Chapter 10 Part III: New Sparks

Taranee wanted the earth to swallow her and never spit her out. She would rather be anywhere but here. Surely facing a Celestial Warrior or having a huge argument with her mom was be easier than this?!

I can't believe this is happening, Taranee thought with dread. Why, oh why is Nigel here?

Of all the things the universe could throw at her, why did she have to bump into her old boyfriend? And right after she was trying to avoid talking about him with Will! This must be some cosmic joke and if it was, she wasn't laughing.

Taranee mentally racked her brain for the right words but drew a blank. What do you say to your ex? Maybe she can make up an excuse, like helping Kimi carrying her drinks, and skating off?

No, you don't! Taranee blinked, surprised to hear a sensible voice in her head. Taranee Cook, you are not going to treat Nigel like that again! Say something! Don't you think you owe him at least that much after what happened last time?

Taranee cringed at her own mental reminder. They didn't exactly parted ways in good faith and any excuse she could come up with died in her throat. Yet, a part of her knew it was the right thing to do. The last time she saw Nigel was a confrontation, one that finally fractured their relationship for good. Now that he's here in front of her, could she really just abandon him like before? At least say something to him! Luckily for her, she didn't have to as Nigel spoke first.

"T-T-Taranee, hi!" Nigel stuttered. He swallowed nervously and cleared his throat. "I didn't expect to see you here. How are you?"

She looked up to see him smiling, albeit awkwardly. At least she wasn't the only one uncomfortable in this situation. The thought put her more at ease.

Say something back, she thought. Answer him, you idiot! Start with that and just go from there!

Taranee swallowed, hoping it wasn't her courage that went down her gut. "I'm…I'm fine. Thanks. I didn't expect to see you here either."

An uncomfortable pause of silence.

Good, keep going! whispered her inner self.

"Um…I haven't seen you in a while, Nigel. You're looking well," said Taranee nervously. Immediately, she regretted saying it. Why couldn't she just ask him about something as bland as the weather? How could she be so stupid? The whole reason why she hasn't seen him since their break-up was because she didn't want to see him!

Nigel smiled uncomfortably and hunched his shoulders. "Yeah, I know. I guess when you transferred school, you don't see your old girlfriend a lot."

Taranee blinked in surprise, not noticing the hint of bitterness in his tone. Nigel transferred school. When?

"Are you here with someone?" Nigel asked casually.

The way his question was framed gave her a slight pause. Taranee raised an eyebrow, wondering if she had imagined the implication from his tone. Was he still bitter over their breakup, or was it just her paranoia?

Taranee opened her mouth to clarify, but a familiar voice spoke up in her place.

"As a matter of fact, yes, she's with me," said Kimi, appearing out of nowhere.

Startled, Nigel jumped back so quickly that he lost his footing and fell unceremoniously on his bottom.

"Nigel! Are you alright?" Taranee asked, bending down to help him up. She shot Kimi an admonishing look.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Nigel said, brushing the shaved ice from his coat. He looked to see a girl carrying a tray of hot chocolate scrutinizing him and couldn't help but starred at her with perplexing awe. The girl was beautiful with her long, blue wavy hair and fair yellow skin tone, but her cold and dignified gaze left his spine chilled.

Kimi, in turn, regarded him with little interest. For a moment, he could imagine a sinister aura radiating from her, making her somewhat frightening. "Are all boys in this city so easily startled, or just the ones associated with you, Taranee?"

Taranee gave Kimi a sardonic look, but she seemed rather bemused. "Well, are you going to introduced us?" the Guardian of Light suggested.

Taranee sighed exasperatedly. "This is Nigel. He's an old friend." Turning to Nigel she gestured at Kimi with her eyes. "Nigel, this is Kimi. She's a transfer student from Japan."

Nigel nodded as he regained enough of his composure to offer Kimi a hand. "I'm Nigel Ascroft. I used to go to Sheffield's Institute, too. Nice to meet you."

Kimi eyed his outstretched hand suspiciously, but then remembered it was a local custom to shake. She grasped it with her free hand and shook hard, taking Nigel by surprise.

"Whoa, that's a strong handshake you got there," Nigel winced.

Kimi nodded and said, "Oh, you used to be Taranee's boyfriend."

Nigel glanced at Taranee who avoided his gaze. "Um, right. Yes, we used to date," Nigel affirmed.

"I can see why she left you," Kimi said bluntly, her tone was neither kind nor cruel.

Nigel's eyes widen and quickly yanked his hand away from her grasp. He glanced at Taranee, his eyes full of accusation.

The color drained from Taranee's face as she winced and turned away. From Nigel's perspective, Kimi just came off as rude and tactless, but Taranee knew she had meant it literally: as an auraseer, the Light Guardian can see and feel your emotions by glancing at the colorful auras radiating from your body. But when it comes to physical touch, something as simple as a handshake, allows her to see your history.

Taranee tried to avoid talking about her breakup with Nigel from her friends for nearly a year. When Peter admonished her for it, she couldn't tolerate the same treatment from Will and the others. Taranee's face paled before being overtaken by dread. By offering Kimi a handshake, Nigel had unwittingly shown Kimi their breakup from his perspective! Kimi glanced at her, saying nothing, which made her feel worse. Mortified, she turned away.

Kimi's stoic expression softened into genuine concern. Sensing Taranee's discomfort, she turned to give Nigel a smile.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your reunion. It was a pleasure to meet you."

Once the shock has passed, Nigel blinked and nodded.

"I'd best be getting back to Will and the others, then," Kimi said.

"Yeah. You, too," Nigel replied, watching her mirthlessly as she rejoined a redhead on the bench. What was her name again? Ah, Will Vandom. Matt's boyfriend. Nigel remembered playing basketball with him, Peter, and a few other boys from his old school. So, Taranee was just here with her friends, Nigel thought. He had expected his ex to be here skating in the arms of a new boyfriend. Seeing her with her friends should have given him a sense of relief, but it didn't. Especially not after meeting a beautiful Japanese girl with eyes so piercing blue that you could hide nothing from her. He didn't know why, but when they shook hands, it felt as if Kimi was gazing into his soul. Nigel shivered at the thought. He felt so naked from her stare. So exposed and vulnerable. If Taranee could make friends with someone as terrifying as her, what use does she have for him? Kimi was right when she said she understood why Taranee left him.

A dark cloud hovered over his head; his head lowered to his skates.

As soon as Kimi was out of earshot, he added "Nice friend you have there." He didn't bother to hide the venom in his sarcasm.

"Nigel, I'm sorry about that!" Taranee said, trying to come up with an excuse. "Kimi can be condescending and tactless, but deep down, she's not really that bad."

Nigel rolled his eyes and shoved both his hands in his pockets.

Taranee frowned, not liking how he was carrying himself. "What?" she asked.

Nigel shook his head and gave her a humorless chuckle. "Yeah, your new friend is some piece of work, Tara. You seemed to be getting along with people like her fine without me."

Taranee stiffened. "What do you mean by that?" she asked defensively.

"She reminds me of that other new friend of yours a while back. You remember? Sheila?" Taranee's stiffed silence urged him to press forward. "Condescending. Rude. Indifferent. Thinks they're better than anyone of us in this bloody town because they're rich or knows someone famous."

"Nigel!" Taranee's inner fire flared, fueling the anger she tried to suppress earlier. "What does that have anything to do with your bad mood?"

Nigel turned on her. "You really want me to spell it out for you?" Taranee's glare didn't waver. "Fine. You've moved on but you haven't changed since we've last parted ways. You have new friends, new interests, and new hobbies. Even now you're still going to that dancing school!"

Nigel thrusted his thumb behind him angrily. Taranee's eyes glanced to see a poster advertising The Snow Queen, a dance and musical interpretation by Jensen Academy for the Winter Festival. In one corner of the poster, she could see a photoshopped image of herself dressed as Gerda, the heroine of the fairy tale.

"I've seen pictures of you on posters like those for months, and whenever I do, I'm reminded of how you left me for all of that!" Taranee couldn't help but flinched from his acidic words. "Don't try to deny it, Taranee. You don't need someone like me! Why would you? I'm just the dead weight that you couldn't be bothered with. The bad guy who's holding you back."

"That's not fair and you know it, Nigel!" Taranee screamed. Passing skaters gasped and started to avoid them. From her periphery vision, she could see Will and Kimi starring at them uncomfortably from their bench, but she didn't care for the audience. Her focus was on this boy in front of her.

Nigel gave her a sardonic look before glancing at Kimi. "Right, I'm sure she's always been a part of your little group."

Taranee rolled her eyes. "Kimi's a new friend. So what? You can't really say that about the other things. Dancing isn't just some new hobby I decided to pick up on a whim! It has always been a part of me! I loved it before I even moved here! I never had any reason to get back into it until I heard of Jensen's Academy. I wanted to share that part of me with you. I thought you'd be interested to discover an old side of me you never knew, but instead you…" her voice trailed off, her fists clenching. "Think what you want about Sheila and Luke! I don't care for your opinion of Kimi either! At least none of them try to dissuade me from my dreams. But you—" Taranee glared up at Nigel, angry tears threatened to overtake her. The fiery anger in her heart flared once more before simmering into a flickering ember. She thought back to that awful day of their breakup. It made her angry and sad. "You couldn't stand it…" Taranee's voice lowered to a whisper that only they could hear. "You were so desperate for my attention that you thought asking me to give up my passion would revert everything back to normal."

Nigel's anger softened, a look of pure guilt and shame painted his face. "Taranee…" he pleaded.

Taranee shook her head and stepped back from him. "You gave me an ultimatum, Nigel. It was either dancing or you."

They stared at one another in stunned silence. The air between them grew colder. The mist emanating from their breaths is like a chilled song of despair. Taranee lowered her gaze to see herself shaking. She hadn't wanted their reunion to be a confrontation. She had kept all the anger and resentment for him in for so long, it finally came out like a flood—no, like a backdraft: quick and deadly.

Once the shock of her fury subsided, Nigel's face gave way to despair. Taranee felt a bit guilty for lashing at him like this so soon, but she wasn't sorry for telling him the truth, no matter how much it hurts. The conversation had veered into something so deep and personal that Taranee felt uncomfortable again. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice nearly breaking despite herself. "I have to go."

Nigel grabbed her wrist, unwilling to let her go. "Taranee, wait!" he said desperately. Taranee didn't even turned to face him. She could feel her eyes tearing up and the last thing she wanted was for him to see her cry. "Taranee, please!" he pleaded again. "I'm sorry I upset you. Seeing you again after all this time, that's the last thing I wanted to do!"

Taranee yanked her hand away and quickly wiped her eyes. Furious, she turned on him. "I didn't want to leave you either, but you hurt me, Nigel! How could you even think about asking me to give up dancing? That's like asking me to stop breathing!"

He wilted under her accusing glare but didn't deny it. "I know, and I tried calling you to apologize after that." He paused, and Taranee's heart sank further. "I was stupid, Tara. Stupid and jealous. I hated that I couldn't keep up with you. You were running ahead with your life, making new friends, and leaving me behind. I was desperate when I gave you that ultimatum, but I thought you really cared enough to consider me, too."

No, Taranee thought sadly. This wasn't how it's supposed to turn out for us…

"But you've hurt me first and last, Tara," Nigel said sadly. "You left me broken, bitter and alone. And now—" he paused, his lips quivering, unable to finish it. Deflated and tired, Nigel adjusted the collar of his coat, hunched his shoulders, and turned away to leave. "I'm sorry, Taranee. I really am."

Taranee watched as he skated off to the other side of the rink. She didn't know how long she stood there alone in the cold. She couldn't remember when Will and Kimi came to her sides and tried to comfort her, but to no avail.

As Taranee laid in her bed later that night waiting for the darkness to take her, Nigel's words continued to echo in her still waking thoughts, its sharp edges left her broken and sad.


"Miss Cook!" snapped an impatient voice.

Taranee blinked, startled to see she was now sitting in her math class. The other students giggling at her. Irma and Hay Lin exchanged concerned looks but said nothing as they pretended to bury themselves in notetaking. Their math teacher, however, was not amused.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Horseburg. I didn't hear the question," said Taranee.

"You haven't been hearing anything I've said for the last half hour," Mr. Horseburg sighed exasperatedly. He readjusted his glasses and pointed a marker to the equation on the whiteboard. "But now that I finally have your attention, care to solve problem number seventeen on the board?"

Taranee nodded absentmindedly. Mr. Horseburg handed her the marker as she made her way toward the board. Problem number seventeen. Let's see… "x" equal negative "b" plus or minus the square root of "b" square minus four times the letter "a" and c" and divide by two times "a".

The quadratic equation! This was easy for her…or at least it should be. All she had to do was plug in the numbers for "a", "b", and "c" written on the left of the equation and solve to get her two answers and then Mr. Horseburg would leave her alone.

Only her mind wouldn't plug in. Nothing is making sense to her as she just stood there. Exasperated, Mr. Horseburg asked her to sit down. "Class, I know the holidays are just around the corner, but I expect you all to keep your minds focused for at least until the rest of the week. Don't forget, your mid-term exam is this Thursday and we only have two more days after this to review all the materials I've covered since the start of the semester."

The class' collected giggles turned to a cacophony of groans. Ignoring his students' pain, he turned to Irma, he said, "Miss Lair. Care to give problem number seventeen a go?"

Irma winced but got up to the board as if marching towards her public execution.

Taranee looked down at her notes wearily and tried to focus, ignoring her classmates' whispering gossips. But her mind refused to concentrate. She couldn't stop thinking about running into Nigel yesterday. It troubled her all night. She didn't know how much sleep she managed, but she woke up at the crack of dawn and left for school before her parents could ask how she was. She knew her friends were concerned, but they said nothing as they tried to focus on their own mid-term reviews. Taranee didn't want to trouble them any more than necessary, but it was proving to be difficult as the day progressed.

By the time school ended, Taranee went to Jensen's Dancing Academy for rehearsal. Much to her displeasure, the others decided to tag along to watch. They were worried, clearly. After what happened yesterday, they had every right to be. Still, she doesn't like it.

"You girls don't have to keep an eye on me," Taranee sighed. "Honestly, don't you all have exams of your own to review?"

"We can all study in the café across the hallway from your classroom," Will answered, shrugging off her annoyance.

"Besides, we're not just going for you," Irma said, throwing her hands behind her head to stretch. "Haven't you heard? Sheffield's Martial Arts Club has gotten tons of new members since Kimi helped bring home the silver medal during the Winter Tournament."

Taranee cursed herself for forgetting. She had been so preoccupied with her own misery that she barely noticed a handful of students surrounding Kimi and her teammates in between classes. Apparently, there had been video clips of the club members' matches against rival schools and colleges circulating around school. The most viral ones were of Kimi's final match against Koji. Despite her losing, it was a huge hit amongst the student body. Students who are die-hard fans of Bruce Lee and other modern day martial art movie stars had their interests reignited after watching Kimi's matches. Kimi was quite surprised when she was accosted by them in the hallway, asking her if the club was taking in new members this late into the semester and when the next session was going to be. Unused to the attentions, Kimi politely referred them to her co-captain Zo before moving on to her next class. With the school's gym still under renovation until after the new year, Kimi's club still had to borrow one of vacant classrooms at Jensen's Dance Academy for their after-school training sessions.

"Fine," Taranee huffed. "Just don't distract her or me so much. We still have to do our own exam revisions after practice is over."

"You mean you have to do some revisions," Irma corrected. "Kimi's actually a university level student disguised as an Earth high schooler, remember? All of this academic stuff is probably just a refresher for her."

"Irma," Cornelia warned. She opened the door to the indoor café where a few other students were sitting down chatting and studying.

Irma shrugged, taking a seat and gesturing the others to sit down. "What? I'm just saying that I envy her and Orube sometimes, you know?"

Taranee didn't bother paying attention to the rest of their conversation as she made for the changing room. She was greeted by other students, but she mumbled a reply halfheartedly.

Taranee had always loved the training rooms facing the beach, with one side made entirely of glass-paned windows so dancers could gaze out into the beach. On the opposite end of the room is a wall of mirrors, held together with a hand railing, allowing the dancers to still see the scenery behind them. The entire rooms were designed to let everyone immerse themselves in a sense of freedom and wonder, invoking inspiration into their art.

But Taranee didn't feel inspired. Where was her inner flame that fuels her passion? Even in the dead of winter, the ocean is anything but welcoming. A cold and icy wind rattled the thick windows. Looking outside, Taranee could see it churning the black water, causing the sea to rage and roil like an angry beast ready to reach out and swallow who a person. I feel as if I'm drowning out there, Taranee thought.

"Seems like the perfect setting for our play, huh, Taranee?" Sheila smiled.

Taranee turned in surprised. She hadn't noticed her friends walking up to her. "Huh?" she blinked.

"Quite a storm out there, wouldn't you say?" Luke laughed, joining them. "Do you think the Snow Queen is behind it?"

"Stop teasing, Luke!" Sheila rolled her eyes. Turning to Taranee, she said, "What do you think, Taranee? Can Gerda brave a raging storm like this to save her beloved Kai from the cold-hearted Snow Queen?"

Taranee lowered her head and mumbled something unintelligible. Sheila frowned. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

I'm not brave like Gerda! I'm a coward! I can't even save my relationship! Taranee wanted to scream. Instead, she lets out a weary sigh which sent warning signals to her two friends.

"Taranee, you okay?" Sheila asked. "You seemed really distracted today. I couldn't even get you help me with my science revision during study hall." She turned to Luke who nodded in agreement.

"Taranee, are you doing okay?" he asked. "You don't look so well." He fought the urge to place a hand on Taranee's forehead. The last time he did that, he recoiled from pain as if Taranee's was really on fire. "Do you want to take a break? We could tell Edna that you're not feeling well and maybe your understudy could cover for you," he offered.

Taranee shook her head vehemently. She forced herself to smile as convincingly as possible. "No, I'm fine, really! It's just stress because I have to worry about our mid-term exams and the show next week. Even someone like me could get anxious."

Luke and Sheila exchanged looks. They didn't seem as convinced.

"I'm going to check out Kimi's club for a moment before rehearsal, okay?" Taranee said, making a way to the door to an adjacent room.

Peering through the window, Taranee spotted Kimi in a sea of at least two dozen students. Just like Irma said, winning silver at the Winter Tournament was practically a commercial success for the Sheffield's Martial Arts Club. It looked like a full-sized class was in session! New members sat down, all dressed in their white training uniforms as they listened to Takuya and Troy yammering on about how amazing the tournament was. Zo cleared her throat, shooing them aside before asking Kimi to step up and demonstrate some advanced moves. Unlike everyone, Kimi was sporting a traditional Japanese trouser over own her white training uniform, a dark colored hakama. With her hair tied up in a ponytail and strips of bandages wrapped around her hands to protect her from calluses, Kimi struck an elegant and commanding appearance.

Kimi bowed and introduced herself to the newcomer before Zo handed her a naginata, a bladed pole weapon she often favored during their own training under the Jade Dragon. Of course, Tarranee knew the blade was fake from the way the thin metal wobbled in the air. Takuya and the other boys were grinning, and Taranee could see several wooden training weapons behind them, including several bokken wooden swords and bo staffs. Twirling the naginata through her fingers, Kimi cut and slash from a safe distance, moving as fluidly as water and swift as the wind, enrapturing her audience.

Finishing up her demonstration, everyone clapped. Someone made a wolf whistle (most likely Troy who was obviously still infatuated with her). Kimi glanced over to see Taranee's face through the small window and gave her a nod before turning her attention back on the newcomers, ordering them to pair up and grab a weapon from Takuya and Troy.

"Taranee, we're starting," said an impatient voice behind her. Taranee turned to see Edna, her arms crossed. With a heavy sigh, Taranee wrenched herself away from the door to return to her own rehearsal. A part of her was envious of Kimi. She's so engrossed in her own hobby that she doesn't have time to remember her own date. It must be so nice to not be weigh down by your own broken heart.

As for her, she couldn't even get her heart sorted out. With her mind still on Nigel and what went down between them, Taranee felt torn and confused. Was he right? Was she just as bad as him? Was their breakup entirely her fault? Had she tossed him aside because she outgrew him? Had their relationship been doomed from the start?

"Psst! Taranee! Focus!" hissed Sheila from the side.

"Huh?" Taranee blinked. "Oh, right…um…" Remembering what scene they were going through, she stepped and twirled. Unfortunately, she didn't take notice how close Luke was and overstepped, sending them both tumbling before Sheila.

"Cut!" cried the director. Like Mr. Horseburg, Edna was tired of Taranee's mental absence and resorted to giving her a stern lecture in front of everyone. Taranee wanted to argue back, to insist that she really does want the role, to tell Edna she's just having an off day because of mid-term exams. Instead, she remained silent. That fiery passion that she had last week seemed to have been reduce into a tiny smoldering ember.

Edna clapped her hand, calling everyone to start the scene again. Taranee let out a slow and deep breath as her cue approached. Luke sat with his back turned to Sheila, pretending to be absent-minded of her as she approached. Taranee turned to face Sheila, standing in her place as the leering Snow Queen, and demanded to know what happened to Kai. Then came the part where she must dance toward Luke, bending down to see what was wrong with him.

What's the matter with me? Why is my heart like this? Was I so cold-hearted to Nigel that he turned cruel and indifferent like Kai in the story?

Once more, Taranee overstepped, crashing into Luke as they both tumbled before Sheila, knocking her down as well. The other dancers turned their head, some stifled their laughter.

"CUT!" Edna shook her head in disbelief.

Usually, she's always such a cheerful and upbeat dance instructor, but the stress of the approaching performance date combined with several setbacks such as this was starting to scrape off her good side. Edna sighed exasperatedly. She didn't want to do this to one of her best dancers, but as the director of this highly anticipated musical, she knew she sometimes have to make difficult choices. She turned her head to a girl sitting against the mirrored wall bending over to re-read the script and called her in to take Taranee's place. Hearing his, Taranee panicked. No! She worked too hard for this role! How could Edna just cut her out when the show is next week?

At that moment, Kevin Jensen, Sheila's father stepped forward to calm Edna down. After hearing his words, she sighed and softened her gaze on Taranee, and gave her a final warning before dismissing the rehearsal group for the day. Sheila and Luke exchanged concerned glances but decided to wish Taranee the best of luck and offered an ear if she ever needed to talk before leaving.

With everyone gone, Kevin placed a comforting hand on Taranee's shoulder. "Don't beat yourself too hard, Taranee. The best of us can have a bad week. Whatever funk you're in right now, I hope that you'll be able to resolve it soon. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll have to let Edna make the decision and have Sally Porter take your role. I know she's not as good of a Gerda as you, but as your understudy, she's reliable and is ready."

Taranee lowered her gaze. "Is it okay if I stay here a little longer to practice on my own?"

Kevin nodded with one of his smiles and left without another word.

Taranee didn't know for how long she practiced, but she was getting frustrated with how many mistakes she was still making. She knew her role inside and out by now, so why couldn't she get it right? Every mistake she spotted herself, she tried to rectify it by starting over. In turn, trying to make certain that she wouldn't make the same mistake led to a different one, streaming together into a web of failures. It was like adding oil to an enraged fire and the flame is about to explode at any given moment.

During one turn of a move, Taranee spun too quickly, causing one of her shoes to come off. As she tried to steady herself, her other foot tripped over it and she came crashing down.

"ARGH! DAMMIT!" Taranee screamed. Furiously, she grabbed her fallen shoe and threw it across the room. Lying down with her limbs outstretched and gazing up at the ceiling, she broke into angry tears. "Why?" she mumbled to herself. "Why can't I do anything right?" No answer. Of course not. Why would she expect anything less? Taranee closed her eyes, letting herself go. Maybe it's better to just lie here and drown in her own sorrow. But someone else had a different opinion.

"Taranee?"

Startled, Taranee's eyes snapped open. She sat up so quickly that she slammed her forehead against the Guardian of Light.

"Kimi! What the—?" Taranee gasped, then winced from the pain. Quickly, she turned to wipe away her tears. The last thing she wanted was to let Kimi see how upset she was. "What are you doing here?"

Kimi winced as she rubbed her forehead, shooting her a disparaging look. "My training session with the others is over. Everyone has gone home. But what of you?" She asked, her expression softened. "Is everything alright? You appeared to have something on your mind."

Taranee frowned and shrugged. Right now, she doesn't feel like sharing her feelings, least of all to someone who can read her emotion like an open book. "I'm fine. I'm just having a bad day, that's all." Getting up to her feet, she made her way to the backpack. Grabbing her math textbook, she sank to the floor, leaning against the mirrored wall. Might as well get a head start on her revisions. She didn't get very far when a sudden pang exploded on her head.

"OW!" Taranee yelped. She glanced down to see her fallen shoe plopping into her lap. She couldn't believe Kimi had just thrown a shoe at her! She shot Kimi a withering glare. "Was that really necessary? Don't you know that in some cultures, it's extremely disrespectful when you throw a shoe at someone?"

Kimi said nothing as she made her way towards Taranee. Placing her wrapped naginata and her duffle bag down, she lowered herself gently, one hand holding back the hem of her hakama as she sat, keeping the pleated fabric as smooth as possible while in a sitting position.

"I had difficulty keeping Takuya from teasing the new additions to my club because I could feel your negativity seeping through the door." Taranee said nothing as she pretended to be occupied with putting her shoes back on. Kimi's tone remained stern. "Until you learned how to guard your emotions as well as you can with your most private thoughts from being read, I suggest that you start telling me the truth whenever I ask you something." She paused, allowing a moment of silence to let her words sink in. Softening her tone, Kimi turned her head and said, "Taranee, I don't have to be an auraseer to know something's bother you. Neither do the others. It's been as clear as day. Irma and Hay Lin are especially worried. Perhaps you should tell them what happened yesterday?" Kimi suggested.

Taranee shook her head. "No, please. I'd rather not worry them. It's nothing, really!" she insisted.

"If Irma were here instead of me, I'm certain she would say, 'Okay, now I'm officially worried! Do I need to remind you that Horse-face Horseberg called on me to do your math problem earlier?'"

Taranee cringed and blinked at once. She was surprised at how easily Kimi imitated Irma's sassiness. It was rather unsettling at how easily Kimi shed away her usual cold and dignified self to someone so playful as Irma. Kimi shrugged. "I disguised myself as the Emperor of Zhong-guo to trick Byakko, remember? Learning how to imitate someone long enough to fool them is essential when you're on a mission. And it's also because Irma told me about your little episode during lunch. As I've said before, she's worried."

"Well, Irma should really keep her nose out of people's business!" Taranee hissed. Snapping her book shut, she turned on Kimi. "And the same goes for you!"

Kimi blinked, confused. "Pardon?"

"What gives you the right in this? You were the one who hated working with us in the beginning, remember? You didn't even know what love or empathy is! Suddenly, you dad died, and Xuan Wu got into your head that you decided to have a change of heart? Sometimes, I wondered if you even have a heart!" Taranee couldn't stop herself. A part of her knew she went too far, that she was just projecting her own pain onto Kimi because she's a convenient target.

Kimi frowned but didn't snap back. Maintaining a stoic and calm voice, she decided to approach this as she had with Will yesterday. "Taranee, you're angry, hurt, and confuse. I can see your aura flaring red and—"

"STOP TRYING TO READ AND DISSECT MY EMOTIONS LIKE THEY'RE AN OPEN BOOK!" Taranee hissed. "God, you're still so patronizing even when you're trying not to be, you know that? And honestly, what do you know of my feelings on love? You'd never experienced it for yourself! Who could ever love you?"

At this, Kimi seemed hurt and…guilty? Taranee didn't think she could get her to express anything different than her usual glower, but it gave her a small sense of satisfaction to know that she could. A part of her scolded herself for harboring such a feeling, but Taranee suppressed it.

Ashamed, Kimi lowered her gaze. "Taranee…please…" her voice was but a pleading whisper.

Taranee clenched her fists. "You grew up in a privilege and sophisticated world where others chose your partner for you. And until you came to this world, you didn't even understand what love or being love is! If you can't understand it for yourself, how can you understand what I'm going through with Nigel? You wouldn't know how complicated relationships can be—"

You're wrong…I had Lexamus…

Taranee blinked, caught by surprised. She had not meant to read Kimi's mind. Usually, the Lusterian guards her thoughts well whenever she's around Taranee. Had Taranee's hurtful words rendered her stunned enough to lower her mental barrier? Before Kimi realized she'd left her mind opened, Taranee got a flash of an unfamiliar boy. Tall, lean, with jet black hair. His skin was almost as pale as snow, making his violet eyes more noticeable. From his features, he did not appear to be Lusterian.

Shaking her head, Kimi's mental barrier went back up, blocking Taranee from her thoughts. But Taranee was curious.

"Who's Lexamus?" Taranee asked.

Kimi's eyes widen. "You've ready my mind?" she asked accusingly. She clenched her hands as if to prevent any further invasion of privacy.

Taranee nodded. No sense in lying to someone who can read your aura. "Yeah, I did. It was an accident. But who is he?"

They each held their gazes, waiting to see if the other would give up. Taranee expected Kimi to deflect and turn the conversation back on her own problem with Nigel. After what felt like minutes, Kimi finally broke the silence. "Lexamus was my heartmate—boyfriend," she corrected herself, "in a sort of way."

Taranee stared at her dubiously. For a moment, she wondered if she had heard that right. Kimi's expression remained serious and Taranee knew she wasn't one who often joke. "Oh my god, you're serious? You of all people, actually had a boyfriend…before meeting us?"

Kimi lowered her gaze. Was there more to the story? Taranee was dying to know. How long had they been together? Why had Kimi never mentioned him before? Was the memory too painful? Did Kimi's elders force them to part? "What happened?" she asked.

"Taranee, do you not think you've had enough of hearing my backstory for once? You're upset and I don't think talking about Lexamus is going to help—"

"Well, frankly I don't think talking about Nigel is helping either!" Taranee cut her off. Lowering her gaze, Taranee picked up her math book. "Mathematic is one of my favorite subjects, you know? I love it because it's constant in any language and in any world. No matter which country or which planet you go to, the equations are always the same." Kimi said nothing, which Taranee took as a hint to continue. "I love being the best in my class. I love showing off how well I know math inside and out. But today, well, you know. I just can't focus on it, no matter how hard I tried. Same thing with dancing. Every moment since my confrontation last night is plagued with Nigel. I'm tired, Kimi. I'm mentally, physically, and spiritually tired. If you could just humor me, maybe telling me more about your past, it would give me something else to think about. Who knows, maybe then, I'll be able to regain my focus and my sense…" As well as my heart, Taranee added mentally.

Taranee glanced up to see Kimi shaking her head. She resigned herself as she moved closer to Taranee's side. Leaning back against the mirrored wall, she contemplated on how best to start her story.

"Lexamus wasn't just my boyfriend, Taranee. He was also Kyochi's best friend—he's the reason why Kyochi disappeared." Taranee held her breath in stunned silence. She had not expected to hear this. She waited as Kimi undid her ponytail, letting her long hair cascade down past her shoulders before continuing. "As you would have guessed from his name, Lexamus isn't a Lusterian, at least not fully; he's a hybrid shadow-wielder, born during the latter days of the great war many millennia ago."

"You mean back when Nyxea was still around? Before Kazuhiro and Kazuhiko became the first Twin Guardians?" Taranee asked in disbelief.

Kimi nodded. "Glad to see you taking such good notes of our history."

"But Kimi, we're talking about thousands of years ago!"

"It was difficult for me to believe at first. Lexamus's father was a Lusterian," Kimi continued, "while his mother was entirely foreign…alien. I believe she was most likely one of Nyxea's disciples who followed her from a previous world. There were plenty of them back then, so it would not be impossible for some to intermarry with the natives. Thus, Lexamus was the product of such a union and he grew up during those troubled times. Tired of the endless fighting, he looked to the stars as his means of escape. When he was old enough, he left without a glance back. He traveled for several years, never staying in the same place twice or long enough to grow any attachment to the world he visited.

"One day, Lexamus came across news of Lusteria: the war had been over for long time. At first, he paid it no mind. It wasn't until he heard that Nyxea was defeated by the Celestial Sovereigns that finally drew his attention homeward. Asking around, he heard of a new generation of godlings—"

"The Celestial Warriors," Taranee whispered. Kimi affirmed with a nod.

"Yes, as well as the mysterious Prince of Darkness and the establishment of the Twin Guardians—my ancestors. Tales of their heroic deeds and legendary powers were all too surreal. Lexamus knew he had to return and see it for himself."

Taranee pondered for a moment, then said, "Wait a minute, according to Ngc Long, her husband and the Celestial Warriors already disappeared for quite a white by the time you and Kyochi became Guardians."

"Indeed. This must have surprised Lexamus more when he finally arrived on Lusteria. He had come too late to witness the Celestial Warriors in their prime."

"But not as surprising as being gone for thousands of years?"

"The people and the chaotic Lusteria he'd known was gone forever, faded into the ages."

Taranee let out a slow and steady breath at the wonder of it all. It was like something from mythology, but Taranee knew there was also a scientific aspect to it as well as the magic. "Time dilation," Taranee said, earning her a confused look from Kimi. "Have you heard of Albert Einstein? Or his theory of special relativity on time slowing down or speeding up depending on how fast you move relative to something else?" she asked.

Again, Kimi's expression was blank, so she drew an idea by reading Taranee's aura. All she got was a vague silhouette of a man with an eccentric hairstyle. "This Albert Eistein…is a famous scholar of your world?"

Taranee laughed. "Yeah, you could say that."

"What does his theory have to do with Lexamus's journey?"

"Well, according to Einstein, time moves slower for a moving clock than for a stationary one. Since Lexamus traveled from world to world, time moved slower for him. Lusteria, on the other hand, is stationary, so time moved faster. By the time he returns, he would have arrived in a different era than when he left. I heard that there are scientists who tested this theory in Germany with a particle accelerator and the test confirmed it. It's pretty amazing!" Kimi said nothing, her expression remained blank. Taranee wasn't sure if she understood her or was just being polite. Sheepishly, she rubbed the back of her head as she continued. "You know, when you think about it, time doesn't really affect us whenever we travel between worlds like Metamoor and Lusteria. Personally, I think it has something to do with being Guardians. Maybe our magic is more powerful or maybe it's because Kandrakar's magic protects us? Or maybe it's just one of the gifts bestowed upon us by the Nymphs?"

Kimi nodded as if in deep thought, lowering her eyes to her knees. Taranee moaned, cursing herself for being carried away. "Sorry, you probably didn't understand a single world I just said."

Kimi shook her head. "No, I understood well enough. We have such natural philosophies—scientific studies—on Lusteria, too, although perhaps not as complex as yours. It's just that…" she trailed off, then shook her head. "Never mind. It's not important."

Taranee raised an eyebrow, her curiosity perked. She wanted to press Kimi for it, but the Guardian of Light cut her off by continuing her story.

"Lexamus came home to a world and time far stranger than when he left it. He wandered the land, lost and confused. He found he had no purpose other than to move from one town to the next. Whatever skills and knowledge he acquired from his travel wasn't seen as valuable to those he offered his service to. Being a shadow-wielder from a long and forgotten era, Lexamus was an oddity by most Lusterians. He fascinated them, yet there was something about him that caused them to be weary and suspicious. Perhaps in their mind, having a parent who used to worship an ancient evil goddess meant there was a part of him that couldn't be trusted."

Taranee swallowed the dryness in her throat. "Then what happened?"

Kimi shifted her knees up, wrapping her arms around them. "It was then that Kyochi-nii-san found him and offered him a place to stay within our district. Due to his hybrid nature, the elites looked down on him. The same condescension given to Kenji when my uncle first brought him home. To them, he was a vagabond. But by then, Lexamus grew immune to their toxicity. He was not bothered by their hatred and contempt for him.

"He and my brother became close. Almost like brothers." At this Kimi faltered, a slight quiver of her lips. Kimi's grip around her knees tightened and her eyebrows furrowed. "I think Lexamus found meaning in the friendship Kyochi offered him. They were always together, talking and sharing their dreams for the future." Kimi sighed and stared down at her feet as if in deep thoughts. "At his core, my twin is kind and gentle. I rarely see him loses his temper. Still, even he was not immune to the years of abuse and pressure from the daimyo. Kyochi is prone to hiding his pain and emotions from those closest to him, even me. Often, he is distant and reticent. I could sense his pain and loneliness hidden behind that faade of a gentle smile. I'd never knew how to help him other than being there for him. Then Lexamus came into his life and I've never seen Kyochi smiled like that before…he was so happy to have this stranger by his side. What could it be? I wondered for the longest time. The friendship they fostered was something special and secretive, like a new spark of life."

The wind outside picked up again, lapping the water against the shore before dying down once more. Kimi relaxed her grip and leaned her body closer to her knees, allowing her mind to wander back in time.

"Admittedly, I was a little envious of their shared bond. I couldn't give Kyochi what he wanted, Taranee. I was angry that I had nothing to offer him. And yet, I said nothing of this jealousy in my heart for his own sake."

"Kimi…" Taranee sighed. A pang of guilt welled up in her. How could she have ever thought this girl was selfish and unkind to the core? Kimi's gaze was far away, as if she hadn't heard her.

"For the first time since our mother died, Kyochi was happy. His dark aura flared brighter than I'd ever seen in my life! I didn't want to deprive him of that feeling. I didn't want to take away his smile, so I kept quiet of my own feelings."

"You really love your brother, don't you?"

Kimi remained silent as she turned to stare at her. "I…" Kimi began, then turned away. "He's everything to me and because of that, I learned to tolerate Lexamus's presence. Before I realized it, something was gradually changing for myself."

Taranee blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Lexamus was always there whenever I least expected of him. He was like a shadow that you could not see nor feel, but always it follows you like an eternal companion. I ignored it at first, but his presence became more persistent. One day when Kyochi wasn't home, Lexamus came. I politely turned him away as best I could, but to my surprise, he said he was there to see me."

Taranee's eyes widen. If the other Guardians were here right now, they would undoubtedly be hounding Kimi for more juicy gossip details. For a moment, Taranee had the urge to ask Kimi herself, but refrained herself in the end. She didn't think this would be the appropriate time. Better to ask her in a polite manner. "How did you react?"

"I asked him to leave, of course," Kimi said. "I thought he was just teasing me, so I told him to come back when Kyochi returned from his medical training. Lexamus smiled and told me he would return to see me again. I didn't want to believe him, but he turned out to be persistent. What followed were days of him sending me letters and poems. Dozens of them. Tanka as lyrical as a melody and as soft as the beat of a butterfly wing on a flower petals."

That sounds romantic, Taranee thought dreamily, but Kimi didn't share the same sentiment, her blue eyes remaining sullen and remorseful.

"I didn't know what to think of his romantic gestures, so I brushed them off as best I could. I thought of him as a suitor who's only interested in me for my stature as the Guardian of Light. But from reading his aura, I knew his feelings were genuine. This confused me more as love was, and still is, a strange concept for me to comprehend."

Kimi paused her story to allow them both a moment of silence to think. She turned her attention out the windows, watching the howling wind dying down and the roiling ocean calming to a near stillness. They both watched the dark clouds tinted orange on the underside to part in the distance, giving them a last glimmer of a fading sunset.

"So what did you end up doing?" Taranee basked, bringing Kimi back from her trance.

Kimi kept her gaze on the horizon. "I accepted his offer in the end, much to his delight."

"You went out with him?"

At this, Kimi snapped her gaze back on her. "Taranee, we were never really together like most couples on your planet," she said, sounding a bit exasperated. "yes, we did conventional things like talking while strolling through the public gardens or visiting kabuki theaters, but from my perspective, I was humoring him. I harbored no true feelings of affection or desire for him. I did enjoy his company, mind you, but I'd never allowed him to touch me nor did I allowed myself to care for him."

Taranee shook her head in disbelief. "But why? Why go out with him at all if you don't really care for him?" Kimi glowered, refusing to look at her. "It's not like you were being forced into going out with him," Taranee pressed. "Why do it willingly?"

Kimi muttered something under her breath.

"I'm sorry?"

"I said I did it to spite my family!" Kimi hissed. Taranee was taken aback. "I knew his feelings for me were genuine, but I also knew that being seen in public with him would irk the daimyo and all the elders. I manipulated Lexamus's feelings for me out of selfishness, Taranee. Instead of allowing myself to develop any feelings of affection for this boy who fell in love with me, I used him as a mean to cultivate this sense of personal satisfaction."

Taranee was at a loss for words. She clutched her stomach as it twisted with disgust and pity. She'd thought she had been a horrible person to Nigel, but she'd never meant to hurt him on purpose! She'd never meant to abandon him to chase after her dreams of becoming a professional dancer! But this girl in front of her, a girl whose element is supposed to be that of Light, the element of good, was worse.

Kimi sighed, leaning back against the mirrored wall. Taranee knew she wasn't done. "I wanted to get back at Lord Isamu and the elders," Kimi whispered sadly. "I wanted to destroy their perfect world. The elders had always been cruel, dictating our lives before we were even born. Remember the dishonored sister who stole the Sword from her grandfather? Well, had she stayed and have children of her own, I would have been forced to marry any sons she bore." She glanced at Taranee, her eyes so sad and tired. "I don't know how much time I have left before I am forced to marry someone, Taranee. I may appear to be your age, but I'm only a little older than all of you. I should have been married off three years ago when I was sixteen. It was only because of my duties as a Guardian that spared me from such a fate thus far, but it will not last forever. However small and insignificant my insolent action was, I wanted the chance to hurt them." Kimi paused and her next words were full of self-loathing. "Instead, I hurt my own brother."

Taranee held her breath and instinctively clutched at her chest.

"When Kyochi learned of our relationship, he was devastated and angry. He confronted Lexamus and they got into a heated argument. No, several of them, actually," Kimi corrected herself. "I thought Kyochi was being petty and unreasonable. I argued with my brother more than usual. Why shouldn't I go out with him? What did our relationship have anything to do with their projects and plans? But there was more to their shared bond that even I could not comprehend by reading their auras.

"Then one day, not long before I met all of you, Lexamus disappeared without a word. I came home from a solo mission, expecting to find Lexamus waiting for me but he didn't come. I tried contacting him but there was no trace. Instead, I found our home wrecked, as if there had been a shadow-wielding battle. Kyochi stepped out of his study, looking battered and covered in minor wounds, his expression dark and cold. When I asked him what had happened, he told me there had been a battle—Lexamus had dare to challenge him and had lost. My brother had banished him from Lusteria for good and he forbid me from seeing that traitor ever again."

Kimi's hands trembling as she recounted the memory.

"My blood turned into ice. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. What could have happened between them? How could my brother demand such a thing from me? Worse, he was trying to dictate my life as Lord Isamu would have. My twin who had always been so kind and gentle, so noble and thoughtless—had turned against me. In that moment, I hated my brother. I hated him with every fiber of my being."

Reaching her breaking point, Kimi turned away, refusing to let Taranee see her moment of vulnerability. Taranee wanted to reach out and comfort her but thought better and refrained herself.

After a moment, Kimi continued her story. "I told Kyochi exactly what I thought of him," Kimi said. "I cursed him and hated him. I told him how much I wished I were an only child. How much I wished he were not my twin. I told him that if he were to disappear, I would not miss him." Kimi lowered her gaze in utter defeat. "I stopped talking to Kyochi since. We were both too angry and hurt at one another. A few nights later, Kyochi attempted to make the first move. He came into my room to tell me he had a mission to meet up with the Prince of Darkness in the Dark Forest. He wouldn't be back for several days. He wanted to tell me how sorry he was about Lexamus, but he didn't regret his decision. No matter what, he did it for me. But hearing Lexamus's name only infuriated me more, and I turned my back on him, refusing to say goodbye. The last thing Kyochi said to me was that he loved me before he left for the Dark Forest."

Taranee felt tears brimming in her eyes as she bent down to wipe them away. She knew the rest of the story. They all did. Kyochi went to meet up with the Prince of Darkness, the elusive and powerful wielder of dark magic, both the good and the bad. But Kyochi never made it. The corrupted Celestial Warriors intercepted him while he was passing through the Dark Forest. He was captured and forced into a state of magical stasis since.

Kimi turned to stare at Taranee solemnly. "When I was fighting against Xuan Wu, she told me that in his last moment of consciousness, Kyochi had only ever thought about me. Because of our fight, he couldn't concentrate properly on the battle at hand, making it easy for the demigods to kidnap and drugged him."

"You don't know that!" Taranee argued.

Kimi shook her head. "It's true, Taranee. If only I had talked to Kyochi and Lexamus about our feelings, then perhaps we would have reached an understanding. Maybe then, Kyochi would still be here."

Taranee glanced down to see she had been clutching her math book all this time. Brushing a hand over its worn cover, she sighed. "Human emotions are so complicated that sometimes I wished it were a little more straight forward and logical like math. I'm still conflicted about my run-in with Nigel, but after hearing your story…well…" her voice trailed off.

Kimi nodded sadly. Perhaps there was nothing to say after all that has been said. They both sat there for a moment longer, silently watching the stars blinking into existence. Taranee's fingers drummed against the textbook as she pondered on both their problems of love. She wanted to say something. Anything. But nothing came to mind. From her periphery view, she saw how drained and exhausted Kimi looked. Why wouldn't she? Unlike her previous story, this one was more personal.

She still blames herself for Kyochi's kidnapping, Taranee thought.

Placing her book down, Taranee turned to say something reassuring, but was interrupted by an approaching sound at the door. Will and the others must have finished their group studies and were coming in so they could all walk home together.

A firm grip latched onto Taranee's arm. "Taranee, please don't tell the others what I've told you today," said Kimi, her eyes pleading.

Taranee raised both her eyebrows. "Why? Don't they deserved the know the truth?"

Kimi shook her head. "I regret what happened with Lexamus, but he's no longer a part of my life. Kyochi still is and I'd rather we focused on finding him."

Taranee nodded in understanding. Getting up, she offered Kimi a hand and pulled her to her feet. "Thank you for sharing your story. I'm sorry I didn't make it easy for you."

Kimi gave her a mirthless smile. "We're Guardians. Our lives are never easy."

"Hey, you two! Done with your training already?" Hay Lin voice chirped as she barged in.

"Looks like you're feeling a little better, Taranee." Will noted with relief. Turning to Kimi, she asked, "Did something happened?"

Taranee and Kimi exchanged looks before the former said, "We were just talking about time dilation and how it relates to Albert Einstein's theory of relativity."

Irma cringed. "Kimi, you should have called us for help! We could have saved you from being bored to death!"

"C'mon, girls! It's late and we really should get going," said Cornelia, pointing at the clock on the wall.

The Guardians nodded in agreement as they made sure they didn't forget their things before heading for the door. Taranee turned to see Kimi still rooted in her spot, "Kimi, aren't you coming?"

Kimi gave her a smile. "Go ahead. I would like to stay for a few moments longer to practice on my own."

Taranee frowned but didn't protest. "Okay, but hurry. This place closes in half an hour."

Kimi watched them leave one by one. As Taranee was the last to walk out the door, she sent her a personal telepathic message. Thank you.

Alone at last, Kimi strode over to the boombox and pressed the play button. Unbeknownst to Taranee, Kimi had been watching her rehearsing discreetly, and even stayed up late last night reading on The Snow Queen while waiting for Orube to come home.

Kimi leaned her head back and closed her eyes, allowing the music to envelope her. In her mind, she could see the main character Gerda confronting the Snow Queen. Spotting her beloved Kai at the foot of the Queen's throne, she raced to him. He was too engrossed in the ice puzzle the Snow Queen set him up on and didn't recognized her. Infected by the shattered glass and kissed by the cold-hearted spirit, all Kai could see was the ugliness of mankind. It wasn't until Gerda's tears and her love for him that broke the spell and freed him.

"Love…" Kimi whispered.

That was the last thing Kyochi said to her before he left. Lexamus had told her he loved her, too, but his love wasn't reciprocated. As she though of it now, could she have learned to love him in return? Or was she destined to be as cold-hearted as the Snow Queen in the story?

Kimi tightened her grip. No. She has changed. Her heart wasn't as cold and unfeeling as it was before. And it was all because she had stepped away from Lusteria to live here on Earth. That and meeting the other Guardians, fighting by their sides, learning how to live amongst the non-magical beings, and meeting new people. Life on Earth may be mundane and strange, but it allowed her to view things in new lights, even on love.

Without another wasted breath, Kimi spread her hands as if to beckon her own reflection in the mirror and began to hum to the melody. She doesn't know the lyrics, but she was well versed in the art of writing poetry back home to think up of something on the fly.

"My dear beloved,

I recalled that awful night,

When into their arms

The shadow stole you away

Without your warmth, your kindness.

The light of your love,

The sweetness of your caress,

Your heart's purity,

The gentleness of your smile

All this without, I despair…"

The words came easily to her, turning from a poetic tanka into a sad and mournful melody. She then sang of love, of loss, and of second chances. If given the chance, she would have gone back and hold onto the only thing she couldn't live without; her brother and the love he would always have for her. No matter how far away he is right now, so long as they still love each other, she'll find him, and they'll be together again. And when that happens, perhaps they'll search for Lexamus together and make things right again. Until then, she'll cling onto hope. All this, she expressed into her song.

Someone clapped, breaking Kimi out of her trance. She gasped in horror, cursing herself for being so lost in her private moment of clarity that she failed to take notice of an approaching aura. Worse, the person who had witnessed it all was none other than the boy who defeated her in a match.

"You!" Kimi cried, clapping her hands over her mouth. "How long have you been standing there?"

Koji Kishimoto laughed and smirked. "Long enough to know that you were amazing."

Kimi's face heated. This wasn't happening! she thought. How could she have allowed this boy to see her like this? He's teasing me! she reasoned, her cheeks flushing redder which made her more vexed and agitated. What was she thinking to even humor him with that wager in the first place? Everything about him irritated her. Flustered, she furiously grabbed her things and ran for the door, attempting to push Koji aside as well.

"Hey, wait!" Koji cried, grabbing her wrist.

"Unhand me!" Kimi tried to yank her hand free, but his grip was surprisingly firm and strong. "I don't need you to tease me! Just leave me alone!"

"Why would I tease you over something like that?" he asked. "If you're passionate about something, don't be afraid to express it. And I would never judge anyone for it. Your song was amazing. I felt as though—" he stopped himself, turning away to hide the pink shade in his cheeks. "I mean…I knew you were a great opponent on the field. I fought against you during the final match myself," Koji continued, earning himself a glower for reminding her of her loss. He ignored it. "Cut the glare, princess. Admit it. Beneath all that ferocity, you have a heart. I felt it when I heard your song."

Kimi turned away, refusing to look at him. "My heart is my own, Kishimoto! It's not something meant for you or anyone to see or hear!"

Koji sighed, letting go of her wrist.

"What were you doing here anyway?" she demanded.

Koji shoved both hands in his pockets and shrugged. "I cam to pick up a speaker. Ours is getting repaired but not in time for the show next week. Kevin Jensen said we could borrow one. I was walking down the hall when I heard you singing."

"I told you no one was supposed to hear it. Least of all you!" she hissed quietly.

Koji gave her a look and shook his head. "I'm sorry, princess. I didn't mean to eavesdrop while you were pouring your heart out, but if I'm going to be honest—" he took a small step closer to her, "—your song was more than good: it moved me." Kimi blinked, unsure what he meant. Koji raised his hands as if trying to express what he felt earlier. "For a moment, it felt as if I had lost my own brother. As if he had gone off somewhere that I couldn't reach him." Koji's hands clenched. "I'd never felt so loss and devastated. Koichi-nii-san means everything to me. But then your song changed, and I could see him again, right there in front of me just beyond my reach. It was like having hope again after a heartbreaking loss. I know it was all in my head, but somehow, your song made me felt all that and more. It was as if in that moment, you and I were connected. I felt sorrow and love in your song and that was no easy feat." Realizing he had just displayed his sensitive side, Koji cleared his throat and turned away, his cheeks flushing a darker shade of red. "Damn, that was cheesy. If the guys heard me just now, they'll never let me live it down for months!"

Kimi was speechless. She didn't know why she was being so nervous. Was it because he was standing so close to her? Or because of his words? Curious, she glanced into Koji's aura to see how much of what he said was true and what she saw awed her. His aura was white! Looking at it, she could see a shimmer of sparkle fluctuating within the warm and brilliant glow. It was so pure, so beautiful, and breathtaking. Very few light-wielders on Lusteria have such an aura. Having never seen her own aura, Kimi never knew if her own would ever radiate as brilliantly as this. She didn't think it was possible for an Earthling boy to have it! Who was this boy?

Hesitantly, she took a step back from him. She should have bolted for the door, but something was holding her in place.

As if noticing, Koji backed off, giving her enough space to relax. "Sorry, princess. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"Don't be ridiculous! You weren't!" she snapped, but they both knew it wasn't true.

Koji's gaze fell to his feet as if contemplating something. Kimi eyed him suspiciously, trying to discern if he was hiding something. Yet, the more she looked at it, his aura wouldn't stop radiating that warm and brilliant white glow. She hated to admit it to herself or anyone, but it felt so wonderful. She wanted to reach out and touch it, but doing so would raise a lot of question from Koji so she refrained herself.

As if noticing her stare, Koji looked up, causing her to turn away. "Listen," he began, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm really sorry about that silly wager. I would really love to show you around town during the holidays, but if you're not going to enjoy it, then I guess there's no point in—"

"No, I'll go with you!" Kimi blurted, surprising even herself. Koji blinked. She said it with such conviction that he had to take a moment to register. Quickly, she added, "You're right. Perhaps…perhaps I do need to see more of this city and your world. And it would be dishonorable of me to go back on my words." Koji blinked, unsure what to say. Huffing, she brandished the wrapped naginata and held its shaft over her shoulder. "My only condition is that you better not make me regret it."

Koji studied her a moment longer, but she refused to retract it. A smirk of a smile curled on his lips before he burst into laughter. "Okay, then! Guess I'll be hard at work making sure you have a good time! I'll see you this Saturday then?" Kimi nodded. "Well, then you'd better eat a light breakfast because I'm picking you up at eight-thirty sharp."

Kimi's eyes widen. "Why so early?"

"There are a lot of places I want to hit, plus some people I'd like you to meet." Koji stepped closer, only this time his hands reached out to grab the door handle behind her. "I'll walk you out."

Kimi shook her head but gave him a smirk. "Well, aren't you a gentleman."

To be continued...

Yes! I finished this chapter right on my birthday! To celebrate, think of this as my gift to you all for sticking around! I don't know what's wrong with me lately. I've been having difficulties writing my chapters. It's been a stressful year because of COVID, but I think the problem is myself and how my style has changed. I must have re-written this chapter over and over again at least five times until I was completely satisfied. I'm sorry it took so long. I really am trying my best to finish this story before the 10 year part. Yes, you heard me. It's been almost 10 years since I first published this story. God, it's a miracle that it hasn't been discontinued and leaving you all with an eternal cliffhanger!

Notes:

Nigel's back! Remember him from the comics?! Kinda sucks that Taranee broke up with him. I'm still deciding whether or not they'll end back together. Leave me your thoughts!

Yeah, time dilation is real. Kinda makes you wonder about it when you read W.I.T.C.H. for the first time during their mission to Metamoor. There's a lot of timey-whimey mumbo jumbo stuff as Dr. Who pointed out.

I didn't make up Lexamus on the fly. I first mentioned him waaaaaaay back in Chapter 07, The Sealed Portal Part 1. He's important later. Pay attention. Speaking of paying attention, you'll probably noticed something off: Koji said he has a brother. The answer is yes! He has a twin brother named Koichi. I've been purposely referring to them both by their last name, but who's who? If you go back, you'll notice that Koichi is the sweeter and more gentleman brother who plays the violin. Koji's the more snarky and cynical one that rides a motorcycle, plays guitar, and likes to tease Kimi. Kimi does know about them both, but not so much the others Guardians.

I basically finished half of the next chapter. Hopefully the upload will be faster...but then again something could happen to derail my plan...