Night.

The youth tossed one rope up unto the open window. It was the only one that was open; so logically, that was the only one he could use. Tying one end of the rope to his waist, he tugged hard on it to test its strength after hooking it up.

It would hold, he seemed to have decided. Making as much noise as a shadow, he pulled himself up. Not even grunting with the effort, he soon reached the window ledge. He didn’t seem to be afraid of heights either as the window was well above the 5th floor. To the onlooker, he was like a elegant cat. Or a dancer floating up with immense agility and grace. But he wasn’t soft. His body was lean, and you could see that what was hidden inside his clothes was sinewy muscle that was as tough as iron.

Hair as dark as ebony. It was jet-black. The wind seemed to like it. It played ceaselessly with it. Sighing and caressing his fringe, it delighted in softly puffing his silky locks up and then tickling them. The colour of his straight locks were ebony, a deep hue that seemed to absorb all light into itself. A dark kind of masculine beauty, it rivalled even the magical mist of night herself. The youth, however, didn’t seem to return the wind’s affections. He just seemed to ignore everything around him.

Pausing to roll up the excess rope, he landed lightly in the darkened room. Nothing can stop him from his goal. He had only one purpose in mind.

Steal General Takenori Akagi’s silver badge of authority and prove your worth to me. Only then will you gain your own respect.

He had always been single-minded in his goals. And he always succeeded in whatever he wanted to do.

His eyes flashed. Fox eyes, some girl had called it. It had a delicacy that was unmatched by the loveliest female around. But then again, it wasn’t feminine. Not one bit. The lines were too strong. As if that wasn’t enough, his eyes were flecked with long, dark eyelashes that would trap you there if you stared long enough. Of course, he wouldn’t care at all. Cold and haughty but still; strangely mesmerising.

He placed one cool hand on his dagger and turned -

---and then it was all he could do to stop himself from reeling. Another youth, hair like melted gold fire and lean of limb and body, was slumbering on a soft down bed. His entire being seemed to glow with a suffused, radiant light, that eases the darkness which was everywhere. He was like a flower blooming shyly in the night - a lovely flower opening in beauty and grace.

It wasn’t often that he would stop and stare at something that wasn’t in any way connected to his goal. What made it different this time?

He didn’t know how long he spent just standing there and staring at the other one. Finally, when he could move, he stood over the bed and bent forward ,one pale hand reaching forward ...

"..Youhei?"

His eyes glinted. Who the hell was Youhei? For the first time, curiosity was eating him alive..

Hanamichi opened his eyes and thought groggily: What is Youhei doing here? And then a flash of light (A dagger?!)and he saw the apparition in front of him.

"Don’t touch me."

Stop panicking, Hanamichi. Think.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Hanamichi put on his ‘superior’ mode and sat up slowly.

He was surprised. But as usual, no emotion showed on his pale face. His hand withdrew, but his face still stayed within inches of Hanamichi’s face.

Hanamichi glared furiously back. He was watching his every move but even he was not fast enough to react to the dark-haired boy’s sudden flash of movement. He had leaned forward, grasped Hanamichi’s neck and turned him around. Twisting Hanamichi’s right arm above his shoulder, the youth was now behind him and Hanamichi was being forced to lean back onto him while his left hand flailed.

Hanamichi gave a surprised shout. The youth hissed a "Shut up!" and muffled his mouth with his left hand. It was painfully embarrassing to be manipulated like it.

"What do you want?!" Anger laced his words.

The youth only answered in a cold voice, "There is a Takenori Akagi here. Tell me where he is."

"I don’t know him." Biting off a sharp retort, Hanamichi tugged uselessly at the iron grip on his throat. Few people were able to do this to him. Akagi was one. Hiko was another. This dark-haired son of a bitch ...

"Argh!" Hanamichi gave another muffled shout. The monster had actually tightened his right grasp and covered his mouth with his left hand. But before he could do anything else, the door banged open.

"Hana-kun! Are you all right?!" Thank god for Youhei (who had insisted on taking the room just beside Hanamichi) , he must have heard my first shout, thought Hanamichi.

Hana-kun?

A whizzing sound flashed past Hanamichi’s ears and then the arms around him suddenly loosened and tightened again. A tall figure appeared by the doorway --- it was Hiko. His hand was already drawing back a second arrow on his bow.

"You can’t get away." Hiko said calmly.

An arrow was now sticking out of the dark-haired youth’s right hand. Blood was already welling and dripping on to the floor. He didn’t wince, nor did he let Hanamichi loose. By now, Akagi had also heard the commotion and had barged into the room.

Youhei was about to march across to get Hanamichi back but a strong hand pulled him back. Akagi placed himself in front of Youhei and said in an unperturbed voice: "Let go of the boy first, then we will talk."

The dark-haired youth still had not spoken a word to any of them except Hanamichi. Still grasping Hanamichi by the neck, he forced Hanamichi up and then he half-dragged, half-pulled Hanamichi to the window.

No time to use the rope..

Akagi started forward, while Hiko took aim. Then what happened next rendered them all speechless. The stranger let go of Hanamichi who was half-kneeling on the ground before him. He then straightened and a pair of great, dark, feathery wings unfurled; like a child stretching its arms behind him. He was ... beautiful. A brooding, dark angel with ebony wings to match ..

Hanamichi was stunned into a confused blur but he would die before he showed his fear. This monster before him, he --- no, it!---he couldn‘t be a human. As Hanamichi turned, to run, to hide, to be anywhere but in front of this winged creature, the dark one reached forth, caught him easily as if he was a child and pinned him to the ground.

"I always win in the end." The same flat, emotionless voice. The words were meant for Hanamichi alone. He said it like a statement of fact. Hanamichi’s blood boiled , his fear raging through his body.

And then the winged youth just stepped out of the window, as graceful as ever. They all heard a great rush of wings and a sudden mist that crowded into the room. By the time the mist cleared, the youth was gone.

"Kaede Rukawa.." Akagi breathed.