YOSH !!!! I'm all energized up !!!! FINALLY !!! I FINISHED TYPING FIGHT FOR LOVE !!! YAY !!!!
Disclaimer : Don't mind her, she's crazy ... after all that typing ... phew ...
PureBlackRaven : HEY !!!! Anyway, thanks to all that read and reviewed !!! Wow ... another two-chaps at one time ... Cool ... Anyways, enjoy !!!
Chap. 25 : The Date
For the next few days, Lei's condition got worse than ever before. Some days she couldn't even get up and have her meals. She would just sleep and sleep and never wake up until the other day. By now, she was as thin as a skeleton and as pale as a ghost.
" What's with Lei these days ? I'm scared that she would even go commit suicide." Frowned Kai as Ray shrugged.
" I dunno …"
-
Friday was the last day of the winter festival. Snow was floating down lightly. The girls thought that this would be the best opportunity to have Kai and Lei's date. Kai objected it seeing that Lei was wandering around endlessly like a ghost everyday. ( Nice … )
" Oh c'mon. A bit of a cold won't let Lei die. She's still human after all." Said Hilary.
" But-"
" Then it's settled. Your date on tomorrow." Said Mariam as Mariah giggled before the three girls left Kai frowning.
-
( The next day … )
" Lei !!! GET YOUR LAZY BUM UP THIS INSTANT !!!" yelled Mariah as Hilary opened the windows, letting in the cold breeze in.
" What ?" asked Lei sleepily. " Can't you guys see I'm tired ?"
" As if I care. C'mon, you've been sleeping for almost a day. This is your date we're talking about." Frowned Mariam.
" What date ? And what time is it ? I still wanna sleep …" mumbled Lei.
" 7.00 in the evening. And don't forget about your dare." Said Hilary as she dragged a sleepy Lei up. Lei gave in. It was really tiring.
" Fine."
" Good. Now hurry up. Your prince charming's waiting at the school gates. You wouldn't want him to freeze to death." Said Mariah as she pushed Lei into the bathroom.
After 15 minutes, Lei came out, wearing a long sleeved samfu and black baggy pants. Hilary and the other two girls were unimpressed.
" Very funny Lei Kon. Dressing up like that in such a simple costume." Said Mariah sarcastically.
" What else am I gonna wear ?" asked Lei.
" C'mon you, WE shall dress you up." Said Hilary as she and Mariam dragged a struggling Lei into their room with Mariah tagging along behind.
-
( Outside … )
Snow was falling from the slightly dark blue sky endlessly. Six people were standing in front of the gates. Tala and Denise were talking about pranks, Max and Tyson were joking, Ray was observing the whole scene carefully while Kai was sighing.
" What's taking them …" murmured Kai as Ray smiled.
" Women are always fashionably late." The neko-jin lectured as Kai glared at him.
Suddenly, figures emerged from the school as they forwarded their pace towards the boys.
" There they are !!" said Max, smiling with his usual cheery smile when the four ladies were visible.
Hilary, Mariam and Mariah were wearing pink kimonos with their hair tied into buns. Lei was different from them. She wore a cerulean plain kimono and had a robe over her shoulders. Her hair was tied up into a bun resembling rabbit ears ( Something like Tomoyo's from Tsubasa ) and had hairpins sticking out below the bun. Although Lei didn't have any make up for her face but she was already as elegant as a swan.
" Sweet." Complemented Tyson as the girls beamed. Lei turned her head away in disgust.
" Anyway, now that our work is done, I wanna enjoy myself !!!" cheered Mariah as the others went first, leaving Kai and Lei in silence.
Kai just stared at Lei for a long time until Lei couldn't take it any longer.
" Look, if you don't wanna go, I'm going back right now." She mumbled as she turned to leave.
" Wait ! Let's go. I want to get this dare over with quickly." Said Kai, blushing beetroot red as Lei blushed slightly.
" Fine." She gritted her teeth as the duo went together.
-
As the incandescent lanterns burned brightly, a full and pale glowing moon could be seen high above the people who came to the festival.
" There sure are lots of people here …" muttered Lei as Kai nodded.
" Well, what are you going to do now ?" asked Kai.
" I dunno." Shrugged Lei.
" Hey you two !!!" yelled Hilary as Kai and Lei looked up only to see the others.
" Come here !!!" they shouted as Kai and Lei sighed.
-
Lei felt like vomiting after playing that lunatic game. Tyson had just suggested a ridiculous game of having a drinking beer match. When it was Lei's turn, she went for it bravely, trying to forget her pain. But once she drank a sip of it, she immediately ran to the toilet. It was horrible. Coughing continuously, she couldn't help vomiting out blood. As she stared at herself in the mirror, she felt hopeless.
' I can't do this …' thought Lei as tears formed in her eyes. " I can't do this anymore …" murmured Lei, wiping her tears as she washed her blood-stained mouth.
' Get a grip of yourself Lei, you're not supposed to be like this.' She told herself as she got herself ready to meet Kai at the bench.
' I can't let him see me like this. Or else …' she slapped herself mentally as she faked a convincing smile, while removing the pin away from her hair, letting it flow down like a river until it reached her butt.
As she walked towards Kai, she suddenly noticed something. Quickly, she hid behind a tree that wasn't far away from him. There, she saw Kai frustrated. All signs were appearing on his face. Worry, Frustration, angry, puzzled and many more. Suddenly, he heaved a sigh.
" Lei …" he closed his eyes and mumbled.
She was hurting him. She was letting him worry too much about her condition. Lei could see his mind clearly. Why was she so tired lately ? Why was she so pale ? Even Lei didn't know the reason herself. The smile on her face disappeared as tears started to form in her eyes again when she saw Kai shaking his head as they rolled down her cheeks. Suddenly, a figure appeared behind her from the tree.
" It is time, Lei." It said before disappearing.
More tears fell out from the corner of her eye as she tried to wipe them.
Suddenly, she saw that Kai had notice her as he walk towards her. Frightened, she immediately hid behind the tree again, leaving Kai dazed before he realized what he did.
" I-I- I'm sorry." Apologized Lei.
Kai said nothing as he hugged Lei. Lei closed her eyes tightly as two drops of tears fell onto Kai's arm.
" Don't cry." Came the voice she longed to hear.
Lei didn't know why but she felt sour. Sourness, bitterness and all kinds of sad feelings came rushing inside her.
" I'm sorry." Whispered Lei, sniffing.
" You don't have to apologize, It's not your fault." Said Kai firmly.
Silence swept between the two as Kai hugged Lei tightly. While time slowly ticked away, Kai twiddled with Lei's soft and long dark green hair among his fingers. Lei wiped away the tears that were falling. Kai trapped one that Lei missed.
" Kai I-"
Kai placed a finger on Lei lips. In a second, Lei felt Kai's lips brushing over hers.
" I love you Lei. Really, so please smile for me." He mumbled when they broke apart.
Time stopped for Lei immediately. How Kai hid his worry, his sadness, if Lei didn't see the scene while she was gone, she would have fallen for it. She forced a convincing smile on her face again.
" C'mon Lei, we're going to tell the others we're going home first." Said Kai as he pulled Lei away from the tree. When they were walking on the streets across the busy people, Kai suddenly felt Lei stopping.
" Lei what's wrong ?" asked Kai as he turned around only to face a hooded figure. It was one of the hooded and cloaked figures. She was gripping Lei's other free hand firmly. Kai couldn't see anything under the hood except for her eyes. The figure's honey-golden eyes glared at him fiercely.
' Salem …' thought Lei, her face darkening.
" Lei belongs to us." Said Salem's hollow and empty voice.
" She's mine." Frowned Kai, giving her a death glare but Salem wasn't fazed.
" Fine. Then I'll leave her to die." Smirked Lei under the hood.
That struck Kai as his grip on Lei's hand loosened. Salem smirked victoriously and took the chance to snatch Lei away.
" Lei !!!!" he yelled but Salem and Lei just kept on running until they disappeared. ' What the hell is she doing ?!' thought Kai.
-
" I'll leave you here." Said Salem as she disappeared. " The rest is up to you."
Run young one ! Quick !!!
As Lei ran among the crowd, trying to shake off Kai, her heart was on the different side. It told her not to.
' I can't … I can't do it …' thought Lei as she started slowing down.
He's catching up. Hurry ! Said the voice again suddenly.
Lei's leg started to pick up speed again for no reason.
' I'm sorry Kai …' she thought as hot tears started rolling down her wet cheeks again.
" I'm sorry Kai," she spoke so softly that only the insects could hear. Finally, she plucked the courage to shout out loud. " I'M SORRY KAI !!!!!!" she yelled with all her heart as she ran into another crowd, hoping she'd lost a puzzled but anxious Kai.
Meet us at the school gates. Came the voice once again as a crying neko-jin headed her way towards her destination.
-
" There you are ! We've been waiting." Said Edmund.
Lei tried to smile but fail miserably. Instead, more tears replaced it.
" C'mon. We can't take you running away in that costume. Let's go change. And quickly, they'll find this place when that guy let's his friends know you're missing." Said Namie as she urged Salem to go with her.
-
Lei looked at herself in the mirror. Salem and Namie were outside the toilet whereas the boys were at the school gates, looking out.
" Hurry up, Lei …" said Namie from outside.
' I can't believe I'm doing this …' Lei thought while tying up her hair into a messy bun.
" Let's go. She said as Salem handed her a hooded cloak.
" Wear this on. It's a symbol of being us." She said as Lei covered herself and pulled up the hood, hiding her face as they went.
' From today onwards, I swear, I won't linger on my past anymore.' Swore Lei silently.
" That's good then." Muttered Salem. " Although I don't believe in god, but may god bless you." She said as The Demoralizers and their new teammate walked past The Bladebreakers.