It was stuffy, dark and suffocating.  It was not like this when she was a teenager.  She needed to get away from this place so she ran.  She always ran but straight into the abyss it seemed.  It just wasn’t fair, she loved him but he did not even care. She found herself at a bus stop. 

“ wait! Geez you have to get back you know,” said a male voice, the person she was trying to get away from.  It was Shiraishi Kuranosuke.

“I’m not going back there.  She’s trying to send me back to that place! I refuse to go, I’m not sick,” snapped .

“She’s just worried about you, just like I am,” said Shiraishi.

“Worried?  Just because I live alone and barely go out means nothing at all,” said , getting angry and more upset by the minute.

“Then move in with me,” said Shiraishi. “I mean I’m sure Kin-chan and Chitose won’t mind.”  She just stared at him.  Did he really think her mother will accept her living with three men?

“You are the crazy one,” muttered .  Shiraishi just smiled and began dragging .

“Relax; I’ll deal with your mother,” he said, smirking.  Then she found her self walking down the hallway of his apartment to be greeted by Kintarou and Chitose.  They were always so nice to her.  She was going to sleep in Shiraishi’s room on the top bunk.  Kin-chan and Chitose were in another room with bunk beds.  So after they ate sat on the bed with her notebook drawing.

“Saa, so what are you drawing there,” asked Shiraishi, suddenly sitting across from her.

“Albas, a flower that blooms once a year and has blossoms on it,” replied .

“So I suppose that would be the beauty that comes once a year,” said Shiraishi.

“I suppose,” said . 

“You know what comes once a year too,” said Shiraishi.

“What?”, asked .

“Shooting stars, blue moons, Christmas, and Valentines,” he replied.

“Shooting stars and blue moons are random occurrences,” said with a frown.

“You’re beautiful you know that,” said Shiraishi randomly.

“What in the hell does that have to do with anything we were talking about?”

“But it’s true.  And I only get to see your cute smile when you are with your father,” said Shiraishi.  “I’m jealous of him.”

“But I only see him on his birthday…”

“So I suppose you smiling is also in the once-a-year category,” said Shiraishi.   gave him a crooked grin.  “But I think I know how to make a miracle.”

“Wha…?” Then he kissed her lightly.  She blushed and didn’t smile.

“Aw. I thought that would work for sure,” said Shiraishi, frowning himself.

“What was th--?”  He kissed her again but for longer and she kissed back. 

“Success! It worked!  I know the secret to make you smile around me,” said Shiraishi. 

“You are so confusing!”

“Of course that’s because we’re in love.”

“You are spending way too much time with Kin-chan.”

“You love me right?  And I love you too.”   As they bantered back and forth Kin-chan and Chitose stood by the door watching.

“Kintarou you owe me 50 yen,” said Chitose.  All the tennis prince did was grumble under his breath.  “Guess she needs Shiraishi as her light in her darkness of her mind.”  He said that last part to himself but Kintarou could not help but agree.

©2007 CrazyGirlOfManyNames