I know.. I can't seem to fix it without looking at the mirror." Athrun blushed. "Here, let me do that." Cagalli went near Athrun and fixed his tie. Athrun's face was now beet red.

Cagalli didn't seem to notice that they were so close and then she tapped Athrun and declared to him that she was finished.

"I missed you" Athrun blurted out. Okay, he didn't know why he said that, but it was as if he did it unconsciously. He mentally slapped his brain because of his stupidity.

"Excuse me?" Cagalli looked up. "Uhm.. I said aren't you going to miss your food?" Athrun spat out.

"Oh hell, yeah.. I forgot! Nice seeing you again Zala, got to go!" She hurriedly ran and went inside after waving goodbye to him.

"Why oh why, do you haunt my heart so much?" Athrun sighed. He can't go in yet with a face flushed like a tomato. He decided to stay for awhile in the terrace and perhaps regain his original color.

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Brother factor

"Hey." Cagalli sat back up on her seat. "Where have you been?" Kira raised an eyebrow. Cagalli blushed at the question. "Wha—you know very well where I have been! I told you that!"

"I know, but you took so long." Kira pouted. "Well, I'm here. Let's eat. Where's your friend anyway?" Cagalli asked as she took a drink from her wine glass. "He went to the restroom… I'm dying of hunger. Let's start." Lacus took her utensils and scooped some soup from her bowl.

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Athrun stood there alone; he is still blushing hard after the incident. He couldn't believe he just blurted out that he missed her, but was glad she wasn't able to hear for he wouldn't know what to do after that.

She looked beautiful than ever tonight… he thought. He then shook his head.

He didn't just think that, did he?

Athrun sighed; this was not the time for denial. Sure, he was finally getting attached to her every second they spend together during their jogging/drawing sessions. But he can't really be falling for her right? Just attached… as in close right? He gritted his teeth.

He's not a very good Liar.

And then there were the times he felt himself turn into jelly when she stares at him whenever she draws him. He has after all, had been her favorite subject for her studies. And he somewhat liked the fact that her eyes were only on him and that she draws him a lot, even though he feels a bit awkward towards it.

He smiled again. He shook his head several times and told himself that he should try to wipe that silly smile off of his face before facing his 'teaser' friends and his best friend's sister.. In which he should have met by now if only he would stop blushing because of a certain blonde. He decided to head to the comfort room and hopefully, some water on his face might help.

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Lacus tapped Kira on the shoulder. Kira looked back at her and she seemed to be signaling for him to follow Athrun. "He's taking quite some time in there you know." Lacus whispered. Fortunately, Cagalli doesn't seem to notice that they were missing one person and continued to gobble up some food. Kira frowned and excused himself as he went on to follow his blue-haired friend.

"What the heck are you doing Mr. Athrun Zala?" Kira burst inside the men's room and placed his hand over his waist. Athrun jerked from the sink, he was still in the process of drowning his face to get the blush off of it. "Kira!" He blurted and then grabbed some paper towels that were hanging from a container above the sink. "What's wrong with you? Are you trying to commit suicide by drowning your face in that? And why are you all red? We haven't even started on the drinks!" Kira took the paper towels from his hands and placed it down.

Athrun was fidgeting. "I…I don't know okay.. it's just that.. I'm just nervous okay?" "What are you so nervous about? My sister?" Kira snickered. "Well… Not exactly okay.. so I'm not nervous… I'm.." Athrun stopped. He didn't exactly know why he was acting this way. After meeting with her so called mystery girl, he just couldn't think straight and the thought of meeting up with Kira's sister went down the drain.

"Look… she's here." Athrun decided to spill it, although he knew what consequences it will bring after this. "Who's here?" Kira raised an eyebrow. It was unusual for Athrun to act like this, since he was never like this. He was always the composed one and him the timid, silly one.

"Her. She's here… I bumped into her and Oh god.." Athrun held on to his head. "Ookay.. you just need to eat.. Forget about it.. you're just having a.. I don't know… I just think you need to eat." Kira held on to his shoulders and pushed him outside the men's room. "No, wait Kira.. I.." Athrun stuttered. As soon as he got out, he composed himself and looked around for the certain blonde girl but didn't locate her. "Lacus and Cagalli are waiting for you okay? Well, Cagalli wasn't really… she started without you anyway.." Kira chuckled and continued to push Athrun lightly.

"Okay Athrun.. Focus. You are here to meet Kira's sister…" Athrun chanted in his head. Both Athrun and Kira were about to turn around a corner to the table where Lacus and Cagalli are sitting when suddenly, all the lights in the restaurant went out.

A couple of gasps from the guests were heard and the manager quickly ordered his staff to open the emergency lights.

"Oh great.." Cagalli mumbled. "Oh my.. where's Kira?" Lacus looked around despite the darkness around her. Kira left Athrun's side and marched on to Lacus. (He actually has good sense in the dark when it comes to finding Lacus) "Kira?" Athrun turned only to realize that his friend is no longer beside him. "Great… still no lights." He scoffed.

"Kira! Thank goodness you are here. Where's Athrun?" Lacus asked as soon as she got hold of Kira's hand. "What? You mean he didn't follow me?" Kira looked back. People were all over scampering to one place and another and that even helped him not to locate athrun. "Great.. just what I needed. No lights on a dinner and how the heck am I suppose to meet this friend of yours with all the lights gone out?" Cagalli stood up and made a silly face. "Oh hi, I'm cagalli… you must be Atrhun.. nice meeting you.. nice suit by the way.. if only I could see it." She said sarcastically.

Lacus let out a chuckle, Kira frowned but his face was not seen by his sister. "That's it.. I'm leaving. It was a really nice dinner Kira, Lacus.. it really was… But I don't think I have enough patience inside of me to wait in this dark and hot place." Cagalli took her bag. "Wait Cagalli.. What about Athrun?" Lacus stood up also. "There are plenty of other times we can meet. It's not as if the world will come to an end if we don't right? And maybe the next time we might be fortunate enough to actually face each other." Cagalli waved. Kira didn't even bother to stop her. She made it clear she wasn't going to wait long. He cursed under his breath at how unfortunate events turn out whenever Athrun and Cagalli are to meet.

Is fate against their meeting or is there something surprising or even better in store for them?

Athrun shook his head. With all the people around scampering for light, he simply can't find his way back to the table. He just has to wait then before everything goes back to normal. He stood at one of the terrace doors before and noticed that a couple in a nearby table decided to get hold of the dark opportunity. They were practically slobbering over one another. Athrun blushed hard and quickly opened the terrace door to leave before he sees something more he knew he would regret later.

And then as if on cue, he sees her again. Only now, she seems to be leaving the place. Athrun decided to run over to her. "H-hey!" He stupidly shouted. Cagalli looked back and saw the azure-haired boy waving and slowly approaching her.

She stopped and blushed. The light of the moon illuminated his features and to her observation, enhanced it even further. He was like a dream. The way the light traced the features of his face and lightened the blue strands of his seemingly soft hair. Cagalli wanted as much as to draw him.. or even more than that but her thoughts decided to just about sketching him. "H—hey.." she slowly smiled.

"You're leaving?" Athrun stopped in front of her and noticed the way the rays of the moon traced her soft curves and it matched her golden hair which seemed to shine like real gold. "Yeah." She answered back. "what about you?"

"Oh me? Not yet though.. I have to go back to my friends… they're waiting for me.. Only I can't go back with the lights out.." Athrun chuckled. Cagalli placed her hand on her waist and raised an eyebrow. "Oh really.. and you managed to find your way out here?"

"Uhmm.. that…" Athrun blushed. "Never mind, It was nice seeing you again.. before I leave that is.. I got tired waiting so I decided to go anyway." Cagalli held on to her pouch. "Waiting? You mean you were waiting for someone?' Athrun asked with a bit of disappointment in his voice. "Yeah… In a sense yeah.." She answered back softly. "Oh." Athrun smiled back weakly. "I guess.. you should go then."

Cagalli waved goodbye and walked down the pavement. Athrun turned again to her. "Hey.. is he…?" He was cut off.

Cagalli turned to look at him and smiled. "No Zala.. he's not my special someone.. See you tomorrow okay?" With that, she left. Athrun stood there for awhile with flustered cheeks. He grinned again and made his way back inside the restaurant.

Ironically, all the lights went back again as Athrun went inside. If only Cagalli had waited much longer.

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"So.. what happened during dinner?" Cagalli asked as she slouched down the sofa and carried her sketch pad with her. "Just great! We decided to continue with It., and if only you could have waited. The lights went back again 3 minutes after you left the table." Kira took off his coat and placed the keys at the table. He then poured some milk in a glass and slowly drank it. "Oh.. I have seen the lights went on.. Only I didn't feel like coming back." She sketched again. "Typical you, I knew you did.. I just didn't have the strength anymore to argue. " Kira sat beside her.

"How could you draw and watch at the same time?" Kira asked. "It's called talent. I'm actually proud of that… I could even eat and draw while watching at the same time." Cagalli chuckled and continued to sketch. "what's that you're drawing?" Kira peered over. Cagalli let out a yelp and hugged her sketch pad. "DON'T LOOK!!!" She shouted. Kira was taken aback but then grinned at her sisters' reaction.

"You're hiding something from me aren't you?" Kira smirked evilly and kept on attempting to snatch Cagalli's drawing. "NO! I'm not! This thing is top secret… okay?" Cagalli yelled back, her grip on the paper tightened. "That must be a boy you're drawing!" Kira laughed.

"NO! QUIT IT OR I'LL PERSONALLY DECAPITATE YOU!" Cagalli yelled again as she finally stood up. However, she was caught off guard when Kira poked her at the sides and she let go of the paper. Kira instantly snatched it and looked at it with such pleasure in his eyes.

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Cagalli yelled in horror as she reached for her paper. "GIVE THAT BACK!!"

Kira eyed the paper. It was not easily recognizable since it only had light lines and strokes on it, thus why it was called a sketch. Cagalli was just starting to draw it anyway. But a certain part in the sketch was detailed, the eyes and the illuminated hair. Kira examined it a bit and then it was suddenly grabbed back by Cagalli. "I HATE YOU!!!" She yelled at him. "Wha… I was just kidding." Kira looked back. "KID THIS!!" Cagalli smacked him on the face with a slipper and retreated to her room with a loud bang as she closed the door forcefully.

"oops.." Kira smiled as he held on to his aching face where the slipper left its mark.

Now, something about that sketch seemed awfully familiar. That and also the fact that Cagalli seemed to be…. In love.

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Okay.. so I'm terribly sorry if I updated so long. The reason is written before the story though. Please review and tell me what you think about it. And uhm.. yeas, they didn't meet again.. but it's quite interesting this way right? Please review!!!