Pinkshuchan: Hey guys! Pinkshuchan here! Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 24

Vacation Romance

The morning after the storm was absolutely breathtaking. Not a single cloud remained in the sky as the seagulls flew. The waves of the ocean were also calm, welcoming to anyone that may want to jump in. It was a serene sight.

A groan escaped his lips as Kai woke up from his pleasant slumber. The first thing he saw was not the clear sky or the ocean, but a sight he found even more beautiful. Snuggled in his arms was Aichi, still fast asleep, wearing nothing but his underwear, his thin body fully exposed for the brunet to gaze at. Kai couldn't keep his eyes off that sleeping figure. He ran his fingers through the younger male's soft blue hair; his heart feeling lighter with every strand he brushed.

The night before had felt like a dream. He was convinced that Aichi would want nothing to do with him after everything that happened or be repulsed by the burns on his body. He had feared that he would only be seen as a monster in the cerulean eyes he loved gazing at. But this was reality, and the truth was that Aichi had accepted the brunet for who he was. There were no words to describe how happy Kai was feeling.

As much as he didn't want to disturb the sleeping boy who looked so peaceful, the older male knew he had to. Now that the storm has cleared up, they needed to return to the others to assure them that they were okay. Kai began tapping the blue haired male's shoulder, calling his name in a soft tone but still loud enough to be heard. Aichi groaned before rolling onto his back and his eyes fluttered open; cerulean meeting teal.

"Morning…" Aichi greeted the other male groggily with a smile.

Kai smiled back. "Morning."

The blue haired male raised his hand and caressed the older male's cheek. Kai leaned into the touch, desiring the warmth that radiated from it. Aichi brought his other hand to Kai's other cheek and pulled the latter's head forward so that their lips met. The brunet let out a pleased hum as they kissed; pulling the younger male up from the ground so the smaller of the two was sitting on his lap. They kissed for a couple minutes (just enough that Kai wouldn't lose control from it) before the taller male pulled away.

"The storm has lifted." he pointed out. "We should get going."

Aichi glanced at the cave entrance. "So it has."

Kai placed a kiss on the top of the blue haired male's head before helping him up on his feet. Now that they were both standing, Kai walked over to where he put the clothes. He gathered Aichi's wet clothes and then tossed them over to him before putting on his own. Once they were fully dressed, they did one last check to make sure they didn't miss anything before leaving the cave and were on their way to the resort.

Now that the storm has passed, it was easier for them to figure out where they were. Luckily, the beach they were at wasn't too far from the resort though would still be quite a walk. Not wanting to waste any time, they immediately began walking to the direction of the building. As soon as they made it halfway, Aichi let out a huge yawn as he began to sway.

"Are you still tired?" Kai asked.

"A little…" Aichi muttered. "I didn't sleep well the night before. I had…" Another yawn. "... a lot of things on my mind. But it's been settled now."

"Has it?"

The younger male gave a tired smile. "We are together again, right?"

Kai was at a loss for words. Why was it that every little thing the winged prince did would fill him with so much joy? He walked closer to the blue haired boy and knelt down with his back facing him. "I'll carry you the rest of the way so you can get some more sleep.

Aichi was surprised with the sudden suggestion. "No, it's fine." he replied. "I can walk the rest of the way."

"You're not really convincing me with your legs wobbling like that."

As if on cue, Aichi's legs gave way and he fell on Kai's back. The sudden force caused the brunet to fall forward, letting out a big "Oof!" as he hit the ground. Kai turned his head to look at the younger male. "And you said you were fine to walk the rest of the way…"

The blue haired male let out a sheepish laugh. He hated how pathetic he looked in front of Kai. The older male had gone days without proper sleep and yet he always seemed okay. Aichi wanted to appear strong to look worthy of being by Kai's side. As he was deep in his thoughts, he didn't realize the brunet standing up with the prince still on his back until he spoke up.

"Just sleep." Kai told him. "This might be your only chance knowing Miwa and the others. They probably have something planned for us once we get back."

"Possibly…" Aichi rested his head on Kai's shoulder as the latter began walking. "I tend to always cause trouble for you, don't I?"

"You do." Kai replied bluntly, receiving a crestfallen sigh from the blue haired male. "But you've also gotten us out of trouble, like what happened last night. I would… probably be dead by now if it wasn't for you. Thank you."

"I should be thanking you!" Aichi exclaimed. "We fell into the ocean and you got us back to shore, taking shelter in the cave right?"

"But that was after you saved me when I was hanging for dear life on the cliff."

"But you freed me from Kyou's grasp by breathing fire out of the blue!"

"And then you used your light magic to stop them dead in their tracks. Believe me, Aichi. We got out of that situation mainly because of you."

Aichi was silent for a minute. "... What do you mean I used my light magic?"

Kai stopped walking. "Yeah, Kyou tried to attack us again and you used your magic to create an explosion of light to stop him in his tracks."

"... An explosion of light? I can't do that."

Teal eyes widened. "What do you mean? You did that against the Black Winged Clan. Don't you remember? Your eyes began glowing and then you shot some magic out of your hand to create that explosion."

Aichi grew confused. "I remember everything until after you breathed fire on Kyou's dark magic. The next thing I remember…" He stopped. He couldn't tell Kai about the red creature he briefly saw when he opened his eyes. He didn't even know if it was real or if it was a dream. He didn't want to worry the brunet more than he already had.

"The next thing you remember…?" Kai repeated.

"... I was in the cave with you." Aichi responded.

Kai was silent for a minute. "So you forgot about it… Admittedly, it didn't seem like you were yourself when you cast your magic. You acted that way when you scored the win for us during the volleyball match."

"Did I?" Slender hands gripped tighter. "I don't remember winning the match either… And it's not just that. How I was able to speak your language, how I'm able to speak to animals; I don't know how I'm able to do that either. And as far as I know, I'm the only one that can do that…"

Tired from all the talking, Aichi finally fell asleep. Kai lowered his head, looking down at the sand below him as he walked. It seemed like the longer they know each other, the more they learn how similar they are. Aichi was like him; an outcast among his people, capable of things no one else could accomplish. He frowned. He wished there was something he could do to help ease the young prince of his misery. But what could he do? He had just as much knowledge on Aichi's powers as the person in question did.

As he contemplated what to do, they eventually made it back to the resort. Kai freed one hand to open the front door and headed to their room. As soon as he reached the room door, he was greeted by two familiar faces.

"There you are!" Morikawa cried out with Izaki following right behind him. "What happened to-?!"

Kai shushed them before gesturing to the sleeping boy on his back. Understanding what was going on, the two males moved out of the way so Kai could take Aichi to one of the futons and tucked him in. As he did so, Miwa and Tsukiko, who had heard Morikawa's outburst, had appeared in front of the door from their room.

They all watched in awe as Kai made sure the sleeping blue haired boy was comfortable; a gentle, loving expression shown all over his face. None of them knew what had happened during the time the two were gone, but whatever it was seemed to be good. Tsukiko told Miwa and the others that she wished to speak to Kai alone. With no hesitation, the three males left; the only people remaining were the blonde woman, the spiky haired brunet, and the sleeping male.

"Where were you?" Tsukiko asked in a quiet voice, not wanting to disturb Aichi from his slumber.

Kai was unsure in how to respond. He couldn't tell her they had a run in with some guys and almost got themselves killed. However, he couldn't lie to her either. "... We got into some trouble and since we didn't know where to go with the storm, we took shelter in a nearby cave."

Unbeknownst to him, the older woman knew he wasn't being completely honest with her. She didn't let it bother her though. She could understand why he was. As far as Kai was concerned, she and Miwa were ordinary humans. She couldn't tell him otherwise or that would lead to a discussion she wished to avoid; the topic of who Kai really was. She crossed her arms, looking down at the ground. "I was worried sick… I was afraid something bad might've happened to you… that you would've ended up the same as…"

She didn't need to continue. Kai understood exactly what she meant. He looked up at the ceiling. "I suppose if I did, I could give the old man hell for the way he had always treated me."

"Do not joke about that!" Tsukiko snapped before realizing her volume as soon as she heard Aichi groan in his sleep, and thus tried to lower her voice back down. "I loved your parents. They were like a family I never had, always being there for me in times of distress and even helped me when I was pregnant with Taishi. And…" She walked over to Kai and pulled him into a big embrace. "I love you, Toshiki. You are the child of the people I love. When they…" Tears began to fall down her cheeks. "... When they died, I had felt like I had also died that day. I didn't just lose two precious friends; I had lost a part of my family. And Toshiki… I don't want to lose you like I lost them… And when you didn't come back last night with the others… I..."

Kai just stood in silence as the woman holding him cried. He had no idea on how to respond. He wasn't that good at comforting people. He could only stand there like a statue as Tsukiko let out all her tears. He just hoped all this wouldn't wake Aichi up and was relieved to see that it hadn't.

After some time had passed, Tsukiko eventually calmed down. "I apologize." she said, letting out a sniffle. "Just please promise me you'll try not to scare me like that again."

The brunet remained silent. He wasn't sure if he could promise something he had no control over. However, he replied with a simple nod to help ease her insecurity. The blonde woman took it as a yes and began to walk out the door. But before she closed the door and left, she said one more thing.

"Meet us at the dining hall once Aichi is awake."

Once Tsukiko was gone, Kai took a few steps before lying down beside Aichi, staring at the sleeping boy's face. Staring at his sleeping face brought back so many memories of the night he found him rising from the lake in the park. He couldn't believe half a month had already passed. In just another half month, Aichi would be returning to the Cloudlands. This brought a bittersweet feeling onto Kai. He would be happy to see Aichi finally get to return home, but that would mean they would be separated from each other for another month at least.

And that wasn't all. If the Gold Winged Clan were as strict as Aichi said, then it was possible that they would be separated for longer. It was possible that they might make sure Aichi never returns to Earth. He didn't want that. He didn't want to lose Aichi. Despite that though, he had meant it before when he said he wished not to force the winged prince to stay by his side on Earth. He knew how much Aichi loved flying and and he didn't want to take that away from him. He didn't know what to do.

His thoughts were interrupted as he noticed cerulean eyes opening. The two of them were staring for a minute before Kai spoke up. "I didn't wake you up, did I?"

Aichi shook his head. "No. I just felt like waking up." He sat up and looked around. "Where is everyone?"

"Miss Tsukiko told me we should meet with them in the dining hall once you were awake." Kai replied. His eyes then widened as he realized something. "But first, there's something I need to give you."

He got up, walked over to his bag, and digged through to grab something. Aichi stood up as well and walked over to the older male, curious of what he was going to be given. Once he found what he was looking for, he pulled it out and handed it over. It was the dragon pendant.

Aichi gasped as he took it off Kai's hand. "I can't believe I had almost forgotten this…"

"You should keep it safe with you." said Kai. "After all, isn't it a precious memento?"

Cerulean eyes gazed at him with surprise. He was right. This pendant was supposed to be a memento of sorts. But a memento of what? And how did Kai know it was a memento? So many questions keep popping up and it was frustrating him. But he didn't want to worry Kai so he kept it bottled up. Instead, he held the pendant close to his chest and responded with a thank you.

As Kai was about to go through his bag for a change of clothes (he suggested that it would be a good idea that they change so they're not wearing the same clothes two days in a row), a familiar object came into view. It was the Cloudlands book. He had a realization.

"Aichi?" he called out to the blue haired boy. "There's something I want you to look at."

Confused as to what he could mean, Aichi walked over and looked at the object in Kai's hands. Upon seeing what it was, he let out another gasp as he took the book out of the brunet's hands and examined it. "This book... this is a book from the Cloudlands, no doubt about it! And the cover… the texture of the wood and how it's carved… I've only seen it with some of the more ancient books of one hundred thousand years ago. It's even more apparent with how worn the pages are." He faced Kai. "How did a book from the Cloudlands make its way here? And how did it end up in your possession?"

The older male shook his head. "I can't answer that first question. As for the second question, it was given to me as an early birthday gift… from Miss Tsukiko."

Cerulean eyes widened. "Miss Tsukiko? But then how did she get her hands on this book?"

"I don't know," Kai replied, "But I have to admit, she's starting to appear suspicious when I think about it."

Aichi looked confused. "What do you mean?"

The older male looked at the blue haired male. "Well, think about it. She had possession of a book from the Cloudlands. And she has been raising me, who isn't actually human. I don't believe she couldn't have known about me. She's an old family friend." Teal eyes widened. "Wait… the day after you and her met; the day I brought back food and the fan… she asked me some personal questions…"

"Personal questions?"

"Anything regarding my memories or my health, like…" The brunet ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to remember. "Random pains, unable to breathe at times… feeling faint… a hard time sleeping... and telling me that if that were to happen… to tell her before it was… too… late..."

Kai's words slowed down as he realized something. His eyes met Aichi's, who also seemed to realize it too as he heard it. Every single thing Kai had listed off had been happening to him these past few days. So it was true; Tsukiko had to have known something. The older male began marching towards the door, determined to know was up. But before he could leave, Aichi blocked his way.

"Wait, Kai!" the blue haired male cried out. "I don't think it's a good idea to confront her just yet."

Kai stared at him in confused frustration. "What do you mean?!" he asked. "She knows something! I know she does!"

"I just think we should hold off until after the trip; wait until we can talk to her face to face without any interruptions. We have plenty of time to talk with her after the trip."

"We have half a month and rehearsal for the play will take up a lot of that time. It's going to fly by quickly."

"I'm sure we can squeeze a bit of time." Aichi took Kai's hands into his, giving him a loving smile. "Besides… this is the last day. I want to spend it with you."

Kai's heart melted seeing that smile. "But what about the book? Don't you want to hurry and read it?"

"I can do so tonight. But right now…" He gave the bigger hands a little squeeze. "I want to go out and have fun with you. Is that bad?"

The older male adjusted his hands so that it was his hands that wrapped themselves around the other boy's. He smiled. "Not at all. If you'll have me, I'd be more than happy to spend the last day of the trip with you."

Aichi stepped closer until there was barely any distance, staring deep into each other's eyes. "There's no one else I'd rather spend it with." They wrapped their arms around each other as they pulled each other into a long, passionate kiss. As they kissed, the warmth they felt as they pressed their bodies against each other radiating off themselves, melding together as if it were the warmth of a single entity. They were so deeply infatuated with each other and in their own little world, they didn't notice someone walking in until they heard a whistle, snapping them out of their trance.

"Wow! We leave you alone for a bit and you end up making out in front of the door. You two are quite something."

The two males pulled away in a flash as they looked over to see Miwa standing there at the door; a giant grin planted on his face. Aichi's face was glowing red in embarrassment upon being caught by the blond male, averting his eyes to his ground. Kai on the other hand was rather annoyed that his best friend showed up when he did, but at the same time was a little relieved they were stopped before the brunet would lose control again.

"Hurry up and change your clothes!" Miwa continued. "We shouldn't waste a second of this trip!"

Kai looked over at Aichi, who was still embarrassed. He then looked back at the blond male. "Miwa? Mind if I talk with you alone in your room for a minute?"

Miwa's eyes widened. He pretended to be shy. "Wow, Kai! Asking me to invite you to my room alone in front of your new boyfriend? I had no idea you were the kind of guy that would openly cheat on your lover."

"Not like that, idiot!" Kai snapped. "I need to talk to you in private about something I can't talk about in front of..."

A chuckle escaped Miwa's mouth. "I'm just messing with you, buddy. Yeah, we can talk for a bit." He looked over at the blue haired male. "Hope you don't mind, Aichi."

Aichi, who had slightly recovered, shook his head. "Why would I mind? I'm fine waiting."

Confident that Aichi would be okay, the two older males walked out and headed into Miwa and Tsukiko's room. Once they were sure they would have some privacy, Miwa was the first to speak up. "So what did you want to talk about, Kai?"

Kai stood there with his arms crossed; an expression even more serious than it usually was. "What is it that you want?"

The blond male was confused. "What do you mean?"

"We made a bet on whether Aichi and I would end up together again or not. Well, we're together again, so you won the bet. You never said what you wanted if you won. So I'm asking you what you want."

Miwa scratched his head. "Gee Kai. In all honesty, I never really wanted anything from you making this bet. I just wanted to help you get back together with Aichi. You don't have to give me anything."

The brunet scowled. "I won't accept that. You won the bet so you should get something out of it."

"Well, in that case…" Miwa began to ponder. A grin grew on his face as soon as he knew what he wanted. "... I want you to take back your role as Draco. It would be great if you did."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "That's it? Surely you have something else."

"Then I also want you to say that I'm the most awesome friend you've ever had."

The room became silent. "... What do you gain from all this? You have to have a reason."

Silence filled the room once again. After a minute, Miwa, whose expression grew more serious, left out a big sigh. "When we were kids, you were someone who had this air of confidence to him; who would always smile no matter how bleak something got. And whenever I was with you… I was proud. I wanted to brag and say 'Hey! This awesome guy is my best friend; my brother!' And then ten years ago happened and… well, you know.

"Ever since you met Aichi, you've been slowly reverting back to the way you were before. You've been smiling a lot more and you've been a lot friendlier. I don't expect you to go back exactly to who you were ten years ago, but I'd like to see some of the old Kai back. After all, you're my friend, and your happiness is my happiness."

Kai was left speechless. It was true a few days ago Miwa had expressed how much he cared for the brunet; how he'd do anything for him, but what he did the day before proved how far he was willing to go for his friend and brother. It brought a feeling to Kai that words couldn't express. It was a deep, emotional bond, but not in the same way he felt towards Aichi. With Aichi, it was as if he had found a missing part of himself he never knew he lost. But with Miwa, it was like a form of camaraderie; a brotherhood.

"... Miwa?" Kai spoke up. He stared down at the floor, embarrassed with what he was about to say, for he was about to say something he needed to get off his chest for a long time but was unable to do so until this moment. "... Thanks for being there for me."

The blond male smiled. He walked towards his friend and gave him a good pat on the shoulder. "Anytime, buddy." His smile grew a mischievous grin. "Now, you need to say that I'm the most awesome friend you've ever had."

The brunet scowled at his friend. "You've gotta be kidding…"

"A deal's a deal, Kai." Miwa replied, his grin not faltering. "I told you what I wanted for winning this bet. It's time for you to pay up. Besides, it's fun to see you get all embarrassed."

"What happened to all that stuff you said earlier?"

"What can I say? I love to tease you. You shouldn't expect anything less from me."

After a few minutes of annoying him, Miwa was able to get Kai to say what he wanted him to say, though the latter wasn't too enthusiastic about saying it. The blond male accepted it with a bright smile and the two left the room to be greeted by Aichi, who had changed his clothes and had been waiting outside for them patiently. Kai went into the room to change his own clothes while Aichi and Miwa waited outside for him. As they waited, a question had been nagging in Aichi's mind as he looked over at the older male beside him. If Tsukiko seemed to know something about Kai's origins, Miwa had to know as well. After all, with how close the two were, it would be a surprise if he didn't know anything. Aichi took a deep breath, prepared to take the plunge.

"Um, Miwa?" he spoke up, getting the other male's attention. "I'm guessing since you and Kai have known each other for a long time, that you know about… well, you know… what Kai hides under his shirt…?"

Miwa raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want to know? Because if you want to tell you, I'm afraid I-!"

Aichi shook his head. "That wasn't what I… I mean, maybe if there's any details you know of that Kai doesn't remember… but I mean-!"

"Wait, wait, wait!" It was Miwa's turn to interrupt, appearing rather surprised. "Did Kai show you?" The blue haired male paused before giving a small nod. The older male smiled. "So, he opened up to you on that front. The fact that he did that really shows how much he likes and trusts you." He averted his gaze as he frowned. "Sadly though, I can't really tell you more than what Kai has told you."

The younger male felt touched with the first part but grew confused with the second part. "Why not?" he asked. "He told me he didn't remember much of the incident and I'm sure he'd like to know details of what happened."

Guilt welled up within Miwa. He wanted nothing more than to tell Kai the truth about everything; his origin, his past, everything that led to this very moment. As much as he wanted to though, he couldn't. His mother gave him strict instructions not to tell in fear of what could possibly happen, especially after what happened ten years ago. He kept silent, afraid that if he opened his mouth, everything would spill.

He wouldn't have to keep silent for long though, for Kai had finished getting dressed in clean clothes and had went out to meet them. With all three of them ready, they headed out to the dining hall where the others were waiting for them. Like the previous night, the room was bustling with the amount of people there with the sound of karaoke flooding the room, though the line for karaoke was not as big as it was before. Miwa, Morikawa, and Izaki were having fun discussing over what to do on their final day at the resort, not wanting to waste any time. Tsukiko appeared to be looking over her phone while taking a bite of her meal every couple of minutes. Kai remained silent, focusing on his food, completely uninterested with everything around him.

At least, that seemed to be the case until he felt something warm wrap around his hand under the table. He looked down to see a smaller hand holding his belonging only to the blue haired male sitting beside him. Kai looked back up to see Aichi giving him a small smile before averting his gaze with red cheeks. The brunet felt his own cheeks heat up with slight embarrassment. He couldn't believe Aichi would be so bold to hold his hand in public like this. Regardless, he was touched by the younger male's affectionate actions and returned it by giving the smaller hand a little squeeze. No one seemed to notice, as if the two were a part of a world separate from everything else going on.

But then a couple of cute, bubbly girls walked over to the group's table, causing the couple to let go. "Excuse me." one of the girls spoke up. "You're the guy that sang karaoke last night, aren't you?"

Morikawa grinned as he stood up, acting proud and mighty. "Yep, that was me! Do you want an autograph after hearing my amazing singing talent?"

The girls scowled at him. "Not from you!" the other girl replied. "Your singing sounded like something dying a slow and painful death! We were talking about this hottie right here." She gestured to Kai.

Everyone stared at the spiky haired brunet in surprise as Kai himself looked at them with widened teal eyes. "Me?!"

"You are an amazing singer!" the first girl remarked. "The way your voice carried the words with the melody, I could feel the emotions behind it."

"Totally!" said the other girl. "So, you here on vacation?"

Miwa frowned as he watched the girls swoon over Kai with the latter unable to properly reply back. This sight was not an unusual one to see. There were many girls back at school that he noticed had crushes on Kai. He couldn't blame them; even he had to admit his friend was a good looking guy. And he had heard there were girls that liked the quiet, aloof types. Some had even tried confessing to him before, but every time, Kai would turn them down in a blunt manner. The blond male would sometimes tease the other male regarding how popular he was, but Kai was never fazed or anything. It was like he never cared.

It would be a lie to say that Miwa had never not understood Kai's thoughts and actions regarding the girls that desired him. He never accepted a single girl's confession nor did he ever pursue them. He would never even react to any of the porn Miwa had him keep at his apartment so as not to worry about his mom finding out and confiscating it. It never occurred to him that his friend would be attracted to another guy. No, that was not quite right. He saw now that it was not a matter of Kai preferring guys, but rather the one he had fallen in love with just happened to be male. Miwa's mom had brought up Aichi to him before and told him about how the young prince had affected Kai, but he never considered the idea of the blue haired boy as some childhood love. He knew now that the only one to bring these emotions out of Kai, it was this boy.

And that same boy had to sit there as these two chatty girls were outright flirting with his boyfriend.

Aichi felt something bitter well up within him as he watched the girls act overly friendly with Kai, like his heart was being tied in tight knots. He grew uncomfortable with the sight. If someone were to try to talk to him, he feared his feelings would overflow. He needed something to help him calm down, but what? Seeing the stage, he knew what to do.

Catching everyone off guard, Aichi stood up immediately and began to walk away from the table. No one knew where he was going, but the group, especially Kai and Miwa, were very concerned. However, they grew even more surprised as soon as they saw the blue haired boy not leave the room, but enter the line for karaoke.

Since the line wasn't that long, it took only a minute before it was Aichi's turn to sing. He made his song choice before going up on stage, not noticing that the DJ was giving him a weird look before shrugging and putting the song in. He may had only been on Earth half a month, but he had mostly memorized a few of them and one of them was perfect for how he was feeling. The music began playing and on cue, he began to sing.

One thing Aichi liked about karaoke was that it didn't matter if you memorized the lyrics or not; so long as you knew the melody, you were golden. But as he sang, he found it strange how the screen seemed to be split in two with the lyrics he was singing on the top. However, it didn't take long for him to realize the grave mistake he made.

This song was meant as a duet.

He was so determined to go up and sing to let out the emotions that were weighing on his heart ( after all, it seemed to work for Kai) that he didn't properly consider his song choice. It wasn't like he knew that many Earth songs and he doubted that any Cloudlands songs were there. He inadvertently did the complete opposite of what he aimed to do. He tried to pretend that he hadn't accidentally chose a duet when he meant to do it solo, but his face easily gave it away. It didn't affect his singing luckily, but that was the least of his worries. Maybe he could try to sing it solo? No, the song was formatted solely for two people. He was doomed.

Or at least he thought so. As soon as it was supposed to be where the other person was supposed to sing, Aichi and the audience were expecting to hear only the background music. No one had noticed that as soon as he realized what song it was, Kai jumped out of his seat and, knowing he wouldn't be able to reach the stage in time for his cue, made his way to the DJ's desk and grabbed the mic there. As he sang, the brunet took the mic, which was portable luckily, and carried it onto the stage where he met with a baffled yet relieved boy.

The performance went off without a hitch. As soon as the surprise of Kai joining the song left, Aichi was able to relax as he continued to sing. The audience excluding Miwa and the others were puzzled on why two boys were singing what was without a doubt a romantic duet, but with the way their voices melded together in perfect harmony and with how much fun the two seemed to be expressing, they didn't really care. There were instances where the two male's eyes met and were almost lost in them, but the music and the eyes watching constantly reminded them where they were.

When the song reached its conclusion, the audience roared with applause, surprisingly louder than when Kai sang the night before despite the smaller crowd. Aichi's cheeks heated up as his whole face turned red, embarrassed with the attention. But as soon as his gaze turned to Kai, the embarrassment changed to pure self disappointment. How pathetic he had to be to have the older male rush to his rescue.

"You were soooooo cool!"

The two males were greeted by the two girls from earlier. As soon as they got off the stage, the girls rushed over and went back to gushing over Kai. The bitter feeling Aichi felt grew worse, adding on to the negative emotions consuming him. The girls noticed Aichi and scowled at him.

"I can't believe you were stupid enough to choose a duet even though you were going to sing solo!" one of the girls scoffed. "You would've embarrassed yourself if your friend didn't rush to your side!"

"I know, right?!" the other girl cruelly remarked. "Geez, you're such a loser! I would feel bad for the girl who decides to date you!"

Those words hurt Aichi. He knew he shouldn't let the words of strangers bring him down, but his low self confidence didn't help. He knew he always caused trouble for Kai. The older male had said so himself even though he added how the blue haired boy also got them out of trouble. More than hurt, he was afraid. What if all this started to annoy Kai and he wanted nothing more to do with the younger male.

Having enough, Kai grabbed Aichi's wrist and glared at the girls. "I don't appreciate you insulting my companion." he growled. "I would never associate myself with anyone who would treat people like shit. I don't want you to approach us again." The girls simply stood still upon the brunet giving his threat. Knowing he had made his point, he stormed out of the dining hall, pulling Aichi along.

Aichi was still silent, staring at Kai's back as the latter pulled him out of the building and across the beach. He was unsure of what to say. No, rather he was afraid to ask something that was on his mind. However, he couldn't keep the silence for long as he felt the older male's grip tighten, causing a pained yelp to slip. Kai, who had been consumed in his irritation and frustration, was snapped out of it as soon as he heard that high pitched sound. He let go immediately and stared down at the sandy ground, trying to avoid eye contact with the blue haired boy.

"Sorry…" he muttered.

"It's fine…" Aichi held the reddened wrist against his chest as he stared at the brunet. What was going through his mind? Was he still thinking about what happened at the dining hall? How did he feel about all that?

Kai began to look around until something caught his eye. He began walking in the same direction of the thing he was looking at. Noticing that the younger male wasn't following him, he called him over. "Let's go over there." Aichi was confused but followed anyway.

They ended up on top of some rocks, isolating themselves from the rest of the people on the beach. Here, they could whatever they wanted and show whatever they wanted without being seen. It was the perfect spot for a private date. Kai found a good spot with a good view of the ocean and sat down, tapping the spot beside him to gesture his companion to sit beside him. Aichi slowly walked forward, feeling a little nervous before also sitting down. He was in awe with the view in front of him; the way the water glittered under the sunlight. The sound of the waves and the seagulls helped him relax a bit, though what the girls said to him still affected him. He didn't know what he would do if Kai actually hated him.

As if on cue, the person in question pulled Aichi's head down so it was leaning against the brunet's shoulder; fingers running through silky ocean blue locks. The younger male was surprised, unsure of the reasoning behind the brunet's actions. He looked up to see real hues staring towards the emerald green ocean.

"Don't let their words get to you." said Kai. "They are the type to judge based on appearances. They are too ignorant to see the person you really are."

Aichi's gaze shifted to the ground. "What kind of person am I?"

"... Someone I feel nothing but positive things towards."

"Even when you have to rush to my rescue everytime?"

"Have I ever complained?"

Cerulean eyes narrowed. "...You said I cause trouble earlier."

"That's not complaining. That was stating a fact."

Aichi pulled away. "People would usually stay away from things that cause trouble. With how much I screw up… I'm surprised you want anything to do with me."

Kai let out a loud, exasperated sigh. "Shouldn't that logic apply to how you feel towards me as well?"

The blue haired boy was confused. "What do you mean?"

"You're hanging out with someone who isn't even human and is most likely, no, is a danger to you. I've already hurt you once. Wouldn't you be better off if you had nothing to do with me?"

"Of course not!" Aichi cried out, feeling almost offended that the older male would even say something like that. "It's true that you hurt me, but the good that you do for me easily outweigh the bad! I can't imagine what things would be like if I never met you."

"Exactly." Kai leaned forward so they were staring straight in each other's eyes. "If I had the choice to go back in time and change everything, I would choose not to. Aichi, you are… I mean…"

The brunet couldn't get what he wanted to say out. It was as if the words would get caught in his throat. He was frustrated about that. But looking into Aichi's face; cerulean eyes glittering and pink lips forming a gentle smile, it told him that he knew what the older male wanted to say. Kai knew that like anything else he's done, if he can't convey his emotions through words, then he must convey them through his actions. He raised his hand and caressed Aichi's cheek, brushing away any stray hairs that got in the way, before pressing his lips lightly onto the blue haired male's lips. He then placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, then to his nose, then his forehead, and finally the top of his head. Aichi his his face in the crook of Kai's neck; his arms wrapped tightly around the older male's torso.

They stayed in that passionate embrace until Aichi commented that it was starting to get very hot. Kai suggested that they go and get something to cool them down, and so they left to the beachfront. They bought a couple bottles of water and were about to head back to the rocks when they heard a familiar voice calling out to them, seeing it belong to a very familiar blond.

"Kai! Aichi!" Miwa called out. "We're gonna smash open a watermelon! You gonna join?!"

The two males looked at each other. Aichi's eyes were gleaming with curiosity and excitement, wanting to see first hand how one smashes open a watermelon. Kai found himself unable to resist and with an amused smile, let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Yeah! We're coming!"

They met up with the others, who were each doing their own thing. Morikawa and Izaki were arguing about something random while Tsukiko was lying down on a blanket under the umbrella. With everyone there, they began to attempt smashing the watermelon. Aichi took mental notes about how this activity was done blindfolded and asked Kai about the purpose of it through a whisper. Kai responded that it wouldn't be as entertaining if they just simply smashed the watermelon.

Miwa, Morikawa, and Izaki attempted but to no avail. It was eventually Aichi's turn. Kai gave the blue haired male some pointers before the latter had the blindfold put on him. As if he had some kind of sixth sense, Aichi was able to pinpoint where the watermelon was and managed to smash it. Everyone cheered, making Aichi a little embarrassed but proud. With the watermelon smashed open, everyone took a piece and began eating. Aichi let out a satisfied hum upon taking a bite of his piece. The fruit seemed to taste even more delicious from breaking it open himself.

The rest of the day was spent with everyone breaking up into separate groups. Miwa relaxed under the umbrella beside his mom as he wasn't up to any particular activity. Morikawa and Izaki decided to go swimming in the ocean; not wanting to waste this precious, once in a while opportunity. As for Kai, he and Aichi began doing something the latter had seen on TV and wanted to do while he had this chance; build a sandcastle. The brunet normally wouldn't want to be involved in such an activity, but decided to do so without complaining if that meant he could continue to stare at the younger male's beautiful smile.

They all went on with their respective activities until it was near dinnertime. They returned to the dining hall and ate their food, watching the different people singing karaoke. As they entered the room, they ended up bumping into the two girls from before. However, the girls didn't approach them, for they were still affected by Kai's words. Morikawa complained that Kai screwed up his chance to score, but knew to shut up the moment he noticed Aichi get uncomfortable over the topic.

After they ate, it grew dark outside. Morikawa, carrying a box of fireworks, suggested that they light some of them up, saying that a beach vacation is not complete without fireworks. And so, everyone began to play with the fireworks. Aichi was amazed with the different types there were. He himself was holding a sparkler, entranced with the blue sparks. He watched the sparkler until it went out, a little bummed that it did. Fireworks were truly amazing. If he could, he would love to bring fireworks back with him and show them to his kingdom. How wonderful it would be.

He then noticed that Kai was nowhere to be seen. He asked the others if they had seen him, but they didn't know anything either. He decided to look for the brunet, and he already knew the first place to look.

And indeed, his first guess to look was exactly where the older make was. Kai was sitting in the rocky area they were earlier, staring at the ocean. Aichi walked over, alerting the other male of his presence.

"Are you okay?" Aichi asked out of concern.

"I'm fine." Kai replied, his eyes glued to the ocean. "Just wanted some time to myself."

The blue haired male frowned. "Would you rather I leave?"

Kai shook his head. "You can stay if you want."

Having been given permission, Aichi sat down at a spot beside Kai, staring in the same direction the taller male was looking at. The night sky above them was covered with many twinkling stars, which were reflected on the ocean, creating the illusion that the water was glowing. Aichi was mesmerized by the sight. It was even more breathtaking than the sight of the fireworks.

"If we were at the cliff we were at last night," Kai spoke up, "I'm sure the sight would've been better."

Aichi smiled. "I think it's wonderful already..."

The two sat in silence, absorbing the view before them. Aichi was unsure as to why Kai wanted to be here alone. Maybe he wanted to see this sight? He wouldn't blame him; Aichi was glad that that he searched for the brunet or he would never had experienced such a beautiful view.

"... Wouldn't you rather light fireworks with the others?" Kai asked curiously.

"I'm fine here." Aichi replied. His cheeks turned red. "Besides, I told you that I wanted to spend the day with you."

Kai's cheeks turned red in response. He found that the younger male was too straightforward sometimes. Despite that, he was deeply touched by the sentiment. If only he could be that straightforward with his feelings. He could reveal his thoughts and opinions easily, but when it came to his feelings…

That was why he was going to show just how much the winged prince meant to him by his actions; to do things that would keep that radiant smile on the blue haired male's face. He stood up, surprising the younger male. "There's very little time before we have to leave tomorrow. Is there anything you want to do while we have this chance?"

Aichi looked up at the older male. "You've done more than enough. You've done do much to fulfill my selfish request. You don't have to do anymore-!"

"Anything at all that I can do for you."

The blue haired male lowered his head. It was clear that he wasn't going to change his mind. "There is something… but we don't have to do it…"

"What is it?"

"... Everyone looked like they had fun swimming in the ocean."

There was silence. "Why didn't you go swimming then?" Kai asked. "If it's about your wings, I told you that it would just look like a tattoo to everyone, so you would be fine-!"

Aichi shook his head. "I know you said that. But I already told you; I wanted to spend the entire day with you, and I know you wouldn't be comfortable swimming in front of people with…"

Kai understood what the younger male meant. Aichi could be very stubborn at times. It was incredible how similar they were at times. He had an idea. He began stripping, causing the blue haired male to panic.

"What are you doing?!" Aichi cried out. "Aren't you afraid that someone will see?!"

The brunet smirked. "They can't see if I'm somewhere where they can't see." Before Aichi could question what he meant, as soon as he took off everything but his underwear, Kai dived into the water. When he rose up, teal eyes met with cerulean as Aichi stood there speechless.

"Come on." Kai inquired. "You wanted to swim, didn't you?"

Aichi snapped out of his dumbstruck state. "Are you sure it's okay?"

"Just as long as you don't come in naked."

The blue haired male's face was bright red as he put his hand into the water, splashing the water at the older male's direction. "I would never!" he cried out, receiving an amused chuckle in response. Even so, Aichi began to take his clothes off until he too was only in his underwear before sitting down near the edge and putting his feet in. Kai swam over and picked the smaller male up, carrying him a little ways away from the rocks before putting him down, yet kept his hold on him.

"You better hold your breath." Kai told him. Aichi was about to question when he noticed the brunet sinking, dragging the younger male with him. Aichi managed to let in a deep breath before he had submerged into the water. The liquid stinged his eyes a bit as he kept them open, but it didn't take long before it stopped and the sight before him was crystal clear. Kai's face was close to his, both their hair flowing around. The older male's expression was gentle and loving under the little light they had from the stars and Aichi couldn't stop himself from smiling. But that smile disappeared when he felt Kai's hands shift so he held Aichi as if they were about to perform a waltz. The surprise caused Aichi to accidentally open his mouth and let out all the breath he had saved and he forced himself out of Kai's arms so he could return to the surface.

As soon as he had air again, Aichi let out some hoarse coughs as he spit out the water that got in. Kai joined him back on the surface, concerned for the younger male. As soon as he got the coughs out of the system, the blue haired male scowled at the taller male.

"Why does the ocean water taste so terrible?" he questioned as he tried to get the taste out of his mouth.

Kai chuckled. "That's because ocean water can't be drinkable. It's salt water; the same type of water tears are made of."

Aichi's eyes widened. "You mean the ocean is made of tears?! That's terrible! I feel so bad for the person or people whose tears were used to create the ocean! I hope they feel better."

"The ocean isn't actually made out of tears." the brunet explained. "They are just both made out of the same water."

"Then how was the ocean made?"

The older male was silent. "... I have no clue."

A giggle escaped the blue haired boy's lips. He took the other male's hands and then took another deep breath before going back underwater. Kai took another deep breath as well before joining the younger male. They took their previous positions as they appeared to start an underwater waltz, but this time Aichi was prepared. Small orbs of light formed from his fingertips and they flew around, providing more light around them.

The two began their underwater dance, twirling while locked in a passionate embrace, radiating a tender warmth within the otherwise cold sea. The orbs of light circled around them as if they were dancing along. They continued until they both felt their lungs burning and popped up back to the surface needing air; Kai lifting Aichi up for the dance finale. As soon as they made it back up, the lights shot up from within the water and towards the sky, creating fireworks. The two males looked up at the fireworks, in awe with the spectacle. They just hoped that no one noticed where they came from. They would have trouble explaining how fireworks came up from within the ocean.

Suddenly, Aichi adjusted himself so his head was resting against the older male's broad chest. Kai was caught off guard with the sudden action. He couldn't see the blue haired boy's face, but with the way his body was relaxed, it didn't seem like anything was wrong. He received even more assurance as Aichi softly spoke a few words.

"Thank you for the wonderful day."

Kai returned the thanks by tightening the embrace, resting his head on top of the younger male's. Although he wouldn't say so, he had a wonderful time as well. The day was so great, a part of him wished it would never end. But he knew they had to return home the next day and then it would be back to rehearsal and then, as soon as the month reaches its end, Aichi would have to return to the Cloudlands. He didn't want to part with the winged male, but what could he do?

It wasn't as if Kai come along with Aichi back to the Cloudlands… right?

The air around them grew cold and Aichi began to shiver. Kai took this as a sign that they should get out, get dressed, and return to the resort. They put on their shirts and shoes but didn't bother with their pants as they would just get soaked, and as soon as they were ready, they began heading back.

Neither of them noticed that someone was watching them return.

From her room's balcony, Tsukiko noticed the two boys walking towards the building. She had grown tired and excused herself from the others, wanting to return to her room. She had noticed the fireworks in the sky and came out to get a good look. That was what led to her noticing the boys.

She observed closely. Aichi appeared to be talking about something while Kai listened in silence with a loving gaze. Her son had already told her that the two boys were now back together and Kai would come back to play as Draco in the play as a result, but seeing the way they were interacting, she knew for certain that was the case.

However, the whole thing made her grow uneasy.

Sure, her play would be able to run properly with the actors needed, but she believed that allowing them to be together provided too great a risk. After what happened ten years ago, she wished for the incident to never happen again. She had to make sure it would never happen again. She let out a long, drawn out sigh as she looked up at the sky, staring straight at the moon.

"Haru… I can't do this on my own. Help me protect Toshiki."

XxXxX

Upon returning to their room, Kai and Aichi realized they were the first ones to come back. Everyone else must've still been playing with fireworks. The boys took this as an opportunity to quickly get dried off properly and change clothes before the others got back. Just as they put the last of the clean clothes on, Morikawa and Izaki walked in.

"Where the hell did you guys go?!" Morikawa questioned them. "First, Aichi brings up Kai's disappearance and then the next thing we know, Aichi also disappears!"

"It's none of your business as to where we were." Kai replied nonchalantly.

Aichi, noticing that the raven haired male was fired up enough to want to start a fight, spoke up. "What Kai means is that we just wanted to spend some time alone."

Morikawa huffed. "If that's all, you could've told us. We would've given you your space."

"Sorry." Aichi replied with a sheepish smile.

"Well, that's all in the past." Izaki spoke up. "I don't know about you guys, but I had a blast here!"

Everyone except Kai voiced their agreements. With how late it was getting and with how tired everyone was, it was decided that they would turn in for the night. They all got into their futons and went to sleep.

That was everyone except Aichi. Now that he had spent the day with Kai, he was now anxious to read the Cloudlands book. He needed to know what knowledge was contained within these pages; if there was anything that could explain his powers. He used his magic to light up the tip of his finger, bright enough that it help him read in the darkness but dim enough that it wouldn't disturb the others from sleeping. He skimmed through the pages, finding nothing of interest, until he noticed one particular passage:

After they created the Cloudlands, the first rulers of the six clans each received powers unique only to those six. These powers were believed to have been given to them by the Cloudlands itself, which may or may not be its own entity. No one knows why it gave the six rulers these powers, but they were certainly not the last, for it would seem these powers are passed down within the clans.

It is clearly not a genetic trait, for these powers have been shown to have been granted to some outside the royal families. No one knows for certain the pattern to which particular individuals are given this power. The only things we know is that only one individual per clan obtains these powers and that these powers are transferred to children after the previous user has passed on.

We do not know the full details to the extent of these powers, however some of the symptoms these individuals have experienced include: enhanced intelligence, enhanced magic, predicting the future, hearing voices from the various wildlife on the Cloudlands, moments of fainting, being unable to remember instances where one or all of the above has listed. There are theories that if the certain individual wishes for it, they could become one with the Cloudlands.

This power originally did not have a name. However, as the news of this phenomenon had spread within the clans, a name was formed. From the moment this book is within the hands of you, the reader, the power is officially given the name-!

Aichi was disturbed from his reading as Morikawa let out a loud snore. The blue haired boy figured it was time to go to sleep. As he put the book away and moved back to his futon, shifting so he and Kai were lying close together, the words of the book ran through his mind. The power mentioned in the book; it sounded like the mysterious power he owned. And the fact that it listed the ability to predict the future; that sounded like the ability King Ren mentioned he had. A power supposedly given to him by the Cloudlands itself. Was it really possible? And if so, for what purpose was he chosen?

These thoughts ran through his head as he closed his eyes and slowly drifted to sleep. Though there were still some unanswered questions, he was taking a step in the right direction. He now knew the origin of these powers, the fact that they were given to individuals of each clan, and most importantly, he knew what this power was actually called. As his mind slowly turned to black, the name of said power kept echoing in his mind.

Psyqualia.

Pinkshuchan: And that's the end of this chapter! Hope you enjoyed it. Read and Review!