NXD Case 1:

Stealing Soft Toy Part 2

"Please listen to me," Yuuki repeated, "I am a theif that wishes to co-operate with you."

Akatsui Kain didn't move, closing his eyes, he shifted his neck towards the knife, causing Yuuki to pull away from him. "You don't have the guts to kill me then, Miss Theif."

Yuuki shuddered, her body shook a little and suddenly she was hysterically laughing. She put away her knife, "I admire your courage. I don't intend to do anything at all tonight, and I don't plan to steal anything of yours either."

"W-Wha-" Aidou gasped out of disbelief from the side. "Y-yuuki we are here to stea-"

"There's been an interesting story told to us," Zero said cutting Aidou off. He closed the distance between him and Kain, "Akatsuki Kain, I believe you know someone called Lanker."

Akatsuki Kain got up from the floor, walking deeper into the apartment, away from Zero, "don't relate me to someone like him."

"He was the one who said you stole his girlfriend's gift away from him and refused to return it," Zero continued, "Lanker then hired us to steal it back from you."

There was silence. The atmosphere growing uneasy. Yuuki finally broke that, "I won't be helping Lanker."

Aidou's jaw almost dropped off as he gaped, unable to speak and understand what Yuuki had just said. Even Kain turned around to stare at her.

A smiling Zero began to walk towards the door, "You pass, Yuuki Cross."

"Of course, I finally realised why you asked Lanker that question," Yuuki said. She turned to give him a smile, quoting him "the object a girl made. Even-though it was obvious that the soft toy he was describing was made by a girl, you still asked. Normally, a person would just name who gave them the gift right? Something like, the soft toy my girlfriend gave me, but he didn't do that. When he replied, he still didn't identify who gave it to him but just a simple Yeah. It can only mean one thing, no one gave him the soft toy in the first place. It isn't his property."

Zero's smile grew, "then as promised, I'll deal with the exterior stuff."

Yuuki nodded. Aidou constantly looked back and forth from the two, until he got a little dizzy and he couldn't help but protest, "you two are leaving me out again...UNFAIR!"

Yuuki shot him a 'be quiet you underling look' that solidified Aidou on the spot.

Kain finally spoke, "why?" He kept his eye on Yuuki, "why are you here if you refuse to help Lanker?"

"Because," Yuuki began, "I hate being used by people to do their dirty work. Instead I feel like going against them. That's all."

"Please leave," Kain said, "it's enough already that your not helping him."

"But he won't rest. That soft toy is something he seems to want. Today he can hire me to steal it, but the next he could ask anyone, who'll be more dangerous. I believe we're not the first to come either."

Kain walked over to a cupboard, opened a drawer and took out a soft toy. He stood there staring at it with a painfull expression.

Yuuki pressed on, "You must be tired of him pursuing you all the time. Don't you want to end everything. Let us help you."

Kain took a long heavy sigh, suddenly feeling the urge to tell someone everything he's been keeping to himself. He gestured for Yuuki and Aidou to sit down as he strolled and closed the door; he himself leaned on a wall, staring into space.

"I'm Yuuki Cross and the guy whose frozen stiff here is a tag-along, Aidou Hanabusa. The guy that left is called Zero Kiryuu, my partner."

Kain gave a light nod, "would you listen to my story?"

Yuuki returned the light nod. She fiddled with her hair around the ear. Aidou now looked at Kain now instead of the floor.

"Lanker, me and Boa were best friends. We were really close to eachother, always together wherever we went and always joking around," Kain closed his eyes, having flash-backs of his past. "Do you think a boy and a girl could remain friends forever?"

"You and Lanker started to develop feelings more than like towards Boa," Yuuki stated in response.

Kain sighed, "yeah. But our situations were different. Lanker and I found out that the both of us liked Boa and we agreed to do things fairly. We'd both confess and whoever she chooses, the other will accept. Neither of us knew at the time that Boa's parents were planning to move to Canada. Before she left, she secretly met me and gave me this goodbye gift."

"Hold it," Aidou finally said, suddenly interested in the story, "how has that got anything to do with Lanker?"

"It was a trick played by Boa wasn't it?" Yuuki asked, "you don't hate her for it?"

Aidou stared from Kain to Yuuki, "what are you two on about?"

Yuuki stood up and straightened her skirt, "Boa, at the time couldn't decide which she liked. However, she fancied the idea of having both of their affection. But still she was afraid, if she didn't choose, then she'd loose both. She decided to give Kain the soft toy first. At least then, she'd be certain of not loosing one of them." Yuuki tapped her feet a little. "The crucial part comes in now. Something must've happened between Boa and Lanker as well. So when Lanker learns Kain recieved the soft toy from Boa, he believes it should be his instead."

Kain took over again, "Lanker told me, Boa confessed her love for him and demanded me return the soft toy, what originally belonged to him. I was puzzled at first; then allowed my own feelings to cloud my logic. I also believed Boa loved me at first so I refused to give this to Lanker, but as time went by, I slowly realised Boa's little trick. The only item she left here is this soft toy. By confessing her love to the both of us, making Lanker and I both think we are the one..." Kain paused for a second, "The both of us would fight to take the soft toy, the only thing to prove Boa was ever here and loved us. Neither of us in that way would forget her. That was what she was afraid of. Even though I understand her thought, her method was wrong and I began to reconsider Boa, my love for her seemed to disappear too. I guess I'm pityful aren't I?"

Yuuki stared at Kain, "you're keeping the soft toy not because you still love Boa, but you're hoping Lanker would one day have the courage to find you himself to steal it back. The only chance for you to meet him and for the both of you to make up. You don't want to loose Lanker as a friend, am I right?"

Kain gave a light smile.

Yuuki played with her hair again. Thankyou Zero, she whispered to herself as she pulled out a ear-piece, unnoticed by the two.

Aidou suddenly jumped up from the couch, "ALRIGHT! Mr. Kain, I was extremely touched by you're story and I've decided to help you get back together with Lanker. Just follow my orders and let us begin."

xx X xx

Zero closed his mobile and refocussed on Rima, who was now before him. Her stunned and uneasy experssion reflected from his light purplish eyes, in which she could not look away from.

Zero said, "I knew you were following us all along. I let you play your own game for longer because I felt kind, but it ends here."

Rima felt a odd shiver through her body. Was she scared of him? Ever since Zero Kiryuu had took off his black glasses to reveal his eyes, she felt haunted and cold. She'd never felt that way around him before, when he covered his eyes. Was it those eyes of his that was making her uncomfortable or was it because of his face, that was so unexpectedly handsome, so mysterious but yet, deathly unreachable. Rima lightly bit her lips and tried to recompose herself. She smirked, "so I'm guessing the other one on the phone was Yuuki Cross." Rima clicked her tongue and imitated him, "Yuuki, say this out loud, repeat every word I say. Boa, at the time couldn't decide which she liked. However, she fancied the idea of having both of their affection... Zero Kiryuu, what was all that about?"

"Does it matter?" Zero asked back. "Doesn't change the fact that I knew you were tagging all along."

Rima gave up on acting as though she was unaffected, "no wonder they call you the nerd. You really are very clever. I underestimated that ability of yours."

Zero put his black glasses back on, in which Rima immediately felt released and free. She wasn't as cold as she was when she stared into those eyes.

"I know you have some bad intentions for the NXD, or at least I know you want something interesting to happen. Don't bother following us. It's a waste of your time." Zero turned to head back to Kain's apartment, "however I sense someone behind the scene is about to put on a big show and your going to contribute to it. A word of advice though, Yuuki Cross is no weakling.

Rima gulped watching Zero walk off, "what are you implying? Zero Kiryuu, answer me."

"I'll look forward to the trouble," was his final words before he entered the apartment.

Rima turned for her car. Something interesting, that's right, I do want something interesting to happen, but I don't wish to set eyes upon those eyes again, nor that face. A beautiful face that marks one's end.