DarkTaoAngel: Thanks to all those who took their time to review my story, no matter how bad it was! I hope this one gets a few reviews as well, please R&R again!

Ren had hoped with all of his heart that her reaction would be far better than it was. He was unsure of what to do next, and how to comfort her and make her feel better. He knew, though, that there was no way that he could do anything, and so he had to let it all settle on its own. If Pirika truly loved him, she would tell him, and she would know it, even if Hao told her otherwise.

She had no idea that she could save Ren and herself, but she knew that nothing good would come of her if she kept all of her feelings inside of herself. She wanted to tell him the same as he had told her, but every time she thought of it, she would feel the same sharp pain, and then she would forget all about who she loved, and who she did not.

Upon hearing what Ren had said to her, however, something inside of her unleashed. Some dormant feeling came forth, and she was finally able to get in a moments time to think things through. She thought all about Ren, and about Hao. And the more she thought, the more things started to all come together, the more she began to realize some of the most important things she ever would.

She loved Ren, and she knew it. Not just as a crush kind of love, but she really loved him. They had not been together that much, and they had not gone through anything in particular, but she knew that, at this instance, when her mind was finally released by Hao's spell, that it was because of Ren. She had loved him, and not even Hao could change that.

She had to tell him this time. She had had only one other time to tell him, and she had been too late for that. She finally received a second chance at loving him, and she was not about to let him slip away again. She knew with all of her heart that the reason that she was still here was because of him. He had saved her life that day, and before she had a chance to thank him, he was out of her reach, slipping out of her grasp. To tell him would be to thank him in a way far beyond expectations. It was now or never for her to say what she felt, and so she made a difficult, yet so simple, last minute, but ever so planned decision.

She had been amazed when Ren had told her that he loved her. She had thought that there was no chance for her with him, but now there might be. If she told him, then maybe they could be brought together, even if she had to depend on Hao for help. Yet something was still tearing her apart on the inside. Hao had her onii-san, and if she wanted Ren back then he would have to kill him. She would find a way to save him, but right now there was something that she had to do, she knew it, Ren was waiting for her to say it.

She knew it would not be so easy, but he had told her, and she could not let him down. So she said the simple four-worded phrase that meant so much more than just those few words.

"I love you, too." And she truly meant every word. She spoke them as though they had been rehearsed many times before now, and as though this was the only thing that words could express of what was going on this very room.

As though surprised fully by the words that escaped Pirika's lips, Ren was shocked yet pleased at the same exact time. He just smiled as he had only one other time before this, and looked straight into her deep azure eyes, telling her all of the unsaid words that he needed to let out of his soul, before he could be satisfied with what he had said.

Pirika had smiled and stopped her tears from coming upon seeing this, as she stared at him as well. This went on for only a moment however, as the true test of their undying love for each other was coming soon.

This was Ren's turn to see if it was all real, and judging but the necklace on Pirika's desk, it all was.

The necklace began to glow a deep, blood-red crimson, before it faded after a single, magical moment. It all happened so fast, that no one could tell exactly what happened next.

Something was happening to Ren as well, something strange. His soul, just like the necklace, was glowing, only more of a light orange than red.

He was just as surprised as Pirika was at this sudden turn of events. Caught up in the effects of the moment, Ren had completely forgotten all about the Tao family necklace, and the curse that came with it. If their love was true, and destined to last forever, than all would work out well. But if Hao was able to control Pirika's mind, if even for a little while, then the plan would be destroyed. Ren just hoped that Hao could not control Pirika's heart, as that was more important to him, and her heart was what had stopped Hao before, the first time.

Pirika was sure that this was it; it was all up to these last moments. Even though she had no idea of what was going on here, she had a hunch that it was something to do with Ren coming back, and she had to make sure that she did everything she could to help with it; she did not know, however, that it was all up to her.

Just when she was prepared to do her part to help, and find Ren standing, alive in front of her, he was gone, just like that. He had disappeared, before her eyes, as he had on the worst day of her life, when he had left her.

DarkTaoAngel: I finally got around to making it a little more interesting! I do hope that it was interesting enough, because I still have quite a few chapters left until the end, and I will try my best to make this story happy! So please review this chapter!