“Miss have you decided to marry K yet,” said Hiroshi. She and Fuu were outside the embroidery shop hanging up cloths. Fuu looked at her surprised by her question.

“Marry, who said anything about marriage,” she answered.

“Its all over town. Rumors are going around saying K plans to propose to you tonight,”

“What, tonight,”

“Will you say yes Miss,” she asked.

“Marriage, its too early for marriage. I'm only seventeen. It would be more suitable to be engaged and have a year long engagement.” said Fuu.

“So...does that mean you'll say no,”

“I love Kitskai but I'm not ready for marriage.” she replied.

“Fuu how can you say such nonsense,” said Fuu's aunt Namie coming outside the shop.

“Auntie, its too early,”

“What does it matter. You want to marry him right,”

“Yes but not now,”

“What's wrong with now, you both want to get married so whats the problem,”

“Auntie, its just too early for marriage. After the wedding everyone expects you to give birth to a child, I'm only seventeen I'm too young to be a mother. I just wish to wait another year,”

“Another year is not going to do anything,” said Namie.

“Namie calm down, we already know that they are going to marry its alright if they wish to wait,” said Shiori.

“They, you mean K agrees too,”

“He doesn't want to rush things,” she told the girls.

“So he's not proposing tonight,” asked Fuu.

“As far I know, no he isn't,”

Fuu was relieved. She wasn't ready for marriage neither was Kitskai. Another year or two and she would have definitely said yes.

'I'm sick of all this talk of marriage. Everywhere I go its K and Fuu this, K and Fuu that. I'm sick of it all especially him,'

“Hey Mugen,” he said as he walked up to me.

“What do you want,”

“Look what I got Fuu,” He dug into his pocket and brought out a plain gold ring.”Its a promise ring,” he explained. “Its not really an engagement ring its just promising that one day she'll be my wife,”

“That means,”

“Once she wears this she'll be bond to me alone, forever,”

Bond to Kitskai, Mugen couldn't believe it. Any chances at getting now were hopeless. The only way to guarantee that Fuu wouldn't be promised to Kitskai was if...was if he were to die. Mugen thought long and hard. If Kitskai were dead Fuu would no longer be tied to him. If he were dead all his worries would be gone.

“Mugen...hey Mugen, you still there,” said Kitskai.

“What,”

“You spaced out,”

“I need to be alone,” he walked away and Kitskai stared at him in confusion.

When night time came everyone including Fuu's uncle and aunt were sitting together eating dinner. The night was quiet and peaceful. Everyone was engaged in conversation except Mugen. He sat down hardly touching his food. Fuu looked at him with a worried expression.

“Mugen what's wrong, you hardly touched your food,”

“I'm just not hungry,” he told her avoiding her eyes. He stood up and when asked where he was going he said he was going out for a walk. He was surprised when Fuu followed him outside.

“Mugen wait,” she called. He stopped but didn't face her. She stood a few feet behind him and made no attempt to move forward.

“What is it,”

“Just...be careful O.K. And come back soon,” she told him.

“You're worried I'm gonna leave,” said Mugen. Fuu didn't reply. Instead she looked down a little embarrassed. Mugen looked over his should at her. “I'm not leaving Fuu. I'm just going for a walk to clear my head.”

“O.K.,”

“I'll be back soon,” he mentioned. She smiled reassured and Mugen walked off into the night. Fuu watched him until she could no longer see him then she went back inside and rejoined the others.

Everyonel went outside after they finished dinning. It was then that Shiori saw a figure coming out of her room. She cried out and pointed and everyone looked at the direction of the man.

“Thief,” she yelled.

The man ran out of their house and Kitskai ran after him. Fuu ran and called out his name but Shino stopped her. “Come back Fuu,”

“He'll catch the bastard Fuu don't worry,” said her uncle.

Into the woods they both ran, far from the townspeople. The thief noticed Kitskai was gaining on him. He took a sharp turn until he was close by the docks then he slowed down and soon stopped. Kitskai stopped also. The thief turned around and faced Kitskai and when he saw the thief's face his eyes widened.

"It can't be," he spoke.

“He should have been back by now,” said Fuu.

“Fuu is right,” agreed Jin.

“Father we have to go after him,”

“Alright, Jin and I will go,”

“I want to go also,” pleaded Fuu.

“No it might be dangerous, I don't want to take that chance,”

“Father,”

“Fuu no,” he said louder. Fuu looked at her father then quickly took off and ran in the direction that Kitskai went. Her father yelled out her name and chased after her along with Jin and Shino.

“Fuu,”

Yet she didn't stop. She kept going. Something in her heart was telling her something was wrong. She knew something bad had happened or was going to happen. She ran into the woods calling out Kitskai's name over and over. Still she did not see him. It was then that someone grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop. It was her father.

“Are you out of your mind,” he said angrily.

“Father somethings happened I just know it,” she said worried.

“Fuu,” said Shino. She ran to her sister and threw her arms around her. “How could you just run off like that,”

“I'm sorry,”

“Quiet, listen,” said Jinsai. “The air smells of -”

“blood,” finished Jin. Fuu gasped in horror.

“This way,” directed Jinsai. All four of them ran until they came to the docks. From a distance they could see a body laying on the ground. 'Oh no, please don't be him,' thought Fuu. She ran over to the body and the others followed. She stopped when she noticed the face and she screamed loudly. Jin moved closer to the dead body and felt his pulse. “he's...” he couldn't finish.

“Oh god,” said Shino covered her mouth.

“Kai,” cried Fuu.

The dead corpse was Kitskai and he was dead...