- Chapter 4 -

Evil omen

The next day was grey and cloudy. The rising sun peeped out here and there among the clouds time to time. Although, it didn't rain the pale and lightly rising fog there was a feeling of evil omen. Something bad was under the way.

Kai moved slightly in his sleep. His dream slowly faded away and his mind came back to reality. He felt the sun's warmth on his face as it shone through the trees' shroud, and he groaned. He didn't want to wake up. He wanted to stay in his dream and not wake up for a long time. But no matter how hard he tried his senses told him that it was time to get up now. He winced annoyed while the beams kept shining on his pale, painted cheeks. Kai turned on his stomach and buried his face onto his sleeping bag. Why couldn't that stupid sun move away?

The dual haired groaned again and buried his face so much that his nose hurt by the heavy push. He was lying there for a while longing to get back to his dream. That nice dream what he had about Takao…

They were flying for long through the big white clouds. Takao was sitting on Dragoon while Kai was sitting on Dranzer. They were flying side by side and Takao smiled gently at Kai who returned a same soft smile. Kai was happy. He'd never felt so free and carefree. Every bad memory and nightmare disappeared and the only thing that filled his heart was love. His love towards Takao. Nothing existed around them. Only the two of them and they were flying now to their destination where their love would be fulfilled. The scene soon changed and the two teens were standing face to face while Kai hold Takao's hands gently and they smiled at each other lovingly. The soft sand under their feet and the sound of the waves as they lashed softly onto the beach, stars and planets circled above them. All this gave an intimate aura.

Deep crimson looked into mahogany. Kai then placed a hand on Takao's cheek and stroked it gently. The bluenette smiled cheerful at the dual haired showed all his love towards him. Kai's heart speeded up like it went crazy by Takao's smile and he couldn't help but broke a true and a beautiful smile that Takao had ever seen on him. Kai wasn't afraid to show Takao how much he meant to him. There was no need to hide his feelings anymore. Not for Takao. The bluenette loved him back and that was the best thing that had ever happened to him. They were together and Kai would never let go of this feeling. He would never leave Takao. Kai would give anything to Takao. All his trust and all his love. Everything his angel deserved. Even the most important thing what he'd left so long – himself.

Their eyes gazed each other and they both lost in the strong contact. Kai pulled Takao to a tight, but soft embrace. He wrapped his strong arms around Takao's slim waist and held him protectively. They stood there for a while just listening the silence and the other one's heart beat. Then they parted so that their eyes meet again and then Kai leaned slowly down. Their faces got closer while their bodies were shaking terrible by the desire to feel each other's love. Takao closed his eyes and Kai looked at the blue haired teen with half lidded eyes before he finally let go everything and closed the distance between them…

That was when Kai woke up. He was so annoyed. He had the best dream he'd had ever in his life and it was ruined at the best part. Why did he had to fucking wake up?! He growled irritated and he captured the fabric of his sleeping bag in his teeth, as he bit on it, hard. If he couldn't have Takao for himself at least he could have him in his dreams. The dual haired could die of the curiosity to get to know how it would feel like. He ignored that his nose hurt and instead he sank deeper in his thoughts about Takao...

Those soft pink lips. How did they taste? Surely they had to be warm and soft as Takao himself. Man, that gorgeous body. How many times he had watched when Takao came out from the bathroom with only a towel around his waist, his hair haning free over his shoulder giving Kai a quite seductive view. Not to mention when Kai walked 'accidently' past by the bathroom a few times and peeked inside to see Takao standing naked behind the glass-wall. Oh how he wished he could touch that body. That silky golden skin. Oh…

Kai's eyes snapped open suddenly. He was shocked by his own thoughts. Since when did he have such a pervert thoughts about Takao? God he had to stop thinking. Get back to reality, get back to reality… Kai told to himself. Man, he needed to get up now, his nose hurt now really that he was lying on it, and he also felt something hard under his trousers and he was sure that it wasn't his leg.

After Kai got up and packed his sleeping bag in his backpack he made a campfire to make breakfast ready for them. It was still a bit early and since Kai still didn't hear any noise from the tent he supposed that Takao was still sleeping. Making sure to not make any noise, Kai snuck up to the tent and peeked inside to see if the bluenette was really there.

A small smile appeared on Kai's face when he saw his secret crush sleeping. The bluenette was snuffing quietly in his sleep. He was lying curled up like a child, one hand cuddling onto his covers while the other one was under his head. A few blue locks covered his cheek lightly and he had an adorable sleeping expression. Kai found it incredible cute to see Takao so innocent. He wanted to stroke his cheek, push away those silky blue locks from his face and give a soft kiss on his head.

But he knew he couldn't do that. All his feelings, all his desires and all his dreams about Takao were only fantasies. There was no way it could ever become true. He was a Hiwatari. He was the last descendant of a patrician family whose fate was the same from generation to generation. They earned money, they became rich and had power over everything they'd compassed. But they were always alone. They lived a lonely, cold life. Although they'd got married with another rich woman or man from a noble house, they didn't married for love. It was marriage of convenience. This curse hit Kai too. He could guess he would live the same life. Why would his life be better than his forefathers'? He had grown up in an Abbey where his own grandfather had sent him to and where only hate and evil surrounded him.

There was no love and no kindness. Only training, training and more training. They'd gotten beat many times if they didn't do something good or they made mistakes. They had learned to take care of themselves and that they were alone and they couldn't count on anyone. Only themselves. But finally, that time was over. Kai managed to get rid of Biovolt and started a new life with his friends. Still, after so many years Kai couldn't get rid of his grandfather, Voltaire. Those nightmares about his past were still bothering and haunting him and Kai had that bad feeling that he might never be able to get rid of them. It seemed just as hopeless as the thought that Takao would never return his feelings.

Kai sunk deeper and deeper into the distance as he watched the sleeping bluenette and he realized how long the distance between him and Takao really was. He saw now how far Takao was from him than Kai could never reach him. The dual haired withdrew silently letting Takao sleep a little more and he went back to the fire to make their breakfast.

It didn't take much time when noise was heard from the little tent and soon Takao came out. He straightened his blue farmer jacket and tied his midnight blue hair up in a ponytail. The smell of tea and the freshly roasted bacon definitely woke Takao up. Usually, he loved to sleep as long as he could but when it came about breakfast he woke up faster than you would say "let it rip!". That Kai knew very well and he wasn't disappointed when he saw the stretching teen. He had to hide a chuckle by it. Some things never changed.

"Good morning Kai!" Takao greeted him with a cheerful smile as he walked towards the campfire were Kai was serving breakfast for them.

Kai put on his usual emotionless attitude on like he always did but he didn't act as cold as yesterday. He regretted that he'd acted so rough towards Takao terribly. The bluenette was always nice to him and Kai treated him like a mop. He didn't want to be mean to Takao but it was hard for him open up and be friendly when he felt an incredible bitterness in his chest. It hurt him so much that he had to stand Takao's presence and he couldn't show the bluenette how he really felt about him. However, Kai didn't know if this was really love he felt. How could you know that you were really in love if you had never felt it before?

Kai wasn't sure if he would ever get to know the feeling of love because the only person who had such a place in his heart was Takao, and nobody else. But Takao would never be his. There was no hope that they could ever be together and without Takao Kai's life would never be entire. There would be only their friendship that connected them.

But it was hard for Kai to face the thought that they could only be friends. He felt how it desperately tortured him day after day. It annoyed him and it was hard not to show it openly. Especially for Takao.

Takao was standing in front of him with a cheerful smile on his face and Kai felt like a dumbass. The words were caught in his throat and he didn't know how to react at first. He wanted so badly to return the smile but for some reason he couldn't break that coldness in his heart. He was scared.

Screw it. Was he a Hiwatari or was he a Hiwatari?! Yes he was! He was Kai Hiwatari who wasn't afraid of anything – at least that was what he always showed everyone else – and he wouldn't start now.

So he took a breath and murmured with a not too cold tone. - "Morning." Then he turned to fill two cups of coffee. There. He did the first step to show a little kindness towards the bluenette. Namely: he'd said more than a simple 'hn'.

However, Takao seemed more than pleased by Kai's short but nice greet. It wasn't often that the dual haired greeted him like that. Takao was glad to see Kai in a good mood and not as grumpy as yesterday. Maybe this trip would really help Kai to get rid of his sadness and his nightmares. At least he hoped so. He tried to forget what happened yesterday evening and start a new day with new hope. Takao wanted to push through what he'd decided to complete, namely to make Kai happy. He had no idea how he should start it but he wouldn't give up so easily. If Takao couldn't tell Kai how he really felt for him then at least he could make Kai smile, because that Takao wanted so much to see him do.

The bluenette walked to the campfire and took his own breakfast from Kai before he sat down at a trunk. But just as he did the bluenette jumped quickly up with a yelp and he almost dropped his breakfast. Kai blinked surprised at him. "What the heck?!" Takao cried and he looked down to see what had given him the sudden pain.

On the trunk was a little hedgehog who definitely found a very good place for sleeping. Though, the little animal didn't expect that someone would sit on it. It was very annoyed and glared angrily at Takao with its little eyes. The bluenette glared back at the hedgehog while he stroked his still hurt butt. Kai chuckled and Takao gave a glare to him. "Kai!"

"What?" The dual haired asked and he tried hard to stop chuckling but he couldn't help that the scene was so funny. He tried to stay calm and not burst out laughing. "I didn't see it was there." He answered honestly.

"Then where the heck did this thing come from?!" Takao asked in a shrill voice and pointed at the hedgehog that seemed very peeved and growled at the blue haired teen. (Yes hedgehogs can growl. I've heard it once. :P)

Kai shrugged and answered in a teasing tone. "Maybe it played kamikaze and tried to suicide itself but it didn't expect that its killer had such a big butt." Kai said and he took his cup of tea.

A vein appeared on Takao's face and he glared angrily at the dual haired. "I don't have big butt!" He shouted.

"Well, ask the hedgehog." Kai said shortly and he took a sip of his tea.

Takao blinked dumbly and when Kai didn't pay attention he turned his head and took a look on his backside and he made a stroke on his butt. Did he really have big butt? Usually, Takao didn't pay attention too much on his body. He liked himself just the way he was, but when Kai told him he had big butt his attention wandered instantly around his body. Did he look fat? Did Kai think he didn't look good? Man, he started to act like a teenager school girl, but still.

Kai looked up from his tea and looked at Takao who was still busy with admiring himself and Kai almost coughed in his teacup. The bluenette looked so adorable with his innocent face, yet, typical Takao: so obvious.

The hedgehog skipped the two teens' 'show' and with a last growl it crawled away.

After they'd finished breakfast Kai made sure to rake out the fire while Takao was busy to take down the tent and packed it into his backpack. Then they started to walk through the forest and they made their way towards the higher mountains where their destination was. They were glad it didn't rain because it would make their way harder. Walking on a slippery and muddy path wouldn't be so easy and last but not least, not safe. However, the weather didn't seem friendly but it was still warm.

Same as yesterday, Takao went ahead while Kai was walking behind him a few meters. Takao still felt a little embarrassed about that scene he'd had with that hedgehog and he blushed slightly. He still saw Kai's chuckling face in front of him. He didn't say that he wasn't happy to see Kai finally smiling, even if it was just a bit, because it was more than Takao expected. His problem was that whenever Takao made Kai laugh he always made a fool of himself in front of the dual haired. Although those things happened accidentally Takao couldn't help but blushing deep. He hated blushing because he became more embarrassed and that made him blush more.

Takao didn't know why, but lately he had been blushing more than his whole life. Was it because of Kai? Takao didn't know but one thing he knew, as he grew and got more mature, he'd realized that feelings were very complicated. Mostly when it came to love. Kai was the same. The dual haired was like a closed book for Takao. A hard closed book. To open it you had to find the key and that was what Takao had been searching for so long. He wanted to make Kai open up for him. He just didn't know where to start.

Kai, who was walking behind Takao, kept looking into the map he was holding in front of him, just to make himself busy and to keep his gaze off Takao's beautiful form. It didn't work. Kai's eyes gazed distantly at the map while his mind was about Takao and he couldn't seem to focus. Why couldn't he get rid of this feeling? Why was Takao always in his head? It was so flustering and it was hard for him to hold back his rushing feelings from time to time and not lose control. His nerves tensed and his nails dug deep into the paper he was holding, so he almost burst it.

Why was life so cruel? Why couldn't he have Takao for himself? Didn't he deserve happiness too? Kai felt like he would rather rip his heart out from his chest and threw it as far as he could than to feel this pain anymore. He would prefer to live without a heart than to live with a feeling that he didn't deserve and would never have. Although his friends said that he'd become more open and he wasn't as cold as when they'd first met, Kai still meant that deep inside he could never forgive himself. There was something, or someone, who didn't let him forgive himself.

However, Kai was still here and he was still with his friends. Even though he felt guilty each time he acted rough with his friends - especially towards Takao - there was still another feeling that gave him hope and told him not to give up. Kai often heard that voice in dreams. It was deep but soft, a very friendly voice that told him to never give up. Was there really hope? Was there someone who wanted to help him to get over every bad thing and become happy? It took a long time, but eventually Kai found out who always was there to give him hope.

More punctually it wasn't a person, but a spirit. Namely Dranzer. His lovely bitbeast, who was always with him and made Kai strong and gave him courage to fight back against his fears. The phoenix's power was overwhelming, yet, beautiful and gorgeous.

Takao had told Kai once that he and Dragoon had not just a very strong contact with each other but they often talked to each other. It amazed Kai because he hadn't heard Dranzer's voice for a long time, though he wished he could hear his phoenix's voice.

Dranzer was his only and best friend who was there when he was a child. When he felt alone and lonely he pulled out his bit and admired the tiny picture of the phoenix and it gave him strength and a hidden thought that he wasn't all alone. But then, one day it had happened, in his dream he'd heard Dranzer's voice and since then they had become closer to each other.

Kai felt strong and confident by his phoenix side, but after he'd met his friends and Takao, Kai's strength grew even more. Takao was his first light in the darkness after such a long time and Kai slowly started to believe in a happier life that he always wished for. But the darkness appeared again and wanted to keep Kai down and keep him in his nightmares. Kai's past was haunting him and he didn't know if he could defeat it again.

"Hey Kai!" Takao's sudden call snapped Kai out if his thoughts. He looked up from his map and his crimson eyes looked at the smiling teen that walked towards him. "What are you doing? You have been studying that map for a half an hour and you haven't paid attention even for a minute. You'll miss every beautiful thing we pass."

Kai blinked dazed at the younger teen, trying not to let his gaze wander below to those soft, pink lips. 'So beautiful… I wonder how they taste.' Kai quickly shook his head mentally. Then he cleared his throat tactfully and said determined. "I'm just studying where we're going. If I calculate right then we'll reach a bridge where the river turns in two hours."

Takao looked at the map then at Kai and said friendly. "Let me take the lead for a while, Kai."

"What? No way!" The dual haired snapped at him and snatched the map away before Takao could take it.

The bluenette frowned at him and took his hands on his hips. God, he didn't understand why Kai was so stubborn, but even so, he still spoke in a gentle tone. "Come on now, Kai. Don't be so stubborn. You don't have to always do everything on your own. We should work together as Rei said. Besides, we are on vacation so you can take a break and let me take the lead for a while." Takao insisted. He wanted to prove to Kai that he wasn't useless and he also could do things right.

"Yeah, and then we'll get lost in the forest because of you." Kai growled at the blue haired.

"No, we won't," Takao rolled his eyes. "Now stop acting so grumpy and give me that map!" Then he took the map out of Kai's hand before the dual haired could realize it.

Kai wasn't so sure that Takao knew how to study a map and coordinate, but for once he didn't resist. He let Takao in charge and they continued their way towards the bridge. It was weird, but it seemed Takao enjoyed that he too could take part in the role and not just following others all the time, though Kai was the oldest of them, had the best leading skills and took care of his teammates. For Takao, Kai was much more to them than that though, because the bluenette knew that Kai was more than what he showed the world. Takao looked at Kai as a hero who was strong and brave, and still he was humble and never self-centered. At least not anymore.

As they kept walking Takao's enthusiasm grew because he was sure they were walking in the right direction. His mind was all over the amazing dual haired who was walking now ahead of Takao and the bluenette didn't even deny that he liked the nice view that Kai's hot and muscular body gave. God, how could someone be so good looking and sexy without realizing it? Takao peeked up from the map from time to time, admiring Kai's hot back side. His eyes wandered up and down on the dual haired's body and the bluenette unwittingly licked his lips.'Man, he has a gorgeous ass...' Takao thought but the next moment he had to move away quickly not to walk at a tree.

Kai looked up on the cloudy sky gazing the beams, which shone among the white clouds here and there. He sighed softly and his sad crimson eyes rested on the path again. This place sure was beautiful and calm, and far away from the big noises and people. Here they could really be by themselves. In nature there was something that at other places - among lot of people – you could never be able to find. Only here you could find, namely yourself. And they were here now, far away from the civil world, and Kai still couldn't enjoy it. For some reason he didn't feel that peace and the feeling of freedom that he always felt. His thoughts were swirling and in his chest there was a mortifying pain that became more and more unbearable.

More than two hours later they reached the cliffs where the trees were thin and the large river streamed beneath the cliffs, lashing lightly against the stones. Kai looked around in wonder at the beautiful landscape and then he turned to Takao who had stopped too and was studying the map minutely. A small frown appeared on Kai's face and he walked to the bluenette. "Takao."

The blue haired teen didn't look up just kept gazing the map while an uncomprehending expression was on his face. Kai had a feeling that something wasn't right because he was sure that they shouldn't be here. Kai stopped beside Takao and he looked at the map. "I don't understand it. I'm sure we've come the right way and here is the sign of the bridge which we have to cross over, but…" Takao trailed off with a frown and he looked around minutely. His brown eyes searched around the land but there was no bridge. "… but it's nowhere to be seen." He didn't understand. How could this be?

Kai took the map from Takao and checked over the path which they had come, and then it hit him. "Of course you can't see it because you overlooked it you moron!" The dual haired snapped at him sharply. "We should have turned to north at this point not to east. I can't believe that we have to turn back now!" Kai shouted flustered and he felt his anger boil in him.

"Kai, calm down already! I'm sorry that I overlooked it but there isn't anything we can do now, and there is no reason to get all worked up. We have to go back, that's it." Takao told him soothingly. He didn't understand what was up with Kai. Usually he never acted like this. Something wasn't right and Takao felt an inexplicable feeling in his chest.

Kai's eyes got darker and he glared angrily at the bluenette. "Yes, we have to go back and this is because of you! We've lost more than two hours and who knows how long it will take to find the right way and to reach that stupid bridge! Oh no, we won't get lost. Don't worry, Kai, I know where we have to go." Kai imitated. "Yeah, you did it Einstein! Not only did I let myself get talked to this stupid trip that Rei had planned so cleverly – yeah, it's very brilliant – and I have to spend my whole time with you! Nooo, that was not enough. You just had to play a smartass and now we're lost! And this is only your fault!" Kai's harsh tone was scary. He clenched his fists by the anger and tried to hold back his fury. He didn't know what was happening to him but something overwhelming made a pressure on him and he started to lose control.

Takao looked shocked at the older teen who had buried his deep crimson eyes into Takao's soft brown ones. What happened to Kai? He had never acted like this and he saw that the dual haired had a strange gloom in his eyes that Takao didn't know what was, but it made him scared. "Kai! God, what's wrong with you?! I said I was sorry. I can't believe that you're angry with me just because I missed the path. There must be something else that bothers you because I can see it and I want to help you, Kai. Please, tell me what's wrong!" Takao begged him and he felt his eyes water up. He felt so miserable about the way Kai had talked to him, but he was desperate to help the dual haired anyway.

"What's wrong with me?! You are the one who always bothers me, Takao! You! I can't believe that life was so fucking cruel that our paths had to be crossed! Why are you so friendly towards me after everything I've done to you?! Why?! I don't need your kindness! Why can't you just leave me alone and mind your own business?!" Kai shouted furiously and the throbbing pain in his chest grew. "I wish we'd never met!"

"Kai!" Takao said in a shocked voice as he looked hurt at the dual haired. Hot tears appeared on his brown eyes but the world champion didn't let them fall. He couldn't believe what Kai said to him. This couldn't be true! He shook his head slowly while he shivered. "Kai, please. I know you and…" he started but he was cut off roughly.

"What do you know?! Nothing! You don't know even a single thing about me! I'm tired of you, Kinomiya!" The dual haired cried harshly as it came out of his mouth. He was trembling all in his body by the anger and it was like he could explode any minute by the fury, pain and the desperate that filled him up.

"Kai!" The blue haired cried desperately now as he stepped closer to Kai with shaking legs and put a hand on his shoulder to appease him. But just as he did it was like a bolt of electronic passed through Kai's body and he suddenly shrank back like Takao's touch was a hot brand for him. "Don't touch me!" Kai roared and Takao flinched a few steps by Kai's reaction. The dual haired's expression was furious as his pupils narrowed dangerously and he looked so… scared? He glared heatedly at Takao as he lost all his control over his feelings and he let out everything that was screaming in him. "I don't want you to touch me ever again! I hate you!"

Kai's whole body froze and it was like time had stopped. Suddenly, he realized what he had done. The world started swirling around him vertiginously and Kai felt himself fall into a dark cleft. No. This couldn't be. This was a nightmare. He couldn't have just said that. He didn't mean it. Kai was standing there stunned and looked with pale face and wide eyes at Takao, who had a hurt expression on his face that till now Kai had never seen.

The bluenette couldn't speak. He just stared at Kai shocked and a bunch of tears were in his eyes. He couldn't believe it. How could Kai say this to him? Did he really hate him so much? Takao couldn't believe that Kai had lied to him all the time, that he just pretended they were friends and he had never liked him, not even a bit. Takao was shivering like crazy all in his body while he tried hard to hold back a sob. It was like someone had stabbed a knife in his chest.

Kai swallowed harshly and reached out one hand towards Takao while he stepped closer, but the bluenette flinched. "Takao… I…" Kai started and his voice shuddered. The younger teen shook his head slowly then he turned around and ran off. "Takao!" Kai cried and ran after him.

He felt so terrible. He never wanted to say those words and he didn't even know what had happened with him. It was like he wasn't even himself, but someone else. Still, that didn't matter now, because only one thing that was important was to catch up with Takao before he would lose him forever. He ran as fast as he his legs could carry him trying desperately not to lose the bluenette out of sight. "Takao! Please… stop!" Kai called him again and he hoped that Takao might stop, but the bluenette ran so fast as Kai had never seen him till now.

The dual haired rushed through trees and bushes. He felt his heart speed up as it thumped hard against his chest and he was choking by the pant for breath. Kai ran past a tree, the branch cut sharply his painted cheek and slight blood ran down on his face but he ignored it. He couldn't stop. He had to keep going. If he lost Takao he might never see the bluenette again.

Takao ran and ran fast as he could, and he didn't look back. He didn't see where he was going and he didn't even care. He just ran where his legs lead him. He wanted to get away from everything and everyone as far as possible. His hot tears, which he'd tried to hold back, were streaming down on his cheeks. He was so broken that nothing mattered anymore. Not even if he died. He didn't have anything to live for anymore. What was the reason to live if your one and only true love hated you?

Takao lost all his hope about telling Kai how he really felt about him. "Takao!" In the distance Takao could hear Kai's voice, which was far behind him, and this made the bluenette speed up even more. He didn't know what gave him so much strength to run so fast but his legs didn't slow for a minute. His heart beat painfully in his chest and told him to stop but his mind was screaming no, and Takao ran further. He couldn't stop. He couldn't let Kai see him crying like this because then he would feel even more ashamed.

The trees grew thinner and when Kai reached the downhill there were only rocks and cliffs overtopped them and under the river streamed rapidly. The next moment a loud scream filled the air and Kai snapped his head frightened. His eyes went plate wide on his pale face and his heart stopped for a moment. A few meters in front of him he saw as Takao slipped on the wet rocks and fell down from the high cliff while his body slapped to the downhill, drifting more rocks after him. The bluenette fell into the whirling river which then engulfed him.

"Takao!" Kai cried and threw his backpack from him down with a fast movement and then without any hesitation he threw himself into deep river.

The water was cold and vertiginous. It made it impossible to swim and if Kai wasn't careful he could get slapped against a rock. He kicked himself forwards to reach the younger teen who was drifting unconscious by the river. Kai swam desperately and felt every movement harder and harder but he couldn't give up. If he did Takao would die. The dual haired gathered all his strength and pushed himself further, until he reached the bluenette. He grabbed his shoulders trying to keep them above the water. Then he started swimming towards the riverbank, while he held Takao close to himself. It was hard because the backpack on Takao's back was heavy. Kai had no choice than pulled the backpack down from Takao's back, letting it go and it floated down by the river.

The dual haired grabbed with one hand the foreshore and he pulled both of them to the ground. He laid Takao down gently and looked down at him with panic face. "Ta-Takao!" Kai panted and he coughed up some water. He was shuddering slightly by the coldness, his clothes were soaked and water drops were streaming down from his wet dual-hair. He cupped Takao's wet cheeks gently and he looked worried at the unconscious teen. "God, what have I done." Kai whispered and his mouth trembled by holding back a sob. It was his entire fault.

On the bluenette's body were many injures, his soaked clothes were red by the blood and on his face a streak of blood ran down, soaked Kai's hand. Though Takao had serious injuries he was still alive. Kai knew that Takao needed medical attendance or else the blue haired would die. The problem was that they were far from every external assistance and without the backpack, which Kai had to let drift by the river, they couldn't call for help. They were left alone.

Kai saw that Takao's breath started becoming heavy by the beginning of sickness. Kai had to do something and fast. First of all he needed to find a calm place where he could bring Takao and nurse him. Kai gently placed one arm under Takao's legs while the other behind his shoulders then he picked the teen up, bringing Takao's head closer to his chest to support him and started walking back to his own backpack. Luckily, Kai found it quickly and after that he put it on his back he started to search for a safe place.

Soon the sun went down and it darkened. Deep in the forest a glimmering light filtered through the trees. After Kai had made the campfire he went to Takao who was lying still unconscious on a sleeping bag. After Kai had laid him down, and put his jacket under his head as a pillow, he took off Takao's wet clothes and put some dry ones on him from his own ones.

Kai touched Takao's cheek and felt that the bluenette's skin was hot. He then put a wet cloth on his forehead to take down his fever. Takao wriggled slightly by the sudden cold touch, his closed eyes flickered and he moaned. Kai then checked the wounds which he had bandaged earlier. Takao had a deep cut on his shin-bone and two other ones on his right arm and his hand was bruised too. For not to mention the several blue-green bruises on his chest. Kai felt a terrible guilt that he was the reason that Takao was lying here between life and death and the half Russian didn't know what to do.

An hour later Takao's fever went up, his breath became rugged and the bandages bloodied. He wriggled restless on his sleeping bag and Kai tried to calm him by placing a hand on his head and hushed softly the teen, but truly he didn't know what he could do to help him anymore. He could only hope that the bluenette would live the night but it seemed beyond hope. Takao's sickness rose and Kai was so scared that he might lose him and he would be left alone. Tears started to appear in his crimson eyes. "Ta-Takao..." Kai said in a choking voice. He tried to hold back his sob but the desperate mastered over him and the hot tears streamed down on his cheeks. "Please, Takao stay with me. Don't die. D-don't l-leave m-me a-alone..." Kai's voice broke and he buried his face into Takao's heavy chest and let his tears flow down.

Among the dark and dense trees a sudden voice broke the silence. Kai snapped his head up frightened and turned his head towards the direction of the voice. It came closer. A faint noise came from the raspy bushes. Then, suddenly, two glistening white eyes appeared in the darkness. In the forest lived many creatures and not all of them were harmless. There could be wolves or bears which were dangerous, especially if they felt the smell of an injured creature.

Kai's heart speeded up by fear as he stared at those white flashing eyes, which came closer. A shiver ran down on his spine and as the noise became louder and the unknown creature came closer, slowly. Kai's eyes went wider…