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How did I ever get into this mess? Aisuru sat in the midst of all her frustration as cold lavender eyes followed Kioko's every move. The girl was intent to check out her surroundings, a cheerful smile touching her lips. It was that smile that irritated Aisuru and haunted her all at the same time. How had this happened?! How? HOW!?

But Aisuru could remember all too well. She had gone with Hitsu to the Count's shop. It was supposed to help her take her mind off things, a little outing to relax, but fate apparently had something else in mind.

"Oh, you've finally come," The count had told her as if he had been waiting and expecting her. That alone had unnerved her, she did not trust this man, but what he did next blew that little phrase out of the water. "I have someone who's been waiting for you."

In one easy motion he drew back the curtain that separated the main shop from the back. Behind that curtain stood a girl, a young beautiful girl with bright blue eyes and long soft wavy brown hair. She was the picture of youth untouched by time and more often then not the theme of Aisuru's nightmares.

"This has got to be a joke!" Aisuru could remember now how high pitched her voice had been as she had looked at the Count. "Who the hell are you?"

The Count had glided over and wrapped an arm around the young girl’s shoulders as she nervously played with the ring that hung on her necklace. "This is Kioko. She has been waiting here for you for a very long time. Come, we will discuss it."

The Count had waved her forward and Aisuru's body had reacted on its own. Her feet moved of their own accord and before she knew it she was in the back of the shop sitting down at a table with the Count having tea. She had stared down at the sugary liquid for some time unable to look at the girl who now wandered around the garden that existed inside the small shop.

"Now," The Count had begun as if nothing unusual had happened. How often did he do this? Show people their worst fears without a seconds thought. "There is a contract we must talk about. It’s very simple, but the rules must be abided by."

"Wait...contract?" That had brought Aisuru out of her stupor. "For what?"

"For when you take Miss Kioko home you see. Since she is to live with you there are some things you must know in order to care for her properly. The first rule of the contract states-"

"Hold it, hold it, HOLD IT!" Aisuru had cut him off standing from her chair in a rage. "What do you mean since she will be living with me? I'm not taking her home!"

"Miss Aisuru," She had made the mistake of looking this strange man in the eyes. "Sit." Obediently she had done so. How had that happened? This man obviously wasn't human to have so much control over her. "Let me explain a little about this shop.” He calmly brought up his tea cup and took a sip before he continued. “This is a pet shop and although the pets here aren’t something you would find in your every day shop they are still very much a pet. Other than appearances, there is still one large difference between the pets I sell and your everyday dog and cat. These creatures serve a purpose. They are meant to fill a void in your life. Something you have lost and could never find or perhaps something you’re trying to run from.” He looked at her pointedly for a moment before he went on. “Whatever the reason may be they are here to fulfill that purpose and Miss Kioko is here and only here because of you.”

Aisuru stared at the Count unsure what he had meant. Did he know? Did he know that it was because of her that Kioko had died? But if she was dead how could she be here? There were so many questions with more piling up that Aisuru found herself trembling with anxiety. The fact that Kioko was alive, that Yuki hated her and always would, this burden of guilt….and of jealousy, it was all too much. Aisuru wanted to yell out to the heavens, scream at the top of her lungs, but somehow she stayed seated and quiet looking at the Count horror struck.

“There is no need to get worked up.” The Count smiled. “Besides, you wouldn’t want to leave her here least Yuki were to find her.”

“Fine, let’s hear it then,” Aisuru hadn’t even thought about it, she only reacted. A fit of fear and jealousy had forced her to act out in a moment of uncertainty and now she was stuck. There was no way out of this personal hell she had fallen into.

Now she sat quietly on the floor of her home, watching her living nightmare move about the room. Kioko was careful not to move things as she examined them but couldn’t help but linger on a picture she had found. It was a picture of a young girl and an older boy. It seemed fairly resent; the quality of the photo was rather nice. Looking at the pair now frozen in time on this photograph Kioko couldn’t help but wonder who they were. Should they be familiar? The girl wasn’t so much so but the boy; tall, handsome, with long black hair, and beautiful teal eyes. The young girl shared those eyes so Kioko could assume they were siblings.

“What are you doing?” Aisuru was suddenly behind her, a cold look radiating from her eyes.

“Oh,” Kioko was a little startled and dropped the photo looking at her new caretaker. “I was just looking at the photo. You gave me such a scare.”

Kneeling down Aisuru picked up the picture to have a look. It was one she had taken from Hitsu’s house. It was now the only reminder she had that at one time Yuki could smile and he could smile genuinely. But that smile would never be for her and it had never been for her. His love, affection, and that smile was reserved for someone else….that someone who Aisuru was now burdened to take care of. Karma was having a good laugh now.

“Just….try not to make a mess of things, alright?” Aisuru said softly to the photo as she placed it back on the end table with care.

Quietly Kioko looked around at her new home and honestly wondered if Aisuru would know if there was a mess made or not. The place was so completely untidy. Books lay strewn all over the place, stacked up and opened. Loose paper covered every available square inch of the tables and chairs and dust covered everything in a nice fine layer. Plants were either dead or dying from neglect but that picture had been clean and free of filth which told Kioko that Aisuru looked at it often.

“Would you mind if I tidied up a bit? It would give me something to do,” Kioko asked calmly a warming smile touching her lips again.

Deflated Aisuru only nodded picking up the picture again to keep it safe. “Do as you please. Just don’t go overboard.”