It was early in the morning. The birds were chirping outside the window. A figure just woke up from his sleep.

"It was so early." Kurei looked at the time and still sitting on his bed.

Suddenly he felt giddy, and he laid down on his bed, thinking of his old memories.
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"Kurei, look. Neon plucked a lot of beautiful roses." Kurenai, a pleasant girl with a fondness for roses said. "Beautiful, right?"

"..." Kurei threw the roses away. "I hate roses because they are so weak."

".."Kurenai was shocked but later she slapped Kurei hard on his face.

"The flowers are struggling to blossom even though the period of living is short." Kurenai said. "Person like you had no right to end their lives."

"..."Kurei touched his face. "This is the first time I'm being hit by a woman." He smiled. "Even my mother who was living faraway, never hit me before."

"This is also my first time to hit a man." Kurenai laughed. "We both are the same."

They both laughed.

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That was the first time I smiled. Whenever Kurenai was with me, I felt my heart changing. From a cold-blooded killing machine to a human with feelings. The times spent with Kurenai became longer. My frozen heart was starting to melt until that fatal day...

"Kurenai." Kurei recalled the fatal incident that took her away from him.
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"Kurei. Didn't I told you that you don't need any feelings!" Mori Kouran shouted at Kurei who was trying to get off from Mori's bodyguards.

"Kurei. You are just a killing machine." Mori kicked Kurei as he went over to Kurei. "Why are you sticking with Kurenai?"

"I didn't!" Kurei answered, hoping Mori would free Kurenai. "I didn't feel anyhting for her."

"Really? Then KILL her, Kurei!" Mori threatened Kurei. "KILL HER!"

"NO." Kurei trembled.

"No, please don't hurt Kurei." Kurenai asked Mori as she saw Kurei full of bruises. "Just punish me. It's my fault." She forced her way to Kurei.

"Kurei. Remember about you mother, Tsukino?" Mori asked. "Remember the thing inside her body? Remember my warnings?" He took out a remote control.

"No." Kurei said as he recalled what it was.

"The same thing was also inside Kurenai's body." Mori threatened Kurei. "This is your punishment." Then he pressed the remote control.

The bomb inside Kurenai exploded, and in result, Kurenai was killed.

"NO!!!" Kurei screamed when he saw his beloved Kurenai falling onto the ground.

"Kurei..Kurei." Kurenai forced her words out. "I don't want to be a beautiful flower with short lifespan. Even I grew ugly, I just want to stay with you forever." Kurenai was no longer to talk anymore. "....to be with the gentle you."

"No!" Kurei cried. "Kurenai" He stopped crying and his purple flames took over her and changed into her shape. "You'll be together with me forever."

"You had changed into a fire soul. Now burn my face which caused you to lose your precious life." Kurei told Kurenai.

The masks with no reactions.....that was my face..

We'll be together forever, Kurenai...

Memories were still clear in his mind. He knew he was not alone..

Because he got Kurenai, his beloved girlfriend.

He spotted a vase of roses on his study table. He remembered that Neon tidied his room yesterday.

Maybe it was Neon who put it here, Kurei thought.

"Neon.." He thought and recalled the memories of meeting her in the garden.

In a rose garden, Neon was busy tidying the place. Suddenly, she spotted Kurei.

"Neon, can you give me a rose?" Kurei asked Neon.

"Yes. How many do you want?" Neon answered happily.

"One." Kurei answered. As he received the rose from Neon, he said softly, "It is as beautiful as Kurenai." He smiled sweetly.

Thinking of Kurenai. Her smile and her everything.

Suddenly, he pinned the rose on Neon's hairs. "Here you are."

"AH!" Neon was shocked.

"You are a beautiful lady." Kurei added. "You are like a rose. But you know how to hide away your thorns."

Then he left Neon alone in the garden.

"Neon..previously my maid. Now member of Uruha Jushin Shu." Kurei whispered to himself as he went to touch the roses.

He recalled the night after he saw Neon talking to Recca about his past...

"Neon." Kurei said. "What did you told Recca?" He slapped hard on the face.

"Kurei-sama." Neon said softly as she fell onto the ground.

"Which side are you with?" Kurei said angrily and kept kicking her hard.

"I'm sorry." Neon replied.

"Forget it." Kurei suddenly said. "Tomorrow I'll beat them down!"

He still remember that Neon was badly hurt. And when she saved him from Mori, she was not yet recovered.

He still recalled the moments spent with Neon at the little church.

He still remembered her reactions and the warmth of her lips...

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"Kurei...Kurei..Kurei."

"Niisama...niisama...my beloved niisama."

"Everything you got... I want to take them away." Mori laughed.

"AH!"

"No!" Kurei screamed after dreaming of Mori snatching all his beloved ones from him. "Where am I?" He thought.

"Kurei-sama. You finally woke up." Neon said happily. "It's a little old church."

"I'm sorry that I'm unable to bring you to the hospital. Cause I'm scared that Mori would do more harm to you." Neon added.

"Here, have something to eat." Neon passed a bowl of soup and a loaf of bread to Kurei.

"You looked pale, Neon." Kurei said softly. "I'm not hungry. You eat something."

Don't worry about me. Just knowing that you care is enough for me," then proceeded to feed him his lunch.

"What's wrong?" Kurei asked as he saw Neon smiling.

"It reminds me when I'm still your maid." Neon answered. "You often give me troubles." She laughed.

"Sorry."Then, Kurei choked on his food as he was suddenly reminded of how everyone he loves has been lost to him.

"What's wrong, Kurei?" Neon comforted him.

"Everything's gone." Kurei trembled as he recalled his dream eariler. "I don't want to fight anymore. I don't...don't want to fight."

"It's okay. No one will blame you." Neon comforted him. "No one will blame you."

And promised to be with him forever, even suggesting that they go to a place where nobody lives and live peaceful lives. Kurei was still afraid and Neon hugs him. Overcome with emotion, Kurei suddenly pinned Neon to the floor and she was totally shocked. Neon thought, "I'll never leave you..." and they kissed!

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Later on, Kurei was thinking about what Neon said ealier about leading peacefull lives.

If you don't mind, I'll be with you till the end. We can find some place to settle down, Neon's voice ran through his mind.

And he was actually considering it, until a fat guy came barging in and threatening to kill him. Trying to save him, Neon was hurt and fainted. Enraged, he killed the man. Now that he knew Mori was still after him, he cradled the still unconscious Neon in his arms.

"Please forgive me, Neon. I'll never forget you..." He added and brought her to the hospital, thinking that this way, he'll be able to protect at least one of his loved ones, since he was afraid that Mori will kill her.

Before he left the clinic, he looked at her with a gentle and beautiful reaction on his face. He left a message to pass to Neon. "I hope that you'll be able to... lead a happy life..."
 
 

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Memories flashed back in his mind.

He felt that his heart was not only beating for Kurenai...

He looked at the time. "It was 0900hrs." Then he stared at the door, waiting for a familiar figure to enter.

"Kurei-sama, wake up." Neon shouted whenever she entered the room to wake him up.

Hope to hear her voice, Kurei thought.

But Kurei waited for 10 minutes, still could not see Neon entering.

He felt disappointed and strange because Neon was always on time to wake him up.

Maybe she forgot.., he thought.

Or maybe I go to wake her up, he smiled.

Leaving his room, Kurei went over to Neon's room. Hoping to see her.

As he entered her room, he was shocked to see the note on her table...

Kurei:

  When I first saw, I knew I found my only love. But to you, I'm just a maid. Because Kurenai was the only love you had in your heart. I knew you loved her whole-heartilly.

  Thanks, God! That Kurenai and you could be together forever. Even it hurted my heart, I wished you all the best.

  And you didn't need me anymore. You're free from Mori and you had Recca with you to joke around..

  Thanks, God! That I have met you. All I want to say it:
 

" WO AI NI ! ( I Love You !)"
Neon...