You know, I've never lived with strangers before. Just been my dad, my brother, and I for years. My mom, Nadeshiko, died when I was younger. Dad doesn't really talk about her but from what I can tell from the few pictures he's awkwardly shown me, she was younger than he was but she was the most beautiful lady I had ever seen. Sometimes, I wish I took after her rather than my dad. Not that he isn't a handsome man or anything, it's just that I would much rather prefer to be as beautiful as the woman who made me.

We've never really invited relatives over to visit either. My mother's side of family absolutely detests my father and has somehow come to the conclusion that he is the reason she died. That's fine, we don't particularly have a need to see them either. Our days were mostly lived in a content peacefulness that we never dared to interrupt. There was no real reason too.

That is, until that one day Touya brought home a new friend. He always brought home friends. His best friend, Yukito, who has been the desire of my affections since I was twelve, would spend the night and have dinner with us and play video games with me. But this one, this new friend, I'd never seen him before.

" 'Kura, get the first aid, a bucket of water, and a cloth. Hurry up!"

I hopped from my seat on the sofa, abandoning the new suspenseful drama on the television, my eyes widening at the scene they laid upon. Touya was dripping, soaked enough that even his suit jacket clung to his chest. Blood.

I couldn't react fast enough, my brain couldn't process what the hell was happening. "Wha—Touya. What's going on? Who is that?" I fired question after question at him but he would not answer. He swore loudly. My eyes slowly shifted from Touya to the man he was holding up by the arm. His face was covered by his slightly unruly chestnut locks but I could tell he was in pain by the way he was shaking. I didn't have much time to process what was happening, jumping slightly from my examination when I heard a, "Fuck, he's still bleeding profusely. Where the hell is that towel?"

I hurriedly did as I was told, tripping over everything I could as if I couldn't move fast enough. It was a little much to have to suddenly take in. There was a boy in the living room bleeding all over the place, that much I was certain.

I came back, the towel and first aid in one hand and a bucket of water in the other. I had to dig deep in the hallway closet for that stupid bucket. Touya laid the boy out over the couch, his blood soaking deeply into the couch. We would have to probably buy a new one when this was over. I got on my knees, kneeling near the edge. His eyes were closed but his breathing was so erratic that you knew he was not asleep nor passed out. "What happened to you." I mumbled as I dipped the towel in the water. His eyes opened to reveal a beautiful shade of amber, hidden beneath thick eyelashes and dried blood. He didn't say anything and that was okay. I figure bleeding to death would make up for the lack of conversation. I swallowed nervously as I dabbed at his face. He had so many cuts on his face that I expected him to flinch at the slightest touch or even grunt.

He didn't. He was silent and he made no move to stop me. He didn't even show he was in pain in any way from my actions. If he wasn't breathing, I would think he was a lifeless doll. I moved the towel from his face and submerged it back into the bucket. The water turned a deluded tomato red. After a moment, I finally spoke up, "Are you okay?" Oddly enough, his face moved. His eyebrows furrowed as if he had never heard such a ridiculous question in his life. I coughed, my cheeks reddening a considerable amount. That was kind of a stupid question.

"I mean, I know you're not alright. I can see that. There's blood everywhere and—and Touya was swearing pretty loudly earlier. So you see, I know that you're probably not alright but I wasn't exactly sure what to say in this situation—"

"Monster, what are you doing?"

I jumped at Touya's voice and immediately stood to my feet. "I was … just making conversation." I licked my lips as I tried not to show how embarrassed I was. Touya's eyebrow rose slightly. "Leave him alone, let him rest. He doesn't need you babbling on about unimportant things."

My nose twitched. "Unimportant things? I didn't even get a chance to—"

"Get me a new bucket of water. Now, Sakura." He kneeled and started to unbutton the boys shirt. "Also, get me one of dad's old shirts."

After I gave Touya everything he asked for in hopes that he would let me directly help the boy, he banished me to my room. "I-I want to help too—" I tried to comment but he swooped me in his arms before I could say another word and next thing I know, I'm in my room with the door locked hearing Touya say from the other side, "Move from that room without permission, I'll publish your diary at school."

That emitted a small 'eep' from me. He reads my diary? Note to self, move diary from its supposed hiding place. I puffed my cheeks in annoyance and fell on my bed in agonizing curiosity. I hated sitting alone. It made me think too much and I hated that feeling.

I had no choice though. Touya never, ever went back on his word and I wasn't about to risk my personal thoughts being slandered across campus. I just couldn't.

"What if I have to use the bathroom?" I yelled, my voice echoed off the walls. I received no answer. I sighed loudly, grabbing my pillow and pushing it against my face as if that would block out my desire to move or do something.

I stared. I stared and stared. I could see him squirm under my gaze but I couldn't help it. He was so .. beautiful. I mean, if a man could be beautiful. It wasn't that he wasn't handsome. He was more than that. I couldn't think of a word so I'm choosing beautiful. The man who was once covered in blood last night was sitting across from me. He showered and groomed and looked completely different from that boy on the couch.

His chestnut hair was shaggy and brushed against his neck, his bangs fanned over his eyes so I could only see glimpses of those beautiful orbs that I could only have gotten a taste of last night. Such a pretty color, I've never seen that hue on a person before. That was enough for him to catch my interest but he had other features that drew me in … like his skin. He was pale, pure white—not like paper but more refined like porcelain.

My eyes lowered, against my better judgment, to his chest. It was obvious the boy worked out from the way his muscles filled out my father's shirt. I don't think he fit the shirt. We would have to go shopping later.

It was amazing how lightly treated he was. With all the blood I saw, I would have thought he would be wrapped up in cloth until you couldn't see his skin. Just the opposite, actually. His entire right arm was bandaged firmly with gauze and there was a cotton patch taped just above his left eyebrow. That's it. He ate his pancakes in silence, not bothering to look up I guess. If my heart wasn't already occupied from when Yukito would come around and notice his feelings for me, I could love this man.

"Oops." Before I could even process why Touya mumbled that, he stepped on my toe. A daily routine for him. What's my routine? Get angry.

"OW! What was that fo—"

"Please, wipe the drool from your mouth. I don't want to get spat on."

My first reaction was my fingers heading for the corners of my mouth. Was I really drooling or was he just messing with me for staring too hard? Touya rolled his eyes and walked through the kitchen to the coffee maker. "Oi, kid. Want some coffee?" He yelled, glancing over his shoulder. The boy nodded quickly, his mouth apparently full with the pancakes father made.

As for me, I sat down rubbing at my toe. I let my eyes slide across the table at him again. He was very .. stoic. I don't know, he just seemed really to himself. He was really tearing into those pancakes, too. I'll admit, my father was a culinary genius and everything but were they really that good? My head tilted slightly. Touya noticed this and whispered, "That's his fourth plate." I glanced at my abandoned pancakes; I had yet to even finish my first plate.

Was he homeless?

Now, I don't go blabbing the first thing that comes to mind but when I'm really interested, I can't help it. It's like I'm a dam and it just breaks, letting the water run loose and wild and free. I couldn't help but break the scraping fork filled silence. "What's your name?" I asked, plopping my elbows on the table. He lifted his head to meet my eyes, pausing his attack on his plate.

I pursed my lips, it was all I could do not to hitch a breath. I waited. No answer, he just stared. Okay, maybe he didn't speak Japanese? He did have that Chinese slant that we don't. Or was he Korean?

"Um.. your name?" I tried again after a few moments of silence. He continued to stare as if I hadn't spoken. Maybe he was nervous. I smiled at him. "Well, my name is Sakura!"

He nodded slowly, acknowledging that he heard me. So he's mute? I gave up for the moment, rubbing my chin in thought. "Do you talk?" I blurted. His face scrunched up. Okay, maybe that was rude. Before I could mumble an apology though, Touya sat a cup of coffee on the table and nudged it toward the boy.

He graciously took the cup, his staring at me having come to an end. Good. He was watching me so intently it was as if he were staring right through me. Touya sat beside me, sighing deeply.

"What do we do now?" I asked. I knew that was what he was thinking. It was written all over his face. Touya ran a hand through his hair. "No idea." Then, as if snapping out of his reverie, he nudged me so hard that I almost slid out of my seat.

"What the hell are you doi—"

"Shouldn't you be heading to school? Get going. Tomoyo is probably waiting for you." He stood up, fixing his tie. It was then that I noticed he had a suit on. "Work?" I laughed lowly. If you asked Touya what he did for a living, it would be hard to pinpoint. Basically, he did whatever he wanted. Whatever job was available, Touya was there to do it. He didn't even discriminate. He did it all. Sort of like a handy man. It helped that he was ridiculously reliable and got a lot of references. If he ever decided to settle down on a career, he would most likely get the job hands down.

He nodded. "So hurry up and get going."

"What about him?" My eyes flickered to the boy who was getting up and placing his plate in the sink.

"I'll be here until father gets back from his business trip," Touya rubbed his chin. "Father'll know what to do. Until then, I'll try to get information out of him."

Information? I frowned. "I don't think interrogating him will do you any good. I asked nicely and he won't even tell me his name."

"Maybe he thinks you're annoying, you know, like me."

"Shut up!"

I got up and tried to stomp on his foot but missed and ended up almost tripping. He smiled in triumph. I shook a fist at him. "One of these days, I'm going to get you." I puffed my cheeks and grabbed my backpack off of the counter. I glanced back at the chestnut haired boy who made it his own silent law to keep shut up tighter than a maximum security vault.

He looked at me abruptly, making me jump. I gave him a smile and a wave. "Good luck." I mouthed to him. He would surely need it. Especially with Touya on his tail.