The four arrived in the meeting place where Zack was waiting. They made sure no one knew or followed them. Zack waved his hand when he saw the four and walked to them. They got out of the vehicle and went to the car's trunk to get the suitcases.

Jann Lee took each suitcase and let the three girls pulled. Bit Zack offered to help them and they took it. The three girls walked to the helicopter while the two men pulled their suitcases.

"Looks like you guys brought a lot of stuffs." Zack whispered. "They're quite heavy…"

Jann Lee smirked at his comment. "You offered help right? Deal with it."

They got in the helicopter. Lei Fang was on the floor. They wouldn't fit if she didn't sat on the floor.

"Stop moving your feet Hitomi!" Lei Fang complained.

"I can't help it! They're going numb because of you! Move away a little!"

Lei Fang narrowed her eyes at the German girl. "Hey, it's not cozy here!"

"You two, stop complaining and shut up!" Kasumi said and made the two stared at her in surprise. "We're not cozy in our places so be quiet! I don't want to hear a single complain or I will throw you both to the sea." She warned.

The two nodded like little girls who just got scolded by their mother. They knew better than to piss off the kunoichi.

The two men sitting on the front couldn't help but to smirk. 'Mood swings...' Jann Lee thought. He turned his head to Zack. "Why you didn't bring something better than this helicopter? We're all like sardines here." His feet felt like they were tied up with ropes.

Zack rolled his eyes. "Hey, this helicopter is not mine alright? It's Helena's. It's not my fault this the only one she let me use to pick you guys up. Blame her, not me!"

It was 8 in the morning when they arrived at the cruise ship's heliport. The three girls quickly got out of the helicopter. Unfortunately for Lei fang, she almost tripped because Hitomi accidentally pushed her out of excitement. She looked up at her friend and frowned. Hitomi just showed her a piece sign and smiled. On the other hand, Kasumi carefully stepped out.

Like earlier, the two men took care of the suitcases. Zack started complaining again but Jann Lee shut him. The latter was tired of his complains. He told him he wouldn't get married if doing a simple favor for ladies was too much for Zack.

"I'm so glad to see you three!" Helena greeted and gave the girls a welcoming hug. "How's trip?"

"It was great except for Hitomi continuously kicking me." Lei Fang answered and crossed her arms.

"Ugh, you still can't get over it?" The German girl said.

Helena looked at the kunoichi. "I'm glad you decided to stay here for a while."

Kasumi smiled. "It's for the best. I don't want to risk my child's life. Besides, this place is relaxing and that's exactly I need right now. Thank you for giving me a place to stay."

Helena discussed some things. She told Zack to guide to their rooms. The three girls can't believe they had three separate rooms. Each room defines the word 'luxury'. Same for Jann Lee. He was given a separate room. Although, he wanted them to be in one place but the three girls strongly disagreed, saying he's a killjoy and even teased him

"I think it will be better if we stay in one room. To make sure no one will hurt one of us, especially Kasumi."

Immediately, the Hitomi and Lei Fang groaned. "Come on! Don't be such a kill joy! We have our own separate rooms already!" Lei Fang said.

"This is a vacation and you're ruining it!"Hitomi added.

Jann Lee shook his head. "We're not here to enjoy remember? We're here to for Kasumi's sake. You guys are just extras." His last sentence made his fellow martial artist glared at him.

"Excuse me?" Lei Fang raised an eyebrow at him. "We're family here. You're also an extra! If I know, you wanted this vacation as much as we do so don't hide it!" She said in dramatic voice.

"I'm just preventing danger here alright? We don't know what could possibly happen. We need to be close to each other. What will happen when the lights suddenly went out and we're in our own rooms? We won't be able to find each other. You get what I mean?"

"Whatever, you're just scared of dark." Lei Fang commented.

Jann Lee smirked. "Oh really?" He gave a playful smile. "As far as I remember, I wasn't the one who scream like a broken microphone when a brownout happened in our apartment. In fact, I was hugged so tight that I almost lost my balance."

Hitomi laughed at what he said, remembering how Lei Fang scared was.

"Hahaha! So it was you who screamed your lungs out like a horse? I can't believe you screamed like that!" She pointed at her friend.

"Stop it!" Lei Fang frowned at her. 'Ugh! I hate him right now!'

'One point for me…' Jann Lee smiled.

After that, they unpacked their things in their rooms. Kasumi brought out her clothes. She made sure all her clothes were comfortable for her especially her baby bump started to show up. She continued taking out her things until the shining black cloth was the only one remaining in the suitcase. She gently took it out and placed it on the bed. Carefully, she unfolded the cloth and the blade showed up, reflecting her image.

Her own Wazikashi…

"I wasn't supposed to bring this with me." She sighed. Hayate gave it to her and told her to keep it again. He said it belonged to her and no one else.

She didn't want to carry this blade, but she left with no other choice. If she has to kill someone to protect her and her child, she will do it without any hesitation.

Before going out of her room, she put on comfortable clothes. She made sure it's not revealing. It's just a plain shirt and black short. She wondered what Ryu will say if he sees her wearing these? He'll be mad and tell her to change quickly. She knew he's a conservative one.

Ryu…

Since she left the apartment, she couldn't stop thinking about him. Ryu didn't know that she left the place. She wished he's with her to make her feel safe. But she knew her friends won't agree, especially Jann Lee. Or maybe they will? She won't know until she tries it anyway.

"I hope things won't go the wrong way or it'll be a huge drama for everyone."

. . .

"So, they figured it out huh?" Donovan read the new paper. He called Christie to come over and give a report. His patience had running thin as it became difficult to capture their subject. His hands gripped the paper. His plans could not start until he had the main part of the process. He was a bit surprised but expected it at the same time since his main target were surrounded with people who were once part of the competition.

He put down the paper and looked at Christie. "The progress of your mission is slow. I am losing too much time." There was a disappointment in his voice.

"Those people are clever. You must've forgot that they are those contestants from the competition. You should expect it." Christie said with slight irritation in his voice. He wasn't making it easy for her.

Donovan stood up and placed the paper in one of the folders. Then, he gave Christie a dark smile.

"Oh, I expected this already. That is why I told Rig to do the Plan B."

Christie rolled his eyes. "And what is that?"

He turned his back on her and glanced through the clear glass of his room.

"Last time, I lost many things. But I learned my lesson. I will make sure my plans will happen. I will not let anyone get in my way." His teeth gritted upon remembering how much lost he had in the previous subject. Those people who caused his lost will pay for what they did. He looked back to Christie.

"If the initial plan doesn't go right, which I'm already expecting, we will proceed to another one. We'll use anything to get the main part. No matter what it cost."

. . .

Shiden fixed his posture. His wife, Ayame, left the manor to visit a river that was near to their village. His children weren't around. He knew they both left without telling him.

He stood up and looked outside from an open window. The atmosphere of his clan's village were quiet. But it had no peace like before.

There were questions kept running in his mind. Regrets that haunted him since the day his daughter left the family. He had been suffering from the consequences of his decisions.

Did he failed to be a good father to his own children? Did he failed his son? His own daughter who left him would finally return?

It was clear to him that he chose the honor over his own family. And now, the endless suffering continued to torture him everyday.

. . .

"This is so delicious!" Lei Fang said as she took another bite of chicken leg.

"Calm down Lei, munch it carefully. You might choke any time." Hitomi chuckled and took a sip of her wine. Helena giggled and shook her head lightly. Lei seemed didn't care about it and continued munching her food. Jann Lee chuckled and looked at Kasumi who was quietly eating her steak.

"You okay?" He whispered, concerned.

Kasumi looked at him and nodded. "Yeah, I'm just not feeling good."

"You must be tired. Get rest after this." He said and caressed her back. Kasumi gave him a small smile.

"I will. Maybe I'm tired from the trip earlier."

After dinner, Lei and Hitomi decided to had a girls talk with Helena since it was their first night in the cruise ship. The latter agreed and they went to her private room. Zack went to his room to rest. Jann Lee accompanied Kasumi to her room.

"Good night." She said

"Sleep well." He smiled, patted her head and waited for the kunoichi to get inside her room, making sure she locked it.

On the way his room, he couldn't stop thinking about the current situation. Was it wise to stay here? What if their enemies managed to follow them here? He made sure there were no traces of them left in that apartment yet, there had been an uneasy feeling bothering him since they got here.

Since the day he found out about the kunoichi's condition, he became worried about her. There was no doubt he treated her as a sister. But what if Kasumi's real brother wanted to take her back? What he would do? Did he had any right to let her go back to her real family?

. . .

The kunoichi decided to take a quick shower before sleeping. She took a pair of sleeping clothes before going to the bathroom. She poured the tub with a warm water and dip her body until the water reached her shoulders. It gave her the relaxation feeling she needed.

Kasumi looked up to the ceiling. Her thoughts started filling her mind. Was it a good thing she left that apartment? There was no other option left. Her child would be in great danger if she made the wrong decision. She looked down at the bump and sighed. She put her hand on the baby's bump and began caressing it.

The life growing inside her had changed everything. From someone who became a runaway and lost her family to someone who expected to have her own.

Motherhood wasn't something suited for her. That was what she believed. How could someone like her who turned her back on her own family and left deserved to be a mother? After the day she found out there was a life growing inside her, there was full of doubts about herself. Until now, there were times she blamed herself for dragging her friends into her own mess.

But the regrets she felt after the night that she thought was the greatest mistake was no longer there. It was gone. Ryu took those regrets and pain of blaming herself again. He made her feel safe. She hopes to see him again. But Ryu didn't know that she left and where she was. How he would find her? He didn't knew she was in the middle of sea.

"I miss you…" She whispered. Tears fell down from her eyes as the emotions filled her mind and heart.

She missed him. She wanted him beside her. There was feeling of longing for his presence. The warmth in his arms wrapped around her was the only thing she wanted right now.

. . .

Hayate arrived back in the city with Ayane. They desperately wanted to talk to Kasumi. If she refused, the two would not have other choice but to bring her with them. Hayate wanted her sister back, no matter what happened. After he found out about Kasumi's condition, it became the turning point for him to do anything.

"You know what you'll do if she says no." He reminded his sister.

"Are you sure about this? She'll get mad at us." Ayane said. She had her doubts right now. It wasn't because she was afraid of Kasumi, but she worried that things might get out of hand. She knew her half-sister would not hold back her attacks.

"I'm aware. But I don't care about that anymore." He said. He knew Kasumi would curse them, but it didn't scare him. Not anymore. He prepared himself to tear his name, his honor, receive punishments if those would be the exchange to have his sister back.

They looked at the window and it was opened. He observed for a moment before giving Ayane a signal. They jumped and as they looked up, they saw the very familiar figure standing while back facing on them.

It turned around and the two saw the face that they didn't expect to see. The face was covered with a mask but Hayate recognized it. He couldn't be mistaken.

"What are you doing here?"

Here's another update after a long time battling with writer's block. I'm trying my best to update as soon as possible. Sorry for the long wait. Hope you guys like it!