A/N: I've been a very busy person, and I've come to the point of being unable to update this story as much as it should. I sincerely apologize for that, but I really have no intention of abandoning the story so I hope those who follow this story would be patient with it.

tetsunoqwaser: Katja's enemy will be revealed, but that information is still a long way to go. Sorry for the longest time to take an update.

The Importance of a Good Presentation

Hana is already up in the morning, she's standing in front of the glass wall at the end of the hotel room. She doesn't know I'm awake now.

I'm looking at her figure through the white blanket that's covering my face, she seems to be doing a little exercise, stretching her hands then bending down for a number of times. I can't see it clearly but I think she has a headset on, since I can make up some wire like figures going to her ears. After she made some last stretches to the feet, she turned her body to my side of the bed. I suddenly closed my eyes and ceased any movement. After a few seconds, I felt colder as the blanket on top of me has been pulled off.

"Hey, kid, I know you're awake" I opened my eyes once I knew that it was worthless to act asleep. I saw Hana looking down at me, her eyes of brown with the shade of dirty gold, striking a sharp yet calm expression.

"I'm eating breakfast outside. Do you want to come?"

"Of course" I answered her while coming down from my bed. I walked to my bag and took some clothes of mine, hurrying to get to the bathroom when Hana suddenly blocked the door to it.

"I'm going in first kid, watch some cartoons first." She was shooing me away with her hand.

"I…." I started to talk without realizing it.

"You what?"

"No, never mind. I'll wait here outside." Hana gave me a doubtful look before going inside the bathroom and closing the door in front of me.

I sighed as I leaned my back to the nearest wall, my hands weakened; letting the clothes I was carrying to fall on the floor.

"I have got to stop mixing the past with right now" I tried to reprimand myself as I picked up my clothes. As I sat at the floor in front of the bathroom, the sound of sprinkling water was very audible, but beneath that noise, I can also hear Hana, humming like she always does when she takes a bath.

The door opens without a warning, making me look up in surprise. Hana popped her head out, letting excessive water dribble down the strands of her long wet hair.

"Do you want to come inside?" She asked me out of nowhere.

I felt heat travel to my cheeks as I nodded carelessly with consumed excitement. Hana chuckled at me with a serious face.

"You're really fun, Kid" She said, as I expected. Her teasing was enough for me to stand up and try to walk away from her but she catched my wrist before I can even go far.

"Hey, I wasn't kidding about my invitation"

"You just teased me"

Hana chuckled again, but this time, it sounded a lot more cheery. "I only said that cause it's true. It's fun when you just don't deny what you want and show it as clearly as you can, like what you did just now."

"I was caught up so I couldn't have the time to deny it."

Hana forced my body to turn around, she was still hiding her body behind the bathroom door; her head and one arm are the only parts that I could see.

"Yeah? Well, that's good since I hate deniers." I felt my unease melt down, and gave up all the notion of walking away from her.

"So, you were serious?" I asked, consumed again by excitement.

"Absolutely, come here already" The next thing I knew, I was pulled inside the rectangular, narrow bathroom. The white marble walls and clear glasses now filled with steam were what I saw first before I turned my head and looked at Hana.

She was covered in a red towel, carrying a little basket that was squeezed between her side and her left arm. "Ok, now, enjoy your bath" She said, laughing as she left and locked the door for me.

"Right, she only asked if I wanted to go inside….not to bathe with her" I exhaled another heavy sigh in that early morning. And together with the refreshment of my body with the steamy waters of England, I also tried my best to remove the clutches of my brain to the past.

Victorian inspired buildings, with a touch of contemporary English architecture. The streets in England are blitzed with these types of structures, and streets everywhere were narrow. It was very cold in the mornings at Europe, a reason why both me and Hana are wearing long cotton coats and Like always, we loved wearing the color black.

I had a red French cap on top of my blonde hair that was tied in a braid and looped to a ponytail at the back. Hana was letting her hair dry out, making them fall flat on her back.
A Routemaster lane was easily accessible from the hotel. Routemaster's are those unmistakable, red, double decker buses of England.

When we got to that line, after Hana dragged me through four magnificently decorated Victorian style buildings. There was already 3 buses waiting, but Hana asked me to help her look for the open top types, which I know is her favorite.

"Oh, there!" Hana shouted out and dragged me again, she pushed my back to hurry and get up the stairs of the bus. We sat at the last row; Hana was at the edge seat and was smiling joyously like a child when the bus started to move. As I looked at her, there is no denying that those childish expressions are what I miss the most, are what defined her the most, at least back then it was.

"Yohoo!" She yelled, and for a split moment, it felt like the past again. She would do this kind of embarrassing things while I try to sit farther away from her, afraid that people would think I'm with this crazy head. But that was the past, here in the present, if sitting even closer to her while she ignored me for the strong winds was a sign for others that I was with her, then God let it be.

I safely got back to the fortress with Hana. The two guys who helped open the cage I was trapped in are not with us now. I told them that they're done for, if Hana saves me and I wasn't lying at that time. I truly wanted to strangle them with the use of Mama, but Hana stopped me by saying that she wouldn't be able to save me without them so basically they still saved me. In the end, I just gave them a choice. If they come back with me and Hana to the fortress, I will make their lives a living hell but if they vanish from my sight at that very instance, I would forget about ever knowing them and they can live normally forever on. Well, of course anyone in their right mind would choose the latter.

Hana separated from me at the gates, I told her to go back to the room first because I still had to talk with the military leaders. That talk didn't go well, they were upset to lose ten good men and receive the news that the enemy was undefeated. Before the arguments could get larger, I left the room, I didn't want to be a part of such a stressful environment. I walked to my room at the first floor, I knocked on the door and waited for Hana to open it.

Inside my bedroom, Hana sat at her mattress laid at the end of the room, she wasn't doing anything but to look at me. I didn't care, I just ignored her. I tossed myself to the folds of my own bed. I felt really bad about losing too, I want to strangle someone right now, I let him get away again, I can't let this happen over and over-

"Katja" Hana suddenly intruded my thoughts.

"What?" I answered with the keenness of my irritation. I was staring at the ceiling, I don't even want to give the effort of looking at her.

"Are you alright? Do you feel painful somewhere?" I can hear her voice shaking a bit, she must had double thoughts about continuing to ask me. Poor Hana, I always have to scare her, and even after she saved me today I don't even have the decency to show her my appreciation.

"I'm alright Hana. You did a good job back there." I calmed my nerves down just to tell her that without a tinge of annoyance, I still can't subside my anger, but I can at least control the volume I express it in.

"I would never let you be in danger Katja"

I laugh internally, now she was being dramatic, I can't keep up with that anymore.
"Yes, Hana, I appreciate your devotion for your queen" I was actually being sarcastic with my tone here, but that drumhead still didn't get it. Instead she continued on with her drama, and the next thing she says is what changed the course of this entire story.

"It's not my devotion for you, Katja - sama I love you."

My eyes opened the widest they have in my entire life. I rapidly sat up in the bed and looked at Hana. She wasn't on her mattress anymore, she was already standing in front of me. For a moment there I was nervous about her, but as time passes by and she only looks at me, I sensed that she didn't know what do next, and she was just waiting for my reaction. I felt like a fool for getting easily affected like that, I close my eyes and open them again, this time I looked at Hana with the sharp stare I always give to her.

"And how different is your love from devotion? Huh Hana? Do you even know they're difference?"

I tried to tantalize her with my words, letting her become confused. She shakes her head, and that made me thought that she was questioning what she said just now, but it turns out to be the opposite.

"I don't know… I have no idea why they're different, but they are. I love you, not like a devoted servant to her master." She said with blushes on her cheeks. She was looking straight at me, and I could feel her words slicing through my ears. It was actually able to penetrate my heart, but this was all boloney for me.

"Stop talking already Hana, you're not even making sense. If that was some sort of a confession, you should've at least made it good for me." My words got out before I could construct them rationally, why the hell would I even ask for a good confession? It's not like that'll raise the chances of me giving her a chance.

"Yes, Katja-sama, I'm sorry, I just didn't know I'll really be able to tell you that." Hana said, she was now looking away from me, maybe she can already feel that I don't care about her feelings.

But she is stupid, so I still have to say it clearly. "Well, now that you've said that to me, I'm dumping you." I told her with a nonchalant voice.

"Eh….eh?" Hana mutters looking almost like crying.

Now she was in a state of shock, she can't believe what she heard from me. "I don't love you back" I reinforce to her, just to put it more clearly.

"Katja – sama that was too direct!" She started to tear up in the side of her eyes as she bit her lower lip like a crying kid.

I have to say that sudden outburst of feelings from Hana made me feel a lot better. It must've been my sadistic side that enjoyed seeing her cry like that so I went on with my cold and stony charade.

"As if you didn't know how prank I am. Now skiddle away from me, and don't come near me, unless I tell you so." I wave my hand pointing to the door.

"Katja – sama" Hana calls my name in a pleading.

"Away, Hana, away" I continue to wave my hand to shoo her off. She calls my name for another three times, but I ignored her always. After a few more attempts to talk with me, she gave up and left the room.

As soon as she left, it got me thinking if she would even come back after what I did.

Night came and pass and she didn't come back, at morning the next day, I walked around the fortress, wondering if I'll see her sleeping on a tree or a bench at the grounds. As I got back to where I started, at the front of my room, I concluded that Hana has left.

When that matter sunk into my mind, I had an unexplainable feeling of lost. It did feel upsetting to have her leave since she was a good company at this boring place, and from all the smelly men and old hag maids, she was really the only one I was willing to be with.

Nevertheless, I had to accept it, she went awry and I can't entertain her if she was serious with her confession or what, I don't have the time to think about that anymore. I go back inside my room and again, I felt the disadvantage of not having her around. It was hard to get into a different dress alone and of course, there are still these blonde strands to tie.

I got change to a red dress of mine that was sleeveless and had white laces at the edges. My gloves were also the same style. As I walk out of the room again, I cross to the other building in the fortress, just at the opposite of the building where my bedroom is. Since that building was the last building at the back, its door was facing the south, so I still have to go around the building to get inside. I go to the rear left side of the building, there was a small gap open between the hollow fortress walls that was a shortcut for me to reach the other side faster.

When I got out of the gap, someone quickly grabbed me in the hands from my back. I fight for my hands freedom, but it was useless, there were many of them behind me, and before I can call out for help they covered my eyes and mouth with a cloth.

I felt my body being carried in the armpits to different directions, turning now and then and even walking up some stairs. They soon placed my body down on a wooden chair, I know it's wooden because of the texture.

The blindfold was taken away from my eyes, but I still wasn't able to see anything. I spit the cloth stuffed on my mouth and try to look around. I could only see black from everywhere. I felt a presence inside the room, and it walked in front of me, slowly going around the chair I was sitting on. The sound of a knife slicing through thick hairs of rope is what I can only comprehend amidst the darkness. My hands begin to feel lighter and soon they were set free from being attached together. In the far beyond of my mind, I recognize the presence of this person with me, and as the lights turn on, my hunch was correct.

Hana stood a distance away from me, she was wearing a very attractive suit at that time. It fit her well, she looked almost like a prince in a royal party. I don't know how long I stared at her before I realized that the whole room we were in looked like a royal party. The walls were covered in silky red and gold curtains with many props like standing candlelight's, elaborately designed foliage columns, a chandelier at the middle of the room and a circular table in front of me with a white blanket of intricate design and table ware shining in silver.

I cracked up a laugh, a deep and long lasting laugh. "Is this your poor excuse at trying to seduce me Hana?"

The girl in short hair managed to laugh as well, she might as well think of this as funny like me. Yet she stopped laughing just as soon as she started then she straighten up her body. She cleared her throat with her right hand raised in front of her mouth.

"I know the difference between love and devotion now" She said with a pretty serious face. I raised one eyebrow at her, I certainly want to hear what she'd say about it.

"Do tell me, Hana"

Hana walked towards me, her suit colored in black with a red tie that match my dress made her look dashing in the room. She bent on one knee in front of me, the same position when a man proposes.

"Devotion means worshipping someone and love means having strong affections for someone"

I curl my lips to a smirk. "What a literal answer Hana, you could find that at any dictionary, but what about your own feelings?"

Hana took my right hand on hers, she raised it up to a position where she was likely going to kiss it, but she stopped midway and looked at me.

"I realized that you were right Katja – sama, it was devotion all along."

Two things surfaced in my mind at that time, first was that I won the argument again, and second was that, I felt disappointed about her answer. The latter thought was one thing I hid at the corners of my mind, it was a foolish thing to think about because if I had thought of that, then it means I did want Hana to tell me she loves me. When I realized I had that idea in mind, it made me laugh because I had never yearned for someone to love me. It had never crossed my mind and it was again, foolish that I was asking for it, and worst, I was asking it from her.

"But" Hana talked again, and I listened to what she would say next.

"I was also right, Katja – sama, because devotion is also a strong feeling of love."

She spoke so charmingly and confident I was awed and suspicious if she was really Hana. Her words strung chords that reverberated in my heart. I must have looked so flushed in front of her at that time because she suddenly smiled with victory pasted all over her lips. I was supposed to be mad at her smile, but I wasn't, I was intimidated by it, I didn't know this Hana, I didn't ever expect to see this side of her. I was the poor one now, poor Katja, she's all confused and flabbergasted she doesn't know what to do. The same as I was oblivious to this otherworldly Hana, I am also oblivious to this flushed, and embarrassingly swayed me. I should laugh at myself for having my heart skip a beat with her confession but that would be pure mockery to oneself.

I took my hand away from Hana's for it was starting to feel warmer by the minute. Her smile disappeared after that and she started to look sad.

"Still no good huh?" She said, and I should've told her that "It is" but my mouth has been out of my control since yesterday.

"No" I said, and then I retreated before I can speak any more. Yet that one word once again sparked the fabulously dressed suitor in front of me.

Hana clutch the dress I was holding and excitedly asked me a question I can't describe how it reeled me. "Then does that mean you would be my girlfriend?"

My eyes twitched and my head hurt, it was a sudden pain similar to a brain freeze when you drink cold drinks too rapidly. I must say that I'm a very indifferent person most of the times, and sadistic at other times, but never have I been this startled by someone. What was she thinking? How could she possibly hope for a committed relationship with another girl almost half her age?

"You're crazy" I told her, with my voice sounding more scared than mad which was what I was actually feeling.

"Is that a yes or no?" Hana's eye twinkles still wasn't going away. I can feel her pull on my dress, she wasn't going to stop unless I answered her either of the two.

I know inside of me that I needed and wanted to say NO, but at the same time, I was thinking about how things would go if I chose yes. In a fast premonition, I imagined that if I said yes, then I would have this love stricken devoted servant for the rest of my life, and that's not a bad future.

"It's a yes, Hana" I said, and she came full on me, embracing me so tightly. From that very moment I know this decision would have its consequences. It is to be expected that she would become clingier to me, and worst, she would ask for me to return her so called love.

And so to avoid this accompanying constraints in a relationship, I have to tell her one thing she should know.

"But I don't love you" I shout out as I try to push her away from me. She gets the message and she lets go of me by herself. "I don't love you, Hana. You're going to be in a lot of pain with me."

I know I had to bring it up in the air because I was so sure that I would hurt her, and it's not the kind of pain her body would enjoy. I really didn't love her at that time, and I was knowledgeable to know that unrequited love hurts. Well, now I know it doesn't just hurts, it's so painful, it kills you alive.

Anyways, back to that favorite memory of mine, since I knew that time that I didn't love her –yet, and I had mercy for Hana, I wanted to give her the chance to choose between just being my silly servant and Maria, or become a lover that wouldn't be love back.

"I love the sound of pain with you" Hana took my right hand again and this time she kissed it in the skin above my knuckles. It bothered me how much she accepted a pathetic fate with me so happily. I even wanted to just take back my answer and dash out of the room, let her leave for good.

But, the kiss of her lips on my hand melted me in a way I never expected.

And I decided I wanted to know what else that I don't expect, will happen.