Chapter 4
Kai's POV
I swore to never let anyone adopt me. I'd do anything to get away from child less parents who wanted a calm quiet kid to call their own. And no way was I going to let Voltaire come and take me back whenever he felt like it.
I swore never to be cheerful at Christmas, because if I could not celebrate it with my mother and father, I would not celebrate it at all. I burned every scrap of mistletoe and tipped the huge Christmas tree over, each time making it look like an accident. Those nuns wouldn't punish me anyway if they found out it was me. If to be happy meant to be a grouch, so be it.
That was before I met Rei.
With his simple style and elegance he has altered both those statements. There might be only one person like Rei in the world, but I'm willing to wait for someone that kind and carefree. Same with Christmas. I may not celebrate with the people that make my life living hell, but with anyone else, I promise to give it a chance. I was glad to spend time with Rei, around 24, 25, alone with Driger, and far from his hometown where the rest of his family is.
And he is a neko-jin! I've never met someone so cool. Now I sit by his sleeping form around noon and slowly stroke his long black hair. When it's tied the tuft at the end reaches the back of his knee and his bangs can reach his chest. It falls straight when he stands, unlike now, and it makes him look so much more regal and majestic, which isn't his style so much.
As much as I'd like to stay and wait till he wakes to say good-bye, I need to leave. The last thing I want is to get Rei in trouble. Rei. I'll never forget you. I don't think I ever will once I have features like yours…
Normal POVKai found a scrap piece of paper and a finally managed to find a pen amongst all the calligraphy brushes in Rei's room. As he wrote a note explaining his leave, Driger purred loudly as he rubbed against Kai's arm, asking for attention. Kai apprehensively watched Rei, but the neko-jin didn't stir, not even during the mini-fight with Driger for his shoe. But for a split second he could've sworn he saw Rei smirk. Kai quickly, but carefully opened the door and walked out, making the tiniest click possible as it closed. Kai walked out of the complex like he owned it.
Rei's POVMust get up… forget that, must wake up…Slowly my eyes open to broad daylight, an agonizing shock going through my eyes to my brain. Someday my keen vision shall make me blind. "Driger!" My huge tomcat pounces right on my stomach, my reflexes forcing me to sit up. "I'm up, get off…I'm up, see?" I push him off my lap. "Where has Kai gone to?" My eyes are fully open watching Driger paw at something as I hear the ringing silence of my apartment. Kai has left. I reach down to get the piece of paper Driger is playing with. "What did I say about hissing at me?" Driger stalks away to the kitchen as I read Kai's note.
Dear Rei,
Thank you so much for everything, but I considered some things and decided to take my leave. Try not to worry about me. Peace, my cool neko-jin friend. We may meet sooner then you think.
Merry Christmas,
Kai Hiwatari
I lie back down, the sunlight glaring into my eyes as my mind pictures Kai's face. Whatever you do Kai, be careful…and don't change who you are.
Normal POVWhen Kai got out to the main streets around Rei's place he made a mental note to stay on the opposite side of the street that had no alleys. He had walked for about twenty minutes and spotted a park. It was pretty empty; Kai presumed mostly everyone was inside for Christmas morning. He rushed down the hill to a swing. Once he got enough momentum going he let himself ride o the built up energy. He relaxed, allowing the cool breeze to flow through him, clearing his thoughts. Satisfied, he jumped off, landing six feet away from the swing before heading back up the hill. He hadn't even left the park when he became filled with worry again. I can't thieve, I can't go back to Rei's, the orphanage is out of the question, and there's no guarantee that someone will be as nice as Rei, he thought. He paused and stared across the street. His eyes caught a couple with their two children. Kai blinked.
The two children looked frightened out of their wits and stood close to their mother. She was a little somber looking but surely to kind to cause them such fear. Kai's attention turned to their father. A familiar businessman he'd see at the orphanage once, and he immediately recognized him as a rival to his grandfathers company. Everyone called him Tala, but Kai called him the-man-that-would-make-his-life-even-more-living-hell-if-he-was-adopted-by-him. Now that he looked more closely, he recognized the two children as well—Takao and Max. He was never fond of the two effervescent boys but now he couldn't help feel a little sorry for them. Max turned to him, his eyes widening. He nudged Takao and pointed. Kai became rooted to the spot. He wouldn't…
"Hiya, Kai!" Takao shouted. He would. Kai's sorrow shattered. Tala turned to Kai and without a second thought Kai ran, Tala's gaze following him as he disappeared.
"Who was that, Takao?" asked Tala.
"That was Kai Hiwatari, sir. We know him from the orphanage." Takao said.
"Why wasn't he there?"
"He ran away yesterday," said Max. Tala folded his arms across his chest.
"I'm going back to get a profile on him." He gave his wife a kiss and walked back the way he came. "We'll see how Voltaire likes having his own flesh and blood used against him."
A bell chimed as Kai opened the door of an acupuncturist shop. Gathering his courage and coming up with a good excuse, he walked up to the receptionist desk, were a tall lanky woman sat reading a magazine and smacking on a piece of bubble gum.
"Can you arrange an emergency appointment?" asked Kai. The lady looked up at him, she popped a bubble and pressed a button on her phone.
"Sir, can you take an immediate appointment?" she asked, releasing the button.
"Certainly." came a voice over the speaker. "Send them into room 11."
"Through the door, down the end of the hall and to the right." said the lady monotonously, returning to her magazine. Kai followed her directions and entered the tiny room with a brass knocker 11 on it. He climbed up on the medical chair and tried to calm his nerves. Tried and failed.
Kai's POVCurse you, Takao! I always hated your exceptionally loud mouth. Now I won't be the least surprised if Tala is after me, but I don't care. No one shall ever find me, for I shall become a new Kai, and be the first to leave that hellhole without being adopted, if this cam actually be done and is successful.
But…can this be successful?
He was obviously born like that…but can I be altered like that?
Kai opened his eyes as a male doctor walked in. He seemed friendly enough, if not just a little surprised at his young patient.
"Do your parents know you're here?"
"My parents always know where I am." said Kai. The doc pulled off his work gloves and opened a cabinet of serums, each with nearly 20 different ingredients listed on the bottles in tiny print.
"If you say so. Now what can I do for you on such urgency?" the doctor asked.
"Can you make me a neko-jin?" asked Kai. He heard breaking glass as a bottle of orange liquid spilled over the edge of the counter top.
"A—a, neko-jin?" he stammered crossly. "That's unheard of! I'm sorry but nothing in the world can enhance your senses to the standards of a neko-jin, it's only a myth that people can become like that. The few that are left are born that way."
"In that case, thanks for your time." Kai said. He slid off the chair and walked out.
"What did he want sir?" the receptionist asked as he watched Kai leave the shop. She got nothing but muffled grumbling about 'kids these days' and 'a neko-jin!' She turned down the volume on her speakerphone as he rambled.
Rei had just finished putting the dishes away from last night and was about to put the two glass bottles outside his door (to remind him for recycling) when there came a weak knock of the door. He opened it to a half-crazed Mrs. McClain. He put the glass down as she swayed just as he did yesterday, but there was no way anyone smaller than Rei would've been able to stop her from falling.
"And I thought I was bad." muttered Rei, bringing her inside and letting her sit on the couch.
"Non—hic!—sense, neko-jin!" she laughed drunkenly. "I've—hic!—come to be joyful and—hic!—blissful on Christmas!"
"I'm sure." said Rei sardonically, returning to the kitchen. He thought better than eating in front of his 'guest' so he stuck his breakfast in the fridge for later. He returned to the living room and just as he half-heartedly expected, Mrs. McClain was sitting up way to straight for just being drunk a few seconds ago.
"So you did know about Kai!" she exclaimed, pointing at the note still on the table.
"I suppose I did," sighed Rei, and he left to get his hair ribbons. His guest gaped after him, surprised at how calmly he took this, but she shut her mouth once he came back with his red headband on.
"I hope your getting ready to leave because we are going to see Mother Judy, and then you can tell her all about how you had contact with Kai." said Mrs. McClain. She only allowed Rei to lock his door on the way out before dragging him out of the complex.
End of Chapter 4
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