Commander Stanton watched his Second in command of Terra Venture standing there with impatience as he slowly read through the reports. Commander Stanton sighed and decided to put the young man out of his misery. "Mr. Chen you may now go."
The young man's eyes flashed as he said," Yes sir."
Ahhh young love Commander Stanton bit back a chuckles as he watched Kai rushed out in a hurry.
Kai rushed in a hurry to the medibay in his hand, he held a red flower pattern jewelry bag. As he ran down the corridor he slid the bag into his pocket and quickly ran through the halls, unaware of two figures standing in the halls watching him ran by.
Let's see if I can make it there within five minutes before closing. Kai thought to himself.
"Hey Kai, stop running. You think you got a hot date or something?" Leo yelled out at the blue galaxy ranger. Kendrix gave Leo a reprimand look and jabbed him in the ribs.
"Owe," Leo whined. "Kendrix, what did I do?"
She glared at Leo and shook her head. "You are so insensitive Leo." Stupid Jerk, Kendrix thought as she walked away in a huff of anger and rage.
Leo was curious at what was going on, so he decided to follow Kai to find out what the heck was going on. He was able to track down the blue ranger at the medibay area. Leo frowned, Why on Terra Venture would Kai be doing here? He saw a flash of blue white uniform heading down one of the corridors. He then quickly jogged down the hall and looked into the door. Leo frowned when he heard a strange sound of music playing in one room. He slowly approached and noticed to his shock and disbelief, Kai sitting in a chair playing an ancient Chinese instrument called the Gu Zheng and singing a song.
Leo's eyes widen when he realize that Kai sat near a girl who was lying on the bed. Since when did Kai get a girlfriend? Was Leo's first thought when he saw the girl. The sound of the EKG beat to the metric notation with the strumming and singing of Kai's heart. The girl was dressed in a silver gown and she had long black hair her cheeks by standard for a sick person was in the shade of gold with a tinge of red in her cheeks. Her eyes were closed and her appearance seemed to be of a young girl sleeping in a glass case. He listened closely to the song that Kai sang and he was stricken by the sadness that seems to revert within each word. The Gu Zheng shone in the sunlight from the window. It was composed of a wooden board with thirteen to twenty strings that were connected into one side of the board to another. Leo frowned in confusion.
Who is she and what is Kai doing with her? Besides that Kai can sing and play an instrument? Talk about weird...I must be losing my mind. Leo walked in a little hesitantly and made a sound.
He saw Kai froze, "Do I have to go now Nurse Katein?" Leo felt bad for spying on Kai and the silver garbed girl.
"Umm Kai it is me Leo." He said hesitantly when he heard the pain and the love in Kai's voice when he said that sentence. Kai slowly turned around his face was a mask not a single emotion was on Kai's face.
"Leo, what are you doing here?" Kai was in turmoil but he didn't express anything in front of the red galaxy ranger. He saw the confusion and the guilt on Leo's face.
"I am sorry Kai, for following you. But I wanted to know what you were doing. We are all concern about you lately." Leo said his face was earnest. He wanted to find out what was going on. Kai looked at Leo with pain in his eyes and regret. Leo hesitated, when he saw Kai slumped down in his chair looking like a little lost boy. I was so stupid, thought Kai. He looked at Leo in agony of pain.
Leo looked concerned at Kai when he noticed the dark circles that were around Kai's eyes. "Kai, who is she?"
He hesitated for a moment before answering Leo's question. "She is the women whom I love Leo." He saw Leo blinked in surprise and disbelief.
"What?" Leo stuttered out in shock," But...but...you never... told us that you... had a girlfriend Kai."
Kai looked at Leo in sadness. "I was afraid what you all would have thought of her." He looked at the silver garbed girl who laid so still in the bed. Kai sighed. He couldn't get rid of the feeling that she would just all of a sudden wake up. I love you. Please come back to me. Kai cried more inside of himself. He bit his lips in pour agony," I was her boyfriend for two weeks."
Leo frowns,"Was…?"
Kai didn't hear the inquiring question from Leo but continued on. His voice shook as he spoke out her name. "Her name is Elizabeth Chang." Leo patiently waited for more information from Kai, but the blue ranger remained stubbornly silent.
Leo sighed, "Kai, did you know her before or was this just a sudden thing?"
Kai looked regretful, "Oh I knew her in my past.... I was cruel to her, yet she still kept on trying to be my friend." Leo blinked in surprised at Kai's incoherent words, but remained silent as he let Kai ranted and raved. "I hurt her so much, yet she still stayed and tried to help me."
*Flash back*
A lady dressed in a green dress stood up and looked at her pupils, who all were holding instruments. Her green eyes survey the area before she spoke. "Now class we will have you practice in session groups for the upcoming elementary talent show." She then brushed back her long curly brown hair as she waited for the student's response. The students all responded joyously," Yes Ms. Robinson."
Ms. Robinson smiled at them all. "Alright then I want Kai, Liz, and Jane to split off into one group in the right corner. I want Billy, Erika, and James to split off into another group and go to the left corner."
Kai moved his Gu Zheng to the right corner and sat down, he smoothed his blue shirt and black slacks as he waited for the other two girls to come over. Liz walked over; she was clothing in a simple silver dress and Silver Star clips kept her long black hair out of her face. She carried an Er Hu, which was a Chinese violin. It had a box on the end of a long stick and three strings were attached from the box to the top of the stick. She carried a bow in her hand that was required to produce music when stroked with the strings. Jane came over her short brown hair; she wore a yellow dress, and was carrying a Gu Qin, a seven-stringed zither that was fashioned onto a board.
Kai sighed as he watched the teacher paced back and forth and talking like forever. "You may begin," Ms. Robinson exclaimed excitedly. Liz looked at the other two. "What should we play?" Jane shrugged.
"She did say be creative. Like that is really going to give us a clue" Kai mutters and looks away from the two girls.
Liz looked curious; her ebony eyes stared into Kai's soul. "What did you say Kai?"
Kai blushed, but shrugged it off. "Why not first play songs we like?" His hands were tapping impatiently on his Gu Zheng.
"That is a excellent idea, Kai," Liz exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
She glanced at Jane who, smiled in bemusement and teased. "What do you know, he actually spoke," Kai flushed more and tried really hard to control his rapid emotions.
"Liz you pick first," Jane said with mischief. "That's if Mr. Chen would agree." Kai nods his head in agreement to the teasing words of his classmate.
Liz puckered her lips in a childish way as she thought. Kai blinked at her facial expression and Jane giggles. "You look like a monkey Liz," Liz stuck her tongue out at Jane and she snapped her finger.
"I know. Let's play Heart to Heart." Her hair glinted in the air as she swung her head to look at Jane.
Jane nodded her head excitedly. "Oh that is a great song and I think we got the music here in this folder."
They all quickly flipped to the page where the teachers have given them all folders on different types of music. After searching they all found the song and quickly pulled it out and placed it onto the stand. Kai sat down more solidly in his chair and his fingers were positions in a piano pose, above his Gu Zheng. He waited for the signal when the other two girls were ready. Liz set her bow in her right hand and positioned the box onto her knee. The stick was pointing upward in a vertical position, she adjusted her fingers onto the strings until the Er Hu felt alright. Jane placed her instrument onto her lap and posed her fingers in the exact imitation of Kai's fingers.
They all nodded together and began to play, with each note they all contorted into different matrixes. The instruments intertwined and harmony of balance was achieved. Kai looked up from his music and to his surprise, he saw Liz with playing her instrument with her eyes close. She wasn't even looking at the music and the pure emotions and feelings were expressed with every moment she took to bring out the quality from her instrument. He then glanced at Jane, whose brow was formed into a frown as she strumed every note to her perfection. Her eyes never leaving the score of papers as her fingers efficiently went over each seven strings like a pro. His eyes went back to Liz when the music reached its final end and the chord of the last note died in the music room. He heard clapping and he turned his head to see the teacher and his other classmates looking at them. He flushed red when the teacher suggested to them that they play together in the talent show. The three of them.
That day Kai walked back home to his house and informed his parents of what he's accomplished. "Father," Kai said uncertainly and felt fear striked his very soul. "I have been recommended to play in the talent show."
His father looked at his son angrily," Kai you are, suppose to study and get good grades. Not go and play music like a street bum."
His mother looked at Kai then at her husband. "But Henry... it is a honor to be the one who was selected to play in the talent show."
His father crumpled up his news's paper. "HA...you mean become a buffoon, standing there and playing for the enjoyments of others and become a slave. I think not." Kai stood there, petrified from fear as his father approached him. "You go back there and tell your teacher ...that you can't proceed with this talent show thingy."
Kai stuttered out, he gulped in fear when his father grabbed his shirt and looked him straight into the eye.
"But Sir...I've already had the teacher sign me up. I cannot go back on my word." His father shook him in his grip.
"Listen, I don't care. You are going there and telling them you would not be attending..." His father hissed at him angrily.
His mother made his father let go of him. "Henry calm down," she pleaded with her irked husband.
"Now Anna, you know that I am doing this for his own good," his father argued with his mother in a commanding tone.
His mother hissed out, "He gave his word and you know what that means." His father growled and walked out of the door it slammed shout after him.*BANG* Anna looked at Kai worriedly, "You just go ahead and play at the talent show, Kai."
Kai slowly walked up to his room afraid about what would happen if he did performed at the talent show and what his punishment would be for disobeying his father.
On the day of the talent show, Kai sat there, looking out at the crowd. He didn't notice Liz walking up behind him. "Kai are you alright?" She said softly as she looked at him with those ebony eyes.
Kai nods his head," I am fine."
She gently touched Kai's shoulder and felt him winced away in pain from the bruises he got from his fathers belt, "What is wrong?"
Kai gritted his teeth, "Nothing is wrong, Liz just leave me alone." He felt her touched his arm, but he yanked it away. "Leave me alone, Liz. I don't need your stupid help." He saw her jerked her head up almost like she was slapped in the face. He immediately regretted it, but he couldn't bring himself to apologize. He watched her walked away. Her silver dress was shimmering in the dark, dim room. He heard Ms. Robinson called out their names and he approached the stage with Jane and Liz. They sat in there position and they got ready to begin. Kai gave one glance at Liz, and saw her not looking at him or anyone. In a way she seem lifeless, almost like a person just switched off the lights in her body. They began to play the music flawlessly and perfectly, but a key element was missing from the music and that key element was the feeling and the soul that made up the music. When they finished playing people stood up and clapped in uncertainty. Kai looked worriedly at Liz who didn't even smile once or raises her eyes up. Instead, her eyes seemed to be dull with no emotions. Kai watched Liz walked away at the end of the talent show leaving her Er Hu behind. He went to pick up the instrument to give it to her. That was when he notices that the strings on her instrument were broken and fingernail indents were on the wood where her hand was. A trace of red strained. The wood, she must have been playing so hard that she had pierce her palm.
*Flash ended*
Kai looked up at Leo in grief. "On the last day I was about to leave I hurt her again. It seems I don't deserve her for who she is...." Leo looked at Kai with sympathy.
"Kai, How did she end up in the hospital?" Kai closed his eyes in pain as he remembers that awful day.
"She was held hostage by a monster called Lopezitor. I tried to save her but..." Kai's voice broke at the end of the word.
Leo nodded his head in understanding. "It wasn't your fault Kai."
Kai swung around and clenched his hand into a fist. "I should have been more faster I should have saved her...."
Leo cut in, "There was nothing you could have done!!!"
Kai glared at Leo, "Yes there was!! I should have told her from the beginning that I loved her. But now it is to... late… to do that." Kai looked down in grief and anguish. "I should have told her.…"
Leo looked at Kai," How would you know Kai?" He placed his hand on Kai's shoulder in comfort.
Kai yanked his shoulder away and dragged his fingers through his hair as he paced around the area. Kai glared at Leo, "You know what is the most ironic thing Leo?"
Leo looked confusingly at Kai," What?"
Kai took a deep breath," She e-mailed me to tell me she loved me." Kai rubbed his tired eyes," The ironic thing was it was at the same time I e-mail her the same words."
Leo's eyes widen in shock," She... she… she...did? You...you...did?" Leo stuttered out. "Oh man.... I am so sorry.…"
Kai looked down on the floor. "I guess I deserve to be alone huh Leo. After all the things I've done to her, I guess fate wanted to twist me around."
Leo patted Kai on the shoulder," Don't give up hopes, Kai. That is the only thing that is keeping her alive."
Kai sighed in exhaustion," She is the only thing that is keeping me alive Leo. I can't lose her again not after I found her once again in all these years. "
Leo nodded his head, "Good luck Kai." Leo then left Kai alone with the one he loved. Did anybody tell you that you mean the world to me? Did I forget to show you that you are my everything?
Kai walked over to Liz and held her hand. The jab in his pocket reminded him of something. "Angel, I've got something for you. You lost it but I kept it for you." He took out the red flower pattern jewelry bag and opened it up to reveal the silver bracelet with stars imprinted on it. He slid it on her wrist and placed the red bag that contained something else into the palm of her hand. "Happy Birthday, Angel" Kai bend down and kissed Liz's lips. I'll always love you. He then sat down in the chair and stared at Liz, he felt his eyelids dropping, and he then fell into a deep sleep.
*Dream*
A mist blew around Kai. He could barely see where he was going. A voice sang in the distance and Kai looked around the area to find out where the voice was coming from. He frowned and followed in the direction where the voice seemed to revert from the area. He frowned when he started to smell the scent of roses in the air. He slowly looked around the area and saw the mist dispersed around him, revealing a green garden. He heard the sound of rushing water and the sweet melancholy voice. He slowly walked closer to the waterfall. Kai narrowed his eyes and he was able to make out an outline of a girl behind the waterfall.
"Hello?" He called out and to his surprise, the waterfall parted to the sides, revealing a figure cloaked in silver. She sat there with an Er Hu and was playing the melody of the song Heart to Heart. Kai blinked his eyes to clear it more, "Angel!!" he called out. He watched as she slowly raised her ebony eyes and locked onto his glaze. He then watched her starting to fade away. "Angel, I love you please don't leave me," Kai cried out in a heart breaking voice.
Kai jerked awake and panted in fear. He looked around wildly until his eyes rested upon Liz. He laid his head against her hand, his face was soaking wet like he had ran a hundred miles and there was the haunting smell of roses in the room.
Kai heard a moan and the sweetest voice that he ever heard called out his name. "Kai?"
He quickly looked at Liz and saw her slowly taking in her surrounding. "Oh thank god." Kai kissed Liz's lips and called out, "NURSE, NURSE, SHE'S AWAKE THANK GOD SHE'S AWAKE."
He smiled lovingly at her as he watch her looked at him in confusion. "Kai, What's going on?"
The nurses rushed in and checked on Liz and they smiled. "I think she will make a full recovery Mr. Chen."
Kai nodded his head gratefully. "Thank you." He watched the nurse's file out of the room. "How do you feel Angel?"
Liz looked tiredly," I feel like someone stepped on me." She frowned when she felt something in her hand. "What is this?"
Kai blushed," You birthday present, Angel."
Liz looked up, startled, and saw the red flower printed jewelry bag in her hands. She gasped when she saw her silver bracelet on her wrist. "I thought I lost this."
Kai smiled sadly," No, I found it." She nodded her head understandingly and opened the red bag. Her eyes widened in surprise as she took out a ring that had a blue sapphire in the middle and was shaped in a heart with little diamonds surrounding them. Liz looked up at Kai and blinked in confusion.
Kai looked at Liz with tears in his eyes. "Would you marry me?" Liz blinked in surprise and nodded her head, her eyes widened in surprise when Kai started to jump around the room like a maniac. Thank you GOD Kai then smiled happily at Liz and hugged her gently. "Welcome my Heart, Welcome home."