Disclaimer: I don't own a thing; only the caracters you don't know. And the lyric used here belongs to LeAnn Rimes 'The Heart Never Forgets'.
Thanks to:
kaiswings: Would you be surprise if I told you, I'm not sure which will be the pairings? I had two in mind but, since some of reviewers asked me for the same pairing, I decided to think better. Can't make any promises, though. Hope you enjoy this.
Suzuko: Wear protections before you start reading. No violence, but there are things which can hurt more than a punch *winks*. Hope you like this chapter.
kai and mariah gurlie fan: Thank you for your words, hope this continue to be a good story.
GaluxCat in school: (I think your nick is funny - don't get me wrong, ok? - ) Thank you for what you said. Enjoy!
SailorofTears: Just like I said to kaiswings, I had two pairings in mind but, due to some things, I'll think better and see who's going to end up with you. Good reading!
Note: Since today is my B-day (yay! *hehe*), I decided to come here and post this chapter, as a gift for all of my reviewers. Have fun! *wink*
Chapter 2: The Heart Never Forgets
Everyone was in silence again, while Ray stepped inside the pool's division, without breaking his eye-contact with Mariah. Whoever was still looking at them, could bet they were trying to read each other emotions and feelings, through their eyes, however, all they were doing was look at each other:
"Hello Mariah." Ray said, breaking the silence
"What are you doing here?" Mariah asked
"Well, I decided to come with my team." Ray said "I mean, I really needed to stop for a while."
Mariah nodded:
"Ok." she said, before looking at Lee "So, lets go?" she asked and her brother looked at her:
"Huh?" he asked and Mariah rolled her eyes:
"You wanted to talk with me, didn't you?" she asked and Lee snapped from his thoughts:
"Yes, I did." he answered "Sorry."
"Lets go, then." Mariah said, before turning around. The first person her eyes meet is Kai, but she quickly looked to her friend "Ura, I'll be in our room, ok?"
"Ok." the purple haired girl replied, and the two brothers walked away
"Ray, man, where were you?" Tyson asked and Ray looked at him:
"Walking around." he replied "Meeting old friends."
"So, you're Ray, huh?" Ura asked, suddenly and the black haired boy looked at her:
"Yes, and you are?"
"I'm Mariah's cousin, Ura." the girl replied "And I want to talk with you."
"What is it?" Ray asked and Ura got out of the pool
"Alone." was the only thing she said, before she grabbed her towel and walk away from the division.
Giving a sigh, Ray went after her.
"Idiot." Kai whispered, before closing his eyes
~*~
"So, what do you want to tell me?" Mariah asked, sitting on her brother's bed
"Mariah, I don't want you to go near Ray, ok?" Lee said and the pink haired girl raised her eyebrow:
"Why?" she asked, confused
"Because I don't want to see you depressed, again." Lee answered
"But Lee, is not by seeing Ray that I'll get depressed again." Mariah started "You won't stop me from seeing or even talking with Ray."
"But..."
"No Lee, I know you're scared because I can be depressed again, but what you're asking is impossible." Mariah interrupted, raising her hand "Think, Ray's in the same hotel we are; how can I stop the possibility of crossing in a hall with him? You can't be thinking I'm going to stay, these two weeks on this room, only because you don't want me to see Ray."
Lee raised his hands:
"Ok, ok, I'm just worried about you, that's all."
Smiling, Mariah got up:
"I know Lee, but you know how much I hate when people start messing with my life." suddenly, she pointed a finger towards her brother "And don't you dare to tell Ray, about what happened during this year and half, did you heard?"
"Yeah." Lee replied and Mariah narrowed her eyes:
"Promise me, you won't tell him."
Lee froze for a second, before nodding:
"I promise."
A smile crossed Mariah's face and she kissed him on the cheek:
"Thanks bro." she said, while hugging him "Now I'm going for my room. See you in the dinner hall." with that, she stepped back and walked out of the room.
When he was all alone, Lee groaned while laying on his bed:
"I'm so dead."
~*~
"So, you're the great Ray Kon." Ura said and Ray shruged:
"About the great I'll leave that to you, but yeah, I'm Ray." the black haired boy, replied
Ura crossed her arms:
"You know, I have this question nagging me for a long time and now I'll make it: do you enjoy doing, what you do?"
"What are you talking about?" Ray asked, confused and Ura rolled her eyes:
"Oh c'mon, it's not like Lee didn't told you what happened to Mariah, or anything." she said "I know he told you."
"You do?" Ray asked and the girl nodded:
"Lee has that tough personality, but he can't held secrets when they can explain something serious."
"That's true." Rau agreed "But yeah, he told me Mariah was sick."
"She wasn't just sick." Ura started "You don't have a clue about how Mariah went through everything,
and you'll never know. But I warn you Ray Kon, if I see Mariah go through the same situation she was
in a year ago, or beginning to think what she thought back then, you'll regret coming to China."
"What do you mean?" Ray asked "What happened to Mariah?"
"You really don't want to know." Ura said "Nice to meet you." turning around, she started walking towards the elevator when she spuned around "Oh, and don't ask Lee, there are things none of the White Tigers know, just me and Mariah." then, she called the elevator and, before Ray could open his mouth, she desappeared behind the metal doors.
"What did she meant, by that?" Ray whispered, to himself "What the hell happened, an year ago?"
~*~
"Tyson, get out of the bathroom!" Max yelled "How long is he there?" he asked, looking at his friends
"An hour, I think." Chief answered "Thankfully, we all took bath before him."
"An hour?" Max repeatead "Tyson!" he yelled, again
"Hey, what's up with the noise?" Tyson asked, opening the bathroom door
"Tyson, we have fifteen minutes to get ready for dinner." Max exclaimed
"What?!" Tyson asked, shocked "Oh man, where're my clothes?"
"Over your bed." Chief replied
While Tyson tried hard to get dress as quickly as possible, Ray walked in:
"Hey Ray, how was your talk with Ura?" Max asked
"Strange." the black haired boy replied, sitting on a chair
"What do you mean, with strange?" Chief asked, as Tyson looked for his socks
Ray shruged:
"She told me...ah, forget it."
"Found them, we can go now!" Tyson exclaimed
"Finally!" Max exclaimed
"Well, c'mon, I'm hungry!" Tyson exclaimed, running towards the door
Rolling his eyes, Kai started walking behind his friends, only to stop close to the elevator. Like he always did, he leaned against the wall, with his arms crossed, while his friends talked happily towards the elevator. However, a faint laugh makes him look up to froze again: Ura and Mariah were walking towards him and his group, talking and giggling, while her dresses made them look older. However, and though Ura looked beautiful in her dark purple dress, he couldn't take his eyes of Mariah; her white dress made her look like a princess, while the huge pink rose on the skirt made she look like a flower. 'Why are they dressed like that? It's just a dinner.' he thought
"Hey Kai, lets go!" Tyson exclaimed, from inside the elevator
Obviously, none of them had notice the two girls. Growling, Kai walked inside the elevator, on the same second the doors started to close: he really didn't knew why he had to look at the cat-girl, and he really didn't wanted to find out.
~*~
When the Bladebreakers arrived to the dinner hall, Kai understood the reason for Ura and Mariah be dressed so nicely: everyone else was dressed for the ocasion and he didn't felt surprised, manly because they were in a four stars hotel:
"What's going on, here?" Max asked, looking around"Everyone is all dressed up."
"Ignore them and walk towards a table." Ray said "Luckly, they'll ignore us too."
"Yeah, right." Chief mumbled and Kai growled, before approaching one empty table:
"Well people, what will you ask for an entrance?" Tyson asked, looking at his friends "Personally, I'm so hungry I can eat a cow."
"And that's something new?" Chief asked, raising an eyebrow
"Hello guys!" someone complimented and the five guys turn around, to face a smiling Ura:
"Wow..." Max whispered, looking at the girl "You look amazing."
Ura giggled:
"Thank you." she said, looking at him "Hey, why don't we eat together? After all, we're sit beside you."
"Ura, don't start invinting people." a second voice said and Ray opened his mouth wide, while Kai looked in other direction:
"Wow Mariah, you look fantastic!" Max exclaimed, smiling
"Oh? Thanks." the pink haired girl said, blushing "So, I can see you don't know everyone always dresses nicely to meals." she commented, looking at the group
"Yeah, no one told us." Chief replied
"You think it's better for us, to go and change?" Tyson asked, though he was too hungry to move
"Nah, I would like to be in my usual clothes too but, it's not everyday we have the chance to dress like this." Mariah replied, winking at the blue haired boy
Without any warning, music started playing and Ura claped her hands:
"Who wants to dance, with me?" she asked but all she recieves, is silence "Oh, c'mon!" she exclaimed, approaching the table "Max, come with me." and before the boy could say anything, she dragged him to the dance floor.
"Is she always like this?" Chief asked and Mariah looked at him:
"Worse." she answered "Much worse."
Ray looked at his female friend and cleared his throat:
"Mari..."
"Looking good, Mariah!" a voice said and the pink haired girl turned around:
"Oh Kevin, as if your opinion counted for something." she said, facing her green haired teammate
"But, it's true." Gary said, sittting on a chair
"Where's Ura?" Lee asked and Mariah pointed to the dance floor. Raising an eyebrow, Lee looked at the direction his siter was pointing to "Oh." he muttered, before sitting next to Gary
Sighning, Mariah sat besides her brother:
"Gary's hungry." the tallest of the White Tigers said and Kevin rolled his eyes:
"What's new?" he mumbled
"Well, lets ask for dinner." Chief said
"Yay!" Tyson exclaimed and Mariah looked at him, confused:
"Why does this seem like a fantastic thing, for him?" she asked to Chief, who looked at her:
"Trust me, food is the second most important thing for Tyson." he replied and Mariah chuckled, before looking at her brother:
"Lets asks, too?" she asked and Lee nodded:
"Waiter!" he called, raising his hand
While Lee and Chief were asking for dinner, Ray looked at Mariah, who was talking with Kevin: he needed to talk with her, but the question was how would he be able to, if Lee was always around?
"Ask her to dance." Kai said, suddenly and the black haired boy looked at him:
"Huh?" he asked, confused and Kai looked at Mariah:
"Ask her, to dance." he repeated "If you don't do it, I will."
"What?" Ray asked again, but Kai looked away
'Why the hell did I say that?' Kai asked, to himself while Mariah's laugh filled his ears 'This is stupid.'
While Kai was lost in his thoughts, Ray was looking at him: 'No, it has to be my imagination. I mean, Kai?'
~*~
"Uff, I never danced for so long." Ura said, sitting next to Mariah, who smiled:
"When the company is good, time flies." she said and Ura giggled:
"You can say that." she said, grabbing a glass of water "But, what about you? You always loved to dance, but I have only seen you sat here, and talk."
Mariah shrugged:
"Don't have a guy to dance with." she said and Ura raised her eyebrow:
"No?" she asked and Mariah shaked her head "What about Tyson?"
"Urgh!" Mariah exclaimed, looking disgusted "He's a good to have fun with but," she looked at the blue haired boy, who was eating like he hadn't seen food for months "no thanks."
"Yeah, I see what you mean." Ura said, also looking at the boy "What about Chief?"
"No." Mariah replied, looking at all the Bladebreakers. To be truth to herself, Mariah wanted to dance with Ray, but she didn't had the courage to talk with him. Not, after everything she went through during the previous year. She knew it wasn't his fault, after all, she did everything she did because she wanted to and, blame Ray seemed a stupidity but, at the same time, she couldn't look at him.
"I know, Kai!" Ura exclaimed suddenly and Mariah jumped, as her trail of thoughts was broken:
"Kai?" she repeated and Ura nodded:
"Yeah, go ask him."
"Are you crazy?" Mariah hissed "I won't ask that anti-social to dance, not even if he was the last man on the whole Earth!"
"Fine, if you don't ask him, I will." Ura said, getting up
Mariah opened her eyes wide:
"Ura!" she called, but her cousin doesn't stop walking towards Kai "Ura, don't you dare!"
"Hello Kai." Ura said, approaching the boy
"What do you want?" Kai asked, crossing his arms
"Would you mind to dance, with Mariah?" Ura asked loud enough, for Ray to heard "I mean, she's bored and I thought you could ask her."
"Why should I?" Kai asked, annoyed "She's only a kid."
"Please?" Ura asked, trying hard to ignore Kai's word "Do it, for me."
"Will you leave me alone, if I say yes?" Ura nodded "Fine then." Kai finished and Ura smiled:
"Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed "Bye." with that, she walked away
"You didn't asked him, did you?" Mariah asked, as her cousin sat besides her
"Me? Of couse not." Ura said, smiling "Why would I do such thing?"
Mariah narrowed her eyes:
"Because I know you." she replied at the same time she felt a hand on her shoulder
"Mariah." a voice called and the pink haired girl turned around, very slowly, only to face Kai
"Yes?" she asked, confused
"Would you dance with me?" the boy asked and Mariah froze: 'I'm going to kill Ura!' she exclaimed to herself, before looking at Ray. The black haired boy had been looking at her, until their eyes met; then, he had looked down and Mariah closed her fists:
"Of course." she replied, accepting Kai's hand and walking towards the dance floor.
"Yes!" Ura hissed and Lee looked at her:
"You seem happy." he said and Ura looked at him, before blushing embaraced:
"Me? No, it's your imagination dear cousin." she replied but it didn't seemed Lee had believed in her words.
Mariah and Kai stepped into the dance floor at the same time a slow song started playing: a song Mariah knew very well, and which brought memories she only wanted to forget. Without looking up to the boy, Mariah put her arms around Kai's neck, while Kai rounded her waist with his hands and pulled her to him. Then, both listened to the lyric, while dancing slowly:
"Went through the attic today,
Found a note you wrote packed away.
And I started reliving the past,
When I saw his face.
Suddenly, to my surprise,
I felt a tear fall from my eyes.
The heart never forgets,
No the heart never forgets."
Her mind was returning to all those memories so old, but so real: the first time she had seen Ray, the first blade she got, with Ray's help, her first lesson... Gosh, she missed those times so much. Closing her eyes, Mariah started remembering her battle against Ray, during the Asian Tournament: he had promised...he had promised he would always be her friend...he had promise he would never forget her but then, why did it seemed like he did? Why did it seemed like all their memories didn't had any value for Ray?
"You can find someone,
And live your life,
Put an old memory out of your mind,
But the heart never forgets.
A face on a crowded street,
An old movie on T.V.,
A song on the radio
Can bring it all back.
Years roll by,
One by one,
All things change,
But there's always someone,
The heart never forgets,
No the heart never forgets."
Kai didn't knew what to do: he knew the girl on his arms was almost breaking down. He had seen her close her eyes, just like he had felt her closing her fists, behind his neck. He was almost sure she was remembering something, and he bet it had to do with Ray. Looking to his side, Kai saw his black haired teammate looking back at him, with sad eyes. Yes, he knew what was wrong with Mariah. Sighning, Kai did the only thing he could do: pull the girl closer to him.
"Put an old memory out of your mind,
But the heart never forgets.
(musical interlude)
The heart never forgets,
No the heart never forgets."
Mariah gasped when she felt Kai pulling her to him, but she quickly recovered. Slowly and tentatively, she leaned her head against his chest and breathed relieved, when Kai doesn't push her away. She was feeling funny: she had always hate Kai because of his 'I don't care' personality, but he was acting so differently. She could even say, it seemed like he was a different Kai. 'Ah! A different Kai, let me laugh.' Mariah thought to herself 'But I'm really enjoying this.' when that statement end, Mariah opened her eyes wide 'What? Oh please, it's only cold Kai.' she thought 'Honestly.'
"You can find someone,
And live your life,
Put an old memory out of your mind,
But the heart never forgets.
No the heart never forgets.
Ooh, yeah."
When the song ended, Kai
gently pushed the girl backwards:
"Thanks Kai." Mariah whispered and both stay looking at each other for a bit. For Mariah, Kai didn't seemed the same guy he was: at least, his eyes were softer. However, as quickly she had seen that soft side of Kai, his eyes turned colder. Without saying a word, the silver and blue haired boy turned around, and walked away. Rolling her eyes, Mariah sighed "How could I even think he had change?" she asked to herself, before walking towards the White Tigers and Ura, who was smiling widely.
To Be Continued...
A/N: So, what do you think? Hope it's good but, either way, review, ok? Please? Thank you! Oh, wait! I'm still looking for a beta-reader so, if there's anyone who can help me, please tell me your mail through a review. Thank you, again! *blows kiss*
