A/N: All righty, a bit delayed, but here's the new chapter. I did some minor travelling, went to a minor concert, and then did some not-so-minor life-altering decisions about college and my future. Ya know, the usual.

Anyhow, can I take another moment to appreciate you all? I got a lot of response for the last chapter and honestly y'all…. I want to hug all of you. I finally understand what celebrities mean when they're like "I love my fans! Your support means the world to me yada yada bla bla" ya know? Not that you're my fans or anything… but yeah I'm totally a celebrity in real life. Can't take a step outside my house without being photographed, it's exhausting.

ANYWAYS – thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Ahh, you guys keep me young.

Rena: GIRL, I'm happy you're not mad at me and that you're not killing me… would be kind of hard for me to give you this yumelicious chapter if I was dead, ne? Thank you for the reviews (and for sparing my life) – I love them. You catch so many details…. Even predicting things before I write 'em… Did you hack into my computer and spy on my outline!?

Chapter 16: His Goldfish, Not His Secretary

"As journalists, there are many questions we can ask. Who? What? Where? When? How? Why? These are our guideline questions; the ones that will incite enough information to form a story. And depending on your field, you will use those questions differently and report in different ways.

But what I want you to remember, as future journalists, is this:

No one is perfect.

By this I mean that no person is perfect; no story is perfect; no detail is perfect. Everyone is the victim of their flaws; be it a politician who responds to the call of money over his people, or a celebrity with a dirty secret tucked into the skeletons in their closet. No one is perfect. And it's up to you to dig out those imperfections; evaluate them, decide if they are so filthy they must be shared with the world or if they deserve to stay hidden. Journalism isn't just about gossip and shock value; it's about finding the truth, whether it's pretty or not. It's grabbing it roughly and tossing out into the world; watching as the wolves devour what they may.

You need to ask the right questions and dig out the truth; expose liars and chip away the shells that cover up the truth. Present information, base it on facts, convey it to your audience."

Yuuki listened along with the rest of her class as her professor spoke, entranced by his words. Quickly, her mind began going into overdrive as she reflected on his wisdom. Her brows furrowed as she half-listened to her professor and half-plotted in her mind.

"Remember – your job is to find the truth, and to be the medium between the people and the government. You need to create the pathway that can discipline those in power, while empowering the people. Journalism is a product of the freedom of expression; use it to the best of your abilities, and do not be afraid of digging out the truth. With that, I end today's lesson. Read chapters 50 through 54 to the next time. Have a good day."

The class rustled as people got up from their seats, lowered voices and laughs being shared as the students exited the lecture hall. One girl remained planted in her seat, her maroon eyes staring off into space as her mind put dots together. Eventually, she woke up from her haze only to realize that nearly half the class had already left. She quickly gathered her books and notes, and scurried off.

Once in the hallway, she couldn't stop thinking. The words of her professor echoed in her mind as she walked through the clean and sleek hallways of the Tokyo University. She made it to the library and quickly found a spot in the corner, away from prying eyes.

Out of her bag, she drew her notebook and a pen, and began scribbling down.

Who? Shizuka Hio.

What? She wants to blackmail Kaname and control the company.

Where? She came to him in his office.

When? Four days ago.

How? Somehow she got a hold of the pictures of me and Kaname, and she's using those as leverage. If we don't find a solution, she will use them against him to gain control of the company.

Why?

Yuuki's hand halted, her pen dropping onto the paper in front of her. "Why?" She muttered quietly.

Why would Shizuka seek them out now? At this very specific time... What made her grow so desperate that she would resort to blackmailing? Why does she need control of the company and the money that comes with it? Why does she have those photos in the first place? How did she get them?

Yuuki pursed her lips as she pondered, pain blooming in her temples. Her professor's words echoed in her mind:

"No one is perfect."

Shizuka Hio was certainly not perfect. And while she had the upper hand right now, there had to be something that could take her down. Something that she feared; something that made her go to such lengths. But what?

She grabbed her phone and hit the keys, finding a Wikipedia site. There, she plotted in Shizuka's name and watched as her picture came up. It was an old photo of her, yet she looked stunning. She was standing in front of the Hio Hotel in Osaka at the night of it's launch. The time-stamp said 2008, which meant that it had to be 8 years ago.

Yuuki skimmed through the text, trying to gain some insight.

"Shizuka Hio was born on October 5th, 1976. She is the only daughter of Ayane and Kuro Hio, who are the current owners of the esteemed Hio Hotels franchise. Shizuka is known for her outrageous lifestyle; dubbed the "madly blooming princess" after her love for the spring and it's cherry blossom trees, Hio has lived a life in the spotlight with expensive vacations and party habits, living off her inherited fortune. Through the years, she has had a lot of affairs and relationships with important men, putting her in the spotlight. Her most esteemed relationship was her relationship with Kuran Inc.'s CEO, Kaname Kuran of the Kuran family, whom she began dating in late 2009.

The two split after a year and a half together, and since then Hio has disappeared from the spotlight. Many has speculated if it was the breakup with the CEO that incited her withdrawal from the public eye, however many have linked her withdrawal with the fact that she was cut off by her family. In early 2009, it was announced that Hio was no longer the sole heir to the Hio Hotels franchise, due to conflicts with her family and the many scandals linked to her name. Since then, Hio has lived on her settlement money and various business ventures."

Yuuki pursed her lips as she mapped out the new information. So Shizuka lost her fortune and the hotels… well, that's why she sought out Kaname to begin with. She used him and sold company secrets, trying to impress her family, but it seems like it didn't help.

She clenched her fist, trying to suppress the anger that rose in her as she thought about how Shizuka had treated Kaname. In fact, just the thought of Kaname even being with another woman left a bitter taste in her mouth.

But why now? Is she only running out of money now? It's been five years since she disappeared…

Or is there something else?

She rubbed her eyes furiously, sighing quietly as her headache intensified. She needed to look further into Shizuka's past and where she went the past few years… but how?

"Hey, Yuuki!" Someone whispered next to her.

Yuuki turned, searching for the source of the voice. Recognition dawned on her as she spotted her classmate Shindo looking intently at her.

"You're still coming to the pre-graduation party tonight, right?"

Maroon eyes widened. "Crap! That's tonight!?"

Tonight, she, Kaname, Takuma, Hanabusa and Yori had agreed to meet at Kaname's place to create a strategy to take down Shizuka. She and Kaname had tried putting their heads together, but they hadn't been able to find a way to get her. So, they decided they would enlist the help of their closest friends – well, Yuuki decided they would enlist their help, whilst Kaname had been rather skeptic towards the idea – especially when she mentioned Hanabusa.

"Yeah! Come on, Yuuki! You have to come! Graduation isn't until a few weeks, but still… we have to celebrate the time we have left!" Shindo whispered frantically.

"Ugh, I know, but–"

"SILENCE!" The stern librarian in the corner demanded, her glasses glinting in the sunlight as she glared at them.

Yuuki sunk in her seat under her pinning stare.

"So you're coming? Great! See you there! Bye!" In a flash, Shindo packed her bags and escaped the library.

"W-wait, Shindo! I ca–" Yuuki sighed as she watched Shindo disappear out the exit. She shook her head, trying to clear her headache.

Her hand filtered through her hair as she pondered what to do. Okay… I can make a brief appearance at the party, and then quietly make my way over to Kaname's… I can do this!

"Psht! I was the greatest secretary in the world for three years – if there's one thing I can do, it's multi-task!" A pleased expression made its way onto Yuuki's face as she pumped her fist in the air.

"SILENCE! NOW, STUDENT!" Came the thunderous whisper of the elderly librarian, who once again shot a death glare towards Yuuki.

Yuuki swallowed loudly, slumping further into her seat in fear. Ahh… this is going to be a long day.

Kaname Kuran didn't pace. He didn't fret, nor did he ever bother to offer any worries towards anything. He was eternally unaffected – cool, collected and calm in every situation.

Well, except when it came to his girlfriend. Aka his previous secretary. Aka his soulmate.

"Why isn't she picking up her phone? She's late!" Kaname growled, taking his 25th round on the expensive carpet.

"Maybe her phone died?" Ichijou offered weakly, wary of his boss' temper when it came to Yuuki. He glanced outside the large glass windows that covered one side of the living room, noticing that it'd gotten dark outside. Kaname's mansion was massive – like a miniature castle, located on the outskirts of the city. The interior design was modern and minimalistic – but at the same time it harbored an antique quality to it, due to Kaname's preference for victorian paintings and aged bookshelves topped with worn books.

"Her phone has never died! She's always on top of everything and prepared!" Kaname bellowed.

Hanabusa made a mistake by opening his mouth. "Well… that was when she was your secretary. But now that she's your girlfriend, maybe she's more laidback and cool, ya know? Like, 'imma drop my phone and live my life instead of constantly having to answer my boss who wants to know what kind of underwear I'm weari–'"

"Who allowed you to speak?" Kaname said darkly, directing a death glare towards Hanabusa.

"N-no one," Hanabusa squeaked, his cheeks red.

"You're an idiot," Yori said softly, holding onto his arm and stroking his back reassuringly.

"I know," Hanabusa whispered frantically.

"What if…" Ichijou said out loud, his eyes unfocused as his mind ran rampant with scenarios, "… Shizuka got to her? Like… in dramas and movies, the crazy ex always tries to get the current girlfriend even if it means taking her out. You know women are crazy, and Shizuka is a whole other level of crazy and what if a part of her revenge is to kidnap Yuuki and cut off her hair and plaster it onto her own hair so she can look like Yuu–"

"Enough!" Kaname roared, fighting the need to slap Ichijou. He didn't want to admit out loud that he was having the same thoughts. He pressed her number again, a little too harshly due to his stress.

He put the phone against his ear, listening as the cue for the voice-mail came on. "Sweetheart," he began gently, "where are you? I know you said that I'm a worrywart, but RIGHT NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO DISAPPEAR ON US, ESPECIALLY WITH MY PSYCHOTIC EX OUT IN THE STREETS. DON'T LET HER CUT OFF YOUR HAIR! I love you. So, so much. Come home. Bye."

He pressed end, getting ready to dial her number again.

"You guys are sooo weird…" Ichijou commented.

"It's kind of cute, though," Yori giggled, "if you think that was cheesy, you should hear Yuuki whenever she's on the phone with Kaname."

"Ugh, I bet," Ichijou groaned.

Kaname ignored the chatter, focusing on his 23rd phone call that day.

The sound of the door opening and slamming shut arrested everyone in place. Kaname dropped his phone, turning as the rest of the occupants of the room turned towards the entry to the living room. The sound of heavy steps made them grow silent, straining their ears as they tried to figure out the identity of the intruder.

And then she appeared, leaning against the door.

"The cute one is he– n-no," Yuuki slurred, shaking her head. "That's a Saraaaa thing to ssay…" She leaned dramatically against the side of the door, posing slightly as she tousled her hair. "The shexy one is here! Haha!"

Hanabusa gaped. "What the fu–"

"Yuuki…" Kaname said softly, walking towards her.

"Honey!" She yelled, running towards him and colliding with his chest.

Kaname awkwardly hugged her back, stroking her back as she clung to him. He inhaled her scent, finding it mixed with the scent of alcohol. "Yuuki, are you drunk?"

"Like a sailor!" She exclaimed, pushing off his chest and wobbling on her feet.

He grabbed her arms to steady her, looking down into her eyes. "Why? You knew we were going to have this meeting tonight…"

Yuuki didn't say anything for a while, staring at him in a haze. "You're so… sexy."

Kaname's eyes widened at her frankness. Sure, he'd seen her drunk a few times, and yeah she'd dropped a few comments on his features before, but not like this.

"Well thank you," he said, clearly amused.

"I mean… there's being hot, and then there's being like you…" She ranted, her eyes taking in his features. "You're like… molten lava, you know? Hot, hot, hot!"

Kaname couldn't help but grin in response, pride filling his chest as he listened to her drunken flattery. "You're hot, too, Yuuki," he responded calmly.

"Ah," She drooled, grabbing his shirt and bringing him close. "I just wanna take you to your office right now, so we can do a repeat performance of what we did the other day. Just, ravage you–"

"Okay! That's enough details, no?" Ichijou cleared his throat loudly, giving Kaname a stern look. Stop encouraging her, you caveman, his look said.

Kaname had the decency to look somewhat bashful. He couldn't resist her compliments – and besides, it was great ammo for the future when she was sober.

"Nuh uh," Hanabusa said excitedly, "I wanna hear this! Kaname, you stud! In the office? Hot!" He clapped his hands together. "Babe," he said, nudging Yori, "when I get my office, let's do it there."

Yori bit her lip, blinking as she lost herself in his amorous gaze.

"Enough with the sex talk!" Ichijou roared, clearly embarrassed. "Yuuki!" He bellowed, directing stern green eyes at her. "Why are you so drunk and why didn't you pick up your phone?"

Yuuki's hands kept touching on Kaname as she spoke, rubbing on his chest and his arms. "There was a pre-graduation party today, because… oh my god, you are so toned," she said, clenching his biceps. "You're so se–"

"Okay, Kaname is the hottest human being on the planet – we get it! On with your story!" Ichijou barked.

The hottest human being on the planet smirked to himself, embarrassingly thrilled by hearing her comments.

"Ooh, you're so cranky," she whined, pouting at him. "You need to get laid! Anyways, I'd forgotten about the pre-graduation party tonight, and I'd kinda promised my friend I would goo… Oh gosh, I really am graduating soon!" She exclaimed, halting her movements. "Woooooow, time passes quickly… Ahh… I said 'one shot' and you know what they did? They gave me three! And you know what I did?"

"You accepted them?"

"Correct!" She roared. "Like a true champion!"

Ichijou frowned. "You got this drunk from three shots?"

"Three shots times three times three shots… times three? Ohhh, these numbers make me dizzy… Math is a sin!" She yelled, stumbling slightly forward.

"She's really cute when she's drunk," Kaname gushed, holding onto her.

"Hehe, you're cute!" Yuuk grinned, poking his chest.

Kaname smiled lazily, completely enamored with her.

"Oh my god," Ichijou sighed. "You two are out of this discussion. Get the drunken sailor that is your girlfriend on the coach and make sure she stays quiet," he ordered.

"You're not the boss of me!" Yuuki stuck her tongue at him, before turning towards Kaname. "But Kaname is…" She said huskily, clumsily trailing a finger up his chest.

"Okay, you little vixen, you're going to drink some water and sit tight while grumpy old Ichijou tries to figure out what we're going to do about Shizuka," he guided her to the couch so she could sit down.

As he went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, Yuuki pouted. "Shizukaa… I tried doing some research today but I couldn't find anything! All I kept thinking of was the why question… I mean, why now? What's her actual motive?"

Kaname returned, sitting down next to her and handing her the glass of water. She accepted it and took a sip. "Don't get me wrong, Kaname, you're hot as hell and I'm sure she'd like to get back with you – IN HER DREAMS – but…" She hiccupped slightly. "I feel like this is waaay bigger than what it looks like…"

Kaname brushed some of her hair away from her face delicately, smiling at her flushed cheeks. "That's a possibility. I could tell she was in need of money, but surely her trustfund hasn't run out already?"

"Well actually, Yuuki may be onto something. I found some pictures in the archives at work of Shizuka exiting a hospital," Yori cut in, reaching into her bag and shuffling around. She retrieved a folder, handing the pictures to Kaname and Yuuki.

"These pictures didn't really make it to the press because she's… well, she's not that relevant anymore. We keep these kinds of stories as back-ups for dead space in the paper."

The pictures showed Shizuka walking briskly away from the hospital, her face lowered. She was wearing a black cap, the brim hiding her face from view, as well as a black hoodie of all things.

"Shadyyyy…" Yuuki whistled.

Kaname furrowed his brows. "Is she ill, perhaps? It makes sense for her to blackmail me then. Perhaps the treatment is too expensive to her without her fortune to rely on."

"That's… well, I mean, what kind of illness can it be? Cancer? I mean… if she is dying, she's desperate enough to do this," Ichijou scratched his head. "Did she look ill when you saw her?"

"No," Kaname replied, pursing his lips, "she looked fine. Dressed up and confi–"

"OH! You think she's fine, huh?" Yuuki slurred, giving him the stink eye as she threw herself sideways in an attempt to get away from him.

"Honey," Kaname said sweetly, sliding closer and ruining the tiny distance she'd managed to create between them on the couch. He tapped her nose. "You know I only have eyes for you."

"But you said she looked fine!" Yuuki whined. "And you know what? I agree! She's like… soooo pretty and mysterious and I'm… I'm as boring as a goldfish!"

"Goldfishes are cute," Kaname countered, trying to soothe her.

"Goldfishes are icky and weird and… and they explode if they eat too much! True story," Yuuki swore. "I've seen it with my own eyes."

"Makes for great sushi," Ichijou quipped, shrinking when Yuuki glared at him.

"Hey, my goldfish died that way. I remember I prayed to god that he would make the fish go on a diet so it wouldn't burst… I would've done anything! Anything to save little Kouhei!" Her lower lip trembled.

Kaname hugged her to his side gently, amused by her behavior. "I'll buy you a new goldfish, dear," he soothed.

"My mom gave it to me…" Yuuki pouted. "That's why I wanted to save it so bad… I was ready to force my dad into getting a doctor to loo– wait, what if Shizuka has a goldfish?"

Dark eyebrows shot up on Kaname's forehead. "Pardon?"

Yuuki waved her hands around frantically. "Oh, brain! Stop being drunk and work with me here! I'm saying… I'm saying that… Shizuka is maybe in my situation? Her goldfish – which is not a goldfish – is about to explode!"

He could only blink at the future mother of his children.

"I think I get what she's saying!" Hanabusa yelled, running over to Yuuki and getting down on his haunches. "Okay, drunkie, what you're trying to say is that… Shizuka is doing this for someone?"

"Yes!" Yuuki hissed, shaking her head. "Her goldfish, which is not a goldfish! I mean… like Kaname is my goldfish!"

"G-goldfish!?" Hanabusa balked. "Kaname-sama is not a goldfish! He's… he's a killer whale! Wait, no, whales have negative connotations… Kaname is really fit and in great physical shape, so… he's a shark! Yeah, a deadly, majestic shark that can ki–"

"Hanabusa," Kaname growled, gritting his teeth together.

"Fine! Okay, I got sidetracked, but… what if Shizuka has a lover? And he's the one in the hospital?"

Yuuki clapped her hands together. "That's what I was trying to say! I'd totally do what she's doing if I was in her situation and Kaname was sick!" She turned towards Kaname, her eyes shining as her bottom lip quivered. "Don't you ever get sick on me… Okay? I'll kill you if you do!" She hugged him tightly.

Kaname smiled into the crook of her neck, stroking her back reassuringly. "I won't, Yuuki."

"Promise me!"

"I promise, koibito."

"I don't wanna blackmail anyone…" She slurred.

"I know," he said reassuringly, "you're not evil like that wench."

She hugged him tighter, yawning.

"Well, if it's true that she's doing it because of her unknown lover, we have something on her. But we need proof… or else we have nothing," Ichijou said, rubbing his chin as his brows furrowed. "Where do we get that kind of information?"

Much to Kaname's chagrin, Yuuki broke away from his embrace. She shook her head and slapped her cheeks with her hands. "Sober, sober, sober…. Okay, I have an idea." She looked over at Yori, who immediately understood what she was thinking about.

"No, Yuuki," Yori said, her eyes wide.

"It's the only way we can get what we need," Yuuki said.

"What?" Hanabusa said, his head whipping between the two women.

"We have to sell your organs," Yuuki said, staring into Hanabusa's eyes as her voice shook.

"EEH!?" Hanabusa shot up on his feet. "What!? No! I've already rented out my body for Kaname and you… No!"

Yuuki snorted loudly, holding her stomach as she laughed. "I couldn't resist! Got you!"

"Y-you…" Hanabusa gasped, staring at her in shock.

"Hey, what do you mean about renting out your body?" Came Yori's suspicious voice as she eyed her boyfriend.

He gulped, debating on what to do. "Umm…" A tear of sweat ran down his temples. "A few years ago – way before I met you, babe - Kaname asked me to get tickets for Swan Lake. They were completely sold out, but Kaname knew of a dealer who sometimes sold tickets for a… higher price. I went out to get them, and discovered that the woman was way older than I'd thought. She… was a granny. And… she made me take off my shirt in order to get the tickets, because she said I looked like a host club boy! And… and she touched my abs! But, Yori!" He said, pointing at Kaname and Yuuki. "I did this for them! For love! That's the only reason!"

Yori quieted, staring with incredulous eyes at Hanabusa. Yuuki snickered to herself at the story, not even caring to show any remorse. Kaname's eyebrows rose as he listened to Hanabusa tell his story, remembering that time when he was supposed to confess his feelings to Yuuki.

His musings were cut short by the sound of Yori cackling. She bent over and held her stomach as she laughed, tears escaping her eyes. "Oh my goodness… your heart is too pure."

"You're not mad?"

"Why would I be? You're adorable and so loyal," Yori smiled warmly.

Hanabusa's worried expression melted away as a hunger shone in his eyes. "Oh, you are soo getting some Idol-lovin' tonig–"

"Ugh!" Ichijou exclaimed. "You couple-people are so annoying! Yuuki and Kaname here," he winced as she watched Yuuki put a leg around Kaname, almost straddling him to prove a point, "are sickening enough, and now you two are like this too!?" He shook his head, trying to calm himself down. "Ahh… I need a drink. Speaking off, drunkie, what are you planning?"

It took Yuuki a second more than usual to catch up. "Oh… oh! I'm the drunkie? Ah… well. I'm going to snoop in our archives."

"But she's not allowed to, since she's just an intern. Therefore it's illegal, and she could get fired," Yori hissed.

"Psht! I'll be fine," Yuuki said, "I'll just flip my hair and smile at Daisuke. He likes me!"

"What?" Came Kaname's suspicious voice as he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Don't worry!" She exclaimed, removing her leg from his lap and wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest as she looked up at him. "You're still my beloved goldfish!"

He shook his head, smiling down at her.

"Yeah, no – you're not going to do that, Yuuki," Yori sighed. "You may be slightly drunk now, but in the morning you'll be able to think rationally. I think we should call it a night, since it's getting late…"

"I agree!" Ichijou exclaimed, grabbing his coat. "There's too much cheesiness going on here. We'll discuss this tomorrow, yes?" He said, nodding towards Kaname who was watching as Yuuki struggled to hold her eyes open.

"Sounds like a plan," he muttered, waving off Ichijou, Hanabusa and Yori.

She mumbled something incoherent, and he took it as his cue to lift her off the couch and carry her to the bedroom.

He laid her down gently, removing her skirt and helping her undress the rest of her clothes until she was only wearing her underwear. The sight of her in his bed, only dressed in lacy underwear made him think all kinds of things, as his desire for her once again bloomed in the pit of his stomach. She was just so beautiful; the soft curves of her body, her supple milky skin; the way she'd sometimes stretch and how her ribs would drum against her skin, showing off their sturdiness despite their narrow areal. Her long and luscious hair, slipping softly through his fingertips and spilling onto his white sheets like rivers of chocolate. But it wasn't just physical attraction that drove him; it was her strength and her tenacity, her grace and her kindness; how she always balanced him out and was there for him, even as his secretary and as his lover. She was his equal and his partner, the rock he held onto whenever the world started spinning.

He reigned in his fluttering heart and the desire that awoke in his veins, mindful of her less than optimal state. He was content as long as she was next to him.

To think that the mess they were in was caused only by the fact that they were together blew his mind… How could something so good and so pure – the love they shared for one another – be turned into something bad and vile? He didn't want to believe it, but he knew how the media liked to twist things around. Their relationship would be branded and tarnished; accused of being something inappropriate and indecent. Just because of their previous roles…

It was a naïve wish, but sometimes he just wished that people could be more understanding. That they could see past his money and his family; her background and her social standing, and just see them as two human beings who were deeply in love.

He handed her one of his black shirts and helped her put it on, adoring her cute yawns. When she'd finished dressing, he tucked her in and turned to leave.

A pale hand shot up from the sheets, arresting his arm.

He turned, a surprised expression on his face. The whole scenario reminded him of his drunken confession in Singapore. Yuuki had tucked him into bed after he'd gotten ridiculously drunk, turning to leave when he reached out for her and held her back. And then he'd declared his undying love for her, watching as she turned to solid ice in front of him, leaving him for dead in the middle of his room.

This time, it was all so different.

"Kaname," she mumbled sleepily.

"What is it, Yuuki?" He asked tenderly.

"You're my goldfish, you know?" She slurred. "If you explode, I'll be super sad… I love you."

He chuckled, reaching down and kissing her forehead. "You're my goldfish, too, Yuuki. I love you."

A groan escaped her plump lips as sunlight filtered in through the curtains, streaming into the room and coating the bed. Instinctively, she knew it was way too early to be up, but her body resisted her advances at going back to sleep. She rubbed her eyes as her hangover kicked in, a quiet ache forming in her head.

Kaname shifted behind her, humming something in his sleep. As gently as she could, Yuuki turned in his arms, facing him. Her eyes softened as she took in the serenity of his sleeping face. He seemed so much younger and calmer; there were no business-deals putting a frown on his face; no psychotic exes causing his eyes to darken with rage.

Right now, right there, in the glow from the sunrise, he was just Kaname. Her Kaname.

A lump formed in her throat as she watched him, the knowledge that he was hers, and hers alone, overwhelming her. This wonderful, gentle, kind and handsome man that used to be her boss, was now her boyfriend.

Actually, he was more than a boyfriend. He was her partner in every way; he completed her in ways she couldn't imagine; he made her feel stronger and more confident – happy. Overwhelmingly, blindingly happy.

To think, months ago she could only see him platonically as her boss, and now she was waking up in his arms everyday and feeling the warmth of his body seep onto her skin…

She blamed the tears threatening to spill from her eyes on her restless sleep and her hangover. That she could ever love someone like this; and that someone like him could love her back…

It made the hole in her heart from losing her mother close up slowly, mending at a natural pace, piece by piece. Soon it would be a scar; a gentle reminder of the past, and evidence of how much she'd changed and how strong she had gotten.

It was true what they said. Being loved made you stronger, but loving someone made you brave.

She loved him so much, and as their relationship progressed, she realized that she'd loved him subconsciously for a long time. Why else would she always accept his 3 AM calls, or miss him when he went on trips without her? Why would she stay over at his house more than necessary, flirt with him and joke about marrying him? Why would she do the little things like caring for him when he was sick, and pretending to be his wife when nasty women went after him?

She'd been so emotionally closed off at the time to even realize what she was doing. But now that she was better; open, freer, she saw herself clearer. She saw what he brought out in her; how he made her feel like the stars shone brighter and that there was nothing in the world that could ever harm her.

Everything he did for her; the happiness he gave her, the love they shared… she would fight for it and protect it for the rest of her life. Even if a bitch named Shizuka Hio came after them, she would fight and claw her way until they were free.

Determination soared through her veins as she pursed her mouth, a plan forming in her head. She made a move to leave the bed, but the second she turned she was pressed back into a warm chest – her favorite chest.

"You're not going anywhere this early," he yawned, his voice deep and husky from sleep. The seductive baritone of his voice made her toes curl involuntarily.

He rested his chin on top of her head as he slumbered peacefully, caging her in his arms.

She said nothing for a while, relaxing into his embrace and inhaling his intoxicating scent. Oh, if she only could spend the rest of her life cuddling with him in bed, her life would be complete.

"Are you feeling all right?" He wondered out loud.

He pushed away slightly and lowered his head, watching her. "Do you need anything?"

"Um… a re-do button so I can take back every stupid thing I said last night…?" She blushed.

Kaname smiled, and once again she was struck by his striking looks, her heart fluttering in her chest. He was just too handsome for his own good.

"Now, why would you say that? Drunk Yuuki is so entertaining. No filter whatsoever… and such a confidence boost."

"I went there, didn't I?" She breathed, tensing up as she tried to remember how she'd inflated his ego this time around.

"Oh yes, you did," Kaname hummed. "Apparently I'm hot like molten lava. Also really toned and shexy."

"I'm… glad you enjoyed yourself," she blushed, getting ready to sprint out of bed.

"Not so fast," he chided, arresting her when she turned to leave and once again tugging her back onto the bed. He climbed on top of her, resting between her legs.

"It reminded me of the good all days when you first slept over at my house as my secretary. How you almost molested me in the backseat of our car, talking about all the things you wanted to do for me… and to me."

Yuuki's eyes widened dramatically. "Y-you said you were only joking and that I fell asleep!"

"Well, I needed you to be able to face me in the next year you were supposed to work for me."

"K-Kaname!" She gasped, slapping his arm. "You know I can't tell if you're lying or not when you use your poker face. This isn't a business meeting! Shoo!" She waved her hands in front of his face frantically. "Shoo!"

"You are so cute," he said, swatting her hands away. He leaned down and planted a big kiss on her mouth, his thumb brushing her cheek.

"Hey… it didn't happen. I know it didn't happen…. " She said uncertainly, her face flushed from his sudden kiss and his proximity.

"Even after all this time, you still blush…" He whispered, adoration clear in his gaze. "Sadly for me, nothing happened that night, and for the next 1000 days and nights that followed, nothing else happened. My little goldfish sure knew how to make me wait."

"Oh, that I remember," she giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Well you know yet another part of my tragic backstory. May little Kouhei rest in peace..." Her eyes softened as she eyed the shirt she was wearing. "Thanks for taking care of me last night, by the way…"

"No problem," he quipped, nuzzling her nose. "You've done that with me many times before. And besides, undressing you is always a joy of mine…"

"Pervert!" She slapped his arm again playfully.

"A sexy, toned, hot like lava pervert, mind you," he retaliated, stealing another kiss.

"Yeah, yeah… well, speaking of goldfishes. Though I was drunk, I did manage to find something on Shizuka… well almost, so now we have ammo."

"Don't say that name in this room, please," he groaned.

"Shizu–"

"'Ohh Kaname, take me in your office right now!'" He mimicked her voice. "You are sooo toned, be the boss of me again you se–

"Okay!" She yelled, slapping her hand on his mouth to shut him up. "Fine. Okay. Drunk Yuuki is Horny Yuuki also. I get it."

Kaname licked her hand, knowing it would freak her out. "I like when Horny Yuuki comes around," he purred when she removed her hand, trailing his finger up her side and to her breast.

"She likes to stay hidden because Horny Kaname is always present. She knows if she comes out, he'll entice her and convince her to spend the day doing nothing productive."

"Oh, he's a beast," Kaname said, feeling her thighs and kissing her neck. "In fact, I think he's coming out from hiding right now…"

"Mmh," she moaned, once again being drawn in by his allure. He nibbled and sucked on the sensitive parts of her neck, making his way up to her mouth. They kissed hungrily, heat blooming between them.

She surrendered so easily; if they kept this up for the rest of their lives, Yuuki would never get anything done. But still, she couldn't help but discard those thoughts. His proximity intoxicated her; want and need burned hotly in her veins, pumping through her body. But there was something burning in the back of her mind…

"Kaname," she broke away from his kiss, "Kaname… before we do this, can I ask you something?"

He groaned against her neck, removing his hand from in-between her legs. "It's Horny Kaname you're talking to right now, so don't expect any intelligible answers."

Yuuki giggled sweetly, cradling his face in her hands. Her face sobered as her mind put pieces together, a tender look replacing her lusty expression.

"Would you break the law for me?" She wondered out loud, looking into his eyes.

He looked surprised by her question, but he nodded immediately. "Yes. And you, miss criminal, would you break the law for me?"

"In a heartbeat," she swore, loosing herself in his garnet depths.

He quieted, seeming somewhat surprised by her answer, though it faded quickly as he smiled at her, his eyes softening. "That's an odd question… what are you planning?"

"I just… I was thinking about us, and how much you mean to me. I screwed up in the past, but now I want to really fight for us."

"So you plan on killing Shizuka, then? Seeing as you're asking about breaking the law."

"What!? No," she giggled. "My dad may be a martial artist, but we're not the mafia. Killing people off isn't how we solve things. But what I'm thinking of is kind of criminal… I mean, if I get caught. But I won't."

"A ha," he trailed off, narrowing his eyes. "And what is that?"

Yuuki pursed her lips, wondering how she could break it down for him. "I was thinking of snooping in the archives at the paper I work for. Like Yori said, I'm not allowed… also, there's the good old act of following her around."

"While I don't appreciate you risking your job and career for this, I'll help you in any way I can," he promised, kissing her lips.

"I can do this on my own," she said, kissing him back, "because… you don't deserve to be this stressed out and constantly worrying. After what I did to you, you deserve a stressless and drama-free life. So I'll do everything for you. You can just sit back and let Detective Yuuki take over!"

"Detective Yuuki sure is cute…" He trailed off as his eyes softened. "How'd I get so lucky to meet you?" He whispered, shifting closer. Gently, he brushed her cheek, marveling at the softness of her skin.

"Well," she kissed his hand and held it against her face. "Your secretary got pregnant. So you needed another one to replace her… and, there I was."

He chuckled at her simple reasoning. "That's true. I'll have to send special gifts to Kaito on his birthday the next twenty years for being the reason that brought us together."

"And Seiren, for getting pregnant, and Yagari for getting her pregnant," Yuuki giggled.

"True, true," he nodded, "maybe I should just combine their gifts into one big gift? How you think they'd like a helicopter?"

"A helicopter? Well it should be a gift big enough to last twenty years," she laughed.

He laughed with her, enjoying the lighthearted conversation between them. Moments like these were his favorite; the two of them laying in bed together, sharing warmth and laughs, the outside world completely forgotten. He got to see her up close; see the specks of cinnamon in her eyes catch the light and sparkle; he got to witness her shy smiles as a blush kissed her cheeks from something he said. He saw her – not his secretary or his friend or anything else – but Yuuki – his Yuuki. Unreserved, funny, strong-willed, sometimes shy and sometimes so fiercely independent it made him want to rip his hair out; humble yet brave, intelligent yet silly – he loved every aspect of her. Couldn't even imagine a world without her in it.

"Hey… if… if Seiren never got pregnant, and I never had any need to hire a new secretary, would we have ever met?" He wondered out loud.

"Oh," she quieted, thinking of that outcome, "well… as long as things went right with Seiren and Yagari, then we'd meet at their wedding, I suppose," she pursed her lips, imagining the scenario. "If that happened… what would you have done when you met me?"

"I'd ask you to dance," he said immediately, not a hint of doubt in his voice. "After spotting you across the room and admiring you from afar, I'd find a way to approach you. Then I'd ask you to dance in such a charming and gentlemanly way that you couldn't say no. And when we danced, I'd ask you questions about your life. I'd ask you what you were doing, how you knew Seiren, and… I'd ask you if you wanted to go out with me one day. And I'm sure you would refuse, thinking that since I was a CEO of a big company, I had no business dating a girl like you. But I wouldn't back off. I'd charm you to your breaking point. Then…" He brushed a stray hair away from her face, smiling softly. "We'd go out, have a great time. I'd fall deeper and deeper in love with you by the minute, and hopefully you'd feel the same. After a few months I'd ask you to marry me. And you would say yes."

"That sounds wonderful," she breathed, "but… I think I prefer the original version. The one where I step into your office looking for a job, and end up finding my future. Where the boss falls in love with his secretary, and she falls for him too. And… after overcoming many obstacles, they stay together for the rest of their lives. Oh Kaname, I…"

"I've never seen a goldfish cry before," he commented, kissing her eyelids.

"I.. I.. I'm so hangover!" Yuuki exclaimed. "That's why, okay? I love you. And when I'm hungover I get emotional, and when I'm emotional I just feel things really strongly and… and, yeah. Stop smiling, it's not funny!"

"I'm smiling because I'm happy, Yuuki," he grinned. "You make me happy. And the fact that your love for me turns you into an emotional mess is oddly satisfying. Now you really do know how I felt all these years, pining for you in secret…" He trailed off, brushing her lower lip with his thumb. "My love..."

"I do, I do," she confessed. "But we made it through and… this time, we're going to be all right, aren't we? Even if the world condemns us, we'll be all right, won't we?"

"I don't know…" He trailed off.

"What? Why?" Yuuki gasped, her eyes widening in horror. How could he say that?

"Because…" He slid his hand up her thighs, beneath her shirt and traced the outline of her panties. "Horny Kaname just re-appeared, and he's feeling very needy…"

"Well, Horny Yuuki needs a shower," she teased. "But she's tooo lazy to get up and go there… and ah, she'd be so lonely all by herself in the shower…"

"Wouldn't want you feeling lonely while you're all hot and wet in the shower, now would we?" He got up from bed and picked her up bridal-style with ease, smirking at her as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You idiot boss," she giggled, filtering her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"My beloved goldfish," she reached up and kissed his cheek, giggling as he got into the spacious shower with her and turned on the water. She squealed, still wearing his shirt as the water poured down on them. He was still wearing his black pajamas slacks, but he didn't seem to mind either as he put her down on her feet.

With desire swirling in his eyes, he backed her up against the cold tiles and trapped her. Her mouth parted as she looked up at him, entranced by his amorous stare. His hands grasped hers and held them up against the wall on each side of her head as he leaned in and kissed her deeply. Yuuki responded eagerly, feeling the water soak their clothes and her hair as their tongues battled.

The world could trashtalk her as much as they wanted; drag her name through the dirt and throw it to the wolves – she didn't care. As he lifted her up against the tiles and entered her, all she could feel was the rush of excitement and completion that swarmed her veins and made her heart swell with love for him.

It would always be like this between them – fiery and explosive. And she'd be damned if anyone tried to break them up again.