Disclaimer: I don't own DOA!!!

This is in Leifang's POV. Enjoy! Now!

Chapter 1

It had been a long day, but it was fun! I had a break from college & the first thing I did was call Hitomi. And the next thing I knew, she was here in China. We stayed at my parents' house & she was amazed at my house. I told her I had money, but I guess she wasn't expecting me to be this rich.

But anyway, in the afternoons, we shopped, at night, we went to clubs, & in the mornings, we woke up late. Really late. Sometimes we would get to bug Jann Lee, but other nights, he would be working at some other clubs or he would have the day off. He told me he worked at different clubs. I didn't know why, but it didn't matter.

Well anyway, we kept this up for weeks! She was even able to meet some of my friends from college & some of my neighbors. I missed my old neighborhood.

I didn't really consider Hitomi a friend until we truly met at Zack's island. We had a few long talks & after that, we were spiking balls! When it was time to leave that island, I thought I wouldn't see her again . . . But that's why they created telephones! As soon as I got back home to China I called her so many times, so many days, I thought she was getting tired of me. But she would still laugh at my cheesy jokes or make fun of me if I forget what I was about to say. But never had I invited her over to China until now. And I was glad I did! I never thought we would have things in common . . .

But enough about that. Like I was saying before, it had been a long day, but it was fun. It was the same as every other day: shop then party. But I didn't drink though, I knew better. But I couldn't say the same for Hitomi. She was so drunk I nearly had to carry down the sidewalk to the front door! And she wasn't exactly light, I'll tell you that.

"Leifang," she laughed as she said my name, "You're dragging my shoes. Ah . . . my shoe . . ."

I looked back & saw her blue shoe behind us. I decided to carry her to the porch then go back for the shoe.

Gees, I'm carrying most of my weight!

But I didn't have time to congratulate myself. I had to go back for that darn shoe . . . I wearily walked back down the sidewalk, bent over, then picked up the shoe. I sighed out of exhaustion then crawled back on the porch. I slapped her shoe in her hand & she nearly fell over. She thanked me & laughed a little. I fell back onto the porch. She was way too heavy for me!

"Whoa," Hitomi was trying to stand up, "My legs feel so numb."

Her legs wobbled & she nearly fell.

"Hey, don't stand up!" I told her as I sat up.

But it was too late. She fell into the front door & the bell & it rang. That bell could be heard throughout the whole mansion. Hitomi started to laugh at her little accident.

"Hitomi! You probably woke everybody up!" I said in a whisper.

But I started to laugh when my mother opened the door & Hitomi fell at her feet. The look on my mother's face was what shut me up. She said we were late, but I protested that we were grown women & didn't need curfews.

"You aren't grown till you're twenty-one!" she said when we were all in the house.

"Why twenty-one?!" I asked her.

"'Cause that's when you stop growing & become mature!"

"That's when I get to drink alcohol!"

"Exactly! Matter of fact, c'mere."

"Oh, come on, I know better!"

That's when she grabbed my jaw & I huffed in her face. It was becoming a daily routine.

"I don't smell anything . . ." said as she finally let go of my jaw, "But I can't say the same for your friend . . ."

We both looked in the living room. Hitomi was there, spread out across the couch, probably asleep & with her shoe in her hand.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I sat at my vanity table, brushing my hair that night. Hitomi was already asleep & in her skirt she wore to the club. The butler had to carry her all the way up the stairs & down the hall. I shared my room with her. Her bed was only a few feet from mine.

After I was done, I set my brush down & looked at my reflection. It was the time I usually recall what happened to me the whole day.

Bought a couple of outfits & shoes . . . Oh & I bought a nice hat with a yellow ribbon! Met this guy . . . He wasn't exactly nice, but Hitomi took care of him. Sat in the park & swung on the swings . . . Then went back home & got ready to party. Wore one of my many favorite dresses . . . Hitomi didn't dance much like usual, a little embarrassed. Played a nice song that I never heard before . . . Really nice . . . Oh & Jann Lee was there . . . He was annoyed by us as usual. Then went back to watch Mei drink a whole gallon of booze . . .

"Nice night as usual," I told myself as I got up to go to bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Someone was shaking me, trying to wake me up. I opened my eyes to see my mother's dark figure over me. Her voice was frantic, but I was too tired to hear her clearly. I must have only slept for about an hour.

"Wha-what?" I asked her again.

But before she could answer, my father turned on the light. It was too bright & I squinted my eyes. It was giving me a headache. I looked over Hitomi who was still asleep.

"Leifang!" my mother got my attention, "Please listen!"

"I'm listening," I told her.

That was when she looked over at my father. They both had the same facial expression. I knew something was wrong.

"What is it?" I asked her, "What happened?"

Is someone hurt?!

"Tell me!" I nearly yelled.

"Well, sweetheart," my father started off as he sat on my bed with my mother.

He called me sweetheart . . . Something's wrong . . .

The maid & the butlers were standing in the doorway, watching us.

"Your friend, Jann Lee," my father continued to say, "Well, he . . . Something terrible happened to him . . ."

"Is he hurt?" I asked him, "Real bad?"

"He's beyond that. He . . . He . . . He's . . ."

He was trying to figure out the best way to say it.

He's not hurt? He's beyond that? Is he . . .? He can't be . . . No, that's not what my father said, that's not what he's going to say. He must be badly injured.

"He what?" I asked him.

My voice was so quiet, I barely heard it. My heart was pounding, my eyes were wide open, I was starting to get hot as I waited for him to finish. There was no way Jann Lee could just . . .

He's not . . . Not so soon . . . I was feeling so good today, why tell me now?!

"He's gone," he finally said.