I'm now waiting another story about Aki x Minako...(many inspirations...but lack of time...*Sigh*)

So...update for this one may be slower...hopefully not too slow...

Enjoy...and Review please...please...please...

***Author's Note: Shin is very cunning indeed...but he really needs this kinda personality in order to deal with someone (will be revealing in the next chapter...plz bare with me for a little longer...)


***Boxing Club's Booth***

It had been almost an hour since the couple helped out at the boxing club's booth. Akihiko had been looking at his watch every now and then, standing next to the gaming unit uncomfortably. The screams and hauls by his admirers dizzied him, he just stood silently looking somewhat frustrated.

"Sanada-senpai…can you teach me please?"

"Sanada-senpai…will you help me with the glove please?"

Minako, on the other hand, sat behind the counter listening to her MP3, looking at the annoyed Akihiko. She could feel the unfriendliness of the girls, stared at her regularly questioning her presence at the booth. It was not the girls that made her somewhat uneasy, but her boyfriend. Akihiko had been keeping his eyes peeled on her, whenever some guys came to ask for advices and instructions of the game, he clenched his hands with a wrathful spark in his eyes.

"Minako-sama, what a coincidence! Cultural Festival eez so much fun!" A voice with foreign slang spoke out, a hand reached out holding her hand.

Minako looked up and found Bebe standing in front of her, smiling. "Oh…Bebe…?" Minako felt slightly bad about leaving him to handle the booth alone.

"I 'ave been looking for you, I went to your classroom around noon. I wanted to see you in Maid Costume so badly, but you were already gone." Bebe sounded sad.

"I was only assigned for morning shift. Oh, have you eaten yet? You want me to go to our booth now, meanwhile you can have your lunch or something?" Minako was guilty.

"No, no, no. Our booth eez closed already, all 'and-made stuffs are gone. Zere were all sold out zis morning." Bebe said proudly, having a big smile on his face.

"All gone? Reaaally? I am sorry that you have to look after the booth all by yourself, it must be busy this morning." Minako was overwhelmed to learn that their hand-made stuffs was popular, but feeling bad about not being able to help him.

"Don't worry. It was not so bad. You 'ave made most of them yourself too, since I 'ave been busy working on ze kimono. You 'ave helped a lot." Bebe held onto Minako's hand tightly with appreciation.

"Minako-same, you forgot zis. 'ere you gooooo! You forgot to take it home ze other day. I wrapped it for you, if you don't mind." Bebe passed her a box, it was nicely wrapped with ribbon.

"Oh…I totally forgot after I finished up the things for the Festival. You could just leave it at the club." Minako thanked Bebe with a slight bow, while taking a peek at Akihiko. Akihiko was already walking towards her, his eyes were filled with jealousy.

"Eez zat ze Sanada-sama?" Bebe's eyes sparkled, looking at the boxing champ besides Minako.

"Do you guys know each other?" Minako was surprised that Bebe seemed to know Akihiko.

"NO. He eez ze captain of the boxing club, right? I always saw you guys together near ze club, and I asked my classmates. He eez very famous…but boxing would hurt my fingers." Bebe answered while caressing his hands sadly.

"I 'ave to go, Minako-sama. I 'ave arrangements with my classmates, they promised to show me around. Aishitemasu…" Bebe bowed his goodbye at the couple.

"…He…He seemed to be very close with you…What is it that he gave you?" Akihiko asked while staring at the gift box in Minako's hand.

"His name is Bebe, he's from France. He's from the Home Economics Club, he's so talented. This…? Something I made last time, I forgot to bring it back to the dorm. I spent some much time working on this." Minako talked about Bebe excitedly, examining the nicely wrapped box.

"I see, but a guy in Home Economics Club? It seems a bit weird to me." Akihiko questioned.

"He's so into fashion, he's really an interesting guy and taught me so many things too. Actually he suggested and taught me to make this…" Minako protested at Akihiko's comment, pouting while shaking the box in her hand.

"Ok…Ok…so what is it that you made?" Akihiko scratched his head.

"Just something…hehe..." Minako smirked, hiding the gift box behind her. It was a bad timing that Bebe brought it here, as she was planning to give it to Akihiko on Christmas. The curious look of Akihiko somehow made her feeling uneasy, it might as well be good that she gave it to him now. However, she would have to figure something out for his Christmas present again.

"Here…it's for you anyways…" Minako handed the box to him, smiling.

Akihiko sat down next to Minako, carefully opened the gift. "It's…a scarf…I-It's so…soft…thanks…for spending the time in making this…I love it…" Akihiko suddenly embraced her, kissed gently on her head.

"A-Aki-hi-ko…there…are…p-people…people…are…looking…" Minako's cheeks were completely red, blushing embarrassingly.

"U-ugh…s-sorry…" He apologised shyly, his face flushed while putting on his new scarf. "T-The colour…it's a colour of you…your hair. I really like it…thanks…"

"I-I am glad that you like it…" Minako blushed a little, touching the long scarf now resided on Akihiko's neck. The colour matched well with his red vest and his black pants, it's a tone in between. It wasn't something girlie, but a finely knitted scarf especially for Akihiko, and him alone.

"Well…then…it's a gift for winning Bunny-san for me…" Minako cuddled her bunny doll, grinning.

Arf! Arf! Arf!

BANG!

There was something white and fluffy standing on the counter, and it started licking her face before she could react. "A-Awwww..." She could see a pair of red eyes looking close to her, jumped on her. "O-Oh…Koro-chan…"

Koromaru was quite big in size, his weight was indeed heavier than Minako. Koromaru's force made her unbalanced, falling towards the side of Akihiko.

BOOOOOM!

"A-Ahhhh…" The couple couldn't react to the sudden fall, they were mingled together as Minako fell on top of Akihiko. Koromaru, on the other hand, laid on Minako licking her face still. "Koro-chan…it tackled…Haha…"

"KOROMARU…GET OFF US…" Akihiko shouted his order, while Koromaru quickly retreated to the side sitting still.

The couple slowly stood up, dusting their clothes. "Koromaru, you don't just run off and jump at anyone in the crowd. It's dangerous! Why are here alone? Don't tell me you left the dorm on your own…" Akihiko lectured Koromaru.

"Akihiko-san and Minako-san, I am sorry, I didn't manage to watch him and keep him on lead. He suddenly ran off few booths ahead, I'm terribly sorry." A voice came from behind, the couple found Aigis standing in front of the counter as they turned around. Aigis bowed her apology.

"Aigis, so you brought Koro-chan here…? No wonder I didn't see you after lunch…you went back to the dorm huh…?" Minako smiled at Aigis, while patting Koromaru on his head.

"Minako…you shouldn't pat him for his misbehaviour..." Akihiko commented on Minako's action.

"Woof…" Koromaru looked sad, hiding behind Minako, peeping through Minako's spread legs.

"Don't be so harsh on him…Akihiko…" Minako kneeled down to give Koromaru a hug, pouting at Akihiko.

"Akihiko-san, Minako-san…Would it be fine if I leave him with you? I still need to find Ken-san, he ran off the moment we reached the front gate." Aigis explained the situation, looking somewhat culpable for their separation.

"Sure…He may be with one of us, why don't you check out on everyone first? He may end up with Junpei or Mitsuru-senpai, who knows?" Minako advised Aigis to check with the S.E.E.S. members instead.

"Yes…indeed. I think I would go after Fuuka-san first, she may be able to locate Ken-san with her special skill. Thank you." Aigis bowed at the couple, before running into the crowd.

"The dog is pretty close to you two…huh?" Shin was looking at Koromaru curiously.

"Of course, Koro-chan is our friend…he's my heater as well…he makes my winter nights so much easier…" Minako answered, still hugging Koromaru.

"Y-You…s-sleep…with him…? W-When…s-since when…y-you…you let him in…?" Akihiko seemed stunned to learn the shocking truth. "KOROMARU, how dare you…?"

"It was like freezing the other night, I could see him sniffing when I went down to get a drink. Since Mitsuru-senpai didn't say anything, I guess it's ok for him to be in my room. We couldn't just leave him in the cold, could we?" Minako clarified.

"He's a boy…B-Boys…a-are not…allow to stay on the girls' floor…after mid-night. Rules are rules. He can sleep…with me…" Akihiko commented in terms of rules, he was, in fact, jealous.

"You guys even have a dog at the dorm…? It's not exactly a dorm, is it? Why don't you three stay together? Wouldn't it be easier, since no one is going to check on you?" Shin was confused, as he would have never thought pets may be permitted in any school dorms.

"NO…THERE ARE…RULES ARE RULES!" The couple shouted at Shin.

Akihiko couldn't deny the fact that he was envy of Koromaru, he had not been invitied to Minako's room, not yet. "Come here…Koromaru…"

He then kneeled down, whispered in Koromaru's ear. Making a deal with Koromaru – that Koromaru would behave himself, when sleeping inside his girlfriend's room. Akihiko, at that point, actually regretted on saving Koromaru at the shrine.

"Arf! Arf!" Koromaru barked out, and gave Akihiko a hand shake as if he agreed on such promise.

"Captain…You must be kidding me, you are actually talking to a dog? You think he'll understand?" Shin knitted his brow, unable to understand what the captain was doing.

"He is intelligent enough to understand…" Akihiko answered seriously.

"Well…it seems my works done. Just call me if you need anything." Akihiko patted on Shin's shoulder.

"What…? The business is just getting better…and you are leaving?" Shin protested. "Alright! Alright!" He then gave in as he noticed an unsatisfied face of the captain.

"Can we stop at Fuuka's booth first? I wonder if she is ok working alone, we may be able to help Aigis out as well." Minako asked, while putting Koromaru on lead.

"Sure, let's go then…" Akihiko grinned at her, knowing the fact that Minako skipped most of her obligations as a member of various school clubs because of him. She should have been quite busy with her clubs' booths, running around between clubs. Instead of dividing her attentions into different tasks, she chose to spend most of time with him. He was indeed thankful that fate brought Minako into his life, and was grateful that Minako chose to stay by his side.

"Let me take him, I don't want you to be dragged away." Akihiko reached his hand out for Koromaru's lead.

The club's members bowed their appreciation at the captain, "Thank you very much for your hard work, captain."

"Does the cooking club's booth have anything to eat? I am kind of looking for a snack, something to bite. Mind if I tag along?" Shin asked before the couple turned to leave the booth.

"Yes…there are cakes, sweets and some light snacks…Let's go then…" Minako turned to answer Shin, smiling.

The couple, Shin together with Koromaru left the club's booth. It was not long before the couple was again in the spotlight.

"He is so adorable…His red eyes are so beautiful…"

"Sanada-senpai, is it your dog?"

"His fur looks so fluffy and soft…can I pet him, Sanada-senpai?"

With Koromaru's presence, the couple had drawn even more attention towards them. Koromaru, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the admiration of the crowd. He tilted his head up slightly, marching gracefully.

"Minako-chan, getting used to the attention yet? It happens every time when I am with the captain too…" Shin sighed out his displeasure towards the noisy crowd, looking somewhat annoyed.

The cold gazes of the crowd made her uncomfortable, she loathed the feeling of being skin alive inside out. To be specific, the fans girls just hated to see her presence with Akihiko, and detested every part of her, including her ruby red eyes. Although their reactions seemed irrational to her, Minako really admired their courage towards Akihiko.

"Koromaru…slow down…" Koromaru suddenly made a dash, pulling hard on his lead. Before Akihiko was dragged away, he quickly took Minako's hand.

"Wait up…You guys…" Shin called out chasing behind, as the couple was hauled by Koromaru's unstoppable force.