Tsukushi let out a soft yawn, making sure to cover her mouth with her hand so that her manager didn't see her. It was a slow day at work and so far they've only had a handful of customers come into the sweet shop where she and her best friend worked at. She inwardly groaned, her pay was decent but she also gained more with commission and the more she sold the more money would be added to her paycheck. Her family's money situation wasn't what you would call the best. If anything she was amazed they weren't all homeless. With how many times her father has been laid off it amazed her that still had a roof over their heads. Her parents weren't exactly what you would call reliable, they had tried for years to convince her to go to some elite school so she could marry a rich husband and make all their lives better but after one tour of the campus her mind was instantly made up and she outright refused to go there. Of course her parents still tried to make her so she purposely failed the entrance exam. They had been heartbroken when she got the rejection letter but she was positive that with a little hard work they could make their lives a lot better without the help of some rich snob. It was one of the reasons why she worked so hard at her job. She always put in 110% into everything she does and usually it paid off.

But with a quick glance at the clock told her that today was not one of those days. It was nearly ten and the store would be closing in about ten minutes. Unless someone came in and bought up the entire display of sweets she wouldn't be expecting a bigger paycheck than usual.

"Shall we start closing up?" Yuuki suggested, already bringing out the boxes that they would put the leftover sweets in. All of their goods are made fresh in the morning and whatever doesn't get sold goes to charity. Tsukushi suggested the idea when she first started working there and noticed that all the leftovers just got thrown out. The manager seemed to like the idea and it helped increase their business somewhat when people found out they donated.

"Sure, why not." She stretched out her stiff neck, the ponytail she tied her hair in swinging side to side as she cracked her neck. It felt nice and made her body feel somewhat relaxed. Standing on her feet all day could be tiresome but the pay here was good so she didn't complain too much.

Swiftly both girls set to work to clean up and close the shop so they could get out on time and finish up whatever homework they couldn't do on break. Yuuki handled taking the boxes of leftovers to the back where they would get picked up later while Tsukushi stayed in the front to finish wiping everything done. At the sound of the automatic door opening she rolled her eyes and groaned. There was always one person who showed up afterhours and demanded some kind of pastry. Usually it was a drunken old man. "I'm sorry, but we're closed. You'll have to come back tomorrow." She said, not bothering to look up. Making eye contact would only make things even more troublesome.

"Is that so? Guess I'll just have to take my business elsewhere."

Brown eyes widen in surprise at the familiar warm voice and she whipped her head up so fast she could practically taste the whiplash. "Tsukasa." her earlier depression about not getting a bigger paycheck disappeared when she saw the man standing before her.

"Yo." He smiled at her, resting his chin in his hand as he leaned against the counter. Standing before her was a man with curly brown hair, dark hazel eyes that always reflected what he was feeling, usually accompanied by a matching smirk on his face. He was 6'4 with a body most high school athletes prayed for and always dressed in style. His name was Tsukasa Daidouji and he was her boyfriend.

"Hey," she felt a blush form on her cheeks when she saw how close his face was to hers. Despite going out for a year she could never seem to stop the sudden blushes that would come every time they were together. While she found them absolutely embarrassing he happened to like that he could get her to blush at every little thing. "What are you doing here? I thought you said you had work?"

He shrugged his shoulders, his dark blue leather jacket making a slight noise as he did so. "I finished early so I figured I'd come and pick you up."

Tsukushi didn't have to feel it to know the smile she wore doubled in size. This man never ceased to amaze her. It was hard to believe he was the same person he was when she first met him.

The first time they had met was when she bumped into him on the street and she accidentally spilled coffee on the both of them. Both were upset by what happened but he had acted like she ruined some priceless piece of art. He had yelled at her and she yelled back before punching him right across the face when he tried dragging her off somewhere. She ran away after that and felt mortified for the rest of the day for the way she acted. She knew she shouldn't have punched him but he had gotten her so angry that she couldn't stop herself. She knew she would have to apologize the next time they saw each other but she had hoped it would be a very long time before they crossed paths again. However much to her surprise they had met again very next day in the exact same spot. He had been waiting for her, stating that he would keep showing up until she properly apologized to him.

Needless to say it didn't take very long for an argument to ensue between the two of them and it continued until she realized she was going to be late for work and took off running. He shouted at her for being a coward and she yelled back an insult at him, adding that they would settle their fight later. From that point on they had met up every day, always in the same spot. He said that he refused to let this go until she got down on her hands and knees and apologized to him. That comment made her throw her shoe at his head, as if she would ever do it. So every day they would meet, spout insults and argue like no tomorrow before she left to run the rest of the way to work and they'd start their strange new routine all over again the next day. Soon enough they began to get used to the other's presence being there and though neither wanted to admit it they looked forward for the time to come when they would see each other. It was a strange thing but it through all the arguing and fighting they were enjoying themselves and over time they began to feel more, their feelings forming and turning into what they were today. They've been dating for over a year and the love they felt for the other growing each day.

Tsukushi sometimes couldn't believe through all those times fighting with each other it had brought them together but she had to say it was kind of right. They both had strong personalities and neither liked giving up without a fight. In fact they usually got into some kind of argument on a daily basis and despite the urge to rip all her hair out and smack him all the way to China she wouldn't have it any other way. "Aw, that's so sweet." She jumped, body tensing up and face burning when she heard her best friend's voice and slowly turned around to see Yuuki walking towards them with an amused smile on her face. "Tsukushi sure is a lucky girl to have you as a boyfriend, Daidouji-san." She said to the man, giving him a polite smile as a greet.

He nodded back to her as his greeting, the smirk on his face growing in size and in ego. "But of course. I really doubt Tsukushi could find herself a better man than me. After all I'm handsome, intelligent, and incredibly strong. If I must say so myself I'm a triple scoop." He said with pride, showing off his pearly white and wiggling his eyebrows at his girlfriend.

"You mean triple threat," Tsukushi corrected him and giggled when she saw his cheeks turn a bright shade of red at the mistake he made. "You sure you want to add intelligences to the picture."

One fine eyebrow twitched at her words, his pride wounded and lips pursed together in a frown. "Big words coming from someone hiding behind the counter. Why don't you try saying that over here, little girlie." He gestured to his side, daring her to take him up on his challenge. He was even using the annoying nickname he had given her to try and get a rise out of her.

"No, thanks I'm good." She stuck her tongue out and winked at him, earning a giggle from her friend and making her boyfriend's eyebrow twitch even more with annoyance but his eyes told her he wasn't really angry. She could see the affection and amusement that he was trying to hide behind the annoyed look. "I'll be finishing up soon. Give me fifteen minutes."

"I'll give you ten before I leave your sorry butt to walk home by itself." Tsukasa told her, pointing to his watch before heading out. He wasn't allowed to wait inside while the store was closing. Their manager knew him and they got along well together but rules were rules and he had to respectable towards them.

Tsukushi smiled at his retreating figure, her heart feeling light as it always does whenever he was around. Even when they fought the feeling never disappeared, if anything it seemed to get stronger. Both of them weren't very honest with their feelings, only in those very rare moments when it was just the two of them alone did they say what they were really feelings. Fighting and arguing was just their way of communicating with each other. "Alright, let's get to work." She rolled up her sleeves and got back to work. There wasn't much left to clean but she wanted to hurry up and finish. She knew despite what he said Tsukasa would wait there longer than the ten minute time limit he had set. She's seen him do it before. It made her happy to know he cared so much about her but it was January and she felt bad making him wait out in the cold so she pushed herself to clean up faster. With a quick glance she saw his broad shoulders as he leaned against the shop, his hands in his pockets to keep warm as he looked up at the winter sky. Snow was falling softly from the sky, little flakes that would pile up and freeze over the roads and streets, making the communicate difficult and even colder. "Come to think of it snowed that day too."

~X~

Tsukushi let out a powerful sneeze as she tried to cover her mouth with a tissue as she held the phone. She hated doing it but she was calling out of work. There was no way she could go in with such a bad cold. Not only would she get Yuuki and probably all the other customers sick but she would contaminate all the food and no doubt that would end up getting her fired. So with a heavy heart she called out and tried not to tear up when she thought of how little her pay would be from missing a day of work. Hanging up the phone she looked out the foggy window in her room, snow was just starting to fall and she shivered just from looking at it. Groaning with each step she took she headed for her closet to put a sweatshirt over her pajama top. She hated it when she was sick, it meant being stuck in bed all day and not doing anything productive. With a glance at the clock she groaned when she saw that her shift would start in less than five minutes, she could only hope that Yuuki wasn't stuck in the store by herself and they could get someone to cover for her.

"I wonder if he's still waiting?" she mused, not realizing it she spoke out loud until her words reached her ears and she felt her whole face heat up. "What am I saying? Why do I even care about that idiot?" She groaned, annoyed that she somehow gotten used to thinking about that weirdo who she met every day on her way to work. That man seemed to solely exist to annoy the living daylights out of her. For over a month he's been harassing her, demanding an apology over a spilt cup of coffee that ended up staining both of their clothes. She understood that dry cleaning was expensive but his behavior was just plain obsessive and she really should report him one day to the police. But despite the many times she felt the urge to do so she never did. Because deep down, in a part of her heart where she refused to publicly acknowledge it, she actually found herself enjoying his company. Another blush formed on her cheeks and she groaned as she fell face first into her futon. "This fever must be making me delusional. It's best to just sleep it off. The faster I get better the faster I'll get back to work." She told herself, setting for her alarm to go off in an hour. It wouldn't do her any good to sleep all day and then be up all night so she figured taking a nice nap would do her some good. With that all set she curled into a ball, enjoying the warmth of her blanket and tried to relax her body so it could nap. As much as she hated missing work it did feel nice to relax every once in a while. No annoying customers, no constant thought of commission, no arguing with some weird guy that made her want to rip out her hair. "He probably left by now anyways." She mumbled softly. Realizing that once again she was thinking of him she smacked her forehead. There really had to be something wrong with her for her to be thinking about that guy so much. He was rude, obnoxious, and had an ego the size of Texas. Every time he opened his mouth she wanted to hit him and sometimes she did.

And yet somehow between the annoyance she felt a touch of enjoyment. Every time they would meet up they would argue before she ran off to her work and despite how hard she tried to deny it her heart always seemed to feel lighter each time they met up. Lately she's even found herself laughing hours after their latest argument and she even started to prepare a few lines of insults that would fit him perfectly with his octopus hair and giant ego. She was enjoying the time they spent together. He was different then most of the guys she knew. There was a different air about him that both annoyed and attracted her. He was different, he was fun, and at times could actually be kind of cute.

An alarm went off. Literally. With a jolt she sat up, her face now resembling a tomato more than anything and her head becoming light headed but the cause was not because of her cold. Slamming her hand down on the alarm with much more force than necessary she jumped when she saw just what time it was. She had slept for four hours! With her strange mental debate she must have set the alarm for the wrong time. Groaning at her own stupidity she jumped out of her futon and headed over to the window. The snow was coming down harder and starting to pile up. Only one thought was on her mind as she looked out at the cold winter's day. "That guy is stubborn but even he has to have some kind of common sense to go home," she told herself, walking over to her closet and grabbing a scarf. "I mean he'd have to be a really big idiot to spend over four hour waiting in the middle of snow," she said with confidences, her strides long and fast as she walked to her door and put on her snow boots. "He's so annoying!" she missed the strange looks her family was giving her by running out the door and taking off in nothing but a sweatshirt and her plaid pajama bottoms. She was having a mental battle with herself as she ran to their usual meeting spots, ignoring all the looks she was getting from the people.. She didn't even notice them because her mind was too busy thinking of only one person. She knew doing this was pointless and would only result in making her sicker. Most people would have gone home and left once the snow started and enough time had passed. But despite all that she kept running because he wasn't most people, he was someone entirely different.

She was panting by the time she reached their spot. Just when it had become their spot she'll never really know and at this point she didn't care. Her cheeks were flushed from her running and the fever, her body sweating that made her feel both hot and cold at the same time. She could feel her cold getting worse with every second she spent outside. But none of that mattered once she saw him sitting on the guardrail with his arms folded over his chest to keep warm as his body huddled close together. He was dressed in a red turtle neck with a brown leather jacket with dark blue jeans and black boots. The outfit looked warm enough but from his appearance it was obvious the outfit had long ago stopped being able to protect him from the cold. His body was racked with shivers and a frown that seemed to be set in stone on his face. He hadn't noticed her yet, his head was down and she noticed that his ears had turned red from the cold, but what she noticed the most were his eyes. His dark eyes that were always shinning with energy looked so sad and confused. It made her chest ache. She stepped towards him, though she had no idea what to say or do once she reached him. At this point she was pretty much going off on instincts. He only noticed her when she was standing directly in front of her, his brown eyes looking straight into her own brown ones. For a moment they just stood there, looking at each other as she tried to decipher what he was feeling. The sad and confused look was still there but something else had shown up as well. Something that she couldn't recognize.

She didn't have much time to figure it out because everything was replaced by anger in a flash. Taking a quick step back as he stood up, she readied herself for the screaming that was surely to follow. But it never did. He just stood there, looking at her with anger flashing in his eyes but with them was that other look that she still couldn't describe what it was. He was still shivering and his coloring was pale and no doubt had a fever of his own that matched hers. She wouldn't be surprised if he had pneumonia at this point. Now she was angry. Just because he didn't have anything to say doesn't mean she didn't. "Are you some kind of idiot! Who the hell is stupid enough to sit outside in the middle of winter?!"

That got a rise out of him. "Where do you get off calling me an idiot? I waited four hours for you in the snow because I was worried you had been in some kind of accident!" he yelled, face tense and starting to show some color. It figured that he would look more like himself the more he argued with her. He seemed to be studying her now, the anger never leaving his face but he raised an eyebrow at her look. "What's with the pajamas?"

"I caught a cold and was resting at home." she mumbled, suddenly feeling embarrassed for rushing out of the house without first putting on a suitable pair of pants. Though there probably wasn't much point in getting embarrassed now since she practically ran the whole way here and was sure everyone who had seen her probably thought was she some kind of crazy person.

He flicked her forehead at this. "And you're calling me stupid. What kind of person comes out dressed like this when they're sick?"

She held her head that now stung from his attack and glared up at him. "I only came out here because I was worried about you. And it looks like I was right to be," she stood on the tips of her toes, wrapping her scarf around his neck and felt his forehead. Despite the cold she could feel the heat that was radiating off his body. "You have a fever. You need to go to the hospital before you get worse." She moved away, gesturing for him to follow her to the bus stop so she could take him to see a doctor but before she could get far he stopped her. He held her by her wrist, his grip firm but gentle.

He was silent as he stood there, holding her hand and looking at her. The anger seemed to leave him finally and the unreadable emotion was back. "Why?" he asked, his voice soft and uncertain. She may have only known him for a short while but she never once heard him talk so low before. She didn't even think it was possible because he didn't seem like the kind of guy who would be unsure about anything. He always seemed so confident in himself that seeing him like this unnerved her. "Why did you come?"

She bit her lip, she felt her own body start to burn up at his words. Why had she come? Any regular person would have figured that he would have gone home and not bothered to show up. Then again a normal guy wouldn't have waited four hours in the snow for someone they barely knew to show up. They weren't friends and they barely qualified as acquaintances since they only ever argued with each other. She didn't have any obligations to be there and he had none that would make him stay for so long. Both were doing what they were doing because they wanted too. Because unlike the rest of the world they didn't fall under the category of normal regular people. They were in a category all of their own. "Because it's you. The crazy guy who's been waiting here every day for over a month to yell at me for spilling coffee on you. I came here because I knew you'd be here because that's just the kind of person you are." She smiled, cheeks pink from her response but it felt nice to say how she felt.

He seemed stunned by her words and she wondered in the coloring in his cheeks was caused by his fever or because he was blushing. "Stupid," he released her hand to shove both of his into his coat pockets, the redness on his face growing. She giggled, finding his sudden bashful behavior rather cute. Too bad he didn't feel the same. "What the hell are you laughing at?" his eyebrow twitched with annoyance. He wasn't a fan of people who laughed at him and under normal circumstances he would have punched the person who dared to do so but didn't because he didn't want to hit this girl. Huffing to himself he pulled out his phone and shoved it towards her. "Put your number in here. Next time you're sick or running late let me know so I don't have waste my precious time again." He said, trying to sound cool and nonchalant and not show just how embarrassed and anxious he was feeling. He never asked a girl for her number before, usually it was the other way around.

Tsukushi looked at the electronic in front of her. She was impressed and kind of jealous that he had the latest phone. "Sorry, no can do." She pushed it away before her mind could figure out how much she would have to save up to afford a phone like that.

Her answered angered him. "And why the hell not?" he didn't understand why she wouldn't give him her number. Was it because she didn't want to? Did she hate him or something?

"Because I don't have a cell," she mumbled, looking away from him. She had no qualms about not being able to afford things that most people could but for some reason she felt embarrassed to be telling him these kinds of things. "We don't have the money to buy one and I've been trying to save up from my part time job but so far it looks like it'll still be a while before I can afford one." She played with her fingers as she spoke. He already knew that her family was pretty poor but for some reason telling him just how badly they needed money made her feel so self-conscious.

Tsukasa was stunned once more. "You serious?" he asked, amazed that in this dayinage there were people who somehow got by without all the ease of technology that was at their disposal. "I didn't know it was possible to be that poor."

"Oh, shut up!" she punched his arm. How dare he make fun of her and her family financial issues. She was ready to do more, probably give him a good swift kick before hauling his stupid ass to the hospital when her ears caught the remarks of some girls passing by them.

"Can you believe what she's wearing?"

"I know. She must be really desperate if she came out here looking like that."

"Doesn't look like it'll do her much good. Those clothes look like they've been around since the 1800s."

"Poor thing probably never had brand new clothes of her own."

"Poor is definitely the right word."

Tsukushi clenched her fists, her body shaking as she held back the urge to scream at the two girls that were passing by. She knew that her appearance probably looked strange to others and she was used to the constant whispers of her family's statues. She had long ago accepted that she was poor and there wasn't much she could do about it besides working hard every day and try her best to save up money. But after everything that's happened today her body was worn out and it didn't have any energy left to block out the mean taunts. So despite how hard she told herself those girls and their opinions didn't matter she still felt her face flush and eyes sting with tears from the shame she suddenly felt.

Wiping the tears from her eyes she spun around to tell the two girls off when a warm brown leather coat downed her shoulders. Before she had time to react she saw two snow balls rush past her and hit the girls, their cries reaching them and no doubt half the city. She looked to her left and sure enough there he was, the same guy who made fun of her not more than a minute ago and yelled at her every day for a month was now holding a snow ball in his bare hand, bouncing it up and down and glaring at the two girls that had enticed his wrath. "Hey, ugly girls like yourselves have no right to criticizes others. If I hear you say one more thing about her again I'll make you regret it!" he yelled, throwing the snowball at them making them scream and run away.

Tsukushi was shocked. She's had friends stand up to bullies for her before when they made fun of her for being poor that was always because they felt sorry for her. They've all been to her house and knew just how badly her family was but this man didn't. Sure he probably had some idea but him defending her wasn't fueled by pity, he didn't look like the type of guy who would use pity as a reason to help someone. He was simply doing it because he wanted to help her. She jumped slightly when he turned his gaze onto her and she hoped the blush on her face could be mistaken as her fever. "Y-You didn't have to do that?" He frowned and she smacked herself. Just what the hell was wrong with her? She should be thanking him and instead she's acting rude.

"Come on," he held out his hand. "Let's get out of here."

She looked at the hand that had been offered to her. It was bigger than her tiny hand, his skin looked smooth but she could see the rough texture around his knuckles and joints that comes from training and hard work. She didn't doubt that he worked out, even with him covered up in winter clothing she could tell that his body was fit. Shaking the thought out of her mind she looked up at him, his deep brown eyes that stared at her showed he didn't care that she hadn't thanked him. He was more worried about her wellbeing than anything else. "Ok." She took his hand, it all but engulfing her much smaller hand and fingers that curled around her skin made her shiver slightly. She followed him when he started walking, allowing him to lead her to a small cafe and tried her best to hide a smile as he glared at everyone who stared at them. She was sure to the rest of the world they must have looked like some kind of disaster but she found their appearance suited them and their strange situation perfectly. He ordered a coffee for

himself and she asked for some hot chocolate, the biggest cup they had. She for once wasn't doing the math in her head about how much it would cost or what it would do to her savings. She was freezing and wanted something to warm herself up. Looking at him she noticed he was all but gulping down his coffee, no doubt trying to do the same as her and bring the warmth back into his body. She felt guilt make its way into her heart and that bothered her. Logically she was telling herself she had no reasons to feel bad, after all it wasn't like they had made a promise to meet up every day. That only happened because of his strange obsession with getting an apology from her for something that happened over a month ago. But as she looked across the table she saw the flush on his face that came from the fever, the sweat that was still there from his body no doubt trying to fight against the infection. He was trying to put up a tough front for her but she could see through his charades. He had been worried something had happened to her and stayed there for four hours in the freezing cold. There complete strangers to each other but to go so far for someone he didn't even know, it made her heart feel warm. "Thank you," she needed to properly thank him this time. He had done so much for her and she hadn't done anything in return. "For sticking up for me to those girls. I really appreciate it."

He shrugged his shoulders. "So you do have some manners in you. I must say I'm pretty amazed." He grinned, setting down his coffee with an amused grin.

She snorted at him. "Oh, shut up or else you'll be wearing that mug as a hat." She said, taking a long sip of her drink and enjoying the heat that spread through her body.

"What is with you and ruining my clothes with coffee? Something which you still haven't apologized for." He grumbled, leaning back in his chair as he spoke. He wouldn't admit it but his body was starting to give out on him. It was probably best if he headed home soon to rest before he passed out. Once they finished up he would call a cab and take her home before either one of them got any sicker. There was no way he was showing her his weak side.

"You're still on that? How times do I have to say it was an accident." She grumbled, amazed at the one track mind this guy had. She had a good memory of that day, after all who wouldn't after what happened. She had been for once in her life running late to work and was lost in her own little world as she ran that she hadn't noticed until it was too late that she bumped into someone and that collision had caused coffee to spill on both their clothing. She had been quick to pull out her handkerchief and apology but that was when he started calling her all sorts of names which made her yell back at him. The two had spent nearly ten minutes yelling at each other before she noticed the time and took off running for work. Unbeknownst to her that was the starting points of their little meetings.

"Of course I am. I'll say it as many times until you understand, I'm not going to let it go until I get a proper apology." He said, crossing his arms and trying his best to look intimidating and not show just how exhausted he was starting to feel. "But of course I am a reasonable man and if you find some way to make it up to me I'll forgive you." He grinned at his plan, thinking what he was doing was genius.

"You're really weird, you know that." She took another sip of her hot chocolate to keep herself from laughing when she saw the annoyed look on his face appear as it always does. It didn't take much to get on this guys nerves and she was finding it really fun seeing all the different reaction that come out of him. For a whole month they've had arguments and fights and in every story she's told she's gone into excellent details about the faces he makes when she gets a reaction out of him. Since she always saw him right before work she always had a good story for Yuuki but something her friend had said during her last story just popped up in her mind. "You know, I just realized that I don't know your name," she couldn't believe she had just realized this now. In the entire month they had been meeting up to argue and in all her story telling about it the thought somehow never crossed her that she never knew his name. She hadn't thought to ask because they were always caught up in their fights and usually called it each by mean little nicknames. He seemed to enjoy calling her little girlie while she stuck with calling him an idiot since it seemed to fit him so much. "I know it's a little late but I'm Tsukushi Makino."

By the wide eyes and the flush on his cheeks the thought apparently never reached him either. But that quickly disappear and in its place a proud look came about. "I suppose it'll good for you to know me by my name. This way you'll truly be able to understand my greatness," He boosted, a chuckle escaping him that made her want to smack him silly. "I'm Tsukasa D-"

"Dorkenstein." From across the cafe was a couple that seemed amused with their conversation and choice of clothing. Both were smirking and seemed amused that their insults had reached them. As much as Tsukushi wanted to go over there and tell them off even she knew it wouldn't do any good. Besides it wasn't like she didn't get why they were making fun of them. She knew they looked strange compared to the rest of the people in the cafe. There she was wearing an old grey sweatshirt, plaid pajama bottoms with old worn out snow boots and a jacket that seemed to swallow her small frame while the man sitting before her was wearing a red turtleneck with her pink scarf still resting around his neck. Honestly if she saw people dressed the way they were she would probably point and stare too. But she would never go as far as openly insulting them in a public space. There's a different between being curious and being rude.

The man in front of her now known as Tsukasa looked just as amused as she was. He sent the two a mean look, a cold glare that made the couple shiver and start to sweat. Even Tsukushi had to admit his look was kind of scary. He pushed out his chair and got onto his two feet, his eyes never leaving the couple that now looked very frightened at the confrontation that was to come. Tsukushi grabbed his hand before he could move and make a scene. "Don't," she was standing herself now, making sure to keep him in place before he could do anything. "They're not worth it." She said, making sure her voice was even and firm. She had to show him that she meant business. She knew without a doubt if he tried she couldn't stop him but she had to at least try.

He stared at her. He seemed almost shocked that she was stopping him. His cheeks turned a soft pink before he mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath as he sat back down. She sighed with relief, happy that she was able to avoid any trouble. Looking over she saw the couple was making another gesture over at them, no doubt making another joke at their expense. She glared at the two and flipped them off. Just because she didn't want a fight doesn't mean she was going to just sit there and let others continuously make fun of the two of them. The couple gasped, no doubt taken back by her behavior and finally got up to leave. She was pleased to watch them go.

Tsukasa chuckled in his seat. "Looks like the little girlie still has some fight in her. Good to know." He grinned, his cheek now resting in his hand as he leaned against the table. The exhaustion he felt from before was still there but he found that what was happening now was much to fun to leave. "And here I was thinking you had gone soft."

She rolled her eyes at the nickname he had given her. Figures that even after she tells him her name he would still call her by that stupid name. "As if. Just because I'm sick doesn't mean I'm going to let people like them look down on me and get away with that."

"Oh, and tell me what kind of people would they be." Tsukasa asked, intrigued to see what would come out of her mouth. She was a strange girl but she always said the most interesting thing.

Tsukushi took hold of her cup, the liquid had cooled down some but it was still doing the job of warming her up. "That's easy, they're the type I can't stand the most," she finished off the rest of her drink with one gulp and slammed the empty cup on the table. "The rich kind."

Tsukasa sat there, a blank look on his face as his brain tried to process what she just said. "Huh?!" it couldn't. He lost his balance, nearly falling face first onto the table but he caught himself just in time. "Just what do you mean by that?"

She raised an eyebrow at his strange behavior but nonetheless crossed her answers as she thought about how to phrase this. "I know it sounds weird but hear me out. People who have money think they're so special and that they're above the rules. I saw the clothing those two were wearing and could tell instantly what kind of people they were. The kind who think they're better than everyone else just because they have the money to buy stuff. There's a kid who goes to my school that acts like he's some kind of superstar just because his father works for some big shot company and makes good money. I swear rich people piss me off the most with their haughty attitude and using their money to do whatever they want." She huffed once she was finished. She had to admit that she felt a lot better now that she had gotten that off her chest. "Anyway, let's forgot about those jerks and go back to-huh?"

She hadn't noticed it during her rant but Tsukasa had gone perfectly still and looked uncomfortable. His eyes were wide and lips tight as if he was trying to suck them right off his face. His had gone pale, the coloring on his face looked almost white and he looked like he was sweating bullets.

"Hey, are you ok?" she asked, worried that his fever might have gotten worse.

His movements were slow and almost robotic as he laid his head on the table. "Yeah, just feeling a little tired." His voice was low and defeated, almost like he had come back from a marathon and had come in second. "Rich people sure to do suck." He said with a soft chuckle although it sounded more like a mixture of laughing and cry than anything else and it had everyone in the cafe cringing. He let out a long sigh but it was instantly sucked back in when he felt her hand on his forehead. With great speed he sat back up and cursed the blush that kept appearing on his face.

"You're burning up. You really should go see a doctor." she was worried about him and his strange behavior. He had been waiting outside in the snow for four hours and it was a miracle that he's not in the emergency room.

He didn't say anything at first. His eyes looked into her and he felt his face grow hotter when he saw the worry shining in her eyes. She was truly concerned about him. Looking away before she could see just how bad his blush had become he scoffed and leaned forward, pressing one hand against her forehead. "Stupid, you have a fever too. How about showing some concern for yourself before you start worrying about others."

Her own cheeks had turned a light shade of pink but she didn't let it bother her. Standing up she pulled out her wallet before he could even take his out. "Here, I'll pay for you. After all it's not every day a guy waits four hours for me in the middle of winter." It may be the fever taking over but she was flirting with him and didn't feel as embarrassed as she thought she would.

He still seemed a little off, his eyes held a distant look to them but he didn't argue with her and took out his cell. "Alright, I'll call us a cab."

With that settled she looked into her wallet to count her bills and inwardly winced when she saw that this would nearly drain her of her allowance. But she owed him and no way was she going to let him pay for her after everything. "Oh wait," she nearly walked away when she remember something important. "You never told me your name." they had been interrupted before he could finish.

He froze again, the coloring draining from his face again. "What do you mean? I told you my name is Tsukasa. Stupid, you need to listen better. Are you ears full of warts?" he laughed at his joke and made everyone in the cafe look at him as if he had two heads.

"The expression is ears full of wax," she sighed. She wasn't sure what was worst, that he still continued to get his words mixed up or that she had gotten used to him speaking like this. Over the month he's said expressions wrong many times and she had corrected him each and every time. "And I wasn't able to hear your full name. So come on, tell me." She didn't know him well enough yet to only call him by his first name. This was only their first conversation that wasn't solely made up of insults and mean words.

He gulped. "Uh..." his behavior was really starting to worry her and she wondered if maybe she really should take him to the hospital to get his brain checked out. "Daidouji!" he suddenly shouted, catching her off guard once more. "Yeah, that's it. My name is Tsukasa Daidouji." He had a big grin on his face as he shouted about his name.

It had to be the weirdest introduction she has ever had in her entire life but then again they were pretty weird themselves. "It's nice to know you, Daidouji." She extended her hand for him to shake. They had become a lot friendlier now and hoped they could continue to do so.

He returned the gesture by placing his much larder hand in her. "You too, Makino." He smiled up at her, his face no longer showing any signs of discomfort but now seemed rather peaceful. This made her smile, thankful that he was back to his old self.

She walked away after that to pay for their bill and tried not to cry when she saw her nearly empty wallet. She had hoped once she got over her cold she could go shopping with Yuuki but after this and then paying for the cab ride home it doesn't look like she'll be going shopping anytime soon. With a low sigh she turned back around but saw that Tsukasa was no longer in the cafe. "Where'd he go?" she looked all around and wondered if maybe he went to the bathroom when she spotted his tall figure standing outside. Quickly she rushed out after him. "What are you doing?" she stuck her finger against his chest and scolded him as if he was a young child that had walked away from their mother. "You have a fever and you gave me your coat, you shouldn't even be outside. You're only going to make yourself sicker."

He pushed her hand away from his chest. "Shut up," it was obvious he was annoyed with how she was talking to him. "I swear all you ever do is yell." He grumbled, reaching into a plastic bag that she hadn't noticed he was holding. He pulled out black and yellow walkie-talkie and handed it to her. She held the small device in her hand, looking over the old toy that she had only ever used if she went over a friend's house. She looked back up at him, silently asking him what exactly he was doing. "You said you don't have a cell, right?" he wasn't so much as asking as confirming about what she had said earlier. She could only nod, still confused about what was going on. "Well until you get one we'll use these to communicate with each other." He said as he held the other one in his hand.

Tsukushi wasn't really sure what to do. This was so strange, a guy that has been basically harassing her for a month just spent his day waiting for her in the cold snow, defended her against people who made fun of her appearance, and had now offered her a means to communicate with him. Everything that was happening seemed so surreal.

He flicked her forehead again when he saw the weird look that was forming on her face. "I told you I'm not going to stop until you properly apologize to me. My time is very valuable and I refuse to spend another four hours waiting in the cold so until you get a cell I got us these. Next time you're sick or running late use this to let me know," he all but shoved the device he held in her face but she didn't let it bother her or the fact that he was practically ordering her around. "You hear me. You better contact me or else I'll-!"

She laughed. She let out a large whole hearted laugh that she hasn't felt in ages. She held her stomach as she doubled over from how hard she was laughing. "You're so weird." She said had to lean against him to keep herself from falling to the ground but she managed to smile up at him and thank him for buying the device for her.

Between her laughing and the few tears that had come from just how much she laughed she could see his pale cheeks turn a bright shade of red that she knew had nothing to do with the cold he now had. "You're the weird one. Laughing like some kind of maniac in public." He grumbled, trying his best to look annoyed at what she was doing but he didn't push her away.

The cab pulled up shortly after that and Tsukushi got in first, making sure to move all the way to the end to give Tsukasa plenty of room. He was a big guy and she was sure he would need plenty of leg room. Only instead of following in after her he leaned over to the driver's side of the window whispered something to him. Once that was finished he poked his head into the cab. "I already paid for this cab so you don't have to worry about money. Just go home and get some rest." He removed her pink scarf from his neck and wrapped it back around her neck.

She was kind of surprised by his behavior. She hadn't expected him to have such a gentle side. She was also a little disappointed that he wasn't getting in with her. "But what about you?"

"I've already arranged for ride to pick me up and take me to the hospital. Need to make sure that I don't have pneumonia thanks to a certain someone." If he was trying to make her feel bad he wasn't doing a very good job because of the amused smile he was wearing on his face.

"Oh, ok." She understood that. It was probably for the best that he got himself checked out by a doctor. She was sure if she didn't get home soon herself she would make her cold even worse than it was. She shivered at the cold wind that was coming into the warm car and pulled the jacket she wore closer to her body when she realized that it wasn't hers. "Hang on, I still have your jacket." She rushed to take it off and give it back to him but he stopped her.

"Keep it." He left no rooms for arguments. He shut the door and the taxi she was in drove off before she could do anything. She looked out at him through the back window, he was watching her with a hand raised to wave goodbye. She returned the gesture.

True to his words the ride had been paid for and all she had to worry about was going home to her parents. They had berated her the moment she walked in the door, demanding to know where she had been for so long and why she would rush off in the middle of winter when she was sick and why she was wearing a guy's coat. She wasn't really sure what to tell them so she merely said she was taking care of some business and ran to her room. She all but dove into her futon, loving the warmth that embraced her chilled body. She still wore his coat, telling herself it was only because it was helping her stay warm since their house had such bad heating but deep down she knew that wasn't it. Reaching into the pocket she pulled out the small walkie-talkie, her finger tracing the smooth surface and the design of it. She's never met a person like him before. He was so infuriating but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't get him out of her mind. He seemed to get a kick out of getting her mad and had more than once pissed her off enough to punch him. If these were normal circumstances she wouldn't let him get to her and completely ignore him until he got the hint and left her alone. But these were normal circumstances. Something was different about him and about her, she felt different when she was with him. In her ordinary everyday life he made things topsy-turvy and it both frightened and excited her. She licked her lips, her heart was beating so strong in her chest she wondered if she would pass out. She felt scared and nervous and anxious but also very eager to use this small toy. She shook her head and with some hesitation pressed the button that would make it work. She needed to do this fast before she chickened out. "Daidouji?" she whispered his name softly, she felt stupid and shy for doing this but she just felt like she had too.

For a single moment she received no reply and it felt like her heart had gone cold and still. But when she heard the static it felt like summer had come.

"Yeah? What do you want?"

She froze. What did she want. She wasn't really sure what to say because she hadn't planned on what she was going to say if he picked up. Sure she hoped that he would but as for what they would talk about she was a total blank. She had been so focused on gathering up the courage to do this that she never gave thought about what kind of conversation they would have. "Um...just wanted to let you know that I was home. How about you?"

"Yeah, I'm in my room now."

"I see," she felt slightly embarrassed at this. She never called a guy before and hearing he was in his room made her face flush. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

He wasn't saying much and it was making her even more self conscious. It almost sounded like he was disinterested in their conversation but at the cafe he acted as if he enjoyed talking with her. Had she misunderstood? What if she was just making a fool of herself? Her head was starting to hurt with all these thoughts. Why can't anything in life be simple and maybe come with and instruction manual.

"How about you?"

She felt her heart flutter but quickly shook her head, reminding herself that she couldn't jump the gun. "W-What do you mean?"

"I'm asking if you're feeling any better little girlie."

Why hearing such an annoying nickname made her feel so good was something she would probably never understand but no way was she going to tell him that the name was starting to grow on her. "I'm feeling ok. Just a little tired."

"So shut up and go to sleep before you get worse. I still say you're crazy for going out in the middle of winter with a cold and in nothing but pajamas."

An eye twitched at his tone of voice and his insult. "This coming from the guy who waited four hours in the snow." She didn't enjoy being scolded, especially since he all but did the same thing. When she didn't hear a reply right away she was worried she had offended him, he seemed to get upset easily over some things but once more the static coming through told her she didn't need to worry.

"Good night, Makino."

"Good night, Daidouji." She whispered softly into the device, taking her finger softly off the button and bringing it close to her chest. They didn't say it but there was a silent hidden message that they would talk again tomorrow.

That's how she fell asleep that night. With the walkie-talkie held close to her chest with his coat covering her body and a smile on her face.

~X~

Tsukushi hummed a light tune to herself as she dressed out of her work uniform and into her casual clothes. A happy sigh as she let loose her long hair out of its ponytail and put on her long tan winter coat. "See you tomorrow, Yuuki." Bidding her best friend a good night she raced out of her workplace and onto the busy streets of her hometown. A little more than ten minutes had passed but there he was, leaning against the building and trying his best to give her an annoyed look.

"I swear you're the slowest person I have ever met," he leaned down so his face was right in front of hers and held up his wrist that had his watch strapped on for her to look at the time. "I said I'd only wait ten minutes but because I'm such a good boyfriend I waited an extra two minutes. Now how are you going to repay me for my good deed?" he grinned at her, issuing another challenge against her and was eager to see what she would do. He was betting on her calling him some strange name that she always comes up with.

Looking into his eyes she saw the excitement he felt but beyond that she saw something else. Something she hadn't originally been able to name but now she could see it clearly. She hadn't known what to call it back then but that was because it was still developing. In his eyes she saw his true feelings, the love he felt for her and the love that she felt for him. Despite him leaning down towards her she still had to stand on the tips of her toes for her to kiss his cheek. "You're so stupid." She walked away, knowing that once he composed himself he would follow.

His entire face was flushed a soft pink, a goofy grin was just starting to form on his face when he remembered he was in public. Straightening out his body he turned around and in three long strides caught up with her, wrapping an arm around her and making her small body lean into his. "As if I'm going to be satisfied with just a peck on the cheek." He grumbled, trying his best to now show just how happy he was. They kissed many times before now but it was usually him that always initiated the affection. But there were those rare few times when it was her who started it and he always held those special moments in highest regards when it came to his memoires.

She laughed, reaching up so to the hand that held her and intertwined their fingers as she rested her head against his chest. "Tell you what, I'll make it up to you on your birthday." He would be turning eighteen next Sunday, which meant she only had a few days left to finish his gift.

Tsukasa looked down at his girlfriend, she barely reached his shoulders but she always seemed to fit perfectly in his arms. She was so small but she had so much life and spirit in her that he sometimes forgot just how fragile she could be until he held her in his arms. He loved being able to hold her close, his arms could wrap around her small frame with ease and each time he did he wished he never had to let go. She was like an addiction, he always wanted her to be with him but at the same time he knew she needed to live her own life and that there would be times when he couldn't always be at her side. No matter how much he wanted to be. But it was what made moments like this so special. Moments that were shared and meant only for the two of them. Sure they still embraced and kissed if there were others with them but when it was just them those hugs and kisses turned into something more. Leaning down he kissed the top of her head, a smile that was hidden by her brown locks appeared on his face at her surprise. "I'll hold you too it."

They didn't say anymore after that. They continued to walk on to the bus stop where they would ride until they reached her street to continue on their stroll that would lead to her house. He walked her home every night, always taking the longest roads to get there. Tsukushi said it was because it was cheaper and Tsukasa said he enjoyed the exercise but both knew that even without having to actually say it out loud the real reason they took the long way was because they wanted to spend as much time together as they could. They still met up every day on her way to work and talked on the phone during their breaks at school, when she was on a break at work, and always right before they feel asleep. There were many night when they fell asleep while talking and Tsukushi always scolded him for this because of the phone bill but that hadn't stopped her from calling him at night. She had finally bought a cell phone so they no longer used the walkie-talkies he had bought for them but they always kept them with them. Tsukushi kept hers in her purse and Tsukasa had his in one of his pockets. She still had his jacket tucked away in her closet and on the really cold nights she would go to sleep wearing it. Though she's never spoken this out loud somehow he knew she did it and teased her restlessly about it. Even though his teasing bothered her she could never bring herself to give back the jacket because it was special to her. That night as she fell asleep wearing it one lone thought had crept into her mind. "I could fall in love with this man."