A/N: Sorry for the long wait!! It's been so long I know.. but I've been really busy lol :P not that that's a good excuse. Got exams this week so I'm going to disappear for a while .

Just a note- this is only the first half of the actual chapter I just haven't finished the other half yet, and I wanted to update before the end of the month.

THANKS TO ALL THE REVIEWERS!! ::glomps reviewers:: XD I luv u all so much

Chapter 4

Rei wasn't sure how the argument had started in the first place, but it sure as hell hadn't finished. He glanced across at the sleeping Russian on the other side of the bed.

How can he be so calm about all of this? Rei wondered, feeling tears trickle down his cheeks. He was so nice to me before, but now he's as cold as before. Why did everything have to change between us?

Rei's naorrw shoulders shook slightly as Kai's words drifted into his mind.

"You're pathetic, Kon, you can't even hold your own in a silly little match! How do you suppose you're going to get on int the real world? I don't know why you're still on this team, because you certainly don't belong here!"

He wasn't sure if Kai had meant his words, but Rei had felt the sting of his words all the same.

Was he really that worthless? Maybe he didn't deserve to be on the Bladebreakers after all...

But that was the least of his worries. It was the fact that Kai had yelled at him. Kai never yelled at him.

Rei gave a depressed sigh, and slowly climbed out of bed, careful to make as little movement as possible. He hastily shot a glance at his roommate, who remained fast asleep, his gentle breathing reaching Rei's keen ears.

Rei wandered out of the dojo, not sure where he was going. All he knew was that he had to get away from Kai, get away from the building tension between them.

It had all started over a stupid match between another blading team and them. Rei had been too overconfident, and made a stupid mistake- his blade has slipped on a wet spot, and that had been the end of the match. He had let his team down, and it was all his fault- which Kai wouldn't let him forget.

I know it was a stupid mistake, but why is he being so hard on me? Rei wondered desperately, blinking rapidly to clear his misty eyes.

"Rei!!"

The neko jin twisted around, and stared at Mariah who came sprinting towards him.

"Mariah? What are you doing awake?"

The pink haired girl shrugged, beaming at her crush. "Where are you going? Can I come too?"

"Er..." Rei searched for an excuse. "Actually I want to be alone right now, Mariah, sorry. I just need time to think."

"I heard about the argument." Mariah said abruptly.

Rei flinched. But then again, who didn't hear the argument? We were yelling loud enough.

"And?" Rei asked, somewhat coldly.

"It's not your fault, Rei. Kai's a cold bastard who doesn't give a damn about anyone other than himself."

"That's not true!" Rei retorted heatedly, immediately defending the blue haired Russian without a second thought. "He does care, he just doesn't show it a lot."

"Doesn't show it a lot? For God's sake Rei, he has no bloody emotions!" there were tears of desperation in Mariah's eyes. "Please, Rei, you're only going to end up hurt if you stay with him! He won't hesitate to hurt your feelings and crush your emotions."

"Please, Mariah, I don't need this right now. You have your opinions about Kai, and I have mine. Let's just keep them to ourself, okay?" Rei asked wearily.

Mariah sighed. "Of course. Just remember what I said, Rei. Because it's the truth."

She turned on her heel and walked off into the darkness. Rei watched her go, her words echoing around his head.

Kai does care! He does! Rei kept repeating that to himself. Surely he does- he's taken care of me so many times before without second thought. Surely that must count for something?

Rei walked towards the park, wondering if Kai would notice that he was missing, and what would happen when he returned- would he get yelled at again?

I just have to get away... can't Kai see that I love him? Why does he always have to hurt me like this?

Kai woke up and automatically reached across the bed to see if Rei was safe. To his shock the other side of the bed was empty. The sheets were cold, which meant that it had been empty for a long time.

Kai sat up, his heart hammering wildly. Where the hell was Rei?

Damnit, if only I hadn't lost my temper the other day, then this wouldn't be happening! Kai cursed silently.

He hurriedly climbed out of bed, and entered the kitchen, hoping to see the neko jin sitting at the table. But only Kenny and Max were sitting there, eating breakfast and chatting happily to one another.

"Oh, hey Kai!" Max spotted him first, and waved at the stoic Russian. "You're up late today."

"Hn. Where's Kon?" Kai cut straight to the point.

Max gulped. He wasn't sure why Kai was looking for Rei, and hoped he wasn't about to yell at him again. The Chinese boy had been so crushed after the argument- he had picked at his food, refused to speak, and was unusually depressed.

Kai saw the conflict in Max's eyes. "I'm not going to yell at him again, Taite. I just want to talk to him."

"That's good." Max grinned in relief. "But I have no idea where he is. I haven't seen him all morning, which is really strange." he frowned thoughtfully.

Kai's heart plummetted.

Where the hell is he? If he hasn't been around all morning, that would mean that he must've left extremely early. I have to find him. What if something bad has happened to him?

"I'm going to go look for him." Kai said abruptly. He pulled on his jacket and hastily left the dojo.

He walked down the street, keeping a sharp lookout for Rei. He still couldn't believe that he had yelled at Rei the other day. But the tension between the two boys had been growing ever since they had taken the pictures.

Kai wasn't sure what had come over him, to make him yell at Rei like that. But his strong love for Rei had been too much for him to bear- it wasn't like him to have such strong emotions, and it had finally been too much for him, so he had taken out his frustration on the person he held the emotions for- Rei.

Where would Rei have gone to? Kai wondered, as he crossed the road, heading towards the park- it was where he went to train, so perhaps Rei had gone there to unwind. It's worth a shot, Kai reasoned.

He wandered around the park, trying to look as collected as possible. His eyes sought out every raven haired boy in the park.

To his disappointment Rei was nowhere to be seen near the blading dishes. Kai's shoulders sagged and he sat down at the base of a large tree.

Where are you Rei?

well that's it!! See you in the next half of the chapter!! :P