Hongou Yui, an ordinary ninth grader, was drawn into the Ancient Chinese world of a book, The Universe of the Four Gods. There, she travelled to the capital city of Konan. She encountered a man with the character "Ogre" on his forehead, who protected her when she was in danger. The Emperor had them both arrested, but later was kind to Yui. He asked her become the Suzaku no Miko, to summon the god Suzaku to protect Konan. Yui agreed.

Episode Three:

Author's notes: In Japanese, "Imouto-chan" means "little sister" and "Onii-chan" means "big brother".
"Sei" or "Seishi" (we use the two terms somewhat loosely as singular and plural, although that isn't the case in the original Japanese) loosely translates as something like "Star Guardian." "Suzaku no Miko" literally means "Priestess/shrine maiden of Suzaku."

"That's great, Imouto-chan. If you keep your grades up like this, you'll be able to follow me to medical school."

"But, if I do that, Miaka won't be able to go to the same high school as me..." Yui said.

"She'll never make it," her older brother answered. "You'll have to let her go."

"But she's my friend! Don't talk about it so lightly!"

"Yui, are you going to sacrifice what you want for your own life just to make Miaka happy?"

"Onii-chan..."

"I'm not your brother," he said.

"What?"

Yui couldn't focus on him; it was like he was gliding away from her. "Onii-chan, wait!" she shouted, grabbing his hand.

"I'm not your brother." She opened her eyes; Tamahome was standing over her, holding her hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Yui said, letting go of him. "What are you doing in my room?"

"Don't say it like that!" Tamahome protested. "I just came to check on you. You've been depressed recently. The emperor is worried about you."

"Really?"

*

The emperor's ministers and advisors stood behind him, waiting patiently. He'd been sitting in front of the mirror in his room for some time, worry written across his face, when something seemed to catch his attention. His gaze into the glass intensified, and he turned his head this way and that.

"Your majesty...?" one of them ventured curiously.

"I'm so beautiful it's frightening," he announced.

A collective "ugh!" sounded behind him a moment later.

*

"Yeah, he is," Tamahome said, sitting on the edge of her bed. "You're homesick, aren't you?"

"Well... a bit," Yui admitted. "I love this place, but it's difficult not being able to see my family and friends back in my world..."

"Lonely, huh?"

"It isn't so bad. I have you, and Hotohori--I mean, the emperor."

Tamahome thought for a moment. "You're big news, you know. It's all over the empire that the Suzaku no Miko's appeared. And because of you, I can live in this fantastic place."

Yui smiled. Maybe this would satisfy his avarice... "I'm happy for you."

"Yeah, but you should be happy, too." He turned to her and smiled. "Tell ya what. As a special exception, I'll be your big brother, free of charge."

She blinked at him a few times. "Thank you..."She blinked at him a few times. "Thank you..."

"You're welcome," he said, giving her a ‘brotherly' hug. "I've been thinking. If you want to go back to your world, the best way to do that would probably be to get the power of Suzaku. It's supposed to grant your every wish, isn't it?"

"That's true..." she agreed. "I just realized, I don't know how to get the power of Suzaku..."

"The Emperor probably knows."

"Probably," she said, getting up and picking her uniform up from the dresser. "Tamahome, will you excuse me?"

"Of course," he said, hurrying out the door.

A few minutes later, Yui came out in her uniform. "Shall we go to see the Emperor?" she asked Tamahome.

"Sure." And hopefully that purple-haired guy will be somewhere else this time.

Yui had only been in the palace a few days, but she already knew her way to the Emperor's quarters. Hopefully he wasn't at court already. She rapped on the door while Tamahome exchanged glares with a familiar violet-haired guard on duty there. I really should ask that man his name some time, Yui thought. We see him so often. "It's Yui. May I come in?"

"Yes, please," Hotohori answered.

She opened the door to find him sitting at a mirrored dresser, in his Imperial robes with his advisors standing around him. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything..."

"No, not at all," Hotohori assured her, turning around. "How are you? I wanted to check on you myself, but my duties prohibited it."

"I'm doing fine. I'm afraid I've been lax in my duties as the Suzaku no Miko, though..."

"Don't worry. We aren't facing any crisis, so you can do it in your own time."

"Thank you," she said. "But I'd like to get to it, anyway. I just realized, I don't even know how to get the power of Suzaku. I was hoping you could tell me."

"Of course." He picked up a red scroll from the dresser. "It's written here. Are you familiar with this book?"

Yui glanced at the title written on the outside of the scroll. "It's the Universe of the Four Gods, isn't it?" Hotohori nodded. "I've seen it briefly..."

"This scroll was given to Lord Taiso, the first emperor of Konan, by Taiitsukun, the overseer of this world. Actually, the four gods are twenty-eight constellations, divided into northern, southern, eastern, and western quadrants."

"Seiryuu of the East, Genbu of the North, Byakko of the West, and Suzaku of the South, right?" Yui questioned, remembering Tamahome's explanation when they first saw the palace's shrine of Suzaku.

"That's right," he said. "The seven southern constellations are: Chichiri, Tamahome, Nuriko, Hotohori, Chiriko, Tasuki, and Mitsukake. For each of these constellations, there is a Sei, a person with a red character somewhere on their body. Each is known by the name of their constellation as well as their given name."

"So, you and Tamahome are both Seishi?" Yui asked.

"That's right." Hotohori pushed aside the ruffled collar of his robe, and the room was bathed in soft red light as the character "Star" appeared on the left side of his neck. "I'm Hotohori, the Sea Snake. Tamahome is the crab."

"Not a word," Tamahome muttered to her. "Not one word."

Hotohori chucked slightly. "The Seishi protect the Miko and give her strength. The Universe of the Four Gods is the story of a girl who gathered the Seven Sei of Suzaku, and so it contains clues to finding them."

"I see," Yui said. "I'll have to study it, then. So, there are five more people I have to find." She paused. "Tamahome, did you know you were a Sei of Suzaku?" There would be no point in asking Hotohori.

Tamahome nodded.

So that's why they're both being so nice to me, Yui thought sadly. I should have known Tamahome's ‘change of heart' came too quickly.

"Yui, is something wrong?" Hotohori asked.

"Not really," she answered. She didn't feel comfortable sharing such a personal thought, especially not at a moment like this. "Let's get started, shall we?"

*

Miaka shifted slightly to catch the fading evening light that filtered into the Confidential Documents Reference Room. "‘The Emperor assembled the best men from the empire and brought them before the Suzaku no Miko...'"

*

"These are the finest men in the empire, just as you ordered," a minister announced, with a gesture encompassing the crowd of men assembled before them.

"Thank you, you've done well," Hotohori said spiritlessly.

"Does anyone here have a red character on their body?" Yui shouted, as loudly as she could to be heard throughout the crowd. The men mumbled among themselves, but no one responded.

"That won't work, baka," Tamahome said. "The character won't appear just because you want it to. Someone might not even know it was there."

"You don't have to insult me," Yui protested. "I was just seeing if the easy way would work first. Besides, if you can't make the character appear just by wanting it to, what was that Hotohori did earlier?"

"She has a point," Hotohori remarked.

"Well, it didn't work this time, so we'll have to do it the not-so-easy way," Tamahome said, stretching and walking down the steps into the courtyard. He took a battle stance. "All right, who's first?"

"Um, Tamahome, do you actually know how to find out if someone's a Sei?" Yui questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"If their life is in danger, surely the power will show up," Tamahome answered.

"Don't you think that's going a bit far?" Yui asked, a worried sweat drop appearing on her forehead.

"You got any better ideas, Suzaku no Miko?"

Yui paused, considering the question.

"See? None?" He turned, popped his knuckles, and threw a punch at the nearest man, knocking him to the ground with the blow. "OK, it's not that guy."

"Tamahome! Give me time to think!" Yui scolded.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think what he wanted was to impress us with his strength," Hotohori said, with the tone of a weary sigh not breathed.

"No, not at all, sire!" Tamahome insisted all-too-quickly for innocence. "I just want what's best for the empire."

"I'm sure you do."

Across the courtyard, the violet-haired guard leaned against the railing, tugging up the neckline of his civilian shirt as he watched the proceedings in amusement. What is that fool doing?

"I'm still waiting for other ideas," Tamahome said a few moments later, ducking a blow and leveling a soldier who had come in from the outer precincts.

Yui sighed. "It's hard to think with a fight going on under my nose. Hoto--er, Emperor."

"Please, Hotohori is fine."

"Hotohori, do you mind if I get out of the sun for awhile to think about it?" She pointed to a pavilion on the other side of the courtyard.

"Feel free. I doubt Tamahome will turn up anything you have to be present for."

"Thank you," Yui said, starting off.

"What's a matter, are you all cowards?" Tamahome challenged. "Chicken. Bock, bock, bwack."

Hotohori touched his hand to his face and shook his head sadly.

"We don't have to take this!" someone at the back of the group shouted. "Together we can take him!"

"Oh crap," Tamahome muttered as the mass of men moved forward like a single entity. "Um, we're not going to learn anything this way!" he shouted. The men continued to advance. "Oh, fine, if you want to be that way." The character on his forehead burned brightly as he jumped into the middle of the fray.

"Sire, if this continues, many of our best men may be injured," one of the ministers warned.

"I should never have let it get this far," Hotohori muttered to himself, rising. "Stop this at once, all of you!" Unfortunately, few could hear his order over the din of battle.

"Ha ha, you missed!" Tamahome shouted as battle hammer flew past his head. He paused, and then realized the direction it was travelling and whipped around. "YUI!"

Yui looked up from intent efforts to ignore the fight Tamahome had started. "What--AAAH!"

She ducked as the hammer flew past her, striking one of the supporting columns of the pavilion. To her horror, the column started to crumble.

"Yui, get out of there," Tamahome shouted, running towards her.

"YUI!" Hotohori shouted, starting toward the pavilion as the other columns began to buckle.

As the roof began to collapse, Yui screamed. The roar of crumbling masonry deafened her, and she was knocked to the ground on her back. Not wanting to see the final blow, she squeezed her eyes shut, but all she felt was a pain in her leg before the sound stopped. Cautiously, she opened one eye. Tamahome was arched above her, supporting the rubble with his back.

"Man, I'm gonna be in trouble for this one, huh?" he half-grunted, half-joked.

"Tamahome!" she said. He would do such a thing to save me...?

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to get hurt," he groaned, straining to support the load.

"I know you didn't. Hold on, I'm sure the Emperor will have us out of this soon."

*

Miaka screamed and dropped the book as throbbing pain shot through her leg. "What's happening?" she whimpered as blood soaked into her uniform skirt. Her gaze fell upon the book. "‘The Suzaku no Miko's clothes were brightly dyed by the blood of her injured leg.'" Because this is happening to Yui, is it happening to me, too? What if... What if something even worse happens to Yui? What if she dies? Miaka's heart quickened, and she forced herself to calm down. That won't happen, it can't. Yui wants to live, and even if she didn't, she won't let anything happen to me, either. She's my best friend, she won't...

*

"Your majesty, that's dangerous!" an advisor protested as Hotohori approached the wreckage of the pavilion.

"We have to do something!" Hotohori insisted.

"There's nothing we can do! Tamahome-san knocked out most of the best men."

"Then I'll do it myself!" Hotohori shouted in frustration, dropping to his knees at the edge of the rubble and starting to lift bits of it away. He couldn't move anything large enough to make any difference. All the power of an Emperor, and now I can't do anything...! Dear Suzaku, please--!

"Your Highness, if I may?"

"What?" He turned and looked up as the violet-haired guard approached.

The guard reached over and picked up the entire stone pavilion roof with one hand, then looked about for a safe place to put it before tossing it across the courtyard. He reached over a second time and picked up a column in each hand. Hotohori stared at him as he tossed the columns like twigs, then the Emperor's eyes drifted to the man's chest. Through the cloth of his shirt, over his heart, a brilliant red glow was filtering through.

"There you are," the guard said, tossing aside the last large piece of rubble to reveal Tamahome and Yui. "And still alive, I see. You have the devil's own luck."

"Tamahome, Yui! Are you all right!?" Hotohori asked, rising.

"I'll live," Tamahome said, shakily getting to his feet.

"My leg was hurt, but I'm all right," Yui said, sitting up, but not trusting her injured leg further than that. "Tamahome protected me."

"Do I get a reward?" Tamahome asked eagerly.

"It seems to me that you're the one who put her in danger to begin with," the guard replied.

"Who asked you?"

"I'm afraid I have to concur," Hotohori said. "Your reward should just about cover the damage you caused. Yui, do you need any help?" He picked his way through the rubble toward her, much to the alarm of his advisors and bodyguards.

"It would be best if she weren't moved until someone looked at her leg," the guard suggested.

"It's not so bad, really," Yui assured Hotohori. "I'm sure I'll be all right."

"Nonetheless, I'll get someone to look after it immediately," he said, sending a courtier scurrying after a doctor with a glance. He then turned to the violet-haired guard. "Thank you," he said, then paused awkwardly. "There... on your chest..."

"What? What's wrong?" the guard asked, jumping back and looking down at his chest, his eyes wide with alarm.

"That light," Hotohori said, pointing to the fading red glow that still shone through the guard's shirt. "Are you, perhaps...?"

"Ah, that!" The guard carefully unfastened the lap-over of his shirt and pulled the neckline down just low enough to reveal the character "willow" on his chest. "You mean this?"

"Yes! You're a Sei of Suzaku, aren't you?"

The guard nodded, refastening his shirt. "My name is Ryuuen, also known as Nuriko."

"Oh, geez," Tamahome groaned. "Of all people, why did it have to be him!?"

"Fate," the guard said mischievously. "And, it seems now you owe me a favor, too."

"Oh, no..."

"I'm glad to have met you," Yui said, ignoring Tamahome's moans. "You'll forgive me if I don't get up to greet you."

"You're one of the palace guards," Hotohori said. "I've seen you often. Why did you never tell anyone this before?"

"I meant no disrespect, your Majesty," Nuriko answered, bowing deeply, "but I was never asked. I feared revealing myself would jeopardize my position."

"Your Majesty, Suzaku no Miko," someone said. "The doctor has arrived."

*

"‘The Suzaku no Miko washed the blood off her clothing,'" Miaka read. Her leg still hurt where Yui had been injured, but her skirt no longer felt sticky against her skin. She looked down and found the bloodstain vanished. Whew! Mom would've had a fit if I'd gotten home and she saw that.

She looked down at the ink drawing in the book. The old, elaborate drawing style made the picture of Yui kneeling over the washtub almost unrecognizable, but Miaka noticed her friend's fluffy short hair. Not exactly a popular style in ancient China. Not in the movies, anyway.

*

Yui smiled. Finally! I thought I was never going to get that stain out. She squeezed as much water out of the skirt as she could, then reached up and folded it over the back of her chair to dry. The soft fabric of the silk robe she had put on caressed her shoulders as she moved. I'm lucky to have found favor with Hotohori, she thought, rubbing the collar of the robe between her fingers just to feel the cloth. Since I want to get home as quickly as possible, I suppose I'll have to enjoy his kindness while I can... Everyone here is so nice... so devoted to me...

That last thought never ceased to amaze her. She was used to being the class brain, more of a stock character than a person in the eyes of her classmates. She wasn't pretty, her personality wasn't all that charming, and yet, here... She thought of Tamahome, there under the pavilion, holding up heaven knew how much weight to protect her. She remembered his pinched face, his strained voice... What must he have gone through in that moment? Yes, she was the Suzaku no Miko, and he was one of her Seishi. If she asked anyone, they would say that was why it had happened, but it was a split-second decision for him to throw himself between her and the wreck of that pavilion. Surely there had to be something more to it than mere duty...

Her heart swelled at the thought. In my own world, is there anyone who would do that for me? Miaka? Her mother? Her big brother? She knew they all loved her, but somehow she just couldn't see them doing such a thing, stepping between her and a proverbial bullet.

...Tamahome...

"Hey, Yui."

"Tamahome!" Yui greeted, looking up. "What is it?"

Tamahome glanced over his shoulder and quickly darted into the room. "I, uh, just wanted to see if your leg was all right. Yeah, how is it?"

"Fine," she said. "Thank you, for what you did earlier."

"Oh, think nothing of it," Tamahome said, nervously looking towards the door. "I am your Sei, after all. Oh, on second thought... You don't suppose you could, like, mention it to the emperor how really wonderfully extremely grateful you are for that?"

Yui smiled, and raised an eyebrow jokingly. "You're still fishing for that reward, aren't you?"

"Well, I..."

"I know you're in there, you little thief!" Nuriko yelled, pounding on the door. "Lady Miko, may I come in?"

"Yes, come..." Yui belatedly noticed Tamahome's frantic gesturing.

The door slowly slid open, revealing the glowering gaze of Nuriko. "Tamahome..." he snarled.

"Come on, it's not like it's unfair!" Tamahome argued. "I did as much as you did; I deserve half!"

"One: It was your fault. Two: You took all."

"Well, if I didn't have all of it to count, how would I know how much was half?"

"What are you two arguing about?" Yui asked. She wasn't sure whether the office of Miko usually obligated her to break up fights among her Seishi, but it couldn't hurt.

"Would you care to tell her, Tamahome-kun?" Nuriko asked in an alarmingly sugary tone.

"I had no choice!" Tamahome protested. "He got a reward and not me! Now I ask you, is that fair!?"

"Oh, but Tamahome, the Emperor is rewarding you too," Nuriko argued. "Weren't you listening?"

"Really!?" he said eagerly. "Well, maybe I acted prematurely... the stress of anticipation, you know..."

Yui couldn't help but giggle as Nuriko held out his hand and Tamahome handed over a rather large moneybag.

"Yes, and it's quite a substantial reward, too," Nuriko answered, tucking it into his belt. "You aren't going to be executed for endangering the Suzaku no Miko."

Tamahome started to protest but Yui spoke first. "Really, Tamahome, what do you need money for, living in a place like this? Isn't it enough that we're both safe?"

"I've got my reasons," Tamahome half-grumbled, half-snapped. Nuriko ‘lightly' smacked him upside the head, sending him sprawling across the floor. "Hey!"

"It would do you well to learn respect," Nuriko said. He bowed to Yui for a moment. "I apologize for the intrusion, Suzaku no Miko. Is your leg doing all right, My Lady?"

"Pretty well, I think. And please, just call me Yui. Tamahome, if you need money so badly, I'm sure we could figure out something. The emperor is a friend of ours, for goodness' sake."

Tamahome muttered some unintelligible excuse, receiving a swift kick on the foot from Nuriko.

"I'm sure the Suzaku n-- I mean, Yui," Nuriko corrected, hauling Tamahome off the floor by the back of the collar, "would like some privacy. We'll take our leave, with your permission."

"Of course," she said.

"Yui, wait!" Tamahome shouted, trying to pull away from Nuriko with no success.

"Ah, Nuriko..." Yui started.

Nuriko released his collar. Unfortunately, he was in mid-tug at the time, and so sprawled across the floor again. "Another time, Tamahome," he said, walking out the door.

"Whew," Tamahome breathed, picking himself up. "Thanks, Yui."

"No trouble," she said.

"Geez, that guy! Of all people, why did he have to be a Sei? If the other four are like that, they'll drive me to an early grave!"

"I'm sure you'll endure," Yui chuckled.

Tamahome muttered "I'm not."

"So, was there anything you wanted besides a convenient rescue?"

"Ah, sure. You wanna, like, do somethin'? I mean, you probably shouldn't be walking around a whole lot, but I guess I could, like, carry you or something."

Yui thought for a moment, carefully getting up on her good leg and sitting on the side of her bed. "Well, I can't very well go out looking for my Seishi until this heals. Maybe I ought to study Suzaku's Universe of the Four Gods..."

"Really, Yui, you don't have to be so serious all the time," Tamahome chided. "When I said ‘do something,' that wasn't quite what I meant."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I thought... I dunno, maybe take a walk in the gardens, like around the lake or something. It's really pretty."

"That's very nice of you," she said, "but I really shouldn't..."

"Ah, why not? It wouldn't kill you to lighten up just once. I insist, as your temporary Onii-chan."

"Well..." Yui stopped. It seemed automatic to say no, but actually thinking what it would be like, having Tamahome carry her around the garden... "I'd like that."

"All right, I'll give you a few minutes to get dressed. Just shout when you're ready; I'll be right outside the door," he said, trotting outside before she could change her mind.

*

Yui looked around. The garden was littered with flowers, and the spring breeze wafted their scent about like perfume. This is so wonderful, Yui thought, leaning her cheek against Tamahome's back as he shifted her higher.

"I didn't jostle your leg, did I?" he asked.

"No, no, I'm fine." I wouldn't have thought it at first, but he's so sweet. I think... I've never had a crush on anyone before. Could this be love? It came on so quickly, how could it be real? Still, people always talk about "love at first sight". She sighed softly. Why not? I'm fifteen; several girls in my class have boyfriends. I suppose he is rather handsome, and he's being so kind to me. He doesn't have to do this; in fact, he insisted on bringing me out here. He claims to be doing it as a "big brother", but maybe... I think there's something more. I hope so. I wonder if he's thinking the same thing right now.

Boy, she's heavy, Tamahome thought. I don't know why I'm doing this to myself. I guess she does deserve something for saving me from Nuriko, though, and he probably won't bug me while I'm carrying her around like this. Besides, I think she was about to have me go fetch something from the Emperor and that would just be scary.

"Hello, Nuriko!" Yui shouted, waving as they came in view of the pavilion on the pond. The violet-haired guard was sitting on the railing.

"Hello, Yui!" Nuriko called back. Yui pretended not to notice Tamahome's flinch. "I have a gift for you."

Oh, geez, now I have to go over there... Tamahome thought darkly, heading for the pavilion. He gently set Yui down on a bench there, sitting close to her for protection.

"Enjoying the day, Yui?" Nuriko asked.

"Oh, yes," Yui said. "It's very sweet of Tamahome to have brought me out here. You?"

"It seems I will have quite a bit of time on my hands for a while, so I thought I would enjoy the grounds. I'm normally so busy guarding them that I don't have time just to look. Oh, and I've made something for you, a walking stick until your leg gets better." Nuriko held out a small staff, the top carved into the shape of a bird whose long tail wrapped around the shaft. "I'm afraid it's not very worthy of your station. I thought of having the palace goldsmith gild it, but by the time he was finished you wouldn't need it anymore."

"It's beautiful just like this. You're quite talented," Yui said, taking it and admiring the carving. She paused for a moment. "You say you'll have a lot of time on your hands...?"

Nuriko blushed at the compliment, and nodded. "Yes. I've been relieved of my duties."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Yui said. "I hope I haven't lost you your position..."

"Oh, not at all! You misunderstood! I haven't been fired. In fact, on top of my reward for saving you, I received a promotion, a raise, and essentially paid leave until Suzaku has been called."

"Ah, I'm glad!" Yui said. "Tamahome, is something wrong?"

"On... On top of your reward?" Tamahome forced out between clenched teeth.

"Oh, yes. I tried to tell them it was unnecessary--I was just doing my duty, after all--but the Emperor insisted."

"Do you know the Emperor very well?" Yui asked. "Tamahome, did you hurt yourself or something?"

Tamahome quickly squelched the groans of "pain" that had started when Nuriko mentioned his reward. "I'm fine," he grunted.

"I... suppose not, really," Nuriko answered. "I have seen him almost every day I've worked here, close to three years now, but I don't really know him personally. I'm just a guard, and he's... well, the Emperor."

"I see... He seems to be a kind person, although..." She glanced at Tamahome.

"If he was that kind, he would have rewarded me," Tamahome grumbled. Nuriko reached over Yui's head and thwacked him ‘lightly'.

"Would you like me to talk to him about it?" Yui asked.

"Ooh, would you?" Tamahome asked, picking himself up from Nuriko's blow and giving her his best set of "puppy-dog eyes".

"Do you ever do anything besides complain, boy?" Nuriko asked.

"Of course I do! I usually get a fair rate for work like that."

"Ah, so it's very common for you to get Mikos buried under fallen pagodas?"

"Is it my fault if the ‘best men in the empire' can't aim a hammer?"

"Whose fault was it that they were aiming said hammer?"

Yui sighed. Breaking up fights between Seishi apparently was a part of it. "Now, there's no reason to fight about it. I'm sure we'll get it worked out."

"It seems to me it's all ready been worked out," Nuriko remarked, shooting a sideways glare at Tamahome. "But I suppose it's not really my concern now. Just remember, Tamahome, you still owe me a favor now."

"Geez, don't scare me like that!" Tamahome exclaimed.

"Oh, it won't be frightening until I decide to collect," Nuriko said with a mischievous grin. "Ah, well, I suppose I should be going. As they say in the West,‘Three's a crowd,' eh?" He winked at Yui and Tamahome and stood up.

"‘Three's a crowd'? What did he mean by that?" Tamahome wondered as Nuriko walked back towards the palace. "Do you know, Yui?"

"Ah, well..." Yui blushed. Is it really that obvious...?

"Guess he just spouts a lot of nonsense, eh?" Tamahome asked, nudging her slightly.

Is he hinting at something...? she wondered. "I guess so."

"It's starting to get dark. I didn't mean to keep you out this long."

"Oh, that's fine," Yui said. "It's been quite a day, hasn't it?"

"Oh yeah," Tamahome said, rubbing his back.

Yui mentally slapped herself. He's been carrying me around all this time, and I completely forgot that he'd been hurt, too. He must be sore. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have had you out here after this morning..."

"It's all right. It was my idea, after all. I wonder if I can still catch Nuriko. It'd probably be easier for him to carry you back." Did I just say that?!?! Tamahome started down the walk after Nuriko, trying not to think about what he was actually doing.

I'm not ready to go back, Yui thought. Something more than this should happen at a time like this. I should say something to him, something... "Wait," she said, getting up and starting after him. In her haste, she forgot about her injury, and paid for it a few steps later. Pain shot through her leg, and she fell, barely catching herself on the railing of the bridge leading to the pavilion.

Tamahome heard the THUD and whipped around. "Yui," he started, scooping her up. "Baka, you're putting to much stress on that leg."

"I'm sorry," Yui said.

"Yeah, I bet you are. Let me look at it." He eased her back down on the bench and checked the wound on her leg. "I think it's started bleeding again..."

As Tamahome tended her leg, it eventually struck Yui that this wasn't bothering her at all. If it were anyone else, she could never feel comfortable in this situation, but she felt secure in her trust of his touch.

*

"‘As Tamahome tended to the Suzaku no Miko's injury, his eyes were serious and bright,'" Miaka read. This isn't fair! Yui's in there, getting fawned over by cute guys, and I'm stuck here reading this stuff. She looked at the illustration, still poorly drawn, of the man nursing Yui's leg. The man who saved us... So, his name is Tamahome...

"Tamahome," she said aloud, testing how the name sounded. She liked it.

To Be Continued...

*

PREVIEW

Even as Yui's feelings for Tamahome grow stronger, she receives no sign of how he feels in return. At the same time, she is unaware that another close to her has awaited her love.

Next Time: