Horohoro woke up the next morning to find a chill settled over the apartment. Had he forgotten to close a window? He climbed out of bed, pulling up his collar to block out the cold as he walked quietly out of his bedroom.

It was deathly silent. Something was terribly wrong, he had that feeling in his blood. Dreading the worst, Horohoro slowly opened the door to Ren's bedroom. He scanned the area. Empty.

He felt the panic rise in his throat as he noticed this. The window was wide open, the curtains flapping like ghosts in the open frames.

At that instant, the phone conveniently rang. Horohoro, with trembling hands, picked it up, heart pounding. He knew it couldn't be anyone but Hao, who was the only reason Ren could have gone missing.

He was right.

"Good morning, Horohoro. Did you discover a nice Christmas surprise?"

"You bastard..." Horohoro growled, gritting his teeth, trying to hold his temper. "What have you done to Ren?"

"Nothing much. But you'd best come over here now or I'll slit his throat."

"Let him go!" Horohoro screamed into the phone. "He hasn't done anything to you!"

"Look," Hao replied calmly. "I only want to make a very simple bargain with you."

"Where are you?" Horohoro demanded. "Tell me now."

"Oh, I'm in that old abandoned warehouse by across the street from Heiyu. I would hurry if I were you."

"Don't you dare, Hao...don't you dare touch him..."

Without waiting for a reply, the Ainu threw down the phone. He dashed into his room, jerking his jacket out of the closet and pulling it on. He stuffed his ikupasuy into his pocket and shoved his boots onto his feet, opening the door and slamming it behind him.

He hadn't run like this in a long time. He thought his lungs were going to explode as he charged through the snow.

There was hardly anyone on the snowy streets, they were all happily opening presents indoors. he almost slipped as he turned sharply around the corner, his boots pounding on the sidewalk as he made his way to the warehouse Hao had mentioned.

Horohoro soon arrived at his destination, stopping only to catch his breath, panting. His breath was visible in the chilly air as steamy clouds. Heart still pounding, he slowly entered the long-abandoned building.

He looked left and right for any signs of any other presence, and he didn't see any. It was rather dark inside, and he squinted his eyes to see through it.

"So you came at last. I was getting impatient."

Horohoro spun around, just being able to make out an outline in the darkness of two forms. One was Hao, and the other he assumed was Ren.

The Ainu walked closer to the two, eyes narrowing.

Ren was kneeling on the floor with his hands tied behind his back. He was blindfolded, and a strip of duct tapehad been pulled over his mouth to prevent him from speaking. All he could do was to make muffled frantic noises, struggling uselessly against his restraints.

One of Hao's arms was wrapped mischeviously around Ren's waist, his fingers just barely brushing the bare flesh of where his shirt was cut to reveal the pale flesh underneath.

"Let him go!" Horohoro demanded, the anger instantly rising. He stepped foward as to make a move, but before he could, the blade in Hao's hand flickered downwards across Ren's arm.

The boy gasped in pain as Hao smirked in a sadistic manner. "You're so hot-headed," he commented. "Your snappiness is irritating me." He made another cut, causing Ren to let out a muffled cry.

"Stop it!" Horohoro screamed. "You're hurting him!"

"That's the point. Now, are you going to listen to my little compromise or not?"

Horohoro nodded uncertainly. "Fine, Hao. What's your game?"

Hao smiled at Horohoro. "Good. I want you to tell me the name of the man who brought your darling Ren back from the dead, and where I can find him."

"Huh?" the confused Ainu said, cocking his head. "Why do you need to know that?"

"It's none of your business, Usui."

"Tell me."

Hao made a deeper slit in Ren's flesh, letting the crimson liquid trickle out, staining the already dirty ground.

"You bastard! Don't touch him!"

"You haven't told me his name yet."

Horohoro sighed, wondering why Hao wanted to know this. "His name is Faust," he said slowly. "I don't know where he is right now, but I can give you his phone number."

Hao lowered the blade as Horohoro let out a sigh of relief. He hurried to Ren, pulling him away from Hao and holding him close, trying to stem the flow of blood from his injuries with his sleeve.

"It's alright, Ren...I've got you now..." he muttered as he untied his hands and removed the blindfold and duct tape.

"Horohoro..." Ren whimpered. "I...I'm sorry, I'm so useless...I'm such a bother...Really, I'm sorry..."

"There's no need to be sorry," the blue-haired boy insisted. "Nothing's your fault."

Hao was sitting quietly, the bloodstained blade had been dropped uselessly to the floor. He had a guilty and remorseful expression on his face, such that Horohoro couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

He looked up at Horohoro's curious expression. "Well, Usui...if you must know...it's disgusting to admit...but I think I kind of miss Yoh."