I am really really sorry for taking so long to update. I hope this extra-long chapter will make it up to you wonderful people. Thank you so much for your patience.

Mel nuzzled a bit into the crook of the captain's neck. His arms tightened around her waist the slightest bit. They were muscular, but still a bit on the lean side. Yet they held such astounding hidden power. Despite the fear he occasionally instilled in her, those arms made her feel safe. Something she hadn't had since the day she lost her father.

"Um…Yeah I think I should go look for gramps." Nori interrupted the little scene. He was happy that his little sister was receiving comfort from her crush. But he was also felt a bit awkward standing witness to such an intimate embrace. He was surprised when she pushed away from the captain. Eyes filled with panic, she latched onto him instead.

"No! Don't leave me Nii-san. Please." She whimpered softly. Tears still stubbornly clung to the corner of her fear laced eyes as she begged him to stay. He gave her a reassuring smile and rubbed her back soothingly. After a few moments, he carefully pried the surprisingly strong arms off his neck.

"It's ok sweetie. I'm just going to be gone for a minute. It's a little strange he hasn't once come to check up on you. Even when you went into another screaming fit. I want to make sure he's ok. Besides, you still have the captain here for you."

"But I don't want him. I want you." She pleaded. Mori tried to ignore the words. And the slight sting they caused. He instead chose to distract himself. As he held her, Mori noticed how deep some of her wounds were. It would not be good to let them get infected. While the two talked, he preoccupied himself with getting ready to treat the injuries. Slipping off the bed, he moved quietly to the other side of the room. Rummaging through her bag, he picked out a hefty green box. Her large med kit. As regionals approached the practices were more grueling. As a precaution she dropped her small med kit in favor of the monstrosity Mori now held in his hands. He went back to the bed and placed the kit on the jumbled sheets and covers. Waiting for them to wrap up their little conversation.

"It's ok. Be a brave girl for Nii-san. I'll be back in a minute. Ok?" Nori looked into the girl's frightened eyes as she bit her lip in trepidation. Making it very apparent any move away would be viewed as abandonment. Her still terrified mind couldn't perceive it as anything else. "Come on sweetie, give Nii-san one of your beautiful smiles. Come on. I promise to rush right back if I can get that amazing smile that is going to decimate the male populace." He beamed at her as he gently stroked her cheek. With a bit of difficulty, she managed to give him a weak smile. But it was the best that could be mustered under the circumstances. He gave a quick peck on her forehead and headed out the door. Eager to figure out what was going on and return to his scared little sister. Mel watched him leave and only when the footsteps faded did she move back to the bed.

Mori gave her a quick scan. Trying to determine how much of an obstruction her clothes would be to the cleaning. When Kazuki left, Nori took the liberty of slipping her into the usual sleeping attire. Gone were the shorts and jacket. Replaced by a rather oversized men's button down. The cloth strained from the feminine curves, but still did a decent job of keeping things covered. Unfortunately that was the problem. The long sleeves kept rolling down, the white cloth becoming stained as it absorbed some of the blood still trickling. The collar was also pressing a bit against her throat. Hiding some of the scratches and probably putting unnecessary strain on the torn flesh. It was simply too much of an obstruction. If he wanted to properly treat her, it must be removed. His hands moved to the top of the shirt. With nimble fingers he began to undo each button. He worked so fast the first two were off before she even realized what was happening. As he was prying open the third she squeaked in panic. Batting the hands away frantically and taking a quick step back. He sighed in irritation and moved towards her. She took another protective step back. Trying to preserve the space between them.

"Please Sempai I don't want sex right now. Please." Fresh tears fell down her cheeks as she pleaded. Mori bit back a laugh and rolled his eyes. Gesturing towards the med kit now on the bed. Realization dawned in the turquoise orbs. "Oh. You just wanted to bandage my scrapes." She smiled in relief. A bit of giddiness filled her heart. He had just witnessed a very messed up scene and all he wanted was to fix her up. "Wait you went through my bag?" He ignored the question and made a move to resume his work. "I'll do it."

With a small blush on her face, she faced away from her crush. Shaking hands opened each button and she quickly slipped out of the sleeves. Just as the material glided down her body, she stopped the progress. Pulling the flaps over her chest, she finally turned back to face him. Moved closer to the would be healer. Opening the kit, he pulled out all he would need. Snatching up a cotton swab, he sprinkled it with generous amounts of rubbing alcohol. Mel cringed her nose at the overpowering smell of the foul liquid. She was both impressed and a bit scared at how it didn't seem to faze him. A foot away and her nose burned with the scent. Yet he was holding the thing practically to his face. Her thoughts were distracted as her arm began to sting. Reflexively she pulled away as a pained hiss escaped her lips.

"Sorry. It really stung." She mumbled apologetically, staring at the floor. Feeling so embarrassed. He must think her so pathetic. Cringing away at a little rubbing alcohol. But the captain had no such thoughts. With more caution, he brought the swab back to her arm. To the particularly nasty gash near her elbow. The cotton removed the blood from around the wound first. Giving her skin a chance to adjust to the cold liquid. As carefully as he could manage, it was finally swiped slowly into the scratch. The progress was slow, but eventually both arms were cleaned. Each wound flushed out and bandaged. But the shirt was still getting in the way. The cloth was still blocking a complete view of her neck wounds. He grabbed the bottom hem and forcefully tugged the article down. Ignoring her startled yelp and the way she attempted to hide her exposed body. Each hand cupped a rather impressive mound of flesh. She looked away as a pink tint rushed through her body. And he couldn't be sure, but it seemed like she was angling herself slightly away. Hiding her left side from him. His examination was cut short when he really zoned in on her neck. The extent of the damage was shocking. Given a little more time she might have managed to cut her own jugular.

Treating it just like her arms, each cut was carefully cleansed. Every trace of blood wiped from her pale flesh. When he was done, he placed unused things back in the kit and discarded the waste in a trashcan next to the vanity. She watched curiously as he ruffled through the bedding. Finally pulling off a soft blue sheet. Gently, he draped it over her shoulders. A bit disappointed that he could no longer admire her bare curves, but happy that she seemed more comfortable. He moved back to the bed and tried to make himself comfortable. Propping himself up against the headboard and waiting patiently for the other boy's return. He bit back a shock of surprise as she joined him. But she didn't just sit next to him on the bed. She crawled into his lap. Once again she rested her head against him. Her left cheek warming up nicely against his bare shoulder. She still felt freezing and the warmth emanating from his body was such a luxury. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her. Just like he would have done for his brother or cousin.

"You ok?" The words fell from his lips surprisingly easy. He felt her nod against his shoulder. Curiosity burned in his mind and once again it was easy for him to speak. "What happened?"

"That's right, you don't know." She mumbled softly, warm breath dancing across his skin. Nori had helped her deal with the nightmares before. Knew of her past. But the captain. He had taken care of her with such expertise it had slipped her mind how little they knew of each other. They were far from acquaintances or strangers, but they still toed a precarious line of friendship. "It was a really bad nightmare." Remembering some of the ghastly images, another round of whimpers escaped her lips. She buried her face in his warm chest, feeling strangely secure. Even with her uncle or grandfather she never had the feeling to this extent. The only one that had ever been able to make her feel completely protected was her father. It freaked her out a little that this boy she had only known a few months could produce such a similar feeling. Mori rubbed her back soothingly as he had observed the other doing. Something told him she wanted to open up about what had happened in her mind. Needed to get at least part of the torment out of her mind.

"Explain." The word was demanding. Not a request, but an order. Something that was needed if she was to find any peace. He hadn't noticed it until their many afternoons at her grandfather's dojo. She was always very spirited. Very energetic and determined. Yet there were some days that she would just seem out of it. Not just in a lull in energy, but an actual depression. Her movements were more lethargic and she was more withdrawn. Those days her grandfather would be particularly brutal to her. Very domineering. Would watch her carefully through the class and force her to keep practicing after the rest were dismissed. But his harsh treatment seemed more of a reaction to, than a cause of, her dark mood. He could be wrong, but it seemed like there were times she needed someone to order her around. Demand from her things she needed but didn't have the strength. As if she needed an outside drive to push her past whatever was going on. At least until she could step back into the role herself.

"It was a monster I met in real life." The words were muffled against his skin, but Mori managed to make them out. He waited patiently for her to continue, very surprised it had worked. She respected and loved her grandfather, so of course Kazuki could push her. But he was just a random guy. He was her elder, and being the captain may have earned him some respect. But that wasn't important. Whatever the reason, he was just grateful he could help. "I was really little. Three or four at most. Some man tried to abduct me. I don't really remember it. But a few years ago my dad and I were helping Uncle Max clean up one of his apartments. It was the one he stayed in when we visited Japan, before his house was built. At that point it was just being used for storage. I was going through some boxes and saw this manila envelope. I was curious, so I waited until Dad went to get lunch and Uncle Max was distracted in the next room. It was a really old case file. The man that tried to take me had done it for years. He changed territories a lot so the police had trouble finding him. My uncle got nervous because the man's hunting grounds were getting closer to where I lived. He hired some private investigators and a profiler. He even brought in some genius retired detective he made friends with when he was in Britain. The file was composed by the detective. Collaborating with the local police and private investigators. When the guy was caught, it was handed over to my uncle. He tossed it in some box and forgot about it. I didn't know it, but the police classified a good bit of the file from all but the higher ups. It was too gruesome. Unfortunately the file in my hands had been one of only two in existence that had been completely unedited. All these lab reports and profiles. And every picture they took of every freaking crime scene. That bastard was fucking sick. He would torture them for days. Cut them up, rape them repeatedly. Then when he got bored he would slit their throats and stomachs open. Perform some amateur autopsy like he wanted to see what their insides looked like. Then…he would…eat them." Her words were hushed as her mind visualized the reports. The pictures of desecrated bodies. The words that spelled out exactly what he had done to every child that had not been as lucky as her. That hadn't been as protected.

"Eat them?" Mori tilted his head down to see the girl, but she still had her face buried against his chest. She nodded at his question.

"Not all. Just parts. I was drawn in to the file. Horrified but unable to throw it away. I read every report. Saw every picture. My uncle and dad didn't know what I was doing. Just thought I was rummaging through random stuff. Both had forgotten about the file. But they did run into the room when I started screaming." She began shivering violently again. Mori tightened his hold, trying to calm her. "The last page. It was a list of what charges the man would be facing. Multiple counts of murder, rape, and kidnap. Every name of every victim was listed. He was also being charged with 2 attempted kidnappings. I don't remember the other one, but my name was on the list. Up until that line I hadn't known that was the man my uncle was trying to find. I never knew how close I was to something like that." Mori felt the fresh tears fall down her face. The moisture was very cold against his bare skin.

"He didn't get you." He stated flatly, trying to conceal his anger. Some vile bastard had attempted to take Rajjin away. It didn't matter that they hadn't even met at the time. But that man had wanted to get her. To extinguish her life for his own sick pleasure. The captain suppressed his slowly building rage, wanting to destroy the foul creature.

"But my mind seems to think he should have." She mumbled softly, the exhaustion evident in her voice. Mori was a bit surprised by the extreme weariness on her face. Someone her age should never be at that point. But he refrained from saying another word. Right now she didn't need someone talking over her. She just needed an ear to listen and a shoulder to rest on. "I've had the dreams since I found the file. I would be running through a park I used to go to. The place where he tried to snatch me. It was dark. Desolate. I would see the victims everywhere. One moment happy playing children, the next mutilated corpses. But I couldn't focus on that…Because he was chasing me. He would look so normal at first. Then his eyes would glow this blood red color and he'd get fangs. If I didn't run fast enough, or hide well enough, I ended up like all the other kids. It was really bad in the beginning. I would wake up most nights screaming, so my dad just finally started staying with me. I think my brain hates me." She scoffed a little. "It's like my mind loves to test my self-preservation instinct. I could never fight him. He was always too strong. But if I could just keep out of his clutches, eventually this weird shadow thing would show up. It was humanoid, but obviously not human. It was like a silhouette. Shadows forming together into the shape of some dark knight. It would just show up out of the darkness. Kill the monster and then just stand there, watching. Like it was guarding. It looked far freakier than the monster did, but I was never afraid. I knew it wouldn't hurt me."

"Why so bad tonight?" He asked hesitantly. She sighed and burrowed closer to him.

"The stupid news. He was finally executed, and they just had to play the story. I caught a bit of it before I left for school. I know what you're thinking." She sat up a bit and looked at him. "You're thinking if I know he's gone why would I almost kill myself? He can't hurt me anymore so why the hell would he be so much more powerful in my dream. It's because the stupid fucking news made me think of him again. Remember those twisted eyes and evil fucking laugh."

"Remember that much?" Mori was a bit confused. She claimed little memory of her would be abduction. But her reactions were telling a much different story. Mel bit her lip in frustration. Hating the memories her mind kept bringing up. She shook her head a bit.

"Not from when I was little. I really don't remember what happened then. Just building a sand castle, feeling really scared, and then my mother holding me and crying." She sniffled a bit and buried her head in his chest again. The sudden cold let him know she was crying. "I was really stupid. Some guy came to my house last Friday. It was his fucking lawyer or something. He said the execution had been scheduled and the man wanted to make atonement before he left this world. They were inviting the victim's families so he could beg forgiveness. As I was classified as one of the only victims he could actually apologize to, they practically begged me to show up. It would be the act of a Saint to help him leave this world less burdened, they said. My grandpa told them to go to hell. Before he left, I said I would go. My grandpa tried to talk me out of it. But I convinced him how badly I needed to go. It's stupid, but I felt like if I could just see the man face to face. It would turn the monster back into a man. Would end the nightmares. But he turned out even more monstrous than I imagined. Even without the damn fangs."

One week earlier

The girl walked down the hallway, each step slow and unsure. Her mind a tumultuous cloud, equal parts angst and hope. A world that neither companion was privy to. The one to her right was tall and lean. Silver hair tied in a loose ponytail, allowing the visibility of his handsome face. A face filled with lines of worry and uncertainty. The companion on her left was a head shorter than the silver haired gent. He was slightly on the stocky side. But his width was due only to muscle. A thick grey mustache helped to hide the nervous twitch of his lips. Aside from that, he gave no visible indicator of stress. The two kept silent as they escorted the young girl. Kazuki kept a hand firmly on her arm. A comforting gesture to let her feel his presence in this distressing time. A lone uniform stood outside a door. Face placid as the trio approached.

"There is another visitor at this time. Please wait in here until you are called." He opened the pale wood door behind them. Ushering them into the room. The frame was too narrow to allow more than one person through at a time. Meaning Kazuki had to drop her arm. Mel walked through hesitantly. The steps becoming somehow more difficult without her grandfather's comfort. She kept her eyes to the floor and sat in a random chair. Her uncle and grandfather sat on either side, but she barely registered their presence. It was becoming more difficult to breath and she tasted bile in the back of her throat. Deep breaths did little to calm her. At the moment, she wanted nothing more than to bolt. To run from this constricting room and huddle up in the safety of her mother's old bed. But she couldn't. The nightmares wouldn't stop as long as he had power in her mind. She needed to face him. To see that he was nothing more than skin and bones like a normal human. Then maybe the nightmares would end.

"Are you sure about this honey?" Max asked. His voice filled with tension and his face unusually weary. His senses were not as keen as the Rajjin clan, but even he could see the strain in his niece's face. He was terrified for her. Especially with the new intensity of her nightmares. Especially the one of her would be abductor. She never shared the details of what happened in her mind. But more and more nights she woke up screaming at the top her lungs, tears streaming down her face. She would whimper something about a monster trying to take her, before turning mute and weeping into whoever had went to comfort her. In the past two weeks self-mutilation had been added to the repertoire. Slight nicks in her arms, as if she were trying to claw her way out of a hold.

She accepted the lawyer's plea because she had become convinced that meeting the man face to face would dull her fear. Turn the monster back into a man. Her current therapist seemed to think it was a brilliant idea and agreed. But Max wasn't so sure. The lawyer claimed his client wanted to seek atonement. To help families reconcile with their loss so that he could die without so much weight on his body. Max repeated his question as he draped a comforting arm over her shoulder.

"I need this." She whispered, voice slightly faltering. Max shared a drained look with Kazuki. Both worried this would only make things worse. Would lead to more suffering. But neither knew how else to help. And so they waited. Sitting silently in the darkened room, watching what was happening next door through the one way mirror. The man sat on the far side of the table. Hunched over and looking very frail. On the other side sat a young couple. The only other family that had accepted the plea for a chance to beg forgiveness. He bowed against the table repeatedly. The intercom was on, so the trio heard every word that was exchanged. The woman cursing at the man for stealing her son. Her husband's weeping. And the man begging for forgiveness. His voice was course and thick with tears. He apologized profusely, agreeing that he was the vilest thing in existence. How he wished their poor son had never crossed his path and wouldn't have been stolen away in such a manner.

Max excused himself, claiming he was parched and needed to get something to drink. In reality, he couldn't take it. Staring at such a monster. Watching him confess to such heinous crimes. He didn't know how police managed. Walking down the hall, he found a vending machine and bought three cans. He opened his and took a few prolonged sips. Trying to put off going back into the room as long as possible. Finally his familial instinct began yelling at him. It didn't matter how he felt. All that mattered was caring for the young child still in that room. Currently dealing with a vortex of emotions few adults ever had to experience. With a sigh, he trudged back. Handing a can to each, he took his seat. Stared at the half empty soda to avoid more exposure to that bastard than necessary.

Kazuki accepted the can and guzzled down half its contents in a few seconds. Surprised by how thirsty he felt. After another few gulps, the now empty can was tossed in a nearby waste basket. He looked at his granddaughter, and felt such pain. Many nights she woke up screaming. Crying her eyes out and occasionally with blood specks on her clothes. And she was technically lucky. There were many other children that had crossed the man's path and could no longer receive comfort in this plane.

Mel watched the interaction on the other side of the glass with interest. Completely lost to the world as she zoned in. The man seemed so different from his picture. His shaggy black hair was more ragged and far less shiny. The dimpled face had become haggard with hollow cheeks and pallid skin. The man looked rather sickly. She watched intently as he spoke. Tear filled pleas for their pain to be lessened even a tiny bit. Imploring them to not let their hatred for him continue to rule their life. His words were so heartfelt and pained that it brought a fresh round of tears to the young parents. But she didn't buy it. There was something off about him. Something about his eyes, and the way he moved and spoke. Filled with such emotion. Suffering and contrition. But it sounded more like an actor on a stage. The longer she watched, the more ice gathered in her stomach. After another ten or fifteen minutes, the weeping couple left the room. The man holding his wife as she buried her face in her hands. Another minute passed and the door to their room opened.

"It's your turn." The officer from before called. His eyes fell to her, and for a moment his face lost its rigid calm. "If you're still up for it that is." His voice was much softer. Most likely a father thinking of what his own child might go through. Mel forced a slight smile and nodded at him. Taking a deep breath, she rose from her seat and left the room. Followed quickly by her escorts. They took a few steps to the next door. Pale wood that was exactly like the one they had just left. But this one contained something far worse. Kazuki held her back, silently demanding to be the first one through the door. Neither of the other two challenged. He walked in with powerful strides, intentionally peacocking his strength. He took the seat the farthest away from the door. Mel walked in next. Followed very closely by Max. He tried to take the chair directly across from the man, but she wouldn't allow it. She had come here to face her demons. And that was exactly what she was going to do.

The man bowed deeply, so low his forehead almost touched the surface of the table. "I am so very sorry for the pain I have caused you. That I have stolen an innocent life from your clan. " His voice was so soft, like spun cotton. A small pool formed on the table as tears dripped onto the wood. After another apology, he finally looked up. A look of contemplation filled his eyes as he gazed upon her face. As if he was trying to place her. "I am very sorry. This is deplorable of me, but I can't remember which one was yours."

Mel said nothing. Simply sat there and looked at him. Trying to take in the sunken eyes and ashen skin. Everything that made him look like a sickly pathetic human, and not the monster she saw in her nightmares. Taking a cue from her, the men said nothing either. The room sat in silence for a minute. Until the man finally broke it.

"Wait a minute. It can't be. Those beautiful eyes. How could I ever forget?" His persona began to change. The haggardness of his face slowly fell away. Replaced by a sickeningly strong vitality. A beaming smile replaced the trembling lips. Sunken eyes now shining with delight. He leaned closer. "I can't believe my luck. Less than a week left to live and the universe dumps in my lap the one that got away." He chuckled slightly. A sound that worsened the ice in her gut. "I always wondered hoped really, that I would see you again. Such a tiny little thing."

"Shut up." Kazuki growled. The man didn't even bother to look away.

"Hey I'm just complimenting her. She was so full of life. And looked absolutely yummy." He cackled a moment. "You know, most people lose that as they get older. That wonder and innocence. But somehow you didn't. I don't normally like em so old, but with how pretty you grew up, I think I can make an exception." As soon as the final word left his lips, he lunged. The chains binding him rattled as he attempted to leap across the table. There was a good bit of slack, and he might have made it. If the heavy wood wasn't shoved forcefully against his stomach. Pinning him to the wall.

"Make another move towards my granddaughter and they won't have to waste the rope you sick twisted fuck." Kazuki growled as he glowered fiercely.

"I can see where she got her spunk." The man laughed. It turned quickly into a cough as the table was pushed tighter. Max jumped up and ran to the door. It refused to open, so he pounded on it to get the guards attention. Metal jangled outside the door as the cop tried to pick a correct key. The key should have worked. In a bad luck of the draw, the lock had jammed. Leaving them stuck in the room with the cackling sociopath. After a minute, the cop on the other side had managed to unscrew the door knob and unjam the lock. The door flew open and a pair of guards rushed into the room. They gently pried Kazuki away and retrieved their prisoner. The man cackled as they lead him away, shouting all the things he wished he could have done to the girl that got away.

Max watched as the figures became smaller, mentally cursing his own fallibleness. Seeing such sickness in the man's eyes. The disturbed tone of his voice. He had frozen in horror. Leaving his poor niece to hear the monster's statement. And it could have been so much worse. The slack on the chain was too much. It was possible for him to have touched her. If Kazuki hadn't been there to react, Max shivered at the thought. His internal rage broke when he heard the sniffling behind him. Turning around, he saw Mel sitting there. Staring at the ground as tears fell from her face. Shivering uncontrollably as long ragged breaths forced their way into her lungs. He walked over and put his arms around her. With great care, he helped her to stand. Her legs shook so badly, it took both himself and Kazuki to help her walk. They lead her out of the building. He moved away for a moment and tried to hail a cab. The yellow vehicle pulled up. Max opened it, and Kazuki lead her to the now open door. But the moment he tried to help her inside, she began screaming. Pushing away from the car, she took a few wobbling steps and fell down. Hyperventilating so badly they were afraid she would pass out.

"No strangers. No strangers." She whimpered at the sidewalk. Max shook his head and waved the cab off. Freaked out by the display, the cabbie wasn't the least bit angry. Max approached slowly, somewhat fearful that sudden moves might scare her. This was displaced when Kazuki rushed up and threw his arms around her.

"It's ok honey." Max spoke soothingly. "I'll just call Nive. You remember him right?" The sniffling girl nodded affirmation, and Max quickly made the call. Nive had been his main chauffeur for well over a decade. A face almost as familiar as his to the girl. Something she really seemed to need.

"I'm sorry. The sedative didn't take, and when I tried to up the dosage, she began screaming and lashing out." The familiar old face spoke softly. "That girl is really on edge right now."

"I know. Thanks for coming Dr. Kyo." Max thanked the man as he left. Sighing as he went to the room. Opening the door lightly, he stepped inside. Mel lay there, eyes open and unfocused. Fighting the sleeping medication with everything she had. After at least an hour, the medicine finally won. Her eyes closed and the pair stepped outside.

"I really wish Itsuki were here." Kazuki sighed as he closed the door lightly. "I can't help but think he would have been able to fix this."

"I know what you mean. Sleeping next to him was the only thing that seemed to help her with this stuff." Max rubbed the bridge of his nose, wishing for his little brother. Itsuki had dotted on the little girl. She had bonded with him so deeply, only his presence could completely put her at ease. They had tried to help her, but it never worked. He felt at his wits end. Please brother. Your little girl really needs you right now. He sent his words up, hoping against hope that they would be heard.

"It hasn't gotten any better." Kazuki reported as Max stepped through the door. "It was so bad I kept her home from school today." The silver haired man sighed. Two days and she was still catatonic, reacting only when someone tried to administer her sleeping aid. Nerves was the only answer they received. The girl was in shock and they didn't know how long it would last.

"Any ideas?" Max asked wearily.

"I thought of one." Kazuki responded. The other looked up curiously. Whatever he attempted to say was cut off by the doorbell. Walking over, he pulled the door open. Surprised by the visitor. The kid looked about Mel's age. Lanky with blue strips in his hair. He looked very familiar.

"You're Nori, right?" Max guessed. The boy gave an affirmative node.

"I was worried when Mel didn't show up for school. And when Rajjin-san called I rushed right over. Can I see her?" His eyes were worried and he seemed to shuffle a bit uncomfortably.

"Please come in." Kazuki offered, pulling Max out of the doorway. Without a word, Nori walked in and proceeded to Mel's bedroom. The two adults followed. "Mel has attached to him rather strongly." He explained to the confused man as they walked. The door opened, and the young man gasped as he caught sight. Mel was lying in bed. An IV hooked up to her unmoving frame. Unfocused and sunken eyes seemed to notice little of the surrounding area. He walked up and sat on the edge of the bed. Careful of the IV, he took her hand. Terrified at how cold it was.

"Sweetie, It's Nii-san." He whispered tenderly. "I got really worried when you didn't show up for practice. You know how made coach gets when we skip." He laughed softly and continued speaking. Hoping his words got through. After ten minutes of babble, he felt a tiny squeeze on his hand.

"Nii-san?" The voice was so tiny and confused. Unnoticed tears filled all the males' eyes.

Nori walked through the house, wondering why it was so quiet. He was also hoping she wouldn't slip back into her previous state. She had looked horrible the Monday he went to her house. Like a husk of the vibrant girl that bounded around Ouran. He had stayed with her the entire night. Holding her shaking form as she fell in and out of consciousness. By morning she had looked much better. A bit of color returned to her face and she managed a weak smile. In one of her uncle's cars, they went to school. He escorted her as much as possible throughout the day. Keeping a close eye on his little sister. Terrified as much as her family that a relapse might occur. Luckily it never happened. By afternoon practice, she was running around at her usual state of energy. Nori kicked out of his thoughts when he noticed the single slip of paper pinned to the fridge.

An emergency happened with one of the dojo instructors. Not sure to the extent but I won't be back until late tonight.

Love Grandpa

He read the short note several times. His tired brain taking a while to process the words. An emergency. That would explain why the man never bothered to check. He pulled the note off the fridge and wondered back through the house. Opening the door, a smile hit his face at the scene before him. Mel was situated in Morinozuka's lap. His arms wrapped tightly around her, both were nodding off peacefully. Closing the door softly behind him, he sat in the overstuffed chair by her bed and resumed napping.

"Are you sure you can't stay for just a few short minutes?" Mel pouted sadly. Lip quivering as she held the hem of his shirt. Not wanting him to go. Not when she felt so vulnerable.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Don't you dare use those puppy dog eyes on me." Nori chided affectionately, petting her with a laugh. "Sweetie Nii-san has some very important business to take care of. I've been putting it off lately and my family isn't pleased."

"Ok Nii-san." She nodded her head. Understanding how important family was to the boy. Spending so much time taking care of her, he had been neglecting other members of his family. She couldn't ask him to keep doing that. But she didn't want to be alone either. The girl bit her lip to keep it from trembling. The boy noticed her hesitation. Knew the night had been rough and she shouldn't have to deal with the repercussions on her own. Then he noticed the lanky black haired youth idling in the corner. Trying to blend into the wall as he averted his eyes from the tender scene. An idea instantly popped into his mind.

"Hey sweetie, why don't you ask the captain to keep you company?" He suggested, biting back the smile as both of the room's other occupants looked at him as if he had grown a second head. He held up his hands in a mock attempt at defense and laughed. "Hey, he was the one muttering something about owing you a new bra." Mel blushed furiously, remembering what Nori had told her about the small party. She had gone way past her limit and puked all over herself. As Nori had still been on the crusade looking for her, the captain had been nice enough to clean her up. Her blush worsened at the realization that the captain had seen her shirtless. It was so embarrassing. Nori bit back a laugh at his little sister's expression. The way her face turned painfully red and she tried to hide her face. Yes, it was definitely better that they hid the truth from her. A car honked impatiently from the driveway. His ride was here. He kissed the girl's forehead in farewell and raced down to meet the shiny black car. Waving behind him as he went.

Mel returned the wave long after the boy had disappeared inside the vehicle's confines. She watched it closely with wistful eyes until it disappeared from view. Only then did she utter a forlorn sigh and close the door. Turning around, she saw the imposing figure. Remembered he was, in fact, still here. She blushed slightly and turned her gaze to the floor.

"Um, so." She couldn't find the words she wanted to say. Her tongue felt like lead. Not helped by how much closer his presence felt. It was daunting. Just the ways his eyes lingered on her, left her tongue badly tied. She took a deep breath, mustering all her courage. "Sempai would you like to hang out today!" She practically shouted the words at him. She slammed her hands on her mouth, never thinking her words would have been so loud. It was complete humiliation, being unable to control even the volume of her own voice. He must think she was pathetic. Was regretting ever going out with them in the first place. She was an idiot for allowing herself any kind of hope. Not with someone as cool as the captain.

"Sure." The single word fell from his lips. Her head jerked straight up. So quickly it was a bit painful. He shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing better to do." Mori was surprised by how easy the words flowed. It was easier to talk to her than it was to even Hunny. That was a little strange. But for the time being he would just role with it.

Mel looked at him in utter shock; never in a million years believe he would hang out with her alone. Especially not when she was running an errand as boring as clothes shopping. She chewed on her lip a moment. Before she allowed her new found courage to drain, she grabbed his hand and pulled her back to her room. She raced over to the closet and began rooting around in the storage space.

"Nii-san stays over a lot so he's left a bunch of clothes here. You're a lot taller than him, but you both have about the same body type." She spoke into the brightly lit space. Finding it easier to talk to him when she was technically speaking to a blank wall. Delving into the small corner that was reserved for her big brother, she began tossing a few things aside. Nii-san would not mind her borrowing his stuff. She just needed to find something that would fit the giant. Digging through the basket, she tossed aside articles that were unsuitable. Mumbling the reasons. She tossed a shirt to the floor because it would definitely have been too small. Probably would have run above his midriff. She giggled a bit at the thought. Finally she emerged with an outfit that would work. A pair of pale jeans that Nori had fallen in love with and snatched up because they were on sale. Unfortunately the legs were a bit too long, necessitating him rolling the cuffs up a good few inches. But they would fit the captain beautifully. The shirt though was one of her own. A dark blue t-shirt with a stern looking man holding a revolver in the foreground and a ship in the background. Her uncle had picked it up when he was in the States, knowing how obsessed she was with the show. It positively drowned her, but it had been the only one in stock. To her, it was the perfect shirt to just laze about the house in. Or if she ever got into a phase where she actually liked dresses, it could be used as such. Either way, it was acceptable. She handed him the articles. He nodded his head, accepting her decision. After setting the clothing on the bed, he began unbuckling his belt. Mel's eyes went wide.

"Eek! What are you doing!" She shouted. Turning around and blushing furiously. She had been so stunned by his nonchalance it had taken her a moment to react. His pants had already been pushed a bit passed his hips when she had summoned the control to move again. He was wearing boxes. Dark blue with a duckling pattern. It should have been childish and adorable. Ridiculous on someone his age. But her mind couldn't process that. Not after having seen his slightly narrow hips. The junction where his muscled torso met his muscular legs. The captain looked at the girl curiously, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Why had she freaked out so much? It wasn't like this was the first time he had changed in front of team mates. He shrugged, figuring the mysteries of the girl's mind would probably not be revealed that minute. Mel went back to her closet and grabbed a towel. Walking back out, she realized how rude she had been not to offer. "Sorry for being an inconsiderate host. Would you like to take a shower? I have some fresh underwear Niis-san left here. He hasn't worn them yet." Mori looked at the girl a bit. Scrutinizing the way she was so flustered. She was rather cute that way. Accepting the towel, he walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

Water poured from the showerhead in bursts. He obviously had no trouble figuring it out. Mel sat on the bed and waited for her turn to get cleaned up. She hoped he wouldn't use up all the hot water. She really didn't feel like a cold shower at the moment. Not wanting to get bored while she waited, she grabbed the book off her nightstand. Losing herself into a world littered with zombies. A desperate band of teenage children and an actual child trying to survive. The sound of water being shut off escaped her notice. As did the click as the door was opened. Only the figuring stumbling out into the room, and her periphery, drew her out of the story. Without thinking she looked up. Noting the steam that was escaping from the no longer enclosed space. Her jaw dropped when her eyes focused on Mori. The boy was cloaked only in the towel wrapped precariously around his waist. The bundle of clothing under his arm. He tilted his head to the side and rubbed his ear. Obviously trying to get water out. Managing that, he set the clothes on top of the dresser. Then dropped his towel. Mel slammed her hand against her eyes. Curious to see unrestrained male anatomy in real life, but incredibly embarrassed all the same. Did the guy have no sense of shame? Who was that comfortable in their body, they could strip without a second thought? The worst part was the way her body was reacting. The sight of his naked body, covered only by a towel, had generated a bit of heat between her thighs. Blushing furiously at the realization, she snatched her own towel up and raced into the safe confine of the bathroom. Closing the lock and slumping a bit against the door. The room was still a little too warm for comfort. But it was still better than being out there.

Despite desperately wanting warmth, she felt compelled to take a cool shower. She needed something to cool down. He had used her body wash and shampoo. It was in the scent of cherry blossom. Made for girls. But it had smelled so good on him. She had wanted to stop and sniff the delicate scent wafting off his skin. But that would have made an already awkward situation far more complicated. After allowing the cool water to quell the heat in her lower body, she turned the knobs. The flow of water tapered off to a drizzle, finally slowing to a stop. Stepping out of the tub, she grabbed the towel and dried off. Sniffing at her skin, a frown formed on her face. Yeah, her body wash definitely smelled better on him. She grimaced further when she realized her clothes were still in the room. She had been in such a rush it had slipped her mind to bring them in with her. Sighing, she wrapped the towel around herself and stepped into the room. The chill of the air kissed her skin, which instantaneously filled with goose bumps. She looked over at the boy on her bed. Sitting so calmly. Eyeing her with interest. She blushed and turned her gaze downward once more.

"Could you please leave so I can get dressed?"

"Why?" Her eyes shot up at the question. Had he actually asked her that? She stammered, trying to force some sort of answer out.

"Because…Because I am a girl."

"So?" His gaze lingering on her body was making her lightheaded. Losing her train of thought. Part of her wanted to drop the towel. Get naked and dressed while showing as little modesty as he did. He was just so nonchalant about everything. Like nudity really was no big deal. His eyes watched her curiously, but they weren't actually filled with lust. And he stated his questions so inquisitively they seemed rather valid. She shook her head, pushing such thoughts from her mind. Maybe another girl could have done it. One who's body wasn't so disgustingly damaged.

"Please. I don't like to change in front of others." Her plea was uttered in a weak, almost broken, tone. That, more than the words, is what he responded to. With a nod, he leapt off the bed and exited the room. Giving her the privacy she craved. With slow movements, she gathered her clothes. Catching sight of herself in the vanity mirror, she paused. Hesitantly she dropped the towel. Examined her naked body in the reflection. She sighed deeply. He would definitely think her broken body hideous.

The streets were brimming with life. People rushing about to complete overdue errands. Others lazily strolling about as they window shopped along the avenue. Mori had latched onto her hand the moment they reached truly busy street. Mel blushed, her heart racing at the contact. Until she noticed the way he was cautiously eyeing the hordes. She groaned inwardly. Of course. He had not taken her hand to be affectionate. He just didn't want to chance losing her in the crowd. The captain was so tall; he was easy to pick out from the crowd. But she just kind of blended in. Yet another reason she could never get him. With a small sigh she led him down the sidewalk to the much beloved building. The workers were nice and helpful, but she still dreaded going here. Talking a deep breath, she walked in.

The boutique was large. Far bigger than its store front had suggested. Yet despite its size, there was a certain warmth to the store. Brightly lit with gleaming marble floors. Its walls were covered in shelves. Each one filled with bolts of expensive fabric. Several mannequins littered the shop, displaying impressive finished garments. The designs were unique. Something that should have been on a runway. Amazingly high end for this district. The surrounding area wasn't poor. Not by any means. But a shop of this caliber would have been right at home in his neighborhood. When the bell rang, a few shop girls turned their heads to look at the newcomers. Analyzing for a moment. Most returned to helping other customers. One girl jotted past the double doors to a hidden back room.

"You like to make clothes." It was a simple statement, not a question. The captain looked down at his companion, his eyes registering a bit of surprise. How could she have known? His love of design was a secret hobby. Even most of his house staff wasn't privy to the information. Keenly aware of his confusion, she smiled up at him. "Uncle Max says I have a knack for reading people. Picking up information by observing things people don't even realize they're doing. You for instance, haven't once glanced at the beautiful shop girls running around. Your eyes have been glued to the fabrics. You seem especially taken with that cerulean cotton. I'm sure whatever you make will be beautiful." He managed a small smile at her vote of confidence. This must be what it felt like to bond.

"Oh my goodness! It's little Mel!" An excited voice resounded from the other side of the store. A veritable whirlwind approached the pair, stopping just before they crashed into one another. Settling down, the blur transformed into a lovely middle aged woman. Her smooth black hair hung loosely, dangling just to her jawline. Silky smooth cream skin and dark sparkling eyes. A beauty mark rested just under her right eye. Her burgundy painted lips stretched into a large grin. There was no sign of strain on her body, despite having run across the store in heels. The woman had a great deal of stamina and energy. Something that both impressed, and slightly terrified, Mori. The girl beside him didn't seem the least bit perturbed.

"Hi Mrs. Yui." She returned the smile. The woman snatched her up in a tight hug. After a few moments she set the girl down and eyed the tall boy standing awkwardly to the side. As she conducted a cursory examination, he took the time to observe her dress. It was a modern take on a gothic dress. The same color as her lipstick, with a thin leather belt across her hips. Knee length and very tight. The sleeve ended at her wrist above the hand. But beneath the fabric went on a few more inches, dangling beneath her fingertips. When she had hugged Mel, he had observed a corset like back. Purple lace strings that ran from the small of her back to the top of the dress. A very ingenious piece. Something that could definitely be used for inspiration. The woman placed a hand on her hip and cocked an eyebrow.

"I presume this handsome young man must be your boyfriend." She tapped a sharp manicured nail against her hip. Her eyes seemed completely focused, as if the thing under her scrutiny was the only thing in existence. It made the woman very intimidating, and he found himself wanting to flinch from her focused gaze.

"No. No. He's just a friend from school." Mel attempted to protest, following her words with a short nervous laugh. Mrs. Yui turned her gaze to the girl, who blushed slightly under the scrutiny. Betraying her lie. But the older woman knew to drop it. The girl was one of the most honest people she had ever met. The idea of her covering up something as simple as a boyfriend was laughable. If anything, this was more a case of lying to the world because her own heart had yet to accept the truth.

"If that's the case then I am afraid he will have to wait out here. I do not like giving free peep shows. Follow me." She snapped her fingers and turned on her heel.

"Umm…Mrs. Yui?" The hesitation in the girl's voice was painfully pronounced. It gave the woman pause. She managed a half turn back.

"Yes dear?" She was very curious as to what was going on. Especially with how the girl's gaze stayed glued to the marble floor beneath her feet.

"Um. Well. It's just that." Her words were jumbled together. More nervous than when she usually had to go to fittings.

"Don't be so nervous Mel-chan. What can I do for you?"

"I…I would like for him to join us." She squeezed her eyes shut as she spoke. Her words falling fast. It only got worse as she stammered in an attempt to explain. "Well. I know it's strange…But…He should have some say…He's the one paying."

"Mel dear, are you certain he is just a friend?" The girl nodded slowly, gaze still at the floor. "Sorry for intruding, it is just so curious."

"What is?" Mel finally forced her gaze upwards, meeting the dark eyes of the shop owner.

"Nothing much. Just, in all my years of experience, the people that buy women their underwear are family, or those that want to have the joy of removing it." The girl's face was painfully red as she hit it behind her hands. The boy next to her was visibly much calmer. Displaying no reaction what so ever to the accusation that had been leveled against him. He looked neither self-conscious nor boastful. His face remained in that same stoic calm. It was very intriguing. The shop's business was primarily toward the female populace. Occasionally they would have cross dressers come into the place, but their cliental was 98% female. In some instances men would accompany their wives. These fell into two categories. Spineless wimps that could never utter the word no to save their life, or lecherous sneaks looking to scoop out the potential of the shop girls. But the boy in front of her greatly piqued her curiosity. He didn't seem to fit into either category. Beautiful and sexy girls were bounding around on the show room. Yet he paid little attention to any of them. But he definitely had a backbone. Her imposing presence was intimidating to him, but he did a phenomenal job hiding it. His eyes betrayed no hint of fear or falter. If she hadn't been so experienced at reading people, she would have missed the slight tightening of the jaw and momentary twitch of an eyebrow. The only indicators that gave it away. He did not fit in the former category, but he did teeter in it. The boy was whipped. Not in the traditional sense. But he definitely followed the girl's lead. "If you insist. Please follow me."

She smiled at them. Very interested in figuring out exactly what they were to each other. Turning on her heel, she walked back towards her workshop. Mel kept her eyes to the floor as she hurried after the woman. Still greatly embarrassed. She deeply desired to have the captain in that role. A want she would rather the world didn't know about. Mori was far calmer as he followed. The woman was testing him in some way. He didn't know why, but it was a strangely fun game to play. A challenge to see who ended up revealing more to their opponent.

Mori gazed around the room. It was lovely, but not in a decadent way. The floors were dark wood, and it had plenty of windows to let in natural light. But all windows were high on the wall, making it impossible for someone to peak in. This was after all where fittings were done. It was a true workshop area. The desk was covered in samples and tools. A three paned mirror on one wall. Angled so customers could admire the finished work. He liked the office.

"No peeking." Mrs. Yui chastised before he could even think of turning his gaze to the center of the room. Mel was there, slowly stripping out of her cloths. She dropped her shorts and unbuttoned her shirt. "You know sweetie to get the best measurements, it might be best if you remove the shirt too." She reached over to tug the shirt, but froze when the girl recoiled. Mel shook her head frantically. No matter what words the woman said, the girl just continued to disagree. Her eyes filled with dread. At one point she almost burst into tears. That was the point Mrs. Yui decided to stop pressing the matter. Mel had been a customer for years. She always had the quirk of wearing a shirt at every fitting. She had assumed as time went on, and the girl got used to her changing body, she would relax more. But it never happened. In fact the hesitation only seemed to get worse. She grabbed her measuring tape and did the best measurements possible under the circumstances. "Uh oh."

"What?" Mel asked fearfully. For the moment forgetting she was standing next to her crush clad in only underthings and her uniform shirt on.

"Nothing to worry about dear. I was simply right in my measurements. You've grown by at least half a cup size."

"Not again." Mel groaned, hating the news.

"Relax dear. It is perfectly natural for your body to change as you mature. Speaking of maturing, your hips have filled out a bit more as well. Looks like you will be needing a new set." The girl groaned again, burying her hands in her face. A smile registered on the woman's face. But not a completely sincere one. Years ago Max Phelim had visited her shop, his niece clutching at his arm. She had been a sweet girl, but so very shy. When Max said she needed her first bra, the girl was more mortified than the man. As he was blushing so horribly it looked like he was about to spontaneously combust, that was quite a feat. With a practiced motherly smile, she led the girl into dressing room. Lisa, her most experienced shop hand at the time, accompanied them. It was just the three of them in the work area, so she was greatly taken aback by the girl's reactions. The moment Lisa went help her undress, the girl flinched away. Clutching at the fabric of her clothing with tears in her eyes. It had taken at least ten minutes to calm the poor child down enough to allow anyone to approach her again. At first this was just attributed to the fact this was her first under garment fitting. That notion was quickly displaced when she returned to the shop for an upgrade. Every time she became so frantic and terrified at the prospect of taking off her clothes. It got to the point Ms. Yui only advised removing the shirt out of habit. On top of that, Mel was always unnaturally depressed when she was given her measurements. Especially when the numbers made a particularly high jump. Most girls were thrilled when they found out they grew two cup sized. But not Mel. Her eyes would stay glued to the floor. Lip trembling as tears built up in her eyes. It worried the woman to no end. Her customers cried when they gained a good deal of weight and had to upsize their wardrobe. They cried when a favorite look or piece didn't work on their body type. To date, Mel was the only customer to cry because her curves had become more feminine.

"Will this be the last time I grow?" The question was not curious, but miserable.

"I don't know sweetie. But considering your age, you might go up by as much as another four cup sizes. Possibly more." The girl sighed and quickly rubbed the budding moisture from her eyes. The reaction was not lost on the raven haired male. Something was seriously wrong with his little crush. But at the moment, he hadn't a clue what it was. "Ok dear. I have all the measurements I need. How many sets did you want?" The question was not an up sale tactic. Mrs. Yui's beautiful work always spoke for itself. That was why she did not allow any of her shop girls to pressure customers for sales. She refused to risk her prized reputation by sending a customer home with something they didn't absolutely love. Mel sighed deeply as she watched the woman set the measuring tape on the desk. It was absolutely appalling to admit it, but as of late even her panties had been a bit to snug. They left indentions on her skin and occasionally made it hard to breath. She could not afford such hindrances. Especially if she hoped to advance to nationals.

"I guess. A dozen sets would be best." She sighed deeply again, and Mori had the strange desire to throw his arms around her. Drag her into a tight hug and make whatever sadness she currently exhibited simply disappear. But considering the girl's current state of undress, that would be widely inappropriate. So he simply stood there and waited. The woman walked back to Mel, holding a clipboard in her hand. She confirmed the number of sets and asked a few questions about the styles and colors she wanted. Mel answered something about her usual style and chose all the clothing to be in various shades of blue, green, and some mix of the two. Mrs. Yui jotted the answers down quickly. She then waited patiently for the girl to redress. Mel glanced to her right and blushed when she saw the captain still watching her. He remembered the conversation from this morning and turned around to give her some semblance of privacy. When she was done, the older woman escorted them back into the store. One of the shop girls called her over, giving a rather urgent look. With a sigh, Mrs. Yui tore the paper from the clipboard and handed it to Mel.

"Give this to Sophie at the front desk. She will ring you up." Without another word she went to aid the obviously frazzled assistant. The two slowly walked to the front of the shop. To a small but remarkably fancy desk. A dark mahogany table held up by painstakingly carved legs. The top was slightly crowded with a sleek computer, a cordless and rather fancy looking phone, and some very ornate stationary. A petite and very pretty raven haired girl sat behind the desk. Mel approached a bit awkwardly and handed her the paper. The girl accepted it with a smile.

"Welcome back Ms. Mel." She said politely, before turning to the computer. Her fingers were a flurry of movement across the keyboard as she typed the bits of information into the system. "Twelve custom sets. The usual design and all in cotton. Is this correct?" She looked back at the customer. Mel nodded a bit frantically, prompting another calming smile from the worker. "Ok then. Your order will be ready in no more than two weeks. How will you be paying?"

"Oh, I have a card." Mel jolted out of her embarrassed semi paralysis state and rummaging around in her front pocket. Finally she fished out the dark blue men's style wallet. A gift from her uncle. Just as she was about to withdraw the card her uncle had given her, one was quickly placed on the table.

"And add that." Mori pointed to the bolt of cerulean cotton on the shelf.

"How much sir?" Sophie asked politely, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice. The guy was rather intimidating. The only reason she had been able to mask her fright was because she could focus on the family charming child that was one of the shop's favorite customers. But now that she was forced to deal with the man directly, it was difficult to maintain her faltering composure. She plastered the smile on her face as best she could.

"All of it."

"Of...Of course." She cursed the slight stutter as she turned around pulled the bolt from its place on the shelf. Looking down at the tag, she quickly punched in the numbers. She reached for the card on the table, hesitating when the sound of the girl's voice reached her ears.

"Stop!" Mel ordered a bit forcefully. Realizing her rudeness she smiled sheepishly. "I'm really sorry. Please give us a few moments." She turned to her companion, speaking to him in hushed whispers. "It's way too much. You only owed the one bra. Not a dozen s-"

Her protests were cut off when he placed a finger on her lips. Silencing her completely. She blushed deeply at the intimate touch. Sophie watched the scene, hand still hovering precariously over the card. The raven haired giant spared a glance her way.

"Run it." His order was not as hesitant as the girl's. Nor did he issue an apology afterwards. A rather domineering demeanor. The girl nodded furiously, a slightly nervous smile on her face. The guy was so very handsome, but those terrifyingly cold eyes were impossible to get past. He signed the receipt she handed him, quickly pocketing his own copy. When he moved to grab the bolt, Mel caught his hand. She half turned towards the shop girl.

"Is it possible to deliver the fabric with the rest of my things?" She asked sweetly, trying to be polite as possible.

"Of course." Sophie nodded, eliciting a beaming smile from the child.

"Excellent. Thank you so much. Bye Mrs. Yui!" The girl called out as she rushed out of the shop. Pulling the boy along with her. The older woman watched with sparkling eyes, a bemused expression etched on her face. She sidled up to the desk, chuckling a bit as her eyes following until the two disappeared in the crowd.

"Even if they aren't together, that boy is desperate to take her clothes off." She laughed.

"But that guy was terrifying. Much too intense for someone that sweet and innocent. I sure hope she will be alright." Sophie whispered worriedly, not as happy with the development as her employer. The girl had been going to that shop for close to two years. A real sweetheart that never wanted to cause trouble for anyone. A dream of a customer. Now she was dabbling around with a guy that could easily devour her whole.

"Relax dear." Mrs. Yui smiled, tapping her short manicured nails against the surface of the desk. "Our little Mel is much tougher than people give her credit for. Besides, whatever they want to call their little relationship, she is obviously the one in charge." With another wholly satisfied laugh, the woman turned back into the shop. Eager to continue working on her new favorite project.

"Why leave fabric?" Mori asked in confusion as he was tugged down the road. His hand held in a surprising vice like grip. For someone her size, the girl was impressively strong. She ignored his words, keeping a vigorous pace as she jotted down the street. At the corner a taxi was hailed and she pulled him into the slightly cramped compartment. His height often made it a little unnerving to ride in taxis. They were designed for average people, meaning the above average captain was often left with his scalp brushing against the roof. Looking down at the still tightly clenched hand, he didn't really mind. The girl beside him exuded excited energy. Bouncing around in the back seat of the cab as she gave a vaguely familiar address. He repeated his question a bit more forcefully, finally garnering her attention.

"Oh that. I just thought it would be too heavy to lug around all day." She answered with a shrug.

"All day?" The question fell from his lips with a surprising ease. An anomaly that only seemed to happen around Hunny. And apparently now her. Her smile seemed to grow wider at the question and he was vaguely reminded of the cat character from Alice in Wonderland.

"Well, if you must ask, I would feel very bad if I couldn't reciprocate your generosity this morning. Since you were so generous paying for my clothes, I feel like treating us to an amusement park." She bounced so enthusiastically as she talked. So bubbly and cheerful. Completely missing the slight gulp of fear exhibited by her companion.

Mori glanced around at the area. The crowds of people milling by and the exuberant amount of snack carts littering the pavement. Looking anywhere but the stack of metal above his head. It was the only way he could keep up the façade of calm. Especially as the line moved him ever closer to the impending doom. Metal on metal screeched somewhere unpleasantly, and it took every ounce of self-control not to flinch. Mel stood next to him, excitedly chatting away as if the noise never occurred. She was prattling on about how much she loved the rides here. How fast they would go and how high in the air they would take you. Not even vaguely aware of the extreme torment being generated in her companion's mind. His stomach was churning just thinking about it. On the cab ride over, she finally clued him in to her plans. To repay him, she was going to treat him to an afternoon in Tokyo Disneyland. He had wanted to jump out of the taxi right then and there, but seeing her beaming face kept him glued to his seat. Even as every fiber of his being screamed at him to run away, he allowed her to lead him to their first ride. Looking over the map, she had settled on Big Thunder Mountain. It was some roller coaster meant to mimic a train. The blood drained slightly from his face as the thought crept into the forefront of his mind. A roller coaster. Out of everything in the park she could have chosen, this was her first pick.

"Sorry about being so rude." The soft voice barely perforated the twisted spiral of his mind and he glanced down at the girl. She looked a bit sheepish and treated him to a rather embarrassed smile. "Look at me monopolizing the conversation. Not letting you get a word in edge wise. So what's your favorite ride?" He shrugged his shoulders at the question. In truth, he hadn't been to this place in years. Hunny was too short for many of the park's rides, and he simply had no interest in them. So why exactly was he here now? He truly possessed little interest in this place. He didn't even visit for the parts that he actually enjoyed. Yet now he stood in a line, inching closer to a damn roller coaster. Something he hadn't gone on since his aversion for heights became apparent. It would have been simple to make up some excuse to leave. Or stay, but explore the parts that appealed to him. It would be easy. But when he spared another glance down at her beaming face, he knew it would be anything but. Had it been with anyone else, he would have turned away the moment the ride was mentioned. But not her. He couldn't leave. The simple fact was as long as he stayed by her side, it was easy to pretend they were actually on a date. They were hanging out because she was a bit fragile at the moment and was terrified of being alone. She brought him to this place out of a sense of gratitude and reciprocation. But to any outside observer, they were a couple. They stood in line together for a ride, chatting away. She occasionally touched his hand or arm. It looked like a typical date. It was beyond pathetic that he was willing to endure his own personal nightmare to keep up a pretense, but he couldn't help it. When it came to Rajjin, he became much too self-sacrificing for it to be healthy.

The line trudged along in the most agonizingly slow fashion. Moving inch by terrorizing inch. As the jumbled crowd pressed ever closer, Mori found it more difficult to keep his breathing calm and even. The girl by his side was still bouncing around with an abundance of excited energy. So at odds with the tall lad. His stomach churned in an alarming fashion and beads of sweat dripped down his neck. Yet he still managed to project a mostly calm demeanor. Even as it became their turn. The train cars clattered as they rolled into the station. A loud hissing echoed as metal clamps once again locked them in place. The now released passengers hopped from their seats and exited the ride. As soon as they were allowed, Mel rushed to the front car. He slid in as she was buckling up, still trying to maintain his calm. The bar came down and his breathing became a tiny bit more frantic. Nothing particularly noticeable. But still a flaw in the otherwise infallible steel resolve. He stared down at the metal now resting on his lap, clenching the bar until his knuckles turned white. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to abandon this entire misadventure. To run from this hellish nightmare and never return. But before a single word could fall from his lips, the train was released from his tracks and shot from the station.

His eyes clenched shut as tightly as possible. The wind whipping at his face made him nauseous. In a moment of panic he reached out and grabbed his companion's hand. Squeezing it painfully tight in a crushing grip. One that got worse as the ride progressed. Feeling so very pathetic. The ride wasn't even that fast. It was something that would greatly thrill a young grade school child. Maybe be a bit amusing to slightly older students. Yet here he was trembling like a frightened little puppy. The ride seemed to go on for eternity, but eventually it began its final descent into the station. As soon as the restraints allowed, he jumped form the car. Fled the embarrassing scene. Completely ignoring the frantic shouts that echoed behind him. Had it been anyone else. Had it been any other person on the planet, he wouldn't have cared that his extreme weakness had just been revealed. But not her. Quick footsteps pattered down the metal stairs and concrete slabs. Following his. He wanted to keep running. To outpace the specter threatening to catch up and make him feel even more emasculated than he already was. But at that moment, his innards decided it was the perfect time to rebel. He barely made it to the metal trash bin before stinging bile spewed out. The bitter liquid burned as it forced its way up his throat before being expelled into the waste receptacle. Soft footsteps quickly faded as the figure settled behind him. She waited very patiently as his stomach completely voided its contents. Finally the miserable experience ended and the last of the burning liquid was spit out. He stood up but refused to turn around. Not quite knowing how one was supposed to handle such a situation. Part of him expected her to laugh. It took him completely by surprise when a small hand wrapped around his own and forcefully tugged him from the bin. She led him to a small green bench forced him to sit. She wandered away, returning a few minutes later with a couple bottles of water and a handful of napkins. Sitting next to him, she set one bottle down beside her. The rest of the contents were handed off. He popped the cap and took a soothing swig of water. Swirling the liquid around a bit and spitting it into the grass behind them. Rinsing the horrible taste out of his mouth.

"So…You are scared of roller coasters?" Her soft voice broke the heavy silence.

"And height." He admitted dejectedly, the once proud tall body slumped in pitiful shame.

"Really? But you're so tall." She looked at him curiously, cocking her head to the side. "Um, do you get dizzy when you walk?"

"No." He scoffed at the question. Feeling a bit of laughter bubbling to the surface. She smiled gently at him and patted his arm affectionately.

"Don't worry so much about being afraid. We all have fears. Personally I have a wee bit of stage fright." She admitted, that gentle smile still radiating off her face. He looked at her in confusion.

"Why tell me?" He didn't care if people knew his weaknesses. He could easily destroy them if he so chose. He was an opponent she could not best. Revealing weakness seemed irresponsible and idiotic.

"Because friends tell each other things like that silly." She chuckled slightly, rolling her eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. The words hit him like a sledgehammer. Friends. The exact word she used. Outside his cousin and brother, he never had a friend before. It was a bit of a strange feeling. Another brilliant smile and she grabbed his hand. Pulling him off the bench and once again leading him to adventure.

The afternoon was spent trudging around the park. Enjoying the many amenities the park offered besides high speed thrills. They visited the Disney Gallery. With great delight they milled around the building. Admiring the many works of amazing Disney artists. The next stop was the arcade. Mel became obsessed with a certain pinball machine and had to be forcefully removed from its presence. Not wanting further temptation, Mori led her out of the building. Without missing a beat she took the lead again and rushed them to another part of the park. They climbed a great deal of stairs to examine a gigantic tree house. When they had their fill, they climbed down their steps and into another attraction a bit away. Polynesian style architecture, mechanical birds began to sing. Looking around the crowded audience, Mori realized most of them were parents with young children. But that didn't seem to stop his companion. She was enthralled in the experience. Not caring that she might have been considered too old for it.

When the show finished, she led them to yet another place in the park. They practiced a shooting game, and she teased him a bit about how much difficulty he had getting a perfect score. Next came a magnificent river boat. Then explored a small island in the middle of the river. As they trumped through the grass and forest, she explained the tale that it belonged to. Mori listened with rapt attention, at least until they separated from the group. His attention became quickly divided. Part of him enjoying the scene and story. The other part was holding himself back from pouncing. It was a rather secluded area, but he doubted that would make such a transgression any better in her eyes. So with great difficulty he refrained from his lustful thoughts. It became slightly easier when they resumed being in a crowd. His stomach began to grumble angrily, and it was then the pair realized they had yet to eat. Trying to pick a restaurant, his eye caught a sparkling blue trimmed mansion. It intrigued him, but his interest quickly faded when she pointed excitedly to a large white building. He allowed himself to be lead to a beautiful saloon-esque building. It was the perfect pick. Wonderful food, beautiful surroundings, and they were even treated to a show. The experience made all the more perfect by his "date". She never noticed, but she received more than her fair share of admiring glances. His blood boiled in response, but was quickly assuaged when she would make some random comment or offer him a bite of something she found so delicious it had to be shared. They could admire from afar. He got to interact with the little vixen.

The rest of the impromptu visit was a blur as they raced around the remainder of the park. They journeyed through a castle, a cartoon style home, another tree house. Each time they ran into some random costumed character, she would squeal and insist on a picture with them. She even managed to persuade him into a few of the photos. She couldn't help but giggle as she showed him the most recent picture. He stood between a pair of giant chipmunks, looking rather uncomfortable. The afternoon adventure was capped off as they stood on the main street. Watching as a massive parade went by. She smiled so brightly. Sighing with contentment, she leaned over and rested against him.

The sun was sinking into the horizon, threatening to vanish in the blink of an eye. The black car came to a gentle stop outside the comforting house. The young girl stepped out. And despite her protests the young man followed. He escorted her to the porch like a proper gentleman. The porch light was already flickering its life to the world. The pair stood there for a few moments, awkwardly facing each other. Both pairs of eyes uncomfortably averted. Neither quite knowing what to say. For a few brief moments, Mel recalled what her parents had told her about their first date. This wasn't exactly the same thing, but she finally understood what they meant by an awkward yet comfortable moment. By random chance, their eyes finally met. A light blush spread across her face. But their gazes remained locked. She wondered if he would kiss her. The tension was broken not by a romantic act, but a gesture of affection. He brought his hand up and playfully ruffled her hair. Presenting her with a small smile, he turned and walked back to the car. Whistling some random song. She watched the car drive off and sighed as it disappeared into the setting sun. What had she really expected? They were friends that had just spent the day hanging out. Despite what Nii-san said, there was still a chance the gay. Even if he wasn't, someone like her would never appeal to him. With another sigh she turned back to enter the house. A good part of her still wishing he had kissed her.