Chapter 7:

The next day that followed was dark and cloudy. It only took a little while when the rain finally fell… showering the earth with its chilly tears.

Ren was still there beside Pirika, he was watching over her all night without pausing for some sleep.

"It's raining," he muttered to himself then turned at Pirika.

She was still unconscious. She looked very delicate and so vulnerable. How he long to hear her voice again… he wanted to see those cerulean eyes again. He wanted to see her lively smile and cheerful face again.

"Pirika wake up." Ren whispered for the nth time this night.

He held her hand. Her cold fingers slowly warming because of his touch.

"Please Pirika…"

His eyes then widened in surprise.

'Did I just said please…' He then started to look around. 'Good thing no one heard that.'

He sighed. 'No one must hear that.'

"R-Ren…" A familiar voice suddenly said out of the blue.

'I must be very tired. My ears are playing tricks on me.' He thought. 'That voice could not be real… could it?'

The hand Ren was holding suddenly moved. Pirika's cold hands slowly started to hold on to Ren. With that the girl caught the Tao's attention.

The moment he turned to her those cerulean blue eyes greeted him cheerfully. Those small yet attractive lips were curved in a smile –a smile that never failed to excite him.

"Ren… am I in heaven?" she asked in her usual naïve way.

"No. You're in China… specifically in the Tao mansion, my home." Ren answered, not noticing how his voice could be so affectionate.

Pirika looked around, noticing that the location was very different for her. Though it wasn't her territory, she felt comfortable. She then realized that something warm was enveloping her hands. It was somehow rough with callus but it exerts a securing, and protective feeling –the way her oniichan held her hand. She then looked towards the direction where her hand was.

Pirika's eyes widened, an action that the Tao noticed.

'KAMI-SAMA! Ren Tao is holding my hand!' She almost fainted due to that thought.

Pirika immediately blushed but that made Ren hold her hand even more.

"Ren?"

"What?"

"My-my hand please…" she said with all respect.

"I won't." he stubbornly answered.

"Why?" Pirika asked, 'what happened to Ren while I'm asleep? How could one change so fast?'

'Damn it! Should I spill it out now… oh why did ever say that! I hate it when I regret things!' The Tao's thoughts filled his head again.

"What kind of question is that?" He shouted out, "I just want to make sure that you're really awake. If you don't want me to hold your hand then I'll let it go!"

"No!" Pirika suddenly halted as soon as Ren's grip loosened.

"What! First you want me to let go of you… now you don't! What do you really want?" Ren asked. His voice was becoming harsh.

"I just… like you said… er… I just want to make sure that you're here and that I'm still alive."

Ren avoided her gaze. He was blushing furiously just like the little lady before him.

"Okay, that's fine with me. As soon as Pai Long comes here I'll order him to bring your breakfast." Ren said avoiding the topic about them holding hands.

Pirika smiled at him while blushing a bit.

"Thank you Ren… for everything."

"Don't worry. I'm just doing what I promised."

'What he promised? Kami-sama, was that dream true! So Ren did promised that he'll protect me.' Pirika's thoughts shouted.

While thinking about it Pirika can't help to look away from the Tao. She doesn't know what to say next… though for now the only important thing is that she's alive and with Ren.

xxxxx

During the next days Pirika still spent her time in bed since the doctor said that she was still too weak to run around. Good thing Ren was there to make her feel more comfortable.

The girl was really thankful she would rather be in bed with this boy to take care of her than to run around and not have a chance to be this close with the Tao.

"Gomen nasai, if I ruined your training schedule." Pirika apologized while the two were eating breakfast together.

Pirika was eating her breakfast in bed. Ren was also eating his healthy breakfast just beside her.

"Like I said, again and again. You're my responsibility. And I still know that Hao Asakura is just around the place waiting for you to be alone. What is it that he wants from you?" Ren asked being irritated by the thought of Hao lingering around the girl he swore to protect.

"I don't know really. He once said that he's… um… interested with me-"

Ren can't help to choke.

"Ren!" Pirika immediately called out while handing him a glass of milk.

Ren drank it at once. While still panting he looked at Pirika seriously as if, she just said the password to make him mad.

"Did he mean that?" he asked, giving her a piercing stare.

"I don't think so. He said it was just a joke." Pirika answered while remembering that experience.

Ren's stare was more than homicidal, if only looks could kill –Pirika would die.

"Good." Ren muttered to himself.

"Were you saying anything?" Pirika asked.

Her ears are really sensitive for anything.

"Nothing. I'm just thinking… what… I mean how about you? What do think about… him?" Ren asked almost forgetting to eat anymore.

'Or what do you feel about him? I hope she answers the words that I hope she'll say.' Ren hoped silently.

Pirika's heart suddenly beat out of place. The place was air-conditioned but still she was sweating.

'What kind of question is that?' She thought to herself while still thinking of the best words to say.

"Me? Well, Hao Asakura is really scary. I remember one time in my dream; he melted the ice I used to protect myself… then burned me into crisp. It was my dream back in the ship while I was stargazing. I can say that I like him as a friend because he treats me well during those times before that dream… he might be annoying though but he's so charming in a frightening kind of way. But I guess that's it, I just respect him because he can be so powerful even if half or almost all of his furyoku was lost during that Shaman Fight." Pirika explained while Ren was staring in her eyes trying to search for the truth in her cerulean orbs.

"Why do you ask? I don't think Hao Asakura can really harm me… well maybe in my dreams but in a weird way I kind of trust him." Pirika continued licking her lips.

"I'm just asking. Nothing more."

Ren continued to eat again as Pirika finally finished her meal. Ren then stood up and fixed the plates putting them carefully in the tray.

"I think I should do that." Pirika insisted while trying to lift herself up.

"No… you're still weak. I'm the one that should take care of you not the other way around." Ren insisted in a cruel tone.

Although his voice was harsh and unkind the little girl was still very thankful to Ren. As he was fixing the tray and calling the maids to pick it up, Pirika was staring at him earnestly, while showing off that Usui smile.

Finally after the maid took out the tray Ren noticed Pirika's stare. He smiled a bit making the girl blush and look away.

"Why are you staring at me?" he asked in a pleasant tone.

"No reason whatsoever. I just want to. You could be very charming when you're smiling."

Ren faced reddened upon hearing that.

"Stop lying." Ren muttered miserably although enjoying her admiration.

"B-But I'm not lying!" Pirika shouted still with a crimson face.

"Okay. But you're cute too… in your own kind of way." Ren said while deliberately avoiding the girl's stare.

"I know. My oniichan always say that." Pirika said as her voice slowly faded.

Her eyes then started to fill with tears; the mere thought of her absent brother makes her lonely. It was the kind of emptiness she thought she had already forgotten.

"Want me to call for your brother?" Ren suddenly asked upon seeing Pirika's eyes.

She blinked letting a teardrop fell on her cheeks.

"I might just interfere or disturb the two."

Ren sat beside her, eyes focused on her.

"Tamao is not the only woman in his life. If I learned that my onee-san almost got drowned I would surely check up on her as soon as possible." Ren assumed, while praying, in the back of his mind, that it would never happen to her sister.

"B-but… Tamao'nee-san is my oniichan's priority as for now… especially now that they're on that trip."

Ren smiled. Not a smirk or a grin but a true smile.

"They're just celebrating their anniversary… it's not like their honeymoon or something. I think the pink-haired girl would not mind that her boyfriend would visit his sister, would she? Blood is thicker than water."

Pirika was amazed by the way the Tao uses logic.

"You're right… but."

"Not another 'but'! I'll call your silly brother whether you like it or not." Ren Tao finally scolded Pirika for her stubbornness.

'I still couldn't understand the reason why she didn't want to call her brother in spite the fact that she misses him so much. I know that stupid Horohoro is her brother… but why wouldn't she be contented with me!'

"Now stop crying. I hate it when I see your eyes puffy." Ren Tao reprimanded, as he absent-mindedly used his fingers to wipe away her tears.

Ren then paused.

'Did I just do what I think I did?' He told himself in surprise.

Though Ren was still mulling over what he just did, Pirika suddenly hugged the Tao. He was obviously surprised.

"What the-!" he muttered with a gasp.

"Arigatou Ren Tao-san. I'll never forget you… ever!" Pirika said as she laid her head hesitantly to his chest.

Ren smirked, and then wrapped his hands around her.

'I don't want my oniichan to come over here yet… it's true that I miss him so much but… but… as soon as he sets foot here, it would mean that I'm going to lose instances like these. The chance of holding him like this, of saying to him thank you from my heart and the chance of being with him… just being with him like this, right now. I don't want to go home yet… I don't want to.'

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Okay… I didn't have the chance to talk in the previous chapter so I'm going to take this chance. Hope you like my next chapter… and I thank all of the reviewers/readers who patiently await for my updates… thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you and thank you! I really try to be as romantic as I can.