Hotohori's like, frantic with worry. Tamahome leaps after Miaka (as expected,) and pins her down as the crumbling building falls on top of him. Hotohori's desperately trying to pick off the chunck of rocks, but he's pretty weak so he can only lift a small chunck at a time. (It's a surprise nobody else was helping him...) Tamahome's struggling to keep from giving way. His character glows on his forehead. Miaka's asks him why he did this for her, and he manages to gasp out that she's Suzaku no Miko, and that it's his job to protect her. So, he'll protect her, no matter what. Back at the library, Yui is reading and notices blood on her skirt.

Tamahome's about to buckle down when, suddenly, a woman starts lifting up the heavy blocks and tossing them behind her like they were nothing. Seeing that Tamahome and Miaka are still alive, she says, "You must have the devil's own luck." Miaka gets mad at Tamahome because he could have died saving her, and she wonders if he's just protecting him because she's Suzaku no Miko. Hotohori notices something under the woman's neck. She smiles and exposes the character there, explaing that she is Kourin, a princess, also known as Nuriko. Miaka thanks the woman for saving them, but the woman's like, "I wanted to help this man." She goes up to Tamahome and kisses him on the lips. Miaka's a bit pissed off by this.

Later, Miaka's washing her clothes and trying to clean off the blood. She takes off her bra and Tamahome barges in. Miaka yells, "PERVERT!" but Tamahome says he just wants her to hide him. Nuriko comes up behind him and knocks him down with some bandages, laughing and saying that "Tamahome is a bit reluctant to be alone with me." Miaka is really pissed off with Nuriko, but she knows that she must try to be her friend if she ever wants Nuriko as a seishi. So, she volunteers to be Nuriko's maid, and that's exactly how Nuriko treats Miaka, as she flirts with Tamahome (well, maybe "flirt" isn't the right word for it...). Tamahome is all tied up while Nuriko gives Miaka endless chores to do, yells at her, and basically is really mean to her.

Later, Miaka's sitting all by herself thinking how Tamahome must be happy with Nuriko and trying to interpret the scene where they were under the collapsed building when Tamahome, still all tied up, manages to get Miaka to untie him. Miaka turns away and congratulates him cuz he's loved by a beautiful woman. Tamahome's like, "You think I'm happy about it?" He turns to go away, but Miaka tries to follow him. However, she falls because of the injury to her leg. Tamahome, of course, helps her up, his eyes "serious and bright," as Yui reads back in the library.

Miaka asks him if he likes Nuriko, and Tamahome's like, "Not one bit." Of course, Miaka's pretty happy to hear this. Tamahome stands up, and say's its such a sin being so handsome, strong, brave, kind, yadda yadda, but he wants money more than love. Then, he starts laughing insanely. Miaka tells him to cut it out. She feels sorry for Nuriko because Tamahome doesn't like her. Nuriko is listening to all this from nearby.

At night, Miaka bumps into Nuriko, who looks all sad and explains that she lost a priceless earring that her mother gave her. It reflects off light, so nighttimes the best time to look for it. But, all her maids were afraid of the water. Miaka's thinks this is the perfect opportunity to do something nice for Nuriko and offers to get it. Nuriko looks suprised and asks, "Will you really?" Miaka agrees, since it's a priceless earring given to her by her mother. Nuriko offers to reward Miaka as becoming one of her seishi. Miaka runs off cheerfully.

She bumps into Hotohori, who's walking with his advisors. He asks her if what she's doing and she replies that she's getting something for Nuriko. Hotohori asks if she and Nuriko are getting along all right, and he can order her to be nicer to Miaka. Miaka answers that "Orders don't change a person's mind," and that she need to learn how to get along with Nuriko herself. Hotohori is suprised by this.

While Miaka is looking for the earring, she falls into the water and is caught under. Yui is suddenly drenched back at the library. Tamahome wakes up and has this uneasy feeling. Meanwhile, Nuriko is laughing with her maids that Miaka is a "stupid idiot," to buy her story and look for an earring that was never lost. "She should be a drenched rat by now." Nuriko sees Tamahome standing at the doorway looking upset, and he asks her if what she said was true. He turns to go after Miaka. Nuriko grabs him and says she won't let him go to her. She says that ever since Miaka came here, the emporer has been fascinated by her, whereas Nuriko has been at court for a year, and the emporer never noticed her! Because the emporer is in love with Miaka, Nuriko decided, as an act of revenge, to go after Tamahome.

Miaka is standing at the doorway, still wet. She questions Nuriko if she loves the emporer. Nuriko growls that she'll never apologize for what she did, and that Miaka's the loser because she fell for the trick. Miaka agrees. Nuriko says "You're puffed up by everyone!" Miaka agrees. Nuriko loses her temper and yells why can't Miaka just get mad, and slaps her. Miaka slaps her right back.

Miaka takes a small stone out of her pocket and offers it to Nuriko. "I couldn't find your earring, but I did find this pretty stone." Miaka says Nuriko doesn't need to be jealous. There's nothing between her and the emporer, and she'll help Nuriko get Hotohori. Nuriko takes the stone and turns away. Miaka is relived that Nuriko isn't in love with Tamahome. Tamahome, however, is really confused. "How do I fit into this?"

Later, Miaka is at Hotohori's chamber. She says that there's a girl who loves him nearby. Hotohori asks Miaka if she loves anyone. Miaka thinks of Tamahome, but quickly says that they're not here to discuss her. Hotohori says he's loved one girl his entire life, ever since he's heard about her when he was a boy. That girl is Suzaku no Miko. Miaka is stunned. He leans in to kiss her, but then stands up, takes his sword and slashes at the wall to reveal an eavesdropping Nuriko and Tamahome. They immediately starts singing a weird song and dancing. Hotohori asks them what they're doing. Tamahome explains he's here to escort Miaka to bed. Hotohori says that under normal circumstances, they are welcome to his chamber but this time, they should have known better. Miaka says she'd better go to bed. Hotohori turns to her and says he's serious. "When the Suzaku no Miko thing is over, you will become my empress." Miaka says that's selfish. Hotohori quickly says that's not an order, of course, because "Orders don't change a person's mind," but he'll make her fall in love with her. Miaka leaves with Tamahome, unable to believe what had just happened.

The next morning, Miaka passes Tamahome. He says quietly, "Yo." Miaka wonders why he he's so quiet. "Yo? What's that suppose to mean." She runs to asks him but is stopped by a scary-looking Nuriko. "Miakaaaaaa!" Nuriko growls, "I thought you said there was nothing between you and the emporer! I'll never forgive you for this!" Then, she runs off with Tamahome, seriously flirting with him along the way, as they go into town. Miaka tries to disguise herself and follows them. "Does she really think that we don't know she's following us?" Nuriko asks. Tamahome says to just leave her alone.

At the town, Tamahome starts selling some of Suzaku no Miko's stuff. He holds up the gum. Everyone's like, "Wow!!!!" But then, one guy yells that Tamehome may be a fraud. Why would he have Suzaku no Miko's stuff? Everyone demanding that Tamahome prove that he's selling some of Suzaku no Miko's stuff. Miaka yells that it's true. She gave him the gum. Tamahome whips on a pair of shades and says it's one gold ryou to shake Suzaku no Miko's hand. Miaka yells at him to stop suddenly becoming his manager. Too late. Everyone starts crowding around her, offering a whole bunch of money. Tamahome and Miaka manage to crawl away from the crowd.

Tamahome asks Miaka why she did that. She says he thinks she's a nuisance. Tamahome said he didn't say that, but some guys walk up and ask for Suzaku no Miko's help. They lead Tamahome and Miaka down an alleyway where the boss is waiting. He says that he controls the business in this area that that Tamahome had better pay up if he ever wants to do business around here again. Tamehome says he's got no money, and they tell him he's gonna be beaten. One of the guys grab Miaka. "Hey! She's Suzaku no Miko!" The boss says they should negotiate over her. "How about 30 gold ryou for her?"

"Only thirty? I'm not stupid! Fourty gold ryou!" says Tamahome. The men are suprised. Miaka thinks, "That's mean." She's mad and punches the guy holding her. Tamahome starts beating up the guys around her. The boss is really pissed, and says if Tamahome won't sell Miaka, she's gotta die. He charges towards her with a knife. Tamahome pushes her out of the way and beats up the boss, and the other guy who was holding Miaka. It's raining now. Tamahome says, "Some things are too important to sell." Miaka gets really mad at him. He just ruined his business here and could've gotten hurt! He says the answer's not important. She yells for him to answer her. Then, she says "It's because I'm in love with you!" Then, realizing what she said, she's like "uh oh, shouldn't have said that!" Tamahome turns away and says, "Sorry. I don't feel the same way about you. I only protect you because you're Suzaku no Miko." Miaka's really sad, and calls for him. She's too weak and blacks out. Tamahome rushes towards her, calling her name.

Back at the library, Yui reads that Suzaku no Miko came down with a fever and fell...

To be continued...