AN: Finally! I get to post this chapter. I actually had this chapter written a few days ago but I didn't have access to the computer. Sorry for making you guys wait. Oh, and since school is starting soon, I won't have much time to write, so updates will come less frequently. I'm gonna try to update once a month though. NEways, this chapter was soooo hard to write! I actually had to rewrite half of it b/c I didn't like how it turned out the first time. Okay, enough babbling from me and on with the story.


Mr. Lionel: For anyone who would like to keep track of the fights in our DOA competition, the fight between Bass and Tina was thrilling, indeed. Bass put up a vigorous fight against his one and only daughter, but in the end Tina came out victorious. Luckily for him, Bass only suffered from a mild concussion and a sprained ankle. Be sure to tune in for the next match which will be inexplicably located at the cloning facilities! (this is an actual stage in DOAU).


Okay, I can do this! Lei Fang thought as she fidgeted nervously outside of Jann Lee's room. Just go in there and tell him how you feel. That's not so hard, is it? Gahh, yes it is! She answered herself. What if you scare him away? What if he doesn't feel the same way? What if he rejects you? What if…No stop it! You're just making this harder than it already is. "Okay," she said out loud. "Calm down Lei Fang. You're psyching yourself out." She took in a long deep breath and exhaled slowly.

That seemed to work because she felt the nervous tension that was building up in her chest ease away a little. Remember what Tina said. You have to have this talk. You have to find out if he wants this relationship to go anywhere. "Okay..." she repeated. "Here I go."

……………….Five minutes later and a lot of pacing back and forth

"Okay….here it goes." She knocked tentatively on Jann Lee's door and waited. Jann Lee opened the door a moment later and poked his head outside. "Lei Fang....," he said, acting surprised to see her.

"Hi Jann!" Lei Fang replied a little too forcefully. "Umm…can I come in?"

He nodded and opened the door wider; moving aside to make room for her. "Um, how are you?"

"I'm fine, I guess," Lei Fang replied. "How are you?"

"I'm fine also."

Lei Fang eyed Jann Lee curiously. It was kind of weird to her that Jann Lee was acting all formal. Look at us. We sound so distant. She thought sadly. "Well, I'm glad that we've established the fact that we're both fine," she said with a laugh. She sat herself down slowly on his bed. "Were you at the tournament yesterday night?"

"No. I don't see the point in watching other people fight. I only go when it's my turn."

"Oh. Well in case you're curious; Tina won," Lei Fang said, smiling brightly. "I just knew she would."

"I see."

"So Jann Lee. Where WERE you all day yesterday? I tried to look for you but I couldn't find you."

"I was training," he replied curtly "but it's not like you have to know exactly where I am at all times right? We don't have to be together ALL the time."

"No, of course not!" Lei Fang said hastily. She was surprised at his rude tone of voice. Upon observing him further, Lei Fang concluded that he looked rather nervous and tense. He's never been this nervous around me before. I wonder what's going on?

"I was just wondering where you were, that's all." She lowered her eyelashes shyly at him. "I kinda missed you…"

I missed you too. Jann Lee desperately wanted to say to her, but of course he restrained himself. All he managed to let out was an awkward "I see." There was no way he was going to admit to her that he was feeling himself missing her, at times even needing her to be near him. He didn't like his growing dependence on her one bit. It wasn't like him to NEED anyone, and yet he couldn't help but feel lost and incomplete whenever she was away from him.

Lei Fang lowered her head and looked at the floor, hoping that Jann Lee couldn't see the disappointed look on her face when he didn't reciprocate with a "I miss you too." "Anyway Jann," Lei Fang started, unsure of how to approach the topic. "I was just wondering if we could have a little talk."

A little talk?! Did she just say she wanted to have a talk?! Jann Lee asked himself horrified. Does she mean THE talk?! Oh no! I'm not ready for this! He tried his best to keep the turmoil emotions from showing on his face, but he could tell he was failing miserably.

"Umm, Jann Lee. Are you okay?" Lei Fang moved over to him and guided him towards the bed. "Maybe you should sit down. You don't look so good."

"Y,yeah thanks," Jann Lee responded as he sat nervously on the bed. "Umm, what is this talk that you want us to have?"

"Oh, it's nothing really," Lei Fang replied carefully, studying his face. Why does he look as if he's about to pass out? She wondered. "I just wanted to tell you that I really like being with you and that all the times we've spent together means a lot to me and umm…well I guess I just wanted to let you know that I….." She stopped, unsure of what to say next.

"Yes?" Jann Lee asked tentatively. He was torn between wanting; no, needing to hear what she might say next and dreading it like it was the Black Death.

She took in a deep breath. There was no easy way to say this so she might as well be out with it. "I like you! I like you a lot!" She let out a deep breath that she had not known she was holding and waited nervously for Jann Lee's reaction.

Jann Lee just sat there, staring at her blankly. She fidgeted nervously with the hem of her skirt. Jann Lee what are you thinking? Please tell me. It was hard enough for her to expose herself so vulnerably by revealing her feelings to him, but now she had to deal with the thick sense of tension and awkwardness that seemed to fill the room. "Jann Lee, please say something." She pleaded softly.

Her voice seemed to put him out of the trance he was in and he sat up in a panic. "No, no you don't. You don't know what you're talking about."

Lei Fang was taken aback by his response. Oh Jann Lee, how can you not believe me? How can you doubt my feelings for you? "Yes I do!" She declared with a new sense of conviction. "I know exactly what I'm talking about. I've never felt this way about anyone else before. It just feels so right. I mean, every time I'm with you I just feel so happy and complete." She stopped and looked at him hopefully. "Jann ….how do you feel about me?"

Jann Lee stood there rigidly, unsure of what to say. The truth was that he felt the same way about her, maybe even more strongly so. He wanted to tell her that he cared for her more than he thought he should and that he liked her more than he cared to. She was looking at him expectantly, her eyes searching his in anticipation. He was feeling the panic overtake his system. "I…I'm sorry. But I don't feel the same way." He heard himself say.

"Oh…" Lei Fang said. She sat still on the bed for a while, reeling from the pain in her heart.

"I'm sorry if I mislead you but the only thing I care about is winning the tournament."

"I see…" She stood up from the bed and made her way towards the door. "I understand." She fought her hardest to suppress the tears that were threatening to overflow. "I'm just happy that I got to tell you how I feel." She turned the doorknob and ran out quickly before Jann Lee could say anything else.


Jann Lee stood there dumbfounded, still staring at the door which Lei Fang had ran out of. What had he done?! He felt a sharp pain in his heart as he recalled the wounded expression on Lei Fang's face as she turned around to leave him. She had turned her face from him quickly but he still caught a brief glimpse of the shimmering tears that streaked her face.

Jann Lee placed a hand at his heart. He hadn't known it was possible to hurt so much emotionally. He had had many serious physical injuries before but nothing compared to what he was feeling now. He could not bear that he was the one responsible for her pain. I'd rather suffer a broken arm or leg than this, he thought. He was used to and comfortable with physical pain but this was entirely new to him.

You lied to her. You hurt her feelings. You're the reason for her tears.

Jann Lee groaned and clutched his head. "It's for the best," he said out loud. "It's for her own good." He knew himself too well to even fool himself into thinking he was ready for any kind of relationship. Better to end things before they began than to hurt her much more later on.

"It's for the best," he repeated. He laid down on the bed and smothered his face into a pillow. If it's for the best, his mind asked. Then how come you feel so miserable?


Lei Fang ran down the winding hallways of the hotel as fast as she could and out into the sea breezed air. She continued running, the wind blowing forcefully against her, sweeping her hair up and causing it to tangle behind her into a mass of golden brown highlights accentuated by the gleaming rays of the sun. Her tears were falling freely now, one after the other. The strong winds were stinging her tear stained cheeks, but she didn't care. She continued running as fast as she could. She wanted to run away from the pain and humiliation that she was feeling. She ran and ran until she could run no more.

Tired and exhausted she sat down on the warm inviting sand to catch her breath. Her gasps for air were interrupted periodically with her strong sobs. Why does it hurt so much? She asked herself. You knew that you were setting yourself up for rejection when you told him how you felt. You shouldn't be so surprised and hurt by his answer.

That was true, she realized. She somehow knew Jann Lee's answer all along. Even before he opened his mouth, she was bracing herself for rejection, and yet….she still told him how she felt. And yet…it still hurts so much. That was because somewhere in the back of your mind, you hoped. You had hope that he would return your feelings.

"Hope is for idiots." She mumbled, grasping a handful of sand and letting it run slowly through her fingers. "I was stupid to think that Jann Lee could ever love me." She felt fresh new tears forming and closed her eyes tightly. You will not cry, she willed herself, but it was no use. The tears were falling faster and faster. She was about to surrender herself to the tears once more when she heard the sound of sand shifting behind her. She opened her eyes and saw a shadow in front of her.

"Lei Fang, are you okay?" asked a concern voice. She flinched. She knew that voice…it belonged to Seph.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Lei Fang lied. She tried to keep her voice strong and firm but it came out a soft quiver instead.

"You don't sound fine." Seph walked over and sat down gently beside her.

"Please….I want to be left alone." Lei Fang whispered, turning away from him. She didn't want him to see her crying like this. She felt like she had humiliated herself enough this morning without having Seph see her bawling her eyes out.

He grabbed her softly by the shoulders and turned her around to face him. "Lei Fang…" he whispered. He took her face in his hands and wiped tenderly at her tears. "You look so beautiful…even when you're crying."

"Please, go away." Lei Fang said, sweeping his hands away. "I don't want anyone to see me like this."

"I told you, Lei. I'm always here for you." Seph placed a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to hide your tears from me. Just let it all out." He held Lei Fang gently against his chest as she sobbed freely, wetting his shirt with her tears. Seph's heart skipped a beat as he took in her light jasmine scent. She feels so right in my arms, Seph thought.

"It's Jann Lee, isn't it?" Seph asked angrily. "He's the one that hurt you like this." At the mention of Jann Lee's name, Lei Fang started crying harder. "So, I'm right. It was him!" Seph pounded his fist against his hand. "I'm going to show him a piece of my mind! When I'm through with him…"

"No!" Lei Fang cried out in alarm, suddenly backing away from Seph. "Please don't hurt him!"

"You don't have to stand up for him Lei," Seph said through clenched teeth. "He's obviously a jerk if he made you cry like this." Seph tried to ignore the guilty feeling forming inside of him from the thought that HE could actually be the one responsible for Lei Fang's pain in the first place.

"It's not Jann Lee's fault! He just…" she averted her eyes and lowered her head. "….he just doesn't feel the same way about me as I do about him." She finished softly.

"He doesn't deserve you, Lei." Seph said quietly. "He doesn't deserve you at all."

"Let's not talk about him anymore." Lei Fang begged. She didn't know if she could handle it. She didn't want to think about Jann Lee. It only caused her more pain.

"Okay. I won't mention him again."

"Thank you."

Seph leaned back and observed the effulgent sunlight reflecting across the waters, while Lei Fang wiped away her tears. "Are you feeling better now?" Seph asked her.

"Yeah." Lei Fang said, attempting a small smile. "Thanks Seph. For being such a good friend."

"Anytime, Lei." Seph said, offering her a warm smile. But I'll be more than a friend. Just wait and see, I'm going to make you mine, Lei Fang. I'm going to make you see that I'm so much better than that jerk Jann Lee.


Now on to my thank yous.

Darkdragon: Thanks so much for reviewing! I'm soooo happy to hear that you like this story. And yes, I do have DOAU. I'm going to look you up and add you as a friend. Your gamertag is Atlasx right?

Sagistar: Hehe, yipes! More threats! As you can see I updated! So don't hurt me okay? Lol, hope you like this chapter.

Parkeronas: I'm so glad that you enjoyed this story. It is kinda hard to update regularly what with school and life in general, but I try my best. Hehe. I hope you like this chapter.

Khaos-Sama: Yes, I agree. Seph IS a butt! Haha. And don't worry, I can be a TOTAL blond, umm most of the time. 0o

Kamion: Thanks for reviewing! Glad to see you also hate Seph, lol.

Gleeful Melancholy: Yay! Thanks for your review! And thanks for telling me what you like about the story. I really do try to incorporate as many of the characters in the fic as possible, cuz I love the doa characters. Hope you like this chap.

Sweet Demon Slayer: As you can see, I did update soon. Lol, glad you like this story, read on!

Snowbunni3z: Yay! Snowbunni3z! You're still reading! I'm sooo happy. Hehe. And I love the Jann Lee/Lei Fang pairings also (obviously, lol). Hope you like this chappie.

Seungmina1991: Yay, you're still reading this. Thanks for the review. Tell me what you think about this chap.

KuzuRyuZen08: Seems like everyone hates Seph. I guess I can see why. Lol, but I can't seem to TOTALLY hate him b/c I created him after all. Lol. But yes, he is a jerk. Thanks for your review!


And as always, PLEASE REVIEW!