Z-A-K: As I have got a number of prewritten chapters, I thought I had update this, specially for the more kai-enthusiastic fans. Still stuck in studies. Thanks for the lovely reviews and reads, everybody!
Chapter 17
"Tomorrow is Christmas. Awwww, I was sure that I would have a 3/3 matchmaking succes score by now," groaned Tyson as he stared into his computer. Ray who was sitting beside him consoled him, "Don't worry, Ty. Something good is going to happen in a second."
"Like?" asked Tyson pouting.
The bell rang in two successive Ting-Tongs. Ray smiled victoriously and pointed at his own forehead, "Pure intuition."
Tyson rolled his eyes and said, "It might be one of us returning from Christmas shopping. What are you waiting for? Go open the door." Ray shook his head, "I opened last time." Tyson got up at last, moaning and groaning, and shouting 'Coming'.
He opened the door and his eyes widened. There stood a tall, beautiful woman wearing a long black gown and a mink stole. She was breathlessly striking. Her hair was done up in an intricate bun. But at the same time she scared Tyson a little too. She had a slight disdainful expression and the diamonds she wore were countless. She didn't seem to like what she saw. Beside her stood two uniformed men shouldering what looked like heavy rifles. One of them stepped forward and saluted, "Mr. Granger? Or is it Mr. Kon?"
"Mr. Granger," replied Tyson awestruck. Who were these people?
"I present before you the Countess Keira," the guard announced.
When the countess had sat down on the sofa and Ray and Tyson had somewhat overcome the thought of seeing a real Countess she spoke, "I have heard you are looking for a wife for your friend, Mr. Hiwatari?"
Tyson sat transfixed, unable to tear his eyes away from the strange bent up pearl necklace she wore in her neck. Ray hastily corrected the beauty, "Girlfriend."
"That is of no consequence. Well, here I am. When can I meet your friend?"
Tyson found his tongue at last, "How about today, 8:30, FameFlame Cafe?"
"Very good. Except the place, that is. But if your friend was-I mean-comfortable with that place its agreeable with me," she got up as if to leave.
"Wait," said Tyson, "there are somethings that you should know about Kai."
"Yes," continued Ray. "He is a bit difficult. He can be a bit insensitive too. And-"
The Countess smiled, wolfishly, "I always get my way, no matter what the difficulties. Your friend will soon be a Count." With that the dominating beauty and her escorts were gone.
"What? You two set up a date for Kai without discussing with us first?" screamed Mariah frantically. Hilary had an expression of murderous disapproval. Hilary snapped angrily at Ray and asked, "What was her name again?
Ray answered meekly, "Countess Keira.'
"Name rings a bell," said Mariam suddenly. "Wait a sec." She went to her room and returned with a magazine. She opened a page and pointed at a photo of a devilish beauty in black. Tyson and Ray nodded in recognition. Mariam pursed her lips and read, "Countess Keira of Ghoulania, at the burial of her third husband Count George."
"WTF!" shouted Hilary. "Wait there is more. The Countess has inherited a huge amount of money from the late Count, this money adds to her already vast fortune courtesy previous husbands. Her first husband was Count Julian whom she married, people say, for the title and the money. From then the thirst seems to have ignited. But all these are entertaining bits of people regulated gossip... Blah...Blah...Blah."
Ray smiled sheepishly, "She seems to be a really unlucky woman who has met with a lot of tragedies, right?"
"Ray, she seems to be a killer. Isn't it obvious she kills her husbands and inherits their fortunes. No wonder she's after Kai. He is really rich," Mariah didn't sound very loving and Ray took the hint. He shut up after that.
"Pah! Such presumptions and gossip! She is exactly the sort of woman Kai would like. Dominating, cold, mysterious. She is devilishly-I mean- divinely beautiful too. She said very forcefully that Kai would like her. See their personalities are made for each other. Count Kai. Sounds cool, na?" Tyson switched from defensive to self satisfactory.
Max and Kenny chose the exact moment to return from their Christmas shopping. They were quickly briefed in at what was going to happen. While Kenny looked discouraging Max was all for some fireworks.
Kai was feeling Kai-ish. Down in the dumps mixed with loner-ish. So, it took Tyson an hour begging on his knees, in the end lying on the floor and clasping his hands, to convince Kai to wear his best suit and behaviour if he wanted to save Tyson's life from the 'bloody Countess's bloody escorts'.
Kai entered the cafe and sat down at that ill fated table for two. He felt warm so he loosened his tie and took off his black coat. Eyes half closed, hair messed up, Kai looked Kai-ish. Just flawlessly handsome. Nothing more nothing less.
The Countess arrived late. She was wearing a red dress, countless diamonds, even a small tiara on her head, she looked perfectly vampish. She motioned her two escorts to stay away.
She walked upto Kai and when he failed to acknowledge his presence she 'Ahem-ed' and held out her hand for him to kiss. Kai opened an eye lazily, looked at her and at her hand, moved forward and handed her a handkerchief!
Countess Keira gritted her teeth and sat down all ruffled up and started talking in her forceful voice, "You must have heard of me-"
Kai interrupted voluntarily, "Tyson must have forgotten to tell me that I was meeting a circus performer. It's ok, it's not as if I care."
The Countess turned the colour of her dress but continued her haughty speech. She was pleased when Kai stiffened up suddenly. She felt the insufferable man was at last listening to what she was saying. Alas! That was not the case. Kai had seen a familiar green jacket and tousled up head oustide the cafe. That someone was reading a book and walking off slowly. Suddenly Kai was wide awake and his heart and head could register with a start. Diana!
The Countess's short lived smile wiped off her face when her dream date stood up and walked away in a daze. The Blade breakers did not realize this incident as Dizzy chose the exact moment to exclaim, " This site says the Countess's necklace is made from the teeth of her dead husbands and recently she expressed the desire to elongate it."
By the time our heroes turned to look at their friend he was gone leaving a very angry date behind. She was writing something very furiously and then she was gone. Written on a paper embossed with the Count family crest with flourishing handwriting was the following message- I do not wish to associate myself with barbaric people. It was his luck that I agreed to be his date but looks like my guardian angel knew better.
"Looks like Kai took a leaf out of Chief's book and ran away. Man, I wish you people wouldn't do that. It's such a bother hunting you all up," whined Tyson.
"Atleast Kai's teeth are safe," said Max, strangely serious. Everybody heartily agreed.
"Diana?" Kai ran after the green jacketed figure. The figure went on, oblivious to the world. She heard it the next time Kai cried her name. She turned and looked at Kai. Kai gave a very un-kai smile. She looked at him vaguely, "You are the guy with the name problem, right? Allen Hiwatari?" She smiled back happy to remember his name.
Kai corrected her, "Allen Carter is my alias. My real name is Kai Hiwatari. I am sorry for lying that day but..."
"Oh yeah," Diana put away her book and shaking Kai's hand vigorously. "It's ok. I figured out later that you had to lie about yourself but next time I would suggest you wear glasses and wig. Your features are quite famous, you know, so, you are easily recognised. Even I, the great, forgetful , amazing person remembered who you were."
Kai's face cracked into a smile involuntarily. "You do love yourself a lot, right?"
Diana nodded energetically. In fact everything she did was done energetically but this fact was strange as she was also very lazy at the same instant (A/N Rings a bell for those who read my profile?). "Oh, wait a minute," Kai said as he started looking in his pockets for something. "Got it. Here's your pen."
Diana took the pen exclaiming, "Oh. So, that's where it was. That reminds me. What happened with you and your friends?"
Kai replied, a little coldly, "Everything is sorted out."
"And your behaviour to the general world?" Diana asked, a little disinterestedly. Kai blushed, "I have improved."
Diana quirked a brow, "Really?"
"Well no."
"Like?"
Kai told her of his date. Diana laughed and laughed clutching her sides and when she started to lose balance, clutching at Kai. "What's so funny?" Kai asked, coldly.
"You!" Diana managed after people began staring at her laughing fit. Sobering she said, "Kai, I admit that that woman deserved what she got, believe me, I have heard some stories about her, but I think you should try behaving a little better towards everyone."
Kai smirked, "I have already behaved better."
"Continuously," added Diana. Kai ran a hand through his hair, "That's going to be difficult but-" Diana looked at him expectantly. "I'll try," he finished. Diana whooped. A few people turned to look at the source of the racket. Kai smiled nervously and changed the topic, "What are you reading?"
"Persuasion By Jane Austen. I have read it like thousands of time but I love a re read. Jane Austen was amazing and even though Pride And Prejudice is more famous, it stands equally with Persuasion. Oh! I know! Let's go buy you a Christmas present. It's Christmas Eve after all."
Kai suddenly remembered his friends and wondered if he was spoiling the night for them. But before he could think further or refuse Diana he was grabbed into foreign land i.e. a bookshop. Yeah, he had never been to one. Seeing thousands of books he felt a sudden urge to run out and away but the iron will of Diana was just that, iron strong.
As they moved about she told him of various stories; Enid Blytons (ya , Diana still liked them), Harry Potter (Kai nearly fainted seeing their volume), Chronicles of Narnia (Kai found the English strangely tough or actually he was disinterested), Alistair Macleans and P. (both of which he, he was informed by Diana, was to inexperienced at reading to read), Agatha Christie (Diana wondered if he would be spooked out), etc. (Kai was amazed at the thousands she had read). She absolutely turned her nose down at the Non Fiction, Biographies, Goosebumps (which were not scary at all). She stopped beside the Classics Shelf (Kai sighed, "At last." and received a punch for that.)
"Exactly what I have been looking for," Diana cried. Diana smiled as she held up Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. "You'll like it, if you read it, that is. It'll be very special to you as the hero is rather like you."
Kai looked at her strangely and then said, "You talk as if he is a real person."
Sighing, Diana replied, "Well, fictional characters are far better than real people and Mr. Darcy, the hero, is one of my favouritest characters ever. I totally love him."
Kai was beginning to feel a bit fearful of the book. Who knows what horrors it contained if Diana liked it? And this Darcy sounded a real clown, no way he could be like him. And was favouritest even a word?
When they at last came out of the suffocating bookshop, Kai asked a question which had been going on and on in his mind, "You say you are forgetful, then how did you recognise me that day?"
"Well, as I have told my nearest and dearest a number of times, there are three people I'll identify anywhere:C. Ronaldo, Adam Lambert and you. I used to be quite a fan of yours."
"Used to?"
"Till you played."
Kai laughed, "You and your logic."
They had a good time well, at least it was exceptionally good for Kai. He couldn't remember a time when he had not worried, not lamented, not felt sorry for himself, not been tense, not been sour and surly and sulky. If one of his friends saw him laughing and smiling they would probably faint of surprise.
"Kai, promise me one thing?" Diana asked suddenly. "What?" the scarlet eyes focused on Diana's face.
"Try being nice to people, generally."
Kai opened his mouth to retort but he realised Diana was dead- serious for once. "Ok, I'll try."
Diana smiled that huge smile of hers and Kai wondered if he could ever smile like that. "K, then, I have to go. I am awfully sleepy. Here, Merry Christmas," she said handing him his present.
"You too," Kai was already reverting to his normal 'speak less' self.
As she signaled to a cab she turned to say, "And you won't lose that many fans if you started smiling. I reckon you might gain some but then you never know." Kai tried his death glare, half heartedly. It had no effect on Diana.
It was when Kai reached his building did two thoughts occur to him. He had still not asked her where she lived or her number and he had not given her something for Christmas, and he was sure a chance to do either would never come. "She must think me to be an ungrateful git."
Welcome to my new readers! Erika and Tony (hope I got the names right).
Did anybody realise I have switched from the small chapters to really long ones suddenly? and if you are free and don't have exams please do read MyEvilHead's beyblade stories. they are all pretty good.
Please REVIEW people!