The group stopped to see a village up ahead. Hare walked over as Genki opened the map.

"Koibito." Hare read out loud. "The place considered to be the town of lovers." He looked slyly at Genki as the boy looked at the map. Hare nudged Genki a little.

"Give you any ideas, Genki my boy?" Hare asked, pushing him back a little. Genki turned beet red. At the same time, Suezo was looking at Holly shrewdly, nudging her back a little as well.

"Make you think of a certain boy, Holly?" He asked, slightly pushing her back. Holly face went as red as a cherry.

"Knock it off Hare/Suezo!" Genki and Holly shouted simultaneously, their backs bumping into one other. They both jumped a little and turned around to face each other.

"Oh. Uh, sorry Holly." Genki apologized, blushing redder and rubbing his neck.

"Y-yeah." Holly agreed, hand behind her head and blushing more as well. From behind them, Suezo and Hare shot each other the smug isn't-it-obvious-they-like-each-other look. Tiger snorted.

"Enough of this already." He growled. "Let's just go into town." He and Gray Wolf started off, the others right behind them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wow. Lovely city."

The rebels could see why Koibito was called the city of lovers. Everywhere they looked there were beautiful parks and streams, scenic places perfect for picnics and sunset watching, and gifts shops selling all kinds of love stuff. In the town square a band played a soothing romantic tune.

The rebels just gaped around in awe, fascinated by its appeal and beauty, even Tiger and Gray Wolf.

"All right, where are we staying?" Suezo asked after the group had seen most of the city. Genki sighed and stopped in front of a building whose sign read, "Lover's Inn."

"Here." He answered. "This is the only place we can afford right now." Hare looked up at the Inn's name and smiled. He elbowed Genki with his eyes like lines-and-dots.

"Well?" Hare asked. Genki turned red again and pushed Hare out of the way as Mocchi blinked at them, confused.

"Forget it. Let's just put our stuff away and go grab something to eat." Genki said, opening the door to the Inn. The others followed him in, Hare still grinning as Tiger rolled his eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After dinner, the rebels split up to explore the remainder of the city. Tiger, Gray Wolf, and Hare walked off in one direction as Suezo, Mocchi, and Golem went off in another. This left Holly and Genki to head in the direction of the city park.

"Wanna be alone with Holly, eh?" Hare had said before he left. Genki, hoping against hope that Holly had not heard, turned red and pushed Hare towards the two Tigers and told him to leave him alone. Now Genki walked slowing alongside Holly in a fairly large garden. The sun had set almost completely into the horizon, giving the sky a nice dark blue-purplish look.

The two of them were quiet for a few moments, just looking at the statues around them. Genki finally broke the silence.

"Nice play we saw today with the other, huh?" Genki asked, hands deep in his pockets, not really knowing what to say.

"Yeah." Holly replied, looking at the sky, lost for words as well.

"Hey look!" Genki said suddenly, pointing up.

"What?" Holly asked, looking around to see where he was pointing.

"A shooting star. Isn't it beautiful?" Genki replied, still pointing.

"You're right." Holly backed up some to get a better look when she felt something sharp prick her.

"Ah!" Holly yelped as Genki blinked at her. Holly rubbed her sore lower back and looked behind her to see what she had backed up into. A small statue of a figure on one foot holding a bow and arrow stood there. Holly soon realized it was a statue of Cupid, and that she had backed right up into his arrow point. She blushed a little as Genki asked her if she was alright.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied. The two of them continued to walk through the garden. Genki looked back up at the stars as they came upon a fountain.

"Why does our life have to be so confusing and dangerous?" He suddenly said.

"Ei?" Holly asked.

"Why couldn't we be more like everyone else?" Genki continued. Holly stared at the fountain.

"You mean petty and dishonest?" She asked. Genki blinked.

"Everyone's not like that." Holly looked into the clear water of the fountain sadly.

"Yes they are." She said softly.

"You're not like that." Genki replied, walking over to her.

Holly didn't reply.

"Holly..." Genki said, "when I'm with you, I don't feel so alone."

"Sometimes it's just better to be alone." She said finally.

"What do you mean?" Genki asked. Holly sat down on the fountain's edge sadly, looking into the clear water.

"No one can hurt you..." She said, almost to herself.

"Holly?' Genki asked, sitting down next to her. Holly didn't move her gaze from the water as she answered him.

"Years ago I was hurt." She said. "I was in love with someone. We were together for quite some time, but one day he suddenly left me for anther girl. So many other things were falling apart in my life at that time, so that's probably why I still haven't gotten over it." Genki looked at her sympathetically.

"Holly..." He said, putting his hands on her shoulders. She looked at him sadly.

"Genki, I don't want to be hurt again." She said as their faces leaned a bit closer. "So let's stop this...before..." Holly's sentence faded as she put her hands on his shoulders. They closed their eyes as their lips came an inch apart from each other. They were a split second away from kissing when...

"Genki!" a fierce voice called out. Genki and Holly instantly let go of each other and turned to see Tiger walk over to them. They both stood up.

"C'mon kid!" Tiger exclaimed. "The bunny, my brother, and I decided to start planning a strategy against Naga's badies in case we run into them soon. So come on, let's go Genki!" The Tiger turned around and started to walk away. Genki looked back at Holly.

"See you later, I guess." He said. He broke a flower off a nearby bush and handed it to Holly. "Bye." He followed Tiger out as Holly watched him go. She sat back on the fountain edge as they disappeared from view.

Holly leaned back a bit and put her hand down for support as she slowly twirled the flower between her fingers, smelling its sweet scent. After a second, she stared at the flower with a bit of disgust and sat back up. She leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand.

"What's the matter with me?" She mumbled. "You'd think a girl would learn..." Holly got up and walked back over to the statues.

"If there's a prize for rotten judgement..." She sang as she walked over to the Cupid statue. Holly sighed and turned Cupid in the other direction. "...I guess I've already won that. No man is worth the aggravation..." Holly tossed the flower behind her. "That's ancient history. Been there. Done that."

{Who you think you're kidding?} Her thoughts argued back at her as she sat down. {He's the earth and heaven to ya. Try to keep it hidden, honey I can see right through ya. Though you try to conceal it. I know how you're feeling. Who you're thinking of...} Holly got up and walked off, annoyed with herself.

"No chance. No way. I won't say it, no no." She argued back at herself.

{You swoon, you sigh, why deny it?}

"It's too cliché. I won't say I'm in love."

"I thought my heart had learned its lesson. It feels so good when you start out. My head is screaming, 'Get a grip, girl-- unless you're dying to cry your heart out.'"

{You keep on denying who you are and how you're feeling, baby I'm not buying, Hon I saw your hint last week. Girl, you've got it bad.}

Holly skipped on some stones in the water. "No chance, no way. I won't say it no, no." She tripped on the last stone and stumbled forward. Impulsively, she put her hand out and grabbed a nearby statue's hand. She looked up. The statue looked strangely similar to Genki.

{Give up, give in.} Holly held her arms and leaned against the statue, closing her eyes and smiling slightly. {Check the grin, you're in love.} Holly's eyes snapped and she caught herself, getting off the statue and glaring at it.

"This scene won't play, I won't say I'm in love." She walked away.

{You're doin' lips. Read my lips: you're in love.}

"You're way off base, I won't say it. Get off my case, I won't say it." Holly sat back down at the fountain.

{Girl, don't be proud, it's okay you're in love.} Holly leaned back and felt her hand touch something. She looked down. her hand rested on the flower Genki had given her. Holly picked up the flower as her faced softened. She held the flower close to her heart and leaned down on the marble she was sitting on.

Holly lied flat against the marble, smelling the flower and eyes closed, a dreamy look on her face. "Oh...at least out loud, I won't say I'm in...love."