"Mhmm." I say and give a comprehending nod while I actually had no idea whatsoever what in the sane hell he was talking about. I couldn't seem to grasp the literature concept. It was by far my worst subject and I never could understand what was going on. Thus, Kakuzu was assigned the dreadful task of mentoring me- which I had absolutely no rejection at all with. Our sessions were nice but truth be told, it seemed as if my grade had declined since he started mentoring me. It wasn't that he was a bad mentor but he can be very distracting.

He closes the book-causing me to come back to reality- and then places his hands in his lap.

"Do you understand it now?"

I nod. "Yeah totally."

"So you'll be ready for the test Friday?"

I nod. "Yep. Definitely."

He sighs deeply. "You're not ready are you?"

I shake my head. "Nope."

"Tukiko. Focus." I could hear the slightest hint of aggravation in his voice and I felt guilty. It was just that everytime we had our study sessions, we were a hair's width apart and it made me...nervous. Butterflies invaded my stomach and it was almost too much for me to handle but yet it wasn't enough. We had known each other for two years but we were strangers in each other's presence.

He reaches over and grabs the edge of my seat, pulling me even closer towards him , his hands running over my thighs by accident. I jump out of the seat like a frightened cat. "Um...its getting late. We should call it a night."

"Yeah, so we need to study extra tomorrow probably over dinner-if you pay."

"Are-are you asking me on a...a date?" I was bewildered. Was that possibly what he meant or was I hearing things wrong?

He shakes his head, making me feel stupid. Of course he wasn't asking me on a date, what was I thinking. "Tukiko, why exactly would I ask you on a date?" He asks quietly as to not hurt my feelings but his words were like a knife...digging into my heart, carving a black hole of emptiness and hurt.

I play it off nonchalantly to bury my humiliation. "It- the way you worded it. Please, its not like I wanted you to ask me on a date or anything." I grab my fleece PJ's and head to the bathroom. We shared a co-ed dorm room which made it a bit easier for tutoring I suppose. I crawl into bed and bury myself under the comforter and mumble a quiet "night Kakuzu."

~~~~~~~

The blinding light shone in through the thin white curtains and I rub my eyes tiredly. I turn in my bed and smile embarrassedly at the sight before me. No matter how many times I have gone through this experience, I never can get used to it. I feel my face heating up and I bury my face deeper into my covers as he slips a shirt on over his toned body.

"Were you staring at me again Tukiko?" I hear him ask quietly but firmly.

I shake my head, tousling my hair against my pillow. "What- no. Dont be ridiculous."

He shakes his head in disapproval before sitting down on his bed and slipping on shoes.

"Where are you going?" I draw out playfully.

"Library." His voice was deeper than usual and I blame it on the earliness of the morning.

I slowly crawl out of my haven and throw on some sweats and a tee. "Can I tag along?"

He shrugs. "Do whatever you want."

~~~~~~~

I rest my chin on the palm of my left hand and impatiently tap my fingers on my right hand against the wooden table in the library. We had been here for nearly an hour and nothing. He is reading the same book and every attempt I made at starting a conversation he quickly discarded or avoided. I couldn't help but take offense. Was it me?

"Do you remember how we met?" I ask curiously. That day stuck in my head like a rainbow on a gray, rainy day. It was junior year- for me anyway- and Komiko wouldn't leave me alone, she was constantly teasing me or bullying me about one of my many flaws and I couldn't take it anymore. I threw a punch at her and in a blink he was there, intercepting my punch. He scolded her- quite harshly- and she left me alone after that. He asked if I was okay and gave me a small smile. We hung out after that day and I had my first real friend- a senior friend. Well...i thought we were friends but now I look back and we never really got to know each other. Now we seem more drifted than ever before.

After several minutes of silence, I assume he is going to discard yet another one of my attempts of conversation when he gives a small nod followed by a "yes."

"Why did you take the time to defend me Kakuzu?"

He lifts his book up and continues to read, avoiding me and the topic completely. I grab the book, my hand landing on his and a blush creeps across my cheeks before I pull the book away and close it softly. I could feel his glare before I even looked at him and his eyes were so cold and he no longer looked like Kakuzu...it scared me but I wasn't going to let us drift apart any longer.

"What do you think you're doing Tukiko." It wasn't a question, merely a 'don't test me' kind of statement.

I place my shaking hand on his to calm both him and I down- mostly him. He jerks his hand away from me and stands up so quickly his chair topples over. "Don't touch me!" He fixes the chair and walks away.

I could not comprehend what the hell was going on. Why was he acting so harshly towards me? "Kakuzu...I'm sorry." I push in mt chair and pick up pace to follow him when I trip over the leg of a chair. I could feel the humiliation of when I hit the floor but it never came. Of course, Kakuzu saved me from an oh so embarrassing fall.

"Careful." He stands me upright and walks away. I take that was meant about both my testing the boundaries and my clumsiness.

~~~~~~~

The rest of the day did not go well. He kept his distance and we never reviewed or went to dinner and so i stayed silent.

"You owe me."

I look over at Kakuzu sourly. "Excuse me?" I ask sassily.

He sighs. "I basically saved you in the library from a devastating fall. You owe me."

I roll my eyes. 'Of course I owed him. That's all he ever wants is money.' He was a handful.

I bury my head under the covers when something thumps me kn the head. I groan. "What was that?"

"You need to read it. We have fallen behind."

I groggily stand and walk to the desk and sit in a chair as I open up the book and begin reading. Kakuzu sits and waits for me to finish the chapter.

~~~~~~~

When he sees I have finished, he begins bombarding me with questions about what I read. As soon as I give my answer for one question he motions whether or not I got it right and immediately asks me the next. I was racking my brain for the answers and I was beginning to feel fatigued. Ugh, literature. Finally, the array of questions end and I let out a sigh of relief.

"Good. You only missed two."

I smile and before I know what's happening and am able to control it, our lips touch ever so slightly and I'm lost in the moment despite circumstances. Kakuzu simply pushes me away from him after the kiss lasts about a minute and a half and he looks back at the book, diving into the next chapter.

I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting but his reaction definitely wasn't it. Getting angry exactly the right answer but it was what I chose. I was furious. I had openly handed him my affection just to be pushed away nonchalantly!

"Did that not mean anything at all to you?" I was attempting to keep my voice level and prevent it from rising too loud. Deep down I was screaming but I would look composed on the outside.

He shrugs. "I dont know, was it supposed to mean something, Tukiko?"

"What in the bloody name of hell do you mean 'is it supposed to mean something!' Isn't every kiss supposed to mean something Kakuzu!"

"Tukiko, kisses are meant for people who have feelings for each other."

"So I just freely and openly handed you my affection but you dont even care! The kiss meant nothing to you? Nothing! I must mean nothing to you. Is that how it is Kakuzu...after what we've gone through and how long I've known you. I opened up to you even when you didn't want to listen and I learn that I mean nothing! That hurts like a bitch. When are you gonna stop being so heartless?" I was fuming. I couldn't shut up, words kept fumbling out before I even thought or processed them and tears brimmed at the edges of my eyes. I could recall memories when he softened up around me or acted special around me. He even opened up to me- very rarely but he did. And he even threw me a few smiles in two years. Did all those memories mean absolutely nothing? I found it unfathomable to believe...he treated others so differently than me.

He had tried to butt in a few times but now he just kept his mouth shut and leaned back in his chair to speculate.

"I know deep, deep down in that stone heart of yours that you care. I know you do, you have to! But I can't wait for that part of you...because waiting for you is like waiting for rain in a drought: Useless and disappointing."

He stares at me with a blank expression except for his wide eyes. "We're done here. Now get out."

I feel my whole body go limp with disappointment and numb with hurt. That's it. Just get out and come back and pretend nothing ever happened? Is that really what I was supposed to do?

"Damn it Tukiko, get out!"

I grab the book and grip it tightly. "I-I...I hate you." I mutter before running out of the dorm, tear-ridden.

~~~~~~~

I sit on the edge of the fountain and open the book. What was I doing? Did I really think that I would understand it on my own? I shiver as a gust of wind blows sending shivers down my spine. The last rays of sunshine were high in the sky but quickly sinking below the horizon. I really wish I had brought my jacket. I skim over the chapter but find my mind stuck on replay. The harshness of his actions and my cruel words. I close the book uselessly as I couldn't read through the tears and I think the weather was brining in rain. I would never understand why he acted like that around me. What did I ever do to him to earn this treatment? To think I liked him and that he actually like me back. I brush away my tears and feel my frustration come back. I release a small scream and ignore the judgmental stares from the people around me. The first raindrop falls onto my arm and people scatter in all directions to escape the oncoming rain.

"Tukiko!" A small voice yells.

I shake it off. I really needed to quit imagining that he would come to my rescue and be prince charming.

I stand, legs shaking, as the rain begins to sprinkle down and head towards the building. I duck my head and jog towards my safe haven from the rain.

"Tukiko!"

I look up. I was not imagining it this time. The voice was firm and louder this time. He was there...in front of me...in the now pouring rain. "Kakuzu? What....what are you doing?" My voice was quiet and quavering.

"I'm sorry Tukiko. I'm sorry for the way I acted and how I treated you...i was wrong."

I smile and nod my head in agreement. "Yes...you were wrong."

"I never wanted to feel like this about someone and I never thought I would. But you showed me that I'm not right about everything and that life throws you curveballs. And I'm facing them now."

I smile but look down. I didn't know what to say.

He places his fingers under my chin and lifts my head up. He smiles at me. "I'm sorry I waited for the rain." He puts his hands on my cheeks and pulls me closer towards him, taking my breath away. Was this really happening. Yes...in fact, it was. Our lips meet and it felt like I was in a fairytale. This felt so right. Everything about the kiss and how it happened. This moment was perfect. I kiss him back delicately and wrap my arms around his neck.

~~~~~~~

I aced the test Friday with a very bad cold I was recovering from. And it turns out Kakuzu had a few things of his own to learn. And the roles had been reversed...i was his mentor.