PART V

 "Alex-chan!" Omi called knocking her door softly early that Monday morning. "You up yet?"

"Hai!" Came her faint reply.

"Then come on out and let's have breakfast." He said.

Then he walked towards the kitchen to get some cereal and milk. He then placed two bowls on the table and got two spoons. Since everybody was still asleep for the day, he let the things down gently so as not to create noise.

A moment later, the door to Alex's room creaked open. Omi hurriedly went to the stairs to greet her. But what he saw made his jaw dropped slightly.

"A-anou…" She fidgeted self-consciously.

She was wearing his high school uniform, a short skirt revealing her smooth silken white legs, and a semi-fitted long-sleeved blouse revealing a hint of her blossoming figure. Instantly, he felt his face flush, the sight before him sure is a great way to start the morning.

"A-anou…" she said again as she tugged at her skirt, her teeth biting her lower lip. "I'm not used to wearing short skirts like this."

"Y-you look good, Alex-chan." He stuttered. "C-come, let's have breakfast."

Omi hurriedly turned away from her, cursing himself as he made his way towards the kitchen. You look good, let's have breakfast?!? What a stupid thing to say! He wished that something more convincing came out of his mouth to relieve Alex from being self-conscious. But surely, she was so pretty that it left him tongue-tied!

"I look terrible." Alex thought as she followed him. "My legs are too big and dark and maybe I'm too fat and-- " The list could go on since Omi didn't even bother looking at her twice. But then, why should she care anyway? Why should she care what Omi thinks?

"S-so ready for your first day?" He asked as he put the spoon in his mouth. Alex just nodded her head, her nervousness quite noticeable.

"Don't worry you'll be fine." Assured Omi looking at her. His eyes appreciated her natural get-up.

Unlike the other girl's in his high school, Alex doesn't even have a touch of make-up on her face, only a pink gloss on her lips since the cold morning air gets on her. Although, his classmates desperately tried to lighten their make-up, still, boys could really see through what's natural and what is not. And boys like the natural thing better.

"S-so do you have any idea on what my schedule is?" She asked.

"Oh, same as mine." He replied. "Manx made it sure that you and I go together and leave together. I'm to keep an eye on you, you know."

Alex gave out a soft, nervous giggle.

"Oh don't worry about me I'll be fine. Nervous? No, I'm not nervous at all! I'll just try my best to mingle and be friendly and you know, like-- " Then she stopped as she saw the gentle smile on his face. Shit, she is babbling nonsense!

"I'm not fooling you aren't I?" She squeaked. Omi shook his head an amused smile on his face. She awfully looked cute just now and he couldn't help but stare at her.

"I- it is just that-" she began haltingly. "I- my Japanese is terrible. I'm not sure if anybody can understand me."

"You will be fine, don't worry." Omi said softly.

Upon hearing his soft voice, Alex found herself shutting up. Somehow he sounded warm and so sincere. She suddenly found herself believing and trusting him. Believing that she would do just fine and trusting him that he would really make her do just fine.

"Let's go?" He asked as they finished their cereal. Alex nodded her head as she stood up. Omi smiled as he handed her her book bag. She accepted it with a smile as well.

"Let's go!" She said as she slowly opened the door, walking past him.

Omi had to stop momentarily upon smelling the sweet scent of her perfume wafting against him. And the unusual burst of confidence… He let out a dazed smile as he decided to follow her.

==========

"Tadaima!" Omi called out as he entered the flower shop later that noon after school, his book bag carelessly slung over his shoulder, a laptop in his left hand.

"Oi, Okaeri, Omi-kun!" Ken greeted as he emerged from the green house. Yohji nodded his greeting while Aya just turned to him. Then to everybody's surprise Aya's deep voice rang inside the shop.

"Where's Alex-chan?" He asked as Omi donned on his apron. "You are supposed to be together aren't you?"

"Oh she stopped by the library." He replied.

"Then why didn't you go with her?"

"Believe me Aya-kun I tried to but she insisted that she doesn't want me to be late for work." He replied.

"Demo, Omi-kun… " Ken began worry etched on his face. "You should've still accompanied her. Who knows what could happen-- "

"She assured me she already knows the way. And besides-- " He stopped momentarily.

"And besides what?" inquired Yohji looking at him under his lowered glasses.

Omi turned away and pretended to busy himself with the bunch of flowers he picked up somewhere. Alex already made friends, in fact so many friends. He just couldn't forget how the guys pestered him about her. Alex was nothing but quiet and shy and the guys absolutely flipped over that! And she has this exotic features to boot, with her lightly-tanned skin and shining black eyes that turned to a delightful chocolate brown-- He couldn't be jealous could he?

"Oi, Omi!" Yohji suddenly called throwing a plant stem at him. It hit him squarely on the face.

"What?" He asked irritably.

"Nothing' s wrong with you two, is there?" He asked as he lightly puffed from his cigar. "I mean you didn't argue or anything, did you?"

"No. What made you ask that?" He said frowning. With that Ken laughed as Yohji rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

"Uh… Omi-kun." Ken began as he tried his best stifling his laughter. "You've been busying yourself arranging that already-made bouquet." He continued.

With that, Omi blushed furiously as he hastily threw the arrangement aside. Ken shook his head as he decided not to press his buddy about the matter any longer. Surely there is something going on between the two and Ken wants Omi to learn to deal with things like that himself.

Well, it wasn't surprising really. Alex wormed her way to Omi just in the nick of time. Omi didn't find any difficulty getting close to her since now there is no fear of she discovering his true identity as Weib, considering that she is a Crasher agent herself and very much like him. Then there is Ouka. Eversince Alex came, Ken had hoped that she would be able to fill up the empty spaces Ouka left inside him and so far, things are going the way he had hoped them to be. Just looking at his eyes confirmed him of his suspicions: She probably went out with another guy and Omi is jealous.

Just then something caught his attentions. He looked out the window only to see Alex smiling and bowing at a boy, no doubt a classmate, since he is wearing a uniform. The boy in turn smiled back and handed her her book bag and a couple of books he had carried for her. Then with a wave of his hand he said goodbye and went off on his way. Hah! He was right!

When he sensed her about to enter, he diverted his attentions back to the plants only to see Aya's inquisitive gaze following the boy. He frowned as he noticed the look on Aya's face. Grim and… protective?

"Tadaima!" She greeted as she sauntered inside the flower shop.

"Okaeri, Alex-chan!" Ken greeted smiling at her. Yohji looked up and grinned lazily at her, his eyes quickly eyeing the shapely legs out of the short skirt and the narrow waist quite visible from the blouse.

"You sure you're only seventeen, kitten?" He asked his voice a little slurry. "You look mighty develo- um…. too older." He added winking.

With that, Alex's face turned red and due to that, Yohji received a threatening stare from Aya. Ken shook his head as he felt the rising tension within the red head boy.

"Yamero, Yohji-kun." He scolded. "From the looks of it, she understood that."

"Well, I'm just telling her the truth." Argued Yohji as his eyes went back to the flower he has been tending. "She really looks beautiful."

"Well that's not what your voice is telling her, bakero!" Ken said. Then he turned to her and smiled. "Don't mind him."

Alex smiled shyly and cast her eyes down. Omi stared at her and now fully understood why the guys went absolutely berserk over her! She looked cute and awfully sweet!

"Who was that guy with you a while ago?" Aya asked. He avoided looking at her as he pretended to be disinterested.

"Oh, he is Akira-san." She replied as she settled her books behind the counter. She stood beside Omi and smiled. "He is our classmate." She added.

"Yeah and a total jerk-off." Muttered Omi as he hurriedly walked away from her.

Aya nodded his head, satisfied with the answer. Alex then looked at Omi wonderingly, his sudden gesture surprising her. Ken noticed the affected atmosphere about them and quickly settled on devising a plan.

"Uh, Omi-kun." He called.

"Hai?"

"There is a delivery just two blocks away from here." He said.

"Uh okay just give me the address." He replied as he took off his apron. Ken walked up to him and handed him a piece of paper.

"Why don't you take Alex-chan with you?" Ken suggested. "It sure is a fine day for walking, isn't it?"

With that Alex's face brightened. She turned to Omi, her eyes semi-pleading, semi-smiling.

"Oh I would really love that!" She exclaimed. Omi turned to her uncertainly. He just wanted to be alone for a while to think, to sort things out…

"If you let me come with you, I guarantee you, you won't get lost!" She added. With that, Omi laughed.

"All right, all right you clown, you can come." He said as he took the bouquet and the address from Ken. Alex laughed as she followed him outside the flower shop. The moment they were gone, Aya turned to Ken seriously.

"Let them figure out everything by themselves." He said. Ken turned to him innocently. Aya took an impatient breath.

"Don't raise Omi's and Alex's hopes up." He began as he wiped his hands clean. "We all know that Alex would be going back to the Philippines as soon as this mission is already finished, that would hurt Omi more."

"But don't you think that-- "

"I don't want either of them ending up in pain." Came Aya's final reply before going into the greenhouse.