Chapter 7: Scattered Stars

Noon was a horrible time for vampires to wake up. So why was it that Kai and the others found themselves in the lounge downstairs, hovering on the edge of sleep? How, they wondered, did they even get down here in the first place? Through half-closed eyes, Kai saw Kain and Ruka occupying a love seat, Ruka's head resting on his shoulder. Aido, she could hear from a mile away. She deliberated on whether she should tell him when he woke up that he snores. She heard footsteps and grunts from behind her and twisted to look over and spot Ichijo who was hauling a zombie-like Shiki.

"Good morning!" Ichijo asked. Three stood and mumbled greetings in reply. Aido, on the other hand, was still off in dreamland. Kain lightly tapped him on the head and instead of opening his eyes, Aido just groaned and flipped to his side. Kain tapped harder but Aido clumsily swatted him away.

"Bakayaro…wake up…" Kain's patience was wearing thin which was completely understandable, it was too bright to be awake. Everyone excluding Ichijo was either touchy or semi-conscious.

"Can I try?" Ruka asked. Usually, Kain wouldn't take her up on the offer. But he had already tried….. So, reluctantly he stepped aside. It wasn't his fault that Aido had decided to spend all night dancing and drinking every alcoholic concoction on the face of the earth. He sat back down in his seat and spotted Ichijo lowering Shiki into a chair, the younger one's head immediately lolling to its side. Kai was still watching Ruka. She had pulled Aido so that he was now lying on his back. Kai watched closely as Ruka leaned forward and was slowly closing the gap between her and Aido's face.

'What kind of wakeup call is this?'

Kai did not want to witness this.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

"OWWWW! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?"

Kai turned wide-eyed. She had not expected that.

"Too loud..."

Oh, Shiki was finally awake…and glaring at Aido. "You're too loud...I thought you were a girl."

Kai wasn't too sure about that. The swearing that had followed was all Aido. Loud, obnoxious, and slightly uncouth. Two bright red handprints now marked his cheeks.

"Good morning." Ruka said brightly. This served to aggravate Aido more.

"Good morning, my ass." Aido replied nastily, standing up.

"You're welcome."

"I didn't say thank you."

"Now you did, you're still very welcome."

And then Aido yawned.

"I'll be glad to give you another round whenever you're tired…" Ruka hinted slyly.

Aido immediately closed his mouth and shook his head. "No way…I'm wide awake now. You ruined such a nice dream too. I was Kaname-sama's best friend and…what? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Ruka rolled her eyes. "Keep dreaming, that position has already been filled by Ichijo."

"At least I have a chance..." Aido muttered under his breath spitefully.

"What did you say?" Ruka hissed.

"I think it would be a good idea for us to get going, Ichijo?" Kain diverted attention to Ichijo who was enjoying himself with a half-eaten cookie. He hurriedly swallowed the rest and winked.

"Right! I guess it's time for us to go! Shiki, it's time for breakfast!" Ichijo announced.

Shiki jumped to attention and held out his hand, staring vacantly at Ichijo. Ichijo winked at the others and reached into a backpack Kai had never noticed was there. He pulled out strawberry pocky and handed it over. Shiki ripped the package open as Ichijo stood up and hung an arm around his shoulder.

"Do you like anyone, Shiki?" Ichijo asked without warning. The man in question was already munching away at three pocky sticks. Shiki pointed to himself, dumbfounded.

"Yes, you." Ichijo said.

Shiki shrugged, Ichijo's arm slipping from his shoulder. Was that really so important? He made eye contact with Kai and jiggled the box in his hand.

'Do you want some?' His dark eyes asked.

The smell of strawberry pocky wafted to Kai's nose. God, who knew how hard it was to resist at noon time? She had barely even moved a muscle before he had tossed her the snack. There had been no hesitation. They each happily munched away.

'That's something new…' Ichijo thought to himself. 'Shiki usually doesn't share his strawberry pocky with anyone...'

A development without him knowing?

Anyways..

"Onwards ho, you landlubbers!" Ichijo cried out at the top of his voice, without delay, linking arms with Aido. The blond protested lively as Ichijo marched him outside. He only quieted when Ichijo threateningly pulled his cheek.

"He's not going to tell us where he's bringing us, is he?" Ruka whispered to Kain.

"Probably not." Kain sighed.

"You'll see when we get there!" Ichijo called from up ahead. He led them over sand dunes as the hot rays from the sun beat down on their backs relentlessly. By the time the group reached the jungle, most were dazed and could only summon the strength to aim heated looks at Ichijo. He didn't notice though, the man was too engrossed in a map he had pulled out. To those who were closer to him, they could hear him mumbling to himself about getting to the big red "X". Peering through the dense jungle foliage, Ichijo clicked his tongue and estimated how much farther they would have to go until they reached their destination.

"Just a few more minutes!"

His weary followers were glad, slumping against over-sized boulders and soaring trees in their drowsiness. Taking an unprecedented hike like this in the sun was not their idea of fun and relaxation. Especially for people as temperamental as Aido and Ruka.

"Aido! This is my spot!" Ruka started irritably.

"Says who? I don't see your name written on it or anything!" Aido shouted angrily. He was extremely tired and sleepy and would not stand for her crap.

"Why you…" She huffed and turned away, folding her arms.

"Now now you guys…Why are you even acting like that? He isn't here…." Kain stepped forward, taking on the role of the mediator with Ichijo so busy with his damned map. The two of them turned on him and snarled in unison.

"It isn't because Kaname-sama isn't here! It's just that…"

"Frankly, I just don't get along with…"

"Her!"

"Him!"

They shut their mouths at the same time and glowered at one another. Kain stopped himself from putting his face in his hands. Kai's head had jerked up at the mention of Kaname's name.

"Kaname-sama? He's here?"

Ruka grumbled. "He isn't here. He had other business."

"Oh." It had been foolish of her to ask.

"Time to head out again, maties!" Ichijo called out to the group and as quickly as that, they set out further into the jungle. They stepped over tree trunks and bushes that teemed with life, and every now and then, sounds of disgust would come from Aido or Ruka. Kain, Shiki and Kai had no such problem trudging through some of the muddier puddles that laid on the jungle floor. In fact, they were rather indifferent when it came to jumping over obstacles. Each of their reasons was different though.

Kain who was keeping an eye on Ruka and Aido couldn't even be bothered to keep track with what he was going through.

Shiki, on the other hand, just didn't care.

And Kai? Her reason only a little more practical, though it catered to her lazy streak. 'It's ok, as long as I don't have to wash the clothes...'

Soon, Ichijo stopped up ahead. The others were ecstatic. They reached him in only a few seconds, a spring in their steps.

"Are we finally here?" Aido groaned. Just as the question left his mouth, bright flashes appeared all around them and temporarily blinded. Each one swore and grew defensive, furiously blinking their eyes. Kain protectively stepped in front of Ruka and was about to bare his fangs. That is, until they realized that Ichijo, who had been wearing sunglasses was shouting, "GUYS! Calm down! They're just cameras!"

The group finally saw that there were about three people with high-end cameras in their hands, snapping away at random, assitants gophering and handling lighting equipment. What the hell. This was his purpose for bringing them all out? A photo shoot?

"We never agreed to do this, Ichijo…." Ruka expressed her disapproval. "And what are humans doing here?"

Ichijo shook his head and said, "I know, it's already been taken care of. Amaya-sama has granted them a special one day pass. This is Shiki's photo shoot, which I'm pretty sure due to unknown events," He paused and looked at Kai with a grin, "He's already forgotten about."

"Is that true, Shiki?" Kain asked. All heads turned to the man who was still holding his empty pocky box in his hand and was hanging it upside down and shaking it to see if anything else would come out. There was nothing. Disappointed, Shiki threw the box on the ground and looked up to the person who had addressed him.

"What's today?" He asked.

"The eighteenth."

He thought for a second. "I think I do?"

Shiki saw girls that looked the same age as him stare and giggle before turning away to carry on with their tasks. He inwardly sighed, this is why he hardly made friends with girls. He looked up and saw ripe, green bananas hanging above their heads. He saw coconuts too and wondered whether he could go and get them….then a monkey dropped in out of nowhere and snatched the banana he had been eying. It looked at Shiki straight in the eyes and screeched, fleeing from the scene and dropping the banana in the process. But wait, the others were still talking….

"Then why did you bring the rest of us up here?" Aido complained.

"Because! We're going to go and hike up that mountain!" Ichijo explained gleefully, pointing at the mountain that rose almost as tall as the sky about six miled away from them. Ruka, Aido and Kain could hardly believe their eyes. They couldn't stop gaping even as Ichijo pushed them in that direction.

"Isn't that more like a volcano?" Aido whispered, wide-eyed with terror. Ichijo looked at the mountain and tapped his chin with a finger, "Hmmm….perhaps?"

"Wait a second! Is it a dormant or active volcano then?" Ruka said but Ichijo ignored the question and pushed them harder.

"Better get going! Maybe we'll make it to the peak by sundown!"

SUNDOWN?

The three unfortunate vampire hikers thought in dismay.

"Ichijo..." A softspoken voice caught the slavedriver's attention. He turned to find Kai tugging at his shirt sleeve cutely and sighed, what an endearing girl.

"Hmm?" She sounded a bit worried.

"What about me?" She released his sleeve and pointed to herself, almost exactly a mirror of Shiki from before.

"Oh." Ichijo consequently beamed down at her. "Actually, I have a favor to ask you. Do you mind staying behind and helping Shiki here for a little bit. He doesn't like to be alone on set and gets a bit nervous sometimes. Just keep your cousin out of trouble haha."

Kai looked like she would rather get bitten by a snake and it was quite obvious to see that she really felt the need to think over his request. After a long while, she finally murmured okay.

"Thank you, Shiki-chan! We'll see you guys soon!" He looked at the pace the other three were walking and added,

"Errr….which actually may be pretty late at the rate we're going."

The two cousins nodded their head and Ichijo was off! Just like a magician, he vanished from their sight with a sleight of hand. Behind them, Shiki's name was called by a neat woman in a pencil skirt and round-frame glasses. The humans were apparently waiting for him. He began walking and Kai tagged along behind him without a sound.

'What have I gotten myself into…' She thought. She dreaded finding out exactly what because she was sure it'd be painful.

Her premonition was proven right exactly sixty minutes later.

"Kai darling, lift your chin a little higher please! Yes, no…now a little lower! Ah, that's it! Stay still! PERFECT!"

Kai complied with the director's orders, trying not to yawn. The moment the woman with the glasses (whom she had found out was Shiki's agent) had set eyes on her, she was pushed into wardrobe and make-up. They had tossed chunks of clothing at her, all shapes, colours, sizes and fabrics. Not one was the same as the other. She was forced into cropped grey shorts and a white, almost see-through shirt with a lacy neckline. She also had no control when they stuffed her thin arms into a red clipped jacket. They'd removed her shoes, polished her legs, arms, feet and all areas of exposed skin. They ended the torture by topping her off with a black cap.

And here she was. By herself, while Shiki was set up at another site a few feet away.

"Look over here darling!" The director cried out, "That angle does no justice to you! Yes! That's good! Stop right there!"

Cameras flashed all around her and Kai tried her best not to blink. It was annoying enough that after only fifteen minutes, she saw spots of colour behind her eyelids but if she were to mess up somehow...she'd have to redo it all over again. To onlookers, it appeared that she was just absentmindedly staring at the sky. In reality, she was considering potential escape routes.

When the director yelled cut, and the camera took its final photo, Kai was overly relieved. "Break for photo shoot one with Kai! Good job everyone!"

She randomly started walking around, listening in on the workers' meaningless conversations. Photographers, make-up artists and other work hands were conversing freely with one another and greeted her in a friendly manner as she passed. Kai respectfully nodded to them and found herself drawn to the deafening voice of the director who had moved on to see Shiki's shoot. Kai decided to stop by and watch how Shiki "worked".

Leaning against a trunk, Shiki sported a low neck olive green undershirt and black khakis that reached down to mid-calf. Over that, a brown and golden-lined jacket accentuated his thin frame. He stared broodingly at the camera. His entire body was a provocative tool where his shoulders and hands were slightly tilted. Kai could feel, see and hear his breathing as she watched him momentarily bring to a standstill his breathing and remained perfectly still when the camera flashed. Unlike her, it flashed only a few times and then the director called it off, giving Shiki his break now.

"Spectacular, Shiki!" The director gushed, approaching the model as all the others began to put away their things and move to the next site. "Perfecto! Just like your mother! Your expressions are to die for, my lovely boy! They are just too delicious!" The man emphasized this by licking his lips which caused Shiki to turn away in disgust and head over to where Kai was standing.

"He's annoying." Kai commented.

"I know." Shiki sighed, running a hand through his hair and ruining the stylist's efforts to tame his wild hair. "He's also gay…"

"He'd like Ichijo."

"He's already asked me for his number."

"Did you give it?"

"I wouldn't be his friend if I did."

"Ok Everyone!" The person they were talking about was shouting again. "Next shoot is with both models! Get to work people! Chop, chop! Get them into hair and make-up…NOW!"

'I'm a model now..?' Kai thought. She glared at Shiki. "I thought I was just a stand-in..."

Shiki had no time to answer. They were instantaneously pulled away from each other. No make-up could further define their faultless features. The make-up artists saw this as a challenge and tried their best to enhance their natural beauty while the hairstylists made a collective effort on each individual's hair.

Shiki emerged from his tent in a completely different outfit. The theme for the shoot seemed to be "RIPPED", meaning whatever article of clothing he was wearing was in some way, shape or form, ripped to shreds. The black jeans he was wearing? Ripped beyond recognition. The dark gray checkered tee? Shredded everywhere. And what was a white collared long-sleeve, now was treated as decorative remains. One sleeve was practically missing, save for the few threads of fabric that clung closely to define his arms. Shiki lifted his arm up and down to see whether everything would just fall apart. Surreptiously, he felt he was modeling for the zombie apocalypse...yet another idea Ichijo had implanted into his mind. He was moved to the shoot and here, he waited for his partner, trying to look for that monkey.

Kai soon exited her own tent with the confidence of a minnow swimming beside a shark. She had to face those blinding cameras again. Urgh. She arrived on scene, wearing a nude summer dress, dangling silver jewelry adorning her wrists and slender neck. It was a stark contradiction to Shiki's ripped appearance. She found him sitting cross-legged in front of some brush. Shiki looked up at her, waited, and then looked away.

Was something wrong?

"Come now! Sit, Kai!" The director called from behind the camera. "We're about to start."

Start? She unceremoniously dropped beside Shiki and pinched herself.

"Just act natural! Do whatever you like!" The director said.

That did not help.

"What are you doing sitting still?" The director exploded, him and the crew starting to get impatient. And the more he shouted, the more Kai's plans shifted from escape to potential murder designs.

"Just relax…" Shiki whispered in her ear. Kai whipped around.

"What?" She mouthed, her eyes wide. Shiki turned her head to face the camera but she refused. He was the experienced one here…shouldn't he do something? Throwing caution into the wind, Shiki moved out of his cross-legged position and stretched out while simultaneously, placing her straight in front of him. Kai stiffened under his touch, causing him to frown. Did she think his touch was revolting? She tried to wriggle away from his body but he held her tightly in the steel cage of his arms.

"Let go of me…" Kai whispered threateningly, still trying to pull away. Damnit, why was he stronger? She had underestimated those skinny arms.

"Only if you look at me…" Shiki muttered. His hand gripped her chin carefully. His face….so close that their breaths were mixing in the small space between them. She felt herself lean against his chest, a hard wall that supported her weight. She had to be natural… but was it natural to look at him this way?

"Look at me…" Shiki whispered again….even more softly that she wasn't sure if he had actually said it or if she had just imagined those words coming from his lips, they were so close that she could touch them. She lifted a timid finger to his face and drew a line downward, still hesitant of what she should be doing. Again, this begged the question. Was it natural to feel this way….when she knew he was the son of that murderer?

'Yes...' A voice in her mind whispered though at that exact time, another, crueler voice cried out, 'You can't…'

When she became aware of the flashes and clicking of the cameras, it all came back to her.

"Beautiful! Bella!" The director yelled at the top of his lungs, kissing his fingers at the couple on the ground. "The most exquisite expressions come from the both of you! Together! What a wonderful couple! Just breathtaking!" The man continued to sing their praises as Kai little by little extracted herself from Shiki's arms. She has gotten caught up in his pace. That shouldn't have happened.

She came face to face with the director. "Thank you soooooo much! I will definitely use you again, my darling! The pair of you, so feral, so alive, so real! That boy has never looked at another female that way. AH! There he is now! You lovely couple! Where shall you go now? Your girlfriend is a star in the making, Shiki!"

Shiki froze in the act of rolling up his sleeves and stared at the director. Kai was so sure that her own face was showing such an expression as well. The director clucked his tongue at them and said, "Don't tell me…. You two are not together?"

"…"

"My dears….that is completely unbelievable! The chemistry! The raw energy! Don't say that it was all fake? By God, actors are becoming more talented by the day!" He commented though he still had on an incredulous smile. The two of them were at a loss for words.

"We're BACK!"

Everyone jumped and only the director laughed and greeted Ichijo.

"Do you have any plans on becoming a model Ichijo-san, I could take good care of you..." He asked Ichijo, who took a step back and shook his head.

"Ahh, no. I'm fine, thanks."

Disappointed, the director's face brightened at another idea his mind may have concocted. "May I ask where those other three delectable persons of your group are?"

Instantly nervous, Ichijo gulped and said, "Uh, they're a, umm….a little busy at the moment…"

Flashback…

The group, under Ichijo's leadership, had made it to the halfway point of the mountain….and was exhausted from it. They had gone through so much to just get where they were and Ichijo would brook no argument from any of them to turn back now and return to the resort…or at least the photo shoot. Wiping sweat off of his forehead, Ichijo fanned Ruka's hot face with a large leaf as a makeshift fan to cool down her temperature.

"I'm going to die….leave me!" Ruka cried out melodramatically.

"Oh shut it, you drama queen! You're not gonna die!" Aido retorted, now knowing how it feels for others to hear him complain all the time.

"Says you." Ruka coughed.

"It's illogical." Aido stated, sitting on the rough jungle ground. He had long given up caring about his appearance, his face and clothes a smeared mess of mud and leaves strewn in his hair. The rest faired no better, but no one could've kept a positive attitude like Ichijo's.

"We're almost there! We're so close I can smell it!" He exclaimed, pointing at the summit excitedly.

"Whatever it was you smelled, the rest of us aren't…" Kain heaved a sigh and looked around him. It had already been a couple of hours and he worried how Shiki and Kai were faring.

'Better than us, I hope….'

"AHH! OH NO!" Ichijo shouted.

"What is it?" Kain asked tiredly.

"I lost the map!" Ichijo admitted, frowning as he looked all around him.

"Didn't you just have it?

"Yes, I did!"

"Do you have any clue where you dropped it of left it or whatever?" Aido added.

"I don't know…." Contemplative, Ichijo got an idea and cried out, "EUREKA! I've got it! I'll just retrace my steps! Wait here! I'll be right back!" He was gone before anyone could even say anything to stop him…As far as they were concerned, Ichijo could take his time…

Flashback ends…

"...Or at least, that's where I think they are still." Ichijo said, after telling his part of the story.

"Did you find the map?"

Sheepishly, Ichijo rubbed the back of his head and flushed, "Err…"

"What now?" She pressed.

"Um, I found it but then there was some mud on it, so I went to a nearby stream to wash it off in…and then…" He trailed off at that point and Shiki could only imagine what had happened after that.

"You lost your grip and it got washed away...?" Shiki ended the sentence. Ichijo looked at his friend and shook his head.

"No! I'm not that clumsy!" Ichijo defended himself, turning redder.

"..." Experience had provided evidence to prove that that statement wasn't in the least bit true.

"So what happened was that," Ichijo continued on with his story, "I had washed all of the mud off and then I was just laying it out on a stone to dry for a bit. But then I got impatient and started to blow on it so that it could dry faster and while I was holding it up….a monkey took it. And then I tried to bribe him with a banana to give it back! But he wouldn't, so I threw the banana at him! But then he caught it and ran off with my map!"

Everyone around them raised a suspicious eyebrow at Ichijo who began to laugh uneasily again. "He he he…he…he… I'm sorry ok? It wasn't my fault! I'm actually telling the truth!"

"You should've stuck with the river story, Ichijo…" Kai shook her head in disbelief as Shiki shrugged and said, "I believe you."

"Really?" Shiki's faith in him has instantaneously brought up his spirits.

"Nope."

"Shiki..." Ichijo mumbled incomprehensibly and dabbed at false tears in his eyes…. "That's so hurtful…"

Shiki rolled his eyes. "You said that yesterday." He circumnavigated around Ichijo to stare up at the mountain. "You should go get them now…"

"But what if I get lost?" Ichijo said in a fearful voice. "I think you two should come with me and…"

"No." This time, it was Kai who refused. "I'm tired."

Ichijo turned to Shiki who had already gravitated to Kai's side.

"Fine. I see whose side you're on now…I'll just go (sniff sniff) by myself…and look for them… alone…(sniff) in the dark…"

He left at last and then Shiki asked Kai, "Did you feel guilty?"

"No not really. You?"

"Nope."

The director watched the two's straight faces and nearly cried himself. Those two were so expressive! He was so fortunate to see them together before he left.

Shiki and Rima changed back to their original clothes and handed back the outfits as everyone packed up and got ready to leave.

"CIAO, my little darlings!" The director screamed into their ears as he left in the private helicopter he and the crew had arrived in. Neither of the models waved back at him but he didn't care. They had definitely marked a place in his heart.

'He's scary…' Kai thought, reevaluating the notion that he was just plain annoying. She and Shiki would be heading back to the resort now. It was dark already, the sun already having set over the western horizon. Luckily, they knew the way back.

"Stop looking at me." Kai mumbled when they were about halfway through the jungle.

"No."

"Why not?" She inquired aggravatedly.

"There's nothing else better to do…" Shiki replied.

"Nevermind."

Through some miracle, they arrived at the edge of the jungle.

"Shiki, the beach, could we stop by there?"

"Ok." Shiki said shortly after. Why not, they had time to spare.

To Kai's delight, Shiki took off towards the beach, his steps slow but sure. They arrived at the moonlit seaside and walked to the low shoreline. The wind whistled in their ears again, an ever-present entity that kept them company. Kai stepped away from Shiki, walking closer to the shore until the water was touching her shoes. The moon was so achingly exquisite past the cruise ship. Somehow, it reminded her of her mother…

Hana had told her once on a beach much like this: "Each time you spin counterclockwise, each turn robs the planet of its angular momentum and slows down its spin, lengthening the dawn a little bit."

The younger Rima had said, full of a child's ignorance, "Why would I want to do that? I have all the time in the world."

Her mother had laughed and began talking to Rima about her father. She hadn't understood much back then, just that he had died. But looking back at Shiki, she remembered what her mother had said in the end.

"Because one day, you'll wish you could've spent more time with that special person."

Shiki came up next to her.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Dying…" Kai thought aloud.

"...That's cheerful."

She ignored the jab and carried on in all seriousness. "It's like...disappearing."

With the exception of the light sprinkling of stars, the sky was a just a myriad of blue. Those lights, they winked from their lofty perches and Kai smiled.

"I think…." He started and then stopped. And then started again. And then stopped himself for a second time.

"Hmm?"

"No, it's nothing. Why would you want to make time longer?" He then murmur inaudibly, his words mirroring that same naïve question Kai herself had asked her mother so many years ago.

'Why?' She considered the question. But she couldn't say the answer to him, not out loud when they were lying next to each other in this warm sand so at ease. Some words would ruin everything.

"To live longer." She lied. But the moment she said it, Kai suddenly became afraid that Shiki might've heard the falseness in her voice. She twisted her head to face the other direction and stared at the grains of sand. His hand covered hers, his hair blowing over his face when an imperceptible breeze blew over their bodies.

Shiki gripped her hand tightly in his and said, "Why?"

When he saw her eyes shift uneasily, he squeezed her hand again and then released it altogether from his grip and said no more.

Once he let go, Kai's hand felt at a loss. She wanted to say more but couldn't. Her mother had to lose Father to say those words, but Kai would lose everything before she could ever speak them.