N/A: I'm going crazy so this chapter will be a lot crazier… I actually got some stupid ideas in my head. Anyway, people just keep your reviews coming! They improve my writing in every way possible! And… I love criticism! Lovers in Paris has just ended and I have to say that this telenovela has the most unique ending I have ever seen… Man, it just rocks!

Disclaimer: You know the drill…

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Chapter 2:

Breathe

"Uh… why are you sniffing my Sakkat?" Kai asked the inquisitive Alice.

"It's so… yellow…" she said and Kai sweatdropped.

"Why don't you go home?" she stared at him unblinkingly, "I'm coming tostay with you! I can, can't I?"

Kai stared back at her, Alice gazed at him too. For a while they stared at each other, unblinking. A Petite approached them and Kai ordered his falcon to attack.

"You're kidding, right?" he chuckled.

"No."

"Aw crap," he sat on the ground and thought.

"Please!" Alice knelt, "I'll do anything… ANYTHING!"

Kai was still sitting down.

"Or I'll whack you with my broomstick!" Alice threatened him in desperation.

No response.

Alice's lower lip trembled and she began to burst into furious and pathetic tears. Her bellowing was so strong that it knocked out a Flying Petite a mile away. The ground shook, yet Kai remained seated and calm. Carlo the falcon flapped his wings furiously. Kai stood up and sighed. It was pathetic having a monster grovel before your face.

"Dad's gonna love this," he whispered to himself and to the Alice he said, "Get up, I'm taking you to Payon with me, just because you saved me. Or otherwise, kill me."

"Really?" Alice's eyes brightened up and she began to hug Kai until he turned red, "Oh, thank you!"

"Ack!" Kai's glasses were knocked off his face and were hanging on his ear, "Do you mind… er… letting go of me before I choke to death?"

"Oops…" Alice let go of Kai and flushed in embarrassment, "I guess… I don't know my own strength…"

Kai sighed as he took out two Butterfly Wings and teleported them both to Payon.

-

"Dad's really going to love this, Kai," a woman with long, silvery hair exclaimed at his face, "You had to bring your… your… pet in here."

"But sis, I had no choice," Kai explained, "She was going to kill me with her incessant crying."

"What am I going to do with you?" the woman sat with a weary expression on an expensive, gold-plated divan.

Iris Yeung was Kai's older sister of about forty. The both of them have a really huge age gap of twenty-four years, yet they were very close. Her sky-blue eyes surveyed him with exasperation. Unlike her brother who was spoiled, terribly serious and expressionless, she was an empathic and sensitive yet prim person who loved having things in order.

Alice stood at the corner, taking the entire splendor before her bit by bit. She stared at the expensive woodwork and the costly items that were arranged in an orderly manner in the room that was of gigantic proportions. There were sofas and divans here and there, cupboards of antique vases, silverware and china and a silver-wrought chandelier that filled the entire ceiling.

They were in the living room of the house of the family that was responsible for the largest scale of influence in Payon, namely, their family. Iris and Kai's father was the chief of police of Payon, second-in-command to the emperor. Normally, his son never brought a monster home before, so he was the object of stares and glares in the street. Iris knew his brother had done something wrong when Payon became deadly quiet

Tame, she thought sarcastically, but a monster nonetheless… Dad would be so proud of his son…

"Just let her stay," Kai said to her sister frankly, "After all, she did save my life. Besides, I'm trekking off to Prontera tomorrow to see the girl Dad set up for me."

"Very well," Iris sighed deeply, "Just don't let Keanne get a hold of her, she's going to turn her into a…"

"Mommy! THE ROSES ARE BLOOMING!" Iris' seven-year-old, auburn-haired daughter Keanne excitedly ran into the living room, with a bouquet of pink roses in hand, "Uncle! You're back! Er… What's going on?"

Keanne stared at her mother and to her Uncle and to Alice and back to her mother. She approached Alice and beamed widely, her blue ayes sparkling.

"Are you the new maid?" she asked Alice eagerly.

"I guess so," Alice grinned at her.

Keanne gave a squeal of joy and hugged Alice tight, her eyes twinkling like stars.

"We're going to be good friends!" Keanne beamed, leading Alice towards the kitchen, "Do you have a name?"

"Er…" Alice scratched her head, "I'm an Alice…"

"Alice sounds too girly girl," Keanne thought deeply as they entered the kitchen enthusiastically, pulling Alice's arm, "Let me think…"

"At least now I know she won't dare and eat Keanne," Iris slumped on her divan and sighed, "Anyway, let Daddy be the judge of this matter. Just don't blame me if he goes crazy and breaks your leg again."

"Well, I don't want her too," Kai said matter-of-factly, "I'm doing this as a favor and a way to keep myself alive."

"Something in the tone of your voice tells me you're lying," Iris sighed again, "Anyway, you better go get her a room, preferably Mommy's old room, the other rooms are occupied by the other maids."

"Uncle! Look what I did to Ella!" Keanne pulled on Kai's arm, dragging him towards the kitchen.

"Ella?" Kai's eyebrow raised in befuddlement, "Who's Ella?"

"Find out for yourself!" Keanne opened the door to the kitchen.

Kai's mouth suddenly fell open.

The Alice was standing in the middle of the room, her hair combed and washed. Kai noticed that Keanne had cut it a bit shorter. She even swapped the Alice's dress for a shorter one with a cute and lacy apron. Did I mention Keanne was an extremely gifted stylist? She was even deemed as the youngest ever girl to become a Dancer in Payon.

Alice, or rather, Ella blushed redder than ever and gave Kai an embarrassed smile.

"Does… Does it look nice?" she stuttered, "I… I think I look… rather… monstrous…"

"You look… beautiful…" Kai said involuntarily, "Erm… Al- I mean- Ella, come with me, I'll bring you to your room."

"Bye Ella!" Keanne waved at her joyously, "Let's play again tomorrow!"

"No chance, Keanne! She's going with me to Prontera tomorrow," Kai told the little girl who had started to pout, "But don't worry, I'll bring you something from the Toy Shop when I come back, ok?"

"Ok!" Keanne beamed and bounded out of their way.

Kai led Ella up a marble staircase and into a marvelously lit corridor. Marble statues adorned the walls, walls with perfect woodwork. A golden chandelier hung overhead.

"You'll be sleeping here," Kai opened the Oak door in front of the staircase, "It was my mother's room. Er… there'll be some clothes in the closet and I think you'll find everything to your satisfaction."

Ella looked out of the wide window that almost took up all of the wall opposite to the door. She went to the window and the lovely sight of Payon bewitched her eyes. There was a dusty gigantic four-poster complete with grimy fluffy pillows and layers of blankets and comforters and a dresser beside it with some brushes, combs and make-up on it. A huge closet was propped against another part of the wall. She placed her bag on the bed and swirls of dust floated on the air.

"It'll take some cleaning first I think…" Kai breathed deeply.

"Thank you, Master Kai!" she whispered.

She got up and faced Kai on the doorway.

"What did the Sageworm say about saying thank you in human language again?" she wondered, "Oh yeah."

She placed both arms on Kai's shoulders and planted a soft kiss right on the lips. Kai was taken aback by this and his eyes grew wide. But in a moment, he closed his eyes and kissed her back, frozen in the moment. A warm, fuzzy feeling was rising in his chest as the kiss went longer and erm… kind of wet… After a few minutes, Ella broke away and smiled sweetly.

"Did I do it right?" she asked him innocently, "Did I say thank you right? The Sageworm told everyone that if they were thanking humans they would do that."

"You're a good kisser…" then he snapped back into his senses, blushing deeply, "I mean, I think you should've done it a bit… uh… less extreme. Just don't do that next time, ok?"

He left Ella with a sheepish look on his face. On the way down the stairs, he thought of how childish and innocent a monster can be in the world of humans. Then, he remembered the warm feeling he felt when Ella kissed him and regretted what he said:

"Just don't do it next time, ok?"

The world stood still, when I first met you…

You caught my heart…

Things are never the same…

My senses numb…

The world still reverbs,

Repeatedly in my ear…

I want to see you again…

It's hard to breathe ever since then…

The coldness sweeps… Warm tears again…

-

N/A: Whoah… That took a lot of work to do… I hope you guys just keep your review coming… It makes me sad to upload a story that nobody critics… Well, except for my old buddy Feathertop whose reviews are always welcome! The song in this chappie is Kitchie Nadal's "Breathe"… She's a Filipino singer, the one who did the Lovers in Paris Filipino theme song!

Feathertop: Riiiight…

Pristine Harbinger: Yup, Feathertop's still here…

Feathertop: Riiiight…

Akune: Don't you say anything else but "Riiiight"?

Feathertop: Nope…

Heero: I'm confused, are these really my children?

Feathertop, Akune and Kafra Therence: Riiiight…