A Lesson in Faith

Disclaimer: I own neither K Project nor its characters.

Characters: Neko, Kuroh, Shiro (mentioned)

Summary: When Kuroh doubts that they will find Shiro, Neko takes the time to teach him a little something about persistence.

"Neko, I don't think we're going to find him."

The comment is sudden, and jerks the pink haired woman out of silence. Her eyes swivel to glance up at Kuroh, who has stopped walking.

It's been months- three, to be exact, but who was counting?

However, the time is not her concern. Just like him, she halts, and places her hands on her hips. Her brows narrow, frowning at him without any trace of her usual cheer. She clenches the red parasol- Shiro's parasol, in her hand with so much force that her knuckles turn white from the pressure she exerted on the instrument.

"You're wrong!" She protests indignantly, the octaves of her voice rising with each word.

He stares back at her, unflinchingly, unsmiling, steel blue gaze almost…sad? Was he feeling sad? His expression, she realized, seemed almost…desolate.

He was slouched, an unusual posture for the normally straight swordsman, his hands limp at his side, voice almost deflated.

"There has been no sign of him, Neko," he replies, lacking fire in his words.

Anger leaves her, and she too, slumps, still clutching that parasol with such force she is afraid the object will break. She takes the moment then, to grab one of his hands, and points it to the sky, towards a frozen star that gleams silver.

"Shiro is our King! He is not dead! We will find him! And see there?! That star will guide us! It's as silver as our King!" She exclaims, eyes bright.

Her tone is not despairing, not really, but his shoulders stay slumped, eyes wavering with emotion, biting his lip. She keeps his hand pointed at that star, gleaming brightly in the pink sky.

"We will find him, Kurosuke," she says again, tone firmer, quieter than before.

We will find him, because I know Shiro is not dead. Okay, maybe she didn't know that Shiro was not dead, but he had said he was immortal, right? So he had to be coming back, he could not have died.

Shiro was her home. No, he was their home.

The serious words work this time, at least a bit. That dullness in Kuro's eyes lightens, and he loosens his lower lip. She drops his hand, and places it back on the red parasol.

Gradually, they begin to walk again underneath the pink sky, still following that silver star.

Kuroh takes a moment to pause again, and turns his head to look at her, lips pulling into a gentle smile.

"We will find him, won't we?" His question is not really a question.

She knows it.

She knows they will find Shiro again. They will search every corner of the earth, forever if need be, until they see him again.

They will see him again.

-Fin-