Chapter 10

Thanks Miss/Mr. guest. Can you tell me your real name? I will enjoy talking to you too.

Thanks Miss Zoe. I am always interested to know about others. Thanks for telling me. You know, I am always rather jealous of popular handsome boys, because they have a line of cute-beautiful girls behind them. I have never been interested in boys myself. And the bond between us is because of this awesome manga. Thanks to HNG. I had a bad fight with my father today because of a trivial matter. I feel that wasn't a matter to fight at all. We both, father and me, have a very ill temper (and this is an inherited trait). I know that this is a boring matter but do you fight with your father/mother too? And the way you told that you know Japanese by reading manga and anime, are you not Japanese yourself? I thought you are.

Hayate was more shocked than anyone else. "It...It says it will kill me!" Hayate stammered.

"What kind of a joke is this?! No I...I mean who will write Hayate's name in bloody red ink?" Hinagiku asked.

"That's not all Katsura-san. There is more to it." Maria said. Saying so she inverted that letter. The back side had more writing for Hayate. He hastily took that letter. "Read aloud Hayate. I wanna hear it." Hinagiku said.

"Okay." Hayate nodded and read it aloud.

'Hayate Ayasaki. I hope you are reading this letter at this moment. I wrote it especially for you to read. The fact is that I have Nagi Sanzenin with me. It's not as if I have kidnapped her, but she has come willingly with me. The girl wants to take revenge over you; at least that's what she says to me. I won't harm her so don't be scared. She is and will be staying with me from today. So, if you want a last glimpse of your precious mistress then you'd better come near Hatsushi building. There is a park over there. She and I will be waiting for you over there. The time is 10pm, sharp. Don't be late, or else even this one last chance will slip out of your hands and come alone.

Yours ever,

Haru Takanashi.'

"Is that all there is to it?" Hayate said after completing the letter. "Oh yes. Nothing else was sent." Maria said. "But I wonder who this Haru Takanashi is." He said.

"Oh, I know. He is a new student in our college. He is a rather suave person. All the girls fawn over him. I heard that he is interested in Nagi from the very beginning." Hinagiku explained.

"What?" Maria exclaimed. "I hope he doesn't hurt her."

Hayate said nothing. He has put on a grim and thoughtful face. "You aren't thinking of going there, are you?" Hinagiku asked. "No, don't Hayate. Who knows, he might not have Nagi after all." Maria advised.

"We won't know until someone goes there to verify it. Moreover I think that he is not lying about having Miss Nagi." He said.

"But you mustn't go alone." Hinagiku said. "I'll go with you."

"No. I'll handle it. She is my mistress after all." He said.

It was 9:45pm. Nagi looked at the clock tower and sighed. "Fifteen minutes left." She thought. "Should we actually stay here? I guess he won't come." She said. Haru was looking at the starry sky above. It doesn't snow anymore and it was a clear sky. Both of them were sitting on the bench of the park near Hatsushi building. It was a dilapidated building in which stayed no one except rats, mice, some abandoned cats and wild dogs. The howling of the dogs, mewing of the cats and the hooting of the owl made Nagi shriek in fright. "Don't worry, Nagi. No one will harm you." Haru said. He wrapped his arm on her neck and said, "I'll protect you." "No need, Takanashi. I can protect myself." Nagi said in an outer-only confident way. She was shaking in fright but won't say it near Haru. She brushed his arm off her shoulder. But Haru is not someone who would give up so soon. He said, "Nagi, just admit it. You are scared of the dark. That puny butler of yours might come but that time I don't want him to see a dead you, dead with fright. So just belief in me. I'll..."

"Mr Takanashi, I am not here to debate. I am here to do an important job. So stop saying unnecessary things." Nagi replied in an irritated way.

They didn't have to wait long, thought. It was 5 minutes before 10 pm when they heard the footsteps of someone advancing towards them. "He's here." Said Haru with a smug. Nagi stood up as Hayate advanced towards them. "I am here, Takanashi." He said. "I can see. It's good that you kept your promise. Good." Haru said.

"What do you want me to do? Haru, you said you will tell me after Hayate comes." Nagi said. Haru stared at Nagi and said, "I guess you remember how we met. I will definitely take that revenge, and I am going to take it now." Haru said. He put his right hand inside the pocket of his coat. Hayate felt he will take out some knife and took his fighting stance. But he was wrong. What Haru took out was a piece of paper. "I want Nagi Sanzenin to sign on this paper."

The wind blew quite fast blowing away the dead leaves off the ground. Nagi stood still while Hayate asked, "What's that? Is that some kind of a contract?" "Yeah. It's the requirement. This contract will prove that Ayasaki Hayate is no longer the butler of Sanzenin Nagi and that she is no longer a Sanzenin or a mistress. She belongs to me." Haru said.

"What? What do you mean by I belong to you? You most certainly don't mean that I will be you maid now, do you?" Nagi shrieked. "And even if you wanted me to sign that, what was the need to call him?" she said, pointing at Hayate. "There was the need, my love. If I hadn't then how would I have showed him that you have sworn to be under me?" Haru said giggling.

"What...what? You have called me here to show me that contract being signed by my mistress? If you think I will just watch that then you are wrong. My mistress will never sign that!" said Hayate in a loud voice.

"You can't do anything about that, Ayasaki! Now Nagi, sign this." Haru ordered.

Nagi stared at the contract with confused eyes. She was brought to a stuffy dark mansion yesterday by Haru. He had kept her alone in a dark corner and told her that a surprise was waiting for her. But she didn't knew it was that surprise. She didn't understand what to do. If she would have been the previous Nagi Sanzenin then she would never have thought second time before declining that offer, but now she doesn't want to be with Hayate either. She looked with droopy eyes towards the ground and said nothing.

"Why are you hesitating mistress? Deny this stupid person and come with me. Maria's worried about you. Let's go home together. " Hayate shouted.

"Yes, why are you hesitating, Nagi? Come on sign this up." Haru retorted.

Nagi clutched the piece of cloth about her heart. She didn't know why but she didn't feel like listening to Hayate.

"Mistress!" Hayate shouted again.

"Shut up! I won't listen to you Hayate! You have done nothing but always break my heart. Have you ever, ever thought about me, about my feelings? You just don't care about anyone but only yourself, you selfish person! You have not broken my heart once but many times. I truly, truly hate you." Nagi screamed.

Hayate became still. He didn't believe his ears. She said all that so easily! She said she hates him! She said he broke her heart many times! How could she...

Nagi took one last look at Hayate and advanced towards Haru. "Gimme that piece of paper. I am going to sign it now, before him." She said. Haru stretched his hands to give her that paper and a pen. She took those things and without even reading it signed it. "There." She said handing Haru that thing and went towards the car in which they had come.

Haru smiled a smirk looking at Hayate. "How does it feel to be insulted by the most important person in your life? I bet it hurts, right? Well that was your last meeting with her. She is now my property!" saying all that Haru went away.

Hayate stood like a statue. He...he didn't believe himself. Not able to stand anymore, he fell on his knees. "But why? She doesn't believe in me anymore! Why?"