PART XIII

"Fujito?"

Alex nodded that night. They just got back and it's already almost two in the morning. She produced a clip from her pajama pocket and tied her hair back.

"That's what the girl and the man said." She added.

Omi, Ken, Yohji and Aya turned thoughtful. They haven't heard the name. But surely, whoever is behind this is Japanese. Just then, Yohji broke the heavy silence by letting out a loud yawn.

"Can't we talk about this tomorrow?" He asked stretching up. "I'm tired. I'm getting some shut eye."

"Yeah, I'm tired too." Ken said seconding the notion. The two then stood up and walked towards the basement. "Oyasumi."

"Oyasumi!" Alex and Omi chorused at the leaving pair.

Aya then walked towards Alex. He stopped just meters away from her, a look of concern on his face.

"I want you to be careful, Alex-chan." He said. "The man saw you and it will certainly raise suspicions. Now you are not to leave this house without anybody accompanying you, understand?" He added. Then he turned to Omi.

"And you will always make sure that you go with her everywhere she goes, all right?" He said.

"I will protect her." Vowed Omi.

Satisfied, Aya briefly nodded his head and walked towards the basement stairs. Alone at last, Alex smiled as Omi pulled her to him.

"You got me worried back there." He said softly as she settled herself on top of his lap.

"Aya-kun and Yohji-kun kept a good eye on me." She replied resting her head on his shoulders. Omi nuzzled her cheek with his nose as a comfortable silence settled on them.

After a moment, Omi spoke.

"Thank you." He whispered in her ear.

"For what?"

"For making me happy." He replied. Alex laughed softly and planted a soft kiss on his lips as her reply.

"I love you." He said.

"I love you back."

"Do you want to go to school tomorrow?" Omi asked looking at her. "I mean if you are too tired, the others would definitely understand."

"Why not?" she replied. "Do you want to? I know you have a lot of catching up to do."

"Well yes but if you want-- "

"If I oversleep then go right ahead."

"No, I'm not leaving your side." Omi said shaking his head. "I'm not supposed to leave your side, remember?"

"Then let's go to school." She said. She just know how catching up bores Omi to death. "I'm sure I can manage."

"You sure?"

Alex nodded and smiled. Omi then nodded his head and gave her a light peck on the cheek. After a moment, they both stood up and decided to call it a night.

==========

"Omi" Alex whispered as she poked her head inside the boy's room. She tiptoed inside, closing the door behind her softly.

Omi frowned in his sleep upon feeling another presence inside the room. He had always been a light sleeper and a single movement around him would be enough to wake him up. He slowly opened his eyes, directly landing on the digital alarm clock he had borrowed from Ken.

4:17 am

"Omi" Alex whispered as she stood before his bed, her silky voice rousing him from sleep.

Omi's eyes looked up as he tried adjusting in the darkness. Then a faint, sleepy smile crossed his lips as he saw who his perpetrator was.

"Hi." He whispered.

"Hi." She whispered back as she willingly let herself be pulled on the bed. Omi shifted his body on the other side.

"What's the matter?" He asked as Alex settled herself beside him. They lay there side by side, a good few meters away from each other, greatly avoiding skin contact for fear of what that contact can make them do. They faced each other, lying on their sides.

"I can't sleep." Alex whispered looking at him, the moon providing her light. "I'm sorry to bother you. I know we still have classes tomorrow."

"No, it's all right." Omi said as he closed his eyes. "You want to sleep here?"

Alex's face softened as she absorbed his face. His eyes were closed and his lips set on a thin line but nevertheless they look smiling. Something inside tugged at her heart upon seeing him like that, so sweet and so vulnerable. It was really hard to believe that this was the same Omi who had been through the darkest things life could ever offer a person.

"I was watching you sleep." She said softly after a moment. Omi opened one bright eye at her.

"Doushite?" He asked with sudden shyness, his face blushing.

"You look like a baby." She continued. "You have the most beautiful face I've ever seen, Omi."

With that, Omi's right hand shot up. He reached for her left hand, his fingers entwining against hers. They rested their clasped hands before their bodies.

"I- I just want to be with you tonight." Alex said as Omi closed his eyes once again. "Something tells me that I have to be with you tonight."

Omi just smiled.

When Omi didn't answer, Alex found herself smiling with fondness upon realizing that he had already fallen asleep. Giving his hand a light squeeze, she too resorted to closing her eyes.

"I love you." She murmured.

"I love you too." He mumbled squeezing her hand.

Alex smiled upon learning that he had heard everything that came out of her after all. She then took deep regular breaths, looking for sleep without taking her hand away from his.

==========

Ken awoke with a start, the silence of the house deafening him. Groggily he opened his eyes and looked out the window.

"Near to sunrise." He thought as he saw the peeking rays of the sun. "Too early."

He was about to slump himself back to sleep when he suddenly felt the unusual stillness of the house. He sat up, groaning. Omi and Alex are supposed to be cluttering in the kitchen right now.

Muttering out faint curses, he forced himself to rouse from sleep. He stood up and gruffly shrug the blankets aside. Slipping on his sleepers, he trudged outside his bedroom, scratching his head.

"The brats must have forgotten school." He mumbled to himself as he stood before Omi's bedroom. He then brought his fist lightly against the wood. When no answer came, he turned the knob and went inside.

He walked towards the bed, all the while absorbing the neatness of the younger man's room. Compared to his toxin-induced room, Omi's sleeping quarter is free from clutter and junk just like his head. So clean, so very Omi.

He grinned mischievously as he prepared to toss the unsuspecting youth out of the bed. He was about to put his hands on his waist when his eyes suddenly caught something. Frowning, he lifted the blanket only to find Alex snuggled beside Omi.

"What the-- " Ken began his face getting red with embarrassment.

"Are they-- Did they--" He began as dirty thoughts began churning inside his head.

Curiosity winning, he forced his eyes back on them. A relieved sigh escaped his lips when he found out that the two are fully clothed, still clad in their pajamas with a good few meter-distance between them to boot.

Then his face softened as he noted the interlaced fingers just between the two sleeping bodies, the only thing providing skin contact, "safe" skin contact. Ken felt his insides melt upon noting the scene before him.

Innocent

Pure

A sigh escaped his lips as he decided to set the alarm for another hour. No use finding him studying them when they wake up, it will only embarrass them. He then raised the blankets up to their chins and decided to step out, snickering.

He could just imagine what Aya's face would be after seeing this.