/Euca: Ehemn… (Clears throat) Yo! We're now on chapter four! (Clap, clap) Kazumi-san, what do yo-? (Sighed deeply, seeing Kazu looking aimlessly on somewhere without putting any attention on her) Sou ja.. Let's call on our special guest… Minakami Shouku! (Audience applause)

/Kazu: (Lift her dummy face) Shouku? Shouku-chan! (Jumping happily seeing her friend through the stage) I missed you! (Turned to Euca) Arigato, Euca-chan!

/Shouku: (Smiled, hugging her friend) Kazu-chan! I have so many things to tell you! (Kazumi giggled)

/Euca: Ya! The readers and the audience are waiting! Talk about that back stage!

/Shouku: Hai! Next chapter… The Story Begins!

/Euca: Ne? The story begins? I thought we're already begun the story? (The two laughed)

/Shouku: By the way, I think last chapter won't be the end of my role. Promise that you won't hate me the next time I showed up, 'kay? Just doin' my part.

/Kazu: Shhh… (Hissed) That was still far! (Both laughed)

/Euca: (Speechless) Mou… I'm the host here…! You should tell me everything! (Lights fade)

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Chapter Four

The Story Begins

"If you don't know exactly where you're going, you'll probably end up somewhere else… and that maybe where fate wants you to be…"

Persistent. That would be the short description of her. Once she had started something, she is determined to end up the race no matter what the outcome is. Taking risk is always a part of life. You would be surely stuck up on your place for the rest of your life if don't. That is what this girl believes.

The cold morning breeze blows softly as the sky turned from the dark night sky to the bright light of dawn. Kazumi took the early train to Okinawa station, the most tiring environment she had known. People were busy mending with their own lives. Some searches for work while others goes to it, most had a sore burden that might be forbidding them to smile. There was something on their eyes that she couldn't explain. She had thought about herself. Does she gone too selfish in the thought of leaving her friend behind? She never thinks about others who are suffering on a much worst situation than her, though they still hold on to the people who made up their lives. Yet on her part, it is not a good reason allowing them runs her life for the rest of it. It just made her realized how precious life is, might be unfair sometimes but you won't enjoy the sense of living without this failures and heartaches. She set a comforting smile over her lips. Life truly is amazing and at the same time, it leads to confusion with its twist and turns.

Kazumi rented a cab that took her to the airport. It was a couple of minutes after six and her flight was still half an hour of waiting. She was lucky, there's less reservations, she easily got a slot. Although, she was a little nervous, it was her first time riding a plane. Passengers began arriving, filling up the waiting area for the next flight. Some are teens but mostly are composed of adults.

At the far seat was a scene of a charming old couple, holding each other's hand. She blushed seeing their sweet affection. Their eyes showed how they had greatly treasured each other for the past years. A smile came out of her lips. Love really exists after all. She thought of her unfound parents. Are they also like that? Something pricked her heart. A sense of hatred flowed through her. Were they really like that? Does love exist on them? Then why did they leave her all along? She sighed. No. She shouldn't hate them for what they've done until she had heard their cause. She was still thankful that a kind, Toushi family had adopted her with all their hearts, setting away the blood that divides them. Knowing that they're always looking after her even they're not by her side anymore, they were always resides in her hear. Shouldn't she be grateful? She got two pairs of parents, two fathers and two mothers as well? She smiled to herself.

An attendant finally came, instructing them to aboard the plane along with the other one that serves as their guide. Kazumi got little uneasy as she took the stairs up. It was huge inside. Seats were arranged by twos on both sides with vast baggage space on top. She slowly walked into her assigned seat number on the far left. Few minutes after every passenger were settled, the plane slowly took off with a sudden screeching of tires. The flight was pretty fair and the weather was good. No signs of rain with the clear skies before them. Gazing outside the window, she could visibly see the whole picturesque city of Okinawa with its range and seas, where she had spent most of her life. These are the things she will surely long for as they drew farther and farther away.

The cloud seems like a wide, ivory ocean and she's just an inch away before touching it. The dazzling sun gradually rises above the horizon and the sky was now turning into bright red with a shade of flame and cerise. Birds came flying beneath, searching for the sight of their prey. These sceneries amazed her, dreaming that one day she could find a place where wonderful things of nature existed with their majestic charm and beauty surrounding its every corner, a place where she will no longer feel the lingering discomfort inside her. She keeps her drifting eyes pinned on a distant, thinking how surely wide the sky is, with its never ending bounds. Kazumi leaned her back to her seat with a sudden sigh. She cannot deny that she was partly nervous about what the future brings. Will she still find her parents? Or will they accept her? What if they already had a family of their own and there was no room for her anymore, what is she gonna do?

She left out another sigh, turning to her right and was stunned all of a sudden. A beautiful lady was sitting by her side almost at the age of twenty, wearing fine clothing though a bit weird for her with its long, white robe shaded with claret on the lining extending down to her feet. Prussian blue hair lengthen down to the mid of her back with an elegant circlet on her head, formed by golden beads and thread. Its purple eyes were glaring at her with much interest.

What on earth? She looks like a goddess, so perfect! Kerei! Kazumi thought. For a moment she laid silent, examining the mysterious lady on her side. A radiant smile suddenly came out on its pink lips. She was astounded but still managed to do the same with enough politeness, then hurriedly turned about in shame. It's not good glaring over somebody whom she does not know at all. This lady might be so wounded up by the way she looks.

"So…" a voice beside her spoke. "This was your world? Interesting, perhaps," the stranger declared and nod, observing anything that comes within her scope. "You must been bothered, thinking whether you are doing the right thing ne, Kazumi?"

Kazumi gasped hearing her name. She tried convincing herself a while ago that she was not the one this lady was conversing to, but it just did mentioned her name! Turning back to the stranger on her side, she was terrified meeting its soppy eyes that were still fixed on her. She tried to speak but no single word came out, chilly sweat runs down the corner her face. Who was she? How did she know my name? This is insane.

"If you do not know exactly where you're going, you'll probably end up somewhere else… and that maybe where fate wants you to be…" The lady told her, setting a gentle smile over its lips.

Those words marked within her heart, it seemed to absorb her senses, creating mental delusions. Does fate control the life of a person? Kazumi spun to the window, looking afar. What is she thinking? This might be some kind of joke again! She shook her head. Her imagination was just playing a game on her. Breathing deeply, she glanced back to the lady on her side, and was surprised to see that no one was sitting beside her. She just vanished! She was gone. She suddenly looked pale. Looking around with fright, she couldn't catch sight of the same presence at all.

"Excuse me, miss." She called one of the flight attendant on the front seat. Something isn't right. She knew she had seen someone beside her. She could still clearly hear its voice on her mind.

"What is it, ma'am?"

"Have you seen the lady who was sitting beside me earlier? She was wearing a white dress and her hair was quite long… about the mid of her back," Kazumi asked peculiarly with a tensed look upon her face. The attendant frowned seeing her weird actions, trying to recall every passenger on the plane. A smirk came out of its lips, thinking that she was maybe describing a white lady or something. Kazumi knitted her brow.

The young attendant laughed in discomfit seeing the serious look on her eyes. "A… I-I'm really sorry ma'am! I can't remember actually. Wait for a sec, ma'am. Ah… seat number forty two?" Tracing the record, the lady attendant glanced at her with a feeling of oddity. "Well… ah… there's no one sitting beside you, ma'am. This seat is vacant. The reservation had been cancelled before the flight due to prior reason," the attendant said with much assurance.

Her eyes widened and suddenly turned paler than before. "I-I see… I must be mistaken. I just don't feel well m-maybe." She composed herself and smiled. The lady nodded and went back to its seat, slight edgy but had managed to smile.

"Ghost?" she muttered, leaning back to her seat. No. It was no ghost of course! That would be the most beautiful ghost then, if it was. Kazumi shook her head, burying her face on her hands. What are these things she was seeing? She doesn't killed anyone before as long as she could remember, then why is she being hunted by this… this whatever-it-might-be thing? It was maybe a daydream. She was just daydreaming. She took a deep breathe, comforting herself and began pinching her cheeks hardly. With an abrupt ache, she gently rubbed her cheeks. Na! She wasn't dreaming.

She closed her eyes and think of something else, trying to forget her spooky experience. The face of her Auntie suddenly flashed on her mind. Auntie? Kazumi opened her eyes. What could be they're doing at this time? They may be found out about her run away scheme.

It was past seven and the whole family of Takumi had been unexpectedly awakened by a loud, deafening shriek. Takumi Mori had been calling out her niece but she got nothing even a short response. She had been looking for her everywhere yet the lass were none to be found. "Where could be that girl is? She should be doing her all her errands by now! Aaaahhhhhh! That futile girl!" She went to their back yard, with a thought of visiting her garden would ease out her early morning annoyance but she found a dreadful scenario instead. All her lilacs had been drooping bit by bit! A closer look at them would reveal the taped part of the buds. Anger swept through her aching head.

"Kazumiii!" another voice had chorused on her back. Turning around, she saw her daughter with a furious look on its face, moving towards her with heavy feet.

"Ma, have you seen that stupid Kazumi?" Mayune asked, handling a burnt dress on its hand. It was her daughter's favorite, a present from its Grandmother on her eighteenth birthday, costing quite a penny too.

"I thought you wore that dress last night?" Mori asked, frowned.

Mayune nodded. "Yes, I did. I never noticed this if my friend doesn't tell me. I've worn a burnt dress on my friend's birthday party, isn't that great?" her daughter sarcastically told, blushing with anger. "Everyone's laughing at me! I'm gonna burn that Kazumi's hair in turn!" Mr. Takumi, all of a sudden came running with something on its hand, a panicked look can be pictured on its face.

"She was gone!" the old man reported, panting heavily, handling a mysterious letter to the two who was surprised by his sudden emergence. It was maybe the first time they had seen him waking up early. Due to this weather, who wouldn't? It just suddenly turned cold unlike before.

"S-She was dead?" exclaimed Mayune, with its eyes widening.

Her mother threw her a wild look, reading the letter from her father's hand and finally let out a sigh of disappointment. Mayune confusingly raised a quizzical brow, seeing her mom's reaction. "W-What is it mom? Was that a suicide note?"

Mori sighed indifferently, giving the letter back to her husband without any sense of concern, curtly saying, "As expected…" She went back to their house, leaving the two behind as she rubbed the back of her waist. It's really a cold, February morning, the coldness it brings runs down to the tip of her toes. She drew near the wide-opened window, sipping a glass of honeyed tea. This might be the coldest morning she had. "Be free now, Kazumi-san," she whispered softly, looking up at the cloudless sky above.

"Auntie!" Kazumi wheezed out, looking around. She thought she had heard her Auntie's voice somewhere though she couldn't see her presence. Realizing that she had fallen asleep for a moment, she sighed to herself, might be just part of her whimsies.

She began to wonder how far it was still to reach Tokyo. There was a little odd feeling inside her and she wasn't aware of what had caused this kind of discomfort. Back of her mind tells her that she shouldn't be there. Her heart throbbed. She began to foresee a vision, something that was dark and blurred. She felt something was coming on her way… something she couldn't tell.

A loud screeching sound took place, followed by sudden shakes. Kazumi felt somewhat dizzy. Fair cloud racks was now turning murky with threatening, heavy rains that could fall in no moment along with the harsh wind on its company. It seems like there was a devastating storm approaching. She tightly squeezed her bag on her arms, calming herself that was almost panicking. Looking outside, she saw the dark, deep, raging sea. Waves are crashing down with its wild rhythm. Her fright grew more, might be a long way down if ever. She hurriedly tied all her things together, binding it to her. With these little things she got, she couldn't afford to lose even some of it, particularly at this rate. Though, there was another problem, she doesn't know how to swim! Now she knew that she should took up swimming lessons, instead of joining that hopeless track and field club! If it's not for her friend's persuasion then she would surely quit of that silly guild! They taught her nothing but sprinting all day, luckily she doesn't have asthma or else she'll be dead by now. Oh, by the way, she had been the aspiring runner who always made them won in many competitions, bringing couple of awards for the whole team. Kazumi suddenly chuckled. Na! She shook her head. Why am I thinking of those things right now? Is it normal to be happy before you die? Kyaaa!

"Please remain calm. Unexpected storm had showed its path, traversing directly towards us. We have to take an emergency landing as a precautionary measure. Everything's gonna be fine. Please remained be seated," an attendant announced in a comforting and assuring tone.

Everyone was now panicking. Deafening cries and shrieks of fright echoed in every corner. The plane shakes with each blow of the fierce wind. Women cried and freaked out, clinging tightly to their seats while others tried keeping themselves calm but being calm is impossible on that state! They seemed to be fluctuated by the strong winds, swinging them up in the midair.

"It's gonna be alright," Kazumi whispered to herself, clasping her both hands together. "You should be calm… you shouldn't freaked out." The plane abruptly creaks and the winged side of it suddenly fumed, fizzing flamed arises after. Her eyes widened. "Kyaaahhhhhh!" she screamed loudly, everybody followed seeing the same terrifying occurrence. Acrid smoke filled out the cabin, making everyone difficult to breathe. Loud explosion followed and everything had gone black.

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Bleak flashes of sunlight waken her drowsy eyes. Small waves unfurl on her side, being blown by the soft breeze. The smell of the ocean had stirred her senses up. Her body was aching and her mind swirls as she crept to her side. Her clothes were all wet, covered with sands and had been partially tattered. Looking around, she frowned seeing the eccentric place before her sight. She was on an island which she doesn't know where it exactly was. It's no Tokyo at all! Where was everybody? She hurriedly stands back to her feet, searching for another castaway beyond her scope.

She picked up her bag on her side, glad that it also survives. She almost tracked the whole shoreline but she found no one. Are they all dead? She helplessly let herself fell to the warm sand. Or is she the one who's dead? Her eyes widened and began pinching herself hard in panicked. "Aww…" she whined and suddenly exclaimed. She was alive! She was very grateful about it. But wait, where is she then? What place this might be?

Trees grew abundantly, with wild ferns and huge varieties of floras. It seems a productive one for just an island. Place like this really exists then? She turned her vision to the huge, wild ocean on a distant that seems unending. What will she do now? She was stuck in an unknown island all alone! Who will rescue her now?

Kazumi took sheltered from the burning heat of the sun and rested on one of the shady trees, few paces from the shoreline. She watched as the waves unfolded softly to the shore, resting her chin on her slightly, trembling arms that binds her knees. Her body shivered with cold yet she tries to ignore it, remembering the last things she had seen before her senses goes dark…

Smoke… there were dark smokes and several explosions. The plane had crashed down to the sea like a greased lightning. Everyone was trying to save themselves, grabbing anything that comes before their way. Luckily, she had seen a floating piece of log where she had clung on, keeping her from sinking down. A cried of help caught her ears, an old woman was drowning, urge of heroism comes through her as she hurriedly went to help, embracing tightly the log, drawing nearer and nearer to the half-drowning woman. She made her clutched to the wooden thing but it can't hold both of them at the same time. Pitying over the old woman, she decided to let go as she tried her best to swim, holding to one edge for just a minute to breathe and swim back again. Huge, horrific waves came forth and deluged them, causing her to lose suddenly her gripped and be carried down to the bottom. Her breath shortens, gasping hysterically for air while her vision began to blur, fighting back the rigid current. Her body felt tired and worn out, there's no use of it now, she had already sunk down the nethermost part. She let go and finally given up when a streak of light flashed through her vision, she did her best to reach for it, moving her arms with hard strokes. She then came over a translucent thing, gleaming with different hues like an enchanted portal. The time she had touch it, a crystal opening appeared right before her eyes, streaks of light had been emitted through it, drawing her in. She tried to swim back but the force was too strong to resist, closing the moment she had entered the mysterious entry. She had lost control until everything went blank, and here she was, stuck in an unknown island waiting for some help, help which she doesn't know if there would be.

Kazumi sighed, rubbing her aching forehead. Now, she was totally lost. She waited for an airplane or something to show up but it took her almost couple of hours but not a single vessel had come her way. She helplessly buried her face on her arms, whispering a little prayer in her heart. How she wished she never did such thing as escaping away without a proper consent! If only she knew things like this might happen then… Na! What is she grumbling about? It's her choice and she should make out of this mess!

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Terminology Keys:

*Kerei! – Beautiful!