A/N: I'm so so sorry for the break. Honestly, I had some kind of writers block according to this story and any idea of what to write.I hope that you will forgive me ^^

Anyway, thank al of you for revies and favs together with allerts. I hope that you will like this chap :D

=S H I K I=

Kaori rested her head on the window of the blue car, looking through it on the passing view. She didn't knew that Natsuno had a driving license, not mentioning about a car. But well, he was technically now twenty, so it wasn't impossible.

And it was very helpful in their situation.

Akira was sleeping soundly on the backseat, as if he wasn't scared at all about the situation.

'He had always had a big trust in Natsuno.' Kaori thought, smiling slightly, looking on her brother reflection in the mirror.

She looked from the corner of her eyes on the driver. He had his eyes glued to the road, concentrating on the ride in the night. As a shiki he had better eyesight from normal people, but he still decided to be more careful than when he was driving alone. After all, having two more passengers which he had promised to keep alive, gave him some sense of protectiveness. Even if Kaori tried to put hard façade in front of her, he could see the truth in her eyes.

The fear.

The anger.

He was only glad that she didn't show any sign of giving up. She still had the strange to fight for her and her brother live. As long as her determination was on full fire, they were good.

He glanced on her and she quickly turn to the window, pretending that she hadn't watched him. The silence in the car was ringing in their ears. Natsuno reached his hand to the radio and switch it on. Soon, the cat was filled with silent music. Kaori listened to it and smiled softly to herself.

"You like this song?" Natsuno asked.

He was used to the silence, but he decided that if he was going to gain her trust completely again, he had to talk with her. After all, it would made the travel more interesting.

Kaori nodded.

"It reminds me of Sotoba from the happier days." She answered, her little smile still on her face. "We used to sit down in my room or her and listened to it all the time."

Natsuno moved his eyes from road again.

"By her, you mean…" he drifted off, but Kaori understood.

She nodded her head.

"Megumi. It was before she…changed. Before she was completely overwhelmed by her dream of big world." She explained, turning her eyes to the view behind window.

"And before she put a distance between you and her?" he added the unspoken part of her answer.

Kaori nodded her head.

"I was pretty stupid back there. I knew that she had changed and that she didn't want to know me anymore but I still tried to get close to her." She laughed quietly. "Even if I knew that she saw me as someone worse than her, someone who didn't deserve to be in her company…"

Natsuno furrowed his brows. He read somewhere that young girls, going through the puberty, would be very easily convinced that they aren't good enough to do something. It was harder to convince them that they were better than someone later, no matter how often they heard it. Human's logic was indeed very strange sometimes.

"You shouldn't believe in that." He interrupted her, earning surprised look from the girl next to him. "I've never thought that you were worse than Megumi. After knowing you better, I can even say that she was nothing like you."

Kaori blushed slightly at that, turning away again.

She wasn't used to taking compliments, especially from guy.

Natsuno meant what he had said. The difference between both girls was enormous. Where Megumi thought only about herself, Kaori cared about others more. The pink haired girl was all sweet and fluffy, but it was her friend who actually shown bravery and determination when it came to critical situation. And that was what pulled him more to Kaori than to Megumi. And also the fact that the girl wasn't pushing herself on him, like the other one had done.

"What were you doing during this time?" Kaori asked when her blush died.

Really, for nineteen years old she still could be so like little girl.

Natsuno shrugged his shoulders.

"After I woke up I had to take care of Tatsumi, but as I explained already, it didn't work and he disappeared." He started. "Then I moved around the country a little, not staying anywhere too long. From time to time I took small works to earn more money. That was when I heard for first time about the disappearances." He said, his face turning grim. "It took me some time to collect all information, but when I did, I started looking for you two."

Kaori nodded. She didn't really know why he cared some much about tem, but decided not to ask.

Whatever his reasons were, she was glad that he was with them.

Something different was bugging her.

She hesitated for a moment, before actually asking.

"And what about… your hunger?" she asked, looking on him.

Maybe to notice some change in his eyes or something what would suggest, they she and Akira weren't as safe as she thought.

'So she still doesn't trust me.' Natsuno thought.

"Animals. Their blood is enough to make me feel fool." He answered honestly.

He didn't see a point in lying. If they were going to spent some time together, she would find out eventually.

Kaori shuddered at the thought.

But better animals than humans, after all.

Even if the idea of drinking blood was still terrible to her.

"Haven't you thought about trying human's blood?" she asked baldly.

She had to know.

Natsuno looked on her, turning from the road in front of them.

"I have." He answered, the honestly in his eyes clearly visible to Kaori. "But the human part in me is still alive and is keeping me away from doing something like that."

Kaori gulped, afraid of next answer.

"But what if it dies?" she asked, looking on him closely.

Natsuno turned his head to road, his feature hard.

"I'm not going to let this happen."

And Kaori believed him.

Maybe it was the determination in his voice or truth in his eyes.

But still, she knew that he would be able to do it.

And that she and her brother were safe with him.