-bounces in on a pogo stick- Har-low, muh little bunnies! o_o; I'm really sorry for the long wait between updates… This stupid thing won't let me access the Internet on weekdays, and also, I've got the worse case of writer's block. u___u Anyway, thanks for the reviews. XD -devours numerous sugar cookies- o_o Aheh.

Anyway… You smart people were right; Ray's the mystery person. XD Sorry, he's a little bit OOC, but this is the way I've always imagined him to be, and besides, it adds to the story. =D

Oh yeah… -gives carrots to all reviews- 3 Thanks. And I'm sorry that the chapters are short, they seem pretty long when I typed them up on MS Word…

- start chapter

Chapter 4

Flattery, Jealousy, And A Suspicion

"Shut up," Kai snapped half-heartedly, flicking cerulean bangs away from his eyes as the intruder made his way casually in. He was quite good-looking, with soft tresses of black hair falling into his chocolate-tinted eyes. He pushed up the thick red bandana – sporting a Yin-Yang sign – higher, hands dropping to his hips. His clothing consisted of a white robe-like garment, which parted at the hips and drifted down in two parts, held up by a red sash. Dark blue pants topped off his outfit, partially hidden by the 'curtains' of white cloth.

As this took a paragraph to describe him, the eyes of Chiara saw this all in a second. She rose to her feet and bobbed a quick curtsy; raven hair shivering across her shoulders at the brusque movement.

The boy (who was around Kai's age, as she now noticed) gave her an easy smile. "Hey, gorgeous, where've you been all my life?"

Kai twitched. His fists clenched subconsciously, but he remained in his spot. Awkward questions would arise if he punched his friend. Besides, what did he care if someone called Chiara 'gorgeous'? So what? But… He mentally slapped himself. Gracious, he was getting really soft. He'd have to stop him from making a move on Chiara. Not that he cared. It'd just be wrong. Yes, very wrong.

Chiara stared blankly. She was spared a response as Kai cut across, "Stop admiring the servants and get down to business, Ray. What do you want?"

Tipping a wink to the temporarily dumbfounded girl, Ray straightened. "I need a reason to spend time with a friend?" he questioned with another jaunty smile.

With a simple shrug that lifted one shoulder, Kai snorted softly. "You amuse me greatly."

Ray punched the tattooed arm with a hearty chuckle. Chiara was starting to think that he was a bit on the insane side, but she could truthfully say that she liked him. He made her feel special, treating her as an equal. She almost forgot that she was a 'servant'. Her lips curved into a small smile; Ray's carefree attitude was addicting, and she couldn't help but go along.

On the other hand, Kai wasn't feeling that joyous. He was feeling possessive. He always felt possessive around his servants; after all, they did belong to him, but especially towards Chiara. Promising himself that he would sort out his feelings later, he brought himself back to the matters at hand.

"Bringing anyone in particular to this picnic thing?" he interrupted, succeeding in stopping the winks Ray was flashing towards Chiara. He kept his tone level and steady - no one else needed to know the irritation building inside him.

"Not really. If I have my way, I'll go alone. Not that I will be alone though," he added, nodding pointedly towards the two others. Ebony bangs shifted with the movement, sliding to partially hide the dark brown eyes. "Anyone you've got in mind?" he shot back, casting Chiara a sly glance.

Brazenly, Kai flung an arm around Chiara's shoulders, giving a casual sort of look towards his friend. "Funny you should mention that." Locks of varying shades of cerulean were flicked out of mauve optics, half-smile caressing lips. The arm was removed as Chiara wriggled out of his grasp, scooting over to stand a little ways from the two males.

Ray gave a comfortable smile to her, rather lopsided too. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Ray."

"Chiara," she replied, looking down and shuffling her feet. She wanted to go back to Ceramina, feeling rather guilty, as she had dashed out without a word to her friend.

"Beautiful name," Ray commented lightly. Perhaps her restlessness showed on her face, for he clucked her chin, and nodded towards the door. "Out you go, lovely."

A pink tinge creeping upon her cheeks, Chiara automatically looked to Kai for reassurance; was Ray allowed to order servants around? Kai didn't seem to object as he waved a hand dismissively. Chiara inclined her head respectfully (wondering since when had she gotten so obedient), and hesitated for a second.

"Um... See you," she said awkwardly, sprinting out of the room and straight towards her own.

Listening to the receding footsteps, Kai let out a breath, head bowed as azure locks of hair floated down to cover his face. Eyes closed for a second, briefly hiding mauve optics. He was unsure of himself, and he was never unsure of himself. To put it more specifically, he was unsure of his feelings. Did he like Chiara? No, snapped the defiant voice in his head. Was he lying to himself? Does this make him weak? Yes. Just for liking someone? A girl, Kai, is bringing you down. A girl! He probed his feelings worriedly. After a minute of silence, he settled on one solution; he wouldn't show any feelings for Chiara. Not that he had feelings for her, of course. He was jolted out of his thoughts by a rough punch to the arm. Rubbing the limb, he shot Ray a reproachful stare.

"Kai, d'you like her?" he asked with a curious sort of frown. He lifted a hand to push his bandana higher, and as it rose, so did his brow.

I don't know. "No," he intoned swiftly. Methodically. Systematically. "Girls are weak creatures," he added, as if to emphasize his point. Truthfully, he didn't know. He really didn't know. Did he like her? ...Yes. But did he love her? He needed time to think this over. A deep sigh escaped larynx as he gave his best friend a light shove in the chest.

"Leave me for a while, Ray."

Ray didn't ask any questions; he knew that Kai needed time alone. He understood Kai. After all, that was why they were best friends. He left the room with velocious steps, a half smile - a knowing smile - tugging upon his lips.

- meanwhile -

"Cera, I'm sorry." The look on Chiara's face was sincere as she apologized in a faltering voice. Ceramina was still in her room, still sitting on her bed. With a soft smile at her younger companion, the blonde patted the space beside her, and Chiara sat down.

"There's no need for an apology, Chi, it was partly my fault. I... I shouldn't have mentioned it. I'm sorry," she said quietly, patting Chiara's head in her fond way. Her ocean-hued eyes were half-closed in thought. A silence passed between the two friends.

Chiara toyed with a lock of raven hair, tickling her nose with it. She was glad of the silence. It enveloped the room, and that was fine with the young sixteen-year-old. Nothing needed to be said, and so she said nothing. She let out a peaceful sigh; this is what she liked. She didn't want to have to run around obeying orders left and right. After all, she was a person, and she had to live like a person. Not like some machine that did stuff for others. Speaking of others... Her thoughts wandered to Kai.

Oh, Kai. He confused her, he did. He would act like a friend one day, and then he'd be Mr. I-hate-everyone-don't-look-at-me-stupid-people the next day. In the short times that she broke through his unresponsive barrier, she could honestly say that she liked him. In her mind, she began to subconsciously sink into the past again, losing herself in memories. This time, her memory wasn't from too long ago... just a few months ago.

- flashback -

She sneezed. And again. And again. It was in the middle of the night that she just couldn't sleep for her stupid sneezing. Rubbing her eyes, Chiara rose slowly out of her bed, feeling blindly for her slippers. Finding them with ease, she tottered a few steps over to the desk, and grabbed a tissue. Blowing her nose, she tossed the rumpled tissue into the wastebasket, and began feeling her way towards the bed, too dizzy to find the lights. Besides, she'd have to turn them off later. Halfway to her bed, three sharp knocks sounded out. With a pained sigh, she turned around and stumbled towards the door. Ah, curse her fever. Not only did she have a high temperature, but also her head ached and her muscles pounded painfully, and she felt unreal. As if she didn't exist. She opened the door and gazed towards the intruder with bleary eyes.

Framed in the light and looking like some angel from Heaven, Kai stared down at her. The hallway's light illuminated his pale blue hair, turning the lurid locks into an almost white shade. This image crossed the girl's fevered mind, and she blurted out, "Angel?" without thinking. The fever had gotten to her; she was delirious.

A brow was raised as Kai stepped forward. Wordlessly, he scooped the smaller up, and in three quick strides, he was by her bed. Dumping her down, he tucked her into her blankets, much like a father might do to his daughter. Brushing back locks of raven from her damp forehead, he seated himself by her side.

"You shouldn't be out of bed." Voice was little more then a whisper, but the sick girl heard it clearly.

"Angel? Have you come to take me to Heaven?" she asked, her words slurred. Her fever was big. It burned to touch her skin, and she was breaking out in a cold sweat, tingling all over.

Kai reached out a hand and felt her forehead. Droplets of sweat clung to her skin, and she was hot; literally. Tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth; this wasn't good. He stroked her cheek.

"What did you do to yourself?" he said quietly, more to himself then to her. "You didn't have to go out in the storm, just because Grandfather wanted his mail."

Chiara shivered involuntarily. She curled up tightly under her blankets. "I'm cold," she whispered, gazing feverishly towards Kai, who glanced up at her words. She sat up with dizzying speed, muttering something about 'getting chicken soup because it helps with the dinner'.

Kai started slightly, and restrained her attempts to rise. Clamping her arms firmly at her sides, he made her lie down, only to have her struggle to rise.

"No... Angel..." Blindly, she clutched at his arms, trying valiantly to get up.

"Stay down," he grunted. Leaning across her, he pushed her gently; firmly; back down. When she tried to rise again, he moved up a few spaces, and planted his tattooed arm over her upper chest. He kept his limb there lest she should attempt to rise again. "Stay down," he repeated, hushing her when her mouth opened. "Shush." He sighed inwardly; normally, sick servants were sent straight to the hospital, but Kai had insisted that Chiara stayed. He hated that hospital, with its whitewashed walls and grimy interior. It reminded him of a prison; windowless, flat-toned doctors with weirdly glittering eyes.

"I want... I want..." Chiara ceased her struggling, a pale, shivering hand laid upon his arm. Dark chocolate optics darted around nervously, lip trembling.

"What do you want?" he questioned softly, stroking her cheek comfortingly. It was strange, really, how much she had gotten to him. He should really stop doing this. But he didn't.

"I want my angel," Chiara whispered in a choked voice, whimpering. She let out a dry sob, fingers sliding helplessly along Kai's arm. Her eyes raked his form unseeingly, and she raised her own arm limply, reaching half-heartedly. "Please..."

She wanted her angel, Kai thought dully. Who's her angel? Still stroking her cheek, feeling her burning skin, he asked his question in a barely audible murmur. "Who's your angel?"

"You're my angel," she answered. Another dry sob escaped her throat as she continued to reach blindly.

"He's here..." Kai drew the smaller form to his chest, holding her tightly. Ah, it was partly his fault she was so sick. If he had intercepted her as she left the manor... He wrapped the blanket around her shivering body, bundled her up warmly. He was feeling slightly guilty... and rather reckless, too. What if someone was to walk in on them? He felt as if he were taking a risk, hugging her. Oh well. Hell to reputation. Someone was here, wanting his touch. Mauve eyes slid to a shut as he patted her back in a comforting way.

- end flashback -

Chiara heaved a sigh. One day, she'll give into the little voice in the back of her head, which insisted that she loved him.

Ceramina gazed down at her young friend. So naïve. She touched her companion's arm gently. "Penny for your thoughts, Chi."

"You can have them for free," she replied absently. "I'm thinking about Kai." Chocolate-tinted eyes were downcast as she spoke. She fidgeted with the hems of her dress. "Cera, does it show?" she asked helplessly.

"D'you like him?"

Silence. "I don't know."

- e n d c h a p t e r

I'M SORRY THAT THIS CHAPTER ENDS SO BADLY! x____x I just feel as if all you lovely reviewers will go away if I don't update.. And… Ugh. --; I'm such a bad writer because of this. –bursts into tears and needs reviews to make her feel better– .. Uh, wink-wink-nudge-nudge.