Thank-you for telling me about the chapter problem! I was literally like: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Anway, thanks! It is fixed now!

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"No dogface, have your ears gone bad? I told you to divide by X not multiply. You need to freaking pay attention!"

"You said multiply!"

"No, I didn't."

"Well...it's hard to focus when your cat is seriously gonna maul me!" said Yuya, fully aware of Indara, who had been showing off her full set of teeth for the last hour.

"She's not gonna to bite you! Fine, I'm just gonna write this shit down."

Yuya covered her face with her hands, feeling a mixture of frustration and indignation. Just what, again, possessed me to ask him for help? She peered at Kyo through her fingers and couldn't help but smile slightly at the sight of him, comfortable in his own room. If only people at school could see him now she thought. She glanced at his plain white T-shirt and dark flannel pajama pants. Ha, so vulnerable looking! She stole a peak at his face while he was writing things down. She always found his concentrated expression intriguing, his eyes so focused. The cut on his forehead was now a scab. The bruise under his left eye had faded. Yuya blushed. She was finally willing to admit Kyo was, infact, considerably handsome, and she found this knowledge extremely disconcerting. She'd rather die than ever let him know...

"Dog-face, quit spacing out!"

Yuya snapped right back. "Okay, okay! Sorry!"

"Anyway, what you need to do for this type of problem is--"

"Bzzz bzz bzz!"

"Hold on." She flipped open her cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Oh! H-hey Shinrei!"

"Ah I see, well, I don't know if I can be of much help because--" Before she could finish her sentence, Kyo had snatched the phone from her hand.

"She can't talk, we're busy right now." Kyo said. He hung up the phone.

"Hey! What'd you do that for? He needed help with our homework!" said Yuya, fretting over how she was going to explain this to Shinrei later.

Kyo scoffed. "You actually believe that phony?"

"What do you mean "phony"?"

"Everything about that guy his fake, from his greasy grey hair, to his plastic smile--as if he actually doesn't understand this homework. Please, this shit's easy. I bet even my cat could understand it."

Yuya flushed with anger and embarrassment. "Well...sorry I don't understand this homework!...Give me back my phone!"

"Hold on." said Kyo, who was pressing buttons on it. Yuya flared.

"You're deleting his number aren't you! Give it back!" Yuya reached across and tried to snatch it back from him, but Kyo kept dodging her hand. She was like a cat trying to get the dangling mouse toy.

"Shut up! Just hold on..." said Kyo, who was now holding down her head with with his hand.

"No!" Yuya yelled, enraged he could push her down with only his hand. She tore herself up from the ground and threw himself at him...

They both toppled to the ground, and Yuya realized she was laying right on top of him--a rather peculiar position.

They stared at each other in shock. Yuya flushed the shade of a strawberry, her heart was beating fast, Or was it his heart? She wasn't certain...

Kyo broke it off first.

"Wow dogface I didn't know you were so bold..."

"Sh-shut up!" Yuya flew off of him, but the sudden movement wasn't the brightest move.

"Mraow!" Already on the edge, Indara sprung at Yuya and used her claws to scratch at her arm.

"Ouch!" Yuya held her arm and recoiled from the viscous feline. "I told you your cat hates me! Seriously, what have I ever done to her!" She said, feeling utterly affronted.

Kyo just glared at his cat with a look that said "bad kitty, you're not getting any treats for a week." Indara caught what this meant and simply sauntered off with one last look at her master. If it were possible for a cat to shrug, she would have.

Kyo took hold of Yuya's arm. "Let me see that."

When Kyo's fingers examined her tender arm, heat rushed to her face. The contrast of his gentle touch and her stinging wound made her heart pound. It was such an unsettling feeling, like she was suffocating or she was going to burst like a balloon. She yanked her arm away, and held her head down to make sure her hair covered most of her face. She didn't want him to see her so flustered.

"W-whatever! It's just a scratch. I'll look at it myself at home!" Yuya went to gather up her things. "and I'm gonna figure out this easy homework too!"

"Che, fine. Don't come crying to me when you get an F."

Yuya didn't answer. She carefully avoided his gaze while she picked up the last of her things and headed out his window.

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Laying on her bed, Yuya held up her arm in front of her eyes. The scratches glistened from the ointment she'd applied.

What's wrong with me? She marveled. Yuya had felt slightly tipsy ever since she got home. She'd walked straight into Nozomu twice, and hardly understood a word her mother was saying. She kept on remembering how his fingers felt on her arm.

She kept on thinking about him--his expressions, his slightly damp hair...his jaw line , his soft white T-shirt that somehow accentuated his arms and his abdomen...

"Bzzz bzz bzz."

Yuya checked her phone to see who it was, grateful for the distraction.

"Granny"? Who the heck is "Granny"?

"Hello?"

"Hi Yuya."

Kyo you ass! You changed his name to "Granny"?

"Hi Shinrei! I meant to call you back, sorry."

"It's okay. Are you still with Kyo?"

"No! We're just neighbors. I-I mean, no, he was just helping me with the homework..."

"Oh, I see. He was helping? Ha ha that's a bit surprising..."

"Ha ha yeah..." Yuya replied sheepishly, feeling a little strange.

"Anyway Yuya, I was wondering if you'd like to hang out tomorrow?"

"Oh! Ah...sure!"

"Okay, cool. Just meet me after school."

"Okay...yeah!"

"See you."

"Bye!"

Her heart beat wildly. She felt incredibly nervous and overwhelmed by the whole prospect. Of course she did. She always felt kind of self conscious around Shinrei.

"Aargh!" Yuya groaned in her pillow. She was suffering from all different kinds of confusing, contrasting, and stressful emotions. Then she remembered her phone. She inspected it to see if Kyo had done any more damage. That's when she spotted the name "BOSS" under her contacts that'd never been there before.

Stupid crow-head! That is NOT gonna do.

She replaced it with the letters "K-y-o".

and she couldn't help but smile to herself.

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The classroom felt so much smaller than usual.

Calm down Yuya. It's not a big deal. It's just Shinrei. You're just "hanging out" today.

Though she was telling herself this over and over, Her nerves would not relax. She even paid extra attention to what she wore.

Lunch felt extremely award. For some reason, she was aware of two presences. One near her left, and one all the way towards the back.

Finally the time had come. Everyone hustled out of the classroom, but Yuya lingered. So did Shinrei...and Kyo.

"Dog-face, what are you doing? Lets get out of here."

"I...uh..." Yuya stammered. She found she just couldn't say it.

"She's hanging out with me today." finished Shinrei.

Kyo eyes enflamed. For a second, Yuya swore Kyo's showed as much anger as the time when she was kidnapped.

Shinrei held his gaze without faltering. Yuya was, admittedly, rather impressed.

"Ha, oh, I see." Kyo said smiling. Though his smile seemed more like he was gritting his teeth. When Kyo began walking out, he shoved his shoulder against hers, making her step back. She gulped. She knew he'd done it on purpose.

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Yuya smiled and Laughed at everything Shinrei said, but she knew these expressions of hers were fake. Her cheery grandeur was just a cover for the turmoil of emotions she felt inside. Not only did she feel nervous around Shinrei, but also had a huge sense of uneasiness, something was egging at her and she couldn't shake it off.

"Are you hungry?"

"A little..." Yuya replied. She wasn't hungry at all. In fact, she felt a little sick.

"Do you want to stop here?"

"Sure..."

The rest of the day, Yuya couldn't help but realize how awkward she felt around him, how much she couldn't act like herself. It was the similar feeling of being around people her mother's age.

Finally, Shinrei pulled up to her house. Sitting in his car, aware that she would soon be home, Yuya oddly felt a little better.

"I'll walk you to the door."

"Okay."

When they reached her doorway, Shinrei suddenly took her hands.

"Yuya, I-I...like you."

What? her eyes widened. She wasn't expecting this...

"I've liked you for a long time now. You are a...clever and kind and beautiful person....and I...like you."

An intense silence descended upon them. Yuya let his words sink in. She considered them greatly. In the end, she knew what she had to say. She knew why she felt so nervous around him.

"I'm sorry." she said at last. "I like you too. I think you're a great person. You are a great person. You're extremely kind and polite...and you're g-good looking too, and I'm so flattered. I truly am. but I think...I think it's best if we just stay friends. I just don't feel we are good for each other in that way...I'm sorry." It was painful to say this, but she had to get it out. She caught the pained look in his eye and her heart pinched.

Finally, he smiled, a sad smile that reminded her of Kyo's father.

"I understand." and he really did seem like he understood. "Then...can I ask for one last request?"

"Of course." Yuya said, happy she could do at least this.

"Will this princess give me a kiss on the cheek?"

Yuya giggled. Shinrei really was a nice guy. "Yes." She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his cheek...

"I'll see you tomorrow, Yuya." said Shinrei.

"Yeah, see you."

And with that, he left.

Yuya took a deep breath. It had been a long day. She turned to the left, and clicked her door open.

and because she turned to the left, she didn't see the boy far off on her right.

The boy who had seen all her actions, but didn't hear her words.

Too be continued.