PART IX

"Good morning."

Omi looked up and smiled. He opened his arms as Alex came down the stairs. She gave him a long lingering kiss on the lips.

"Mm… Ohayou." He murmured nuzzling her cheek with his nose. Alex gave a soft laugh as she untangled herself from him.

"What's for breakfast?" She asked as she sat down before the dining table. Omi smiled apologetically as he placed a handful of toasts and a variety of sweet jams before her.

"Gomen ne, Alex." He said as he sat down beside her. "I don't want you to suffer stomach malfunction so I didn't cook anything."

With that Alex laughed as she spread blueberry jam on the toast. Then smiling sweetly, she held the toast before Omi.

"That's all right." She said as Omi took a bite. "What do you want for tomorrow then? It's my turn to make breakfast."

"Um… how about bacon and fried egg?" He answered after swallowing the toast. Alex took a bite before placing it again before his lips.

"Okay." She said chewing her toast mildly. "Do you want to have French toasts to go with it?"

"You will make French toast?" Omi asked with delight.

"Do you want me to?"

"You know I love your French toasts." Omi replied as Alex again shoved the last bite of toast in his mouth.

"All right then, French toast it is." She said smiling. Omi smiled contentedly as he watched Alex spread some jam again on a toast.

It was amazing. They've been going out as a couple for almost a month now and still he couldn't get enough of Alex. Somehow, she was able to keep him in suspense since there are new discoveries about her everyday.

He hadn't known that Alex is very multi-talented. She dances well, techno and pop, sings well, plays the piano and flute, writes short stories, poems and short articles. She is a good cook but terrible when it comes to house cleaning. Somehow thinking about those things makes him feel lucky to have her as his girlfriend.

But with the good qualities, he also discovered some not so good once. For starters, Alex is very persistent. She won't stop until she gets what she wants, which often leads to disaster. Second, she is fiercely intelligent. Her brain is like a sponge, absorbing everything the world has to offer her. Due to that, some of his classmates tend to stay a little away from her for fear of being ridiculed by someone whose intelligence is much more superior to theirs. And thirdly, she has this knack of ridiculing them unintentionally.

But with all the not so good qualities, Alex is very sweet and very loyal, fiercely loyal. She is caring and very considerate if she wants to. She is patient and understanding. It often makes him wonder why everytime he is out on an errand or just hanging out with his friends, Alex makes it to a point to ask him nicely where he would be going, who he will be going out with and the time he would be back. Although strange, he didn't find her being overly possessive since she would always nod her head after the answers. In fact, he finds it sweet, makes him feel loved and cared for. In return, Alex never hides anything from him, whether she would be going in the library or hang out with Aya-kun or Ken-kun, she always tells him the place and the time when she will be back. And she always keeps her promises.

It was also a good thing that their classes start early in the morning. Since they wake up way too early much ahead of the others, they get to spend the mornings by themselves, sort of quality time for each other.

"What are you thinking?"

Omi blinked back in surprise as he saw Alex drained a glass of milk. He smiled as she poured him one as well.

"Nothing." He said as he took the milk from her. He put the glass against his lips and drank the contents. "Do you understand chemistry now?"

"Yup, after the way you made me stay up all night doing the exercises." Alex muttered her voice mockingly serious. Then she smiled sweetly. "Thank you for being a wonderful teacher." She added softly.

Omi smiled at her and took her hand in his. He looked at her eyes and saw himself there. He smiled.

"Thank you for being a wonderful girl." He replied his voice equally soft. Then he leaned towards her and kissed the tip of her nose. It made Alex laugh as she stood up.

"You're sweet, you know that?"

"No. You're beautiful." He said standing up as well. He handed her her book bag as she slipped on her shoes.

"I hope sensei would include the exercises you made me answer in today's exam." She said as they went out of the flat. With that Omi chuckled and crossed his fingers.

"I hope so." He said. Then a comfortable silence settled over them as they walked towards the school. When they reached the front school entrance, Omi gave her hand a quick squeeze.

"I'll see you later, okay?"

"Yes." She said. "You be careful in gym class, kudasai?"

"Hai." He answered. Then with one last smile, he turned around and walked towards the gymnasium leaving her looking after him. She was about to turn and walk towards her homeroom when she felt something sticking out of her book bag. Frowning she looked down only to see a rose stem peeking out of it. She took it out and smiled, revealing a single white rose.

"You are very sweet, you know that?" she softly said as she brought the flower to her nose and inhaled its sweet scent.

==========

"Ready to go?" Omi asked later that afternoon after the school bell rang, signaling for dismissal.

Alex stood up and gathered her things. Omi immediately took the heavier ones.

"If you don't mind, I would be going to the library first." She said as they walked out of the classroom. "I have something due and Aya-kun also asked me if I could drop some of these books off too."

"All right." Omi replied nodding his head. They walked till they reached the exit. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, you head for the flower shop, I'm sure the guys need all the help they can get."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Don't worry I'll be fine." She assured him. Omi finally nodded his head in agreement.

"Let me have your book bag then." He said taking it from her. "Take care?"

"Yes, thank you." She replied. She was about to turn away when she remembered something. She stopped and faced him.

"You're sweet, you know that?"

Omi frowned at her with confusion. Without a word, Alex smiled and leaned towards him.

"Thank you for the rose, flower boy." She whispered giving him a peck on the cheek. With that Omi chuckled.

"What's with the flower boy thing, anyway?"

Alex just smiled and headed towards the library leaving him staring after her.

==========

"O namae wa nan-desu ka?" The librarian asked as she typed rapidly on her computer.

"Watashi no namae wa Alex Castillo desu." She answered in her heavily accented Japanese. The librarian let out a slight frown but nevertheless she nodded her head. Then she looked up and pointed at the other pile of books beside her, her eyebrows raising questioningly.

"Oh, um… Fujimiya Aya." She quickly replied. The librarian nodded once again. Then after several seconds, she looked up and smiled.

"Ii desu."

"Hai." Alex replied bowing slightly. "Arigato Gozaimasu."

Alex then turned and walked towards the card catalog thinking of what to borrow next. She was about to open the tiny shelves when something caught her eyes. She frowned as she saw someone familiar sitting on one of the library chairs.

She saw a man, no doubt of Malay race, talking to a young pretty Japanese high school student. She walked a little closer till she was able to see his face. Then she gasped.

"I-I know him." Her mind screamed as she recognized the face. "He- he was one of them."

Without a word, the man stood up and so as the Japanese girl. They walked out of the library still talking quietly, the girl giving out a soft, flirtatious giggle every now and then.

Alex tried her best to control her emotions as she remembered the tragic night were all of her comrades died terribly. The man is surely one of them and he was walking out with another potential victim.

Forgetting about the books, Alex stood up and decided to follow them.

==========

"Are you sure Alex-chan just went to the library, Omi-kun?" Ken asked as he saw Omi entering the flower shop after his third delivery. Omi looked at him and frowned.

"Yes, at least that is what she told me. She isn't here yet?" He replied looking at the clock.

"I wouldn't ask if she is." Ken replied getting a bit worried.

"Perhaps your little girlfriend went out to have a little fun without you, Omittchi." Teased Yohji.

"She isn't here yet?" Omi repeated softly, ignoring the older man. "What is taking her so long?"

"You should've gone there with her." Aya said curtly. Omi looked at him and saw the worry in his eyes.

Of the remaining three, Aya is the closest to Alex since she reminded him of his sister. He treats Alex with the gentleness and protectiveness they hadn't known he actually possessed. In return, Alex responds to him with the sweetness of a younger sister since he reminded her of her deceased older brother.

"I will go there and check." Omi declared as he put his baseball cap on. "You guys will be fine without me?"

"Yes." Ken and Aya chorused.

"I still think Alex went to have a little fun." Yohji hinted.

"Shut up, Yohji-kun." Omi said tiredly. He was about to walk out of the counter when the door suddenly burst open.

"O-omi…"

The three men looked up with surprise as they saw Alex standing by the doorway, heaving, and puffing with exhaustion. She was about to take a step forward when she suddenly felt light-headed, blackness suddenly wheezing inside her head. Aya was quick enough as he caught her body just in time.

"Alex!" The three exclaimed running up to them. Aya looked up and heaved a sigh of relief.

"Still breathing, just fainted." Aya reported. Omi took a deep, relieved breath. He was about to go and get some smelling salts when suddenly he noticed Aya's eyes narrowing.

"N-nani desu ka?" Omi asked peering at him. Aya didn't speak but his eyes confirmed everything. Omi looked at Alex and saw something red staining her blouse. His eyes darted immediately to Aya who was already standing up, Alex's limp body within his arms.

"Should I call an ambulance?" Ken frantically asked as Omi just stood there too shock for words.

"We can't have her treated outside." Yohji countered as he tore a piece of cloth. He handed the cloth to Omi who in turn tied it on her shoulder, just above the gunshot wound.

"More pressure, Omi." Aya said, his voice cool. Omi nodded his head as he tightened the knot. Then Aya turned to Ken.

"Call an ambulance."

"D-demo…" Yohji began.

"I said call an ambulance." Aya repeated this time firmly. Yohji knew better than to mess with him when his voice changes into that. He nodded his head mutely and proceeded to produce a clean cloth to wipe the blood off Alex's shoulder.

Omi just sat there adding pressure then and there to control the bleeding but his mind full of questions. Why did this happen? Who did this to her? Where did she really go?

"Aya-kun…" Omi began looking up but what he say made him stop. Aya's features are thoughtful but it is telling him that someone is after her, someone from the PhilJap Org. Omi began to feel his anger rising. Whoever did this to her would pay, surely. He will make sure of it. And by just looking at Aya, he never doubted that he is also thinking of the same thing…

His eyes read murder.