Morning hours in Yokahoma were usually peaceful and calm. A blue jay, content with its position on the branch of a large oak tree fluffed up its feathers in preparation for a short morning snooze. The serenity of the moment was, however, ruined by a sudden, loud, despairing wail. The blue jay, alarmed by the sound, indignantly leaned forward on the branch to see what the cause of the sound was.

Kahoko Hino was not having a good morning. Like many other times that week, she had slept in, and was now going to be late for class unless she rushed.

"Damn, why do I have such bad luck? Maybe setting the alarm clock isn't such a bad idea…"

Panting, she continued to run, her carrying case in one hand, and her violin case in the other.

Crap, I'm going to be late. I've already gotten too many late remarks written on my record from this past one week, I can't afford to be late again!

A sleek black limousine suddenly pulled up next to her. The door was flung open to reveal a handsome youth with long lavender tresses and a smile on his face.

"Get in", said Yunoki with sensual charm slathered all over his face.

"I'll give you a drop."

"Eh!" Kahoko practically dropped her violin case at Yunoki's sudden presence.

Why does this guy always catch me at the worst of times? It's like fate has decided he has to be there to witness my own foolishness at times.

Kahoko knew that getting into his car would not result in anything good. But, with the distance she had left to cover, and the amount of time spared to her, she had no other choice.

Knowing this was not going to be a pleasant morning, she got inside the car.

"Late again are we, my sweet Kahoko?" the flutist asked the girl flashing her a wicked grin.

Well now, this is going to be a fun way to start the morning, by playing around with my favorite toy, he thought to himself, a smile tugging his lips.

"Yu…Yunoki senpai!" stuttered Kahoko at the mention of her given name. One of the main reasons why she hated being around Azuma was because of his lack of formalities, and his unbidden use of her first name.

Azuma frowned at her exclamation.

"Now now my sweet, what did I tell you before? When we are alone, I thought I told you to call me by my given name, remember? Or has your tiny brain already forgotten that piece of information?"

"Senpai! It's not necessary for such intimacies!" Kahoko practically shrieked the words as she saw the change in Azuma's expression.

"Tsk tsk tsk. That's very bad of you Kahoko; I use your given name, don't I?"

"That's hardly the point senpai!"

"What a bad girl you're becoming these days Kahoko, to go to the extent of defying me. I think you're in need of a little more punishment."

He inched closer to her and slowly started to play with the ends of her hair.

"Senpai! Please don't!"

"Ngh ngh. What did I tell you earlier?"

"A…Azuma…" stammered Kahoko, feeling heat shoot into her face.

"Azuma, please don't do that."

He chuckled softly, pleased with the response he had received from her.

"Why were you late today Kahoko?"

He brought his face close to hers and felt amused at the way they widened from apprehension.

"I… I was up late yesterday…"

"Were you? What could a girl of your age be doing, staying up late in the night?"

His voice was slow, and suggestive.

"I….was practicing…"

"Practicing? With whom?"

Azuma asked the question slyly, knowing it would take her another ten seconds to understand what he was implying.

Her face was now coated with confusion.

"It's not necessary to always practice with someone…"

Her voice trailed off as Azuma's true meaning dawned upon her.

"Oh? So you were practicing…alone? By yourself?"

"I was playing violin senpai!"

The first signs of impatience revealed itself in his next remark, "I was hardly expecting a trombone playing rendezvous, that would cool any man's fire."

The stuttering red head was spared an answer when the car stopped outside the school gate. The lavender tressed student gracefully stepped out and offered a hand to his kouhai.

Feeling more resentful than grateful about his offer to give her a lift, Kahoko lightly gripped his hand and stepped out.

But what would our story be without a twist? At that fated moment, one of Cupid's mis-aimed arrows chose to make itself felt. Literally.

With speed and sharpness, it chose to lodge itself in a rather unexpected place.

Kahoko had just managed to step out of the car when she felt something sharp poke the left side of her fanny.

"Ouch! My ass!" she hissed, rubbing the offended spot with her hand.

"I beg your pardon, my sweet?" asked Azuma, feeling his eyebrows quirk as Kahoko rubbed her derriere.

"It's nothing senpai. Thank you for the ride."

She quickly hitched up her carrying case and gripped her violin case before walking away. As she walked, she continued to run a hand over her bottom, wondering what could have caused such a sharp prick.

Behind her, Azuma watched her with an amused expression on his face. As unrefined as she was, she still provided him with entertainment in his otherwise boring life.

Hmm…he thinks he's so great. Underneath all that polish is nothing but a thick layer of attitude. Damn him and his 'princely' face that has got everyone fooled so much…although, he does look rather charming when he smiles…

Kahoko slowed down her train of thought. Had she just told herself that she thought Azuma's smile was charming? No way! Whenever he smiled at her, it looked more like a leer. There was no possible way she found him attractive.

ATTRACTIVE?! How had her thoughts gone from a charming smile to how attractive he looked? Did she find him attractive? There was no way possible…

She turned over her shoulder to look back at the masked prince.

He was chatting with a group of girls from the Yunoki guard.

Hah, she thought to herself, as though they know him. It's always 'Yunoki senpai this, or Yunoki senpai that' or 'oh senpai, you're so handsome, please allow us to form a carpet on the ground you walk so that your shoes wont get dirty!' Hah!

But the idea didn't seem like so bad, especially if it meant having him touch her in some way…even if it was his feet…

Incredulous at what she was thinking, Kahoko shook her head. She didn't like him! Or did she?

Putting a hand to her forehead, she let out a loud sigh as she realized that she had definitely gone crazy…crazy in love.

Kami Sama, why are you doing this to me? I've fallen for the most notorious of them all; Yunoki Azuma.


"You did that? Why did you do that!! Aunt Venus is going to be furious!"

The tiny little fairy bobbed up and down in his ire, while his foreign cousin lazed on the branch of a nearby tree.

"Oh hush up, I'm providing this boring place with much needed amusement."

"B-but why Hino?"

Cupid frowned a little irritated.

"You're as slow as her, coz. It's only luck or blood that you didn't get hit, they'll prick a person anywhere, anytime oh," he added as an after thought, "Any number of times as well."

With that he jumped off the branch, "Now show me around, there have to be some lookers in this part of the universe."

Lilli groaned and followed his evil relative more out of necessity than want, fearing the state of his own arteries by the time this little 'vacation' was through…


She just couldn't help it, she tried she really did. But Azuma Yunoki had become an uninvited stranger in her heart and she suddenly found herself addicted- if not obsessed.

Kahoko even found new stirrings for the flute as an instrument. Though it was probably the former passions that drove her to a music store that evening.

"Yay! I got it! Now I just have to read up a little more on the flute, then maybe Azuma will-ouch!"

"Watch it ditz."

Hino gasped at the sound of that all too familiar voice and looked up at the pair of indifferent amethyst eyes bearing down on her.

"WHA-"

"Shut up, you're loud." snapped Kiriya Etou trying to push by her.

"N-no! T-that is I'm sorry! You're right I-I'll move."

"I'm still waiting." He glowered trying to step around her but seemed to be constantly blocked by her trying to 'escape'.

He moved to the left, so did she.

She jumped aside in fear to the right, he moved in the same direction trying to find a way out. All in all a most tiresome scenario.

Kiriya stopped, looked at the quivering girl before him and sighed; he didn't have time for idiots.

"Now let's see if you get this… I'll give you three counts and you'll be out of my sight or-" He leaned forward threateningly, "-Or you'll simply find out what a pain in the butt you're being. Got it?"

His magnificent show of temper reduced poor Kahoko's already shattered nerves to a puddle of nothingness, bereft of any intelligible words all she could do was nod.

"Good one-"

Kahoko took in a deep breath to steady herself.

"Two-"

She narrowed her eyes to take the quickest way out- the right. And turned to spring.

"Three."

For some reason she found her feet moving to the left and then something hard blocking her progress, hesitatingly, she looked up.

"Oh no."

She had walked right into Etou.

Without a word the short tempered violinist plucked her neatly out of his way and dumped her in a corner.

By the time she had eased her sore backside, Etou had disappeared.

"Whaa!What a jerk! Azuma would never have done that and that hurt!"

Well of course it had, for she, dear readers, had landed on another insidious arrow placed artfully near the right cheek of her behind.

Not that she was aware of it.

Though the side effects would show themselves in exactly-

"Gosh that's strange… why does my heart feel all funny?"

Gingerly Kahoko stood up, brushing herself down then she turned to the direction Etou had disappeared.

What is this feeling? Etou-kun…

She gently touches the place where his hands had grasped her arms for reasons highly unromantic and felt a blush creep up on her unawares.

It's all warm! But why? Azuma! I mean Etou- I mean!

"Gah! I DON'T KJNOW WHAT I MEAN!"

This sudden outburst attracted a lot of suspicious stares and one delighted glance. The latter came from the shadows, where Cupid, having escaped his straight- laced cousin thrice removed was lounging armed with two pretty little fatas on each arm. He had been viewing the scene below with unvarnished delight.

He had found the main piece in his game.

"Ha, ha! Now this beats tourist attractions!"