DISCLAIMER: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade belongs to Aoki Takao and Sign of Wish belongs to Makiyo.

Before any of you starts slashing me, many thanks to all reviewers and those who patiently waited for this final chapter. I know you might be wondering what took me so long to update. I won't bother listing here all the academic and personal stuff I had to endure lest you may be bored to tears but I nearly lost interest in the show. Well, thanks to the cold rain lately and to our local dub of Beyblade, I felt like writing again. At the same time, I spent months finding translations for Sign of Wish and the people who are credible enough to personally translate this for me. Again, I give my thanks to Sakuraa HiME who gave a chorus translation. And of course, thanks to the people who wished me luck with my exams.

If there's anyone who wishes to see Takao in a, uh, how do I put this, sorry state for what he did, I know he deserved it and all but after much thinking, I decided to put it in a separate chapter. Like a special sequel. Besides, it would interfere with this fic's KxHness. If you have any ideas for this, feel free to suggest.

As some of you may have noticed, Kai and Hiromi ran into each other without knowing it. Actually, if you read more closely, remember the scene where Hiromi was passed by a crowd of carefree people? And the one Kai saw across the street before? Yep, the same; it's the second time they missed each other.

And I'd like to take this opportunity to recommend reading the fic of Wreckless Spirit, who, to many, is a well-known author here. Her story, Secret Desire, is one of the very few (if not rare) Max x Hiromi x Takao fics existing here, and it's enjoyable to read. Go and read it; you won't be sorry.

Final chapter. Hope you enjoy!

SIGN OF WISH

ChApTeR 3

Hiromi's ears, now with sudden acute sharpness catching the last of his thick and slurred speech, "You'll make… a really sexy… savior…" even made the fear inside Hiromi grip her heart. "Anybody! Please help me! Save me!" Her arms and hands tried pushing back her body until she reached the mouth of the alley and kicked even harder but all attempts of escaping were futile.

Then a weak yet unwanted caress at her left thigh.

Reddish-brown eyes widened in revealed terror. "Help! Kai!"

Kai froze, looking back at the street opposite the direction he was heading off to. For some reason his instincts told him to go back and he could get rid of the warning feeling. But wouldn't that mean going back to the same intersection he had left before?

After assessing his chances of finding Hiromi, he decided to follow the voice inside him.

No! That single word tried to escape Hiromi's throat but was lost. She felt more like losing oxygen instead of regaining it when her heart squeezed in and out blood at the speed of the storm wind. "Go—!" Go away! How could she have let fear paralyze her like this?

The caress rode just a little higher…

"Please—!" Now she was hyperventilating, if she wasn't already before. Escape, Hiromi! Find a way to escape! It was her inner self frantically ordering her. She tried but was stepped on by panic when she heard only the same voice instead. Why did her mind feel even more like a block of useless wood? Why couldn't she think?

And higher…

Her eyes shut tight.

And then… it…

Stopped?

Confusion tried prying Hiromi's eyes open, though she dare not give herself any risk of doing so. What—? Auburn orbs slowly gave in, a little disclosure at first before a sudden full widening.

The dirty young man—he wasn't moving.

The strange and most unanticipated scene before her kicked back her mind to control, her hand prying away the unwanted hand on her thigh before kicking the caught foot and backing away. Escape, escape, escape…

And then her foot slid off her shoe. Hiromi quickly moved back and picked up herself, running away despite the pain from her sprain as fast as she could, tears threatening to come out. I'm not yet safe. I can't be! The loud chanting inside was getting so deafening as she started limping to the street on the right. Escape, escape…

But she caught sight of a door opening at the corner of the block she had rounded earlier. It was that of a store, she quickly realized, and watched as another young man emerged…

"Kai!" Hiromi had never been happier to see her lost friend, exerting her best efforts to reach him. "Kai, I'm here! Help me!" But why did Kai seem to ignore her? Couldn't he hear her screams? Fearfully she glanced back at the mouth of the alley, expecting the drunkard to appear behind her at any time. "Look this way, Kai!"

The loudest volume that made her feel like her vocal chords had been just ripped apart seemed to make Kai finally stop, the guy closing the door behind him.

Finally Hiromi managed to close the few meters separating them, relief and fear pulling at her from each side. She clung to Kai in terror, quite unsure if her next flurry of words were making any actual sense or they were just getting incoherent by the second. "Y-You have to help me, Kai! There was that guy—he—he tried to touch me, but I was looking for you, and then you—"

"Excuse me, but do I know you?"

The brunette mentally stepped back, the male image before her that took a step back himself registering for the first time. The features she was taking in… she realized… He looks so much like Kai. I—No, even he would do. "No, but—I need your help! I'm being attacked by a drunk guy—"

"I don't know you." Hiromi's hope for a savior stepped away from her further, eyes regarding her with a hint of disgust at her trashed and soaked appearance. "Go away."

"Wait, please!" Close to crying. "I need someone to protect me! I'll repay you in any—"

"Is there a reason to? You're none of my business anyway." The young man pulled away his arm from her cling, and without another glance at her, crossed the street.

"Please!" But it was so useless already. Suddenly Hiromi felt so exposed, so vulnerable, so close to danger. This time too afraid to look back, her legs did the decision for her, finishing the sharp corner and not stopping.

Never stopping.

Just like the verge of her tears.

She's not here. Kai hurried past a streetlight planted on the intersection side. Why would that voice keep on telling him to head this way? Was he actually wasting his time?

Then he froze. He saw it. Near an alley just ahead of him. A shoe.

A very familiar shoe.

He rushed to reach it, and, upon seeing a lying hand clutching it, hoped it belonged to some other girl. Bending down, he pulled the lying young man's shoulder so that he would be facing Kai. He reeked of alcohol; this guy was drunk. Just when the beyblader was about to ask where the object of his search had gone off to, a tattered piece of orange cloth caught his eye, and immediately his head was filled by a very horrible and degrading scene that could have transpired between this guy and Hiromi. Anger seized him, causing him to grab the young man by his collar. "What did you do to her?" he demanded hotly.

But he wasn't answered.

Kai growled, fueled by hot energy. He brought up the figure with him and slammed the body against the wall, pinning him with strangling hands and burning eyes. "I said, what the hell did you do to her!"

The guy remained still.

He hissed, and before he knew it his fist had already connected with the drunkard's jaw so hard, the hit was audible. A trickle of blood flowed from the corner of the guy's mouth. But Kai didn't feel any pain, just that undeniable thirst to do it again. He gritted his teeth.

And so he did.

And again.

And again.

Blood began coating the guy's mouth, yet Kai still felt that need to strike him at least one more time. He pulled back his hardened fist, ready to deliver the final crushing blow.

But as he glared with so much venom at his prisoner, even he could tell the latter had already passed out. Breathing heavily, Kai reluctantly loosened his hold on the drunkard's collar before finally letting him go. He would so much have preferred that guy to be conscious enough to experience being torn to pieces. This is useless.

Picking up the shoe on the ground, he rushed out of the alley.

I don't know how much more of this I can take! Hiromi slowed down as her adrenaline level lowered. The fear over that unneeded danger she had put herself in was being washed away by the heavy shower above her, enabling pain to register itself into her brain instead. Luckily the drunkard hadn't managed to follow her even when she had gone around the corner leading her to the street where she originally came from. And Hiromi had no plans of turning back.

Gingerly she knelt on one knee, examining her foot through uncontrollable shivers. Good news; it wasn't really a sprain as she had originally thought. She wouldn't have been able to run otherwise. Perhaps the terror she had felt before had misinterpreted the initial pain. Now upon closer examination, it felt somewhere between cramped muscles and dislocated ones but nothing broken. Still, it hurt like hell.

Minutes of limping through the sidewalk even spent more of Hiromi's energy—or what was left of it. Acid was practically dissolving her empty stomach, giving her the sensation of uncomfortable heat. She felt like collapsing to the ground.

No, I will not give up, she thought, raw determination still living within her though at the back of her mind she wondered how much longer her body would last. She squinted through the cold rain, staring at the streetlights as her guide.

But her foot hurt again, and she collapsed on all fours. The pavement was practically ice as she tried to get up. Just when things couldn't get any worse, a speeding car zoomed past her, splashing dirty street water on her face.

Still she went on.

"Kinomiya residence, may I help you?"

"Rei."

"Kai! Where are you now?"

"Inside a café almost near the intersection." Kai's eyes momentarily stayed on the newly bought chocolate drink in his grip. He had to drink it; even he was starting to freeze already. "Tried calling you before but the phone booths don't work. Is Hiromi already there?"

"I was hoping you had called to say she's with you."

He silently cursed. His calm was already being sucked by the rain outside.

"Kai, it's been hours since you left. The calls from Hiromi-san's mom are getting more frequent. Takao's not doing any well either as he's been panicking for the past hour; that's why I'm answering the phone for him now. Hiromi-san could be anywhere. This typhoon is going to be worse sooner or later."

"I know." His glance flicked to the café lady observing him make his call with wary eyes. "Listen. I can't talk for long. They're about to close here. I'm going out now."

"All right. But call me again after thirty minutes, okay? That's the only way we can maintain contact."

Thirty minutes. Kai's gaze strayed to the freezing world outside the warm one where he was in right now. Many things could happen in thirty minutes. Just when he was about to agree with his teammate, his eyes stopped. So did his decision.

"Kai? Hello, are you still there?"

Finally.

"Actually, I won't need to."

"I believe my dream hakanai kedo
kono sekai no katasumi de…"

Kai, where are you? Hiromi silently pleaded, barely making out the melodious words from somewhere, trying to cut their way through the overwhelming pounding of rain. The wind howling through her ears, her body was absorbing every factor of coldness there was, like it was packing and compressing those factors to form ice from the inside.

I can't run anymore. I'm not even sure if I can still walk. The water trapped within her clothes was lending a hand on gravity threatening to pull her down to the ground, making sure to exhaust every ounce of the scarcely remaining energy left in her muscle fibers. Stopping right now felt like a sin but though her spirit was much willing, her shaking body was getting beyond weak, as much as she hated to admit it. Kai, I'm so sorry. If you'll allow me to rest for even just a minute…

Her jacket clutched itself heavily against the glass-like wall she readily leaned. A flash from behind caught the corner of her eye, and she turned to come face to face with the view of a singing brown-haired girl in black clothes from the huge television screen. Several stocks of the same equipment were aligned in succession, and she realized she was standing before an appliance store.

"Sabishisa wo korae nagara…"

The shopkeepers beside her location were pulling down their shutters but Hiromi was so transfixed by the video that she barely noticed. Delicately she rested a hand on the window she was looking through, frigid brooks sliding and parting at the tips of her pale fingers. Upon a closer look, for the first time she noticed how tinged with bluish-purple hue the base up to the middle part of her frozen fingers were.

Her attention shifted to the long-haired girl playing a guitar before her. At least she's so dry, she thought wistfully. I hope Kai's also like her.

"...kagayaku hi wo matte iru…"

Her gaze cast itself to the ground, to where she could see the heavy patter of rain. I don't understand. Frustration was gnawing at her already. Why couldn't I find him? What am I doing wrong? What?

"Itsumade mo kienai…"

Suddenly the patter ceased from the ground and Hiromi no longer felt the storm hammering its tears at her scalp. Surprised, she glanced up and through the reflecting glass caught a glimpse of something black and curved along the edges. Something above her. Something like…

An umbrella?

"A sign of wish…"

Hiromi spun around and a gasp escaped her.

Kai.

Holding an umbrella just behind her.

Looking very well, safe, sober and dry.

"Kai!" Her mouth opened to speak further but couldn't get the words out. No doubt she was incredibly relieved but her gladness was just as very much as her confusion his appearance had left her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Kai demanded, his face hardening.

"Kai, why are you—wait, I don't understand—" Forming a single sentence suddenly became difficult as many questions threatened to manifest themselves in her speech.

"There's a typhoon going on right now, Hiromi." Kai's voice rose above the noise of falling water so that Hiromi could hear him better, though she had a feeling that wasn't the only reason. "You should be at home or at the dojo!"

Finally her voice kicked in. "I know that!"

"Then why the hell are you still outside?"

"Looking for you!" Somehow Kai's nearly angry tone made her feel so defensive but the words shot out of her mouth with only a partial of her mind's consent. "I called at the dojo to check if everyone else is there but Max told me you haven't returned since morning and I was worried that you were lying in some alley or something wrong happened to you so—" The cold air choked her throat for a while. "—so I went after you to see if you're all right."

"You went after me? See if I'm all right?"

She nodded timidly.

"How could you have been so foolish, Hiromi?"

Kai's voice sounded harsh against the irregular blow of the typhoon wind, making Hiromi wince but it was really nothing compared to the hard slap of his words across her face. "Kai, you have no idea how restless I was until I knew you were okay! If you have been too passed out from drinking to even walk, who's going to find you? It's important to know you're safe, especially at this time of harsh condition!"

"Exactly my point. Did you seriously think that recklessly plunging yourself into this growing typhoon justifies you doing what you think is the right thing? I never expected a respectable and smart person like you of all people to be capable of that." A glare of disapproval etched his face. "Do you know what more could have happened to you if I haven't found you?"

F-Found me? What's he talking about? I'm the one who's supposed to find him! But she still couldn't get over the sight of the exact opposite of what Takao told her. "But Takao said—" New thoughts cut off her words. No, he couldn't have—

"Look, listening to Kinomiya was your biggest mistake because whatever he had told you, it was nothing but a prank."

A prank? Hiromi felt her stomach drop. The problems, the possible drinking sessions in secret, every word from Takao's mouth were just a prank? And all this desperate searching for Kai in a storm like this had just stemmed from nothing but a network of lies?

Suddenly she felt like exploding. I'm so going to rip his head off!

"Is that it? Is that what Kinomiya told you? That I was drunk?" Was Kai actually mocking her? "And you believed him?"

"Stop it, Kai…" She didn't want to hear him right now. Growing intense emotions were pulling at her in different directions as she shut her eyes tight as though to stop them. I did this for nothing… For Kai this means nothing… Why did Takao trick me like this? Why is Kai being like this to me? Just because he doesn't know that I care about him so much—

Her heart stopped pumping blood at the last thought, her mind finally realizing what Takao had been up to. Her so-called friend was actually trying to blackmail her using her reaction to this prank of his, and unfortunately just realizing too late the list of reasons for that, Hiromi had directly played right into his hands.

Her bottled anger for him was suddenly channeled to herself. Calm down, Hiromi… But as she did, she immediately knew that was a big mistake because with a clearer mind now, the wrong pieces of this imaginary puzzle embodied themselves, yelling at her why that puzzle couldn't be formed in the first place.

Was Kai even in the legal age to hold a drink?

And if Takao truly thought that Kai might have been caught in an accident, wouldn't he also come looking for Kai too, not giving up despite this typhoon being the true concerned friend that he was?

How could she have been so stupid?

So stupid enough just because she cared.

"I can look out for myself. But you can't." Kai's penetrating gaze landed on Hiromi's nearly bare shoulder left by the irregular tear of her sleeve and darkened. He held up the shoe she had left behind. "How would you explain this?"

How on earth did he get it? Suddenly she lost track of how she was really feeling, different emotions surfacing alternately inside her. Then all she was aware of was how her hand suddenly slapped her free shoe from Kai's hand. "It's none of your business! I want to be alone now, okay?"

Kai's eyes clouded, nearly matching the dark sky just above them. "I'm making this my business. You have a lot to explain on the way back to the dojo."

"No! You just couldn't get it, Kai! I was so afraid that you—Go away!" Humiliation overwhelmed her, tears at the back of her eyes threatening to let loose, but she wouldn't cry. Not in front of Kai.

"Go away? I did not come all this way to find you just to have my effort be wasted by you."

"Nobody told you to go out and find me! Just leave me alone! I'm not going back with you!" How could he sound so condescending? Hiromi spun around and walked out of the shelter of the umbrella, the pain in her sore foot shooting through her again but she ignored it.

"Hiromi."

"I said go away, Kai!" Mixed emotions were on the verge of making her burst, of making her free her tears. Kai, on the other hand, didn't leave his spot. Good, he wasn't following her. I will not cry, I will not cry…

But just as she made a few meters away from Kai, her foot was pushed to its limit and at the same time she couldn't take it anymore. Suddenly her knees dropped to the wet ground and she finally started breaking down, cracking voice falling into a sobbing whisper. "You… You don't know…" You don't know the meaning of worry, Kai.

No response.

But of course you wouldn't. Not someone like you. Tired palms implanted themselves on the flooded pavement, tears from auburn eyes mixing with the murky water beneath her. She was beyond mad at Takao for tricking her, furious at herself for falling for his ridiculous prank that she could have avoided if only she hadn't been such a fool. At the same time humiliation was coursing right through her. After the way Takao almost discovered her secret liking for Kai, she should have known better than to think she was safe and let her guard down. Look where it got her now. She was so angry and humiliated.

But most of all, she was so hurt. Prank or not, the thought of Kai hurt and not knowing where he was at the same time had worried Hiromi sick. How could she not? So she had freaked out, risked her own health, ran through the freezing rain and chilling winds even when she lost her umbrella just to search for him and make sure he was safe and bring him back if he wasn't, and even nearly got assaulted in the process, all these for the person she cared about so much, even more than herself.

And now only to be repaid like this? When the guy she loved completely disregarded her effort and even got mad and put her down for it instead of acknowledging it?

I never really expected him to thank me. But… Her heart whispered a silent wish but then laughed bitterly. Who was she kidding? I will never matter to Kai the way he matters to me. Not even a sign or a shred of emotion to show that he cares about me at all. No, not Kai. Deep down, she knew Kai would never return the same feelings even if she had the guts to confess. It was so impossible, that was why she could only wish. But even that wasn't even about to happen.

There weren't any stars shooting across this cold stormy night after all.

"Nobody's forcing you to tell what you don't want to say."

Somehow through her blurry vision, the raindrops disappeared again until only her tears were falling, and the next moment Kai's hand was handing her the soaked shoe. Hadn't he just demanded earlier to make her explain her actions? Was he now actually being… nice? But he still seemed to be angry.

Weakly taking it, she tried to utter a small thanks but another big wave inside washed over her. Her shoe. She couldn't face him, couldn't tell him how and why she lost it and what she gained from it instead. It only reminded her of why she had been doing all these sacrificing attempts in the first place, of being ashamed that she made a fool out of herself just for him.

Without waiting for Kai she got up as quickly as she could before the pain in her foot gave her away, sitting on the doorstep of the shop just next to her. Drawing her unharmed leg close to her chest, her trembling arms folded themselves on top of her knee and she buried her face there, unable to control the flow of her tears. Suppressing the pangs of her stomach. Cold. Soaked. Hungry. Shivering.

Hurt.

Kai stood beside her, back leaning against the wall without crossed arms, waiting with his usual silence until she was finally emptied of tears.

"I…" Hiromi took her time breathing until her shaky voice gained steadiness, even though her red-streaked eyes staring off the distance were betraying it. "I don't want to go back. I'm not yet ready." Not as long as she was feeling like this. Not as long as she was looking like this. There was no way she would give Takao the satisfaction of his prank. "You can go back now, Kai. I'll be fine and come back soon."

"And be responsible if anything happens to you?"

Of course, she thought bitterly. Now she was his responsibility. Hiromi didn't say anything.

But the next minute Kai was holding out to her his untouched drink.

"I can't," she protested. "I don't have any money to give you."

"Pay me later."

"But why—"

"Keep yourself busy. Don't get me wrong."

She turned to faintly smile but it was soon lost when she saw he wasn't wearing one. That made her silent for a while, wanting to kill herself for even hoping that he really did care. "But what about you?"

Hiromi never received a verbal reply, and instead watched Kai open the black umbrella and head over to the nearly closing cafe just across the street.

He was mad. She was sure he was.

But why would he leave his jacket right next to her?

A few minutes later Hiromi silently sipped the hot chocolate, the heat melting away iciness inside her. Despite the fact that she still felt drained, at the very least her muscles lost the numbness the storm had bound them with.

She stole a glance at Kai, who was also killing his time by drinking his own hot chocolate, his gaze focused on some point before him. What was he thinking about? She couldn't read his mind. She never could, never would be able to, and even more so, his actions would always remain indecipherable.

Her eyes fell on his jacket, still beside her. Did Kai pity her? Was just being a gentleman to her? Felt it was part of his responsibility? Whatever his reason, Hiromi was too ashamed of herself to even have the right to wear it.

Kai lowered his arm for a while, and without meaning to, Hiromi's eyes followed his movement. Now his drink was just at her eye level and... Her brow furrowed. And there were red stains coating the metal embellishments of his black glove. She hadn't noticed them when she had received Kai's drink before. Those couldn't be... "Kai... Is that blood on your hand? How did you get it?"

Kai's gaze never left its focal point.

Why isn't he even looking at me? "Why don't you answer me?"

He remained silent.

She stared down at her cup. He's still mad. He's got to be.

"That guy..."

Startled, Hiromi immediately turned to him.

Kai's head had bent a little, gray bangs hooding his eyes. "Did he touch you?"

Though he still wore that undefined expression, she didn't miss the sudden strain in his arm muscle, the way his grip on his cup tightened. Why is he... He knew that much? Then as her gaze fell again on the crimson on and between his knuckles, alarm struck her. No, he couldn't have...! "Kai, you didn't do anything to him, did you?"

"Did he touch you?" Even his tone hardened.

"No!" she said immediately, then remembered that unwanted caress on her thigh, and she looked away. "Well, he nearly did..."

The sound of crushed styrofoam.

Hiromi whipped her head at him, her eyes widening. Brown liquid had already flowed out on Kai's fingers, despite the lower half of the cup still intact."But it's nothing, really!" she tried to amend hastily, not wanting to see him get more agitated. "He passed out before he could do anything to me. I managed to escape on my own. He didn't really touch me, Kai! Honest!"

Silence.

"Kai, I assure you one hundred percent that nothing happened." Hiromi then tried to switch to casual mode. "Besides, you know me; I would never let anyone hurt me. I'm a tough girl, remember?"

More silence. Then Kai's grip loosened a bit. "You really are too foolish for your own good."

She winced at this. "What about you? What if you're the one who had been in danger? You did hurt him, didn't you?"

Kai stepped forward, transferring the damaged yet half-full cup on his left hand. He held out his other hand into the rain, the rivulets of water washing away chocolate and crimson, and Hiromi wondered what he might be thinking as he did so. But when he turned around, all he had was that neutral expression again, even when he returned to his original position and resumed drinking again.

More minutes of rain filling the silence.

Now it was Hiromi who was getting agitated. She had tried to ignore that burning question in her mind for the past hour, but she had to know. "How much did you hear about the prank?"

"Not much. You were said that your search for me has something to do with your conversation with Max and how you took it too seriously."

That was it? Suddenly the burden of worry was off Hiromi's shoulders.

"Now it's my turn. What exactly did Kinomiya tell you?" It wasn't a question; it was more of an order.

Now what? No way was she telling him just how deep she had fallen for the prank. "You don't need to know."

"Tell."

"You yourself said earlier that nobody's forcing me to tell what I don't want to say." There, she used his very own words for her defense.

"Have it your way." Kai drained the last of his drink. "I'll just ask Kinomiya myself."

Now there was no way she was allowing that. Who knew what that blackmailer would say? Not liking whatever possibilities Takao's answer might bring, she found no other choice. "Fine, I'll say it." So she went ahead and repeated everything the Japanese boy had told her.

By the sudden flash in Kai's eyes, Hiromi could tell he was mentally cursing Takao. Not a surprise though; after all, Takao had used Kai for this stupid prank.

"So where were you lately? And today as well? We don't see much of you lately."

Kai tossed his empty cup to the nearest trashcan. Then he picked up his jacket beside Hiromi and wore it. "I don't have to tell anyone my whereabouts."

"Fine. Don't tell then." But even while saying this as she took a small gulp of her own chocolate, inside she was dying to know. But she didn't make a point of showing it, not if she wanted to make herself look worse as a fool.

Silence.

"I have my own matters to take care of. A few papers."

Red-streaked eyes blinked. "Papers? For what?"

Kai sighed. "For my grandfather's mansion." At Hiromi's blank stare, he continued. "I used to live there when I was still under the care of my grandfather. I'm sure you've heard about him from Kinomiya and the others."

Hiromi nodded. "But why would you be needing papers for the mansion?"

"My grandfather doesn't live there anymore but he still owns it. Even so, I'm the heir to all his property. Now that he's in jail, no one else but I can utilize that mansion. But I need documentary papers of formal proper acknowledgment of transferring his rights to me to own it."

"But doesn't he hold some other property in Russia as well? Are you going to take care of those too?"

"I'm not going back there." His eyes glazed. "I don't plan to."

"I see. And I take it that you're not yet done with the papers?" At his silence, she took it as a yes. "Having problems with them?" The same silence answered for her. "And they're delaying you too much?"

The way Kai was glaring at the space before him as though he was experiencing the frustration about it confirmed Hiromi's thoughts. So in a weird way, Takao was telling the truth. Though he probably wasn't aware of it.

"Don't worry. It will work out." Work out. But wait, wouldn't that mean… "If the papers don't work, would that mean you'll still be staying at the dojo?"

"No idea. I don't plan to live there any longer either."

And if he doesn't, I won't be able to see him again. She didn't want to think about that. And not only was he the one she wouldn't be able to see in a few days' time, but so would be their other two friends. Rei would be going back to China while Max's father would be closing down the Hobby Shop and moving back to America with Max. Since there were no more threats to the team or their holy beasts, the reason they were all literally staying under one roof, there was no point in staying at the Kinomiya dojo anymore.

Suddenly she wanted to go back there and be with her friends together for the last time. "Come on, Kai. The party can't start without us." She finished her drink and tied her remaining shoe back to the bare foot, attempting to stand up but a sharp pain in her other foot sent her back to the ground again. Damn, how could she have forgotten all about her injury?

"You obviously can't walk."

"Nonsense," she shot back, trying to keep her face from twisting in pain. "I'm perfectly fine, see?"

"Drop the act, Hiromi. I already know about your foot from the way you walked earlier."

He did? Is that why he gave me my shoe? But more importantly… Was he being nice to me only out of pity because of it? Hiromi didn't know what was even worse, that one or the growing physical ache.

"Give me your arm."

Hiromi watched as Kai bended down next to her, and she slid her arm over his shoulders, holding up the umbrella with her free hand over their heads. This was the style she usually saw whenever a guy tried to help his injured friend walk. Kai assisted her as she gingerly took minute steps whenever it was her injured foot's turn to move.

But a few minutes later, she couldn't take the pain anymore and paused, trying to relieve the pain with a few moments' rest. Biting her inner cheek, she was determined not to show her suffering to Kai through any form of sound.

"This is not going to work at all," Kai stated gruffly.

"I know. I'm sor—hey!" Kai's arm had already carefully slid itself under her legs, the other one supporting her back before she knew it. Her eyes widened, then lowered as he resumed walking through the hard rain with Hiromi's drenched lean form in his arms. The only thing she could do for him though in her current position was to hold the umbrella against the wind, even if her arm had to grow stiff from doing so. Even if her exhausted frame was being lulled by the warmth of Kai's now wet chest in the midst of the endless shower of disturbance hovering over them. "Thank you, Kai…" Her voice sounded so drowsy to her ears.

No answer.

Through her half-lidded eyes, Hiromi could see no definite form of expression in Kai's face but she didn't have the strength to care right now. Burying the growing tinge of pink of her cold cheeks into his warmth, she never realized how soon peaceful sleep claimed her.

Rain. Falling rain.

Why did the rain sound so muffled? Like it was hitting metal and… glass?

Was it coming from the outside?

Hiromi immediately sat up, meeting darkness all around her. It took some time for her eyes to adjust when some yellow light suddenly glared at her from above, like someone switched the lights immediately. Where am I?

"She's awake."

Hiromi blinked at the voice behind her and twisted her head to see a woman smiling at her. "Who are you? Where am I?" It was only then that she realized she was inside a vehicle, like a van but her seat was facing against the driver's seat. Sitting on the floor with his back leaning against the broken side seat was Kai, staring at the opposite wrecked seat, arms crossed over his chest. "Kai, how did we get here?"

"One of Kinomiya's family friends," he replied shortly. "He found us and took us in."

He? Hiromi blinked and looked behind one damp shoulder once more, surprised to find a middle-aged man in the driver's seat. "Excuse me, sir, but where exactly are we going?" The scratchiness of her voice could be heard.

"To the Kinomiya residence. Good thing my wife was able to recognize you both from my son's past beyblade tournaments. What were you kids still doing out in a harsh weather like this anyway?"

It caused her to look away, focusing on anything but Kai's intent gaze penetrating her. "I was… I guess the storm caught us on the way. Well… Thank you very much sir." Looking up, her body tried to twist itself from her seat so she could bow down before him but then caught sight of something that made her feeling quite horrified. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I must have soaked the seat and the floor when I was lying here in my sleep—"

Her apology was cut off by the man's laughter.

She blinked. Was there something so amusing?

"You worry too much, young lady." A warm smile spread on the woman's face, and for the first time Hiromi noticed a young boy sleeping soundly on her lap. "It's not a big deal for us. As a matter of fact, we regret not having any towels with us right now to get you and Hiwatari-kun dry."

"But you shouldn't have bothered! I mean, you're too kind."

"Like she said, it's not a big deal." The lean man glanced at her for a moment, the grin on his face the equivalent of his wife's. "Any friend of a Kinomiya is our friend as well."

"Well… thank you again." Hiromi couldn't find any more arguments, touched by the kindness of these strangers.

"You're always welcome, dear. We'll let you rest now." The mother turned away to leave her peace…

Leaving Hiromi once again in the same silence bathing her and Kai.

The brunette lowered her head, feeling the need to say something, anything, to fill up this awkward stillness running between them. Her eyes strained to make out his full expression. "Kai… if the papers don't work out for you… my home is open for you."

Wine eyes closed and all, she realized Kai hadn't heard her. Or wasn't listening to her.

Defeated, she looked away. "Kai, I'm so sorry. For—putting you through all these."

"The past is past. There's no point in changing that."

"I know." And in that past, she had proven to herself that she was nothing but a burden in Kai's eyes. He should be still warm and dry at the dojo as of this moment, not cold and partly wet with water nearly rising to his thighs. All because of her. But she never knew that Kai was looking for her as she was searching for him at the same time, though not for the same reason she had. You would never understand, Kai. Trying to find you in the midst of this storm and save you was a stupid move at all. I wasn't thinking at that time.

But they say when you love… "When you love, your vision dims until you become blind. You can't see what you're really doing until it's too late."

Reddish-brown eyes widened at the words, realization of how loud they were spoken without even knowing it flooding her with horror. Even more so when she found Kai regarding her in silence. At that moment she wanted to kill herself, vanish from his sight, anything so she wouldn't have to look at him. How could she have been so careless? All this time that she had been so cautious not to let her feelings for him surface had been so wasted!

Kai faced the wide window before him, his gaze holding much interest in watching the rain distort the view outside the vehicle than in what her tongue had spilled.

Still bearing his face of indifference.

Which meant it was nothing to him. Nothing at all.

The two continued the ride in silence. Hiromi wanted nothing more than to discard her drenched clothes, soak herself in a warm comforting bath, slip on dry ones and directly go to sleep. Right now she could care less about the party and planning to get back at Takao this evening. Why was this trip so painfully long?

At last her prayers were answered when the van came to a sudden halt.

"Give my regards to the Kinomiya family." The driver gave her a thumbs-up sign. "Just mention 'Keito' to them and they'll know."

Somehow Hiromi managed one last smile, though it came out weak and nearly wane. "I will. Thanks again."

Her eyes fell on the umbrella lying on the floor just beside her feet, and she nudged it in Kai's direction, deciding already. "Take it." Her voice was nearly laced with fatigue. "It's useless for me since I'm wet anyway." Thanks to Takao. She might have no more strength left to kill him on the spot tonight but it didn't mean she had no revenge fantasies either. Just remembering the beating the typhoon had given her and the humiliation she suffered through it was more than enough for her. "I'll never fall for another of Takao's stupid tricks again," she promised to herself.

"Maybe you shouldn't say that aloud." Kai took hold of the umbrella. "Vows are easier to say than to keep."

A frown scrunched up Hiromi's features, dark eyes watching Kai's profile hop out of the van. "You're the last person I expect to use words much. How would you know?"

"I would." Kai started walking away from her, the umbrella above him protecting him from the downpour. "But I would never say such a promise like yours out loud."

The brunette stepped out of the van, the rain meeting her nearly damp figure again from above. "Why?" Why was she even asking anyway? But she couldn't help it even with the knowledge that her friend didn't speak much.

Kai's feet stopped on their tracks. Then he closed the umbrella.

Surprised, Hiromi tried to walk toward him, partly forgetting about her injury whose pain was fortunately tolerable by now. "What are you doing, Kai! You're going to get soaked wet!" She stopped, however, when she watched him lower the umbrella in his hand and throw it away from him.

Kai's broad back still faced her. "Because if it were about you..." Then he turned around and strode past her.

Hiromi gingerly ambled to the folded shelter lying still on the ground to pick it up, vaguely hearing the sound of the van driving away, confusion still engulfing her.

But she was even more taken aback when her slippery neck felt the soft material of Kai's scarf enveloping it. Her eyes widened but she couldn't move from the shock due to his action. But this scarf protects Kai's neck from the cold! Why is he tying it around mine when he himself needs it? He's mad at me.

"Hiromi-san? Kai?" A loud voice at the other side of the wooden gate cut through the rain. "Is that you guys?"

Rei. His voice made Hiromi's body jerk while she could make out his silhouette beginning to emerge from the gate. Feeling a sudden urge to clear her mind from what just happened before, she tried headed off as far as she could from Kai but then paused and looked back at him. Why was he still? She looked down on the wet pavement.

Then she felt Kai's presence as he walked past her but not before she heard him drop a few words in a low voice so that only she could hear. Her head jerked up as she silently gasped.

"And Hiromi."

The gasp was caught in her throat.

"Someday I might just take your offer."

Quickly turning around, she gazed at Kai's profile heading past Rei. The Chinese beyblader started falling into step beside the older teen with his own umbrella raised over their heads but Kai pushed its handle back at Rei, ignoring the confusion on the latter's face, refusing any form of shield against the growing rain.

Hiromi continued watching Kai's disappearing back, the dark jacket flailing wildly in the cruel wind's direction, brooks of icy rainwater swiftly climbing down his disheveled hair, his neck devoid of his own scarf, his already soaked clothes, his toned arms, down to his feet. Then she stared down at the umbrella in her hands, choosing not to use it as she went past Rei's bewildered expression over her movement, a smile secretly breaking out on her own features. She couldn't help her fingers affectionately taking hold of the scarf, remembering Kai's secret words.

Maybe there weren't any stars shooting across this cold stormy night.

But Takao's prank had instead given her a sign of wish fulfilled.

"Because if it were about you, I would be too blind to keep that promise either."

-Owari

I really didn't make Kai save Hiromi from the drunkard; that would have been too predictable otherwise. Besides, the core idea that triggered the rest of the scenes in my head was that scene where they finally meet during the chorus of Sign of Wish. I can't leave that out.

In case nobody gets it, the last line implies how Kai really feels about Hiromi.

And a shout out to Makiyo's video of Sign of Wish when Hiromi chanced upon the appliance store, of course. ;)

Please review. Feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I believe my dream hakanai kedo kono sekai no katasumi de

Sabishisa o koraenagara kagayaku hi wo matte iru

Itsumade mo kienai...

A sign of wish