Maki sat across Shun on his bed nervously. This was the first time she'd been alone with him in a room with a bed since...well, since then. She couldn't bring herself to look at him directly as she crossed her legs and whistled slowly turning her back away from him.

She was supposed to be more pissed off at him for ditching on their date yesterday but she knew she really couldn't bother with it right now. No, she was far too lazy for ing at Shun right now. She'd just give him the silent treatment for a while and hope he'd immediately start pleading for forgiveness so she wouldn't have to work too hard at being his girlfriend. She didn't even lie to herself about that anymore. She was a lazy girlfriend, one of the only places right now she was lacking in.

A+ in Charm Class for Young Ladies

A+ in Karaoke Voice

A- in Mathematics

F in Girlfriend.

"I didn't drag you here to say sorry." Shun said quietly. He knew exactly what Maki was thinking, he might not love her anymore, if he ever had in the first place, but he sure as hell knew her.

She stared back at him incredulously. What on earth was making her go out with such a man? Seriously. He wasn't actually this big of an on a regular basis was he? How could she not have noticed if he was? It was impossible that she could pick a guy like this and fall in love with him! Preposterous! But he was still in front of her saying the jerkiest things possible.

She pinched herself to make sure this was happening and as soon as her nails narrowed in on her skin leaving marks she yelped much to Shun's surprise.

He hadn’t been dating this weird a girl forever had he?

Seeing his confused look Maki shrugged. "I was just making sure that you weren't actually saying that. Hurry up with your apology so we can go back to hanging out with our friends." She said and was about to continue on when she heard Shun scoff. What the hell was he scoffing at her for? He didn't have the right to mock her. What sort of drug was he on that he'd forgotten the situation they were in right now?

"Are you high Shun? Cause the last time I remember you scoffing at me was literally for never ago! And if my memory holds correct then you were the one who ditched on our date. Please correct me if I'm wrong Mr. Arithmetic Genius who's only good with numbers NOT with girls." She said glaring blazingly. So yeah...she wouldn't have been this mad at him if he'd just normally said sorry and then they could have gone on with faking their relationship for the rest of the world. There would be no problem with that. In fact she could still forgive him if he said sorry now.

But then he did the jerkiest thing of all.

Shun started laughing at her.

THE NERVE OF THAT BEEEEEP! Maki had the odd habit of bleeping out bad words kind of like a Jerry Springer Show!

She couldn't help what she did next. She got up off the bed, walked towards him so that she was right in front of him and slapped him straight across his face.

---

Toma glanced at Mao who was beside him as they were whisked around by a cab to their destination. He'd pulled her out so...blindly? He wasn't sure what else to say. All he knew was he didn't want to be on this date right now and he sure as hell didn't want to see Mao right now.

He'd just make her feel horrible about herself. While usually he found himself not thinking of Maki as often with the news he'd been presented he couldn't focus his concentration on the person beside him in the taxi right now. He just couldn't.

He turned back from her just as quickly feeling guilty as hell.

He couldn’t believe that Shun had almost been with Maki, his Maki. Sadly enough that wasn't the end of his thoughts as an image of Maki with Shun…without clothes wrapped in sheets c- no! He couldn’t think of this.

Not now at least! He was supposed to be on his road to healing. With a new person who actually seemed to care for him deeply not the woman who'd held a bewitching enchantment on him for most of his life now.

He was going to be over her now! He'd told himself it was futile to wait for Maki to notice herself and he'd never have the guts to go upto HER and say anything.

But why did it feel like he'd never be able to get over her?

If he was even slightly on the road to recovery he wouldn't be getting so worked up over the fact that she might go under someone…someone else that wasn’t him.

It didn’t help he had a very vivid imagination...a very vivid and detailed imagination.

Mao sat quietly at the other end of the cab staring at the boy beside her, wondering what had happened to Toma. He seemed so different from the night at the club barely a week or so ago.

He wasn’t talking much to her now either. Was it her fault somehow? Had she worn the wrong clothes? Did her make up seem too ty? What had she done wrong?

If it was the clothes she was going to kill Jun. Slowly she remembered Jun's words and the expression on her face as she defended the yellow atrocity in front of Mao. "I would want a girl to wear this because-"

Wait…she was over analyzing wasn't she? She'd read about it in Cosmo where one over analyzed the first date and killed any budding relationships right at the root, before it even started. Taking a deep breath she knew she had to calm down. She turned to Toma smiling.

If he wouldn't start the conversation she could.

“You look great! I really like that Armani on you. It's extremely...sophisticated neh?” She said hoping to start up a conversation. She was worried...usually with Toma you didn't start up conversations. They just kinda happened.

She couldn’t help herself from thinking she’d done something wrong again.

And with that over analyzing started again.

When his face turned towards her she quickly paid attention. Yes after this she would need to do nothing. It would be good sailing from here if answered back with more than a one word answer. You have to believe that Mao! She told herself silently.

“Thanks.” He said and turned back around to face the traffic outside covering the flush that was on his face from the thoughts of Maki and Shun. Though rather than a flush of embarrassment it was more one of anger.

But Mao didn't really know that did she?

Mao sighed unwillingly. How was it that this date, barely five minutes into it, already ?

Most of her dates with Toma didn’t . They were funny and sweet and filled with laughter. Then again everyone had usually accompanied them, Erika, Shun, Megumi and Maki.

“Stop here,” Toma said suddenly to the cab driver and before looking at him Mao looked outside the window but saw nothing special. She saw one of the tallest buildings possible and gasped in fake shock.

They were eating here? What were they doing here? This didn't make any sense to her at all. This looked like nothing more than an office building.

And where would they be eating? The corner office with the view?

“Get out, you’re blocking my way.” Toma said rudely interrupting her thoughts as he pushed her out of the cab quickly and Mao looked at him shocked and a little miffed. Toma didn’t do things like this, not at school, not when they were in the lounge or anywhere else...

So why was he doing them right now to her.

“Toma-chan…daijoubou?” She asked silently but of course her voice had gotten so quiet that she was almost reminded of her behavior right after entering Eitoku.

“Hold my hand Mao, I want you to stay beside me.” He said to her quickly and immediately she was reminded of the night he grabbed onto her so affectionately last week.

But this week the words didn’t hold the same warmth they had that night at the club. Mao frowned and wondered what on earth had happened to make him like this...so emotionally detached.

She grudgingly gave him her hand and felt his familiar warmth surge through her body, well at least he felt the same, and they entered the building after paying the cab.

---

Her eyes were alight with fury. What the hell did he think he was laughing at? Was she that funny? What the hell did he think he was pulling?

For a couple of seconds Shun rubbed the spot on his cheek which had felt the most impact from Maki's slap, before cracking a small smile and getting up to tower over her wit his height. The look on his face could be perceived as amused but the look in his eyes clearly showed otherwise. They were looking at her as if saying how dare she even think she could slap him, she gulped slowly. She wasn't used to this dangerous look in his eyes. She was used to the smiling one, the one that would tell her that in exactly 30 seconds she would be able to feel his arms wrap around her waist, she wasn't used to this one. She didn't know what his eyes were trying to tell her.

And she wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

Out of nowhere she felt a sting on her cheek and knew her head had turned away from his face as she found herself looking at the floor.

It slowly dawned on her that she had been slapped back. Her breaths became ragged with fury, what the-

"I might have bailed on our date Maki. But I didn't bail on us." No matter how strong my feelings for Mao were I stuck with you- I stayed by you. I didn't run away when it got hard...but now I'm thinking that was a mistake. I should have gone. You obviously didn't even bother to try not to humiliate me in school...I should have just done the same to you...all those times...

"Who said I bailed on us? WHAT THE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?!" She yelled back just as angrily shaking her head with the blood rushing to it. She'd sweared. She'd actually sweared. She almost never did it but the amount of- the way Shun was making her feel right now, she knew if she didn't swear she might do something else she'd regret.

"I'm talking about your little hand holding in public. And if you're that open about it in public I only WONDER what the two of you do in private. No wonder Yamapi was questioning if the two of us would be all right...of course he would! He wants to know if he can keep doing you on the side or if he has to figure out a new way to play you and Megumi. You think I couldn't have done that though Maki? I could have done exactly that. I could have gone up to Mao and kissed her with all the feelings I had for you and-" But Maki immediately slapped him again.

She felt her breaths become agitated. The words he was saying, the pain he was causing her right now. Sure she'd accidentally let her feelings slip out in public but that didn't make her a slag. Just because she wouldn't let him do anything didn't mean she'd let every other guy she came across do it! What was wrong with Shun?

Why was he trying to hurt her like this?

"Why is it always her!? ALWAYS. And so what if I held hands with someone, that may I remind you I DON'T EVEN LIKE?" She immediately pinched herself behind her back for lying to him. He didn't need to know anything yet though. "That doesn't show anything. I have no feelings for Yamapi. He means as much to me as...as this weird paperweight." She felt her stomach tighten at the lie as she grabbed onto the miniature Tokyo tower.

Shun immediately started laughing at her again as he stared at her face and pulled her shoulders and shook her furiously. "Who do you think you're lying to Maki? Not some ordinary man. You're lying to the future heir of Shueto. I can tell. So what am I going to have to do to get the truth out of you? What have you done so far with Yamapi? And even if you've done nothing...you shouldn't have been feeling what you're feeling. I'm no to your feelings if you remember right. I've felt them all, your wrath, your love, your adoration...so tell me if you don't feel for me anymore and I'm gone hun." He said pushing her away from himself as if he was disgusted by her presence.

"Don't flatter yourself. You're getting a mere tiny piece of the Shueto corp.. Your father has no faith in you, and your mother has maybe a little more than your father, your brother's been ignoring you cause he wants to pretend that a screw up weirdo like you doesn't really exist in his otherwise picture perfect family, and your step sister is the only one who actually remains in contact with you and you don't even appreciate her. YOU HATE HER! She's the only one who even seems to care a about you even the slightest bit and you hate her. So obviously you aren't as intuitive as you'd like to think you are. Don't shove that title in my face. I can shove other things in your face. I- I don't have to answer any of your unfounded questions. I've told you once I'll tell you again. I DON'T FEEL ANYTHING FOR PI." She said bossily ready to turn around and leave. He was pissing her off, a lot. What the hell was up with bringing up the skeletons from their closet? It wasn't even spring-cleaning yet.

"Just tell me Maki. The only reason I've been staying by you is because I didn't want to humiliate you in front of the whole school. Somehow WE became the newest it trend and for some reason we never went out of fashion and if I broke up with you for some other girl you'd be mocked. I didn't want that to happen to you so I kept all my other emotions pent up inside of me. But if you're feeling things for other people then we can let this fake relationship that you really can't even commit to go and you know I can finally be with Mao and-"She slapped him again. Shun took a deep breath.

---

“Toma.” She said suddenly shocking him using his name familiarly.

“Mao.” He replied seemingly unfazed.

“Toma-kun. I’m going to call you Toma after today. Is that all right with you?” She said quickly.

At this Toma suddenly realized that they were on a date again. He stared at Mao for a second or two. He was on a date with this gorgeous of a girl...how had he not noticed that?

Of course Maki's face popped up in his head with the sheets of Egyptian cotton shuffling around her but Toma immediately shoved that out of his head again. That wasn't the answer he was looking for...if he was even looking for an answer.

They were on a date and he was thinking of another girl and yelling at this one.

It was horrible of him wasn't it? It wasn't Mao-chan's fault at all that Maki and Shun had somehow been the only things on his mind.

He tried to make an effort now. He didn't want this evening to be completely useless.

“Eh Gomen ne Mao-chan. I was behaving very rudely right now wasn't I? I promise I’ll try to be better neh?” He said suddenly and stepped back from her to examine her. As he'd stared at her this bright splurge of yellow had sprung out at him.

“Neh...Mao turn for me.” He said suddenly and Mao looked at him bewildered but nevertheless obliged to his request and suddenly heard him gasp.

So she gasped too but only out of shock of hearing such a usually ungaspy man gasp!

“How could I not have seen how utterly perfect you look in that dress? And right after you complimented me on my Armani too. It's really Pi's but that dress looks like it was tailor made for you. Mao that dress is magic on you!” He said in shock as he stared at the fabric as it draped itself over her long legs and finally he looked back to her face. Mao blushed and got ready to turn away from him so as not to embarrass herself but he wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her closer to him.

Yes, he should be doing things like this with Mao. This is what you did to girls on dates didn't you? Toma told himself as the image of Maki and Shun kissing and falling on a bed came into his head.

He didn't fight it this time but just tightened his hold on Mao's waist as she yelped slightly but shut up.

“You aren’t getting away from me tonight.” He said in a low voice and he was surprised to find he believed it. He really wasn't going to let go off her all of tonight. He might have been even slightly using her to- somehow block out the horrible lonely feeling the image in his head was giving him.

He reasoned from psychology that his brain probably thought that if he couldn’t have all of Maki, he’d have all of Mao. She seemed willing enough anyways, there would be no real problem in morals. He liked Mao well enough didn't he?

But as he stared at her cheeks and in his head Shun held onto Maki's fists tightly he knew that no amount of feelings he had for Mao could ever compare with the ones he had for Maki. His heart spoke out in protest at the feeling of Mao by it's side instead of the one it truly desired.

Toma shut it up for now. He'd ignore those feelings, let them dull...or at least numb...just for today.

Mao blushed as they headed into the elevator, this one was big enough to let both of them stand in it without being pressed up to each other that almost every part of themselves was touching something of the other person's. Toma pressed the button for the roof and Mao immediately shrieked in fear.

Toma looked at her in a questioning manner and Mao looked back to him shyly and latched onto his own waist feeling particularly brave. Yes, Toma was being much more affectionate now but she couldn't help but sense a little fakeness in it. He was probably trying to over compensate for being all rude before wasn't he?

Toma-kun was just the sweetest! Mao couldn't help thinking as she stared up at the dazzling young actor.

How had she ended up getting him? Her of all girls! She still couldn't believe it.

“I’m scared of heights.” She said quickly starting up conversation again. Besides he was probably expecting an explanation as to why she got so scared neh?

Toma grinned down and pulled her in front of him so that even though there was space for the two of them they were back in the position from the week before in that elevator. Except this time he actually hugged her as he rested his head tiredly on her shoulder.

“I’m with you Mao-chan so there’s nothing to be scared of. I would never let Mao-chan fall off a building and if she did,” Toma said suddenly surprised to find the words coming out of his mouth even but before he could stop them and not make a fool of himself he said. “I’d fall behind her just to make sure she wouldn't land on the rubble but on me...I might be harder than the rubble though. But I'd do it cause I’m falling for her.” Mao suddenly looked at Toma and shook her head as if saying 'TOO FAST TOO FAST'.

“Toma you confuse me.” She said immediately offering him no censorship to her thoughts. Toma started laughing and combing through his hair with his fingers gingerly.

Such an enigmatic personality, such a cute face, such a beautiful person...but he couldn't appreciate it.

The image of Maki and Shun in his head still hadn't drifted away, the two of them were there...Maki was taking off Shun's shirt now.

His imagination, his heart, and his own body were
against him...what on earth was he supposed to do?

“Why would you tell me that?” She asked in more blatant terms and Toma glanced at her and shrugged.

“I don’t know Mao. You make me say things, I guess. I'm quite sure most of them are true...no I'm not acting. What else am I supposed to say besides that? Want another answer?” He said and watched her blush and felt his own cheeks heat up in response. Mao was the only one who made him blush like this. With Maki he would blush but it would be more...subtle, with Mao he really did become a tomato. You could probably heat up a whole city with the power generated in their bodies, he mused.

They stood there for a while like that neither daring to move closer to each other but neither daring to move farther away either. They needed to understand Toma right now, Mao and Toma himself had no idea what on earth was happening on this bewildering date.

Toma wanted to be here...even with Mao yes but...

Shun pushed off a strap of Maki's tanktop and interlaced his fingers with hers now.

But he was far too complicated a soul to understand even for himself.

How could he expect the jewel of a girl to accept him and his feelings for both her and another girl?]

He couldn't.

---

He'd been insensitive towards her feelings, once again. He could already tell he was behaving like an but he found himself uncaring.

Maki herself was behaving like whatever the female version of an was.

"You-" She started but then stopped feeling the words drift away not out of but away from her mind. Where did they go? What had she wanted to say? Why was it she couldn't seem to bring herself to be mad at him for this? All those other things...when it had felt like he was mocking her, making fun of her, it had been so easy to get mad at him.

But at the thought of him leaving her, she felt sadness yes...but more so she felt a relief wash over her body. Hadn't she loved him for most of her junior high years? How could both her mind and body give up on this? Hadn't she wanted this to last forever?

Then Pi's face slowly flashed in her head as he talked to Megumi but kept their hands together under the couch cushion so that no one could see the tight hold he had on her.

It was so tight that when she'd finally let go of his hand and glanced at it she remembered it being so red...with all the blood that was stuck and was unable to flow back.

It was a desperate hold.

She wondered if his hand looked just as red as hers. If she had a desperate hold for him too.

She suddenly realized she was still with Shun and they were discussing the potential end of a very long relationship. She should at least give him the respect to a proper break up...one without thoughts of this new man who had taken over her affections.

"You really ." She said finally slumping down on the bed that wasn't Shun's. She immediately realized that she'd fallen down on his bed.

Yes it was definetely his...the scent was there, the one which was distinctly his. She could recognize it in an instant even though she'd only been close enough to sniff him out for maybe ten minutes at the club that night.

"I know." Shun said finally. He knew that if they'd actually tried harder they might have been able to stay together for longer, perhaps long enough to last most of their lifetimes.

But it wouldn't have been a happy time, it would have been a fake time. And they didn't want to... and if they didn't want to not only would one suffer but both would. And what was the point of that?

Nothing.

So he'd decided a short while ago that he'd end this. If there was nothing left for her in his heart, it was likely that there was nothing left for him in her heart.

Maki didn't want him.

And he didn't want her.

The only difference was that the person Maki did want was within her reach, he realized and that was the reason he was so mad at her. She could reach out and pull Yamapi towards her if she really wanted to. He remembered seeing the look in Yamapi's eyes. He clearly reciprocated the feelings Maki felt for him(the ones she wouldn't admit to Shun).

He was jealous of her. When he looked at Mao with that feeling in his eyes she would laugh and turn away. She would never take him seriously or look at him in that way, as a man. He only had himself to blame. There was no one else. So he would suffer because he had missed out on his chance. He slowly glanced at the picture of the two of them and smiled sadly. At least they would always have ice creams.

"How?" Maki said softly as she buried her face in Yamapi's pillow. Shun looked at her as if remembering she was still there, it was good they were ending this. If they couldn't even remember each other's presence in the room they were alone in together...the relationship was quite dead wasn't it?

Maki would never have imagined that out of all the people who knew her that Shun would have been the one who would pick out her feelings. She would never have allowed him to she'd have thought. She would never have given into his pleas for a break up like she was right now. She would have fought hard and long, and would never have given up.

Why was she now? She'd really really loved Shun, or so she'd thought.

But obviously not she realized as the small sniffle lifted up the scent of the true object of her affections.

A small tear slid down her cheek as she lifted her face slightly to face the wall but stayed away from Shun's glances.

Now she felt ashamed he was right, she was a major part of the reason they were doing this right now. She'd given up first, she'd blamed him...but at least he'd kept his promise on what he'd told her when they'd started going out.

Shun had never felt as deeply for her as he had Mao, she'd always known that, that hadn't changed. He'd told her it probably never would either, she'd said it was fine.

But he'd tried to always stay and fall more in love with her.

She'd blocked him out. She'd been...holding onto something that wasn't really there, at least not for her.

"I'm sorry Maki. I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to hold onto you too." He said in an attempt to smooth things over between the two of them. He didn't want to leave it like this, once upon a time he'd been sure that his feelings for Maki had been just as strong as the ones he'd had for Mao.

But apparently they'd weakened and faded away, like soldiers who'd lost a war or something.

"Liar." She said immediately as he spoke those words. He wasn't lying. He had wanted to hold onto her. He'd wanted to stay close to her until- until he'd seen that she'd reached out to someone else. She found someone who truly deserved her affections but now he couldn't help but wonder if it had had to be Pi.

A memory floated back to him as he recalled all this.

(A/N: Memory)

"SHUNNNNNN OMG you totally have to see my nail polish! Isn't it hot? But you can't tell mom m'kay? She totally doesn't know that I saved up my allowance and got a manicure." She said shoving her on his back sitting on him as she usually did and shoving her fingers in place of his textbook so he'd be forced to look at them.

"Oh how delightful...you just spent your one thousand dollar allowance on a manicure that's just French. God save anyone who comes to you for help with their finances." Being brought up like a poor kid Shun didn't have any of the luxuries this stupid girl had always had and Ryo had somehow gotten accustomed to.

"You know what Shun you have to start loving me at some point you know." She said straightforwardly playing with his hair and Shun tried to push her off him. She was too heavy for his back and the bed could barely....well no the bed could support the two of them he just didn't like the idea of being on the same bed as this odd specimen of female.

"Do I really? Tell me how that works out."

"See it's cause I'm your sister. And brothers and sisters love each other." Shun suddenly remembered Koyama and Mao. He started laughing and his sister stared at him in shock.

"What?"

"I was just imagining my best friend and her brother. They're so not like what you said. Besides...I love her more than I love you."

"Ehhh! MEAN! You know what Shun you can like go f-"

"Don't swear potty mouth. I'll shove soap in it again."

"You know what- just like don't. If you don't love someone who loves you back soon enough they'll find someone who will. So guess what?"

"What?" Shun said raising an eyebrow as he struggled to turn himself over and found Aya suddenly sitting in a very odd place for a young boy so he quickly pushed her off and that stopped him from hearing her last line.

"I'm replacing you with Ryo." She whispered and got up walking away.

"CREEPY CREPPY AYA COOTIES AYA COOTIES!" He continued yelling as he ran into the washroom to change into another pair of clothes. Aya's skin cooties had gotten all over this pair.

"SHUT UP SHUN I DON'T SMELL OR STINK AND I HAVE MY MANICURE TODAY I DON'T HAVE COOTIES YOU-"

If there was one American tradition he'd adopted well to...it was the cooties.

(A/N: Memory end)

It was really true. He'd never taken her seriously, anything she'd said so most of the time unless it was loud he hadn't even bothered to listening. His sist- Aya- had always told him that if you didn't love someone back quick enough they'd eventually let their feelings for you go.

Had this happened with Maki? Had her feelings for him disappeared? This made him feel less guilty for letting his own feelings for her disappear without struggle.

"I'm not lying." He decided to say as he sat down beside her sleeping figure. She was curled up as if she was trying to protect something, but god knew what. She'd been in exactly the same position when they'd been on his bed what seemed like ages ago but was really just two weeks or so. What was she trying to keep to herself? What was the reason she'd built ten foot high walls around them that Shun was too tired to break down?

"I really felt like I wanted to stay with you when I first started going out with you. You were just so utterly cute, chasing after a guy who just got rejected. Really I thought you were a little dumb at first but towards the end I'd even stopped calling you Horikita." Shun said grinning childishly remembering the way they'd gotten together. Back then he hadn't been expecting to stay with her for so long. She'd been his rebound girl, pretty, talented, absolutely no reason to reject but absolutely no reason to love either.

"Continue- you're making me feel somewhat better about giving up on you, and my complete lack of logic and decision making skills lately" Maki said teasingly letting a small sniffle out of and Shun turned around and smirked. This was so typical of her; she tried to make you feel guilty on something you didn't usually do. One of the qualities he'd learned and admired about her so easily.

"Once upon a time....

---

Mao wanted him but she wanted him all to herself and she wanted the happy go lucky guy that had hugged her in their first meeting not bothering to ask her if she wanted it. He hadn’t asked because somewhere inside he’d understood her needs and what she needed. He was intuitive to the needs of people but he couldn't tell what they were feeling unless the outwardly displayed it. Yamapi was lucky that way he'd always been jealous of his best friend.

As they stepped out Toma kept an even tighter hold on Mao and Mao felt a smile grace her face as they stepped out onto the roof. The wind blew but Mao felt no chill due to the fact that Toma's arms were wrapped so tightly around her the wind must have just somehow bounced off him and not even reacher her. He kept her warm, she thought giddily.

“Let’s have some food neh?” He said picking up a slice of cheese on a toothpick and indicating Mao to open so he could put it in. Mao felt her lips graze by his fingers and immediately turned away clapping a hand on her lips.

Was that a good or a bad thing? She didn't remember what Maki had told her before anymore.

“Gomen nasaii,” She said quickly and realized that made her sound and look even more stupid than before if possible. You just ignored those types of situations you didn’t say sorry for them.

“It’s okay Mao…relax. I’m falling for you remember? So you won't hit hard rubble? I’m not going to mind your lips on me anywhere.” He said slowly and Mao immediately started coughing on the piece of cheese she'd been swallowing and Toma burst into laughter..

“You are too cute.” He reasoned and got ready to sit down but all of the sudden he heard a small bang of Mao's fist on the table in the middle of the balcony.

“You know what Toma? I’ve had enough.” She said a sudden newfound strength coming into her body.

She didn’t plan to make a fool of herself any longer. She'd ask him clearly. Yes...why he'd been such a jerk before and why he was being so utterly corny right now. It was sweet...but it wasn't that original. The corniness of it all made her kind of queasy.

“What Mao? What is it?” He said concern coming through in his voice. Toma realized that perhaps he had said too much too quickly. Perhaps this was scaring Mao, he didn’t want to lose her. He didn’t want to lose Maki and her.

Maki he couldn’t help losing he realized as the image of the two in his head popped up again but this time he was able to push the image out and focus solely on the girl in front of him.Mao...he wanted to hold onto her he realized and he started towards her ready to wrap his arms around her keeping her to himself, like a precious treasure but as soon as he reached her she pushed him away.

"Enough Toma...you're confusing me! So...just answer this...why are you so ed up tonight?"

------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Okay so this chapter didn't take me that long to edit but I got distracted a lot by these really good mangas. So it took me a while to finish only because I got so lazy.

But yes I'm sorry if you guys didn't understand Toma in this chapter: I'll sumarrize him here for you guys just in case:

Toma basically starts off pissed at Maki and Shun and that's when this image which repeats the whole time through the date starts showing where Shun and Maki are "doing" things and he can't get the image out of his head. So later on as he enters the building he senses the tension and is shocked because he doesn't realize why it's there and then remembers he's on a date with a gorgeous girl like Mao! With this he tries to become corny and hold onto her because he doesn't want to lose Maki and Mao (he's selfish that way but if you think about it he never really had Maki to begin with neh? T.T) Mao actually gets a little freaked out by this because she's not into the corny lines about the rubble so much and usually Toma's really original with his pick up lines.

So she decides to question him about his odd behaviour and that's it!

THANKS FOR READING GUYS! As usual my special thanks goes out to those who commented: Zing, Calliope, xxing, Ichigokut3, biniBningPunkista, sara, discoteque, and makitear-chan!!! *glompage to all my reviewers*

And without further ado this week's actor's conference!

Toma: Oh my lord that was the hardest acting session I've ever had. *grabs bottle of water and drinks some of it*

Megumi: *pulls bottle of water while he's pouring it into his mouth so it spills all over his white dress armani shirt and does an evil giggle*

Toma: What the-

Megumi: We haven't fought recently...I missed it *sad face*

Toma: What the- *has a dawn of realization moment* YAMAPI YOU NEVER TOLD ME YOUR GIRLFRIEND LOOKED CUTE WHEN SAD!

Pi & Megumi: *make cute baby faces and smoochy faces at each other*

Pi: It's so true. Come here babe.The next chapter we have a break again. I only come in at the very end and then I come back to you.

Megumi: I'm so happy that this whole thing is so lax for me right now. I mean I really didn't want to go around in like those short skirts or any of that other stuff my character does.

Erika S.: *walks in* Oh whoa...where's Jun?

PiTomaMegumi:*point to bean bag chair pointed away*

Erika S.: Thanks guys. *walks upto Jun with dangerous look in her eyes and pulls her arms together and punches him in the stomach*

Jun: *obviously wakes up...in pain* WHAT THE-Erika? Why are you-

Erika S. : This is why you reply to my text messages as soon as you get them. You know how long I've been waiting I can't wait any longer tham a whole day.

Mao: *comes out of makeup and sees Tomapigumi* I'm sleepy. *yawns* Toma you were so weird on set today. I seriously had no idea what to say to you half the time.

Toma: I know I'm so sorry.

Author: No I'm so sorry T.T

Megumi: OMG IT'S THE GHOST OF THE AUTHOR IT'S SO THE GHOST!

Author: I'm not a-

Pi: You're right! I remember her ditching out on most of these conferences nowadays. Why the hell do we still come? Don't you proclaim someone dead after 24 hours...she's been missing from these for almost two weeks or so right? *Megumi nods*

Toma: Wakaranai.

Author: Seriously I'M NOT DEAD!

Jun: *scoffs* Yeah right...that's what they all say.

Shun: He's right...for once.

Jun: What'd you say GurGuri?

Shun: Exactly what I meant MatsuMatsumot- why is your name so long?

Jun: I have no idea.

Shun: Let's go discuss that

Jun: OKAY!

Erika S.: Oi OI! You aren't going anywhere.*pulls him back to his seat*

Ryo: Talk about hot. Bossy girls are the best neh?

Aya: I'm bossy right? *gives a cute smile*

Ryo: *nervous laugh*

Aya: I'm bossy right?

Ryo: *is edging away from Aya and looking for a place to hide*

Aya; I'M BOSSY RIGHT?

Ryo: *hides*

Aya: Yo Jun I'm boss-*Jun hides*

Erika S.: Sorry hun...but getting thrown off Shun makes you completely unbossy...but HEY! Ryo and Jun like ya so much they want to spare you the harsh truth. Now me? I don't like ya one bit so I'm fine with saying the harsh truth like how fat you look in that outfit right now any time you want.

Aya: I dont' look fat.

Erika S.: Yes you do.

Aya: No I don't.

Erika S.: Yes you do.

Aya: I'm bossy right?

Erika S.: *isn't thinking anymore when she replies* Yes you-
OH !

Aya: *victory dance* OHHHHH WHO OWNS?!!?

/END!

Hope you guys liked it!