Chapter 1

He is gone.

He has not even shown that he is still in Berlin or even alive for that matter.

It has been three weeks since the Ozunu clan was brought down and just as quickly as it happened I was back to my old life answering phones, researching what felt like nothing compared to the Ozunu, and continuing the same painful pattern of life: wake up, eat, go to work, come home, eat, sleep, and repeat! The only change is the obvious ache in my chest from the edge of Ozunu's sword. The doctors told me that I had a remarkable recovery but the wound would still swell, ache, throb, and possibly threat to break open if I am under an extreme amount of stress. As odd as it may seem, I am pleased that I suffered an injury that day, not because I like pain. It gives me a weird and wonderful feeling that Raizo's hand is still touching me, like he is still with me, even when I sleep I feel his hand. It feels like he is a part of me. Pathetic, I know, but it is just so hard to forget and so easy to imagine.

I quickly crossed the crosswalk leading to the center of Bezirke to find the sidewalk that leads directly to my apartment to be dug up and being replaced by another.

"Crap."

There was a detour sign that pointed to an alleyway between two of the tallest buildings in Bezirke that would lead to the street of my apartment. I sighed and turned around on my heel completely annoyed and stocked off toward the alley. Too many people were brushing past me as I headed in the direction the sign pointed and I nearly fell over if it were not for someone who caught my arm and steadied me. Our eyes locked only for an instant; he smiled down at me and breathtakingly straight white teeth shown before he walked away. Well maybe this detour will not be so bad after all, I joked to myself. I giggled and kept walking.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Before I could reach my phone, I felt a piece of paper. I completely forgot about whoever was calling and pulled out the piece of paper. I stopped in my tracks when I saw the familiar handwriting and I began to read with an excitement that burned in my veins.

I will be with you soon.

I just stared. I will be with you soon, I repeated in my head.

"Crap, crap, crap!" I nearly shouted before I realized people were still around. I have to go home and clean. I certainly cannot have anyone stepping in m house when it looks a hot mess especially when that someone is Raizo. Oh my God, I cannot believe he is actually here in Berlin. But what could he possibly want? I thought there were no more clans left to kill. I thought Ozunu was the only one. What if there are more clans still after Raizo and me? What if they are here in Berlin watching me?

Unfortunately, I had not noticed a tall man standing in what looks like a shadow behind me due to my internal rant. He covered my mouth and forced both him and me into the shadows.

My vision turned black and my bones to mush. Then we were in the light.

"Ahh!" I finally had a chance to scream when he let me go. Too bad, I could not feel my legs or any part of me for that matter so I just fell to the floor. My vision was all too blurry to see who was in front of me. Whomever it was reached out to me, "No," I mumbled, "get away from me!" I screeched. My eyes began to sting and I felt hot tears run down the side of my face and into my hair. I shut my eyes tight and opened them back up hoping to clear my vision, but it only made it worse. "Why can't I see?" I sniffled. The figure just stood there looking stoic. "Please answer me, I-I'm sorry for y-yelling at you I just . . . who are you?"

The figure slowly kneeled down beside me and I could immediately tell by the shape of his face and body that it was -

"Raizo." I breathed his name.

"Mika, I'm sorry I just had to see you." He took off his mask and ran his fingers through his jet-black hair.

"Raizo," oh how I loved to say his name, "why are you apologizing?"

"Honestly?" he paused, "I really don't know."

I started to gain feeling in my arms and legs again. My arms twitched and I tried sitting myself up but my hand slipped and I nearly hit my head but he was quicker and he caught and sat me up against the wall. My vision was clearing and I could not help but notice the tired look in his eyes. He looked like he was ten years older since the last time we saw each other. Then he disappeared.

"Raizo!" I called out, "Raizo, please not again." I clutched my chest and my heart was beating dangerously fast nearly forcing my wound back open, "ah crap." I tried calming myself but it was too much. Abandonment is not something I deal with so easily. I leaned my head back and I inhaled deeply and exhaled the same; I kept inhaling and exhaling but it still did not work. My fear and helplessness was getting the best of me. Emerging out of the shadows was Raizo and he was carrying a bucket in one hand and a change of clothes in another. I shut my eyes again.

"Mika!" he dropped the bucket and clothes and ran to me faster than I thought humanly possible. He sat in front of me and took my face in his hands and forced me to look at him, "Mika, please look at me," my head drooped and I was growing too tired to even focus, "Mika please don't do this," he groaned. I could not open my eyes. "Mika," he was panicking now, "just breathe Mika just breathe." He rubbed my shoulders in a soothing manner, "Think calm things: the beach, the ocean, a kiss, I don't know just something! Please just breathe!"

"Make it go away," I managed to say in between huge breaths and sobs, "please make it stop Raizo," I whimpered. So this is the type of stress Doc was talking about. He pulled me into his chest and rocked me back and forth. I have to admit, it felt nice but I wish this pain would subside just a tiny bit.

"Breathe with me Mika," he inhaled deeply and let it out, "come on, you have to do this," he urged, "in and out." So I did, in and out like he told me, "Match your heart with mine."

I kept inhaling, exhaling, and listening to his heart. The sound was addicting. It sang a beautiful song and I could not help but sing back, bum bump bum bump. I successfully matched my lub-dub lub-dub to his bum bump. I nestled in his chest and inhaled and exhaled one last time before drifting off to sleep.