Thank you for waiting… I was thinking of this plot while I'm listening to my beloved Professor in Physics. Still I don't know what that subject did to me to make me think about this

So here's the fourth installment of my story

Chapter 4:

The night then came and the wind blew a chilly breeze over the calm ocean. The dark sky was full of twinkling stars that night –perfect for stargazing.

"Yup! Definitely perfect for stargazing." Pirika said as she stretches her hand out lazily.

She still wasn't prepared to sleep yet so she decided to walk around the private ship of the Tao family. She still has not explored all of its parts yet. She marveled at how the Tao managed to own such a thing.

She then started to walk above the railings of the ship's boundaries as if defying any accident whatsoever. She was very bubbly indeed, much like his brother, and still a brat at heart. Though we can all notice that being around the snobbish, arrogant yet noble Ren Tao made her change a little. Her only problem now is that she can't express her feelings well. She still can't and mustn't tell herself that she's in love; it would just betray all the things she vowed to herself in the past.

"Careful now… you might slip." The voice came from nowhere.

This time Pirika was not surprised she knew it was Hao. Pirika looked at the direction where his voice came from and like always he was there, sitting contentedly on a pipe.

Frowning at him, Pirika jumped down from the railing.

"How did you get here?" Pirika asked knowing that Japan is miles away from them now. 'Is he following us?'

"Ah! My lady, you're underestimating me. You're forgetting that I'm Hao Asakura… nothing is impossible." Hao's eyes flickered in the moonlight as he said every word clearly in a low voice.

"Whatever! Why don't you leave me alone?" Pirika suggested. It was starting to get creepy already.

Hao seemed to not hear anything. He was still smiling at Pirika. She was starting to feel a bit nervous.

'Why does his smile seem to be a little bit scarier every minute?' She thought to herself. Her heart was racing as if hastening every beat.

"Stop looking at me!" she shouted out, her eyes started to overflow with tears.

Hao was unmoved.

"I won't… I like looking at you. I love looking at your petrified eyes… shaking every time I make a step closer at you." Hao said seriously while still maintaining that calm yet dark aura.

He then took a step closer. Pirika took a step back … "Like that." he exclaimed in a simple manner.

"I said stop!" Pirika shouted again but Hao didn't stop.

"STOP!" Pirika finally extended her arms toward the Asakura as if stopping him.

It may be the emotion welling up inside her or the fear of getting hurt but whatever the reason may be Pirika had managed to create a wall made of ice in front of her. It separated the two for a while.

"Good," Hao praised with an honest admiration. He never thought Pirika would grow strong enough, "but still not the best." He continued as a raging fire appeared from nowhere devouring the tiny ice wall.

"Y-Your furyoku…" The tiny Ainu could only articulate as she started to fear for her life.

She knew that after the Shaman Fight Hao was nothing more than a normal person who can see souls. She knew that Hao Asakura doesn't have the fire spirit anymore. That is why this event was more and more becoming unexplainable.

"Is back? Yes… it did." Hao said finishing her sentence. It was more than enough to explain everything.

Then suddenly everything went black.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Pirika tried to shout as hard as her tiny lungs could. She really thought she was going to die as soon as she closed her eyes.

But then… she felt something warm covering her shoulders. She started to calm herself down.

"Pirika I'm here…" the warm voiced hushed.

O.O

"Oniichan…" Pirika murmured waking from that dream.

Her heart was beating fast. She was afraid… petrified.

Good thing she was only having a nightmare and it was not really true. Her stargazing had caused her to fall asleep while sitting. Good thing Ren came and took out a blanket for her. As soon as she wakes up, Ren's strong yet caring face welcomed her… assuring her that everything will be fine.

Ren saw how petrified the Ainu was, her eyes were puffy with tears while murmuring in her sleep. She seems to have a nightmare and so he took out a blanket for her shaking body.

Even though the boy beside him now was not Horohoro she still felt secured just being with him. She was always used to Horohoro being there for here whenever she needs someone to hold her close, whenever someone is scaring her, or whenever she needs a shoulder to cry on. Even though she might torture her brother back in the Shaman Fight… she still loved him more than ever. Because of that dream, she regretted everything she did for her brother's love life… is this bad karma?

"Ren-kun…" Pirika uttered as tears flowed down her cheeks again.

"Shh. I'm here now Pirika. Don't worry." His gentle voice assured.

This is one of Ren's sides that come out rarely.

"Ren…" Pirika said again, voice breaking.

Ren then hugged the Ainu, as the little lady snuggled closer to him. The girl felt all the warmth and tenderness she needed to overcome that nightmare, it might not be true but just the thought of it makes her heart beat faster again. As for the noble warrior and head of the Tao clan, he liked the feeling of protecting this young flower in front of him. He was always the baby in his family because he's the youngest and all he knew to protect is his sister and himself… but this time… another person gave him a reason to become stronger.

She still kept on crying… but this time she had a shoulder to cry on, maybe not from her oniichan but from another man closer in her heart –Ren.

"I'm never ever going to pretend to be cupid again. I'm never ever doing such thing like that again. Now, I miss my oniichan more than ever!" Pirika wailed, pouring her heart to Ren who still held her as tightly as possible.

"Now, now Pirika. It's not your fault. Your brother just found his heart in Tamao… even though you didn't plan that destiny surely will figure out something for them to be together. Like you said, they're perfect for each other." Ren answered in a tone of voice that you'd never believe to have come from Ren Tao.

Pirika then looked up to Ren, though a little fuzzy she could just discern a charming smile with all gentleness coming from the Tao's lips. It was one-in-a-million, and a very rare thing to see. The delicate Ainu then laid her head on his strong and masculine shoulders feeling every inch of it.

"I promise… I'll protect you in any way that I can. Like your oniichan… or even better." Ren whispered in her wonderfully scented hair.

"Thanks… Ren-kun." Pirika uttered as her tears stopped from falling down. Her lips then moved a little making a smile.

That smile was like a cue for Ren. He hugged her closer.

Ren's consoling seemed to work and now Pirika wasn't crying. But she still didn't want to let go even though she had already stopped crying. They stayed beside each other the whole night through. Ren doesn't care even if it was cold outside or if they were lying on a hard surface. What mattered to him now was that he was able to make the girl with him to forget all her fears.

Somewhere inside the ship someone was watching over them. It was Hao. He saw everything and was now glad about it.

"Even though I frightened her a little at least she's happy now." He then chuckled before he finally disappeared in the dark.

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But the whole night's dream never lasted and the next day that followed the night was very horrible. The clouds gathered in the sky –unleashing their wrath in the sea. The winds blow down on the ship and the rain poured heavily –it was a huge storm.

The ship though great and sturdy can't hold this much and as soon as the crew knew it… it was tearing apart.

"Pirika!" Ren shouted through the chaos in the ship.

Everyone in the ship feared for his or her lives and so panic arouse in the ship. Everyone were running here and there, finding lifeboats or just jumping from the cracking ship.

Ren on the other hand, didn't fear for his life… now he feared for the life of another –Pirika.

"Pirika!" Ren shouted over and over, almost every one of his servants is already safe in their lifeboat. As for him, he can handle himself… but he doesn't know about Pirika.

The metal floor below him shook fiercely again almost making him lost his balance. But a Tao is determined especially when it comes to the people they cherish.

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Okay so this is my 4th chapter… I'm still thinking of the end for this, let's see maybe I can get my inspiration from my English teacher now… hehehe