The spell of love...

[Thy preparations...]

Get a chicken's bones, sugar, ashes, your hair and his belongings...

Crush thy bones to powder,

mix with sugar and gray ashes,

cut your hair,

kiss his belongings,

mix them all in a dark big bowl,

pour thy sacred water and,

in midnight...

burn them all,

using thy holy, red fire,

and throw the ashes to the river,

and tomorrow, surely,

his body, heart and soul,

will be yours,

forever...

* * *

Mornings came like usual in Rikuou's and Kazahaya's residence. It all started with the blonde's shout, then some kicks and punches before at last he went to cook breakfast. The bigger man, as usual, opened the newly delivered newspaper and started to read on the cold floor.

The shorter one cooked while muttering curses about bad habits and stuff. After the morning breakfast, they both dressed up and went to work at the Green Drugstore.

Kakei, the owner, would greet Kazahaya with his usual smile, asking about his rest last night. Saiga would hug him from behind and gave some words of advice, then the tall man would told Rikuou that there were nothing which would puzzled Kazahaya greatly. After that, they would all went to work.

Some time later, the door was being opened and revealed two teenage girls in school uniforms. They were regular customers to the Green Drugstore. Akemi, the slender girl with beautiful, long raven hairs would always buy vitamins or drinks there since the Drugstore had a vending machine. Chiaki, the shorter man with cute curly hair, would pop up just to say hi to Kazahaya and would sometimes bought medicines for her granny.

"Ohayou, Kudou-san..." Her shy, hesitant voice greeted the smiling Kazahaya.

"Ohayou, Chiaki-chan" He greeted back warmly. As expected, a shade of red appeared on her oval face.

"How's your day today?" Kazahaya made a face before he answered,

"Fine until that jerk, Rikuou ruined my day by calling me pervert!"

"That can't be!!! You must be the pervert!! Not Rikuou-kun!!" Akemi suddenly joined in by shouting from the other edge of room. Rikuou was standing next to her, his face still hold no emotion at all.

"You don't even know him!! He likes to tease people and almost raped me once!!!" Kazahaya shouted back, making the girl gasped in surprised before she turned her whiny self to Rikuou and demanded an explanation.

"Serves you right!" The blonde said as he stuck a pink tongue out to the irritated black-haired man.

"Err..., excuse me... but is it true? That he almost raped you?" Her voice was thick with fear and rage but being the oblivious ones, Kazahaya didn't notice at all and grinned,

"Of course not!! This was just one of the things I made to annoy him" Then he laughed.

"But, I was just wondering... Are you two..." She paused for awhile, "...Lovers?" The last bit came as a soft whisper.

"OF COURSE NOT!!! WHO WOULD EVER WANT THAT JERK AS A BOYFRIEND!!!!! HE'S LIKE A BEAR, HAS NO FEELINGS, A PERVERT, CARES ONLY FOR HIMSELF AND MORE IMPORTANTLY!! I'M NOT A HOMOOOOOOO!!!" Kazahaya panted greatly after he finished his lines that were pretty long and loud. Loud enough for Rikuou, Saiga and Kakei to overheard it. The blonde quickly covered his mouth as he realized what he'd just said. His whole body froze as he heard familiar, loud footsteps from behind.

He expected some words of insult as a payback, or maybe a hit in his head but he received none. Rikuou didn't do anything but to pass him in silence and somehow... his heart clenched, as if a cruel hand had squeezed it hard.

"Ah, I think that me and Chiaki should leave now... Bye..." Akemi nervously pull her best friend out from the quiet Drugstore. Chiaki's eyes were filled with determination, which even Akemi missed it.

Tonight... I shall do it...

"Now, now... Kudou-kun... I think this time, you have passed the limit..." Kakei's voice was extremely dangerous.

"Rikuou is not a bastard without feeling, he's not like you think... So you should not be bias to him,” Saiga added as he lit his third cigarettes for the day.

"You better say sorry to him, Kudou-kun"

"Yeah, you should..."

"WHY SHOULD I? HE'S THE JERK ANYWAY!!!!!!!" The blonde-haired man shouted in anger before he stomped out from the store.

An awkward silence fell inside the store before finally Kakei rested his head on Saiga.

"It's okay... They'll manage, somehow..." Saiga softly said as he hugged his smaller lover tight.

* * *

"What the fuck is wrong with both of them anyway? Why are they siding on him? That jerk!! I HATE HIM!!!!!!"

He was practically on an open park, sitting on one of the wooden benches. The sky was clear blue with white puffy clouds. It was still around noon, as the yellow sun was shining brightly on the sky. Kids were playing with their friends and parents, some on the swings, some on the sand box. The atmosphere was warm and cherry. Kazahaya almost forgot about Rikuou by just watching them but then, another memory appeared in his mind.

Kazahaya ga daisuki... A woman dressed in kimono gently said, her voice mingled with the blowing wind.

Anata ga aishiteru... She once again said.

He shook his head hard to dismiss all the painful memories he desperately wanted to forget and somehow it worked. He grabbed the cup that was half-full with cold chocolate and gulped it.

I wish I could be back to those times... When all I do was playing and laughing...

* * *

Chiaki was smirking as she performed the spell of love. It was some kind of ritual, with the big, black bowl in the middle and two big candles on left and right. All the ingredients were placed on a table, covered with red cloths. The table was placed across the big, black bowl and she was standing in the middle. Eyes gleaming in anticipation and... Love. She began to chant [sing],

"The spell of love...

[Thy preparations...]

Get a chicken's bones, sugar, ashes, your hair and his belongings...

Crush thy bones to powder,

mix with sugar and gray ashes,

cut your hair,

kiss his belongings,

mix them all in a dark big bowl,

pour thy sacred water and,

in midnight...

burn them all,

using thy holy, red fire,

and throw the ashes to the river,

and tomorrow, surely,

his body, heart and soul,

will be yours,

forever..." The last word was filled with affection and hope. She then, burned all of it. When the holy fire had gone, she gathered the white, gray ashes and put them in a black container. She blew the twin candle before she leave to go to the river.

"Now... You'll be mine forever... Kazahaya..." She whispered as her blue eyes watched the floating container until it disappeared.

Meanwhile...

The tea, which the light-haired boy had been drinking with Kakei and Saiga, was dropped. He was yelling and shouting, making Kakei looked in worry and Saiga frowned in confusion.

"Oi, Booya! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Kudou-kun! Shikarishite!!! [Kudou-kun, hold on!!!]"

"AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" Kazahaya felt as if something was consuming his mind. He felt that something was lurking inside his heart as images of Chiaki entered his vision.

Love her... A deep voice inside his mind whispered...

"NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Cherish her... Another command was heard inside his splitting head.

"NEVEEERRRRR!!!!!!"

Protect her...

"NOT HEEERRR!!! NOOOO!!!"

Kiss her...

Touch her...

Hold her...

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" He knew he would lose himself if he heard that voice again. He would be lying to himself, he would not be himself again and he didn't want that to happen. Somehow, Kazahaya wanted to see his face for the last time. He needed to say something, he wanted to say it. One crystal tear leaked out from his green eyes as he thought of him.

I wanted to see him...

"What happened?" Suddenly, Rikuou's deep voice rang inside his mind and Kazahaya turned himself to face the dark-haired man. His mouth moved but no voice had came out...

Tasukete... Rikuou... Was what he whispered before the voice claimed his heart.

You belong to CHIAKI...

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The light haired boy collapsed after that. The entire world seemed to be blurring, and when he woke up again, the 'Kazahaya' they knew would not be there again, for he was trapped inside his self... Crying endlessly in the never-ending darkness. Waiting for someone to safe him and lift him back into the light.

* * *

It had been a week since that. Kazahaya had returned into his cherry, loud, annoying, bubbly and kind self. Kakei and Saiga had asked if he wanted to take some holidays to rest and sorted his mind but Kazahaya politely refused. Rikuou had somehow become quieter and more reserved ever since that day.

FLASHBACK

"I think that someone is cursing Kudou-kun..." Kakei quietly said.

"Who would want to curse him, Kakei? He is just some dumb, annoying, obnoxious brat..." Rikuou was looking at his light-haired partner who was kissing Chiaki outside the Drugstore. His heart clenched in anger as cold sweat started to form in his body.

"I don't know... But I'm sure he's very different now..."

"Yeah, he even dates that Chiaki! Men, I thought you and him are a couple!! But no-" Before Saiga could summed up his sentence, Rikuou shot him a deadly glare.

"Ma.. Ma.. Rikuou-kun... Just in case, this time I'm sending you on the 'other' job"

"Hn, whatever..."

Kakei smiled, "I'm telling you this only once so you better listen... This time, I'm asking you and Kudou-kun of course to retrieve an antidote to a love spell"

Rikuou frowned, "Love spell?" The owner nodded, his eyes were clouded with subtle emotions.

"Yes, I hope you keep this from Kudou-kun. Just tell him that you are going to retrieve an antidote"

"But why should I keep this as a secret from the baka?" The dark-haired man cut in sharply, eyes never leave the smiling Kazahaya outside who was truly enjoying himself with his girlfriend.

"Because..., I'm afraid this won't work if you tell him"

"What won't work?"

"The mission to get the real Kudou-kun. In order to do this.. We must get the love spell antidote and..." Kakei stopped, indicating that he was hesitant to continue the procedure and Rikuou was really annoyed of it. Believe it or not, he too, wanted his old partner back.

"And what?"

"And... actually, the antidote must be transferred to him through mouth..."

"NANI?!!!" The tall man turned himself to face Kakei. Disbelief was clearly written in his usual emotionless face.

"Yes, I'm afraid that you have to do it in order to save him... No, only you can do it..." Kakei sighed deeply before he continued, "Did you know what Kudou-kun whispered to you?"

"No, and he didn't whisper to me, he didn't even made a sound! He was lip-talking to me" Rikuou corrected.

"Yes, but he said.. Tasukete... Rikuou..."

END OF FLASHBACK...

"Oi, TEME! Can you walk faster?" The emotionless green-eyed man's voice snapped him back to reality. Currently, he was walking with his shorter partner and HIS lover to a temple where the antidote was present. It was already night and the surrounding was pitch black.

"Exactly why is she with us again?" Irritated, he asked as the small girl jumped and laughed in excitement.

"Jeez, I've told you right? She volunteered to go with us!!"

"But, no one is supposed to know about this other job right?" More annoyed, Rikuou pointed out.

"You've got a point there... But she said Kakei-san was the one who told her to go with us"

"But I thought you said she volunteered to go with us"

"Yeah, and that" Kazahaya grinned sheepishly, "Gomen, but just bear with her ok?" And this made the dark-haired man let out strings of curses under his breath. He realized that the smile that Kazahaya was displaying was not real and he hated it. If the girl was not here, he would've pounced on Kazahaya straightaway and shouted at him.

"Come on you guys!!!" Her bubbly voice called out.

"Okay, Chi-chan!" But just as the light-haired man about to go, Rikuou grabbed his wrist and squeezed it tightly.

"Do you really love her?"

It was after a short pause before Kazahaya answered, smiling, "Of course... I.. d..o.." Unexpectedly, fresh tears rolled out from his emotionless green eyes. The taller man's eyes bulged out as he saw his partner cried.

"Are? Why am I crying? It's strange... Strange..." The shorter man whispered weakly as he brushed away his tears with his sleeves. Rikuou's heart pained as he realized that deep down, the real Kazahaya was struggling hard to get out. He wanted to free him. He wanted to shout and tease him. This new Kazahaya never fought with him, this new Kazahaya was calm and collected. Too calm to be Kazahaya. Too serious to be one. His eyes also, had lost its shine and became green dull.

"Well, I think I should catch up with Chi-chan... She'll be furious of I left her alone! Saki ni ikuzo yo Rikuou!" His voice broke all the dark-haired man's trains of thoughts and rumblings. Kazahaya's frame went smaller as he got further to Chiaki's place. Rikuou snorted before he too, started to run. He wanted to end this quickly because he wanted his Kazahaya back.

Wait... Did I just say his Kazahaya? When did I start to think that he's mine?

* * *

Black demon appeared from nowhere, scratching Rikuou's already injured body for the nth time of the day.

"Rikuou!!!" Kazahaya shouted loudly with his small girlfriend beside him. He wanted to go and help him but Chiaki said he didn't need to.

Again, the black-haired man concentrated on the purple crystal placed on the monster head and destroyed it in one blast using his power. The demon let out a strangled yelp before it slowly disappeared into the air. Exhausted, he used his forbidden power once again to break the lock in front of him.

Right now they were all in the temple. In order to get the antidote, they need to break nine locks. Each locks contained one demon in it, a powerful one with variety of shapes. This was the last one, and when Rikuou broke it, another demon appeared. This one, it was a woman. She had a long raven hair and a serene face. Her lips were rosy red and she was dressed in a simple dress.

"Tsukiko?" His dark eyes widened involuntarily. Kazahaya's dull green eyes had some shine back as he saw Tsukiko. It seemed that, even in this state, he could still recognized the woman he often saw in Rikuou's memory.

"Why are you here?" His voice contained pain and hope in the same time. Instead of answering the question, she inched closer and hugged the startled man.

"I'm here to take you...." Her eyes turned wicked and claws appeared from her previous short nails. Kazahaya who saw this, shouted loudly,

"WATCH OUT!!!!!"

"Too late" Then, she ripped Rikuou's back. Fresh blood splashed out from his body which gone limp on the hard floor. A pool of red blood soon formed underneath his self.

"RIKUOU!!!" Kazahaya shouted as he approached the still body.

"MATTE! KAZA-CHAN!!" But her words were no use to Kazahaya. The light-haired boy kept approaching his partner's body and kneeled down beside him. Tears rolled from his dull eyes, it fell and wetted Rikuou's cheek.

"Kazahaya!! You should come here now!!! I'm your girlfriend and you should be with me!!!" Chiaki commanded furiously as she watched the scene. She hoped that the love spell would still work and Kazahaya would obediently came back to her. But... NO..

"NOOOO!!!!! I... I.. I won't come back to you!!! NOOO!!" He shook his head violently, trying to deny all the voices that commanded him in his mind. Too distracted by doing so, he didn't notice a pair of large hands, which belonged to Rikuou, and when he did, it was too late.

Rikuou had brought him down and kissed him softly. Chiaki's and the demon's eyes bulged out. This was not supposed to happen!!!

"LET.. LET GO OF HIM!!!" The demon shouted as she attacked Rikuou's body again, but he didn't let go.

"LET GO OF HIMMMMM!!" Chiaki shouted, but the pair didn't hear the shout, for Rikuou was already entering Kazahaya's mind.

* * *

'Where... Where am I? Why am I here???' A crying child was seen alone in the darkness. Rikuou, who was standing not far from the child, approached him and kneeled down beside him.

'Oni-san... dare?' The child looked up and in an instant Rikuou recognized him. It was KAZAHAYA!! though in child version...

'Ore wa anta no aigo da...[I'm your partner...]' He softly said.

'Ore no aigo? Hontou ni? Ja, ore wa hitori ja nai?[My partner? really? Then, I'm not alone right?]' Kazahaya child's voice was full of hope and Rikuou couldn't help but nod.

'Arigatou...' Then the child disappeared. The next scene came and Rikuou could practically saw the Kazahaya he knew, wrapped up in a shell.

'KAZAHAYA!!!' He couldn't help but shout.

'Are, Rikuou? Doushite koko ni iru?[Are, Rikuou, why are you here?]'

'To rescue you, baka'

'Demo, ore wa ikenai...[but I can't go...]'

'Yes, you can... I'm right here...'

'But... But, I've said hurtful words to you... I can't go with you! I'm not your friend anymore!!!' He cried as he hugged himself.

'Yes, you did hurt you, that's why I'm going to punish you when we get home.., so now, shall we go home?' The words were soft and Kazahaya couldn't help but to look up and hope.

'Am I allowed to go home?' He asked, looking at the extended hands that belonged to Rikuou.

'Aa...'

The shell was starting to crack and bright light appeared, freeing Kazahaya from all the spells and guilt. With tears running from his eyes, he threw himself to the awaiting arms of Rikuou.

'Gomen... Gomen ne...' He sobbed uncontrollably.

'Iia.. I'm glad that you are back...' Rikuou tighten his hug on the smaller man's nude form as warm light engulfed them and took them back to reality...

* * *

"TEEEMMEEEE!!! Did you just touch my ass?!" Kazahaya's loud voice rang inside the Drugstore.

"It's good to have him back na, Rikuou?" With a smirk, Saiga asked. Rikuou ignored him and the shouting Kazahaya and walked outside. Kazahaya soon followed him out while Saiga sighed.

"He's not being honest!!" The man with glasses whined.

"He sure is... But I think he had opened up to Kudou-kun... ne, Saiga?" With that, they both look out just in time when the taller man, Rikuou bend down to kiss the blushing Kazahaya.

"Uh huh... He had become really *warm* with booya! But I was just wondering… Did the antidote even exist?”

Kakei smirked, “Yes it does… Actually, the person under the love spell could only be cured with a kiss… and it has to be a kiss from the one he loves…”

“Then, the whole thing about taking the antidote, the demon stuff is all… a LIE?”

“It’s for me to know and for you to find out, Saiga-chan” The blond-haired man winked playfully at his taller lover.

“You… one naughty blondie!”

* * *