Knock, knock.

"Come in."

Kirin pushed open Arora's bedroom door. Arora looked up from her computer, where she was working on her homework. Luckily, they'd only missed the first week of the first trimester-having arrived at the end of the first week of April-so they weren't too far behind.

"Oh, hey, Kirin. What's up?"

'Do you have Kyoya's number?' she signed.

"Kyoya? Why do you need his number?"

'I need to find someone. I can't find them online or in the phone book. I heard that Kyoya has files on everyone in school.'

"Well, I don't have it, but I'm sure Tamaki does—why don't you ask him?"

Kirin frowned. 'Tamaki doesn't like the person I'm trying to find—he thinks he's evil.'

"Ah… All right, I'll get it for you."

'Really? Thank you!' Kirin hugged her sister excitedly. Arora laughed.

"Just give me a minute. Wait here," she stood and left.

Arora walked out into the hallway, down the stairs, through the living room and into the kitchen; Tamaki and Megan were making dinner. Well, Megan was making dinner, and Tamaki was trying to steal it.

"Well, this brings back memories," she laughed.

"Yeah, you'd think he'd have outgrown it, but he's still like a kid!" Megan giggled. "But, in an odd way, it kind of works for him."

"It is rather cute," Arora agreed.

Tamaki hugged Megan from behind, attempting to steal one of the finished slices of bacon. Megan slapped his hand with the fork in her hand.

"Ow!"

Arora laughed again, but suddenly became serious.

"Tamaki, could you give me Kyoya's number?"

"Huh? Why do you need that?"

"I have a question about our German homework."

"Oh… Ok," he pulled out his phone and gave her Kyoya's cell number.

"Thanks, Tamaki!" she hurried out of the kitchen and back to her room.

Kirin was sitting on Arora's bed, playing on her phone. She looked up when Arora came in.

'Did you get it?' she asked.

"Yep—easy! I just told him I had a question about the homework in one of the classes I have with Kyoya and not with Tamaki."

'Sneaky,' Kirin grinned.

"Yep. Well, here," she handed her phone to Kirin. Kirin quickly typed the number into her own phone and jumped off the bed.

'Thanks, Rora!' She gave her sister a hug and ran off to her own room to text Kyoya.

Kirin found the gates open when she arrived at the address Kyoya had texted her; that was a stroke of luck—had they been closed, she wouldn't have been able to tell them her name and why she was here through the intercom.

She walked up the sidewalk and rang the doorbell. A young woman in a maid outfit, with brown eyes and brown pigtails, answered the door.

"Hello," the maid bowed.

Kirin just smiled and held up the item she had found on the ground outside the school—a yellow cat-shaped hand puppet.

"Oh, you found it! Master Umehito has been frantic. I'll go fetch him; please make yourself at home," she led Kirin into a sitting room before hustling upstairs.

Nekozawa came downstairs a few moments later.

"Kirin?" he seemed confused. "What are you doing here?"

Kirin held up the hand puppet.

"Beelzenef!" he snatched the puppet from her and slid his hand into it. "Thank you, Kirin."

Kirin smiled.

He studied her, making her blush. She looked away, suddenly feeling shy.

"Kirin… Do you… Ah… Never mind…" he looked away, and she studied him now, curious.

"How did you find me?" he asked suddenly. "We're not listed."

She grinned and held up her phone; Kyoya's contact page was pulled up.

"…Of course… "

She looked out the window; the sun was almost gone. She frowned; looked like she'd be walking home in the dark. Alone.

She typed into her phone, and Nekozawa's buzzed.

Kirin: I have to go. It's getting dark, and I'm walking home.

"I could have my driver take you—"

She shook her head. He frowned.

"…Then… Let me walk you home."

She blushed, hesitated, and finally nodded her consent. He held the door open for her.

"Master Umehito, are you going out?" the maid asked as he was walking out the door. He looked back.

"I'm just walking Kirin home, Kuretake."

"Ok. Text one of us if you'll be out late."

"I will." He closed the door behind him.

As they were walking past an alley, a loud crash sounded from it. Kirin jumped, grabbing Nekozawa's arm. He stiffened, but she didn't notice.

A cat came out of the alley, and Kirin relaxed. She smiled up at him sheepishly and resumed walking, still holding his arm.

When they reached her house, she nodded toward the door, looking at him questioningly.

"What? You… want me to come in?

She nodded emphatically.

"Um… I suppose…"

She grinned and bounced up and down excitedly. She unlocked the door and pulled him inside.

"Hey, Kirin!" Kairi and Kaelan chirped. They were walking toward the stairs to the basement with huge bowls of popcorn. Xander followed behind them with cases of soda, and Thorne and Amber had a variety of candies.

"Who's your friend?" Xander asked.

'Umehito Nekozawa,' she signed. 'He's in my class, and he's the president of my club.'

"Oh, that Black Magic Club, right?"

She nodded.

"Cool," Xander, Kairi, and Kaelan all said at the same time.

"We're gonna watch some scary movies!" Amber chirped. "Megan and Tamaki went out somewhere; Tama-chan's a scaredy-cat."

"You're welcome to join us, Nekozawa," Arora said, appearing from the basement.

Kirin looked up at him hopefully. He hesitated, but agreed. Kirin jumped up and down excitedly. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the basement.

Nekozawa could barely concentrate on the movie; Kirin kept grabbing his arm and hiding behind him. She hadn't been particularly frightened during The Haunting in Connecticut, Asylum, or Jennifer's Body—although she had hidden her face in his shoulder during some of the more disgusting parts—but Nightmare on Elm Street had her practically in his lap. Being clung to by a cute girl would be distracting to any teenage boy, but it was particularly distracting to one who was always ignored, feared, or hated.

Kirin had him worked up and confused.

After the movie, he and Kirin sat on the front porch; Kuretake had sent the limo for him, which they were waiting for.

Kirin sent him a text.

Kirin: Thank you for staying. I like hanging out with you.

"Why?" he asked.

Kirin: Why wouldn't I? You're interesting and you're nice to me. And you're kinda cute :)

He blushed. "…You really think that?"

Kirin: Of course—I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it.

"…Thanks…"

Kirin: What's wrong?

"Nothing. I'm just… not used to this."

Kirin: Used to what?

"…People liking me."

Kirin: Why wouldn't people like you?

"…Because I'm weird. I'm creepy. I'm not like them."

Kirin: I don't think you're creepy. I don't think you're weird, either—unique, but not weird. Unique is good.

"…Thanks… Kirin…"

She didn't text this time; she looked at him expectantly and tilted her head curiously.

"…. You're cute, too," he murmured softly, looking away. She barely heard him—but she did.

Kirin bit her lip, blushing. She smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. She felt him stiffen, but didn't move. After a moment, he relaxed a bit. When his limo arrived, she gave him a hug. He felt uncomfortable and self-conscious, but he hugged her back.

Kirin watched him drive away. Once she could no longer see the car, she went inside, up to her room, and crawled in bed with a book.

When Nekozawa got home, he immediately went to bed. As he pulled the blankets around him, his phone buzzed from his nightstand. He picked it up and smiled.

Kirin: Good night, Umehito :)

Umehito: Good night, Kirin.