Twenty-first chapter! Enjoy!

Tensaispira: Sure. Of course you can e-mail me. *looks at tensaispira with a puzzled look* you didn't even have to ask!

Ferohcious: Not that I'm a busybody *puts on an innocent face* but what did you do to your hostage, sendoh-san?

Girl_sport17: Be prepared to screw Ika. : )

Yoriko: Bad luck???? Oh man, that's even worse!! Nah, I wasn't rejecting your good luck. I was just wondering why, dat's all. I mean, my exams are over and I have nothing to fight with anymore, so I was just puzzled. :P

Devoted2Mitsui: Thanks!

Fiery ice: Have fun in your holidays! I know I WILL! Ha ha!

Frack: Heh heh… If Rukawa blushing scared the roots out of you, I wouldn't want to know what'll happen if he went on bended knee and propose with flowers.

SLL: Meet me?? *nothingtodo turns pale and unconsciously straightens her shirt* Ha ha! You might be surprised! I don't think I reach up to your expectations!!

Mimi: What do I intend to do?? Did you think I'd tell you that??

Idiotic Moron: Wow, I've got to thank Renei. Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like Akima!

Reika Zelon: More coming!

Jo_sen7: Chapter's up! Read on!

Tiran: Thanks!

Dicta License: Gosh, I'm really flattered. Thanks!

Choco_no_baka: I am human.  *nods firmly* : D

Kka: You hentai!! *throws apples this time*

Unchained: Yep! I AM having fun writing!

Renei: Sendoh FITS the hentai characteristic! THAT'S WHY!

Reiko: Your review did mean a lot to me. : ) Make the chapters LONGER?? *looks at reiko in amazement* You serious?? You can stand reading so much?? I usually cut  my stories into small portions long enough to sustain the reader's interest. : )

Rukawa Joycie: Yay! You wrote down your version! *reads on* Cool! Maybe I should post it up next to my chapter. ??? yes? No? Can't wait for more versions from you!!

Naohmee: I like the kissing part too *blushes shyly* ha ha ha! And let's damn ika to hell together!

Electric muffin: You're abusing one of my main characters and you want to see the other one naked?? YOU DARE ASK ME FOR ONE MORE CHAPTER AFTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE??? (joking) ha ha ha! Read on!

Leika: Relax. You're doing a thesis?? How old are you?? You're really crazy about wars, aren't you??

Zackire: Relax! You can still read it!

Sakura Riu: Thanks!

Maemi: OK. I won't ask for your results. : ) And NO! I'm not blushing! Flattered, yes, but not blushing!!

Shadow of Solitude: Rukawa joycie's with you?? Waaah, dangerous.

J1018: Thanks! Me?? Evil??

Frozenfemale: Thanks *blush*. I as surprised at the numerous reviews myself!!

Sodina: Find out! Thanks for reviewing by the way!

Mistress of darkness: Hope your exams was ok- and if it was not, hope this chap'll cheer you up!

            "Stop right there, Akima."

            Shifting her school bag, Akima turned and faced Ika and six of her friends. "Hello, Ika."

            "Don't you 'hello' me!" Ika snapped.

            Undisturbed, Akima blinked. "Okay. Hi, Ika."

            Ika gritted her teeth. "What's going on with you and Rukawa?" she demanded.

            "Well," Akima pretended to think about it. "At the moment, I am going home. I don't know what's in Rukawa's agenda, though."

            Ika gave Akima a shove. "You know what I'm talking about." She hissed angrily. "I want to know what on earth happened last Saturday, in front of the ladies' room."

            "I went inside and peed. That's what happened."

            Ika looked as if she was going to explode. Deciding to stop beating around the bush, she stepped menacingly to Akima and was disturbed when she barely even flinched like she used to. "He's not meant for you."

            "And you are, what? A goddess who can foretell the future?"

Ika ignored that. "You're nothing but a poor daughter of an even poorer maid!"

Akima nodded gravely. "True. True."

Why isn't she reacting like she's supposed to?? Ika thought, almost panicking. Everything's turning out wrong! "I want you to leave Rukawa alone!"

Akima smiled. "Tell that to him. He's the one chasing me."

Ika's face turned dark for a moment with disbelief. "Shut up! I don't believe you!"

"Ask him yourself," Akima shrugged nonchalantly. "Ah, what a coincidence. Here he comes." All of them turned sideways to see Kaede Rukawa walking across the sun dappled yard, his blue eyes clearly glinting.

"Problem?" he asked in that quiet, dangerous voice of his as soon as he neared the gate where the girls stood.

Ika backed away awkwardly, her cheeks turning beet-red. But she still refused to surrender. No way am I going to give in one more time! I am Ika Kirani! My father is Lee Kirani! President of the Mar Holdings!

Then, another broad-shouldered guy emerged from a sparkling blue Mercedes and stood behind Akima. "What's going on?"

Akima turned around in surprise. "Akira! What are you doing here??"

The girls behind Ika started whispering. "Oh gosh! It's Akira Sendoh! That Ryonan player! The captain, remember?? Oh my gosh! Look at his car!" Ika bristled at her friends' lack of concentration, but then caught herself staring at the blue Mercedes. She started to feel maybe Akima wasn't exactly all that poor anymore.

"To pick you up," Akira answered. "Or do you plan to sleep here for tonight?" He turned back to the girls staring at him adoringly. "What's going on here?" he repeated, directing his question to the girl who stood front most.

Ika turned pale. So, Akima has two bodyguards. "N-Nothing." Abruptly, she turned and quickly walked away. Her friends, giggling, reluctantly followed her.

Akira scratched his head. "Now, really, WHAT is going on?"

"Forget it," Akima advised him. "I thought Dad was supposed to pick me up."

Akira flashed a grin. "Your mom called him."

Akima blinked. "She did???"

"Yeah. They're having lunch together at the moment, with my mom. I think your mom's finally agreed to receive money from Dad monthly as part of his responsibility as a father. How about that?"

"Well, she's always been a bit stubborn about that." Akima concluded. "She always thought she'd make it by herself and refused my Dad's help."

Kaede coughed. "That rather reminds me of someone."

Akima glared at him. Akira just laughed and turned his attentions. "So, Rukawa, you're going against Shoyo next Thursday, aren't you? I heard Fujima's going into this strategy where …" and the basketball talk went on from there.

Akima sighed wryly.

It seemed she wouldn't be home as early as she'd thought.

            It was raining the next day as Akima peeked out of the window of her classroom.  Nobody was free to pick her up today. Sendoh had a game going on with Kainan and her father had a meeting somewhere with the big-nosed Mr. Kirani. She briefly wondered what it'll be like if Ika found out that her beloved father was really Mr. Hanashi's underling and burst laughing.

            She considered walking – she'd walked through thunderstorms before – but then remembered that they had moved away and now lived further from the school. She dreamily pictured the new house she and her mother shared in her head. Her room was bigger and – as expected – messier. The room next to her was her mother's and on the opposite was a guest-room, frequently occupied by Akira who apparently started this hobby of sleeping over. The house isn't really all that big, but to someone who's lived in a room half the size of the school's toilet, it was remarkable.

            She loved it. Every inch of it.

            She would just have to wait for the five o'clock bus. Hopefully, the rain would stop by then. Whistling as she walked around the school, she remembered the girl who had approached her during break. Akima had instantly recognised her as Ika's friend, and wondered what she wanted from her.

            "Can you… uh, can you give this to um… Sendoh, please?"

            She had laughed and promised the girl she'd deliver it to her stepbrother, thinking her fight was with Ika, not her followers. Now, she patted the brightly wrapped package and grinned, imagining Akira's reaction.

            Her feet brought her to the gym before she even realised it. I wonder why. Smiling wryly, she dragged the door open, and stepped in. Kaede was, as usual, up on his feet with a ball in his hand. He did one excellent shot, landed gracefully on his feet and turned. "Hi."

            "You don't look surprised." Akima pointed out. "Did you know I was coming?"

            "Yep."

            "How?"

            "Instinct." He bent to retrieve the ball that had rolled away from him. "I just knew." He straightened. "I hope you'll miss the five o'clock bus."

            Akima made a face. "I hope not. I don't want to be stuck here with you."

            He cocked his head. "Oh, yes, you do. You just don't want to admit it."

            "Darn you," she laughed, settling down on her usual spot. She had barely relaxed when the orange ball came pelting at her. She ducked and the ball zoomed past her bent head and dropped to the other side. She looked up at Kaede furiously. "What was that for??"

            "You remember the last time?"

            "Yes. At least that one was an accident." She glowered at him.

            "You're wrong."

            She blinked as the meaning of those two words sank in. "You threw the ball at me and broke my glasses on PURPOSE??"

            He shrugged. "Well, breaking your glasses wasn't part of the idea." He didn't even blink when she snarled at him. "I just wanted to talk to you. Get to know you a bit." His lips curved beautifully. "I got more than that."

            She didn't know why that five words made her so happy. They were barely flattering. She decided it had something to do with the fact that he was smiling up to her. Still, it didn't mean he could go around tossing balls at her head. "Well, you'll get even more once I get my hands on you." She threatened, though it didn't come out quite the way she wanted it to.

            "I can hardly wait."

            She made some strangled, helpless noises. "I can't believe I'm in love with you." She muttered. "Why am I in love with you?"

            His lips curved even more. "I don't know. Why don't you come here?" he suggested. "Maybe you'll find out."

            She stared at his open arms, resisting the urge to leap and jump at him. "I don't know how you do this," she grumbled, "but I can't seem to fight you back like I used to. I'm getting rusty."

            His smile was now wicked. "Poor you."

            Laughing, she went to him.

I regret to say that this will be the last chapter of 'Poor You'. T_T It has been great writing it, and I thank you all for you AMAZING support. : ) I was thinking about writing more, but it has gotten long enough, I think. A sequel might be due, but we'll just have to see. Thank you again!

I hope, however, that this story won't go forgotten. Hopefully, you'll come back and read it again every once in a while when you feel like you need a story to cheer up or whatever. : )