Disclaimer: Takaya Natsuki is the rightful owner. I'm merely borrowing her creations for my own diabolical ideals. No, really.

A/N: It kind of seems like Kyo talks back to his parents (not in a mean way, so yeah) . . . But they don't really mind. I didn't intend to write him like that, but since I already did, this will be a trait of his . . . Along with muttering under his breath when he talks about other people. LoL XD

And I did write some lyrics to the beat of an actual song though (Pretty darn tough to do!) . . . And I titled it, "In Love". You'll see what I mean when you read this chapter. XD

Life's Many Indulgences

Chapter 6: The Rat Chases the Cat

"GET UP, KYO. IT'S ALREADY LATE AFTERNOON."

Kyo's ears were ringing and he sat up in his futon, as his eyes grew dangerously wide. His step-father had done it again - he was using the speakerphone once more. Kyo glared at him angrily. His peaceful slumber had been disturbed.

"I could have heard you even if you didn't use that," Kyo said. "I'm a light sleeper unlike Tooru."

Mr. Mizunashi moved his speakerphone away from his face. He then sheepishly smiled. "She takes after me - does it bother you to have a sister like that?"

"No. What are you trying to get at? Trying to make me fess up something that you might think I am hiding from the rest of you?" Kyo asked. When Mr. Mizunashi shrugged, he said, "and don't you have paperwork to do?"

"I do."

"Then how about filling them out?"

Mr. Mizunashi didn't work on the weekends, but the paperwork he receives on the weekdays usually took up a part of the day on the weekends. He's swamp himself with paperwork without really meaning to, but he had a knack of not finishing anything on time. How he keeps his position as the vice-president of the seafood company was a mystery unto itself to Kyo.

"Want to help . . .?"

"Would it really matter?" Kyo already knew the outcome of this conversation - he was going to give in to his step-father's sappy pleas. "As long as it's merely typing up files, I can do it."

"Thanks, Kyo."

"Makes me wonder what you'd do without me," Kyo muttered under his breath. The habit of him talking under his breath about other people wasn't anything too good, but he found it hard to break and a lot of people did it, too. So, he figured taking one person out of the millions of people out there wasn't really going to make a difference at all.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, dad." Kyo smiled and snatched the speakerphone from his step-father. "I ought to wake you up one of these days with this thing."

"You do that one of these days," Mr. Mizunashi said.

"Honey, there you are." Mrs. Mizunashi poked her head into her son's room. (Everyone has been doing that lately. Didn't Kyo feel like he was losing his privacy? Who knows.) "I got off early today because Mimamoto took the rest of my shift. She said she could really use the money, yet I won't concern that with myself. Anyway, come help me in the kitchen, won't you?" She then looked at her son. "And you should have been up hours ago, Kyo."

"But it's the weekend. I should be allowed to sleep in," Kyo reasoned.

"Well, when I came home not too long ago, Tooru was sitting on the couch watching "Daisies In the Sky"."

"That's her motivation to move her legs. I wonder if I have one . . .?"

"Kyyyyooooooo, come quick!" Tooru's voice floated from the living room. Somehow, it seemed like this was a timed effort between their mother and his sister to annoy him.

"I haven't gone to the bathroom yet!" Kyo hollered back. "I still need to freshen up!"

"Please come here quick!" Tooru shouted again.

Kyo knew that he shouldn't heed to his sister's demands, but he did so anyway. Tooru was a really nice girl, after all, and Kyo just couldn't turn her down. Not this time, at least. It was pretty predictable what Tooru wanted from him; she wanted the red-head to watch her favorite scene of the movie with her. The part she liked best was when the so-called brother and sister reunited in the end. They were standing on the sandy beach (and to Kyo it seemed more like they were lovers than siblings), as they hugged and made up.

"Did you know that they are going to make a drama out of this?" Tooru said, all too knowingly.

"Nope."

"It's going to be called "Dainty Daisy Love", and they're gonna use this song called 'In Love' as the theme song. The singer is known as LadyYuina!"

"That doesn't sound quite right . . ." Kyo replied.

"What doesn't?"

"The song doesn't sound like it'll match the drama. The title already makes it sound like a love song."

"Have you seen the movie?" Tooru looked at the t.v. screen and then back at her brother. "It is true that the song might not match the drama very much, but there's definitely romance within it. Mimi and Akiya aren't in love with one another . . . Yet, the people around them love them. Makino loves Akiya, and so does Ruki. Rotarou loves Mimi, but Mimi likes . . ."

Kyo plugged his ears - Tooru was rambling again. His ears weren't physically plugged; they were mentally plugged. He did in fact secretly watch the movie Tooru loved so much, however, he wasn't going to tell his sister that. The drama sounded like a promising franchise and Kyo wouldn't mind watching it either, even though he didn't outwardly show any signs of interest to it.

". . . Oh, yeah, the first volume of the drama comes out today."

Kyo definitely got wind of that last statement. "Are you going to buy it?"

"If I had enough money, I would," Tooru replied.

"How about I lend you the amount you need." Tooru's eyes lighted up instantaneously. "You can pay me back whenever."

"Thank you, thank you, Kyo. You're such a great brother!"

"Don't call me great because it sounds funny coming from you . . ." Kyo heard it about a dozen times each day at school by his fan girls. "You're going to make me recall something that I'd like to be out of my mind for the weekend."

"Keep what out of your mind?"

"I'm not going to tell you if you don't already know." His sister really was as dense as a log when it didn't come to her studies at school. "Let's just go get your drama and come back home. Mom and dad want us all to eat lunch together. All the noise they're making in the kitchen makes it that obvious to understand their intentions."

"Kyo."

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you going to freshen up first?"

Kyo reached up a hand to feel his hair. It was obviously messy and needed combing. His teeth needed a good brushing, too.

XOXOXOXOXOX

"Kimi . . . How is this considered "helpful Kimi service", when you're not even shopping for food?" Yuki stared at the back of Kimi's head. "Why didn't you get Kakeru to come with you, or Naohito even?"

It was a beautiful Saturday morning, and the student council president and his three vice-presidents gathered together to plan out what they were going to do for the party. Kakeru didn't seem to be doing much, really, but Naohito was really working hard. Anyone who'd glance his way could tell. This made Yuki wonder why Naohito was the third vice-president and not the first one.

"They both said they were busy and when I asked you, you said okay."

"I did say okay, but you didn't tell me the reason why you wanted me to say it . . ."

§THE REAL SCENARIO§

"Sorry, Kimi, I can't because I'm needed here," Naohito said. "Try asking Yuki."

"I'd love to go, but I still need to write down the things we are going to say at the party. Try asking Yuki." Kakeru steered his girlfriend in the general direction of the unknowing gray-haired teen.

"I guess he'll do," Kimi told herself.

When Yuki saw Kimi approaching, he said, "do you need something, Kimi?"

"I know this isn't official and all, but please say okay."

"Um . . . Okay." Yuki didn't know what he was getting himself into. Really.

"Great! Let's go!"

"W-wait! Go where?"

"You said okay, didn't you?" Yuki stupidly nodded. "Then let's get our feet moving!"

§END OF SCENARIO§

"After this are we going for the food?"

"Yup. I want to get a copy of "Dainty Daisy" first." Kimi was trembling with excitement, at the more mention of getting her hands on the drama of one of her favorite movies of all time.

Yuki quirked an eyebrow at her. He had no idea what Kimi was talking about. Unlike some people, television and movies did not dominate his life. He stopped short of walking though, when he caught sight of his secret crush. The red-head was amiably talking to Tooru as they were heading towards their direction.

"Well, look at that, it's the Mizunashis'. Want to ask them to accompany us?" Kimi asked. A huge grin was stuck onto her all-too-knowing face. "They do seem to be heading to the same place as us." Before Yuki could stop her, Kimi was already calling them over. "Hey, Mizunashi Kyo, you and your sister wanna come with us?"

For a brief second Kyo and Yuki locked eyes, and it was the council president who turned his head away first - his heart was racing like it would never calm down. Kyo hadn't the slightest clue as to why Yuki was looking so flustered, and he didn't have the courage to ask or say something. Somehow, he was thinking that it'd be embarrassing if Yuki and Kimi saw him go to the video store with Tooru, to buy her favorite movie-made-into-drama.

"Kyo and I are going to the video store. Are you two headed there as well?" Tooru only saw the simplicity of the situation.

"Yup," Kimi replied. "Although I don't think Yuki wants to go inside. He and your brother can wait outside for us. How does that sound?"

"I don't really care," Kyo muttered.

In all actuality, he was relieved that Kimi said such a thing, because he really didn't want to go in if Yuki was going to be around him. He didn't have an explanation for his own unwillingness to go inside - it was just that Yuki sometimes made him feel nervous.

"Yuki?" Kimi winked at him.

"Ah, that will be fine . . ." He definitely knew that the first vice-president of the student council was doing this on purpose. It was so obvious that she knew Yuki has a crush on Kyo. ". . . don't forget where we need to go afterwards."

"I won't."

Yuki was feeling quite jumpy, now that he was standing next to Kyo - they were all alone - no annoying fan girls were around to bother them. Again, Yuki felt like he should tell Kyo that he liked him, but something was always holding him back, making him either too afraid or too doubtful to confess.

This was the only thing that Yuki thought to say.

"I'm glad that you've recovered from your cold. I wouldn't have made you leek soup if I knew beforehand that you didn't like them."

"Who told you that?" Kyo asked.

"Your sister." Kyo sighed. Yuki struggled not to laugh. "I don't hate any vegetables in particular, but disliking leeks shouldn't be an issue."

"There's something I've noticed about you, Usuda . . ." Kyo surprised Yuki with what he just said. He was trying to detour them away from the conversation of leeks. He loathed that green, grass-like vegetable with his entire being.

"Re-really?" Yuki was hoping that he noticed his feelings for the red-head.

"Yeah . . ." Kyo sweat dropped at Yuki's all-of-a-sudden-too-glittery-eyes. It was very unlike the gray-haired teen, indeed. ". . . I don't know if it's just me or you, but aren't you getting a little too soft-hearted?"

"Huh?"

"No, forget it. It's just me; teach me how to get rid of rabid fan girls - like I said before, trying to ditch them doesn't work. How do you do it?"

"Talk nicely to them."

"No way in hell am I going to do that. Sweet talk doesn't suit me . . ."

Yuki laughed. "It's not sweet talk, Mizunashi."

"In my language it is . . ."

"Yuuukiiiii, we're done!"

Yuki noticed that Kimi was charging at him, and as a I-gotta-move-out-of-the-way mode kicked in, he deftly dodged to the side. So the only person Kimi had left to run into was Kyo, and that was exactly what happened.

"Kyo!"

"Mizunashi!"

"Owwww! Dammit, get the hell off of me!" Kyo yelled.

"Oops!" Kimi lightly giggled and got off of the pissed red-head. "Didn't mean to run into you. I'm sorry, Usuda. Are you hurt anywhere?"

Several civilians gave them inquiring looks and glances. Kyo hated being the center of attention. "I'm fine. Come on, Tooru, let's go home."

"I'm really sorry," Kimi said, to the retreating form of Kyo.

"Um, bye," Tooru said, before she ran to catch up to her brother.

"You know," Yuki threw a frustrated glance at Kimi, "if you wanted to give me a hug, or whatever you were trying to do, you could of at least done it like a proper, normal person would have."

"You shouldn't have dodged me, then," Kimi argued.

"Anyone would if they saw someone charging at them . . ."

"Okay! Let's go to the supermarket now!"

". . . . . . ."

XOXOXOXOXOX

"She bruised you, Kyo." Tooru stared at the light, purplish mark on the side of Kyo's right waist side. "Did you bump yourself against something?"

"The water hydrant . . . No one seemed to notice, thankfully."

"You shouldn't be relieved about something like that."

"It's not that big of a deal," Kyo muttered. He yelped though, when his sister poked at his injury with her index finger. "Ouch! What are you doing?" Kyo backed away from Tooru, and she immediately jumped back a step or two, herself, as a response to Kyo's reaction. "Don't touch it because you're going to make it worse!"

"I'm sorry!"

"That looks quite painful, doesn't it?"

Both Kyo and Tooru turned to see Yuki standing before them. Tooru smiled while Kyo scoffed. It was as if Yuki was following them; rather creepy, really.

"Where did you come from?" Kyo asked. He and Tooru were at a secluded part of the local park, but somehow Yuki found them out. Also, noticing that he was holding his shirt up, Kyo made sure to lower it when the gray-haired teen kept looking at his bruise. ". . . No one comes around these parts."

Yuki needed to think of something to say. When Kimi told him to go to the supermarket with her, she ended up going by herself, because she kept urging Yuki to follow after his crush. He did as she told him to do, and now that he's made his presence known, he was going to need to explain himself.

"I was merely passing by when I heard the two of you talking. I saw it happening earlier. You bumped into the water hydrant, didn't you, Mizunashi?"

"Ah . . . Yeah."

So someone did notice, after all. Kyo was only glad that Yuki didn't say anything before.

"Um, well--"

"Since you've come all the way here, why don't you have lunch with us?" Tooru suddenly asked.

"What!" Kyo was irked by what his sister just said.

"Pardon?" Yuki was literally shocked by her invitation to the Mizunashi home.

"Would it be all right with you if you came over to have lunch with us?" Tooru repeated, although a little differently this time.

Yuki looked over at Kyo - he was obviously annoyed, yet was he annoyed at Yuki? Yuki then looked over at Tooru - she was smiling and did not seem to notice the irritated look on her brother's face. Was she purposely doing so? Surely, if Yuki was to go to the Mizunashis' for lunch, Kyo would get even more aggravated than he is now? Yuki didn't know what to do.

His answer:

"I better not . . ."

"You can come on over if you want," Kyo surprisingly said. His eyes were averted away from the other boy's, because he didn't want to see what Yuki's expression was showing. "I may look annoyed, but it's not directed at you . . ."

"Kyo, you're annoyed?" Tooru asked. The smile on her face vanished instantly. "I didn't even notice."

"There are lot of things you don't notice about me," Kyo muttered.

"What?" Tooru leaned in closer towards her brother.

"You're such a scatterbrain," Kyo told her.

"Is that bad?" she asked.

"It can be . . ." Kyo replied.

"Speaking of which, I need to call home to tell my mother that I am eating lunch at a classmate's house," Yuki said.

"You're not friends?" Tooru looked from one boy to the other. They shook their heads, although Kyo did so much more vigorously than Yuki. "Then become friends."

"Stop suggesting things!" Kyo literally yelled. Then, in a much lower tone, he whispered to Tooru, "you know I'm not really a people person."

"I know."

"Then why even say Usuda and I should become friends?"

"Because it's nice to have friends." Tooru wasn't going to let Kyo's sour attitude destroy her sunny disposition. "Say, Yuki--"

"Wait a minute." Kyo cut Tooru off. ". . . you're calling Usuda by his first name?" Tooru nodded. Kyo sweat dropped. "Since when?"

"A few days ago; I told him he could call me Tooru."

Kyo blushed. If his sister and Yuki went about calling each other by their give names, people are going to think they are a couple. Did Kyo want that? Would he even allow it? Why wouldn't he not allow it?

Chapter 6: END