Flower_on_thewind: EEEP!! I'M SO SORRY! I know this chapter has been extremely over due, but I couldn't help it! I was GROUNDED!!!! T_T In fact, I STILL AM GROUNDED! *currently uploading while she should be listening to her info tech teacher* Anyways, please excuse all grammar mistakes and such. I really didn't have time for proof reading. -_-; I'm totally, utterly sorry...

Jedi Princess Clarrisani: *blushes* sorry for the wait! And thank you for reviewing! ... Although I really hope I don't let you down, I get this really bad feeling that I will...

Fyredra: *is laughing at the bear trap joke* whoo hooo, that IS irony! Yeah, kinda weird to go from total angst for fun, ne? Oh well... that's what fanfiction is for!

Bread N' Butter: Kevin: THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING!! *gives a biiiig hug*

Desi2: _ sorry for the lateness. And I'll be sure to make Rei remember his promise *Wacks Rei with newspaper* DON'T FORGET!

Android 71: Heh heh, BEARS! *sees Gary walk by* O-o

Dalourice: *sniffs* I think that's the first Rei/Kevin banner I've seen being waved...

VDG: MWAHAHAHa, you looked into HIS EYES! *Kevin smiles innocently* Rei: *Groans* I guess my iron stomach isn't as iron as I thought... T_T

~* Chapter 15 *~

Until You Catch Me

"Up here!" Kevin instructed Rei. Both boys jumped onto the roof of the grocery store. It was around the middle of the night now. The full moon was up high and the stars shone, twinkling like diamonds on black velvet.

The pair sat on top of the roof and admired the stars in the sky. Something happened back in the bakery... What ever it was, it brought the two of them closer. And it was very mutual connection for the two of them acted closer the moment the set foot out of the bakery.

"Heh, heh, heh. You HAVE to admit that it was fun."

"How is breaking into a bakery and getting squished by a 400 pound ball of lard fun!?!?"

"AW, come on!!! You're just trying to deny the fact that you actually liked kicking his jiggling ass back to hell!! And I bet you really did liked sneaking into Mr. Leung's bakery. It's kinda like playing spy!! See! You're smiling! I knew it, you thought it was fun!"

Rei grinned like a fool. Stupid, pushy Kevin. It was damn true that for some very odd reason. Rei would go back to the bakery and have that little adventure with Kevin in a heartbeat. Since when did he enjoy sneaking into other people's businesses and causing total chaos in the dead of the night? Was it for the adrenaline rush? Or was it because Kevin was there, and just that knowledge made everything a whole lot more enjoyable? Maybe it was Kevin was rubbing off on him...

What ever it was, it didn't change the fact that he just experienced a heart pumping adventure... Now the problem was that he wanted more. He, the cautious one of them all! That was definitely not good...

"Just to be on the safe side, Kevin. I don't want you to be going near the Leung family any time soon. And definitely don't go near that bakery. You stole so many buns it's not funny! Was it really necessary to steal that many?"

"Of course I'm going back there!" Kevin exclaimed while jumping to his feet. "There is no way in hell that you, or anyone else is going to stop me! I'm going to have a new title in this village! ...er-YEAH. That's it! A new title... I'll be the notorious BBQ pork bun thief!! Nobody will ever be able to catch me! Mr. Leung and his chubby son will hunt me down for all I care, but they'll NEVER catch me. For I, the BBQ pork bun thief will always be one step ahead of them. I-I'll be SO great, I dare *anyone* to try to catch me."

Kevin finished his declarative speech with a confident pose. His hands where on his hips and his head was held high. His eyes challenged anybody present to go against his vow. This cocky look was the final touch in making Rei laugh at everything that was said.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Seriously, Kevin, where the heck do you get your ideas??? Hahaha-cough- ahem... okay...I. am. Calm ... I am... I-pfhahahahahah BBQ pork thief. How ridiculous!!!"

Rei continued to laugh at the picture of Kevin in his mind... For some VEEEEERY odd reason, Rei DIDN'T picture Kevin in the stereotype thief attire. Instead, He saw Kevin tiptoeing through dark alleys wearing something similar to that Hamburglar guy from McDonalds (A/n: Disclaimer: I do not own McDonalds).

"You don't believe me!!!" Kevin's eyes were wide and a bit hurt...

"I'm ss-sorry, Kevin..." Rei gasped out while just starting to calm down a bit.

"Oh SURE you are. I bet you think I'm so weak and small that I can't do ANYTHING for myself!!! Just like everybody else!! Y-you-I can't believe..." Kevin stumbled over his words. He thought that Rei would be the one person who would see Kevin as an equal- despite his small size and misleading looks.

Rei immediately saw the damage his actions caused and regretted it. Kevin could be quite sensitive though he may not want to admit it.

"Kevin, I didn't mean-"

"Oh, SHUT UP!!!" Kevin glared at Rei, making Rei feel even more guilty. "You're just like everyone else!! You think I'm weak and small like everyone in this stupid village! Well guess what. When I get older, I'm going to be just as tall and as strong as everybody here. I'll be just as strong as you!! Heck, I'll be stronger! I swear by that star!"

Kevin whirled to face the star lit sky and pointed to the brightest star there. His eyes were filled with determination and confidence. He stood there like some leader pointing to the one thing that would bring him salvation. He almost seemed like a real hero...

"Kevin..." Rei scratched the back of his head. In truth, Rei was never really that great with apologies. "Listen...I don't think you're weak. I have to admit that it is a fact that I can seem overprotective of you sometimes, but that's because I don't like to see you getting hurt. You're...I.... Kevin......... You're very strong Kevin. Whether you think so or not, you are not weak."

Rei hadn't a clue what he said, but it came from his heart. And Kevin somehow knew that. But pride wouldn't allow Kevin to accept Rei's "apology" outright.

"...That's right. I'll be the notorious BBQ Pork Bun Thief, Pork Thief in short. No body will EVER catch me." Kevin gave a cocky smile to show Rei that he accepted his apology. Rei smiled softly back to show Kevin how relived he was.

"Well, I want to challenge that statement. I bet you that somebody will catch you one day."

"Oh yeah? And who might that be?"

"...Oh...I don't know...Let's see here...How about ME!? Yeah... Maybe it'll tone down your cockiness."

Kevin gasps in surprise. "You take that back!! I am NOT cocky!"

"Suuuure you're not..."

Kevin was flustered! Nobody, I mean NOBODY, has ever took up his crazy challenges before. Nobody ever got him speechless before, in fact, HE was the one who always had the last word. Had he finally met his match? ...NO WAY IN HELL!

"Fine! I accept your challenge. If you catch me, I have to do anything you ask for without hesitation. I will have to do everything you say, and if I complain...um...I will have to be your slave until you decide to let me go." Kevin yelled.

"Alright. If I don't catch you within the next five years, I'll...erm...I know!! I'LL CUT MY HAIR!!"

Amethyst eyes grew wide with horror. Never, in all of Kevin's years of knowing Rei, had he EVER seen him get a hair cut.

"No way..."

"Yes. I'll do it. And not only that, if I suddenly get cold feet then I MUST become your sidekick and help you steal all the buns you want. I promise you on my-erm- no, that doesn't work... ...umm..." _ Rei was ashamed. He almost swore on his mother's grave!!

"That star!" Kevin filled in. "It's the special star cuz it's the first one to come out at night. Trust me on this, I ALWAYS see it come out first. Swear on this star and the everything you say will be fated by an angel...at least, that's what my grandma use to say..."

Rei looked at Kevin with sad eyes... Though Kevin usually stayed quiet about his family life, if there was one person he liked to talk about it was his grandma. Kevin's grandma took care of him when his dad left the village and his mom went into depression. Kevin loved his grandma dearly, and was constantly by her side until she died a few years ago. That's all Rei knew about Kevin's grandma.

"Alright then. We'll swear by that star."

Kevin's face brightened considerably with Rei's words. It was moments like these where Rei felt most happy...

"Okay, I swear by that star, that if I ever catch you stealing pork buns from a bakery, you have to become my slave. If I don't catch you within the next 5 years, then I will cut my hair. If I can't do that, then I must become your trusty side kick, and we'll steal buns together." Rei's eyes were so determined, so endless, so... beautiful. It compelled Kevin to take this swear– no, this promise– seriously.

"But only if you catch me." Kevin said in a semi serious tone.

"Until I catch you." Rei agreed with a nod.

Then it happened. They were linked with an invisible silver thread. A bond.

A bond from a star...

~**~

Flower_on_thewind: AHHH, CRAP! -__-; I have detention... REVIEW