Tsuki glanced annoyingly at the persistent devil called the "cellphone". Quite often, he would tap the buttons, refusing any help from Ren and Yashiro san.

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" Ren asked, trying to be helpful. Amused at the shinigami's attempt to understand the use of the cell, he couldn't help but ask.

"I don't... need... your... HELP!" Tsuki glared. Almost choking himself with anger, he decided to hand it over to Ren. "Then again, HERE!"

"Thank you. All you want to do is talk to Keiko, right?" Ren asked.

Tsuki muttered a "Yes" and turned around with his hands crossed. Ren glanced at the cell and began to dial his home phone number.

"After you dialed the numbers, press "Enter"."

Tsuki glanced at it, for the millionth time, and became dumbfounded. "That's it?.!"

"Yeah, that's it."

He laid the phone down but stared straight ahead to Yashiro san. "Why are you still here? Shouldn't you go inside your house by now?"

This whole time, they were in Ren's car. After dropping off Yashiro san, they were planning to go back home. But, Yashiro stayed just in case Tsuki needed any help with his cell —and to calm the two down if they were going to start another childish fight.

"Right, I'll just do that..." He turned. "Ren, your schedule for tomorrow will start in 3pm."

"3pm? Why that late?"

"Many of the actors and actresses caught the flu due to the snow. So the only jobs you have to go are photo shoots and talk shows. Plus," he grinned softly, "you get to take care of Keiko longer. You don't want to give a bad impression and always be off to work every day when she is sick."

Then, he opened the car door, trotting to his house to make his dinner.

"Finally, he is gone!" Tsuki laid his back onto the car seat and stretched his arms, not being able to fully because of the length. "Now I can just call her without getting weird looks from him while I'm talking."

"Geez, just say it in a cryptic way if you are so scared," chortled Ren, driving out of the driveway.

The twilit skies were stretched with thousands of stars. Their glows were clear as a sparkling pond and blinked constantly.

Tsuki, currently wearing his hood on, let it down to reveal his ears. Like always, he had droopy dog ears. On the seat, he wagged his tail as he pressed the button, waiting for Keiko to pick up. His tattoo's weed was closed, but the petals were overlapping as they closed.

"I can't believe you managed to stay in human form for so long. When I saw the sun go down, I was sure you would disappear from the seat," exclaimed Ren. He elevated his glance to the car mirror.

Tsuki shrugged. "Since I have a lot of energy from sucking souls, I have the power to do it whenever I want. But, I can't always do that so most commonly, it is when the sun goes down that I turn into this."

"Impressive. So, you have to do something this week again?"

Irritated, he nodded. "The Big Boss wants me to organize some files for where the souls go and I have to teach some new shinigamis how to do their duties." He grunted, stomping his feet. "You better not do anything to her while I am gone!"

"I won't."

"Good."

After a few minutes, the signal was picked.

"Hello?"

"Keiko! Why did you take so long to pick up?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Sorry, I just couldn't find which button to press."

"Is that why you kept dropping my calls?"

"..."

"I thought so," he sighed. "Anyway, the Big Boss wants me to-"

"Don't call God the "Big Boss"! That is disrespectful! At the very least, call him Father!"

"1. He is not my father. 2. I don't think of him as my father and never will. 3. I-"

"I don't want to hear the rest!" She screamed into the speaker.

Tsuki sighed. He could just picture his partner covering her ears, thinking, "Lalala, I can't hear yoooouu!"

"Tsuki... do you have to go?" she sniffed. "But, what if I-"

"Don't worry. I'm sure you won't get nightmares while I am gone. If you do," He glared at his driver, "Ren here will save the day and defeat all of those phantasmagorias. 'Kay? Dream or nightmare, just endeavour all the way."

"Okay. And Tsuki?"

"Yes?"

"You didn't break Ren's cell, did you?"

"Pfft! Of course not!"

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Okay... Well, come back without blood since I remember hearing cries from little children when you were spanking them..."

"Err... I'll stop that. Well, good night."

"Good ni..."

"... Okay? Looks like she fell asleep. Your phone might still be on since she didn't turn it off."

Ren glanced out the window and was surprised that they were already at his apartment. He riveted and saw Tsuki sentimentally looking at him.

What?

"You know, I'm surprised that she was right," Tsuki absently said. "I didn't think it was true."

"What was true?"

"Oh, nothing."

And then he disappeared.

Ren's POV

Okay, that was weird. Tsuki hates me yet he was smiling at me with that look. Did Keiko say something on the phone to make him say that or did he just hit his head when I wasn't looking?

I pondered it repeatedly until I was at my door. I unlocked the door and immediately went into the guestroom. Inside, Keiko was fast asleep with the phone on her ear. I grabbed it away from her and placed the phone in its recharger.

Her cat ears twitched and straighten as the noise echoed into her ears. Keiko lifted her head and licked her lips. She sniffed the air and touched my arm.

"Ren? Is that you?" She didn't wait for a reply and pulled me into the covers. "I'm cold, so can you warm me up?"

I blushed at her innocent question. I glanced down and saw her wear a camisole with thin spaghetti straps. Her undergarments weren't any help either. They were erowaka panties, man-eating ones.

Should she be wearing that if she is sick?.! No wonder she is so cold!

"Not now. I have to make you some porridge. In the meantime," He placed his hand on her forehead. She was burning up!, "please change your cl... clothes. They are too thin."

"They are?" She looked down and felt her arms, feeling the goosebumps. Except... "My skin is so warm though, yet I feel cold at the same time."

I let out a sigh. I went outside the room and dug inside my drawer. I then came back with shorts and a turtle-neck. This felt like a repeat on the night that Kyoko went missing.

Except, this time, Keiko won't escape.

Keiko's POV

I slurped the porridge from the spoon as Ren continued to spoon-feed me. I felt like a little kid but he was concerned that I might spill the porridge all over me.

It was edible but it wasn't all that great. After many explosions and smoke fumes, Ren did all right. I was scared out of my wits when the noises and smells enter my sensitive ears and nose. But... he did try to make porridge. Except, isn't porridge a basic food to make?

He didn't add herbs and different types of sauce but he kept it simple. Just a few drops of soy sauce.

His patience was kind as he didn't seem to be in a rush to go to sleep when it was 11pm.

After I finished eating, I offered to clean up in return. With a snap, all of the nose-twitching odours and messes were gone. Or at least, that is what Ren said.

"Thanks. I didn't know you could do that," Ren complimented.

"Oh... well. I'm glad I can help."

My head lied down on the pillow and, for whatever reason, I grabbed Ren's hand to my forehead. Being in his shorts made me feel woozy and his scent was on his turtle-neck? So intoxicating!

I mewled as he pat my head. Except...

I was still cold.

I stepped off of the bed and wrapped my arms around his neck. I nuzzled into his chest, enjoying his touch. I felt his arms around my waist, pushing me against him. If my life were to end right now, at least I would die in his arms.

With one sniff, I let a quick lick on his cheek before kissing him.

His cheeks felt warm the longer I held my lips on him but... he exchanged the kiss with one on my opposite cheek. It felt really nice.

"Keiko, what are you doing?" he asked huskily, releasing his lips off of me.

I tightened my grip on him, murmuring, "I just wanted to kiss you..."

His hold on me was warmer than I ever would have when I was in that thick blanket. He made me produce more heat that I didn't know I even had.

And then... my mind went to automatic.

My finger trailed up around his neck to his chin. Farther up was his lips. Guiding myself, I bent down to claim his lips. Slipping my slick tongue, I tasted his stiff one before his danced with mine. With this passionate kiss, I felt his love for me. But...

What about Kyoko? Wasn't he in love with her still?

But I didn't care. I wanted more heat. Our lungs were close to bursting until we gasped for air. We soon resumed kissing, taking each others' breaths away.

My arms were off from his neck and onto his chest. His hand stayed on my waist but he held onto the back of my head, supporting himself as he dove lower to taste more of me.

I moaned as our kiss ran out longer than I imagined.

Only... I forgot what happens when I kiss someone.

I take away their soul.

I am thankful for Thanksgiving as I had time to do this chappie. My homework dragged on longer than I thought... Anyway, I was planning for the kiss to be a little later but as I started typing, this seemed like an okay spot to place the kiss.