Kimiko sighed for what had to be the umpteenth time that day. She was resting outside in the temple's courtyard and resting on the edge of the fountain they had. Earlier today they had gone on a hunt for the Shen Gong Wu and while they may have been victorious and getting the Wu from their enemies she felt like she had been socked to the face. Another sigh escaped her as she recalled their mission. They had gone to an island off the coast of Jamaica, it was a beautiful place with many great shops and amazing scenery but she found herself unable to enjoy it. How it seems possible for her not to enjoy a tropical paradise with stores that held all sorts of pretty clothes didn't seem possible but lately nothing had been making sense to her. And the reason for this was simple.

She, Kimiko Tohomiko, had fallen head over heels in love with her best friend and teammate Raimundo Pedrosa.

She groaned, head resting in her hands as the thought processed through her mind. It was only recently that she discovered her feelings for the Dragon of Wind but ever since she has nothing has been the same for her.

She has always held a certain admiration for the Brazilin boy but she never imagined she would fall for the boy. It had had started slowly, she would catch herself staring at him longer than necessary, her mind would wander to him without her realizing it, her heart beating faster as she watched him in the showdowns. She had assumed all of this was just because they had grown closer over the years. Out of everyone in the temple she felt she was the closes with him. Omi and Clay being more like brothers to her but she never could imagine him as a brotherly figure for her. It was only when she had a dream about him did she finally realize. They had been sitting on top of the temple's roof together, watching the stars and just as the wind blew by and the moon was at its brightest did they kiss. She had woken up right after they kissed in the dream and only one thought was in her head as she awoke.

"I'm in love with Raimundo."

That day had been hard for her. She was suddenly hit with so many thoughts and feelings that it was too much for her. She had asked Master Fung if she could take the day off to visit her father and he had given her permission. Although she suspected that he knew the real reason for her sudden departure. She had spent the day talking with her best friend and even her father, both telling her that she had nothing to worry about. If she had fallen in love with him then Raimundo had to be a great guy. So with a clear head she returned to the temple. They had questioned her and she told them a story about her father wanting her back home to test a new game he was developing. They had believed it but as they left for their rooms she stood back and watched the retreating figure of the boy who had captured her heart and knew then and there that she really was in love.

She tried her best to appear normal around him and the others. For the most part it worked but there were some days where she couldn't stop herself from staring. It was like he was her favorite movie that she's seen over and over again but every time she saw it she couldn't take her eyes off it. He would catch her staring at times but she just played it off as her daydreaming or making a comment about his behavior. At times when she was alone with her thoughts she would often daydream about the two of them being together. They were simple fantasies but they made her blush every time she thought about them.

"I can't believe this," she whispered, hands resting on her cheeks as she stared at the empty courtyard. Everyone else had gone inside to relax after a hard day's work but she settled for staying outside to think things over. She needed to after what she went through today. While Raimundo is a great guy and she trusted him with her life, he was also the biggest flirt she had ever seen and it bothered her. Just today on the island he must have flirted with the whole female population and it had her seething in rage. She's never been jealous before and she didn't like it. To get so angry just because he was looking at other women made her feel so stupid. She didn't even tell him her feelings so she had no reason to be angry with him, but just seeing him acting all cool and smiling at the group of beach bimbos made her blood boil and her heart crack. "I'm such an idiot." She sighed, shaking her head of these thoughts. There was no point in getting annoyed over something like this. It would only cause her problems and she did not need anymore.

"You know it's not a good thing to talk to yourself like that," she gasped when she heard his voice and turned around so quickly that she almost fell into the fountain. Catching herself before that happened she watched as Raimundo walked towards her and sat right down next to her. "So what's got you so down Kim?" He asked with his famous grin, leaning back against the fountain in his usual manner and she hated that it made her heart jump.

Clearing her throat she took in calming breathes, trying to keep her emotions under control. "It's nothing. I'm fine." She tried to appear casual. There was no way she was going to put her heart out there for him to crush it. While he may be a good friend, and probably reject her in the nicest manner him rejecting her will still hurt and she didn't want to go through that pain just yet.

She heard him scoff and she could assume that he rolled his eyes as he did so. "Yeah right," she could hear the grin in his voice but she refused to look at him. She couldn't. If she did she was sure he would be able to see right through her. "Come on, you know you can tell me anything." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a reassuring pat. Just like any good friend would do. It was a kind gesture but all it did was make her heart squeeze in pain.

"What do I do?" she knew Raimundo, he wouldn't give up until he got what he came for and there was no she was confessing her feeling. She was not mentally or emotionally prepared for that stage yet. "I'm just trying to figure some things out." she gulped, shrugging off his arm and looking up at the sky. The sun had set a long time ago and the stars were out but she doubted even in the darkness it was able to hide her blushing face. She knew her feelings wouldn't go away easy and they probably would never if she didn't at least try and tell him how she felt but she was so scared of what could happen.

"About...?" he pushed for more information and she felt her heart speed up. How are you supposed to tell your best friend that you just recently discovered that you are in love with them.

She couldn't do that. It would make things weird and awkward and possibly even destroy their team. "A guy." She gulped again, trying to keep herself calm. If she wanted to get over him then she was going to have to tell him how she felt indirectly.

She felt him stiffen up next to her. He obviously had not been expecting that answer. "I see," this time he cleared his throat, probably uncomfortable with the sudden change in topic. "Do you like this guy?"

His question made her blush even more, her whole face probably glowing by this point. "I love him." She whispered out, her chest suddenly feeling lighter but her heart was still going a mile a minute.

Raimundo only made a soft sound, most likely a grunt. "And does he...love you back?" he seemed to force the words out. She hadn't meant to make him uncomfortable but she had and now she felt stupid for even mentioning it.

"Just imagine how'd he be if I told him that he was the guy I liked." She could already imagine him avoiding her for a whole week before rejecting her by saying that he wanted to stay friends. "I'm not sure," she answered, eyes never leaving the stars. "He's a really good friend and I've known him for years but I'm pretty sure he doesn't feel the same."

"And what makes you say that?" he shifted in his seat, scouting away from her.

She had to stop herself from snorting at his actions. Leave it to the flirt to be freaked out by the talks of love and emotions. "Let's just say he's not shy around the ladies," she tried to smile, tried to make it a joke but it was hard. "Whenever we're together he never misses a chance to show off and he seems to love the attention. But even though he acts that way I can't help but want to be with him." It was true. Despite the pain she was feeling she doubted she would ever not be in love with Raimundo. She wondered if he had picked up that she was talking about him.

Raimundo huffed, finally catching her attention and making her gaze turn towards him. She had been expecting him to joke or even laugh at her for getting so emotional over some guy. What she had not been expecting was him looking at her in such a way. A frown was set on his face and emotions were flashing through his eyes that she couldn't even begin to understand. "What's the point in getting worked up over some guy. In my opinion you have other things to be worrying about then dating." He crossed his arms, eyes looking down at the ground and refusing to meet hers.

Kimiko was stunned. She had never seen him act this way. "Rai, what's with you?"

He only shrugged before standing up. "I'm just saying that instead of thinking about this guy you should focus on other things."

"Oh? And like what?" now she was starting to get mad. How dare he talk to her with such a tone.

"Like maybe the search for the Shen Gong Wu." He reminded her as he walked back to the temple.

"Just because we're Xiaolin Warriors doesn't mean I can't have a love life." She all but cried out. He's never talked to her in such a way and she did not like it one bit.

He stopped in his track, his body growing still. "And a love like that is just pointless." He yelled, eyes sending her a look of annoyance before softening at the sight of her heartbroken face. "Kim, I...I didn't mean-"
"Enough," She didn't let him finish. He had said all that needed to be said. "Maybe you're right and it is pointless and maybe it would be best for me to just give up but I can't, I just can't." she ran off. She couldn't stand being around him at this point. It hurt too much and all she wanted was to curl up with her blanket wrapped securely around her body and forget everything that happened.

"How could he say that?" she felt tears gather in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. Someone like him didn't deserve her tears. If that was how he felt then it would be in her best interest to give up on him and forget ever falling for that inconsiderate egotistic jerk. She would move on, forget all about him and find another guy who loved her. "But I can't." even as she replayed his words in her mind her heart yearned for him. She was in love with him and that love wasn't going away any time soon.

Raimundo watched her go with a heavy heart. He hadn't meant to yell at her like that but he couldn't control himself with her talking about such things. To find out that she's in love with some guy was maddening and then to hear that the guy doesn't even like her back made it even worse. With a growl he kicked the dirt beneath his feet, anger suddenly raging inside him and it didn't seem to be calming down anytime soon. He was furious that she was wasting her time on some stupid womanizer when he could make her much happier instead. "Who is this stupid guy anyway?" he huffed, sitting down against one a tree and glared. He's never once heard Kimiko mention another man in her life before. Sure he's heard her gossiping with her friend from Japan about guys and the latest gossip but not once has he ever heard her say anything about liking someone. And he should know, he's eavesdropped on her conversations with her friend Keiko more times than he's willing to admit.

With a long sigh he leaned against the hard trunk of the tree and thought over what just happened. He basically snapped at Kimiko because she was depressed over some flirt. He hadn't meant to yell but he was just so angry. "If it was me I wouldn't ever let her frown." He mumbled, bringing on leg up to rest his arm on it.

He knew his feelings for the Japanese girl. He was in love with her and for a while there it looked like she felt the same way. In the beginning she was just some girl that was on his team, a close friend to hang out with, but as the years passed and they grew closer he found himself drawn to her more and more. He wanted to do more to make her smile, to make her laugh, and to hear her praise him. He was addicted to that smile of hers, to her soft voice that made him forget everything and listen to only her. He's kept his feelings to himself, making so no one knew how he felt towards her. He didn't want to mess up the team or have their enemies use this against him. He promised himself once he grew strong enough he would tell her but some days it took everything he had not to wrap her in his arms and tell her everything.

He cared for her so much that it scared him at times. That time when she went back to Japan without telling anyone had him worrying to no end. He was the first to notice her gone and when he questioned their master he was even more annoyed that he let her return home without bringing any Shen Gong Wu or one of them with her. Of course he played it off that he was just bored and wanted to mess with her PDA but deep inside he kept coming up with ways to sneak to Japan just to catch a glimpse of her and to know that she was alright.

When she had returned he noticed her acting different. She was still the same but her actions were suddenly timid and even shy. He noticed her staring at him from time to time and how she would stare off into space, her cheeks sometimes tinted with a faint blush. He had thought for sure that it meant she felt the same way. Her sudden change in behavior made sense and he couldn't keep himself from showing to try and impress her even more. Just today he showed off his abilities to her and catch the attention of a few locals at the island they visited. He didn't really care about those girls but the thought of making Kimiko jealous had him all but skipping with glee. So he flirted a bit, catching the annoyed look of the Dragon of Fire and seeing her angry glares made him smile. He finally had the girl of his dreams wanting him just as much as he wanted her.

But then this had to happen. "I love him." He growled as her words came rushing back into his mind. His anger building up again and this time he punched the tree he as lying against, leaving behind a dent in the hard oak. She was in love with some flirt and it bothered him to no end. He was much better then whoever it was she liked. "Where'd she meet this creep anyways?" he's never once seen Kimiko interact with any of the people of the country they visited. Not that some of the boys in those countries didn't try. He would see the way they looked at her and if they so much even tried approaching her he would scare them off.

So who could it be then? Did someone actually manage to get pass him? No, that couldn't be. He's read through all of her journals, PDA entries, and listened in on every phone call she ever had and not once has he ever got the intention that she was in love with someone else. She was always in his sights, he made sure of this so he could keep potential suitors away.

The only time she was away from him was when she went to visit her father in Japan.

He gasped, it all finally made sense. She started acting weird right after she came back from Japan. But did that mean she met somebody or was it someone she already knew? "By the way she spoke of this guy it sounds like she knew him for a long time." He frowned. How had he missed this? He made sure that there was no other male in Kimiko's life that could get in his way of being with her. He check and double checked. "Not unless it's a love at first sight kind of thing." He felt his heart give a painful squeeze. The mere thought of her falling for some guy at first sight hurt too much to think about. "Did old feelings resurface?" that had to be it. There had to be somebody from Kimiko's past, someone she doesn't talk about because of hurt feelings. But when she went back to Japan she saw him and all her old feelings came rushing right back.

He solved the mystery but it didn't make him feel any better. All he wanted to do right now was fly to Japan and kick the butt of this guy who doesn't deserve one ounce of Kimiko's attention. He needed to learn more about this guy, who he was and what he was like. If he had this then he can show her that this guy was no good for her and instead that her, Raimundo Pedrosa, was the better match for her.