Thanks for the encouraging reviews! Here's a... different type of chapter! :)

Three long, draining, hopeless days passed for Emily and Mike. There is absolutely no sign of the black flower. Mia's condition is still stable for the moment. Anything could happen in a matter of minutes though. The couple is so desperate, they searched metropolitan parks close by the Shiba house to see if they would find the black flower on the parks' nature trails. But they had no luck. The plant wasn't there.

Today, the yellow and green samurais were accompanied by Lauren and Cody in the forest. Lauren had calmed down from her verbal attack on Mike. Mike had nothing to do with her mastering the healing symbol. Therefore, he did not deserve the yelling he received from Lauren after telling her the symbol was unsuccessful. Cody figured he would tag along in the search and bond more with Lauren since she currently wasn't studying in law school.

The search remained quiet for the most part. When there was sound, it was from ruffling leaves, rocks being moved, or simply the wind making its way through hallow trees. No one had a decent conversation to bring up without causing a disagreement or a crying scene that people would see in television dramas.

Kevin still doesn't know about the search. He also doesn't know his beloved wife might not make it to the end of the week. He hasn't spoken to Mike and Emily since his daughter was born. Ji, keeping his promise to not share anything he knew about the black flower search, told Kevin that Mike and Emily needed some space to sort out some unidentified issues and go to work to pay their expensive bills. Kevin believed him. He and the young couple weren't joined by the hip so he stayed out of their way. He continued to care for his daughter with Catherine and occasionally Antonio and Jayden's help. He didn't want to go home yet, not without Mia.

Antonio and Jayden also don't know about the search for the black flower. They were both quite oblivious about the whole thing. Antonio went to work every weekday as the usual while Jayden was finishing up his final exams in school. Earlier in the day, Jayden asked Lauren where she was headed out so early in the morning. Sometimes she went out for morning jogs but she wasn't in her jogging gear which made her brother a little suspicious. Lauren told him she promised Cody she would have breakfast with him at a restaurant. It wasn't a lie. Cody did invite her to eat out but she hasn't been home since. Jayden shrugged it off. His sister is a grown woman and knows how to take care of herself.

Ji and Catherine have a house of their own. Ji moved in with Catherine after their marriage. They made frequent visits to the Shiba house when Lauren and Jayden needed company after the other samurais moved out. Since things have been looking down for most of the samurais, Catherine and Ji stayed at the Shiba house to care for them. They weren't necessarily there as maids, but as parental figures that wanted to help their young family going through tough times. Their assistance in the house is all voluntary and the samurais appreciated it. Antonio showed his appreciation by dropping by Ji and Catherine's house to make sure everything was in order before he went to work.

Evany's mother, Selena Thompson, walked out of her house with her youngest daughter. Selena had her brown hair in a high messy bun and wore high heels to match her sophisticated, businesswoman style. Her daughter, Kaylee, was dressed in a black leotard and carrying a small bag with a princess on it. She was a little tall for five years old and walked on her toes quite a bit.

Selena took Kaylee's hand and helped her in the family's minivan. Kaylee has a ballet recital in less than an hour and she was running late. Her father and one of her brothers were already in the vehicle and ready to go. Just as Selena buckled Kaylee in her seat, she noticed her other daughter, Evany, stepping out of her friend's car. Selena waved at her friend's mother, who drove off after returning gesture, and gave Evany a confused look.

"There were no classes today?" Selena asked Evany. She wasn't expecting her daughter to be home so soon. Usually, about three times a week after school, Evany would go to the recreation center to take Mike's hip-hop dance class.

"No, the lady at the front desk said he hasn't showed up for work all week." Evany replied.

"He might be sick." Selena sighed and pointed to her siblings and father in the vehicle. "Kaylee has a ballet recital today. You can join us if you'd like. Staying home is also an option. Chad's staying home. Jason is coming with us though."

"I'll just stay home with Chad." Evany said, with a hint of disappointment in her voice. Selena almost immediately noticed the tone in her daughter's voice. Before Evany could walk into the house, Selena grabbed her shoulder and made her look at her.

"Is there something wrong Evy?" Selena asked her daughter with concern. Lately, Evany hasn't been speaking much. Selena dismissed it as a teenage mood swing but now she was starting to make her worry that something was actually wrong with her. "Does it have to do with school? There's only three weeks left until you can to leave for the summer."

"Everything at school is fine mommy." Evany shook her shoulder so her mother could take her hand off. "I'm just tired. It's been a long day."

"Okay." Selena got into the driver's seat and backed the vehicle down the driveway slowly while keeping her eyes on Evany, who was walking into the house. "Well, go take a nap or something. If you're hungry, ask Chad to make you some food."

"I will." Evany gave her mother a goodbye wave and closed the front door of her house behind her. She placed her shoes at the bottom the coat closet, dropped her school book bag by the dining table, and sat next to Chad on the couch in the living room.

Chad and Jason are Evany's twenty years old brothers. Jason teaches contemporary and jazz at their father's theatre. Chad teaches hip-hop like Mike. Unlike Mike and his twin, he owns his own dance studio with one of his best friends.

"Hey Ev, what's up?" Chad greeted his little sister while flipping through the channels on the television. He offered her a bowl of popcorn."Popcorn?"

"No thanks." Evany mumbled to him.

Chad frowned at the sound of his sister's voice. She didn't talk much but when she did, she was perky and joyful. "Did you have a bad day at school?"

"Why do you and mommy think I had a bad day at school? I'm happy at school."

"I was just wondering. You seem glum."

"I'm tired." Evany lied. She began to make her way to the stairs. "There's nothing wrong."

Evany walked into her room and sat at her desk. She opened up her laptop and starting typing in the website address for the recreation center she takes hip-hop dance classes at. On her first day of dance class, Mike told her and the rest of the students that if they ever needed him outside of the recreation center, he was just a phone call away.

Evany wasn't upset with him anymore. Instead, she feels like she owes him an apology for yelling at him last week. And that is what she's going to give him. Once she got his number from the website, she dialed it into her cell phone and listened to it ring.

"Hey, this is Mike Rivera. Sorry, I'm not at the phone right now…"

Evany groaned. Mike didn't answer. Although the last thing Evany would want for Mike is an illness, she hoped he was sick like her mother said and not mad with her. Evany doesn't know what she'd do if she drove a man away from his job because of her attitude.

I updated! Yes! Please review! I know the first half of this chapter isn't exactly my style of writing. But I tried something. Also, I plan on putting Evany in the story again soon. Hope you liked it! :D