Natsumi checked her watch once more and hummed softly to quell her growing nerves. Ryuu had already messaged that he was on his way, but she was still worried that the holiday rush would hold him up. She was in front of the terminals at Miyahara station where they had agreed to meet. But if he didn't get there soon, they would miss the next train. He had been curious as to why they needed to take a train in the first place. Thankfully she had managed to avoid answering him directly by saying that there was an errand she needed to run.

"Hey beautiful."

She jumped at the sudden presence behind her and would have screamed if the warm arms that wrapped around her weren't so familiar. She sighed and glanced over her shoulder, giving him a bright smile.

"You're late sir." She said and Ryuu shrugged, kissing her lightly on the cheek as he said something about traffic. She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the platform their train would arrive on. She had already bought the tickets while waiting for him, wanting to keep the location hidden until the last minute. Although Ryuu was so sharp that the odds of her keeping this a secret for much longer was slim. As if to prove her point, he asked,

"So what is this errand you need to run?"

"Oh uh...Mom ordered a gift for dad, but there was a mix up somewhere. They can't deliver it so I have to go get it for her." She said, reciting the cover story she had practiced for the last half hour. She internally sighed when he just nodded, accepting the lie without further inquiry. They rode the train in silence and Natsumi felt her excitement increasing along with her nerves. She hoped that Ryuu liked the surprise she had set up with Hiro's help.

His arm draped across the back of her seat and she felt his fingers playing with a few strands of her hair. She felt her cheeks heat pleasantly and leaned closer to him without realizing it, but the soft smile on his face meant that he had. They didn't talk much on the ride, just enjoying the company of the other. When the stop for Tokyo was called she stood up and Ryuu followed. When they stepped off the train he caught her elbow.

"Wait a minute Sumi. What's going on?" He asked with a raised brow and she felt sweat form on the back of her neck as she stumbled for the right response.

"I already told you Ryuu. I have to pick up-"

"There's no way Mom would send you on a forty minute train ride for a present instead of just sending you to the shopping center that's a fifteen minute walk from your home." He said and she swallowed nervously. They were jostled suddenly by people trying to get to their trains, reminding them that they were standing in the middle of a busy platform. Ryuu kept his grip on her arm and dragged her away from the crowd.

"Ryuu! Wait a minute Ryuu!" She tried to pull from his grasp, but he held firm. When he found a less crowded spot, he stopped and turned to her again.

"One more time Sumi. What are we doing out here?" He asked and the sharp look in his eyes told her that it was over. She sighed and lowered her head in defeat.

"I wanted to surprise you...We're not here for my dad's gift...we're here for yours." She whispered and chanced a peek at his reaction. His eyes widened a fraction and the grip on her elbow softened. Slowly his lips lifted into a gentle smile as he looked down at her.

"What could you possibly be looking for out here that you couldn't find me at home?" He chuckled and she flushed slightly, not wanting to give it up completely.

"I-I can't tell you...Just...Just trust me when I say that it can only be found out here." She said, looking up at him with hopeful eyes. He breathed deeply out of his nose and gave her a slanted smirk.

"Alright. Lead the way Sumi." He said and she straightened, smiling as she locked hands with him again and pulled him out of the station. Ryuu stayed by her side, linking his fingers through hers to keep her close in the crowds. She followed the directions Hiro had written down, making sure to keep them out of Ryuu's line of sight. When they neared the final turn, she stepped in front of him.

"Close your eyes." She instructed and he blinked in surprise before giving her a curious look.

"Excuse me?"

"Close. Your. Eyes." She said slowly with a teasing lilt to her voice. He frowned upon hearing it, his eyes flashing for a second was the only warning she got. She squeaked as his arms wrapped around her waist and hauled her up against him. He pressed his forehead to hers and grinned down at her.

"Careful now Sumi. If you look any more adorable, I won't be able to control myself." He whispered and she knew that there was steam rising from the top of her head.

"Ryuu!" She tried to scold him, but her voice broke from her embarrassment and it only made his grin deepen.

"You are so cute Sumi. I warned you." He chuckled and kissed her. She tried to push against his chest, but he held her captive. The kiss didn't last long, but her face was still on fire because there were people passing by.

"Ry-Ryuu! We're in public!" She yelled, pushing against him in an attempt to break free. He laughed and pinned her arms tighter to her sides as he lowered his voice, the soft rumble mixed in made her shiver involuntarily.

"I'm afraid that you're going to have to get used to this Sumi. I want the whole world to know that you're taken. I don't want any other guy thinking he can talk to my girl." He whispered and kissed her lightly on the forehead. She lowered her eyes, averting her gaze as her cheeks remained bright red.

"Moron...How can I stay mad at you when you say such sweet things." She grumbled and he chuckled as he hugged her tighter against him, nuzzling his nose in her hair.

"That's sort of the point. One of my many talents I mentioned not too long ago." He teased and she rolled her eyes, wiggling her hand free and smacking his forehead with her palm. He laughed harder as he stepped back and rubbed the spot.

"You truly are impossible. Now come on Ryuu. I'm serious, close them." She said with one hand on her hip and the other pointed at him for emphasis. He chuckled softly, but this time followed her orders and closed his eyes. She took his hand again and carefully led him around the corner and through the large gates.

"No peeking, understand?" She said, glancing at him over her shoulder. His eyes were still lightly closed, but she could still tell he had just rolled his eyes at her and it made her giggle. The building she wanted came into view and her heart sped up in anticipation. She stopped when they stood just in front of the entrance and turned to face him once more. Taking a deep breath as she let go of his hand, she took two steps back.

"Okay. You can open them now." She whispered and held her breath as she watched Ryuu slowly reopen his eyes. First they locked with hers and then, painfully slow, lifted up to look behind her. She bit her lip when his eyes doubled in size and his mouth fell open in shock.

"Su-Sumi...Why are we...What are...Huh?" He stuttered and she gave him her best smile.

"Surprise!" She said, gesturing to Tokyo University's Medical Hospital. Ryuu remained frozen, completely stunned and she wasn't sure if she had messed up as she couldn't read his expression. She opened her mouth to ask when the automatic doors slid open behind her.

"Ah, you must be Miss Kimoto, the young lady I spoke with on the phone. And of course I would recognize the son of Akihiko Yoshida. Welcome, I'm Dr. Miyamoto, are you ready for the tour?" He asked pleasantly and Ryuu shifted his startled gaze to the doctor.

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"Tour?" He asked in a soft voice and Natsumi swallowed nervously again, wondering if she should have run this all by him after all.

"I-I…" She tried to find the words to explain, but the doctor's hand fell on her shoulder. He smiled brilliantly at the two of them and answered Ryuu's question for her.

"Yes. I spoke with Miss Kimoto yesterday about setting up a tour of our facility. She said that you were considering entering the medical field as a profession and that it would be interesting for you to see how a hospital operates from the other side. I have to tell you that this is not something we do often, but when I heard the name Yoshida…" He broke off and chuckled, patting Natsumi's shoulder and winking.

"I couldn't very well refuse. Follow me and we can begin." He said, waving them after him. Natsumi looked up at Ryuu and felt her heart drop. His expression was blank and she knew that she had overstepped the boundaries between them. Even though they had talked about his dream to be a doctor he had never seemed serious. She had hoped this would show him that she truly believed in him and what he could do. She should apologize for being insensitive to his personal problems with his father.

"Ryuu I-"

"Come on Sumi." He cut her off and ushered her inside the hospital, following the doctor. She sighed and the frown between her brows deepened. It probably didn't help that the doctor had begun to fawn over Ryuu because of who his father was. Great...some girlfriend she had turned out to be. Wait...Was she even Ryuu's girlfriend? He hadn't actually asked her or anything. Was that how this sort of thing went? She didn't know because Ryuu was her first love, so she had no real reference outside of a few shojo mangas she had picked up. But he had called her 'my girl' and 'taken' so that had to mean something right? Well probably not after today.

As they walked around the hospital with the Dr. Miyamoto, listening to the way things were run, she snuck glances at Ryuu. But he remained silent for most of the tour, only asking a few questions here and there. She couldn't tell if he was absorbing as much as he could or if he was seriously irritated and just being polite. She felt her chest ache at the thought that she had messed up so bad and wanted to ask him, but was too scared to find out the answer.

By the time the doctor led them back to the lobby, signalling the end of the tour, Natsumi was a walking dark cloud. She couldn't shake the feelings inside her and the worry that Ryuu would think she was a huge idiot and that he wouldn't want to be with her after all. She bowed to the doctor along with Ryuu, but kept her eyes on the floor even after she had straightened again. She tried to push the words past her lips, but her throat felt like it was being constricted.

"You set all of this up?"

She jumped at his question, forcing herself to look up at him. He was staring down at her, but she couldn't read the expression behind his ruby eyes. She bit her lip and could only manage a weak nod. He took in a deep breath and whispered,

"Why?"

She felt her chest tighten as tears pricked the corner of her eyes. She had to be the biggest moron alive right now. She lowered her head and hid her eyes from him as she softly responded.

"Because I know that this is your dream and where you truly belong...I love you Ryuu and...and I wanted to prove to you that I supported you completely. Words didn't seem strong enough so...so I got the idea that you should see how a real hospital environment feels...No matter where you go from here...I want to be there with you and... I wanted this present to show you that I'll be there with you, no matter the obstacles you'll face..." The seconds ticked by after her confession and she waited with held breath. She couldn't bring herself to look at him, so she had no idea what he was feeling.

"Come here." He hissed and grabbed her wrist, dragging her off harshly. She was startled so bad that she cried out, but no one seemed to mind them as Ryuu continued to pull her along. Natsumi fought back her panic and the tears building in her eyes as she stared at Ryuu's back. He was even more upset than she thought and it hurt her deeply. He stopped abruptly and she barely avoided colliding with him.

He reached out and threw open a door, pushing her inside and slamming it closed behind him. Natsumi turned with wide eyes, ready to yell for help when his warm lips latched onto hers. Her eyes bugged out in shock as he invaded her space, wrapping her in a tight embrace as his lips claimed hers. Her mind shut down from the surprise and the electricity racing through her system.

She blushed brightly when she heard Ryuu groan as he pulled her flush against him. She tried to push against his chest, coming back to her senses and realizing they were inside a utility closet. She pulled back and gasped for breath.

"R-Ryuu! Wai-ngh!" But he didn't let her stay separated for long as his lips pressed against hers again, stealing her breath from her once more. One of his hands shifted from her waist to the back of her head, cupping it firmly as he deepened the kiss. She gasped and he used the opportunity to gently slide his tongue past her defenses. Her heart nearly stopped when it ran along hers. She jerked her head to the side and gasped for the oxygen that her lungs cried out for, listening to his matching deep breaths.

When she brought her eyes back to his, barely visible in the dim light of the closet, she could see the clear desire dancing in their depths. She sucked in a sharp breath and widened her eyes in shock.

"R-Ryuu?" She whispered, her lips trembling from the lingering numbness his kisses had left. He groaned and crushed her against him, her face pressed against his shoulder as he hugged her almost desperately.

"God Sumi...If I didn't already love you...after today I would have fallen hard." He whispered and she jumped.

"W-Wait...so you weren't mad?" She whispered, confused still about his attitude during the tour. He pulled back and frowned down at her like she had lost her mind.

"What? Why would you think I was-"

"Well you didn't...didn't say much during the tour and your expression was so closed off…" She whispered, failing to hide the fear and hurt from her voice. Ryuu's gaze instantly softened.

"Oh Sumi...You're so hopeless some days." He chuckled and reached up to cup her cheeks, tilting her face up so she had to look at him fully. His loving smile made her already racing heart skip as it bathed her in its warmth.

"I've been forcing myself to hold back from the moment Dr. Miyamoto said you set up this tour. All I wanted was to kiss you as I just did, but you had just yelled at me about doing that in public." He explained and her mouth fell open, but only a raspy, confused noise escaped and he laughed. Ryuu leaned forward and kissed her nose softly, making her close her mouth and scrunch it up in protest. His eyes were still shining with warmth and he was smiling brighter than she had ever seen before.

"But when you said all of that just now...about wanting to support me completely and staying by my side...I couldn't hold it in any longer and I had to get you alone so I could pour it all out. I'm sorry if I scared you love." He whispered and as it all sank in she felt humiliation settle inside her, heating her entire body in mortification. She had been reading his reaction wrong and had overreacted because of it! She closed her eyes tightly and swung her fist into his chest.

"If you scared me!? You moron I thought-mmph!" Her words were once more cut off as he kissed her deeply, swallowing her anger and leaving her with nothing left to feel but the love he inspired in her. She moaned softly and her eyes closed as she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. He reciprocated by pulling her against him tightly and resuming their kiss from before. She wasn't sure how long he held her captive in that closet and was thankful that they weren't discovered.

Although, she caught some knowing glances from nurses as they left the hospital together hands intertwined. Her cheeks were still flushed as she thought of their exchange and the way her heart wouldn't stop pounding. They walked back to the station in silence and boarded their train. He pulled her over to a couple empty seats and wrapped his arms around her, leaning her against his chest as his nose pressed into her hair.

"R-Ryuu...p-people are-"

"Nobody's looking Sumi...and even if they do, I definitely can't stop myself now. Not now that I realized how much I love you." He whispered into her hair and she sputtered.

"R-Ryuu! What did I say about saying those sorts of things!?" She muttered in embarrassment and he chuckled, kissing the back of her head.

"That you can't stay mad at me when I do...hmm...say it Sumi." He whispered and she lowered her gaze to her lap where his arms were overlapping.

"S-Say w-what exactly?" She whispered and his hold tightened as he nuzzled her hair.

"You know what I want to hear...Say it... please."

Her face burned and she wondered if she would ever stop blushing constantly when she was with him. She turned her head to the window and whispered,

"I love you Ryuu…"

"Good. I love you too…" He hummed and she smiled softly despite her current embarrassment.

"One more request Sumi."

"I'm not saying it louder!"

He laughed and hugged her so tight she let out a soft grunt before his grip relaxed again. He leaned closer to her ear, tickling her with his warm breath.

"No Sumi, but note that that will come later and you can't escape it."

"Ryuu what do you-"

"Introduce me to your father."