A/N: Done with NaNoWriMo and just like I promised, an update for today! Starting now, the schedule for this fanfic will be back, thus I'll have the next chapter in seven days! Please read and review! Thanks!

-x-

Just who was Hatsuharu? Was he a vampire? A nymph? A sex god that oozed pheromones? Whatever he was, his whole aura and stature had me captivated.

". . . out, Kyou."

Did Haru say something just now?

"Oof! Oww . . ." I grumbled as I lay sprawled on my stomach in the middle of the road. I turned around to see what had me tripping over, and found out that it was just a road bump. A measly road bump. I groaned when I heard the cow laughing.

"Shut up," I spat, trying to get up and flinched when a slight stab ran up my left leg.

"Kyou, you're hurt," I heard the cow whisper. I glared,

"Of course, you damn cow! Why didn't you tell me that thing was there?"

Hatsuharu sighed, "I did, but your mind must've been somewhere else. Although, you did have this cute, dazed-out look on your face, and besides, you were staring at me so seriously I couldn't help but wonder if you're thinking about me. You were, weren't you?"

I could tell that he was sporting a wide grin without even a glance at him,

"Should you be that smug about me thinking about you? Shit . . . Oww . . ."

"Here, let's get away from the road and towards the sidewalk so I can tend to your wound without the worry of incoming cars," the cow offered. He was being so considerate . . .

RIIIIPPP!

"Oi!" I cried when I spotted one of his blue uniform sleeves in his mouth, "what the heck are you doing?"

"If I'm going to dress your wound, this is the best candidate. Besides . . ." Haru responded with another resounding rip to his torn sleeve, ". . . would you rather give up one of yours?" the cow asked me pointedly.

"It doesn't matter! Either way, who'll end up replacing your uniform? The head house, stupid! Do you really want to anger Akito that much?" I cried. The cow shrugged, brushing away the tiny rocks and dirt from my knee,

"Akito doesn't involve himself in these small, trivial matters. The only thing that he does care about, are of our relationships within the family and of our obedience towards him, nothing more. In fact, if we were to die right now, another unfortunate child will eventually bear our curse. We're only tools after all. To be born under an unlucky star . . . we have to deal with the consequences that come with our survival."

"Hmm," I thought as Haru wrapped his strips of uniform around my injured knee.

"But don't worry," the cow spoke up, "I'll protect you while I'm still alive."

I looked at the cow. What brought this subject on?

"What?" I found myself asking. The cow smiled,

"Protect. I'm going to protect you."

"What about the rat?" I replied. The cow tightened the makeshift bandages. I winced at the pain.

"He can manage on his own," Haru answered with a hint of sadness.

"And I can't? His feminine features will be the death of him one day and you won't protect him?" I bit back a yell.

"Although he may look frail on the outside, inside he is strong. He can manage on his own. You, however, are the exact opposite," Haru explained.

"Opposite? How so?" I wondered through narrowed eyes.

"You're rough on the outside and soft on the inside . . ." the cow stated. I wanted to tell Haru off, but I knew there was more to be said on the subject, ". . . just like a cake."

I was wrong to have the cow continue talking. He should've stopped right there.

"Cake? Do I look like an edible thing to you? Do I?" I cried, standing up and forgetting the scrape on my knee.

"You do," the cow answered simply, also standing up from his crouched position beside me.

"Where? Unlike the rat, I'm not pa-! Wh-What?" I cried when a hand smacked my rump.

"Here," then the cow placed both of his hands on my hips, "And here."

I quickly brushed his hands off, "Should I call police on you for molesting me?"

"I'm not done, kitten," the cow lowered himself until his fingers lightly brushed against the cloth around my left knee and pressed a lingering kiss there. My patience with the cow, wore thin and I kicked him away,

"Get to the point, will you?"

"Since you have an injury on you, that will make you more susceptible to perverts who'll want to rape you," the cow got to the point.

I laughed as I raised an eyebrow, "Like you?"

Haru sighed, standing back up, "I'm an exception."

"Since when?" I scoffed. I could see the cow's eyes harden,

"Right now. You know I don't rape the willing, Kyou."

I began to limp away from the crazed Ox, "Since when was I willing to let you anywhere near me for the sole purpose of sexual gratification?"

"Probably never, but I'm willing to change your mind about it," the Ox said. I looked back at him, the sun shining in just the right spot. It was enough to have me melting, but I immediately brought up a wall and smirked,

"In your dreams, Haru."