Thanks again for the reviews I got!!! They give me motivation!

~I do not own any rights to Kaze no Stigma~

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Kazuma stood suspended over the park, staring down at the figure below. He narrowed his eyes, barely reigning in his anger as the culprit of Ayano's disappearance stood right in front of him. He just wanted to destroy the guy!

He forced himself to remain calm and slowly lower himself to the ground. "So, do you wanna tell me what your problem is and why you keep doing this?" Kazuma asked as his feet landed softly on the ground.

A boy of about 17 turned around to face him, a small, nonchalant smile on his lips. He was tall; about as tall as Kazuma, and had copper-tanned skin. "Hello, there," he said, perfectly polite. "It's Kazuma, right?"

"Don't you dare talk to me like I'm your friend!" Kazuma said sharply.

The boy just turned fully around. "Alright. Then I'm guessing you don't want to know my name?" His tone was still gentle and reasonable.

Kazuma curled his hands into fists at his side. "No, I need to know it so we know what to put on your tombstone after I rip you to shreds!" Kazuma snarled threateningly.

The boy sighed softly. "So harsh," he murmured. "My name is Kenichi Seki."

"Wonderful. Glad to know, you little bastard. Now tell me why you keep doing this to people!" It was very hard for Kazuma to just stand there with Ayano's kidnapper--and potential murderer--right in front of him without doing anything to make him pay or regret his actions.

"Oh, so you know about my previous games," Kenichi said conversationally. He looked up at the sky, where the colors of the sunset were beginning to fade away into darker, more grotesque colors.

A faint breeze came and ruffled Kazuma's hair and clothes. He didn't take his eyes of Kenichi, not once. He wanted to figure out a way to destroy him without harming Ayano.

It had been so long after the question that Kazuma was sure Kenichi wasn't going to answer. But, finally, he turned around to face him. The look on his face was now grim and horrible: a twisted smile with the glinting of evil, malicious blue eyes. "I love to ruin your lives," he said darkly. "I enjoy taking away everything that matters to you...the things that matter to you the most. He reached up to a low-hanging branch of a cherry blossom tree and closed his hand around some pink blossoms. "I love to strip them away like blossoms from a cherry blossom tree." He smiled cruelly, and ripped the small flowers from the branch he held.

"You're sick," Kazuma snarled.

"Oh, I'm sure you think so, Kazuma," Kenichi said with an awful smile. "I'm sure you hate me right now. I'm also sure that you'll hate me a lot more when this game is over and Ayano is dead."

Kazuma's eyes widened slightly, and he stared into space. He had tried not to think about what would happen too much; hadn't wanted to face the facts. But he couldn't deny it now as it was thrown mockingly in his face: Ayano would most certainly die if he failed this mission. She would be gone forever, and then there would be nothing he could do or say to ever bring her back...just like Tsuo Rin. And the thought was so unbearable, it nearly killed him.

He couldn't lose her; he loved her too much. It would absolutely kill him if she died.

Kazuma felt a burning hatred rise up in his stomach. It scorched his stomach, burned in his throat. It was so strong, he could have killed him with one blow of magic right then. He opened his eyes, and summoned the wind around him to gather.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you!" Kenichi called to him over the roaring of the wind. "Remember: harm to me is harm to her!"

Thinking this, Kazuma made himself calm down. The rough, swirling wind slowly died and vanished into the air. The only evidence left of Kazuma's hatred and anger was his burning eyes and his shaking shoulders.

"Very good!" praised Kenichi. "You have wonderful self control!"

"Shut up, you bastard!"

Kenichi sighed. "Call me what you like; it doesn't affect me." He turned and began to head out of the park.

"Wait a second!" Kazuma yelled. "Now where are you going, you little freak?!"

"You have until midnight to find her!" Kenichi called over his shoulder. "Better try your best and think your hardest; no one ever wins! She always dies!"

Kazuma literally restrained himself from chopping him in half. His fists were clenched so tightly his arms shook, and he suppressed the urge to destroy something with his wind magic.

Okay. Better focus here, Kazuma thought, trying to stay calm. If he was propelled by fear, he wouldn't be able to think straight. Where would he have hidden her?

Of course, staying calm was easier said than done...even for Kazuma. He couldn't stop the flow of anguish that filled his soul at the thought of losing Ayano. I WILL save you, Ayano! he thought. I will!!!

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Sorry if this is a boring--and short-- chapter! It kept me going, but I don't know about you! And I hope I got Kazuma's past love's name right--did I??? Hopefully it did! Anyways, read and review, and hope to update soon! ^-^