A man about 29-years-old with golden-blonde hair walked out with his head down and hands stuffed in his pockets. Another man about 3 years younger with curly, black hair stuck his head out and shouted at the retreating man.

�Yo Matt!�

Matt sighed and slowly turned around. �What do you want, Joey?� He asked.

The man grinned at him. �Are you sure you don�t want to stick around? There�s some nice, little ladies here who�d love to meet you!�

Matt rolled his eyes at this. �I�m sure Joey!�

The guy named Joey shrugged his shoulders and went inside, but not before shouting something at Matt. �Merry Christmas Ishida!�

Turning around, Matt walked dejectedly around the streets of Chichibu. Joey�s words of �Merry Christmas Ishida� made him feel depressed as he realized what day it was. December 24, two more hours till it was officially Christmas. �How could the richest and hottest singer in Japan be alone during one of the most special holidays of the year?� He thought bitterly. After about 20 minutes of walking the snow-covered, nearly empty streets, he spotted Keiko�s, a grocery store. Deciding that he had nothing better to do and that he was freezing cold, he walked briskly over to the brightly lit store.

As the warmth and bright lights welcomed him, he was vaguely reminded of the neon lights that would flash into his eyes at the start of his concerts.

Straight ahead of him was a whole aisle dedicated to sweets. Grinning like an excited, little boy, he grabbed a shopping cart and immediately began loading the cart with all sort of sweets of all shapes, color, size and flavor. When he was finished, he began heading to the frozen food section, ignoring the suggestive looks that the middle-aged woman at the check-out counter was throwing at him.

He looked left and right until he got sight of what he was looking for- French fries. Just when he was about to open the freezer door, a sight of lavender hair stopped him in his tracks. His eyes and mouth were wide open with shock and disbelief. Reeling back his hand, he abandoned his fries and shopping cart.

Walking silently behind her, he approached her. As she grabbed a bag of green vegetables and set it in her cart, he gently touched her on the sleeve.

At the contact of his hand on her arm, she spun around. Matt felt a wave of disappointment as her eyes wrinkled in confusion. Just when he was about to turn around and leave, her eyes flew open wide.

�Matt! I didn�t recognize- oh my gosh!� She said breathlessly. She stepped forward to hug him when her purse slipped off her arm and the contents spilled out.

Nervously she bent down to pick her stuff up at the same time Matt did. Their heads clashed together, both moaning ouch.

�I�m sorry.� They both chorused at the same time. Giggling from nervousness she picked up her purse and set it in the cart.

Silence passed between them both as they looked at each other awkwardly. Suddenly, a smile crept up on both their lips and a laugh passed. Matt was able to spot a hint of tears at the corner of her honey colored eyes as she hugged him. For a minute the two stood there hugging each other tight, remembering each other.

Pulling away, Yolei quickly wiped her eyes. �Wow! It�s been so long Matt! How have you been?� She asked.

Matt ran a hand through his blonde hair. �Fine, fine. What about you?�

�Fine. I�ve been fine.� she said. And suddenly laughed. �Look at us. Acting like a bunch of nervous teenagers.�

Matt laughed at that.

�Um... well I was just about to pay for my things. Did you have anything?� Yolei asked.

Without glancing at his sweet filled shopping cart behind him he answered no and the two of them walked over to the check-out counter.

The lady working muttered a hello and grumpily began scanning the items. A bit suprised by her mood Yolei was about to ask what was wrong when she realized something. 'The lady thinks I�m with Matt!� She thought and struggled to suppress a giggle.

Yolei�s inside was doing a hundred flips per millisecond. She couldn�t believe she ran into her high school sweetheart at the grocery store. What a place to meet a rock star. And another thing she couldn�t believe was the fact that he still looked gorgeous after all these years.

As her groceries were being placed into bags Matt spoke up. �So what brings you here on Christmas Eve?�

She looked up at him. �Just doing some last minute shopping. I was making dinner when I noticed I didn�t have any vegetables. I strongly suspect my niece Marisse hid them. She hates greens.�

Matt chuckled softly.

�What about you Matt,� she asked. �I would have thought you�d be with T.K. or at some celebrity party.�

As he watched Yolei pay for her items, he grabbed the two bags. �I don�t actually know why. T.K and Kari decided that they�d want to spend Christmas alone this time.�

�Ahhhh, I see. You don�t have to carry the bags Matt. If you�re not aware I�m perfectly capable of carrying them myself.� Yolei said with a small grin.

�Yeah, but what kind of guy would I be if people saw you carrying all the bags? They�d think I was some sort of lazy bum.� They both laughed at that as they approached her car.

When Yolei was finished setting the bags in the trunk, another awkward silence fell upon them.

Then at last Yolei spoke up. �Do you wanna head to a bar? Just for a couple of drinks?�

�Yeah, sure.� Matt wanted to kick himself for appearing to eager. Whether or not Yolei noticed, he didn�t know as they both settled inside her car.

�Would this be all for you?�

�Yes. Thank you.� answered Yolei as Matt carried the pack of beer to her car.

After a good ten minutes of searching for an open bar and finding none, they both settled for beer in her car.

Yolei sighed as the wave of warm air inside her car blasted onto her face. Matt handed her a beer and before he was able to open his, she stopped him.

�We need to toast to something.� She said.

Matt arched an eyebrow at her. �A toast?�

�Of course! You always toast to something before you drink.� She replied indignantly. �Had he never heard of this rule before?!�

The blonde decided to go along. �Alright then. We�ll toast to....what?�

Yolei wrinkled her eyes in thought and when her eyes lit up like a little child, Matt had to smile.

Lifting her beer she said, "a toast. A toast to innocence and now.�

Matt repeated after her and they clinked their cans together. After taking a sip of his cold beer he asked her something that had been weighing down on him ever since he saw her.

�Have you- have you met anyone?� He asked cautiously. Matt wasn�t sure if he really wanted to know the answer.

Yolei smiled softly. �You mean have I married anyone?� Even after all these years she was still able to understand him.

Matt felt a blush creeping into his cheeks. �Yeah.� He muttered.

Sighing, Yolei looked out the window at the falling snow. �His name is Touya. He�s an architect. Met him when my friend Hoshi set me up in a blind date.�

�Do you love him?� Matt asked.

�He keeps me warm and dry,� she replied. �He keeps me safe.� Yolei looked back at Matt with sad eyes. �I�d like to say I love him, but- lying isn�t right. Especially about love.�

Matt nodded. Yolei, eager to change the subject, asked him about his love life.

�Not too good, suprisingly.� He answered truthfully. �But that�s fine. I don�t think any relationship with me would last long anyways.� He looked up at her and into her honey-brown eyes. �The years have been a friend to you. Your eyes they�re still as bright and still as brown.�

�Thanks.� A smile spread across her lips at something she had remembered. �I saw you at a record store once. In Tokyo.�

Matt looked up with suprise. �Really?�

�Yeah. But I couldn�t talk to you. There was too many fans and security surrounding you. Still amazed at how you continue to charm ladies with your smile.�

�The audience is heavenly, but the traveling is hell.�

Yolei nodded in agreement. �Must be.�

�My manager is hell too. I�m starting to consider being an astronaut.�

Yolei looked down and smiled. Matt had told her once what he�d be if not a singer. She was the only one who knew that. Not even Sora knew.

Matt looked at the time in the car. Exactly 11:58. He looked down at the car floor and found his beer cans all over. Another silence had fallen over them as they had talked about nearly everything and anything.

�I should go now.� Yolei quietly said. �Touya will be worried.� Her heart was aching for her to invite him to dinner, but there was already too many people staying for dinner and her mind was telling her that she shouldn�t. Though she wasn�t sure why.

�Yeah. I better go too.� Though to where Matt did not know. As he got up from his seat he felt her small, warm hand touch him on the sleeve.

Yolei gave him a gentle and warm smile. �It was great seeing you again Matt.� Then she leaned over and gave him a small, chaste kiss on his cheek.

Matt silently closed the door behind him. Turning around, he watched her drive away into the night.

As the figure of the car disappeared from sight, Matt felt a familiar pain in his heart. And for a moment he was back at school, remembering his last day at Odaiba High and the last day that he and Yolei had been together.

And as he turned to make his way back home, the snow turned into rain.

A/N: Dedicated: To all yamalei/yamako fans!!! =)