NOW THAT I FOUND YOU

First things first, the characters in this story don't belong to me, they come from SNK. Ok, that should be it. Here we go...

K' walked down the street as fast as he could. His silvery bangs hid his downcast eyes as he walked with his head bowed and his hands in his pockets. Over and over again the same melancholy voice rang throughout his head.

"Please don't go! I need you! I…I love you…"

He didn't deserve her. Couldn't she see that? She needed a guy more open than he was. What was it about him that made her like him? He could see nothing in himself that stood out considerably.

"I'm not worthy of having her as a significant other," he muttered sadly. "She deserves so much more than me."

He thought back to what had happened.

Earlier that afternoon he had bumped into her at the park. She had smiled up at him warmly and asked him out for a little walk. Bemused, he had consented. After walking around for a bit he was stunned when she looked straight into his eyes and had kissed him lightly on the cheek, making him blush feverishly. Then she said in a soft voice that she loved him, and that she never wanted to be away from him. He had turned his head away at this, and he mumbled that he couldn't love her back. She spun him around to face her, asking him why they couldn't be together. He answered back that he wasn't worthy of her affection. Afterwards, he broke away from her and fled, leaving her calling out his name.

Evening was approaching when he came upon a small café.

Might as well go in, he thought. I need to forget about her…

Entering inside, he spotted an empty table at the corner and went towards it. Slumping down on the chair, he ordered a glass of soda.

At the stage the owner of the café was tapping the microphone to get everyone's attention. Once everyone turned to face him, he spoke into the microphone.

"Now that I've got your attention, I would like to make an announcement. As a special presentation we've arranged for a famous band to come play at our café tonight. Playing the renowned song by Alison Krauss, "Baby, Now That I Found You", ladies and gentlemen, N.E.S.T.S!"

Everyone applauded. As for K', when he heard the name of the band, he almost choked on his drink. "What the-!" How could that happen? The N.E.S.T.S cartel was dead! Most of all, they never played as a band! Something weird's going on around here..

Peering cautiously at the stage, he saw a guitar, a violin, and a set of drums. He scanned them thoroughly, expecting to see a bomb or a set of grenades. There weren't any.

No, I must be mistaken. This N.E.S.T.S band is a different N.E.S.T.S from the cartel. The band members must've thought N.E.S.T.S was a hip name.

The three band members came out onto the stage. Watching them closely out of the corner of his eyes, he recognized the two male band members as Ren Akujiki and Miko Kortezu. Ren took the guitar and Miko sat down at the drums. Then he saw the third band member, a girl with jet-black hair, pick up the violin. As he got a look at her face, his eyes widened.

It was Eyie Nishinho.

Eyie was a good friend of his and Kula's. She was always teasing him about Kula having a crush on him, and she took pictures of them together whenever she had the chance.

As Kula came into his mind, he winced. He couldn't bear to think about her. Not now.

He had known that Eyie played several instruments, but he didn't know that she played in a band. She liked to play loud music, he remembered, so he expected them to play a lively tune like The Corrs's style.

Instead of vibrant music, a subtle, sweet melody came from the band.

K' was mildly surprised. He never knew that bubbly, rowdy Eyie could strike up a mellow tune. He sat back in his chair.

After the short interlude, Eyie stepped up to the mike and began to sing in a soft, gentle voice.

Eyie-

"Baby, now that I've found you

I won't let you go

I built my world around you

I need you so, baby, even though

You don't need me now…

Baby, now that I've found you

I won't let you go

I built my world around you

I need you so

Baby even though

You don't need me,

You don't need me, oh, no…"

K' felt a sharp pain in his chest. Of all things to happen right now, he had to hear a song that clearly stated Kula's feelings for him! A lump formed in his throat.

Eyie-

"Baby, baby, when first we met

I knew in this heart of mine


That you were someone I couldn't forget

I said right, and abide my time


Spent my life

looking for that somebody

to make me feel like new

Now you tell me that you want to leave me.. "

Eyie and Ren-

"But darling, I just can't let you…"

As Ren strummed the guitar, K' remembered the times he had spent with Kula. He had always enjoyed being with her, and he always felt that his day wouldn't be complete without seeing her, even for a little while.

Ren finished his guitar solo, then Eyie followed up with a melodious violin solo. The sweet, almost mournful chords seemed to retell K''s disagreement with Kula.

Images began to flash before his eyes: Kula's face, so sweet and pretty, smiling shyly at him; then her happy expression fading away to a sad, stricken look after what he had said to her, then a blurry picture of her tear-streaked face as he left her.

Once again, her woeful voice chimed in his head.

"Don't leave me.."

He closed his eyes and bowed his head, trying to fight back the ache he was feeling.

Meanwhile, the musical intermission was over, and Eyie resumed her song.

Eyie-

"Baby, baby, when first we met

I knew in this heart of mine

That you were someone I couldn't forget

I said right, and abide my time

Spent my life looking

for that somebody

to make me feel like new

Now you tell me that you want to leave me

But darling, I just can't let you.."

Ren and Miko-

"Now that I found you…"

Eyie and Ren-

"I built my world around you.."

Eyie-

"I need you so, baby even though
You don't need me now

Baby, now that I've found you
I won't let you go
I built my world around you
I need you so
Baby even though
You don't need me
You don't need me no, no…

Hmmm…

Hmm.."

Once the band's song came to an end, cheers sounded from the audience. K' swallowed the grief he felt and applauded along with everybody else. He then left some money on the table for his payment, stood up, and left the café.

He walked with a firm resolution. He would set things right for both of them. He quickened his stride.

It was pitch black when he came to a stop in front of her apartment. Without a moment's hesitation, he called out her name.

The door opened, and Kula walked out. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying all afternoon. She looked at him warily. "What is it?"

K' drew in a deep breath.

"I…I'm sorry. I really didn't want to hurt you.. I was being a jerk. I do want to be with you, and I.." He stopped.

Her eyes widened, and she looked at him hopefully. "Yes?"

He looked straight into her eyes. "I love you too, Kula."

Her face seemed to light up, and tears of joy slid down her cheeks. K' moved towards her and put his arms around her, holding her tight. She hugged him back as hard as she could, all the while sobbing openly.

Unknown to them, a figure was peering out at them from a dark alley.

Her light gray eyes lit up as she saw the couple hug. "Oh, good! Now's my chance!" she whispered excitedly, as she dug out her cell phone from her coat and activated its camera. She raised it up to take a shot.

What she saw next made her put it down in a whirl of astonishment.

K' looked at Kula affectionately. Slowly, he wiped her tears away with his finger and smiled at her. She smiled back, he brought his lips close to hers…and they kissed.

The girl hiding in the alley blinked. At first she was stunned. Then, a pleased smile came upon her lips. "Hm."

Shouldering the violin case slung across her back, Eyie turned around and walked out into the night.

END