For The Love of Kiyone

A Tenchi-Muyo fanfic by Keiichi Masaki
(Keiichi_dono@hotmail.com, keiichi-dono@geocities.com)

Tenchi and Kiyone Masaki (did I hear a collective faint?  Good!), as
well as the rest of the cast from Tenchi-Muyo!, are the property of
Pioneer and AIC.

Author’s note/rant: This is my response fic to Dr. Tran’s challenge on
the FFML, and to a similar one made at GenSao’s this weekend.  Ten-Kiyo
fics are my stock in trade (no apologies whatsoever to the RFFC), and
so, being the High Priest of the Temple of the Teal-tressed Goddess, it
falls to me.

(Author ducks rocks and bricks thrown by various RFFC members bearing
the words “traitor” and “heretic”)

Well… on with the fic:

Chapter 4: You Get What You Give

"....hon mono no tenshi ga boku ni, koi suru nosa...." Kiyone stretched
and yawned as her alarm clock went off.  She smiled wryly as she
listened to the last strains of Masami Kikuchi's "Kimi no Carrot Cake,"
and pulled herself into a sitting position.
"Oh, good.  You're up." Tenchi entered her room carrying a tray.  "I
thought you'd like some breakfast."
"How'd you guess?" Kiyone smiled at Tenchi and lifted the cover off the
plate.  "Grilled salmon, my favorite!  How did you know?"
"Call it a hunch." Tenchi sat down across from Kiyone.  As she ate, he
watched her with a small smile.
Kiyone finally mopped up the last bit of fish sauce, popped it into her
mouth, and noticed Tenchi watching her.  "What?" she asked.
"Just.... looking at you." Tenchi reached up and brushed a few stray
strands of hair from Kiyone's face.  "You're so beautiful first thing in
the morning...."
Kiyone blushed. "You're kidding.  My hair's a mess, I'm still in my
pajamas...."
"You're right," agreed Tenchi. ""Adorable' fits you much better."
Kiyone's blush deepened, and she pushed the tray aside.  She reached for
Tenchi, and he wrapped his arms around her.  "Just 'adorable'?"
"Okay, more than adorable." Tenchi kissed her forehead.  "C'mon.  It's
time to get up."

 Nobuyuki smiled as he watched Tenchi and Kiyone come down the stairs
together.  It had been about two weeks since his son had become
"official" with the beautiful policegirl, and in all honesty it had been
a very long time since he'd seen his son so happy.
 Come to think of it, he noted, I think this is the happiest I've seen
Kiyone since she came here.
 "Oh, Dad, you're up!  G'morning!" Tenchi grinned at his father.
 "Morning, Tenchi, Kiyone.  Are you two going to give me a grandchild
anytime soon?"
 Tenchi almost dropped the tray he was carrying, and his cheeks started
burning red. "Dad!"
 Kiyone giggled.  It was a delightful, feminine sound that was seldom
heard from her prior to two weeks ago.  "Really, Mr. Masaki!  Why are
you in such a rush to become a grandfather?"
 "You two aren't getting younger, and neither am I!  I want a grandchild
to bounce on my knee before I die!" Nobuyuki always got a kick out of
teasing his son about girls, and now that he actually had a
girlfriend....
 By now, Tenchi's grin had been replaced by a scowl.  "Dad...."
 Nobuyuki held up his hands.  "All right, all right.  You still want me
to take you two into town with me this morning?"
 Kiyone nodded.  "If you would, please.  Your son here--" she elbowed
Tenchi gently but meaningfully "--promised to buy me lunch today."
 "I will, I will," acknowledged Tenchi, rubbing his side dramatically.
 Nobuyuki watched the two young people enter the kitchen, bickering
playfully.  Not for the first time, he felt almost like he was watching
himself and Achika.  In fact, he saw a lot of Achika in Kiyone.  Sure,
she was a bit more hot-tempered than his late wife was, but the same
qualities that had won his heart were in this girl.... and now, those
same qualities had won his son's heart.
 Achika, I think you'd like her.

Tenchi grinned at his girlfriend as they wound their way through
Okayama's crowded streets.  "Man, I wish you'd told me how hungry you
were!"
Kiyone smirked.  Somehow, it looked.... well, sexy on her.  "Oh?"
"I would have brought more money.  I swear, you eat almost as much as
Mihoshi!" He chuckled and caught her lazily thrown punch, taking the
opportunity to wrap his free arm around her waist.
"In public?" Kiyone looked slightly embarrassed, but she didn’t pull
away.
"Sure, why not?"
Kiyone sighed and pulled closer to him.  They continued to walk down the
semi-crowded city sidewalk.  Since it was summer--and a Sunday to
boot--people of all ages had decided that “today” would be a good day to
get the shopping done.  Doubtless half of them would return later in the
week to purchase the items today’s crowds had kept from them.
 “So, where d’ya wanna go first?” Tenchi ran a mental review of his
financial status; after lunch, he had perhaps enough to buy Kiyone a
gift and a light dinner, with enough left for bus fare home.
 Kiyone just smiled and indicated.
 Tenchi looked--and did a double-take.  Somehow, she had maneuvered him
through the busy streets of Okayama towards the largest department store
in the downtown area.  “Oro?”
 “Come on, Tenchi....” Kiyone shifted out of his arms and grabbed his
wrist.  “It’ll be fun....”

"How do you like this one, Tenchi?" Kiyone did a model-like turn,
causing the cream-colored sundress with rosebuds scattered across it to
spin into the air, to just above his knees.
Tenchi leaned forward in his chair, his eyes wide.  "Oh my...." Well,
what parts of his mind were unaffected by the enchanting sight before
him said, At least I know what Dad has is hereditary....
Kiyone pantomimed wiping her chin, which the red-faced Tenchi
immediately imitated.  That was enough to reset his mind, and he
clapped.  "You look great, Kiyone."
Kiyone blushed.  "Thank you.... now just wait a sec...." She rushed back
into the dressing room and emerged with and oversized straw hat.  She
plopped it on her head and smiled cutely.  "How do I look now?"
"Now you just look adorable," replied Tenchi.  "What do the Americans
call it.... oh yeah, a Kodak moment." He stood up and held up his hands
in front of his face, as if holding a camera. "Smile for the camera,
Kiyone...."
Kiyone burst out laughing.  "Tenchi, you're so sil--"
"Tenchi?  Tenchi, is that you?"
"Huh?" Tenchi turned to see several teenagers about his age: two boys
and three girls.  He smiled as he recognized them.  "Keisuke, Toshi!
What're you guys doing here?"
"Apparently the same thing you are," answered Keisuke Mitsushi, the
taller boy.  He pushed his glasses back up on his nose, making his brown
eyes look slightly bigger.
Kiyone came up behind Tenchi and placed a hand on his arm.  "Tenchi, why
don't you introduce me to your friends?"
"Oh!  Sorry...." Tenchi took Kiyone's hand.  "Everyone, this is Kiyone
Makibi, my girlfriend.  Kiyone, these are my friends Keisuke and Toshi,
and their girlfriends, Miyuki and Natsumi, and--who's the other girl?"
Miyuki, the girl with the long black hair pulled into a braid and blue
eyes, smiled.  "Oh, that's my sister Noriko."
Kiyone smiled and bowed slightly.  "Pleased to meet you."
Tenchi's friends responded in kind.
Toshi grinned.  "Hey, Tenchi, she's cute!  No wonder we haven't seen you
ar--oof!" He doubled over as Natsumi's elbow slammed into his belly.
"Oww.... what was that for?"
"Pervert," Natsumi scolded, her crimson eyes flashing.  In all honesty,
though, she looked more amused than annoyed.  "I swear, sometimes I
don't know why I stay with you...."
“I do!” piped up Noriko, her big glasses bouncing on her nose as she
jumped in the air.  “It’s because he’s such a good--”
“Ahh ha ha ha ha....” A red-faced Natsumi clapped a hand over her
sister’s mouth and tried to laugh casually.  “I don’t know why I bring
you along either, Noriko....”
"Neither do we," Tenchi smirked.  "As for what you started to say,
Toshi, I'll pretend I didn't hear that."
Keisuke chuckled and patted his smaller friend on the back.  "Anyway,
Tenchi, what're you and Kiyone doing Saturday night?"
Tenchi turned to his girlfriend.  "You have anything in mind?"
Kiyone shook her head.  "Nope."
"Oh, good," enthused Keisuke.  "I'm having a party.  Interested?"
Tenchi looked thoughtful.  "You still living on the other side of town,
in that big house?"
"The very same," grinned Keisuke. "Remember last summer, when we had the
cook-out on the beach?"
"Yeah, you burned the food!  Hmm...." Tenchi looked at Kiyone. "Sound
good to you?"
Kiyone nodded. "It sounds like fun."
"It will be, it will be," promised Keisuke.  "Saturday night, 7 p.m.  Be
there?"
"Good, good.  Come in nice clothes--but bring a change in case we decide
to hit the beach around midnight." The young man grinned. "That's the
perfect time for a late-night swim.... or something."
 Toshi opened his mouth to speak, but an elbow to the ribs snapped it
back shut.
The girls giggled, and Kiyone and Tenchi felt their faces warm.

 "....well, this has been an interesting day," Kiyone remarked dryly as
she and Tenchi left the Women’s Clothing department.  The sundress and
hat, along with another dress, were nestled snugly in a shopping bag.
"Soon I'll be meeting all your friends!"
 “Don’t be in that big a hurry to meet them,” Tenchi quipped.  “The
moment we arrive, half the guys in the house will be drooling over
you....”
 Kiyone laughed.  “Just half?”
 Tenchi laughed too.  “Confident, aren’t we?  Well, the other half will
be moving in on all the suddenly single girls.”  He looked over at her.
“Sure you want to go?”
 Kiyone nodded. “Yeah.... unless there’s a reason you don’t want to?”
She met his eyes.  “Tenchi.... I haven’t been embarrassing you or
anything, have I?”
 Tenchi was speechless for a moment, then he gathered her into his
arms.  “No, of course you haven’t.” He sighed.  “Frankly, I was afraid
that you’d think I was bringing you to the party just to show you off.”
 Kiyone leaned against him.  “I wouldn’t mind being shown off, if I was
with you....”
 “You’re sure?”
 “Very.  Now.... we’d better get you ready for the party!  Come on!”
Grabbing her boyfriend by the arm again, Kiyone started in the direction
of the escalator.
 “Huh?  Where we going now?!”
 “Simple.  Shopping!”
 Tenchi started sweatdropping.  “Where’d you get the money....?”
 “Your dad gave it to me.  I think he meant for me to buy some lingerie
or something.”
 Tenchi suppressed the thought of Kiyone in lacy bra and panties; he
would have bled to death via nosebleed.  "W-what for?"
 Kiyone smiled, obviously reading her boyfriend’s thoughts.  “Later.
You know how much he wants a grandkid!  Now come on!"
 “But I’m perfectly comfortable with what I have....”
 She sighed.  “Tenchi, you’re the most wonderful guy in the world, but
sometimes you can be incredibly dense.  Now, let’s go and look.”
“Oro....” Tenchi let Kiyone lead him away.

 (Author’s note: I like to think that Tenchi is a descendant of Kenshin
and Kaoru’s (on his maternal grandmother’s side.... which means that
Yosho married Kenshin’s great-great-something-granddaughter), and so far
I haven’t seen much to contradict that.  Besides, I just like saying
“Oro”.... ^^)

 That Saturday evening found Tenchi checking his reflection in the
bathroom mirror.  I hope this isn’t too casual....
 “Tenchi, you in there?” Mihoshi’s voice.
 Tenchi sighed.  Here goes everything.... “Coming.” He stepped out of
the bathroom.
 “Oh, there you are.” Mihoshi took a good look at him and smiled.  “You
look good, Tenchi!  I like the outfit!”
“You really think so?” Tenchi was standing before her in faded jeans and
a reddish-purple button-down shirt with the collar undone, and a black
tie worn loose.  Untucked shirttails and an open red and black vest
completed the picture.
 Mihoshi nodded.  “Mm-hmm!  Let’s get Kiyone’s opinion!” She dragged
Tenchi down the hall and into Kiyone’s room.  “Kiyone, what do you
think?”
 Kiyone turned from the mirror and looked at Tenchi.
 And she actually blushed.
 Finally she said simply, "You look great, Tenchi.  Very handsome." An
almost shy smile turned the corners of her lips upward.
 Tenchi smiled back, his eyes sweeping across Kiyone's profile, and
finally up to her sapphire eyes.  She was always a knockout, but with
red lipstick and a little understated makeup, she almost shone.  “So do
you.”  Kiyone was dressed in a teal babydoll-style jumper that came down
to her knees--barely--with a frilly, long-sleeved white blouse on
underneath.  He offered his arm to her.  "Shall we go?"
 Kiyone took his arm.  "Let's."
 Everyone else in the house was gathered at the bottom of the stairs.
Nobuyuki had his camcorder out and trained on the young couple.  "Smile
as you're coming down the stairs!"
 "Dad!  Put that stupid thing away!" Tenchi was blushing again, but
there was a wide grin on his face.
 Mihoshi and Sasami were clapping and grinning.  "You two look really
good!" Sasami enthused.
 "Yeah!" agreed Mihoshi.  "And with those outfits, you two look like
that couple in.... in.... Sasami, what's that show we watch?"
 "Which one?"
 "The one where everyone is in love with everyone else?"
 "Marmalade Boy?"
 "Yes, that's it!"
 The happy couple blushed slightly.
 Nobuyuki set down his camcorder and held up his new 35mm camera.  “Just
one more picture, kids.  Say ‘big wedding’!”
 “Big wedding!” Tenchi and Kiyone laughed, and the flash went off.
 “Good, good.  Let’s go, you two.”
 Soon afterwards, Nobuyuki’s car pulled up in front of Keisuke’s house.
The elder Masaki’s eyes almost bugged out as he saw the palatial
dwelling.  “That’s huge!  I think that’s almost bigger than our house!”
 “Keisuke’s family must be pretty well off,” agreed Kiyone.
 “That they are,” acknowledged Tenchi.  He patted his father on the
shoulder.  “Thanks, Dad.  We’ll be home sometime tomorrow.”  He helped
Kiyone out of the car and started to head for the house.
 “Wait, Tenchi!”
 Tenchi turned back.  “What is it, Dad--huh?”  He saw something small
fly through the air, and he leaned forward, caught it, looked at
it--“Dad!”
 “Use it wisely, son!  Have a good time!” Nobuyuki laughed and spun the
car around, returning the way he’d come.
 Tenchi looked at the object in his hand and sighed.  “Oro....”
 “Tenchi, what is--oh, I see....” Kiyone peered over his shoulder and
snickered.  “But, Tenchi, I thought your dad wanted me to give him
grandchildren....”
 Tenchi’s face was turning redder by the moment.  “....”
 “Just put them away,” she advised.  “If we use them.... we use them.
If not.... we don’t.”
 Tenchi nodded, looking somewhat relieved, and shoved the object into
his pocket.  He turned back to her.  “Shall we go?”
 Kiyone nodded, and they walked up to the front door.
 Keisuke answered.  He was dressed in tropical-style garb (loose khakis
and an untucked Hawaiian print shirt, and he had a fake lei around his
neck.  “Hey, you guys made it!  Lookin’ good!”
 “Thanks,” replied Tenchi dryly.  “I’d say the same for you--if it
weren’t for that lampshade on your forehead.”
 “Huh?” Keisuke felt around on his head for a moment, and then glared a
heatless glare at Tenchi.  “Very funny.”
 “I know,” Tenchi laughed.  “So, is everyone here?”
 “You better believe it.  Oh, and by the way, news of Kiyone has spread
far and wide--”
 “I’d noticed,” Kiyone noted, glancing around at all the teenagers
glancing at her.
 “--and everyone is anxious to meet her.”
 “Well, everyone can wait,” Tenchi answered, sounding a little annoyed.
“We just got here.”
 “Of course, of course,” soothed Keisuke.  “Now let’s see.... the food’s
in the kitchen, through that door; you can stow your gear in Dad’s study
over there; I’ve got the stereo going in the rec room; the outside
lights are up for volleyball.... or whatever.... and that’s it!  Have
fun!  Mingle, dance, whatever.”
 “Oh, you’re here!  Hi!” Miyuki came up behind Keisuke and started
pulling him toward the rec room.  “Kei, they’re playing our song....”
 Keisuke grinned.  “My lady calls, and I obey.  See ya!” and he let
Miyuki pull him away.
 Tenchi and Kiyone looked around for a moment, trying to get acclimated.

Finally Tenchi said, “What do you wanna do first?”
 “Introduce me around,” insisted Kiyone, a wide grin on her face.  “Show
me off a little.”
 Tenchi looked her up and down and smiled slowly.
 She bopped him playfully on the head.  “Tenchi!  Not like that!  I want
to meet your friends!”
 "Let's go, then," replied Tenchi.  He and Kiyone entered the rec room,
where a state-of-the-art stereo was blasting popular American songs.
Even though the party had just started, the “dance floor” was already
SRO. "Care to dance, Miss Makibi?"
 "I believe I would, Mr. Masaki," Kiyone replied, and she stepped into
his arms as the music shifted from the bouncy hip-hop of N-Sync's "Want
You Back" to the softer, sweeter tones of Sarah Maclachlan's "Adia."
 The next two hours passed swiftly.  Tenchi introduced Kiyone to his
friends, who were very glad to meet her, and soon after the stereo began
to specialize in softer songs--all the more excuse for a continuous slow
dance.
 Around 9 P.M., things took a turn for the interesting.  It started like
this:
 "Tenchi, could you get me a drink?"
 "Well, okay...." Tenchi turned--and walked right into several young
men.  "Oh, hi."
 "Evening, sempai," greeted the apparent leader, about Tenchi's height
but with shorter brown hair.  "So, this your girlfriend?"
 "Yep.  Kiyone, this is Satoshi Matsuura, my co-captain on the kendo
team.  Behind him are two of our teammates, Yoshi Suzuki and Takeshi
Kubo.  Don't worry, they're harmless." Laughter. "Hey, Takeshi, where's
your girlfriend?"
 "Aya-chan?" Takeshi's face immediately colored at what he'd just said,
and the gentle snickering that followed.  "I-I mean, she's not my
girlfriend!  W-we're just best friends!"
 "Whatever," said Yoshi dismissively. "Anyway, where I--"
 "Ta-chan!  There you are!"  A cute and freckle-faced girl sporting long
brown hair (pulled back in two ponytails) and matching eyes flounced up
and grabbed Takeshi's wrist.  "We're gonna dance--" she stopped to look
at Kiyone "--hi, you must be Tenchi's girlfriend, I'm Aya, nice to meet
you, gotta run, see ya!" With that, she and Takeshi disappeared into the
crowd of teenagers on the "dance floor."
 "...anyway, it was nice to meet you, Kiyone.  Bye!" Yoshi himself
disappeared, in the direction of the kitchen.
 Tenchi blinked.  "That's odd.  They usually don't vanish that fast...."

 Satoshi looked around, then leaned in.  "I think they wanted me to tell
you, my friend.  Your friends aren't the only ones who've heard about
Kiyone.  Some of your not-so-friendly associates have gotten wind of
this...."
 Tenchi's eyes narrowed.  "Oh?"
 "....in particular, a certain young lady of our mutual acquaintance,
and..."
 "And?" pressed Tenchi.
 "She's here at this party."
"She what?!" Tenchi looked indignant, an expression Kiyone had rarely
seen before.  "I'm surprised she'd deign to come tonight...."
"What's going on?" asked Kiyone.
 Tenchi sighed.  "Well, Kiyone, Satoshi here is telling me that people I
don't get along with are at this party, most specifically...."
 "Yes?"
 "....well, a certain girl."  He took Kiyone's hand.  "Come on; we'll
get something to eat, and I'll explain it to you." He turned to lead her
to the kitchen--
 "Hello, Tenchi."
 --and walked right into the person he was trying to ignore.
 Around them, the conversations tapered off and ceased.
The young lady was very pretty--and very filled out--for her age, but
what struck Kiyone most was her resemblance to Tenchi's mother.  The
resemblance was in appearance only, however; she carried herself with a
very haughty bearing and what could only be called a smile of amused
contempt.
 It was a long moment before Tenchi replied in a tight voice, "Hello,
Maya."
 Maya opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Keisuke's dry
voice.  "Well, well.  Miss Rokubungi.  Don't recall seeing your name on
the guest list...."
 "I assumed it was an oversight," she replied.  Her voice was soft and
melodious, and Kiyone could see a number of boys (and several girls ^^)
sighing as they heard it.
 Still, Maya's eyes never left Tenchi's face, save for a quick appraisal
of Kiyone.  Kiyone didn't want to know the results.  "So, is this her?"
 Tenchi glared at her. "Kiyone, this is Maya Rokubungi, an.... old
acquaintance.  Maya, this is Kiyone Makibi, my girlfriend."
 Maya turned to Kiyone with what was probably her version of a gracious
smile.  "Of course.  It's a pleasure; I've heard so much about you...."
 Kiyone pushed a plastic smile onto her face and forced herself to shake
the other girl's hand.  "....likewise, I'm sure."
 Maya gestured at the young man beside her.  He was slightly taller than
Tenchi, with longer brown hair; unlike Tenchi and most of the other boys
with long hair, he wore it down, so that the long bangs hung over his
green eyes.  "This is my boyfriend, Ryuji Karigari."
 Ryuji just grinned.
 Maya stepped up and took Tenchi's hand.  "How about a dance?  For old
times' sake?"
 "I really don't think--"
 Kiyone squeezed Tenchi's other hand.  "It's okay, Tenchi.  Go ahead."
 Tenchi shot a questioning glance back at his girlfriend as Maya led him
away; Kiyone responded with a reassuring smile.

 "Why're you doing this?" hissed Tenchi as he and Maya were dancing.
 Maya smiled up at him, her face dimpling.  When they had been together,
the action would make Tenchi's heart skip a beat; even now, he had to
fight its effects.  "What's wrong, Ten-chan?"
 "You have some nerve."  I oughta slap you for that, he thought.  Even
Kiyone doesn't call me that yet....
 "So where did you two meet?" Maya asked, abruptly changing the topic.
 "She's a friend of my cousin Tomiko," Tenchi answered quickly, using
the story that he and Kiyone had long since agreed upon.  "I met her
several years ago at their high school graduation, and she moved into my
house this summer because she'll be attending college here come fall."
 "Hmm.... and exactly what part of Japan is she from?"
 "Why do you care?"
 Maya shrugged and leaned in closer to Tenchi.  She was wearing that
perfume he'd used to like.... "She seems.... nice."
 Tenchi stiffened.  "She's worth a hundred of you, Maya."
 Maya pretended she hadn't heard those words; instead she said, "Listen
to the music...."
 Tenchi did--and could barely suppress a growl.  The song that the
stereo was blaring out now was "Sukiyaki" by 4 P.M. (in an irony of
ironies, an American pop group's remake of a song that was originally a
Japanese hit), a pop hit in the summer of 1995 and the song that had
been "their song."
 It took all of his self-control to keep from slapping her, especially
when he met her eyes and found that all-too-familiar slightly mocking
look.
 "I can't believe you," he snarled quietly.  "Was this the entire reason
you came to the party?"
 "You tell me, Ten-chan."
 "Don't you ever call me that again!" He glared at her.  "You knew I'd
be here.  You knew that I'd bring Kiyone with me.  You came prepared to
steal me from her.... but not because you'd had a change of heart.
 "You wanted to do it.... just to see if you could."
 Maya was silent for a long moment.  Finally she brought her eyes back
up to Tenchi's.  "You're right.... but this was as much a test of both
you and her?"
 "Huh?" Now Tenchi was lost.
 "I wanted to make sure that both of you were serious, that this wasn't
just a delayed rebound." Maya managed a smile.  "Believe it or not,
Tenchi, your happiness is important to me."
 Tenchi was stunned.  "...."
 "And you passed the test," Maya said with a smile.  Her expression went
thoughtful.  "But has she?"
 She suddenly realized that Tenchi was smiling.  "What is it?"
 "Five.... four.... three.... two...."
 "Get your hands off of me!"
 And Kiyone suddenly had Ryuji facedown on the floor, his arms pinned
behind him.  She was kneeling on his back.
 "Listen to me very carefully," she growled.  "Only Tenchi touches me.
Try again, and more than your pride'll be hurt, understand?"
 "Y-yes, ma'am...." Ryuji croaked weakly.
 Maya blinked. "Oh my.... I'd say she passed."
 Tenchi nodded proudly.  "Yep.  My Kiyone's very adept at self-defense."

 Maya gave him a slight push.  "Go to her.  I'll scrape Ryuji off the
carpet."
 Tenchi started to walk away, then turned back.  "Maya.... about what I
said before...."
 She waved an airy hand.  "Don't worry about it.  What're exes for?"

 "Tell me about Maya," Kiyone inquired.  She and Tenchi were sitting
this dance out in favor of a snack.
 Tenchi paused in mid-bite to look at her, then gulped down the rest of
his teriyaki.  "What d'ya want to know?"
 "When did you two go out?"
 "Let me see.... well, we first met in middle school.  We became
friends, and by the time we graduated and entered Okayama High.... well,
we were more than friends.  We were together till about the time that
girls started falling from the sky around my house." Both of them
chuckled at that.
 "Were you two happy?"
 Tenchi looked curiously at Kiyone.  "That's an odd question to ask
about your boyfriend's previous relationship...."
 Kiyone shrugged. "Stop avoiding the question."
 "Yeah, I guess we were."
 "So, why'd you two...."
 Tenchi blew out a tired breath. "Well, Maya's main fault is that she's
something of a.... what's the word.... social climber, I guess.  I'm not
despised by any means, but I'm not that popular, either.  So, when a
more popular guy was suddenly free...." He shrugged.
 Kiyone squeezed his arm.  "I'm sorry."
 Tenchi smiled and took her hand.  "It's okay.  I'm with you now, aren't
I?"
 "You certainly are," she replied coyly.  "Tell me, though, if you knew
that she was a social climber, then why did you even...."
 "Because she's a sweetie, when all is said and done." He caught her
eyes across the dance floor, and they shared a smile for a moment.
"Truthfully, I'd almost forgotten that until tonight...." His ears
perked up as he heard the song end and another one begin.  "Oh!  C'mon!"
He pulled Kiyone to her feet.  "We've got to dance to this one!"
 "Which one is it?" asked Kiyone flusteredly.
 "'You Get What You Give' by the New Radicals.  I love this song."
Tenchi pulled Kiyone onto the dance floor.
 "Well, okay...." Kiyone relaxed into Tenchi's arms and began to move
with the music as the lyrics kicked in.

 Wake up kids, we got the dreamers' disease
 Age fourteen, they got you down on your knees
 So polite, you're busy still sayin' please....

 Frenemies, who when you're down ain't your friends
 Every night, we smash the Mercedes-Benz
 First we run, and then we laugh till we cry....

 But when the night is fallin'
 You cannot find the light
 You feel your dreams are dying
 Hold tight....

 You got the music in you
Don't let go
 You got the music in you
 One dance left
 This world is gonna pull through
 Don't give up
 You've got a reason to live
 Can't forget
 We only get what we give....

 Kiyone chuckled.  "I can see why you like this song...."
 "Shh...." Tenchi held her close.  "Keep listening...."

 Four A.M., we ran the miracle mile
 We're flat broke, but hey, we do it in style
The bad rich, God's flying in for your trial....

But when the night is fallin'
You cannot find a friend
You feel your tree is breaking
Just then....

 You got the music in you
Don't let go
 You got the music in you
 One dance left
 This world is gonna pull through
 Don't give up
 You've got a reason to live
 Can't forget
 We only get what we give....

"Here we go." Tenchi smiled and sang the next lyrics while looking
Kiyone in the eye.

This whole damn world could fall apart
You'll be all right, follow your heart
You're in harm's way, I'm right behind
Now say you're mine....

Kiyone didn't speak.  Instead she pulled closer to Tenchi and met his
lips with hers.

You got the music in you
Don't let go
 You got the music in you
 One dance left
 This world is gonna pull through
 Don't give up
 You've got a reason to live
 Can't forget
 We only get what we give....

"Tenchi...." Kiyone nudged her unconscious boyfriend.  "Tenchi, wake
up.  The sun's rising."
"Hn?" Tenchi didn't move from where he was--namely, curled up with his
head resting in Kiyone's lap.  Like many of the couples, they had
retreated outside around 3 A.M. for some fresh air.  Since it was
summer, and they were near the sea, the night air had stayed rather
comfortable during the night.  Right now there were three other couples
sacked out on the porch.
Kiyone bopped Tenchi on the head (gently, of course; this is a romance
fic ^^).  "Tenchi.... wake up.... for me?"
Tenchi grunted and sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes.  "All right, if
it's for you...." He opened his eyes in time to see the first rays of
dawn peeking over the horizon.  He smiled.  "Hmm.... pretty.  It's been
a while since the last time I watched a sunrise."
"Same here," agreed Kiyone.  She shifted around so that she was snuggled
up to Tenchi; he looped his arm around her.  "Y'know...."
"Yeah?" he asked.
"I want to do this more with you...."
"The party, or the sunrise?" he asked, kissing her forehead.
"Everything...."
"Me too."

End Chapter 4

"You Get What You Give" composed by.... well, I forget specifically who,
but I think by the members of the New Radicals.
Sorry this took so long.
Enjoy!

--Kei