Megumi wasn't sure what had possessed her to do it.

Maybe it had to do with the fact that after 4 years, Yahiro looked at her no different than he had before.

Well, she guessed that wasn't entirely true. They had become closer over time…He would often invite her to many of his fancy parties, though she guessed it was more for his own amusement than to please her. And he would often come to her over anyone else when he had a problem, letting his mask slip a little bit, to confide in her about all about the woes of work. And then there were times when she thought she caught a glimpse of something else hidden in his violet gaze. A softness that would vanish just as quickly as it would appear. Those times he would be almost gentle with her then revert back to his indifferent and cold façade.

His behavior thoroughly confused her.

Which is why, this time, when he invited her to another of his parties, she decided she would surprise him. Now, she was starting to doubt her decision.

"Are you sure this is going to work?"

Sakura took a look at Megumi's board and smiled broadly, "Of course, Megumi! Yahiro won't know what hit him! You are going to be the belle of the ball!"

Megumi took another look at herself in the mirror. She had never dressed in anything so glamorous before. The white dress was tight-fitting at the top and then flared out, flowing around her legs gracefully. Two thick straps held up the dress, leaving her shoulders exposed.

"Don't you think I'll get cold?"

"That's the whole point, Megumi! When you get cold, Yahiro will have to lend you his jacket! Now for your hair and makeup," Sakura skipped out of the room, in search of the bag she had brought with all the necessities.

"I'm still not sure about this…Shouldn't Yahiro like you for who you are?"

Megumi turned toward Finn, who had been strangely quiet throughout the whole thing. She had almost forgotten that the princess was there. She had invited Hikari as well, but the girl had moodily declined, saying Kei had planned something special that night. Akira hadn't been able to come either, bedridden with a cold.

"Well, yeah…But I don't know what else to do, Finn…If things keep up this way…I'll have to give up on winning Yahiro's heart…"

"Megumi is still Megumi, Finn," Sakura had sauntered back into the room, the bag in her hands, "We're just accentuating her natural attributes! And I don't want to hear any more talk of giving up, do you hear me?"

Megumi nodded reluctantly, setting her clipboard down and sitting down in front of the mirror per Sakura's command. The pink-haired young woman gently ran a brush through Megumi's thick brown hair, combing out the tangles. Megumi sat quietly, her mind wandering. Not surprisingly, her thoughts all revolved around a certain Saiga heir. She was determined to give up for good if nothing came out of tonight. She doubted that she'd be able to forget him…But she'd had enough of having her heart broken.

"Megumi!"

She jumped, startled by Sakura's loud voice near her ear. The pinkette rolled her eyes, gesturing to the mirror. Megumi glanced up and stared. Her hair was done up in an elegant bun, tendrils of light brown hair framing her face. She was rather amazed by how the simple hairstyle added a certain maturity to her round face.

"Turn around so I can do your makeup," Sakura commanded, pleased by Megumi's reaction. Finn had stood up to watch and was also admiring the change in their friend. Sakura quickly applied eye shadow, eyeliner, blush and lip-gloss, making sure not to go too heavy. The overall effect was outstanding, emphasizing Megumi's warm brown eyes and long eyelashes.

"Am I a genius or what?"

"I must admit," Finn looked her over, her eyebrows raised in surprise, "You've outdone yourself, Sakura. She looks amazing!"

"Thank you!"

Megumi had to agree with the two. She could barely recognize herself. She wondered how Yahiro would react and hoped that all would go well.

"Okay, here are your shoes and your purse, oh and you can't forget your accessories," Sakura pulled out a pair of small, white high-heels, a silver clutch bag, some dangly pearl earrings, and a silver bracelet. A honk outside startled the three girls, making all three of them jump. Butterflies began to flit around Megumi's stomach and the familiar nervousness that she felt when she was around Yahiro surfaced.

"It's him!"

"Oh, goodness, he's punctual as always…Stupid Saiga. Okay, Megumi, you can do this. Make him fall head over heels!"

"Good luck, Megumi," Finn offered an encouraging smile and Megumi attempted to smile back, though it might have looked more like a grimace. She quickly slipped on her shoes and rushed out the door, too late remembering her whiteboard. She cursed softly but knew going back for it now would only irritate Yahiro further. Descending the steps, she caught sight of his shocking salmon hair and her heart picked up speed.

At the sound of her heels, he had turned with an irritated frown on his face. But that had vanished and an awestruck expression took over it instead. Megumi cleared the final step and made her way over to him, self consciously brushing her hair back. The Saiga heir hadn't taken his eyes off her and she felt hot under his gaze.

She waved her hand in front of his face and he snapped out of it, the irritated frown returning, "Took you long enough. You're ready right?"

She nodded and was surprised when he stepped back and opened the door for her, something he hadn't ever done before. He raised an impatient eyebrow, obviously waiting for her to get in. She stepped in and sat, being careful with her skirt yet the skirt still managed to somehow snag around her legs and ride up. She could see Yahiro's eyes flicker to her exposed legs and flushed self-consciously. A small blush also appeared on his face and he gave a small cough. Closing her door, he went around and by the time he got in, the blush was nowhere to be seen.

The drive there was strangely quiet.

Yahiro kept his eyes glued to the road ahead and she knew that if she spoke, it could anger the Saiga heir. That was the last thing she wanted to do so she kept her mouth shut and her gaze down. He didn't talk either, his knuckles white from how hard he was gripping the steering wheel.

They arrived right on time and, as always, Yahiro excused himself to mingle with the other guests, leaving her by herself. Usually, she'd stand alone, staring out at all the richly dressed people until Yahiro returned. He would then lead her to the dance floor and they would dance until the ball was over, with him teasing her constantly.

This time, however, people actually came up to talk to her, most of them male. She had never taken the time to consider how her appearance might affect the whole male population, not just Yahiro. It was obvious that Sakura had done her job well, if the compliments were anything to go by. She made a conscious effort to be polite at the same time she strove to keep to her no talking rule. Being surrounded by strange people was making her feel uncomfortable and she wondered where Yahiro had gone, her eyes nervously flickering over the ballroom in search of him but to no avail. The men around her seemed determined to get her attention even though she'd made it clear she was accompanied.

Suddenly, one of the men surrounding her reached forward, grabbing her hand and tugging her toward the dance floor. She vigorously shook her head no, attempting to escape his grasp but he was strong. Her hand was suddenly yanked out of the other male's grasp with surprising force, Yahiro's eyes hard with loathing. She hadn't even seen him approach…He'd been so quiet. Megumi could almost feel the murderous waves emanating from the Saiga heir, his expression thunderous and his smirk almost feral. The boy looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there.

"She's MY date, understand?"

The boy nodded, whimpering like a frightened puppy and clutching his hand to his chest. Megumi didn't even have time to wonder if he was alright before the Saiga heir nearly dragged her to the dance floor, smoothly leading her into a waltz. A stifling silence fell between them, in which Megumi didn't dare look up. After a few minutes of it, she chanced a look up at him, finding him glaring at any male glancing their way. Her heart sped up as she wondered if he was jealous.

"Yahiro," she called out to him softly, catching his attention, "Are you all right?"

"Idiot…Don't talk," he grumbled roughly, not meeting her gaze. She puffed out her cheeks angrily, turning her head away from him. Why did he always have to be so mean? She wasn't an idiot and didn't like being called one. It was like he enjoyed insulting her, which considering it was Yahiro…he probably did. Hearing his chuckle of amusement, she snapped her head back, pouting.

She was on the verge of asking him what was so funny but something in his gaze stopped her. He blinked a few times; his violet eyes seemed a bit unfocused, as if he was lost and wasn't quite sure where he was. Her eyes widened as he leaned in, coming closer and closer. His eyes were half-lidded and intense, glowing with a different light. Their breaths mingled in between them and he was so close now that his nose brushed hers. She couldn't believe this was actually happening. Could Yahiro really be…about to kiss her?

And then he wasn't there anymore. He stood a few paces away, his breathing shallow and labored, a horrified expression on his face. She stood there, not knowing what to do. But as the minutes dragged on, the implications of what had occurred were starting to make sense and the hurt had begun to settle in. He ran a hand through his hair, looking ill at ease. His mouth opened and closed but no words came out. Megumi felt the familiar prickling of tears in her eyes as she realized that her plan had come to an end. This was the answer she'd been looking for…not the one she'd wanted but the one she'd been dreading she'd receive.

"I understand," she whispered, trying to speak past the lump in her throat, "I won't bother you anymore."

She took one last look at him, her eyes taking in his features and ingraining it into her memory. Even if she couldn't be beside him, she wanted to make sure she remembered everything about him. He was her first love after all. But when the tears began leaking out of her eyes, she quickly turned and rushed out. She sobbed as she ran, trying to brush away the tears from her eyes. Her heart felt as if it were torn in countless pieces, the shards scattered in the wind.

It was only a few minutes before she realized that her sobs and hiccups weren't the only sounds in the still night. Thundering footsteps were sounding from behind her but she ignored it…until she heard the angry swear word escaping from the person behind her. There was no doubt as to who the owner of the voice was. She took sharp turn after sharp turn in an effort to lose Yahiro. She had no idea why he was coming after her but she didn't want to stay and have her heart broken again. But it seemed that it was no use. Yahiro was slowly catching up, if the swearing was anything to go by.

"YOU STUPID BAKA! STOP ALREADY!"

He had finally caught up to her, his hands gripping her waist tightly and bringing her to a screeching halt. She struggled in his arms but his hands just continued tightening around her. She was blushing, she was sure of it and that angered her. Why did he have to come after her? Why did he have to affect her so strongly?

"Stop moving around, you idiot!"

She clenched her small fists, "Let me go, Yahiro! Or else…or else…I'll scream!"

He suddenly flipped her around so she was facing him, keeping his arms tightly around her. She glared at him but it was hard when she was trying to keep in her tears. The glare, however, seemed to have no effect as he still kept her tightly in his grasp.

"Stupid! Stop talking!"

"But," she began but didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. Yahiro had flicked her forehead with one long finger. Megumi puffed out her cheeks, irritated. She stuck her tongue out at him, her cheeks still wet with tears. A strange look passed in his eyes that confused her.

"You really are hopeless," he sighed before he caught her by surprise completely. He reached out and wiped her tears away with gentle fingers, a soft and tender expression in his violet eyes. She felt a flash of hope lighting up her heart though her confusion was doubled by his actions.

"Yahiro…?"

"You are so annoying…Didn't I already tell you to shut up?"

With that sudden remark, she couldn't help exploding, "How can I when you're just so confusing? I don't understand you, Yahiro! You give me hope at times, only to crush it and push me away! I'm tired of all this, Yahiro! Tired of being your play toy! Of being the backup plan!"

He had bent his head as she'd been talking, his hair covering his eyes from her view. She had no idea how he was reacting to her words and at that certain moment, she didn't care. It felt so good to get all those pent up emotions off her chest, telling him exactly how she had felt these past few years.

He was silent for a minute before he whispered softly, "So…you're tired of loving me? Is that it? You're giving up?"

"Yes! I'm tired of all of it, Yahiro! I've…I've tried so hard…But it's hopeless. You'll never feel the same. You'll never love me, Yahiro. Akira will always be there, in your heart. There's just no space for me. Even though my heart will always belong to you…I can't let it be broken anymore," she ducked her head down, not wanting to let Yahiro see how much it was hurting her to say those words. He was silent, his arms still wrapped tightly around her and that unsettled her.

"Y-Yahiro…Let me go," Megumi finally decided to break the awkward silence, feeling way too hot in the Saiga's embrace. She felt a bit better now that everything was out in the open but her feelings of love for him remained intact. He was her first love, the first that had awakened these deep feelings within her. And she was quite sure that these feelings she had for him wouldn't just fade away over time. Still, she didn't want her heart to be hurt again.

"No, I won't," his voice was firm, "I don't want to let Megumi-chan go."

Megumi couldn't help the gasp that escaped her mouth or the erratic beating of her fragile heart. She felt Yahiro's cold fingers touch her chin, tilting it up until she was looking up at him. Megumi's breath left her as she came face to face with him.

His usually cold violet eyes were flaring with determination, "You shouldn't assume you know what's in my heart, ME-GU-MI-CHAN."

"You baka," Megumi hissed, struggling even more furiously to escape the male's grasp which only forced him to tighten his hold on her until their bodies were flush against one another. The more she became pressed against him, the more the Yamamoto twin struggled until she was gasping for breath.

"Are you quite done?"

Megumi huffed irritably, turning her face away in order to avoid his smug smirk. She could feel the rumble from Yahiro's chuckle echoing through her body. Without warning, he bent down and buried his face into her neck. She shifted slightly, a tiny surprised squeak escaping her as he snuggled into her neck and his breath washed over the sensitive skin. She wasn't sure what had gotten into him…What could he possibly be doing?

She took a shaky breath, trying to compose herself, "Yahiro…?"

"You idiot…How many times do I have to tell you to shut up?"

She had been about to answer when his warm lips crashed onto hers, demanding and a bit desperate. Megumi gasped in surprise, taken aback. What he did next further shocked her. Using her gasp to his advantage, his tongue slipped into her mouth. Megumi flushed, never having been kissed before and not in this way. But her eyes were slowly fluttering closed and she began responding to his heated kiss. She was timid at first, exploring slowly but Yahiro was a very able teacher and she was soon caught up in the moment, following his movements. Her whole body felt hot, Yahiro's hands on her waist burning her skin. He'd brought her in closer till there was no space between them, both pressed tightly together. His lips still moved against hers and she had unconsciously reached up to tangle her hand in his soft salmon hair.

She couldn't hold back the small breathless moan that escaped her lips and he growled possessively in response. She wondered what he was doing as he bent his head down but she soon got her answer as his lips came into contact with her neck. She squeaked when he hit her soft spot and she could feel him smirking against her skin. She whispered out his name and she felt him tense.

She took a small breath, "Ya…Y-Yahiro…I don't, I don't understand…"

"Man, you really are an idiot…But you're my idiot now, my little songbird," he chuckled, claiming her lips with his once more in a searing kiss that left both breathless.

Megumi had to take a few breaths before she could speak, "W-What?"

"Are you going to actually make your beloved say it? Fine," he sighed in fake exasperation, a real smile tilting the corners of his mouth, "You've won, Megumi…You've successfully gotten me to fall for you."

For the second time that night, Megumi cried. She felt so happy she thought her heart would burst. With a happy sob, she brought his face down for a salty kiss, her hands tangling themselves once more in his soft hair. Yahiro was still tightly holding her to him but he was using one of his hands to undo the clip that held her hair back in a bun. She could feel it when her hair was freed, her hair tumbling freely around her shoulders.

When they broke apart, Megumi smiled joyfully, her heart nearly bursting in her chest, "Yahiro, I really love you!"

Yahiro's face reddened and Megumi felt proud to know that she'd made him flush like that. She knew this couldn't be a dream because she wouldn't have been able to dream up a scenario such as this. He reached toward her and cradled her face in his hands, his fingers gently stroking her cheek. Her eyes closed instinctively and she leaned into his warm touch, a content hum escaping her throat. A sudden chill wind picked up and goosebumps instantly rose on her arms. She bit her lip to keep from shivering, wishing she'd brought a jacket. Yahiro stepped away from her and she was surprised when he shrugged off his jacket, gently setting it on her shoulders. She blushed a deep red but was overly pleased by the display, smiling gratefully. The jacket still retained a bit of his heat and she burrowed into the warm fabric. Shyly, she reached for his hand and threaded their fingers together.

"Come on, let's go to a café and get something to eat," she whispered, still conscious of the fact that she was talking and not wanting to upset this new atmosphere between them.

"I guess it can't be helped…You are a little piggy…And you're still talking. But I'll forgive you…as long as I'm the only person who gets to kiss Megumi-chan," Yahiro chuckled as she gave him a glare that wasn't the least bit intimidating. She was just too happy to stop smiling in order to properly glare at him. They began walking down the street, their hands still intertwined. Yahiro's hands were warm and hers soon had begun thawing out.

"Hey, Megumi-chan?"

She looked up at him, cocking her head to one side. He smirked and bent down suddenly, stealing a quick kiss from her lips and not even giving her a chance to respond. She whimpered softly in protest as he moved away, wishing he'd have kissed her just a bit longer.

An amused smile surfaced on his face and his next words made her heart skip a few beats and her breath escape her in a whoosh.

"I had fun…"