DISCLAIMER: I am so sorry for the long and late update. I hope you don't hate me for that. I was really busy and I couldn't find time to update any of my stories. But please don't think that I have abandoned them… especially this one! I wouldn't do that…

So, how did I do on the previous chapter? Was I a complete mental when I wrote about the odd-looking hotel and its bedrooms? I was crazy during that time due to stress and I still am crazy right now… LOL… then again, I hope you enjoyed the previous chapter and continue your enjoyment on this chapter…and I know that you want a lot of Tsukushi x Tsukasa moment but I needed them to be apart for a while to introduce some characters. :D The next Tsukushi x Tsukasa moments will be much better, I promise… :D

So yeah, even if I don't own Hana Yori Dango, and it took me forever to update, please do read and review… :D

The four cornered room was in semi-darkness as the curtains are drawn together so that even the light coming from the outside environment could not enter. The blue lights that originally gained Tsukasa's interest on getting that particular room was even turned off. The room is filled with silence, deafening –

UNDER THE SEA

UNDER THE SEA

DARLING IT'S BETTER UNDER THE SEEEAAAA!

"What the heck?" Tsukasa jumped from his bed upon hearing the loud music. No, wait. It's not something that the Domyouji heir calls a music! It's an out-of-tuned cockatoo alarm clock which came from the either side of his bed. The smiling face of Sebastian, the crab from Disney's Little Mermaid, made him want to grab it and throw it out of the window. He balled his fist and almost punched it, even, but there was this one fact that stopped him from doing so: It wasn't his, he is just renting the room and he has no right to destroy that annoying and odd display they have put in there.

When Tsukasa was about to go back to his sleep, he heard someone knocking at his bedroom door. "Tsubasa-kun, it's time for dinner." The girl from the reception area's voice came in. "We have prepared the food you requested for." She added.

"Hai." He shortly responded. He remembered that he had asked the hotel's manager and cook if they could prepare his dinner since the menu they have is out-dated and nothing is available. He gave them enough money to buy the ingredients and without any hesitations, the manager and cook followed what he told them, after all, he is a hotel's guest.

He marched his way towards the door and upon opening it, the door revealed the receptionist with wide smile painted on her face. He studied her in both confusion and disbelief. The girl is practically wearing a Santa Claus costume complete with hat and boots. "Did I slept that long and skipped four whole months?" he asked.

The girl, who goes by the name of Umi, laughed at his question thinking that it was a joke. Well, it is in some sort of way. "Tsubasa-kun, you really are a joker. You always make me laugh." She complimented and Tsukasa just curled up his lip to make a form of a smile. "It's still July and next week will be the last week of this month, so you have nothing to worry about. You haven't skipped months." She told him as if it was the brightest idea one could ever come up with.

"Uh-huh." Tsukasa murmured dully. It was more like a 'yeah, I know that and I was just being sarcastic' kind of tone. "So, why on earth are you dressed like a Santa Claus then?"

Umi looked at him and when his words were registered on her brains, she smiled at him. "Well, this is how we treat our guests, Tsubasa-kun." She replied brightly as her smile is growing bigger and brighter.

"EEEHHH??"

Umi giggled at how Tsukasa reacted. "Now, Tsubasa-kun. Why don't we go downstairs? I'm sure your dinner has been served." She suggested and Tsukasa agreed half-heartedly.

As they made their way towards the elevator shaft, Tsukasa eyed the Santa Claus costumed girl. If Umi is dressed like a Santa Claus as a part of their routine, then he must gather all the strength he needed to see the worse of the worse scenarios.

He looked up at the numbers flashing as they pass each floor of the hotel in descending manner. And as they are nearing the first floor, where their dining hall is, he couldn't help but close his eyes. He heard a bell beeped, indicating that they have reached their floor destination, soon after, he heard the elevator doors open.

"Tsubasa-kun?" Umi called out to her. "Daijoubou?"

He nodded in response to her question. He inhaled air as deeply as his lungs could manage and slowly, he opened his eyes, not letting go of any strength he had been gathering. The bright and warm colors are colliding with each other as he was opening his eyes. Then –

"WHOOAA!"

--

"Tsukushi-chan?" Yuki's questioning voice came crashing as Tsukushi's eyes are being covered with both her hands. The bright, lime green light that was flashing right in front of her was hurting her eyes. "Daijoubou?"

"TURN." Tsukushi paused, still not moving her hands off her eyes. "THAT." She gave another pause as her right hand is now pointing at the direction of the light. "OFF!" that last and simple word gave all the exclamation Yuki needed and she quickly followed Tsukushi's words.

Yuki was silent as the bright; lime green light was turned off. She was alone with Tsukushi on the semi-darkened room. Watching Tsukushi glare makes her heart beat faster than usual. "Tsukushi…"

And before Yuki could finish what she was about to say, Tsukushi held up her hand, completely shutting Yuki in silence. She closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and once she has calmed down, she turned to her best friend and co-worker. "Yuki," she started calling the girl's name in a more calm voice. "I know I said that I want an extraordinary light for the next photo shoot."

Yuki nodded and waited for Tsukushi to finish.

"But I never said I want it to be shockingly bright!" Tsukushi retorted. She sighed and massaged her forehead. "I need water!" she said to no one and marched out the room, leaving Yuki all alone in that room.

Yuki felt the need to cry but knowing her strength, crying wouldn't do anything good right now. And just a minute after Tsukushi had stormed out the scene, Soujiro came into the view, opening the white light of the room. "Hey." He called out and Yuki managed to look up at him with sad eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked, moving a step closer to her.

She nodded. Even though she knows she wasn't all right, she still nodded in response to Soujiro's question.

Silence filled in between them for a moment. Soujiro sat on the carpeted floor of the room and started saying, "You know, Tsukushi can be so difficult to deal with." He started and Yuki looked at him as she sat on the floor, facing Soujiro, as well. "But I guess we couldn't blame her for being like that." He added.

Yuki nodded in silence.

"She's just pressured – stressed out."

"I know."

"And all we can do right now is not just help her out, but understand her as well."

"Yeah. You're probably right, Soujiro-kun." Yuki responded, feeling relived.

Soujiro smiled. "Well, time to work again." He said as he stood up from his seat on the floor.

Yuki was about to stand as well when Soujiro offered his hand for assistance. Yuki looked up with a hint of surprise on her face. He smiled at her, "come on. It's for free, Yuki-chan." He told her as Yuki then decided to accept Soujiro's hand for assistance.

--

Rui stood at the deck of Mirage Modeling Company, one of the tallest company buildings you could see in Tokyo. The busy street down from where he was is such a nice thing to capture in his camera. He therefore took out his own camera, focused it on the busy streets – particularly on the people walking past each other, and when he was satisfied with what he was seeing on his camera lenses, he pushed the camera button. He smiled to himself.

"Mind if join with your moment of happiness?" a voice that's too familiar came in.

Rui turned around and sure enough, he was standing parallel with Shizuka. Years have passed by and yet, she was still the most beautiful girl he had laid his eyes on. She was still the image of what everyone calls 'ideal girl' – but he wasn't like everyone else. For him, the girl that stood in front of him is the only – and will always be – the 'perfect dream girl' he could ever have.

Rui was almost absorbed into his thoughts of yesterday once more. And before it could be painted all over his face, he shook those thoughts away and looked in a different direction.

Shizuka smiled as she walked near and passed Rui. She leaned on the handrails as she also watched the busy lives of the people down the streets. "It's been years since I have walked on the streets like those people down there."

Rui fell silent as he watched her reminisce her own past. At the back of his mind, he couldn't help but ask himself if he is part of that reminiscing moment that Shizuka holds. He was gazing at her, and even if she wasn't looking at his way, he could see a side of her face. The smile on her lips and the twinkle in her eye makes him feel good inside.

Suddenly, he felt that the world was spinning back in time when he first saw her in this same manner.

It was several years ago when they were still attending classes at Eitoku. Rui was on his way to one of the emergency exits he found at Eitoku when he once got lazy to attend his music class. He was, as usual, sleepy at the moment and so he decided to head to the place where he can be alone – the emergency exit on the fifth floor, near the intersection between the west building and south building.

He opened the door and just as soon as he took his first step, he was mesmerized by the appearance of the simple, yet elegant-looking girl he just saw on the auditorium the previous week. He examined her for a bit, and clearly, the girl wasn't aware of his presence.

She was smiling as the winds gently blows the strands of her hair. She was happily staring the clear blue sky. He could see her eyes shining with the thoughts she was having at that minute. And it was the only time when he first felt that his heart beat was reacting to the girl leaning on the bricked hand rails of the emergency exit.

Shizuka. That was her name. Rui was sure of it. It was the name of the girl he met at the auditorium – the girl who confidently told him that they'll be definitely seeing each other again. Though it has been a week since he last saw her, he felt as though her words came true.

Shizuka turned and wasn't at all shocked when she saw him standing there. She smiled at him. "Hanazawa Rui."

At the mere mention of his name, Rui came back in reality. Déjà vu as everyone calls it. This is the exact replica of his own 'once upon a time' with Shizuka back in Eitoku.

--

Tsukasa was eating the meal he ordered. Everyone watched him with great intrigue written on their faces. Tsukasa turned. "Nande?" he asked gently as he was quizzically looking back at them. "Anything wrong?"

They all exchanged glances and shook their heads back to Tsukasa.

He frowned. He wasn't stupid and he knows that they are watching him. He was about to take another spoonful of dinner when he again felt the gazes of the people around him. He put down his spoon and looked back at them. "I know there's something you guys want to say and I can't eat while all of you are watching me with great intrigue written all over your faces." He told them.

Everyone was shocked. "Oh, uhm…" it was Umi. "Tsubasa-kun, gomen-neh." She apologized. "It's just that, you're the only guest we have for the past nine months and we are all overwhelmed that you seemed to like your stay here in this hotel." She explained.

Tsukasa fell silent. He didn't know what to say or if he should say something in response. He might not have liked the whole idea of the other room and the Christmas costumes that the employees are way too shocking, those words from Umi made him feel relieved. "Oh." Was all that came out from his mouth.

His eyes wondered at the whole dining area. It was decorated with Christmas lights and a disco ball as a centerpiece on the table, only that the disco ball wasn't at all working. It looks silly as a centerpiece but at least it completed the odd atmosphere he felt when he first arrived at this hotel.

"Well, why don't you guys eat with…me?" he asked and everyone looks delighted at his words. He wasn't sure, though, if he is allowed to ask the employees of this hotel to eat with him. If his mother is around, he's sure she'd tell him to let those lowly commoners eat at the kitchen area where they are supposed to be eating. But, wait! That's the key word: if! 'If' his mother is here. But she isn't, so he is free to mingle with the employees without someone reminding him of who he is.

"But…" Umi was having second thoughts. Everyone, including Tsukasa, was looking at her. "You're our guest and we're working here so we're kinda not allowed to eat with guests."

"Hai." Everyone else answered with great disappointment.

Tsukasa grinned. "You said I'm the only guest you have, right?"

Umi nodded in agreement.

"And the owner of this hotel is not around?"

Umi nodded once more.

"So? I don't see any problems why you can't eat with me."

Again, they exchanged glances as they all decided to eat with Tsukasa.

-----

Author's Note: I have already written the first encounter between Tsukasa and Tsukushi…is there anyone who wants to ask me about Tsukasa's 'old hag'? Aren't you wondering what's gonna happen on the next Tsukushi and Tsukasa's encounter? And aren't you wondering what Kaede will do if she finds out that his son has rescued a commoner? Hmmm… Just something for you to wonder about… :D

To everyone who reviewed on the previous chapter, thank you. :D I miss you all… I miss your guesses, I miss reading your comments, I miss talking to you through author's notes… I hope you all are doing great as you read this… :D

--Oh, and before anything else… I know all of you were expecting that the receptionist of the odd hotel would be Shigeru… Originally, she was supposed to be the receptionist but something came up so I have to think of another character to fill up the scene… Shigeru can't be the receptionist here and you'll just have to wait for the chapter where she is supposed to be appearing… Lols…--

Anywho… the next Tsukasa x Tsukushi moments is on process so while waiting for their next encounter, I hope you enjoy the other F3 moments… :D

Till next chapter…

--NorikoTheGhost--