Updating again! Yay! I still don't own anything!

Kish thought of the years that had passed, the three long years of separation from feeling like he was in the right place. His home planet had been restored, but it didn't feel like home anymore. He loved the planet, but Earth was the place he belonged. It's where his heart was. He had once thought he belonged with Ichigo Momomiya, but those days had faded, as had the ache in his heart when he thought of her. She was important to him, and a vital part of his past, but he didn't love her as he once had. And it was not only separation, but the contact the aliens held with the human Ryou Shirogane.

Ichigo was happy with Masaya, they were 17 now, and Kish figured that Ayoama would propose to Ichigo soon. He had become well acquainted with human customs, many were adopted by his people, but there were certain things the aliens chose to try to do different, to do better, and they would more likely than not succeed. But Kish loved Earth, and he had plans to leave for Earth tonight. He knew that things would be different, nothing stayed the same forever, but he also heard much of the human news, so he wouldn't be too out of the loop.

Zakuro looked out at the night sky, it was odd since the aliens left, not having to worry about an alien attack every day or night, but there was something strange in the harmony. Zakuro couldn't help but feel that when the aliens left, they had partially lost, and not just because she believed Ichigo was dead. They were at peace, technically, but they weren't really. If an alien ever came back people would panic, and they'd have to fight again. Zakuro couldn't help but feel that in that sense they had lost. The mews and the aliens were at peace. It wasn't the humans and the aliens at peace.

People didn't know, no one had forgotten the incident, but no one thought of what happened to the aliens either, except a few "aliens exist" fanatics. Bu now everyone knew of the alien existence, but still, would it matter? No one talked about it, people knew the mews won, and in a sense they did. They defeated Deep Blue, and were at peace with the aliens, but humans didn't know the aliens got away, they thought they were gone forever. Zakuro deeply hoped they weren't, but if they were, no one would speak of it, so no one would remember, if it ever happened again, it would be a full blown out war against a race more technically advanced, and with an equal force.

"Zakuro, maybe you should come in now?" Mint said from the doorway to the balcony. Zakuro nodded, took one more glance at the stars, and walked inside. Zakuro and Mint had moved into an apartment in Uptown Tokyo together, simply because Mint wanted freedom, and Zakuro was thinking of moving anyway. It worked for them, they split the mortgage and the bills 50-50, and things ran smoothly. Mint still loved Zakuro, but she would never say anything. Mint was generally arrogant, but when it came to Zakuro everything was a question, not a statement, Mint could never be sure with Zakuro. And because of that, she could never show her love, because she could never be 100% certain, and that scared Mint very much.

"Thank you," Zakuro told Mint in her usual tone, and went into her room. Mint sighed, would her oneesama ever know happiness? Would she forever be cursed to that loneliness? Zakuro was a wolf, they were pack animals, it was unnatural for her to be so secluded, everyone once in awhile there was a lone wolf, but it rarely survived. Was Zakuro that lone wolf?

"Kisshu, are you sure you want to do this?" Pai asked his former companion and friend, his eyes almost pleading him to stay.

"Pai, I don't belong here, you feel it too. No one else will understand, just, you, Tart, and me. We were the only ones there, we were the only ones who will ever know what we're missing. Pai, I'm not leaving you for Ichigo, I'm just leaving here to go home. You'll figure it out soon, and if you don't, well, I'll miss you, my brother," he said and embraced his older friend, with whom he had a special, brother-like bond.

"Kisshu, you'll be missed in ways you can't even comprehend," Pai said squeezing his friend, tears almost falling from his eyes, he was showing an uncharacteristic amount of emotion, but he would miss Kish in a way no one could possibly ever understand. Kisshu smiled, and Pai returned a sad one, as he teleported back to the blue sphere he would reside on from that day on. Much of his energy was spent as he landed in the Tokyo park, he just had to make it to the Café, but he would have to walk.

"Oh, shit," Zakuro realized she left her purse at the café, she didn't still work there, but each week all of the mews got together and that day had been today. "Mint, I'm going to the Café, I left my purse, I'll be back," she called to her and departed to go fetch it.

Zakuro enjoyed her moon-lit walk, whether it was her animal instinct or just the beauty of it she didn't care. As she approached the park she became more cautious, and she could feel an uneasiness in the air that was unnatural for the area. She picked up her pace and saw a figure struggling to rise from the ground, she quickly approached it and was shocked by what she saw.

"Kisshu, is that really you?" Zakuro couldn't believe it, why was he here? What had happened? Would he get better? What did this mean? Was his visit peaceful or not?

"Zakuro?" he asked and upon a more thorough gaze Zakuro realized Kish had hardly changed at all, sure, she now saw the new set of muscles and abs he had been working on in the past three years but apart from that, no, he was exactly the same.

"Hai, Kish, it's me, what happened?"

"I teleported too far at once without resting, I exerted too much energy. I gotta get to the café." Kish always over estimated his strengths, and even now that he had more, he still could only teleport so far.

"I think you're lucky I happened to forget my purse at the café tonight," Zakuro said with a slight smile. She knew this was the opportunity she had been hoping for earlier. "I'll help you to the cafe," she simply said, and helped her former enemy stand. Kish let out a small chuckle, "What's so funny?"

"One time the two of us were alone you stopped me from teleporting and punched me in the face, this just seems a little off," Kish explained. Zakuro smiled, it was a funny thought, she remembered that punch well. Zakuro knew the café was a good mile away. It was nice to have her goal being a step closer to being accomplished.

"So, tell me what all went on while you were gone," Zakuro told him, she wanted to know, was all of it in vain or did they succeed? The café came into view and Kish had told her everything from the journey back to his home planet to his journey back to Earth.

"And I couldn't believe Pai actually hugged me, he even looked like he was gonna cry. It was kinda weird seeing him do that, he's always been the strong one."

"I think you confuse the hiding of emotions with strength," Zakuro said, she wasn't saying anything about Pai, but felt like she had to say it.

"If you feel it isn't strong why do you do it?" Kish asked, confused more than angry.

"Because I'm not strong enough to risk getting close to anyone," Zakuro admitted. They had almost reached the steps. Kish looked at Zakuro and did something completely in character, he kissed her on the lips, the embrace lasting for a good quarter of a second before Zakuro slapped him across the face. "What the hell did you just do?" Zakuro was confused.

"You said you didn't want to get close to anyone, let me help you," Kish said, pleading with his eyes. "If for no other reason than because I owe it to you, if you don't feel you owe it to yourself," if Zakuro said yes he wouldn't be in debt to her, and he would be able to spend more time with people he knew, and it would make her happy, and the thought of seeing Zakuro smile a big goofy grin made him happy, he wanted her to be happy.

I'm still working on OOC-ness, but I'm doing my best… R & R please!