(Chapter 4: Kaede and Kira)

Kira ran the brush through her hair until it shone like spun black silk. Char watched as she pulled it back with a white headband, his long tail wagging.

"I've got to go to school, Char." Kira said as she picked up her bookbag and slid several books into it. "You have to stay home and be good. If the mailman comes, he's only here to deliver the mail. Don't bite him, or you'll get into trouble."

Char cocked his head and panted, his ears twitching softly. She smiled and rubbed his head.

"You're a good dog, Char." She said as she opened the front door. "Be good while I'm at school!" He barked and the door closed. Being an intelligent animal, he quickly scrambled to his feet and ran to the living room window, where he could see his young mistress run for school.

He watched her until she disappeared, then slowly wondered around the empty house until he reached the back patio. As he stood on the terrace, he was surprised to come face to face with a dog on the other side of the fence.

Involuntarily, Char gave a surprising "woof" showing his teeth a little. But the golden dog only wagged his tail, before releasing joyful barks. Cocking his head with wonder, the wolf dog shook his head before trotting back into the house to began his long wait for his mistress.

As for Rukawa next door, he was late again. The nameless infant from last night had grown to a child of four, and just as he reached for her this time, she turned round. And Rukawa was shocked to see the face of the girl from yesterday's club smiling down at him. He was startled awake.

He never asked for her name before Sakuragi dragged her from the warehouse. But from the moment he laid his eyes on her, he had taken an instant liking to her. There was something about the virtuous, talented girl that made Rukawa want to take her under his protection.

Dressing quickly, Rukawa raced out of the house with his discman, ignoring the jubilant barks of Buster outside. That girl from yesterday, he swore he's known her before.

Today, he meant to find out her name and exactly who she was.

Kira's day went smoothly, and the real trouble came at lunch, when the troublemakers of the school spotted the lone girl standing in the lunch line. She was chatting lightly to the girl next to her when one of the boys nudged their leader, nodding toward her.

"Hey, isn't that the new girl?" He murmured. "She is a knock-out!"

"That is her." Denji smirked. "Rukiko Kira, the first year." Another guy whistled.

"This is the first time I've seen her." He breathed. "Yo, Takua, didn't you say you saw her at Rukawa's warehouse last night?"

The redhead nodded. "She's one fine specimen, I tell you. Plays with magical fingers. Even Rukawa was enchanted last night. Right after that girl fainted, he immediately directed for her to be brought over to him. You would have thought he was afraid the rest of us would have eaten her."

"You would have." The last guy reminded. "Didn't you sneak past his watchers just to do something harmful?"

"It matters not now." Denji's right hand man licked his lips. "We have her right here in front of us." Denji grinned darkly.

"Let's go…introduce ourselves to the new girl."

"I've never tried the casserole either." The girl beside Kira giggled. "I've always been rather skeptical of school lunches. That's why I pack my own lunch." She patted the lunchbox in her hands. "I just need to pick up a drink."

"I didn't have time to make myself a lunch." Kira replied wistfully, carrying her tray. Her eyes caught the group of boys heading their way. Setting a glass of apple juice on the tray, she nodded toward the menacing looking group. "Your friends?" The girl turned and gasped, blood draining from her face.

"No!" She picked up her lunch and scurried out of the line, turning back and warned anxiously. "If you know what's good for you, you'd forget about lunch and get away from them!"

"What?" Kira frowned, but the girl had already disappeared and the only thing in her view was five boys.

"Hel-lo, beautiful." The guy in the middle smirked, apparently in charge of this assault. "I'm Denji, third year. We heard that you're new in school, so we just want to help you out in any way we could." The guys behind him snickered. Kira felt a surge of disgust as well as alarm.

"Thank you, but I'm in need of no help." She told them as politely as she could as she paid for meal and began to leave. But a redhead blocked her way.

"C'mon…" He said in a soft drawl. "All girls need help in one way…or another." His hand smoothly dropped onto her neck, lifting toward him her chin. "Just…relax…"

But relaxation was far from her dictionary as Takua found a cup of juice been thrown on his face. He blinked with shock as the sticky, sweet liquid dripped off the ends of his hair and rolled down his face. In Kira's hand, she held an empty cup.

"Like I said: I'm not interested." Kira's voice was cool as she eyed them with icy eyes. The blood in Takua's veins boiled with anger as he reached out, his voice a threatening growl,

"Why, you—"

"Don't you get it?" A silky, almost bored voice said behind the group. They spun to find themselves facing eyes that are like two pieces of the midnight blue ocean.

"The girl said back off." Rukawa's voice was cold and to the point of being deadly as he walked in front of Kira and without a thought to what he was doing, shielded her with his body.

"R-Rukawa!" Denji hissed. Then he plastered a stiff smile on his face, and draped an arm across Rukawa's shoulders. "So you're interested in the new girl, too, huh? Well, that's just dandy. We can share her and each take half—" A fist slammed into his jaws, cutting off his sentence.

"D-Denji!" His cronies leaped forward to help their leader. Rukawa pulled back his arm and dusted off his school uniform, his face expressionless.

"It doesn't matter what I'm interested in." He said monotonously. "I don't like to see you and your lackeys picking on innocent people, especially girls." Denji cursed under his breath as he brushed off the trail of blood from his lips.

"Rukawa! You—"

"Get lost, idiot." His eyes lid to the four other boys cowering beside their boss and his smirk widened. "Idiots." He corrected himself.

Muttering and cursing under their breaths, the boys ran. By now, the whole cafeteria was watching the scene with interest. But one look at hero's dark expressions, they quickly turned back to their lunches. Rukawa turned to Kira and said emotionlessly,

"So you've met the Denji of the Scorpions and his lackey scorpions. Stay away from them if you value your innocence." He turned to leave. And Kira, on sudden impulse, reached out and took hold of his elbow. He turned back.

"T-Thank you." She thanked, a small blush creeping up to her cheek uncomfortably. He stared at her, then nodded nonchalantly.

"I'm eating over there." He gestured with his chin, to an empty table by the windows, before taking off with every eye in the room staring after him. Kira stood still, always watching him curiously, wondering if that was an invitation. Then she saw him turn around, his eyes laying on her for a split second.

An invitation! Without waiting, she hurried after him and as she did so, the whispers among the lunchroom grew louder.

"Look at her." Kira heard one girl whisper. "Running after Rukawa Kaede like that. Isn't she ashamed?"

"She's almost throwing herself in front of him, with her looks, too." Another added.

"It's disgusting what some girls would do to get his attention." One flipped her hair. "Even though he is the hottest guy in school, I would never undignify myself to doing such a repulsive thing."

Kira was very self-conscious as she placed her tray on the table and sat down across Rukawa. She felt the resenting burning eyes of the girls piercing through her back, and couldn't help feeling uneasy at the whispers she had heard.

Rukawa was the first to speak. The girl that he felt he knew and played a wonderful hand of piano had caught his full intrigue, though he'll never admit to it.

"I'll be at the warehouse again, tonight. Will you be there?"

The word "approved" immediately flashed into Kira's mind, as she chewed slowly and answered carefully.

"Why?" She asked curiously, wishing to draw more words from the silent boy. He looked up at her sharply.

"I said I would like to hear you play again." She dropped her fork and gaped at him.

"You want me to play in front of all those people again?" She tried to steady herself. "I have a grand piano at my house, if you want to hear me play, you could come to me house."

"I think it'll do them good if you play at the warehouse." Rukawa ignored her suggestion. Kira thought for a bit, then nodded and said with a smile that made Rukawa's heart skip a beat.

"Alright, I'll be there."

Though Kira agreed, Charmond sure didn't. The moment Kira exposed her plan to the wolf dog, the canine immediately began whimpering.

"I told you, Char. It's only for an hour or so." Kira protested as she sashayed into the kitchen, Char whining at her heels. "I won't take that long."

"Ar—woof!" Char jumped in front of her and bared his teeth. Kira, not daunted, sighed and turned around, her wrists on her hip.

"Char!" She reprimanded sharply. "Nothing is going to happen. Rukawa Kaede's going to be there and he won't let anything happen to me." Char's growl immediately subdued at the sound of Rukawa's name being mentioned. Kira nodded.

"I found him, Char." The dog cocked his head and eyed his mistress as shed dreamily sat on the high stool set by the island in the center of the kitchen. "He is not what I imagined…he seems better."

Char barked, and grinned. Kira looked down at him, her blue eyes shining softly.

"He's mean, distant, rude, and bitter." Char's ears pricked attentively. She made a face at him and said friskily, "We don't like mean, distant, rude, bitter people, do we? Do we, Char?" The dog growled and pawed her playfully. She pulled his ears and massaged them between her fingertips. Char panted happily beside his mistress. "No, no we don't. But underneath all that, I could almost sense something wistful…desirable."

It was that indescribably something which girls are quick to see and feel in the opposite gender. Rukawa held an especial charm to Kira, for she soon found that the soft side of his character was not shown to everyone…if anyone.

Kira hugged herself and looked up at the clock. "I gotta go, Char." She tapped his nose. "I'll be back soon, k?"

The dog whimpered and watched Kira skip out the door. He let her go, but he still had a very bad feeling about this.

"Now, let's see…" Kira murmured to herself, wondering around the rows and rows of storehouses. They all looked alike to her. How did Sakuragi tell the one apart from the others?

She closed her eyes. Silence prevailed. But wait… there was some sound coming from her right. The raven-haired girl opened her eyes, pleased with herself as she followed the source of sound to the gray looking warehouse.

"This is it." She nodded satisfactorily. "I guess I'll just go right in."

Kira missed the fact that all of the warehouses looked the same, and walked straight into a deadly trap.

She knew something was wrong as soon as she stepped into the high-ceilinged storage. Unlike Rukawa's warehouse, it wasn't divided and separated with front stage and backstage, a makeshift bar with dozens of iron wrought tables and chairs. Old broken down cars, shattered glass, and dangerous looking equipment filled up this warehouse.

"Hello?" She called out, clutching tightly to her handbag and peeked around the dimly lighted room. Something banged loudly behind her as she spun around, panicking, loud voices were heard as they came closer.

"We should have picked a more secluded area!" A male voice snapped. "I knew it wasn't going to work out in the cafeteria."

"Who'd have thought Rukawa would come to her rescue?" Another voice complained. "If it had been any other guy, I would have taken him down without a thought. But Rukawa—"

"Hey, just shut it, alright?! We'll get her another time."

Denji and the Scorpions! Kira recognized the voices from the group of street gangsters this morning. Looking about her wildly, she searched for a place to hide.

"Yeah, when, huh?!" The voices themselves appeared around a machine, and at the last minute, Kira dove behind a large carton. But alas! Her foot caught a cable and she landed face flat loudly into a pile of beer cans. The sound echoed in the lonely room as cans rolled in all directions in every way.

"What the—!?" Heads snapped her way as she groaned inwardly. Denji reached her first and a vile smile slowly made their ways to his lips.

"Right now." He turned to Takua. "We can get her right now." The redhead appeared.

"Secluded area? You got it. Rukawa? Out of the picture." Hands reached for her. "Come here, babe."

"Ugh!" She struggled. "Don't. Touch. Me!"

"Aw…" Denji leaned close to her face as they set her down upright. "Don't tell me Rukawa is the only man that's allowed to touch you."

Freeing her hand, Kira brought it down with all her might across Denji's smug smirk, slapping it clear off as it accented the bruise that Rukawa had put there earlier that day.

"No. It's just that you make me sick, you disgusting tub of leach!" She spat as he cradled his face. And without giving the rest of the scorpions time to react, she kneed the leader just below his groin. As Denji doubled over, cussing under his breath, she threw all the hands off her.

Dashing for the car that she had seen when she first entered, Kira implored for the horn to work. Sighting the powder blue Chevrolet, she gave a leap, and landed on the front seat cushion. Her slender fingers immediately felt around for the horn.

C'mon, c'mon!! Sweat broke out on her brows. Her fingers finally pressed against something and a deafening tone detonated. Biting her lips, the pianist kept her hand pressed against the horn, hoping someone would hear and come investigate.

"Get her! Get her!!" Denji was yelling to be heard above the noise. "Do you idiots want somebody to find her here?!"

His lackeys reached her and their hands found her waist, her ankles, her shoulder, her elbows. Kira twisted and fought against the forbidden hands, hoping to keep her palm on the horn for a few more precious seconds, for they were her only hope.

When she was at last jerked away, Denji had reached them. His eyes were on fire as he snarled, "Handcuff her!"

Kira was roughly dragged up to her feet, cuffs being clicked around her wrists. But she scarcely had time to worry about her wrists and ankles as she caught Denji's words.

"Bring me the rod. We'll see if we can conquer her or not. Stool!" The girl bit her lips to hold back a whimper as she was tossed carelessly upon the high stool, her arms and legs tied parallel to the legs of the chair so that her back was perfectly exhibited to take whatever's coming up. Blood drained from her face as Takua appeared with a long, heavy rod in his hands.

"So…Kira…" Denji walked around her slowly, prolonging the tension and anxiety on Kira's part. "Do you know what you did to deserve this?"

"I did nothing, only what I should." She tossed the hair away from her face and her hateful eyes looked levelly into his. His smirk dropped a little bit, but the relentlessness of his eyes hardened.

"Really, do you not find me attractive?" His fingers the soft lines of her neck. "Leader of the Scorpions, sophisticated, handsome, somewhat rich. I'm a man with a title, what could you possibly want more than me?"

"A jar of pickled, warty toads with maggots swarming at the side." Her low voice was venomous, though her body was trembling visibly. "You…are worse."

Denji jerked back, his eyes flaming. He looked over at Takua and nodded slowly. From the corners of her eyes, Kira saw the dreadful switch being raised as she ducked behind her long hair and shut her eyes tightly, her teeth drawing blood from her lips.

Oh God…this is going to hurt!

The switch hissed as it whooshed down at a violent speed, but it never landed on Kira's back. And instead of loud noises, there was only silence. Waiting a few more seconds for that terrible rod to land, Kira opened her eyes, and peeked through her hair. What she saw made her gasp.

Rukawa was standing next to her, as silent and as still as a statue yet as dark and dangerous. In his hand, he grasped the end of the threatening weapon. Gasps were heard as well as a few light curses were muttered under their breaths.

"You are sick, Denji." Were the first words to leave Rukawa's lips. He was furious, Kira realized, for his voice had turned as cold as ice. "I thought I made myself clear this morning, I hate people that pick on girls. And here exhibiting right before my very eyes—" With a swift movement, the rod in Takua's hand appeared in his own hand. "What were you about to do, Takua? At your master's call, were you about to beat an helpless girl senseless?"

"I…I…" The henchmen stuttered, couldn't find a word to say in his defense. He shut his eyes and ducked as Rukawa raised the cane, thinking he was about to be thoroughly thrashed. But Rukawa only threw the rod far, far across the room. It landed with a clatter and with a weary wave of his arm, Rukawa could only mutter,

"Leave! Get away from here before I beat the five of you senseless! Don't ever let me see you again, or it will be your last day."

Knowing that he speaks no lies, the Scorpions scrambled for their escape.

With deft fingers, Rukawa released Kira from her torturous position and set her upright. Letting out a loud, shuddering breath, her knees weak under her, Kira couldn't speak and could only look up at her tall, silent, dark, savior with dazed eyes. However, Rukawa Kaede had plenty to say, and didn't hesitate to say exactly what was on his mind.

"You idiot!" He exploded, his blue eyes blazing. He suddenly had the urge to comfort her and shake her at the same time. He didn't give to either inclination. "Did I tell you not to cross path with them?! You're damn lucky they were only about to thrash you soundly, do you have any ideas of what they've done to girls in the past?!"

Kira shook her head mutely, and he went on.

"You scared the hell out of me, you know that?! When you didn't appear for so long in the warehouse, I knew something as wrong! And when I heard those damn car horns, my heart damn well nearly stopped. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Suddenly, his arms shot out and he pulled Kira toward him, cuddling her against his chest.

"You must be scared." The caring tone under his rough voice couldn't be hidden as his voice grew softer and was filled with more understanding. He wanted to shake her, he wanted to give her a hard lecture because she was so ignorant, but found that he could do neither. "I'm sorry I came late."

Tears filled Kira's eyes as she clung onto the young man, her voice was lost as well as her courage. She could only sag against Rukawa's strong body and thank him silently for her narrow escape. She finally pulled away and brushed the tears with her fingertips.

"I-I'm sorry." She pushed back the long strands of her hair. "We've met three times, and still you know not my name." She held out a hand. "I'm Rukiko Kira, first year."

"Rukawa Kaede, second year." Rukawa could only stare into the lovely face in front of him, his mind a swirling mist of emotions.

That face…so familiar…so like Mom… Those beautiful, fine features of her face. The mysterious, intoxicating airs about her. The long, silky midnight tresses of her hair. The curvy slender body along with the fine-boned long fingers.

Rukawa could only stare.

Without another word, he walked Kira out to his bike and placed her on the backseat. Getting on his bike, he turned back to ask where she lives. She gave him the rough address of where she lives and they rode in silence.

Rukawa was vaguely aware that they were riding toward his house, but when Kira finally pointed out her house, he was stunned.

"This is where you live?" He asked quietly, stopping the bike and staring at the house next to his. She hopped over and smiled, shouldering her bookbag.

"Yep. Would you like to come in?" He checked his watch. It was well over nine.

"Would your parents mind?" His voice lowered back to the emotionless monotone.

"Nope. I live alone." Then a bark echoed through the silence and she laughed. "With Charmond, of course." The door to the house opened as Rukawa parked his bike inside the gate. As he turned around, he saw a large handsome dog scampering his way. Kira was sprinting right behind him.

"Char, that's Rukawa, don't you dare bite him!"

But the wolfish looking dog only jumped and placed his front paws against Rukawa, as if embracing him. Rukawa petted the dog between his ears then followed Kira into the house.

"Funny. Usually, Char is awfully protective of me." Kira explained as she turned on the lights. "Especially around males. He seems to think he's the only male that's allowed to be in my life."

"What happened to your parents?"

"I've never met them." She replied lightly, pouring dog food into Char's dish and placing it on the kitchen floor. "I was separated from my family when I was a infant and was raised by a kind, elderly woman. She passed away a few months ago, but left me a rather large inheritance." She turned and smiled her eyes sad. "But before she died, she told me about my real family. She never knew my parents' name, but she did tell me something about my brother. He's the only connection to my past she knew."

By this time, Char had finished his dinner and was pawing Rukawa rather anxiously. Kira shook her head and laughed.

"Look at me! You're not here for Family History 101, let's talk about something else. Or rather, let's go to living room." She gave him a wink. "You wanted to hear me play? Do you like classical music?" He nodded, following her through the house.

"I love classical music. It's shows depth, potential, and beauty. Unlike some of the junk people our age listens to today."

She sat down gracefully at the shiny ebony baby grand piano, and turned to the lanky teen that's lounging on the couch.

"What would you like me to play first?" Her voice was only a part of the air. Rukawa thought for a while, comfortably sprawled on the white leather couch.

"I was always fond of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata." She nodded with a satisfied smile on her lips.

"Will do."

Kira struck the keys, pulling the melody out of her mind and fingers and pouring it into the grand piano. Instantly, the music filled the room, swept the air with its haunting notes.

Soon, both Rukawa and Kira forgot everything except the magic of Beethoven's wonderful melody. She played it from start to finish, and when the final notes faded into silence, she played another. Rukawa was sitting on the couch, his ankles crossed and his arms resting behind his head casually. But there was nothing casual about the way he listened and the way he watched the pretty pianist. He was drinking up every shimmering drop of her music as if it was life itself.

Kira played all the pieces she loved—Chopin, Mozart, Brahms, Beethoven, Schumann, and many others. The enchanting elegant sounds from the grand piano moved out through the rooms, reaching down, softly touching Rukawa with its alluring, divine melody. Rukawa Kaede was wrapped in the heavenly music and the heavy warmth of the devotion that held in the air. The silence around the edges of the music deepened and darkened. Her fingers ascending swiftly with the music, Kira was no longer conscious of the music, just the feeling and sounds that held her. The harmonious notes had no distinct tone but melted together and poured over the two as they sat under the silver moonlighted sky accentuated with glittering stars, with the moon's shimmering luminescence fell across the room.

Rukawa was absolutely enchanted by the beauty and grace of her music. Kira didn't play long, but the seventeen-year-old relaxed and watched her, smiling discreetly to himself, his fingers moving with the rhythm.

As the last note withdrawn from the air, he sat still in the soft silver river of the moon, still dazed in his fantasy of the magnificence of music. There was only the still silver moonlight on the piano keys, and the music, the way music can linger on sometimes in silence. Kira drew her fingers from the piano, a soft blush touched across her nose.

"That was simply brilliant." He told her quietly. A silent smile played on his face. "Pure divine." He checked his watch again. Forty-five minutes had passed without a thought.

"I should go now." He looked down to see Char panting softly behind him, his ears pricked high as if listening to his mistress's irresistible melodies. The intelligent eyes seemed to be speaking. Kira stood up.

"I…I had a good time." She said shyly as she walked him to the glass-paned door.

"I did, too." He looked back at her and gave a rare, but sweet, smile. Lifting a hand for a last wave, he picked up his bike and wheeled it out of the gate.

"Be careful, Rukawa!" She called. "Where do you live?"

In the silence of the night, Kira could hear Rukawa's quiet laugh. "I live right next door." She blinked as he continued.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Before he disappeared into the darkness of the night.