Chapter 2

I enjoyed my walk through the city; somehow I had managed to miss the morning rush hour. With its modern glass buildings with their hulking frames combined with the more traditional types of houses near the edges of the city, Tokyo was a clash of cultures. I was rapidly losing sight of the tall polished structures that were being replaced with rows of houses and flats that screamed 'conventional'.

I had entered the suburbs.

Unfolding the newspaper, to check I had the right address, I made my way towards a block of flats where a sweet looking old lady stood with a broom. As I walked towards her, she didn't move. Now that I was closer I could see why.

She was having a staring match with an adorable black cat that was perched on the fence with a superior look in its violet eyes.

Right, excellent choice. Pick the house that has the pyscho land-lady and the strange animals. I have such brilliant choices.

Before I could turn around and escape, the old lady finally noticed me and whirled around to face my rapidly retreating back.

"Oi, you! Are you here about the room?"

I winced internally at being caught in the act of running away.

"Yes, but I can come back at another time if you're busy right now."

Damn. Why don't you just tell her that you saw her having a mental cat fight (excuse my pun XD) with the kitty. You might as well stick a label on her that says psychotic.

With a look of utter glee, which I didn't understand, she ran to me and grabbed my arm. Jeesh, for an old lady she had a grip of steel! Next thing I know, I'm being dragged (literally) up a flight of stairs and along a corridor of doors. She stopped at the second room in the hallway.

"This is the room. It's one of the biggest I've got. It has everything you need so you could move in right away." Then with an afterthought "It's also going cheap."

I was sold. I could ACTUALLY have my own place. After a life of only the most basic amenities, it looked like pure heaven. But I was confused as to why the price of the rent was so low. I told her as much as well.

The fact she looked shifty wasn't too encouraging. Then she looked at me and finally relented.

"The woman who lived here was a suspect for something and then she got murdered. It was a while back though, so you have no need to panic. I didn't like her anyway. You should have seen some of the outfits she stepped out in..."

Before she could start on her major bitchin' session about a dead woman, I was startled to see none other than Gorgeous Guy from the park stepping out of the room next door.

Great. Don't make it look like you're stalking him or something.

"Hi."

He nodded his head to us and went on his way. Before he could run away, I ogled him bit more. He had the most luscious collarbones I had ever seen on a man. And he was wearing casual clothes, so maybe he was a student? I was interrupted in my thoughts by the old lady or Mrs. Tanaka as the rent page had said.

"That's Li. He's only been here for a few months. A foreign exchange student from China, you know. He's pretty quiet but he works and what not. Better than some of the other lazy kids that stay here." She glared at me before continuing her tale "You better not be one of those kids. If you are then I will make sure you hand in your rent on time. Li has always been punctual in paying me."

Good Lord! She makes this Li kid sound like a bloody saint. Punctuality, eh? Quiet, Punctual...doesn't sound like any student I've ever seen. Is he secretly hiding something? Nah, this is just my imagination spinning wildly out of control...as usual.

Once again, Mrs. Tanaka cut short my mental conversation.

"So are you going to stay? Cos I'm a busy lady and I can't spend all my time standing, dawdling here with you."

"Yes, and don't worry ...I'm also your punctual type."

She gave me a slightly toothy smile and motioned for me to step inside. I paid for the month using what was in my purse. I was going to have to get a job to keep myself afloat. After I interrupted her as she was beginning to tell me an anecdote, she left in a mild strop. Oh, well.


It was finally getting dark. I glanced at myself in the mirror for the quick check-over. It was floor length so I could see my clothes as well. I had showered and changed during the day so I looked fresh. My hair was in its usual mess so it flopped over my eyes in waves and loose curls. I had it short so it just touched my chin because I had learnt that long hair is a disadvantage in fights. And I had been in plenty of them. It was currently black but in the light it turned red. I loved experimenting with my hair colour.

My skin had lightened to a sandy shade, and with my brown eyes and coral lips, I looked like a Japanese girl not just some weird tourist. My clothes were the usual eclectic disarray that looked nice on my petite 5"2 figure. I wasn't overly pretty but I wasn't plain. I didn't care though. I had no-one to notice me. I hadn't been in a relationship for a long time. They, well mine, always ended in tragedy. I had given up on love as some people would say.

With that I turned from the mirror and out the door. I was going to meet the new team I was in. The Syndicate said that I was to go to a play-park near our house where I would meet the other 4 team members. I was nervous and excited at the same time.

The night sky was a dusky plum and the stars were shining. But then again, they were always shining. The real stars hadn't been seen in 10 years but even these stars were better than looking at nothing. But when you knew the truth, you realised that these stars were linked with contractors. When one of us fell, so did their star. I thought back to when I was little and my mother would tell me how whenever a person died, their soul became a star.

After my father died or whatever happened to him in the Heaven's Gate incident, I would always look to the stars at night and wish that he was one of them and that he was looking down on me while I slept.

I stopped in front of the play-park and saw the huddled figures of three people and what looked like one cat. Interesting. Where was the other person? I nervously ran my fingers through my hair then pushed open the gate that led to the park.


Author's Note: Hope you like it so far! I couldn't help but put in the bit about Hei's LUSCIOUS collarbones XD And don't forget to review!! They make me happy!