Once again, the busy life I live has prevented me from writing faster! Sorry guys. D: I don't know what made me just post a chapter today... but whatever it was, I thank it! Actually, I think my iPod was on shuffle and the song the Ashura just sang to Fai came on. Yeah, that was it! And it made me think of the story and how it hasn't been updated in forever.

By the way guys, I'm going to college in August! If you can guess which one, I'll give you hugs next chapter! Please enjoy this because, honestly, it may be a while before there's another. But we'll see, shall we? :)

Part Seventeen : New Year's - Part I : Fai POV

I couldn't believe how things turned out. Over the next few days, Ashura never showed up or attempted to contact me, but Sakura did! She invited Kuro and I out to a New Year's Eve dinner with her and Syaoran. Going would mean missing a little of the annual New Year's bash, but I was eager to see that happy little girl again. Kuro didn't show every bit of enthusiasm I knew he felt, but I could tell he wanted to see her again too, even after what happened on the train. He probably figured she either never saw or forgot about his weird behaviour by now.

I was glad that we weren't late for dinner. They had made reservations for us four at a seafood restaurant. Kuro and I arrived just a few minutes after they did.

"Fai-san! Kurogane-san!" Sakura exclaimed when she saw us. She got up from the table to bow to Kurogane and hug me. Syaoran, who had been sitting beside her on the inside of the booth, also stood and bowed to Kurogane, who politely bowed back. Syaoran and I bowed to each other as well.

"I am honored to finally meet you two good friends of my princess Sakura." Sakura flushed when he called her a princess.

"You're a princess?" I asked her.

"Well, not exactly…" she started quietly.

"Oh, I get it, you're his princess. He's even more romantic than you led me to believe of the train!"

Now it was Syaoran's turn to blush.

Kurogane must have been really sick of all the cutesy talk because he seemed a little overjoyed when the waiter came and took our food and drink orders. I decided to be nice and change the subject.

"Kuro-puu, did you know that Syaoran is going into the military too?"

"Is he?" He chose not to get upset about the nickname.

"…Kuro-puu?" Syaoran asked. Then Kuro got upset.

"I call him that like you call Sakura your princess!"

"Isn't that a little... demeaning?" he asked.

"Thank you! I've been making that point for months! I like you, kid."

"You don't mind when I call you Kuro-sexy..." I mumbled loudly enough for them all to hear. Sakura, Syaoran, and Kuro all froze in the awkwardness and stared at me.

"Stop telling everyone our business, idiot!" Kurogane growled with a blush on his face.

"So, when are you going into the military, Kurogane-san?" Syaoran asked, trying to get rid of some of the awkward turtles ato table. Most of them had left by the time they got deep into the Conversation.

"What do you plan on doing when your service time is up?"

"I plan on serving my country for as long as this body allows me to. You got other plans, kid?"

"Actually, I do. I've always wanted to be an archaeologist. My father was an archaeologist. He used to take me to work with him sometimes when things weren't too hectic. I thought I would grow up to be like him, but there are no excavations happening presently, But there is a war. My grandfather was a three star general and my other grandfather on my mother's side was the captain of a ship. Since I could not follow in my father's footsteps right away, I wanted to follow in theirs."

"Hm. That's a lot of military background, kid. I'm sure you will bring even more honor to your family."

"Thank you, Kurogane-san," Syaoran said as our food came. "I also hope that by serving in the military, I can keep my country and my princess safe."

I smiled and Kurogane smirked as Sakura blushed and Syaoran held her hand. What a cute, innocent couple they were. And such devotion from Syaoran! I wouldn't be surprised if he proposed to her soon even though they are very young. No, Syaoran would probably wait. Even though Sakura would say yes to him, he would wait until he knew she was ready for that big step.

Conversation was a little less serious as we ate. We talked about the weather and Kurogune expressed how "too damn cold" it was getting. Usually the winters were a little warmer. I told him I would keep him warm and he blushed again. Syaoran and Sakura didn't see me put my hand on his thigh.

"Would you folks like some dessert?'' the waiter asked after taking our plates. Kurogane and Syaoran politely declined, but Sakura and I ordered strawberry shortcakes. Syaoran didn't seem to mind, but Kurogane seemed annoyed.

"What? I love strawberry shortcake!"

"Don't you think you've spent enough today?"

"Well... I haven't had one in a long time." It was true we didn't exactly have much money, especially after that trip to my parents house, but I guess I wasn't thinking.

"That doesn't matter."

"Just let me enjoy my New Year's Eve!"

"Just because it's a holiday doesn't mean you get to waste money!" He began to elevate his tone. When I looked up, I saw Syaoran's face. It looked concerned. Sakura turned away when I looked at her.

"Sorry," I said to Kurogane, but it was also directed toward the couple sitting across from us. Kurogane dropped it. When the cakes came, Sakura and I each offered a bite to our boyfriends. Syaoran took a bite and thanked her.

"You know I hate sweets," Kurogane said to me.

At the end of dinner, Syaoran paid for Sakura's meal. Kurogane paid for mine, but in a Way that almost made me feel bad.

''Be right back," Kurogane said. He began looking for the men's room.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Syaoran spoke to me. "I know I just met both of you, but… I can't help but worry about you and Kurogane-san."

"Oh, don't worry about us. Kuro-poo is just cranky! That's all," I told him.

He didn't seem convinced, but he didn't persist.

Kurogane come back and I tried not to aggravate him for the next two minutes as we said our goodbyes.

"It was very nice to meet you Kurogane-san, Fai-San," Syaoran said, bowing to us both. We bowed back.

~ v.v ~

On the walk home, I thought about how Syaoran was worried about my relationship with Kurogane. Did he need to be? I didn't think so. I know I make him upset all the time, I have been since I met him. It is, really, a part of our relationship.

Kurogane and I got home in time to be an hour late for the party. We each put on our "party clothes" and promptly left our dormitory.

"Idiot," he called out of nowhere as we were walking to the New Year's party. I looked up at him. "From now on, don't use those stupid nicknames in public. When we're alone, I don't care, but not in public."

"Only when we're alone?"

"Yes."

"We're alone now, Kuro-pii."

Kuro-pii growled. "You know what I mean, idiot."

~ XD ~

By the time we had arrived at the destination, the party had really picked up. My eyes went straight to the dance floor. I saw Kurogane's go toward the bar as he mumbled something about going to get a drink. We went our separate ways and I found some of my friends and began dancing with them. It surprised me how drunk some of them were even though the party had barely begun.

My feet began to hurt after a while and I found Kurogane at a table by himself.

"Three… four…. You've had four drinks already?"

"Yeah," he told me, not sounding any different than he would sober. "You're not getting five drinks though."

"Why not?"

"You're a lightweight. You get drunk too easily."

I gave him a laugh. "I think you're challenging me!"

"You can get one drink. I don't feel like dragging your drunk ass home after this."

"If I only get one drink, will you come dance with me?"

He sneered. That was his answer, as if I had been stupid to even ask. Maybe I had, but I did want to dance with him at least once.

"Come on, it'll be fun! Just one slow dance."

Kurogane looked at me like I was a lunatic and stood up. I thought he was going to join me on the dance floor, but instead, he headed over to the bar for more cheap drinks. I decided to join him. When he ordered another sake, I ordered three.

"What the hell? I hope two of those are for me, because I told you to only get one!"

"And I told you that I wouldn't get drunk if you danced with me. That's the deal."

"I never agreed to that!" he roared, getting more frustrated with me as the seconds passed.

"I just want one dance. Please?" I leaned in closer to him, hoping that he would give in. The bartender ruined my plot when he slammed four drinks in front of us and distracted Kurogane from me.

"Later," he waved me away and started on his fifth sake. He was just going to keep putting me off until I gave up.

I threw my hands up in defeat and began to walk away. "Fine. I'll just dance with another man."

WELL! Looks like Fai's upset! Will he dance with another man orrr... will Kurogane dump Fai's three drinks on him and drag him to a back closet for a make out session? Find out in the next fantastic chapter of Until Death!