(Chapter 16: Heart to Heart, Soul to Soul, Blood to Blood)

"Oh!!! I'm so excited!!" Haruko squealed loudly as the girls sat down in the stadium. "Finally! The game against Kainan!"

"I've been so waiting for this!" Yumi snapped her gum as she chewed furious, her hand twirling a strand of her auburn hair. "I've watched Mitsui practice everyday. There's no way Shohoku's going to lose."

"I wouldn't know." Kira said as she shook her sore finger. The long white skirt hid the large bandage that covered the scrape on her knee. The make-up that Yumi had applied thickly onto her cheek covered her bruised cheek and black eye. Her thick, long hair had been swept up into a knot and secured off her neck, fastened with several intricate hand-carved combs, their delicate tendrils escaping and framing her face. Anybody who didn't know would have thought her a beautiful, elegant girl everywhere. One would never have guessed what a klutz she was on a basketball court.

"Look! There's Shohoku!!" Aiko gasped and whistled loudly as she waved.

"Mitsui is looking this way! Mitsui!!" The redhead leaned across the railing and blew dozens of kisses toward the star player, causing the poor boy to blush as the other guys nudged him. Rukawa ignored them, but couldn't resist looking up, knowing that Kira was there, watching him.

"I'm cheering for you, Rukawa." Kira called down softly without coyness, which was what Rukawa liked about her. There's always something flattering under the natural innocent sweet voice of hers.

The basketball legend lifted up his hand in a fist, pointing it straight at her. His sign of victory. All the girls, excluding Kira, squealed with delight at his attention. She only gave him the gracious, trusting, quiet look of hers that made him feel that he had known her forever.

"Look, there's Kainan!" Mila gasped, grasping Suku's arms. "They look horrible! Look at them, they're huge!"

"Surely, they can't be high school students!" Keiko turned to Haruko, her eyes widened with fear.

"They are. But don't feel intimidated." She added cheerfully, pointing to Shohoku's team. "Our team is pretty big, too."

"Only Sakuragi, Rukawa, and your brother." Suki shook her head, her two ponytails bouncing. "The rest are normal, and Miyagi's almost tiny compared to the tallest guy on Kainan."

"We can have faith and trust our boys." Kira looked up. The girls turned to where she had been silent. They saw that there was a light in her eyes, as her lips were smiling with encouragement. At the moment, she was the very glowing portrait of strength and beauty.

"She's right, girls." Haruko finally nodded, agreeing. "Have faith in our boys. They've done well before and with us here, supporting them all the way, it'll be all right whether they win or lose. They're all winners at heart."

"Go, Haruko!" Suki clapped, then focused on the scene below her. "The game just started!"

The game was yet another exciting game, for Kainan and Shohoku were equally good. One minute, Shohoku would have the lead. But thirty-seconds later, Kainan would strike back. The game continued, and by the time the first half of the game ended, Kira and the girls could see their boys were exhausted.

"Kainan has the lead." Yumi said doubtfully, chewing on her lower lip. "I don't know…do you think we'll win?" The other girls all look dubious, their minds split between logic and faith. Only Kira alone stood strong. Aiko turned to the raven-haired girl, for she was their direction of strength and constancy.

"Do you think we'll win, Kira?" The pianist only sat calmly, steadfastly. In a soft voice that was gentle and firm at the same time, she assured the other girls.

"Shohoku will win. Our boys will win."

Her words came true in the end, though it was a long and hard battle. It started out step by step. The girls never gave up as they cheered for their boys. And their boys, dripped with bloody sweat, earned their points one by one. They gained ahead by two, then four, then five. At first Kainan tried to catch up, but they were as tired as Shohoku. But Rukawa's skills and Sakuragi's unwavering energy soon made it impossible to keep up. It was a close game, 68-65, Shohoku in lead.

"We won!!" Haruko screamed. "We won! We won! We won!!" She, Keiko, and Suki clung onto one another.

"This is their second time in a row!" Yumi turned to Kira, her eyes bright and overjoyed. "Second National! Can you believe it!?"

"They are wonderful." Kira's eyes followed Rukawa until the whole team disappeared through the doors. He looked worn out as sweat poured down his face, and looked as if he was about to drop any minutes. But still, he walked with a straight back and lifted his head proudly.

"I can't wait to congratulate them!" Aiko said excitedly, picking up her purse. "Let's go now!"

"Perhaps we should give them some time to steady themselves." Mila suggested. "After all, they've just won the national champions."

"That's a good idea—" Kira began to agree, but was interrupted by a guy rushing up to her, his face pale and breathless.

"Are you Rukiko Kira?" His words jumbled out in a hurry. She looked startled.

"Yes." She felt the skip in her heart that all the people feel when something goes wrong. She couldn't speak.

"Come with me quick! Kaede Rukawa's in trouble!"

"Yes, we won again!" Sakuragi crowed in the locker room, where the guys are changing and congratulating each other for their success. "Thank to me!!" Kogure smiled, but sighed and shook his head.

"Don't forget Rukawa and the rest of us." He reminded. "We did a considerably good amount of work, too."

"Of course, glasses." Sakuragi smacked him on the back. "But I did the most."

Rukawa said nothing as Miyagi and the others protested. "Idiot." He muttered under his breath as he toweled his hair dry from the shower. However, when he was tying the laces of his shoes, he felt someone sitting down next to him. Looking up, he found the "idiot" had sat down beside him, an almost serious expression on his face. Rukawa gave him a look, but didn't say anything.

"So how is Kira?" Rukawa didn't say anything for a while, then finally replied stiffly,

"Fine."

"Have you find her brother, yet?" The raven-haired star basketball player looked up, an annoying, yet curious, expression on his face.

"What sort of nonsense are you sprouting now, idiot?"

"I asked you if you had found her brother yet? It's been months since she first found you." Sakuragi explained, a bit irritated from Rukawa's insulting attitude.

"What does her finding her brother has to do with me? I didn't even know she was looking for her brother." He told the redhead as he pulled his equipment out of his locker and slammed it shut. He heard a catch of breath behind him, before Sakuragi jumped up from the bench, his hand on Rukawa's shoulder.

"What do you mean you don't know about her brother?" He demanded. Rukawa shrugged his hand off roughly and turned, before snapping,

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" He felt disturbed, realizing that there was something to Kira that he didn't know about. After all those days with her, she was hiding something from him that even Sakuragi knew.

Sakuragi took one look at Rukawa's frustrated face, then cocked his head and stated in a voice that further troubled Rukawa.

"You really don't know anything about this, do you? You really have no idea what I'm talking about."

"I don't." The redhead sat down, crossing his legs, and began telling his side of the story with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"Well, when I first met Kira, I wanted to ask her out on a date, because I thought she was the prettiest girl I've ever seen in my life. Mito was with me and told me that there was no way I could ever date her, because—"

"Get to the point!" Rukawa barked.

"Alright! Alright! Well, anyway, when I finally met her, she asked me for help. She was searching for her brother—they've been separated ever since she was an infant." He added. "But since she was new and didn't know anyone, she told me to take her to you. She told me that you'd know how to find her brother."

"How would I know how to find her brother?" Rukawa growled, ill tempered and growing more frustrated by the minute. "I knew she had a brother, but I never knew she was searching for him." Sakuragi shrugged.

"I dunno. She just said you'd know what to do. Hasn't she mentioned this to you at all?" Rukawa shook his head. "That's strange. She was really desperate to meet you. That's why we went to the warehouse that day, so she could find you."

"She never told me anything." Rukawa's face had turned from irritation to troubling. However, it was a calm, stewing troubling expression, not an alarmed one. For Rukawa, time had stood still. The world stopped spinning, the waves stopped rolling, the sun stopped shining, his heart stopped pumping, and even his breath was stopped for the moment being.

"That is strange." Sakuragi remarked, picking up his bag. "Maybe there's something both of us doesn't know about."

"I'm going to talk to her." Rukawa answered automatically. But his mind was turning, thinking, wondering, and placing pieces together. Realization dawned onto him like a thunderclap. Suddenly, he understood the feeling and love he had for her. It was like he had always known, but never really knew.

Mysterious Kira, who looked so much like his own mother, who resembled similar traits and thoughts as himself, who had boundless knowledge and vast amounts of refined qualities, possessed endless patience and sophistication, managed his beloved classical music so intelligently, who doesn't own a vein of basketball blood in her, and whose eyes were always thoughtful, sad, wistful, longing, and full of desire when she lays her eyes on him.

Could she possibly be…

…his sister?

Rukawa Kaede made up his mind to have a good talk with Kira, but the moment he stepped out of the locker room, a group of girls hurried up to him, their faces pale and their eyes anxious and excited. They froze when they saw him.

"Rukawa!" Yumi looked like she was looking at a ghost. Rukawa raised his brow. Raising a shaky hand to her lips, she pointed at him. "R-Rukawa Kaede?"

"Yes?" His tone was impatient and bored. He was in a hurry, had no time nor mood to deal with these nonsense.

"What are you doing here?" Haruko cried. "We thought you were in the hospital, hurt! And where is Kira? Why isn't she with you? Are you really alright?"

"What in the world are you talking about?" His voice was tense as his muscles tightened up under his jacket, every nerve in his body tingling.

"A guy came looking for her!" Panicked, words flew out of Aiko's lips. "He said you were in trouble and for her to go with him! Isn't she with you?!"

"No. What did the guy look like?"

"I don't really remember, all I remember was the tattoo under the collar of his shirt. It was a tattoo of a dragon."

Kira followed closely behind the guy nervously, and with her whole mind focusing on the thought of Rukawa being in trouble, she never once wondered why this unknown man was leading her into a more and more secluded place. Or why he was becoming more and more unfriendly.

"Please, is he alright? What kind of trouble is he in?" Her coaxing voice was anxious. Though the afternoon sun was shining brightly down upon her, she felt a chillingly cold hand squeezing her heart.

"He's in trouble, just follow me." The guy insisted, walking faster. He opened what seemed like the backdoor to a large warehouse, and for the first time, Kira wondered why Rukawa would be inside a warehouse. But the thought that her Rukawa was hurt and alone left her mind with no room for doubt. Without hesitating, she stepped into the dark room.

Kira waited for her eyes to grow use to the darkness and called out softly, "Rukawa? Are you there? Are you alright?"

A vile, soft chuckle from the darkness answered her call. With a gasp, she stepped backwards. The door closed with a bang behind her, cutting of the only stream of light and her only dash of hope. She felt a hand on her back as the guy she had been following gave her a rough shove that sent her onto the floor with a cry.

A light clicked on as Kira raised her head, and the terror nearly suffocated her.

"Hello, Miss Kira," Denji was leaning against the old powder blue Chevrolet with the rest of the scorpions. "What a surprise we're meeting again."

"Denji." Her voice, though a whisper, was set and said with venom. He gave a short back of laughter as he pushed himself of the car and came toward her slowly, as if stalking a prey.

"Yes. And let's see if I remembered what Rukawa Kaede told me last, 'Don't ever let me see you again, or it will be your last day.'" Denji grinned. "You see, Kira, today is the day I'm making that bastard eat his every word."

"We'll see." Her answer, low and soft, sounded so final and daring that it made him shiver. But he ignored it and turned to the man with the tattoo.

"Thank, Kazu, I owe you big."

"Hey, no prob." The guy took out a cigarette and lit it before taking a long drag. "Just let me have part in whatever you're going to do to her."

"No problem." The grin was so wicked that Kira felt her whole body trembling uncontrollably with fear. Denji turned to Kira.

"So how is good old Rukawa? I haven't been back to school since that day. Surely you know my consequences, I won't be graduating."

"You wouldn't be even if you had stayed." Her voice was scathing. Kazu laughed.

"Oh, she's a feisty one. I like feisty ones. They put up the most fight." The leader of the delinquents looked unconvinced.

"I dunno, Kazu, it was hard to conquer her last time."

"That's the best part, brat." Another long drag of his cigarette, and blowing out a big cloud of thick smoke. "The best part, is to see a fighting woman giving up in the end. Conquering has never tasted sweeter. You'll get the taste, don't worry. There's never been a woman which I've tried and never conquered, yet." Denji grinned and gestured to the frightened girl.

"You seem to be experienced. Why don't you have the first try?"

"She's gone! What are we going to do?" Yumi was wailing, tears pouring down her face as if it was a waterfall. Her mascara was running, making her look grotesque, but at the moment, the redhead could care less. The other girls were no better, since the news of Kira missing, they've all been crying, sobbing onto each others' shoulders.

Rukawa massaged his temples, feeling the beginning of a headache. "Quiet! All of you!" He finally ordered, his head snapping toward the direction of the large group of weeping girls. They nodded and tried to stop their waterworks, but Rukawa could hear a sob or a whimper escape now and then.

"Listen!" He grabbed the shoulders of the closest girl, which happened to be Yumi, and gave it a rough shake. "Listen to me! I'm going to go find Kira, I need all of you to search around the stadium, school, her house, or anywhere she might be. If you can't find her, then gather the whole basketball team together and wait for me. Do you understand me?!" Yumi nodded wordlessly, teardrops continuing to drip of her face silently.

"Go!" A word from Rukawa, and the whole flock of girl disappeared, glad to have something to do. As for himself, Rukawa tore out of the building in large strides, his mind bursting from all the emotions he's feeling.

Outside the building, in the warm sunlight, he stopped. Lifting his face as if to gather strength from heaven itself, he closed his eyes and said a silent prayer, for it was his only strength, guidance, and weapon.

Kira, oh Kira! He thought silently. If you really are my sister, then I should feel you in my heart. Where are you? Talk to me! Isn't that what siblings do?! Depend on each other because sometimes, each other is all they've got?! You are all I've got and you are all I want! I will not lose you! Where are you!?

The area surrounding him was quiet, but with his eyes closed, Rukawa felt the uncommon sensitivity of his other senses. And suddenly, he did hear the answer to his prayers, he heard her very words passing by him in the whisperings of the wind.

And without another word, he ran for her destination, toward the only person he's ever cared for in his life.

God, help me! Kira cried silently in her mind. I'm going to die…in the hands of these monsters.

"So, tell me, Kira." Denji peered up at her from below. "What do you see in Rukawa Kaede anyway? I've always wondered. What is it you see in him that you don't see in me?"

"Blood." He looked confused.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't we all have blood inside of us?" He pulled on the ropes that had secured her wrists to poles beside her, stretching her out vulnerably for all to see.

"There's a blood bond between us." Her voice was a low hiss.

"Oh! You mean sex. You guys have gone that far, huh? Well, I'm not surprised. Any man would be a fool to leave you alone." Kira rolled her eyes at the way his disgusting, twisted mind works.

"Our bond goes deeper than sex. Something you would never understand."

"Low blow." Kazu said behind him, where he was studying the tray of equipment on the table. He walked closer to Kira and caught hold of her chin. She tried twisting away, but to no avail. She was lock and helpless. And there was absolutely nothing she could do to help herself.

"She still has the fight in her." Kazu remarked, sounding pleased. "This experience for you all will be extremely pleasant."

"I have no doubt." Denji was grinning. The more muscular man held out a hand.

"Scissors." He ordered, fingering her jean-jacket. "We'll have to get these drabs off her first." Denji, his grin still on his face along with a wicked glint in his eyes, nodded and handed Kazu a huge pruning shear. Kazu shook his head and pointed to a tiny pair of surgical scissors.

"Slow, Denji, slowly." A slow smile building on his lips. "And enjoy ever minute of her suffering."

This is it. Rukawa stopped outside the certain warehouse, trying to catch his breath. He recognized it as the warehouse that Kira had mistaken for his own warehouse that day. I know you're here. I heard you in the wind, and I had known you from my dreams.

Meanwhile, another creature had also sensed something was wrong. He paced back and forth inside the room, hoping that he was wrong. But knowing he wasn't, he stopped and looked for a way out. The pressure in his heart grew great as he found all the door and windows have been locked. The intelligent animal trotted up and down the stairs, looking for an ajar door, or gap from an opened window, but found none.

At last he ambled back to the living room. Standing under the gleaming ebony baby grand, the silver wolf stared out of the window, where he could see the blue sky and white clouds.

Without hesitating, Char leaped out the window, shattering the glass, and ran toward where his heart called out to him.

"Isn't this a beautiful sight, Denji?" Kazu stood back and admired his work. The jacket had been cut away, leaving Kira with only her shirt and skirt as her protection. In addition to cutting her jacket away, Kazu had also made various cut along her shirt, giving it a shredded look that around all of the guys watching by.

Kira's breath was jagged and uneven from a nervous breakdown, as perspiration beaded on her forehead. The combs that had secured her hair atop her head had fallen during her struggle, allowing her hair to spill dramatically over her shoulders. Her wrists were red and raw from her struggles against the ropes. Her strength was weak, but the fire of hope and faith in her heart was still burning strong.

Rukawa! Where are you? A few tears squeezed from behind her closed eyelids. Help…

"It is." The leader of the scorpions nodded with satisfaction. Turning back to his boys, he asked, "What do you think? Have we tamed her yet?"

"Nah," Takua drawled, spitting on the ground. "She's still got fire inside of her."

"Yo, boss," one of Kazu's boys called anxiously. "After we've tamed her, can I have a go at her?" Kazu pulled the cigarette away and gave a curt nod.

"You'll all get a chance." He promised, before turning back to Kira, who looked as if she was about to faint. "You look so uncomfortable, Kira, as if you aren't used to man touching you. Could it be true that Rukawa never did make a move on you?"

"Go to hell." He threw his head back and laughed.

"So it is true. Perfect." His cruel grin was repulsive. "This will shatter him, knowing that we dirtied your innocent, pure, beautiful body before sending you back to him. But at the same time, it'll be double the pleasure for me and my boys as well."

He picked up another pair of scissors. "Now, let's finish this." In that instant, Kira's do-or-die instinct summoned all of her energy and fervently drew upon the only source of power she knew she had.

"Denji!" Her head flew up as she glared at the older boy. Her eyes met his dead-on and nothing in her backed down. "Are you afraid? How could you not be afraid!?"

"Scared of what?" He sneered.

"Have you really forgotten Rukawa's last words, or have you grown stronger? So strong that you could keep him from killing you once he found out what you've done!" Her voice was no longer the fearful, frightened voice of a victim, but as an aggressive, dominant one.

She turned on Denji so fast that she was able to see his expression change from aggressive to stunned. She had drew from a source of power and authority that he had not anticipated. Denji didn't look so certain of himself anymore as he looked around at the group of boys. Then, counting all the boys in the warehouse that would back him up over-numbered one Rukawa, he grew assured once again.

"If he comes, we'll kill him." He insisted. "That is…if he comes. You better pray he does, or you'll be the first the parish."

"He'll come, and he'll never let you get away with touching me." Kira said with powerful authority. Kazu grasped her chin with fire flaming in the middle of the orbs.

"We'll see about that, bitch." With one rough movement, he harshly pressed against her lips, his tongue searching demandingly for hers. Kira gagged and forced down a wave of nausea. She pulled back, but Kazu's hot mouth followed. With no choice, Kira bit down hard against his tongue. The taste of blood filled her mouth as Kazu yelped and pulled back.

Couldn't control herself any longer, Kira turned away and threw up.

"Bitch!" Kazu hissed, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. "We'll see how long you can fight!" Lunging at her, Kira gave a cry as she felt his rough hands on the bare skin of her legs, moving upward slowly. She struggled and kneed him, but the mad man had an insane look in his eyes as his hands continued to move up, lifting the hem of her skirt higher and higher.

"Stop it!" She cried. "Stop it, stop it, stop it!!" Her mind was a swirling tornado of despair. And without meaning to, she began to sob.

Suddenly, the room turned into a burst of whirlwind. One second, Kazu's hand was brushing against the back of her leg, the next second, an enraged kick sent him flying back to Denji and the group of boys, causing them to fall domino styled into a tangled pile. Kira was released by an unstoppable force and in a blink of an eye, she was whisked away from their view.

"After her!" Kazu shouted, struggling to stand up. Denji pulled him up, his face furious. "If you punks let her get away, I swear to God I'll see everyone of you skinned alive!"

"Shhh…" Rukawa whispered as he set Kira down. Kneeling in front of her, he dabbed away her frightened tears with a handkerchief while his other hand worked deftly on the bonds of her wrists. Once freed, he pulled her against him, cradling her against his chest, his arms protective around her. "You're okay, now…you're okay…" He rocked her back and forth, calming her as well as himself.

Silent, grateful tears spilt from under her eyelids as Kira choked back a shaky sob. Slowly, her trembling hands found the strength to reach up and pull him tighter.

"Rukawa…" An overwhelming sense of loss swept through her, for her innocence, her modesty, her pure mind. "It was horrible…" As if a dam had opened, Kira wept. She clung to him, and he stroked her dark hair. She expected to feel naked and vulnerable, but in his arms, Kira only experienced protection and shelter.

"Kira…Kira…" Rukawa's arms wrapped around her, and she sank against his chest. "I should have gotten here faster." He wished he could soak up her pain, blot out the terrible memories, and the horrifying experience she had just been put through. He felt frustrated and impotent. All he could do was hold her and let her cry inconsolably.

Finally, he pulled back and shushed her by gently placing his finger over her lips.

"Quiet now, Kira." He whispered. "We have to think of a way to get out of here first."

"There's two doors, but of them are guarded for sure." Kira felt another wave of despair, this time, for Rukawa. They couldn't escape, and will be discovered sooner or later. And when they do, it will be all over for Rukawa. Burying her face in her hands, she gave a low moan.

"The girls probably has gathered together the whole basketball team, but I have no way to send for them." Rukawa said simply, looking around the warehouse.

"Rukawa!" A shout came from close to them, making them both jump. "We know you're here. Come out now and maybe we'll keep you alive."

"Yeah!" Another voice added, heading in their direction. "We're going to find you sooner or later! Best to come out now and admit your defeat."

"The better man won, Rukawa!" Denji's voice was heard echoing through the lonely warehouse, where a silent battle between life and death took place. "This is revenge for what you've done to us before. I've got friends now, Rukawa. Friends even you can't beat."

"Kira…" Takua's soft taunting voice could be heard coaxing as he prowled around some old machinery. "Come on out, Kira. Give up Rukawa, and we'll leave you alone. Or else when we find you, you'll both suffer. You're a smart girl, you don't have to suffer for Rukawa's sake."

Never! She vowed silently. Never ever!! However, her heart began beating faster and her body began shaking as their thought of their downfall came to mind.

"Go. Do it." She looked up and saw Rukawa's face. It was thoughtful and calm, but his shoulders were hunched from defeat.

"Do it." He repeated again, urging quietly. "Bargain me for your freedom. The worst they could do to me it beat the hell out of me, they won't kill me. But if they catch you, you're going to loose more than you can take."

"Never!" She turned to him, her voice fierce, her determination strong, her eyes soft.

"Don't be foolish." Rukawa turned away. "I know that guy with the tattoo. He's not a person I could take down easily alone. And now, with Denji and his scorpions as well as Kazu's boys backing him up, I can't protect you. And they're right, they're going to find us sooner or later. We can't hide forever."

"No!" Her hand closed around Rukawa's hand and he turned to look at her. Rukawa had never seen Kira look so strong and beautiful before. Her midnight blue eyes burned with valiancy and strength. She positively glowed through the sunlight from the determination of protecting the only one she cared about.

"I'll never give you up, Rukawa Kaede!" She whispered fiercely. "I've fought too hard to get you, I'll never let you go. Even if I could give up Rukawa as a boyfriend, a young man, and a basketball star, I could never give up my own flesh and blood…" Her sentence trailed off softly.

"I can't ever give you up, Rukawa. I can't ever give up…my brother." Kira was afraid to look up. She feared Rukawa's reaction, his denial, she couldn't possibly face any rejection.

"I know." She looked up, her face mirroring the shock that should have been seen on his expression. But when he looked down at her, a gentleness that she couldn't describe and a tender, loving acceptance was all she could detect from his eyes.

"You knew?" She sputtered. "When? How?"

"I've known it since the first time I met you. At the club, your music called to me, your eyes told the story, and you resemble…very much like my mother—our mother." He corrected. "That night, I had a dream. I've seen you in my dreams. Ever since then, I've always known."

The information was too much for Kira to take in. She sat still, allowing her brain to comprehend the full meaning to Rukawa's words.

"You…" She said at last. "You…don't doubt me? You believe me?"

"Yes."

"You…want me?" Her voice was scarcely a whisper as she asked the most forbidden question. Rukawa glanced down to see that her face was pale, but her expression was calm, almost serene. And incredibly sad. Chuckling softly to himself, he pulled her to his side with one arm.

"Silly Kira." He chided softly in a paternal tone. "Of course I want you. You're everything a brother could ask for. Why? Don't you want me?" Her head flew up as she nodded frantically, almost nodding her head loose from her shoulders.

"I've been searching for you half of my life." She told him quietly. "You're my only connection. After my guardian died, I have no one else besides your name. The thought of you kept me going. I believe and trusted in you when I had no one else to depend on. When nobody was there, you were there for me."

Rukawa was touched by how much his presence and his living had affected his sister. He hugged her close to him as he studied his surroundings with sharp eyes. It doesn't seem like they have a way out. Voices and steps of people searching for them were still heard, and he knew that it wouldn't be very long until they discover them. There was nothing they could do.

Just as Rukawa was about to give up, their angel appeared, crawling from behind a big metal bin on his hindquarter.

"Char!" Kira whispered hoarsely. "What are you doing here?" Char grinned, before lowering his head and drooping his long ear in a comical fashion and crawling toward them. As soon as he was within two feet of them, he jumped up and leaped into Kira's arms, his red tongue licking off her dried tears.

An idea popped into Rukawa's head as he pulled the large dog from Kira's arms. "This is it." He whispered, excitement and hope lining his face. "He's the answer!"

"Char?"

"Yes! Quick! Give me something!" Slipping off the wristband that he never took off after the game, Rukawa handed it to the dog. The wolf dog sniffed it, then grinned, panting lightly. Kira fumbled around herself. Her purse was gone, and any excess clothes had also been cut away.

"I have nothing. Never mind, here." On sudden impulse, she tore the hem of her shirt, and placed it between Rukawa's band. "The girls will recognize that." Taking the wristband from him, she held it out to Char, softly talking to him.

"Listen, Char, take this to Yumi. Yumi." She repeated slower, as the dog watched her lips intently. "Bring them back here. Here. Go, Char, bring them back!"

The dog, giving the pair of sibling a long look of understanding, as if he was reluctant to leave them, finally, under Kira's urging, took the items in his mouth and bounded away from the unknown entrance which he had came in from.

"Let's hope we can stay until he bring them back." Rukawa's voice was grim. Kira nodded, and sighting one of her combs on the ground near her, she lifted her hair and fastened it with the wooden combs. Then she leaned back and let out a long sigh, as if being able to control her appearance helped steady her.

"Rukawa!" They could hear the scorpions still looking for them. "Are you an idiot!? Do you know what we'll do to you if we find you?!"

"I swear to God, Rukawa!" Denji bellowed. "We'll cut you up slowly, first your finger, then—" He went on describing all the cruel, gruesome details. Kira visibly flinched as the list went on. Rukawa ignored it, though his fine features grew darker and darker with rage.

"Do you think they'll really do it?" Kira finally leaned closer and whispered. Rukawa shook his head and told her no, though his mind told a different story.

The voices were coming closer and closer to where they were hiding and Rukawa knew, if he doesn't do something quick, both him and Kira will be found in no time. If for nothing, he must at least stall for time. His brain did a quick calculation as he looked further into his surrounding.

Kira was murmuring a silent prayer when Rukawa struggled into a kneeling position next to her. She looked up, pausing in the middle of her prayer. She had now grown calmer, and has a steady look in her eyes. Rukawa looked down, and she felt a chill going through her body.

"No, Rukawa—" She reached out. He pushed her down and before she could say anything else, he had tucked her into the large square bin behind them, silently covering the whole object with the plastic sheet that was above it. He could see Kira's fingers feeling around on the other side of the plastic, looking for a way to get out.

"Rukawa, don't!" She was furious, but kept her voice in a whisper. "If you dare do anything stupid, I'll never ever forgive you!" But her brother only poked her back into the tall metal bin and whispered back,

"Stay here."

Then, with movements as swift and silent as a cat's, Rukawa ducked under a pile of iron bars and crouching low, ran away from Kira. On his way there, he made sure his foot touch a beer can, sending it cluttering away. He heard footsteps running his way.

"What was that?!" Kazu demanded. With a light leap, the tall basketball player hopped on to the little stairs that led to another level in the warehouse. Above them all, Rukawa finally had the chance to take in his whole surrounding. He saw that, indeed, there were several boys guarding the two entrances.

"I swear I heard something…" Denji muttered as he looked around. Kazu let out a low, threatening hiss, and grabbed the younger boy by the collar.

"I want you and your boys to find that girl and Rukawa, now! If you don't, you'll be paying me with your own lives!"

Rukawa smirked. It seemed like Kazu was only a fair-weathered friend. He trusts and cares for no one. Only Denji, the fool, would take in Kazu as a friend.

Still smirking, he quietly stepped around and slipped past the group of arguing boys. For the next fifteen minutes, he kept the dragons and scorpions running like madmen in circles, while quietly laughing to himself.

But alas for Rukawa, for he could not stay in hiding forever. As he pressed his forehead against a large wooden crate, gasping for breath from exhaustion, Takua crept slowly behind him with a glass bottle. Rukawa sensed the presence of another behind him, but before he could react or turn around, Takua brought the bottle down full force against Rukawa's head. Rukawa dropped to the ground, as the shattered sound of glass showered around him.