Ai Chi ~
Age; 17
Bio; Ai grew up with Nana, because her parents left her behind, in the snow. Ai went to Nana's home, and ended up staying there. Soon, Nana's mother adopted her as her own.
Personality; Ai is always happy, and smiling. She smiles through everything. All she wants are her two best friends to know her as the happy one. Not the girl who cries. She's extremely small, but strong . . . Mentally.
Appearance;

Nana Komatsu ~
Age; 18
Bio; Nana Komatsu is your typical country girl. She has a younger sister, and older sisters. Her mother is loving, and her father is a pervert. She grew up in the same exact house she is in, already, and recently graduated high school with her two best friends.
Personality; Nana is very emotional, and dramatic. She falls in love so easily, and when her heart is broken, she depends on Jun and Ai to cheer her up.
Appearance;

Junko Saotome ~
Age; 18
Bio; Jun grew up the same as Nana. She is big on art, and she loves being around Nana and Ai. She met the two in third grade, and immediately clicked with them.
Personality; Jun is very realistic. She can also be extremely sarcastic, but she is always there for Nana and Ai.
Appearance;

"KOMAAAAAAATSU!~" Ai screeched, in Nana's ear, forcing her awake. Junko laughed, as Nana fell to the floor. Ai and Jun stood close to each other, watching Nana slowly wake up. "College time!" Ai grinned and bounced away, leaving Jun laughing so hard that she felt like she was going to explode.

When Nana was alone, she got up and yawned, then slipped on a pair of pants, and a cute, ruffly blouse. It was light blue, and she smiled. It still fit, even after three years. Nana had always been afraid of getting 'fat.'

Jun sat at the table, waiting for the two girls to get ready. The rest of the family was watching TV, in the living room, and you could hear them laughing.

Ai looked around her room, then cheered when she found the most perfect outfit. A strawberry Lolita dress. She slipped it on, along with soft pink leggings, and white flats. She brushed her hair out, and skipped down to the kitchen, to see that they had an hour before having to leave for their art college, and new apartment.

"What's for breakfast, Chi-chan?" Nana asked, then got whacked in the head by Jun. "Whaaaat?" Nana whined and pouted when Jun glared.

"It's fine, Junko!" Ai smiled, waving her hands in front of her. "I can make eggs, and bacon for you two!" she giggled and got to work, but not before slipping on her apron, that had an adorable cat in the middle.

Nana and Jun watched the small girl, and smiled. 'So cute,' they both thought, as if on cue. Jun began working on a crossword, and Nana continued watching Ai. She was kind of jealous of the girl. She was so carefree, and didn't have to worry about love, or anything else. Only school.

When the eggs were done, Nana took one bite, and started drooling. Everything about it was delicious. From the yolk, to the spices, to the egg whites. It was perfectly cooked. Ai giggled as Nana scoffed it down, and Jun laughed as Nana tried to lick a piece of egg off her cheek. Ai leaned forward, a tissue in her hand, and wiped the egg off carefully. "There you go, Nana-san," she smiled and sat back down. A blush crossed Nana and Jun's faces, but they all went back to their breakfast.

Shoji Endo ~
Age; 19.
Bio; Shoji is Jun's friend from back in high school. He always had the ladies drooling over him, and he was always drooling over the small, cute ones. If he had to choose between a tall, sexy supermodel, and a small, cute waitress, he'd choose the waitress.
Personality; Shoji is over-all happy. He can get extremely, but he loves life.
Appearance;

Kyosuke Takakura ~
Age; 19.
Bio; Kyosuke grew up in another town. All the girls wanted him, and he even admits he was a player. He met Shoji a little while ago, and they became roommates.
Personality; Kyosuke is laid back, calm, and quiet. He loves laughing, and he just enjoys everything. He never takes anything, or anyone, for granted.
Appearance;

~

The three got into the car, Jun at the wheel, Ai in the passenger seat, and Nana in the back. They made the deal to go to school first, then unpack in their new apartment. While they were driving, Nana wouldn't stop talking, so Jun turned on the radio. Nana stopped talking, and Jun's eyes widened as Ai sang along to the song. Her voice was high, and sweet.

The whole ride, Ai sang, and the other two listened. When they arrived at the college, Ai stepped out and giggled as the wind blew her hair in all different directions. Without a word, the three held hands and walked with their heads held high, into the college.

"Twelve-A is the room," Ai skipped ahead, and found the elevator. "We need to go to the fourth floor, and to the end of the hall!" She stepped into the elevator and Jun chuckled, while Nana stared in awe, still astonished that Ai held that voice in for so long. They stood in the elevator, while it picked up and dropped off other people.

"Say, Chi-chan..." Nana muttered, capturing Ai's attention. "Why haven't you gone platinum?" she stared into the small girl's large eyes, and smiled. "You're beautiful, you can sing, and you play the guitar. I say you go to Tokyo!"

Ai thought for a second, then shook her head. "That is an unrealistic dream, Nana-san," she shrugged and walked out of the elevator, a slight bounce in her step that made Nana blush with slight anger.

"She has a point, Nana," Jun said and patted Nana's head. She nodded and followed Jun, who followed Ai, to 12-A. Jun looked around the room, then stopped when Nana gasped, dramatically. "What?" Jun turned and looked at the boys Nana was pointing at. One had shaggy, sandy blonde hair, and the other was to Jun's liking. He was tall, tan, and wore sunglasses. But, she wasn't interested in dating. She started to walk away, until a voice called out.

"JUNKO?!"

She spun around, and the shaggy-haired guy was right behind her. "Who the-?!"

"Junko!" he said, hyperly. Nana stood there, jealousy overriding her. "It's me, Shoji Endo!" Jun's mouth dropped open after he said that.

"Shoji? How the hell..." she began, then the other man walked up next to Shoji. "And who might you be, my long-lost brother?" she asked, and then someone giggled loudly. They all turned to Ai, who was unpacking her bag. Shoji stared, slightly drooling.

"I'm Kyosuke Takakura, ma'am," the other man smiled, holding out a hand.

"Pleasure," Jun shook his hand, then stepped away from Shoji. "Over there is Nana, and the girl who just giggled is Ai." The two men looked at Nana, who went to join Ai, acting like she hadn't seen any of them, there.

Shoji went over to Nana, and held out his hand. 'She's cute...' he said, watching her look up at him. "Shoji Endo, m'lady," he grinned. Ai stared as the two talked about nothing, in general. She then looked to Jun and Kyosuke, who went to sit down on the other side of the room. Sighing, Ai packed her things, and went to a table at the front, away from everyone.

"Hey, Ai, Nana, and Shoji," Jun called out. Ai didn't bother to look, only listen. "We're all hanging out at our place, after class." Nana cheered and Ai held up a simple thumbs-up. She wanted to just leave.

A year or so passed. Nana was with Shoji, Jun with Kyosuke. Nana was crying in her room, and Ai was worried when she got back from work. "Jun-san?" Ai called out, and Jun came out of Nana's room.

"Shoji is going to Tokyo, Chi-chan," Jun explained. Ai stared at the woman, knowing what was coming next. "I am going, too, with Kyosuke." Ai simply nodded, then walked around Jun, going to Nana's room. She sat next to the woman and pat her back, listening to Jun pack all her stuff.

"Nana-san..." Ai whispered. "I'll take care of you." Nana's head shot up and she wiped her face off.

"You...You're not leaving?" Nana gasped when Ai nodded. Jun walked in, and Nana jumped up, giving Jun a huge hug. "I'll be there soon, Jun!" Nana smiled and Jun hugged back.

"You better be," Jun said as they let go. Ai stood up and hugged Jun's waist gently. Soon, Nana wrapped her arms around both of them and they hugged for a while, until Kyosuke walked in. "Ah, looks like I'm off!" Jun smiled big, and walked by Kyosuke.

Ai stared at the ground, then ran to Kyosuke and hugged him tight. "You better take care of my Junko!" Ai squeezed her eyes shut when Kyosuke hugged back.

"I promise I will, Chi-chan," he laughed and they let go. "Shoji's outside, he wants to talk to you, Chi-chan." She nodded and ran outside, into the cold fall breeze. Shoji smiled when he saw her. She ran up to him and smiled wide.

"Take care of my Nana, Chi-chan," Shoji said and pulled her into his chest. Her feet lifted off the ground, about a foot, and she closed her eyes, and they hugged for a good five minutes. "I love you, Ai," he whispered in her ear, then set her down and walked away, leaving her in the cold. Her knees shook, as she fell to the ground. She stretched out her arm, trying to reach for him, but he got into the car. He looked at her, then to Jun, back to her, and finally at the floor of the car.

Kyosuke ended up picking the small woman up, and brought her inside, laying her on the couch. She stayed there, with the blanket over her head, and listened to the car pull away. Tears flowed down her face as she whispered, "Goodbye."

Nana walked into the living room and looked at the girl. "I'll make soup for dinner...Okay?" Ai nodded from under the blanket and curled up. "What time do you work, tomorrow?" she asked, rubbing Ai's back.

"Nine..." she coughed out, and Nana nodded. "I'll go to the store, okay?" Nana got up and turned on the TV. "Trapnest!" she yelled, and Ai bolted up. They stared at the TV, mesmerized. "Takumi is so dreamy..." Nana sighed, and Ai giggled.

"I like Naoki, and Ren is a hunk!" she said, her eyes fixated on the blonde drummer. "Nana?" Ai looked at the woman.

"Yes, Ai?" she smiled, looking back.

"We can go to Tokyo in two months."

Name; Nana Osaki.
Age; 20.
Bio; She was abandoned by her mother, and her grandmother took her in, and she is very grateful. She wasn't the most famous girl in school, but she was well known. Not the best rumours went around about her, and she didn't care. She soon joined a band with her friend, but they broke up after the bassist left them for a more known band.
Personality; She can be rude and sarcastic, and much like Junko, she is realistic. She is kind when you do not get on her bad side.
Appearance;

Nana was 20. Ai was 19.

And they were headed for the train.

They went, hand in hand.

They were a bit late, because they woke up later than expected. They rushed, getting on the train.

"Nana-san...There's a seat, there," Ai pointed to a seat that was occupied by t guitar. Nana went up to the woman.

"Excuse me i-" before she could finish, the train shifted, sending Nana and Ai flying in different directions. Nana landed in the woman's lap, and Ai landed on a man who was getting up to leave.

Ai gasped as her dress went up, and she quickly stood back up to cover herself. "I'm so sorry, sir!" she apologized three times, and the man just smiled, grabbed his bag, and left. Ai took her seat next to a sleeping man, and smiled at Nana before putting in her ear buds. The slow ride seemed like forever. Every time Ai looked over, Nana was either talking or laughing.

Finally reaching Tokyo, Ai and Nana departed, and they stood for a second, before spotting Shoji, Jun, and Kyosuke.

"SHOJI!" Nana screeched and ran to him, tears running down her face. As they hugged, Ai saw Shoji look to her, and smile. Ai just waved, then walked over to Jun.

Bowing, she smiled. "Nice to see you two again, Jun-san, Kyosuke-san." Jun and Kyosuke laughed, and they both hugged Ai. "I promise, I'll find a place for Nana and I!" she hugged them both, tight.

"Don't worry about it, Chi-chan!" Jun laughed and Kyosuke turned around, and bent down. Ai stared. "Hop on," Jun whispered, and Ai giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his abdomen. They all laughed as they brought the bags to the car, then went down the road, to a restaurant.

As they all ate, Ai slowly started feeling a bit left out, but she knew something good HAD to come out of this...

Right?

Name; Yasushi Takagi.
Age; 22.
Bio; Not much is known about Yasu, except that he went to school with a few members of the hit band Trapnest. He was the drummer in the band BLAST before they broke up.
Personality; Yasu is kind, caring, and he is very independent.
Appearance;

Ai and Nana followed an older man up dozens of stairs, trying to get to apartment 707. Ai didn't bother to remember the man's name, and wasn't too interested in what he had to say about the history of the old apartment building. They traveled, and finally reached the room. Ai's face was slightly hot from the workout, and the fact she hadn't eaten. The man opened the door, and Nana's mouth dropped. There, stood a tall, slim woman. She had short, black hair. Her lips were bright red, and her eyes were laced in black. Nana ran to the woman, and hugged her tight. They conversed, and Nana laughed.

Ai stepped away and looked around, only to be followed by Nana, who complimented everything from the kitchen, to the carved table legs on the tub.

"Andou-san!" Nana exclaimed, talking to the man who brought them here. "We want it!"

The other woman turned around swiftly, and stared. "What!? We were here, first! Yokoi!" the woman turned to her manager. "I'll take it!"

Nana's mouth dropped. "Whaaaat?" she whined, but only for a second, because Andou butt in.

"You two could split it equally?" he smiled, and Nana and the woman gasped.

"That's...35,000 yen!" they spoke together, until Ai cleared her throat. They all turned to her, and stared.

"I can find anoth--" she started, but Nana screeched.

"A THIRD OF THE RENT!" she jumped up and down, giggling like crazy. "You can stay in the room I am going to stay in, Chi-chan!"

~

After introductions, Nana Osaki dubbed Nana Komatsu 'Hachi,' and they went out on the town. They stopped by a store called Sabrina. They looked around, and Hachi picked out a bunch of small trinkets, and Ai observed a deal.

"Four beds for 30,000,000 yen...I can afford that..." she muttered, Nana lurking over her like a over-protective dragon. Maybe it was the clerk who was checking her out, whilst talking to Hachi about a job opening.

"Chi-chan!" Nana said, her mouth agape. "You can't pay for all of that!" she spoke harshly, almost like she was scolding the girl. "I have 10,000 yen to spend, you can use it."

Hachi soon chimed in. "I have 80,000!"" she giggled, sliding over to Nana and Ai. "But, we also need pillows, blankets and sheets!"

They all bought the matresses, sheets, pillows, and blankets. Ai got a set of strawberry-pattern bedding, Hachi got pink, and Nana got black and a lilac colour. Mizukoshi, the store manager and clerk agreed to drop off the matresses, and help bring them up after he got out of work. The three walked back with bedding, table-ware, some new clothes, and huge smiles.

Arriving at the apartment, Ai's face redder than before, she wiggled the handle. "Unlocked..." Opening the door, she gasped as she saw the tall, bald man. His piercings ran up his ears, his cigarette smelled of sweet cherries, and his sunglasses hid his eyes. Her face grew even more red as a blush overrode her face. "I..."

"YASU!" Nana yelled and laughed. She ran in, set the groceries on the counter, and hugged him tight. Ai figured they were dating, so she just shrugged it off, and set her bags down, and started to put everything away. Yasu went on about the utilities, and how they were getting set up a bit later.

"Yasu-san?" Ai turned and looked at him. His eyes grew wide, but his black sunglasses hid that face. He smiled, and nodded to her. "You should stay here, tonight. There is supposed to be a huge storm...You can bunk in Nana's room?" she offered. Nana and Hachi both chimed in, until he finally gave up. "Oh, can you give me a ride to the market? I want to get food for when everything gets turned on. I want to make stir-fry and my special tea, later," she smiled softly, making the man give in.

On their way to the market, they talked about everything. She told him about how she met Hachi, and Nana, and how they came to Tokyo. He told her about the band, and she was fully interested.

On the way back, she told him about the time she almost slept with a pervert, who laced her drink with some drug. Yasu almost stopped the car.

"Excuse me?" he asked, his voice deep and angry. Ai looked away, she couldn't stand looking at his perfect face. She wanted to kiss him, she felt like she'd known him for years. She told him everything, and he told her everything.

She wanted that soft, mellow man.

And she knew just how to get him.

Name; Nobuo Terashima.
Age; 20.
Bio; Nobuo befriended Nana Osaki in high school, by having her listen to a few bands he found interesting. They hung out a bit, and Nobuo basically hooked her up with the guitarist of Trapnest, Ren, but at the time, he was the bassist in the band Nobuo and Yasu were in. Nobuo plays guitar, and he comes up with most of the songs.
Personality; Nobu is kind, gentle, caring, and he gets drunk VERY easily. He doesn't smoke. He just loves playing his guitar.
Appearance;

Yasu and Ai got back, just as the heat, hot water, refrigeration, and everything else got turned on. Halfway up the stairs, Ai stopped. She started breathing hard, her face became red, and she leaned forward, clenching her stomach.

"Ai?" Yasu looked back at her, rucking down the few stairs, just before she fell to her knees. "Ai...What hurts?" he whispered, picking her up gently. She held onto him, letting her legs dangle as he stood up all the way, his hands on her bottom, supporting the young woman. She rested her chin on Yasu's shoulder, and spoke softy.

"My stomach...My head, my eyes, my legs.." she hiccuped, groaning. Yasu blushed softly and listened to the young girl's breathing, whilst climbing the stairs.

"Have you eaten?" Yasu asked, setting Ai down at the landing. She shook her head, and he nodded, going back down the stairs to retrieve the groceries.

Ai took out her phone and dialed Hachi's number, which she knew by heart.

"Hellooo, this is Nana!" Hachi answered, cheerfully. Ai explained what had happened, and then groaned again. "We left to go get some more things," Hachi explained.

"You're spending money like you have a high-class job, Komatsu!" Ai yelled, then hung up the phone, and turned it off. Yasu brought up a few baby carrots and a rice cake. "Thank you, Yasu..." Ai sighed, staring at her phone as she slowly ate her carrots. "I better call back..." She turned her phone on. Yasu watched her every move. She couldn't tell if he was checking her out, or just watching to make sure she was alright. 'I bet he's just worried...' she though. Immediately, Ai's phone rang. The ringtone rang through-out the halls. "Nana-san!" Ai gasped, waiting for Hachi to answer.

"Ai..." Hachi started, but Ai interrupted.

"Ignore what I said! I'll get a second job! Continue shopping, and if you need more money, I am at home!" she spoke quickly, then hung up before Hachi could argue. Yasu stared at the girl, in awe.

"Do you need a job so soon?" Yasu asked, smiling softly. "If you are up to it, you can help me move here, from my hometown, and then clean my house for me," he suggested.

Ai gazed at the man, and nodded quickly. "Wait, which house?" she asked.

"Both."

She gasped and nodded even more. "I need to support Hachi and Nana-san..." Ai looked down.

"I'll pay you 300,000,000 yen to help me move, then for my previous house cleaning, 100,000 yen, and for daily cleaning at my house here, in Tokyo...100,000 yen an hour," Yasu explained, looking down the stairs. In an instant, Ai wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him. The carrots and rice cake fell from his hands, down the stairs. He sat there, then slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his lap. For the first time, in front of someone, Ai let her tears fall. "Why are you crying, Ch--...Ai?" he whispered, feeling the warm tears on his neck.

"Thank you, Takagi-san..." she said. He tightened his grip on her, and they sat there for ten minutes, in silence. Finally, Ai got up and stood a few stairs down from Yasu, smiling brightly. She bowed, and said, "I would love to be your housekeeper!"

Laughing, Yasu and Ai continued talking about their lives, while climbing the stairs. Ai looked out the window, and saw snow falling. They made it to apartment 707, and Ai unlocked the door with her key.

"I'll start on the s-..." They looked in to find a table made, with benches, in front of the window. "So pretty! I wonder where they got it!" Ai smiled, and got out the vegetables, chicken broth, and beef. Before doing anything, she rushed into her room and put on her apron. Bouncing out of her room, she went over to the counter and took out a pan for everything, and a cutting board, out of one of the many boxes she and Hachi brought.

Yasu watched as she quickly chopped up onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and the meat. She poured the meat into the hot pan, cooked it with salt and pepper, then added the broth, and vegetables.

"It will be done in an hour!" she smiled, and sat down across from Yasu, who had recently lit a cigarette. "Hey, Yasu..." she said thoughtfully, then reached out for his pack of cigarettes. Before she touched it, he grabbed her hand, making her jump at his soft touch.

"You need to stay pure..." he said gently, as the door opened. Nana and Hachi walked in, carrying two queen-sized mattresses, followed by Mr. Mizukoshi and a helper, carrying the other two. Mizukoshi and the helper brought their mattresses into one room, while Nana and Hachi brought theirs into the other room. Ai tugged Hachi into the bathroom, then locked the door.

"Nana..." Ai said, blushing. Nana gasped, but before she could speak, Ai spoke for her. "IreallylikeYasu,pleasehaveNanabunkwhithyouinourro om,andYasuandIintheother!" she gasped, breathing in deeply.

Nana stared, stars in her eyes, as her best friend was falling in love before her. "Of course!"

An hour later, Nana, Hachi, and Ai all had their beds set up, and an extra set of black sheets and a blue comforter on the bed Yasu was going to use for the night. Hachi convinced Nana to bunk with her, making Ai blush from head to toe.

She was standing at the stove, adding herbs and spices to the soup, then some pinwheel pasta. The broth had thickened, and she soon turned on the tea kettle. Yasu, Nana, and Hachi were conversing and laughing. Ai turned to them and smiled as Hachi told the others about the sleepover they had when she was eleven, along with Jun, and Ai was ten.

Soon, there was a knock at the door. Ai answered it, and gasped loudly when she saw the man with spiky blonde hair. He smiled brightly. "Excuse me..I think you have the wr--" she began.

"Nobuo?!" Nana yelled, and Ai moved out of the way when she looked to see Nana charging at the man. She had him by the collar, and he was yelling.

"Please keep it down!" Ai spoke loudly, and Nana and Nobuo looked at her. Nobuo grinned when Nana let go, then he stood in front of her.

"Who's the cutie?" he asked, grinning wider. Ai stepped back, blushing, and quite afraid. Yasu was behind her, and she accidentally hit into him. Whirling around, she bowed to Yasu, apologetically.

"Sorry, Takagi-san!" she said, quickly, but he just laughed.

"Call me Yasu."

Everyone sat down, with a full cup of tea, and a full bowl of stew. Nana and Hachi sat on one side, Ai and Yasu on the other, and Nobu on the end. They ate, laughed, and Yasu told them how he was stealing Ai, so she could help him move for a few weeks. Hachi shot a grin at Ai, earning a kick to the shin.

"OWW!" Hachi cried out, and then stopped when everyone stared at her. "Oh...Sorry!" she said, blushing hard. A second later, Ai's phone went off. She got up and jumped over Yasu, running into the bathroom.

"Hello, this is Ai!" she answered, cheerfully.

"Hey, it's me," the voice ran throughout her head, bouncing off every braincell it encountered. She opened the bathroom door slowly, and no one paid any mind. She walked over to Yasu and stood in front of him, her head hanging. Holding out the phone, she still heard the man saying "Hello? Ai?" over and over.

Yasu looked at Ai, and took the phone. He muted it, then finally spoke. "Who is it, Ai?" Everyone was staring at both Yasu and Ai. "Is it...Him?" he asked and Ai slowly nodded. His face turned, and he unmuted the phone, getting up, and walking outside. "Hey," he said, closing the apartment door. Hachi lowered her head, Nana and Nobu looked clueless. Ai sat down, then looked up quickly when Yasu walked back in. He went into the bathroom, and the sound of her cellphone being dropped into the sink, and the water running over it echoed through the apartment.

"Hey, baldie!" Nana cried out, standing up. "What'ya do that for?! That's Chi-chan's cellphone!" she said, and Yasu just pushed by her, heading towards the room on the right.

"Goodnight," was all he said, before shutting the door behind him.

~

An hour later, Ai took her nightgown into the room. Nana was in the bath, Nobu was sitting at the table, and Hachi was changing in the other room, so Ai figured the room Yasu was asleep in. She opened the door softly and slipped in, not wanting any light to get in, then shut it quickly, but slowly. Taking off her dress, she hummed A Little Pain by Trapnest. Slipping off her undergarments, she replaced her underwear with new ones, and put her nightgown on.

"You should really see if a man is sleeping, before you strip," Yasu whispered, sitting up. Ai gasped and blushed hard. "I wasn't looking, no worries." She sighed with relief, and flopped onto her bed, right as Yasu turned the light on. She made sure she was covered, then looked at the man. He was only in his boxers, and he wasn't wearing his glasses. Ai stared at him, in awe.

"Yasu?" she asked. He looked at her, after setting his phone down. "Why do you always wear those?" She hiccuped, then put her hand over her mouth.

"I always have, and I always will," he winked, and she giggled softly. "I'll get you a new phone, tomorrow, okay?" he asked, and she nodded. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, then Yasu turned out the light. "Goodnight, Ai." She nodded again and looked over at his bed.

A half hour passed, and she couldn't wait anymore. Slowly, she climbed out of her bed, and knelt onto his. She observed his features in the dim light that seeped through the un-curtained window. Softly, she placed her hand on his.

"Are you okay?" he asked, and she just smiled as he sat up. She ran her fingers up his arm and watched him look her up and down. His hand lifted, and then rested on the back of her head. He leaned forward and whispered, "Why are you on my bed?" Ai blushed and went to move, but Yasu's hand stayed glued to the back of her head.

"Yasu..." she whispered back and leaned into him. Instead of kissing him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. He rested his other hand on her lower back, and slowly pulled her even closer. Gently, she leaned back and ran her fingers down his cheek, resting her hand on his jaw.

They gazed at each other, and slowly, Yasu brushed his lips against Ai's, then pressed them firmly. Feeling her hand slide to his chest, he lay her down, not leaving her lips, then climbed onto her. She stared up at him and bit her lip.

"I've never cried in front of someone."

Ai woke up in Yasu's bed, and sat up quickly, groaning softly. Yasu was next to her, sleeping soundly. She looked up at the strawberry clock in her room and saw that it was only 6:30AM. Leaning down, she kissed his cheek. He was so beautiful without his glasses.

"Why are you up so early?" Yasu yawned softly, and Ai screeched.

"STOP THAT!" she whined and hit him softly, making him laugh. "Go back to sleep..." she smiled. Instead of following her rules, Yasu wrapped his arms around her waist, and held her there. She blushed hard and rested her hands on his neck and arms. "Yasu-san..." she whispered and he let go, reluctantly. "Good boy." Giggling, she stood up and put on her nightgown. Softly, she opened the door and slipped out, making no noise. She smiled as she saw Hachi, and sat down across from the woman.

"Sooo?" Hachi grinned ear-to-ear. Ai rolled her eyes and looked away. The night was fun, she finally kissed a man, held a man, she was finally caressed by a man. Her heart sped up. He wanted her so bad, but respected her decision to stay pure.

"Did you hear anything? No," she said, bluntly, making Hachi sink into her seat, sighing. Ai covered her mouth, then looked away. "I'm sorry..." she whispered, staring at her bedroom door. "W...Where's Nobuo-kun?" she asked, perking up slightly. Hachi explained that he was actually in bed with Nana, but Nana had set up a border with trinkets and an extra blanket.

Ai laughed, and turned when Nana walked out of the bedroom, dragging her feet. Her make-up had smudged, so Ai got up, grabbed a towelette, and lifted Nana's chin gently. She wiped the make-up away softly, and smiled when Nana's face turned slightly red.

As they continued, Yasu walked out of the bedroom. He was wearing only his boxers, making everyone stare. Ai dropped the towelette, and ran to Yasu, jumping into his arms. He laughed, supporting her, lifting her off the ground. Nana stared in awe, as the two embraced. Hachi squealed with satisfaction, and Nobuo finally made an entrance.

"Whoa, Yasu!" he grinned, standing in the doorway, in his pants and tank top. Yasu rolled his eyes, and carried Ai into the bathroom. She clung to him the whole time, and didn't want to let go. He gently set her down and started filling the tub. As he did, he added bubbles to it. They smelled of sweet lavender, and he softly took her hand, running it through the water.

"Warm enough?" he smiled, and nodded when she replied with a yes. He slowly helped her stand, and took off her nightgown, then undressed her the rest of the way, helping her into the tub. She waited for him to join her, and sat in between his legs.

They talked for a few minutes, then she turned to him, and started to wash his neck and chest, slowly moving to his shoulders. Yasu smiled with approval, and watched the young girl's face as her eyes shined in the morning sunlight. "Ai..." he whispered, and lifted her chin. He pulled her close, his hand clutching her lower back. "Are you ready to help?" he grinned. Ai groaned and hung her head.

"And I thought you were going to kiss me!" she whined, making burst out laughing. "So mean..." she moved to the other side of the tub, facing away from him, pouting childishly.

"Come on, little girl," Yasu stood, wrapping a towel around his waist. "Get washed up and squeaky clean," he winked to her, walking out the door. Ai sat there, then smirked.

"Will do, old man," she giggled when Yasu stuck his head in and his tongue out at her. When alone, she softly sang to herself, whilst washing her long hair. "Aye, Yasu!" she called out. "Yaaaaaaaaaaaasu!" she yelled, and heard footsteps, then the door opened. Nana stood there, staring at Ai, who was standing there, naked, a towel wrapped around her head. "Can you get Yasu, please, Nana-san?" Ai asked sweetly. Nana just nodded and closed the door slowly, speechless.

Ai got out of the tub and searched around for an extra towel. Yasu walked in, and shut the door before Nobuo could sneak a peek. He grinned and fixed his tie, then handed Ai a dress that she set out for herself last night. Smiling, Ai got dressed quickly. "Say, Yasu?" Ai spoke softly. "Do you think, after we clean and move everything, we can go to the hair salon?" she looked to him, and he smiled.

"How about before?"