Author's notes: This story is dedicated to Crystal Summers (a.k.a. Alyson G.), First Prize winner of my scene-writing contest. Great choice of pairings, hehehe….. One of my personal faves – but you already knew that, didn't you? I went and bought Simple Plan's Still Not Getting Any – Tour Edition so I could get the feel of the song, Jump, and I think I've fallen in love with the music. So, girl, this is for you!

Re-edit note: Dang! Since is now against the use of song-lyrics in fics, I had to remove the ones I pasted in here. So, to those of you new to this one-shot, this was supposed to be in tune to the song Jump, by Simple Plan.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Beyblade. I'm not filthy rich or in any way connected to the makers.

R and R!

'I'm really going to do this,' the boy thought to himself, heaving his knapsack off the bed he'd slept in for as long as he could remember. 'I'm really getting out of here.'

He took a last look at his room – the same room he'd had for the past fifteen years of his life. Smiling slightly, he secured his knapsack on his back and tiptoed into the house's small cooking and dining area. He gently placed a small stack of white envelopes on the center of the table.

'Farewell letters for Father and Mother, one for Mao, then Lee, Kevin, and Gary.'

His raven hair shadowed his face, casting all but his brilliant golden eyes into darkness as he stepped out of the house and. Slowly trekking the worn path up the hill on the outskirts of the village, he brushed bits of dust off his light gray shirt and white pants, not looking back until he had reached the top. Glancing down at the collection of small stone and wood huts, he threw his head back and laughed, a light, musical sound.

The sun was just appearing in the distance, bringing a glimmer to his long raven locks and a sparkle to his golden eyes. He took off at a light sprint through the woods, delighting in the soft music of the crickets just giving way to the chirping of the early birds. He caught glimpses of sunbirds and golden pheasants and his laughter swelled as his steps carried him farther and farther from the only home he'd known for the fifteen short years of his life.

He didn't stop laughing until he reached the rails of a highway.

"Hey, boy!" a deep voice called out from somewhere to his left. There was a pickup truck parked by the side of the road, with two men trying their hardest to cool the overheated engine. The speaker was the bigger and burlier of the pair, with a thick, furry beard and mustache covering the lower half of his face. "What are you doing way out here?"

"Oh, nothing, sir," the boy replied politely, coming closer to the hulking men. "I'm on my way to Peking and I thought that the mountains would be the fastest shortcut."

The other man, possessing a flat nose and wide-spaced eyes, wiped his brow and blinked from where he sat in the driver's seat of the truck. "Peking? Don't you mean Beijing?"

'This is what comes of living in the mountains all you life,' the boy thought bitterly. "I need to reach the capital by the end of the month, sir. If it's now called Beijing, it doesn't really matter to me." He knew he sounded slightly haughty, but then, he was the son of a village chief, wasn't he?

"I like your spunk, kid," the first man said, chuckling deeply. "You're in luck. We're headed there ourselves. This old piece of junk," he patted the truck fondly, "just decided to break down for a bit. If you can make yourself useful till we get to Beijing, you're welcome to come along for the ride."

"I am at your disposal," the boy replied saucily, bowing playfully to the two men.

They just laughed and the bearded man picked up the boy bodily and placed him in the back of the truck. "You just guard the boxes while we figure out how to get this thing started, got it?"

The boy simply hopped out of the truck and walked over to the engine, taking out a small thermos from his knapsack. He poured about half the water out onto the steaming machinery.

"Hey, it's okay now!" the flat-nosed man called from the driver's seat, giving a whoop of joy. "What was that, kid?"

"Just water," came the cheery reply. "The engine was steaming, so I thought water would cool it down."

"You're proving useful already! Now hop in the back again. Beijing, here we come!"

Half an hour later saw the two men and the boy happily chatting as they cruised their way down the highway and down the mountain.

"Hey, kid," the bearded man who had introduced himself as Shao said suddenly. "I just realized me an' Lam here took you along with us and we don't even know yer name."

"And watcha really doing out here?" Lam added.

"I've run away from home," the boy said, looking contentedly at the road behind them, and at the early-morning sky. His tired lids began to droop. "My name is Rei, Rei Kon."

He donned his black jacket and opened his duffle bag, quickly doing a mental check of the things contained inside. Nodding in satisfaction, he took out a pen and turned his attention to the small pile of black-bordered envelopes on the table. He took the neatly typed letters from inside and read them over, making sure they were all to his satisfaction. He then replaced them in their envelopes and started to sign the names of the recipients on the front.

'Letters to Grandfather, Tala, and Bryan… and threat notes to Ian and Spencer. Looks like I'm ready to go.'

He slung the duffle bag over his shoulder and pocketed his pen, arranging the envelopes neatly on his bedside table. Without so much as a backward glance, he strode out of his bedroom and locked the door securely behind him. He walked briskly down the hallways and down the grand staircase. The maids, butlers, and housekeeper were fast asleep, as it was just a little past midnight. He walked onto the patio and inhaled deeply. Shaking his head, he started to cross the long driveway to the gates of the manor, where the security guard hurriedly opened the estate's huge black gates. It would not ever do to displease the young master. A discreet-looking black SUV was parked just outside the gates, waiting for the 'young master' to get in.

The young man's keen crimson eyes took in the sight of the empty streets before he nodded in satisfaction and, in two quick strides, got into the van. Just as he closed the door, a nearby streetlight illuminated his pale skin and slate-gray hair. But just as quickly as his features were illuminated, they disappeared into darkness.

"Moscow International Airport," was the boy's chill-voiced command. "Get me there before dawn."

"Of course, sir," the driver replied respectfully.

"Hn."

Two hours later, the driver announced their arrival at the airport. The teen's eyes snapped open and he immediately grabbed his bag. The driver got down and slid the door open, allowing his passenger to exit.

"You will tell no one of this trip, am I clear?" the stoic teen ordered, leveling his icy gaze at the driver.

"I live but to serve, Young Master." The chauffer bowed stiffly, and then turned to get back into the vehicle. "May you have a safe trip, sir."

The boy didn't reply. He strode immediately to a counter and spoke gruffly to the attendant, taking out his wallet and passing her one of his many credit cards. After a few moments of conference, the card was returned along with an airline ticket. The boy proceeded through the hallways of the airport, going through his bag and pulling out the necessary papers for travel. Stopping once at one office, he had a lengthy discussion with the attendant.

"This trip must remain confidential," the teen insisted, his eyes boring dangerously into those of the obsequious official behind the desk. "Am I clear on that?"

"Of course," the attendant agreed immediately, nodding his head. He was eager to please. "It will be as you wish."

An hour later, just as the sun was shyly rising in the horizon, the teen was settled in a first-class seat on a plane bound for Beijing, China. He took a sleek silver MP3 player out of his duffle bag and slipped on an earphone, closing his eyes and seeking to unwind a little as the plane began to taxi. He was the only passenger in that section of the plane and he allowed himself a small measure of relaxation.

'Relax? No. Not until you've gotten off this plane and made sure no one's waiting to return you to your grandfather's mansion,' he reminded himself, redoubling his alertness, even as he maintained the calm façade of a contented traveler. 'You've spent a good sixteen years there already. You don't want to spend too many more.'

A stewardess approached him moments later, a cheery smile on her face. "Would you care for something to drink, sir?" was the question, voiced in the friendliest tones imaginable.

"A glass of kvass is all," came the reply.

"Of course. Your name, sir?"

"Hiwatari. Kai Hiwatari."

The capital city of China, like all other capitals, is a busy place, with people from all walks of life making their way through the streets. Few people would take time to notice one raven-haired boy walking along backwards, taking in the sights. No one would really take time to marvel at the brilliance of a pair of amber eyes as their owner attempted to commit even the smallest cracks in the wall to memory.

The boy called Rei walked as one of the crowds, clothed in an azure shirt and his first ever pair of denim pants, his hair pulled back from his face by a new green bandana. There was no way that anyone from his village would find him here, in such a huge city – and of course, he reminded himself, this was only his first stop. He'd soon find some way to travel even farther, to travel to places outside his country. But for now, he was going to learn as much about Beijing as possible.

'This place is more amazing than I'd imagined!' Rei thought, ascending the steps of a temple directly across the street from a tall office building. He inhaled the faint trace of incense in the air, mingled with that of the clean city streets.

Rei had already been away from home a month, and but he was as cautious as the day he'd left. Rei had settled himself in a small motel near the marketplace. The longer he stayed in Beijing, the larger his urge to explore grew. However, his funds – mostly a withdrawal from his grandmother's account, apparently kept in a bank explicitly for his, her grandson's, use – wouldn't permit him to stay idle if he planned to travel further. He would not continuously draw from his inheritance. Maybe if he got a job while he was in Beijing…

A familiar face. Eyes as golden as his own gazed at Rei from across the street. There was a young man, perhaps in his mid-twenties, staring at Rei in surprise and recognition. Rei knew him from the village.

"Shit." Rei took off down the street, his one goal to put as much distance between himself and the other, older neko-jin. 'Father's search parties couldn't have reached all the way here, can they?' He gritted his teeth, suppressing his anger, and continued to run. 'I won't go back. No one can make me!'

"Rei, wait!"

But Rei wasn't listening. He had to get away. The boy rounded a corner, and ran up the steps of a building, not really looking at the sign. He dashed in came to a stop just inside the doors. Panting, he looked at his surroundings. There were shelves upon shelves of books; great old tomes and slim little thrillers, thick atlases and tiny pamphlets, all were there. The floors were made of high-polished wood, the chairs near the door of plush leather. An elderly woman sat behind a wooden desk off to the right, fixing a disapproving frown on the breathless boy. Rei had somehow ended up in a public library.

"I apologize for the disturbance," Rei said, bowing slightly to the librarian and offering her his brightest smile. "I didn't realize I'd caused trouble. I was in a hurry to get here, ma'am."

The woman's humor immediately lightened and she smiled back at Rei. "Oh, there's no trouble at all, young man. Was there anything in particular that you needed?"

"Ah, nothing, really," Rei looked down, affecting bashfulness. "I just want to look around a bit, if that's all right with you." The librarian nodded pleasantly as Rei trotted off into the main reading room. He hadn't been in this particular library before, and the place interested him. It was certainly nicer than the one near his motel.

And so, it was a very contented Rei that spent most of his morning browsing through the thick English encyclopedias and international newspapers. He knew enough of English from books the traders brought to his village to be able to understand most of the texts. The rest – well, what were dictionaries for?

After another hour or so, the neko-jin stomach gave him a rather loud reminder of its presence. Rei laughed softly to himself and set down his copy of the morning paper. "I guess it's about time I went and found lunch," he said to himself, clearing his unused throat. He looked down at the reading material spread on the table before him. Maybe he would enquire about acquiring a library card. He still had much to learn. If Mao could see him now, she'd chide him for overworking his mind. Rei missed her. He had been in love with her once, but things hadn't worked out between them. They had been friends first, and continued to be friends after the break-up. Rei shook his head. It wasn't time to dwell on the past.

'Anyone Father might have sent will have lost sight of me by now.' After replacing the books back on their shelves and neatly depositing the newspapers back on their racks, Rei thanked the librarian and walked out the door when –

"Gotcha, Rei!"

Kai found Beijing to be an interesting city. For one, the people weren't as stiff as they were back in his homeland. But then, maybe they had just been like that around him. He was, after all, the grandson of Russia's wealthiest and most powerful statesman. But this entire aside, China was really interesting to the young Hiwatari. It was just the sort of place Kai wanted to see, now that he had decided to take a semi-permanent leave of his grandfather.

The young man adjusted his dark shades over his eyes and unzipped his dark blue jacket all the way. He looked up at the office buildings, eyes tracing the symbols and letters he could not understand. He'd been in the capital of China for about a month, on and off, making occasional trips into the nearby rural towns simply to amuse himself. In his letter to Voltaire Hiwatari, he'd requested – demanded – that he be left alone. He knew his grandfather wouldn't really listen; Kai was sure to be followed by at least six of his grandfather's agents. What he wanted was simply not to see them or to be approached by them.

'He'd better listen. If he doesn't want me to sully his "good" name, that is,' Kai thought nastily, smirking as he made his way across one of the busy streets. He felt free, for once in his life. Tala and Bryan, his best friends, would envy his newfound freedom – had they not fallen in love with each other in the previous year and found their happiness then.

"Would you care to buy some jewelry for your girlfriend, sir?" a street hawker asked, catching up to the slate-haired teen as he stopped to read a road sign. The hustler laid a hand on the Russian boy's arm and held up a box of fake gems.

The full force of Kai's deadliest glare was leveled at the unfortunate man. "Leave me alone."

The man immediately backed away and Kai continued walking. He could have taken on anything that piece of scum could have thrown at him, but he preferred to keep as low a profile as possible. He had other more important things in mind. Kai knew very little Chinese and not everyone in the country understood English. He planned to spend a little more time in Beijing, and what he knew of Mandarin wasn't really enough for him to feel sufficiently secure. Thus, his agenda for the day was to purchase some Chinese books, if only to learn what little grammar such things could teach him. He was too proud to look for a tutor, and if ever he found one, the media would soon find out about his presence.

None of the bookstores he went to that morning had what he needed. Frustration wasn't something that a filthy rich young man felt everyday, and Kai was as rich as one could get – and as spoiled. His eyes glinted dangerously in the late morning sun as he made his way to a coffee shop and ordered an iced drink to go.

"Excuse me, sir," a thick-sounding female voice started timidly.

"Yes?" Kai was rather impatient just then. It was getting warm and he wanted to find a quiet place to drink, and maybe visit a library afterwards.

It was a pretty ten-year-old girl with bright blue eyes and ebony hair that met his gaze. If there was one thing Kai had not been hoping to see in China, it was one of his countrymen – male or female.

"A-are you really Kai Hiwatari?" the girl squeaked out. "My friends over there," here she pointed at two shy-looking Chinese girls, "wouldn't believe me when I said it was you." She looked up at Kai with big, star-struck eyes.

"Hn," Kai huffed. Just what he needed: another fan. "Think what you want." So saying, he smirked at her and walked off into the crowds. It was his life, and he could be rude to anyone he pleased.

Minutes later saw him walking towards the Yellow Dragon Public Library. He was just finishing off his drink by the doors of the establishment when his cellular phone rang. One look at the caller ID told him everything he wanted to know. After only a moment's hesitation, he answered his phone.

"What do you want?" he asked, checking the annoyance in his voice.

The deep, stern voice of Kai's grandfather was loud and clear in the youth's ear. "Haven't you had enough yet, boy?"

"No," Kai replied, sneering. "I don't believe I'll be going home for a very long time, Grandfather. And it won't do you any good to ask me exactly what I mean."

"Your behavior is unacceptable. You are a Hiwatari and I will not tolerate – "

"Let me go!"

Kai's phone snapped shut as he took in the sight of a girl – no, a boy trying to get away from a tall burly man. The slate-haired heir thanked God for the intervention; he'd deal with his grandfather some other time. He turned his feet in the direction of the struggle, determined to do something about it.

Rei was thrown to the ground backwards as his old village mate, K'uang blocked a punch by the raven-haired boy's unexpected savior. The sun glared in Rei's eyes and he couldn't see his rescuer's face. The shadowy form of K'uang was thrown bodily down the steps of the library and ran off towards the more crowded central part of the city. Rei's liberator approached and the neko-jin slowly got off the ground, dusting off his shirt. By the time Rei looked up again, his mouth went dry.

Standing before him was a red-eyed deity. A good one or two inches taller than himself, with extremely pale skin and spiked slate hair, this god was. He had a firm, chiseled body for one his age – and he couldn't have been more than a year older than Rei – and strikingly sharp, guarded features. But what really caught Rei's attention were the young man's ruby-red eyes, eyes that looked both fierce and somehow warm.

"He wasn't that tough," the pale stranger said in fairly good Mandarin. He had an amazingly deep voice and foreign accent that made Rei's heart flutter.

'Earth to Kon! Say thank you.' Rei nodded mutely, watching as the other teen bent down and picked up his cellular phone. "Thanks. I didn't notice him until he grabbed me. You came just in time."

"Whatever. Just be more careful next time," the red-eyed teen said, speaking in English this time.

"Huh? Al-alright," Rei stammered, switching to English as well. 'This guy sure is cocky – and… different from everyone I've met before,' Rei though to himself. Suddenly, he wanted nothing better than to be acquainted with the handsome stranger. "Guess I'm not used to this place yet. I'm Rei Kon, by the way."

"Hn." With one eyebrow raised and a smirk on his lips, the pale boy held out his right hand. "Hiwatari. Kai Hiwatari. Is it Chinese custom to act like children in need of rescue before making introductions to foreigners?"

Rei shook Kai's hand and smiled sheepishly. "Er, no. Just my bad luck. I swear; that doesn't normally happen."

"Well then, Rei Kon," Kai said, his smirk still firmly in place. He held up his phone. "I offer you my thanks as well. Your problem saved me from a very irksome conversation."

"Uh, your welcome, I guess," the neko-jin replied uncertainly. This 'Kai' was definitely different. "It's nothing compared to your helping me back there."

Kai looked Rei in the eye and seemed to make a decision. "Care to join your savior for lunch, then?"

"I – " Rei was about to protest, but there was something about Kai Hiwatari that made him think twice. Something told him they had something in common, although he couldn't place what it could be. Plus, his stomach chose that moment to betray him. It growled loudly and Rei blushed to the roots of his hair. "I guess I have no choice but to accept."

'That wasn't expected,' Kai thought to himself as he slashed water over his face in the men's washroom of the restaurant where he had escorted his new acquaintance.

His skin was beautifully bronzed. It was petal soft, so soft that Kai wondered if Rei was a 'kept' boy. His hair was of darkest ebony and it smelled faintly of mountain air. It was so long that Kai had a strange urge to comb it. It was the kind of hair Bryan would definitely have been envious of. It was no wonder that Kai had mistaken him for a girl at first. He was two inches shorter than Kai – no more, no less. There was a pronounced Oriental accent in his voice when he spoke English, just clear enough to be heard, but far from enough to mar the language. He probably didn't notice it himself, but there was a slight, feminine sway in his hips when he walked. It was almost imperceptible, but Kai, being Kai, noticed almost immediately. And yet, the most striking of Rei's features were his eyes. They were not light brown, nor were they citrine or amber. They were golden, as brilliant as the sun itself. Rei Kon was quite an enchanting sight.

The crimson-eyed heir knew that people were quick to catch his eye – no matter what their gender – and he lost interest just as fast, but there was something about Rei that made him want to know the younger boy better. Something told him they had something – at least one thing – in common.

Kai sighed and wiped his face dry on his handkerchief. He had to stop musing. After all, he was a Hiwatari, and he couldn't keep his companion waiting.

"Hey, I thought you'd gotten lost or something," the cheery Chinese boy commented as soon as Kai returned to their table at the small, brightly lit café.

"I was thinking," Kai replied shortly. The truthfulness in what he'd said confused him. He was never that open with anyone – ever. He and Rei ordered their meals without incident and Kai put aside all his strange thoughts.

"So, Kai, what brings you to Beijing?" Rei asked, leaning back in his seat. "You're European, aren't you?"

Kai nodded his head. "Yes, I am."

"German? You have an accent."

"Russian." Kai smirked. There was, Kai decided, something deliciously innocent about Rei, and it made him want to talk. "I'm here alone. You? What was going on earlier?"

The cat-like boy looked at the ground sheepishly. "I really shouldn't be telling anyone this, but I think… I can trust you, right?"

"As much as any other stranger," Kai quipped.

"So much the better," Rei said, grinning mischievously. ""You see… I'm a runaway. I left my home in the mountain provinces because I wanted – want – to explore. I couldn't stay there. My father's the village leader, and I was supposed to take his place someday. I don't want to. He apparently sent some people after me and… well, here I am!"

"Indeed…Here you are." This was why he had felt strangely connected to the other boy. Here was a person who knew exactly what he felt. His barriers broke and his expression softened. He wouldn't tell Rei just then about his grandfather. No. He wouldn't tell Rei about his identity just yet. Maybe, just maybe, he and the strangely feline boy could become traveling companions. Ka liked his solitude, but there were times when he did miss Tala and Bryan's sharp quips and jibes. Friends, in Kai's case, were rare finds. Kai was certain Voltaire Hiwatari was not going to be happy if he found out his grandson was associating himself with a commoner from the East. However, Kai couldn't care less. "Interesting story, Rei."

"So what are you doing here? You said you're here alone, didn't you?"

"Actually – "

"Mr. Hiwatari! Sir, look over here!"

Kai immediately spun around. To his utter annoyance, a nosy photographer and journalist pair had somehow picked him out of the crowds. Having lunch in a small café with a striking Chinese boy – who could easily be mistaken for a girl – was something the media loved catching him at. One reason he'd left Russia in the first place was that his every move was always in the news.

"We have to go," he said shortly, grabbing hold of Rei's hand and quickly shielding his face. "Rei, come on!"

The neko-jin was clearly bewildered as he allowed himself to be dragged right out of the restaurant and through the busy streets of China's capital. Kai didn't care. He was intent on putting as much distance between him and an annoying mob of paparazzi. He didn't stop running until he'd gotten into his hotel and ordered the manager to make sure the media didn't get to him. He knew the man would do his job. Rerouting and confusing the press was part of his job description. Kai didn't even bother looking back at the doors as he stormed into an elevator and told the operator to take him to the 56th floor.

"Kai? Just what the hell is going on?"

Rei. He'd forgotten he had company. Fixing a solemn gaze on the disgruntled youth, he shook his head. "That is one of the reason why I'm here. We're in the same boat, Rei Kon."

In just one and a half hours, Rei's quiet – if not wary – tour of Beijing had taken an unexpected turn. For better or for worse, that was what he didn't know.

For one, he'd just made friends with – and developed a crush on – the Kai Hiwatari, grandson and heir of billionaire Russian statesman Voltaire Hiwatari. For another, he'd just found out that he and Kai were in the same situation: they'd both run away from home to get away from family expectations and restrains. There was a 99 percent certainty that the photographer at the restaurant had taken at least one picture of them together – and, as Kai had put it, 'probably mistaken Rei for a girl' – and it would be harder to play the 'invisible man' now. Now, he and Kai were hiding out in Kai's elegant hotel suite, and Rei was starting to wish he'd stayed in the library all day.

'Way to spend the day, Kon,' Rei thought sourly as he massaged his acing neck. Almost everything in Kai's room looked like it was worth millions – or at least thousands – in US dollars and frankly, Rei was afraid to move from his seat on the couch. He sighed and shook his head.

"I ordered some room service," Kai's deep, serious voice filled the quiet room as the said teen appeared in the doorway leading to the bedroom. Since English was the only language they really had in common, it was the only one they used.

"O-okay…" Rei didn't really know what to say just then – but he hated silence. "So… anything else I should know about Kai Hiwatari?" he asked, smiling weakly at his companion.

This brought a smirk – Rei had learned by now that Kai never smiled – graced the red-eyed boy's face. "No. Nothing else to tell. But what I find amazing is that you hadn't heard of me before."

"I grew up in a remote mountain village, remember?" Rei rolled his eyes. "Now look what trouble that's brought me!"

"Well, now that I've been sighted with you, your face will be all over the news, too." Kai's smirk just got wider and wider. "I imagine you won't be able to stay out of sight in Beijing anymore."

Rei rolled his eyes. "I have you to thank for that!" he snapped, and then tapped a finger to his cheek. "And myself, actually. I'm a trouble magnet!"

"It appears so," Kai drawled. He crossed the room and sat down beside Rei on the couch. "Because of what happened earlier, I'll need to get out of China soon."

"I'm sorry. My fault." Regret shot through Rei's heart. He'd just made a new friend – and developed a crush – and that person was about to leave, blaming him for it, too. "Huh?" Kai's hand had suddenly reached out and brushed his bangs out of his face.

"I want to take you with me." Kai's face softened. "I've been in China too long, and I was bound to be spotted sometime. Besides, it's a shame to let our… friendship go to waste, right?" Kai's face was so close that Rei could feel his breath on his face. "What do you think?"

Rei just stared at him. Was he dreaming? He didn't know. Here was a person who seemed to be offering him a way out of China, a way to completely break away from his dreary, unchanging life. But could he really trust a person he'd just met? Could he really trust Kai? Before he could say anything, another impossibility occurred before his eyes.

Kai leaned in even closer and placed a feathery kiss on Rei's lips. An electric jolt shot through Rei's body and he looked disbelievingly into the Russian's eyes.

"Well? What do you want, Rei?"

The neko-jin raised a finger to his lips and pressed the soft skin, still partially confused. He could still feel the kiss, however light it was. A smile crept onto his lips. "Starting a relationship with a nobody will make your grandfather furious, won't it?"

"He'll have an apoplexy," Kai replied nonchalantly, flicking non-existent dust off his jacket. "And maybe threaten to disown me."

"Aren't you worried about that?"

"I'm his only heir."

"People will talk about this."

"I've been a news topic since I was born."

"Your friends might not approve."

"My two best friends are a couple."

Rei laughed, no longer able to control himself. He already had an answer to Kai's question; he just wanted to know how sure Kai was about his proposal. Apparently, like in all the other things he'd done, Kai was on top of the situation. "You know what I'm going to say, don't you?" Rei's words weren't even a question.

"Hn."

The next day, exactly five minutes before six o'clock in the morning, a plane sped down the runway and took off into the skies for the long flight to Rome, Italy.

And on that plane, holding hands as they dozed, sat two boys. One Asian, one Caucasian. Golden eyes and ruby orbs. The living, breathing manifestations of day and night.

Whatever the world and their future had in store, they'd face it with smiles on their faces.

They'd taken the plunge into the bright blue skies freedom – together.

Carnival Catastrophe
One-shot. Dedicated to Meg (a.k.a. LaDyFiCtIoN). TxB. The Demolition Boys are finally freed from BioVolt. What do they do first? Why, visit a carnival, of course! Just what can possibly go wrong – or right?

… Coming out with chapter 22 of Not the Only One

Ciao till then!